26.
diamond
No matter what Brielle said to the contrary, Kaidan knew that his wife was going to be a damn near perfect mother.
She had been concerned about motherhood throughout her pregnancy. She was thrilled to be starting a family, but, given the nature of her own upbringing, she seriously doubted her maternal abilities. I don't know the first thing about what makes a parent, was her constant refrain. And though she never voiced it aloud, Brielle was also concerned about how becoming a mother might compromise her ability to go back to work with the Alliance. She had, after all, been preparing for a potential position as an N7 officer at the nearby training station when she had discovered that she was pregnant. She never said it, but she didn't need to. Kaidan knew it anyway.
There was a negative connotation attached to motherhood. In a world where more and more women were joining men on the front lines every day, especially after the Reaper War was won by a woman, popular culture seemed to view the choice of maternity over military as a sign of weakness and lack of conviction. Then again, the only life Brielle had ever known was defined by military action. All the same, it was difficult for her to overcome her impression that domesticity was a rather feeble vocation.
That was why Kaidan came home one afternoon with a diamond ring in hand.
He and Brielle had been in agreement that their union should not be defined by the outdated traditions of a gaudy marital culture. She had been particularly adamant about keeping diamonds out of the equation altogether. So when Kaidan set the open box on the table in front of her, he was not surprised to see her eyes widen and her expression harden.
"What's this?" she said simply. She didn't want to hurt Kaidan's feelings or scold him for buying her a gift, despite the fact that she had very clearly stated that she did not want such a thing.
"This is not an engagement ring, if that's what you're thinking," Kaidan said quickly. "We decided against that, after all."
"Well then," Brielle said, frowning slightly. "I'm not sure what the occasion is."
"You're worried," Kaidan replied, "because of the baby. You don't think that being a parent is, well ... you don't think it's fitting for you. I think you're afraid of choosing something that you see as a weak path."
His voice hardened, laced with determination.
"But it takes the same sort of stamina to raise a kid as it does to fight a Reaper. You need to balance the need for brute force with a careful, more delicate approach. It's physically and mentally exhausting."
He inclined his head toward the diamond.
"When you were the commander of the Normandy, you were the rock that grounded everyone on the crew. The way you dealt with everything you faced during the war is irrefutable proof that you are the perfect candidate for motherhood. You never let anything lay a scratch on your resolve or your conviction. You're beautiful and strong and tough as all hell. I'm not giving you a diamond; I'm giving you a mirror. You're the diamond, Brielle."
Brielle could not think of anything to say to this, so she let the kiss shared between the two of them at that moment do the talking for her.
"It isn't me," Brielle murmured. "It's us. The diamond," she added as Kaidan gave her a quizzical look. "You know the only thing that can scratch a diamond is another diamond? You're a diamond too, Kaidan."