A/N: this was such a hard one for me to right. I had so many things i wanted to happen. I wanted it to end on a high note so i hope i dd that well enough.
Thank you to all who read and loved this story. I really hadn't expected anyone to read it when I wrote it.
Be warned for a return of the Native Language, Some smut and...yea i think that's it. Its super long sorry.
For her dress think of what Tzipporah wears in Prince Of Egypt/
Song near the end of the Chapter is: *I Lived by OneRepublic.
"Kaidan." Aela's voice purred softly in his ear. "Honey..Kaidan."
"huu.." He said half asleep. He heard the sound of the fish tank bubbling in the background and could feel his wife lying next to him.
"Two things real quick one: Happy Birthday." She said and he could hear the smile in her voice.
"Ughhhh" He groaned unhappily at the reminder and she snickered quietly to herself. He hated celebrating his birthday. He didn't mind going out for drinks with friends or if Aela would do something nice for him. But he hated the whole shpeel of cakes and parties and everyone saying Happy Birthday all damn day long.
"What's the second thing?" He asked eyes still close not having moved from his spot on his back hoping to go back to sleep. If she would let him.
"Oh yea…the second thing…..umm. My water broke."
"God Damn it, lead with that! Always lead with that! That should have been the first thing!" He said jumping out of bed. She lay on her side still in her P.J. like it was no big deal. He went to his dresser and dug out a t-shirt and pulled it on in a hurry than pulled some jeans on and grabbed a pair of socks. He hobbled around on one foot pulling his sock on and looking for his boots simultaneously. He looked over at her still lying in bed watching him lost his balance for a moment and placed his foot down on the ground starching his sock. He grumbled at the sock than looked up at her.
"Well, come on." He said with a bit if pushy tone.
"mmmm." She hummed sheepishly.
"Mmm what?" He asked with a bit of short temper. It wasn't that he was mad he was just nervous and freaking out and she was…well very business as usual about the whole deal.
"There may be a third thing. A Small thing" She said shyly holding up her thumb and index finger in reference to small.
"What is this third small thing?" He asked fixing his sock on his foot and pulled the other sock on.
"We're in the Arlahk System." She said gently
"WHAT?! THAT'S NOT A SMALL THING AELA! THAT'S.." He paused to do half asleep math in his head. "That's six hours away from Earth If Joker's gunning it!" He grumbled and pulled his boots on.
"Joker!" Kaidan shouted at the ceiling.
"He is asleep, Major. May I assist you with something?" EDI's metallic voice said calmly over the comm.
"Yea Get us back to Earth NOW! Aela's water Broke!" He said walking toward the bathroom to wash his face.
"We are already on route to the Mass Relay. We should be hitting it in about twenty minutes. If it's of any help to you Major, Shepard has not yet had a single contraction and labor in human females can take up to thirty hours. So there is no need to worry yet." EDI Informed.
"Thirty hours?!" Aela exclaimed in the background.
"Yes Commander. According to Earths History database some women spent three weeks in labor. But, with the advance of medicine, if you have been in labor for thirty hours and the baby has yet to crown you will be given the option of a caesarian section."
"Not helping EDI." Kaidan said coming from the bathroom.
"Sorry. Perhaps this may be of help than: Shepard appears to be in early labor, which most Doctors don't count as labor. Most physicians count labor from the time active labor start that is when Shepard will experience contractions." Kaidan stood in thought for a moment in the middle of the room. "Well yea actually that was kind of helpful." He said softly.
"You are welcome." The AI said with a bit of a chipper sound.
"So…apparently we have time…what should we do now?" He asked. She simply shrugged.
"I'm going to take a shower." She said and grabbed some cloths from her dresser. He watched her in stunned silence as she nonchalantly went to the bathroom and closed the door to shower hearing the water come on.
Garrus, Tali and James made their way to the lounge area of the hospital in wait.
"Were those normal noises a human woman makes during labor?" Garrus asked to no one in particular about the death threats and pained groans Shepard had been making to Kaidan when they docked having never truly heard her make such sounds.
"Pretty much." James said playing with a baseball he had brought with him to keep himself entertained. "not that I have any real experience witht he situation but what I've gathered through old vids and stories from friends yes."
"And that was just the start of it." Liara said coming up the hall.
"You mean it gets worse?" The turian asked in disbelief.
"According to my resent research into the subject, yes much worse." Liara said.
"Spirits." Garrus marveled. "How has your species not died out? I can't imagine human women do this voluntarily." He asked James.
"Apparently they do." James said with a shrug. The group sat quietly in their own thoughts till James broke the silence with. "Can you believe she's gonna be a mom?" He looked around the group with a confused look on his face. "I mean seriously she taught me how to do a one armed neck break. That doesn't say loving mother to me personally."
"And Thane taught her that." Jack said coming through the hall with Kasumi. Jack walked to the wall on the end of the room and leaned against it. "Yea, something about Drell assassin teaching you how to kill someone with one arm doesn't really say happy home maker to me either." Jack grinned as Kasumi took the seat next to James, whom was a little disappointed that Jack hadn't taken it. She was still denying the two were anything more than friends with benefits even though the past seven months could be categorized as otherwise. Between the messages and few shore leave days they got they were damn near inseparable .But he let her have her denial.
