Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. I wish I did, but I do not.
A/N: It was only after I had created them that I found out the actual names of Nyota's parents, but I had grown too close to my characters to let them go. I hope you don't mind.
I took Ahadi's name from The Lion King (Mufasa's father), Denahi's name from Brother Bear, Sehale I found on a baby name website, and I made up the names Nanenna and Miotep.
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Origins: The Journey Begins
Chapter 3: One Day When You're Older
STARDATE: 2235.294 (Tues, Nov 3rd, 2235) [3 months, 6 days Pregnant]
"Do you really think that this is a good idea?" Ahadi asked Miotep as they prepared dinner together. Normally Ahadi would still be at work, leaving Miotep at home with the three kids to prepare dinner by herself.
Sometimes Denahi was willing to help his Mama complete simple tasks like washing the potatoes or grinding the spices.
However, after a six o'clock start this morning and spending ten hours at the Egyptian Embassy going over reports and sifting through new citizenship files Ahadi thought he'd surprise his wife by returning home early.
They were currently in the kitchen bringing the final parts of dinner together. Ahadi was grating the cheese into a bowl and trying hopelessly to wipe his thick black hair away from his face with his shoulders. Ahadi's hair was thick like Nanenna's although his hair was much longer, reaching down past his shoulders. He had dark low sideburns and a chin covered in stubble to complete his 'bad boy' look.
Miotep didn't like Ahadi's long hair at first. He was much younger when he first started to grow his hair, and Miotep kept coming up with ridiculous reasons for him to cut it. Some of those reasons included, 'You'd get too hot', 'You would be mistaken for a girl', or even 'It could get caught in an antique bladed fan'.
However, after getting his hair to his desired length, trimming up his sideburns and adding the stubborn, Miotep suddenly found the completed picture sexy.
"Do you have any better ideas?" Miotep asked in return as she came to stand by her husband, a pot of delicious marinated mince in hand. Cooking wasn't one of Miotep's hobbies. She didn't enjoy slaving over a hot stove. It was times like these, when someone was in the kitchen assisting her, that she loved the most. Especially when it was Ahadi.
"Ah, yeah. Don't tell them." Ahadi retorted as he continued to try and wipe the stray hairs from his face.
Miotep placed the pot down on the timber bench top and stepped behind Ahadi. She took the spare hair band from her wrist and gently pulled Ahadi's hair into a top bun while he continued to grate cheese.
"Ahadi, why are you so scared to tell them?" Miotep queried as she stood to his side with her hand on her hip. He would never admit it to Miotep but whenever she did that he was both turned on and intimidated.
"I'm not scared!" He retorted, trying his best not to slam the cheese block down on the table. He might've been a little scared but he sure wasn't going to tell his wife that. He calmly placed the block of cheese down with the grater and turned to face his wife, "I just don't want to get into the details."
"What details? After dinner we'll tell them that their Mama is pregnant then we ship them off to bed." Miotep said casually as if it were the simplest outcome. She reached for the cheese and put it back in the fridge.
Upon returning to the bench she saw Ahadi leaning up against it, facing her with his arms crossed at his chest. "Ship them off to bed? You sound like you're the captain of a starship." He smiled which told her he was only jesting.
"I'm sure Captain Pike would be very pleased to hear that." Miotep answered as she took the pot of meat and placed it in the fridge next to the cheese. Ahadi looked on in amusement. They were supposed to be serving dinner, and Miotep puts the main dish in the fridge? It must be the baby brain kicking in.
Miotep returned to the bench once more and gently placed the grater in the bowl of noodles. Ahadi watched her. He tried hard not to chuckle, but was failing tremendously. Miotep threw a glance Ahadi's way before returning her gaze to the bowl before her.
As Miotep looked at the bowl before her she realised what her husband was chuckling about. Did she really just put the grater in with the noodles?
"That's not right." She said aloud and Ahadi burst into laughter. She frowned at him, she was already losing her mind and all Ahadi could do was look on and laugh at her. When Ahadi showed no signs of containing his laughter, Miotep's frown turned to a scowl.
