Kids Being Kids
Summer 2208
Kaja T'Soni, eldest daughter of retired Alliance General Leia Shepard and Dr. Liara T'Soni, practices her biotics in the basement practice room. The training drone, who Kaja and Gaia named Droney, dispenses targets one at a time for Kaja to aim at. The young asari throws a warp field, hitting the first target then readies herself for another target to appear. The next target appears in the far corner from Kaja's location in the room. She attempts to use stasis. The weak stasis field doesn't hold the target, so the youth throws a warp field at the target.
The youth pants with her hands on her knees, "Stop exercise, Droney. I've done enough for today."
Droney with a mono-tone voice similar to Glyph's says, "Of course, Kaja. I've recorded your session."
"Thank you," says Kaja as she wipes her forehead with the back of her left hand.
Gaia leans against the door. She's been watching Kaja for the past ten minutes without Kaja knowing she was present. The middle sibling asks, "When did you learn how to use stasis, Kaja?"
Kaja grins at her sister, "At school. I need to work on it more. I'm not very good with it."
"Oh, please, you didn't learn that at school. We've been on summer break for the past three weeks. Did mom teach you?" Gaia waves her hand at Kaja in a dismissive manner. One, Kaja doesn't appreciate seeing.
The eldest sibling rolls her eyes. "No, mom, didn't teach me. It was the last ability we were taught before break." Kaja turns off the console in the practice room and Droney goes into stand-by mode. "Go and ask her if you want."
Olivia, the youngest sibling, walks towards her older sisters. "Momma wants you."
Gaia asks, "Wants who? Me or Kaja?"
"Both," answers Olivia.
Kaja hustles up the stairs to see what her mother wants. Gaia makes sure Olivia goes upstairs with her. "Come on, Olivia. You know you can't stay down here. You're too little," says Gaia when Olivia lolly-gags behind to look at the equipment her father uses to work out with. Olivia runs over to Gaia then the two sisters make their way up the stairs. Liv takes her time going up the stairs which is annoying her older sister. Gaia is already at the basement door while Liv is barely half way up. "Come on, slow poke."
The youngest sibling stops and looks up the stairs at her sister then sits on the stair to annoy Gaia. The young aspiring actress starts mumbling something about younger sisters as she walks away from the door to tell her mom about Olivia not wanting to come up the stairs. Kaja overhears Gaia complaining about Olivia and chuckles to herself. She's been thinking that since Gaia was old enough to cause problems or be annoying. Which Gaia is most days, annoying.
Kaja walks down a few steps before asking, "You coming, Liv?" The oldest sister offers her hand to Olivia.
"No," says Liv with her arms across her chest in her best defiance stance.
Kaja sits next to her baby sister. "Why not? You know you can't stay down here and I'll get into trouble if you stay. So please, Liv, come up stairs."
"I'm not slow poke." Liv turns away from Kaja with a little smirk on her face.
Liara and Gaia stand at the top of the stairs watching Kaja talk to Olivia. Gaia shakes her head then walks to her room, knowing she has a chat with mom coming soon about how she talks to Olivia. Liara turns her head enough to watch Gaia go to her bedroom. She turns her attention to Kaja's interaction with her baby sister. There is a big gap in age, Kaja's twenty and Olivia's five. So far, Kaja always helps with Olivia. This moment is the perfect example, where Gaia shows little patience, Kaja shows a great deal.
"I know that, Liv." Kaja wraps her arm around Liv's shoulder and gives her a hug. "Are you coming or are we going to sit on the steps all day?"
Olivia grins at Kaja before she gets off the step and slowly walks up the stairs. Kaja looks towards the door to see a mother full of pride with her daughter's behavior. Liara pats Kaja on the shoulder when she finally reaches the doorway. Olivia runs through the house and out the front door when she sees a taxi land behind the family's car and her father exiting the car.
"Daddy, daddy," says a overly excitable youth as she runs to her dad with her arms outstretched.
