Parenthood

The call had come in the early afternoon, on a Saturday, when both Daen and Shen were at home. They had been preparing lunch together, Daen deftly chopping vegetables on the counter with Shen arranging meat in the casserole dish.

Shen had been on her tiptoes, searching the spice cabinet for garlic a moment later, when she heard the phone chime.

She tossed her apron onto the counter, swiping the beef juice off onto it. She smiled at Daen before making her exit, "I got it sugar, keep chopping!"

Daen merely grunted something in response, too focused on decimating the population of vegetables before him. When he was involved in anything, it mostly had his full attention. He was not the best at juggling multiple things at once. Shen was the opposite, and she believed this made them an even more balanced couple.

Human and alien traits aside.

Shen spun a little on the smooth floor as she ran into the living room from the kitchen, perfectly comfortable in her soft flats. When Daen didn't land on them with his large feet, that is. The last time that happened, he had broken two of the toes on her left foot, and in his attempt to drive them to the hospital, loudly apologetic, had nearly smashed the vehicle into the post office.

All couples had their differences, but a full grown sangheili male had Shen making careful baby steps…quite literally. Since being married they had remodeled much of their home, with a bathroom for each of them, one specifically for his alien anatomy, and less doors overall for more open spaces.

Hazard free zone. Two people in perfect harmony. Most days.

Shen grabbed the receiver from the stand on the counter near the television. She answered with a casual hello, wondering if it was her aunt again, who wouldn't stop talking about ideas for the upcoming holiday season. And whether Daen preferred turkey or ham. (Truth be told, he liked eating anything, and Shen teased him mercifully that he was getting rounder daily)

Why celebrate Thanksgiving on an alien planet anyway? The Shivan colony held many traditional values originating on Earth and Shen found it disappointing that they couldn't just make up new holidays. It was just humanity looking for more opportunities to stuff their faces. She couldn't deny she liked a good turkey leg though.

"Hello?" Shen piped into the phone.

"We have a match, Mrs. Edoom." Gloria. Their adoption agent.

Shen drew a quick breath, and held it.

Their mission to find the third member of their little family. That day was here. Now. It was finally happening, and she was awake this time.

Shen couldn't hold back the tears that burned and rolled down her face. The sound that escaped her mouth was nonsensical, but the joy on her face was clear. Vibrant with emotion.

"Gloria? Really? Please, don't just be that voice in my head again, telling me what I want to hear." Shen hurriedly used her free hand to wipe the tears tickling her nose, pressing the phone close, in a grip that shook. She was too excited to be still, she was almost dancing on her toes!

It was happening! She and Daen…they were going to be parents! It had taken over a year, but that day was here. They had fought so hard for it, it was hard won, but won at last.

"Congratulations, you two." Gloria said kindly, but hesitated a moment later. "I know you both have been desperate for a chance, but I'd like you to meet the child before you make any big decisions."

"Yes, yes, absolutely yes!" Shen squealed. "I don't care if he…she? It's…purple, or spotted, or has my granddad's nose! We want him, her…what is it? I don't care, I'm just so happy, I'm crying Gloria. I'm like a water fountain. Shit…"

Shen sniffed, pulling the phone away to pull her blouse up over her nose. She was an emotional train wreck, a bubbly mess, but it was what she had been praying for, both of them, for so long…

Daen chose at that moment to walk into the room, as always the concerned husband. "What's wrong Shen?"

"Just a moment Gloria, I have to tell Daen." Shen pressed the phone to her trembling chest, taking in quick breaths that barely caught up to her excited babbling. "Daen! We're going to be parents!"

At this last proclamation, she hopped up on her toes, very nearly dropping the phone. As she clapped both hands across her breast to catch it, her husband bounded across the space between them and snatched her up by her hips.

She squealed as he pulled her up to him, her legs swinging to latch around his waist. He released a roar that was both a war cry and a laugh, and she joined him.

00oo00oo00oo00

Shen couldn't stop talking as she drove down the highway, very nearly running off the road a few times.

"What do you think they will be like? We'll have to buy all their favorite foods. Fuck, what if it's a baby? Oh my gosh, Dean, would they let us have a baby? What do we feed it?"

"Can you lactate, urm—Nurse, it?" Daen suggested. "You are a mammal…"

Shen looked at him and snorted. "I'm not a smoothie machine, they don't come pre-filled. You have to get knocked up first, hormones and stuff, and since we defy the natural order of things, that aint' happening babe."

