Chapter 7: The Bigger They Get
"So, I've been thinking…" Mal playfully mused while massaging his wife's shoulders.
It was late and they were both sitting at the foot of the enormous, regal looking bed of their expansive bedroom. They had both endured yet another busy day of training new soldiers and overseeing the day-to-day operations of Cartagena Station and were eager to unwind. Their children had already been put to bed and they were finally alone, a luxury that had become far too rare during the past few months.
"About what?" Tess replied coyly while smiling as Mal continued to ease the tension in her muscles.
"Well, I just cleared our schedules for the next couple of weeks and I know we've both been aching to get away for a few days, so I thought I'd ask TED to babysit while we spend a little quality time alone." he cheerfully explained before gently kissing her neck.
"Mhmm. I like the way you think, tough guy." Tess moaned. "Did you have any particular destination in mind?"
"Actually-"
"DAD!"
"DADDY!"
"POP!"
"Damn it, not now." Mal groaned as his three oldest and most rambunctious children suddenly stampeded into the room while riding their pet varren.
The creatures made a beeline for the bed but quickly stopped short after catching sight of the glare that Tess was giving them. They immediately scurried off to a distant corner of the room after their diminutive riders dismounted and eagerly approached their parents.
"Pop, we wanna go somewhere fun!" Leon demanded.
"What?" Mal responded in confusion. "Where'd this come from all of a sudden?"
"Dad, you've spending all of your free time with Vince lately and it's not fair." Lucas explained while frowning.
"He's right and you just took Geli to that zoo on Thessia without us. We deserve a trip too! Our grades are just as good as hers and…like Lou said, it's not fair!" Olivia added with an agitated expression on her face.
"You three are something else, you know that?" Mal replied in exasperation. "I've been spending extra time with Vince because he's started to delve into more advanced areas of his biotic studies and I don't want him experimenting without proper instruction. Virgo wants to keep a close eye on him too, he may be a genius but he's still young and liable to make a few mistakes every once in awhile. As for Angelica, that trip was a spur of the moment kind of thing. We happened to be in the neighborhood and Liara mentioned-"
"No excuses!" Olivia shouted while pouting.
"Liv, that's enough." Tess announced sternly before lifting the little girl and sitting her across her lap. "What's gotten into all of you?"
"We never get to see you guys anymore." Lucas responded in a downcast manner. "You're always busy and whenever you're actually home, you spend all your time doting on Layla and Sasha or having meetings with the Wolves." he quietly added.
"Come here." Tess gently beckoned causing the boys to climb onto the bed where Leon took a seat between his parents while Lucas sat on his father's lap. "We have been doing a lot of running around lately. I'm sorry babies." she apologized before kissing Olivia's forehead and brushing Leon's cheek.
"Perfect at parenting my ass. I told you I'm a screw up, Ethan." Mal quietly grumbled while holding Lucas. "Alright Tess, new plan. I'll clear another week for us and we'll all head to that new theme park on Tuchanka for a few days."
"You mean Eviscera?" Leon eagerly asked.
"I still don't like that name." Tess sighed.
"I think it has a certain ring to it." Mal chuckled. "Anyway, Wrex gave me a few passes as a bonus for a job we handled for him not too long ago and I think now would be a good time to use them. We can go on a few rides, check out the new breed of Kakliosaurs, maybe do some sightseeing and enjoy a little hard earned vacation. How does that sound?"
"Great!" the triplets happily exclaimed in unison while their parents smiled.
"Daddy, one more thing." Olivia added before blushing slightly and nervously shifting in her mother's lap. "I want a nickname too."
"What do you mean?" Mal asked quizzically.
"I want a special name like the others. Mommy's your flower, Geli's your angel-I want to be something special too." Olivia demanded.
Mal took a moment to shake his head while smirking before lifting his daughter from Tess' lap and sitting her next to Lucas. "A nickname, huh? Something special? The truth is you already have one. I only use it around your mother though."
"She does?" Leon asked in an almost mystified tone. "But she can't be an angel or flower. She's a violent bully and a total brat."
The slap to the face that he promptly received from his sister seemed to justify his assessment rather nicely but also caused him to tear up slightly.
"Liv, apologize to your brother right now and then go stand in the corner for a time out." Tess sternly ordered.
"Sorry." Olivia mumbled as Leon curled up next to his mother.
"That's Daddy's little firebrand for you." Mal playfully whispered before kissing Olivia's cheek causing her to laugh a little before strolling to an empty corner of the room for her time out.
After spending the next hour playing with their parents and excitedly planning the details of their trip, the trio finally fell asleep in their parents' bed while Mal and Tess watched over them.
"These really are the moments I live for." Mal quietly declared while softly running a finger through his daughter's hair as she slept nearby.
"I'm willing to bet this was mostly Liv's idea. She has a hard time sharing you sometimes. She was just getting used to having Angelica occupy your time but now she has to split you with the twins too. I hate to say it but if she had her way, she'd be the only girl in your life." Tess teased.
"Gimme a break." Mal joked.
"I'm serious. She really wants to be your only little girl. The boys will be fighting tooth and nail for your attention as they get older, actually it's already started. But the girls will probably have their fair share of spats too. You're so popular." she continued while smirking.
