'I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother.'
'I can't believe I'm going to be a mother.'
They were sitting in the little living area of Kylie's room. It was quiet and peaceful and spacious. Certainly an improvement upon her last quarters. The corridors weren't constantly trekked by huge men all the time. Now it was mostly Earth women—something she was quickly getting used to. She was even starting to make friends, something that had never been easy for her.
'Are you happy?' There was a crease between her mother's eyes.
Kylie considered a moment. 'Sometimes it's hard to tell. So much of what Lew feels is wrapped up in my emotions that I really don't know what I feel anymore.'
'I know what you mean.'
'It's not a bad thing, I think.' She chewed her lip. 'I am happy. It's hard to explain, but I love Lew like he's a part of my soul. It's intense.'
Her mother nodded.
'What will it be like when I have the baby, I wonder. They've never really spoken to us about that. What if the bond between it and me is even stronger? How could I bear it?'
Her mother squeezed her hand. 'It will be stronger. I should know.'
They smiled at each other.
'I'm so happy you're with me. I don't know how I'd be if we'd been parted.'
Her mother's grey eyes turned a shade darker. 'It would have been hard to live.' She stared across the room, thinking. Then she shook her head and smiled. 'Do you know the sex yet? I hear they can determine it from day one.'
'I asked that they not tell me but I have a sneaking suspicion it's a girl.'
'Why?'
'They seemed a little more excited than they should have been.' That was an understatement. One of the women had literally been bouncing on the balls of her feet. Kylie laid a hand upon her abdomen. 'I'm scared though, Mama. Zibons are huge. How big are their babies? I haven't even asked. What if it ... what if it rips me apart?'
'They wouldn't let that happen.'
'But they don't know us. They don't really know our bodies, do they?'
'They're learning. And they're smart. They have too much riding on you to let something like that happen. Besides, it's probably worse back on Earth. Women—women died in childbirth there too, Kylie.'
'Like you almost did.'
Her mother gave a screwed up smile. 'I'll be with you.'
'It's strange to think that if I were to die in childbirth, Lew would die too. And what about the pregnancy itself? Will he feel it? Talk about pregnancy sympathy.' Her laugh was a little dark.
'Stop thinking like that,' her mother said. 'You're going to be fine.'
'Yes, most likely. I know. Let's go on to another topic—Halo! How is he? How are you together?' Kylie laughed as her mother's cheeks flushed. 'Mama!'
'Well, what about you? You ended up in hospital!'
Kylie snorted and dropped her head into her hands. 'Oh, God. I'm so embarrassed. I can't imagine what the medics were thinking. Does everyone know about it?'
'I think so. Don't be embarrassed, though. You'll find that most envy you.'
'Trust me, there's nothing to be envious about.' She clutched at her tummy. 'As much as ... as much as things could be worse, I hope it doesn't happen again.'
'Hmm.' Her mother's grey eyes traced over Kylie's mark. 'Do you feel any different?'
'No. I don't feel pregnant at all. Alexis says the same.'
They both turned as the door slid open. In entered Lew. Kylie could feel his happiness radiating across the room. And as his eyes took in Kylie, it radiated from his face. Kylie couldn't help but grin.
Her mother stood. 'Well, I think I'd better go.'
'You don't have to ...'
'No, I've got to go see Halo.' As she passed Lew, she looked up at him with a smile, touching his wrist. The door closed behind her.
'I like your mother,' Lew said.
'I hope so. When do I get to meet your mother?'
'It doesn't work like that here. She's the woman who birthed me.'
'When was the last time you saw her?'
'Decades.'
Kylie shook her head sadly.
'Don't feel sorry for me. I don't.'
'I don't know what I'd do without my mother.'
He sat down on the couch beside her, resting his arm behind her head. He stroked her pregnancy bumps. Pregnancy bumps—Kylie almost laughed.
'How do you feel?'
'Normal. Completely normal.'
Kylie cocked her head at the little sly crook to the corner of his mouth. 'You know, don't you?'
'Know what?'
'What it is. Whether it's a boy or a girl.'
Lew smiled. 'I can tell you.'
'No. I don't want to know.'
She folded her arms resolutely. Lew grabbed them and pulled them open, then he rested his cheek upon her shoulder, his lips pressed into her neck. He stroked her breast. Then he dropped his hand and smoothed it around her hip. It trailed up her shirt. Kylie turned her face and they started kissing.
It was nice. Painless. Loving. So different to before when they were little more than a pair of wild animals. He pulled off her shirt and began sucking her breasts. Then he was pushing her down into the couch. His lips were moist upon her abdomen. Then he was tugging down her pants. He pulled them off.
Kylie laughed as he chucked them across the room. He stretched himself upon her, his hands hot upon her hips. He slid his hand between her legs, sliding his finger down her lips.
He tugged down his pants until his immense erection popped out. Kylie smoothed her hand around it. Lew's eyelids fluttered. Releasing him, Kylie spread her thighs and his erection founds its way, sliding in deeply. Then he was kissing her again, thrusting gently. Kylie watched his backside buck as he pressed his face into the crook of his neck. She laid her hands upon his back as she rocked with him.
