A Mother for Christmas

by Fantagranate

Summary:

Vi has complicated feelings about Cassandra Kiramman, her impending mother-in-law.

She's putting off figuring out those feelings. But her relationship with Caitlyn is thriving, and their second child is about to arrive, so maybe it's about time Vi figure them out, she's going to have to eventually.

Enter Christmas dinner: busy, loud, emotional. What better setting could there possibly be for confronting uncomfortable feelings?

Surely this will go well. Right?

OR

A wholesome in-law epilogue/sequel/thing to The Family Plan

Chapter 1: A Mother's Presence

Notes:

Hello all!

I'm back finally with one of the promised extras. I decided last minute to make it a multi chapter thing but I wrote it as a whole. Meaning it's mostly finished so the other two chapters should be out pretty rapidly. (I feel confident about that but now that it's in writing watch that plan crash and burn immediately.)

Same disclaimer as last time so everyone knows what they're in for. Caitlyn and Vi have biological children in this universe. Caitlyn can get Vi pregnant. This particular entry also has no smut, so you're free to once again imagine this happening however you'd like. A/B/O, trans Caitlyn, hex strap, whatever floats your boat, that part of this story can be yours to create. :)

Another disclaimer because it wouldn't be my fic if I could stop fucking talking, I tried to make it as standalone as possible so if you want to read this without reading the Family Plan, you'll be missing a little bit of context but you should be a-okay. If you are interested in reading the Family Plan, however, I recommend consuming it first since you'd get the most out of both fics that way imo. I really did try to make it not matter though since The Family Plan is obviously a larger commitment in word count. So please don't be scared away if you haven't read it.

Also, sorry for a Christmas fic in March, LOL. It would have felt better to release for pregnant Vi week but I didn't find out about that until it was literally happening (Shame on me for not interacting with social media more I guess) so alas, I was nowhere near done in time. SO we're working with what we've got, because despite the Christmas part being a very seasonal thing, it's also got the pregnant Vi part, which for me is a twenty-four-seven, three-sixty-five constant, and I'm not waiting nine months to release it when it's done now.

Please excuse grammar errors, I proofread myself and get impatient and so miss things.

Also I'm trying to get better at tagging so if you notice any you think would be helpful for me to add, PLEASE do let me know.

Anyway with that rambling all done, I give you chapter one (unfortunately the shortest and least interesting imo but hang in there) I hope you all enjoy!!!!

Vi was having feelings. 

The way her fist balled around the cellphone she’d just used to send Cassandra the address of the Last Drop, said she was having feelings. 

The way she stared at the screen so long it shut off and jump-scared her with her glaring reflection, said she was having feelings. 

She tried to school her expression back to neutrality. 

Sometimes she had a hard time figuring out what her feelings were, sure, but surely they weren’t anger that warranted that sort of glare. Surely they weren’t negative at all. She was doing great. In fact, she was absolutely fantastic.

Her future in-laws were joining them in Zaun for Christmas… That was a good thing. Gaining family is not something you would hear Vi complaining about ever, no sir-ee bob. 

She gained a girlfriend, a pending baby, and pending parents-in-law in the span of a year. Vi was nothing but happy about all of the above. Why would anyone even suggest otherwise?

No, the feelings that brought her fingers to her mouth to munch her nails, and sent nerves dancing through her body until they materialized as an incessantly bouncing leg, were not complaints about her great life, which was going great. Thank you very much. 

So what were they? Fucked if she knew.

You see, surely It was just pregnancy hormones. She was just antsy because she was thirty-seven weeks today and she felt heavy and tired. She was just annoyed because while she wanted to work straight through until labour, Loris, the manager of her part-time hobby job, subtly stopped giving her shifts…like a little bitch. She was just irritable because she couldn’t spend as much time at the gym, and couldn’t spend as much time cooking for her family. 

It had nothing to do with Caitlyn, her dreamy girlfriend and two time baby daddy. It had nothing to do with Tobias, her surprisingly comforting to-be father-in-law. It had nothing to do with the baby… well, besides the first trimester of constant nausea and the peeing and the back aches and the swelling, BUT while they weren't exactly mood boosters, those were all things she could easily live with. 

Then there was Cassandra… Vi’s ruminations led to clenched fists once again.

Vi liked her, really she did. 

If you could break past her decorum she was funny as anything. She was efficient and honest, which Vi appreciated, and helpful, like super helpful. She was always so helpful. Especially since she found out about the baby. She came over when Caitlyn had to stay late at work to cook dinner. She ran Vi so many baths and brought her so many snacks and pregnancy comfort aids and books. She found them a great prenatal class. She hooked Vi up with an incredible midwife. Like, she really just never stopped helping. Even when Vi would argue that maybe, possibly, she didn't need help.

Vi felt her jaw clenching from the train of thought.

But it obviously wasn't that either. It would be such a stupid thing to complain about, since her first pregnancy was flown so solo in terms of advice from other mothers. It was flown solo in terms of...a mother...

Vi violently pulled her attention off that particular train of thought.

She should just be grateful. And she was grateful, and happy, and peachy, and happy, and fine. Thank you very fucking much.

“Found it!” 

