Authors Notes: More fluff and a happy ending. Not just for fairy tales.

Finally home

Shepard sat in Isabella's paddling pool, while the seventeen month old, unceremoniously dumped water on her mother's hefty, eight month pregnant, stomach. She would have objected but by the way her son moved about, she surmised he was actually enjoying it. Isabella babbled away happily, while she basked in the glorious April sunshine. She heard movement in the house, knowing Kaidan had returned from walking Eden. Within about thirty seconds, she knew Eden would be running out into the garden and jumping in the pool, sending the water flying. She'd never have known a dog would have the most fun it could ever have, while jumping and out of a kiddie pool while having a toddler fire water at him with a water gun.

Kaidan walked out into the garden, making her whistle teasingly. He had nothing but his shorts on, his delicious and rather irresistible golden body, uncovered for her to admire. He carried a big tub and two spoons, getting into the pool behind his daughter. "Is that ice cream?" She asked, almost drooling.

"Chocolate orange. You're favourite."

"Well, get that beautiful butt of yours, over here."

He chuckled, moving next to her. "Izzy, you want some ice cream?"

She dropped the water gun and planted herself in from of him. "'Cream, dada."

Shepard laughed as she watched him feed her as she dipped her own spoon in. "See, handsome. I'm not the only one who'd sell my soul for ice cream." When he gave her side ways look, she knew what he'd be after later. "Oh, oh. Now I get it."

"No idea what you mean." He protested as he fed Izzy more ice cream. "Just a husband and father, getting his family a cold treat in the hot weather."

"We both know you are after a completely different heat later."

Izzy interrupted them by patting him on the hand, then pointing to Shepard's bump. "'Cream, bubby?"

With just two little babbled words, she melted both her parents more than the sun could. "He shares my ice cream, Izzy." Shepard pulled her closer, giving her lots of tickling kisses to make her laugh. "But, what a sweet big sister you are, to think about him."

"Big sis..ta?"

Shepard marvelled at her daughter's ever expanding vocabulary. Every day it seemed, she was saying more and more. Garrus joked that, by five she'll have her own command and probably be inducted into the Spectres. She was a thinker, logical even at her age and with a little dose of bossiness in the mix. James said she wouldn't need a gun, she'd just disarm her enemies with her angelic face. "That's right, Izzy. You'll be a big sister."

She moved from her mother's arms, leaning down to give her unborn brother a kiss. "Luff, bubby."

They watched Izzy as she went back to playing with Eden. "James was right. Charm is her best weapon." Shepard smiled, watching her daughter play happily with the dog.

"Well…." Kaidan winked at her. "She is your daughter." He kissed her gently, stroking his noise against hers.

"Would it be bad of us to have sex in this pool later?" She whispered in his ear.

"We have a two. She'll never know." He nipped at her earlobe, making her squeal loudly. "You'll be doing lots of that later."

"Stop it, you naughty man." She chided, teasingly. "We can play later." She laughed out loud when Izzy fired the water pistol in his face. "Get him, Izzy!"

Kaidan laughed as he found himself in his back, both wife and daughter on top of him, pouring cold water over his head. "I surrender!" He pleaded, still laughing so much he couldn't breath properly, as Eden joined in on the fun.

Izzy flopped down on his chest, having giggled herself exhausted. "Luff, dada."

He smiled, caressing her long dark hair. "I love you, Izzy and mama."

"Luff, mama."

Shepard leant down to kiss her daughter's cheek, blowing a raspberry against the skin. "I love you, precious and dada." Eden barked, almost indignant. "We love you, too."

Shepard jolted awake, caused by a hefty kick by the growing boy inside her. She was getting used to such abrupt wake ups as his nocturnal exercises got more intense. "Kaidan?" She called out into the darkness, realising her husband wasn't asleep next to her. She looked at the clock, groaning at the time, "3am." She huffed out. Then she heard the soft music coming from downstairs and decided to investigated. She gently manoeuvred herself out of bed, stepping out of the bedroom to the landing where the music grew louder. Leaning over the bannister, she could just see Kaidan in the dim light of the living room, moving slowly with the music. She smiled, her heart warming as she got a glimpse of his dance partner. Isabella had been feeling under the weather for the last two days and not sleeping very well. Kaidan had taken on the care, so Shepard could get more rest; with only a month left, she needed it.

