A/N: 😐🤔I won't say I'm back, because let's face it, my brains been on overload lately😣😥 but I've been noticing a lot more comments and votes😱👍 on my story and I just wanted to give you guys something to show I'm still here.

Are you ready?? Enjoy!👋👏

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Twen·ty-Three

ˈtwen(t)ē/-THrē/

number

1.)
     A cardinal number, 20 plus 3. A symbol for this number, as 23 or XXIII.
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Iris took it upon herself to ignore almost everyone; taking the current time to get to know her children fully. And so far, she had nothing but peace; excluding the few times Eric decided to pop up and ruin their fun.

But she didn't allow him to take away what little happiness she had discovered with her children. Infact, ultimately Iris had set her attentions on a list of accomplishments to do when spending time with the children. Some of which included: fully filling out any and all birth certificates without the help of Eric (since he still believed they weren't his). Finding out if her kids enjoyed her singing to her humming had to be one of the best days of her life. And after a few days of research, Iris realized that they enjoyed it very much when she sung 'Twinkle twinkle Little star,' and hummed 'Old McDonald.'

Iris had also discovered that her children were waay more better than she was at quieting each other down. Whenever one or more got upset, they would began to babble to one another in some form of baby talk and the next thing she knew they were all snoring. All within the span of two minutes tops.

It was amazing to see!

Another thing Iris had taken to doing as a daily activity was measuring them. Though they giggled and laughed while it was being done, it was no game. They were growing at such a rapid rate that she couldn't even handle carrying them all in the same basket anymore. In less than a  months time since they had been born, they were already the size of a fully sized two year old human baby...

Was that normal for an alien child? Was it a side effect from Drax's blood still being in their system? Could it have been the fact that Eric was a full blown alien?

Iris didn't know, but the possibilities of it being something irregular scared her.

But that wasn't the only thing that had caused Iris to have a mini heart attack while watching them closely. She had also begun to notice how they would go from looking totally fine, with their blue and purple colored skin tones, to looking much paler than usual -less than five minutes later.

And she couldn't figure out why.

At first Iris thought them to be ill, but the more she checked them with a onboard medi-meter, the more she felt crazy. Their temperatures were slightly elevated but fine nevertheless, their oxygen levels were regular for what Iris would consider alien children to have, heart rates great, but for whatever reason their colors were off.

Then, a few days later Iris sat quietly, humming from time to time, rocking the children in an effort to gently guide them to sleep; one by one, instead of using the basket like she usually did. It was then that Iris discovered that whenever she cradled one close to her chest in pursuit of sleep, their skin color would meld into the same color tones as her own. It was amazing to watch, and also alarming at the same time. The first time it happened she had nearly dropped her own child. Iris was terrified that it was her own doing that caused them to shift colors but  whether it was her doing or theirs, it didn't effect her love for them; Unlike how it did with their father. Instead, it just made them all the more adorable to her.

[Quick A/N: To those who were wondering, the names down below are first and middle names, their last names are Havok.]

Rylan Mercury with his deeply blued eyes and pointed ears. He was precious whether he was his original alien colored toned or his humanlike tone -especially when he clutched his plush snowman close to his face -A gift from his uncle. It was the most adorably, heart warming, love inducing thing, Iris had ever witnessed when she noticed how when separated from his brothers he would pull the snowman close for cuddles.

Then of course there was the ever quietly brooding Dallex Orion. Out of all three of her children he looked the most like his father, but yet his personality was nothing like Eric's. Though he didn't make much noise and he smiled only in his sleep, Iris could tell he would be a little heart throb. From his cute slightly curled black locks to his forever serious stare, he would steal the hearts of many girls -and if not guys, alike. Heck, he already had her wrapped around his little finger. Everytime his brooding eyes looked upon her, Iris would spend countless minutes making funny faces and fart noises trying her best to get him to crack a smile. Though it only succeeded in making his brothers laugh in hysteria.

Arrin Troy was her special baby. He was the one who apparently had absorbed most of Drax's blood during the transfusion. That was the reason as to why his skin color and hair tone were a little more on the paler sides of things. And even though his father had treated him with resentment on countless occasions, Arrin hadn't let it get him down. He was so filled with love and happiness, -and no, it wasn't just from him being a baby- Iris could literally feel it pouring from him while he was in the presence of his brothers.

They were all just so precious and Iris loved them so deeply that she couldn't even imagine not having them near. It was crazy how she went from barely caring what she looked like in the morning, to making sure that three other beings had everything they needed from breakfast and on to lunch and dinner. They were her everything. And even if their father refused to acknowledge them, Iris promised both herself and them, that she would make sure they had all the love they would ever need. Which is another reason why Iris took full responsibility in caring for them, even as babies she wanted them to know they could always rely on her to love and do what was best for them.

Even if it meant staying in one area, separated from the other co-parent who was supposed to love and care for them too.

And speaking of the area she was currently residing in, no, she didn't actually mean just her pod.

