𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 || 18+ 𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚡 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝙵𝙼𝙲

┉┈◈†𐌷𐍊𐍂†𐌸-𐍆𐍊ⱱ𐌴◈┈┉

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After two weeks, Charlie was impatient for her eggs to hatch. The day following her arrival to Irotak, her breasts started producing milk. That was a surprise, and a little worrisome if her babies ended up coming into the world with smiles full of teeth. But Tük'hala assured her that wouldn't be the case.

When the initial shock of her story faded, her crewmates were eager to visit Stacy and bring her everything she could possibly want. Tifi had a field day with all those baby clothes. And Charlie made sure to send a hefty care package full of special tea with them.

She'd just come home from checking up on Jen—who had birthed two eggs a week prior—and closed the door behind her as she stepped into the main living space. The tracks of blue blood left by her footprints the first time she'd entered that place were long gone, but the ghost of them remained. Though soon that would be covered with the tracks of many smaller footprints, bringing a bit of healing to the scars of the past.

A faint smile played on her lips as she walked to the stairs, climbing them carefully, then making her way down the hall to where Tifi watched over her eggs. The older Daki looked to her when she entered, standing to meet her.

"The shells are much thinner. I wouldn't be surprised if your little ones decided to say hello earlier than expected," Tifi remarked, grabbing her hand and giving it a warm pat. "I'll prepare a meal for you; I suspect your mate has a lot more work to do training those clumsy fledglings."

Charlie grinned, squeezing her hand gratefully before letting go. "Thank you, Tifi. I really appreciate all the help you've given Tük'hala and me."

"Don't worry about it." She waved dismissively as she moved past her into the hallway. "You can thank me by letting me dress your babies for the next few decades!"

Charlie shook her head with a chuckle, turning to the incubator orb by the bed. She came over to it, sitting down on the plush pillows. The sight of her eggs through the clear dome always calmed her mind—made her feel whole during this period of recovery.

On the surface to everyone else, she was the same old Charlie. But inside, she was hiding a grief she couldn't admit to. They would surely look at her different if they knew how much she missed Dekar. PENDI. Everyone hated him, and they had a right to feel that way. She had a right to feel that way.

But she couldn't.

Charlie placed her hands on the sides of the dome, pressing in and lifting to remove it. She took one of the eggs in her hands, holding it close to her heart in the gentlest of hugs. They'd gotten a little heavier. She couldn't wait to see each of their precious little faces.

Cradling the egg with a hand, her free one brushed across the others nestled safely in the orb. An image invaded her mind. In it, she saw Dekar sitting with her and holding the unhatched babies with adoration in his orange eyes.

She sighed, a hollowness settling in her chest. There was no mourning ceremony for him, leaving his soul to wander aimlessly in the in-between along with Ja'kadira. Maybe her dark guard could see her now.

Maybe he could hear her.

"I wish you were here," she found herself muttering softly. The egg she held trembled, the baby within recognizing her voice.

There was a barely perceptible shift in the air, like something in the room moved. Something near the window behind her.

"I am."

Her whole body froze up. It couldn't be her imagination. The voice was too clear to doubt. But she couldn't move, couldn't turn around to see.

"Charlie, I'm here."