Catra paced anxiously. Her tail flicked in irritation behind, smacking anyone who dared to come near. "I'm sure she's fine, Catra," Glimmer attempted to placate the angry, and quite honestly, hurting, magicat. Catra turned with a growl. "Yeah, because you know everything, don't you?" She hissed. Glimmer's eyes narrowed. "I'm trying to be nice, Catra. Whilst she's your wife, she's our friend too. We're allowed to be worried," Catra couldn't help the sneer that curled at her lip. "Are you though?" Glimmer stepped back. "What's that supposed to mean?" She hissed. Catra narrowed her eyes. "Adora told me everything," She spat. Glimmer's jaw muscles worked. "Ok you two, that's enough," Bow stepped in between, hands outstretched. "We're all worried about her, ok? About both of them," Bow corrected upon Catra's glare. "Catra, you sit over there. Glimmer, you sit over there. Both of you away from each other,"
Catra stormed off but didn't sit. Her energy felt way too destructive for that, so she continued pacing. "Mom?" She whirled. "Hey, Vi-Ra. You're supposed to be in bed," Catra chastised softly, bending to pick the six-year-old up. Violet rubbed her eyes. "Where's mommy?" She asked. Catra's tail smacked against the wall. "Mommy's with the doctors, right now. They're gonna fix her up real good," Catra swayed her gently on her hip, rubbing her back softly. "What happen?" Violet mumbled sleepily against her neck. Catra sighed. "I honestly don't know, kid," She whispered. Violet raised her head. "Issa baby ok too? Are they gonna die?" Her eyes widened before Catra could say no. "Is mommy gonna die?" Her violet eyes welled with tears. "I don't want Mommy to die," She cried. Catra pulled her head back into the crook of her neck, swaying a bit quicker. "Violet-Rey, your mother is the toughest person in this room. She has literally died before and simply said no. Mommy's not dying for real anytime soon," She soothed. "Never mind the baby. Even if they're half as strong as your mom, they're gonna be just fine,"
They'd finally told Vi about the baby, shortly before they took off to Eternia. It was a memory that Catra would cherish for the rest of her life.
Adora sat propped up against the bed, jotting some notes down into her notebook. Taking Catra's word as gospel, Glimmer had enlisted Adora's help in planning for the upcoming trip. Catra scrubbed Violet's hair clean of... whatever the hell she'd gotten in it, wrapped her up in her duck bathtime robe, given to her from Entrapta because (ducks are a staple of childhood thanks to their constant look of enjoyment, which releases serotonin in children), and deposited her on the bed. Catra crawled up behind and began brushing the wavy locks. "So, Vi-Ra, Mommy and I need to tell you something," She began, subtly knocking Adora's leg. Violet looked up at her, then at Adora. "Whaaaat?" She grinned. Adora shifted upright more and spread her legs. "Come here," She smiled. Violet looked back once and satisfied the brush of death was away from her head, she scrambled into Adora's open gap, sitting crosslegged. Adora grabbed her hand and put it on her slightly swollen belly, guiding it to the right spot. "Mommy, what you doin?" Violet giggled. Catra crawled up to Adora's side and put her hand on the bump too. "Just wait for it," Catra whispered.
Adora moved Violet's hand slightly further up, closer to her ribs with a soft smile. Violet yelped and yanked her hand back. Catra moved her hand to the empty spot, grinning as she rubbed her thumb across the tight skin. "Vi, feel here," She said, guiding the five-year-old's hand again. Violet frowned, hesitant. "What is it?" She whined. Adora chuckled. The baby wiggled inside, kicking out in displeasure. "Inside my belly is a baby, Vi," She said, rubbing Violet's damp hair. She glanced up with narrowed eyes. "You eat a baby?" She asked. Catra snorted as Adora laughed again, the movement shaking her belly. "No, mommy didn't eat the baby," Catra guided her hand to a spot a few inches below Adora's ribs. The baby was clearly unimpressed with the laughter, judging by the violet kicks they were dishing out. "Me and Mommy made the baby," Catra explained. "Inside is a baby brother or sister," Violet's eyes widened. She pressed her face up close to Adora's exposed belly, nose to the middle, hands on either side. "Baby," She said sternly. "Stop kicking our mommy," She snapped.
Adora sniffled suspiciously from above. "Vi, it's a good thing they're kicking. It means they're happy and healthy," Catra supplied. Violet glanced up briefly. She hummed. "Stop making our mommy sick," She said instead. Adora snorted and began carding her hand through Violet's locks. "I agree with that one, but that's my body, not the baby," She corrected. Violet looked up with wide eyes. "So baby is happy? And- and not hurting Mommy?" She turned to Catra, even at five, knowing Adora lied when she was in pain. Catra shook her head. "Nope. Baby isn't hurting Mommy at all," Violet nodded. "I like dee baby den," She decided with a grin. "When is it here? I want to see it," She asked. Adora chuckled. "Not for a little while yet. Baby still has to grow, Vi-Ra. Like you, all big and strong," She smiled. Violet harumphed. "How long?" She asked. "After your birthday," Catra added. "And after Christmas," Adora hummed, pulling Violet's head down onto the bump and stroking her hair. "I've gotta grow yet, Vi-Vi. I'll be as big as a house before the baby is here," She joked.
