A/N: This chapter – the first in a short arc of three – depicts the marriage of Commander Harley Creath and T'Sere Shipwright's Propulsion Research Engineer and Designer Gabriella Donnelly, in a ceremony held in the chapel at Vila Militar – the Systems Alliance 'N'–School – in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For readers new to 'The Archaeologist', this is briefly mentioned in Chapter 57 of that story. This chapter depicts their ceremony in its entirety, along with the celebration of Gabby's 36th birthday, before their return to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Ai'a me - a trusted friend and unquestioned ally (Source: CDN)
Gabby and Harley Part I – The Wedding
Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro – 17 Nov 2191
"You look absolutely beautiful, Gabby! Just let me…" Tamiko Miyazaki reached out to adjust a shoulder strap. "There. It's perfect!"
Gabriella Donnelly looked at her image in the full-length mirror, twisting her body slightly to the left and right. She was not used to wearing a dress of any kind, and the sight of her upper chest – bare except for the imperial topaz nestled in the top of her cleavage – along with her bare legs, visible from her knees down to her feet, was just a bit unnerving. Semi-transparent sleeves covered her arms from shoulders to wrists; the top of the dress – in a nice shade of medium ivory – was made in the same dotted illusion tulle, with a visible corset grid all around, while the sheath silhouette twisted the skirt around her waist. "You really think so, Tammi?
"I've never seen a more gorgeous bride-to-be, Gabby! That dress fits you perfectly." Tamiko, standing beside her friend, reached around behind her and, after placing her hand on her waist right above her hipbone, pulled her in for a sisterly hug. With her head tipped towards Gabby's, she added, "It simply wouldn't do whatsoever for you to be wearing sweats and sandals for your wedding, sweetie." With a little chuckle, she added, "Once Harley sees you in this outfit, you'll be lucky if he's still able to form a coherent sentence, much less say, 'I do'."
Gabby offered her Ai'a me a mock grumpy frown, saying, "That would not be a good thing, Tammi." Refocusing her gaze on her image in the mirror, she smiled again with her admission of, "It will be nice to be dressed appropriately for this ceremony. I wore Navy dress blues for my marriage to Kenneth." The thought, I can actually speak about that time with Kenneth without breaking into tears, came unbidden. I suppose I really have moved on with my life.
After slipping her feet into the pair of shoes she had purchased to match the dress, she inspected her appearance one last time and swallowed hard. Heaving a heavy sigh, she nodded, then declared, "Let's go, Tammi… I'm ready as I'll ever be."
Base Chapel, Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro – 17 Nov 2191
Ever since he first laid eyes on an extraordinarily attractive – and very pregnant – Gabriella Daniels Donnelly, Harley Creath had been working his way towards this day. The young mother-to-be had been widowed due to the actions of a pair of rogue Quarian admirals. Their bullheaded intransigence at accepting former Geth – now known as the SILC – as equal allies, with the right to self-determine their own future in the galaxy, and the Galactic Council's military campaign to put an end to those same rebellious Quarian's pirate activities – mostly directed against the Turians – had come to an abrupt and violent end, with the death of Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema, as he attempted to plant a dagger in Spectre Ashley Williams' torso, and the cowardly death of Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, through the use of explosives hidden in her envirosuit.
The N7 had first met Gabby at the T'Soni estate in early 2189, where she had joined him for lunch; for the next few weeks, he had made a point of joining her for lunch anytime the Knight Shade was docked at the estate. The first time she had joined him for breakfast was indelibly etched in his mind – they had just sat down to eat when she went into labor; after being whisked off to the birthing center set up in the estate's clinic, she delivered her babies eighteen hours later, right at midnight… Malcolm Kenneth on 15 March, and Annabelle Edine on the 16th.
Standing stiffly at the front of the small, intimate chapel, he waited nervously as he watched and waited for Gabby to appear at the entrance. He momentarily shifted his gaze to his left; catching the eye of Violet Sweeney – already seated with the children in the front-most pew on the right side of the aisle – he smiled and nodded his head, then returned his attention to the entry doors at the far end of the chapel.
