Chapter Text
Thirty-eight weeks.
It had been thirty-eight weeks of her pregnancy. Her body was swollen, her baby had grown restless, her own breaths falling short. Pain would lace up her back and thighs, through her cramping legs. Some days, she just wanted it all to be over and to meet her baby already. On other days, it all felt too soon, and she worried about her little one’s health.
Regardless, her wife was with her through it all. Nerissa would rub her feet, massage her back, and do anything to help her to feel more comfortable. Her songbird would constantly praise and affirm her. Everything was calm, everything was well. The Exardian could never be caught worrying for more than a few minutes.
Elizabeth rocked her hips side-to-side, taking deep breaths as she worked through her contractions. The pain had gotten worse, enough to hitch her breath or twist her face into a grimace. But she tried her best to keep her voice down and not to wake her wife. As soon as she felt the first signs of cramps, the two had raced to the hospital only to be turned away for false labor pains, they would make many more visits with the same outcome. Now, the Scarlet Queen desperately tried to stifle her breaths.
Nerissa Bloodflame couldn’t sleep. The idea that her wife was in any sort of pain made her uneasy. The Exardian had urged her to rest, adamant that it could be hours before the real thing started, if it did at all. In truth, the demon had suspected that Elizabeth felt guilty and embarrassed for being driven to the hospital so many times. Of course, she would drive thousands of miles for her wife, no matter the destination.
“Liz, that one sounded really bad.” Nerissa frowned.
“Darling, I’m fine. Who knows how much longer this will last? Please, go back to bed. I’d hate to think that you won’t get any sleep from fussing over me. Besides, they said—”
Her voice suddenly caught in the back of her throat. Breaths wavered as she struggled to fight against the pain. Nerissa shot out of bed, cradling Elizabeth’s belly in her hands as she provided counterpressure on her hips. The Exardian’s breathing seemed to steady at the other’s touch. Slowly, she leaned back, seeming to melt into the demon’s arms.
“Five minutes apart. That was five minutes apart, Liz! We’re going to the hospital. If they turn you away again, I’ll drive them to madness myself. You have nothing to worry about.”
Elizabeth kissed the crook of her neck.
“Alright, love.”
Thankfully, the hospital had believed them and escorted the two to their room in a wheelchair. Nerissa was in awe. Even in a simple hospital gown, her wife looked radiant. Blue fire shimmered confidently on her chest; her face was the picture of preparedness. The two got a chance to catch their breaths. Finally, they were greeted by their beloved Dr. Immergreen.
Upon an initial cervical check, the doctor determined that steady progress was being made at four centimeters dilated. Before leaving, the couple were introduced to Nurse Raora Panthera. A full-figured, pink panther girl with pointy ears and a bushy tail, her golden eyes occasionally shone a vibrant blue, as if reading the two. Raora was peppy and cheerful, having a distinct musicality to her voice.
“Ciao! My name is Raora Panthera, and I will be your nurse. Dr. Immergreen has told me a lot about both of you. I understand your labor is progressing well. Is there anything I can do for pain management?”
Elizabeth moved to speak.
“Her birth plan said no pain medication.”
Nerissa tightly clasped Elizabeth’s hand, giving a stony stare at the nurse. The big cat apologized profusely, ears flattening against her head as her tail stopped swishing for a moment. Exchanging gentle handshakes with the two, she wrote down some vital signs on a clipboard before racing off. Elizabeth glanced up at her wife. She gave a grateful smile, but her red eyes seemed to caution against being too harsh with the poor nurse.
Harsh smells of antiseptic were overpowering in the room’s stale air. Early glimmers of the morning sun shone through the windows, seeming to bathe the Exardian in their warm light. Nerissa found herself commenting on how uncomfortable the bed had looked, but Elizabeth assured her that it was much better than it seemed. Next to the bed was a little mobile workstation of some kind. It felt surreal to realize that it was for their baby.
The demon found herself continually impressed by her wife. Her scarlet queen refused to stay in one place, but would alternate between pacing around the room, swaying in Nerissa’s arms, or leaning against a wall. Deep breathing seemed to help greatly, and the whole time, Elizabeth stayed steady and calm, with Nerissa finding herself breathing right alongside her. A monitor close by displayed a graph and number calculating contraction strength and intensity. Things were speeding up and getting tough.