"You really know how to make a man's anxieties melt away, don't you?" Mal sarcastically responded before locking eyes with his wife. "And I haven't forgotten about you, gorgeous. We're still overdue for some alone time." he added in a suggestive tone while leaning in towards her.
"It's like I always say, talk is cheap." Tess quietly replied while leaning forward herself. As the couple drew closer to each other over their sleeping children in preparation for a kiss, the door to their room once again opened as another pair of restless kids waltzed in.
"Oh come on!" Mal groaned in exasperation while Tess laughed.
"Dad, we can't sleep." Nate yawned as Ray approached the varren across the room and began playing with them.
"Then what's with the yawning?" Mal irritably countered.
"We're sleepy but we can't get to sleep." Ray explained after having his face licked by Razor.
"Godda-"
"Mal," Tess quickly cut in.
Mal took a deep a breath after shutting his eyes before slowly getting out their bed and throwing a house robe on. "Alright, let's go." he suddenly announced after picking Nate up. "You troublemakers aren't gonna have us up all night again. Let's head to the kitchen and grab some warm milk and then visit TED for an appropriate lullaby."
As he made his way to the door while carrying Nate, the trio of varren quickly followed with an exuberant Ray riding Igor while laughing. Once they were gone, Tess took a moment to stare down at the other sleeping children still occupying her bed.
"It would be nice if things could stay like this." she mused before kissing each of her kids and turning the lights off. After taking a moment to relax while resting on her pillows, she casually placed a hand across her stomach while staring up into the darkness before finally smiling and falling asleep.
"Are you sure Dad will be okay?" Allie anxiously asked while watching her father play with his grandsons in the backyard of her parents' home in London.
"Allie, your father has fought and killed giant, synthetic squids who were hell-bent on galaxy wide destruction. I think he can handle playing with a couple of energetic children who just woke up from their naps." Ashley humorously assured her. "We aren't quite decrepit yet." she jokingly added.
"That's not what I meant. I…never mind." Allie replied in a tired fashion before taking a seat next to her mother in the living room.
"It's nice that we can finally see each other outside of Arcturus. We haven't had a proper chat in awhile. The boys seem to be doing well." Ashley pleasantly stated while glancing at her husband roughhousing with Jayce and Kevin outside.
"Sorry, things have just been so busy lately. Darryl and I have both been getting assignments from the Council and-"
"And helping your father with a few odd jobs, I know." Ashley finished for her. "The life of a SPECTRE isn't an easy one. We've always known that." she lamented. "Now why don't you tell me what else is going on?" she wisely inquired while facing her daughter.
"It's been getting harder and harder for us not to neglect the boys and Angelica. The last thing we want is for them to feel like we abandoned them for the sake of the Alliance or the Citadel. And now…Mom, I'm pregnant." Allie finally admitted.
"That's good news, right? Another grandkid to add to the army we already have. God, this house won't be able to contain many more once Christmas rolls around." Ashley joked.
"It is good news and I'm really happy and I know Darryl will be to, it's just that-what if it's another boy?" Allie anxiously pondered. "I know that's an awful thing to say and I'll be happy no matter the gender as long as we have another healthy baby but I can't help but feel a little bit guilty." she confessed.
"Why?" Ashley asked curiously.
"We agreed a long time ago that we wouldn't aim for more than four, so this will probably be our last new addition and the last chance for Darryl to have a girl of his own. I know it sounds stupid but I feel so bad sometimes watching him spend time with Angelica, Leanne, Caitlyn and the others…I know it sounds selfish and silly but I really want to give him a daughter that he can call his own." Allie admitted.
"You know, most people want it the other way around but I can understand your feelings. Allie, Darryl isn't the kind of man who would care either way. He loves Angelica, he loves you and regardless of whether or not the baby is a girl or boy, he'll love them too. I can honestly say you're worrying over nothing and you shouldn't feel guilty." Ashley assured her before embracing her.
"What if Angelica was destined to be my only girl?" Allie quietly pondered.
"Then she'll be your only girl and we'll still be outnumbered." Ashley joked. "But it won't matter either way. Understand?"
"Thanks Mom." Allie replied appreciatively. "And sorry for adding another recipient to your Christmas shopping." she joked.
"Don't worry about it. Skipper loves to spoil them all and so do I. But the house really is being pushed to its limits during the holidays." she humorously lamented.
"You aren't thinking of moving or selling it off are you?" Allie asked with a hint of concern.
"Don't worry, we'd never go that far. This house has too many memories. I can still remember when we first moved in after the Reaper War and how a few of our friends followed us and bought houses nearby. It was such a relief having a few familiar faces around." Ashley fondly reminisced. "You know, your father was born in space. He spent most of his life on ships, moving from one place to the next, never settling in one spot for too long. We both worked really hard to make sure that you, your brothers and sister wouldn't have to go through the same experience. And we're glad to see you all making the same effort with your own children." she proudly explained.
"A home they can always come back to. That was what we all promised we'd give them." Allie stated warmly. "I guess we're just following your example." she pleasantly added causing her mother to tighten her embrace.
"Ash! Where's my credit chit?" Shepard suddenly bellowed after entering the house with his excited grandsons. "The boys and I are heading out for some mischief." he joked.
"We really set a good one, didn't we?" Ashley mused while Allie laughed.
