Evie looked at the view outside her sewing room. It was the prettiest view she had ever seen. Green lush forest spread out in the south direction, while in the north direction there was a river flowing which stared from a beautiful waterfall in the west direction. Along the riverside their was highway leading to Auroria. Far in the east she could see the city of Auroria dotting the sky.

But this retreat palace was so away from the highway or Auroria. It was like an isolated tower. Evie wondered how Rapunzel lived alone in a tower with an crazy old woman - well witch.

"Hey E!" Jay said as he walked in the room.

"Jay! Good you're here. I have your jacket ready. Now stand here." Evie said, pushing Jay on a small round platform.

"Okay." Jay said. It was better not to irritate Evie when she was working.

She helped him wear his one-of-a-kind jacket. It was made of leather and had full sleeves. Evie stuck to the colours red and gold- Jay's preferences. The jacket had intricate detailing done with a few chains hanging here and there.

It was still a bit shapeless. Evie pinned the sides to be stitched and took down some notes to change the collar. She always kept extra margin of clothing in Jay's clothes. He could grow some muscles anytime and all the clothes would come ripping off.

"Evie, aren't you scared?" Jay asked in a low voice.

"Oh what?" Evie asked, clearly not focused on the conversation. She was still unsure about the sleeve pattern.

"Of being a parent. A mother?" Jay asked,"Doesn't it scare you?"

Evie stopped taking measurements and sighed,"Honestly, I'm not scared. I'm terrified. More terrified than seeing Maleficient trying to kill us."

Both the best friends stared outside the window where afternoon sun was lighting up the forest and river.

"Sometimes I feel these kids inside me. And I'm gripped by such intense fear that I consider giving them up." Evie confessed. Everyone knew she was scared. But no one understood her fear like Jay. After all he too was experiencing the same fears.

"What do you do then?" Jay asked.

"I see Doug and his love for me, and it gives me strength. I see Mal coming up with names for the kids. That gives me strength. I see Carlos stocking up candies for them. He's bent on spoiling my children. That gives me strength. I see you go out of your way to make me and my babies comfortable and secure. That gives me strength. I see all of your happiness and that make me happy. And somehow, I'm okay again." Evie said as she sat down on the chair Jay had brought her.

"Lonnie wants me to meet her family next weekend. She wants to tell them the news personally. Shang will kill me. Jane told me Shang is very protective of his daughter." Jay said running his hands through his hair.

"I'm sure Lonnie will protect you. That girl can surely kick some butt." Evie said, laughing as she remembered how valiantly Lonnie had fought the pirates.

"Yeah but not her father's I'm sure." Jay said laughing with her.

"Don't worry Jay. You and Lonnie will be fine. You'll figure out a way. You always do." Evie said encouraging him. She had total faith on her brother.

"Yeah. I hope so." Jay said.

"I know so. Now stand straight. This jacket isn't gonna make itself." Evie said.

We'll be fine.

...

Mal sat down on the grass in the back garden, bathing in the golden sunlight.

"Hey! I brought you strawberries." Ben said as he sat next to her, placing a bowl full of freash strawberries between them.

"You always know what to bring, don't ya?" Mal asked sweetly, before popping one strawberry in her mouth.

"I do." Ben replied laughing. It was nice to just sit with her without any stress.

"E and Lonnie surprised you a lot." Mal asked him, looking in the woods.

"Yeah." Ben said.

"Why?" Mal asked. 

Ben looked at her in surprise,"We'll they're just eighteen, still in school.  A child is a huge responsibility. But I'm glad they're keeping the kids."

"Don't you want kids Ben?" Mal asked. This conversation had to take place now.

"Someday. Yeah." Ben replied, confused.

"What if you had kids now?" Mal asked, clutching her knees.

"Mal.. are you...?" Ben asked, fear clutching his heart.

"No. No. I'm not pregnant!" Mal said throwing her hands in air in defense,"I was just asking."

Ben stared at his girlfriend. She was definitely hiding something.

"What happened Mal? Remember we promised each other that we'd be honest. " Ben asked gently, playing with her hair.

"Okay. Just seeing Evie and Lonnie being pregnant, having mood swings and cravings and being pampered by their boyfriends, thinking about their children's future, just makes me want to have babies too." Mal said, blushing.

"Don't I pamper you enough?" Ben asked.

"I mean in a way Doug and Jay do to E and Lonnie. It's a different kind of pampering. You pamper me more than enough!" Mal said, trying to explain.

Ben looked straight ahead.

"Do you want them now Mal?" He asked. Ben loved kids, more than anything. And he loved Mal even more. Maybe having kids isn't such a bad idea after all. 

"Do you?" Mal asked him. It was weird, how she considered kids dreadful creatures sometime ago. And now she wanted one.

"How about we take it slow? Maybe in sometime?" Ben asked. He needed to prepare himself.

"Being a king and a father would be difficult. Are you ready for that?" Mal asked

"If you're besides me Mal, I'm ready for anything." Ben replied, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"You do really know what to say when, don't ya?" Mal asked laughing, easing the tension.

"Oh yes I do always." Ben replied.

Maybe kid aren't really a bad idea after all.