Light duty wasn't really any of the special forces forte. Clorinde was the only one who was cleared to continue work, handling a majority of reports and follow ups while the other two recovered. Chevreuse only did bedrest for about a week and a half before she was back in the shooting range. It took many hours of practice but she could easily hit her mark even with only one eye. Wriothesley went back to work on desk duty the following week after the operation had ended. There were days the pain was too much in and he would cut it short. He was frustrated by his body's failure to let him do his duty. Navia and Neuvillette were diligent to take care of their injured partner, making sure to help anyway they could. It took two months for all three members of the special forces to return to full duty.
Wriothesley fell back onto the bed, panting heavily with a smile on his face. Neuvillette ran a hand down his partner's bare chest as he laid beside him. His doctor had just given him full clearance to return to duty and Neuvillette had other plans to celebrate, not that Wriothesley was complaining. It had already been two months since he had gotten laid after all.
"I know I got cleared for all physical activities but damn Neuvi…" Wriothesley chuckled deeply, a vibration deep in his chest. "I didn't expect three rounds out of you and by the looks, you could go again." He gestured to his husbands still hard member.
"Apologies my darling." Neuvillette leaned down and kissed his husband. "I just wanted to celebrate your recovery and well… it had been a while. Last time we had been intimate it was with the girls and I found myself rather… needy."
"I do enjoy the neediness." Wriothesley smiled. "But I think I'm about spent for tonight."
"That's alright." Neuvillette smiled. "I love you so much Wriothesley."
"I love you more." Wriothesley pulled his lover back into a bruising kiss, making the light haired man moan.
When the kiss finally broke, Neuvillette settled on the bed, curling up on Wriothesley's chest. He traced small designs into the soft scarred skin, treating him like a fine painting. Wriothesley ran a soft hand down his arm soothingly.
"Are you excited to go into work tomorrow without restriction?" Neuvillette asked. "I'll be happy to see you all day."
"I am thrilled to be back… Chev is also back tomorrow. Clorinde and I are excited to give her the gifts we have prepared. She has no idea about them. They will truly be a surprise." Wriothesley said. "Oh! I also have a meeting tomorrow with the chief and Cyno. We are discussing when to proceed with the Sumeru portion of our operation."
"That will be a good meeting. I know Alhaitham messaged me recently asking if he needed to set up housing for a visit soon." Neuvillette said.
"I'll have you reach out as soon as I know when we will be traveling." Wriothesley smiled, kissing the top of Neuvillette's head. "Are you excited for your firearms licensing this week?"
"I'm more nervous than anything. Clorinde is a great teacher, however, I fear I am not as proficient as you want me to be." Neuvillette admitted. "Navia is an incredible shot however."
"All you need to do is hit the target 5 out of 9 shots. It doesn't have to be a bullseye or anything, just within boundaries." Wriothesley laughed. "Don't doubt yourself, just let it become an extension of your arm."
"You sound like Rinde." Neuvillette chuckled behind his hand.
"Who do you think I learned from?"
The two talked for a little longer before drifting off to sleep, tired from their amorous activities and needed rest for their work days.
In the morning, Wriothesley stepped out of their bedroom to head to the kitchen. He stopped on the top of the staircase, hearing something out of Clorinde and Navia's room. It sounded like… retching? Dry heaving? He wasn't sure so he knocked on the door. Clorinde peaked out shortly after.
"Hey you guys good?" Wriothesley raised a brow.
"Navia is having some stomach issues this morning." Clorinde reported. "Do you mind letting the chief know we will be late today?"
"Yeah no problem… just try to be in by 11 for our meeting with Cyno." Wriothesley nodded. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah she thinks it's something she ate. I'll text you when we are leaving." Clorinde quickly shut the door and returned to her wife's side.
"We didn't have anything abnormal last night…" Neuvillette said, approaching Wriothesley from behind. He had heard the whole thing.
"Navi has always had a sensitive stomach. Clorinde is with her, she will be okay." Wriothesley kissed Neuvillette softly. "Let's head to the office. I gotta tell the chief that they're gonna be late."
The pair headed into the office for the day. Wriothesley dropped Neuvillette off at his office in the district attorney's area of the police station before heading to his own office. He moved the small wrapped box onto Chevreuse's desk and settled down in his chair. He wrote a quick email to the chief explaining his partners' tardiness.
