Moonstone Crystal has always had her life figured out. A loving family, wonderful friends, and a well-trod, well-loved path into her future. But when her beloved Saffron flees a heartless home, jealousy and anger lead to all of her plans vanishing along with her sight, and she must find a new way to live.
Moonstone: When’s the wedding?
Luna: Early next year. A small ceremony in the Gardens, if this one doesn’t beat us to booking the venue.
Hori: Shh!
Moonstone: This one…Hori?
Horizon: Will you two blabbermouths quiet down? I haven’t even asked her yet!
Luna: Well what’re you waiting for? Nothing beats a Winterfest proposal!
Horizon: Oh, please, some of us aren’t that big of a sap.
Moonstone: I dunno about that, Hori. You can be pretty sappy yourself!
Horizon: You shush! You don’t get to talk until there’s a ring on that finger, sister.
Luna: Ha! Like that’ll happen.
Saffron: I think they could hear you squealing all the way back in town, Hori! Did you see a ghost?
Horizon: Hardy-har, Saf. No, Luna’s getting married!
Saffron: Oh! Congrats, I think?
Luna: What’s that supposed to mean?
Saffron: Nothing, sorry, I just. *sigh* Sorry. Congrats, really. When’s the wedding?
Luna: Early next year, when the weather warms up a bit. When are you gonna put a ring on Moony here?
Moonstone: Lu!
Moonstone: Not every relationship needs a marriage, you know!
Horizon: No, but it does have some legal benefits. Unless you two don’t think you’ll be together long enough…?
Moonstone: Of course we will. Right, Saf?
Saffron: …right.
Luna: Well that was enthusiastic!
Horizon: Hey, don’t be mean.
Saffron: No, she’s. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.
Moonstone: Saf…
Saffron: It’s cool. Really.
Moonstone: Hey, don’t worry about it. Lu was just teasing. Right?
Luna: Yeah, right. Sorry, Saf.
Saffron: No, really, it’s cool. I guess I just…never really thought of it like that.
Moonstone: We’re good as we are, really.
Saffron: …yeah. We are.
Saffron: …excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom.
Luna: Well. Someone’s still a runner.
Horizon: Lu, really?
Luna: I’m just saying!
Moonstone: I’m going after her. Holler when dinner’s ready, okay?
Horizon: Yeah. Shout if you need us.
Moonstone: Arty did you see where Saf went?
Artemis: She went to your room. Everything okay?
Moonstone: Yeah, it’s fine.
-
Moonstone: Saf?
Saffron: Do you want to get married?
Moonstone: What?
Saffron: Do you want to get married? You know, fancy dress, fancy ceremony, stuffy judge, the whole nine yards.
Moonstone: What brought that up?
Saffron: It’s just. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I want to do right by you so if you want a wedding we can have a wedding and–
Moonstone: Saf, I’m happy if you’re happy. And I know you’re not happy with the idea of a marriage.
Saffron: It’s not marriage, it’s…I don’t want to turn out like my Mom.
Moonstone: You won’t.
Saffron: How can’t I?
Moonstone: Because you’re not your mother. Because you’d marry for love, not for color. And because I’d shove you in the pool if you started to act like her.
Saffron: *snort* Thanks. But I’m serious…I don’t want to be like she was to Dad, not to you. And if I ever have a kid, I can’t…
Saffron: I can’t put them through what she put me through.
Moonstone: You wouldn’t. I know you, Saf. You’d never do that.
Saffron: …I just…
Saffron: When I look at your family I keep thinking that I want what they have. Your Aunts, your Moms, they’ve been together for decades and I’ve never seen them fight! They’ve always worked things out…and now Hori and Lu are getting married, too!
Moonstone: And they’ll have to talk to make it all work, too, but they love each other. That’s what really makes it work, Saf. Love. We have that.
Saffron: We do, I just–
Moonstone: You’re scared.
Saffron: …terrified.
Moonstone: Saf, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You know that, right?
Saffron: You deserve everything that you want, Moony!
Moonstone: I have everything I want. ..*sigh* Okay, not everything. But everything that I can get, I already have it. I don’t need a wedding for that to be true.
Saffron: But–
Moonstone: Saf, I have you.
Moonstone: I don’t need a fancy dress, a fancy ceremony, a piece of paper, or some stuffy berry in stuffy robes to make it official. I have you, we love each other, and that’s all that matters. That’s all that’ll ever matter, okay?
Saffron: I….okay. Okay. Thanks, Moony. I love you.
Moonstone: I love you, too.
How does a moment last forever?
How can a story never die?
It is love we must hold onto
Never easy, but we try
Sometimes our happiness is captured
Somehow, our time and place stand still
Love lives on inside our hearts and always will
Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone
But when all else has been forgotten
Still our song lives on
Maybe some moments weren’t so perfect
Maybe some memories not so sweet
But we have to know some bad times
Or our lives are incomplete
Then when the shadows overtake us
Just when we feel all hope is gone
We’ll hear our song and know once more
Our love lives on
How does a moment last forever?
How does our happiness endure?