When the doors finally parted, the recorded strains of a string quartet performing Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D began playing softly from a number of hidden speakers. Harley, catching sight of the beautiful woman standing in the doorway… a woman with whom he planned to spend the rest of his life… had to work hard to keep his mouth from falling open at the sight of her in her wedding dress… a dress she had declined to model for him since purchasing it in Edinburgh. Thinking, Today, I am the luckiest man in the entire galaxy, he watched and waited as, accompanied by her Ai'a me – Tamiko Miyazaki – Gabriella slowly walked down the aisle towards her future.
As the pair drew even with Harley, Gabby relinquished her hold on her escort's left hand in favor of taking the proffered right arm of her husband-to-be, allowing Tammi to move and sit beside Violet and the children. Harley, with Gabby nervously hanging on to his arm, took the four steps necessary for them to stand before Navy Lieutenant Eduardo Mendes, the Chaplain that would be presiding over the ceremony. The music faded away into silence, as if the entire chapel had begun holding its breath.
Mendes greeted the few people seated in the chapel behind the pair in front of him, announced the purpose of the gathering, then commented, "I want to take a moment to extend a warm welcome to everyone gathered here today." With a small grin, he glanced from Gabby to Violet, then looked at Tamiko. "Some of you, Missus Donnelly included, had to travel a very long way in order to witness or be a part of this ceremony; for that, you have my gratitude." He then asked the question that nearly brought Gabby to tears. "Who gives this bride away?"
Tamiko stood from her seat, turned towards the Chaplain and firmly stated, "It is my distinct honor… and privilege… to stand in for Gabriella's father on this solemn occasion; I freely give her hand in marriage to this man." The grin she displayed spoke volumes about the love she had for her Ai'a me as she retook her seat. Gabby had, after Tammi released her hand, surreptitiously pulled a small handkerchief from within her sleeve, which she now brought up to dab at her cheeks and eyes; Harley gently squeezed her left hand to indicate his support and understanding.
The Chaplain continued, "We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest relationships – a union, between this man and this woman… a union we call marriage. As you, Harley Creath and Gabriella Donnelly, are joined together in this marriage, I ask you both to search your hearts for the wisdom of this covenant, which has from ancient times been expressed with those ideas that come from the heart."
"As you both have declared your intent to enter into a state of matrimony, the joining of these two people shall now take place. However, before you make your vows, it is my responsibility to remind each of you of the significance and importance of the relationship you are on the threshold of entering." Casting his kindly gaze between the pair, he added, "The promises you are about to make to each other are ones of irrevocable love, fidelity, cooperation, and understanding through life, and all of life's difficult challenges. I urge each of you to live up to the commitments you are now going to make to one another."
"Marriage is a commitment to life – to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth unequaled by any other relationship. It is a physical and emotional joining… one that is promised for a lifetime."
"Within the circle of love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and counselor. Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, and commitment is stronger."
"Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through the seasons of life. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, and it takes a lifetime to fulfill."
"In reminding you to observe your marital duties and obligations, I have done my part… now, it is your turn… please face each other, join hands, and look into each other's eyes."
Gabriella and Harley did as instructed. Gabby, feeling as if she was about to get lost in a pair of golden-hazel eyes, nearly jumped as the owner of those eyes gave her hands a gentle squeeze. The chaplain directed his next few words at Harley. "Will you, Commander Harley Creath, have this woman to be your wedded wife, and will you be faithful to her as long as you shall live?"
Harley's face split into a huge grin as he softly answered, "I will."
Mendes could not stop his own grin as he said, "It is my understanding you do not wish to be prompted in the recitation of your vows to Gabriella, so please, proceed Commander."
Harley ducked his head momentarily, the returned his unblinking gaze to the woman standing in front of him. Thinking, I have dreamed of this moment nearly ever since I met you, Gabby, he swallowed hard and began speaking. "I, Harley Creath, take you, Gabriella Daniels Donnelly, to be my wedded wife… to have and to hold, from this day forward. For better. For worse. For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death."
Gabby's eyes were filled with tears – tears she refused to let fall. Her thoughts briefly touched on Kenneth, forcing her to blink a couple of times in order to refocus on Harley's face. The chaplain was speaking – asking her a question, the final portion being all she heard.
"… wedded husband, and will you be faithful to him for as long as you shall live?"
A slightly flustered Gabby replied, "I will," then quickly added, "to my last dying breath."
Harley gave her hands another gentle squeeze of devotion and encouragement as Mendes continued. "I have been informed that Missus Donnelly also desires to recite her vows, without any prompting from me. Gabriella, if you would?"