He was working on a report when Chevreuse entered the office. She had adopted a plain black eye patch into her look to cover her missing eye. She had spent the past two months practicing and was confident in her skills once again. Wriothesley smiled when she entered the office.
"Welcome back Chev." He grinned. "You feeling okay?"
"I'm fine… have been for a month now but the doctors insisted that I needed to rest and take it easy." She rolled her eye. "Where's Clorinde?"
"She should be here in an hour or two… Navia was feeling sick this morning and stayed home for a while to take care of her." Wriothesley explained.
"What a good wife." Chevreuse chuckled. "How are you feeling captain?"
"I'm all good to fight." Wriothesley gave a thumbs up. "Open the box on your desk, the suspense is killing me."
"I told you guys you didn't need to get me anything for my return." Chevreuse said before picking up the box. She untied the ribbon gently and slid the box lid aside. In the box was a black eye patch with gold accents and a large gold diamond in the middle. It was light weight but an incredibly soft material.
"We wanted to get you one that fits your personality and uniform." Wriothesley smiled. "I also reached out to the institute to make you some sort of grappling hook so you can get to higher ground in any situation. Should be ready within the week."
"Captain thank you." Chevreuse smiled. "You and Clorinde didn't need to do that but I'm so grateful for your kindness. I can't wait to see what the research institute cooks up." She slid off her current eye patch. Where her eye used to be was completely sewn up, a red scar remaining. There was a large scar from the cut at the apple of her cheek to just above her eyebrow. Chevreuse carefully put on her new eye patch and smiled. It felt like it was made just for her, which it likely was knowing her friends. "Its incredible Wriothesley, thank you again."
"Think nothing of it." Wriothesley smiled. "Don't forget we have our meeting with the Chief and the general Mahamatra of Sumeru at noon today."
Chevreuse nodded and took a seat at her desk. She was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of emails she had to catch up on. She mumbled that she needed coffee to get through all this and headed to the break room.
Clorinde arrived a half hour later, reporting to Wriothesley that Navia settled down a bit and was able to work today. She greeted Chevreuse, pleased to have her back in the office. It felt right to have everyone back together.
Around 11:30, Wriothesley was heading down the hall towards the police chief's office. He needed to talk about the game plan before the big meeting. Halfway down the hallway he saw Navia coming out of the bathroom nearby. She looked pale, still not feeling well.
"Hey sweetness." Wriothesley smiled softly, approaching her. "You look pale, do you have a fever? Are you still feeling rough?" He put the back of his hand to her forehead gently.
"Just nauseous still. Maybe the seafood was bad last night." She smiled weakly.
"You don't have a fever… Do you want me to see if Neuvi can take you to the clinic? Clorinde can if you'd rather after our meeting." Wriothesley asked.
"No, I'm alright, please don't worry about me." Navia leaned into his hand a bit. She leaned a little too far into it, stumbling forward and catching herself on Wriothesley.
"Hey now… it's okay… let's sit down- NAVI!" Wriothesley was trying to lead her to a bench but the blonde started to faint when he did. She was barely awake, eyes barely open. An officer ran up from the bullpen nearby. Wriothesley asked them to go find Clorinde. Another officer had brought over a cold cloth and a glass of water.
Navia came back to reality only a few seconds after she felt faint. Wriothesley had moved her into laying in his lap in case she went fully unconscious or worse. She felt a cold wet cloth on her forehead.
"Hey angel, welcome back." Wriothesley smiled softly. "You gave me quite the scare."
"S…sorry…" She murmured softly. She leaned into his warm touch when he wiped a tear off the side of her cheek.
"Navia, love are you alright?" Clorinde asked, sitting down next to Wriothesley. "How about we go to the clinic and see what's going on?"
"It's probably for the best." Wriothesley brushed her hair back behind her ear. "I'll even carry you to the car."
Navia agreed, a bit apprehensive. She didn't want to worry her partners but two out of the three of them insisted she go seek medical help. Wriothesley scooped her into his arms, carrying her like she weighed nothing. She looped her arms around him and nuzzled into his neck. Soon she was in the car and Clorinde slid in the driver's seat.
They drove off, Clorinde promising to give an update when she could. Wriothesley looked at his phone to check the time and realized he was about to be late to his meeting. He sent a quick text to Neuvillette as he practically ran to his meeting.
