Two’s Company, Three isn’t a crowd...hopefully!

Posted on Fri Apr 12th, 2019 @ 7:30pm by Brigadier General Kaden Ross & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

1,980 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: SB400 Ross Quarters
Timeline: MD8 1400 hrs

Having finally got to their new home, the first thing Freya had done was to find hers and Kaden’s Quarters. As promised Admiral Bremer had arranged family sized Quarters with an extra room for Alicia as she’d be staying with them both for the next few months. She wanted to make sure that there wasn’t a pile of boxes cluttering the floor where Alicia might get tripped up and injured as well as start sorting their own things.

*** Meanwhile, Alicia’s Quarters ***

In her own Quarters Alicia was busy packing a case of clothes along with some PADDs and a few trinkets to take to her temporary new home. She was still keeping her Quarters but at least this would give her the security she needed right now.

Kaden came around the corner setting a box down next to the others before turning to Ariana. “Thats the last of it, you ready to go?” He asked as he picked up Ariana’s case. “Freya is excited to have you around certainly apparently means you both can do Betazoid girl things...paint your toe nails do all that telepathic stuff you guys do when talking about Ex lovers without pesky Humans needing to know.” Of course he was teasing her but it helped Kaden not think about the fact she was pregnant which made him nervous.

"I'm looking forward to that too!" She grinned. "Kaden...I didn't get chance to say thank you for comforting me the other day. I appreciate you putting me to bed too, I needed the rest." She smiled. "Just so you know...the twins did hear you when you spoke to them, you just took your hand away too soon to feel their response." She smiled warmly as she looked at him.

Kaden stopped dead in his tracks his face turning slightly red that his little chat with the baby bump was found out instead he forced a smile on his lips. “Hey, no problem I just hated seeing you like that.” He told her.

Ariana smiled. “You don’t need to be embarrassed Kaden, what you did was very sweet. I wasn’t purposely listening, I was drifting to sleep and I felt your touch. It’s been a long time since you rested your hand on my stomach, it’s something you used to do in your sleep when you used to drape your arm over me in your sleep.” She smiled warmly.

Kaden recalled those nights of him doing so it was something that sort of carried on from her to Freya oddly. “Well, I will not lie I guess it is a habit that seems to carry on with me I do the same with Freya but when you see her. She has a perfect six pack on her cause she is dedicated to her role as a medic and staying fit for her job...she wanted to be a fitness trainer and model once you know. Oddly, sort of like you did before you found your true passion helping people.” He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you and Freya growing up on Betazed had a dream of being fashion models together?”

"Not really!" Ariana smiled. "We used to joke about impressing the boys and finding mr right, strange how we both ended up choosing you! I guess we both know how to pick a good man don't we?" She stood looking at him trying to ignore the fact that it stirred old feelings she used to have for him.

Kaden shrugged as he sat down in a chair and placed the case he was holding next to him before rolling up his sleeve knowing it was time for his medication. “I don’t know,” He pulled out his case of medicine and proceeded to inject himself making his hand into a fist a few times to get the blood flowing. “Sure picked one that is a freak with defects if you ask me the good old ‘Khan Kid’ that should of been aborted or locked up like the eugenic he is.”

"Kaden you are not a genetic freak!" Ariana walked over to him and sat down beside him gently placing her hand on his arm. "You are one of the most caring men I've ever known Kaden Ross and don't you forget it!" She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek but as she did so he turned his head and instead of his cheek their lips met. She drew back a little in shock and surprise. "Kaden I...I'm sorry!...I wasnt trying to..."

Kaden quickly got to his feet a bit shocked himself as well but tried to shake off the feeling as he rolled his sleeve back down. “No, it was my fault I picked a wrong time to move my head I suppose,” He cleared his throat and reached down to grab her case so they could go ahead head for their place where Freya was probably waiting for them. But he reached over he was distracted by the kiss he didn’t realize his hand had grabbed Ariana on the behind.

Ariana too had stood and walked away from where she'd been sitting. She slowly moved back to the bags to pick hers up when she felt a touch. "Kaden!" She turned to look at him before smiling. "I guess I deserved that!" She grinned as she walked up to him. "I don't know why I'm shocked it's not like you haven't touched me before."

Kaden pulled his hand back but couldn’t help but find himself grinning. “Well, you do have a nice rump on you that I could never resist,” He then raised an eyebrow. “Between you and Freya though you both certainly have the same body types I always liked in a woman as well as a good heart.”

