Notes:

Mo luaidh - my darling (Scots Gaelic)

Home for the Holidays

Daniels-Creath Home, Edinburgh, Scotland – Sunday, 17 November 2193

Harley had arranged to take a week-long, 'on-call' vacation in order to be at home with his wife; he wanted to celebrate their second wedding anniversary – which was today – with a quiet dinner out, then celebrate Gabby's 38th birthday with cake and ice cream on Wednesday, the 20th.

On this very special morning, he had risen early, dressed quietly and left their bedroom, leaving Gabby blissfully asleep, buried somewhere within a cozy nest of comforters and quilts; he accompanied Violet and the children to the kitchen in order to assist her with getting Malcolm and Belle fed while she prepared breakfast for the three of them.

Sitting at the table, he absentmindedly took a sip of coffee from his mug while staring at the far wall above the sink; Gabby entered the kitchen, quietly said her good mornings to the twins, then joined him at the table. The motion to his right broke his reverie – turning his head, he focused all his attention on his wife of two years and grinned, "Happy second anniversary, darling. I was just sitting here pondering the miracle that persuaded you to fall in love with me. That you would agree to marry me? It still seems like an extremely pleasant dream, my Precious… one from which I hope to never awaken."

Gabby looked up at Violet, as she placed a plate full of hot food in front of her, then a mug of hot coffee beside the plate. Hoisting the mug and taking a sip of coffee, she sighed in appreciation of her good fortune in having a housekeeper – and friend – that took such good care of her and the children. "It's delicious, Violet. Thank you."

Returning her attention to her left, she reached over to place a chaste kiss on his cheek before taking a couple of bites of her waffles, generously swathed in butter and maple syrup. After chewing and swallowing, she grinned as she murmured, "Was no miracle, mo luaidh. It all began on Thessia. I never studied their religion, but perhaps I was influenced by the spirit of Tevura – an ancient Asari goddess of love, sex, travel, and law – during my maternity stay on the planet." She giggled, took several sips from her mug, then added with a slight smirk, "And just how could you have possibly fallen in love with a recently widowed, very pregnant, mom-to-be who was still in mourning for her murdered husband?"

With a small chuckle, Harley swallowed the rest of his coffee, wiped his mouth, then leaned over and softly placed a return kiss on her temple. "That was easy," he said in a quiet voice. "I've been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you, Gabriella. It mattered not one bit to me that you were carrying another man's offspring, or that you were still mourning his sudden death. I chose to wait – to allow you vital time to come to terms with your husband's murder by the Quarians." He smirked and – knowing she was about to say 'fat little ol' me' – placed a finger vertically across her lips. "Don't even think like that, Gabby. I never, ever saw you as anything other than a beautiful, infinitely desirable woman; to this day I still see you that way, dearest… more than ever. You have become the other half of my soul; my love for you grows more intense every day of my life, and I desire nothing more than discovering new ways to make you happy."

Gabby's heart clenched at the expression of utter devotion on the man's face. Steeling her resolve, she reached out with both hands, grabbed his face and applied her lips to his in a passionate kiss of promise. Releasing him, she coyly whispered, "I have a bit of news for you."

"Okay," he said. "I'll bite. What news do… you?… " His words trailed away into silence as he gazed into a pair of expressive brown eyes; eyes that revealed everything. "It's a good thing you don't play poker for creds, Missus Creath." With a huge grin lighting his face, he cocked his head and, in an accusatory tone of voice, breathed, "My God, Gabriella Creath! You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Gabby was nearly overwhelmed by the rush of emotions she felt at his question, not the least of which was of her incalculable love for this man; not fully trusting her voice, she nodded mutely in response to his question. She did manage a surprised squeak at immediately being engulfed by a pair of strong arms, as her husband came out of his chair and lifted her up from hers. Violet had both hands across her mouth in shocked amazement, while the children squealed and clapped in their delight at Papa 'Arley's demonstration of his love for their mom.

Harley returned her passionate kiss of promise with interest, then allowed her to slide down until her feet were on the floor, to which Violet observed with a huge grin firmly affixed on her face, "Begging yer pardon, Captain. My missus being up th' duff is maist certainly a result o' actions such as juist demonstrated by you!" She folded her arms across her chest and concluded, "I'm sae happy! Fur baith o' you!"

