~8 months pregnant~

"Adora,"
"Adora,"
"AdORA!"

She jolted awake with a gasp, sword already in her hand. "Whoa, shit!" The voice hissed. Adora squinted her eyes as she pushed up on the bed. She dissolved the sword and palmed her eyes. "Adam, what the hell do you want? It's five in the morning!" She grumbled, mindful to not wake her wife. In the two weeks since the ship had been broken, Catra had been out every single day either helping Entrapta or fighting off the clones. Even if the ship got fixed that very same evening, Adora would be lying if she wasn't hesitant to fly away. What if she went into labour on the flight home? It was two weeks to Etheria. At eight months, that'd put her within the two week safety barrier, and she wasn't up to risking it. Especially if something went wrong. Like with Vi. If Amalthea hadn't caught the slight twist in her placenta before it detached, she'd be dead.

And Amalthea's a doctor. If something like that happened on the ship, it'd leave her in the company of Entrapta, arguably the most qualified to deliver a child.

Adam clicked his fingers in her face.

Adora narrowed her eyes, swatting his hand. "Shut the fuck up, Catra's asleep," She hissed. Adam's eyes flicked to her form briefly. "Then come with me. I need to tell you something, and you're probably gonna yell," Adora sighed. "Fine. Give me five, and I'll meet you outside the room," Adam shifted. Adora quirked a brow. "Why're you still here?" She made no move to get out from under the covers. "Well… Teela's on guard outside your door. I only distracted her by bringing Freya. If I leave, she's gonna stop us," Adora sighed softly. "Well, I'm not getting out of bed while you're here," She insisted. Adam shrugged. "Why? You're only in your PJ's,"

Adora flushed slightly. "Not quite,"

Adam groaned. "Fine, I'll turn around," When she still refused to move, Adam huffed. "What now?" He snapped. "I'm eight months pregnant and naked. It's gonna take me more than five minutes to get dressed," She deadpanned. Adam sighed heavily. "Whatever, just be as quick as possible," He grumbled. "Where are we going anyway? Can't I just put on my nightdress?" She asked, tugging on some socks. She'd worn them with Violet as well, apparently they were good to keep your feet from swelling too badly. She doubted it.

"I mean, yeah, but we're going outside to the ship. So it's cold,"

She stole Catra's knitted coat and followed Adam into the night.

...

"What I'm gonna tell you is absolutely gonna make you mad. So you have to promise not to do anything rash. Talk to Catra about it first," Adam began. Adora shivered in the gown and coat, the wind flying up and wrapping tightly around her legs. "Sure, whatever, can you hurry up? It's so cold, my kid's gonna come out wrapped in ice," Adam rolled his eyes. "I'm serious," His face sobered. Adora's brow furrowed. "What's happened?" She asked, coming to rest against one of Darla's countertops. Entrapta clattered somewhere deep in the engine room. "There's two things. One you're gonna be really pissed about, one you're probably gonna be, but you'll calm down," He avoided. Adora lobbed a towel at him. "Eight months pregnant. Your time is borrowed. I'll need to pee soon," She gestured. Adam shifted. "Ok. First thing. Mom and Dad know about your… problems... with She-Ra," He began. Adora crossed her arms. "OK?" Adam huffed. "Um… the Sorceress told them… and… and how to keep it in control," Adora kept her face impassive. "They've been putting something in your food and drinks, now I don't know what, but Teela think's its supposed to contain the magic and release it in larger doses when you use it," Adora sighed quietly. "Like when?" She asked quietly.

"Well, we know they they're tied to our emotions, right? Too angry? Bang, She-Ra or He-Man. Too sad? Boom, She-Ra. Too happy? He-Man," Adora nodded. "Yup. She-Ra even more now I don't have the sword," Adam nodded. "Yeah. So whenever you and your wife get kinky, the magic comes out then. In little bursts. It's supposed to help keep your levels at a reasonable point until you have the baby," Adora wrinkled her nose, but thought on it. She had noticed since being on Eternia, that her orgasms felt more… orgasmic? And Catra's too. "Would the magic affect Catra's… finale?" She shuddered in talking about this with her younger brother. Adam felt the same, judging by the shudder. "Um... I dunno. Maybe? Is she magic?"

