The One With the Birth (PM to Enter)

[~Elisa Maza~]

<Title not mine... One of the episodes of Friends, and I've been rewatching the episodes, and it was in my head, so... yeah. You know who you are if you're involved in this plot, but if you'd like to join, shoot me a pm >

Elisa looked around her apartment, still unable to believe she had gotten it back. She had been away from the city for so long, she was sure that someone else would have snatched it up. But here she was, and thanks to the boys, her furniture was in it's place, (She mostly had Will to thank for that) and the boxes were being unpacked. Will had been a little apprehensive about being seen, but Elisa had reasoned that most people never noticed when the Gargoyles were out and about, so as long as he did it during the night, they wouldn't notice him either, even if he was holding a sofa. Besides, it was easier to have him carry furniture through the patio door versus carrying it up several flights of stairs through her front door.

Elisa opened up one of the unmarked boxes which turned out to be filled with photo albums. Elisa sighed as she pulled out a white laced album. Opening it to the first page, she ran her fingers over the face of Tulio. His face was bright and smiling as he clasped his hands over hers. The picture had been taken just after they'd spoken their vows.

A tear drop fell on the film, and Elisa startled slightly. She hadn't realized she was crying. She pulled at the excess of her sleeve to wipe the tear off the page before closing it and putting it back in the box. She knew she should have just left it back at the Hacienda. But she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it.

Elisa wiped her eyes before standing up to face Warren, Will, Mutt and Jim, who were all busy unpacking the other boxes. She forced a cheerful tone in her voice.

"I've worked you guys enough for one day. Who's hungry?"

[Warren Peace]

Warren absently undid his hair and gathered together the stray locks hanging in his eyes, twisting his hair out of the way again in a neat bun before turning back to the box he was unpacking in Elisa’s bedroom. Instinctively, he gave a quick glance around the room to make sure no one else would see him, then lifted one of the detective’s shirts out of the box and held it against his own chest. The pyro allowed himself a small chuckle at Elisa’s expense: he’d nearly forgotten how trim she’d been before her pregnancy. He doubted that the simple black t-shirt he held in his hands could ever fit his own wide frame. And Elisa right now? Forget it. he thought, folding the shirt back up and stowing it in a drawer with the rest of her clothes.

The box unpacked, Warren returned to the living room, a plethora of more boxes, some to be unpacked and some empty and tossed about, crowding whatever flat surface they’d been dumped on. He leaned on the doorframe, his light mood spiraling down as he caught sight of Elisa. She had her wedding album. Warren’s brow furrowed as a single, sparkling drop fell from her face, nearly obscured by her blue-black hair. The three other boys seemed to be oblivious, practically leaving afterimages of themselves as they dashed for the kitchen, Elisa having mentioned food.

The pyro started to follow, but stopped and looked back to the cop. He slowly approached her and took the album back out of its box, turning through the pictures. Him in his father’s tuxedo, posing with Mutt and Will, the latter holding up two fingers behind the greaser’s head. A portrait of Elisa, smiling brightly in her dress with her bouquet. Jim and Tulio, the young spacer with his bangs out of his eyes, for a change, looking neat in his dress uniform. Elisa and Tulio, a precious and simple shot with their lips touching in a kiss…

“It’s okay to miss him.” Warren said quietly, turning the page. Someone had snapped a photo of Elisa’s X-rated lapdance on her husband. Warren sighed. “Someone should be filming this. We’d all star in the summer tearjerker of the decade.” he said not unkindly, light cynicism brushed over his tone. His fingers traced another photo, his own figure captured in the act of clapping a hand over the camera’s lens, scowling with a get-that-stupid-camera-out-of-my-face attitude. Warren closed the book without a word, his eyes cast downward. How had things gone from being so carefree to the nightmare they were all still escaping from? Warren swallowed, disturbed at how they’d all had no idea what was coming, what would happen to him in just a few months, what would happen to Jim, to Elisa, to Tulio, to everyone. Everything had been turned upside-down, everyone hurt in some way or another, crying on each other’s shoulders.

He looked back up at Elisa. When it came right down to it, she was still quite young. Much too young to be a widow, to raise children without a father to help, to go through so much with everyone else nursing their own heartaches to offer enough comfort for her… Warren admired her strength, though. If he’d been in her place, the pyro didn’t doubt that he would’ve collapsed all over again, but Elisa was fighting with a vengeance compared to him.

