Connie gagged immediately upon walking into the dining room and scowled at Adam. "What is that awful smell?"

He raised an eyebrow and looked down at the disinfectant he was cleaning with. "Is it this?"

She got closer and immediately backed away. "It's disgusting, we need a natural one."

Adam set it down and washed his hands thoroughly before approaching her and taking a good look at her. "What does it smell like?"

"Straight alcohol," Connie muttered dangerously. "What are you doing?"

He backed away cautiously with his hands up. "Nothing. Observing you."

Her eyes narrowed sharply. "Why?"

"Take a pregnancy test," He suggested as quietly as he could. "You're moody, you can't stand cleaning supplies which I will go to buy better ones tomorrow, and your skin is looking even more gorgeous than usual." Adam cleared his throat nervously and made steady eye contact. "I think you're pregnant, Connie."

But she was dead, her heart beat once about every thirty seconds or so, even slower than Lars'.

And he really thought she was pregnant just because she couldn't stand the smell of the nasty chemicals they put in harsh cleaning supplies? She had half a mind to tell him off!

She sighed, trying to release the tension she could feel growing in her body. He wasn't being mean or callous, he was being himself and Adam was an honest man to his very core. She shouldn't snap at him...

"Oh my stars..." A hand went over her stomach as hope began to fill her from head to toe. "I think you might be right, I'm thinking pregnancy thoughts."

Adam chuckled. "Like 'I should eat this entire rack of ribs' thoughts or 'Don't kill him he's doing the best he can' thoughts?"

Her stomach grumbled. "Ugh, both. Ribs sound amazing right now."

He nodded and blew her a kiss. "I'll take you out once we figure this out."

She ran up to kiss his lips instead while holding her breath because god that smell was going to make her puke. He laughed outright as she bustled into her house. "That girl is knocked the fuck up..."

*

Connie had ten pregnancy tests and zero pregnancy test courage. She'd be so heartbroken if it said no. Initially she'd predicted she'd be barren after dying in childbirth but Adam had pointed out he could Seahorse Dad just fine being technically post mortem. Sometimes she was so scatterbrained she completely forgot about the day Adam had died.

The thoughts sent chills through her so she returned them to the tests. With shaky hands she attempted to open it for four minutes before she ripped it open with her teeth.

It clattered to the ground loudly and she jumped, startled.

She was well versed in taking them now, the hard part was just trying not to throw up in panic. Nauseous, she was way more nauseous than she felt she should be with anxiety.

She wished Steven were home but he'd taken out the kids to the park to play. Comet was three now, it had been nearly four years since they'd tried for him, the pain of losing his twin cut too deep for a while, and Connie needed time to adjust to being another casualty while Steven grieved ten times as hard. Throughout everything: through the times she'd find him curled up into a ball sobbing himself horribly sick on the bathroom floor in a puddle of tears and half digested dinner, through the times she'd catching him staring as if he weren't all that sure she was really there, to the many times he had to admit he might just end his life and was Shackle Nursed, Steven stayed an incredible husband and lover, and the best father to their children.

But inside he was battling with a monster before he was ready, and he was just barely starting to win smaller fights against it. He was able to say Cosmo's name now, even if it was hushed, and he was even willing to let some of his guilt go during his moments of utter despair.

Connie grabbed the test and burst into frustrated tears. One line. Maybe she was different, maybe she and Steven were just done. Their bodies bounced back almost immediately after they were able to start their routines again, they were all healing faster from cuts and accidents too. She had hoped and hoped those were signs that they could still do this, that they could still keep making more brilliant little babies to put out into the world.

She was so crushed she could just scream about it, but before she could a single thought occurred to her.

She didn't know why she was bringing her hopes up, maybe she was going crazy with grief. Regardless she grabbed the test and really looked at it.

One line, yes. But on the wrong side.

Her sniffles ceased entirely as a curiosity was born. Maybe this test was defective.

She tried again and got the exact same result later in the evening when Steven was distracted and kids were in bed. Then she got a different result, lighter on the negative side and darker on the positive side. It was supposed to be the other way around; her negative line should've been darker instead because it was control, not nearly so faint.

She decided to wait until tomorrow when her test would be most accurate during the morning hours. The wait would be excruciating, but for now she could research.