Nerissa never strayed too far from her wife’s side, always providing counterpressure or offering words of encouragement. Occasionally, Dr. Immergreen would make an appearance, monitoring vitals before using her dry wit and charm to break the tension. All the while, Nurse Raora stood at the ready, bringing water and cold rags or whatever the couple needed. Sometimes, she would sketch some silly doodles in her notepad that would make Elizabeth smile, even if just for a brief yet fleeting moment.
Within the first few hours, Elizabeth was laboring down on a yoga ball. Her breaths were growing shallower, getting shaky and seeming to catch in her throat before exhaling. All the while, Nerissa would whisper praises while massaging her hips and lower back. Suddenly, the Exardian rose with a yelp. A trickle of fluid spilled out from between her thighs.
“Your water broke? Your water broke. Your water broke!”
To the demon’s shock, her wife sunk low to the ground. Her face screwed into a wince, as she let out pained moans. Nerissa quickly rushed to her side, allowing the Scarlet Queen to hold onto her even more tightly. Purple eyes looked with intense worry at seeing the other’s pain. Elizabeth offered her a small smile in response.
Nerissa was shocked at how quickly things were moving. She had been warned that labor could sometimes last for hours, even days. Yet, within a short time, things looked to have picked up so fast that it felt almost unnatural. Silently, she hoped that her wife couldn’t see the monitors next to her. The graph, once ticking along the middle, seemed to spike and stay steady far above the upper limits. Numbers flashed that seemed impossibly high.
It was unbearably hot, but Nerissa had dimmed the lights for her wife’s comfort. The blue flame in the Scarlet Queen’s chest seemed to have grown into a blaze. Open windows and blowing fans seemed to do little to quell the stuffiness present in the air. Elizabeth had opted to move to bed, laboring on her hands and knees. She rocked quickly back and forth, as if trying to escape the pain. Beads of sweat poured down her body, as composed breathing devolved into guttural grunts and groans.
“Easy now, firefly. Deep breaths in and out. You’re doing so good, you’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you! You’ve got this.”
Nerissa’s words had little meaning even to her own ears now, a torrent of encouragement and praise that seemed to flow without stopping. She absolutely felt powerless. Elizabeth seemed to be in a world all her own. The demon wanted nothing more than to help, maybe offer some water. She kept on blabbering, cheering, and smiling.
“Shut up, Nerissa!”
The demon would be hurt if she wasn’t so incredibly worried. Elizabeth was trembling. Red eyes darted frantically from side to side, unable to lock in any one place. She was overwhelmed. She was overstimulated. She needed her wife.
Nerissa rested a hand on the small of her back, gently caressing it up and down. It wasn’t swatted away. Elizabeth’s noises changed dramatically into whimpers and whines. Her breathing grew panicked. All the muscles in her body seemed to tense at once.
“Ow, ow, ow… OW!”
Suddenly, she let out a deep, throaty yell. The noise moved to bounce off the room’s walls and pound directly into Nerissa’s ears. A blue inferno appeared to engulf the Exardian’s ribcage, her bones visible as black shadows. Collapsing forward, her face was buried into the pillow. Elizabeth’s breathing was wracked with sobs.
“I can’t do it! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much—"
Nerissa ran to hold her wife close. She could feel the stinging of hot tears seeping into her clothes with Elizabeth’s cries. Her own breaths shuddered as she struggled to hold herself together through it all. A hand busily ran through red hair. Soft kisses dotted wet cheeks.
“You’re doing it, Liz! You’re so strong, and so amazing. You just need to hang in a little bit longer; it’ll all be over soon…” Nerissa pleaded.
“No, no, no! I need help. I need the medicine. I need it to stop.”
With that, Elizabeth wept as her thumb slammed down furiously on the call button.
Raora rushed hurriedly into the room, with blood-curdling howls and wails being heard down the hall. What she saw next broke her poor heart. The patient was lying on her side, clutching her stomach and positively writhing in agony. Her wife lay behind her, trying in vain to massage the pain out of her back. Purple eyes glared at the intruding nurse.
Quickly, the pink panther rushed her way to being in front of the patient. Elizabeth bawled her way through another contraction. Raora calmly held her hand, gently coaching her through breathing. The Scarlet Queen gasped and heaved, trying to fight for air between the harsh pains. Grabbing a cool, damp, cloth, the nurse wiped tears and sweat from her face.
