HERS

"We are never going to figure out a name!" Shepard huffed.

"It isn't my fault you shot down every one I suggested," Kaidan said plainly.

"But you suggest crappy names. Let's just call the poor kid Linkdovaso Pietra. There. Sentenced to a lifetime of torture."

"Now you are just pulling names out of your ass. I didn't get this file for no reason." Kaidan held up a datapad. "It has 300,000 names from across the galaxy. Fit for all species."

"Oh, damn," Shepard grunted. "Son of a bitch!"

Kaidan looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I don't think I should have eaten that third helping of Mexican. Probably will have to go destroy the bathroom in a few minutes."

Kaidan snorted and turned back to the datapad he was reading. "Very ladylike, Rachel."

"Who ever said I was a lady?"

"I never did," said Kaidan playfully without looking up.

"Hmmf, bastard..." Shepard glared at her protruding belly. "God, this kid is huge." Holy hell, that feels like a vice grip on my gut.

"We're going to have to figure out a name for a boy and a girl," Kaidan continued. "We never have found out what it is."

"Yeah, I know." Shepard eased herself down onto the couch next to her husband. "Do you have any real suggestions? You know, ones that don't suck?"

Kaidan let out a laugh. "Why is this my job? Don't you have any ideas?"

Shepard clenched her jaw. God, who knew food could do this? Taking a deep breath, she said, "I've had a few, but…"

"But what?"

"Most of them don't fit a human baby. I mean, I'd just want to name it after my best friends. Liara, Garrus, Wrex."

Kaidan looked back at the datapad without reading it. "Ever thought about naming it after family?"

Shepard went stonefaced. "No."

"Maybe we could consider it. I lost my dad and you lost both your parents. It would be a fitting tribute to them."

"I never liked the name Grant. All I can see is a hardass jerk." Shepard's brow furrowed again. Shit. Just breathe through it.

Kaidan noticed her face change. "Are you sure you're ok? You aren't acting right."

Shepard started to stand back up. "I'm sure I'll be ok. I just didn't think the food would treat me this badly."

"Yeah, I'm not buying it," Kaidan said as he stood up with her. "Do we need to get to the hospital?"

"Hell no. I'm not going back to one of those places…ever." Another wave of pain clamped down on her, and she grasped Kaidan's arm for support. "Help me get to the bathroom, to the tub. We are doing this here."

"Hey, I'm just a field medic, Rachel," Kaidan protested. "Soldiers don't have babies on the battlefield!"

"If you don't do this, I'm going to throw your ass off that balcony. I don't think we have time to argue this," she said through gritted teeth.

HIS

"I'm still calling a doctor," said Kaidan as he walked his wife down the hall. When they reached the bathroom, he turned the water on to fill the tub. As Shepard slipped into the water, she groaned in pain. Of course she has to be so goddamn obstinate.

Kaidan left the room to call emergency services. He flipped open his omni-tool and he was immediately answered by an older woman. "Hi, um, my wife is in labor, I think," Kaidan stammered. Calm the hell down! "She refuses to go to the hospital and I don't know how to deliver a baby."

The woman chuckled. "Yes, many women like to have a homebirth. Standby, I'm transmitting information on delivering a baby to your tool. Is she in a comfortable place? A bed, a tub?"

"She's in the tub."

"Don't worry, Dad. Babies come into the world every day. You both can do this." The woman's voice was surprisingly encouraging to Kaidan. Dad…oh my God, I'm going to be a father today!

Kaidan read through the information and thanked the woman.

"Please, if anything doesn't seem right, don't hesitate to call an ambulance," the woman cautioned. "I have a lock on your location and we can be there in two minutes."

"Got it. Thanks." We can do this. I can do this. Kaidan closed his tool, and walked back into the bathroom. Shepard was in the tub, flushed and sweating, clutching the sides, as a small noise escaped her lips. Kaidan's eyes grew wide as he saw the baby slide into the water. He scooped up the baby, placing it on Shepard's chest. It started to screech.

"Why didn't you call me? I had no idea you were this close!" he gasped.

"There…just…wasn't…time," Shepard panted. "You left the room and I had to push. I'm fine, ok?"

They both stared at the raven-haired creature that was screaming in her arms. "I didn't even look. Is it a boy or a girl?" Kaidan asked.

Lifting a leg, Shepard smiled weakly. "It's a boy. Too bad we still don't have a name."

"How about one last suggestion?" said Kaidan. "Elijah David. After Anderson."

A huge smile creased the tired woman's face. "That's family I'd like to remember." She traced the chubby baby boy's face. "Elijah David Alenko." She looked up at Kaidan with tears in her eyes. "Nice job, Dad."

Kaidan couldn't stop his own eyes from watering, and he didn't want to.

A/N: A big thanks to tccarty and astrolaura for your help in this!