The effects were immediately noticeable. Kaidan felt light headed and dizzy for a moment and then was struck with the sensation of falling. Falling quickly and backwards. Starbursts in green, yellow and violet filled his vision and for a moment he thought he might have gone blind.

Beyond the flashing light display he could see silver moonlight reflected up onto the ceiling from the white bedspread.

"So much for not hallucinating," he said aloud, his voice sounding distant, almost as if it was coming through water. But it wasn't just his own voice he could hear.

Catherine's voice was there and she sounded strained and agonized. He couldn't make out what she was saying over the other voices. The others were louder and stronger, but weren't using words. Kaidan was bombarded by emotions and feeling he didn't have the word to describe. The sensations were overwhelming him. He didn't know how to respond to them or block them out.

"Kaidan?"

It took a beat or two to realize that the voice had been heard with his ears, not his mind. It was Catherine. She was aware again.

"What's going on?" She sounded almost frantic.

He forced himself to sit up and look down on her. In the darkness of the room the green tendrils of energy snaking between them was like watching vines and grass waving and trailing in a breeze. It was hypnotic, and making his mouth work was challenging.

"The long and short of it is that you are carrying twins and they have learned to talk to each other and are going to overload your brain." It sounded absolutely ridiculous now hearing it out loud. "EDI thinks Dad can get them to pipe down, but I don't know what to do."

"I already feel better," she said with a soft moan. "They are quieter. I think they are interested in you."

She was right, the voices had slowed. They weren't as loud or as powerful now. Kaidan got the sense that they were listening to them talk.

"They can hear us, but I don't know how to tell them anything," Kaidan explained to her.

The hallucinations had stopped and Kaidan could see normally, or almost normally. His vision seemed to be enhanced and he could see everything in sharp, perfect clarity. From the faint reddish tint in Catherine's hair to the weave of the fabric of the blanket, it jumped out as clearly as if he was looking through a magnifying glass.

It made it difficult to focus on any of it as his brain tried to interpret things it had never before encountered, colours it had never experienced and emotions it had never felt. Kaidan could feel the questing minds of his children, sense their curiosity.

"I don't know what to do, Cat," he struggled to say. "I don't know how to talk to them. How did you do it before? When you were singing in your sleep."

"I don't know, Kaidan," she said with tears in her eyes. "I don't know how to answer them. They haven't even been born yet and I am already a bad mother."

"What?" Kaidan rolled onto his stomach and leaned over her. She turned her head away from him, tears streaming down the sides of her face to dampen her hair and flow along the curve of her ears. "Catherine, you are not a bad mother. Whatever is happening to you, to us, is not your fault. And it's not your fault that that you don't know what to do about it. None of us do."

He wrapped his arms around her and tried to focus his thoughts. Through all the noise, he could hear her thoughts as well. Maybe like Joker and EDI, the fact that they were already intimate made it easier now to communicate this way. Kaidan could sense the fear and doubt in her and he responded the only way he knew how. He held her tight and poured all of his love, desire, affection and pride into her. Let it flow out of himself to burn away all of her apprehension and uncertainty.

Desperate to keep the power coursing between them, he tried to think of all the time they'd spent together. The furtive glances and stolen kisses that he savoured. Their first night together and the moment they learned she was pregnant. The first time they had kissed so long ago and the moment James had introduced them aboard the Normandy when Kaidan had only had eyes for Shepard.

As he reminisced, his mind drifted back to the night she read him the poem. Annabel Lee. His mind forged on though he tried to restrain it and soon the last few lines of the poem were reciting themselves in his head. But the moon never beams without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee. And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes of the beautiful Annabel Lee. So all the night tide I lie down by the side of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride, in her sepulcher there by the sea. In her tomb by the side of the sea.

Suddenly it wasn't love and warmth inside of him. Kaidan pulled back and away as he felt panic and dread take root. All the fears he felt but would never put voice to and refused to acknowledge were growing. What would he do if he lost her? What would he do if he lost her and two children at the same time? He had barely pulled himself back up after he'd lost Shepard. He didn't think he could survive another loss of that magnitude.

"This isn't helping." Kaidan rolled onto his back and covered his face with his hands. Guilt chased close on the heels of the vortex of other emotions and he moved further away from Catherine until he was pressed right up against the wall, the cool stoned chilling his bare skin where it touched.