“Ciao, Elizabeth. I know things are very intense right now, but would you mind if I checked you? It could help us know how close you are.”
Nerissa rose to object, but Elizabeth gave a slight nod. Both helped to gently move her onto her back. Still, the Exardian grimaced at the uncomfortable sensation. Trembling, she spread her legs just enough as Nerissa squeezed her hand. Raora tried to be quick and careful, but the terrified Elizabeth still yelped and flinched away from her touch. The panther offered a kind and understanding smile.
“You’re at nearly eight centimeters. Your baby will be here soon!”
This assurance proved not to be the comfort that was intended. Rather, the terrified patient shook her head feverishly. Monitors ticked along as Elizabeth was struck by yet another contraction. Screams tore their way through her throat, as she struggled to roll over onto her side. Raora could feel the heat beating down from Nerissa’s gaze.
“She needs pain medication. Right. Now.”
Startled, the panther found herself jumping from the snappy demand. Still, she raced out the door to find someone who could help. Raora’s heart was hurting and felt heavy. Her tail was tucked between her legs as her ears flattened against her head. All she could hope was that everything would be alright and to help as best she could.
Elizabeth barely even noticed the presence of an additional doctor in the room. The squeaking of broken wheels or the clattering of metal trays did little to startle her. A new voice went on with a long, meandering lecture that seemed to fade into the background. Only Nerissa’s loving touch served as some comfort through all the chaos. Finally, a clipboard was thrust into her face.
“You need to sign these forms.” The voice sighed.
Nerissa stood up at once. Snatching the forms from the figure, she sat down again. Harsh clears of the throat interrupted her. Purple eyes glared at the nuisance. Her jaw seemed to set.
“I’m her wife. I can sign these forms.” Nerissa snapped.
“It has to be her.”
If looks could kill, the demon’s stare would have eviscerated the doctor on the spot. Slowly, she guided the pen and paper into her wife’s hands. Elizabeth, still shaken from the pain, nearly dropped the items onto the floor. Her hand hurriedly scrawled out a signature onto the line. The Scarlet Queen’s handwriting, normally regal and elegant, looked spidery and frantic.
“Things are going to keep hurting for a bit until everything’s ready.” The new doctor muttered drily, seeming to be in no rush.
“No, no… I can’t take this anymore. Hurry, please hurry—”
Elizabeth’s face was red and splotchy from crying. Her expression screwed into a grimace, weeping silently as she fought to catch her breath. Red eyes felt dry, as if her body had shed every tear. Loathe as she was to admit it, part of her wanted to bite, to scratch, to do something to combat whatever she was feeling. Instead, she sat timidly, resting in the solace of her beloved’s arms.
“Work faster!” Nerissa snapped.
A clattering of tools and jostling of the table appeared to indicate Nerissa had done something to scare the doctor into working quickly. Raora rushed to the figure’s side, trying her best to help expedite the process. The demon ignored the commotion, focusing all her attention on giving her wife whatever assurance she could. Finally, the doctor moved toward them. Elizabeth buried her head into her wife’s embrace, clinging onto her for dear life.
She caught a glimpse.
Nerissa saw the doctor moving toward them with a very large needle. Her muscles had tensed up. Breathing quickened. Purple eyes widened with fear. Frantic beating of her heart sounded in her chest. Still, her focus remained on the Exardian, who remained eerily still.
Elizabeth let out a small whine as the doctor administered the medicine. The figure unceremoniously gathered his things before sauntering out of the room. Slowly, the Exardian leaned onto her side and looked out of the window. Raora advised that it might be best if she laid onto her back for the medicine to flow properly. Following these instructions, her pale gaze stared blankly at the ceiling.
Seeing her wife in so much pain had scared Nerissa senselessly. Whatever this was, it looked far worse. Elizabeth was utterly defeated, her red eyes refused to connect with anyone else in the room. She looked still. An uneasy silence filled the room.
“You know, Mrs. Bloodflame…” Raora started, “Every baby and every birth is different. It takes someone really brave to do what you’re doing. You’re not any less of a mom just because you took medication.”
“I—I’m not?” Elizabeth sniffled.
“How could you say that!”