Upon seeing her scowl Ahadi quickly leapt up and gave her a hug from behind. Miotep relaxed immediately in the comfort of her husband's arms. They stayed there for a couple of minutes before Miotep softly broke the embrace and turned so that she was facing Ahadi. She reached up and played with his impressive sideburns before saying in a small voice, "Where did I put the mince?"
Ahadi's low chuckle emitted from deep within his chest. "In the fridge." Miotep rolled her eyes at him and lovingly shoved him aside. She took the grater out of the bowl and retrieved the mince from the fridge. She started pouring it over the noodles while Ahadi picked up the grater from the wooden bench top and threw it in the sink.
"Alright. We'll try it your way. After dinner we'll tell the kids about the pregnancy." Ahadi finally agreed. They placed the meals on the table.
"Thank you, Wapenzi (Beloved)" Miotep replied as she enveloped Ahadi into a hug, her long, golden-brown arms wrapping around his neck, his muscular dark arms around her waist.
"We won't go into detail. We'll let them come up with their own conclusion." Miotep added as she ended the hug and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. Ahadi hated it when she kissed him there. He felt he was being deprived of something greater.
"Mio..." Ahadi began. Ahadi was the only one Miotep allowed to call her 'Mio'. It was his pet name for her. If anyone else even tried to call her 'Mio' she would growl at them. Ahadi was secretly overjoyed by it.
"Come on, Ahadi. Aren't you the least bit interested in what their theories are?" Miotep questioned as she took both of his hands into hers. She led him to the head of the table where his seat was.
"Interested? I'm petrified. Anything can come out of those tiny mouths. Our kids are six, four and two, their imaginations are wild!" Ahadi groaned as he slumped into his chair.
"Think of it as some sort of adventure. You love adventures!" Miotep tried to persuade him. She seated herself on the table near her husband's food.
"Adventures in space. You're just as bad as the kids. Would you get off the table? You're not part of the dinner." Miotep reluctantly got down off the table and sat on Ahadi's lap. He welcomed her with open arms.
"No, I'm not the dinner." Miotep agreed as she kissed her husband deeply. She jumped off his lap and whispered in his ear, "I'm the dessert." She turned from him and walked to the side door off the house and called for their children to come in and wash their hands for dinner.
"This is going to be chaos." Ahadi whispered to himself as he rubbed his brows with calloused fingers.
After dinner Miotep ran the bath for the kids while Ahadi paced in the lounge room. All he could think about was the last time he informed his boys of Miotep's pregnancy with Nanenna.
…Approximately 2 years ago…
STARDATE: 2233.359 (Wed, Christmas Day, 2233)
Denahi had just turned four. He and twenty-six-month-old Sehale had been busy unwrapping their Christmas presents when Mama entered the room hand-in-hand with Baba. The boys had glanced at their parents with beaming smiles before ripping into their next presents.
Denahi had squealed with excitement as he pulled a small guitar from the box below. He'd held it high in the air with both hands and yelled, "A guitar! A guitar! Look Baba! Look!" Denahi had run over to his Baba with the guitar in his hands and Sehale waddled over to see what the noise was about.
Ahadi had sat down on the nearby couch and gently taken the guitar from Denahi's hands. He played a couple of tunes before placing the guitar on his lap and motioned for Miotep to take a place beside him.
Miotep had sat down next to Ahadi. Her hair was so long that it was hanging down past her shoulders. She was almost sitting on it. She'd looked at her husband then to her boys on the floor in front of her.
"There is one more gift." Ahadi began.
The boy's smiles grew wider. They'd loved all their presents so far; Santa had done a good job this year. Denahi had turned around to glance under the Christmas tree. There was nothing there. His smile was instantly replaced with a frown. The presents were always placed under the tree.
"Where is it?" Denahi asked as he looked back at his parents. Sehale was practically bouncing on his knees in anticipation.
"It's in here." Ahadi continued as he pointed to Miotep's abdomen.
"Huh?" Sehale cocked his head to the side, sucking on his blue pacifier.
"In there?" Denahi asked. Even Sehale had stopped bouncing on his knees. They were both now thoroughly confused. "What is it?" Denahi asked cautiously.
"It's a baby." Miotep answered, speaking for the first time.
