Smurfette rocked in her rocking chair, exhausted. She remembered to thank Handy for everything he'd made for them, including (but not limited to) the cribs, the mobiles, the little baby toys, and even tiny wood carvings in the shape of storks. She was so grateful, but at the same time in so much pain. She could barely stand up without falling over, or at the very least get painful aches in her back and legs. It was boring her to tears. Vanity, Smurfblossom, and many others came over to see if she needed anything, which was always nice, but she wanted to do things for herself again. Inside her, the babies kicked.
Hefty looked over at her as he sat at his gym opposite her, doing arm curls. "You okay?"
She turned and nodded, smiling tiredly. He dropped the barbel and took her gently by the shoulders. By the noticeable bags under her eyes, he could tell that she was beyond overwhelmed. He smiled.
"How're the kids doing?" he asked, put a hand on her stomach.
"Your son has hiccups," she said. "Can you feel it?"
"Oh, yeah. He's really smurfing there."
A knock came at the front door. Smurfette started to get up, but Hefty stopped her and proceeded for her. In hindsight, he didn't need to. Smurfette couldn't stand up anymore without Hefty's help.
"Um, Hefty," Brainy's voice came from outside. "A smurf of your time, please?"
Hefty glanced at Smurfette before closing the door behind him. Smurfette knitted her eyebrows in curiosity. As quietly as she could, she inched the window up a crack, listening in on their conversation.
"...we can't lift the all boulders from the pass without you. We need our strongest pair of smurfs!"
"I don't know..." Hefty's voice was filled with uncertainty. "Druid Mountain? That could take days! I can't just leave Smurfette alone here."
"We have the Smurfettes and Vanity and Clumsy and everysmurf else! Besides, she's nowhere close to having the babies now."
After a brief moment of silence, Hefty sighed. "Let me think about it. I'll smurf back to you by tonight."
Smurfette quickly closed the window as Hefty opened the door. She glanced at him as if she hadn't heard the conversation. "So, what happened?"
Hefty sighed again. "Papa wants me to smurf with him, Brainy, Smurfwillow, Smurflily, Handy, and a few others to Druid Mountain to remove some boulders that could possibly be in range of the Village. I-I-I tried to smurf Brainy out of it, but they really need me. I don't want to leave you, though."
"It'll be fine!" she said quickly. "I have everysmurf else to take care of me. They come over all the time. Besides, like Brainy said, I'm not going to give birth at eight months."
"Wait, when did you hear Brainy say that?"
"Say what?"
"That - oh, never mind." He hugged her from behind. "I love you. I just hope nothing happens to you."
"Trust me, I'm not going anywhere."
Hefty left the next morning. In her own selfish mind, Smurfette wished she had forbade Hefty from leaving. But it wasn't like she'd never see him again. She kissed him and wished him well before joining Papa and Smurflily outside their house. Not five minutes later, Vanity and Blossom entered the living room, helping themselves to cookies. They stayed for two days, something Smurfette didn't mind but was surprised that they would do. Smurfette asked for some smurfberry jam and peanut butter, to which Smurfblossom happily obliged and offered to try with her.
"Want some, Vanity?" Blossom asked Vanity, who was munching on cookies while gazing at himself.
"And smudge my perfectly smurfed suit and pants! You can keep it!"
Smurfette giggled and happily dug into her PB and J cookie. "I'm just glad you guys would go out of your way for me."
"Of course! We love you!" Blossom squealed, hugging Smurfette's belly. "And we love babies!"
"Oh, and that maternity dress," Vanity added. "Really highlights those curls. And the color brings out those gorgeous eyes!"
Smurfette blushed. "You really think so?"
"If the others would recognize it, they'd admit that you're the second most beautiful Smurf in the Village."
"Who's number o - " Smurfette covered Smurfblossom's mouth, shaking her head. Smurfblossom didn't stop talking though. Smurfette waited a moment before removing her hand. " - going to just love, absolutely LOVE, these little blue beans. Even Smurfwillow!"
Smurfette blinked in confusion. "What do you mean 'even Smurfwillow'?" Smurfblossom went as blue as a winter sky, Vanity dropped his mirror. Smurfette's eyes darted from Blossom to Vanity. "Is there something you aren't smurfing me?"
"Well, you see, Smurfette..." Vanity began, scooping up his mirror, but Smurfblossom cut him off.
"When Willow found out you were going to keep the second baby that Gargamel made, she went into a tizzy! She kept rambling about how she was going to get rid of that baby as soon as it came out, to keep everyone safe at all costs! Stormy and Lily and Jade and Hazel and me, we tried to calm her down, but she doesn't want to listen! She...she...she's scared that you'd risk the lives of everyone because of your attachment to a lump of clay."
Hot, angry tears ran down Smurfette's face. How could Smurfwillow be so insensitive?!
"I'm sorry, Smurfette!" Vanity said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Hefty told us not to tell you because - "
"HE KNEW?!" she screamed, seething with anger. "HE KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!"
"He didn't want to upset you," Vanity explained. "We knew that you felt so smurfly about this, so we tried to change her mind but..."
"She was stubborn!" Smurfblossom finished. "Sorry."
Smurfette failed to choke back a sob. All this time, she had trusted Smurfwillow. She thought she'd been so supportive through her pregnancy. Why? It couldn't be true! Smurfette sighed. She took a few breaths, reminding herself that feeling depressed could potentially harm her babies. This was evident in the small ache she was feeling in her abdomen. She felt Smurfblossom hug her, gently. She tried her best to hug her back, her large belly getting in the way. They pain went away after about a minute.
"Smurfette, darling," Vanity said, appearing beside her. He glanced at her through his mirror. "you have our full support."