Chevreuse and the chief understood why he was late, thankfully, Cyno hasn't arrived quite yet. Their meeting started shortly thereafter and was very productive towards setting up their Sumeru operation. Only a few more bureaucratic documents needed signed and they would have the green light. It was likely going to be a month or less before they were hunting the Doctor in Sumeru's desert.
Neuvillette and Wriothesley returned home first that night. Clorinde hasn't sent any updates, causing both men to be slightly anxious. After they changed into more comfortable clothes, they started preparing dinner. Hopefully Navia had more of an appetite when she came home. They were about done with the pasta dish they were preparing when the girls appeared back home. Neuvillette practically ran to give them both a hug.
"We were so worried." He sighed. "Please, come get comfortable. Dinner is almost done."
"Sorry to worry you." Clorinde smiled softly. "We need to tell you all something before we get more comfortable."
"Is everything alright?" Wriothesley asked.
"I think so." Clorinde was almost smirking while Navia's face was still red. "Let's go talk in the living room. Navia needs to sit down."
Wriothesley turned off the stove to make sure nothing would burn. The two couples entered the living room, taking a seat on opposite couches. Clorinde cleared her throat.
"So we went to the clinic. There was quite a long wait so I apologize it took so long. But, I think Navia needs to be the one to say what happened." Clorinde squeezed her hand softly.
"It's okay sweetness…" Wriothesley said softly, Neuvillette nodding in agreement.
"Well uh…" She looked down, blushing heavily. "Let me start by saying I didn't know the medication I was on at the time would make my birth control not work if I would have known-" She took a deep breath and exhaled. "It turns out I'm… actually not sick… I'm just pregnant…"
"Navia darling!" Neuvillette smiled widely. He covered his mouth slightly, just out of surprise. But it wasn't long before he had jumped off his spot on the couch and hugged her. He knew how much she wanted a family.
"Navia, that's great news." Wriothesley smiled. "Oh sweetness, I'm so glad you're going to be okay. I can't believe our family is about to expand."
"You took that well Wrio." Clorinde commented. "We were worried you would… react poorly."
"Why would I be upset? This is great news." Wriothesley chuckled. "I will be honest, I'm terrified. I didn't exactly have model parents. But we have each other. We will all learn together. How far along are you Navia?"
"Best guess around 7 or 8 weeks…" She said, hugging onto Neuvillette tightly.
"Wait, that would mean…" Neuvillette pulled back slightly. "Wriothesley is the father?"
"Most likely yes." Navia said sheepishly. "I'm sorry if that's upsetting to either of you…"
"Oh goodness darling." Neuvillette brushed her hair back. "That is in no way, shape or form upsetting. Remember, all four of us are in this together. I love you and we will all love our child equally, it doesn't matter who is the genetic makeup."
"Well said Neuvi." Wriothesley smiled. "Although leave it to me to knock up the first girl I ever sleep with."
Navia laughed happily. She was so glad her partners took the news well. She had been terrified to tell the boys since they found out. Clorinde was nervous, just due to her and Wriothesley's occupation but they were also the best of the best. And the operation was almost over.
Navia went upstairs to change before dinner. Wriothesley however pulled Clorinde aside before she could go upstairs. She raised a brow, confused on the sudden stop. Wriothesley kissed her gently.
"Thank you for taking her today. I'll catch you up with what happened at the meeting at dinner. I love you beautiful." Wriothesley said softly.
"I love you too, Wrio." Clorinde smiled back. She stole another kiss and followed her wife upstairs.
Neuvillette pulled Wriothesley into a tight embrace. He was just so overjoyed. Never in his life did he imagine he would be a dad. Never in his life would he have ever imagined he would have been this blessed. He had three beautiful partners and a baby on the way. He had a career that he loved. Everything he had worked so hard for was falling into place.
"I love you baby." Wriothesley murmured, kissing his husband's forehead. "I… words can't describe how happy I am right now."
"Really?" Neuvillette looked up at his husband. He had a smile plastered across his face. He never knew Wriothesley wanted to be a dad.
"Of course I'm happy." Wriothesley chuckled. "I get to build a family with the people I love most in this world. How can I not be thrilled?"
"I'm so glad to hear you say that." Neuvillette admitted. "Navia and I had discussed it in the past and we were unsure if you'd want to be a parent given your… upbringing."
"Like I said, I'm quite nervous. But I'm not alone. I know I will never be like them. I do worry about being called…papa…" Wriothesley admitted. "That's what I called mine… I don't want to have a ptsd episode if that's what the little one picks for me."