Vi looked up from her little blanket cocoon on the couch to see Lilac running across the living room with the stethoscope Tobias had given her for her tenth birthday. She climbed onto the couch and laid her head back on Vi's lap. She positioned the stethoscope in her ears and placed the chest piece on Vi’s belly. She smiled up at Vi, almond blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. She tucked her tongue between her lips while she moved the chest piece around to find the best spot to hear the baby's heartbeat. It had become a favourite pastime of hers. 

Vi smiled at her and used one hand to softly play with her rich purple hair. She looked back at the phone screen. 

When Lilac had asked if Grandma and Grandpa could join them in Zaun for the holidays Vi had said yes without thinking. They were sitting right there, and she recalled with a barely suppressed moan that her exact words had been, “of course, if they want to!” 

Caitlyn had done something funny with her eyebrows and they’d had a conversation later that night with Cait asking, “are you sure?” and Vi saying, “Yeah obviously, they’re family.” 

She had to admit though, in a small part of her brain she was now contemplating whether she should have thought about it, maybe for like, two fucking seconds. Why did her hesitation have to be retroactive? She sure could have used it a couple weeks ago when the conversation was happening. Now it was most definitely too late.

Cassandra was well intentioned, the best intentioned, but she was overbearing... er, that is to say, helpful, on a normal week day. Even when she was also working and running an entire law firm. What would it be like when she had the time off for the holidays? She was going to be free to helicopter around Vi all…fucking…day. Hell. 

Vi grunted and chucked her phone across the couch. She needed to stop thinking about Cassandra. When she thought about Cassandra she got stressed, and the thing that was most annoying about it was that she didn’t know why. 

“There he is!” Lilac said excitedly and her face settled on a peaceful smile while she listened. Vi breathed in deeply, sitting on the couch with her daughter, sharing excitement for her other baby on the way, felt like an unfathomable pinnacle of bliss. 

So how could she still be so restless?

It didn’t feel like long, but suddenly Lilac’s eyes were droopy, her hand holding the chest piece in place started to slide, so Vi grabbed it to hold it in place while Lilac slowly fell asleep. The sound of the dishwasher turning on pulled Vi’s attention over to the kitchen. 

She frowned as she watched Caitlyn finish wiping the counter and drape her cloth neatly over the tap. She dried her hands on a tea towel and flipped the kitchen lights off so it was lit by the soft under cabinet lighting. Her white button down was rumpled, untucked slightly from her suit pants, jacket long since discarded. The sleeves were rolled up showing off her subtly defined forearms. 

At first Vi had never understood why she didn't change into comfier clothes as soon as she got back from the station, but when it afforded her views like these, top buttons undone just enough to give a peek at her generous bust, well she couldn't exactly complain. 

Vi bit her lip.

The wisps that had escaped from her crisp ponytail and her bare feet peeking out the bottom of her suit pants spoke to the comfort she'd settled into throughout the night.

“Sorry," Vi said while Caitlyn approached the couch. “I was gonna help…” 

“Don’t be sorry.” Caitlyn smiled at her. 

Caitlyn always smiled at her in a specific way. Like her mouth just couldn’t help it, and her eyes stared on as if raptured, holding an unspeakable amount of love. 

It made Vi blush the first time she’d seen it. It made Vi blush now, and it would probably make Vi blush for the rest of their life together. 

Caitlyn knelt in front of the couch. First she kissed the belly, then she kissed Lilac’s head, then she leaned forward and kissed Vi. 

She lingered there, holding their lips together for a tender moment. It spread a calm through Vi’s body, nerves momentarily overshadowed by the immense comfort she felt from Caitlyn's presence and touch. When they pulled apart Caitlyn looked in her eyes and spoke with a smile. 

“You were busy.” 

Caitlyn sat back cross legged on the floor in front of the couch. She leaned against the coffee table, and pulled one of Vi’s feet into her lap to start massaging it. Vi was about to protest that she really didn’t have to, but then her thumb pressed in, moving in a line from her heel up to the ball of her foot, and Vi groaned in contentment instead. Protest dead on her lips, she closed her eyes as her stiff, swollen foot seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. 

“How do you do it?” She whispered. 

“Well, I use my thumb to apply pressure and-” 

“I mean that.” Vi pointed at the kitchen. 

Caitlyn extended one hand to massage her calf. Her fingers kneaded out tension that had been living in Vi’s legs all day. She fixed Vi with an inquisitive glance, one that coaxed her into elaborating.

“I want to help, but you sneak in and get everything done before I can even be mad about it. And now that it’s done there’s no point. You’re the only person who can do that without pissing me off.” She pouted a little. “I would love being pregnant so much more if I wasn’t also so damn baby nerfed.” 

Vi could feel Caitlyn’s chuckle through her leg. Her eyes were still piercing though. She was amused, but she was also suspicious, searching Vi’s face with her usual levels of careful scrutiny. She sensed something was off and she was looking for the problem, so she could promptly fix it, of course. 

“Setting aside that you’re just about the most productive pregnant person on the planet. You know you deserve all the care that’s given to you, right?”

Vi averted her eyes back down to their daughter. She was convinced Caitlyn could see into her soul when she looked at her like that, so when Vi had things she would rather suck up than address, it was particularly inconvenient. 

