It was without a doubt a hurricane. But Ezra didn't understand why the weather radars hadn't detected it. Hurricanes developed hundreds of miles away, not out of nowhere.

"Get these people inside!" He called out over the docks, people moving frantically across the path ways. Suitcases have been abandoned, a few of them having burst open—leaving personal belongings scattered everywhere like trash littering a highway. A family of three—a young mother with two daughters rush led by, and the girl being dragged by her mother by the hand dropped a teddy bear a few feet in front of Ezra.

"Mr. Snuggles!" She cried, her shimmery blond hair in a messy ponytail being flipped and thrown by the wind.

He picked up the bear and ran after the little girl, handing it to her quickly.

"Thank you!" She cried, as her mother scurried off, the other child in her arms wailing.

Chaos erupted everywhere, and Ezra directed all the newcomers towards the main apartment buildings, instructing them all to meet in the food court. One of the biggest problems with having all the new refugees here before they were fully done with construction was that the flooding barriers that protected the main core living quarters were not large enough cover the other buildings completely and their own barriers were not completely done yet.

All the people would have to stay in the food court or the other non-living apartment units until the storm had passed. There were a few libraries and school rooms already being rearranged to fit cots for the children. People were donating all their extra blankets, supplies, and food for them.

Through the howling wind and the crashing waves, someone called for him. Ezra spun around to find Tarkiti waving him down from across the dock way. Someone handed him a radio, and in his language they confirmed the last four spaceships were waiting in orbit until he gave them the all clear that the storm had passed. "It looks bad from up here. The storm is just not reaching the colony." One of the captains said.

Ezra handed the radio back, not even replying to the captain and he rushed over to the other side of the docks where Tarkiti was still jogging towards him. His clothes whipped through the wind and the rain.

"What's wrong?" Ezra called out. The last of the newcomers scattered inside, children and parents rushing to safety as the spaceship doors finally closed.

"It's Mira—she's having the baby!" He yelled, but his voice was still almost inaudible through the wind.

Ezra froze. "She's having the baby?!" He yelled in shock, wondering if he heard him right.

"Yes!"

It only took him a few seconds to react, and he grinned as he said, "Make sure the barriers go up around the apartments."

He took off running, making his way around the building of apartments. On the other side, he raced across the dock towards the medical wing, the platform narrowing. The wind picked up, and he almost flew off the edge into the ocean, but grabbed ahold of the railing and heaved himself towards the door. As he made it inside, he looked over his shoulder, the wind slowing down as the thick barrier rose up out of the ocean, sliding along the buildings like shutters. They couldn't put them up until everyone was inside, but now that the ships doors were closed, it was time.

He shut the door to the medical wing, and the dark metallic colored barriers covered all the windows, protecting the small, domed building from the storm. He raced through the small hospital and when the first nurse saw Ezra, he pointed towards a door in the back of the clinic.

Ezra didn't even stop as he ran to the door and into the room.

Mira was lying down on a large, round bed with her feet elevated and propped up on the cushioned birthing chair. Her face was covered in sweat, her hair matted and sticky. Her complexion was pale and and she looked completely exhausted. Somehow she mustered enough energy to look up at him, and when she saw him, she smiled.

"Took you long enough," she said, her voice hoarse. "What's going on out there?"

Ezra laughed under his breath. "What is going on in here? I thought we were supposed to get cheesecake, but here you are going into labor without me." He took her hand, sitting next to her on the bed.

"I thought it wasn't cheesecake?" She joked.

Ezra laughed quietly, wiping the hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"

She swallowed hard, her eyebrows raising a bit. "Well, I'm about to have an alien baby so..."

He kissed her wet forehead, cradling her in his arms. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"Is everyone inside safely?"

He nodded. "Everyone is inside and the barriers are up."

"How bad is the storm?"

He shrugged. "Nothing we can't handle."

She gave him a look. "You are such a bad liar."

He sighed. "We may have a mess to clean up in the new apartment buildings. The barrier wasn't ready in that wing... but we will figure it out. Everything will be fine."

Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and squeezed so hard his fingers went numb.

The doctor walked in just then, Rika smiling at Ezra as she entered. "Oh, good. You're here."

"How's she doing?" He asked her, in English for Mira's benefit, even though she knew a lot of the language.

"She's almost ready to start pushing." Rika sat down at the edge of the bed pulling the bottom of Mira's blanket covering her legs up so she could check Mira. "How is your pain Mira?"

She swallowed hard. "Not bad after those birthing pain drugs you gave me... Contractions are just uncomfortable."

"Good. That's what we want to hear." A long dark brown braid stretched down the length of Rika's back. "You are fully dilated. It's time," she said, looking up at Ezra and Mira with a serious expression.

Mira nodded, ready for this to be over and to meet her daughter.

Ezra tried not to show her how worried he was. Even if the death rate was low for woman from Earth giving birth, it still terrified him. He couldn't lose her. Just thinking of a universe without her made him unable to breathe.

Her grip on his hand softened, and she took a deep breath as the doctor gave them instructions. Ezra moved behind her, supporting her from behind as she sat against his lap. Nurses came in, preparing blankets and cleaning supplies and a little bed for the baby. Ezra's mind spun as she began to push. He felt like he was going to throw up, but he didn't. Instead he just focused on her, on supporting her. On loving her.

******

She had the softest skin. Small markings stretched over her baby arms vertically, just like her daddy's. But they glowed a gentle gold color as the moisture of Mira's tears touched the back of her little hand.

"She's so beautiful," Mira cried, unable to keep the tears from falling. She had a full head of light brown hair, and her little cry broke both of her parents hearts.

The back of Ezra's hand flowed with the same white-golden light right along the diamond shape that was his royal marking. He wiped the tears from his eyes, the smile never leaving his lips.

"Is it my turn to hold her yet?" He said, his heart heavy and full at the same time. Slowly, Mira shifted in the bed, carefully handing their precious daughter to him.

The moment her arms slipped from her baby's body, she felt like she was missing something. But when she saw the tears gliding down Ezra's cheek, she was whole again.

"How is it possible to love someone you just met so much?" He whispered, never taking his eyes off his baby.

Mira reached out, wiping away the tear from his cheek with his thumb. "I don't know," she answered. "But she is so lucky to have your love. We both are."

Ezra finally tore his eyes away from their baby to look at Mira. He leaned down, and they pressed their lips together for a long, passionate moment. This was more happiness than he had ever imagined he could feel. Now it wasn't gravity holding him to earth, it was his two girls.

"I love you so much Mira."

"I love you too," Mira said.