"And I like my tits as they are, thank you. Do you want these things to hit the ground?" She finished.

Daen rolled his eyes, something he had also learned from Shen, who was now humming off tune and tapping her nails against the steering wheel. Giddy with the news, and slightly impaired at the moment, another vehicle honked as they took a quick turn to the next lane.

Shen casually flipped them off as they continued down another exit. She was driving badly, but at this moment, she could give less than a damn. She was on cloud nine. Nothing could bring her down.

They were both excited, and maybe even a little scared. Daen remembered the monstrous males in his keep, the hard duties placed on the mothers, who were treated more like breeders and servants than mothers or wives. He wondered what kind of child he could rear.

If the child could ever call him father, and mean it truly. He wanted that. He found he liked the idea very much. None of the distance of Uncle, but the connection of a father and son…maybe daughter.

Daen knew, true to both hearts, that he would love them for whatever they were.

Soon they were pulling into the sparsely populated lot in front of the tall white building that housed the Dresden Children's Services Department. The only one that would even offer them a chance at parenthood.

A year of waiting, of praying, and finally…a child.

Shen didn't even bother locking their vehicle, she had already dashed halfway up the steps into the building before Daen caught up with her, impressed at how speedy those small human legs could be.

Across the marble floor and straight to the desk, the people in the waiting room all grew silent as Daen followed Shen to the counter. Sangheili were still few in this part of the city, and were often met with prejudice and fear, to Shen's disappointment.

If they knew Daen, saw the soul instead of the beast they assumed, they would understand, but until then, Shen would not stop standing with him. Aware of the eyes on them, Shen quickly moved to grab one of Daen's fingers, tugging him close.

He turned her hand into his palm, squeezing it gently.

Shen heard a hushed whispering behind them, but made no move to shoot them a dirty look. She refused to let them ruin her day. She was far too happy to give a shit anyway. Shen knew by Daen's gentle squeeze of her hand that he was in the same position.

The woman at the desk looked up.

"Edoom. Mr.…Mrs..." Shen said quickly, her face filling with a smile.

The secretary fortunately, seemed more reasonable and polite than the other humans in the room, and merely smiled back, her eyes switching from the both of them with equal respect. "You are expected Mrs. Edoom, Mr. Edoom. Just head on back to room 13, Gloria is waiting with him."

Shen gasped, squeezing Daen's finger. She looked at him with wet eyes. "Him! It's a little boy Daen. Oh damn it, I'm crying again." Shen laughed, wiping the blur from her vision.

Daen's mandibles splayed out, and came back together in a sealed sangheili smile. A son. They would have a son.

He could almost keen in the joy of it, yearning to release a glass shattering cry of his elation. It was almost too much, he could feel his two hearts pounding together like drums.

They kept their composure as they walked past the desk into the roomy corridor beyond.

Room thirteen. Shen hoped that number wouldn't have any negative connotations, but shook those thoughts away. It was too brilliant a day for that level of pessimism. This was going to be perfect, this was all they had wanted for so long after all.

Room 13, to their left. She moved to knock on the door. Shen realized she was loud, but she could care less. She couldn't see through the tiny fogged window in the door, only lights and shadows, and was desperate to meet the newest member of their family.

Shen's heart flew into her throat when the door opened and a widely smiling Gloria welcomed them inside. Her eyes immediately searched the space behind the woman. She lost her smile at what she found, well, didn't find.

"He's getting changed. He was a bit excited too." Gloria said at the look of disappointment on Shen's face. "He'll be with us again shortly, for now, take a seat."

"Changed?" Shen's heart raced as she sat down hard at the table in the center of the room. White plastic, a portable one that moved a foot as Daen pushed his legs under it. "Is…he…?"

Gloria smiled. "He's almost a year old now. Still a babe. That's not a problem, is it?"

"No!" Shen almost yelled, and her face flushed as her voice bounced off the walls. She continued in a normal volume, "We can do it. We want to do it. I mean, we've been waiting for so long."

Gloria took her hand from across the table, and Shen smiled at the older woman's gesture. Gloria was very personable and kind. It was thanks to her that they were even getting this opportunity.

Shen wiped another tear that had strayed past her lashes. "I'm sorry, just a bit emotional. My face is probably a puffy wreck." She laughed wetly, sniffling as she pressed a hand to her nose.

"I'm happy for the both of you." Gloria said warmly. "However, I don't think you expected this particular match. We were surprised ourselves, but we believe that you two are the best family for him."