*

The Hook Effect.

Connie found it almost instantly after searching it up on the mom forum she was on. They suggested she dilute her urine with water cut at 50%, it was gross but she was driving herself crazy and couldn't focus on anything at all.

This time she grabbed Steven and brought him straight to the master bathroom. It was a good idea to tell him there, but she needed to tell him now even if it would break his heart if it said no. She couldn't be alone in finding out, not like this. "Steven, I took two pregnancy tests yesterday."

His eyes started glowing and he stared at her with slightly furrowed brows. Steven's silence tended to speak in volumes now that she was dead, and this time it screamed. "...And?"

The corner of her lips upturned a bit. "There's something weird with my tests, I think it's a dye stealer."

Steven's brows rose and he smoothed a hand through the air. His tone was calm before the storm, she could tell he was ready to have a mental breakdown with his solemn mask. "Pause. What's that?"

She sat and wiggled her fingers for the pregnancy tests they kept under the sink. "Basically, it's when the positive side is taking dye from the control side as a result of a lot of pregnancy hormones. The control line is the one that always shows up."

He nodded as he processed this. "Actually, that is weird..." He mused lowly, cheeks red with effort not to get excited. There was an air of sadness to it though, his eyes were darkened with hopelessness. "So how are we going to figure it out one way or the other?"

The Other being that she was crazy and making all of this up in her head.

Connie revealed she'd peed into a cup instead and grabbed the second cup to measure out in the sink around the same amount. "Like this."

"But diluting it can make a false negative," He protested quickly. "Why don't we just go to the doctor—?"

"What and have them tell me I'm barren?" She snapped angrily. "Let me hope, at least let me try." The test dropped in the cup and she bunted against his chest tenderly. "I'm sorry."

Big warm arms wrapped around her as they waited. "It's okay, you're grieving."

"So are you," Connie pointed out.

Steven mumbled, "I've decided to stop grieving." When she pulled back with a concerned expression he kissed her forehead. "You're still here. The commitment you made to me the night of our wedding has stood strong, just a little too early." His lips skimmed over her hairline, the hair that they'd dyed back black for her. "You chose to stay, and I refuse to take that for granted another day. I've stopped aging entirely, I think around 27, and I'm comfortable with this body now. And with yours."

Connie gasped sharply and gripped Steven's shirt. "Oh my stars!"

His head whipped to the left and he whispered, "Well, I'll be damned. It's... positive." Then louder with a smile plastered on his face while Connie bounced in place before launching herself into his arms he cried, "It's POSITIVE!"

*

Dinner was purposefully quiet.

The Conniverse house parents were incredibly late, and Lucky was starting to get antsy without them around. "Hazel, are Mommy and Daddy okay?"

He nearly sighed his relief, he'd been wondering the same thing. "I'll go check on them, shouldn't be a minute."

He raced off and Asher patted Lucky's head because he always saw Adam doing it to other people, he liked to copy him. "They're probably just doing taxes."

Anna choked on a laugh and cut up a few pieces of chicken for Juniper. "You're probably right, Asher."

A few screams came from the house and Adam took off into it next. His protective instincts burst to life, accidentally leaving the children a bit frightened.

Another scream. Adam didn't scream usually but that's what it was.

They burst from the house and Steven tossed Connie in the air with the biggest smile they'd seen since Cosmo died. He tried to speak but set her down and fell to his knees to cry so hard Lucky's lip started trembling. "Daddy, what's wrong?!"

Steven whimpered something completely unintelligible and nuzzled into Connie's stomach. He looked up at her imploringly as the other boys came out holding hands and crying too. "Go ahead, StarDad."

Jacob gasped and stood. "Say it's so," He pleaded under his breath.

Steven nodded. "Connie's pregnant!"

Everyone cheered, even some of the babies clapped their hands and screeched to match the noise level as the other parents got up to crush the two in hugs and kisses and pure joy.

*

Unfortunately, Steven's joy was short lived, at least as strongly.

The next morning he woke up at 5:47 horribly nauseous. He tried to turn over and readjust but then he was racing to the bathroom to throw up.

Connie awoke and murmured, "Steven? Are you okay?"

