Shepard had a tight grip on her husband's hand as they rushed through the Citadel to the docking bay. There was a crowd that gathered, but they soon parted as the famous couple arrived. The nerves were visible on both faces as a Turian vessel began it's docking procedure. They looked at each other, sharing the same hope that the person they were due to meet was ok, despite the ordeal he had been through.

The first to move was Shepard when the docking bay door swished open. She let go of her husband's hand, moving forward as injured and frightened refugees disembarked. Behind the throng of people, a nurse held back to let the others through. In her arms, a tiny bundle watched the people go by with wide, nervous eyes. It was only when he caught a glimpse of the Human waiting for him that his demeanour changed. He let out a loud, happy trill as he immediately recognised her. He babbled at Shepard when she approached, cooing a hello at him. "Hi, Cassius. Remember me?" It was a question she didn't need to ask; he recognised her instantly, eager to be in her arms. Shepard took the boy from the Nurse, thanking her for keeping him safe, while Cassius buried his face into her neck, keeping a firm grip on her hair.

Before Fedorian and his wife died, they spent a lot of time with Shepard and Sparatus on the Citadel, in the short time they got to be his parents. Cassius had developed an attachment to Shepard, something that scared her at first. She had no experience with babies, especially alien babies. But, she soon learned his little ways and she would hum gently while he rested on her chest, lulling him into a deep sleep. Sparatus too, had developed a bond with him. That was likely the driving force behind the decision to name them as his legal guardians. Both Lorin and Valenia Fedorian knew that he'd have the life they wanted for him.

The crowd that had gathered, smiled and quietly cheered as Sparatus wrapped his arms around his wife, touched by the emotional reunion. The story of the youngster's ordeal had been in the news for the past week. It was something for the people to cling to, a little glimmer of hope shining through the misery. Then it was discovered that the galaxy's hero was going to be his adoptive mother. Rightly or wrongly, they attached Shepard's happiness with their own. She was the beacon, the shield protecting them from destruction. Her happiness was their happiness.

Sparatus took Cassius into his arms before taking his wife's hand. Together, they walked to the lift, finally getting some quiet time away from the press taking pictures. "You ok, my love?" Sparatus asked her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm fine. Just grateful to see that he's ok." She tried to stop the tears in her eyes, but to no avail. She had spent months thinking he was dead, but to see him looking so healthy…..it was too much. "I hope we have everything he needs."

Sparatus chuckled as Cassius tugged on his mandible. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

"How will I communicate with him? Can Turians speak other languages?"

Hugging his wife tighter, he pressed a kiss into her hair. "We can, I've been learning."

Shepard pulled away, looking up at him with surprised eyes. "What? Since when?"

"Since we got married." He admitted. "We'll have Human children one day. I would like to be able to communicate with them in both languages."

"Garrus has been teaching me, Cipitiri. Didn't realise how hard it would be."

"We can switch the translators off at home. We can learn together." He smiled as Shepard gave Cassius a kiss, making the boy shriek with joy.

After a short taxi ride, they were back at the apartment. Cassius, ever the keen explorer, took the opportunity to explore his new home, with Shepard chasing behind him. Sparatus had headed to the kitchen to cook dinner, while the two played in the living room. It was a new start for the husband and wife. Now suddenly parents, they had to decide what would happen with Cassius when she went back out on missions. Sparatus knew what should happen but knew Shepard wouldn't be happy with it. He decided it would be safer for Cassius to be on the Normandy with her. The secret meetings he had with her crew cemented that decision for him. They were excited at the prospect of having Cassius on the Normandy and Sparatus knew that he would be safe and happy with the crew.

Shepard appeared in the kitchen, holding a chatty Cassius, just as dinner was being dished up. "Oh good. Me and the boy are starving." She put him in his highchair, grinning as he eagerly grabbed the bowl from Sparatus' hands. "Are all Turians so enthusiastic about food?"

"He's a growing Turian." He preened. "He needs plenty of food to grow strong."

Shepard scoffed. "Such a smug Turian."