Violet hummed, putting her hand on Adora's belly again. "I love dem already," She smiled sleepily.
The next day only solidified the idea that Violet was in love with the baby. Catra walked in from the garden, having gone out to pick some moonberries for Adora's craving. She, personally, hated them after a rough night involving those, gin and some whipped cream after Prime was defeated, and felt sick when she saw them ever since. But, Adora wanted them, so Catra got them. She dropped the berries into the sink's pre-drawn water to soak clean and meandered into the bedroom to check on Adora. The poor thing had been up all night with a particularly bad bought of the HG, having resorted to simply sleeping on the bathroom floor in misery. Around eight am, they'd managed to migrate to the bed, where she slept upright from there on out. "Violet!" Catra hissed quietly upon stepping into the room. The five-year-old stared sidelong at her. "Shush, Mom!" She chastised. Catra narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. Violet was pressed close to Adora's exposed bump, with the latter choosing to sleep in a sports bra and some loose shorts of Catra's for comfort, in between her legs with her arms wrapped around her belly. Adora still slept peacefully against the high stack of pillows, completely unaware of the five-year-old violating her space.
"Vi, mommy's asleep," Catra chastised softly, stepping closer and sitting on the edge of the bed. Adora stirred slightly, but mumbled quietly under her breath, her eyes remaining closed. Violet turned back with a tut as she rolled her eyes. "I knowww Mom," She moaned, turning back. Catra's eyebrows touched her hairline. She couldn't complain to be fair... Violet had only started that recently because of her own attitude. "What're you doing, kiddo?" Catra asked softly. Violet huffed. "I talking to da baby, Mom," She said with all her five-years of life accumulated attitude. Catra chuckled softly. "I'm sure the baby's asleep, Vi-Ra," She said. Violet shook her head. "No, dey awake. We been talkin' for ageeess," She giggled as the baby kicked her hand. "Dey like me," She proclaimed. Catra smiled. "I'm sure they do. You're their big sister. You've gotta protect them from monsters," Catra put her hand on Adora's leg softly, absently rubbing her circle on the soft skin.
Adora sighed softly in her sleep, twisting slightly. She slung an arm around Violet's close form, pulling her in closer. Violet squeaked in surprise but giggled loudly. "Vi, shush!" Catra tried to reprimand, but couldn't help the laughter in her voice. Adora hummed lowly. "Do you really think I wouldn't feel an intrusive little alien on my belly?" She asked quietly, peeking an eye open with a raised brow. Catra snorted but felt slightly reprimanded herself. Adora had completely mastered the "mom look", as Mermista had proclaimed. She couldn't do it as well as Adora could, and Glimmer couldn't do it, period. It required a certain raise of the eyebrow, but only the right one and a circle glare in the eyes. Adora had used the "mom look" on Catra before, and she'd be lying if she said it wasn't effective.
Violet only giggled louder. "Is da baby," She immediately blamed. Adora hummed. "I agree. Except this baby is five years old and currently fused to my stomach," She dug her fingers into Violet's side, tickling her frantically. She flailed around, squealing loudly. Catra moved further up the bed with a soft laugh as Adora released her deathly grip, sitting back against the pillows again as Violet re-glued herself to Adora's belly. "You ok?" Catra asked. Adora wrapped her arm around Violet, but a lot more softly this time. "Yeah, I'm ok. I've been awake for a while, but couldn't be bothered to move," She admitted. Catra nodded. "Well, whenever you're ready, those awful berries are in the sink for you," Adora's eyes lit up. "Oh yes. I'll have them when I get up," She sunk a bit lower into the pillows. "Maybe after another nap," She conceded, her eyes slipping closed again.
Catra remained on the bed, moving up to Adora's side. She immediately rested her head on Catra's shoulder, moving it softly. "You smell like the berries," She mumbled. Catra snorted, wrapping her arm around Adora's shoulders and rubbing her left arm with her thumb. "I was outside for at least an hour trying to find them," She admitted. Adora hummed. "I'll eat you for them," She mumbled sleepily. Catra blinked in shock. "I'm sorry?" She questioned. Adora snuffed in her sleep softly. Catra shook her head, turning her gaze to Violet. She'd reattached herself to Adora's bump, but pulled the blanket over her shoulders and part of Adora's body. "Mommy was getting cold, da baby said," She said to Catra's questioning gaze. Shortly after that, Violet fell asleep with her head still pressed onto Adora's bump.
Catra knew Violet would protect the baby with her life. She moved to the window and sat down, softly rubbing Violet's back as she cried herself back to sleep in anxiety. "Mommy's gonna fine... so is the baby," She continuously whispered. Whether to reassure herself of her daughter, she'd probably never know. But both needed it.