One might have mistaken Nerissa’s voice for being furious, but she was betrayed by the heartbreak in her purple eyes. Her wife was overcome with shame, desperately trying to tear herself away from the demon’s sight. Still, Nerissa knelt faithfully by her side, refusing to be pushed away. Her hand clasped the other’s tightly.
“Liz, how could you say that? Why would you ever think that you would be a bad mom? Did someone make you feel that way? Was it something that I said?”
Elizabeth stared directly at Nerissa. Her red hair was messy and disheveled. The hospital gown that clung to her frame was caked in sweat. Where there once was a gentle and kind smile, her face looked worn. She shook her head.
“Gigi said this was supposed to be the easy part.” The Exardian scoffed.
Nerissa felt a fist clench at her side. She swore that she would throttle that little gremlin if she had the chance. Her heart was wracked with pangs of guilt. How could her wife feel this way? What could she do to help?
“No part of this is easy. We both know that. But you did this on your own terms! You faced down what you could, until you needed help. That’s what we’re here for.” Nerissa smiled.
Elizabeth fell silent.
“If… If I was on that table, and I wanted pain medicine, would you think less of me for getting it?”
“Of course not!” Elizabeth huffed.
“Then why are you so hard on yourself?”
The Scarlet Queen crossed her arms tightly to her chest, returning her gaze to the ceiling. Blue fire that once raged in her chest had subsided to nothing more than a flicker. Slowly, the bottom of her lips began to quiver. Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes. She shook her head.
“You were supposed to be on this table.”
Nerissa cursed herself. So badly did she want to take Elizabeth’s pain away. The idea of seeing her wife in agony seemed worse than deaf. All she wanted was to help. Now, the least she felt that she could do was to help her wife’s emotional turmoil.
“You were supposed to carry this baby. You were supposed to see a positive pregnancy test. You were supposed to be a mom. And… and I took that away from you. S-so the least I could do—”
“The least you could do is to suffer, to be in pain?” Nerissa frowned.
“The least I could do is to be strong. I should have endured it. I gave up when it got hard. I failed you. I failed our baby.”
Nerissa took ahold of her hands and gazed into red eyes. The woman before her, no matter how exhausted and spent she was, was the very one she had fallen in love years ago. Her Exardian had always been so selfless, whether in her ambitions for a show, or the love she had for her friends. She had always been one to put herself before others. It was important for her to know what she mattered, too.
“Elizabeth, you are strong! And I’m still going to be a mom. Being strong doesn’t mean that nothing hurts. Things can hurt, but you still rely on the people around you. We’re here because we love you.”
“I’m sorry that I told you to shut up…” Elizabeth sniffled.
“You’re sorry? Liz, if that’s the worst thing you can say to me during labor, then that’s impressive.”
But the frown on the Scarlet Queen’s face showed that she still felt terrible about it. Nerissa gave her hand a gentle squeeze. In that moment, the fire of her wife’s heart seemed to burn just a little brighter. Elizabeth still held a slight pout. Yet, she held her beloved ever closer.
“Liz, there’s nothing that you could ever say or do to hurt me. Even if you did, deep down I’d know that you never meant it. But I am grounding this baby for giving you so much trouble!” Nerissa quipped.
“Rissa, don’t do that, it’s not the baby’s fault…” Elizabeth frowned.
“See? A good mom would say that! I just wish there was more I could do to help you. I wish that I could take your pain away…”
“Actually, I think you might have!” Raora smiled, having busied herself around the room before skipping to the couple’s bed side. Leaning down with hands folded behind her back, the nurse peered on curiously. “Mrs. Bloodflame, have you felt any contractions? Any pain at all?”
“Now that you said it, I haven’t!”
“That’s strange, because you’re certainly having one now.” Raora noted.
Nerissa glanced at the monitors back to Elizabeth and, for what felt like the first time that day, had a sigh of relief. Knowing that the medicine was working, that her wife was finally getting some rest, it felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Elizabeth let out a slight giggle. A hand absentmindedly rested on her stomach.
“Actually, since you just mentioned it, I might have to visit the loo.”
“May I check you?” Raora’s eyes widened slightly.
After a quick and painless check, Raora reached for a telephone hanging on the wall.
“Paging Dr. Immergreen for delivery!”
