Notes:

CGC - Center for Galactic Cooperation

CIC - Combat Information Center

Grá mo chroí - love of my heart (Gaelic)

Gráim thú - I love you (Gaelic)

Ionúin Álainn - beautiful beloved (Gaelic)

SILC - Synthetic Intelligence Life Codes (previously known as Geth)

XO - Executive Officer

As It All Falls Apart

CGC, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 7 Jan 2189

Gabriella Donnelly carefully stepped from her shower stall, grabbed her large bath towel and blotted the moisture from her skin; turning sideways as she stood in front of the full-length mirror, she cupped her swollen belly with both hands and sighed. My pregnancy is only six months along… I really wish Kenneth was here. Moving her hands up, she cupped underneath her breasts and lifted slightly. He certainly approved of how much these have grown, she thought ruefully. He couldn't keep his hands off them when we were in bed. She relished the warm feelings that ensued from the memories of their Christmas holiday together.

Sighing again, she pulled on underpants – calling what she needed to wear these days in order to keep her bottom adequately covered 'panties' seemed wrong – a bra and undershirt, before moving to her bedroom, where she pulled on a loose-fitting top and comfortable pants, socks and a pair of slip-on shoes. After enjoying a cup of hot tea and a light breakfast, she slung a pack over one shoulder and walked the 490 meters to the propulsion lab to begin her workday.

She greeted Senior Chief Petty Officer Tamiko Miyazaki with a cheery, "Good morning, Tammi. Anything new or interesting to tell me?"

The Japanese woman smiled in return. "Not really… same old stuff, just a different day."

The Senior Chief counted herself extremely fortunate that Gabby had transferred in from the Normandy SR-2, even if her pregnancy was the only reason for the reassignment. But Gabby will have to depart in a month or so to begin her maternity leave… that's a bit troubling… there's no one here who can fill her shoes! During the four months Gabby had been a member of her team, Tamiko had grown to love Gabriella Donnelly as if she were her own sister and, as soon as the thought floated across her mind, Tamiko mentally kicked herself for being so selfish.

That Gabby was so knowledgeable concerning propulsion theory – particularly as it applied to FTL drives, where she was in a class by herself – was a huge plus, and Tamiko had to simply shake her head in amazement at the many different directions Gabby's insatiable curiosity and intellect took her concerning the different ways such drive-cores could be oriented to achieve maximum efficiency – whatever the design or shape of the vessel utilizing the drive.

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 7 Jan 2189

"Ryncol?" Aethyta asked. "At eight in the morning? You really are out of sorts, Shepard. My Little Wing would have both our heads if she walked in and saw us drinking that rot gut this hour of the morning." They shared a quiet chuckle before Aethyta added, "Honestly, it is good to see you upright and talking. You scared the shit out of Liara with that damned explosion… not that you had any real control over that lunatic Quarian."

"How do you know how Liara…?"

She didn't get the full question out before Aethyta interrupted, growling out, "Because she sent a message to Mozia, telling us what was going on, while you were being recovered by the medevac, you rockhead! She may be the better half of the galaxy's hero-duo, but she's still young by Asari standards, Shepard. You two are supposed to have 900 years ahead of you… and every time you go into battle without her, the prospect of your demise frightens the living hell out of her… especially when something like that happens."

"Well, shit." Shepard drew a deep breath and sat down in the chair closest to the serving stand. "Believe it or not, I really do understand that whole concept… and we've talked about it, but I guess I always expect that, sooner or later, she'll get used to the risks… and, this time, Liara gave me no indications she was so frightened. I obviously assumed, apparently incorrectly, that she must have known I was going to be alright… it's apparent now that she's just getting better at hiding what she's feeling."

"She's not hiding her emotions from you, Shepard." Mozia smiled encouragingly and poured a cup of coffee for the young Captain, handing it to her as she stated, "It's only because your senses were a bit muddled as a result of your head injury… and because you didn't see her before she saw you… which was exactly when her relief at seeing you awake and walking immediately washed away her thankfully unjustified fear of the unknown."