Through the darkest of our troubles
Love is beauty, love is pure
Love pays no mind to desolation
It flows like a river through the soul
Protects, perceives, and perseveres
And makes us whole
Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone
But when all else has been forgotten
Still our song lives on
How does a moment last forever
When our song lives on
Spring…
Spinel: Moonstone, are you alright? You look a little green
Moonstone: Fine, just. Mm, little nauseous. What’s Mama cooking?
Saffron: Her apple pie pancakes. You love those, though!
Moonstone: Not right now I don’t.
Moonstone: I wouldn’t love plain toast right now…
Spinel: What’s wrong? Are you sick?
Moonstone: Stomach bug, I think.
Saffron: You were in and out of bed all night. Did you…
Moonstone: I know that toilet really well.
Spinel: Oh, honey…we have soup and crackers. You should get something in you.
Moonstone: Mm. Maybe later…I think if I ate anything now I’d actually. Mm.
Saffron: Moony?
Moonstone: I’m okay. I’m okay.
Spinel: You don’t sound it, sweetheart.
Moonstone: I’m okay.
Moonstone: …not okay. Excuse me.
Saffron: Moony–ah, fudge.
Ori: *whine*
Saffron: Moony….Moony, I’m coming in.
Moonstone: What’s wrong with me, Saf?
Saffron: Hey, it’s just a stomach bug. We’ll go to the clinic, get something to stop the worship, and you’ll be fine.
Moonstone: Not sure I can. Mm. Get there on my own.
Saffron: Hey, I said we, didn’t I? I’ll come with you.
Moonstone: …thanks, Saf….
Saffron: Of course. Come on…let’s go.
Saffron: Well you’re looking less green. How’re you feeling?
Moonstone: Better. Still not the best, though.
Papaya: All settled in?
Moonstone: Yes, thank you.
Papaya: Just doing our jobs, honey. Now if you don’t mind laying back, I need to perform an ultrasound.
Saffron: An ultrasound? Is that normal?
Papaya: Oh, perfectly routine. It’s just to be sure there’s nothing obstructing or tangled up in your abdomen that could be causing the nausea.
Moonstone: And if there is?
Papaya; Then we handle it. But from the sounds of things, I don’t think it’s that.
Papaya: This might be a bit chilly…there we go.
*sounds from the monitor*
Moonstone: *gasp* that sound!
Saffron: Oh by the Grace–
Saffron: That’s a–
Papaya: Mm-hm. Congratulations, Miss Crystal. You’re pregnant.
Papaya: And with twins! Extra congratulations. Were you trying?
Moonstone: No–are they okay, they’re healthy? Nothing’s wrong?
Papaya: Nothing that I can see. Let me go and get Dr. Spearmint. She’ll have more information for you.
Saffron: *sniff* Oh, Watcher, I…
Moonstone: Hey! You can’t be crying or I’ll start crying!
Saffron: *laugh* Sorry, sorry! I just–babies, Moony! Our babies!
Saffron: We’re gonna be Moms and I don’t even–
Moonstone: Hey…we’ll figure it out, I promise. Mama and Mom are right there, okay? We don’t do this alone.
Tide: Are you sure?
Papaya: Strong heartbeats, nothing visibly wrong…they seem fine, Doctor. But Miss Crystal herself…
Tide: It’s a risk. *sigh* Thank you, Papaya. I’ll let them know.
Tide: Watcher, but I hate this part.
-
Tide: Miss Crystal, I’m Dr. Spearmint. How’re you feeling?
Moonstone: Fine but–something’s wrong, isn’t it?
Saffron: She doesn’t look happy, no.
Saffron: Lay it on us, doc. Are the babies okay?
Tide: There’s no sign that there’s any distress with them, no, but there are some concerns we have to address.
Moonstone: …me. Something’s wrong with me.
Saffron: Excuse me?
Tide: The trauma you sustained left some internal damage, Miss Crystal. So far it’s seemed that everything is in working order, but the stress of a pregnancy may change that. It’s possible everything will be fine, but we can’t be sure without more tests and monitoring.
Moonstone: Meaning?
Tide: Possibly nothing. It’s possible you’ll be able to safely carry to term, but it’s also possible you won’t.
Saffron: So…what? What’re you saying?
Tide: That you should consider all your options.
Saffron: Like what, terminating?
Tide: If things take a turn for the worst, that is an option, yes. It remains an option now.
Moonstone: I can’t…I don’t think I could…
Tide: You don’t have to make a decision now. There’s still time before the pregnancy progresses too far to safely perform the procedure here, but we don’t have the equipment to safely monitor you to full term.
Saffron: And where does?
Tide: Waffle Creek General has a wonderful maternity ward. But given how touch and go things could become, I would suggest going there sooner rather than later.
Tide: I’ll get you the names of the doctors so you can make some calls if you’d like, but in my professional opinion? If you intend to try and see this through, you need to be nearer a hospital that can appropriately care for your needs.
Moonstone: Of course…thank you, Dr. Spearmint..
Moonstone: We’ll need to…think about this…
Saffron: What’s there to think about–oh…oh, Moony…
Moonstone: I. It’s a lot.
