A group gathered outside the Strangerville City Hall with friends, family and citizens that had been saved from the botanical disaster just a few weeks before.
"Now, I never was good at speeches, but I requested to personally speak on the courageousness of this young woman here today." Buzz spoke to the crowd, smiling over to the two beside him with a simple happiness he had not shown in years. "Some of us may not be here today if not for Aelia Novis' dedication to solving the corruption hidden deep in this very town."
"I didn't do it alone." Aelia added as Buzz took a moment to pause, "Many of the sims here today were instrumental in solving this mystery, especially my dear friend Cassandra," She glanced aside to the sim on her right, "and my love, Pascal, who refused to let me into the lab without them." She giggled softly as Pascal felt heat rising in his cheeks and Cassandra smirked from the crowd.
"Someone had to!" Cass called out with a grin.
After the laughter died down from the crowd, Buzz continued on, "It's my pleasure here today to give Aelia a medal of honour for defending innocents and protecting this town." Aelia smiled sheepishly, "Gratitude, Buzz."
"None needed, you deserve this." Buzz replied, standing at attention and saluting, Aelia mimicked the gesture but strangely, it was Buzz who broke the stance first.
"And thank you for getting me out of the hole I dug for myself." He murmured to her, lowering his voice so the crowd wouldn't hear.
"You deserved it." Aelia winked, pulling the general into an embrace.
A few days after the ceremony, the Novis household got a surprise visit from none other than Bella Goth.
"Hello, Aelia! May I come in for a moment?" Bella smiled.
"Of course, come in!" Aelia chimed, stepping back from the door and gesturing for Bella. "Greetings, have you been fairing well?"
"I have, much better now because of all that you did." Bella replied gently, "I'll never be able to repay you." "There is no debt that you owe, I was happy to do it." Aelia assured quickly but Bella shook her head.
"No, no, I'm too stubborn not to give you something." Bella chuckled with a wink, "So that's why I want to give you access to our vacation home in Tartosa for your honeymoon. You two deserve some quality time."
Aelia's eyes widened, she wasn't sure where Tartosa even was or even what a vacation home was but the sentiment remained. "That is so kind, you have my gratitude!"
"It can't compare to reuniting me with my family, but it's a start." Bella smiled, giving Aelia a tight hug.
Aelia and Pascal arrived in Tartosa and were immediately blown away by the scenery, especially the lovely vacation home the Goth's had gifted them for their stay.
As beautiful as the vacation home was, the two lovebirds spent only enough time inside to drop their luggage before they ventured out on an idyllic walk near the water.
Finally the two were free from the drama and problems at home, where they could finally breathe and simply enjoy each other's presence and the calm town around them.
As the sun set on a perfect day, Aelia coaxed Pascal out into the water, surrounded by bioluminescent algae the two melted into each other's embrace.
Back at the vacation home, Aelia shooed Pascal into the bedroom to wait while she disappeared into the bathroom. After a few minutes of Pascal lounging on the plush mattress and staring at the wall, the door opened and Aelia's voice filtered through. "Surprise."
Pascal, glanced aside, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor at the sight before him. "Oh- Oh my watcher, Ally..." He stumbled out his words as he scrambled up to a sitting position, "You look like the night sky- you look gorgeous."
"I wanted to wear something special for tonight." Aelia murmured, trailing towards Pascal who's eyes were glued to her.
"It's more than special, you're perfect." He breathed out.
"Is this okay?" Aelia suddenly murmured, placing a questioning hand upon Pascal's thigh.
"Yeah- yes, I'm ready." Pascal babbled out, his words spilling out from his frazzled mind, "I've never been more ready." He replied as they closed the distance, melding together with a passionate kiss.
That night, all the worries and stresses from their daily lives melted away and the only thing that mattered was the love that they shared.
Days later, once the lovebirds got back from their vacation, Pascal awoke with a very funny and very familiar feeling deep in his stomach.
