-Chapter Thirteen-
They returned to the suite, and found Kati and Yves at the table in the living area, eating room service. Nolan was sound asleep on the sofa, with his little pillow and blanket, his thumb in his mouth.
Anthea gave her sister-in-law a small wave, checked briefly on her son, and pulled Khan into the bedroom. Inside, she locked the door and activated the soundproof shielding.
Khan tugged her against him from behind, hands sliding over the silky material of her dress to cup her breasts through it. He dipped his head and grazed his teeth against her neck and she shuddered.
"Khan," she breathed.
"Do you remember the first time we made love?" he asked. His voice was low and raspy, his breath a hot wash over her skin.
"I do," she breathed. "How could I forget? I'd never had an experience like that in my life."
"And since?"
"Mmm. It's always good with you."
He bit down a little harder on the curve of her shoulder. "Not what I asked."
She chortled. "Are you really asking what it was like with Kirk?"
Khan licked the side of her neck. "I explained Harewood. You owe me."
"Right now, though? In the middle of this?"
Anthea turned in his arms. "It was . . . adequate, I suppose. I was lonely, I hadn't had sex in nearly a year. But he wasn't you. No one else could ever be you."
He caught the fabric of her dress in his hands and lifted it up her thighs. "If you let anyone else touch you, Anthea, I will skin the man alive."
"I don't want anyone but you, Khan. If I'd known you were alive, he wouldn't have gotten anywhere near me."
"Why did you? Of everyone in the world, why him?"
She slid her hands up his arms. "I don't know. Because he was there when I broke? Because he was . . . sympathetic? I was lonely and I missed you, I thought you were dead, and no one had touched me in so long. I also had post-partum depression."
Khan sat on the foot of the bed and pulled her to sit on his lap, stradding his legs with her skirt around her hips. "I'm not angry at you for it," he told her. "I know I've said it before, but I am not angry. Possessive, yes. Jealous, certainly. I don't want to share any part of you with someone else."
"It wasn't anything like we have," she whispered. "It was just need in the moment. It wasn't this."
Anthea slid her fingers into his too-long hair and kissed him. Khan's hands caressed her back as he returned the kiss with equal fervour. When his tongue slipped between her lips, Anthea moaned and fisted her hands in his shirt.
Khan twisted, rolling to deposit Anthea on her back on the bed. He knelt over her, propped up just enough that his weight wasn't on her belly.
"I want you close," she sighed. "The baby's in the way."
"It's only for a few more months," he told her. He rubbed his hand over her belly.
He pressed his lips to her ear. "I love you, my Thea," he breathed. "You are my only love, in any lifetime."
She turned her head. Khan rose on one arm, just enough that he could lean over to kiss her.
"You know you're the only one for me," she breathed against his lips. "I've never loved anyone but you."
Khan wrapped a lock of re hair around his finger. "Let me show you how much I adore you."
A noise at the bedroom door woke Khan sometime later. He lay there for several moments, trying to identify what had woken him. When the sound came again, he recognized it as small hands slapping the door, and a plaintive cry of "Mama?"
Nolan.
Khan slipped out of bed, leaving Anthea softly snoring, and pulled on his pants. At the door, he unlocked and opened it to find a tearful Nolan there.
"Mama!" the toddler blubbered, hiccuping mid-cry.
Khan picked up his son and stepped into the living area, closing the door with one hand behind him. "Shhh. Mummy's sleeping."
Nolan rested his head on his father's chest and heaved a sigh that shook his small body. He jammed his thumb in his mouth. "Dada," he mumbled.
Khan brushed his lips against his son's dark hair. "Back to bed, my boy."
Moving to the sofa, Khan retrieved Nolan's blanket and stretched out, his head against the arm, with Nolan reclined on his chest. He draped the blanket over the toddler.
"Did you have a bad dream?" he asked in a whisper.
"Uh-huh." Nolan shuddered and hiccuped again. "Dwagons."
"Hush, beta. There are no dragons here, and if they should come, I will protect you."
Khan placed his hand on Nolan's small back, aware that it covered nearly the whole. His daughter would be so small when she arrived!
He'd always known in a theoretical way that he wanted to have children, at least an heir to his kingdom. But Khan had never truly put thought into it, even when he and Anthea had briefly discussed it at the start of their marriage. Waking six months ago to find that he had a child had been a revelation.
Being a parent hadn't come naturally to him, at first. But now, as he soothed his son, he wondered how he'd ever felt awkward in the role. He wouldn't trade a moment spent with his son for anything. Still, the thought of holding his newborn daughter was daunting. Khan was not used to the feeling.
