Everything was fine with Rya's pregnancy, though the arrival could come at any time. Most of the armada had survived the jump. In a few hours they would rendezvous with the Quarian Flotilla, what was left of it, to continue up grades and share the new technology with them. Time was more precious now than ever. The Reapers knew how to find them and knew they possessed formidable fire power and shielding. Whatever passivity the sentient ships may have had in the passed was erased when they gained that knowledge.

Shepard entered her cabin, exhausted and dirty. She left her armor in the floor as she proceeded to the wash room. She let the warm water run over her as she sat with her back in the corner and her head on her knees. She had started to doze off when the doors opened. She peeked out from between strands of wet hair to see who had come to disturb her, to tired to be modest or defensive.

Nilhus' white face appeared in the door way. "Would you still have greeted me with such nonchalantness if I were not myself?"

"Maybe..." Sonya groaned.

He left his armor next to hers on the floor and sat next to her under the shower head.

"Can you believe we have Thane's son and grand child on board?" She asked. "I wish he could have met her... and the baby."

Nihlus sighed. If Thane had been around to see his family... He let the thought fade away and slipped an arm around her.

Flotilla was waiting near by, readying to dock with them, it gave him some mild comfort. A safety in numbers kind of thing. He wondered how the geth were holding off on their front and why Legion had not contacted them. He also worried about the rachni. The queen had promised to help, but no word had been sent. Then there was Cerberus. The Illusive Man could betray them at any time if he thought it would save humanity. He watched her sleep in his arms and gently nuzzled her hair until he dozed off, the worries turning to lucid dreams. Nihlus curled around her, forming himself to her. He purred softly as he dreamt. He woke early the next morning to her dark eyes watching him sleep.

"Sonya..." He purred.

"Shhh..." She hushed him and pressed her mouth to his.

"Nihlus..." She whispered his name quietly against the skin of his throat.

"Captain Shepard?"

EDI interrupted.

"What is it EDI?" Shepard asked a bit harsher than she'd meant to.

"The Quarian vessel Neema will be ready to link up with the Normandy in one hour. They request your presents."

"Thank you EDI. I'll be up shortly."

"I'd better go." Sonya whispered.

Nihlus nuzzled her, relishing the feel of her warmth and her softness. Sonya reluctantly left his ams and dressed. She briefly nuzzled him and averted her eyes for a moment before she looked back up into the peridot glow his her lovers eyes.

"I was going to tell you tomorrow, but..." Her soft words trailed off.

Nihlus' grin faded and his brow plates furrowed.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked "Are you ill?"

"No... I don't know how it's possible, but doctor Chakwas confirmed it before I came to bed last night."

Nihlus sat up, worried.

"It's okay... I think." She offered a weak grin. "Please, hold me like you were."

He complied, though unsettled and rigid with worry as she curled in next to him wearing her Alliance uniform.

"I love you." She told him. "You know that right?"

"Of course."

He nuzzled her and took one of her hands in his.

"And I you. Now what's this about?"

"We're... the doc and I, We're 99% sure that..." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly."Well, we think I'm pregnant."

"I can see where you would be concerned." He said, shock keeping his voice calm.

A few silent moments passed. He didn't move or speak. He could hardly take breath. Sonya began to feel uncomfortably nervous. He felt her heart flutter against his hand.

"We can't have any babies until the Reaper threat is removed. I'm going down to help Garrus." Nihlus said decidedly, and abruptly left the bed.

"We're going to have a child?" He asked, mostly to himself.

Sonya grinned on the bed. She'd never seen him so rattled.

"It'll be okay. You'll be okay..."

He rushed about the room dressing and touching things, but doing nothing with them. Sonya watched, amused from the bed.

"Nihlus, I'm pregnant not dying." She smiled.

"Yes, but..." He paused, realizing he was talking as fast as a salarian. He settled on the edge of the bed next to her and cradled her head in one hand. He slipped his talons up into her hair and nuzzled her.

"I love you. I'm going to take care of you... and our child." He told her and placed a hand over her belly. "I don't know how it's possible, but..."

Nihlus grinned and pressed his mouth to hers.

"How will we raise it? Traditional turian values aren't exactly the same as humans' on many subjects."

"We'll work it out." Nihlus stated.

"Yes..." She said and averted her eyes.

"We'll figure it out." He assured her. "For now I need to make sure the galaxy will be a safer place for our baby to be born into."

He nuzzled her once more with eyes closed. Then left for the command deck. His words comforted her, but did not ease her worry. She put a hand to her belly where a turian seed grew in her human womb. A single tear left her eye to darken the sheets. She brushed the wet trail away with the back of her hand and headed out for the Neema.