"You know what I can't believe. Is she's having HIS kid right now." Jack said shaking her head.
"Why not?" Vega asked tossing the baseball in the air over his head, as he leaned against the back of his chair resting his head on the wall behind. "Because I was there after Horizon." Jack said curtly.
"Oh god Horizon." Kasumi sighed.
Aela made a bee line for the elevator and headed up to deck 3.
"I have a feeling I won't be alone today." Kasumi sighed quietly to Garrus.
"Oh no, you won't. Your room has the booze." Garrus teased. Kasumi sighed in defeat and fallowed suit to the port observation deck where she had taken up residence. Aela wasted no time pouring herself a shot, and muttering under her breath.
"The nerve of that son of a bitch." She hissed. Kasumi entered her room and almost immediately sent an S.O.S to Jack. There was no way she was soloing this train wreck.
"Me trying to turn him against his beloved Alliance I wouldn't dream of hurting his perfect reputation…" Aela mumbled quietly as Jack made her way into the room. Aela poured herself another shot and drank it making a pained face and harsh gasp as if the wind had been knocked out of her.
"If that's you're drinking face what's your sex face look like?" Jack teased
"More face less noise." Aela retorted quickly pouring another. After about four more she gave up pouring and starting drinking from the bottle. Jack took it as her cue to join in.
"Jack you're not helping." Kasumi chastised quietly.
"Oh you expected me to help?" Jack asked sarcastically and took a swig of tequila from the bottle. Kasumi watched unsure of what to do as the two women drank as if it were water and they in a desert.
"If you can't beat em…" She said to herself and grabbed a bottle of gin.
"Screw him! Damn it." Aela slurred spilling the clear contents of her bottle slightly on her. She looked down at the darker spot on her shirt and shrugged. "He is such a fucking asshole. A condesndt…cotesnt…..a prick" Aela slurred in her inebriation.
"You tell em Shep." Jack goaded taking a seat on the couch and tipping her bottle back. The three of them drank until they passed out.
"At one point she said something to the effect of 'fuck you moose boy' and tossed a bottle of whisky across the room." Jack recalled with a snort and Vega tried to keep his laughter down.
"Never thought Lola could hate him." wondered aloud.
"It was short lived." Garrus said eyeing the dextro snack he had procured form the vending machine still unsure what the hell it was.
"Clearly." Vega said and dropped the ball to his lap. A bit of commotion was heard down the hall and the group turned to see what it was all about.
"I'm not a patient here." Joker growled to a nurse who was trying to persuade him he was in the wrong part of the hospital and needed to get back upstairs to the inpatient wing.
"I am his Alliance issued Mobility Assistant Unit-" EDI started to bullshit the nurse with a fake VI voice she often switched too more for her own entertainment than necessity. People had slowly but surely been coming around since the Geth and Quarian had come to peace and Geth had even been assisting on other planets to help with the rebuild of major cities and farm lands. They group stared on with grins twitching at their lips and stifling chuckles as Joker and EDI finally broke free of nurse and made their way over to them.
"Every damn time I come near a hospital I swear." Joker grumbled taking a seat across from James next to Tali.
"Can you really blame them for thinking that you're an escaped patient? I mean look at you!" Vega teased.
"Don't even get me started." Joker threatened.
"We won't" Garrus countered before the pilot could think about a for instance.
"Anyway, what were you guys talking about?" Joker asked.
" We were just recalling fond memories of our favorite Commander." Garrus said with his usual playful tone. "
Yea, I picked up so many useful things from Shepard." Jack said with a grin. "Like when we went after Thane and we caught a merc by surprise. She questioned him and he didn't answer right so she just pushed him out the window and let him free fall seventy-five stories."
"I can believe that. She was the scariest person I had ever met." Joker started.
"Scarier than me?" Jack asked.
"I'm not going there. You both equally scared the shit out of me with your ridged demeanor and killer eyes. Other than the fact that you had less hair I couldn't tell either of you apart from the other for a while. You both have tattoos, swear, drink, and shoot people who make you mad."
"Speaking of shooting, I remember the first time I met her" Kasumi said "I was playing my usual ruse of hacking a nearby add terminal to speak through. Shepard wasn't fooled she stopped at the terminal looked it over for half a second than looked around the room for me. She looked up and saw me on the railing overhead, pulled out her pistol and shot me in the foot. I fell off and landed on my back. All she said was: 'I don't have time for your shit get ready to go." Kasumi said with her best Shepard impersonation.
"And now you count her among your close friends." Garrus teased as Kasumi scoffed.
"They've come along way. They deserve a little happiness once in a while." They could all agree to that.
Kaidan held the tiny baby in his left arm marveling at how small he was. He felt like a giant as small fingers wrapped themselves around his right index finger.