"Thank you for the reassurance, Matriarch… even though I'm not quite sure I accept your defense of my insensitivity." Shepard turned to Aethyta and paused to collect her thoughts before stating, "And you, Aethyta. Apparently, I can be pretty dense sometimes… and there's nothing like a good old-fashioned tongue lashing to force me to get my head back on straight."

Following a quick glance at Mozia, Aethyta replied, "Yeah, well… I was pretty out of line, too. Not like you're trying to get yourself killed. I know you love my girl too much to do that." She walked over, poured a cup of hot water and dropped a tea ball in it.

"Sorry about that, too." Shepard frowned at her own apparent inability to hold onto a thought for more than a few moments. "I offered refreshments but didn't actually get you anything… and now you two are taking care of me and yourselves, instead. I don't know where my head is."

"Don't worry about it, kid. You've got a lot on your mind right now… including some minor residual swelling that yet remains… if I'm not mistaken." Aethyta chuckled and quickly handed the tea off to Mozia before pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting in the chair across from Shepard. "So… no matter how much shit I may be throwing your way, you have a pretty good excuse for not being in top form… and, I imagine you're also wondering why we're here."

"Not really." Shepard shrugged, taking a quick sip of her own coffee before continuing, "Liara and I assumed it was to discuss what needs to be done, regarding 'Ana and Iryna… both for their memorials and their replacements."

"Yes." Mozia sat next to Shepard and laid a hand gently on the woman's knee. "I know it must seem fast to you, but…"

"No, Matriarch, it doesn't." Shepard offered her an understanding smile. "We're speaking of Liara's personal guard, and we can't be two commandos short on the most critical team of the House. I fully understand that."

"Well then, you're not completely mentally incapacitated, Shepard," Aethyta stated with a gravelly chuckle. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

"On our way home, we talked about Cyenia Axeuss… She's been Team 1 Lead for a while now, and this would put her in position to be Livos' successor, when our good captain finally decides to move on or retire. But then, who replaces Cy to lead Team 1?"

Aethyta nodded in approval. "My thoughts, exactly… and I was thinking of moving Teana Seloni to the Estate and promoting Alestia Tressi to Team 1 Lead for Armali."

A voice from the door answered, "As long as Teya is happy with the move, I find her a perfectly acceptable lead for our Team 1." Liara smiled at her father and Mozia as she walked in, hot tea in hand. "And, good morning to you both. I'm sorry to be late in welcoming you."

Mozia immediately stood, moving to give Liara a careful hug, so as to not spill her tea. "Good to see you, Liara. I'm sorry we got here so early, but your father was a bit impatient to get started."

As Aethyta groused a coarse objection, Liara simply laughed. "Quite alright, Matriarch. I honestly haven't known Dad very long, yet…" Her eyes drifted to her father, "But it's been long enough for me to realize that patience is most certainly not one of her virtues."

As the group laughed at Liara's assessment, Aethyta growled, "Maybe not, but I know our commandos… and I'm glad you approve of Teya. Other than Nayla… and Riana, of course… she's one of the best we have."

"So, Teya it is, but I'm late to the conversation…" Liara's expression darkened as she somberly asked, "Have you yet discussed Iryna?"

Shepard, smiling sadly at her bondmate, had also risen from her seat when Liara had walked in. "Not yet, Love. Join us?" she asked, indicating the last open seat of the four surrounding the small table, pulling it closer to her own chair before Liara could occupy the space.

Liara offered Shepard a loving smile as she answered, "Of course." She moved quickly to take her place at the table, sitting down and reaching over to place her free hand on her bondmate's thigh as she continued, "So, if I may, I would like to ask that Bevos Shyria come along with Teana, to take… Iryna's place." She paused, a shadow of sadness overtaking her face, and took a sip of tea as the others absorbed her request. "Bev is a solid, well-rounded Huntress… and would provide an excellent all-purpose core for the restructured team, as well as being someone whom Teya is familiar with. Even though they won't be on the same team here, I still believe it would make everyone's transition a bit easier."