Leia Shepard reaches down to pick Olivia up when the youngster gets within reach. She smooches the youth's chubby cheeks. "Hi, Liv. Miss me?"
Nodding with enthusiasm, Olivia answers, "Yes, daddy, I missed you." She hugs her father's neck.
Kaja walks briskly towards her father, she grabs the lone bag, "Welcome home, dad. I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, little one," replies Shepard as she hugs Kaja with her free arm. Leia pays the fare then puts her arm around Kaja's shoulder as they walk towards the house.
Liara leans against the front door with a huge smile on her face. The house isn't picked up like Liara wanted, but with her bondmate returning earlier than expected, she doesn't mind. "You're back early. Get the treaty worked out?" asks Liara when Shepard gets within hearing range.
A smirk appears on Leia's face, "Yes, I got them to work it out. I still have to yell at people some times, but both sides gave in enough to get it signed. The Council should announce the treaty sometime today." She puts Olivia on the floor before she kisses Liara passionately on the lips. Leia says, "I've love you, Liara. And I've missed you."
Gaia grins when she sees her father is home early from her business trip. Maybe now, her mom will forget about how she talked to Olivia and not say anything about what happened on the stairs a few minutes ago. Gaia hopes so anyway. She does her best to pretend she's been behaving while her father was away on Council business. Too bad for the young asari, neither parent buys her act. Especially her father. "Hi, dad. Welcome home." Gaia has a big grin on her face, hoping her goodie-two-shoes act bears fruit.
Kaja walks through the living room on the way to the backyard. "Dad, I put your bag on the bed. I'm going outside. Liv, you coming with me?" Kaja holds her hand out for her baby sister to hold.
Nodding with enthusiasm, Liv grabs Kaja's hand before they walk out the patio door to play outside. The two sisters leave Gaia with mom and dad. Running around is the first thing Liv does when she gets outside so Kaja can chase after her. Gaia starts to leave to join Kaja and Olivia when Liara asks, "Where do you think you are going?"
"Ah, to play with Kaja and Olivia. Is that okay?" asks Gaia in an innocent tone. The middle daughter points towards the backyard.
Leia gives Liara a curious look with her right eyebrow raised. "Did I miss something?" Shepard's eyes move from Liara to Gaia, who now has a guilty look on her face.
"Yes, you did. You came home before I could talk to Gaia about how she talks to Olivia," replies Liara, who has an unhappy look on her face when she looks at her daughter.
"Sit." Leia points to the couch. Once Gaia sits, Shepard asks, "What did you say to Olivia, Gaia?"
Gaia looks at her mom, who has the unhappy look on her face then to her dad. "I called her a slow poke."
Leia sits on the ottoman. "You know the rules, Gaia T'Soni. No name calling."
"But..."
Shepard cuts her daughter off before she can make excuses for calling Olivia names. "No, buts. Olivia is younger and smaller than you are. She does things slower than you do. You have to show her patience, Gaia. That is what big sisters do. Kaja does it for you and for Olivia. You only have Olivia."
"But..."
Liara cuts her off this time, "You heard your father, Gaia. No, buts. I sent Olivia downstairs to get you and Kaja so you could pick up the house before your father got home. You come to me saying, Olivia won't come up stairs. You failed to mention you are the reason she stopped and sat down on the steps. When I go to get Olivia, Kaja is talking to her on the steps and I overheard what she told Kaja. So did you, Gaia. I saw you walk into your room when Olivia told Kaja you called her a slow poke."
"But..."
"Room, now!" orders Leia as she points to Gaia's bedroom. She gives Gaia a look which causes Gaia to high tail it to her room. Shepard turns to face Liara. "Anything else happen while I was gone?"
"No, Leia. Kaja would have made you proud on how she talked Olivia today. Why can't Gaia show Olivia the patience Kaja does?" asks Liara before she kisses Shepard's lips.
"I don't know, Liara. I really don't. Maybe we don't let her try out for the play she wants to audition for before school starts," comments Shepard with a smirk on her face.