"Look at that." Kaidan said facing his son toward Aela who slept peacefully in the hospital bed. "You finally got mom to sleep. Which is a good thing since you didn't really help her insomnia the past three months." Kaidan said softly looking at the small face with a smile. He walked to the corner of the room and sat down in the chair there unable to take his eye off the infant. He was so enraptured with the tiny boy that he hardly noticed his father and father-in-law enter the room.
"Hey." His dad said softly. Kaidan only looked up for a second in acknowledgment with a smile. The two men needed no more having once been in his place themselves. Siegfried took the seat against the wall near the door across from Kaidan, while his father came to sand on his right side looking over his shoulder.
"Best birthday present ever." Kaidan said in a hushed voice refusing to put his son down. His son. Something he never thought he'd ever be able to say.
"It's not your birthday anymore. It's his birthday." his dad corrected.
"Well yea, but we technically share one now." Kaidan said
"What time was he born?" His dad asked.
"Ughh 00:07." Kaidan recalled.
"Right… Twelve oh seven A.M. It's his birthday now. Yours was yesterday." His dad corrected
"I know when my birthday was dad." Kaidan said with a playful tone.
"And now you know that a father can never forget his son's birthday." His father said giving a loving pat on his shoulder.
"What's his name?" Siegfried asked.
"David." Kaidan said absently not truly paying any attention to anyone in the room.
"That's it? Just David?" His dad teased. Kaidan gave a soft laugh and rolled his eyes. "
No. Not just David." He mocked tossing a playful glance up to his father. "Kaidan David Alenko. But we're just going to call him David." Kaidan said with a small smile.
"Not a junior?" His dad teased once again causing Kaidan to once again roll his eyes. "
No. She fought me tooth and nail determined that his first name had to be Kaidan. I can't understand why."
"It means warrior." Aela said sleepily from the bed. As if on cue David started to fuss in Kaidan's arms.
"Ok, ok I get it you want mom." He said softly and crossed the small space to her to hand him over. He would be lying if he said he hadn't felt a little rejected and unloved that his son cried for her as soon as he heard her voice, but he was only two hours old. Her voice was the voice he knew most. "Oh, piláchi- kamíi'i -na' kwáavichu 'om."She said softly taking him into her arms. He settled back to sleep against her chest. "Well I got a two hour nap that's more than I can hope for in the next….eighteen years right?" Aela asked striving for playful.
"ohh god we are never going to sleep again are we?" Kaidan sighed placing a loving kiss on her forehead.
"Probably not." She smiled up at him. "But I'm use to that."
"Well I'm not." He laughed softly
"You'll learn. Sleep's over rated." She said with yawn.
"Uh huh" He said thoroughly unconvinced.
"Well I'm going to attempt to find your mother before she buys out the gift shop." Kaidan's dad said and headed out the door. Siegfried didn't bother excusing himself with words. He simply smiled at them than left wanting to give them some privacy.
"Well this is going to be interesting." Aela said relaxing back into bed, lying on her side, nestling David in next to her.
"What?" Kaidan asked.
"I'm pretty sure the Alliance isn't going to let an infant stay on the Normandy. I mean letting Gunny stay on was a stretch of its own, but there is no way in hell they are gonna let a new born on a war ship." She said.
"Oh don't worry about that I have a surprise for you….umm two actually." He admitted sheepishly.
"What kind of surprises?" she asked with a look of suspicion.
"All good things…I think." He justified with a shy smile.
"Start talking Alenko." She said keeping her voice quiet yet commanding. "
First of Alenko, I out rank you so don't start trying to give me orders." He said with a smile.
" And Second Hackett kind of messaged me a few weeks ago…" He said slowly, having learned to approach surprises with caution with her. "…About…?" She asked slowly.
"About Alliance HQ in Vancouver being near completion." He informed.
"And? What does that have to do with you?" she asked in confusion.
"He wanted to know if I wanted I was going to continue to Lead Biotics Company." He said.
"And you said?" She asked.
"I said I needed to talk to you about It."
"And I assume that you think this is the prime time to talk about it?" She asked referring to the fact that she was exhausted and their new born slept soundly for the moment tucked under her arm.
"Well….yea…I mean we would be Stationed on Earth, I'd be home every night unless we have field training, so…it looks good to me at the moment. But what do you think?" He asked more than willing to give her whatever she wanted even if that meant something he wouldn't necessarily like. Like one of them having to stay behind with their son while the other left on the Normandy or any other ship they may get assigned to.
"I think you're the best damn one for the job and you should tell him yes." She said directly as if it should have been a no brainer. He wasn't going to lie he was mildly relieved.
"Ok….What are we gonna do with you two?" He asked still unsure if she was going to throw something out of left field at him.
"I'm retiring. Hackett and I discussed it months ago." She informed taking him a bit off guard. Well that was out of left field but not exactly a bad thing. "Well I'm glad to be finding this out now." He teased lightly.
"I thought I already told you?" She said confusedly.
"You did not." He said playfully, shaking his head.
"Huh…sorry." She apologized.
"It's ok." He smiled.
"What was there another surprise you had for me?" She recalled eyeing him suspiciously again. He paused collecting his thoughts for a moment than pressed his lips into a hard line and asked;
"Do you remember our place in California?"
