Epilogue

Sophie

Water lapped at Sophie's chest, warm and comforting, as she lounged back in the birthing pool. The weight of her pregnant belly buoyed by the glowing water helped ease the pressure on her back. She was still a few hours away from delivering, so she was taking the chance to rest as her body continued going through the early contractions of labor.

She knew, approximately, what giving birth was like back on Earth. It was different back home on Wav'aii. For one thing, the allowee had to give birth in their home nesting pools, so they didn't have hospitals or birthing centers for that. If something went wrong, the absolute best place to be was the nesting pool. So, families had to purchase whatever they might need themselves.

There was a whole medical scanner hooked up to its own power generator beside the nesting pools now that hadn't been there before. Serval bought it shortly after she became pregnant because humans, notoriously, could have complicated pregnancies that could kill the mother or child.

Not that there seemed to be any issues so far. Allowee rei weren't born very big, and the wii in the pool actually helped a lot with the pain, the contractions, and the delivery. At the very least, giving birth into the bacteria filled pool meant she wouldn't get an infection later.

Everything else was progressing well. Her family was all around her. The females especially were tending to her devotedly. Ellow, in particular, was always at her side. Bringing her sweet water, massaging her back, helping her through the contractions.

That was the task that fell to her female family members. Serval could help if he wished, or if she did, but he had his own tasks. After she gave birth, he and the other males would need to chase down the rei in the water and make sure they were alright, then begin tending to them. Rei were delicate in their first few days, and might not rise to the surface as often as they needed to get air.

He also had to finish setting up the camera.

She didn't really want a close up shot of her vag or anything while this was going on, but she still needed it recorded.

"Sophie," he came jogging up to her. "Will this do?"

She tilted her head back as he kneeled, holding up his prize. Behind him, all the male cousins had gathered, staring in nervous anticipation. Sophie frowned, tilting her head.

"Are you sure it's big enough?"

"Yes. Their limbs aren't that big when they're little. And look, we can change the size before putting on a locking bead when we have it the size we need so it won't get smaller.

Sophie smiled, her nerves fading. "Then, I love it. It's perfect."

The cousins let out a whoop of excitement as Serval sat down beside her, letting his legs dangle in the water as he waved his combot forward.

"See?" He grinned at it. "I told you we could do."

"Hijo, gracias!" Her mami said, crying. "Sophie, you okay? How you feeling?"

"Fine, mami," Sophie promised, taking the little bracelet from Serval's hands.

A mal de ojo. A bracelet meant to protect her baby made of beads on a line not all that dissimilar from the beads her allowee family wore on a daily basis. When she'd told them about the tradition from her human family, they'd been eager to participate. Even though she only brought it up a couple hours ago and they had been in no way ready as rei didn't typically wear beads.

But Serval and the cousins had rushed off to make her what she wanted. And now she was holding onto what she considered the perfect combination of their culture and her own. A mal de ojo made in the allowee fashion – something from both of her rei's family. And though her mom and dad couldn't be here, they weren't ending the comm until she had birthed safely, and Serval would be sending them the video immediately after.

She smiled at her mate as he sank into the water, pulling her onto his lap, letting her relax against his chest as the rest of the family moved around them. Her allowee sisters in and around the pool. The rei already swimming in the water, excited and energetic, like they sensed the imminent arrival of their new nibling. Her human family was waiting, listening, saying traditional prayers for her and their incoming grandchild. The cousins were being loud and obnoxious, trying not to fail at being in charge of the cameras that Serval had set up.

And, of course, Serval himself. Her rock and support. Beautiful in his beads. Smiling as he rubbed comforting circles around her belly. For all that he had been reluctant to pause their work and adventures long enough to start their family, now that they were here, he was more excited than anyone else.

He took in a long, deep breath, then let it out with a low hum of contentment.

"I do wish they would hurry," he said, kissing her temple. "I can't wait to meet them."

Sophie smiled, putting her hands over his. "Love you, mi amor."

She felt, rather than saw, him smile. "I breathe for you, lov'alel."

Their hands laced together, and they rode out her next contraction like that. And when their rei was born, a little over a mark later, they put their first beads on their little wrist. Their cultures blending together so perfectly in their beautiful, ashen blue rei.