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: I…I will. I promise.
Opal: Oh, sweetheart. You’re going to make a wonderful mother.
Moonstone: …mm..
Saffron: Morning, sleepyhead.
Moonstone: …can we talk…
Saffron: Sure. How’s the gut?
Moonstone: Sore. I know it’s too early but I swear these two are fighting already…
Saffron: Ha! Knowing their moms that’s not a surprise. Are you…
Moonstone: We’ll need to pack.
Saffron: …yeah. Yeah, we will.
Saffron: So we’re gonna keep ‘em?
Moonstone: We are. You can tell Mama.
Saffron: Ha, no way! You deal with your Moms, babe.
Moonstone; Hmph!
Saffron: What made the decision?
Moonstone: …this is gonna sound crazy, but…I dreamed I talked with Gramma. She gave me some advice, I guess.
Saffron: Not that crazy. The Omiscans believe that the dead never really leave us. It’s a really interesting story, actually—
Saffron: I’ll tell you later. The point is, I believe you. If you saw your Gramma, you saw your Gramma. She helped you decide?
Moonstone: She told me I have to be able to live with the decision, and…well, I don’t think I could live with myself if I didn’t give them a chance. So…I’m gonna.
Moonstone: Maybe it doesn’t work out, or things go wrong, but.
Saffron: But you want to fight for them.
Moonstone: I do. I will.
Saffron: We both will.
Saffron: I know a few things about fighting for the people I love, so–
Moonstone: So if you put that hand on my head I swear I’ll–
Saffron: Oof–*laugh* Look at you, fighting already.
Moonstone: What can I say? I had a good teacher.
Moonstone: *sigh* Could you start packing? I need to go tell Mom and Mama.
Saffron: Of course.
Moonstone: Mom? Do you have a minute?
Spinel: Of course! Just let me…
Spinel: There. Saved. How’re you feeling, sweetheart?
Moonstone: Better. I know what I’m going to do now.
Spinel: You do, do you? That’s good. *chuckle* Oh, all my girls grown up.
Moonstone: Hey, Arty’s still got some growing to do. ….I’m not showing already, am I?
Spinel: Only a little. Do you know how many…
Moonstone: Twins.
Spinel: Twins! *laugh* Multiples run in the family, apparently. Oh, your Gramma and Gran would have loved this.
Moonstone: Mom…
Spinel: So, Waffle Creek?
Moonstone: Just until they’re born. That’s…what, six months?
Spinel: About there now, yeah. You’re sure?
Moonstone: …It’s the best chance we all have.
Moonstone: I don’t think I’ll be able to do much work but–
Spinel: Honey, don’t worry about that. Your health, the babies, they come first. So long as you’re all safe, that’s all that matters.
Moonstone: Mom… *sniff*
Spinel: Oh, sweetheart. It’s okay, baby. We’ll pull through this, I promise.
Moonstone: Mm-hmm.
Spinel: You just stick close to Saffron, alright? We’ll handle everything else.
Moonstone: Thank you.
Some days later…
Horizon: I called Mags. She’ll meet you at the station.
Horizon: Remember, you’re looking for a pink lady, okay?
Moonstone: Oh, sure, I’ll do that.
Luna: Pff. She’s fine. Saf, you look after her.
Saffron: I will.
Spinel: Call us when you get in safe, okay? And with updates. If there’s anything we can do, you call. Night or day.
Moonstone: We will. …Hori, you have to let go.
Horizon: Mmph.
Moonstone: It’s not like last time. I’ll be okay.
Horizon: Updates. Every day.
Waffle Creek
Moonstone: Gah, that was too long a ride. I swear my plastic leg fell asleep!
Saffron: Ha, if you thought that was long you should see the boat ride to Selva!
Saffron: Now, where’s Mags…
Magnolia: Right here! Moonstone and Saffron–glad you could make it. Boring ride, huh?
Moonstone: Like you wouldn’t believe. At least I don’t get motion sick.
Magnolia: *laugh* There is that, I guess. My car’s out front–come on, I’ll take you to your apartment.
Magnolia: Here we are! It’s a little small, but the complex is new and you’re on the ground floor, just like Hori ask.
Ori: *confused whine*
Moonstone: Hori, boy, not Ori.
Magnolia: *laugh* I left some takeout menus and numbers for all the taxi companies in the kitchen. The hospital’s just across the river from here, so it’s a quick drive.
Saffron: That’s great, thank you.
Magnolia: Alright, here we are. This one’s you.
Moonstone: Thanks, Magnolia. What do we owe you?
Magnolia: Don’t worry about it. Any family of Hori’s is family of mine. It’s all settled.
Saffron: Settled. I like settled!
Magnolia: Yeah, I bet. Well, I’ll leave you to it. It was nice to meet you.
