Adora and Catra take the final step in their relationship; a baby.
~~~
Adora sighed deeply as she gazed upon the pregnancy test. Those two little lines were firm and pink and perfect. Yet... she felt too worried to enjoy the moment. Her and Catra had been trying for a baby now for close to two years. Castaspella has loaned her magic abilities to help them create their child, yet, every single one failed to take hold for longer than four months. The last pregnancy nearly made it to the third trimester, but miscarried in the night.

Adora was now on her fifth month, barely showing. She'd been taking tests every single week since Castaspella had tried the sixth time. Upon reassurance from Castaspella, and several healers (three of which assisted Angella on the pregnancy and birth of Glimmer) that once she hit her sixth month, the baby would have a good chance at survival.

But she couldn't wait until the sixth month. Not only was she having to go through the trails and tribulations on her own, including everything from extreme morning sickness (which sucked ass BIG TIME) to the emotional whiplashes.

She wouldn't tell anybody else until Catra knew; so that meant no guidance from any of her friends either.

It was getting hard to excuse herself from everything. She missed flying with Swift Wind. She missed fighting with Catra. She missed chasing around after Mermista and Sea-Hawk's baby Merleah. She couldn't teleport either; that was one of the very first things Castaspella had told her, right at the start of it all.

But it was getting lonely.

And Catra deserved to know. They'd made the unanimous decision that Adora would be the one to carry their children, while Catra did the hard bits, like the night feeds, on her own whilst Adora slept. Secretly, Adora thought it was because Catra didn't want to leave herself vulnerable.

With how many miscarriages Adora had gone through, this had the potential to be the only child they had. She hoped not though. Being alone is very lonely. She wanted to have at least two. Catra wanted four.

"Adora? I'm back!" The woman of the hour shouted. She sighed deeply and rubbed her eyes. "In here!" She called, addressing their bathroom. Catra's footsteps grew a little louder as she approached the door. "Hey, you ok?" She asked, walking in. "You sick again?" Adora bit her lip and sighed again. "Catra... sit... I have something to tell you," She grabbed her hands and guided her to the ground, where she sat. "Is everything ok?" She said with a slight frown. "I'm not gonna sugar-coat this," She began. Catra snorted, "I wouldn't expect anything less," Adora took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant," She said and immediately closed her eyes. She waited for Catra to speak. "What?"

She whispered. "I'm pregnant...," She repeated. Catra took a stuttering inhale. "I-I didn't think you were ready to try again..." Adora shook her head. "I wasn't. But then Merleah came and asked when she was getting a cousin and I just-" She exhaled shakily. "I had Castaspella try again. And it worked, baby," She smiled softly. "How-how far along are you?" Adora paused in slight dread. "Five months... I wanted to make sure we were going to actually get a baby at the end of it this time,"

Catra was silent for a few moments. Adora hung her head in disappointment. Then she felt Catra's callous, but warm and gentle, hands grab her face. She opened her eyes and was surprised to meet her slightly glossy heterochromia ones. "We're gonna have a baby?" She asked. Adora nodded and let a small smile grace her face. "We're gonna have a baby," She laughed. Catra grabbed her in a tight hug. "We're gonna have a baby!" She cheered.

~~

The pregnancy passed issue free, thank all of Etheria. Her sickness subsided to nearly nothing, her aches reduced to a mere rumble in the back of her mind. Catra had stuck to her like glue... which was nice. She'd also began to nest, apparently. Adora would sit on their bed, very amused at 1am, as her beloved scampered around the room to rearrange and tidy stuff up ready for the baby's arrival.

All seemed to be going well. Her ninth month arrived with a bang... and so did her nausea. "Ugh, I thought this stopped after the second trimester," She groaned into the toilet bowl for the umpteenth time that evening. Catra snorted. "Maybe our little darling has similar views to princess life that I do,"
Adora vomited especially loudly.

A week before she was due was another princess ball; Perfuma's this time. Catra had vehemently refused to go, but Adora forced her out. "But what if you go into labour? What if you fall?" Adora kissed her cheek. "Then I'll send Swifty to you. Plumeria isn't that far away. It's maybe an hour," She placed Catra's hand atop her round stomach. In the last two months, her stomach had grown. Like... a lot. Catra loved it... and the boobs that came with it.

Truth be told, so did Adora, though for slightly different reasons.