He couldn't focus. He couldn't fight down the wrong emotions and bring the right ones back to the surface. His thoughts has taken on a life of their own, leading him from one horrible possible future to another, all of them leaving him alone and heartbroken. Futures where he would gladly lie down and die just to have some rest, some peace.

Kaidan knew Catherine could hear all of it, but so broken, so low was she, that she could not fight it. A sob clawed its way from between her cracked lips, tearing at the strings of Kaidan's heart.

Beyond his own tumult, beyond Catherine's suffering, there was another sound. Something powerful and achingly sad. There were no words, just a force that pounded against his skull, making his pulse throb at his temples and his ears ring.

And then there was a cool hand on his face and a benevolent voice in his ear. Kaidan opened his eyes and found Liara kneeling on the bed between him and Catherine. Her blue skin, as smooth and silky as a snakes, was almost iridescent to his enhanced vision. Freckles, like tiny grains of sand, speckled her cheeks and the bridge of her perfect, upturned nose. Electric blue eyes fixed on his own and she smiled, compassion and love overflowing from her as she gazed down at him.

"I can help you, Kaidan," she said, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of sounds filling his head. "If I join with you, I can help you focus your thoughts."

Kaidan could only nod, and Liara leaned down and cupped his cheeks, looking him deeply in the eyes. She closed her eyes for several seconds and when she opened them again they were black as pitch and swirling like oil on midnight waters.

Her eyes seemed to fill his vision until everything was dark. His whole body relaxed and rather than falling he felt like he was floating. Drifting on a soft, summer wind with sunshine on his face.

Liara's voice was in his head, cutting through the dissonance of other sounds like a clarion call.

"Tell me why you love her, Kaidan," Liara said. "Find one moment that defines who you are together and focus on that."

One event flashed into his mind right away. A moment from before they were together. Before the battle with Javik and before even the wake. Suddenly Kaidan was living that moment again. The sun beating down on his back. Water in his eyes and sand in his hair.

James and Morgan had encouraged him to join them and several others, including Catherine, in an afternoon of swimming. He hadn't wanted to go. Work was eating up all of his time and there was always more to do. He'd felt guilty leaving behind everyone else for a day frivolity, but no one else had thought anything of it.

A two hour hike from the settlement was a lake, or rather a pond by Earth standards, but it was deep and crystal clear and worth the walk. They had spotted it from the air months earlier and people often made the journey to enjoy its cool, fresh waters. It was too small and too far away to be of use for anything other than pleasure.

Kaidan had walked the whole way at Catherine's side, being silly and trying to convince her that he knew something about plants. Telling her about his cousin's agri business and his uncle's orchards. Retelling stories of rotten apple fights in the autumn; the kind of fun that only boys get up to. Risking stings from the hornets feasting on the fermenting fruits and coming home stinking of old apples.

She'd laughed and told her own stories of life in Northern Ontario, a place he had never visited, but seen thousands of pictures of. Majestic white pines and shivering birch trees. Islands of pink and grey granite and thousands of hidden lakes and channels. Weaving through the wetlands filled with fallen trees and lily pads in a canoe, watching for turtles, loons and herons.

Upon reaching the lake, James hadn't waited to get the boisterous fun started. He'd picked up Catherine and Morgan, one over each shoulder, and gone barreling into the lake fully clothed, the women screaming in mock terror and anger.

Kaidan had stripped down to his shorts and flung himself in after them, bobbing in the centre of the lake and laughing with James as the woman hauled themselves out and stripped off their own clothes. Morgan, bold as brass, had skinny dipped, while Catherine had remained in her underwear and t-shirt.

That had been even more alluring than Morgan's nudity. The shadow of the hair between her legs just visible. Her nipples hard and pressing against the dripping, white material of her shirt. He'd told himself he wasn't looking, but going back there now there was no denying the attraction he had felt or the efforts he gone to not to reveal that magnetism.

Jealous of the way James seemed to have no compunctions about grabbing Catherine and tossing her about playfully, or the way she wrapped her legs so carelessly around his waist as he proved his strength by swimming laps with her on his back, Kaidan had let himself relax that day and join in the fun.

