#i forgot that when you readjust them (braces) they can hurt a little bit

[angelfoodscake]

just got back from tbe dentist

MY TEETH

THEY HURT

[sandstonesunspear]

The Budling, Part 2

Or alternatively known as: The second part of that obligatory baby acquisition fic

I forgot to give credit to @ressick for providing a good chunk of the background that this is based off of. Hope y’all enjoy

6 Months later…

-

Alex leaned back in the Captain’s Chair, silently watching as her crew went about their business on the bridge. Despite the calm demeanor she portrayed, she was on edge. The week had been unusually quiet; no one had launched an attack against the DEO, Kessel hadn’t blown up the cargo bay, and Jackson and Reinhart’s latest attempt at making sweets hadn’t sent anyone to the medbay. Most people would see a quiet week as a relief, especially given how stressful the last six months had been, but Alex wasn’t most people. If her years as a DEO agent and her time in space had taught her anything, it was that a quiet week made for a bad omen.

Alex’s frown deepened. She wasn’t a superstitious person, but she felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. What was she missing?

A sharp jolt of pain pulled her from her thoughts.

‘Alex-par!’ A keening voice echoed through her mind.

Her eyes widened. That was Sameen’s budling. That pain must have meant…

She shot to her feet, startling Kessel.

“Kessel, you have the bridge,” she said hurriedly before he could say anything. Her panicked tone drew the attention of the rest of the crew. “I’m headed to the medbay!”

She shot out of the bridge, leaving the crew to look to exchange stunned looks. Alex was rarely one to panic. It was her unflinching attitude and calm head that had kept swayed Kessel to her side and kept them all alive when faced with foes who saw the DEO as easy pickings.

“Um, should we be worried?” Reinhart asked curiously.

“I’m sure the Cap’s got it under control, kid,” Kessel grunted out from the chair he had claimed as his. “She’ll let us know if it ain’t.”

Reinhart looked unconvinced, as did most of the crew, but a look from Kessel had them all quickly returning to their stations.

-

Crewmembers flattened themselves against the walls as Alex rushed past them. Her boots hammered against the metal corridors as she ran to the medbay. Blood pounded her ears with each stride she took. She worked to shove down her rising panic. It wouldn’t do Sameen or the budling any good if she showed up unfocused.

-

The doors to the medbay hissed upen. Zar’ya and Sameen both looked up to see Alex come stumbling in, chest heaving.

“Sorry I’m late!” Alex apologised. “I got here as soon as I could!”

Zar’ya worked to get Sameen settled before she addressed Alex.

“You’re fine, Captain,” she reassured. “Sameen’s just started.”

Alex moved towards Sameen. She checked the Saurian over. Sweat was beginning to gather on Sameen’s forehead, but other than that, they looked like they were doing fine.

They picked up on Alex’s concern. “I’m fine, Captain,” they said. “Uncomfortable, but fine.”

Alex looked unconvinced. She reached out over the kepesh-par bond to check on the budling.

‘Alex-par!’ It greeted. She could feel happiness pulse across the bond.

‘Hey, kiddo,’ she said mentally. ‘You ready to join the crew?’

‘Ready! Ready! Ready!’

Sameen laughed. As the budding unit, they also shared the bond and subsequently could hear the budling as well. Though at first they had worried about how the budling would receive Alex as the kepesh-par, the last six months had proven that worry for naught. The budling had been curious at first, but eagerly welcomed Alex.

-

Alex, for her part, had proven a capable kepesh-par. She was a doting kepesh-par, though she had spent the first two months being extremely protective of Sameen and the budling. Sameen had accepted early on that Alex’s protective attitude came from being an older sibling and being mated back on Earth. At first, it was endearing, but it quickly got out of hand. They, along with Lyra and Zar’ya had been forced to counsel Alex after she had almost taken a hyperspanner to Kessel’s knees when he accidentally knocked Sameen over. Alex grudgingly agreed to tone it down, but continued to worry over the two.