The green-haired automaton stormed through the door furiously. One might almost mistake smoke as billowing out of her ears. Mumbling hurriedly under her breath, she complained of a certain pain doctor who had several complaints against him for rude behavior. She swore in a dialect no one in the room could understand. Vows spilled forth, promises to forward these complaints and fight all the way up to the suspension of his practice.
A bright smile shone at seeing her patients and Raora.
“Let’s have a baby, shall we?”
Even after many long hours in the process, Nerissa continued to be wowed by her wife. After brief coaching from the doctor, Elizabeth was pushing with all her might. Still, an occasional twinge would strike her eye or a slight cry after releasing a push. The Exardian was positioned on her side, holding a leg back as she pushed. The demon’s eyes narrowed.
“I thought the epidural was supposed to make her pain go away!” Nerissa snapped, though her expression seemed to soften after a stern look from her wife.
“With the medicine, contractions don’t hurt nearly as much. But you still feel a lot of pressure when pushing, which means your body’s working hard.” Dr. Immergreen nodded.
Raora gave her a sympathetic smile, and gently patted Elizabeth on the shoulder.
Nerissa had begun to grow worried.
As silly as it sounded, childbirth in movies and television shows always seemed so spontaneous. Certainly, their labor had felt that way. But it seemed with those other births that in a few short pushes, the baby was out. Yet, Elizabeth had been pushing long and strong for nearly an hour with seemingly no signs of progress. It was clearly draining on her, breaths growing ragged and only able to hold the pushes for so long.
Dr. Immergreen leaned forward.
“Elizabeth you’re doing a good job. A very, very good job. I can tell that you’re getting tired. But the thing is, your baby’s getting tired too. Each time you push, its little heartbeat drops by just a tiny bit. If you aren’t holding that little one soon, we might to have to do some things to help you along.”
Nerissa rose up to object, but Elizabeth’s gaze grew steely and determined. Rolling onto her back, her wife and nurse helped to hoist her legs back as she heaved forward for one of her strongest pushes yet. Falling back with a yell, she gasped for breath before pulling forward again. Her body shook with her exertions.
“Stop! Now give me some short, quick pushes.”
The Scarlet Queen obliged, grumbling and hissing all the while.
“Alright, now deep breaths, like you’re blowing out a candle.”
Elizabeth huffed and puffed through gritted teeth as her wife looked on with nothing but sheer admiration. The fire in her chest, once weakened and wispy, was burning brightly. It only seemed a short time ago that Nerissa was scared, frightened by seeing her wife so stricken with pain. Now, it looked as if she was the epitome of control and determination. Finally, the Exardian fought for breath.
“Your baby’s got a lot of hair!” Raora marveled.
“That just means it’s got a big head.” Dr. Immergreen teased. “Now, one last, big push!”
With a fierce roar, Elizabeth hurled herself forward until the doctor found herself with a baby in her arms. The room fell silent. Sitting up further, the Exardian was shaking like a leaf. A strong hand gripped the demon’s tightly. Raora rushed forward to assist the doctor.
“W-why isn’t she crying?” Elizabeth stuttered. “Why isn’t my baby crying?”
Dr. Immergreen raised a finger up, as if asking for a moment. After giving the infant’s back a few firm pats, the room filled with a healthy, watery wail. Elizabeth collapsed back onto the bed. Raora helped to open the Scarlet Queen’s gown as her newborn daughter was placed onto her chest. Nerissa looked up in disbelief.
“Hey! I thought you didn’t know the gender yet.” Dr. Immergreen smiled. “Birth is tough for babies, too, you know. Just give her some time to get used to you.”
Nerissa burst into tears. All her emotions, her joy, her love, her fear, now were spilling out all at once. She felt pressure to be her wife’s rock, her protector. Now, she was simply overcome with emotion at seeing their child. The demon held her wife closely.
“Thank you, firefly. Thank you for this baby! She’s perfect. Just perfect. I love you, Liz…”
Elizabeth, for her part, simply felt exhausted from the whole ordeal. Red eyes dimly stared into space. She was vaguely aware of the commotion surrounding her. Her blue flame burned on strongly in her chest. For that moment, she seemed focused on her breathing.
“Baby?” The Exardian mumbled.
“Yes, Liz! Our baby. She’s here. I bet that she’s so excited to meet you.” Nerissa smiled.