"Huh," grunted Aethyta. "Can't argue with that logic… and I see no reason to disagree."

"It matters not to me." Mozia shrugged slightly. "Either way, our existing staff will need to shift positions… and we'll have to send out a calling to fill the two vacancies. I have no objections to either Teana or Bevos moving to the Estate. Quite the contrary, I find them both to be excellent choices."

"Then it's settled." Shepard nodded and stood, pulling Liara up with her. "Now, if you don't mind, we need to eat something for breakfast… seeing as you rousted us from our bed and we've not yet had the opportunity to put anything in our stomachs."

"Goddess!" Mozia exclaimed. "Of course… how inconsiderate of us! Let us adjourn to the dining area and we can visit there while you eat; once you've gotten your fill we can return to the remaining business at hand."

CGC, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 7 Jan 2189

The day had not started much differently than any other day spent in the Alliance Propulsion Lab, and Gabby and Tamiko had gone out for lunch at one of a trio of small nearby cafés they liked to frequent. After returning to the lab, they had each lost themselves in their respective projects. A few hours later, the lab's lead engineer, Lieutenant Commander Fletcher Voight, quietly entered the compartment in which Tamiko and Gabby were working.

During the short time he had known Chief Petty Officer Donnelly, he had grown to trust her judgement regarding the experimental tech she was helping to make a reality – if she declared a path of inquiry was a dead end, it was only after she had run all the trials needed to either prove or disprove that particular line of thought. She had such a sunny personality, he hated that it was incumbent on him as her commanding officer to be the bearer of such miserably bad news.

In a soft voice that belied his many years in the Navy, he said, "Ms Donnelly, I need you to come with me, please."

Gabby was instantly suspicious… Voight had never asked her to accompany him anywhere in the facility. "May I ask what this is about, Sir?"

Fletcher had an expressive face, a fact that did not serve him well in this situation. "There are a couple of people waiting to meet with you, Ms Donnelly."

Gabby looked to Tamiko as she asked, "Would it be okay for Ms Miyazaki to accompany me?"

Voight's immediate thought was to deny her request, as what she was about to learn was of a highly personal nature, but after a few moments of thought, he reluctantly nodded, saying, "That might not be a bad idea. Ms Miyazaki, if you would be so kind?"

Gabby was now certain that whatever Voight's visitors had to share with her could not possibly be anything good; she locked her terminal, waited for Tammi to do the same, then followed the lead engineer out of their small lab. After walking through several short passageways, he opened the door to his office suite and waved the pair in ahead of him. Pausing at his adjutant's desk, he said, "Please continue to hold all my calls, Corporal. This may take a bit of time."

Instead of going into his office, Voight turned to his left to go through a door labeled 'CONFERENCE'; after several paces through a short hallway, he entered a nicely appointed room. There was a long table in the center with chairs enough to seat twelve. Against a wall adjacent to a large window sat a comfortable looking couch flanked by a pair of similarly upholstered chairs. Gabby stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing the people seated in those chairs… Spectre Ashley Williams and Commander Greg Adams… Voight walked past Gabby and Tamiko as Ashley stood and approached her former engineer.

There were already tears on Ashley's cheeks as she threw her arms around the Chief Petty Officer and hugged her with a whispered, "Gabby… it's been so long!" With a heavy sigh, she pushed back, clutched Gabby's hands and said, "How have you been?" Gabby was an extremely perceptive person; the fact the Williams and Adams were here… Without my husband! …had her on high alert. In the meantime, Greg Adams stood from his chair and greeted his former propulsion engineer with a subdued, "Hello, Gabby. Really good to see you."

Gabby was sure she was about to be the recipient of some dreadfully bad news. She was more than aware the Council was attempting to negotiate a settlement with the rogue Quarians at the edge of the galaxy, so told herself that whatever these two were about to share with her would not be too difficult to accept. With a hard stare at Ashley, she said, "Okay, Commander… let's have it!"

