Chapter 96: Good Things Come in Pairs

When two people share a heart
It is a force beyond even love

January 11, 2188…

To say Terra and Garrus were stunned was an understatement. But that soon gave way to even greater excitement than before.

An excitement the rest of the crew shared but still teased. Once the news was out that twins were on the way, Terra had at last stopped trying to insist she remained bump-less and instead started retorting to such comments by saying she was eating for three and didn't know what else they expected. Chakwas and Liara were monitoring her even more carefully now, apparently concerned that the pregnancy was twice as at risk despite how much Terra assured them that she would know if anything was wrong.

And she would. With every day that passed, she was growing more and more aware of the two growing buns in her oven. Every kick, every turn, every beat of their hearts, she felt. There was no feeling quite like it. Even she wasn't quite sure how to explain it, even when Garrus or Violet asked. When EDI asked, however, she felt a pang of sympathetic regret for the curious AI and brought herself to try.

"It's like a connection to something precious," she wound up saying, "Like carrying around inside you something that you love beyond measure. …like having a second and third heart."

Garrus continued leading the missions in her stead, but considering how his demeanor was changing on the ship, she was pretty convinced he wasn't as focused down there as he claimed. Her mate was attentive to her every need and constantly worried about her. She had heard even other turians make jokes about nesting behavior, but this was ridiculous.

"Garrus," she finally told him, "human females have been giving birth even without the father's help since the birth of our species. You don't need to wait on me hand and foot."

He responded by taking her side and giving her a gentle look. "Yes, I do. You mean too much to me to just stand by and watch."

After he had said so, his true feelings, the ones he would never admit to even to himself, clicked for her. Deep beneath all the anticipation and joy, he was afraid. They had gone to great lengths to make this pregnancy possible. Every single day, she was being monitored to make sure nothing was wrong, which served just as much to provide a reason for concern as it did to allay those same worries. And far, far below the surface of every expectant parent was the one kernel of fear they always so forcefully hid away: mothers gave birth every day, yes…but even with modern medical technology, death in childbirth was always a risk. Especially for such an unprecedented labor as a human mother birthing two half-turian offspring. And at the heart of all this fear was the knowledge that there was nothing he could do about any of it. With no idea what to expect but always remembering how lost and broken he had been in a world without her, he was doing everything he could to hide from the possibility.

She couldn't exactly blame him since she didn't know what she would do if she lost him and was left alone with two little reminders. (Well, she wouldn't be alone, what with the rest of the crew, but she couldn't stay on the Normandy if she lost him now.)

Suddenly, she was wishing she hadn't realized what was bothering him. To bury this revelation, she sat back and let him coddle her. And when Solana signaled that she'd found something suspicious, Terra settled for a simple "Be careful" and a not-so-simple kiss before letting him hurry off to lead the team for her yet again.

She smirked to think that he was basically the acting captain these days.

She wasn't as amused that she now had to wait alone on the ship for them to come back. Keeping her COMM tuned in like Joker and Violet usually did wasn't exactly comforting to her. She wondered how her squad-mates had ever put up with being left behind when she went groundside with just Garrus and one other person, but they presumably weren't as invested as she was and were more likely to go about their business with just the slightest thought as to why they weren't picked. Rather than sitting there and fretting. She had been using time like this to work on her art in peace, but that wasn't distraction enough today. Today, she needed someone else's art.

A few minutes later, Terra sat in the AI core, stretched out on Violet's cot as her little sister played away on her flute. She had come to lose herself in the sound, of course, but she hadn't been expecting what she heard now. The piece echoing through the room was somewhat familiar and yet unlike anything she'd heard before, vibrant and meaningful and ghostly. Even when Violet stopped playing, the notes seemed to ring out in waves. "That was amazing. What was it?"

Violet smirked. "Rachni."

Terra looked at her sister in wonder. "You copied rachni song?"

Violet nodded. "I can play by ear, remember? Old recordings. That's how I recovered the quarian sonata and it's how I figured out how to play rachni."

Terra shook her head. She had to leave it to her sister to do something like that. Violet had put her composition aside for the past two months, claiming she needed to find a certain sound it was missing. In that search, she had started getting more and more familiar with the compositions of other species. With asari and quarian already under her belt, she had turned to turian music first before attempting to learn some salarian, hanar, drell, and even volus and elcor. Terra had managed to find Violet's extranet releases and found that she had been uploading each of these. The uploads had apparently been as much to get feedback from outside the ship as it was to share the performance, but every comment had been about how wonderful it was to hear old tunes special to their respective peoples played by such a talented prodigy.