-

Alex smiled as Sameen laughed. She was happy to see that the budling was eager, but she couldn’t help but be slightly afraid. What if she messed this up? What if something happened during the final budding stage? Once she and Sameen melded, she wouldn’t be able to do anything, medically, for them or the budling.

The budling picked up on her anxiety. ‘Alex-par, go okay!’ It chirped up.

“Yes, everything will be fine, Captain,” Sameen said, giving her a look of mock reproach. “We are in Zar’ya’s capable hands.”

Alex glanced at Zar’ya, who was busy getting the medical equipment online. Zar’ya was indeed a capable medic, and while she wasn’t Alex, she was the better choice. If, god forbid, things went south, Zar’ya could remain objective and focused. Alex wouldn’t be able to. She wasn’t programmed that way.

Zar’ya glanced at Alex. “I’ve got this, Captain,” she said. “You’ve made me recite the protocol, along with the seven contingencies we have in place should anything happen, repeatedly over the last six months.”

Alex had the decency to look embarrassed. Before she could say anything, Sameen let out a cry of pain. A yelp from Alex followed moments later.

Zar’ya checked over the read out. She shared a look with Alex, who had a hand braced against Sameen’s bed. It was time.

Alex managed a grin before she moved to Sameen’s side. “Alright.” She inhaled deeply to gather herself, knowing that the next few hours were going to hurt. She took their hand, feeling a buzzing at the base her skull, signaling that the meld was about to begin.

“Let’s do this.”

-

HOUR 1

Alex felt hungover. Not hungover in the “get that beer away from me, the sight of alcohol makes me want to vomit, I’m never drinking again” sense, but in the “I feel like someone just took a sledgehammer to my brain and I want to die” sense. She had a high pain tolerance, but an hour in and she was silently wishing for an ice pack, or at least, for Zar’ya to turn the lights down in the medbay.

“Forgive me, Captain,” Sameen apologised as another wave of pain rolled through her.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alex replied with a shake of head. She regretted the action almost immediately. “I’m no stranger to this sensation.”

She felt a shy telepathic touch. It was the budling.

‘Alex-par and Bud-par no hurt.’

Alex gave a small laugh. “I’m alright kiddo,” she said aloud. Trying to communicate over the bond wasn’t something she was keen on doing right now, given that her head was pounding. “You focus on getting yourself out.”

‘I must concur,’ Sameen spoke up mentally. ‘Alex and I will endure.’

The budling made a small noise of protest before retreating.

Zar’ya gave Sameen a curious look. “So, is it common for Saurian budlings/subunits to try and provide aid to the budding parent and kepesh-par during the final budding?” she asked.

“I am uncertain,” they said. “Much of the information regarding the final budding stage of my people differs from budding Saurian to budding Saurian.”

“No kidding,” Alex muttered. That was an understatement. Soon after the establishment of the kepesh-par bond, she had gone digging for information regarding Saurians and their reproductive methods. She’d quizzed crewmembers, searched through numerous terminals, and even raided a library on Katoh-Fel. It had proved fruitless. And much to Alex’s frustration, what little information she had uncovered couldn’t even be applied to Sameen.

Zar’ya ignored Alex’s grumbling. She scanned Sameen and nodded.

“Well, at least you’ll be able to add to the Saurian experience record,” she remarked. “Because this’ll be over soon.”

Alex and Sameen both raised eyebrows at that.

“And by soon, I mean within the next five hours.” If Sameen hadn’t been holding her hand, Alex would’ve face-palmed. She hated Zar’ya sometimes. Sameen vocalized their displeasure at Zar’ya’s remark.

Zar’ya chuckled. “Sorry,” she said, not sounded the slightest bit apologetic. “Couldn’t resist.”

-

HOUR 2

Sameen was no stranger to pain. They had been captured and tortured by loyalist forces on Soris-Vel before being sent to a “reeducation” camp on Salel-Rok. They had survived there for eighteen months before managing to escape to Earth.

That said, they were quickly coming to realize why their people required a kepesh-par during the final budding stage. This wasn’t an ache that could be mentally blocked off, nor could one disassociate from it. No matter what Sameen did, they found that it not only did the pain remain, it continued to grow.