"Oh, crumbs."
Once Aelia woke up, Pascal sat them down at the edge of the bed. "Okay, so don't freak out, Ally."
"Do not start the conversation like that if you do not want my adrenaline to spike, then." Aelia frowned with a worried pinch to her brows. "I- sorry, it's not bad!" He insisted quickly, "Haha- I'm uh, pregnant! Again!"
Aelia's eyes widened, "Oh, I apologise! I should not have copulated with you in this form."
Pascal winced, "Honey, just say woohoo... uh, and anyway, that's okay!" He wrapped an arm around Aelia's shoulders with a warm smile, "Having Tycho and then falling in love with you has shown me that I would love to have more children with you."
"I would, too." Aelia murmured, nuzzling into his embrace.
Time passed and Pascal steadily got rounder, "Oof! They're really rummaging around in there." He laughed.
"Is it painful?" Aelia questioned, looking at Pascal's tummy owlishly.
"Mmh, nah, they're just rearranging the furniture." Pascal joked, followed by, "Er, I mean they're kicking about, it's normal."
"May I?" Aelia asked timidly, her hands held up to her chest.
"May you? It's your baby, too, Ally!" Pascal assured, patting his stomach, "Go ahead."
"Oh, I felt them... rearrange furniture against my hand!" Aelia chirped excitedly, "Your baby- our baby!"
Pascal couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he pulled Aelia into a hug.
Of course all that conversation had Tycho curious, rounding down the hallway from his room.
"Wowee, dad, you're huge!" Tycho exclaimed, patting at his father's stomach. "Wow, thanks, Ty." Pascal teased, "That's your new sibling in there."
"Hey dad," Tycho suddenly asked a few hours later, "What's it like having a baby? Do you think I'll have one some day?"
Pascal shrugged with a sheepish chuckle, "It can be pretty overwhelming but it's worth it." He tugged his son closer, "I think you'd be a great dad some day, but just know that you uhh, might not be the one pregnant."
Aelia smiled softly as she listened to the two, a hand idly placed upon her own stomach. Maybe some day.
The day came that the baby was ready to join the world and although she wasn't his doctor, Jenny made sure she was there for her little brother's birth.
"Okay, I'm gonna give you a little shot to help with all the pain you're about to go through." Jenny chimed with a grin.
"Really helping there, Jen." Pascal groaned, eyeing the shot wearily.
"I know, I have fantastic bedside manner." She winked, "But, you'll be fine, you've done this before and you'll survive it again." Her tone shifted with a warm smile.
"As soon as you're ready we should get you set up for surgery." The other doctor called, nodding to the group as he got a wheelchair ready.
"Good luck, my love. I will be with you the entire way." Aelia promised, hugging Pascal before he was wheeled away to the surgery station.
The shot Jenny gave certainly helped, as did the little sheet hiding Pascal's wandering gaze from seeing whatever the doctor was doing to his stomach. Aelia held his hand the entire time although even she kept her curiosity from watching the doctor behind the curtain.
Without any complications, little Atlas was born into the world!
Pascal was happy to have Atlas out into the world, he was much larger than his older brother had been. (And not because I immediately aged him up.)
Tycho was quick to meet his baby brother and soon Atlas was making new friends with Norville.
But not everything was nice and cheery, Atlas was a bit of a clingy toddler and Tycho happened to be the closest when the poor tot had a nightmare.
Thankfully, Tycho was a great big brother and knew just how to help with warm snuggles and kind words.
Plus Tycho always had a fun story up his sleeve to distract Atlas and lull him back to sleep.
Of course Aelia's friends had to come over and see the new bouncing baby boy and Brandi brought over her youngest son, Skip Jr. for a playdate.
Atlas was a little shy at first but he soon warmed up to the happy-go-lucky Skip.
While the ladies chatted, Skip and Atlas became fast friends, babbling away nonsense at each other and wobbling about the living room roaring with laughter.