She sniffled. "Thanks, guys." After a moment to compose herself, she struggled to her feet, stumbling a bit before regaining her balance. "I think...I think I'd like to go for a walk."
Blossom glanced at Vanity. "Are you sure? I mean, with the babies and the weather and you being so upset - "
Smurfette chuckled. "I'm...I'm okay." She pulled on a heavy jacket that didn't quite fit over her. "I just need to smurf my legs. Please, come with me?"
"Alright, Smurfette," Vanity complied, putting on his faux fur coat. Smurfblossom tied her cloak around her shoulders and assisted Smurfette out the door. Smurfstorm, who'd been ordered by Hefty to also look after Smurfette, insisted on joining them. Why not? The more the smurfier. Another ache shot through her stomach as they reached the far east side of the village. Again, she shook it off and continued with the walk into the autumn forest.
Smurfette thought a nice stroll through the forest would be good for her, but it was proving to become more and more difficult. The aches in her stomach were growing worse, traveling to her lower back. She would, every once in a while, have to rest by a tree or even sit down. She still didn't think much of it. Maybe she was pushing herself harder than she thought she could handle.
They finally rested at the base of a maple tree. Vanity was admiring himself in his hand mirror while Stormy and Blossom were chatting. Smurfette breathed quickly, another pain coming through her belly. It lasted longer, and they were becoming more consistent. She tried to hide back a gasp of pain. Apparently she failed, because Smurfstorm came running over.
"Hey, kid. You okay?"
The pain subsided, and Smurfette exhaled. She nodded. Smurfstorm sat down beside her, still not convinced. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Smurfette leaned against the tree to stand.
"I think...I think it's time we go - AAH!"
She collapsed against Smurfstorm, clutching her stomach. Vanity and Smurfblossom ran over in a panic.
"Smurfette, what's wrong?!" Smurfblossom shouted.
Smurfette struggled not to scream again, in too much pain to say anything else. Everyone was yelling at her, but she couldn't answer. She fell to her knees, then collapsed into a puddle. That puddle wasn't there before. As the pain subsided a bit, she glanced sheepishly up at her friends.
"Maybe...this walk wasn't...such a good idea. I think..." she cried out a little bit. "I think my water broke!"
"Your what did a who-now?" Smurfblossom asked.
"The babies are coming!"
"NOW?!"
"Yes, NOW!"
Smurfstorm's eyes grew wide with something Smurfette had never seen before: fear. Smurfblossom was running around in circles, not knowing what to do. Vanity had even put down his mirror to assist Smurfette. Smurfette looked up at Smurfstorm pleadingly, silently begging her for help. Stormy quickly snapped out of it and dragged Blossom back into the situation.
"Okay, it's going to be fine! Blossom, you take Smurfette home and make sure she's comfortable. Vanity, you spread the word to get more help. I'm going to find Papa and Lover Boy."
Smurfblossom wrapped her arm around Smurfette's waist, pulling her up. "Lean on me, Smurfette." As the three headed back toward the village, Smurfstorm ran deeper into the woods. She ripped past leaves and dead shrubbery until finally coming to a familiar roost.
"Spitfire, wake up!"
The dragonfly sprung to life at her voice, buzzing his wings. Smurfstorm jumped onto his back. "Let's go! Druid Mountain!" They took off over the forest to the north. "I hope you know where it is, because I don't."
Hefty dropped another boulder from the pass into the ravine on the other side of the mountain. To him, this was easy work. But there was that feeling, that feeling that he should be back home with his wife. He knew this would take at least another day to finish, but he felt as if he was needed home now! A tap to his shoulder made him jump.
"I gotcha!" Handy laughed. Hefty groaned. "Where've you been?"
"What do you mean? I've been here the whole time."
Handy shook his head. "Nah. You're a thousand smurfs away from here, back with Smurfette and the little ones." He clamped Hefty's shoulder. "We know you're worried about her. It's natural. You just have to trust that she'll be alright."
Hefty blinked. Maybe he was worrying too much. Smurfette was just fine. She was probably sitting back at home with a cup of coffee with Smurfblossom and Vanity, the door safely guarded by Smurfstorm. She was only 34 weeks along and in only six weeks, when it was time, she'd tell him. Everything was absosmurfly -
"HEFTY!"
Papa Smurf called to him from the pass. Hefty ran over, expecting another boulder to carry, but was met by surprise when he found Smurfstorm on Spitfire.
"Smurfstorm? What are you doing here? I told you to smurf after Smurfette!"
"Uh, yeah! That's the thing, you doi-yoi! Smurfette is in labor!"
It struck him like an ax. "WHAT?!" Unbeknownst to Hefty, everyone had gathered round. Smurfwillow was listening intently. "B-But it's way too early! She can't be in labor!"
"Hmm, let's see," Smurfstorm started sarcastically. "Rhythmatic stomach pains, heavy breathing, unable to stand up - YES! She is having those babies now!"
She had Hefty at "stomach pains". He was climbing up the dragonfly to ride back home with her. Papa Smurf was right behind him.
"B-but, Hefty! Papa, darling!" Smurfwillow interjected. "We need you here! What about the village?"
"WHAT ABOUT MY WIFE?!" he snapped. "I am sorry, Willow. But I don't care if one of those babies is a Smurf, a lump of clay, or even a stork! They are still my children, my smurflings! I decide how they'll grow up. And, if you think there's something wrong with being born from a lump of clay then...then Smurfette deserves a better mother figure."
Hefty glanced away from Willow's horrified face before Spitfire took off back towards the village. His stamina was flying through the roof. He didn't care what Willow thought. He didn't care if one baby was made by Gargamel! He didn't care that they needed him on the mountain. Smurfette needed him more. He just hoped she would be okay. The wind was starting to pick up, and he didn't want to think about what would happen if he couldn't fly there in time.