"You sure you'll be ok?" Adora playfully tugged on a messy strand of her beloved's hair. Catra hissed. "I'm fine. Go. Have fun for us,"

As she laid in the bathtub that night, a suggestion given by Mermista, she realised that being on her own this close to her due date may have been a slightly bad idea. A contraction rocked her body, stronger than the last one. She gripped the edges of the bathtub tightly, breathing slowly. "Adora, I really think I should fetch Kitty," Swift Wind appeared by the window. "Later," She panted. "I've only been in labour for two hours. Mermista was in labour for ten,"

After her fifth hour of labouring passed, with the pains growing closer and closer, the healers teamed she was at nine centimetres, and nearly ready to deliver. At that point, Swift Wind had already gone to fetch Catra. The final centimetre arrived in less than ten minutes, leaving Adora to hobble to the labour room with a few healers by her side. Etheria knows how many times they had to stop for her to battle through another contraction, but at that point, Adora was very over it.

"Wait-I wanna wait!" She cried from the bed. "We can't, Adora. Your baby is coming now. Whether you want them to or not," The healer snapped. Adora's body shuddered in a concealed sob. "I'm sure we can wait five minutes," Another healer, an older one, soothed. The younger healer grumbled and moaned.

Five minutes passed, and with it came another two contractions.
Another five minutes, another two contractions.
Another five minutes, another three contractions.

"Adora, we've waited fifteen minutes now. You need to focus on getting the baby out, yes? We've waited, and she's not here yet." Adora sobbed into her arm. "But imagine the surprise she'll see when she returns to you and your baby?"

And so, Adora began the final stage of her pregnancy.

"Ok, Adora, I need you to stop pushing," The younger healer said from her feet twenty minutes later. Adora cried softly. "Why? Is something wrong?" The older healer rubbed her shoulder. "No, no. Your daughter is just fine. She's being cleaned over there," Adora panted, trying to recover from the recent contraction. "What then?" She asked. The older healer peered over, meeting the the younger ones worried face.

"It would appear that you had another hiding,"

Adora sniffed. "What?" She shut her eyes. "You have another baby to deliver,"

Adora's eyes widened. "No. No, I-I can't have twins! I didn't sign up for twins!" She dropped onto the pillow, fisting her eyes. "I'm too tired, I can't do it," She cried. The old healer made a sympathetic sound. "I'm sorry honey, but you need to deliver this one,"

Adora sobbed. "I don't wanna do this anymore, please," She cried. "Oh, honey, I know. But you don't have a choice, you've gotta get the baby out," The healer pushed some hair out of Adora's face.

"Thirty seconds and then I need you to give me the biggest push you can,"

Adora cried quietly. "I want Catra," She sobbed. The healer tutted, fighting away the urge to hold the frightened girl tightly. "She's on her way," She said. Adora sniffed. "I don't care, I want her," She cried.

"Are you ready?" The younger healer asked. The old healer grabbed Adora's shoulder. "Adora, you listen to me," She shuddered. "Catra may not be here right now, but I am. And I need you to give it all you've got to get that baby out safely. Can you do that?"

Adora looked up and nodded determinedly. "On three,"

She let out a loud groan of pain. "Ok, I can see the head. Two, maybe three more pushes Adora, and they'll be here... you ready?" The young healer spoke, gloves on and positioned. Adora, too tired to speak, nodded.

The old healer dabbed her forehead with a cloth. She stared into the tear stained eyes of hero of Etheria. There was a distant sound of horse hooves hitting the pavement outside a breakneck speed. "Joelina, wait. One second." She hurried out. "Is she ok?" Catra immediately asked, running quickly to them. Emalise grabbed her arm. "Come in, she's struggling,"

Catra burst in, immediately rushing to her beloved. "Catra! You made it!" Adora whispered, fighting another contraction. "I'm here, I'm here," She soothed. Adora held her hand tightly, nodding at Joelina and Emalise. "Ready?" Joelina asked. Catra kissed her knuckles. "Come on, Dora. Do some princess magic," She teased. Adora smiled briefly as panted heavily. Her long groan trailed into a scream as the pain became unbearable.

Suddenly, it stopped.
Adora's head fell back as she panted.

Catra waited anxiously, biting her lip.

Then,
Suddenly,
There is was.
The tell-tale sign of a baby.