He'd wrestled with James in the water, had a splash fight with Morgan, and childishly dumped a handful of mud into Catherine's hair. She'd chased him through the water, threats pouring forth, and then shrieked as he'd turned the tables and went after her. He'd cornered her behind a boulder far away from the others, the sparkle in her eyes belying the fear she feigned. It had been so juvenile, so blithe, so affectionate.

They'd tussled in the water, their laughter echoing off the surrounding trees. Her hand had lingered on his chest when she pushed away into deeper water. His hand strayed further up her thigh than was decent when he pulled her under the surface. It had been like being a child and an adult at the same time. Playful flirting with sexually charged undertones.

Lying on the grassy bank, letting the sun dry their skin and clothes, Kaidan had stretched out on his back, closed his eyes and enjoyed the heat while Catherine lay on her stomach beside him, plucking bits of grass and tiny flowers, dropping them on his chest. He'd opened his eyes to find himself covered in everything she'd picked and Catherine had giggled uncontrollably as he'd tried to brush it all off.

Kaidan had fallen asleep with ease that night for the first time in months. Remembering it now he realized that had been the first day that he had gone without thinking of Shepard even once. It had been the beginning of moving on, of becoming himself again instead of the ruined shell he had felt like.

Coming back to reality Kaidan felt a hand in his own and opened his eyes to see Liara still kneeling between them. She'd put his hand into Catherine's and moved backwards on the bed, giving them space.

Catherine was lying on her side with the blankets thrown back and her other hand resting on her belly. He met her eyes and saw that the pain had disappeared to be replaced by a haze of contentment.

"Are they quiet now?" he asked, looking from Catherine to Liara, not quite sure what had transpired while he lay their dreaming of the past.

"You can't hear them?" Catherine asked, her voice dreamy.

Kaidan listened and realize he could in fact still hear them, but they were quieter now, like voices heard through a wall or from another room. The emotions were no less intense, but they were easier to block out now. No, not block out, Kaidan realized. They were in harmony with his own mind now. With Catherine's mind. All four of them seemed to be on the same wave length, their emotions blending together enough that it was difficult to separate theirs from his own.

Liara eased herself off the bed and returned to the couch with a sigh of relief. "That was exhausting, but I believe it worked."

Kaidan wanted badly to know what exactly had happened, but he could feel sleep stealing over him. The effort needed to move was enormous, but he lifted himself up and managed to get beneath the blankets without letting go of Catherine's hand. She was already out and within minutes he was as well. A dreamless sleep that he so desperately needed.

Kaidan awoke the next morning to find Doctor Chakwas at the bedside talking softly with Catherine. Liara was still asleep on the couch, her legs pulled up and her back to him.

Rubbing his eyes he sat up and leaned back against the pillows.

"Are you okay?" he asked Catherine, but the question was unnecessary.

Kaidan could tell just by touching her that she was greatly improved. When he took his hand from her bare shoulder the sound of her voice in his head lessened, but if he concentrated he could still hear it.

"Everything is as it should be, Kaidan," Karin said with a pleased smile. "Catherine's blood pressure has gone down and the children are doing just fine from what I can tell."

"So, what exactly happened?" he asked. "Do we know?"

"Not for certain, but I think I have a good idea based on what EDI can now detect from all of you," Karin said as she shut down her omnitool and sat down on a stool beside the bed. "All of your minds are all still independent, that much is clear. You and Catherine are now very likely able to hear each other's thoughts."

Catherine got her hand under herself and pushed up to sit beside Kaidan. "I wouldn't say that I can hear what Kaidan is thinking, but I can sense his feelings clearly enough."

Kaidan agreed with her assessment and Karin went on. "The minds of the babies are not yet developed enough to communicate anything but the most basic emotions, which is what I believe makes it so difficult for you to express anything to them or to make sense of their thoughts. I'm still not sure what exactly happened last night, but it worked."

"I think Liara had a lot to do with it," Kaidan told her. "Makes me wonder now if we really needed the mushrooms."

"The mushrooms were essential, Kaidan," Karin said, her voice certain. "Without them you would not have the enhanced synthetics to hear anything. I'm sure Liara helped though. I'd like both of you to stay in bed today and get some rest. Liara seems fine where she is so try not to wake her. There is some food on your desk. Eat it while it's hot. I'll come back in a few hours to check on you."