Sameen was broken form her musings when they felt a slight mental tug. Alex had taken note of their suffering and adjusted the bond in an attempt to counteract it, taking on more of the burden.

“That was unnecessary, Captain,” they protested through grit teeth. “You need not take on more of this burden.”

“We can go back to sharing it in a bit,” Alex retorted. “My job’s to make this a bit easier for you, yeah?”

Sameen couldn’t find it in themselves to disagree. Alex’s unexpected readjustment had indeed eased the pain. It felt less like they were being torn apart and more as though they were merely being bludgeoned with a Saurian war hammer.

Both fell into an easy silence as Alex focused on holding back the pain.

“Thank you, Captain,” Sameen said after several moments.

Alex look a little confused. “For what?”

Sameen waved vaguely. “For this, for your help.”

“You’re family, Sameen,” Alex said with a shrug. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

-

HOUR 3

The doors to the medbay hissed open. Lyra, having been informed by Zar’ya as to what was happening, walked in. She was surprised to see how calm the medbay appeared, with Sameen meditating and Alex reading. Upon closer inspection, however, she could see how haggard Alex was getting.

“How’re they fairing, Zar?” she asked.

Zar’ya looked up from the scans. She glanced at Sameen, whose eyes were closed in meditation.

“Well, Sameen’s doing as well as can be given the situation,” she replied. She shifted her glance at Alex. “The Captain…I believe she’s suffering from ‘nervous secondary parental unit’ syndrome.”

Alex shot her a glare. “I am not!” she said indignantly.

“Captain, you’ve been reading the alien equivalent of What to Expect When You’re Expecting on and off for the last three hours,” Zar’ya noted dryly.

“It’s an interesting read,” Alex defended. “I’d like to be prepared.”

“You’ve also made me recite the seven contingencies we have in place should anything go wrong five times in the last three hours,” Zar’ya pointed out.

“I need to make sure you’re prepared!”

“Captain, you’ve had me repeat the them, and the protocol, just about every day over the last six months.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Alex,” Lyra spoke up, catching her attention. She rarely referred to Alex as ‘Alex,’ preferring to address her as ‘Captain.’ “Chill. You and Zar’ya created the protocol, remember?”

Alex paused. “Oh yeah, good point,” she said. She had the decency to look embarrassed. “Wow, okay, I guess I am having a dad moment.”

Zar’ya gave Lyra a curious look. “A what moment?” she whispered.

“The human term for ‘nervous secondary parental unit’ syndrome,” Lyra muttered back quietly.

“Ah.”

-

HOUR 4

“How do you both feel?” Zar’ya asked as she checked in on her patients.

Both Alex and Sameen were covered in sweat. Alex was trembling and her jaw was clenched tight. Sameen looked a little better, but only just. They held Alex’s hand in a death grip so tight that, from the occasional wince Alex gave, was on the verge of breaking it.  

Alex glowered. “Like I went seven rounds with a Hellgramite gang,” she replied shortly.

“Worse than after a session with Kressnik loyalist ‘reeducators.’” Was Sameen’s response.

“Well at least it’s almost over!” Zar’ya’s cheerful tone caused Alex to glared harder.

“Are you ever not perky?”

“Nope!”

If looks could kill, Zar’ya would have dropped dead several times over from the force of Alex’s glare.

“I hate you,” Alex muttered sourly. Sameen vocalized their agreement.

-

HOUR 5

The vicious blast of pain that hit both Sameen and Alex signaled that the end was near. Zar’ya moved quickly.

“Well, I was right, wasn’t I?”

“Not the time, Zar’ya,” Alex growled out before doubling over. She bit her lip to try and stifle her cry of pain. She tasted blood instead.

‘Bud-par! Alex-par!’ The budling cried out.

‘Almost, little one,’ Sameen soothed. ‘You are almost here.’