Ashley, still holding Gabby's hands, sorrowfully replied, "There's no easy way I know of to tell you what I have to say, Gabby. It's my painful duty to inform you… that Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Donnelly, at his duty station on deck four, died as a result of a below decks explosion that tore through the equipment and piping compartments below his workstation." Ashley choked back a sob as she squeezed her eyes shut. Glancing at Greg, she added, "Mr Adams was acting XO while I was off the ship putting an end to Han'Gerrel."

Greg quietly added, "No one expected Xen to have a missile capable of breaching our shields and armor, Gabby, and without Tali'Zorah's defenses, Normandy would have been hit by two missiles. The ship would have been destroyed with the loss of all hands."

Gabby, having expected an injury report at the worst, took a step back in stunned silence as she attempted to process what she'd just been told. She felt a pair of cool hands… Tammi's… take her right hand and squeeze it. Her eyes were almost instantly awash as she stammered, "That… that cannot be, Commander. It simply… you must be wrong, Ma'am!" The tears overflowed and began streaming down both her cheeks in rivulets. She struggled to find her voice against the increasing tightness in her chest and throat. "Ma'am!" she gasped. "There must be some mistake! The ship…"

Gabby's mind was reeling. It seemed like only yesterday she was returning Kenneth's hugs and kisses, just before he boarded the ship for its departure on the 2nd. She looked from Ashley to Adams, then back to Ashley as she cried out, "We're going to have twins together!" With that, she turned towards Tamiko and wrapped her arms around her friend, clinging to her desperately as she lost control of her emotions and wailed in anguished grief. Tammi hung on to Gabby as tremors wracked her body, her shoulders heaving as she wept inconsolably for the senseless death of her husband.

Tammi's grip on her friend provided a physical anchor, even as her body began to react to the outpouring of raw emotions; Gabby's knees buckled as she let out a surprised groan of physical pain. Tamiko helped lower her into a chair as the very pregnant woman gasped between sobs, "My God, not now! It's much too early!"

"Too early?" Tamiko looked questioningly at her friend; Gabby scrunched her face up for a moment as another painful contraction rolled through her abdomen. "Too early for what, Gabby?"

"My babies, Tammi!" Another stab of pain caused Gabby to lean forward in her chair as she choked out, "Oh my God! I think… it feels like… I'm going into labor, Tammi!"

Hearing the word 'labor' was all the impetus Commander Voight needed to call for help. He asked for an emergency transport to the hospital, then called Dr Walsh. After a hasty, minutes-long discussion, he addressed the pair. "Help's on the way, Gabby. Hang on… help is coming."

As Ashley and Greg stood by helplessly, Tamiko had knelt in front of Gabby as soon as she had retaken her seat in the chair, saying, "Gabby! Focus! Has your water broken?"

Gabby shook her head as she shuddered through another painful contraction. "I don't know, Tammi… I don't think so… I just… Ahhh, shit! That one really hurt!"

Whispering, "Forgive me," she slowly slid her hand up between Gabby's thighs, withdrawing it as soon as her fingers touched the dry cloth covering her crotch. "Your pants are completely dry, Gabby. I think you're suffering false labor pains." Taking the grieving woman's face between both hands, she looked into her eyes and told her, "I need you to calm down, Gabby. They're not going to be able to sedate you… so you need to calm yourself… you're gonna get through this… We're gonna get through this, together." Lowering her voice to a whisper, she continued with, "You're not alone here, Gabriella." Using her thumbs, Tamiko gently stroked Gabby's cheekbones, saying, "Look at me. I'm right here, and I'm not going to leave your side, okay?"

As Tamiko continued to whisper soothing words of deep caring, Gabby reached up and clamped both hands on Tammi's wrists. "How am I going to survive, Tammi? How!?" Gabby was still weeping between gasps of physical pain that nearly doubled her over. She sat back up and took a couple of deep breaths before whispering, "What am I going to do, Tammi… without Kenneth!" She squeezed her eyes tight and shuddered as she cried, "He's everything to me!"

