*I'm aware they had a son first, Finn, but for this, they had a daughter first... ya'll will see what I mean*

~

Adora and Catra decide to have a baby. They didn't bargain on her arriving three months early.

~

"Ugh, why did I agree to this?" Adora groaned. Catra purred. "Because we want kids," She pushed some hair out of her sweaty face. Adora gagged into the toilet again. "But why do I have to be sick?" She whined. Catra tutted. "That's just the way of things, I'm afraid," She tried to soothe. Adora glared venomously. "Why aren't you the one who's being sick? Why aren't you pregnant?" She grumbled, flushing the chain. Catra hummed. "Because, in all niceties, I would rather die than rip open my vagina to have a baby," She smiled.

Adora huffed.

The morning sickness continued for four more months; miserable months at that. Despite Catra trying her very best to be by Adora's side throughout the ordeal, she had other duties to do. Adora's duties at that. Why? Because Adora tried to help in rebuilding Salineas one day. Sounds simple enough, right? No. Adora had woken, eaten and gotten dressed with no issues. She flew with Switfy (as teleporting was strictly forbidden for pregnant ladies, much to Glimmer's chagrin) and arrived in record time. Mermista seemed surprised to see her, Catra more so. Upon insisting she was fine, Catra left her alone.

She wasn't fine.

Adora made it precisely forty-odd minutes before her morning sickness returned with such a vengeance, she nearly passed out. Catra forced her home, berating her the entire way. She didn't even bother to try the bed, instead making a small camp in the bathroom. After that, Catra took on Adora's duties which involved leaving the castle.

Bow had similar views and kept Glimmer home too.

The two grew closer during their shared pregnancy, a sheer coincidence. Glimmer and Bow had fallen pregnant by accident, as the Queen rambled one day, while Adora and Catra had already been trying for over a year. That year had been arguably the hardest of Adora's life. She had so many rules to follow, so many things she couldn't do.

Never mind how weak she was.

Castaspella had been the reason for the pregnancies. She'd mix Adora and Catra's DNA (whatever that was) and implant it into Adora's womb (which was something her body had, apparently) over a few days. They'd had nine small successes, all of which failed before her seventh week, three second-trimester losses and one third-trimester.

All of which failed.

It took a lot out of her, to tell Catra that yet another pregnancy had failed... that she had failed.

Catra, of course, held her as she sobbed throughout each failure (miscarriages, Perfuma's voice gently reminded her) and the weeks afterwards. She wouldn't say, but Adora would see Catra was affected deeper than what she was saying. That's the only reason she kept trying. A girl can only take so many failures before she gives up.

The only relatable comfort Adora had was Glimmer; the girl also suffered morning sickness, though not quite as long-lasting as Adora's. Glimmer's stopped around her third month, while Adora's continued well into her fifth month, nearly sixth.

Glimmer was almost three months ahead; Castaspella guessed around ten to eleven weeks ahead. It helped to have a relatable source around; one who understood the agony in her back, and the swollen ankles that made it near impossible to wear any nice shoes, or shoes, period.

She loved pregnancy, but she hated being pregnant.

~

Adora suspected something was wrong when she woke up early, earlier than usual. Catra was still dozing at her side, sleeping peacefully. Glimmer had gone into labour a few days ago having a little girl. To honour her mom, they'd called her Angelle. Not Angella, but Angelle. It was a nice turn. Adora found herself crying at that. She had nobody to honour in the terms of her unborn baby. The only person who came close would've been Angella, but that wasn't Adora's place. Angella was Glimmer's mother; only Glimmer had that right.

So she sobbed for several hours. Mostly powered by hormones, but nevertheless.

Adora tried walking off the odd feeling, despite her lower back and swollen ankles protesting loudly. She continued walking for minutes, hours even. Catra woke up at some point, questioning her with a laugh. Adora, in simple terms, told her: "Fuck you," and continued walking around the room, ignoring Catra's laughter. "If you're gonna laugh at me, you can make yourself useful and get me some Wildberries,"

After several minutes of back-and-forth arguing; one of which involved Adora crying, as was the usual at this point, Catra eventually left around 6 a.m. to gather the berries from near Razz's old hut.

Razz.

Adora's eyes widened.

She had a name... if she had a daughter. Nobody knew what she was having; thanks to her little darling hiding whenever she had a scan.

Adora continued walking.

An hour passed.
In that hour, Adora had wandered to Glimmer's room. Bow had taken the five-day-old baby to Micah for the first time, allowing Glimmer to rest. She knocked on the door softly, calling the Queen's name. Glimmer opened the door, looking slightly better than Adora thought. "Hey, you," She greeted. Adora smiled softly, leaning against the door. "You don't look well, Adora. Are you ok?" Glimmer pulled her in softly. Adora flapped her hand. "Just tired. I've been up since 4, trying to walk off the back pain," She stretched to exaggerate her point.