"We'll correct it to another name. It's alright… let's not worry about little details like that." Neuvillette kissed him softly. "Let's finish dinner."
The pair headed into the kitchen to finish their dish. The girls came down shortly, joining them for the meal they worked so hard on. Wriothesley caught Clorinde up on the plans discussed during the meeting. Their evening slowed down, the couples relaxing in the living room with a movie.
"Hey guys…" Navia asked sleepily. "Can we all sleep in our room tonight? I wanna be together."
"Let's head to bed then." Neuvillette smiled.
"We are gonna need a bigger bed." Wriothesley laughed. "Come on, I'll be the pillow."
The group headed upstairs and Wriothesley plopped in bed first. Neuvillette curled against his side, pressing his back against the wall. Navia slid in beside him, curling up on Wriothesley's chest. Clorinde arranged herself as a big spoon behind Navia and wrapped her arms around her wife's still toned belly. They were a happy pile of body heat, soft breaths and love.
Navia was the first one awake in the morning. Her stomach was sour, the morning sickness was back this morning with a vengeance. She bolted out of bed and rushed into the bathroom nearby. Neuvillette, being the ever light sleeper he is, heard her sudden awakening and departure from bed. He opened his eyes slightly. Clorinde and Wriothesley were still fast asleep, Clorinde taking Navia's spot and snuggling into the large man's body heat.
Neuvillette got out of bed, careful not to wake the others. He knocked softly on the door before entering the bathroom. Against Navia's protests, he sat down beside her and pulled her hair back. He worked on the loose braid in between her retches. It wasn't long before he was securing it and rubbing a hand down her back.
"Do you want some water, sweetheart?" Neuvillette asked quietly.
"No not yet…" She panted softly. "It'll just come back up…"
"Did the doctor yesterday give you any advice for the nausea?"
"No." She threw up again. "Told me to wait until I go to the specialist. I need to call and make the appointment later."
"I can call if you'd like." Neuvillette offered.
"It's fine, thank you, Neuvi." Navia gave a small smile before her morning sickness decided for round two. Neuvillette stayed beside her, rubbing circles into her shoulders and making sure she didn't need anything.
A short time later, Clorinde peaked her head into the bathroom. Navia was panting softly, leaning against the bathtub to take a second to catch her breath. She hardly noticed her wife coming into the bathroom until she felt a cold cloth across her forehead and cheeks.
"Baby doesn't want to be nice this morning huh?" Clorinde asked, a touch of humor to her voice.
"I had no idea morning sickness was going to be this big of a pain." Navia joked. "Woke poor Neuvi up with me."
"I do not mind one bit." Neuvillette smiled. "Navia and I have our testing today for our firearms license. You and Wriothesley should head into the office and we will arrive once she's beginning to feel better."
"Sounds good. We have a lot of paperwork to get done in very little time." Clorinde sighed before standing up. "I'll tell the chief about what's going on as well. I'm sure he will be thrilled for all of us and that way he knows Navia isn't rearranging her schedule for any other reason besides her well-being."
Navia thanked Clorinde before the morning sickness came back for a third round. Clorinde grabbed her essentials and opted to get ready alongside Wriothesley in the other bathroom.
"They okay?" Wriothesley asked when she entered.
"Yes, they will be in a little late today. They will come find you when they're ready for their exams." Clorinde explained. He gave a thumbs up and finished getting ready for the work day.
Navia and Neuvillette arrived about an hour and a half after their partners arrived at work. Navia felt much better and was confident in passing her test. Neuvillette was nervous about it but was hoping for the best possible outcome.
Wriothesley led them down the hallway for the special forces unit until they reached the final door. Inside was the gun range they used for training and testing. The room was empty besides the three of them. The dark haired man led them to the last stall, giving them privacy. After everyone grabbed ear protection from the wall, Wriothesley started instructions.
"Alright, it's super easy." Wriothesley stepped up to the counter and pulled his service pistol from his side. He pushed in a clip that was on the counter. "Once you're loaded, press the safety off." There was a small click as he widened his stance. "Aim and shoot, all you need to hit is 5 within the target spaces, no need for bullseye. You have up to 9 bullets to use." He shot 5 rounds, all nearing the center bullseye. He made it look like it was a walk in the park. After, he flicked the safety back on and took out the clip. "Navia? You wanna start?"