The next day Pascal awoke alone in the bed, it wasn't unusual for Aelia to wake first but something seemed... off today. The sound of rummaging about in the en suite was a pretty good give away.
"Happy Winterfest!" Aelia sang as he heard the door open, a sweet, almost candy like smell wafted into his nostrils.
"Mmh, happy winterfest, All-eeey...Woah" Pascal stuttered, looking up at Aelia's choice of flashy attire.
"Am I sufficiently festive?" Aelia questioned with a smirk, enjoying her husband's reaction.
"Buh... Oh, uh, yeah, super... festive. You look beautiful." Pascal stood up as he looked her over, "Is that why you got up so early?" He waggled a finger vaguely towards her hair, which looked like it took ages to do, and a lot of hairspray.
"Among other reasons..." Aelia replied coyly, drawing a digit under Pascal's chin, "I have more surprises waiting for you."
Pascal's brain short-circuited and he pulled Aelia into an impromptu kiss, the bauble-covered alien squeaked in surprise but melted into Pascal's embrace.
"That wasn't even the other surprise." Aelia giggled out softly.
"Ta-da!" Aelia squealed, having finally dragged Pascal out into the living room.
"What the heck is that?" Pascal blurted out, staring dumbfounded at the odd looking plant in the middle of the room.
"A winterfest tree! I researched the holiday intensively and decorated accordingly." Aelia exclaimed with excitement, "I did not have this 'Furry' tree they suggested so I improvised with a Sixamian tree instead, I hope that is acceptable."
"It's 'fir' tree." He replied slowly, still staring, a smile tugging at his lips. "This is so... cool. We don't need a fir tree, we have the best winterfest tree in the whole city."
Aelia had also made sure to invite the whole family over for a big feast, attempting to check everything off the list of what a good winterfest party should have.
"So are those shrimp edible or...?" Lazlo whispered to Jenny who side glanced the odd arrangement in the middle of the table and shrugged, "I honestly don't know." She whispered back.
Other than not knowing whether or not the shrimpmas tree was decoration or food, everyone enjoyed their meal and the company of loved ones.
Next on Aelia's list was presents, she didn't entirely know what to get everyone because everything she had read had been quite vague in what gifts entailed. Even so, with her odd selection of scientific doodads and alien gadgets, everyone seemed to enjoy their gifts.
Tycho even made a little present for Jill, even though she was a bit older than him the two were still close friends.
The brother's exchanged gifts as well, two of them, anyway.
"Awh, thanks bro! I didn't know Alberto Fiddlestein had come out with a new book." Lazlo beamed.
"Hope it's okay that I might've read a bit of it before I wrapped it for you." Pascal chuckled and Lazlo gave his brother a playful punch on the arm, "I do the same when I gift you books." He admitted and the two laughed.
"Hey, so, can I tell you something?" Lazlo asked, looking rather anxious all of a sudden.
"Yeah? What's wrong?" Pascal questioned, "You okay?"
"I kinda sorta fell in love with your baby momma." Lazlo blurted out suddenly, adverting his gaze from his now wide-eyed brother.
"What!? I'm married to her, Lazlo!"
"What? No, your other baby momma! The alie-eh, the other alien- ugh, I mean Polly!" Lazlo sputtered, waving his hands about.
"You plumhole, why did you scare me like that?" Pascal groaned, "Why would I be mad at you and Polly getting together? I'm happy for you two!"
"I dunno, man! I've never been in a situation before where I fell in love with the mother of my brother's child! What's the protocol for that!?"
"Okay, when you say it that way it does sound weird."
"Right? If I have a kid with her, what are they gonna be to Ty? A half sibling? Cousin? A half ...sibusin?"
"Let's just go with family, huh?" Pascal interrupted with a laugh, giving Lazlo a hug.
Happy Winterfest to all, and to all a good night.
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