Catra peered over her bent legs, smiling widely. "Dora," Catra whispered, gesturing one of the babies in Joelina's arms. Adora gestured weakly to Emalise. "And... our first born,"

Catra grinned, "I'm so proud of you," She kissed her head. She leant into her breast, exhausted. "I can see why Angella only had one child," She sighed. Catra laughed, the light rumble soothing her slight radiating pain. "What are we going to call them?" She asked, putting her finger in the oldest baby's grip. Catra hummed, rocking the youngest. "I have an idea... do you?" She smiled. Adora shook some hair out of her face with a head shake. "No... what's yours?" She asked.

Catra's face broke out into a grin, "I think we should call her Noelle,"

Adora laughed. "Noelle..." She raised an eyebrow. "I love it," Adora caressed her youngest's face. "And this one?" Catra hummed. "Do you remember the purple sky's back at the Fright Zone? How we'd fall asleep watching them?" Adora snorted. "Yeah. I also remember the yelling afterwards," She shifted on the bed, wincing slightly. "Ignoring that bit. What about that?"

Adora frowned. "You wanna call our daughter purple sky?" Catra batted her head. "No, you fool. Violet's another word for purple. I was thinking Violet,"

Adora hummed. "I dunno. This one feels like Noelle," She nodded to the youngest. Catra snorted. "Ok. I'm holding Violet, you're holding Noelle." Adora sighed lightly. "Yup. My perfect family,"

~~

Two and a half years passed, and in that time, Adora and Catra had welcomed a baby boy. They called him Finn. The twins had begun to walk. The twins were was only two when they decided to try again. They weren't expecting the second pregnancy to take so quickly.

It was certainly a challenge.

Catra tried to stay at home as much as possible, but various tasks tore her away during Adora's pregnancy. By the time she was into her second trimester, about seven months, the twins had begun walking. Noelle walked first, but Violet walked quicker. As such, she stumbled and crashed into many things, but she toddled around on her own. Usually with Noelle close behind, babbling loudly.

With that milestone though, came the grabbing. Adora and Catra had hidden everything sharp, pointy, or heavy. Violet had taken a particular liking to Adora's sword, so she hid it on top of her wardrobe in the bedroom. Luckily this time, Catra was back to witness their son's birth. She arrived much quicker, with far less notice.

Violet was 100% leading Finn astray. Adora watched fondly from her soft chair as Violet raced after Finn on her hands and knees, Noelle slowly walking behind, with Finn shrieking and giggling. A gentle hand came down on her shoulder, and she reached up to clasp it. "How was Dryl?" She asked, not looking away from her children. "It was ok. Entrapta asked how you were faring with motherhood, in slightly longer scientific jumble, and sent congratulations on the twins and Finn," Catra answered. "I hope you thanked her on my behalf," She asked, tilting her head back briefly to gaze into her wife's eyes. She smirked, "Of course. But, she has asked if you and our cheeky children would come to visit next month," She sat down next to her. "Really? Why is that?" She asked. "She didn't say. Though, it's Entrapta. I suspect it's to do with She-Ra and if her powers passed through," Catra offered. Adora huffed a laugh, "Oh for su-"

"Violet! No!" Catra suddenly yelled, leaping up to grab their eldest. Adora sat bolt upright. Finn cackled from his position on the floor, just as a vase smashed on the ground. Adora sighed and shut her eyes. She scratched her forehead and pried her eyes open. She met Catra's wide smirk, "She's just like you... mischievous,"

~~

The twins were seven, and Finn was five when their fourth, and final, child was born. Another little girl; this time called Hope. For a while, the family of six lived happily. Until Adora was called away for a She-Ra related emergency. Catra didn't want her to go, arguing that those days were on pause until the kids were old enough. A part of Adora knew it was selfish, but she needed wanted it. If only to return a small sense of normality. They were staying at Glimmer's castle for the week, as it was their anniversary and Adora's birthday. Glimmer and Angelle, her and Bow's daughter, had taken the twins and Finn to bed, while Bow took care of Hope.

She'd initially tried reasoning with Catra, suggesting that maybe she could even go with her, knowing their kids are in the best company. "Yeah, but they summoned the mighty princess, didn't they?" Catra snapped. Adora reeled back as if she'd struck her.

It was then Catra knew she'd messed up. Adora's eyes narrowed into slits, while hers widened slightly. "I didn't mean it like that," She tried to placate the recently turned mother of four. "But that's what you said," She snapped, jabbing a finger into her chest. Catra hissed and batted it away. "Catra, you know, that when an emergency comes through, you go! You can't just say no!" Adora argued. Catra scoffed, "And yet, I've managed. You just say "oh, sorry your majesty, I've got a family at home!" That's what I said!" Adora rolled her eyes, "Right, but you aren't She-Ra!" Catra growled loudly. "Oh, so it all comes down to this!" She yelled, standing up. Adora stood up, glaring. "A warrior's duty is to her people!" He snapped.