Adora was going to say NO, but then realised she actually had no idea. A trickle of guilt swam into her heart. "I uh… I don't know," Adam tutted. "It's easy to find out. We're designed to help find magic users as well and get them to join our cause. Has she ever touched your sword?" The smirk bloomed on her face before Adam clocked on. "My old one, yeah. But only you've held my new one," She gestured. "And obviously me," Adam nodded, bypassing the sword joke. "Did it ever glow? Like, the runestone?" Adora hummed. "No. It did when Glimmer held it," Adam nodded. "See. Glimmer is, but Catra's not,"

Adora nodded, but didn't really understand. Another blast of cold squeezed her legs tightly. She shivered, wrapping the coat tighter around her form. "What was the other thing? The one you said I'd be really pissed about?" Adam puffed. "I thought you'd be more upset about that," He said. Adora shrugged. "I mean, I'm more pissed that they've been putting stuff in my food, rather than just tell me straight up. But if it works, it works. I'm not gonna stop them doing it," Adam hummed, and began to pace.

"So, and you cannot tell ANYONE who told you this, otherwise I'll be in some deep shit. And so will Teela," He began. Adora rubbed her eyes. "Just tell me," She sighed. "This wasn't an accident," Adam blurted. Adora frowned, quirking a brow. Adam gestured to the ship. "Yeah, the clones did the damage, but it wasn't just a random attack," Adora frowned deeper. "I mean… I didn't think it was… I assumed somebody wanted us to stay," Adam growled. "No! Shit, Adora, Mom and Dad made them do it,"

She shifted upright. "What do you mean? How did they "make them do it,"?" Adam began to pace again. "They- I heard them talking. They didn't want you to leave… so they made an agreement with the guy the clones are following. He wants She-Ra, and they don't want you to leave. So they sold the location of the ship in exchange for a month of peace. Obviously, he didn't hold up his end…" Adora took a deep breath. "They wanted me to stay… so they endangered the lives of me, my wife and children, and my friends?" She asked slowly. Adam whined. "Not quite, but yeah," She was storming off before thoughts even caught up. "Adora, Adora, wait!" Adam grabbed her arm.

She twisted and yanked it out of his grasp. Her fingers danced with golden light. "Don't try and stop me," She hissed. Adam squared up. "I'm not gonna let you hurt them, or yourself by trying. Think about this," She faltered. "You think I'd hurt them?" Adam gestured. "Look at you! You're fucking glowing Adora. I can feel your magic, and I'm not even half as magic as She-Ra is!" She shook his hand off. "Let me go," She warned. "Adora, they're protected by the Royal Guard. Those guys are trained for three years before they even go near our parents. Don't go charging in, they'll have you against the wall before you're even ten feet in," She scoffed. "See, that's where you're wrong. I've had to fight my entire life. I was being trained to fight from the minute I could tie my own shoes, which, for your information, was when I was three! So the Royal Guard ain't shit to me, or to She-Ra. See them try to pin me," She hissed, finally letting the angry simmer of magic bubbling beneath her skin wash over.

...

The last thing Marlena was expecting that morning was a thunderous slam of a door opening, banging against a wall, and shutting again. She jolted up in her chair, shaking her husband's arm viciously. "Randie, did you hear that?" Randor was already up and moving to the doors. "It's probably nothing, my love. Maybe Violet and Freya chasing each other again," Marlena shook her head. "No. That was far too powerful for Violet to do," She stood up, standing by his side. Randor opened the door, gesturing to the Royal Guard, a friend of Teela's. "Estella, what's going on?" He asked. Estella shifted. "I don't know. I've not had anything come in on the coms yet. Stay in your room anyway, your Majesties. I'm sure it's nothing," She smiled quickly. Marlena's ears picked up on another door slamming. Estella did too. "I'll knock in six times succession when it's safe for you to come out," She said. Marlena shook her head. "No. I don't let my people stand for my defence. I haven't before, and I'm not now,"

