Black Rose [Regulus Black]

47 - lucky babies & unforeseen tragedies

Regulus couldn't understand how a small cottage he'd only lived in for a few weeks felt more like home than Number 12 Grimmauld Place ever had. He was sitting in the most awkward position ever on the sofa at James and Lily's house, with his brother constantly kneeing him in an attempt to push him off the couch, yet he'd never felt this at ease in his life, snacking on apples and biscuits and watching that screen in the living room (a tellyfission, Alessandra had called it).

"Why do you like this again?" Sirius had lately gotten addicted to dramas, which was honestly very in character, because it was Sirius after all, but Regulus didn't understand what was so great about them.

"Because of the plot, Reggie!" he pointed at the screen, where a man looked completely shattered, his jaw dropped in shock. "Look, look, he's about to find out that she's been in love with his brother all along."

"He's blind, anybody with eyes could see that she didn't him. She loved her cactus more."

"He's so fine," Sirius sighed dreamily, and Regulus made an expression of vehement disgust. "Shut up, I don't say anything when I see you and your girlfriend practically undressing each other with your eyes. Let me have my fun."

Alessandra walked in at that moment, laughing at Regulus' face and sitting beside him. "Oh my God, I've been waiting for this part for so long! Finally."

"See! You get it! Regulus, how can you not love this?"

Spotting Alessandra's expression of shock, Reg said almost instantly, "I do love it."

Sirius sniggered, grunting when Regulus elbowed him, and he turned his attention back to the tellyfission. Sandra giggled and placed her head on his shoulder, rubbing comforting circles on his wrist. "You don't have to lie about this, you know, I'm not going to kill you."

"Fine, I hate them."

She gasped mockingly, drawing away from him and placing her hand on her heart in absolute shock. "Regulus Arcturus Black, how could you do this to me!"

"I'm sorry, darling, I just prefer to watch you more."

Sirius mimed throwing up as Alessandra settled back down, blushing. "Oh. Okay."

"Um, guys?" Lily entered the living room. The poor woman had been absolutely exhausted, with her swollen feet and aching back and the general effects of pregnancy, so about four hours ago, she'd announced that she'd had enough of her backache and was going to take a nap.

"Yeah?" Sirius asked, still transfixed by the nonsense going on in the screen.

"I think I might be having the baby."

He snorted. "Yeah, you told us that over half a year ago."

"No, you idiot, I think my water just broke, the baby's coming," Lily hissed. At that, three heads swiveled to gawk at her, and all hell broke loose.

Actually, Regulus and Alessandra were mostly fine, with Regulus trying to get the message out to the Healers to come and get Lily as she couldn't go to St. Mungo's through the Floo network at this stage in her pregnancy and Alessandra sitting her down and propping her up with pillows to make her as comfortable as possible.

"I'm not ready!" Sirius was wheezing, sinking down on to the floor when Alessandra left to check with Regulus on when the Healers were arriving. "How am I going to do this?"

"How are you going to do this?!" the redhead shrieked, skin turning blotchy as her eyes screwed up in pain. "I'm pushing out an entire human being, and you're wondering how you're going to do this?"

"Pain is subjective!" he argued. "My fear for baby Prongslet, it's consuming me. Merlin's ballsack, this is too much for me to handle. I can't breathe, oh, I can't-"