Harley turned on Missus Sweeney and shared his happiness by hugging her – albeit with a touch less physicality than he'd displayed with his wife. Upon releasing the intensely blushing woman, he turned back to face Gabby and asked, "So, did she say how far along you are?"

Gabby bent to the task of assisting Violet in freeing the twins from the confines of their highchairs while speaking over her shoulder. "Doctor MacKinnon confirmed it on the 14th. By now, I'm about four-and-a-half to five weeks along."

He remained silent for a few moments before adding the question that was already causing her a bit of worry. "When will she be able to tell us if it's twins?"

Gabby shot him a momentary look of panic, ducked her head for a moment, then leveled him with a smoldering look of total love. "I pray that's not the case, Harley, but she did say it will be ten-to-twelve weeks – so, mid-January or so? – before she can determine if I'm carrying more than one baby." Another thought crossed her mind. "I know it's much too early to make a decision, but do you have any thoughts about where I should give birth?"

He shook his head slightly and chuckled. "You're not thinking of traveling to Thessia, are you?" Receiving a quiet 'no!' accompanied by a firm, double shake of her head, he declared, "Of course, the simplest thing to do would be to deliver our baby here, in Edinburgh." He paused briefly to ponder her question a bit further before adding, "If you'd want to guarantee my presence for the birth, you might consider having our baby at the Villa. The Alliance has a top-notch hospital on the base, exclusively for service members and their dependents."

"My giving birth at the Villa wouldn't guarantee your ability to attend, and you know it," she laughed; with her face taking on a pinkish hue, she shook her head to toss the hair from her eyes and concluded, "I think it'll be simpler for all of us if I give birth right here, in my adopted hometown of Edinburgh."

Daniels-Creath Home, Edinburgh, Scotland – Wednesday, 20 November 2193

Gabby had been attempting to work on design modifications to the propulsion systems of one of T'Sere's earliest starship models, but had finally surrendered to the numerous comms calls interruptions from friends wanting to wish her a happy birthday; once they learned she was expecting a baby, they then wanted to know everything about her pregnancy, peppering her with a great many questions, most of which concerned the gender, due date, morning sickness, was she 'showing', and on and on.

One of the first calls she had received was from T'Sere Shipwrights' Ops Director, Matriarch Tralis, who had merely called to wish Gabby a happy birthday. Upon learning from a suddenly shy Gabby that she was expecting, the Matriarch had looped Guild Owner Matriarch Sashia T'Sere into the call, who sounded just a bit giddy as she expressed how delighted she was for her top propulsion engineer. During their lengthy three-way conversation, both Matriarchs had promised to do all they could to assist Gabby in remodeling her house, including aiding in her relocation to a rental house while hers was being remodeled.

Upon hearing her half-hearted protests at their overwhelming generosity, Lady Sashia had interrupted with, "Nonsense! You are family, Gabriella Creath! My family, and I take care of my family! Promise me you will let us know what you need, and it's yours."

"Agreed," added Matriarch Tralis. "We'll have Comms Specialist Carli Ferria and Systems Support Technician Clarissa Sheris assist you in moving equipment out for remodeling, then back, and they'll insure everything is properly connected and operating correctly. We certainly won't leave you without a way to continue creating your fabulous designs, Gabby."

Against such overwhelming odds, Gabby had no choice but to capitulate, although she did manage to win a concession of sorts from each of them, to visit her in Edinburgh when the remodel of her house was complete. "The least I can do is to treat you both to a home-cooked dinner here in my home once everything is completed. It'd be an honor to have you eat with us."

Before ending the call, both Asari had agreed to make the trip, repeated their congratulations on Gabby's pregnancy and expressed their wishes that she have an incredibly wonderful birthday.

Later in the morning, after speaking with the Matriarchs, she grinned as she replayed in her head Tamiko's excited reaction during her mid-morning call from the CGC – in her native Japanese, no less – to her news when she'd called to wish her dear friend a very happy birthday. "Ā, nanto, [Oh, my God] Gabby! How are you feeling? You're not having twins, are you? I bet you had to stop drinking beer, right? How about booze? Oh, Gabs! I'm so very happy for you… and Harley, of course! You planning on giving birth on Thessia?"

When she finally paused to catch her breath, Gabby responded, "Feeling fine. Too early to know. Yes, and yes, and no – I plan on delivering in the Lothian Birth Centre, in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh."