"OUR place?" She asked recalling it had been his long before they were married and not remembering her name being anywhere on the property.
"Yes everything is ours now, answer the question." She said running her comment over.
"Yes I remember it." She answered
"Well it got smashed to shit during the invasion." He said with true Joker like sarcasm.
"Of course it did."
"And apparently having your house destroyed in a war with sentient beings isn't covered in the fine print of the Home Owners Insurance."
"Why would it be? It's not like that could ever happen." She said sarcastically with an eye roll.
"But, and that's a big But, the land it was on, which we technically owned, was a piece of prime real-estate itself."
"Did you say ownED as in past tense?" She asked
"Yes, and apparently someone wanted to buy it enough to hunt me down to negotiate." He said answering her question quickly trying to move the Q & A along.
"How much did you sell it for?" She asked getting to the point he was seeking.
"2.3 million Credits." He said with a proud grin.
"Holy shit!" She said in a loud voice causing David to make a very unhappy sound; they both froze not wanting to make a noise. He settled back asleep and they both relaxed "Holy shit." She whispered, "I don't think I've ever had anything remotely close to that much?"
"You're back pay from being dead for two years?" He asked playfully.
"I didn't get paid I went to Alliance Jail." She informed.
"Disregard." He said.
"So what were you planning to do with that money?" She asked with a scrutinizing look.
"I may have already spent it." He admitted making sure his eyes never left hers.
"On what?" She interrogated.
"A Five bedroom three and a half bathroom House thirty minutes from HQ in Vancouver….." He said blushing slightly as her brows shot up in surprise. She remained silent for bit and he had to thank the Great Spirit that she was holding David otherwise she might have assaulted him. He was actually surprised when she asked;
"What the hell would we do with five bedrooms?" He relaxed a moment and had to stop himself from laughing.
"Oh gee I don't know House Vega, Gunny, Connor and anyone else needing a place to live. Hell I tried to find a bigger place but that was the biggest I could find that was built and ready to move into." He said.
"Good point." She observed.
"We can always sell it if you don't like it." He said hoping that would be sufficient buffer room for her.
"Deal." She agreed and smiled up at him
"Ok…" He smiled back and thought for a moment "So you're retiring?"
"Yea Hackett wouldn't negotiate past unofficial retirement." She said a little bitterly.
"Why unofficial?" He asked not seeing the point.
"So the Council could call my ass back whenever they felt the need. Sine their running a little low on Spectre's at the moment" She groaned quietly.
"Oh Christ." He sighed. They had had enough to hold them over for a few years.
"That's exactly what I said." She said mater-of-fact-ly.
"No Shit?" He asked sarcastically.
"So when do you pick up the keys for the House?" she wondered.
"You mean these keys?" He asked pulling the keys from his pocket. "
Yes those."
"We can see it as soon as you're released in a few days."
"If I like it, where are we going to stay till we get furniture?" She asked and another look crossed his face. "What now?"
"I may have already paid to furnish it…." He said timorously. She stared at him for a moment and said;
"…..I don't know if I should love you more for planning ahead because lord knows I surely didn't, or if I should be mad you spent 2.3 million credits on a house and furnishing it without telling me."
"Go with the first one."
"…alright I'm too tired to argue with that logic."
"Good." He smiled and kissed her on the forehead.
(Six months later)
James cooked in the kitchen shuffling the contents of the pan around in one hand holding David in the other arm making sure to angle himself so if anything spit from the pan it wouldn't hit David. He had heard him crying upstairs after Kaidan had left and went up to get him hoping to let Aela sleep a little longer. The small boy smacked his fist against James' chest and made noises that the little guy probably thought was talking.
"Ok one second it's almost done." Vega reassured him. This was apparently the wrong answer as he fussed more and gave an annoyed whine than buried his head into James' neck. "Oh poor guy you're just a mix of tired and hungry aren't papa?" he said turning off the stove and using his now freed right hand to rub the little ones back. David gave a staggered in hale and looked up at Vega with watery eyes and a trembling lower lip. "Aww you're killing me." James whimpered and scooped up a small bite of the scrambled egg he had made and blew on it to cool it. David whined impatiently. "I know I know I'm trying. This is hot I don't want to burn you." He said and tested the heat of the food against his lip. All was good, so he held it to David's who wasted no time gobbling the bite in his mouth and gumming it to death. "Damn ok let me get you a plate." Vega laughed and gabbled the high chair that was sitting in the corner and pulled it toward the island than slid David into it. He was no pleased and made this known. "Hey, calm down I'm getting you food." Vega said and continued talking tying to sooth him as he got down a plastic plate and put some scrambled eggs on it.
"What are you doing?" Aela asked half asleep. He had to bite his lip in order not laugh at her appearance. Hair disheveled like a rats nest, looking at him through one eye in one of Kaidan's old P.T. shirt, black dolphin shorts, and one sock on. Yes one sock, the other was probably lost in her bedding somewhere. He cleared his throat and answered.
"Little man was up and I thought I'd lend a hand and let you sleep in a little."