After a nerves-induced stutter, she began speaking in a clear, determined voice. "I, Gabriella Daniels Donnelly, take you, Harley Creath, to be my wedded husband… to have and to hold, from this day forward. For better. For worse. For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are forever parted by death."
Next, the chaplain brought forth a pair of shiny golden objects – their wedding rings. Harley's was a solid band of gold with an antiqued silver inlay encircling it. Gabby's ring consisted of the original engagement ring Harley had given her during their stay at the T'Soni estate the previous March; it had since been permanently joined with a narrow pair of complementary rings – one above and one below – each set with four small diamonds in an arrangement that provided an integrated appearance to all three rings.
Holding each ring up so they could be seen, Mendes said, "These rings are symbols of eternity, and the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning, nor does it have an end. Today, you have chosen to exchange rings, as a sign of your love for each other, and as a seal of the promises you have made this day. We ask that God bless these rings, and the union of these two souls." Handing the smaller of the two to Harley, he continued with, "Commander, please place this ring on Gabby's finger and repeat after me."
As Harley nervously complied, he repeated the words spoken by the chaplain. "With this ring, I give my heart to you, Gabriella, and promise that, from this day forward, you will never walk alone. May my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home."
Gabby's heart clenched upon hearing his words and witnessing the utter devotion in the golden-hazel eyes studying her. The chaplain was speaking once again. She accepted the rather large band of gold and silver and pushed it onto the third finger of Harley's left hand as she repeated the promise Harley had just made to her. With their hands once more joined, she used her thumb to idly rub the beautiful ring she had just placed on his finger.
Chaplain Mendes reached for a hand from each of them – taking Harley's left hand and Gabby's right, he offered, "Your two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May the two of you find in each other the love for which all men and women long for. May you grow in understanding and compassion. And may these two rings symbolize the spirit of undying love in the hearts of both of you."
He paused a moment, as if giving his words a chance to sink in, then continued, "Before I pronounce you husband and wife, I would like each of you to take a few moments to look into one another's eyes, and think about the happiness you're feeling… at this very moment. Let those feelings sink deep into your hearts. It's my sincere hope that this moment… and these feelings… will stay with you all the days of your lives." Pausing once again, he looked at each of them in turn, then continued, "And with that, inasmuch as you, Harley Creath, and you, Gabriella Donnelly, have publicly announced and affirmed the truths that are already written in your hearts and your souls, by the power vested in me by God and the Systems Alliance Navy, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Eyes sparkling in happiness, he concluded by stating, "Commander, you may kiss your Bride!"
Harley gently pulled his new bride to him; Gabby, standing on her tip-toes, reached around his neck as he placed his own hands flat against the bare skin of her back and dipped his head. When his lips met hers, it was as if everything he had imagined and dreamed about this moment paled at the reality.
As for Gabby, she didn't even think twice about what she was doing… kissing this man for the first time as his wife, she put as much promise into the act as the words she had just spoken. After what, to Harley, was an uncomfortably long time, she slowly pulled away. Eyes glistening with emotion, she whispered, "I love you, Harley Creath… now, and forever."
As a recording of George Frideric Handel's short and lively instrumental passage for two oboes and strings known as The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba began playing from the hidden speakers, Violet and Tamiko, each holding onto a child's small hand, came up to congratulate the newly married pair. Gabby, taking note of the tears in their eyes, embraced each one tightly as she thanked them for being here for her today, then carefully crouched to hug and kiss Malcolm and Belle. Harley bent down beside her and spoke softly, "Come on, Gabby. Some of the people in my new command have prepared a reception for us." With that, he led Gabby, her children, and Violet and Tamiko out of the chapel. They all entered the large aircar waiting outside, which took them the several hundred meters to the Alliance's multipurpose assembly hall.
Main Assembly Hall/Recreation Center, Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro – 17 Nov 2191
Harley Creath was holding Gabby's hand as he strolled through the main entrance of the base rec center. He had suggested it was not a good idea for everyone on his team to be in attendance, after speaking with Sharon Culver just prior to her departure on the 3rd of July. She had warned him in no uncertain terms that having a family while in SpecOps was actually not the best idea.