Tamiko shook Gabby's head minutely between her hands as she replied, "One step at a time, Gabriella Donnelly… one step at a time! Right now, you have to focus on those two little people still growing inside of you… each one of them a part of the man you fell in love with… are still in love with! Ken loved you, Gabby! And you are going to have two beautiful children as a result of his love for you, and your love for him." Tamiko rose slightly, leaned over her distraught friend's legs and kissed her forehead. "Kenneth will continue to live on in the babies you're carrying… but they're going to need your love, Gabby, understand me? They need you to be okay, right now! We'll figure out the rest as it comes."

A commotion at the entry drew Tammi's attention – Doctor Walsh and a pair of Medtechs had arrived with a hover-litter. Turning back towards her distraught friend, she stood and gripped Gabby's hands as Walsh said, "Come on, Ms Donnelly… let's get you to the hospital… get you checked out." Tamiko helped Gabby stand, then assisted her as she carefully sat, then reclined on her left side on the hover-litter.

One of the Medtechs covered her with a blanket but was brought up short when Gabby refused to release Tamiko's hand. Tears were still leaking from her eyes; voice hitching, she managed to squeak out, "Tammi's coming with me, Doctor… I need her."

Dr Walsh smiled at the pair, saying, "Of course she is, Ms Donnelly. I wouldn't think of trying to keep her away." Nodding to the techs to move along, she thanked Commander Voight for calling her out, then left to accompany her very pregnant patient to the hospital.

Once the door closed behind the departing hoverlift, along with Gabby and her escorts, Greg looked silently at Ashley, unsure what to do next. She responded by turning towards Commander Voight. Shaking her head in a sorrowful manner, she ground out, "That could have gone a helluva lot better."

"What do you think we should do, Commander?" Greg had seldom been directly involved with the deaths of crewmen – he now found himself dealing with the deaths of two men directly under his command.

Fletcher attempted a smile which he was sure came across as a grimace. "Spectre Williams? How long will you be docked here at the CGC? I can't imagine you won't be needed out in that region again."

"Depends on the Council." Seeing nothing to smile about, Ashley didn't even attempt to smile in return. "Damn Han'Gerrel and Daro'Xen! Damn them both to the Ninth Circle of Hell for their treachery! I sincerely hope they suffer for all eternity!" Taking a deep, centering breath, she said, "Forgive me, Commander Voight. I had to shoot Gerrel, point-blank with a shotgun to get him off me. Xen chose to end her life with high-explosives rather than go to prison. So, now, they're together in Hell for all eternity."

"I'm sorry, Spectre… I haven't seen any reports on what transpired out there. If I may, how did you get back to the CGC, Ma'am? Doesn't sound like the Normandy is exactly space-worthy."

"Normandy crew was assigned to the Nalotir… a former Andromeda Initiative vessel the Quarians grabbed for their own use. Normandy was moved to the SILC facility in The Sea of Storms – Haratar Station – where the SILC will perform all the needed repairs; probably take about sixty days."

"That's too bad about the Normandy, Spectre. But, perhaps one of my engineers could catch a ride with you while you're operating from the Nalotir? Way I understand it, Cerberus had a hand in building the vessel, and I'd sure be interested in whatever propulsion secrets we could learn from her while you're in command of that ship. Mr Adams?"

Adams nodded. "I'm sure we can work something out. I'm short a couple of engineers…" he paused for a moment, shook his head slightly and continued on. "Be a good opportunity for someone from the labs to ride along, see how things happen in the real world."

"Thank you, Greg. I'll select a couple of my best; let you make the choice as to who you'd like."

Kendra Academy, Kendra Ocean, Thessia – 8 Jan 2189

Professor Velros was curious as to why she had been summoned to the Headmistress' office, thinking, perhaps it was over Loria… a rather well-off student who was failing her class – somewhat miserably. It would be just like her parents to lodge a complaint; Velros had been warned by a number of other instructors who had previously encountered the mother in a less-than-friendly 'discussion' over her daughter's supposedly poor performance. Never would Lyenia have considered the real reason, so she was completely unprepared when she stepped into the office to discover who was awaiting her arrival.

