Bardan Jusik Skirata had beheld many a strange and wondrous thing in his short tenure upon the earth. Nothing rivalled his wife.

She strolled alongside the pathway where he and his clone brothers were laying out stonework for a new self-welling trough. Meek carried a basket but she was just enjoying the fresh air and exercise. Immersed in the chore, his appreciation of the sight of her round with his son gave way to sweat and swearing. Until he nearly bashed Ordo's gloved fingers with a piece of masonry.

"Shab! Bard'ika! Watch it, ner'vod!"

Jusik ignored him, shooting straight up out of the four-foot deep hole and whipping around the barn. He was already calling his wife's name.

Meek came jogging up to him as he careened into the open archway.

"What?! What is it?!"

Jusik caught her to him, his face full of anguish.

"I felt your pain!" he gasped. His hands travelled her face, then the length of her arms, then over her distended womb.

The woman just laughed. "I know! I felt it, too! Isn't it exciting!"

Ordo shook his head at his father, who had been a few paces slower in arriving to help. Mereel didn't even have that much respect. The snicker he let out announced their presence.

"I was afraid for you..." Jusik stammered. The worry and fear were slowly ebbing away. Embarrassment seemed to be next in line. "I'd never felt anything like that from you before. I wondered if you'd gotten hurt in here or-"

Meek's slim fingertips came up to stop his words. She drew one of his hands back onto her belly. Anyone watching could see the moment when the next pain came. Her smile remained fixed, but her face conveyed the strain. "We're having a baby," she murmured. "Today. Of course I'm afraid. Of course it hurts. Aren't you excited?"

Jusik's groan elicited another chirping laugh. He felt the fear and pain physically as her muscles clenched beneath his palm and as her fingers clamped down on his. The echo was there in the force, too, alerting his to her state of mind.

"I didn't feel it building up to this," he told her. His face was so serious that she couldn't help but reach up to press her lips to his.

"Honestly, I didn't, either. Just all of a sudden-boom."

Now it was Mereel who groaned. He'd been present for Etain's labor. Kad had fought kicking and screaming into the world. It had taken hours. "May I suggest that if the pains are coming that close together we need to get to the bastion?"

Meek leaned up on her tiptoes to gently head butt her husband. She loved the brutal intensity of it, even though neither of them wore the helmets that necessitated a 'Keldabe Kiss' at the moment. A giggle escaped as she tugged at Jusik's hand. "Come on," she urged. "He's right. Let's go!"

Kal watched-delighted-as she tugged again, then turned to race across the tall grass. She'd gathered the long skirt of the flowing haltar dress she wore in one hand and clung tightly to Bard'ika's with the other.

"They make a pretty picture, Kal'buir," Ordo noted. "I'm glad she's family now."

Kal nodded. "Well..." he said at last. "I'll be calling Jaller. She'll want her mother and dad, I imagine."

Mereel disagreed. Not that the other couple should be there, simply that the woman would spend much time worrying about it. "She's got our Bard'ika. I don't think she's going to need much else. Ever." There was a wistful note to his voice that both men took note of. It was easy to envy the couple. She was his everything and he was all that and more to her. Naked, poor, sick, whatever-everything was fine so long as the other was safe. Their joy at being united made them each so happy for the other that they were nearly unbearable to be around.

Jusik waited patiently for Meek to slip out of her sandals and grab a clip for her hair. The fussing continued through two more contractions, so finally he made up her mind for her by lifting her bodily and releasing her over the bed. He accessed the force to lower her gently, even as he moved to kneel beside her. Meek's response was to jerk his supporting arm out from under him so that he tumbled down beside her. She'd already lifted her face for a kiss and let him think deepening it was his idea.

Rav walked in to find their arms entwined and the child nearly forgotten.

"Kissing causes babies," the older lady warned.

Meek came up laughing and checking that her dress was still covering everything pertinent.

"Sorry, love," Rav smiled at her. Everyone smiled at Meek. They couldn't help themselves. "The door was open and Kal commed to say that you'd be needing some very specific services here very soon. I thought I'd see if you needed help changing or covering the linens or anything."

Meek popped up, her hands covering the pains that rippled across her abdomen. "I need to call my mom. She'll want to come."

Rav nodded. "We call them now and they'll come now. Which means they may be in hyperspace should you want to talk to them during. Or this may drag on and they could get here for the big finale. Up to you, girlie."

The young woman frowned at her husband. He gave no opinion. "Let's just call and see what they're doing," Meek suggested. "Maybe my brother has a boloball match or something and it'll be a moot point."

Jusik gave her big points for optimism.