"Thanks, Doc," Kaidan said and settled back on the pillows with his arm around Catherine.

They sat in silence for a long time, just trying to understand this new connection they had. No words were needed as they let the emotions ebb and flow between them, learning how to hold back and how to push forward. How to hide and how to reveal. Kaidan likened it to when as a teenager he had attempted to learn sign language.

Training your eyes to interpret what you ears always had, and you hands to express what your mouth had in past, was a challenge he had failed at. Not through lack of effort, but because he'd never had anyone to practice with. Computer simulations could only take you so far.

This was different. Easier. Emotions and feelings came on instinct and he didn't need to teach his body how to interpret them. This was more like learning how to use your voice to sing. Discovering things like volume and pitch and rhythm.

With each small step forward they made as couple in those quiet moments in bed, Kaidan could feel their children attempting to use the same skills. Picking up what their parents learned, and though they had no way to understand, applying the abilities in their own minds.

Kaidan felt a sense of questioning in Catherine and she turned her face to look up at him.

"So I guess we can't hear exact words even when touching then," she said.

"I could tell you were asking something, but no, I don't know exactly what," Kaidan replied.

"I was just wondering if there are twins in you family history?"

Kaidan thought back through his family tree. His parents had both come from large extended families, though they had only been close with their own siblings, of which they each had three. Kaidan had grown up with many cousins, but he couldn't remember there ever being twins anywhere down the line.

"I don't think so," he said. "You?"

"Nope," she said, turning a little on her side trying to get more comfortable.

Her large belly rested heavily on Kaidan's side and he brought up a hand to caress it just in time to feel a solid kick against his palm.

"I can't believe there are two of them in there," he said with wonder. "Here we were thinking we might never even have one and now we have two on the way. Are you alright with this?"

Catherine laughed. "As if I have much of a choice. Yes, I am very okay with this. I know women can safely have children well into their sixties now, but I don't really want to do that. Still seems unnatural. Nice to get two of them out of the way early on."

"You say that as if you plan to have more," Kaidan said cautiously, fearing he might spook her like a nervous deer. "You weren't even sure about having any."

"Things change," she said with a shrug. "My reasons for not wanting kids are all gone now. I didn't want to contribute to Earth's overpopulation. I didn't want to give up my position with the Alliance. I didn't want to raise children in such a huge and dangerous galaxy. I didn't think I had it in my to be a parent period. And add to all that that I had never met a man I wanted to raise children with and I had myself pretty convinced that it was the wrong path for me."

"And so now you are thinking about more even before these ones have been born," Kaidan asked doubtfully.

"I didn't say we should get right back to work on it as soon as I pop," she laughed. "I said I've thought about it."

The kissed, tenderly at first, but with more passion as Catherine's hand found its way under his shirt. Mindful of Liara's presence, Kaidan slowed the kiss, letting it become less intense but more enduring. The kind of kiss he never wanted to end.

But end it did and soon Catherine was asleep again. Kaidan wasn't tired, but sitting there in bed he was content to simply stay put with the two most important woman in his life around him.

When he stomach began to growl insistently, we managed to ease himself out of bed with waking Catherine and sat down at his desk to eat. Liara woke with the sound of his spoon scraping the bottom of the bowl and joined him.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked quietly, sitting down across from him and reaching for a bowl of cooling soup.

"A long time," Kaidan replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Drained, but well. Last night was unlike anything I have ever experienced." She sipped delicately at the soup. "I've never felt such young minds. It was fascinating."

"What exactly happened last night? From your point of view?" He set his bowl aside and leaned back in his chair.

"All I did, Kaidan, was allow you to focus," Liara said simply. "Humans often find it a challenge to clear their minds and bring only one thought to the forefront. Even when you are asleep your brains are trying to multi task. I have always attributed this to the fact that you are a short lived species. At first it was difficult to see your kind as different than salarians."

"So, you saw the memory I relived?" Kaidan wondered.

"No. I felt the emotions of it, but I spent my energy fending off other thoughts as they tried to break into your dream."

"Do asari remember things that way? So clearly?"

