#pre-andromeda

Alec and Ellen Ryder just welcomed their two little bundles of joy into the world, and realized that what they thought, somethings have to be experienced and can’t be learned in books. written for the Family week hosted by @joufancyhuh.

May 7th: Day One--Birth

“Ellen, honey, they're both so beautiful...you did great.” He bent to kiss his wife’s forehead with a baby in each arm, the twins nestled against his massive chest.

She smiled tiredly up at him patting his arm as she settled back against the pillows. “We did great. I couldn't have had them without you.”

Alec grinned at her, shifting Alexis away from Scott as she kicked a tiny, chubby foot towards her little brother sleepily; out of the womb for less than half an hour and she was already a troublemaker. “But I had the fun job.”

Ellen rolled her eyes, absolutely sure conception had been the only fun part. Between the morning sickness, prenatal care, the lamaze classes, the parenting books, choosing names, constant massages to help with her aches and pains, her waking him up in the middle of the night as she fled the bed to pee for the twelfth time since they’d laid down, her insane mood swings, decorating the nursery and then re-decorating the nursery when they found out it was twins, the child-proofing, and the midnight grocery runs because of her odd cravings, it was a wonder he’d maintained his enthusiasm and excitement. She’d been ready to scream and just be done on multiple occasions. But now, seeing him sitting with the twins, violet eyes overflowing with love and awe as he began singing quietly under his breath, bouncing them gently in his arms made everything worth it, even if she was exhausted. Ellen’s eyelids fluttered closed, Alec’s husky, slightly off-key voice lulling her into a light doze.

She woke up to a small cry.

“Which one?” She asked, voice thick with sleep.

“Scott.”

He’d wanted to let her sleep more, but there were some things he just couldn’t do. She smiled and held out her arms, Alec using his legs to push himself out of his chair and handing their hungry, fussy baby boy to his mother, Ellen settling down in the hospital bed. He stood there, tucking Alexis against his chest, bouncing up and down as he watched the love of his life as she nursed their son. Alexis blinked up at Alec, violet eyes just like his wide in wonder at the world. He gazed down at her in awe--he’d helped create both of those lives, and it was amazing...to think that these tiny humans would turn their whole lives around in such a short amount of time, three short hours. Her small face scrunched up a keening wail, causing Alec’s eyes to go wide. He was still new to this--was it a hungry cry? Did she need to be changed? Was she too warm? Too cold? Despite all the parenting books, when faced with the reality of this, his mind was a complete blank, until he felt her squirming in his arms as best she could with her limited mobility.

Maybe she didn’t like being swaddled…

Alec grinned as he unwrapped her from the blanket he’d wrapped her in earlier, Alexis calming down almost instantly. “Keeps you from kicking your brother though doesn’t it, Ladybug?”

“Ladybug?” Ellen asked, glancing over at her husband.

“With her face all mottled and red and the black hair and eyebrows, I just thought of a ladybug.” It was hard to miss the blush creeping across husband’s cheeks; big bad C-Sec officer Alec Ryder was blushing as he held a baby cradled in his arms.

“You are so cute.” Ellen giggled, beckoning him forward with a crook of her finger.

“I am not cute.” He grumbled under his breath.

She couldn’t wait to see what he called Scott. He climbed up onto the bed with her, the mattress dipping under his weight as she bent her head to readjust her left breast back into her shirt, Alec’s lips meeting hers in a brief kiss when she looked up. When she took Alexis to feed her, his arms suddenly felt empty until he took Scott, shifting their baby boy onto his shoulder to burp him, patting his back gently. It was like he was meant for this, the role of a father, though until this moment he would not have thought that was possible, to find something that consumed him so completely, and so quickly. Scott burbled happily, tiny fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt, tugging it slightly down, exposing Alec’s collarbone, resting his little face against his father’s skin. His eyes closed, relaxed by the familiar presence of his father and in that moment, Alec realized that he would let nothing stop him from protecting them from the dangers the galaxy posed, emotionally and physically so help him. They completed him.

“Ellen...Aside from our wedding day, I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”

Day 1 of Liam Kosta Week, prompt: First Encounters. A little Pre-Andromeda fluff for Liam and Pathfinder Ryder before everything went to hell in a handbasket. Since they officially met in the shuttle over Habitat-7 it’s mostly passing glances. Special appearances by Alec Ryder, Harry Carlyle, and Scott Ryder.

Off limits.

Pathfinder Ryder had told him when he’d spotted the lovely young woman with the black hair helping a young man with the same hair color and facial features into his cryo-pod. Alec had practically growled it at him. She was by far and away the prettiest face he’d seen so far on the ark, and part of him couldn’t wait to wake up on the other side if she was going to be there. Alec stepped in his line of sight blocking her from view, looking ready to murder Liam in his sleeping pod, so he dragged his attention away from the way she filled out her initiative uniform. It wouldn’t do to be kicked off the Pathfinder’s team over a woman.

“But who is she?”

“Alexis is my recon specialist, she’s remarkably astute and her observational skills are off the charts. She’s also my daughter and I’d appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself…I don’t want to have to find another crisis specialist when we get to Andromeda.”

Of course he had to be attracted to the one woman he couldn’t have; the pathfinder’s daughter.

His parents had come earlier to say goodbye, his mum couldn’t stop crying because her baby boy was going to wake up 600 years later in a new galaxy with no one, even if he had been handpicked for the job and they were so proud of him. How lucky that the Pathfinder got to bring his family, even having his daughter on his team, so he didn’t have to say goodbye. He'd always wanted to know what was out there and he was finally getting a chance to find out and HUS-T1 had launched the car as a farewell tribute…even if it wouldn’t be there in his lifetime, just knowing it was out there made him smile. Alexis smiled at him the moment Alec stepped away to go find his second, Cora.

“God, he’s cute…you think he and I–”

“Alex, no; dad would kill you if you hooked up with someone on the team and complicated things.” Scott chastised.

“How do you know he’s on the Pathfinder team?” She asked, her eyes following Liam’s every move as he started towards his own stasis pod.

“Dad wouldn’t waste his time with him if he wasn’t.”

Alexis rolled her eyes and leaned in to kiss her younger twin’s cheek, lovingly.

First day in a new galaxy, and there was already trouble; whatever they’d hit had damaged the ship and the controls of a couple stasis pods, the inhabitants trapped inside–one of them was Scott Ryder. Alexis was probably having a hard time, with her younger brother trapped in his pod, worry etched all over her face as Dr. Carlyle hovered over her scanning to make sure there were no adverse effects from cryo. Habitat-7 was supposed to be the flagship of the golden worlds and it wasn’t…not anymore, everything had gone to hell the moment they set foot in this galaxy. Liam sent her a small smile and a wave, her demeanor relaxing a bit as she returned it; it was the little things.

“I’m fine, Harry. Please focus on Scott…I need him to make it out.”

Alexis hopped off the medical bed, masking her anxiety and retreating behind a façade of calm readiness…she didn’t need to act strong; everyone had seen how close she and her brother were when they were all getting into their stasis pods. She was allowed to fret. Dr. Carlyle nodded and winked at her as he wandered off to prepare as well, it was about time to head to the shuttles, and they were all ill at ease with the situation. Though, even worried she was still beautiful, he realized with a start. She wasn’t going to be riding with her dad and was going to be in his shuttle he noticed when he finally made it to the hanger bay and she smiled hesitantly at him.