They came together nicely, gently. They were kissing again.
Pulling away from her lips, Lew pressed his face into her shoulder with a groan. 'I can't believe this is going to be my life for the rest of my life.'
Kylie smiled. She felt a flicker of regret over all that she'd left behind but it was only a flicker and quickly swept away.
He looked into her eyes. Had he felt it? Did he know what it meant? If he did, he didn't speak of it. 'Do you want to get out of here? Go explore?'
Kylie's eyes widened. 'Yes, let's go exploring! But-but am I allowed to?'
'If you're with me.'
She grinned up at him as she shifted her hips. 'Well, you'll have to get off me first.'
'Do I? Hmm, I didn't know I had to do that.'
'Lew!' Kylie laughed. She bucked her hips, trying to throw him off, but all it did was make him slide in deeper.
'Well, come on, get me off. Get me out.' He was chuckling.
Kylie was spluttering with laughter but Lew leaned in to kiss her mouth and she soon quietened. She grunted as he pushed in deeper. He pulled back, then slid in again.
Kylie gasped against his mouth. 'Oh!'
Then he was attacking her breasts again and all she could do was grab onto his head and roll along with him. As she felt the pleasure building, Lew slowed, then stopped, taking his time as he nudged her very slightly over and over again, so deeply she imagined him pressing up against her cervix.
He was so swollen he could barely move and then his erection was moving itself, very slightly, little flicks that made Kylie gasp out loud. He came in a rumble that she felt right down the length of her channel. With a gasp, Kylie came too, clenching down hard on his shaft, over and over again.
'Okay. That's enough,' Lew said.
'That's what you said before.'
'No, I didn't.' His eyes were gleaming as he kissed her on the mouth. He kissed her and kissed her.
Kylie ripped her lips away. 'Okay. That's it! Otherwise we'll never get out of here.'
'What if I've changed my mind?'
'That's too bad.'
She rocked her hips and finally Lew pulled out of her.
*
'I can't believe we're in the clouds,' Kylie said as they walked through the corridors of the huge building they were now calling their home.
Lew took a left and they stepped out onto the balcony.
'Wow.'
'Come closer to the edge.' Lew gave her a gentle push in her lower back but Kylie wouldn't move.
'Not a chance.' She looked up. 'The green sky is pretty. What is this place? This building, I mean.'
'It's actually our planet's top medical centre. That's why it's so nice. Not all living conditions are like this.'
'Medical centre?' She raised her eyebrows. 'And here I was thinking it was just a regular, though astonishing, apartment building.'
'I'm afraid not.' He rested his arm across her shoulders. 'You're too important for that.'
'We're too important,' she corrected.
'If you say so.'
He steered her back into the building and they walked its innumerable corridors and many levels, holding hands. The corridors were strangely empty but like the ship, each time she passed a Zibon, they would look her over.
'What's on ground level? The carpark?' She sniggered.
'There is no ground level,' he said. 'Our buildings don't touch the ground. From what I hear, this building is located above the sea.'
'The sea? Wow! Can we go see it?'
They stepped into the nearest portal, Kylie gripping onto Lew uncertainly as they were transported twenty levels below.
She was a little breathless. 'What the hell happened? I thought it was a lift.'
'It's teleportation,' he said.
She looked at him, wide-eyed. 'Like Star Trek?'
'Like what?'
'Nothing. Nothing.' She shook her head in wonder, her cheeks flushed. Then she looked around and hurried over to the nearest window, dragging Lew behind her.
She pressed her hands against the glass. 'It's green. Like your sky. Wow.'
Lew stood by her side. There was water in all directions as far as the horizon. The sun was burning bright and was reflecting piercingly against the water.
'So there's no boats?' she said. 'Nothing?'
'Nothing. Like I said. We no longer touch the natural world unless for critical purposes.'
'Pristine. Wish we could do that on Earth.' Her hands fell away.
'You will soon, if all goes to plan.'
Kylie looked at him quizzically. 'I'm curious to see how that's going to come about. Will the women have a choice this time?'
Lew felt the accusation like a stab in the heart.
'Sorry,' she said guiltily. 'I didn't mean that.'
'I know.' He rubbed his chest. 'I'm not sure what' s going to happen but ideally they would have a choice, I suppose.'
'Hmm.' She took Lew's hand. 'There are places on Earth where I'm sure most women would elect to leave. Though, I doubt their countries would allow them to.'
Lew cocked his head. 'What do you mean?'
'What do you mean, what do I mean?'
'Countries? You don't have a central government?'
Kylie stared at him. 'No. Each country has their own government. You-you didn't know that?'
Lew shrugged. 'I'm not into politics. We're just familiar with central governments. All our allies have central governments.'
'Allies: other aliens ... I didn't even think.' Her eyes were wide. 'There's so much I don't know.'
'You're frightened.'
'I suppose I am.' She looked back to the ocean. 'I suddenly feel so small.'
'Come,' he tugged at her hand, 'let's go back.'
When they returned to the teleporter Kylie was clinging onto him, her arms around his waist. Lew kissed her on the cheek and held her tightly back.