He gagged again and groaned. "I'm s-so nauseous. Ugh, just give me a minute. Go back to sleep, baby."

He brushed his teeth and gagged again, then recoiled in confusion. Steven didn't have a prominent gag reflex, and if he did before and just didn't notice he definitely didn't now with how much he sucked dick, to put it crassly.

Regardless he labored through the task and pulled up his shirt to check his gem. When he focused it glowed, so his healing powers weren't out and he couldn't be sick.

Weird.

The next few mornings were essentially the same, or worse. Steven could hardly eat. He was exhausted and emotional and then nauseous at random times during the day. Certain foods put him off, especially his vegetarian foods. "Ugh, I want a steak," He sighed as he plopped into the dining room chair to watch Hazel cook.

He whipped around to look at him like he'd lost his mind. "You... want meat?"

Steven narrowed his eyes as random irritation boiled within him. "What? It sounds amazing. Don't look at me like that."

A smile played on the edge of Hazels lips for no reason Steven could find and he stormed off. Then he felt stupid and came back out to burrow in Hazels chest adoringly. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

Hazel snorted and kissed his forehead. "It's okay, Baby. I still love you."

"You smell so good," He murmured happily.

Hazel locked eyes with Connie on the couch in a deep seated horror. She was staring at her husband so hard he was surprised he didn't notice but then again he was clinging to him and drowning his sorrows in Hazels cologne. "Ugh I just wanna climb inside of you and snuggle."

After that he seemed to go back to normal, so they dropped it. Maybe he was just stressed about the pregnancy, it made sense.

The next week Jacob outright laughed at Steven's request. "You want me to make you a charcuterie board with lots of pepperoni and cheese?"

Steven nodded and his stomach made an audible sound. "That sounds so good and you make them so pretty. I love you."

The Brit motioned him in to rub his back adoringly. "I will make it for you and take care of you when you get sick, my love. I'm worried you haven't been eating enough so I'm saying yes."

Steven broke down crying and shrunk to be the same height. "I don't know what's wrong with me, my hormones are driving me nuts!"

Jacob drew in a quiet but sharp breath. How many times had he heard that? "Don't go and tell me Hazel got you pregnant, now," He laughed amorously. "I'd actually be really excited."

The hybrid chuckled and pulled away with a slightly longing expression. "If only."

*

Connie turned over to stare at her husband chatting with Adam, or really more like flirting. He was acting so strange lately, but she couldn't put her finger on what exactly she was seeing symptoms of.

He was hormonal.

He was either starving for things he'd normally never eat, or sick to his stomach at the mere mention of something.

He'd been napping so much and yawning even more. It was clear he was exhausted.

She watched as Steven yawned yet again and laid down on Adam's lap. "Ugh, I need to pee again. Again."

He'd been peeing every hour on the hour it seemed, and soon Connie grabbed Jasmin's arm to squeeze. "Jasmin, grab Anna. We need a girls talk."

*

Steven stared at the paper set in front of him and sighed. He should've never agreed to therapy today, he'd just sensed something was off with Connie. "That's not funny, Jeanne."

Jeanne chuckled anyways. "Couvade Syndrome, or sympathetic pregnancy." She smiled at his unamused frown and crossed her legs. "You're the most empathetic patient I have and you have been internalizing a lot of the stress of your polycule over the years. So this is not surprising to me when you love your wife so much."

He groaned as Connie patted his lap. "That's so overdramatic, I am not having pregnancy symptoms."

Jeanne tipped her head. "So you're just purging first thing in the mornings, can't stand the oatmeal drink you love, and tested high for estrogen because...?"

He didn't really have an answer for that, he was so embarrassed the couch creaked under him pitifully. "How do I make it stop?"

"There are no treatments," She told him gently. "Steven, you're not the only father to ever experience this." He buried his head in his hands and scrubbed at his face, all this was doing was making him feel like an asshole. "That's why it's not called Steven Syndrome. It'll go away after Connie's pregnancy is complete."

Steven sighed and grabbed a trash can to upchuck lunch for no reason he could find.

Connie giggled under her breath as she pulled his hair back. What a Steven condition to have, it maybe amused her more than it should.

Jeanne took notes.