She took a deep breath and stepped up. Wriothesley set the gun on the counter and let her take his place. She made sure she had enough rounds before racking the clip into place. She steadied her stance before taking aim. Once she felt the weight was correct and she felt confident in her shot, she hit the safety off. The first three shots hit almost dead center, the next two were out of bounds but then two more hit within the second ring of the target. Wriothesley called out that she passed. With a deep sigh of relief, she hit the safety back and returned the gun to its empty resting position.
"Great job, Navia." Wriothesley nodded. "You passed. Neuvillette, you're up next."
The light haired man sighed, anxious for his turn. He stepped up however Wriothesley noticed his hands were shaking. Quickly, the dark haired man took his hand before he could even touch the gun.
"Hey why are you so nervous?" Wriothesley pulled his headphones to the side to hear his husband. "You never want to touch a weapon with hesitation. That's how friendly fire happens."
"I'm not sure why I'm so nervous." He sighed. "What if I fail?"
"Then you retake the test in a month… it's no big deal." Wriothesley smiled at his partner. "You do know half the special forces failed their first licensing right? It happens… it's nothing to be scared of. Tests can be retaken. Surely this isn't more intimidating than your lawyer testing?"
"No you're right." Neuvillette smiled. "You're always right… let me just take a few minutes to settle my nerves."
Wriothesley nodded and let Neuvillette back up to the counter. The light haired man stared down the target at the end for a few minutes, sizing it up. The longer he stood there, the less tense his shoulders became. Soon he put his ear protection back around his ears. Then he slid the clip into place and picked up the pistol. He held it, aiming with safety on for a few minutes, adjusting his feet to become comfortable. Next the safety clicked off and a shot was fired. First shot hit the outer ring, but still a passing shot. The next hit the same area. The next hit outside of bounds. The next two hit the second ring and the final shot was a bullseye.
"Great work, Neuvi." Wriothesley smiled. The safety was returned and the clip was set on the counter. "I'm so proud of you both. Now, you can join us in Sumeru under limited provisional licensing."
"That's great! Although I may want to stay behind at this rate." Navia admitted. "Or in the city with one of your friends."
"I think that would be wise. I'm sure Nilou would be delighted to have you join her in the theater." Neuvillette smiled.
"Yeah, or Dehya can take you shopping." Wriothesley laughed. "Come on, let's go tell the chief the news. That way you two can head home and rest and I can join in the pile of documents that likely all need my signature." The last sentence was followed with a groan.
A week flew by and then two. Navia's morning sickness seemed to be improving as the week went on. Thankfully her schedule was not very full so she was able to move most of her morning appointments into the afternoon. Her partners were there for her every need. Navia wasn't sure if she loved the attention or felt guilty for taking up so much of her partner's time.
It was a Saturday evening. The group had just finished dinner and was in the middle of cleaning up for the evening. Wriothesley was doing the dishes at the sink while Navia was making some dessert. She found baking really relaxing. Clorinde had finished putting away leftovers when she heard Neuvillette call for some help with the laundry.
Wriothesley heard Navia whimper softly then gasp. He turned around, asking if she was alright. She was already hauling ass upstairs to the bathroom. Wriothesley dried his hands quickly, following her upstairs.
"Navi? Angel? What's wrong?" Wriothesley asked. He knocked on the bathroom door softly, however the pace picked up when he heard a stifled gasp. Shuffling was heard before the door swung open. Navia was in tears.
"Wrio, get Rinde, now please." She sniffled. The dark haired man wasted no time. He practically flew down the stairs and ran into the laundry room.
"No time, bathroom now, Navia crying." Wriothesley blurted out. Clorinde dropped the basket and ran up the stairs. The boys were on her heels. Navia was sitting on the bathroom floor, shaking slightly.
"Navia what's going on?" Clorinde asked, dropping to her knees beside her. Her tone was calm and collected, trying her best to not let her emotions come through her voice. However, she was worried. Navia didn't do this. She didn't sob and ask for her. She would have told Wriothesley what was wrong unless it had something to do with being a female.
"Rinde i'm…bleeding…" She murmured. Clorinde's entire posture stiffened.
"How heavy?" She asked.
"Bad… heavy…" Navia started sobbing again.
"Wriothesley, carry her to the car… NOW." Clorinde stood up and quickly started gathering things around the room. "Neuvillette get the car started and ready, you're driving."