Moonstone: You too. Thanks again.
Moonstone: Well? How is it?
Saffron: It’s…very blue. And small. I know she said small but this is.
Moonstone: We’re not staying forever, Saf. We’ll be home soon enough.
Waffle Creek Hospital…
Saffron: So, what’s the verdict?
Polar: We are definitely looking at a high risk pregnancy. So far everything looks to be holding up alright, but the odds aren’t the best I’ve ever seen.
Moonstone: So how do we make them better? Is there anything we can do?
Polar: Taking it extremely easy, keeping your stress levels low, weekly if not daily checks…and I realize this is a hard decision to consider, but given the risks involved…
Moonstone: That’s not an option.
Saffron: Moony…
Moonstone: It’s not.
Polar: Miss Crystal, I don’t think you understand. There is a chance you could carry to term, but the odds of a miscarriage, or of irreparable damage…you have to consider your own health as well as theirs.
Moonstone: I am, and they deserve the best chance I can give them.
Polar: Alright. But there is still time for you to consider it safely, so will you?
Moonstone: Ugh, fine! Fine, I’ll think about it, but that’s not going to change my mind.
Moonstone: I can feel it. These kids are fighters. They’re going to be fine.
Saffron: ….
Horizon: Seriously? She told you to–
Moonstone: She told me to consider it. Which I did. And now I’m not.
Luna: Yeesh…and I thought I was stubborn.
Saffron: You are!
Moonstone: Enough about that. How’re things back home?
Luna: Moony you’ve been out for a day. We’re fine!
Ori: *plaintive whine*
Saffron: Oh crud–
Moonstone: I know, I just miss you guys already! It’s different than when you’d moved in next door, or across the street. We’re a whole four hour train ride away now!
Horizon: Moony…
Horizon: It’s not forever, sis. You’ll be home with the babies before you know it. They’ll have their first Winterfest at home, with us, and everything’s gonna be fine.
Moonstone: Are you convincing me or yourself?
Horizon: Both. Is it working?
Moonstone: Only a little.
Horizon: Well, listen to big sister. Everything’s gonna be fine.
Saffron: Yeah, it will. Dinner’s ready, Moony.
Luna: We’ll let you guys eat. Mom and Mama send their love!
Moonstone: Love you guys! Call you tomorrow!
*call ends*
Saffron: Seven months. We can do this.
Moonstone: We’re doing it.
Moonstone: Saf, you’re not mad about my not–
Saffron: No! No, I’m not mad! I don’t want to…you know, do that either. I’m just. I’m scared something bad could happen to you. Or to them.
Moonstone: I know, Saf…I’m kinda scared, too. But if I…well, if I could survive a trip through rapids in underground tunnels I can handle this. And so can they.
Saffron: I don’t know how you can joke about that…
Moonstone: Hey, if I don’t laugh I’ll cry.
Moonstone; We’ll be okay, somehow. Call it a feeling.
Ori: *plaintive whine*
Moonstone: You’ve got a feeling too, don’t you boy?
Saffron: I’m back. How’re my girls doing?
Moonstone: They’re fine.
Saffron: And you?
Moonstone: …
Moonstone: I’m okay. Just homesick. I miss the sun…
Saffron: I know what you mean. It rains so much here…
Moonstone: You didn’t stay long?
Saffron: Couldn’t stand it. But at least it’s not as wet as the Bay!
Moonstone: Yeah, I bet. You really did go everywhere, didn’t you.
Saffron: I did. But you wanna know my favorite place in all the world?
Moonstone: Where’s that?
Saffron: Here. Stand up–
Saffron: I can’t do anything about the sun, but this is a little bit of home, too.
Moonstone: …wait, this isn’t…
Saffron: We can’t do the whole square dance in here, but this was ours.
Moonstone: Yeah…oh, I missed this while you were gone.
Saffron: Me too. Selvadoradan dances are nothing compared to this.
Moonstone: …Saf, if you could go back to that night…would you do anything differently?
Saffron: What, the dance? Well, I’d still dance with you, and still kiss you, but I think…yeah. I think I’d have stayed with you guys, not run off.
Moonstone: Really? You’d have given up seeing the world?
Saffron: For you? Absolutely.
Saffron: Besides, it would have meant not getting sunburnt in Sulani! *laugh*
Moonstone: Oh, Saf–that isn’t what I meant!
Moonstone: That’s a big threat, Miss Cinder…
Saffron: Ack–sorry, did I wake you?
Moonstone: Not really. You giving them what for?
Saffron: Ha, sort of. You were up half the night with the kicking I thought I could talk them down.
Moonstone: *chuckle* Well, thank you for trying, but I don’t think they’re too convinced.
Saffron: *gasp* I felt that!