"Where's Kaidan?" She asked groggily.
"Ugh I don't know he left earlier this morning thought he was going to work." He said listening to her pop her neck and then her knuckles.
"Oh yea he has Spectre crap to do today." She remembered rubbing at the back of her neck with eyes closed. "Thanks for taking care of him."
"It's the least I could do since you guys are letting my stay here. Still can't believe it's such a pain in the ass to find a place. It's been over a year." He marveled sitting down on a stool at the island with his plate and David's than slowly delegated small servings to the six month old.
"Hey they destroyed a lot in such a short amount of time. That's kinda funny you should say that about you being here. It was actually one of the first things Kaidan said when I asked what the hell we were going to do with all these rooms." She snorted
"What? You don't want to fill em up with brothers and sisters for this little guy?" He teased taking a bite of his own food.
"Ughh lets not go there just yet." She groaned. He laughed. "What about you and Miss Jenifer?"
"Who?" He asked in confusion dumping another spoonful onto David's plate. "Er I mean Jack any babies for you two?" She teased and he coughed violently having been caught off guard with the question and his food went down the wrong tube. She laughed at him hard.
"That's not funny." He said hoarsely after dislodging the obstruction in his wind pipe. "It's not like that Lola."
" Sure it's not. You two have been saying that for over a year now yet when she's in town neither of you can be found and when you guys are apart don't think I don't notice how much time you spend on your omni-tool. " She said eyeing while she peeled and orange.
"She's just easy to be around we get along just fine with it being the way it is don't jinx it" He warned. She smiled and nodded her head in agreement but had a mischievous look on her face "…unless….you know something I don't. Did she say something to you?" He asked eyeing her suspiciously. "Nooo" She said with a devilish playful tone and he wasn't sure if she was lying or not.
"Ah mierda. She's your best friend wouldn't she tell you if something was up?" He asked starting to get confused.
"Yep." She said procuring some juice form the fridge and pulling a Sippy cup down from the cupboard for David. He watched her intently, waiting for her to give him something. When she didn't he sighed.
"I'm not getting shit out of you am I?"
"Most likely not." She said all too chipper and handed the blue cup to her son.
"Gaahh, would you at least tell me if she wanted more?" She practically begged while the wheels in his head spun. He wanted more but he kept it to himself because he didn't want to scare her away.
"Well that depends, do you want more?" She asked.
"You're the devil." He sighed with defeat .
Kaidan got home late that night. It had been a long, long day. Expense reports don't file themselves unfortunately. All lights in the house were off which was strange because Vega was usually out on the couch watching T.V. or up doing something. Jack's probably back. He reasoned and headed up stairs, first stop David's room. He peeked into his room to see if he were in bed or not. He wasn't in bed which meant he was most likely in their bed. He headed to their room and found Aela sound asleep with the TV on to cartoons with David nestled snuggly under her right arm. He walked in slowly trying not to wake them when he realized David was wide awake watching the cartoons. Kaidan shook his head and toed off his boots. He waked over to his side of the bed and leaned over to pick him up.
"You probably want a bottle about now huh?" He said softly. As he got his fingers securely around his son he froze to the feeling of sharp cold steel against his throat. Aela had jumped in a flash in a disoriented haze and grabbed her buoy knife from under her pillow and brought it square against his neck. David giggled in the background.
"It's me." He said softly and relaxed a bit when she dropped the knife and flopped back down to bed.
"Shit sorry. I didn't hear you come in all I felt was someone picking him up." She apologized putting the knife away.
"It's ok now I tick one less worry off my list." He said with humor in his voice.
"Ha ha." She said tiredly and headed for the bathroom as he headed down stairs. She returned to bed flicking the T.V. to a different channel and set the timer. She liked to have it as white noise and nestled into the covers lying on her back. Kaidan returned a few minutes later with the baby monitor in hand. He placed it on his night stand than headed to the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later and crawled into bed next to her, lying on his back he was halfway asleep when she rolled over and snuggled into him resting her head against his chest. He smiled, bringing his left arm around to hold her and kissed the top of her head and tried to go to sleep, but was conflicted. Sure he was tired as hell, but he couldn't help wondering if he should take advantage of the situation. David was asleep in his own bed and Vega was out for the night. How long had it been since they had some alone time? Three weeks? Maybe four…. He decided to try his luck and slide his left hand down her side softly barely skimming her skin.