Surprised, she dipped her head in respect and immediately greeted the unexpected visitors. "Lady Liara. Spectre Shepard." She faltered as the one and only reason they would be standing before her – in person – came to mind. "No. Please… tell me anything but that."

The distraught look on the matron's face brought tears to Liara's eyes as she answered, "I am afraid I cannot, Professor Velros, however loathe I am to deliver this news." Liara drew a preparatory breath and continued, "I regret to inform you of the death of your daughter, Iryna Velros, in service to both House T'Soni and the Council, as a crew member aboard the Spectre vessel Knight Shade."

Velros put one hand on her chest over her heart as she blindly searched behind her with the other for a chair. Shepard flash-stepped, quickly grabbed the nearest chair and slid it behind the poor Asari as she staggered back a step, then fell, more than sat, into the chair that was suddenly moved into place. Shepard softly clasped her hand and whispered, "Are you alright, Professor? Do we need to call medical?"

Shaking her head 'no,' Lyenia gathered herself and answered unsteadily, "I am well, Spectre, though my heart is breaking." A sob escaped, but the tears streaming down her face would not keep her from completing a mother's duty to her deceased daughter. "I always knew this could happen. I prepared myself during the Reaper War, to never see Iryna again… but then…"

"You relaxed… knowing the war was over and hoping for peace, as did we all." Liara approached as well and crouched beside the chair. "I am so sorry… words cannot express the grief I know you must be feeling."

"Normally, those words are hollow… spoken by most in an attempt to extend comfort." Lyenia actually managed a tremulous smile. "But you have suffered unexpected loss as well… with your mother. So, I know you speak with the truth of experience. Still, in actuality, I must say your words… your condolences… offer little in the way of true comfort."

"Just as those I received after the death of my mother." Liara squeezed the professor's hand. "I know words can't do much… but they are spoken to let you know you are not alone in your grief. Iryna was one of us and had been so for a long time. Though not by blood, she was still a member of our family."

After drawing a deep, ragged breath, Lyenia stood slowly and squared her shoulders. "I must tell Cy… as you know, Iryna's father and my bondmate."

Liara and Shepard had stood with her, Shepard adding, "Yes, and we are prepared to escort you home aboard the T'Soni VIP-1. We do not expect you to take a public taxi home, alone."

"But I must return to my office… pack my things…" She glanced at the headmistress. "I must take Bereavement Leave… to make arrangements." She suddenly stopped as the reality once again hit home. Her shoulders started to shake as she sobbed in her distress; raising a fist to her mouth, she bit her index finger in an attempt to feel the pain of something… anything… but the agony of her daughter's loss. "Oh, Goddess… Where is her body? Please, tell me you brought her home, at least?"

"Yes, we did." Shepard couldn't stand it anymore and tears ran down the Human's face as she wrapped the Asari in her arms, Lyenia sobbing into her shoulder as she cried. Samantha remained silent, having no words sufficient to even begin to quell a mother's grief, simply providing a shoulder to cry on until Lyenia was once more able to compose herself.

When they finally pushed apart once more, Shepard spoke softly. "We have Iryna in a stasis pod and we will take her wherever you desire, though you must realize we would like to hold services at the Estate, with full House T'Soni Honors, should you agree to do that. It would be our privilege, and the very least we could do."

"I believe Iryna would like that… very much." Lyenia drew a quick breath between the sobs she was attempting to stifle. "Though, we have friends and family here… so we must at least hold a viewing here, first."

"Whatever you want to do, we will accommodate… and pay for." Liara frowned at the mother's forthcoming refusal. "No. She died in my service and while I can do nothing to ease the weight your heart must carry on its own, I will not let your family also bear the financial burden caused by Iryna's death. You will receive the full T'Soni Death Gratuity, along with a combat loss stipend… as well as her last month's pay… for a total of 352,000 credits." Liara reached out and took Lyenia's hand, adding, "And, as the head of House T'Soni, I will not let you and Cylis suffer any more than is necessary during this time of mourning. Do not worry about missing work… either of you… as all your next month's expenses will be covered while you grieve the loss of your only child. No parent should ever have to bear such a thing."