Alex reached out to provide some modicum of comfort to the budling. As soon as she connected mentally, she was met with a whirlwind of fear and anxiety. The excitement that the budling had displayed earlier in the day was nowhere to be found. Now it was nervous.

‘Hey, it’s alright. You’re okay,’ Alex reassured. ‘We’re right here, kiddo.’

“Whatever it is the two of you are telling the budling, keep it up,” Zar’ya ordered. “It needs to calm down a bit before it goes for the budding pouch, otherwise you’ll both end up overloaded.”

Alex made a noise of acknowledgement. She took a deep breath and focused. She didn’t bother trying to disassociate from the pain. Instead, she pulled on the bond to bring more of the pain on to herself so that Sameen could continue to comfort the budling. She gritted her teeth at the agony that ripped through. She felt like she was being torn apart, mentally and physically. She could vaguely hear Zar’ya speaking before everything went white.

-

If you asked Alex what happened in those final moments, she wouldn’t be able to tell you. All she remembered was the world turning white around her and hearing Sameen crying out before a tiny Saurian was pressed into her hands.

Alex’s breath caught in her chest at the sight of the budling. It’s was so small. She had guns bigger than it! She could make out small little ridges that would later develop into its plates.

“Hi,” she whispered.

‘Alex-par,’ It mewled. ‘Warm.’ It wigged in her hands, adjusting itself within her cupped hands.

Alex had no idea what to say. Her hands, so used to dishing out damage and taking lives, now held an innocent life within them.

“Captain?” Zar’ya voice snapped her out of her awe. She looked up. “We need to get the budling into the budding pouch.”

“Right.” Alex carefully maneuvered the budling to Zar’ya.

The budling let out a small whine, obviously displeased with the change.  

Zar’ya passed the budling to Sameen. They gently brought the budling to the opening of their budding pouch. As soon as it felt the flesh of Sameen’s abdomen, the budling wiggled upwards. After several moments, it finally entered the budding pouch.

-

Sameen leaned back against the pile of pillows that had grown over the last five hours. It had seemed like with each passing hour, Alex had added another pillow to the pile until Sameen was sure that she had retrieved every pillow on the ship. At first, they had protested, but soon acquiesced, understanding that Alex was just as nervous as they were and that this was her way of keeping calm.  

Sameen was euphoric. The budling was here, safe. They were grateful for Alex’s aid. She was an excellent kepesh-par that had gone above and beyond over the last six months, especially during the final moments of the budding. A twinge of sadness ran through them. Samar would’ve been a wonderful kepesh-par. They should have been here, but they weren’t. And they wouldn’t be on Earth either when the DEO returned because Samar was dead. They had sacrificed themselves trying to protect Sameen from Cadmus. They would never get to meet the budling that they had helped create or the brave human who had offered herself to keep Sameen alive so that they could bring safely bring it into the universe.

Alex, for her part, was slumped against the bed, sore beyond belief. She was exhausted. The last five hours had felt like an eternity. She’d been on combat missions that, while they had lasted a great deal longer, felt less taxing than what she had endured today. Despite that, she didn’t regret a moment of it. The budling had arrived safely. Sameen was okay. That was worth a little pain.

Privately, Alex wondered what Maggie would have done if she were here. Would she have approved? Would she have teased Alex about having her dad moment? Would she have shared in Alex’s awe at the tiny lifeform that had been brought into the universe, despite the circumstances that surrounded them?

“Have you decided on a name for the budling?” Zar’ya asked, pulling both Alex and Sameen from their thoughts.

Alex said nothing. The budling was Sameen’s. It was their right to name them.

“Captain, would you like to name the budling?” Sameen’s question came as a surprise to Alex.

“Me?” she sputtered.

“There is no other Captain on this ship, Captain.” Sameen’s tone was tired but amused.

“Why?”

“Because you have earned the honor.” It was a simple explanation that spoke volumes.

Alex was stunned. “Are you sure you want me to name them, Sameen?” she asked. “I don’t exactly have the track record when it comes to naming things.” She tried to sound glib, but it was true. She’d named a starship after the paramilitary organization that she had worked for back on Earth, albeit she done it to stop Lyra from naming it something even more ridiculous, but still. Was Sameen serious about this?