Tammi had laughed at Gabby's response, then extracted a promise from her to send regular updates to the Propulsion Lab on the CGC so she could keep abreast of all the developments.

Of course, Violet had been ecstatic upon hearing the news on her anniversary, although the woman had expressed some concern about her own future in the household, recalling her previous conversation with Gabby about adding a bathroom and converting Gabby's office into a fourth bedroom.

Gabby remembered telling her, 'There's no need to worry about that just yet, Violet. A remodel of this house will be messy, so we'll all have to move out for the duration. I'll have T'Sere's assistance as well, as my design computer, server and interstellar transceiver will all need to be relocated right along with us.'

At the moment, Violet was busy in the kitchen, mixing and baking a cake for Gabby's birthday celebration to be held in the evening. Gabby had already decided that diet restrictions be damned – she intended to toast her husband with a 'wee dram' of Highland Park 18, something she had done during their intimate anniversary dinner on the waterfront. She had stopped drinking coffee in favor of green tea, and had put in a supply of Tennent's Zero, an alcohol-free beer having the added benefit of containing fewer calories than the excellent lager she usually enjoyed.

She had begun regularly recording her daily weight readings, in an effort to keep from gaining an inordinate number of kilos over the course of this pregnancy. Being unable to trim her weight down to her pre-pregnancy numbers after so much time made her a bit unhappy; she was damned if this pregnancy was going to cause a bunch of weight gain she wouldn't be able to eliminate once she had given birth.

She turned her head as Violet asked from the kitchen doorway, "Ready fur a wee plook o' dinner, Missus?"

Gabby shook her head slightly at the question while responding with a grin, "It's lunch, Violet. Dinner is our evening meal… and yes, I could really use a wee plook o' lunch."

T'Soni Country Estate, Thessia, Athena Nebula – 20 Dec 2193

Liara's fall session had come and gone; in great contrast to the previous year, it had been absolutely normal without any major wars, no genocides, and no executions. It was almost impossible to fathom nearly a year had passed since Ereda Linron had been executed. Since then, relations between the Protheans and Salarians had been tense, but also gradually improving under Baon's leadership. The Dalatrass' many personal chats with Jorè went a long way toward repairing their relationships, both personal and professional, particularly Baon's earnest attention to fulfilling the reparations demanded of the Salarian Union.

Jorè had initially been distrustful and cold toward the Dalatrass, until Shepard had impressed upon him that of all the Dalatrasses of the Union, Baon was the only one of the very few she and Liara honestly and truly trusted. Shepard even shared her and Baon's last conversation with him, simply to demonstrate just how strong their bond was. After the sharing was completed, the Prothean leader had leaned back in his chair and smiled. "You do realize your emotions come through the share as much as your words? It is the emotions I believe more than anything you could possibly say… and you honestly do trust this Dalatrass. That much is very evident. For this reason alone, I will give her the benefit of the doubt and work with her on an even field. Thank you again, Shepard, for your sound council. Dalatrass Baon will provide us a starting point for improving relations with the leadership of the Salarian people."

Now, with galactic relations most definitely on the upswing, House T'Soni was looking forward to a relaxing, joyous holiday season. The estate was going to be full once again, with everyone wanting to come and relax in the peaceful setting. The greatest upset was coming from one of the littlest members: little Michael was nearly 30 months old, and with his development came the words 'no' and 'mine'… and little bouts of rebelliousness showing he had more than a fair share of his mother's stubborn streak.

In October, Karin had visited for her birthday, and had chuckled the first time she experienced one of his little tantrums, stating, "Oh my, Sam! Mike sounds just like you did at that age! I think you're in for a few lessons in karma, getting back everything you gave your mother… maybe with interest!" Now, only two months later and for the beginning of Alban Arthan, Karin was back again – this time with Hannah and many other members of the multi-race clan who were all descending upon the estate – with most staying for the entirety of the combined winter holidays.

Samantha was thankful not just for their presence, but also for all the diversions they provided the youngest Shepard, with everyone wanting to see him, scoop him off the floor for big hugs and happy kisses, and feed his every wish for attention. He offered up no resistance when it came time for bed, because the little guy was exhausted by all the playtime with the many guests.