*

Jacob went pale and pressed his lips together. "You want a home birth this time." He nodded slowly. "Whatever you want goes, Connie."

She pouted at him. Sure her fist and second home births were really bad, but doing it at home on purpose couldn't be that terrible if they were prepared for anything. "You look really scared."

He glanced to the roots of her hair that were growing out pink again. "It's not my place to say anything but I support you. Your body is not my choice."

Connie grabbed him to kiss the life out of him. "Fuck that was so sexy..." She cooed adoringly. "When was the last time you paid me any attention?"

Jacob hummed lowly and wrapped a hand around her neck. He loved the way she gasped and bit her lip through her smile. "Ni, you know your husband will have my testicles if he finds out I got to you first."

He grinned, Steven was having a jealousy problem lately but it was kind of adorable. It wasn't that he didn't want anyone to touch Connie, in fact far from it. He was jealous of anyone that wasn't babying him first and foremost. They just couldn't be mad when he sulked on the couch with Comet playing with the other kids as Hazel and Adam kissed, or Anna slapped Jasmin's butt, or Connie kissed Alex's cheek, or heaven forbid Jacob do just about anything with anyone. He was extra broody about that.

The way he portrayed jealousy was hilarious and not at all really a problem, he had to just sulk it out with his hormones all over the place the same as the girls had to.

Connie belly laughed and pecked Jacob once, then twice, then three times but a bit deeper. He tried not to get distracted but then she was grinding against him and he was already starting to get hard as he realized he missed this girl deep within his soul.

"Let me take you on a lavish date, and afterwards I will ravage you until you've ruined my sheets," He proposed softly. "I love you."

She was about to answer when the door to her house opened with Steven holding Cosmo, and Hazel guiding Lucky and Azalea out to play with the other kids.

Steven paused and poorly fought away an irritated smile. "I sure hope we're not interrupting something. The kids miss their playmates."

Connie was trying so hard not to laugh because she was pretty sure Steven didn't know his gem was glowing. "We're just talking about going on a date tonight. You don't mind, do you?"

His brows flickered up in surprise. "No? Why would I be?"

A flash and Diamond was laughing on the floor while Star groaned that he wanted Jacob to himself, dammit.

Hazel sighed through his laughter, "Oh my god... This is wild."

*

At 36 weeks, Connie's water broke and Steven wouldn't leave her the hell alone as she bustled around the house after showering. "Connie."

She ignored him and checked to make sure the bassinets were properly next to respective sides of their bed. Inwardly she was terrified one would go empty again, but she was trying to be calm.

"Connie!"

"What, Steven?" She sighed humorously. "You look like you're gonna cry and in case you haven't noticed, I'm a little busy preparing for our twin daughters."

"I just wanted to tell you I love you," He mumbled bashfully. "And you're beautiful. And I'm excited... and scared."

Connie patted her belly carefully and waddled over to stroke Steven's cheek. "It's gonna be okay. I'm a warrior, remember?"

"I can't handle it if you don't wake up without intervention," He blurted, falling to his knees to kiss his daughters. "Please, stay alive. Please don't break Daddy's heart. I can't— I can't take another blow right now."

Connie watched his eyes fill with tears and pulled him close. "Steven... I'm going to have Jacob in with us to help out. Is that okay?" He nodded miserably. "He's a two time twin dad, you'll be in good hands."

His sniffling stopped. "What? Isn't he for you because I'm a pathetic mess?"

Connie glared at him until he went pale. "Anyways, he's for you. An emotional support Brit, if you will."

Steven giggled and let go to wipe at his face. "That's stupid, he'd make that face at you if he heard you say that. Do you want me to go get him?"

She smirked to the side in hopes he wouldn't see it. "Sure. We had our lovely date last week so I don't see why not?"

Steven flew out the door and Connie started feeling a bit of pressure, so she laid down and watched Crying Breakfast Friends just to see what all the fuss was about.

*

Two weeks later, Steven was holding his twin daughters as they slumbered on the couch together midday.

Connie snorted and took a few pictures before taking one and crashing next to him with Celine she was pretty sure.  She promptly fell asleep with Steven's arm protectively wrapping around her while he snuggled Seraphine (she was pretty sure) closer.