Mary:

Mary sighed and rubbed her eyes as she powered down her computer. Another day of photo editing and Lady of the Lake paperwork and she was exhausted.

"Rough day?"

She smiled and turned to see her husband in the doorway.

He stepped forward and kissed her cheek, "Come on, your mum is waiting for us."

She nodded and slowly got to her feet. Seamus held the door for her before getting into the driver's seat. Mary rubbed her eyes again and looked out the window. However, it only took her a moment to realize they were not headed to her parents' house.

"Seamus? Where are we going? Mama and Papa's house is in the other direction."

"I know. Mama wanted to meet somewhere else today."

Mary felt her blood run cold, "No."

"Mary. Please."

"No. You know I don't want to go there."

"You haven't been to see her since you were discharged. I bet she misses you."

"I can't do it."

"Please. For Mother's Day."

"It's my fault she's in there! I can't do it…"

Seamus sighed and parked the car, "Mary. It is not your fault…It is not your fault that she's here. If anything it's MY fault. She's a werewolf and she gets that from me. That's why she was so early."

Mary didn't look up. She kept her eyes on her feet and her fists tightened around her purse. Seamus reached over and wiggled his fingers through hers.

"I won't make you go see her, Mary. But will you at least go in and talk to Mama? Maybe we can talk about where we're going to go for dinner?"

She was still for another moment before nodding. Seamus smiled slightly and kissed her again. He continued to hold the door for her as they made their way through the hospital to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In the hall, Lenora and Eli were waiting for them.

"Hey, Princess," Lenora grinned and hugged her eldest daughter tight, "Happy Mother's Day."

"Happy Mother's Day, Mama." She looked around, "Where are Toni and Toby?"

"Toby's still on Akoridian 5 with Nana and Darcy and Toni's at home with Papa," Eli explained, hugging his sister, "You know how she gets when it comes to babies."

Mary nodded and looked at the doors.

"Only two of us are allowed in at a time. Who do you want first?"

"I-um- I don't…" Her words vanished as she watched the other mothers in the NICU.

Without a word, Eli took her hand and led her in. She didn't resist.

"Oh! Mrs. Giladrigal! Mr. Terron-Pepperjack! We were hoping to see you today." the nurse next to one of the units came over to meet them, "I take it Mr. Giladrigal and Frau Scarrbach are waiting in the hall?"

"They are. One of them will swap out with me in a minute or so so we can all get a chance to see her today."

The nurse nodded and led the way back to the unit, "Well, she's doing really great today."

Mary nearly tuned out the conversation as she looked down at her daughter in the unit.

"I know Seamus will probably ask when he comes in but how was she…the other night?"

"The full moon? Other than every baby in the ward screaming their little heads off, all went well. She took it like a champ. That's a strong little girl you have there, Mrs. Giladrigal."

Mary nodded. Shauna was tucked neatly under her lavender blanket and dressed warmly in her lilac and white onesie. She had one arm wrapped loosely around her little rainbow patterned octopus. Despite being so early and so small, the little girl had been born with a full head of pitch black hair and her father's round nose.

"Mrs. Giladrigal?"

She turned.

"Would you like to hold her?"

Once again, Mary couldn't make herself respond. She slowly looked back down at her daughter.

"I'd have to double check with the doctor but she's been doing so good lately I doubt he would say no."

She nodded. The nurse rushed off and Eli squeezed her shoulder. Mary's hand shook as she touched the glass of the unit.

"I'm going to get Seamus."

Mary stiffened. For the first time since her baby had been born, she was being left alone with her. It didn't last long, of course. Seamus was by her side in less than a minute and the nurse returned soon after that. But it still chilled her to the bone. The nurse opened Shauna's unit and swaddled the baby while directing Mary to the chair beside it. Then, she tucked Shauna against her chest. Mary couldn't help but stare down at her little girl. Her daughter, born so small and weak because she couldn't carry her to term, was in her arms. Seamus kissed her cheek and leaned over her shoulder to look down at their daughter.

"The doctor said she should be able to go home as soon as she can regulate her own body temperature," The nurse was still talking, "It may still be a while before that happens but it's definitely a good sign since she's doing so well."

Mary nodded. The baby cooed and blinked up at her, still cross eyed. Mary gasped but her husband chuckled. Shauna's eyes were two different colors. Her right eye was the same dark brown that Mary's were but the left was bright electric blue that the Polymorph changlings were known for. She smiled and tightened her hold on Shauna. She yawned and nuzzled her head closer to her mother's shoulder. Seamus pressed his temple against his wife's.

