Chapter Twenty Nine
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths.
Smh, guys, how is it that we're only two reviews away from 300? Gods that's insane! Thank you guys so much! Also hard to believe we're almost at thirty chapters! Seems like just yesterday we were starting this fic! Also thank you guys so much for your patience, with my new job my energy has been close to zero in terms of wanting to write!
LotusQuil: Oh I'm so glad you liked it! And fun fact, the Lilo and Stitch reference was not intentional but it fit so well that I couldn't help but put it in! :D
Tracie Adams: I'm so glad you liked the chapter!
danifan3000: You know, it's entirely possible that Hades would find that out in the other timelines :D
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Why thank you! Glad to see people recognized that reference :D As for the magical adoption, I'm not sure. With the legal adoption, there's no fear of someone making it so that Mal has to go back to Maleficent but anything could change!
AmethystDragon14: Yay! I know, it was such a nice chapter to write and now Mal has her best boy! It's not right not having Estelle with the gang! And yeah, the workers were very dumb but since there was no harm done to Estelle, then we can ignore their stupidity that might out rival Gaston's!
Anonymousnette: Glad you liked that! It was fun to write! As for whether or not the shelter workers knew Estelle was a Cerberus…maybe not the workers at that shelter but that's not to say that was the only shelter Estelle had been to.
twilightgirl587: Yep!
jedblack1997: Anything's possible!
Hope you guys like this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Persephone sighed as she tried to hold back a wave of nausea. If she'd been honest, she had been feeling nauseous and lethargic since she left the Isle (actually if she was honest with herself, she had been feeling this way even before she left the Isle) and she'd had enough.
Even if a small part of her was wondering what illness could be so powerful as to impact a Goddess, she just wanted it to be over! If she couldn't be sick and at least cuddle with her husband, then she didn't want to be sick!
Not to mention all this was doing was worrying Mal. Oh sure, she didn't show it but Persephone had noticed Estelle coming into her room to sleep more and more. And usually he was holding a box of tissues or a book that Persephone knew had to come from Prince Ben's personal library.
I wish I knew what was going on, she thought as she held back another wave. I don't want to worry Mal and I know it's only a matter of time before mother's suspicious as well. And that's not a good thing, mother will be like a dog with a bone until I get better and she might even try to keep me in Auradon year round.
"Here."
Persephone blinked to see her sister standing in front of her holding a package of some kind.
"What is this?" Persephone asked as she took it. "It's not Saturnalia you know, Eileithyia."
Eileithyia sighed and shook her head. "I know. And I know you also know that I don't just give you random packages. But unless you want mother coming in here…?"
"I'm guessing you want me to open it?"
"Steph, can we stop beating around the bush? How long have you had morning sickness?"
Persephone paused. "I'm…I'm not…I can't be!"
"You are," Eileithyia said. "But that's all I can say until you open the package in your hand."
Persephone shook her head but opened the mysterious package her sister had given her.
"Eile…this is a pregnancy test."
"Exactly," Eileithyia nodded.
"Why did you give me a pregnancy test?" Persephone asked.
"So you can confirm your pregnancy," Eileithyia told her.
Persephone sighed and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Why can't you just tell me whether or not I'm pregnant? For Tartarus' sake, you practically confirmed it not five minutes ago."
"Because you're my sister and riling you up is fun," Eileithyia said with a chuckle. "Besides, now you have something to show Hades on the portal. I've no doubt that baby's his anyway."
Persephone gave her sister a look. "Of course the hypothetical baby's his, Eileithyia. I don't cheat on my husband."
"Which clearly he did not reciprocate," Eileithyia said with a small shrug.
Persephone paused and sighed. "Alright, no more beating around the bush. You've got an issue with Hades…or rather mother has another issue with Hades?"
"Look, you know I love my little niece—."
"I'm sensing a 'but' coming."
"But I don't understand how you can be so cool with Hades having a child with a woman who isn't you. And more importantly, a child with Maleficent of all beings. I love you Steph, and you know that, but I don't want you potentially getting hurt when Mal finds out about your pregnancy."
"Why would I be hurt?" Persephone asked, her frustration melting into confusion at her sister's words.
Eileithyia sighed and shook her head. "Who knows what poison Maleficent put into Mal's mind before you were able to claim her, Steph? If Mal hears you're having a baby, a biological baby?"
"Oh…you think…you think Mal might think I wouldn't want her anymore? Because I'd have my hypothetical child?" Persephone asked, the confusion melting away. She knew without a doubt that knowing she'd somehow hurt her child would hurt her. And Eileithyia knew that too. "You know you could have just said that without being all coy with the 'Hades having a child with Maleficent' stuff."