“Sure, but… I just wish more people could offer their help without making me feel so useless.”

The last thing Vi wanted was to complain about Cassandra. Caitlyn and Cassandra had a complicated relationship that Vi didn’t always completely understand. Caitlyn was guarded against her mother in deeply rooted ways, but they were both putting in massive amounts of effort and growing closer. Vi didn’t want to jeopardize that by giving them a reason to argue. 

“Who's making you feel useless?”

Vi repressed her smile, Caitlyn was forcing a nonchalant look onto her face, pretending it was just curiosity. But Vi caught the glint in her slightly narrowed eyes. 

It was a change she noticed almost as soon as she told her she was pregnant. Caitlyn started ever so slightly inserting herself between Vi and other people. She kept a hand on her whenever she could, prolonging all contact. She shot menacing glares at anyone she thought might be making Vi even a little bit uncomfortable, all while adorably and unconvincingly pretending she wasn’t fiercely protective. 

It did things to Vi, to say the least. Protective Caitlyn hit different. Even back at the first gala they went to, when Caitlyn had come to her defense against her parents and punched Marcus. Vi would be a liar if she said she hadn’t wanted to jump her right then. But now, as turned on as she may be, Vi needed Caitlyn to not be protective, since if she found out it was her mother who was doing the irking, shit would hit the fan fast. 

“Nobody... Everybody.” 

“What a straight non avoidant answer,” Caitlyn said flatly.

Vi smiled and decided it was time for a little diversion. Change the subject maybe, the problem wasn't even Cassandra, so why bother talking about it.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not actually a big deal, it’s just on my mind with Christmas coming up. People are gonna try and stop me from making Christmas dinner I bet, and I’m already annoyed about it.” 

Caitlyn’s mouth twitched into a harsher line, but she gamely held a neutral face, and spoke with a similar forced nuetrality.

“You’re still planning on making Christmas dinner?” 

Vi kicked her softly in the shoulder. 

“Of course I am. What the fuck are you on, asking me that? You know the deal. Active fucking labour, on Christmas fucking day, is the only thing that would stop me from making Christmas fucking dinner.”  

Caitlyn rolled her eyes but she did smile fondly. 

“You won’t try to stop me, will you?” 

“Of course not,” Caitlyn sighed. “I can’t promise I’ll be happy about it though.” 

“Well that’s fine.” Vi settled deeper against the back of the couch, satisfied. “I can handle you being unhappy, lord knows I’ve got ways of making it up to you.” 

She winked, and while Caitlyn aggressively rolled her eyes she was unsuccessful in repressing her smile, or her blush, which made Vi pretty damn content.

“You know…maybe nobody would try and stop you if you…I don’t know…let them help?”

Vi scoffed. 

“Don’t count on it.” 

Vi already felt less bristly than she had in days. There was something about Caitlyn lately that made every defensive and stubborn bone in her body just…melt.

Caitlyn’s eyes dropped to Lilac fast asleep on Vi’s lap. 

“Shall I go put our girl to bed?” 

“In a minute…” Vi whispered, turning back to watch Lilac’s soft breaths.

She was struck, not for the first time, by how big she was. In preparing to welcome the little treasure on the way she often found herself more grateful for Lilac every day. Even though her infancy felt like a lifetime ago, and had been over in the blink of an eye, Vi knew Lil would always be her baby. 

She blinked some traitorous tears out of her eyes. 

“Yeah, okay. Get rid of her, hurry, she’s making me cry.” 

Caitlyn chuckled and placed a soft kiss on Vi’s forehead before scooping Lilac up and carrying her off towards her bedroom. Vi sat sniffling for a minute, stewing in a wealth of emotions which had arisen out of nowhere. When Caitlyn came back Vi stuck her arms out. 

“Put your other girl to bed too?” 

Caitlyn bent over and scooped Vi up without protest. Vi was always pleasantly surprised by Caitlyn’s strength, since her muscles were more of the covert kind, great might hidden below the surface. Either way, she liked that damn near nine months into pregnancy, when she felt not entirely unlike a beached whale, Caitlyn could still make her feel weightless. 

And she would let that weightlessness carry her through her problems. 

No need to talk about it, she had it covered...

Thank you very much.

Chapter 2: A Mother's Dilemma

It went almost exactly as she expected. It was the holidays, so it was busy, and jovial, and there was a lot to do. With more to do there were also more things Cassandra could tell her not to do. She was getting so sick of hearing,  “let someone else do that dear,” or “Oh, I’ll do that, go sit down.” But In her determination to not be the problem, she was putting up less of a fight than she wanted to.

Plus, lucky for both of them, she had an effective distraction. Cassandra and Tobias weren’t the only new additions this year. Powder and Ekko also had a new foster daughter, Isha. Vi’d met her a couple times, but this was the first time she had time to really get to know her. So, when she got muscled away from some menial task she absolutely could have done just fine, she’d go hang out with the girls. Lil and Isha were almost immediately inseparable, and apparently not adverse to letting Vi join in on whatever they were doing at any given moment. 

So Christmas Eve came, and Vi thought she was doing a remarkable job keeping a handle on the situation.