Estella shifted. "That's what we're trained for, your Majesty. We know the risks, and we'd die by honour if it were protecting you or your children," Marlena remained firm. "I'm not going anywhere," She insisted. Estella sighed quietly, but offered no further words. At least, not until the chamber door burst open, cracking loudly against the wall. If she looked hard enough, she'd see the crumbs of dust from the dents on the brickwork. In from the door strode Adora, but clad as She-Ra, tall and imposing. "Stop her, Estella!" Teela yelled from behind. Marlena furrowed her brow. "Adora?" She called. She strode forward, quickly closing the distance with her enlarged body. "How dare you!?" She bellowed. Marlena stepped back. Estella moved in front, pointing her spear. "Don't come any closer, Princess Adora," She warned. Adora twisted the grip on her sword, flicking it sharply to her left. A band of magic shot forth, wrapping around Estella's body and dragging her to the ground. She writhed in it. "Adora, darling, what's gone on?" Marlena tried for a soft smile. "Don't darling me!" Adora finally stood a few feet away, breathing heavily.

Marlena hadn't seen She-Ra in person ever, she'd only seen previously recorded footage of Mara and Rayna. She was etherial. Tall and leaking power, though, Marlena wasn't sure where Adora's magic began and She-Ra's ended, the two felt so intertwined. Her form looked slightly corrupted though, a faint golden/green mix surrounding her body. "Adora? If you're upset for whatever reason, we can talk about it, but you must calm down," Marlena said. Adora shook angrily. "For whatever reason?" She echoed. Marlena, for the first time in her life, felt scared. Scared that her daughter, her own flesh and blood, would strike her down. "Adora, that is enough. You are an adult. Kindly sit and talk with as such," Randor subtly pulled Marlena behind, standing up to the eight-foot tall goddess. "No, you don't get to tell me what to do. You're nothing to me," She sneered. Randor stepped back, as though he were physically wounded. "Adora, what on Eternia has gotten you so riled up? Have you and Catra argued?" Marlena asked.

"You!" Her angry daughter hissed. Estella stopped struggling in her binds, and the frantic thumping at the door stopped. "Us? What have we done?" Marlena asked. Adora's lips trembled as she spoke. "I'm not even gonna start with the fact you've been secretly drugging my food," Randor exhaled heavily behind her. "Adora, we just wanted to help," He said. Adora's ice-blue gaze locked onto his. "By doing it. secretly?" She hissed. Randor cleared his throat briefly. "We wanted to cause as little disturbance to you as possible," He argued. Adora laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh. Marlena's skin crawled. "As little disturbance as possible?" She echoed. "Yes. Why do you sound confused?" Randor continued. Adora's eyes flicked to Marlena's. "Does the ship being damaged count in that?" She hissed. Marlena's heart flipped into her stomach. "What do you mean?" She tried. Adora sniffled and tugged at her hair. She flickered, morphing back into the five foot six daughter. The binds constricting Estella dissolved, but she remained on the floor. "Why?"

Marlena didn't have an answer.

"I wanted to have my baby back home, with my friends around to help. Where I grew up, where Catra grew up, where our life is," Adora hissed. "You've taken that away from me! Even aside from all of that, I have to have my child in a place I don't know, and then, somehow, take them home on a fucking space craft!" Marlena's mouth ran before her brain did: "But your home is here,"

Adora noticeably grew cold. "No. It's not. And it never will be," She was monotonous. "We came here to help you with the clones, and we've barely even dealt with them. You lied to get us here. You lied and tricked us, all of us, and I won't stand for it any longer,"

"We didn't lie about the clones, Adora. They're constantly at our gates. We've just kept them out and away from you and Violet. We didn't know you were expecting!" Marlena yelled, her resolve snapping. "Hell, we didn't even know you were She-Ra!" Adora rolled her eyes. "Please. I was leading a fucking war when I was pregnant with Vi! I was fighting on the front lines again when she was ten days old! Shit, I was fighting as I was contracting!" She screamed. "It's NOT for you to decide what I do or where I go! You're not my mom!"

Marlena stumbled back.
Adora heaved for breath.

Estella finally stood up and moved between the feuding pair. "I think this needs to be tabled for when you're both calmer and more reasonable," She said quietly. Adora shook off her head. "No, Estella. It's fine. Nothing needs to be discussed. The second that ship is fixed, I'm gone, and I'm never coming back," She turned briefly. "So make the most of your time with Vi. We're never coming back here,"