Kain had never been happier, more nervous, or more excited than the day he got to marry Sheska. It was a small, beautiful ceremony, and though she had no family left, his family, his unit all stepped in.

Even Edward Elric and his fiance, Winry Rockbell made an appearance. He knew that Sheska always held the Elric brothers in high regard, and she and Winry instantly adored each other.

It was so reassuring that, despite the difficult times, despite everything that had happened, for all the horrors and atrocities, all the nightmares, peacebuilding and conflict resolution attempts, there was still beauty in the world.

Nightmares rocked his sleep, so much so that sometimes Sheska couldn't shake him from reliving the horrors of being on the front lines. He had changed so much, been forced to grow up and grow into himself - but he couldn't dare feel sorry for himself. Not when he had worked for months and months in Ishval, faced every day with the horrors that had befallen on innocent people, some at the hands of some of the people that he looked up to the very most. They all had their reasons of doing what they did, and they were trying to rebuild and atone for what they had done.

There were to be trials, but Kain didn't think they would happen for a very long time.

For now, all they could do was focus on the future. And his future was Sheska.

When Kain found out he was to be a Father, he couldn't remember ever feeling more elated. He'd thought that on his wedding day, that he could never be happier, or that no moment would ever top the rush he felt when she said 'I Do", but heavens, was he wrong.

Surely, there had to have been days that came close, but he certainly couldn't recall them.

"I wish my Mother was here." Sheska wiped tears from her cheeks and Kain kissed her forehead.

"I know she'd be so happy and proud. But I'm sure she's smiling up at you from the Heavens."

Sheska smiled, glancing up towards the sky.

Neither of them had ever been particularly religious. There was something about reading so many books, and partaking so much in scientific theory, that sometimes it was hard to believe in a Greater God. But … at the same time, Kain knew that Sheska believed there were miracles that were outside of the scope of human understanding. Something had to account for them, right? And if it could bring her comfort, to know that her Mother was looking down on her, keeping an eye out for her, then damn, he believed it too.

Kain awoke, screaming into the darkness, completely unaware of where he was, until he heard the familiar, soothing voice, and felt hands touch his cheeks.

"It's alright, Kain. You're safe. I'm here." Sheska soothed him.

"I thought - I dreamt -" He was covered in sweat, gasping for air. His normal war related terrors, that had been few and far between lately, had been plagued by his unborn child. He had a nightmare where Sheska, eight months pregnant, had been shot by … a sniper. He didn't dare think who.

"We're safe", Sheska repeated over and over, storking Kain's hair. And they were.

Kain was working away in the office he shared with Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc, and Breda. It had been great to be reunited with his unit, as difficult as the rebuilding and reconciliation project had been.

He was a little immersed in his work, barely realizing that his wife was in the office until she waddled towards him. Kain thought that Sheska looked as beautiful as ever, though she constantly complained about not being able to see her toes, and how swollen she felt. He couldn't blame her, the Ishvalan heat was almost unbearable anyway, he couldn't imagine the added stress on her body of being pregnant.

Her pregnancy had been going well, with no complications, and Sheska had done so much reading up on pregnancy, childbirth, and a baby's first year that she knew what her body was doing even better than her midwife.

"Sheska!" Kain hopped up, grabbing his wife's hand. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, everything is fine. I'm going a little stir crazy so I thought I'd come and see how you lot were getting on. I brought cookies! I experimented a little, so they're peanut butter chocolate chip."

Kain grimaced. Despite reading up on it, Sheska wasn't the best baker. Still, the unit made sure they ate her baked goods in front of her, even if they did dispose of them after she left.

"That's very kind of you, Sheska." Hawkeye smiled warmly, offering Sheska her chair.

"No, I'm alright. Thank you! It's good to stretch the legs, you know."

"When are you due?"

"My midwife believes it'll be another couple of weeks, but I'm not so sure, I feel like the little one could come any time." Sheska patted her stomach and smiled fondly down at it.

"You look beautiful as ever, Sheska." Mustang nodded at her from his desk, and Sheska nodded back.

Kain couldn't help but notice the interesting change in dynamic between the two of them, and he wondered what kind of a conversation they'd had, if they even had a chance to ever be alone. He supposed if it had been important enough, she would have mentioned it. But he was also extremely thankful that her opinions of his commanding officer had changed from before he went to the front lines.

Mustang wasn't just his superior, he was Kain's friend. Kain respected him, looked up to him.

"I can't wait to meet the little guy." Havoc leaned lazily against his desk.

The entire team thought they were going to be having a little boy, but Kain wasn't so sure. Not that it mattered to them either way. Maybe it was a good thing they were all predicting the same outcome, otherwise they'd probably be betting on it.

"Me either", Sheska admitted with a laugh, leaving the tin of cookies on the corner of Kain's desk. "I'll let you get back to work."

Kissing Kain on the cheek, which made the tips of his ears go red, Sheska waved at the rest of the team, and then waddled out the door.

"She has a way of growing on you, doesn't she?" Kain heard Breda ask Havoc who was banging an inedible cookie on the desk, and he smiled.

She certainly did.