As Lyenia stared at Liara, blinking in overwhelmed silence, Shepard looped her arm through hers. "Come on. Let's get your things and take you and Iryna home."

CGC, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 8 Jan 2189

After spending the night in the maternity ward, a somber Gabriella Donnelly slowly entered her residence passcode into her omnitool, passed it through the haptic lock and waited as the door unlatched and slid into its recess. A lightly accented voice from beside her said softly, "Come on, Gabby. Let's get you inside, maybe get you a snack… some hot tea, then get you into bed."

Tamiko Miyazaki used the arm she had around Gabby's back to help ease her into the main room of her small apartment. After setting their shoulder packs on the floor by the entry, she closed and locked the door, then helped her into what Gabby referred to these days as her 'comfy' chair. Moving to the small kitchen, she called out in a cheery fashion, "Ya know, I don't think I've been here since your birthday, Gabby." Setting a kettle on the stove to heat water for tea, she added, "Seems we had Chinese takeout, before visiting Dr Walsh… when we returned, we had cake."

Tamiko hadn't expected an answer; taking the four or five steps back to look at her friend, she spoke her name. "Gabby?"

Grieving, dull brown eyes looked up questioningly. "I'm sorry, Tammi. I wasn't paying attention… what did you say?"

Miyazaki forced a smile on her face. "Come on, Gabby. Let's get you ready for bed while the water heats, okay? Do you have a spare pillow… maybe a couple of extra blankets?" Upon receiving a puzzled gaze, she explained, "I'm going to be staying with you for a while, Gabby. Dr Walsh didn't think you should be alone, an opinion with which I'm in total agreement."

The corners of Gabby's mouth turned up ever so slightly as she whispered, "But I'm not alone, Tammi." Holding her belly, she explained, "I have a couple of wonderful children… that go everywhere with me." Looking down at her hands, she squeaked out as her throat constricted, "They're all I have to show for Kenneth's love for me." Tears began sliding down both cheeks; tipping her head down to rest chin on chest, she moaned, "After Christmas, I was already missing 'im so much, Tammi. I was hoping he would be able to be with me for their birth. What will I…" She didn't finish the question as her shoulders began to shake.

Tamiko leaned over her friend, hugged her, and said, "Come on, Gabby… up. Let's get you changed, then we'll have some tea and talk a bit." Gabby swallowed hard, attempting to get her ragged emotions under control. She allowed Tamiko to assist her up from her chair, then made her way into her bedroom, where she listlessly pulled her clothes off, pulled on a sleepshirt, then sat on the lid of the toilet seat while Tammi went over her face with a damp cloth.

Returning to the kitchen, she let Gabby fix a cup of tea for each of them while she looked through her cupboard; finding a package of cookies, she placed them on the counter and sat on one of the stools. Gabby set a steaming mug of tea in front of her, grabbed a couple of the cookies and took a seat across from Tammi, who cast an appraising eye on the distraught mother-to-be.

"I know you don't feel like talking about this, but I want you to be thinking about what you need to do, Gabby. For starters, you'll be granted bereavement leave… seven days, beginning today." Tamiko took a bite of cookie and a sip of tea before continuing. "I know it isn't enough time, but I had a thought while Dr Walsh was examining you."

Gabby studied her friend over the rim of her cup as she sipped the comforting beverage. Without moving the cup, she quietly replied, "I don't know that I can accomplish anything right now, Tammi… seven days or seventy… makes no difference. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"What I was thinking was this: you're carrying twins. You're roughly what? Six? Seven months along? Having false labor pains so soon is serious, sweetie. All you need to do is ask… I'm sure Dr Walsh would recommend that you immediately take a medical leave of absence." Tamiko reached across the counter; squeezing one of Gabby's hands, she continued, "Your health and that of those little ones is way more important than anything we're working on in the propulsion lab. You really need to consider taking the time for yourself. The Alliance Navy won't implode while you're gone."