Liara doesn't think that is a good idea. But then maybe it will get Gaia's attention if she doesn't get what she wants. "It's an idea. We can discuss it later. Since you are home, I'm going upstairs to get some work done. You okay with that?"
"Of course, I'm okay with that. I love you, T'Soni. I'll go and talk to Gaia after a bit. I want to talk to Kaja and Liv first. Get their side of things before I talk to Gaia some more." Leia gives Liara another kiss before she goes outside to chat with her other daughters.
"I love you too, Shepard. I missed you too." Liars runs her finger along Shepard's arm before going back to work.
Kaja is chasing Liv around the backyard. Both sisters are laughing and giggling. Especially Liv. Leia stands and watches her daughters play together before she calls them both over. "Olivia, Kaja, I want to talk to you both for a moment then you can go back to playing."
"Kay, daddy." Liv runs at her father then gives Leia a huge hug.
Kaja sits in a chair with a grin on her face. She's glad her dad is home. Hopefully they can go to the amusement park soon. "What do you need, dad?"
Shepard hugs Olivia then kisses her cheek. "Olivia, I hear Gaia called you a slow poke. Is that true?"
Liv nods her head. "Yes."
"Were you being slow on purpose, Olivia?" asks Leia.
"No," replies Olivia. "I sat down when Gaia say I slow poke"
"Dad, Liv didn't do anything. She was making her way up the stairs. I was already at the top of the stairs. Gaia got annoyed because Liv was slow at going up the stairs then she called Liv a slow poke. That is when Liv sat down and Gaia left her sitting on the steps," says Kaja in Olivia's defense.
Leia smiles at Kaja then gives her a subtle nod. "Thank you both. You can go back to playing now."
Olivia hugs her father again then runs back to the grass waiting for Kaja to start chasing her again. The eldest daughter hugs her father then chases after her baby sister. They go back to running round laughing. Leia smirks as she watches them play together. Liara's right, Kaja shows so much patience with her baby sister, more than Gaia does. Shepard walks back inside, heading to Gaia's room.
Gaia sits at her desk, looking over a few excerpts of the script for the play she wants to audition for before school starts when her father knocks on the door. Gaia opens the door, "Hi, dad."
Leia walks in, shuts the door, then sits on the bed. "Gaia, you need to stop making excuses for your bad behavior. And you need to stop acting like you are innocent when you know you've done something wrong. Your mother and I see right through it."
"I'm sorry, dad. She does everything so slow and mom did want us upstairs," says Gaia. Being told they see through her act, makes Gaia think she's need to work harder at it. She believes if she can convince her parents she is innocent when she isn't, then she is doing a great job of acting.
"You were slow like Olivia when you were her age, Gaia. Same with Kaja. It's part of growing up. Also part of growing up is learning responsibility. You and Kaja are both responsible for looking out for Olivia and Kaja still looks out for you. So, we've put more responsibility on her than we have put on you, Gaia. Some times I think you forget that." Leia gets off the bed and hugs Gaia.
Gaia hugs Leia back, "I know that, dad. I told Olivia she would get me into trouble if she didn't come up stairs."
A soft grin cross Leia's lips. "Did she do what you ask? Did she start to make her way up the steps?"
"Yea, but..."
Shepard glares at Gaia. "I told you, no buts. If she was going up the stairs then you wait until she reaches the top. I don't care how long she takes. If she stops and refuses to come with you then you come and get me or your mother. You don't call her a slow poke then walk away. Lucky for you, Kaja was watching and took over after you walked away. Would you leave your sister behind if we were out some place and not at home?"
Gaia hangs her head. She finally realizes what her parents have preached to her for the past few years about looking out for Olivia. "No, dad, I wouldn't."
Leia lifts Gaia's head by placing her hand under her daughter's chin and forcing Gaia to look at her. "I love you, Gaia. We all have our duty. Yours for now is to help with Olivia. When you get older your duty changes. Mine has several times. Some duties I have retired from, while others I'll have forever. Do you understand what I am saying?"