"Yes and no, unlike Drell we do not have eidetic memories. So while we may remember an event well enough to experience the memories with a great deal of clarity, they are rarely perfect replications. I suspect that you experienced that memory as you did because of the spoors you inhaled."

Catherine was waking up. He could sense her becoming aware of her surroundings and wondering where he was. He picked up the last bowl of soup and brought it to her. Setting it down on the bedside table he helped her sit up.

"It's only lukewarm now, but it's damn good. Eat up," he said as he handed her the bowl.

She ate a few spoonfuls before waving Liara over to the bed. The asari came over and sat down heavily on the bed beside her while Kaidan sank onto the couch.

"Thanks for being here last night, Liara," Catherine said with a hand on Liara's arm. "Not sure what we would have done without you."

"I was glad to help," Liara said, and Kaidan thought her voice sounded suddenly strained.

Catherine put her bowl aside and sat up straighter. "Liara, are you alright?"

Liara gave a small shake of her head. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine."

She grimaced again and clutched at her abdomen. Kaidan was on feet instantly, but she waved him away.

"I've been experiencing these cramps since yesterday morning. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Or you're going to labour," Catherine said urgently.

"We should get you up to the hospital," Kaidan said firmly. "Even if it's not labour, Doctor Chakwas should take a look at you."

Another rictus of pain took over Liara's face and when it passed she nodded her agreement. Kaidan got her boots on her then helped her to her feet. Catherine heaved herself out of bed and started to dress herself.

"You're staying right here, Cat," Kaidan forcefully. "The doctor said for you to get bed rest."

"Like hell I'm staying here," Catherine said with a snort. "Besides, she said for us to get bed rest and you appear to be leaving."

There was no time to argue with her as Liara doubled over in pain and let out a small cry. Things were progressing quickly. Catherine wrapped a blanket around Liara's shoulders and they stepped outside. It had snowed heavily over night and huge, fluffy flakes were falling still. A biting wind was causing drifts to build up around the edges of buildings and the cloud cover above made the world a place of monochromes grays.

It didn't take them long to get to the hall though. Liara was in pain, but still perfectly able to walk, though the path was slippery and she needed Kaidan's support. Catherine on the other hand was struggling to keep her footing on the ice and Kaidan slowed to let her catch up. She gripped his elbow and they kept going.

Bug came barreling up the path, eager to see Catherine after being away from her since the day before, and nearly sent them all flying. The door hissed open and warm air from within buffeted Kaidan's face as they went inside. The hall was crowded and all heads turned towards them as they entered.

Too many people rushed to help when they say Kaidan supporting the asari. Liara let go of Kaidan and made her way to the hospital door, walking tall and proudly. Catherine stayed with her and Kaidan wasn't sure whether or not to follow.

"So do you pretty much spend your time rescuing damsels in distress these days, huh?" Garrus asked from the kitchen where he was preparing a meal.

"Liara's going into labour," Kaidan said breathlessly.

A vegetable fell out of Garrus' hand as he raised it to his mouth, and he stood there, jaw agape, before he finally muttered a quiet 'wow'.

"Yeah," Kaidan said. "This feels weird. I know she's like 75 years older than me, but I've always kind of thought of her as a little sister."

Kaidan felt rooted to the spot, unable to move so much as a muscle. Garrus came around the counter and stood beside him, looking equally as stunned.

"I know what you mean," he said, watching Liara and Catherine disappear through the hospital doors. "Remember when we pulled her off Therum? She seemed so young."

"I remember," Kaidan said. "She didn't know what to make of any of us. I remember being a little annoyed when Shepard asked her to come along."

"You were annoyed that she asked Tali to join too," Garrus recalled. "Hell, I was a little annoyed. Tali was only twenty-two."

"We got over that pretty quick though, didn't we?" Kaidan said with a laugh.

"Mmhmm," Garrus said in his humming voice.

"So what does this make us to Liara's kid?" Kaidan said, cocking his head to the side as he thought. "Are we uncles?"

"Tali is already calling herself Auntie, so I guess so."

Tali rushed through the door at that very moment, half clothed and dripping wet. She was trying to wrap a towel around her hair as she hurried up to them.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Liara?" she demanded, staring at both of them like they were idiots.

Neither of them managed to say anything before the first muffled cry came from the hospital. Tali took off at a run, her towel falling to the ground at Garrus' feet.

