The ship stayed steady and after a few more rumbling shots from the Normandy's fire banks the battle ceased. Sonya assumed victory, but wondered how many casualties they had earned during the fight. Chakwas and Jeron had made them both a concoction of vitamins and other nutrients to replenish their systems after labor and delivery. The baby's had immunization supplements as well. Sonya received hers through an I.V. drip while she fed her son with a specially adapted bottle. He accepted eagerly, his mouth much more playable than his father's mouths. She wondered if that was because he was new or if it was the human DNA in his make up. His eyes remained closed, but the skin of his throat was much peachier than she'd expected. His four long fingers held the bottle with tiny talons tipping them. She'd never seen anything so adorable Chakwas cleaned her up and prepared her for the visitors that would soon come to check her. It wasn't long before Nihlus arrived. His feet stopped short and his mandibles fluttered when the sight of his son in the arms of the mother met his eyes. He had missed the birth of his first born, but he'd made it possible by protecting his family.
Nihlus slowly made steps toward the bed as Garrus entered the room. Garrus hesitated then followed. As Nihlus neared her she smiled up at him from adoring her baby. He let her see the tears of joy that wet his eyes before he nuzzled her forehead and then the child's. He loved her more then than ever, for she had given him a son.
"I'm your father." He whispered to the boy. "I have much to show you."
It was strange to touch one so young. To be bound to him as his father. He stood and glanced at before gazing upon his strong and ever more lovely mate. He wished he could say more. Something like 'welcome to the galaxy', but it wasn't a welcoming place to be born to just yet. It would be the greatest gift he could give his son and he was determined to do so.
Sonya waited for Garrus to join them. He looked on the child with as much fascination and wonder as he did love. It was instant in his eyes, almost as if the child had been his own.
"Isn't he beautiful?" She said.
"Yes, he is." Nihlus answered. "As beautiful as his mother."
He pressed his mouth to her lips to 'kiss' her.
"He's got four fingers." Garrus said, interested, as if he were talking about a flora mutation.
"It must be the human DNA." Sonya replied and pulled back the bottom of the blanket. "He has three toes too!" She said excitedly.
"He's perfect." Nihlus told her. His mandibles spread in a wide grin. Not only did he have a life mate who loved him, but he had a child. These were things turians born into being outcasts did not typically archive.
Dr. Chakwas walked over to check on Sonya's vitals as well as the babies. She smiled kindly up at the turian father.
"You should be very proud. He is the only one of his kind! It is amazing. Have you chosen a name for him?"
"We're still deciding." Sonya answered.
"I see. Well, take your time. His is a name that will be well known."
"No pressure." Garrus mocked.
"I'll leave you and your family with the baby." Chakwas nodded to Sonya and quietly went over to her desk.
Sonya looked up at the two of them. Nihlus was beaming and proud. Garrus stood silently by. He wasn't the father. It would take him time to accept that, but he was involved. He was a friend to both of them. Didn't that make him some kind of 'uncle' in human culture? Garrus grinned a little at the thought He looked down at the child and his rust colored face and saw a small Nihlus in her arms nursing the bottle with an unusually pliable mouth and four fingers. He saw her skin on his neck and the darker bronze of Nihlus' colors darkening the back of the neck and fading over the sides.
"Well, his middle name is David." Sonya said decidedly.
Nihlus could see she was adamant about that. He didn't really have a problem with it, he was her 'father'.
"Are you in agreement with Sashus?" Nihlus asked her.
Many long discussions and arguments had taken them many different directions. The most recent victor was 'Sashus'.
Sonya nodded her agreement and smiled. The bottle emptied as the name was spoken for the first time. Sonya gently removed the bottle and placed it on the sheets next to her. She lifted Sashus to her shoulder to burp him. His tiny fingers found her hair and grasped it firmly in his many fingers. He smelled her, even as a new born, learning her scent as 'mother'.
"Do you want to hold him?" Sonya asked her mate.
Nihlus reached out, eager to hold his son. Feeling how light and helpless Sashus was in his arms was an indescribable feeling. He felt strong and proud, but also humbled. The love that connected him to the babe unconditionally was even more powerful than his love for Sonya, and he had died for her. What more would he do for this young one that should not have been and was? A single tear escaped his eye to trail down his metallic cheek.
"Would you like to hold him?" Sonya asked Garrus.
He looked at her suddenly, wide eyed and nervous. He'd never held an infant before.
"I, uh... I'm okay. I don't..." Garrus shook his head, looking at the small, fragile being that wiggled in the blanket.
"Hold the child, Vakarian." Nihlus ordered with pride, and passed the yawning babe carefully to Garrus' reluctantly waiting arms.
Garrus accepted Sashus from Nihlus' arms with ease. It was nerve racking. He was afraid he would break him accidentally or drop him. When Sashus yawed Garrus smiled for the first time at his 'nephew'. In a way it was his chance to be a better role model than his father was to him. It pained him to think of his father's loss, but he would honor him by being this little one's 'uncle' and helping to raise him up to be a great turian.
"Hello, Sashus." He said.
He smiled when the infant curled into him at the vibration of his voice.
"You have a strong mother." He told the babe that was lulled to sleep by his words and smiled up at Sonya. "I'll teach you how to make her laugh."
Sonya grinned then, and the first of her tears escaped her. They were tears of joy as well as pain. Garrus was a good man. In some ways she lamented not being with him, but Nihlus was something that was almost herself in her bond with him. She couldn't be with anyone else while he was still with her.
Nihlus stepped aside to allow Garrus to return the boy to his mother. He didn't think he could love anyone or anything as much as he did Sonya and his son. He had loved his family because they were family and his mother was kind, but this was a family he had chosen and created. Nothing meant more.
special thanks to everyone who submitted ideas! It was a hard choice and I came up with many more due to your inspirations! Thanks so much everyone, and thank you for reading! Keep commenting, it really helps!