“You alright?” he asked worriedly, placing a warm, gloved hand on her shoulder.

[~Elisa Maza~]

Elisa smiled as Will, Mutt, and Jim practically raced each other to the kitchen. With friends like them, it was easier to forget for a while.

She lowered herself to her knees to close the box. (Simply bending over was impossible with her stomach protruding out with the two babies inside her.) But before she could close it up, Warren had walked up to her and pulled the album out again, now flipping through the pages.

His soft spoken words caused her to well up with tears again, and she brushed away at them as she slowly brought herself to her feet again. Elisa wondered (not for the first time) if Warren had actually gotten more of his mother's power versus his father's. The pyrokinetic never seemed to miss the fact that someone close to him was hurting, no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

A derisive laugh directed at the situation rather than the teen next to her escaped her as she agreed with Warren's cynical statement.

"Yeah... eat your heart out, Jack and Rose."

Elisa fell silent as she moved to look at the pictures with Warren. God, hadn't they suffered enough at that point? She had just been raped, and Warren's life had already been dealt plenty of hardship, same as Jim. For Pete's sake, couldn't they all just be happy? Apparently Melinoe didn't think so. Her attacks on Elisa and Warren respectively had hurt far more people than her official targets. Nightmares were a recurring theme in Elisa's life now. She had no real memory of what was happening while she was under Melinoe's control, but visions of what did happen assaulted her like some twisted slide show presentation. The poor priest, her handing a knife to Melinoe, Tulio lying on the floor, mutilated beyond recognition, her own hands wrapped around Warren's neck... The worst part of it all was that it was as if she was seeing everything through Melinoe's own eyes.

Elisa jumped as Warren gently put his hand on her shoulder, unknowingly pulling her away from her dark thoughts. His oblique eyes were filled with concern as he asked if she was alright.

Elisa tried to fight back the emotions that were building up inside her. She wanted to tell him that she'd be fine, that she was taking it day by day, and it was starting to not hurt as badly, but she couldn't. Another reason why Elisa believed he had more of the Peacemaker's power... He was impossible to lie to.

Elisa buried her face into her hands to muffle the sob that finally burst through. She hated crying. "You've been doing that so much over the past few months, you think you'd be used to it by now." Elisa pushed the mocking thought away, still trying to get control of herself.

"I do miss him..." Elisa managed to say. "So much... I..."

She couldn't finish. The words hurt too badly.

[Warren Peace]

He felt his throat constrict as she began to cry, trying not to choke up himself. Instead, he pulled Elisa to the couch and hugged her, offering her a shoulder to cry on. Role-reversal. he thought, disparaging. I cried my heart out to Elisa, and now it’s her turn. Warren squeezed her shoulders, his concentration focused on pleading with himself not to break down. He was better, so much better, but Elisa’s pain touched him on much more personal level: he’d been there. They’d both been played like puppets, however different the circumstances were. But they weren’t unfeeling toys, they were human with a limit to how much pain they could feel before they fell to pieces.

Moments ticked by, the pyro gently hugging her in silent comfort. He sighed, his own crying spell starting to pass, mildly triumphant that he was able to fight it. He was getting better… and besides, he wanted Elisa to have someone strong to cling to who could also understand her pain. Warren had previously tried to imagine losing Maci, Melinoe murdering her while he watched, helpless. He’d forfeited a night of sleep putting himself in Elisa’s shoes.

Tentatively, he spoke. “Shh…” he whispered, placid. “Hey, listen to me for a sec. You remember when I was stuck in bed at your old place after I got hurt? You told me that I was gonna be okay… I guess it’s my turn to tell you the same thing.” Warren loosened his hug to look at her, giving her a melancholy smile. “And Elisa… he’s not totally gone. You still remember him, right?”

The pyro looked thoughtful for a moment, then let go of the detective as he turned back to the box, digging around in it for a second before he found what he was looking for. “There’s also them…” he said quietly as he handed the cop her ultrasound picture. “Genetically, each kid’s half you, half him. So together, two halves make a whole…” Warren shrugged. “This might just be my own opinion here, but I think he’d want you to be able to move on and focus on just being a mom. And hey, it’s not like you’re gonna have to raise two kids all by yourself, you’ve got friggin’ superheroes for babysitters.”