"Mother was walking past the door, you know she enjoys hearing someone trash your husband," Eileithyia shrugged.
Persephone sighed. Of course…mother's been kind enough letting Mal and I stay with her while we spend our six months in Auradon but maybe it would be better if we went to my apartment. Mal doesn't deserve to stay in a place that where my mother makes comments about her father.
"Steph?"
"Hmm?"
Eileithyia shook her head in amusement. "Are you going to take the test?"
"And you can't just tell me why again?"
"You really don't want the cute moment, showing your husband the pregnancy test?" Eileithyia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you would be all about that."
Persephone shook her head but she couldn't deny that her sister had a point. Getting up, she went into the bathroom to take the test.
"Well?" Eileithyia asked as Persephone came back out.
"Doesn't it need time to process?" Persephone asked. "The mortal ones do at the very least."
Eileithyia shook her head. "You don't think I didn't make improvements on the mortal tests? Honestly you'd have thought they'd have come up with better ways than either blood or peeing on a stick."
"…I had to pee on that stick!"
"Yes. Because I'm your sister and messing with you can sometimes be funny," Eileithyia said. "Anyway you're stalling. Results?"
Persephone sighed and looked down at the test. "…What does two lightning bolts mean?"
"It means I was right and Mal's getting a little brother or sister!" Eileithyia said with a grin. "Congrats Steph, don't worry I'll keep mother off your scent until you get back to the Isle."
"Thanks," Persephone said. "But now I should go and tell Mal. I know she's been busy helping Princes Emir and Akiho prepare fo Prince Ben's sixth birthday…"
"Oh yes, what are you going to do for Mal's? It's only a few days before Prince Ben's isn't it?"
"Like you don't already know with your big book of answers?"
"Records, big book of records."
Persephone shook her head. "I was going to take her to a 'paint and play', it's a new place that opened up that allows moms and their kids to paint items and have them for years to come. I had to make a request but they did manage to find a dragon for Mal to paint."
"A…a dragon?"
"She likes dragons," Persephone shrugged. "It's something she and Prince Ben have bonded over, along with Mulan's daughter Lonnie when she comes to visit the palace, so I'm not going to stifle that. Besides, dragons aren't evil."
"…Did you forget who dragons are normally associated with?"
"So? Zeus is associated with swans and yet we don't assume everyone who likes swans is a horrible father," Persephone said. "And now, if you don't mind Eileithyia, I need to talk with my daughter about the fact that there'll be a new member of the family at some point."
"You're not worried about the age difference?" Eileithyia asked.
"There's a six year difference, it's not like we're talking about eons," Persephone chuckled. Oddly enough, now that she knew she was pregnant, the nausea and the lethargic feeling had seemed to go from her body.
Were you just trying to make yourself known, little one? Was that it? Persephone thought as her fingers trailed over her stomach. Now that she was aware, she couldn't help but notice a slight curvature along her stomach. Had…had she been showing and she still hadn't been aware of her pregnancy?
I guess pregnancy brain truly is a thing, Persephone thought as she grabbed her keys and went to her car. Yes it was odd for a God or Goddess to know how to drive but Persephone though it was a good thing to know especially after Mal's adoption was finalized. And now that Persephone was pregnant, she couldn't be teleporting all willy nilly.
"Gods…how was the baby impacted by their time under the barrier? Even the minimal amount spent was still some time under the barrier," Persephone muttered to herself as she got into her car. It was a used car but Persephone hadn't minded that—even the faded paint gave it its own quality.
Plus it enabled Persephone to feel no shame in giving Mal, Ben, Lonnie, Akiho, and Emir cans of spray paint during one of the get together and going ham in giving the car some artwork. Sure it might have made Queen Leah almost faint upon her seeing it but the kids had fun and that was the most important thing.
The kids had asked which one Persephone liked the best, and Persephone had told them that there was no way she could pick a favorite. And she had meant that.
She loved Akiho's snowman, she loved what looked like a magic lamp that could have only been done by Emir. She loved Lonnie's dragon and Ben's multiple pile of books. And of course she loved Mal's Cerberus, with a purple paw print included so Estelle could have added his own artwork to the car.
She also loved the teal octopus Mal had done and the silver hook Ben had added, the young kids insisting Uma and Harry had to be included even if they couldn't make the pictures themselves.
Driving off, Persephone couldn't help but sigh softly as she made her way to Queen Belle's castle where Mal and Estelle were having a playdate with Prince Ben. How was she going to take the news?