Shen laughed, wiping moisture off onto a sleeve. "How do you think?"
Gloria had no time to answer, as at that moment the door creaked open and a woman stepped in with a large bundle of white cloth in her arms.

They stood, Daen lifting the table off its legs for a solid minute as he sought his feet. Shen and Daen stood side to side, and three hearts rang out in unison as the woman carrying the newest member of their small family, strode forward.

The woman hesitated for a moment, pushing the bundle up again in her arms, and they heard a slight sound as she did so. Shen had to keep from jumping forward to see their son. The suspense was killing her, and she heard Daen inhale raggedly as his gaze drew them forward.

"He's a bit heavy." The other woman gave them a crooked smile, looking a bit uncertain, as she stopped in front of them. She also seemed a little disturbed in how her eyes kept dropping back to the burden she carried, a bit clumsily.

Shen was tempted to race forward and grab for him, certain some mishap would happen and he would drop to the ground. She was already a concerned mother, and she hadn't even held him yet. Damn, she wanted to hold him so badly…

"One quick thing..." Gloria said, a little hesitantly. "He's-"

Suddenly an arm in the bundle of cloth reached out, disturbing the folds, and a face peered out at them with large dark eyes blinking wetly in the white light of the room.

Wide appendages reached out, as if testing the air, and Shen recognized the movement immediately. This was unexpected. Shen felt and heard Daen suck in a wavering breath, his arm leaning against her heavily.

"Sangheili."

00oo00oo00oo00

"Here you go, he's a little heavier than our babes, but he's still pretty manageable at this size." The attendant holding the infant, moved forward shifting him forward gently. Shen inhaled quickly, knees wobbling a bit as his weight filled her arms.

Shen's eyes couldn't leave him, this sangheili baby that gazed up at her with tiny mandibles reaching. He watched her with wide dark eyes, so expansive she could see her reflection in them. He disturbed the cloth around him a bit as he kicked out a small foot, two fat toes flexing.

Shen's eyes met Daen's and she could feel moisture beading in her eyes as she saw his expression too. They both wanted him. He was a surprise, but she couldn't deny that she had wanted him desperately on sight.

She had never seen an infant sangheili and all at once she was joyful and terrified. What would it need from her to be healthy? How were sangheili young different than human? Did they eat solid food? She could see little white nubs, teeth perhaps, in the folds of his mandibles.

This was going to be a learning experience, but damn if they weren't excited to begin this process. Being parents. It was overwhelming, and Shen had to remind herself that she was carrying their baby in her arms and that passing out would be an awful start to motherhood.

"What do you think?" Gloria asked, breaking the silence.

"He's perfect." Shen blurted out, at the same time Daen uttered a noise.

"Yes." Daen continued. He took in a deep breath, and Shen watched him look at the baby with something akin to longing in the depths of his gaze. "He is perfect."

Daen stepped to her side and reached out a hand. The infant had been making small breathy noises, which had been starting to concern Shen, but had grown silent at the sight of Daen's fingers.

After a long moment, the babe made a warbling noise, and the Daen released a gasp like breath as the infant reached out its own tiny hand, long fingers grabbing out.

Shen felt a smile break across her face as they met halfway. Afterwards she held out the little guy, and Daen eagerly moved to receive him. Her husband closed off his mandibles in a smile as the baby smacked his hand against his arm.

Gloria cleared her throat and Shen looked back to the woman who had brought their family together.

"I have some information for you two, some pamphlets and health panels. I don't know how much your husband knows about rearing young sangheili, but we are certain you two are the best fit for him." Gloria held out a folder she had retrieved off the desk. Shen took it from her, surprised at the weight of the paper within. She shuffled it a bit in her grip as the papers began to slip through the fold.

"Thanks so much Gloria." Shen said. "You don't know how much this means to me, to the both of us."

Gloria smiled, "I'm glad you two seem taken with him, it's unfortunate that he has no relatives to turn to, but I don't believe genes make the family. You two will be excellent parents, I'm sure of it."

Shen frowned. Relatives? Didn't sangheili typically operate in family centers? "Why wouldn't they want him?" She asked. "He seems healthy."

Gloria sighed. "There are still sangheili joining religious sects and causing problems for their families. His family was split between those who wished to overthrow the Arbiter's ideals and those who preferred peace. His father tried to stop the fighting, but it escalated and in the chaos, his parents were killed. The remaining kin, all uncles, refused him."