"Wha-" Wriothesley wanted to ask what was going on but the look Clorinde shot at him said 'listen now, question later'. He quickly scooped the crying blonde off the floor, trying to comfort her the best he could. Once she was settled in his arms, he carried her downstairs to the car with Neuvillette right behind them.
Neuvillette settled into the driver's seat. Wriothesley set Navia in the back seat and buckled her in. He dried as many tears as he could with his sleeve and tucked her hair back.
"Angel it's gonna be okay. We got you. Rinde will be down soon and we'll head off to…" Well Wriothesley didn't really know what was happening if he was honest.
"Darling, we need to go to the hospital." Neuvillette said. "You need to come get in the passenger seat. I see Clorinde locking the door. Come now."
Wriothesley did as he was told; he kissed Navia softly before making his way to the assigned passenger seat. Clorinde came running to the car and practically jumped in the back seat. Neuvillette drove as quickly as he could.
They arrived at the emergency room doors in record time. Neuvillette told them to head inside while he parked the car. Wriothesley came around to the other side of the car and gently scooped Navia into his arms. Clorinde headed inside to get her wife checked in, knowing time was of the essence.
A nurse appeared with a wheelchair, instructing Wriothesley to put Navia in it so she could be taken back. Clorinde finished the check-in process quickly and came over to the nurse. They were told only one person could go back with her at this time; Clorinde was the obvious choice. The dark haired man sighed as they went behind closed doors in the emergency room.
Neuvillette came in shortly and pulled Wriothesley into a seat in the nearly empty waiting room. Wriothesley was still rather confused. He didn't have the best knowledge of female anatomy or pregnancy or anything so this was all just a gray area for him. But he felt the anxiety in his gut… something deep in his brain telling him something was really wrong.
"Erm… baby?" Wriothesley asked. Neuvillette hummed in response. "I don't mean to sound like an idiot right now but I really don't get what's happening."
"Oh darling…" Neuvillette offered a small smile. "I should have guessed. I'm sorry…" He bit his lip. "Well… it's possible something is wrong with the baby or…" He trailed off. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want his husband to worry. He didn't want his husband to spiral.
"Please just tell me. I went to a men's prison before I even hit puberty. I am not connecting the dots here." Wriothesley asked. "Damn knowledge gap…"
"Wriothesley, she could be miscarrying the baby." Neuvillette said softly. He watched as the dark haired man's expression twisted.
"Oh…" Wriothesley took a deep breath. "Thats…" He took a long pause. "It explains the panic… what… what do we do?"
"We just have to wait until Clorinde or a doctor calls us back to see Navia." Neuvillette took his hand to comfort him. "Are you going to be alright now that you understand?"
"I… probably will be." Wriothesley said. He was still processing everything. "I can't believe I still have such knowledge gaps at this age."
"It's alright sweetheart." Neuvillette ran a thumb across his partner's slightly shaking hand. "It's not your fault. I'm sorry you had to learn like this."
They waited patiently for what felt like hours but in reality was barely 40 minutes. A doctor came out, calling for them to come back at last. But he didnt take them to where Navia and Clorinde were. He took them to a private room.
"Mrs. Navia asked me to tell you what was going on as she is going through a lot of emotions right now. Are one of you the father?" The doctor asked.
"Yeah, I am." Wriothesley said quietly.
"I'm really sorry to be the one to give you this bit of news but…" The doctor took a deep breath. "The baby has no heartbeat… it is not a viable pregnancy and Navia's body is beginning to reject it. There is nothing we can do to save the fetus."
"But Navia will be okay right?" Wriothesley asked.
"Yes she will be alright physically. She will likely need some help with her mental health after this. The news well… was hard for her to take. As well as her wife." The doctor reported. "Do you both need a moment to gather yourselves or would you like to go back to see them?"
"We'd like to see them." Neuvillette instantly responded. Wriothesley nodded in agreement.
The doctor led them back to a private room in the far corner of the hospital. Navia was sobbing, her knees pulled to her chest in the bed and her face buried in them. Clorinde had her arms wrapped around her wife, doing everything she could to calm her down. Neuvillette slid onto her other side, wrapping his arms around Navia and joining Clorinde in trying to calm her down. Wriothesley sat down in front of her and gently took her hands off her knees.
"Via? Sweetness?" Wriothesley asked softly. "We're here… oh angel I'm so sorry…"
"I'm so sorry you guys!" Navia sobbed. She barely looked up from her knees. "I couldn't… I don't know what I did wrong… I don't understand why this happened!"