"Baby?" Denahi looked to his Baba, then to Mama's belly, then to her face, then back to Baba. "That's not a baby. That's Mama!" Denahi corrected his Baba.
Sehale giggled joyously while clapping his hands. "Mama! Mama!"
Ahadi had run his hands through his hair and looked at both of his sons. He'd been about to tell them to go play when Miotep intervened, "Do you know where you came from?" she asked her eldest son.
Ahadi had whipped his head in his wife's direction. Oh no. Please don't do this. He'd silently begged. Miotep had looked at Ahadi and noticed his pleading eyes. She'd smiled before returning her attention back to her sons.
Denahi had looked at her and smiled, "My house!"
"Mio, they're four and two, let's just skip this talk." It took some coercing but Miotep hesitantly agreed with Ahadi to 'skip' the talk for now.
…Present Time…
Now Ahadi was pacing the lounge. This was it. The 'baby' talk had finally come. He knew it would happen tonight because he knows what his daughter is like. Nanenna's curiosity would get the better of her and she would pester for answers until she was satisfied. This did not sit well with Ahadi. He was going to get interrogated by his two-year-old daughter, he could sense it. The pitter-patter of small feet hitting wooden floor boards awoke Ahadi from his daydream.
They came running into the living room at warpspeed. Sehale came zooming around the corner but didn't slow down. He continued to run circles around the furniture as he waited for his brother and sister to join them.
If Ahadi was in the right state of mind, he would've yelled out to Sehale telling him to stop running. However, Ahadi was not in the right state of mind. Once Denahi and Nanenna entered the room Ahadi's pacing ceased immediately.
He stuttered slightly as he told them to sit on the couch. They seemed too excited. Why were they excited? What did Miotep tell them? Should he be worried? Of course he should!
The kids sat impatiently on the couch, fidgeting and giggling with each other. Ahadi's hands were starting to sweat profusely. He clapped his hands out of nervousness a couple of times before wiping them continuously on his pants. Where was his wife? She should be here too.
"Mio!" He called. He wasn't going to start this conversation without her. He needed her guidance. She appeared in the doorway to the lounge room. Leant up against the frame and gestured for him to proceed.
Ahadi cleared his throat. He needed a drink. He spoke in front of thousands of people, many of them were different species from different planets, he always had a way with words and yet tonight his voice was breaking under pressure and his throat was as dry as the desert out back.
He thought back to the last time he had spoken in front of a large crowd. He was confident, his voice was strong, and his posture was straight. Ahadi straightened up, patting down his clothes.
"Do you know why you're all here?" He began with a strong tone. The kids didn't flinch at his voice but opted to retreat further into the couch. They obviously thought they had done something wrong. Sehale suddenly felt bad for running around the lounge room.
"We in trouble?" Sehale asked as he toyed with his blue Starfleet pyjamas.
"No." Ahadi said in a soft voice and lowered himself to their level.
"Are you and Mama leaving each other?" Denahi asked looking from one parent to the next.
Denahi's words shocked Ahadi and Miotep. They looked at each other with blank stares. Where had that question come from?
"Denahi, why would you think that?" Miotep asked, suddenly aware of how her eldest son looked sadly between her and Ahadi. She made her way over to the couch and sat herself between him and Nanenna. Nanenna giggled and threw her arms around her Mama as Miotep gathered Denahi onto her lap and hugged him tightly.
"That's what happened with Rojan's Baba and Mama. They got him to sit on the couch. Then they told him that his Baba wasn't going to live with him anymore." Denahi answered honestly. Ahadi and Miotep knew about the split between Rojan's parents. It was terrible, but the relationship was not one filled with love and trust. Miotep continued to hug Denahi while Ahadi proceeded.
Somehow, Denahi's sad question made it easier for Ahadi. His palms had stopped sweating, and he relaxed his posture.
"We are not going to leave each other. In fact, we love each other so much that Mama is going to have another baby." Ahadi said and waited for the bombardment of questions.
Instead, a very long pause stretched over the room. Ahadi looked at the faces of his children. They seemed to be deep in thought. Well, most of them. Nanenna was still giggling and clapping.