"Yes, I think so. I love you too, dad. I am sorry," says Gaia with a few tears in her eyes. She's not faking the tears either.
Leia holds Gaia close. "I know you are. What were you reading before I came in?"
Gaia wipes away the tears with the back of her hand. A smile appears when she picks up the data pad and hands it to her father. "I was given the script for the audition weeks in advance. It's just a few scenes, not the whole play. I've been reading over the lines."
"Which part are you wanting?" asks Shepard when she looks over the data pad.
"I want the lead, dad. Doubt I get it though," replies Gaia. A somber look appears on the young asari's face.
Leia hands the data pad back, "Don't think that way, young one. Always think you're good enough for the lead then wow them during the audition. Always have confidence in your abilities. No matter what those abilities are. Always do the best you can and usually that's enough."
"May I go play with Kaja and Olivia? Or am I grounded?" The young asari listens carefully to her father's advice. Dad is right more times than she is wrong. There is something about this audition that has the youth nervous. It's still over six weeks away. The more Gaia looks over the two scenes, the more nervous she becomes.
"Let me check with your mother," replies Leia as she pats Gaia's upper arm. "I'll be right back." Shepard leaves Gaia's bedroom and heads to the loft and Liara's office.
Liara is busy typing away at a terminal and doesn't hear Leia come up the stairs. Leia takes the opportunity to sneak behind her bondmate and softly kiss the folds on the back of the asari's neck as she wraps her arms around Liara's waist. "Is Gaia grounded? She wants to go outside and play."
A soft moan escapes Liara's lips when she feels Leia kiss her neck. "I was just going to talk to her about what happened. Do you think she needs to be grounded?" Liara turns to face her bondmate.
"In a way yes, in a way no. I think I hit home with her about leaving Liv behind when I asked if she would do that if we were out some place." Leia kisses Liara's nose.
"What did she say when you asked that?" asks T'Soni.
"She said no she wouldn't. She started crying, Liara. I think what I said finally sunk in. We'll have to see on that if she starts acting more responsible with Liv. I really do think it's finally sinking in," Leia kisses Liara's lips this time.
Liara caresses her love's cheeks. "I hope so, Leia. She doesn't take her responsibilities serious enough. I'm not sure what we can do besides talking to her about it. Go and tell her she's not grounded, but she is on thin ice until she can prove she's can be more responsible when it comes to her watching out for Olivia."
Leia takes Liara's hand and holds it for a moment before she kisses Liara's palm. "What do you want for dinner, doc?" asks Shepard with a smile.
"I don't feel like cooking or cleaning up after dinner, so we should go out to eat. You pick where. I need to get back to work for a few more hours," answers Liara.
"Okay, you do that. I'll handle the kids and let you work then. I love you, Liara." Shepard kisses Liara before heading to deal with her middle child.
"I love you too, Leia. Please, come and get me in a couple of hours. I lose track of time when I get focused on work," says Liara before she turns her attention back to the terminal and her Shadow Broker work.
Gaia runs into her father in the hallway after exiting the bathroom which is across the hall from her bedroom. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you, dad. Am I grounded?"
Shepard shakes her head, "No, you're not grounded, this time. Gaia, you do need to apologize to your sister for calling her a slow poke. I know it's not a bad word to say, but you don't need to call people names. And I mean anyone, especially your sisters. Do you want people calling you names? Remember Gaia, you need to treat others how you want to be treated. Yes, I know it doesn't always work that way, but it's better to be nice to someone then to be mean to them. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand. No, I don't like it when people call me names. I'll try harder, I promise," replies Gaia.
"Good, Kaja and Liv are out back. Go and join them," says Leia with a grin.
Gaia hugs her dad tight. "Thanks dad. I love you." The youth takes off for the backyard. She rather play with her sisters than be stuck in the house alone.
"I love you too, Gaia," comment Shepard as she watches her daughter's face light up when she heads outside. Leia shakes her head too. Gaia is a handful, but she's a good kid at the same time. She's not sure if they did something different between the two girls, but Gaia and Kaja are almost at times polar opposites.