A large part of the morning was taken up by an impromptu family sign language lesson. Isha was non verbal, and while the majority of the family had already learned a great deal when they found out she was coming, it was still settled on that they should gather around and practice. The way Isha lit up when they perched around her in the living room made Vi almost forget her problems right then and there.

Vi found herself with a hankering for fresh cookies later in the afternoon. She tried to take some from the plate, but it just wasn’t the same. She'd been doing a good job of just letting Cassandra do her thing, and not putting up too much fuss, but she was started to get antsy, and her cravings were not usually to be messed with. She watched Cassandra apprehensively where she sat in the living room telling Mylo and Powder her wildest court stories. 

She basically tip-toed over to the table where the rest of the family was busy playing a board game. Cassandra seemed good at always having Vi in her sights somehow, so she felt a strange need to go slow, avoid sudden movements, avoid attracting attention. Isha and Lilac were playing on a team, and Vi leaned in between them to whisper. 

“Can you girls ask me to make cookies for you  ”

“We have lots of cookies already,” Lilac said, a bit perplexed.

“I want fresh ones but grandma will try to make them for me if she knows that and I wanna make ‘em. If you’ve asked for them special, I have a better argument.”  

Isha signed back without missing a beat.

“Can I make them with you ?” 

“YES! Of course you can! That’s an even better idea, you genius.” Vi grabbed her and pulled her into the kitchen. 

She had barely even grabbed the mixing bowl before Cassandra called. 

“What are you two up to?” Watching Vi suspiciously. 

“Filling a fresh cookie need.” Vi didn’t hesitate to pull Isha in and say, maybe a little too smugly, “And bonding with my favourite niece!” 

Watch Cassandra try and kick her out when she had Isha’s big golden doe eyes as back up.

“Well... let me know if you want any help.” 

Hah. Checkmate.

“We will.” Vi said, and Cassandra turned back to her conversation. 

Vi turned to Isha and gave her a fist bump then leaned down to whisper. 

“I owe you big time. We’re about to make the best damn cookies ever!” 

They goofed around in the kitchen and made their cookies, Vi enjoying Cassandra-less kitchen access for the first time the whole holiday.

While they were making the icing, waiting for the cookies to come out of the oven, Isha kept looking at Vi’s stomach. Baby was kicking, and Vi looked down to see the foot was making a little bump. Vi realized that in all of their efforts to make Isha feel included, she hadn't felt the baby yet, while everyone else had been feeling her belly non stop all weekend. 

“Do you want to feel?” She asked. 

She cursed herself as soon as she saw Isha’s nervous reaction, pointing to herself in question as if she wouldn’t be allowed. When Vi nodded encouragingly at her she looked back at the little kicks.

She looked a little spooked. Weirded out almost, but her curiosity got the better of her and she nodded. She outstretched her hand, pausing at first, but then gaining the courage and setting a hand on Vi’s belly. She flinched away, startled by the first kick, but then smiled a little and put her hand back. When the baby started kicking it's other foot as well, Vi grabbed Isha’s other hand and set it there so she could feel both. After a quiet moment Vi whispered. 

“That’s your cousin.” 

Isha looked up at her, eyes suddenly saddened. She brought her hands up to sign. 

“Foster cousin.” 

Vi studied her for a minute then leaned down slightly to whisper.  

“Do you want me to be your aunt?” 

Isha looked around the open living space, observing the joviality and family atmosphere. Looking especially longingly at Powder, who caught her eye from across the room and winked. Then she looked back at Vi and nodded. 

“It’s settled then. Foster or not, I’m aunty Vi for good now, deal?” She presented her pinky in a wordless promise, and Isha happily offered her own. Once they’d shook on it Vi ruffled her hair and turned back to the icing. 

Once the cookies were done and decorated Vi and Isha did a little “cheers” and then indulged in more than they probably should have, Lilac came to sweep Isha towards the living room to colour together and Powder walked up beside Vi at the counter. 

They stood shoulder to shoulder watching the girls lie on their stomach and excitedly make art together. 

Powder nudged her slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.

“Would you say it’s crazy, and lunacy, and too soon if I said that we maybe wanna…keep her?” 

Vi smiled before she could help it and turned to Powder. 

“Not at all.” 

“But she’s only our first foster kid… God… We went in knowing we were open to adoption but I’m really gonna adopt them all aren’t I?” 

“If you’re following in dad’s footsteps? Yeah probably. Not especially surprising to me.” 

Powder looked at her for a minute, Vi could practically see the self doubt on her face. Vi reached up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. 

“If you know you know, Pow. Besides, it makes no difference to me, we’ve got an agreement now. I’m her aunty either way. And I’m coming for that best aunty title, by the way.” 

Powder stared at her, astonished for a minute. She looked emotional, and grateful, but she warped her features back to a smile and scoffed. 

“Oh please, you’ll never catch me, I’ve been doing this for ten years.” 

“And I’ve been watching and learning. Prepare to go down.” She turned back towards the girls. “You’ll give me a run for my money for best mom though.” 

Powder scoffed but paused before asking. An emotional lilt to her whisper.  

“You really think I can do it?” 

“I really know you can.” 

Powder abruptly threw her arms around Vi from behind and kissed her cheek. 

“That means the world, sis. That's one category you’ll for sure always have locked in.” 