The first questioned asked came from four-year-old Sehale, "A real baby?"
Miotep chuckled, "Yes, darling, a real baby."
"Is it in here?" Denahi questioned as he patted his Mama's tummy very softly. He must have remembered from the last pregnancy.
"Yes, the baby is in Mama's tummy." Ahadi answered his six-year-old.
"In your tummy?!" Sehale exclaimed, completely shocked that his Mama had a baby somewhere in her tummy. He was too young to remember Miotep's last pregnancy. "Did you eat it?"
"No, Sehale, I didn't eat the baby." Miotep tried to answer with a straight face but failed spectacularly.
"How for bubby tummy?" Nanenna asked. She had stopped giggling and clapping her hands, now intrigued with mama's belly. She wanted to know how a regular baby could fit inside her Mama.
"Oh, goodness me, it's begun." Ahadi moaned under his breath.
Miotep heard this and gave him a playful smirk before turning the tides on her children, "Daddy put the baby there, 'Nenna." She replied to her two-year-old daughter.
"How did Baba do that?" Sehale asked as he looked between his Baba and Mama.
"Don't answer that." Ahadi said quickly, as he pointed his head in his wife's direction.
"Well, when a Mama and a Baba love each other very much, they decide to-" Miotep began but was interjected by her husband.
"—Make a baby. End of story." Ahadi stumbled over his words.
"Make a baby?" Sehale repeated. "How?"
Miotep smiled maliciously, "I, too, would like to know how you make a baby."
Denahi was getting more confused, "Don't you know how the baby got in there?"
"Oh, she knows. She's just joking." Ahadi said. "Babies are made by magic beans."
"Magic Beans?!" Denahi and Sehale both exclaimed simultaneously. They were definitely intrigued now.
"Where did you get them?" Denahi asked.
"I want to see them!" Sehale demanded.
"I created them, and no, you can't see them." Ahadi said then looked over at his wife. She didn't look too impressed with him. He was okay with that though. He wasn't going to tell them the truth.
Miotep sighed. She had to put some truth behind her husband's words. "When Baba and Mama want another baby, Baba gives his special magic beans to Mama."
"Mio, where are you going with this?" Ahadi softly questioned, his face strained.
Ignoring him, Miotep continued, "Mama takes the beans and puts them in her belly." She said as she patted her tummy. "Once in the belly, the magic beans turn into a very small baby. The baby then stays in the tummy for nine months until it has grown big enough to be born."
All three kids nodded in agreement. They fell for it! Ahadi couldn't believe it. Although, Denahi didn't seem as convinced as the younger ones.
"Mama, how does the baby get out?" Sehale asked as he continued to stare at his Mama's tummy.
"What do you think?" Miotep asked her second eldest. A mischievous grin dominated her face.
"Um… the baby grows so big that your belly button explodes and the baby comes out." Sehale spoke confidently as he got up from his spot on the couch and went to lean up against his father who, by now, was smiling at his son's unusual theory.
"No. That's not right!" Denahi interjected as he got up from his Mama's lap and went to Ahadi's other side, "The baby's going to come out Mama's bottom." He said casually then looked back at his Mama who was playing with a giggling Nanenna.
"What?!" Sehale exclaimed loudly, he looked to his Baba for confirmation but his Baba was laughing too hard to clarify. "Is that why babies stink?" Sehale added which only made Ahadi laugh harder.
"Mama." Nanenna spoke. She was still too young to understand anything about where babies came from but she was content trying to catch her Mama's hand before it tickled her. "Bubby girl." She said and rested her head on her Mama's belly.
"I don't know yet, Sweetie. We'll have to wait a little while longer." Miotep answered as she played with her daughter's frizzy curls.
"Two more sleeps?" Sehale asked.
"More like twenty more sleeps." Ahadi replied as he picked up his sons, one in each arm. "But for now it's time for bed."
"But I want to see the baby." Sehale whined from within his Baba's grasp.
"The baby won't be here for another six months." Miotep said as she stood up from the couch and placed Nanenna on her hip.
"Is that soon or later?" Denahi asked.
"Later." Both Ahadi and Miotep replied simultaneously.