"What about a mother's duty!?" Catra screamed. Neither of them spoke. Catra feared if she spoke again, she would deeply offend her, and ruin their marriage. Adora knew if she started, she wouldn't stop. "That's not fair," Adora eventually mustered out. "Is it not? Tough," Catra snapped and stormed off into the house.

~~

Hey, Kitty.
I need your help. There have been some suspicious activity just outside the crimson waste, and there's worry that it may be some Horde soldiers regrouping, even after all this time. I know you and princess have a brood now, and I'm sorry for asking this: but I need you. Now. You're the only they're scared of.
Let me know what's going on.
Lonnie.

Catra cringed as she read the letter. She couldn't turn away someone asking help, (she totally could, but Adora would skin her alive) but she couldn't leave Adora to parent the kids on her own either. She decided to hide the letter so that Adora wouldn't find it.

But find it she did.

Catra was polishing her daggers when the letter was dropped. She looked up and met the furious glare of her wife. She had Hope on her hip, and a... something-stained shirt on, but she'd never seen such fury in her eyes. "When did this arrive?" She snapped. Hope wriggled, so Adora handed her to Catra. She settled instantly. "I don't know what you mean," She answered as nonchalantly as possible. "Catra," She seethed. "I have been married to you for nearly nine years, and we have four kids together. Don't think I don't know you!" Catra sighed deeply. "Fine, princess. Two days ago," She resigned. Adora scoffed, "And you decided not to tell me... why?" She asked. Catra stood up and glared. "Because you're a mom now and you have to be there for our kids," WORST thing to say.

Adora's eyes widened. Scratch that: the fury Catra saw in her eyes now was the most she'd ever seen. "And what? Because I carried and birthed four children I'm no longer worth anything? A valued member of bright moon?" She snapped. "You haven't been in any fights or anything since the Heart!" Catra argued. "Because you don't let me! I can't just leave the kids to fend for themselves!" She cried. "Exactly! You have to be there for our children!"

"Do NOT confine me to the house! I'm just as important as you!" Adora screamed. Hope cried at the sudden noise. Adora turned her glare to the sky with a loud sigh. Catra knew she'd lost this battle. Despite being the only one with claws, Adora was a force to be reckoned with. Catra copied her action and sighed as well. "Well... whatever then. If you come, we'll drop the kids off at Glimmer and Bow's tomorrow morning," She resigned. If she told Adora no, then she'd just go in the dead of night, when it wasn't safe.

Best to satisfy her and keep her safe.

~~

"Hey, mom!" Adora smiled and turned around. "Hey, Hope," She greeted. Their nine-year-old squished in between her parents. "Are your sisters and brother up yet?" She asked. Hope giggled, "I kicked them awake and threatened them with the bucket," Catra laughed, "Good girl. Wanna get the bell?" She asked. "Yeah!" Hope cheered. Catra bent down and hoisted her up onto her shoulders and sauntered off to the kitchen to get the loud bell. Adora smiled widely and walked over to her twin teen daughters bedroom. "Come on girls, up and at 'em," She shouted. "Go away mom," Violet grumbled. Noelle stayed snoring. Adora waltzed in and yanked the curtains open. "I'd move!" She sang. "Mom's gonna get the bell with Hope!"

She shut the door as Violet began screaming at Noelle to "Wake the fuck up now you lazy shit!"

She poked her head through Finn's bedroom and whistled harshly. "Up and at 'em Finney! I was already training with mom by this time!" Finn groaned. "Mom!" He whined. "Uh uh, mister! I was already fighting wars at sixteen! Get up!" She whistled again and yanked the blanket off. "But I'm not sixteen yet!" He proclaimed. "I don't care! fifteen is good enough! You've got hundreds of years of magic and fighting blood in your veins! Get up and out or you get the bell like the girls!" She shouted with a smile.

She met Catra by the front yard, the twins grumbling about the early sun. "It's not even that early. It's nine am," Catra whispered into her ear. She snorted. "You can't talk!" She shoved her shoulder. "I used to have to fight you, literally, to get you out of bed in the mornings!" Catra mimicked her. Then leaned in close. "It's not a problem getting me into bed though... is it?"

Adora smacked her arm, flushing brightly.