"Should we go too?" Garrus asked.

"Um, I think we should stay out here," Kaidan said and leaned back on the counter crossing his arms.

Garrus followed suit and soon Joker was standing with them looking as uncomfortable as they probably felt.

"So, this is weird, right?" he said, taking off his hat to wipe at his brow. "'Cause it feels weird. I mean, Liara is like..."

He trailed off, at a loss for words for the first time in Kaidan's memory. Garrus and Kaidan could only nod in agreement.

A small knot of men gathered around the kitchen counter as Liara's cries grew louder. The same thing had happened with each previous birth, but this time the energy was much more tense. Maybe because Kaidan, Garrus and Joker were pacing at the centre of it all, each of them feeling like they should be doing something, but none knowing what that might be.

James tried to make the mood lighter, but when no one responded well to his banter he gave up and went to play with his daughter.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, and feeling renewed guilt at Javik's death welling up inside of him, Kaidan decided to go into the hospital.

"I'm going in," he said with determination.

"In there?" Garrus said, gesturing at the hospital with his three fingered hand.

"Don't do it, man," Joker said, shaking his head emphatically.

Kaidan crossed his arms and stood up straighter. "It's a hospital room, not a battle field, you cowards."

And with that he turned and stalked to the door to the medical wing. He paused as the loudest cry yet echoed through the hall and everyone went silent, waiting for the wailing cry of an infant that should have followed.

When nothing came, Kaidan burst through the door and raced around the corner, heading for the only lit room. His heart pounding in his chest, Kaidan peered through the door and into the small room. He immediately wished he hadn't. With a blush and a stammered apology he turned to go but Liara called him back.

Averting his eyes, he stepped into the tiny room. The bed had been shoved out of the way and Catherine and Tali were kneeling on the floor on either side of Liara who was squatting over a mat on the floor.

There was a sheet across her thighs and though nothing private could be seen, Kaidan felt like he had intruded on something he wasn't meant to see.

"I need your help, Kaidan," Liara said, he voice weak. "I need to get into bed."

Kaidan realized she was all but stuck in her squatting position. Catherine was too heavy with child herself to help her, Tali not strong enough, and Doctor Chakwas was cleaning a tiny, blue baby girl in a tub of water beside the bed.

He stood transfixed, watching the little blue limbs flail and kick. A shout from Catherine snapped him out of it and he rushed to Liara's side and lifted her up and into the bed. She fell back on the pillow in relief and Tali pulled the blankets up over her. Kaidan took Catherine's elbow and helped her to her feet, still unable to take his eyes from the baby asari.

The child was perfect. From her tiny rosebud lips to her little marble toes. The head crests that would one day cover her scalp had not yet developed and there was only a hint of them along the top of her forehead.

"She looks so human," Kaidan said, stepping closer to gaze down at the new life before him.

"The resemblance is striking, is it not," Karin said joyfully as she took the child from the water and wrapped her tightly in a blanket. "Aside from skin colour of course."

The asari baby was light blue, lighter than Kaidan had seen on any other asari. The colour of a winter sky. But her eyes were dark, a vivid aqua, and they looked around the room with a curiosity that stunned Kaidan.

Liara obviously saw it in his face and answered the unasked questions. "Asari are born much more alert than the young of other species. They have already experienced some of the world through their mother's mind. Birth is not a surprise to us. It is why our children do not cry as they arrive."

"There are some freaked out people in the hall," Kaidan said.

"I should have warned you all," she said guiltily. "Especially after being present for five other births."

Karin then carefully handed Liara her new child and she didn't hear Kaidan's reassurance that no one would care that she hadn't forewarned them.

With tears in her eyes, Liara rubbed her nose against her daughters forehead and kissed her softly.

"Little Tessa," she said quietly.

"It's a lovely name, Liara," Tali told her, and Kaidan could hear the sorrow in the quarian's voice despite the smile on her face.

Catherine stood beside Tali and put a comforting arm around her as they watched Liara and Tessa bond. Kaidan stood to the side with Karin.

"Why Tessa?" Catherine asked.

"Javik chose it," she said, not taking her eyes from the child. "He said he came across it while reading about human history and it spoke to him. I agreed because it sounds so much like Thessia. It will be challenging to teach her of asari culture and her name will be a reminder of her heritage."