Culver hadn't attempted to sugar-coat it. "It'd be best for your future bride if she has no knowledge of the people that work for you, Commander. Don't talk about where you go, what you do, and especially don't talk about who you work with. It's not that she can't be trusted with that information… she was, after all, the propulsion engineer on the most sophisticated frigate in the Navy. Potential targets, on the other hand, would think nothing of kidnapping her, or even the children or Violet Sweeney, in order to torture them for information about you and your team."
Harley thought about Culver's advice as he and Gabby walked to the refreshments table. He nodded in response to a whispered "Congrats, Skipper!" from team lead Jamar Blaze, but with Sharon's words freshly recalled in his mind, he intercepted Gabby's questioning glance with a murmured, "Later."
Once he had filled several glasses with fruit punch for his guests, he led them to a nearby table where they could sit and chat about today's events. Violet and Tamiko were keeping the kids entertained, but Gabby knew they'd be getting hungry in a little while, so nudged Harley with a knee. "We should be getting back to quarters soon, my darling. Have to feed the kiddos, and I'll need something a bit more substantial than cake and punch."
"Sounds like a plan, Gabby. Just sit here for a bit, if you would… I'm going to say hello to a few people here before we go." Harley hated the necessity, but understood it. His team members were scattered around the hall; he needed them to see Gabby, Violet and the children – know their faces – just in case anything ever happened. He really didn't think they would become targets, but the peoples of the galaxy had shown him more times than he cared to count just how brutally cruel and uncaring people could be.
Commander Creath's Quarters, Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro – 17 Nov 2191
During their brief interlude in the Main Assembly Hall, Tamiko had slipped out and returned to the guest suite she shared with Violet, Gabby and the kids. Once inside, she picked up Gabby's overnight bags and 'bathroom' supplies, and took them to Harley's residential suite, where his wife and children would be staying whenever they visited from Edinburgh.
As for Tammi and Violet, they would remain in the guest suite, until they all departed for home on Monday the 21st. Belle and Malcolm would be staying with them until the weekend, when they'd be relocated to their stepfather's quarters. Gabby, with help from her friends, would be celebrating her 36th birthday on Sunday the 20th.
Having sent a text message status update to Gabby, Tamiko was not surprised to see Gabby and Harley walking towards her as she stepped out of the Commander's residence for the walk back to her own quarters. As she came within speaking distance of the pair, Harley smirked as he said, "I need a favor, Tammi… if you would accompany us?"
Tamiko could see the questioning look in Gabby's eyes, but simply nodded and said "Aye, Sir."
Reaching the outer door to Harley's quarters, he looked meaningfully at Tamiko as he said, "If you'd be so kind, would you open and hold the door for me?"
The answer to the mystery was revealed when, after Tammi reopened the door, Harley reached around and down, scooped Gabby off her feet – this was accompanied by a surprised squawk of mock protest by the now blushing woman – and proceeded to carry her through the door. Tamiko presumed he was heading towards the bedroom when she heard a faint, "Thank you, Tammi," accompanied by Gabby giggling like a schoolgirl.
With a chuckle of her own, Tamiko closed and latched the door to the newlywed's residence and started back to join Violet and the children. Damn! Wish I was a fly on the wall in there.
Rather than placing her on the bed as she expected him to do, Harley smoothly set Gabby back on her feet at the foot of the bed. With a huge grin, he commented, "Probably too early for the activities I have planned for us this evening, my dear; why don't we change our clothes and join the kids and your friends for dinner?"
Gabby blushed slightly at Harley's 'activities' comment, but replied, "Sounds like a wonderful idea, my darling Commander." Surprising him with the speed in which she moved and the strength in her arms, she quickly wrapped her arms around his body and embraced him in an intimate hug; capturing his lips with her own, she kissed him… passionately.
When she released him to catch her breath, he spoke in a snarky whisper. "I would gladly leave for a few moments if you'd promise to greet me in the same manner when I return."
"Why waste the time needed to do so?" As she was still holding onto his torso, she pulled him back in for another kiss.
When she broke the kiss to take a breath, he spoke with a new intensity. "You keep kissing me like that, I won't be responsible for my actions."
"Oooohh," she exclaimed. "That sounded like a threat, Commander."
Harley, still amazed at the fact that this woman was now his wife, replied in a snarky tone, "Oh, that's most certainly not a threat, m'dear. It's a promise!"
Gabby's reply was to release him, take a step back and slowly turn around, presenting her back to him; turning her head, she eyed him from over her shoulder while speaking softly, her voice husky with desire. "You can begin acting on that promise by lowering the zipper on this dress."