Kaja takes things seriously, while Gaia is aloof. Kaja shows a great deal of patience, while Gaia has none. Both do well in school and are very intelligent. They use their intelligence in different ways. Gaia is more creative, while Kaja is a thinker. Both girls do make their parents proud and Leia wonders what they will be like as adults. The only thing she can hope for is they take the lessons she tries to teach them and use what they learned to do good things.
Leia goes into her bedroom to unpack her bag. After she finishes putting her things away, Shepard watches her daughters play outside. Smiling as she watches Gaia's interaction with Olivia. Gaia has Liv in her arms as Liv pretends she's a bird. They stalk Kaja, who is ducking behind a small tree waiting for the right moment to run to a different hiding spot. All three girls look happy and content. By looking at how the three sisters play together, one would never know the middle child almost got grounded because of how she talks to the youngest child.
Shepard lets them play for another hour before she calls them in for dinner. Leia decides to ask Olivia her opinion on where she wants to go for dinner. The answer is pizza which causes Gaia to grin at Liv. It's what she wants for dinner too. Kaja never cares what they eat as long as it not quiche. It's the only thing so far Kaja won't eat. Gaia offers to get her mom from her office. While she gets Liara, Gaia apologizes to her for how she acted with Olivia before dad came home. The simple gesture makes Liara swell with pride because she didn't expect this behavior from Gaia. Maybe what Shepard said to her really did hit home to the youth. Time will tell, thinks Liara as the family pile into the family's skycar to head to the pizzeria.
Next Afternoon
Leia and the girls are in the basement. Shepard rides on the stationary bike with Liv playing with a few toys. Kaja and Gaia are in the biotic practice room practicing their biotics. Liara is in her office working. With Leia home, she can get caught up on a few things. When Shepard is away on business, she works less, so she can keep an eye on the kids. Even though Kaja and Gaia are older, she still feels the need to watch over them. It's a feeling she doubts she will ever lose and really doesn't want to lose it.
It's not that Liara doesn't trust them, because she does. She feels it's her duty and responsibility to make sure her children are safe. Even at home. Liara's glad for a little alone time with her work. It's the one chance for her to be alone and just work. At times, she misses being on dig sites alone, learning what she can about the Protheans. Since writing her book with Javik, Liara has learned more about the Protheans than she ever thought possible. What she thought she knew and what she learned from Javik are two different things.
Liara has promised the girls they would go to the amusement park tomorrow, if they let her work uninterrupted today. The Shadow Broker knows, Leia will make sure she can work uninterrupted. Leia wants to go to the amusement park as much as the two oldest ones do. Olivia likes it there, but she is too small to ride the bigger rides. So, she is always stuck waiting with mom.
Kaja watches Gaia practice throwing warp field at targets set-up by Droney. The girls love being able to have a place to practice their biotics without worrying about breaking anything. It took Liara a few weeks to talk Shepard into reinforcing the walls. There are times, Shepard isn't so sure allowing them to practice in the house is a good idea, but Liara assures her the kids are safe and so is the house. Droney, the training drone, is programmed with different practice levels. Liara will at times use the room herself to keep up with her biotics.
Gaia pants a little after throwing a warp field then tries without success to bring up her barrier. The drone puts up another target and Gaia throws warp again. She hits the target, but doesn't knock it down because the warp is too weak. "Kaja, what am I doing wrong? You can always knock the target down."
"You seem winded, Gaia. Here, eat this, take a break then try again," says Kaja as she hands Gaia a banana.
Gaia takes the banana, peels it, then starts eating it. "Thanks. I'm still not as good as you. Even when you were my age, you were always better."
Kaja smirks at her sister, "Maybe because I practice more than you do. You focus on acting where I focus on my biotics and school. I've not told mom or dad this..." Kaja peeks out the doorway to see if her father is listening. She isn't, so Kaja continues, "...I want to join the military like dad and grandma. To serve and help people. And don't you go and tell them either. I'm waiting for the right time to bring it up."
