Another birthday fic for Tirya. This is the last chronologically. Bug and Celeste are married. Moon still hates Bug but has had issues of her own and can't spare the energy to make a show of it. Bug and Artemis are mine. Moon, Celeste and Phoenix are Tirya's.

Once Upon a Time

"Celeste?" Bug set down the tray on the bedside table and leaned over his sleeping mate. He touched her cheek gently trying not to startle her. He hated to wake her, she'd had a restless night, the baby they were expecting had kicked and squirmed for hours keeping her awake. He knew she needed her sleep but the day was getting on and he had to go to work.

She stirred and mumbled something he couldn't hear and then opened her eyes. She stared around sightlessly. "Bug?"

"It's me, love. Time to wake up."

"I just got to sleep…" She tried not to whine but she was so tired.

"I know but your mother is waiting. I can tell her to go home…" He didn't want to. Moon and Celeste were just starting to rebuild their relationship and he didn't want to interfere with that. She needed all the help she could get to take care of their baby.

"No, that's okay." She clumsily turned over and sat up. "I smell breakfast. Eggs? And toast. Bug, you didn't have to."

"It's your birthday, it's the least I could do. And are you sure you can deal with your mother? She has Phee and Arty with her."

"Yes, yes, I want to see them…if you think I should…" She looked in his direction, suddenly unsure. She was tired and it was getting so hard to get around. She couldn't understand how Bug's mother, who was due any day now could move around so well. Searchlight was so much bigger.

Bug sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Celeste, it's up to you. It's not my job to tell you what to do."

"I know, Bug. I'm trying." She felt for his hand and squeezed it tightly. "Yes, I want to see them. But let me eat first and then get cleaned up."

"I'll tell your mom."

"Thank you." Celeste made herself comfortable, Bug positioning the pillow behind her back. "Milk at 10, eggs at 10 on the plate, buttered toast at 5, fruit cup at 3, knife and fork and spoon at the usual places," he told her.

"Thanks, you're sweet." She felt around for the plate and utensils and took a drink of milk. Bug watched a moment and then went out into the living area.

Moon looked up from nursing Artemis. The baby was getting big… like her dad. Bug grimaced slightly at that thought but quickly hid it with a smile. Phoenix was exploring the room, fingering all the knick knacks. He stopped and looked at Bug guiltily.

Bug grinned at him. "You can touch, just be careful."

Moon tried to smile at that but could only produce a tilt at the corner of her mouth. "She'll be out soon?" She hated the way Bug seemed to control her daughter.

"She's eating but once she's done she'll be out…"

Before he could finish, Phee frowned and started to cry. "I want to see big sissy!"

"Phee…" Moon said warningly. "Let her wake up and eat. You know how cranky you are when you just wake up. And it's her birthday, she deserves some alone time."

Phee yelled louder and headed for the door. "I want to see her now!"

Bug caught him and lifted him up, tossing him a bit to distract him. "Phee, would you like to give sissy the birthday present I got her?"

"Really? I can? What'd you get her? Can I see?"

"It's all wrapped up. But you can hold it while we wait." He carried Phee to his small office and pointed to a prettily wrapped package on his desk. It had a large bow and bells that tinkled when Phee picked it up.

"It makes noise." He shook it again and grinned at the bells. "Is that so she'll think it's pretty since she can't see the colors?"

"Yup. She can't see the wrapping at all but she can feel the bow and hear the bells." He tilted his head and looked at Phee. "Do the bells and bow make it pretty for you since you can't see the colors?"

Phee nodded vigorously. "Yupyup. It's real pretty." He shook it again.

"Then sissy will really like it too." Bug took Phee's hand and led him back to Moon and Arty.

Moon had finished feeding the baby and had put her on the floor. The little girl had pulled herself to her feet and was cruising around the table, grinning and making random cooing sounds.

"Mama! Look at the pretty present!" Phee ran to Moon and held up the package and shook it. Moon smiled and lifted the toddler into her lap.

"It's beautiful. Don't forget we have a present for Celeste too. It's not as pretty but it's from us." She didn't look up at Bug. She tried not to resent him for taking Celeste away from her, for nearly turning her daughter against her, but it was hard. She'd been disappointed when Celeste had gone ahead and married him after everything. And then getting pregnant. She gritted her teeth but managed a smile for Phee. "Maybe you should let Bug give sissy his present…"

Phee shook his head. "Nooo! Mama, Bug said I could do it. Right, Buggy? Right?"

Bug nodded. "It's okay, Auntie Moon. It'll make him happy."

"We can't always have everything we want."

Bug pursed his lips and ran his hand through his short brown hair. "Auntie Moon…"

"Yes, Bug?" Her voice was cool.

"Nothing…" He turned away and watched Arty explore. She was so much like her father, curious, smart and unable to stay in one place very long.

Before the silence could get any more strained, the door opened and Celeste appeared still wearing her nightgown but her face was scrubbed and her hair combed. Moon had to admit that pregnancy agreed with her. Moon hadn't seen Celeste in a few weeks and she'd filled out and glowed with good health.

"Mama?"

Phee squealed and ran to her, glomping her legs. "Sissy! Happy Birthday!"

She staggered and almost fell, her large belly upsetting her sense of balance. "Phee!" she squeaked. "Careful, little one."

Moon and Bug jumped up together to grab Phee but Bug reached them first and gathered Phee up in his arms.

Moon frowned and supported Celeste. "Are you okay, Celeste?"