"I'll take that as a compliment then!" She grinned as she turned. "Now hold still this time while I kiss you on the cheek like I meant to!" She stepped forward and gently leaned towards him to kiss him on the cheek this time.

Kaden stood there letting her show him a bit of affection but noticed her shirt was getting wet around her bosom. “Uh, Ariana, I think you might need to fix a leak real quick before we go,” He motioned to her chest that was lactating with his eyes. “Is...is...that normal?” Kaden was bit nervous seeing her like that hoping it wasn’t a bad sign.

“Oops sorry!” Ariana blushed. “Let me just...” she headed into the bedroom to quickly change into her other bra and a new top. She reappeared shortly afterwards. “Sorry about that! Don’t worry it’s perfectly normal. It’s just my body preparing for the baby, it happens!”

Kaden pulled on his collar of his shirt still a bit nervous but did his best to calm down. “I see, I guess I should get used to that when Freya and I are expecting,” He sighed before he walked away from Ariana feeling sad and angry. “Oh, who am I kidding! Freya says the doctors believe if we have kids they going wind up like freaks just like me.”

“Hey you stop that!” Ariana looked at Kaden. “Just because it might be a possibility it doesn’t mean that it will happen! Your children might not inherit your condition. It’s no reason not to try is it? Would you deprive yourself of having that chance? Even if a baby did inherit you know what the condition is so you could make things so much easier for your child.”

Kaden looked at Ariana with a straight face. “That’s just it, Ariana, I rather not have children if they wound up like me,” He could feel himself tear up as he pulled himself away from her. “I failed to protect, Freya, if I can’t even look after my own wife then why risk having kids if I can’t protect them either?” Feeling angry Kaden slammed his hand on the table nearby. “Do you know what it is like being terrorized by men at three years old showing up at your house grilling your parents if their two children are experiments in eugenics? Or being pushed off a jungle gym winding up almost losing your life cause you are a freak?” He could feel tears roll down his face. “No! I will not go through that not ever knowing my children could go through the same as I did with my family growing up.”

As much as she understood his fears there wasn't that much Ariana could say that would help right now. "Then if you're set on that, I suggest you speak to your wife." She looked at Kaden. "Frey has been telling me how much she's looking forward to having a baby with you and the fact that you'd already been trying while on your honeymoon. What's going to happen if it turns out that she's already pregnant? Are you going to leave her to face it alone?"

“Of course not!” Kaden replied angrily. “Just...not sure I could handle being the father of a freak...”

"Enough of calling yourself a freak!" Ariana looked at Kaden. "You are NOT a freak! Neither will your child or children be!!"

Kaden feeling frustrated raised his voice slightly. “How the hell do you know that, Ariana? Did you become some genetic expert after we broke up?” He stopped realizing what was happening his fears and hatred of himself was getting the best of him. “I’m...I’m sorry, I shouldn’t of...” Kaden shook his head as he sat down trembling. “Here we go again fighting like we used to when we once talked about kids, that is why you left me isn’t it? That is why Freya is going to leave me is cause I can’t live knowing any kids I have will wind up like me...”

Ariana sighed. "Kaden...there's no point in going over and over this. Like I said its Frey you should be talking to about this. I suggest you do it sooner rather than later." She started towards the door. "So are you ready to go? I need to get some rest and I can't do that until I'm settled in my bedroom at yours."

Kaden couldn’t keep it together anymore he felt Ariana was hiding something from him maybe she was ashamed to talk about it but despite all her assurances it was not his fault somewhere along the way he messed up and she couldn’t bring herself to tell him. “You never want to talk about it, you rather just pass the buck and avoid telling me the truth you say it was not me that caused us to break up maybe you are right I should never blame myself. But I see it in your eyes I was partially responsible for something that happened but you won’t tell me, why? What is it you are hiding?” He stopped taking a step back. “You know what? Why bother you don’t want to tell me just keep me in the dark...I need some time alone I’ll come back later and get your things since you don’t want to talk to me.” Kaden angrily started for the door not wanting to say another word and left.

Watching him go Ariana sighed and put down her bag. She tapped the computer screen nearby and sent Freya a message saying she wouldn’t be staying after all and that she’d either explain her reasons later. Right now she needed to be stress-free and it was anything but stress-free between her and Kaden. Heading into her bedroom she lay down to get some rest.

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