"They're never going to let you join the military, Kaja. I won't say anything, but I doubt you bring it up any time soon," remarks Gaia after she finishes the last bite with a slight eye roll.. The youth hits a different practice session on the computer terminal. She changes it from an offensive session to a defensive one. Droney starts moving around its designated area and sends a small fifty volt electrical pulse in Gaia's direction. She quickly pulls up her barrier and it absorbs the pulse. Droney moves again, sending another pulse. Again, Gaia brings up her barrier in time. By the fourth pulse from Droney, Gaia's barrier is weak enough to allow the pulse to hit her leg.
"Owwee," says Gaia as rubs her left calf. The drone is programmed to know when its pulse has hit the target then it stops sending the pulse until the drone gets the resume command. "End exercise, Droney."
"I've recorded your session, Gaia.," says the drone in a mono-tone voice before it hovers next to the computer terminal.
Kaja pushes a few buttons on the hologram keyboard which causes the drone to move to the other side of the room. She wants the offensive program and wants to try something she's never done before. Combos or she is going to try. Droney sets up a target then moves to a different location in the room. Kaja throws a weak stasis field, which wears off before her warp can make contact with the target. Furrowing her brow, Kaja focuses her mind at the target. She closes her eyes briefly before throwing another stasis field followed by a warp. It makes contact with the target causing it to explode. The explosion blows up Droney and puts a small hole in the wall near the drone. Kaja and Gaia both look at the drone, the hole, then to each other.
Shepard hears the explosion and jumps off the stationary bike she is riding and runs to the other side of the basement to check on Kaja and Gaia. Gaia blinks in disbelief, she is very surprised her sister damaged not only the drone, but the wall behind the drone. Leia checks on Gaia, she's fine. She then peeks her head in the practice room to see the destroyed drone on the floor and a small hole behind the drone.
Kaja looks at her father, she has her hand on her head and a very surprised look on her face. She says, "I...It...was an accident."
Leia stands there stunned, unsure what to say. Liara rushes downstairs to see what caused the explosion. The eldest asari has a good idea it was Kaja throwing some type of combo. Liara asks when she steps into the practice room, "What happened?"
Kaja gives her mother the same look she gave her father, "It was an accident, I swear. I didn't mean to." The twenty-year-old looks at the drone and wall again. She mouths, "Wow, I did that?"
Leia snaps out of her shock to ask, "Are you okay, Kaja?"
"Yea, I didn't know I could do that. I'm sorry," replies Kaja.
"Gaia, take Olivia upstairs, please," says Liara before she turns her attention to her eldest. "What did you do?"
Kaja looks at her parents with her head held high just like her father has taught over the years. She says, "I put the target in stasis then hit it with warp and boom. No one told me that would happen and if they did, I missed it."
Leia says, "Kaja, go upstairs, please. I want to talk to your mom for a moment."
"Yes, ma'am." Kaja goes upstairs thinking she's in for it now. They still have six weeks left before they have to go back to school and she thinks she's going to spend the rest of her break grounded. She's ruined tomorrow for everyone.
Liara grins at Leia, she reaches out to touch her arm, "We need to buy another drone and reinforce the walls in here." She looks at the hole and destroyed drone then starts laughing. "I should have told her no combos long time ago. I doubt today is the first time she tried them, but the first time she got it to work."
Shepard laughs with Liara, but she still can't believe what Kaja did. "I didn't think she was capable of doing combos. I guess all her practicing is paying off. I can set something up for her outside to work on combs, but are you sure about replacing the drone and reinforcing the walls, Liara? If she can damage the wall at her age, she'll only get stronger as she gets older. She practices every day without fail," comments Shepard.
"Yes, I'm sure, Leia." Liara kisses her love's cheek. "I know she does. I suspect she wants to follow in your footsteps and wants to join the asari military. If that is what she is thinking then she will continue to practice and is why she practices her biotics so much now. You'll notice Gaia doesn't practice as much as Kaja."
