Beka held the small bundle gently as she brushed a small lock of red hair that lay on top of her newborn son's head.
Red hair.
She guessed it was time that everyone found out her natural hair colour anyway. Harper would be in disbelief that her hair was actually normal when they had first met, Dylan would be wowed and Rhade...Beka smiled as she remembered exactly how he had found out her natural colour.
Her smile widened as her child let out a yawn and snuggled deeper into his blankets, one tiny arm reaching out of the blanket to clutch at air. Beka tucked his arm back in and ran her fingers over the small bumps on his forearms that would eventually develop into boneblades.
Tiny little bumps.
Who knew the wicked looking blades started out so cute and innocent? She was quite glad they did as she really didn't want to imagine giving birth to something with fully developed arm spikes. The word 'ouch' came to mind but was then amended by the fact that the delivering mother probably wouldn't even notice due to the already intense pain and sheer agony of giving birth.
What was it that Vanzetti had told her all those years ago? Nietzschean women spend rarely fifteen minutes in labour?
Damn Nietzscheans.
Less then a quarter of an hour while she spent a couple hours screaming her head off and threatening Telemachus with the dreaded "V-word" along with insulting his entire lineage and cursing the day he put his mother through the pain of birthing him just so he could end up doing the same thing to her. But hey, now she and Rhade had their son.
A boy and a girl was all they needed. No need for any more. She'd have to kill him if he did.
Beka ran her fingers down her son's pink cheek and smiled bittersweetly.
Look at me now.
She never thought she'd be a mother. Let alone twice. Or ever be married and to a Nietzschean of all people!
What would her father have said? What would any of her remaining family have said? It was times like these where she wished her dad were still around. He never saw her married, he never saw his grandchildren, and he never would.
Neither would her mother. But after thirty years what would Thalia care anyway?
And Rafe? Beka didn't even know where he was.
Telemachus's family on the other hand...
If they had their way all forty plus of them would have been in the delivery room with her. Or if not, Octavia "Mama Rhade" would have kicked them all out and delivered her grandson by herself.
Beka was glad they were all back on Tarazed.
After Cassandra was born and they went to visit the family, it was...Beka couldn't even describe the welcome they had received. It was overwhelming. Telemachus's family was huge, five siblings with thirty-two children between them, and four grandchildren from the two eldest of the thirty-two.
Beka heard the medical doors swish open as it interrupted her reverie. She looked up to see Telemachus walk in carrying Cassandra in his arms.
Her little family.
They were perfect.
"Baby?" asked Cassandra peering anxiously at the bundle in her mothers arms. If only daddy would move closer...
Rhade complied with his daughters unspoken wishes as he sat down gently beside Beka with Cassandra sitting comfortably in his lap.
"See honey? This is your new brother," said Beka.
Cassandra's brow furrowed as she took in the news.
Brother?
Crossing her arms, she looked at the bundle dejectedly.
"Sweetie what's wrong?"
Cassandra glared up at her father and huffed, "I told you I wanted a sister."
>>>
A/N: Baby's name you find out in the next chapter! And what's the dreaded "V-word"? Vasectomy. hears choking sound No Rhade it's not going to happen! Sit down, relax, and try and breathe normally. It's okay.
And for those wondering about that line about Vanzetti it was from the Andromeda book "Destruction of Illusions" where the Maru crew takes care of a pregnant Nietzschean.
Jade Rhade: Nope not the end yet, it'll get to 20 chapters if not beyond that somewhere.
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