G. I. Joe Mo Leanbh

AN: I apparently wrote this in 2005, but I never posted it. Not sure why not, it seems decent enough :D So, I'm throwing up old fic tonight, here comes another one!

Copyrights still belong to Hasbro!

O o o o o o o O

One of the top women in the U.S. Military, Scarlett aka Shana O'Hara, was on a mission. She was heading home for St. Patrick's Day and her traditional family celebration. Some people would think that this was an easy assignment, but she would rather have faced Cobra Commander than her family at times.

Her father supported her one hundred and ten percent in everything she did, for which she was eternally grateful. Her extended family on the other hand, especially her mother's side, was not so gracious.

Every time she came home, she was bombarded with questions: "When are you going to leave the military and get a real job?" "Are you seeing anyone yet?" "Why don't you dress up a little more?" "When are you going to be giving your father grandchildren?" "Are you seeing anyone yet?" and on and on, or worse, trying to set her up with the children of their friends.

Her answers were consistent, the military was a real job, she was not seeing anyone, she was comfortable with how she dressed, she didn't want children and no, she is still not seeing anyone. At least they no longer asked if she was gay. That had been a long Christmas when her Aunt Kristine had decided to try and "out" her.

She didn't know why it was so hard for them to understand that she had no desire for children or a husband – she was too busy for that and she liked her life the way it was. Opening it to a man or a child would mean compromise and change and she didn't want to change. She saw how Jaye and Flint were and she definitely didn't want that.

The initial barrage of questions went as expected as she walked in the door, her duffel slung over her back. She politely answered them all and gave hugs and kisses where appropriate, giving more heartfelt hugs to her father and brothers. The only question that was missing this year was when she would have children. Her brother Brian and his wife Michelle had graciously had their first child and that little bundle had sated the family for the time being.

"I don't think it will hold them off for long." Brian whispered in her ear, after watching his sister receive the third degree but be silenced by the appearance of the littlest O'Hara.

She sighed, "No, I don't think it will either. Why can't they just understand, I'm not into the whole June Cleaver thing," she said petulantly. Her brother gave her a conciliatory pat on the back and then went to join his wife and receive the accolades for reproducing.

Shana stomped up to her room angrily, throwing her duffel down on the floor and flopping onto her bed like an angry teen. There was a quiet knock on the door and her father's head appeared moments later. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, Daddy." She rolled over and sat up, hugging a pillow.

"I'd stop them if I could, you know that sweetie," he said apologetically.

"Yeah, I know. But they won't listen to anyone. Why can't they just accept I don't want to get married and have kids? I'm more than that!"

He looked at her sharply, "Be careful you don't tread on someone for making decisions other than your own, just as is being done to you. Your mother was an amazing woman, and she stayed home with you kids. A career isn't everything."

Shana dropped her eyes, chastised, "I'm sorry. I just don't see the point of it all. You get married, it ends up making you miserable, you have kids, they're nothing but a source of worry and pain to you, and people expect me to jump at any chance of that?"

Her father sat next to her, putting his arm around her, "It's not all misery, Shana. I lost your mother but I wouldn't ever choose to not have married her, even knowing how it would end. The memories I have of her I'll treasure forever." He smiled sadly at her. "And yes, you worry about your kids and you hurt when they hurt but the joy you get back far outweighs anything negative."

"That's what everyone says, but I rarely see it," she muttered.

"Too true. Too many people can't appreciate what they have until it's gone." He brushed her hair aside then kissed her cheek. "But no matter what you choose, I love you. You can have a complete life without a husband and children, but I just don't want you to shy away from it because you're scared of it."

She opened her mouth to protest, but then reconsidered and nodded, "Okay Daddy."

"Good girl. Now, hurry up and get cleaned up, we're going to Mass tonight." He patted her leg and then exited her room.

Shana thought about what he had said as she showered quickly, knowing that he was right and trying to determine how much of her desire to be alone was from true want and how much was from fear. She wrapped her hair in a towel and put on clean clothes and was walking back to the bathroom to do her hair when she heard her niece crying.

"Shana? Can you see what Colleen needs?" Her brother's voice floated up from downstairs.

"Yeah," she called back and followed the cries to the room where they had set up the crib, seeing a sleepy baby crying alone. She hesitated, then picked her up carefully. She had held children before, but none quite so young as this.

Colleen continued to cry. Shana patted her bottom, it was dry. She bounced experimentally on her toes to try and soothe the baby and was pleased when she was rewarded with a lessening of the screams. She soon realized she would get tired of this motion and tried sitting in the rocking chair to see if it would have the same effect on the child. Thankfully, it did.

She cradled the little baby in her arms, trying very hard not to be taken in by the cuteness of the creature. Colleen still snuffled a bit as she looked up to her aunt and Shana looked around furtively to make sure no one was watching and sung quietly:

_"Ar mullach a tsí, ta sioga geala,  
Fa chaoinre an erraigh ag imirt ´s a spoirt.  
Seo iad aniar glao ar mo leanbh_

_"Ia sio, ia sio, ia sio mo leanbh,  
Ia sio mo leanbh, ia sio a stor  
Ia sio, ia sio, ia sio mo leanbh,  
Ia sio, mo leanbh, ni imaoi tu lo."_

It was a lullaby she remembered her mother singing to her when she was a child, always one of her favorites. Shana watched as the little girl in her arms drifted back to sleep, a smile on both of their faces. The feeling of this warm little human being in her arms was actually pretty nice. It was amazing to think that just a year ago, this person didn't exist at all. She was a bit astounded to realize that it was really possible that she could really produce one of these. She knew that it was physiologically possible, but it never really sank in before, emotionally. She could actually create another human being. Just wow.

Shana very gently settled Colleen back into the crib, covering her with the light sheet decorated with sheep. She still knew she was not meant to be June Cleaver, but maybe, just maybe, a family and child wouldn't be the end of the world.


End file.

G. I. Joe