He didn't need to think about his response; grasping the edge of the fabric next to the zipper, he grabbed the toggle and eased the slider to the bottom of its travel, then released the hook from the eye at the top. In response to the fabric loosening from around her upper body, she slid the sleeves down and off her arms, pulled the bodice down, worked the skirt past her hips and allowed the garment to fall and puddle at her feet. She carefully stepped sideways, bent to pick the exquisite dress up from the floor, and laid it on the bed.
Taking a couple of steps to the nearby closet, she removed her shoes and set them on the floor within, then reached in for the pair of dark grey slacks and the beige pullover top she brought for casual wear. Pulling a bra from a drawer in the nearby dresser, she grinned at him as she pulled it on. "Don't look so disappointed, Harley. You'll have more opportunities to see them…" at this point she grasped her breasts through the cups of her bra, "… tonight and tomorrow."
"Not disappointed, Gabs. We have a lifetime ahead of us. That said, I don't believe I will ever grow tired of seeing you nude, or even semi-nude. Your body is a work of art."
After pulling the top on over her head and sliding the pants on, she closed the closet door in order to inspect her image in the full-length mirror. Using both hands to grasp her hips at their widest point, she commented, "My doctor pointed out some of the changes my body underwent during my pregnancy – those that are visible, anyway. Breasts are larger, hips are wider, and my belly below my navel is still not as flat or firm as it was before, despite regular exercises."
He encircled her with his arms as she turned back towards him; he hugged her tightly while telling her, "No worries, Gabby. I never saw you before your pregnancy, so have no basis for making a comparison." He squeezed her once more, then released her with a chaste kiss on her temple as he concluded with a quiet chuckle, "Put your socks and shoes on, while I swap out this dress uniform for something more utilitarian, so we can collect Violet, Tammi and the kids and have our dinner."
Harley cracked one eye open and focused on the softly glowing numbers of the bedside chrono – 0351 – before turning his attention to the nearly nude woman lying partially on top of him. Enjoying the scent of her hair as he nuzzled her, he kissed the top of her head before gently sliding out from under her. She reacted to his movements with a murmured "Whas it?" and rolled away. Harley eased his legs around and out from under the covers; with his feet on the floor, he stood, took the few steps needed to enter his bathroom, and emptied his bladder.
Returning to stand beside his bed – their bed, and damned if it didn't feel odd to use the word their – he stood for several minutes, just drinking in the sight of Gabby's sleeping form. Using his thumb to reach up and touch the ring on his finger, he marveled again at his good fortune in winning the hand of such a beautiful and talented woman. He slid back into bed beside her and gently placed an arm across her back. As she was lying on her stomach with her face turned towards him, he placed a tiny kiss in the tangled hair on her forehead. Until sleep overtook him once more, he lay thinking about the many changes that were about to forever alter their lives.
At Large, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro – 19 Nov 2191
While it was true the curving, 4-kilometer long white sand beach had, for the most part, been turned to glass by the Reaper's energy weapons in 2187 – just over four years ago – a lot of effort had gone into removing the heat-fused sand in massive chunks; after running and filtering it through modified rock crushers, the glass fragments had been used as base fill under new sidewalks and streets. A great many cubic meters of actual sand had been trucked in from other locations along the coast to refurbish the ruined beach. Unfortunately, the appearance of the newly placed sand, mixed with darker, volcanic granules, was not nearly as pure white as it had been previously, but Rio's residents felt that restoring the beach to whatever extent possible was an important step in their recovery from the near total destruction wrought by the Reapers.
Gabby, her eyes shaded by a flattened palm and fingers, gazed along the beach, taking note of the moderate number of beachgoers as she walked along with Violet and the children; Belle and Malcolm were having a marvelous time, splashing about at the edge where briny water met sand.
Hoping to ward off the late afternoon sunshine, Violet had slathered sun screen on each of them, as well as on herself. Gabby had declined to do so, even though she was wearing a modest two-piece swimsuit; she honestly didn't expect their visit to last very long, and she had a light, long-sleeve shirt to cover her arms, shoulders and back. Besides, as much energy as her children were burning up with all their running about in the sand and shallow water, they would soon become very hungry for their dinner.