It was then that Elizabeth fully recognized her newborn daughter nursing on her chest. The baby had auburn hair with what appeared to be blue tips, as well as little black horn buds on the top of her head. Through fluttering eyes, Elizabeth could see the child shared her crimson irises. Within her chest was her own small, flickering blue flame. A beauty mark dotted her right cheek.
“She’s… big!” Elizabeth gasped.
Amused laughter seemed to fill the room. Where once there was so much tension and struggle, the group appeared to be at ease. Now Elizabeth’s gaze seemed to be focused entirely upon her baby. Nerissa remained firmly at her side. Dr. Immergreen appeared to be scanning the infant for measurements. Raora made sure to survey the room and check in on everyone present.
“My calculations would estimate the weight around…” The automaton’s eyes paused to whir for a moment. “Eight pounds and nine ounces. Above average! Your baby is quite healthy.”
“Hello, sweetheart. Hello, darling. It’s so nice to meet you! Mummy loves you. Mummy loves you very much.”
This show of maternal love did nothing to damper Nerissa’s emotional state. Raora seemed to dry a tear or two from her face. Even Dr. Immergreen couldn’t help but smile at the display. Both the doctor and nurse moved to clean and tidy the area. Nerissa remained diligently by her wife’s side.
“My little Julia. Julia Lillith Bloodflame.” Elizabeth sighed dreamily.
“That’s a lovely name. What made you decide that?” Nerissa asked.
“Because she was a gift from my Juliet!”
Having said goodbyes, the doctor bid the couple farewell before moving to attend to other patients. Nurse Raora waited nervously, hands folded behind her back. The couple and her stared at each other for a time. Each tried to talk. Finally, Elizabeth giggled.
“Thank you, pretty kitty!”
“I’m going to chalk that up to the drugs…” Nerissa smirked.
Raora approached the demon. A foot tapped nervously on the ground. Nerissa puffed up her chest, maintaining eye contact. She knew that she had lost her patience more than once with the nurse. It was only natural that Raora got a chance to tell her off. The nurse cleared her throat.
“I know this was difficult. But thank you. Thank you both. I was honored. Thank you for letting me be a part of—”
The panther didn’t have a chance to finish before she was cut off by a tight hug from Nerissa. Fuzzy pink ears seemed to stand on end. Raora’s tail swished back and forth excitedly. Eventually, they broke from the embrace. Nerissa smiled proudly.
“No, thank you, Raora.”
Ever the professional, Raora made sure to do her final checks and precautions before leaving the room. After making sure to dote on baby Julia, she bid the couple farewell before continuing her work. Pleasant silence filled the room. Elizabeth seemed as if she was drifting to sleep. Nerissa sat by her bedside.
“Rissa, is something wrong?” Elizabeth frowned.
“Hmm? Oh, I’m fine! Don’t worry about me. Just get some good sleep.”
“Not until you tell me what’s on your mind.”
Nerissa looked at her daughter, soundly asleep, before looking back at her concerned wife. Hesitation approached to hold her tongue. Things seemed to finally be so peaceful. She shouldn’t bring it up. Not until after they had both rested.
“Seeing what you had to do, how much it hurt. I’m not sure if I want you to go through that again.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
The demon snapped her head back to Elizabeth’s attention. Her wife seemed to have some strange smile on her face, as if she knew something that the other didn’t. For her part, Nerissa was perplexed. She thought that the Scarlet Queen would be furious, or at the least a bit resentful to her. Her wife appeared to be nothing of the sort.
“How else would we give Julia a brother?”
“You want to do that again?” Nerissa blanched.
It was fitting, in a way. Only her Exardian could suffer through a terrible labor stage, just barely make the window for pain medication, and still endure a long, difficult birth and end it all with a smile. Even still, only her wife would go through all of it again. She saw Elizabeth, her hair a mess and playfully grinning while holding their baby. It was hard for her to recall a time she had loved her more.
“Not right now!” Elizabeth teased. “But that was the plan, wasn’t it? If we had a daughter, to give her a brother? Someone to protect and look after her?”
“But you weren’t sure about having one baby! Would you want a big family?”
“Only with you,” the new mother smiled.
And so, the new family fell asleep in each other’s arms. Every one of them dreamed. They dreamed of first steps, school, teenage angst, and family. But more importantly, they dreamed of each other. So, Nerissa, Elizabeth, and little Julia Bloodflame were happy.