I can only hope she'd take it well, she thought. I mean…it's not like we're replacing her right? Mal would still be a part of our family no matter how many kids Hades and I have. Because she's our first child.
Shaking her head, Persephone pulled herself out of her thoughts so she could focus on the road. It wouldn't do to get into an accident now that she was expecting. Well it wouldn't be good to get into an accident at any time but you know what she meant.
"Steph!"
Persephone smiled as she heard the happy cheer of Mal and the ever joyous yip of Estelle as she pulled up.
"Hello Mal, hello Estelle," Persephone said as she got out of the car. "Did you two have fun?"
"Uh huh," Mal nodded. "I taught Benny some more sparring moves so when we go back to the Isle, he'll be ready to go up against Harry!"
Oh dear Gods…
"And…and no one was watching you?"
"Chip was! That's who Benny's with," Mal said. "Even though Chip would only let us use foam swords, I…I may have accidentally hurt Benny."
"Oh? What happened?" Persephone asked.
Mal bit her lip. "I…Estelle got underfoot, I think he was trying to spar with us and Ben didn't see him, and he…he tripped over Estelle as I was having Ben back up."
"Oh dear," Persephone said with a small frown. "Is Prince Ben okay?"
"I think so," Mal said. "Chip took Ben over to see Belle, just to be safe he said. But Ben said he was fine!"
Persephone couldn't help but smile slightly as she heard that. Young kids were truly resilient.
"I'm sure he is but sometimes it helps if the parent knows what happened too," Persephone told Mal. "Just in case there's any unknown injuries that make themselves known later."
"Oh…I didn't think of that."
"And you shouldn't have to," Persephone said with a small smile. "That's why Chip was there, so someone older could think of those things."
Even though he's a child himself and an actual adult should have been there to think of those things, Persephone thought before shaking her head. She needed to keep her thoughts in order to tell Mal her news.
"Hey Mali?"
"Yeah Steph?" Mal asked.
"I have something I want to talk to you about," Persephone said.
Mal bit her lip. "Are…are you…you're not giving up the adoption are you?"
"What? Oh no, honey," Persephone shook her head. "Your father and I want you, we would never give up the adoption. Why…why would you ask that?"
"Audrey…she was over a couple of days ago and…she said something about it being a matter of time before you had a child of your own and you'd stop taking 'pity' on me," Mal said and her soft voice broke Persephone's heart.
"Now you listen to me Mal," she said, gently taking Mal's hands. "We, your father and I, are not 'taking pity' on you. We love you and we have loved you since the moment we laid eyes on you."
"So then…what did you want to talk to me about? If…if you're keeping the adoption?" Mal asked.
Persephone smiled slightly. "Mal, honey, I wanted to let you know that you're going to have a new brother or sister soon."
"…Are you adopting another kid? Please don't be Blueberry!"
"No, no," Persephone shook her head. "Your father and I are not adopting any more kids."
"But then…how would you have another kid?" Mal asked, tilting her head.
"I'm pregnant, Mali," Persephone said and Mal's eyes got wide in realization.
"So…so you're going to have a kid of your own?"
Persephone smiled and nodded. "That's right. You're going to be a big sister."
"So…so you're not getting rid of me?" Mal asked. She hated to even voice it, especially since Persephone had said she wouldn't give her back but…it would be nice to double check.
"Of course not," Persephone said. "Why would we get rid of the best daughter anyone could possibly have?"
"But…I'm just your step daughter—."
"Malinda, you listen to me," Persephone told her, happily using Mal's new full name that had been made official from the adoption. "You are not 'just' anything. You are my daughter, regardless of who happened to mother you. You are as much my child as the baby growing in me."
Mal couldn't help but smile as she heard that. I…I guess Benny was right. There really isn't any harm in telling people how you're feeling…at least not in Auradon. I can't believe I even thought the pink brat could have a point.
"Now then," Persephone said, pulling Mal out of her thoughts. She knew it likely wasn't the last time they would have this talk but Persephone didn't want Mal to stay in the sun for too much longer without sunscreen. "Shall we go tell your father the good news?"
"Can I bring Estelle?"
"Of course!"
"Then let's go!" Mal said with a grin as Estelle yipped in delight, hopping into the backseat as Persephone opened the car door for him. "Wait…do we have to tell Belle and Benny where we're going? They worry a lot over here you know."
"I think we're good to go Mali," Persephone said as she caught the eye of one of the castle guards who nodded in what Persephone could only assume was understanding.
"Ah…then let's go!"
"As you wish Mali," Persephone grinned and started the car back up; happily making her way to her portal to tell her husband the good news.