Glimmer huffed. "You sure you're not in labour? Mine was back labour, and that hurt like a bitch,"

Adora shook her head. "Nah. I'm only six months," Glimmer shrugged. "Would it be worth checking with the doctor anyway? Babies can come at any point," Adora wasn't ashamed to say her heart fell to the bottom of her sore feet.

The doctor's visit came in a blur, to be perfectly honest.

With a grim expression, she'd confirmed that Adora was in labour, and had been for several hours. Glimmer, five days new mother, had to bring Adora out of a panic attack. What's best? The doctor said she was seven centimeteres. "But when she was in labour, she was screaming at this point!" Adora exclaimed, rubbing her swollen belly. "Do you want the honest answer, or the kinder answer?" The doctor began to pack her stuff away. Adora whined. "Nice answer," The doctor snorted. "That's because her Majesty had a fully grown baby to deliver. And a big one at that. Yours, my dear, isn't quite fully grown yet,"

Glimmer cackled from the bed. "Don't I know it..." She sighed. "Who knew Bow had big headed children," She mumbled. Adora tried to laugh, but couldn't find it within herself.

~

Catra came back a little while later, apologising that she took ages. Razz caught her apparently, lecturing her on how to raise a little girl properly. "I'm in labour," Adora rushed out, desperate to get it off her chest. Catra visibly froze. "But-but you're only six months!" Adora grabbed her shoulders. "I know. Believe me, I know," She flapped her hands. "But the-the doctor says everything is fine... baby is just early,"

Despite the doctor telling her the contractions wouldn't be horrific like Glimmer's, Adora still found they brought tears to her eyes. Catra rubbed her back, brushed her hair, fed her berries, whatever she wanted. The twenty-eight hour of her labour passed with a loud bang; her waters finally broke on the way to the doctors office.

The rest passed in a blur... at least until the baby began to crown.
Adora finally understood why Glimmer had screamed.

"Adora, you need to push harder, this baby isn't gonna come with that tiny amount of pressure." She laid on the bed, panting heavily in the infirmary clutching Catra's hand as she tried to give birth to their baby. The midwife was at the business end with another doctor, whom Adora hadn't seen before. "Ok, and breathe." Adora slumped back on the bed with a loud groan, pain radiating in her loins and up into her back.

Letting out a loud groan of pain as she pushed, Adora felt something shift. "Ok, I can see the head. Two, maybe three more pushes Adora, and you'll be a mother... you ready?" The midwife spoke, already positioned. Adora, too tired to speak, nodded.

The women who can have more than one baby are insane. Mentally ill or broken. How you can bear this pain thrice over!?

Stopping very briefly to take a breather, Adora tipped her head up to the ceiling. Her body tingled, not just in pain, but with something else, something... powerful. She glanced down, panting. "Dora, you're glowing," Catra whispered by her ear. Adora thought about retorting something nasty, but realised she was actually glowing. "Hey, what if she transforms? Will it hurt the baby?" Catra asked the midwife. She glanced up with a slight frown. "I doubt it. She-Ra is bigger than Adora. If it were the other way around, perhaps. I'm gonna be honest, I've never had to help a She-Ra give birth before..." The midwife chuckled lightly, trying to break the silence.

Catra snorted. Adora didn't.

Gritting her teeth and holding her legs back, Adora pushed. She pushed harder than she ever had before. Her long groan trailed into a scream as the pain became unbearable.

Suddenly, it stopped.
The pain left her body in a single swooping feeling.
Adora let her head fall back as she panted, exhaustion seeping into her bones.

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

She gasped out, crying in relief. "Well done, Adora! A healthy daughter!" The midwife proclaimed. Adora raised her head with an exhausted grin. She held her arms out, "Gimmie," She whispered, grabbing out to her daughter. The midwife grimaced. "She must be checked first. And you, my dear, still have to deliver the placenta," Adora groaned loudly. "I'm not done!?" The midwife chuckled. "This bit isn't quite as hard,"

She waved over the doctor. "Take her to be checked. She is three months early," The midwife muttered. Adora frantcially grasped Catra's hands. "Go with her," She said. "Watch our daughter,"

Catra tutted. "I won't leave her side," And ran off quickly after the doctor, leaving Adora in the company of the midwife. She patted her ankle. "Will my daughter be ok?" Adora asked softly, fiddling with the gown. The midwife smiled. "She looked as healthy as a full-term baby. The doctor is just confirming everything with your partner,"

Adora glanced back to the ceiling with a soft sigh, wincing when it caught in her throat. She pressed a hand to her stomach. "Shit," She whispered, her voice cracking. "It hurts," She said. The midwife narrowed her eyes a little. "Yes. It will be the placenta,"

She sighed. "You can have a few moments to catch your breath. Wait for your body to begin the removal by itself,"

~

As Adora cradled her baby girl several hours later, having passed out like a baby, Catra mumbled something by her ear. "Say again?" She mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "I think I have a name... if you like it," Catra stroked some hair out of Adora's face. "Yeah?" The blonde mumbled, adjusting the baby in her arms. "How about Mara?"

Adora's eyes welled with tears.
"Catra... I love it,"

Catra grinned. "Our baby girl... Mara,"