Catherine turned to Kaidan and looked like she was going to burst into tears any second. With a chuckle he pulled her to his chest and rubbed her back, letting her cry into his shirt.

"I don't even know why I'm crying," she sobbed.

"Because you are a mess of pregnant hormones," Kaidan said easily, stroking the back of her head.

Soon Tali was crying too and Karin was ushering them all out of the room so Liara could rest. There was a collective holding of breath as they reentered the hall and everyone saw the tears.

"Everything is fine," Kaidan announced to sighs of relief and nervous laughter. He gestured to Tali and Catherine. "Excess estrogen. Healthy baby asari."

Karin appeared at the door behind them.

"Happy Birthday to little baby Tessa!" she cried merrily, raising an invisible glass. "Give her a few hours to rest and then I'm sure Liara will be thrilled to show her off."

She ducked back through the door, leaving behind a hall of cheering people. Every child born was a reason to celebrate. Winter was a good time to have babies. No one wanted to go back to work, and luckily, most, if not all of what they were working on could be left for another day.

Kaidan went in search of Catherine, wanting her to get back into bed, but was intercepted by EDI.

"Kaidan, we have a problem," she informed him.

His shoulders sagged and he left his head fall back with a sigh. "Really? Today of all days we have a problem that can't wait."

Too professional to lose her patience, EDI simply steered him back towards the lab. If she wanted to speak to him privately, Kaidan knew if wasn't something good.

"Are you sure it can't wait?" he asked as they went through the door and stood in the semi darkness.

"The decision can wait," EDI said seriously. "But giving you the information you need to make the decision cannot. As you know, it is difficult for me to predict the weather with any degree of accuracy."

"You've been pretty spot on thus far, EDI," Kaidan said.

"I have done my best given that we have no information from satellites or even the more primitive weather balloon," EDI said with dismay. "However, I have established that the current snow we are experiencing will likely last for several days."

"And why is this a problem?" Kaidan felt a little bit stupid for not seeing whatever it was that EDI did.

Without a hint of superiority or condescension in her voice, EDI point out the obvious. "Our main source of power is almost entirely solar panels. With constant cloud cover our power cells will not have the opportunity to recharge."

"Ah," Kaidan said. "But we had nearly a solid week of rain in the spring and we did just fine."

"That's true," EDI continued. "However, that was not winter. Significantly more power is going towards heating and keeping water hot for the showers. Also, we didn't have all of our refrigeration units running. And we didn't have the added drain of the hospital."

"So what do we need to do?" Kaidan asked.

"I'm afraid we are going to have to prioritize power usage," EDI said. "Tali and I have already spoken and she believes that there is enough wiring remaining from the Normandy that she can create a circuit breaker to allow us to cut power to areas when they not in use. However, this will not solve the problem entirely. My core processor takes up a significant amount of-"

"Whoa, stop right there EDI." Kaidan gave a wave of his hands and shook his head. "There is no way we are shutting down your core."

"Kaidan, this body has ample data storage and I do not need my core to exist."

"No," Kaidan said firmly. "Your core is part of you and shutting it down is simply not an option."

"I... appreciate your concern." EDI averted her eyes as she always did when confronted with emotions she'd yet to experience.

"What are our other options?"

EDI was slow to respond and listed a number of solutions, including shutting down the fish tanks, limiting shower usage, and using lanterns for lighting in the hall.

"EDI, I'm no expert, but I don't think any of these things, even all of them combined, are going to conserve the amount of power we need to," Kaidan said, urging her to get to the bottom of the list.

"I am loath to suggest the final option," EDI said. "I know that it will negatively effect moral. The quantum relay takes up more power sitting idle than everything else running at full power at the same time. If we shut it down we will not have to limit power usage at all."

Kaidan shrugged. "So? We'll shut it down then."

Earth had essentially cut them off anyway. What difference did it make if they turned of the communicator for the duration of the winter storm?

"Kaidan, I have analyzed the systems and come to the conclusion that if we shut the relay down, there is only a one in ten thousand chance that we will be able to bring it back online." EDI paused, letting the knowledge sink into Kaidan's already overly full mind. "If we shut down the relay, we will be cut off from the galaxy entirely. Forever."