Another hour passed, making it two since she'd taken Adora to the medical ward. The doctors had taken her away quickly and swiftly. It took another forty-five minutes before somebody entered the room she was in. "Family of Adora?" The nurse called. Catra waved her hand. "Here, but I'm pinned down by a child, so bare with me," She excused. "Catra, I'll take her," Bow said. Catra pulled back, cupping Violet's sleeping head. "I can bring her if she wakes up, I promise we'll stay here otherwise," He assured. "Go see Adora,"
"Oh, there's no need for that," The nurse shook her head. "We're bringing her in here," She clarified. "I just came to talk about what happened," She gestured to the window seat. "So, it was a combination of several things, one of which will be better discussed and explained once Adora is awake and the sorceress can assist," The nurse began. "The reason her expulsion was golden and shiny was an influx of magic. It had nowhere else to go, so it came out," She explained. Catra narrowed her eyes. "I never said she'd puked," The nurse shook her head. "You didn't need to. She did at least three more times before we got her into surgery," Catra nodded softly. "She also had high blood pressure, stupidly high blood pressure. That, combined with the sudden influx of magic, and it was incredibly sudden, caused an extreme amount of stress on her body, causing her to experience something called a placental abruption and her cervix to dilate to four centimetres," The nurse explained. "What's... what's a placental abbreviation?" Catra asked quietly. "Placental abruption. And it's where the placenta, which is where the baby lies, tears away from the uterine wall," She said. Catra ground her teeth. "That's bad... isn't it?"
"Usually, yes," The nurse conceded. "But... whatever influx of magic was running in her veins kept the baby alive long enough for the surgeon to sew her placenta back to the uterine wall, and add two stitches to her cervix to stop it dilating further," Catra nodded softly. "Did... we argued pretty badly... would that have caused the abruption?" Catra found herself asking. "I doubt it. It probably didn't help any, but no, that wouldn't have caused it on its own," The nurse said. She leaned out the door, coming back in and pushing them open. Two men wheeled a large bed in and put it against the window. "Adora," Catra gasped, running over to her side. She picked up her hand, but it was cold. "Why... why is her hand cold? You said she was ok!" She whirled on the nurse. She walked over slowly, clicking a few tubes into place. "She is. However, due to the abruption, Adora suffered major blood loss. We've got her on emergency blood, but she's going to need her own type transfusing soon, otherwise she'll be here for a while as her supply rebuilds,"
Catra held out her arm. "Do me," She said. The nurse shook her head. "I can't. You're a magicat, she's human. We can't mix species' blood," Catra glanced around. "What about Sparkles? Or Arrows?" She pointed. Bow shook his head. "I can't, I'm not the right type, we tried it back in the war," He admitted. "I can't either. Apparently, anyone with magic genetically in their blood like us counts as a different species," Glimmer explained. The nurse nodded. "It'd have to be a pure human. No magic, and the same type as her," The nurse confirmed. Catra grabbed her hair in frustration. "God, everyone we know is fucking magic!" She hissed. "Christ, even Vi is!" She gestured.
"I'm not," A new voice said by the doorway. Catra turned slowly. By the doorway lingered Marlena, in nothing but a simple green gown, nothing fancy whatsoever. Her face was bare of makeup, and her hair was in a ponytail. "I'm her mother, we share the same blood. Literally. Her brother and father have the same type at O-positive, and we both have B-negative," Marlena walked in slowly, her soft shoes not click-clacking against the wood like they usually would. "I'll donate to her," She said to the nurse. "Right away," She turned to Catra. "As her wife, you have medical say when she cannot. Do you agree to the blood donation?" She asked. Catra glanced back and forth from Adora to Marlena, to Adora to the nurse, to Marlena.
Catra dropped onto the edge of the bed, fisting her eyes. "Sure, yeah. Whatever helps her get better quicker," She agreed. The nurse nodded once and took off. Catra glanced up at Marlena as she sat down. She absently reached out to grasp Adora's cold hand. "I never thought I'd see the day where she was laid up in hospital," She paused. "In fact, laid up anywhere near me," She corrected. "I thought I'd never see her again, that she was lost to the universe," Catra frowned slightly. "Why're you telling me this? It's not my fault she ended up on Etheria," She argued defensively. Marlena didn't look up. "I didn't say anything was your fault, Catra. If I'm right, you were but a babe when Adora was taken. You are around the same age, I believe," Marlena said. Catra looked down to the threadbare blanket covering Adora's body. "You're more than welcome to stay while I give the blood if you'd like. Goodness knows I wouldn't leave Randor's side if it were us," Marlena looked up briefly with a smile.
In her eyes was nothing horrible, nothing malicious, just... longing. Catra steeled herself with a neck crack. "No... you can be here with her on your own if you want. I'll take Vi for a walk around... take her mind off of everything," She smiled tight-lipped, not meaning anything. Marlena nodded softly. "Thank you, Catra," She whispered, turning her gaze back to Adora. Catra grabbed Adora's other hand and began stroking it with her thumb.
"Oh, Adora," She whispered to herself.
*I'd just like to add a note: you can't fix a placental abruption in real life, but you can reattach a womb. I just combined the two bc I needed it to be dramatic asf. Hope that doesn't confuse anyone!*