Soundlessly, she made her way to the living room, standing by the sofa to watch as her husband hummed gently into their daughter's ear, softly lulling her to sleep. He turned to face her, a sleepy smile on his lips, "Care to dance?" He whispered, extending his free hand out to her.

She smiled and blushed, her knees giving a little wobble as he always had that effect on her, "I thought you'd never ask," Laughing lightly as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder, the other gently rubbing Isabella's back. She giggled when his strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight to him so her bump rested against his stomach. The song changed; it happened to be one of her favourites. "Tonight you're mine, completely….." She sang softly, drawing a blissful sigh out of her husband as they moved together slowly, "You give your love so sweetly….." Her head rested against his shoulder as she got lost in the little world they made together. Most would laugh, knowing their song was about a one night stand, but they so very nearly didn't have a tomorrow, it seemed so apt.

Kaidan closed his eyes as the waves of bliss washed over him, as he had his wife and children in his arms, where they belonged. He lived for moments like this, where he could pretend they were the only ones to exist in the galaxy. Nothing else mattered but them, "I love you." He whispered, pressing a kissing into her hair.

"I love you." She replied, sleepily. He had no idea just how much. He was everything she needed, he was the strong one when she couldn't be, the one always behind her, "Kaidan?"

"Hmmm?

"Thank you?"

"What for?" He asked, his lips ghosted over the skin of her forehead.

"For not giving up on me." Came her tearful reply.

He laughed gently. "You've given me many more reasons to be thankful."

"So we're even then…." She laughed through her tears.

He laughed, leaning down to kiss her, letting his lips linger on hers. "Let's go to bed."

Together, they walked upstairs to their bedroom. Kaidan laid Isabella down gently in the middle, taking care not to wake her. He watched as Shepard got into bed before gently kissing their daughter's forehead, earning a tiny, sleepy giggle. He joined them a moment later, resting his hand on Shepard's stomach; the boy within content to sleep.

Kaidan laid in bed, pretending to be asleep and he smiled to himself as he heard the conspiring whispers of his children, mainly Isabella telling Theo to jump on daddy. Then his wife's voice joined in, telling them both to shout "surprise" He braced himself as he heard the hurried patters of little feet on the wooden floor. He groaned as he felt two weights jump on his stomach. "Surprise!" They yelled.

Both children joined him under the covers as he sat up. "Well, good morning."

"Happy birthday, daddy." Isabella giggled, snuggling up to his side. "Mummy made breakfast."

Shepard laid a tray on his lap, giving him a quick kiss. "Happy birthday 40th birthday."

"Mmmm, thank you." They all tucked into the pancakes Shepard had made. Kaidan enjoyed little moments where they just sat like this, eating and talking.

"Mummy?" Isabella tapped on her mother's arm. "Can we give daddy his present?"

"Go on then."

Kaidan took a box from his daughter, opening it to see what his wife and children has been conspiring about for months. He saw a pad with a picture of the Normandy on it. At Shepard's urging, he read it, suddenly bursting out with laughing. "You rented the Normandy?"

"Yep. I called in all the favours I was owed. We are going on a galaxy tour, in style. We also get to spend time with our friends. We leave in two hours.

"But we need to pack?"

"Baby, please. Remember who you are talking to. Our bags are at the Alliance HQ."

"We are going to so many places, daddy. Auntie Tali is going to take me on a tour of Rannoch." Isabella jumped of the bed excitedly.

Shepard moved into the spot that her daughter vacated, snuggling up to her ever handsome, if slightly greying, husband. "It's going to great. We can admire places the way the were meant to be."

"Will you be ok." He asked, worried. Shepard still struggling with the idea of stepping inside the Normandy, but he knew she would only suck it up for him.

"I'll be fine. Me and my therapist have been working on that. I might wobble but, I'm ready to do it.

He smiled at her, placing a tender kiss on her lips. "You are the bravest, most incredible, woman I've ever met and I love you, so very much."

"I love you, too."

Three hours later, they were on the Normandy in James cabin after he kindly offered them use of it. Shepard did have a slight wobble, but she overcame it. Once they got inside the cabin, she knew that she had come home.