Endless: REWRITTEN

Bonus - Alexandrite

Natalie

*This takes place during (and after, technically) Natalie's pregnancy*

(thanks to @sofiasaav17 for the prompt)

"No, that's okay, sweetie. I know you have a lot on your plate," I tell Cheyenne through the phone, using the back of the couch to sit down.

"If I wasn't overseas, I would've thrown you a little party." Her voice is slightly concerned and pitiful. She's studying abroad in Italy for the Fall semester at AMDA, so all communication with her has been at odd times. It's 3 P.M now, so by my last calculations, it should be 10 P.M for her. Nearly her bedtime.

"Trust me, I'm in no mood for a party," I laugh, but it sounds more like a wheeze. I haven't felt this labored since my pregnancy with Elizabeth and my age isn't helping either, honestly. Or my cramped apartment that Robin has haphazardly moved into at the last minute to help me with my pregnancy.

"Well, I'm sure being pregnant, you have cravings, so I sent Mordecai with a cake to your apartment," she tells me, sounding sheepish. "I can Skype and we can have a little thing together. I mean, I don't have any cake, but—"

In the middle of the call, I get a text message and briefly check it.

Mordecai: Surprise, surprise. Open the door pls.

"I just got a message from your knight in rusting armor," I snort to Cheyenne. I push myself off of the couch and wobble on my feet to get the buzzer.

She sighs. "Even after you guys have made up, you're still bickering. Come on, he's about to be the uncle of your baby."

"We don't choose our families," I scoff, leaning on the buzzer. Despite Mordecai and I being cordial with each other now, we've come to quickly realize that our personalities are both too scalding for it to be sunshine and rainbows all the time. We still like to bicker...but at least it's not malicious anymore. That's a step-up, right?

"Oh God," Cheyenne sighs. "Save some for Robin and definitely save some for Roscoe and Gianna, okay?"

"No promises, I'm eating for two, remember?" There's a knock on the door and I open it. Mordecai is standing there with a very decorative birthday cake. "Stay on the line with us, we might need a peacemaker."

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Mordecai rolls his eyes. "I didn't come to play Uno, I'm just the delivery boy."

"Should I tip you? Here's one: Fix your organization system at work, it'll be better for the rest of us."

"Wow, you should be a comedienne. You wouldn't make much money, but you can give it a shot."

"Mhm, like you gave working with high schoolers a shot?"

"No, like you gave using protection a shot."

"Ah! The same shot your parents gave when they had you."

"Oh, wow," he laughs. Then he suddenly frowns in confusion. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I shrug. He points beneath me and I look down, finding a pool of liquid beneath me. "Oh...my water broke."

"Oh."

"Oh."

Then, like lightening, we look up at each other. "Oh!"