Shen wondered if there would ever be peace on Sangheilios. They had been fighting for decades, but conflict continued. There was news weekly of bands of Daen's people fighting one another for land, for pride, for dead gods who inspired nothing but ruin.

The baby clicked its mandibles again, and this time Shen could see points shining in his maw. Teeth, so he would be able to eat solid food. How often did they feed?

"He doesn't have a name, and I can't disclose his family name for security reasons." Gloria sighed. "So there is that."

Shen and Daen shared a look. A name. They would be making a lot of big decisions today. What kind of name would suit him best, what would honor him in both alien and human society?

"We will select a name." Daen said. "A good name."

"It might take some brainstorming." Shen agreed, "But yes, we will make it a good one."

Gloria laughed. "You two seem ready to go, but would you like us to keep him until you're ready?"

"We are ready." Shen's words gusted out with her breath, the idea of being apart from him, now that they were together, made her anxious. "We've been ready for so long. His room is set up. But, will he need a crib? He's so young…" Shen pinched her fingers together, spinning her wedding ring against her thumb. She hadn't imagined they would get a baby. They hadn't wanted to trust them with an older child, so it had seemed an impossible dream to be given a baby…

Of course, neither of them had expected this. A sangheili baby certainly didn't appear as fragile as a human infant, but Shen still felt her heart thud into her throat at the sense of immense responsibility placed upon her shoulders. How could she raise him right when she wasn't even the kind of mother he was born to? What if she messed him up…somehow?

"Are you alright Shen?" Daen's voice pulled her from the pit of her thoughts. She hadn't realized she had been staring into space.

"Yeah, sorry. Just a little nervous. He's wonderful, but I'm afraid I don't know anything about babies, and not just alien ones."

Gloria chuckled, moving to place a hand on her shoulder. "I remember my first baby. Little Gregory, he was a time bomb kicking at my ribs like a hammer, but when he was out, you couldn't tear that babe away with a pry bar." The woman smiled. "You are ready Shen. This is just another new experience. You'll do just fine, both of you will be amazing parents. I wouldn't have called if I didn't believe so."

Shen wiped at her eyes with the back of her free hand, moving to slide the folder under one arm. "Thank you Gloria. You've been so wonderful. We love him, and we will do our best to raise him right."

"I know you will." Gloria said. "Now you two have some paperwork to fill out."

Shen smiled. "Then we can take him home, now, right?"

"You bet."

Shen drew in a long breath and moved to Daen's side again to stare at the newest member of their family. The infant was still in his arms, unmoving but for the slight twitch of his tiny mandibles, fluttering lightly with each small breath.

"He's tired." Daen said, seeing something that Shen felt sad she couldn't see yet.

"I guess we better finish up here then." Gloria said and motioned for Shen to sit down. "I'll need you to sign a few things, and you're free to go."

00oo00oo00oo00

They were using a car seat on loan from Gloria, and encountered the first problem they had so far since leaving the office.

He was not screaming, per say, and that much surprised Shen, but what he was doing wasn't inspiring much confidence in her as a new mother.

"What if he's sick Daen?" Shen asked again, and she knew by the look he cast her way, that he was going to just repeat himself.

"He is fine." Daen insisted, once more.

The sound continued and Shen looked at the mirror at the front of their vehicle for the twelfth time on the road. They were almost home, but damn if her nerves weren't fried already.

The baby was currently gnashing his mandible's together loudly in-between making short hissing sounds. She could glimpse his little legs bucking against the seat they had strapped him into, his long fingers prying at the soft bar across his torso.

"He's so upset." Shen moaned. "Dammit, why haven't they released teleportation mechanics for the public? I know it exists."

Daen laughed gruffly. "He is fine, let him vent. A little tantrum isn't going to kill him."

Shen blanched at the idea of their baby dying. She couldn't keep a damn houseplant alive, and now they had a baby?

Calm down Shen. You can do this.

Music would have helped her nerves, but she refused to turn on the radio. She didn't want to miss anything if the baby really was going to choke on his own breath or something. Dammit she was getting paranoid again…

Shen couldn't exit the car fast enough when they reached home.

She opened the car door gingerly, and…stood there.

Daen was already moving around the back of the vehicle, and looked at the still presence of his wife. "Shen? Would you like me to carry him?"

She stepped back quickly, almost tripping over her own heels. Flushing more so with frustration at her clumsiness, Shen nodded slowly. "I might drop him on the way up the stairs." She replied sourly.