Shepard furrows her eyebrows then says, "I have noticed. I look at the practice logs like you do." Leia rubs her neck. "How are we going to reinforce the walls, Liara?"
While Leia and Liara discuss how to fix and reinforce the practice room, Kaja walks past Gaia and Olivia watching a cartoon on the extranet and goes to her room. Olivia chases after her oldest sister, "Kaja, what did you do?"
Kaja smirks at Liv. "I blew up Droney and put a small hole in the wall. I'm sure mom and dad are still discussing my punishment."
"Accident?" asks Liv when she sits on Kaja's bed.
"Yea, I didn't mean to. It sorta, just happened." Kaja shrugs her shoulders. Her summer break is now ruined. And they'll probably won't let her practice in the house either. All the different ways her parents can punish her are flowing freely through her mind. Kaja sits next to Liv and hugs her sister. "I hope I didn't ruin us going to the amusement park tomorrow."
"Me too," Olivia leans against her sister.
Gaia joins her two sisters in Kaja's room She pulls the chair from the deck next to the bed. "I can't believe you did that, sis. Wow is all I can say. And very impressive."
Liara and Shepard enter Kaja's room. The eldest daughter puts a somber grin on her face when her parents enter her room. Gaia takes Liv's hand to take her back to the living room so they can finish watching the cartoons. Leaving their parents with Kaja. Neither parent looks angry or upset which surprises Kaja. Liara says, "We are fixing the room and buying a new drone. We have one new rule. No more combos in the house. If you want to work on combos, you must do it outside. Okay?"
Kaja's eyes light up. Is she hearing what she thinks she is hearing? Dad isn't saying anything, but mom doesn't look upset or angry at all. Kaja nods as she answers, "Yes, ma'am." She looks at her father. "Am I grounded?"
Shepard smirks at Kaja, "No, little one, you are not. We never told you to not do combos in the house, so technically you didn't do anything wrong. No more combos in the house is all we ask."
"I won't, I promise," says Kaja with a smile on her face. She give both parents a hug. "I love you, mom, dad."
Leia and Liara hug their eldest back. Shepard says, "We love you too, Kaja." Liara goes back to her office, so she can get back to work. The first thing Liara does is order a new drone for the practice room then makes a few calls about what to use to reinforce the room. She orders everything they need and it should arrive next week. Which means Kaja is going to have to practice outside or not practice at all. Liara doesn't see her daughter not working on her biotics. She seems very focused about getting better with them. From the small explosion, Kaja is already good with biotics and will only get better.
Shepard goes back to the basement to get a better assessment of the damage. It's not as bad as it sounded. The drone is in ruin, but the wall only has a hole from where the drone blew up. She picks out pieces of the drone from the wall. Leia grabs the broken drone and takes the remains to the trash. She can't believe her twenty-year-old daughter blew up Droney and put a hole in the wall.
It's a day Leia won't soon forget. The day her eldest daughter used a biotic combo for the first time. Kaja's skill is improving and Shepard knows she is turning into a powerful biotic. Just like her mother and grandparents. Leia watches her three daughters sitting watching cartoons. A prideful grin appears when she realizes her children are growing up right before her eyes.
Kaja seems to want to follow in her father's footsteps or what Liara thinks. Leia isn't sure if that is the path Kaja should take. But she won't try to stop her if that is what she truly wants in a few decades. Gaia already has found her passion, acting. Shepard joins her daughters watching cartoons. Kaja scoots closer to her father and leans her head against Leia's shoulder. Leia gives Kaja a loving squeeze. It's just another day in the Shepard/T'Soni household. Someone adult or child learns something and today's lesson is Kaja learning stasis plus warp equals an explosion.
–
A/N: Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I did. This is something I thought of while writing the "Secret Revealed" story. Or the part with Kaja blowing up Droney.
Next week's story is the follow-up to what happened to the Araya family in Chile. I do realize some didn't care for the story-line, but I did leave a cliffhanger at the end of "New Beginnings", so I needed to finish it up. Next week's story wraps up that story-line completely.