Nolan was limp now, returned to sleep in the easy way children have. Khan ruffled the child's dark hair, the strands silky and soft.
"You will have everything I did not," he promised in a whisper. "As much safety as I can manage, and two parents who love you very much. You will not grow up wondering if you were wanted, or if you were only an experiment. No one will use you, or force you to do terrible things. You'll grow up free, with family all around you. I promise."
And if anyone threatened his family again, Khan would make them regret it immensely before he killed them.
Her footsteps echoed in the large, empty room, her boots clicking on the bare cement floor. It was dark, the blackness broken only by a blue light at the other end of the chamber. She approached it, heart pounding in her chest as she recognized the cryopod that slowly came into focus.
What was she doing here? She'd removed all the cryopods, taken Khan and his people to Sitara. Hadn't she?
Her blood was a loud rush in her ears as she reached the pod. It had the same serial number on it as Khan's. She should know; she'd run her fingers over it enough times in the month she'd had him hidden away on the Reliance.
She looked down, into the face inside, and she screamed. An empty, shrivelled husk stared back at her, mouth open and grimacing, eyes dark holes in the rotted skull. Black hair clung in wispy strings to the dessicated scalp.
She was too late. The ancient technology had failed, and-
Anthea woke with a start, half upright in bed, hand pressed to her thumping heart. It took her a moment to realised she was awake, and it had just been a nightmare.
She shuddered and dragged her fingers through her hair. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time she'd had the dream. She'd had variants of it since even before she'd located Khan and his people in the bunker on Starfleet's base. They'd gone away recently, replaced by the occasional nightmare about being kidnapped by Klingons.
"Stupid dream," she breathed.
Still, she was surprised, nightmare aside, to find herself feeling really rested for the first time in weeks. She wasn't surprised to find Khan absent from the bed, since he usually rose much earlier than she did. But a glance at the clock on the nightstand told her it was earlier than she usually did.
She got out of bed and pulled her robe around her, intending to seek out her husband. In the living area, she found Khan sound asleep on the sofa, Nolan snuggled close. Anthea couldn't help but smile at the sight of the former warlord with a toddler cuddled in his arms. It was almost as cute as the time she'd caught her husband playing peek-a-boo with Nolan.
She watched them sleep for several moments, then sat on the edge of the sofa. Khan woke when the cushion dipped under her, and he blinked a few times before his eyes focused.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked in a low voice.
"Nolan had a nightmare."
"Klingons again?"
"Mm."
Anthea ran her fingers through Khan's hair. "Come back to bed. Bring him."
Khan sat up and followed Anthea back to the bedroom. Nolan didn't stir, even when Khan placed him on the bed between them.
"I love watching you with him," his wife whispered, as they got settled. "There was a time I thought he'd never know you, and it hurt."
He gently smoothed the feathery locks of hair on their child's head. "He is so precious to me. When I think of not being there, for the two of you, I ache."
Anthea caught his hand. "You're here now, and you're going to be here."
Khan turned her hand, brought it to his mouth and kissed her palm. "Always."
Once everyone was finally up-at an hour more decent than the ones Khan usually rose at-they ate breakfast and set back out to browse the market and pick up supplies.
Anthea lagged a little behind the group, dawdling to show Nolan bright and colourful things. Kati and Marla were buddies again, Barton following his girlfriend silently. Khan had split off some time before, to take care of something or other, and with Yves at Kati's side, Anthea was essentially by herself, her son notwithstanding.
A store window caught her eye. Excusing herself, Anthea ducked into the small jewelry shop, Nolan at her hip. The place wasn't much to look at, really, as far as decor went, but the wares were stunning. Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and a few things she couldn't identify were crammed into and onto every available space.
"Can I help you find anything?"
The proprietor was a wizened, old Eloran, skin pink and wrinkled, hair a white ring above his downturned, pointed ears. Shiny, dark eyes regarded her from under bushy white brows.
"Maybe," she said. "I'm . . . looking for something for my husband. Our anniversary is coming up, and I want to get him something nice."
"What kind of things does he wear?"
"To be honest, he doesn't wear jewelry of any kind. But I'd like to . . . get him a wedding ring. I never got him one when we married, it was all a bit sudden."
The old man nodded with a smile. "Come, I have many. I am Wyrizan. What is your name, lovely lady? And your child?"
"Thea," she said. "And this is Nolan."
"Hi!" Nolan piped. "My mama!"
Wyrizan's smile broadened. "Yes, she is your mama, isn't she?"
He pulled a small toy off a shelf and offered it, to give Nolan something to do while Anthea shopped.