Jaz, Kin, and Lennie were also now part of the group, with Lennie in particular looking forward to some relaxation time, having completed her basic commando training. She had offers from a number of city guard units but had not yet decided where she wanted to go. Liara took this as an opportunity and pulled her off to the side for a private conversation. "You know House T'Soni has some of the best trained commandos of all of Thessia…"

Having no idea as to Liara's intent, Lennie laughed, an expression of disbelief on her face as she looked at her aunt. "You're kidding right? You don't have 'some of the best,' Liara. At only 36-strong, you have the most respected commando force in the galaxy right now. Nearly every House is working on implementing the cross-species training regimens Shepard instituted during the war but are, quite literally, at least a decade behind House T'Soni."

"That's because they don't have the team we had… each member, quite literally, the best in the galaxy at what they did… nor the motivation, without the Collectors and Reapers upon which to hone their skills." Liara looked down, a slight blush on her cheeks. "To be honest, I would be quite content with routinely skilled commandos if it meant we could have skipped living through everything that made us who we are today."

"Bah!" Lennie scoffed. "You know that wouldn't have mattered. The Reapers were coming eventually. Better the cycle brought them to us, so you and Shepard could kick their asses, than any other time, before or after! You and Shepard are the perfect match and were fated to come together for the sole purpose of beating them! Everyone knows we got lucky on the timing of their appearance. If it weren't for the two of you, we'd all be ash, just like every other cycle that came before… and everyone knows it!"

"Alright, alright. Fine. House T'Soni has the best commandos… anywhere." Liara rolled her eyes and shook her head before continuing, "But you have diverted me from my main purpose. What I want is to make you an offer… a training offer. I know you just graduated near the top of your class, and likely have more than a few offers of employment, but I am wondering if you'd be willing to accept an apprenticeship year with me… with House T'Soni. You'd be offered standard pay for a junior commando, housing…"

Liara never got to finish her sentence, much less explain her entire offer, before Lenedra interrupted her with an enthusiastic, "Goddess, yes! That would be absolutely fantastic! After a year or so with you, I imagine I could get the job of my choice! That would be awesome, Liara! Plus, we'd have all that time to get to know one another better!" She jumped out of her chair and gave a very surprised Liara a huge hug. "I'm going to go tell Mom and Dad! I just got my first and best Christmas present ever! And it's not even Christmas yet!"

"Are you sure, Lennie? Their training regimen is grueling… and either Liara or Shepard are constantly traveling, if not both. There is no rest for the weary here, and no one will go easy on you just because you're family." Aethyta cast a wary eye at the youngster. "Matter of fact, they might be harder on you because of it… expecting you to be the epitome of the T'Soni standard."

Lenedra couldn't help but grin as she replied, "I know! Isn't it great?"

"I'm going to remind you of this conversation the first time you come complaining to me about how tired you are." Aethyta chuckled quietly and shook her head. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah, you just laugh it up, Gram." Lennie's voice turned more serious and determined as she continued, "I'm gonna work my ass off and be the best apprentice they've ever had! I'm going to make sure Liara doesn't regret giving me the opportunity! And, who knows? If someone leaves over the next couple of years, for any reason, maybe I'll even get a permanent position, without the house having to run a selection trial."

At that, Jaz raised her brow. "You're truly serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes, Dad… I am." Lenedra gave her a curt nod and continued, "Never been so serious about anything in my life. The fact that Lady Liara T'Soni is giving me an opportunity to work and train with the best damned House commandos in the galaxy is not lost on my youthful enthusiasm. I fully realize the opportunity she is giving me, and I have no plans on wasting a moment of it."

Kinlivi smiled softly and asked, "So, when do you start?"

"Liara didn't actually say." Lennie shrugged and continued, "She doesn't want to discuss specifics during the holidays, so we'll sit down to talk about the details the weekend before her winter term begins on the 6th of January. As far as I'm concerned, I can start as soon as I can grab my stuff from home and get relocated here. I don't need or want any more time off than I've already had with the holiday."

Kin looked at Jaz, a twinkle in her eyes as she flatly asked, "What did we do wrong, to have our child so eager to leave us?"

Jaz simply laughed as Lenedra blurted out, "Mom! You know that's not true!"

A/N: I know… relatively short chapter! However, life at House T'Soni is settling into something of a 'normal life' routine, so larger time jumps will become our routine. Some will be a few months and, who knows, some may be a year or two! It's either that, or we'll never get to the little blues! LOL

Also, going to take a small break, as Desert Sunrise's brother and sister-in-law are coming to visit the 15th - 22d, so no new chapter until June. Sorry!