Doing the same for a rachni song was a step even further. To rachni, songs were not just cultural or even personal expression; to rachni, they were a language. It might even be a sensitive subject to put out there for all the galaxy, though obviously Violet considered this merely a challenge. Though most of the galaxy still viewed the rachni as dangerous, the help from the queen during the war combined with the truth that the rachni from the wars were driven crazy by a discovered Reaper artifact had been enough to change that view. After the queen proved herself immune to indoctrination and, following the end of the war, still kept her promise to retreat to her chosen world to repopulate in isolation, the species' reputation was beginning to shift from "terrifying horde snuffed out by the krogan" to "misunderstood hive that hated the Reapers even more than we did." It was hard to change a reputation that greatly, but it was being managed.

Perhaps hearing their "colorful" music rendered into a nocturne by such a skilled flute would help that along. Terra was curious what the rachni themselves would think. Or, for that matter, if they'd even hear it now that they were again alone on an unsettled world.

Violet finally put her flute away and came over to sit down next to her sister. "What did they think?"

Terra smirked, her hand resting tenderly on her growing womb. "They loved it, same as always."

Violet smiled, laying her hand there as well. "Good. They'll be even more excited to meet me when they finally decide to come out."

Terra shook her head before letting her sister help her to her feet. As they made their way to the mess, though, Terra couldn't help but picture what a wonderful aunt Violet would make. She tried not to laugh when she attempted to imagine the same thing for Solana.

When the squad finally finished the mission and came back aboard, they headed straight from the armory to the mess. Either EDI had told them Terra and Violet were there or killing mercenaries and raiders really worked up an appetite.

"How are you four doing over there?" Ashley prodded as she sat down.

Terra gave her a look. "Just fine, thanks."

"Good," Garrus beamed as he took the seat beside her, setting his hand on her womb as if out of habit, "I'm kind of attached to all four of you."

"Aw, thanks," Violet beamed back, "It's nice to be included."

Terra laughed. "Well, then you came on the right ship—" Just as she said it, she flinched, Garrus freezing in the seat next to her.

Liara perked up in concern. "What? What happened?"

Terra looked at Garrus. "Did you just feel that?"

Garrus looked at her in return. "I think I did."

"Guys, one of the babies just kicked!"

"What?!" Violet jumped, already reaching over, "Let me feel!"

While everyone was scrambling to take turns feeling the fluttery little thuds of feet against her abdomen, Terra felt sheer delight overtake what little remained of those fears that had plagued her not that long ago. The babies had been kicking before, yes, but not like this (unless they were kicking each other, as siblings were wont to do). This just felt right, proof that they were growing and ultimately aching to be free.

Garrus, keeping her close amidst all the excitement, smiled and whispered into her ear "Quite the family, huh?"

As Solana knelt down to feel the tiny kicks of her niece and/or nephew, Terra smiled, looking around at this small portion of all the people she called family. "Yeah. The best."

March 18, 2188…

As time went by and the birth drew ever closer, it seemed to really sink in for the crew that they would soon have two babies on board. Violet had suggested organizing a baby shower but had abandoned the idea when she noticed that Terra had already been receiving a gradual flow of gifts from the crew and was enjoying it as much as if not more than any party that might bring forth more. The gifts had included clothes (in sizes fitting for both human and turian infants, since they didn't exactly know what to expect), toys, and even a crib that Garrus had set aside to properly set up after the twins were born and they could spare the space in the captain's cabin. Even the conversation around the ship had shifted from teasing Terra's increasing weight to asking after name choices only to receive a vague response of "you'll find out when we do."

Not that there wasn't still some teasing of Terra's weight, because carrying two babies was doing a number on it. She was entering both the third trimester and the stage of pregnancy at which she could no longer bend over. She was still insisting she could sit down and stand up on her own for now, but she noticeably didn't turn down any attempt from Garrus to assist that matter regardless.

And even though it was prime teasing material, there were only smiles tossed around the room when Garrus helped her sit down in the lounge today.

"You holding up alright, mom?" Solana asked in a very sisterly way.

Terra beamed at the word. "So far." As she sat back in her seat as much as she could, she looked around at who all was there, finding one missing. "Where's Vi?"