Violet herself was walking along in the water, enjoying the feel of wet sand under her feet and squishing up between her toes. "This wis a capitol idea, Missus. It's tae ill th' Mister hud tae dae a bit o' wirk today."
"He's just making sure everything he's responsible for will run along smoothly for the week he'll be absent. He and I will have lots of time to stroll this beach in the future." She paused, then added, "Normandy made a postwar, good will stop here just before setting out on the Council mandated Victory tour." The tone of voice she used to say 'victory tour' gave Violet the distinct impression it left an unpleasant taste in her mouth and unpleasant memories in her mind. "Commander Williams said this beach – with the exception of a narrow band at water's edge – was solid glass back then; looks as if the people here have been working hard in the intervening months to set things right."
Shading her eyes against the glare, Gabby looked out across the city. After searching for a few minutes, she gave up; turning back towards Violet, digging in the sand with the children, she said, "Looks as if that big statue has yet to be replaced."
Violet stood and looked for a few moments before commenting, "Christ th' Redeemer. Na, Missus, Ah expect th' fowk hereabouts still hae needs mair pressing than rebuilding a religious icon… althoogh, Ah suppose huvin it standing wance mair oan that mount wid induce mair fowk tae come visit th' city."
Gabby grinned. Placing one of the towels she was carrying on the sand, she sat down and, with hands resting on the knees of her crossed legs, replied, "You're probably correct, Violet." As she was now sitting in one spot, she was soon in possession of a number of small, sand-polished pebbles and a few mollusk shells, brought one-by-one by each of her children; both were happily chattering about their discoveries. Stretching out on the towel, Gabby closed her eyes and simply listened to the happy prattling of her kids as they splashed about in the small waves breaking on the shore. It's good to be alive.
Main Assembly Hall/Recreation Center, Vila Militar, Rio de Janeiro – 20 Nov 2191
Commander Harley Creath led everyone in singing 'Happy Birthday' to Gabriella; most of the people in attendance – in addition to Violet, Tamiko, Annabelle, and Malcolm – were Navy and Marine personnel with whom Harley interacted on a nearly daily basis. A few members of his team were also in attendance, hanging about in the background.
Everyone cheered when Gabby managed to extinguish all the burning candles with one breath; as Violet cut pieces from the cake and placed them on small plates, Gabby whispered in Harley's ear, "Concerning the people about whom you told me 'later' on our wedding day, may I presume you have purposely refrained from introducing them to me?"
Harley sighed. After taking a bite of birthday cake followed by a sip of coffee, he said, "It's for your protection, Gabby, and I really detest that it's necessary at all." Another sip of coffee, then, "I cannot speak about our travels, or our actions, nor am I able to speak about the people assigned to work as my team. Some of our potential targets are really bad people, Gabby… and 'bad' isn't even an adequate word to describe the majority of them."
Her solemn expression pulled at his heart, as did her words – even if the tone of her voice suggested she wasn't being entirely serious. "Married for only three days, Harley, and you're already keeping secrets from me?"
The N7, even while instinctively realizing she wasn't actually unhappy with him, refused to smile. "I'm sorry to be speaking of this on your birthday, Gabby, but think of Malcolm and Belle. Potential targets of SpecOps would think nothing of kidnapping Violet or, God forbid!… even the children, in order to intimidate or torture you for information about me or my team. If keeping that info from you keeps you and our family safe, it's not a problem for me."
Gabby had taken a couple of bites of the cake on her plate as Harley was speaking; with a soft chuckle, she replied, "Our family, Harley? I like that. What I don't like is the necessity of you keeping secrets, but… your desire to keep our family safe pleases me to no end." Taking a couple of sips from her mug, she added, "Truth be told, I also need to keep secrets… from you. The engineering work I'm doing for T'Sere Shipwrights is something I cannot speak of with anyone not working for the company." Chuckling lightly, she added, "Not as serious as the life and death conflicts you'll be dealing with, by any means."
Harley smiled for the first time since he'd begun discussing this aspect of his new position. "One more thing." The smile flattened as he added, "You won't be able to contact me at all while I'm off base on assignment." At her instant look of dismay, he explained, "You'll have the contact info of my CO here at the Vila, so if some emergency does come up, you can leave a message." A thought crossed his mind, prompting him to offer, "Actually, as my assignments will mostly be off-world, contacting Matriarch Tralis at T'Sere would probably produce a faster response, even if she's two jumps and a star system away. T'Sere considers you to be family, just as if you had been born with blue skin and head-crests. I have faith that T'Sere's commandos would be extremely effective at taking care of you, the children and Violet."