"Do you have children yourself?" she found herself asking.
"Six sons and four daughters," he confirmed. "And forty grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren."
She was impressed. "That's quite a lot!"
"When you reach nearly two hundred . . ." Wyrizan began, and trailed off, as he began picking through trays of rings stacked in a transparent display counter. "Let's see here. Tell me about your husband."
"Oh, where to begin? He's . . ."
The shop bell rang as the door opened again, admitting Yves. "Here's where you disappeared to!" he said. "We wondered."
"Is this your husband?" Wyrizan inquired.
Anthea laughed. "No, this is Yves, he's my sister-in-law's significant other. I'm trying to find something for Khan, but I haven't the faintest idea where to begin."
Yves's hazel eyes flicked to the trays of rings. "Ahh. You seek a wedding ring, oui? Taking to heart Kati's idea of renewing your vows?"
"She told you about that?"
He nodded, eyes searching the displays. "Actually, this is good, that I find you here. Perhaps, ehm . . . You can help me choose something."
She grinned. "For Kati? Planning on asking her something?"
". . . Oui, yes. I know it is soon, but . . ."
"I understand completely," Anthea said. "How about you help me find something for Khan, and I'll help you with something for Kati?"
"Deal," the Frenchman said, looking relieved.
Sometime later, they left the shop, Anthea with a ring for Khan, Yves with one for Kati. He'd chosen a large, teardrop-cut blue stone, similar to a sapphire, surrounded by tiny, sparkling white stones Anthea had already forgotten the name of. As far as she was concerned, they were diamonds.
The ring she'd chosen for Khan was silver-toned palladium and rose gold, a sunburst riveted between the hammered palladium bands, set with a small, square ruby. It was unusual but she thought it fit her husband's sense of style well. She wasn't sure it was his size, but Wyrizan had said they could easily resize it for him.
She just had to locate Khan and give it to him.
The group had gathered outside at a nearby food vendor. Khan had rejoined them, and she smiled on seeing him. Anthea's gaze landed on Kati, and she had a brilliant idea.
She looped her arm through her sister-in-law's. "I'm stealing you for a bit. Khan, would you keep Yves occupied for a bit? We need to do girl stuff."
Her husband arched a brow. "Yes, fine. But be careful."
"Of course."
Kati frowned as Anthea dragged her off. "Where are we going?"
"We're conspiring. Or, rather, I'm making you get something. Come with me."
She guided Kati to Wyrizan's shop. The Eloran smiled broadly. "Ah, you are back!"
"Wyrizan, this is Kati. Wyrizan helped me choose a ring for Khan. Yves helped, too."
"That is . . . good, I suppose. Why am I here?" Kati inquired.
Anthea hauled her towards the counter. "Do you have those items still set aside?"
"Oh, of course! You have only been gone a few minutes!"
Wyrizan pulled out a selection of rings, all the men's rings Anthea had noticed Yves lingering over when he thought she wasn't looking, ones he'd tried on himself.
"Choose something for Yves," she said to Kati. "Because who knows when we'll be near a jeweler again?"
Her sister-in-law looked at her with big, brown eyes. "You think . . .?"
"Just trust me on this."
Kati turned her attention to the jewelry, agonising over it in silence for a long while. Finally, she selected a silver one with a scatter of white and blue gems.
"Are you trying to tell me something?" Kati asked in a whisper, as they left.
"I'm just saying, it's best to be prepared. And act surprised if Yves asks you anything."
Kati snorted. "As if that would really be a surprise."
Khan waited by the door. Anthea saw that Yves was, indeed occupied: Khan had given Pandu something shiny, and Yves was trying to get it away from the baby. "And what are you two doing?" he asked.
"Stuff," his wife said. She grinned. "I was . . . assisting a certain couple in accessorizing."
She took his hand. "Actually, I got you something, too. I considered waiting to give it to you, but if it doesn't fit . . ."
Anthea pulled out the ring she'd bought him. "Here. You gave me something, and I never . . . got anything for you."
Khan realised immediately what it was, and what it represented. He let her slide the ring onto his finger. She'd judged well; it fit perfectly. And the style was admittedly something he would have chosen for himself.
"Thank you," he said, and was a little surprised to find his voice thick with emotion.
She smiled, and stood on her toes to kiss him.
As they drew apart, the ground beneath them rumbled. A second later, the sound of a distant explosion reached them. And not far away, someone screamed.
Nolan latched onto Anthea's leg, eyes huge with fright.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Khan frowned. "I don't know, but I have a feeling we're about to find out."