"Hey now sweetness." Wriothesley dried her tears with the sleeve of his hoodie. "You did nothing wrong. Sometimes these things just happen. No one is mad at you or upset… we just want to comfort you."
"We're here darling…" Neuvillette whispered softly, kissing her temple.
"He's right, Navi. There's no rhyme or reason to these things sometimes. Nature just had different plans for us." Clorinde said. "We'll get through it together like we always do."
"And we'll try again, whenever you're ready." Wriothesley brushed back a strain of blonde hair. "Neuvillette and I can get our sperm tested to see who can give you a baby easier. We will have a family one day Navia. I promise you that."
"R-really? You guys would do that for me?" Navia asked.
"Without a moment's hesitation." Neuvillette reassured. "We will find a doctor and see."
"But for now let's focus on you recovering okay? I'll let the chief know we are all taking some time off to be with you. We can all be off or take turns depending on how smothered you want to be." Wriothesley smiled at his partner. She nodded slightly, the tears slowing down.
The doctor knocked on the door before entering. They needed to finish taking care of Navia before she could go home. The boys left the room, much to their disliking. Clorinde however wasn't leaving her wife's side through any of this.
Neuvillette and Wriothesley entered the lobby once again. They were the only ones there besides a nurse or two at the front desk. Wriothesley's heart felt heavy. He really hadn't given it that much thought… the whole being a dad thing… but now that it was gone, his heart hurt. It felt heavy. Anxiety boiled in his gut. He wanted to be back there with the girls. He wanted to make sure they were okay and being treated well. Was this paternal instinct or the love of his partners?
He hadn't realized he was crying until Neuvillette pressed a tissue into his hand. He felt his face softly in shock. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried. Wriothesley didn't know he COULD cry anymore. Every barrier he had ever built around his heart was gone when it came to his partners. They made him feel every emotion, even this new one. It wasn't sadness… it wasnt grief… it was just total devastation.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Neuvillette asked softly. He knew his husband doesnt cry. The display alarmed him slightly, but only out of concern.
"I just… I'm not sure what it is. It could be seeing Navia cry like that or Rinde or…" He trailed off. "I was looking forward to being a dad…"
"And you'll still get to be one." Neuvillette pulled him into a hug. Wriothesley noticed he was glassy eyed too, on the verge of tears. "We both will be. We can try again. We'll find a doctor who is private enough that our information won't be leaked and we will get tested. Maybe one of us can go first then whenever Navia is ready, we can have a second with the other."
"Yeah I dont think Rinde will want to be the carrier of one of our kids." Wriothesley joked.
"I'm not sure if she can from what she's told me." Neuvillette replied.
"Oh shit that's right… well… we also have a great lawyer in the family if we ever choose to adopt." Wriothesley kissed his husband softly.
"I'm not sure how well a prosecutor will do in an adoption hearing but there's plenty of contacts I know of." Neuvillette chuckled.
Wriothelsey and Neuvillette did their best to comfort each other while they waited for their partners to come out from treatment. Before long, the girls came out of the double doors of the emergency room. It was late now, pitch black outside. Navia's eyes were red and puffy. Clorinde had a sad expression that Wriothesley hadn't seen since his trial.
The dark haired man peeled his hoodie off and offered it to Navia. She gladly accepted, happy to be enveloped by the warmth. It had a comforting effect on her. Neuvillette drove them back home. The car ride was practically silent, just small sniffles from everyone periodically. The world felt like it slowed down. Even the sky was crying as small raindrops fell when they arrived back home.
Wriothesley had told the chief what happened. They both felt it was best they took turns being home with Navia. As they drew closer to their Sumeru mission, more and more paperwork began to pile up. It mostly demanded Wriothesley's attention thankfully, leaving Clorinde able to be home with her partner. Neuvillette worked out an agreement with the attorneys office so he could cut his days short this week. They needed to be home… they needed to comfort her… they needed each other through this.
The week passed by, both slowly and quickly. Wriothesley came home after lunch each day, bringing a large stack of paperwork to sign while he worked from home. Clorinde and Neuvillette took opposite days, someone always being home with Navia. She was grateful to have time at home. She started working on a baby blanket, crocheting a soft rainbow blanket for when they finally had their baby. She wasn't giving up… she just needed time to realize it wasn't her fault. She needed time to accept that her body failed her for the first time. But next time, it wouldn't fail. Next time it would be planned… next time they'll have their rainbow baby.