She walked away quickly before Vi could argue and it could turn more emotional for both of them. She went to sit on the carpet with the girls. Vi watched for a minute while Caitlyn and Ekko played cards, and Mylo and Tobias, surprisingly yapped about something or other. Clagg joined the group on the floor to start colouring, music wafting through the air.

She blinked tears from her eyes as she thought: damn, I really love my family. She couldn’t remember for a blissful minute why she had even been stressed about Christmas. 

“Are you still doing okay?” 

Cassandra pulled her out of her reverie. 

“You didn’t overdo it?” 

Vi rolled her eyes. Oh right. 

“You ask that like I ran a marathon. It’s just cookies... Do you want one?” 

Cassandra took one, and hummed in satisfaction while she started clearing the kitchen to get ready for supper. It was predetermined that she and Tobias were doing a fancy Christmas eve recipe, cheese fondue or some shit. It sounded sinfully good, but Vi was still annoyed because she wasn’t gonna get to make it. 

But Vi felt guilty watching while Cassandra hummed along to the music so good naturedly. Was she being unfair? She suddenly felt like she was being unfair. 

When her tears inexplicably started trying to come back, Vi let herself be strong armed out of the kitchen. The Kiramman's took over, as well as Claggor, who was allowed to help for some reason. And despite a lovely Christmas eve day, Vi found herself stewing again before long.

---

Vi put a hand on her stomach and winced. 

“Dude, those are my ribs.” 

She rolled her eyes when the response was a harder kick. She glared across the room. 

“Caitlyn! Your kid is kicking the shit out of me over here.” 

The family was satisfied from eating supper, and opening Christmas Eve presents, and now lounging on the various couches just visiting and generally being merry. 

Vi had not helped with dinner, and Mylo and Ekko had taken care of the dishes, but now she was attempting to be productive for the first time since making cookies with Isha. Collecting and throwing out all the wads of wrapping paper. 

Caitlyn repressed a smile and crossed the room immediately. She kneeled so that her head was level and caressed Vi's stomach with her other hand. She pressed a gentle kiss and whispered. 

“My precious little one.” She rested her face against Vi’s stomach. “Can you be gentle with your mother tonight? I know we both love her so much, so you’ll do that for me. Right?” 

“And it stops. Unbelievable. How the fuck do you do that?” Vi said, exasperated. “I talk all gently too and it just get wor- Ow! Fuck, see? Little shit aims for the exact same rib every time, I swear to god.”

“I know you’re impatient to come out my darling. It’s getting crowded in there I’ll bet. But you don’t have to wait much longer.” She kept caressing and kissed the belly again. “Get your rest my love. Conserve your energy.”

Lilac approached the other side and pressed her face to Vi’s belly too. 

“Hey little buddy. You don’t want to get on moms bad side already, take it from me I have the experience.” 

Cassandra swooped in and grabbed the garbage bag from Vi’s hand before she could even do anything about it to start collecting the garbage herself. Vi glared at the wall for a second, then she schooled her features and turned. 

“Cassandra, you made supper, I can do that, seriously.” 

“You’re busy my dear. I’ll finish up here, just go sit down and be with your family.” Vi rolled her eyes, but Caitlyn stood up and put a finger on Vi’s chin to gently guide their faces together. 

“Will you come sit with me, Violet?” 

Vi pouted. Caitlyn kissed her. Then she pouted again. 

“That’s cheating. You’re cheating.” 

But she let Caitlyn and Lilac pull her over to the couch. There was always tomorrow to get stuff done. She lowered herself onto the couch beside Caitlyn and grunted immediately. 

“Ow, nope, pillow.” 

Caitlyn reached over and grabbed her a throw pillow and she squirmed to get it behind her back. 

“Ow, nope, ‘nother one.” She stuck her hand out to Powder, whose head was monopolizing a couple, and made a grabby motion with her hand. 

Isha, who was perched on Powder's stomach grabbed the pillow from behind her head and tossed it at Vi, who caught it and squirmed around until it was in position too. She turned somewhat mournful to Claggor, who was cuddling the big throw pillow, and he just handed it to her with a smile. 

“Thanks.” She said sheepishly while she squirmed around to get that one propping her up just so. 

“This is why I don’t like sitting down!” She said somewhat pointedly towards where Cassandra was collecting, and fucking folding, the tissue paper on the dining room table. 

“Somehow I think you’ll live.” Cassandra’s voice was kind but matter of fact and everybody laughed. 

Once Vi was settled in her nest of pillows, Caitlyn and Lilac leaned in with their belly caresses and loving squeezes and Vi sat for three lovely minutes before the agitation found its home in her bones again. She fidgeted and then turned to Caitlyn. 

“Cait…”  

“Hmm?” 

“I’m too hot to cuddle," she said miserably.

“Okay darling.” Cait softly kissed her nose and then slowly withdrew her arms. Lilac slid to sit in front of her on the floor. Vi watched them go woefully. 

The night turned into Christmas Eve video games. Vi tried to get into it, she really did. She laughed just fine when Tobias defeated Caitlyn in a game and the whole living room erupted in cheers. 

“She’s been dethroned!” 

“Could it be? A new reigning champ?” 

