A NEW Beginning - Book 3

Chapter 1 - Day 1 - Hunk - The Atlas

A/n: Welcome to Book 3 of the NEW Beginning series. I try my hardest to make these stand-alone, but if you haven't read the others (particularly book 1) you may get a little lost. See the end of the chapter for more notes.

I hung up from the call with Pidge and gave a big sigh.

Shay came over and hugged me from behind.

"Soon you will get to see her, and all of them, every day," she assured me.

"I know," I replied, "I can't wait." I stand up and face her, wrapping her in my arms, "I never thought I'd miss them all so much!"

"They are your family, it's to be expected," she shrugged, "and it's not like you are the only reason we are going back. I crave a home Hunk. As a Balmeran, this nomadic life does not suit me, or Dwayne. He is getting older now, he needs the stability."

I smile at her, and lean in to kiss her, "I can't wait to have a home with you, Mrs Garrett, a permanent home, one to call all ours!" she laughed and kissed me back.

"Ew, GROSS!" came a small voice from across the room. Our son Dwayne sat playing with his toy cars. Shay and I pulled apart and gave each other a mischievous look. I wiggled my fingers at him, and he started giggling.

"No!" he laughed, and tried to hide behind the arm of the couch "Don't get me, Daddy!"

"I think it's too late!" Shay laughed, "Daddy's tickle fingers have already started, and they can't be stopped!"

I stomped through the living room, like Godzilla through the streets of Japan, my hands pulled up to look like a T-rex, and my fingers waving menacingly.

Dwayne threw himself down on the ground, in uncontrollable fits of giggles.
I could never get over the fact that the just mere idea of my tickling him had him gasping for air.

I knelt down beside him and attacked him with my fingers. He began shrieking in delight, and I could hear Shay laughing behind us.
He managed to stop laughing enough to gasp out, "Save me, Mumma!"

All of sudden I felt a pair of arms pulling on my shoulders, and I fell back to the ground.
Dwayne jumped on my chest and started tickling me back with his scratchy fingers that dug in a little too sharply, but I couldn't help but laugh at his delighted face.

"Piles on Daddy!" Shay said loudly and carefully flung herself on my legs.

"Hey, no fair!" I protest from underneath them, but they both continue tickling me, and soon we were all a giggling pile, with Shay shifting so she was laying on the floor beside me, and Dwayne sat on top of both of us.

Soon Dwayne gets tired and leans in for a hug.

"Love you Daddy!" he says, then turns to Shay, "Love you Mumma!" we both embrace him, "Love you too Bubba!" we say, and just held him.

*****

Dwayne had become such a big part of our lives in no time flat. When he arrived at the Garrison we had done all we could to help the young child out, and make him feel safe. Shay and I had been in the early stages of our official relationship and had no way been ready for a child. It had been our intention to accompany him to a nearby Balmeran colony, and help him find a family to love him.

But in the month-long trip to the colony, as well as the month we had spent with him on Earth, we had become so attached to him, and the fact that Pidge had helped name him, we couldn't bring ourselves to separate ourselves from him.

It took many long late night discussions, both between Shay and I, as well as some Balmeran Elders, and Shiro and some of the crew, before we made the decision to adopt him.

We went back to our quarters one day after we had finished our lunch shift. Dwayne had just got up from his day-nap and was playing on the floor with Olia.

"He was perfect, as usual," Olia assured us.

"Thank you, Olia," I replied, handing her a plate of food, "We'll see you at dinner."

"Of course, have a nice afternoon," she said and smiled as she walked out the door.

His smile as we walked in had cemented our decision, and we smiled at each other as we sat on the floor with him.

"Dwayne?" Shay asked, and opened her arms to him. He brought his animals over and started rambling to her about them as he sat in her lap.

She listened patiently, until he was finished, then gently took the animals from his hands.

"Do you like staying with Shay and Hunk?" she asked him, giving him a big smile.

"Yeah, you're my friends!" he said, returning the smile.

"Would you like this to be your new home?" she asked.

He looked confused. "This IS my home," he said "Shay and Hunk is my home!" and with that, he simply stood up, took the animals back off Shay, and went back to his toys, no idea of the impact he had just had.

I looked at Shay then, tears in both of our eyes, both filled with so much love.

"Marry me?" I asked, taking her hand in mine as we sat side by side, watching the little boy who was going to be ours. "We are doing things a little backwards, but even without Dwayne, I knew I was going to marry you a very long time ago"

"Marriage isn't really part of our customs," she answered, "But I can't imagine spending my life with anyone but you," she smiled at me, "so, yes, if it's important to you, I would marry you 100 times over!"

~