A/N: Welp here's chapter 5! Thank god for the weekend, I must say this damn table chair isn't great for my back. Perhaps I will find somewhere to relocate for the remaining chapters.
The usual thanks to my proof reader, Wrex, and my good friend, Garrus, who helped me achieve half of this lovely story.
A thanks to the readers as well!
-Feary
Her grin couldn't be any wider as she stepped off the shuttle. It felt so so so nice to be back in the swing of things, and even if she didn't mean it, she was already beginning to recruit most of her members back on the Normandy. Green eyes danced over to Vega as he approached, and she arched a brow as the two greeted one another, a small laugh leaving her lips as they spoke.
Garrus was quick to follow, mandibles clicking with amusement at her actions as he stepped into the hangar. In the distance he could make out the familiar form of James, moving forward to greet the two of them, as well as help Cortez get the shuttle latched down.
"Well if it isn't James Vega.. muscles still as big as your pride." He chuckled as the two shook hands.
James merely laughed at the Turian's greeting. "Nice to see you too scars. Still being a big one man super hero on the holo-news I see."
The pair laughed as their hands parted. "Armory and Main Battery are all yours Scars, you always did a better job then I did at that. Now if you two will excuse me, I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do. I will help Cortez unload the shuttle, Commander." Quickly saluting Shepard before heading over to Cortez.
"Men." She uttered under her breath, shaking her head quickly as she returned the salute. "Nice work Vega."
A wave was quickly offered to Cortez as the pair stepped into the elevator, her hand instantly seeking out his, and grasping his fingers gently. "I wish to speak with you privately before we head into the Command deck." She sighed quietly, pressing the button to her quarters and leaning back against the wall.
Her hand gently tugged at his, pulling him closer, which he gladly allowed, pinning her back against the railing. He pulled his hand up, cupping her cheek as they stared at each other, breathing becoming slightly heavier as their faces hovered inches away. Shepard moved first, hoisting herself to sit against the rail, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him the few inches so that her lips could touch lightly to his mouth, arms lacing around his fringe as the two shared their moment.
It felt like seconds before the door slid open, dinging happily at the arrival of their floor. Shepard sighed, beginning to detangle herself when Garrus surprised her by planting both hands under her thighs, and hoisting her up as he carried her into the room. A thrilled squeak left her lips as she chuckled, clinging to his shoulders in hopes that he didn't accidentally drop her to the floor.
His mandibles fluttered against her neck as he took in her lovely scent, his lips nibbling at her soft flesh, finding it still as highly amusing as always. With purposed steps, he walked until the end of her bed hit his knees, gently leaning her back into the soft sheets with a rumbling chuckle of his own. He pulled back momentarily, searching her emerald gaze, finding her grinning wildly at him. "I've missed you." He managed, nibbling her jawline affectionately.
"And I you." She murmured back, cradling his head in her hands to pull his face back so their gazes met once more. "Though, as much as I have missed you, I don't think now is the time." Her gaze, and tone was apologetic as she slowly began to push him up, sitting up still close to his chest as he stared curiously at her.
"Garrus, there's something important we need to talk about." She started, and Garrus's face immediately sunk, what was this?
Her hand moved up, a single finger pressing against his lips to silence any words from him. "I was in bad shape when the doctors found me. I was placed in stasis for years while they reconstructed me, inside and out." She sighed, looking at the miserable look on his face, she had to fight the urge to blurt it out to stop his suffering, but she couldn't bring herself to.
"When I was leaving, the doctor explained something very unexpected and amazing to me. I would have never thought in a million years that it could be happening.. Garrus, I-, I'm pregnant." She finally blurted, watching as the shock set into his face, causing a slight grin to stretch the corners of her lips. "Perhaps we will see what a Human-Turian child looks like after all."
He stared at her dumbly, jaws parted slightly as blue orbs stared into the forest like greens. Shock was clear on his face as he opened and closed his mouth trying to find words, and eventually they came to him. "I.. I'm going to be a father!?"
Eyes flickered from her own, to her belly, repeating the process enough times that Shepard finally pulled his gaze back to hers with her hands. "The damn best father this galaxy has ever seen." Was all she managed before he quickly placed his head to her stomach. How stupid could he have been! He should have heard it sooner!
'Thud thud thud'
The smallest beat could be heard, mirroring its mothers. His own heart racked around his chest painfully as he swallowed, and lifted his head quickly. "This has never happened in Turian history. We should see Dr. Chakwas immediately to make sure the child is healthy. Does anyone else know?" Of course his hormones instantly kicked in, the need to protect rising above all else.
"I've seen her today already..." She held a puzzled look on her face as his tone dropped, her head tilting slightly. "No, I made sure no one knew before you." Hands ran over his face, in an attempt to calm his nerves. "And I'd like to keep it that way until I'm ready." Her lips met his briefly. "Would you like to see the Doctor now?"
His nod was immediate as a heavy sigh of relief left him. Though he trusted everyone within the crew with his life, the less that knew, the better. If Cerberus found out.. His head shook as he moved to stand, gently taking her hand to help her stand. "Yes, that will be the best thing to do, get an opinion from her. I have some stuff on my mind I would like to speak with you about as well. Things that have been going on since the Reapers were destroyed, but I would feel much better in telling you after we see Dr. Chakwas."