Moonstone: I’d hope so. That one’s–oof–that’s the one that’s been kicking all night. Somebody wants out.
Saffron: Somebody wants to meet you.
Moonstone: And I want to meet them…but I could really use a nap right now.
Saffron: *chuckle* Hear that, little one? Be good for Ma. We’ll be here when you come home.
Moonstone: Triplets?! Lu, you’re having triplets?!
Luna: At least someone’s excited.
Horizon: Oh stop complaining! You were crying tears of joy not five minutes ago.
Luna: Shut up! I was not!
Horizon: Were too!
Moonstone: Both of you, hush! Oh, Lu, I’m so happy for you! Triplets…oh, I wish I could be there to help…
Luna: Oh, you will be. I’ll need extra hands once these three are–oof–out!
Moonstone: Count on it. They’ll be the best of friends, too. Yours, mine, and Hori’s. Oh–Hori, how many are you…
Horizon: Just one!
Horizon: One little girl, and from the complaining Lu’s doing I think I got lucky.
Moonstone: *laugh* No kidding! I wish you two could be here, too…
Luna: Hey, we’re with you anyway,
Moonstone: How’re Mom and Mama taking all of this? They wouldn’t tell me…
Horizon: Oh, they’re fine. A little weepy, a lot sentimental. They’ve already set up a nursery for when you get home.
Moonstone: Oh, those sneaks!
Moonstone: We don’t even know what combo we’re having, so please tell me they’re going neutral.
Luna: They are. Lots of peach and orange, no fancy patterns anywhere.
Moonstone: Thank Watcher.
Moonstone: …Alright, I’ve gotta get going. I’ll let you two know how it goes today.
Horizon: You better!
Luna: My fingers are crossed there’s another boy in there somewhere!
Moonstone: We’ll see! Bye, guys. Love you!
Horizon/Luna: Love you too!
Moonstone: *chuckle* Dorks.
Saffron: How’re you doing?
Moonstone: As fine as the last two times you asked. It’s just a little chilly.
Polar: That’ll pass soon…let me just..ah-here we go.
Polar: Two steady heartbeats, all ten fingers and toes each…they look perfectly healthy to me.
Moonstone: They really do?
Polar: They do.
Polar: Did you want to know the sexes?
Moonstone: Please. And–oof–can you tell which one’s kicking so hard?
Polar: You’re having a girl and a boy, and the one who’s so active is the girl. Her brother is much calmer.
Saffron: Haha, he gets that from his Ma.
Polar: I haven’t seen a baby this active in a long time. You might want to try some music to settle her in, or the next weeks will be very…interesting.
Saffron: Music, huh? Oh, I think we can do that.
Polar: Would you like a printout?
Moonstone: Please. Thank you, Doctor.
Saffron: She’s still kicking?
Moonstone: Still kicking! Someone really takes after her Mom!
Moonstone: If she’s like this before she’s even out, I can’t imagine what she’ll be like outside.
Saffron: I can. *chuckle* Settle down, little one. The world’ll wait for you, I promise.
Moonstone: I don’t think she knows the meaning of the word settle, babe.
Saffron: Well she’ll have to learn it. There’s so much to see that rushing won’t get it done. Better to take your time and enjoy life than rush through it like I did.
Saffron: I’m serious, kiddo. The world is so big that you can’t miss a second of it. There’s no point in rushing. You’ll be able to see so much of it, and you’ll want those memories, I promise you.
Moonstone: …Saf.
Saffron: You’ll want to make new ones, too, but it’s worth waiting.
Moonstone: Saf.
Saffron: –Hm?
Moonstone: I love you.
Saffron: I love you too. *chuckle* Where’d that come from?
Moonstone: Mm. I just wanted to say it.
Saffron: *chuckle* Sap. I’m gonna make lunch. Why don’t you go take a nap, see if she lets you sleep?
Moonstone: Worth a try.
Ori: *whine*
Moonstone: Oh, Ori…I wish you could tell me why you’re so upset. I’m fine, I promise! You don’t have to worry.
Moonstone: And they’re both fine, too. You heard the doctor! Two healthy babies. Two–oof. Well, that’s one of them anyway.
Ori: *soft woof*
Moonstone: You tell them, boy.
Moonstone: …You’ll look after them for me, won’t you? If something happens…
Ori: *soft woof*
Moonstone: Thanks, boy. Now come on–it’s time for a nap.
Moonstone: If this one ever wants to settle down!
Ori: *louder bark*
Moonstone: …*sigh* Well, thanks for trying.
Saffron: Watcher, how does she still have the energy for all that kicking?
Moonstone: *snort* Stealing from me and her brother?
Saffron: Come on, Amber. Chill.
Moonstone: Amber, huh?
Saffron: Mm-hmm! I was thinking Amber and Calcite. What do you think?
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