Sameen could sense Alex’s doubt. “Of course I’m certain, Captain. I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

They had a point, Alex mused. She mulled over her options. It felt as though it had been lifetimes since she and Maggie had discussed hypothetical baby names in passing. Maggie had been open to Ophelia and Audrey and, after M’gann had left for Mars, Megan. Alex had tossed around names like Octavia or Raven, but those names didn’t seem fitting now. She looked down to her hands. They had taken so many lives, but today they had brought one forth.

Alex closed her eyes and settled on a name. Astra. It would be a fitting name for a youngling born among the stars. She had taken Astra’s life and now she would spend the rest of her life defending the new Astra.

‘Astra work for you, kiddo?’ she asked, making sure they were okay with it before she had the name added to the crew registry.

‘Astra.’ The budling tested the name out. ‘Like Astra!’

Alex and Sameen both shared a smile.

“Astra,” Alex told Zar’ya.

Zar’ya entered the information on the datapad. “Alright, Astra has been added to the crew manifest.” She looked at them. “I’ve put a memo out that you’ll be unavailable for next few days, except for emergencies, Captain. Even though the pain you shouldered was psychic in nature, you’ll need that time to recover.”

Alex didn’t bother protesting. While she doubted she’d be able to enjoy the time off, she welcomed the rest.

“Sameen, I’ve also logged you as unavailable so that you can have some time to further the bond with Astra,” she continued. “I would like you to remain in the medbay overnight so I can monitor the both of you.

“Thank you, Zar’ya,” Sameen said. “I actually preferred to remain in the medbay, so thank you for that as well.”

“Really?” Zar’ya and Alex were surprised to hear that, Alex most of all. No one preferred to be in the medbay if they could help it. Even Alex, who was the DEO’s Chief Medical Officer in addition to the ship’s Captain, avoided spending time in the medbay unless she her presence was required, but that might’ve also been because she was a terrible patient.

“Kessel snores.” Sameen shrugged as best they could with an aching body. “I would like to sleep tonight and do not wish to spend the night awake, having to hear him.”

“Understandable.” Zar’ya nodded. She glanced at Alex. “Captain, you’re free to return to your quarters.”

“Thanks, Zar.” Alex pushed herself to her feet with a wince. There was some serious stiffness underlying the soreness. “Contact me immediately if anything happens.”

“Of course, Captain.”

-

Zar’ya had learned early on that it was a bad idea to keep information regarding patient conditions from Alex. She had done so only once, when Lyra had come down with a minor infection, under the belief that it was beneath Alex’s concern. It didn’t go well. To say that Alex had been upset was an understatement. She immediately removed Zar’ya from the medbay and took over Lyra’s treatment. It was an entire week before Alex placed Zar’ya back in the medbay, with an apology. She had explained to Zar’ya that the crew was her family now, which meant that every medical matter, no matter how small, was Alex’s business.

-

Alex moved the leave the medbay. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to check on Sameen and saw that they had fallen asleep. She could make out the slightly bulging budding pouch that now held Astra. She smiled.

-

Alex stumbled into her quarters. Not for the first time did she curse the distance between the medbay and her quarters. She reached her bed and all but collapsed on top of it. She was so exhausted from her day that she didn’t even bother to remove her boots. She managed to summon just enough energy to roll on to her back.

She let out a breath. On a whim, she reached for the photo that sat on the shelving next to her bed. She lifted it over her face. Maggie’s dimpled grin shone warmly at Alex. Seeing it still made butterflies flutter in her gut at the same time it made heart ache. She remembered the night that photo was taken: Kara had said something, Alex couldn’t remember what, but it made Maggie laugh. James managed catch a photo at just the right moment and sent it Alex a few days later.

Alex started to feel drowsy. She sighed and placed the photo on the pillow next to her.

I’ll be home soon, Maggie, Alex vowed to herself. Her eyes slipped shut and she dreamed of small children with her hair and Maggie’s smile.