"Then lets head down there, we'll speak about the destroying of badguys in the command deck with the crew we have gathered. They'll want to hear as well." She grinned, letting him tug her along toward the elevator. He was acting.. different, but who wouldn't? Knowing that their love was carrying their child, she recalled Turians had some primal instincts within them, and so chocked it up to that.
As the doors closed, she leaned against him, her fingers threaded in his. The ride was short, and soon it dinged with their arrival. Doors slid open with a hiss, and off he was again, Shepard having to improvise with larger steps to accommodate for his pace. He hardly didnt even bother to knock, just hit the panel and strode through as the doors pulled to the side.
The Doctor was on her feet immediately at the sudden intrusion, half expecting a dying crew member, however she simply cocked a brow at the pair. "Shepard! Back so soon? Is everything okay?"
Garrus let a chuckle rumble as Dr. Chakwas glanced between the two with a peculiar look. "Oh, she knows." He half grinned as he pulled Shepard up to her, placing her in front of him, hands on each of her shoulders. His chin rested on her head as he grinned cheekily at the doctor.
The silver haired doctor perked a single brow now, concealing the grin that threatened to slide across her lips at any second. "Know what, exactly?" She managed to squeeze out without so much as a chuckle.
Shepard seemed to shift from one foot to the other like a naughty child caught in the act, tilting her head up slightly to dislodge Garrus's chin from her scalp. "Perhaps she does.." She turned back to the doctor with a nervous grin. "I'm to be a mother." She tensed, immediately countering with- "I don't want anyone else to know, not yet anyways."
The doctor finally let her grin show as she nodded. "Yes, I saw the heard beating when I checked your vitals earlier. So, Garrus is the lucky Turian I am assuming? If so this will be highly interesting, very very rare for something like this to happen. I wish to run tests, if you don't mind, Commander. I would have done so earlier, but I could tell you wished to remain discreet about the pregnancy." She pulled out her data pad, tapping a few things into the holo-pad while offering for Shepard to take a seat on a near by medical table.
"I figured you know, and I appreciate you keeping it to yourself. I wanted to tell Garrus first, before anyone else. Once I gather the crew back up, I will announce it between us only." She turned to the bed Chakwas pointed toward, and nervously stepped toward it with Garrus right on her heels. "Of course he is, I could love no one other then him." She turned to sit on the table, flashing Garrus a wide grin as he settled in a chair beside her. "Run anything you need, Doctor. We want to be sure the child is healthy."
Dr. Chakwas nodded casually as she followed Shepard over to the table, running several checks, and talking as she went about her work as normal. "Heart beat is good, strong. Just like its parents. Approximation of age is a little over three weeks, gender cannot yet be determined." She paused as she ran a scan over Shepard's abdomen, bringing up a 3D scale, and clearing away the extra mass around the fetus. "It's hard to tell at such an early age, but it looks as if you genes have mixed! You can clearly tell where the head fringes will be, as well as count the stubs of its fingers! Oh Commander this is beautiful!" She grinned, turning the image so the two could see as she spun it with her free hand to give them a slow 360 view.
The pair stared happily at the image, hand in hand. Both clearly relieved that the child was healthy. "A Human-Turian mix.. Is it just me Shepard or is defying the impossible an everyday thing for us now a days?"
"I have to agree, things like this seem to happen a lot around me." Shepard chuckled in return, watching as Garrus stood from his chair.
"Everything is good, Commander. However I want you to stay on light duty, absolutely NO firefights, am I understood?" She shifted nervously, of course she was commanding her commander, but there was no way she'd let Shepard get herself into the middle of something with a child in her belly. "I wish to see you once a week at least. I'm prescribing some species safe pre-natal care vitamins to insure the child's best possibilities.. and here they are now." She plucked them off a small buzzing drone before shooing it away and handing the bottle to Shepard.
Shepard frowned at the mention of light duty, but didn't complain, the doctor knew best. She simply took the bottle of pills and placed them in one of her many pockets as the doctor continued on.
"Take them once with each meal, assuming you're eating three times daily, if you aren't, I suggest you start doing so. You're eating for two now." Her silver brows perked as she grinned at the two. She quickly fluttered her hands over her datapad, the machine on her desk letting out a faint buzz as a slip popped out of it. She snatched the slip and handed it to them. "And this is for you as well, for when you announce it to the crew."
Shepard turned a shocked gaze up to the doctor as the slip was handed to her, the image of the child clearly visible. Her face beamed with pride as she thought about showing the picture to everyone when the time came. They were to be parents! "Thank you, Dr. Chakwas. We best get moving then, I don't know how much longer I can keep this a secret." She chuckled, emerald gaze turning to Garrus once more. "To the War room?"
Garrus simply nodded as he helped Shepard to her feet, many thoughts running his mind as they made their way to the elevator. The thought of being a dad had joyfully wedged itself into his head, and the mother was the love of his life. Though he also had a duty to do, an obligation to defend his family. He wasn't going to lose her again, and he definitely was not going to be losing their child.
On the ride down to the CIC room, Shepard had turned to him, a brow perked on her perfect face. "Who did you want to brief with us?"
Garrus thought train was brought to a halt as he considered their options. "EDI should be there, as well as Vega. Those two should be it for now. We can relay the information to others once we have the basics."
Basics. When was anything basic anymore..