Celeste laughed and nodded. "I'm fine. It's okay, really. Where's Phee? I want to give him a hug."

"I have him, love," Bug said and handed him to her. "Be careful, he's getting heavy and Grampy Aid said not to lift too much now."

"I'm not lifting, Buggy, you're handing him to me and it's okay. I won't hold him long." She took the toddler and hugged him, giving his a kiss on the cheek.

Phee giggled and hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Happy birthday, sissy. We have presents for you. You can open them now!"

"Presents? For me?" Celeste set Phee down and went directly to the couch to sit down next to Moon. "I didn't expect anything."

Artemis dropped to her hands and knees and crawled over to Celeste and pulled herself to her feet using her sister's nightgown for handholds. "babababa!" she babbled.

Celeste grinned and tickled the baby's cheek. "Do you have my present, Arty?"

"I do, I do!" Phee announced. "Can I give them to her now, Buggy, Mama?"

Moon couldn't maintain her jealousy of Bug with Phee being so eager and sincere. She smiled gently and nodded. "You know where we left our present, go ahead and get it."

Bug noticed her change in mood and relaxed. He'd given up trying to figure out how to win Moon over. "Go ahead, Phee."

Phee ran to where he'd left Bug's present and grabbed it. The bells tinkled and Celeste grinned, turning her head in that direction. He stuffed the package under his arm and ran to where Moon had left their present. It was a much larger box, almost too big for him to handle, but he managed to lift it and staggered over to Celeste. He put the big present on the floor and placed the smaller one in her hands. "This is from Buggy."

She took it and shook it to hear the bells. "So pretty. What do you think it is, Phee?"

"I don't know, Sissy. Open it! I want to see!"

She felt the package, fingering the bow and the bells, before she ripped it open. She held the flat object in her hands and ran her fingers over the slick surface curiously. She frowned slightly. "What is it? A data pad?"

Phee leaned over and examined it. "Looks like one. Sort of."

"It's sort of a data pad," Bug said. "Turn it on."

Her fingers found the button and she pressed it. "Good morning, Celeste. How may I help you?" Wheeljack's voice asked politely.

Phee squealed. "it's Uncle 'Jack!"

Celeste tilted her head at it and then looked up blankly. "I don't understand?"

The pad answered her. "What don't you understand? I can answer any question you might have."

Bug chuckled. "It is a data pad but it's special. It's completely voice activated. You can ask it questions, have it write for you or read back documents."

Celeste's eyes widened. "Bug… I… Oh, Bug, this is amazing. Where'd you get it?"

Phee crawled up next to her and poked at it. "Uncle 'Jack?"

Bug sat down on the other side. "Wheeljack helped me design and build it. I promise it won't explode."

The pad responded to Phee. "Would you like me to send a message to 'Uncle Jack'?"

Phee giggled. "It understands me."

"It understands and it learns. Try it out, Celeste."

Celeste touched the smooth surface gently sliding her fingers over it. "What should I do? Oh, I know. Send an email to Bug."

"What would you like the email to say, Celeste?" The pad asked politely in Wheeljack's voice.

"Ummm, Dearest Buggy, Thank you for this amazing gift. I love it and I love you. Love, Celeste."

The pad repeated the message quietly. "Message sent. Anything else, Celeste?"

Celeste blinked and shook her head. "uh, no, thank you. That was fine."

Bug's phone buzzed and he pulled it out. He read the email back to them. "You can text and you can call me. You can do anything you want, actually."

"Can I play with it?" Phee asked, bouncing in his seat.

"I guess so. He can't hurt it, can he, Bug?"

"Nope. It's super tough. Jack really knows how to build things to resist explosions and general destruction. Go ahead, Phee."

Phee grinned and then looked at Moon. "Is it okay, Mama?"

Moon sighed but also smiled, happy that Phee asked her for permission as well. "Yes, it's okay, little, but first why don't you give Celeste our present."

"Oh, yeah. We got you the best present, Sissy." He shoved the big box over to her and struggled to lift it up onto the couch. "Happy birthday, Celeste!"

She explored it with her hands. "It's so big. What is it?"

"Open it, open it!"

"Okay, okay!" She chuckled and ripped the paper off.

While she unwrapped, Arty grabbed the pad and sat on the floor mouthing it happily. Bug picked her up and set her on his lap, occasionally wiping the drool from the surface of the device. He watched curiously as Celeste slowly revealed the gift of a large book.

She set the book on her lap. It barely fit since her belly was in the way but she managed to open it and run her fingers over the raised dots. "It's a book of…of children's stories." Her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Mama…"

Moon was surprised by her reaction. "Do you like it? It's so you can read to your baby."

"I…I love it, Mama. It's perfect, thank you." She held out her arms to hug Moon.

Moon scooted over and hugged her, kissing her gently on the cheek. "I'm glad. And you're welcome."

Phee studied the book and its indecipherable rows of dots. "Can you read to me, Sissy? I want a story."

Celeste blinked and smiled softly at her little brother. "Of course, Phee, come sit next to me." She patted the couch and Phee scrambled up to sit next to her.

Bug grinned at the scene. It was what he imagined it would be like having a child. He bounced Arty on his knee and smiled at Moon. Moon had to smile back, pleased that her gift had received such an enthusiastic reception and touched by Bug's patience with the little ones. He was going to be a good father, like his father before him.

Celeste opened the book to the table of contents and found a story. She turned to it and ran her fingers over the dots and began to read. "Once upon a time…"