"I told you it would make you feel better." (1)

LLB

Claire:

"You should do something for Claire for Mother's Day," Walt insisted, "I know Petunia's not here ye-"

"I am, Da," Jim grinned, "I have something planned for her and I think she's really going to like it."

Walt smiled proudly, "Alright. Just don't forget YOUR mother."

"I won't. We're still doing our walk in the afternoon with Wally and Xena. Like always."

LLB

Jim woke up early to get started. He kissed his wife's cheek and slipped into the kitchen. Pregnancy with a changeling baby was difficult on Claire so he wanted to do something extra special for her. She had been experiencing pica and, after weeks of research, he was making her a breakfast that would hopefully satisfy those cravings while still being safe for the very human enchantress to eat. He was just finishing when he heard Claire moving around in their bedroom.

"Jim?"

"On my way, Claire Bear. Just one second."

He put the last of the food on the tray and turned down the hall. Claire was sitting up in bed and had already reached for her journal manuscript by the time he got there.

"You didn't have to."

"I know," He set the try in front of her, "But, seeing as it's your first Mother's Day, I figured it was as good a day as any to spoil you."

She fixed him with a firm look but happily dug into her food. Jim grinned and sat on the other side of the bed before laying his head next to her rounded belly. He had no qualms about singing his father's lullaby for his own daughter. Claire just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"When do you have to head to the lab?"

"I don't. I got Uncle Blinky to cover my leader duties today so I can spend it with you two. AND? I have a special surprise for you tonight. The Arcadia theater troupe is doing The Sound of Music and I got us tickets."

"Jim," She pulled him up and kissed him, "I appreciate the gesture but I'm not supposed to get out of bed. Remember?"

"Of course I remember. The theater is still doing live-streams of their performances. I got us tickets for the virtual showing."

"Really!" She lit up, "You're the best!"

"Thank you. Now, eat up. Hopefully this will stop you from wanting to eat rocks and silverware."

"What if baby wants rock candy, too?"

LLB

Darcy:

Darcy pulled up to the museum to pick up her daughter from geology club. Eudora settled into her seat, abnormally quiet.

"Everything ok, Angel?"

She nodded and clutched her bag tighter. Darcy was willing to let it slide for now.

"Are we going to Akoridian 5?"

"Not today. We have family dinner in the forge tonight."

Eudora nodded and tucked her straight black hair behind her ear. When they get home, Darcy made her way to the kitchen to make lunch.

"Stay out of the kitchen!" Toby shouted, "We're not done!"

She stopped short and rolled her eyes, "You and Isaac better not be making a giant mess in there."

"We're not…just a small one…"

"Fine. But you get to clean it up."

"Copy that."

She went back to the living room to work on some paperwork. Just because it was a holiday didn't mean that she didn't have work to do. Eudora tiptoed in and sat beside her.

"Mama?"

"Yes, Dori?"

"Do we celebrate Mother's Day?"

Darcy stopped and looked at her, "Yes. Why?"

"It's just…there are so many people in this family…from so many places…and I know that it's still new on Akoridian 5 so…I just didn't know…"

Darcy smiled, "Yes, we celebrate Mother's Day. Not everyone on your Papa's side does, of course. And we didn't do a big family get together last year-"

"Because Isaac and Tuny weren't here yet?"

"That's part of it. Baby Shauna was still in the hospital, too. With everything going on, it just didn't happen."

"So…is it ok to give you this?"

She handed her mother a little bag. Darcy's tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as she opened the bag and pulled out the bracelet inside. The chain was simple silver but it had two charms hanging off of it: a diamond and a pearl. She smiled and clipped the bracelet around her wrist with her watch. Then, she hugged her daughter.

"I love it, Eudora. Thank you."

"It's ok that I put mine with Isaac's?"

"Of course, baby girl. And, if we all eat all our dinner tonight, we'll go out and eat something that NONE of us should have for dessert."

LLB

1) Post-Partum Depression is something that a lot of mothers struggle with and is, shockingly, very common. It can be especially difficult for NICU mothers since they don't get to spend as much time with their babies. This wasn't really something I touched on much in A New Beginning since Lenora in that fic had a lot going on already and I wasn't sure I could handle writing that in as well.