It was Friday afternoon. Wriothesley had taken the day off to be with Navia. She seemed to be in much better spirits but he needed time with her. He even made her favorite lunch!
They had been watching some reality show on the living room couch. Wriothesley had no idea what it was even about, he really didn't care. Navia enjoyed the show; that's all that matters to him. She had fallen asleep during an episode, using Wriothesley's chest as a pillow. He was warm and comforting to her, something she needed to sleep right now.
He was reading an email on his phone while rubbing small circles into Navia's back. Neuvillette had dropped off their semen samples at the doctor's office on his way to work that morning. The email had confirmed the genetic testing had started and they would get a phone call to schedule an appointment for the results next week. Wriothesley was nervous about what the tests would show but was excited nonetheless.
Suddenly his phone started ringing. Clorinde was calling. It was a bit abnormal for his partner. Normally she would just text him if she needed something.
"Hey beautiful." Wriothesley said softly. He didn't want to wake Navia up.
"I need you to not freak out." Clorinde said quickly. "We have everything handled but I told the chief I would call you."
"What happened?"
"Our data was breached. The entire file from operation: DOCTOR had a backdoor downloaded and… Wriothesley its gone." Clorinde said.
"Oh fuck." Wriothesley groaned. "It was him wasn't it?"
"We think so. Chevreuse is working on tracing everything with tech. We have our paper files still and our back ups but… this was definitely a statement." Clorinde said.
"Do I need to come up?" He asked.
"No stay with Navia. I may just be a bit late tonight. I think he's trying to tell us that he knows we are close."
"He's shaking in his boots. All his Fontaine contacts are gone and Sumeru is next. It also shows he still has a lot of power. It isn't easy to hack the special forces database." Wriothesley sighed. "I'll have dinner ready when you're home. Keep me updated. Love you Rinde."
"Love you too Wriothesley." She hung up the phone.
The Doctor knew they were close. His web was falling apart before his eyes. Wriothesley wondered just how smart this guy was. The special forces data was protected by multiple firewalls and had so many sensors, how did he get a back door up? It had to be well hidden if Chevreuse can't even figure it out.
Worrying wasn't going to get him anywhere. All he could do was spend time with his partner. He wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her close. He did all this to protect them… to fight for everyone's safety in Fontaine. He had saved so many people with his team. Maybe… just maybe… by doing these good things, his sins of the past would be forgiven.
Neuvillette came home first, enjoying a short friday. Clorinde arrived home only a few minutes late. Dinner was on the table like Wriothesley promised. It felt normal for them again. It felt like last weekend was a distant nightmare. They were moving on, together.
"I just don't get why he would do that all of a sudden." Navia commented. "It seems… like an oddly specific time."
"He's scared." Clorinde said. "Maybe he doesn't realize we have back ups and paper copies."
"I don't think it was about the report." Neuvillette added. "I think it's a message."
"He's saying catch me if you can. It's been a game of cat and mouse… I've been playing it since I was a kid I feel like." Wriothesley sighed. "We finished filing the paperwork yesterday. All we are waiting on is Alhaitham to sign stuff in Sumeru and the blessing of their Archon."
"How did we get it done faster than Sumeru?" Clorinde joked. "Our Archon is much busier and likes paperwork and yet we had first submission."
"Well Alhaitham is running the Akademiya right now to be fair." Wriothesley added.
"You guys will love our Sumeru friends. They have been dying to meet you two for years now." Neuvillette smiled.
"I only wish our trip was for pleasure more than business." Navia whined.
"We can go back after our mission, we can go back. There are lots of areas we didn't get to explore when we were there." Wriothesley offered. The blonde agreed, excited for a future vacation.
During their discussion of the week and a possible future vacation, Wriothesley's phone rang. Normally he wouldn't answer it during dinner but it was Cyno. He was like Clorinde; he never called, only sent a text message or email.
"Hey Cyno what's up?" Wriothesley asked. His eyes widened at the words he heard. "Slow down… I can't understand you. Let me put you on speaker."
He set the phone on the counter and put it on speaker. The group heard a deep breath that was shaky. They could tell he was panicked. The word that Cyno said next hit the detectives like a truck.
"He's gone, Wriothesley… The Doctor took him… The Doctor took Nari!"