"I was hoping you wouldn't be too tired" she whispered and place a kiss on his left pectoral over his heart. That was all the motivation he needed and turned over onto his left side wrapping her in his arms and crushing his lips to hers. His left arm held her tight against him and his right hand grabbed her backside firmly pulling her hips against his so she could feel his arousal. He rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of him tossing her shirt aside. She placed her hands on the headboard to steady herself as he pulled her hips down while pushing his up. She arched her back biting her lip as his mouth greedily sucked on her puckered nipples. He rolled her onto her back and tossed both their shorts and underwear to the pile on the floor. His lips explored every inch of her skin, down her neck, across her belly, and began down her left thigh when she stopped him and pull him back up to her. "No time for that I need you now." She practically demanded and he was all too happy to oblige. He sheathed himself inside her to the hilt and watched as she bit down hard on her lip to stifle the moan that ached to break forth. He held himself at the top of a push up over her and began a slow methodical rhythm with his hips. His eyes fixed on her mouth as she released her lip and allowed a soft moan to escape as he slid deep with her. He picked up speed and her soft moans escaped more frequently, driving him mad. He wanted to hear her scream. He began to pound into her harder, forcing her soft moans to become a struggled cry. Her left hand gripped his hip while the back of her right attempted to cover her mouth. His hands fisted in the sheets and he lowered his head to rest in the crook of her neck.
"Baby let me hear you." He panted in her ear and she allowed a sharp moan to escape her throat. She quickly bit down on her lip again and pressed her forehead into his neck as he pushed harder and faster into her.
"Don't stop baby. I want to hear you." He practically begged and she gave in. She moaned loudly into his neck driving him wild.
"Harder" she begged and he complied giving her everything last ounce of energy he had and she in turn rewarded him with what he wanted. Her nails dug into his back and the head board slammed against the wall.
"Don't stop." She pleaded and he knew she was close. Every request and sound she made drove him closer and closer to the edge.
"Fuck I'm gonna cum." He grunted into her shoulder and she let the cry of his name tell him she already had as he slammed into her one last time. They lie there sweating and panting for a few minutes before either one of them heard the sound of cries in the baby monitor. "
Shit." Kaidan hissed and jumped out of bed throwing his shorts back on quickly and headed for the door.
"You didn't want me to be quiet." She reminded and he grumbled out the door.
"I know I know."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Aela asked with apprehension
"For the hundredth time yes" Kaidan reassured with a smile. "It's the least I can do for you."
"You are with me. That is more than enough." She said with smile.
"Aela you left your tribe, your heritage, basically who you are to be with me and don't try deny it. I know your tribe and the way you were raised means a lot more to you than you lead on." He said with a serious expression.
"I'm not denying nor confirming anything but I did technically leave. I am not entitled to this in anyway." She reminded gesturing to their surroundings as they stood on her tribes land.
"Oh for god sakes we have the approval of your clan leader" He said rolling his eyes.
"He's bias." Aela said plainly.
"AND the approval of your neighboring clan and the Shawmen and four other clan leaders and their shawmen. Yes I know, I know, we are technically married all ready but humor me please" He said holding his hands up in defense.
"Ok you made your point" She sighed.
"Besides I killed an elk with a tomahawk for this" He said with mock sternness. She stared at him not believing him with a raised brow. "…..Connor may have helped…the second time." He said shyly.
"The second time?" She asked cringing slightly.
"The first time, he made me catch a rabbit with a trap and bait, and then had me kill it with my bare hands." He said with abhorrence recalling the endeavor.
"You didn't snap its neck right did you?" She said with sympathy. As much as she loved him he wasn't a brutish hunter and defiantly not prepared to kill cute fuzzy animals for nourishment with his bare hands.
"Not even remotely." He admitted shaking his head.
"I'm sorry." She said rubbing his arm reassuringly.
"On the other hand I did finally find out how rabbit tastes. Not too bad." He said and she couldn't hold the smile back.
"Connor doesn't make it right. I'll make it for you next time." She grinned wider.
"It may be a while before I can eat that again. I still have nightmares about it. I didn't know rabbits could scream like people." He mused looking out into coast line with a queasy expression.
"Oohh k we'll stay away from rabbits for a while." She said pressing her mouth into a line. "
Yeah that would be preferable." She gave him a reassuring pat on the back and looked around the familiar land she had grown up on. The wreckage that had stood so long from the raid had finally been taken down either by Connor and his attempt to rebuild or by the Reapers. Either way it was actually refreshing to see the partially rebuilt tipis and a few long houses.
"How are we even going to do this?" She asked eyeing the mixture of freshly planted cherry blossom trees in contrast to the aged willow and eucalyptus trees.
"What do you mean?" He asked not sure what she was refereeing to.
"The whole tradition is about the two families become one through the union. And I don't have a family." She reminded somewhat smugly thinking she upper hand since it was her people and their tradition and he wasn't well versed in their ceremonies and rites.
"Yes you do. Your dad for one," He reminded with a smirk.
"Whom, I am barely getting to know now." She defended.
"Beside the point, and you have these goof balls." Kaidan said pointing behind her as a vast majority of her former crew made their way over to them, "When did they get here?" She asked in confusion
"Not that long ago. I may have been planning this for a few weeks now and you may be going through with this in oh say about three hours." He said checking his watch and giving her his signature don't kill me smile.
"What?" She turned to look at the close friends that she had made over the years, Cortez, James carrying David and playing with him, Jack not far behind still denying any and all feelings for Vega, Ciara, Kasumi, Garrus, Tali, Samara, Liara, Javik, Grunt, Wrex, Bakara (leaving their brood at home) Gunny, Joker and EDI. Yes she could call them family. Hell Wrex had already called her his sister and made her an honorary Krogan. These were people she trusted with her life to the end. People she knew would have her back and be there for her no matter what.