"I don't know, Tammi… whatever would I do with myself? I'd go crazy from boredom."

Miyazaki smirked as she replied, "Really? You don't have to be doing something every day, Gabby, but if you really feel that way, I'm sure the commander would be happy to assign you some non-classified research that you can complete from a terminal here… or wherever you call home. You and Ken weren't planning on having those babies here on the CGC, were you?"

Gabby sat up a little straighter as she remembered something… an offer, made by Liara T'Soni during a vid-call before her own bonding ceremony with Captain Shepard: "Should you desire to deliver your baby planet-side rather than on a space station, you would be more than welcome to spend your maternity leave here, with us." Eyes shining bright with renewed hope, she actually smiled at Tamiko. "I'll be going to Thessia, Tammi. Liara T'Soni offered me a place at her estate. She told me they have a full-time doctor on their staff, and she and Shepard would be honored to help me bring my first child into the world." After taking a bite from a cookie followed by a sip of tea, she continued, "She doesn't know I'm carrying twins… it would probably be even more educational for them – I don't think there are ever multiple births among the Asari."

Tamiko was thrilled that Gabby had actually managed something different than either frowning or outright crying. "That's wonderful, Gabby." Nibbling on her own cookie, followed by a sip from her mug, she added, "I would think that being on Thessia with Lady Liara and Captain Shepard would help ease your way through all this."

Gabby nodded in agreement. "I have to visit Dr Walsh tomorrow for a follow-up exam. I'll ask her about medical leave… find out what needs to be done." Face clouding over again, she added, "Don't know how much good I'll be in the lab, at least for the near term." Taking a sip of tea, she studied her friend from over the rim of her mug and added, "Do you think I'm giving up too easily, Tammi? I feel like asking for medical leave is… I don't know, it's like I'm too damned cowardly to face this head on."

"Nonsense, Gabriella! You spent the entire war serving on the Normandy… and during the campaign against the Collectors. Don't think for even one nanosecond that you're a coward." Miyazaki finished her tea. Standing, she took her mug to the sink and washed it. Turning towards her friend, she said, "Come on… let's get you squared away, so you're as comfortable as possible while you rest."

Tamiko Miyazaki woke with a start; sitting up, she attempted to get her bearings. Gazing around the darkened room, she quickly remembered she was staying with her friend Gabriella Donnelly, after the poor woman had experienced a bout of false labor pains. Tamiko listened carefully. In the stillness of the quiet apartment, she thought she heard the sounds of… muffled weeping. Gabby! Dammit!

Rising to her feet, she padded softly to the closed access door to Gabby's bedroom, which swished open at her approach. Approaching the bed, she whispered, "Gabby? Everything okay?" The dim light coming from the nearby bathroom allowed her to see her friend, lying on her left side, face buried in the pillow she was clutching to her chest. "Oh, Gabby. I'm so sorry." Tamiko moved around to the other side of the bed; without any hesitation, she slid in under the covers, wrapped an arm over Gabby's side and grabbed her left shoulder. Pulling herself in tight against the grieving woman's back, she whispered, "You're not alone, Gabby. I'm right here. You'll get through this."

A hand came up to grab her wrist. "My God, Tammi!" she cried quietly. "I miss 'im so much."

"I know you do, Gabby… I know." Tamiko had never felt so helpless as she did this minute. How did one go about mending a heart ripped in two by such a tragedy? All she had to offer was companionship. Not sure if that's gonna be enough, came the thought.

As Gabby regained some control over thoughts about her loss, the quiet presence of Tamiko's body pressed against her back calmed her… making her realize she wasn't completely alone on this seemingly sterile station in the middle of the Serpent Nebula. The warmth of a caring person seeped into her, calming her as perhaps nothing else could; within a few minutes, Gabby fell into a dreamless slumber.

Tamiko smiled in relief as she relaxed against her friend… soon, she was back to sleep as well.