Iris had CReSin- the systematic voice of the AI system connected to the ship- to elongate her pod into a small room aboard the ship.

So now instead of the small seed like shape, her pod consisted of a rather large bed, another decently sized pod sat tightly against the angle of the wall, -consisting of her still healing beast- a large viewing window just at the foot of the bed, and a small door frame and walkway. Of course, the window had already been there before Iris's pod had stretched out but nevertheless the now enclosed space made her feel more at peace.

It was amazing what a little talking out loud had allowed Iris to discover...

*FLASHBACK*

IRIS had just finished that sight opening argument with KyRue and was now pacing back and forth in front of the healing pod that her beast was situated in..

"Pull it together, Iris! You have to pull it together! You have three beautiful little boys you have to take care of. KyRue is right, you have to focus on them now, not yourself..." Iris said out loud as she ran her fingers through her distraught hair. "I wish I was back on Earth, then I could simply take my kids with me! But nooo, I'm stuck on a freaking ship!" She yelled in anger, striking out at the wall with her fist. Her chest tightening with unfurled emotions, her eyes squeezing shut, her mouth crinkled in dissatisfaction.

IRIS didn't know what to do. Her world was completely turned upside down in less than three months time. She was a mother to three children she hadn't even filled out birth certificates for, their father was a full blooded alien, of which she hadn't even known existed until two months ago, she herself was part alien, her mother and father we're not actually her real mother and father, she apparently has a half brother, her father's after her, Drax was probably dead, she's stuck on a stupid ship, and last but not least... She can't seem to get the large alien -that was now safely stashed away inside a healing pod- out of her head.

If she had been in a movie, right about now her character would be no doubt quoting the infamous line, "I need a drink.."

"I can't even get a cool breeze around here..." She breathed out as sweat from her own frustrations began to pool across her forehead.

"Is there anything I can assist you with, Iris of Earth?" A sudden voice sounded behind Iris, causing her to spin in a circle.

"Whose there?!" Iris yelled in fright.

"It is I, CReSin. I was designed to assist all aboard this traveling vessel."

"Then why can't I see you?" Iris asked as she looked up towards the large grey ceiling of the area she stood in. But no one came into her sights.

"I am an AI system that flows through the core of the ship, but if it would make you feel more at ease..." As the voice trailed off an holographic image of a teenaged sized blue girl was projected directly in front of Iris.

The suddenness of it was what truly freaked Iris out... Not the fact that there was a computer generated blue girl now standing in front of her.

"What. The. Hell?!" Iris murmured as she took a step closer, her eyes examining every portion of the hologram in front of her. "How long have you been listening to me?"

"My systems were made to constantly hear and visually record all aboard the vessel. My memory bank can hold up to seventy-five credible earth years worth of data before needing to refresh all systems.  Would you like to see a visual record of your time aboard the ship?" The blue girl asked with an irregular tilt to her head.

'Geez, someone needs a coach on human mannerisms.' Iris thought to herself.

"Um, no thank you." Iris said expecting for the blue girl to materialise back to where ever she came from, but instead she just stood before Iris with a blank look on her face. "Okay, um, is there something I can help you with?"

"As the AI system designed for this ship, it is my duty to make sure all aboard this ship are satisfied. Your color tone and elevated heart rate would suggest that you are dissatisfied, Iris of earth. How may CReSIN aid in your refreshing your ailing happiness?"

Iris sighed heavily, pressing her back against the wall before sliding down to the hard floor before her. Frustration being the only thing obviously read from her. She laughed, though nothing was funny, "I'm so unhappy, even a computer system can tell."

Looking up into the awaiting face of CReSin, Iris spoke calmly, "Is there a room where me and my kids could, you know, spend time together? A space big enough for all of us." She asked as she gestured towards her beast and herself.

"Unfortunately, all rooms aboard the ship are occupied. Would you desire for CReSin to find a designated area to expand your sleeping pod?"

"You can do that?"

"If that is what would make you happy."

"I would like that very much."

"Before, when your frustrations we're at a high level, you complained that there were no viewing windows, do you desire to be near a viewing surface perhaps?"

"Um, yes please."

"Iris of earth, I know the perfect area for your designated room. Please, follow me."

"Wait! I can't leave him!" Iris said gesturing towards the beast. "-And I need to get my kids." Suddenly the babbling sounds of children and the vibrations of something being lifted from near her had Iris spinning to find out what was going on.

On a flat plank of metal, her children were being hovered over to her direction, and to the far left the pod that held her beast was lifted from the ground.  "This way please, Iris of Earth." CReSin said waving her animated arm in a 'follow-me' motion.

And this was how she ended up with an extended pod, a healing beast, and three happy babies all in the same room.

*FLASHBACK OVER*

STAY TUNED GUYS! SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG. I WON'T EVEN GIVE AN EXCUSE! THIS WAS A FILLER CHAPTER BTW.