“Oh she’s mad, look at her face!” Mylo pointed at where Caitlyn was sitting rigid and tight-lipped gripping her controller. Her eye twitched once and then she turned with as much decorum as ever to Tobias. 

“Of course I’m not mad. Good game father.” 

“HAHA She’s so PISSED!” Powder collapsed into giggles. 

“Tobias, you’re officially a legend.” Ekko said.

“Make her ask for a rematch herself. Say it sharp shot, say you want the rematch. Admit you wanna win!” Mylo said. 

“Oh please.” Caitlyn barely kept from snapping at him. “I’m not nearly as childishly competitive as you, I don’t need to win all the time…” Everyone watched her in anticipation while she deliberated. “I would like a rematch though becau-” 

Her words were drowned out by the howls of laughter all around the room, but as soon as the laughter died down Vi had room to think again.

Between the laughing and chatting, and video games, Vi’s discomfort only grew. Her body wouldn’t stop fidgeting on its own, so she glared on while everyone laughed. When thinking about it technically, it had gone pretty well. Her future in-laws were getting along great with her family. She hadn’t snapped at Cassandra, but she still just felt so unsettled.

She caught Caitlyn watching her and did her best to smile reassuringly. Apparently her best was pretty damn good, because Caitlyn smiled and turned back towards the video game. 

Nailed it.

When she caught Cassandra watching the interaction, however, she didn’t have it in her to smile, so she just averted her eyes. 

“You don’t have to stay up, Vi.” The care with which the suggestion came only pissed Vi off more. “You could go to bed.” 

Vi felt her face twitch and she pushed herself off the couch. 

“Fine. Night everybody, Merry Christmas Eve and all that-” 

“It was a suggestion, Vi. Not a demand.” 

When Vi met her eyes she looked genuinely concerned, and Vi felt the feeling gnawing at her insides again, clouded by guilt too. What the hell was going on was way too beyond her poor pregnant brain to figure out.

“I’m too hot anyhow.” 

She didn’t keep track of the good night hugs before she disappeared up the hall. When she got to the bedroom door she looked back up the hall and listened to the mirth of everyone enjoying their Christmas Eve. She huffed. She had never been the first one in bed on Christmas Eve, ever, and she wasn’t about to fucking start now. 

She acquired all the keys she needed, a juice box from her stash, and a hoodie and went over to the window. She slid it open and heaved herself out onto the fire escape. 

She gripped the handrail and paused to inhale. 

The streetlamps were reflecting off the snow, making the whole sky feel brighter, while fat white snowflakes floated to the ground at a leisurely pace. With how overheated she’d been she relished the nip of the metal on her skin, and the bite of the cold night air on her face while she made her way down the stairs. 

She dropped the ladder at the bottom and eyed it for a second. The memory of using this fire escape as a damn jungle gym when she was a teenager would have made her chuckle, if it didn’t piss her off so bad that she couldn’t anymore. She shrugged off another wave of insecurity with how helpless she was and got herself set up on the ladder. It was definitely not the walk in the park it used to be, but she went slow, and careful, and when she set her feet on the ground and looked up she huffed proudly, it also wasn’t as hard as expected. 

She smiled to herself. She could still climb down a ladder. A part of her wished Cassandra could have seen it, maybe then she’d stop treating her like such an invalid, but then she remembered that logic didn’t seem to be a part of any of Cassandra’s fussing, and it was probably a very good thing she wasn’t here to watch Vi’s poor decision making. 

She went just as slow and careful through the alley to the front of the building, and unlocked the front door. She stomped the snow off her slippers as she went through but when she looked up she stopped dead in her tracks. 

Caitlyn was standing at the dark empty bar, watching her with a small amused smile. Her dark hair reflected the subtle red’s and green’s and blues of the Christmas lights that decorated the room. Vi stayed frozen for a second. She studied Caitlyn’s reaction to gauge the amount of trouble she was in, and then Caitlyn spoke. 

“I thought you might show up. Flash the fakest smile I I’ve ever seen and then go to bed without a fuss? What do you take me for?” 

Ah. So she hadn’t, in fact, nailed it .

“Gotta have my Christmas Eve whiskey with dad.” Vi pulled the juice box out of her pocket and wiggled it for Caitlyn to see. Turning to close and lock the front door. “You wouldn’t deny me that, would you?” 

Caitlyn swiveled her seat slightly to the side to reveal she’d already acquired the whiskey bottle and three glasses.

“Of course I wouldn’t. I’m just slightly confused why you felt the need to go out the window.” 

“I thought your mom might try to stop me.” 

It wasn’t entirely a lie. The thought of telling Cassandra what she was doing did make her chest feel strangely tight.  

“She wouldn’t have. If you had explained, you would have been safe to come down the stairs.” 

“I shouldn’t need to explain. And anyway I’m not so fucking sure.” Vi approached the sound system. “She doesn’t listen.” 

“How would you know? You haven't talked to her. And regardless, that's not a good enough reason in my eyes to risk breaking your neck on the ladder.” 

Vi set her desired vinyl in place and fiddled until the sound of Frank Sinatra came pouring out into the room. 

“I wasn’t gonna break my neck.” She knew she sounded a little offended because she felt a little offended.