"Still in the core," EDI answered, "She has been working on her composition all day."

"Ah. Going any better?"

"I am not familiar enough with her process to make any conclusions."

"She's been living in your brain for a year and a half now!" Ashley pointed out, "I'd think, of all of us, you'd be the expert on her process."

"I am also familiar with the concept of privacy."

"It's your brain!"

"And her home. We share it now. I consider that significant."

Honestly, Terra did, too. Violet wasn't just a guest or roommate to EDI. Any less friendly AI might have considered her a parasite, yet EDI considered it just the opposite. Even mutualism didn't describe it since no mutualistic species she knew of compared. EDI was Violet's guard and companion and Violet was EDI's sample of organic life and art. Or at least that was how it started. Now…well, EDI lit up almost as much for Violet as she did for Joker, something no one else could accomplish.

After a moment, EDI seemed to perk up. "Actually, she just finished. Oh, and she seems to be rushing this way."

In two seconds, the door opened and Violet indeed came rushing in, still carrying her violin case. "It's done! I'm done! Well, kind of done. I finished the first movement!"

"Wait, you're writing a whole symphony in there?" Terra asked, not sure whether to be amazed that Violet was shooting that high or whether to be surprised she hadn't expected that.

"Wow, Bumblebee," James shook his head, "you don't fly low. Do we get to hear it?"

A year ago, Violet might have hesitated to perform. But this was her home now and these were her family. Not to mention they had all found and enjoyed the works she'd been posting on the extranet and she had a secret reason for wanting to share her composition with them. In fact, she had expected this question and it was why she had brought her violin with her. "You might call Tali. I think she'll want to hear."

Terra smiled and followed through on the advice while her sister took a seat and prepared her instrument.

Predictably, when Tali saw Terra calling her, her immediate response to the call was "Are the babies coming early?!"

"No! No, no, no. All clear so far. Vi wants you to hear her masterpiece."

"The first part of it!" Violet promptly corrected her.

"Oh! Then go ahead."

Violet nodded and, once she had her audience's undivided attention, began to play.

As it started, Terra sat back with a contented smile and allowed herself to drift off with the sound so like her mother's own artistry. Garrus followed suit, hearing a more elaborate rendition of the same tune he had been distantly hearing from the battery. It still felt a little incomplete since it was only the first movement of a full symphony, played on only one instrument when it was clearly meant for a full orchestra. But no one hearing it could say it was anything less than breathtakingly beautiful. It was…was…

Liara was the first to pick up on it, her reaction at first stunned and then nearly joyously tearful. That was what Violet had meant by a missing sound when she had started her composition. That was why she had been practicing so many other works and openly asking for feedback.

She'd layered a traditional asari tune into the melody.

She didn't stop there either. Terra finally saw what her sister had done when the tune, after cycling through a sort of refrain, faded into a more turian sound. Garrus recognized it shortly after she did, Solana following, and watched Violet in amazement. They saw why she had wanted them to call Tali when they heard some of the recreated quarian concerto resurface as well. That was what finally made it click for those who hadn't seen just what she had done: she had made her symphony an ode to their galaxy, a reflection of the harmony following the war.

A salute to the crew of the Normandy.

As it slowly began to crescendo, the captivating tune grew even more saturated with alien songs, all clearly inspired by the same pieces she had been learning for the past several months. Hanar, salarian, and even rachni shone through the notes, the crescendo coming to a powerful apex with what sounded like a krogan battle chant. After this last sting faded out, she played one last refrain, this one a contemplative and yet empowering string of measures that could easily have been their ship's theme song. When she finally struck the last note, the silence that followed seemed to still be echoing with the symphony and every emotion therein.

"Violet, that…" Liara finally spoke, still almost tearful, "…that was incredible."

Terra was ready to say something to that effect when she heard a strained noise over her COMM. "Tali, are you crying?"

"No!" the quarian answered a bit too sharply.

Terra wasn't sure whether to sympathize or laugh. "Yeah, I know, the twins liked it, too."

Violet couldn't hide she was a little satisfied that she had moved Tali so much. "Wait until you hear the whole thing."

"One day. Full orchestra. Make Mom proud."

Violet beamed, nodding. "That's the plan."

"I recorded the performance," EDI said, "Would you like me to send it to your extranet address to be posted with the others?"

Violet shook her head. "No. Keep it on the ship's records. Just for us. The rest of the galaxy hears it to completion."