Daen chuckled but moved past her to unbuckle their son from his seat. The little one's mandibles were still gnashing about, but he made a small whistling sound when he was pulled free from the seat and into Daen's arms.

The larger male sangheili brushed his lower mandibles across the little one's head, and the babe quieted.

Shen blinked as Daen closed the car door with a hip and moved towards their house. She moved ahead to open the door to their home, staring curiously as the now silent baby in her husband's arms.

"What did you do?" She asked.

Daen stopped at the door. "It is genetic memory. When we are childings, we are calmed by the presence of mandibles, at the neck more specifically. Ancient females used to carry infants in their jaws. It was a survival mechanic of sorts."

Shen smirked. "Any sexual implications?"

"Naughty woman, already working to corrupt our son." Daen shot back.

"Nah, that's your job, daddy."

They entered their home, and both hesitated in the doorway. Shen stepped towards the living room, and turned to frown at Daen. "So…has he been fed you think? We should probably have asked beforehand." She laughed awkwardly. Perhaps she should have asked more questions before they left…well, shit.

Daen lifted their son up and regarded him silently for a long moment. Shen wasn't sure what he was looking for, but then she saw him rubbing the baby sangheili's stomach lightly with one finger.

The baby made a warbling sound, kicking out his small legs in response.

"He feels full." Daen said. "Childings don't eat quite as often as human infants, just two large meals should be fine."

"I'd like to see you stick by that rule." Shen teased.

"Dammit woman."

They decided to spend time with the newest member of their family on the sofa, Daen settling down gently, moving his son to rest against his belly. He then proceeded to rest his head over the childing, and in response, the infant rubbed his head at the lower set.

"He is so cute." Shen sighed. "Do you think he will like me as a mom? I mean, I don't know what kind of instincts mothers even have. I mean, not that it would have magically occurred if you knocked me up…ugh I don't know."

Daen stretched his arm across the back of the sofa, pulling Shen close. She allowed him to move her, but grabbed at his leg as he tried to pull her onto his lap with their new son.

"I'm not going to sit on…name. Daen, we can't keep calling him, him."

"I've realized that." Daen said. "Do you have any ideas?"

"I don't want to screw him up with a terrible name, but honestly, I've probably gone through a hundred names in my head. All shitty."

Daen shook his head. "I'm sure they are fine, let me hear a few."

Shen gave him a long look. "I'm prepared for a long stream of rejections."

"Shen…"

"Okay, fine."

She sucked in a wavering breath, swiping hair off an ear. "Let's see…uh. Leon, Everett, um, Caleb? I know they're awful, but…"

"No." Daen said softly. "I quite like the sound of them. The one is similar to Kalen. To my people, it can mean enduring or stalwart."

"Kalen." Shen said, testing it slowly on her tongue. She did like the sound of it. She wasn't sure what it meant in any human languages, but knowing that it was a positive name for a sangheili child, that was good. "I like it."

Daen craned his neck, pulling her close. She let him bring her face to his own, and she sighed as he brushed his closed mandibles against her chin, his dark eyes igniting desire in her own. They hadn't been intimate for a good week now, busy with autumn cleanup and odd hours at work. It would probably even more of an issue with junior now.

Kalen…it was a very good name.

Shen felt his hand move to brush up against her thigh and she pushed herself up to allow his fingers purchase at her hip, planting her lips against the flat of his upper mandibles. She felt him slip down to cup her rear and laughed under his jaw.

"Not in front of our son, daddy."

"Dirty girl." Daen said in a shaming voice, although his eyes twinkled with another emotion. "I'm sure we will have time for you later, but for now—"

Shen wrinkled her nose, as he pulled Kalen up close to them. Oh shit.

Literally.

"Didn't he just go at the office?" She asked, sitting back with a small huff. Way to break the mood. That was motherhood for you.

Daen chuckled darkly. "There is much you don't know about childings dear heart."

"Oh…oh. Fuck me."

New story! Yeah, yeah, I realize I have some I haven't finished yet. More than some, but this has been in the brain for a while, and I consider this a direct sequel to "Hearts to Heart," featuring my characters from that story and their continued relationship.

Yes, there will be some fun lemony action eventually, but I will make room for that in another story, as I'm trying to keep this one Teen rated, so it's more accessible in the archive to a wider audience.

Let me know how you guys like this idea, or if you have any feedback. Reviews create positive feelings, usually, so help generate some of that creative energy for me guys.

Until next time, thanks for reading!