Gabby nodded in tacit agreement, finished her cake and coffee, then said, "I'm glad you shared all that with me… Lieutenant Commander." With a small grin, she added, "I cannot foresee any emergency either Violet or myself would be incapable of dealing with, my dear." She chuckled quietly while adding, "We've been living rather non-eventful lives for nearly two-and-a-half years. Adding my husband…" at this point she closed the distance between them, hugging him and placing a chaste kiss on his cheek before continuing, "… to our lives won't tip the odds of having an emergency one way or the other."
Before she could back away from him, Harley reached around his wife – thinking of her as such is going to take some getting used to! – to embrace her in a tight hug; placing his lips beside her ear, he whispered, "I'm so thankful Captain Shepard agreed to allowing an untested N7 to join Spectre Hailot Jatok's ground team, else we would have never met. I love you, Gabriella Creath." He paused for a moment, then asked in a slightly embarrassed tone of voice, "Regarding your surname, are you going to add mine to yours along with your late husband's?"
Gabby pulled back slightly in order to look into his golden-hazel eyes. "The children still have Kenneth's name, and that will not change. As for me?" Her teeth-baring grin crinkled the skin beside her eyes. "I still want to include my maiden name, Harley; I'll use Daniels as my middle name and take Creath as my new married name – Gabriella Daniels Creath, at your service." With a slight shake of her head, she added, "Kenneth will understand, Harley. He wants me to move on with my life… a life in which he will always be remembered. I hope you understand."
Harley closed the distance to once again whisper in her ear. "Of course, Gabby. The two of you were together a long time. Memories of him… his time in your life, will always be an important part of the person you are, and I wouldn't dream of trying to change that… for anything."
Gabby's heart clenched upon hearing Harley's words. That he totally accepted her memories of Kenneth's time in her life meant the world to her and cemented in her own mind the validity of his appearance in her dream, in which he expressed his approval of her finding love once again.
Center for Galactic Cooperation, Widow System, Serpent Nebula – 21 Nov 2191
Senior Chief Petty Officer Tamiko Miyazaki embraced her ai'a me, the Asari term that described her relationship with Gabriella Daniels – formerly Donnelly, now Creath – a relationship that had grown well beyond mere friendship. Tammi's love for Gabby was that of a sister, and now, after an exceedingly pleasant vacation – one that felt extremely short-lived, as if in a dream – at the Villa in Rio de Janeiro, she found herself standing beside an idling shuttlecraft on the Alliance docks, attempting to bid farewell to Gabby without bursting into tears.
"You know I'm only one jump away, right? You have my contact information, so you can call me anytime, Tammi, whether it's just to say hello or to ask a technical question…" with a chuckle, she quickly added, "… although I expect Commander Voight might object to you soliciting advise from a civilian."
Tammi chuckled in return. "Their loss, then. I seriously doubt there's anything I'm working on that would be any secret to you, Gabs." Shaking her head, she pulled the woman in for a final hug. "I love you, Gabby. You and your kiddos travel safe and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!"
Gabby always hated having to leave Tamiko behind, but there was no help for it. Holding tightly onto the Chief, she replied, "You have a nice Thanksgiving as well, Tammi. And Christmas! I'll give you a call." Upon placing a kiss on her friend's cheek, Gabby released her, took a step back and turned to reboard the shuttle. With a smile and a wave, the hatches closed while Tamiko moved away from the small vessel; she stood and watched as the ungainly looking UT-47 seemingly jumped from the dock's surface, turned, and headed out towards the relay. With a heavy sigh, she shouldered her overnight bag and started walking towards her apartment.
End Note: Given this 3-part series over the holiday (today, tomorrow, and Friday), we will not be posting our normal, bi-weekly chapter for The Archaeologist. Apologies to our loyal followers, as both Old_Gamer and myself have been dealing with some medical issues, with our writing concentration taking a big hit. Temporarily, we are playing a couple of new games to distract ourselves but hope to get back on track, posting to The Archaeologist on our regular schedule again, beginning on December 9th. Wishing those who celebrate Thanksgiving a happy holiday and a simply 'have a great weekend' for those who don't. 'See you' again soon!