"I think we all will," Terra pointed out, "I want to be surprised and amazed when I hear where this is leading. Especially if it's all going to be that impressive."

"Are you sure? That might take years."

"You've got plenty of other material to tide us over."

Violet smirked. "Guess I do." She started to put her violin away.

"Uh, do you take requests?" Solana found herself asking her sister-in-law.

Violet looked at her, clearly not expecting that.

"I'd kind of like to hear that turian part for real."

"You didn't listen to it online?"

"Yeah, but…live is different."

Violet didn't take much coercing. She complied. They spent the rest of the night listening to her. It was nearly an hour in before Terra realized that Tali hadn't even hung up.

April 24, 2188…

Violet had taken a break from composing once she had finished the first movement, but the overwhelmingly positive reaction to that first performance had been enough motivation to inspire her when the time came to keep going. It had also been enough to make her practice in the lounge more often. The others hadn't exactly minded. Even Javik had remained a silent observer to the prodigy's work, waving off his interest as a means of learning more of the culture he was now stuck with (Terra and Liara exchanged some knowing glances in response to this answer). It was the perfect proof that Violet was now a part of the crew.

Today, however, was special enough to warrant Violet withhold her performing. It was Garrus and Terra's first wedding anniversary. Between it being the first and Terra being very pregnant, the crew had collectively decided to give the two the day to themselves.

The day started almost immediately when both were allowed to simply sleep in and then remained curled up together through most of the morning. They stayed there even after Garrus had gone down to the mess and come back with food (most of which was for Terra and the two growing stomachs inside her). Considering they couldn't do anything more exciting in Terra's condition, it was a pretty underwhelming celebration, but both of them would still have called it perfect to just be together.

"Did you get me anything?" Terra finally smirked.

Garrus smirked back, reaching over to his drawer and removing what looked like a piece of origami.

Terra was about to ask if Kasumi had put him up to this when she saw what it was. It was in the shape of one of the flowers from the moon where they had spent half their honeymoon.

"Wait." Garrus dimmed the lights and used his omni-tool to shine a UV on it, making it glow like the blooms it resembled.

Terra beamed in amazement. "You never fail to impress, love."

Garrus simply nuzzled against her. "You inspire me."

She was tempted to lean into his affections. Still, she caught herself and turned aside, setting the flower gently down on her nightstand before she told him where to find her present. With a curious look, he followed her instructions and pulled out the gift in question, finding himself equally amazed.

There was the finished product of the project she'd begun the night before she began the treatments. With Garrus leading all the missions and her stuck on the ship, she had found plenty of time to work on it, hiding her progress under the bed. Painted in beautiful detail was a full color recreation of the sketch they had made together in the hospital, a blissful portrait of them on their wedding day. There were subtly differences to reflect how the actual event compared to that dream, such as the presence of Violet's wreath in Terra's hair, but the biggest difference was how it blurred at the edges to make room for the stanzas upon stanzas of poetry. And it wasn't just any poem but a versified retelling of every feeling he'd given her, of how much he meant to her, of what an enormous part of her life he had been for so long. It was…well…

Setting the painting gently down, Garrus turned to his wife and kissed her.

When he finally broke off to let her breathe, she gave him an enraptured smile. "I'll make sure to do this again next year."

He laughed briefly before simply taking her in his arms and laying back with her again.

She sighed, laying her hand over her womb. "Just think. When next year does roll around, we'll have two other people in the room."

He smiled. "So we will. Guess I'll have to get used to sharing you."

"Likewise." She leaned back, looking up at the viewing glass over their heads to the stars outside. She had always admired that view, but ever since she had gotten pregnant, there had been more than one night where it made her think back to her conversation with Anderson just before she set off the Crucible. "…have you been afraid? Of being a parent?"

He shrugged. "A little terrified. But the everything-else has kind of been outweighing it."

She nodded in agreement. "I wasn't sure if I was ready. I always thought I'd have a mom to lean on." She felt Garrus' grip on her tighten with sympathy, knowing how she had loved and lost both her own mother and his, having shared one of those losses with her. "But we're not doing this alone. And we've been through enough together…nothing can stop us."

They stayed close through the rest of the day, trading affections, reminiscences, and ideas for the twins' names. By the time they called it a night, they had already passed all sense of regret that the day was over, too caught in anticipation. The time had almost come. Almost…