"Transmission is secure, Mr. Taylor," EDI announced a moment before the screen on his omnitool resolved into Shepard's face.

"Hey, Jacob," she smiled, looking tired but pleased to see him.

"Hey, Shepard. Heard you had a bit of a time."

Shepard shrugged. "What doesn't kill you, right?"

Jacob had to laugh. That was classically Shepard, and told him clearly that she'd had worse than a couple bumps and bruises. "There's that. I'm going to be on the Citadel in a few days. Think you'll have time to take an afternoon and catch up?"

"I'd say the chances are excellent. Once the doc signs my hall pass, I'm on shore leave."

"Uh-huh. Well, you need me to break you out, say the word. Have you heard from Miranda lately?"

"Not lately, but she was doing Miranda-type stuff with Miranda-like discretion. She'd send me notes every couple of weeks though, and the last one said she was going silent. So I'm not worried, yet." That was an outright lie, but Jacob let it pass: Shepard worried about everyone, especially when they went silent. Shepard and Miranda, although getting off to a rocky start, had become good friends and even better teammates.

"Well, now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way…I've got something I want to show you."

"Okay…" Shepard answered guardedly, eyebrows furrowed.

Jacob grinned. He couldn't help it. "I would like you to meet little Rose…" He scooped Rose in her lavender pajamas (sleeping on the couch on his left) into his lap. "And her sister Aileen." Aileen in aqua, was also asleep, to his right. The two girls flailed a little at their change of position, but didn't otherwise fuss.

The twins seemed identical, but there was a distinct difference to each expression as they slept. Rose seemed simply flaccid in the style of babies, like a melting gelatin mold. Aileen seemed to have her face all scrunched up as if she put effort into sleeping and being asleep. No one did 'sleep' with such assiduous care.

"…Rose and Aileen…" Shepard repeated slowly.

Jacob watched Shepard's expression, at the little spark of recognition, the momentary wondering if this was just coincidence, the decision that it wasn't. A small smile began playing about the corners of her mouth.

"Honorable names born by honorable women. I think they'll wear well," he said casually. Maybe, if the girls were lucky, some of their namesakes' good qualities would rub off on them, somehow. He hoped so.

He knew that Miranda would be surprised and pleased; he looked forward to telling her. He hadn't been sure how Shepard would respond—though, doubtless, there were several girls named Jalissa running around because their parents met the original. There had to be.

Brynn had determinedly wanted to name the baby after Shepard. He felt it would be giving the poor kid too much to live up to, especially since he wanted to incorporate Miranda's name somehow. That really would have been too much to live up to. In the end, after they realized they were having twins, they compromised. Not everyone and his dog in this galaxy knew Shepard's middle name—or Miranda's, and Miranda had a special place in his heart. So Rose Grace and Aileen Patience the girls became. Pretty names, not too many expectations…but a fitting homage, nonetheless.

"So, they're old enough to be home with you two?"

"Yeah, for a few weeks now. I'd have called you sooner, but twins are…a handful." That was one way of putting it, and putting it mildly. He'd known a baby would be a lot of work. He'd assumed two babies was just twice the work. It seemed, some days, that it was more like twins took the work and squared it, rather than simply doubling it.

He would like to think he was doing well as a dad, though sometimes when Brynn sent him out for something—specifically when she wore that softly laughing look—he suspected she was trying to give him a break of some kind. Maybe he was just being a clingy, overprotective dad.

Well. There were worse kinds, right?

Shepard chuckled. "I'll bet. And you're coming to the Citadel?"

"Mental health field trip for some of the kids around here," Jacob clarified, his smile fading. He didn't tell her the kids on the trip had one or both parents missing in action. "Brynn signed off on it. Also, something I wanted to talk over with you. Nothing heavy, just…I'd rather do it in person, just you and me." It was kind of heavy, actually, but heavy in a good way. He had a picture of how he wanted to propose to Brynn, but between the situation with the war and the twins' birth…he didn't think waiting to ask her to marry him was a good idea.

He still wanted it as nearly-perfect as he could get it, though. He had the ring. He just needed to know if he could secure the ideal venue…and maybe arrange some babysitters. He knew Shepard well enough to know she would do her best. Even if she couldn't get him and Brynn under the cherry blossoms in the Council Chambers, she'd find somewhere almost as good.

Hell, and he felt a bit bad for relying on the fact, she would probably volunteer to babysit, or know who wouldn't mind doing so.

Shepard arched her eyebrows, looking concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Like I said, nothing heavy…" then, lowing his voice, he hissed, "She's in the next room." With an awkward gesture to cut the conversation—awkward because his arms and lap were full of unstable baby—he grinned and winked.

"Gotcha." Shepard's attention moved from him to the twins. "I forgot how tiny babies really are," she mused. "I think they'll be pretty, once they unscrunch a little."

Jacob had to chuckle at that. Then again, he thought they were pretty all the time…well, maybe not when they needed a change, but that was pardonable.