Warren’s smile widened a bit as he hugged her again, biting back a laugh. “God, hugging you’s gotten so awkward.”

[~Elisa Maza~]

Elisa didn't fight as Warren led her to the couch and pulled her into his warm embrace. She clung to him as she cried, gripping the fabric of his t shirt as she buried her face into his shoulder. She felt so weak and helpless. And here Warren was, comforting her. The irony wasn't lost on her. It wasn't that long ago where this situation had been reversed. But she was the adult. She was supposed to be stronger than this, she wasn't supposed to break down and cry like a child...

But despite her efforts, she couldn't stop the tears. She watched as the man she loved was murdered. She couldn't do a thing about it. Under Melinoe's trance, she didn't even want to try and stop her. She just sat there, and... let it happen.

Her sobs eventually subsided, though the tears still trailed down her cheeks. Warren began to speak, his tone gentle and his words wise beyond his years. He was right. As long as she remembered Tulio, his eyes, the way he held her in his arms, the way her heart would race every time he kissed her... She'd never forget him.

Elisa traced her fingers over the image of her babies. She'd always have a part of Tulio through them, too. She looked up at Warren, smiling through her tears.

"Yeah... I'll never have to worry about anything with you and Will taking care of them." Elisa admitted, a small laugh escaping her.

She returned Warren's embrace, a shuddering sigh escaping her as the last of her crying spell finally faded. She smiled at his gentle teasing. One of the babies aimed a kick towards Warren, as if it heard and understood him.

"Behave yourself." Elisa said, glancing down at her distended stomach. She looked towards Warren, a smirk on her face. She had long since gotten used to his teasing. The weird thing was, she had a feeling she was going to miss it once the babies did arrive.

"I'm just ready for them to come out." Elisa said. "I wanna sleep on my stomach again."

She stood up, smiling again, genuinely.

"Thank you." She whispered, hugging him again.

[Jesse Tuck]

The door suddenly exploded open, caught deftly as it swung back by a black motorcycle boot, the figure’s head covered by a dark helmet, the tinted visor still down. It carried a kennel of sorts, somewhat unwieldy as it slowly advanced into the apartment.

“Woo!” it said loudly and cheerfully as it set the kennel down. “Alright, I dunno why they call it rush hour or what in tarnation is wrong with cabbies’ heads, but I do know that all three of us are in urgent need of a litterbox!” Jesse removed his helmet and shook out his honey-brown, wavy locks, tossing his leather jacket to the pile of similar garments hung near the door or strewn carelessly on the floor, his helmet dropped similarly beside them.

“Ain’t sure how well the kitties took the ride… I may have nurtured a mighty bad fear of bikes bringin’ em over.” the youth said somewhat sheepishly, then unlocked the kennel and swung open the wire door. “Take off, you hosers.” he laughed, two whirling dervishes of fur speeding out of the carrying crate and making a beeline for the underside of some sort of furniture, one kitten choosing the couch near Warren and Elisa, the other streaking off to the kitchen and met by cries of “Aw, kitty!” from Will.

Jesse tugged at his simple black t-shirt, giving Elisa a quick hug. “This one teasing you again?” he asked lightheartedly and playfully shoving Warren’s head, noting the faint tear streaks on her face with traces of concern. “Hey, it ain’t much longer you gotta put up with him. Maybe get back with some dirty diapers.” he grinned, then scooped up the kitten who had been curiously watching them from under the couch. “Tiny little fluffballs…”

[~Elisa Maza~]

Elisa jumped as her apartment door burst open, revealing Jesse, clad in his leather jacket and bike helmet, holding a small kennel with two very frightened looking kittens inside. Jesse opened the crate door, and said kittens bolted away, hiding under the furniture.

Elisa smiled and returned Jesse's hug, laughing a little as he playfully shoved Warren.

"Nothing I can't handle." Elisa said, winking at the pyro. He still preferred keeping his sensitive side hidden, saying that he had an image to maintain. Still, Elisa was grateful for his help.