"So you jack offs are supposed to be my family?" she asked teasingly.
"Yep! One big ass kicking family" Vega said before planting a raspberry to David's belly. The six month old giggled wildly. Aela smiled at the group feeling special but pushed it down.
"Ok well you're still missing several key components to this tradition. Like that fact that I don't have a brother to swear fealty to you." She pointed out and he grinned wildly.
"That's a lie I believe you have regarded Connor as you -páa'as Have you not?" She stared at him for a few moments trying to debunk this somehow. "And who would officiate?" She asked since Connor was the technical clan leader he couldn't do both.
"I told you we have approval from a neighboring tribe…and participation from their shawmen." Kaidan said smugly.
"My mother's dead who's going to fill in for that roll?" She challenged.
"I am" Chakwas said with a smile carrying a basket Aela assumed had cloths in it. She glowered at the Doctor and clicked her tongue against her molars. She leaned over toward Kaidan and whispered;
"Be honest how much of this did Connor help you with?"
"All of it." He said still smirking.
"God damn it." She hissed under her breath knowing full well that having Connor on the inside meant everything was going to be done to the letter of the law and she wasn't getting out of this one.
"That's right I missed nothing." He whispered into ear than turned to the crowed. "Now ya'll better go get dress Connor and Osiana made sure everyone got authentic attire yes Jack and James even you." Jack moaned unhappily.
"Osiana?" Aela asked dejectedly. It wasn't that she necessarily hated her 'cousin', whom was from their neighboring tribe. They just weren't exactly compatible personalities.
"She is your cousin right?" He asked trying to make sure he hadn't fucked up his vague understanding of how the tribes had worked. Connor had tried his best to explain in the best few weeks.
"Essentially." She sighed.
"Ahote! polóov yu'pannupo 'oy tíiwin!" Osiana shouted from behind the group. Aela cringed internally and turned around.
"Aiyanna, polóov tíiwi 'om" She said with a forced smile. All the males regardless of species, except for Kaidan, tuned to stare at the russet woman who bounded up to Aela. Aela had decently dusky red tan skin, being slightly darker in color than Kaidan but she looked pale in comparison to Osiana, whose dark red skin was rich and smooth to sight. Her deep black hair was longer than Aela's still, which was saying something. Having let her hair grow out completely, the tips of Aela's hair grazed at her lower back when it was down like it was now. Osiana was slightly taller than Aela and wore traditional tribe cloths of leather, cotton and animal furs. The cream colored paint on her face was almost white in contrast to her skin.
"wuko'a cháa'um aay- 'om kut" Osiana said tugging at her arm.
"lą́ʼąąʼ" Aela sighed and Osiana dragged her off. "Come on Karin" She called over her shoulder, and the doctor followed as they headed off to the left of the group and toward a great tipi.
"I didn't understand any of that" James said quietly to Jack.
"Do you speak whatever the fuck her tribe language is? No! So don't expect to understand." She snipped as David reached an arm out trying to grab her. She backed away making a face, while James snickered at her. She wasn't afraid of David, in a weird way it was how she played with the infant. He would pull at her and laugh at she scowled they'd do the dance back and forth for a few minutes till she gave in and held him.
"Her cousin's pretty easy on the eyes you think it's a native thing? Like they all have really good genes or something?" James asked handing David over to her. Jack rolled her eyes and huffed.
"I don't know why don't you go ask her?" She snipped once again with a small but definite trace of jealousy in her voice.
"Damn it woman you are infuriating. You're mad if I notice another woman but you're mad if I say anything possibly relating to any form of you and I might be together." James grumbled.
"Deal with it princess." She said sarcastically, and handed David off to his dad.
"Alright I am medley afraid to see what uncle Connor is going to dress you in." Kaidan said to his son who was busy chewing on his own hand, as they walked off toward one of the long houses to the right.
Aela sat perfectly still as Osiana tied red plumeria's into her thick braid. Aela didn't want a big huge ta-do about getting married hence they had basically eloped. But she would be lying to say she wasn't smitten half way to hell with the surprise and all the thought that Kaidan had put into this. She had been skeptical when he kept asking about having Connor basically give him a crash course in all things her tribe. She even found it a little humorous when he took a week off to spend 'learning their ways' as he put it. But she would have never thought of this. Especially since she had left a huge part of herself behind when she went through the Exodus Rite, essentially washing her hands of her people their traditions, and beliefs, though she still kept to her meditations with Great Spirit and any and all celebration traditions. She had done it to save Kaidan from Connor who in a weird twist of fate had become close friends with him. Had she not done so she was ninety-nine point nine nine nine percent sure the native man would half smear the side walk with Kaidan's brains. It was basically forbidden for any native women or man to be involved with any outsider. Someone not belonging to any tribe (Because someone inside your own tribe was basically a blood relative and that was frowned upon.) And Connor being a male amongst her Tribe with peeked interest in her had more than enough rite by their law to challenge him to the death. The Great Spirit had a funny way of making everything all workout. Those two were butt buddies now. And Aela was pretty sure the only one beating Connor out for honorary title of Kaidan's best friend was Garrus because they knew each other longer. That was all speculation of course.