After dinner and Cassius was cleaned up, they moved to the living room to cuddle up on the sofa. An old Earth film was playing, something that Sparatus had grown a fondness for in the early stages of his relationship with the Shepard. Cassius had fallen asleep on Shepard halfway through the film, but he looked so content that neither parent had the heart to move him just yet. "What are we going to do when I'm back out on the Normandy?" She asked, stroking the sleeping boy's head.

"I've been thinking about that…." He started. "I think he should go with you."

"What!" She whispered, harshly. "What would I do when I'm groundside?"

"Your crew will be there."

"I can't ask them to take that responsibility."

"I know…..So I asked."

Shepard craned her neck so she could look at her husband, a frown etched on her face. "Excuse me?"

Sparatus just shrugged. "I called your crew in for meeting so I could explain everything. They were quite excited at the prospect of having him onboard."

"You devious bastard!" She nudged him with her elbow. "So, you've got it all planned?"

"Are you mad at me?" He asked as he laid teasing kisses on her neck.

"I should be, but I'm not." She giggled, trying to squirm away from his attentions. "Stop trying to get in my pants when I'm holding our baby."

"I'm just trying to get comfortable." He teased, his breath tickling her neck. "He looks so peaceful."

"Such a pest!" She gave him a quick kiss, before getting up from the sofa, careful to not wake Cassius. "I'm going to settle him for the night." She got up slowly and walked to his bedroom, gently lowering him into his cot. She leaned against the side of the cot, one hand reaching down to stroke his head. Warm and familiar arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back to lean against her husband. "It breaks my heart, Dec. I just keep thinking what he went through." Cassius had been stuck for days, hungry and alone, surrounded by bodies including the one of his own mother. The fact that he even survived such an ordeal was a miracle, and then that fact that he seems so unscathed even more so. Fortunately, a group of survivors had found him and kept him safe for months, until they were evacuated.

"He's safe now." He soothed as reached down to caress Cassius tiny hand.

"I know, but there are so many other children like him out there." She tried to save any children she could, but it frustrated her that she couldn't get to all of them. She hated feeling safe and protected when so many civilians were under threat.

"I've had salvage teams trying to find any workable ship they can. They are scanning emergency channels to find any survivors." He tried to reassure her every time she started to feel guilty and self-doubt crept in, but she was the kind of soldier who felt it was a failure every time they lost a civilian. "He sleeps soundly tonight, safe with people who love him. We won't stop until those children get to sleep soundly too."

Shepard turned in his arms, resting her head on his chest. She was eternally grateful to have him backing her all the way. She didn't know just how she'd get through it all without him. She was starting to feel the wariness of war kicking in and she needed him more than ever. Now she had to navigate motherhood alongside co-ordinating a war. "I love you, Dess."

"I love you, Lexi." He lifted her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom. "Sometimes, I think you don't realise just how much I do love you."

Shepard woke with a start. She turned over, groaning at the time on the clock. She laid in bed, listening to her husband snoring when a sudden, distraught wail reached her ears. She rushed to Cassius's room to find him standing in his cot, wailing and reaching for her. She picked him up from his cot, holding him tight to her. "Oh baby." She soothed, laying sweet kisses on his crest. "Did you have a nightmare?" His cries quietened down, but he was still distraught as she carried him to the main bedroom.

"Is he ok?" Sparatus asked from the doorway to the bedroom.

"I think he had a nightmare." Shepard climbed into bed with Cassius, settling him in the middle of the bed. He kept crying until Sparatus returned holding something similar to a baby bottle but something that was for use by Turian infants. He eagerly drunk the contents and within in minutes, his nightmare was forgotten, and he fell into a deep sleep. "I hope I never hear him cry like that again."

"It was just a nightmare, it's easily forgotten." He moved into position, so Cassius was cocooned between them. "He's settled in better than I expected."

"Don't go to work tomorrow. I'll cook breakfast and we can go out for the day."

He leant over Cassius to give her a tender kiss before kissing the boy on his head. "I've got a couple of days off. I want quality time with my wife and son."

A yawn escaped as she rested her head against the pillow. "Sounds good doesn't it." She muttered sleepily.

He smiled as he watched her drifting off to sleep. Two and a half years ago, he was a sad, broken, alcoholic. Now he was a happy, loved up husband and father. He had something meaningful and real. "Yes, it sounds perfect." He whispered, before the lure of sleep caught him too.