"And yeah, he owes me a lot of diaper changes for all the jokes he's made at my expense. Although I did decide to stop holding it against him after I dumped the ice tray down his shirt."

Elisa winced at Warren. The sight of him jumping up and down in some deranged version of the Snoopy dance trying to get the ice out was funny. Still, she felt really bad for it later on, though in her defense, she told Warren it hadn't been a good day to mess with her.

"Again, sorry." She said.

Elisa reached out to pet the kitten Jesse had scooped up.

"Hey, little fluffball." Elisa greeted, smiling as the kitten began purring in response.

"Just in time for dinner, Jesse." Elisa said as she began making her way to the kitchen. "Any particular-"

Elisa's words cut off abruptly as she felt a strange popping sensation, which was immediately followed by... Oh God... Wide eyed, she slowly turned to face Jesse and Warren.

"Um... I-I think my water just broke..."

[Hades]

((....oh, snap...XDD))

[Will Stronghold]

Jim was a great cook. He just wasn’t great at normal, plain, no-surprises-inside Earth cuisine.

Will poked at what was supposed to have been ordinary, uneventful spaghetti. The teenage alien had gotten the pasta right, and used tomato sauce, but upon finding the taste not to his liking, began to experiment. And now there were bananas and peanut butter in the spaghetti sauce.

“Dude, I’m telling you, bananas and tomatoes don’t mix.” Will protested, turning his attention from the kitten to chase a slice of the offending fruit around his plate.

“I fink ih’s good.” Mutt piped up through a mouthful of Jim’s concoction. Will just stared, grossed out.

Jim nodded. “Yeah, it tastes just like Arcturian Ground Skinks, you’ll like it.”

“I don’t even know what those are!”

“Fine, then you can cook!” Jim snapped back.

“Mph.” Will pushed the noodles around some more, contemplating how the meat sauce and peanut butter could possibly work. The young superhero twirled a strand of spaghetti around his fork with a rather somewhat expression, cautiously holding it up to his nose. It smelled strange, but Mutt was eating it, and Jim was still human, regardless of his native galaxy. Maybe it couldn’t be that bad—

“OH, F***!”

Will dropped his fork and jumped, along with the other two boys in the kitchen, as Warren cursed from the next room. “Warren, what the heck?!” Will shouted back as the pyro burst into the kitchen, wide-eyed and anxious. The youngest boy’s face turned apprehensive – there were heat shimmers around Warren’s hands. Mutt and Jim stopped chewing and stared.

“Dude, Thundercats are go.” Warren said plainly. Will got the allusion as the two other teenagers stared blankly. “Oh, my god.” Will started and sprung up from the table, flying into the next room to Elisa.

“Huh?” Mutt said stupidly, blinking. Jim peered around the pyro, not getting it either.

“Her water broke!” Will yelled from the next room.

Stunned panic was immediately apparent on both boys’ faces.

[~Elisa Maza~]

"Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic...."

Elisa was normally very level headed. She had to be, with her job. Doing things like going undercover within violent gangs, there were times where she'd nearly died, but she still managed to stay calm and collected. But her water just broke, and this was not something that she'd ever had to deal with before. Everything that she had read from the books about being pregnant and how to handle going into labor was forgotten, and she was trapped in a 'worst case scenario' mindset, that mainly consisted of her having the babies in her apartment.

"Calm down, first things first... Gotta get to the hospital. Get your keys and the bag."

She gripped the back of the couch, trying to stay calm and remember where she had put the bag she planned to bring with her to the hospital. She had packed it over a week ago, and now for the life of her, she couldn't remember where she put it.

Warren cursed and ran into the kitchen, informing the others something about the Thundercats. Any other time, Elisa would have gotten the reference, and laughed at it, but now all she could think of was why on earth Warren would wanna watch an old show about human-like cats, especially at a time like this.

Will flew in the room, shouting towards the kitchen that her water had broken. She could almost picture the looks of panic that would have crossed Jim's and Mutt's faces. Once again, under normal circumstances, she would have been laughing, but seeing everyone around her panic was not helping to calm her own nerves.

"Deep breaths.... do your Lamaze."

"The broom closet!" Elisa said, suddenly remembering. "My bag, for the hospital, I put it in the broom closet in the hall!"