Tide: It is. Go home, think about it, talk about it. Just take it easy and let us know if anything changes.
Moonstone: We will. Thank you, doctor.
Saffron: Moony, do you want to…I mean, are you thinking about…
Moonstone: No. I can’t. Not after hearing their heartbeats…
Moonstone: I just needed air. I mean–it’s a lot!
Saffron: It is. We’re gonna be Moms! How neat is that?
Moonstone: It’s really neat. And kinda scary, too.
Saffron: Tell me about it! I mean, what do we know about being Moms?!
Moonstone: Hey, speak for yourself. I had Arty to practice on for years.
Saffron: Hey! That’s–okay fine that’s fair. *laugh* Oh, I can’t believe this. We’re gonna be Moms!
Moonstone: We’re gonna be Moms…
Saffron: You scared?
Moonstone: A little. But you’re here, so I’ll be okay.
Moonstone: The girls are gonna freak…and Mama’s gonna be…oh, man…
Saffron: We have to tell them.
Moonstone: Yeah, we do…just…a little later.
Saffron: Take your time.
Moonstone: So, we take an apartment in Waffle Creek until the littles are born, then come home. That’s the plan?
Saffron: Mm-hm! Just so you’re all safe.
Moonstone: Now we just have to let them know.
-
Artemis: Okay, seriously, did you two plan this?!
Firefly: Artemis!
Firefly: That is a crass question, sweetheart.
Artemis: I’m just saying!
Horizon: *laugh* Luck of the draw, squirt. No planning about it.
Artemis: No way you’re both that lucky. What next, Moony’s pregnant, too?
Moonstone: We’re back. Did I hear Hori and Lu?
Spinel: You did! How’d it go?
Spinel: Was it the honeycomb cake or…
Moonstone: No, actually. Are you all sitting down?
Artemis: I knew it!
Saffron: We’re pregnant.
Luna: We? Unless you’re both carrying there’s no we involved here, Saf.
Moonstone: No, just me.
Firefly: And yet you do not seem very happy about this, darling. What is wrong?
Moonstone: The doctor was a little worried about my being able to carry to term because of the damage from my little trip down the rapids.
Horizon: Oh, Watcher…I hadn’t even thought of that…
Artemis; But they can fix that, can’t they? Or–or, keep watch over it?
Moonstone: Not here. She recommended we go to Waffle Creek because the hospital’s better.
Firefly: It is much bigger, but…Moonstone, it is a far ride back to the Creek…if something were to go wrong, it would be too far to reach in time.
Moonstone: I know. We’re gonna get an apartment closer to the hospital and wait things out there.
Saffron: Just until the babies are born. We’ll come home after that.
Luna: What, just like that? It can’t be that easy!
Spinel: It can be, actually. You’re sure this is what you want to do?
Moonstone: I am. I know we have other options, but I couldn’t…
Moonstone: I want to give them a chance, Mom.
Saffron: So we’re doing it. Will you help us?
Horizon: I have some friends on the Bunnies team. I’ll make some calls about finding an open apartment.
Artemis: You’ll have to leave soon, wouldn’t you?
Moonstone: Soon as possible, but…not right now. *yawn* I’m going to take a nap.
Moonstone: …am I making the right call….Watcher, please…please let me know if I am…
Moonstone: …Gramma?
Moonstone: *gasp* Gramma! It’s you–you’re here?!
Opal: Of course I’m here! Where else would I be, baby?
Moonstone: You died–Gramma, you–I’m not dead, am I I mean—
Opal: *laugh* No, no, I promise you’re perfectly fine. This place has…well, let’s just say if you need it it shows up.
Moonstone: I missed you.
Opal: Silly. I’m always with you.
Moonstone: It’s kind of hard to hug a memory, Gram. …You look good. Is this…
Opal: Sort of. Now, what’s wrong?
Moonstone: Wrong?
Opal: No one comes here if everything’s alright, sweetheart. What’s the matter?
Moonstone: …I’m pregnant. The doctors aren’t sure it’s safe and I. I guess I don’t…really know what to do.
Opal: Oh, Moony…well, what’re your options?
Moonstone: Carry to term, even with the risks, or terminate early. I can’t do that I just–
Opal: If you can’t, you can’t. That’s no one’s decision but yours.
Moonstone: Gramma, what would you do if it were you?
Opal: …I’d do the best I could for my baby, even if that meant keeping them from suffering needlessly. But, honey, I can’t make that decision for you. It has to be yours.
Opal: I know it sounds stupid, but you’ll have to live with whatever choice you make. You need to be able to do that.
Moonstone: …I don’t want to terminate.
Moonstone: I want them to have a chance, even if it means I–
Opal: Oh, Moonstone.
Moonstone: Gram…
Opal: It’s okay to be scared, baby. I was.
Moonstone: Gramma…
Opal: It’s okay. It’ll all work out somehow.
Moonstone: Gramma…if something happens, will you…will you be here?
Opal: I’ll always be right where you need me. But don’t give up yet, okay? Promise me you’ll fight as hard as you can, for your babies and for yourself.
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