"muríqa-" Osiana said and Aela complied turning to face her 'cousin' so she could apply the ceremonial paint. She made short line vertically over her left eye and to horizontal under, with the turquoise paint and then one line on the center of her lip than down her chin to her neck. And here it was time to get dressed in a form fitting cotton 'dress' if it could be call that. It was sleeveless, around the neck and floor length with a slit up to her thigh on either side. A beautiful red for good luck with white and turquoise belt that tied around her waist. She felt pampered and a little awkward as Osiana waited on her hand and foot, quite literally as she tied the small ankle bracelet of bells around both ankles.
"One last thing." Her cousin said and produced a white dove feather, a representation of love, to twist into her hair. She sat still as Osiana tied it to a piece of hair at the base of her neck.
"ahéheeʼ " Aela said with deep appreciation. "Let's get this show on the road"
*"No you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be the warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your togetherness and may your days be good and long upon the earth." The shawmen finished the blessing and they walked away in the make shift aisle more because he had wanted to not necessarily going with the tradition.
"Are you happy now?" She asked playfully as they made their way to the reception area.
"Yes quite." He said with a smile. She took a seat on the floor in the designated area sitting crossed legged or Indian style as most people said. He took a seat next to her on her left and was amazed at how straight she kept her back. But of course sitting this way wasn't new to her. The rest of the group made their way over, Connor bringing David to her and she almost died from how adorable he looked in his regalia and headdress.
"You are so adorable." She gushed taking the infant in her arms. He smiled at her and made approving noises. She sat him in her lap and he relaxed against her watching everyone with wide eye wonder. Aela couldn't help but smile. A part of her had always wanted this. Not necessarily the wedding crap, but the closeness that she had with these people regardless of species, gender or belief. Family. No one could ever replace her tribe or the closeness she had had to them. But these people were a fighting second. There wasn't one person here should would ever dare say wasn't family. She laughed watching as Connor and Osiana tried almost in vain to show James and Ciara how to do the celebration dance. Even Siegfried shook his head at them not that he had a dancing bone in his body. Aela blamed him for her inability to carry rhythm. She was brought out of her gawking by Kaidan who planted a loving kiss on her cheek, and went back to watching the festivities. He was the bonus to all this of course. Never in her wildest dreams could she have believed she'd ever deserved someone so loving and kind.
"What?" he asked; catching her admiring him out of the corner of his eye.
"I remember the first time I met you." She said with a shit eating grin.
"Oh god," He groaned rolling his eyes
"You were so tense. I thought you were so weird." She laughed recalling her first day on the Normandy
"Gee thanks." He said sarcastically than flashed her a beaming smile.
"Well look at us now." She smiled. "Married for over a year now and we go this little guy." She said holding David up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He giggled and reached for Kaidan.
"Yea he is pretty cute." Kaidan said taking him.
"Did you think we would be like this the first time you saw me?" She asked watching him play with their son.
"Ha I never thought I had a chance with you." He admitted shooting her a look.
"Really?" She asked not sure she believed him. "
Yes really. My friend Craig insisted you were out of my league." He said smiling at the laughs David made from watching the group.
"What are you taking about?" "The first time I saw you…The night before we shipped out on the Normandy. I was at the bar. My friends asked me to pick the girl I thought was most beautiful." She said shyly.
"And you picked me?" Her brows shot up with surprise.
"Yep." He said with a shy smile. He leaned over and planted a loving kiss on her lips. They heard the sound of the click and turned to see had Tali caught the moment with her omni-tool.
"What?" She asked.
"Take all the picture's you like Tali just make sure to send me copies." Aela said. "In fact let's get one with everyone." Aela said and began to call everyone over to them.
"Wait who's going to take it if everyone's in it?" Kaidan asked.
"I can" Siegfried offered.
"Are you sure?" Aela asked.
"Yeah. This one will be just you guys and your crew. We'll get in in the next one." He said speaking of himself and Kaidan's family.
"Ok. Thanks." She said with an appreciate smile.
"Ok everyone say unádi gaduná" Aela couldn't help but laugh hard as she heard Vega say What? In genuine confusion, while the rest of the group just smiled.
"Are you mad that I did this?" Kaidan asked as the group moved places with his family and her dad, Connor, and Osiana.
"No. I'm actually really glad you did." She smiled."Nayeli."
"Nayeli pi"
piláchi-= learn
kamíi'i= allow
-na'= dad
kwáavichu= take care of
'om= you-páa'as= Elder Brother
polóov= good
yu'pannupo 'oy tíiwin= see you again
tíiwi= see
wuko'a= Come
cháa'um= we
aay-=get
kut=ready
lą́ʼąą= alright
muríqa-= Turn
ahéheeʼ=Thank you
unádi gaduná=Cheese
A/N in the game we are only left to assume what happened to Kaidan's dad and no matter how i tried i could write him out so just go with it lol.