Vi crossed the bar and maneuvered, with more difficulty than it should have taken considering she’d just climbed down a fucking ladder, up onto the barstool beside Caitlyn. Caitlyn sighed and shook her head while she poured two whiskey’s. 

Vi accepted that even if she was in trouble, it wasn’t enough that Caitlyn would disturb a moment she knew was so important to Vi. Which was just another thing for Vi to add to the list of things about Caitlyn that made her melt. 

She punctured her juice box with the straw and flipped it upside down. She squeezed the living shit out of it until it was emptied into the glass. She chucked the empty box on the counter and leaned on Caitlyn’s shoulder. She clinked her glass against the glass on the counter and felt her throat constrict.

“Merry Christmas, dad,” she whispered. 

Caitlyn’s arm snaked around her in a silent show of comfort and Vi stood no chance against the emotions of the moment paired with the pregnancy hormones. Her eyes stung until she felt hot tears trailing down her face. 

“I still can’t comprehend the fact that they’re never going to meet each other,” Vi whispered, looking down and cradling her stomach. “It just feels so wrong.” 

Caitlyn squeezed and Vi leaned further into the embrace. She was grateful that in his absence, she still had a pair of arms to hold her together when she felt too weak to herself.

“Lilac’s prepared,” Caitlyn whispered. “She’s practically writing a book with all the stories she wants to pass on.” 

Vi smiled briefly through her tears.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it if it weren’t for him…and I know I technically have more help this time around. But I still catch myself wondering if I can raise a baby without his help…I’ve never had to before.” 

Caitlyn gently rubbed her arms. 

“You still have the things he taught you, and the heart he gave you, you’re not doing anything without him.” 

Vi tucked her face into Caitlyn’s neck and let herself sob. She didn’t know what was going on with her, but she had plenty of emotions that needed somewhere to go. And go figure it was in the moments she felt her dad’s presence the most, that she also felt the safest to cry. 

The hole that he left still felt big, but she could admit the pain was less sharp. With the help of therapy, and lots of Caitlyn, it was slowly turning into a scar rather than an open wound. 

She sniffed away the last of her tears after a couple minutes and sat up, getting too hot again. She sipped on her juice, and Caitlyn started her whiskey. 

“Caitlyn,” Vi felt clear to change the subject now that she’d had her moment of grief. “I need you to help me keep her out of the kitchen tomorrow.”

Caitlyn’s sigh was deep, and affectionate, but clearly exasperated. 

“Why would it be the end of the world to let her help? You’re growing a whole person right now, isn’t that enough?” 

“My body is doing that completely on its own. I need something to do with my hands or I’m going to go fucking insane. And she wouldn’t help, she’d just get in the way. And she will try and stop me from doing every fucking thing I try to do. She’s already usurped the rest of my Christmas, I’m gonna lose it if she tries to take my Christmas dinner.” 

Caitlyn paused for a moment.

“Do you want me to just talk to her?” 

“No…As long as she doesn’t come in the kitchen, it’ll be fine.”

“Why can’t I keep her out by telling her she’s making you uncomfortable?” 

“Because she’s not making me uncomfortable, I just…I don’t know…” Vi floundered for words. 

Her frustration bubbled almost instantly. She couldn’t articulate the mess in her brain. Being unable to logically back up the feelings she felt so sure about but didn’t know what they were was not helping. She obviously looked as frustrated as she felt, because Caitlyn gently cupped the back of her head. 

“Shhh.” She started massaging the tension out. “Hey It’s okay, you don’t need to know. But I can talk to her, it really wouldn’t be a problem.” 

“No,” Vi couldn’t help her voice sounding whiny. “I’ve got it.” 

Caitlyn studied her for a long silent moment, lips pursed in affectionate annoyance, but loving as ever.

“Fine. I will do my best to keep her upstairs.” 

“I’m serious, Cait.” Vi tried to glare but she was pretty sure based on the smirk that dusted Caitlyn’s mouth she didn’t quite get there. “I swear it will not be pretty.”

“God- Then if you won’t let me, you should talk to her.” 

“I don’t need to talk to her, I need her to stay out of my fucking kitchen!”

"I don't like seeing you stressed like this." 

"Good, then keep her out of the kitchen." 

"And if I was planning on helping you?" 

"Then she'll follow you in and I'll be stressed! Like you said, you don't want your beloved pregnant girlfriend to be stressed, now do you?" 

“Vi-” 

“Caitlyn…please.” 

Vi didn’t use the puppy dog face she’d found out Caitlyn was weak to. She wasn’t that immature. But if she made her mouth a little more pouty, and her eyes a little wider to slightly resemble it, well that was nobody's business.

Caitlyn sighed.

“As I said, I will try. But please understand there’s only so much I can do. You really think if you of all people are having a hard time making her cooperate I’d have much more luck?” 

“She doesn’t have to know what I’m doing. I’ll just tell everybody that nobody can tell her. She can’t fucking know, make her think I have staff for it. Anything. Just keep her out.” 

“Okay.” Caitlyn wrapped Vi up once again and kissed her forehead. 

Vi accepted the affection. It was not lost on her that she was maybe being a little bit stubborn, and heavily under the influence of some wild hormone levels. But Caitlyn’s ability to always take her seriously and not make her feel insane for her feelings, even as she logically challenged them, filled Vi with an ease she desperately needed. 

“Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Caitlyn seemed to deliberate for a moment, and then added. “Boundaries with a mother can be difficult. I know that.”

The words hit Vi like a ton of bricks. The emotions which flared up, and caused Vi to hide her suddenly tearful eyes in Caitlyn's neck said that she’d hit something on the head, but Vi’s frustration only increased when she couldn’t figure out what. 

They stayed snuggled until the album had played all the way through and the glasses were drained. They poured Vander's out in memoriam, and Caitlyn grabbed Vi’s hand.

“Come to bed with me?” 

“I was gonna sneak back in through the window…” 

Caitlyn raised her eyebrow and Vi looked towards the stairs, then the door, then her belly. 

She sighed. 

“Yeah, okay.”

Notes:

Two down, one to go. Somehow that's the only thing I have to say.

Thanks for reading!

Chapter 3: A Mother's Love

Vi was able to enjoy Christmas morning more than she expected. She got everyone mostly on board to help hide her Christmas dinner agenda, so she opened the rest of the presents with relatively little stress. She got up from the couch around noon and slipped off to her room. She changed into bike shorts and a tank top to hopefully stay a little cooler, and then she went back out into the living room. She was feeling good, and capable, and ready to settle in for an afternoon of cooking.

If she could help feed the community Christmas dinner like she’d been doing for years, she knew she would feel so much better about everything.

"I'm too hot." She said as nonchalantly as she could, "I'm going to go get some air." 

Vi caught Caitlyn’s exasperated little smirk and sigh as she slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.

She parked herself at the bottom of the stairs and as soon as the keys started jiggling in the door she hopped up.

"I HAVE THE TURK-" 

Vi quickly intercepted Jericho’s normal Christmas day greeting.

“Shhh, shhh, shhh, come on. In the kitchen you go.” 

She winced when the call came echoing back.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS JERICHO!" 

She maybe didn’t execute that as well as she could have. 

“What’s this?” Jericho sounded confused while she herded him and his bird filled grocery bags towards the kitchen. 

“Caitlyn’s mom doesn’t know I’m making Christmas dinner.” 

Jericho laughed heartily but didn’t complain while they made it to the kitchen and started getting set up. 

Vi got to work, she was slower than normal, but she was happy that so far the pregnancy brain was leaving her Christmas dinner instincts alone, and the steps came to her just as naturally as always. She was all set to start chopping when she heard footsteps on the stairs. 

“No.” She walked to the kitchen door just in time to brace her hands against it and block the push which came from the other side, holding it closed. To her complete chagrin, Cassandra’s voice came through the door. 

“What’s going on in there? What’s this I hear about you making Christmas dinner? You said you have staff.” 

Vi’s good mood immediately fucked off. 

“I do.” Vi called. “Jericho. He makes Christmas dinner. I'm just keeping him company.” 

“May I come in?” 

“No?” Vi hated how desperate she sounded. 

“Vi, he doesn’t have to make Christmas dinner alone. I’ll come in and help.” 

“No, that’s okay.” She looked over her shoulder to whisper aggressively at Jericho. “Tell her you don’t need help.” 

“Thank you for consideration.” Jericho said through the amused smile that was plastered on his face. “I need no help. Vi is my help.” 

“Jericho!” She squeaked through gritted teeth. 

“She most certainly is not.” The pressure against the door stopped and Cassandra's voice became farther away. “I’ll just climb through the service window.” 

“The fuckin-? Woman!” Vi left the door to go block the service window only to have Cassandra burst through the door behind her.

Her shoulders tensed and she felt heat in her ears at the obvious fake out. Damn you pregnancy brain. Damn, fucking, you. 

She whirled to step in Cassandra’s path. 

“Cassandra, no! I’m serious. I’ve been doing Christmas dinner for almost two decades.” 

“You’re also nine months pregnant for land’s sake!” Cassandra complained. 

“I made Christmas dinner when I was pregnant with Lil too! I promise it’s fine.” 

“Not nearly nine months.” Jericho muttered and Vi turned on him. 

“Not helping.” 

“Go upstairs, Vi. Enjoy your holiday. I’ll help-” 

“I’m not having this conversation.” 

Vi slammed her way through the swinging kitchen door and headed for the stairs. There was an irritated panic rising in her chest, when she made it part way up the stairs she started calling. 

“Caitlyn! Caitlyn!” She yanked open the door at the top of the stairs. “Caitlyn! You had one damn job!” 

“I’m sorry, my love, your interception was not exactly covert. She figured it out and there was nothing I could do.” 

“The fuck there wasn’t. We had an agreement. Come get her out of my kitchen right now.” 

“Or you could just…let her help?” Ekko asked, rolling his eyes at the ceiling a little.

Vi pointed an accusatory finger at him while her face contorted into a harsher frown. 

“No.” She turned back to Caitlyn. “Caitlyn, I am still trying to have a good relationship with your fucking mother, but if you don’t come get her right now, I am going to get her out myself, probably in a way I regret, and I will no longer have said good relationship with your fucking mother.” 

“I tried, Vi.”

“I don’t think you did. You aren’t taking this seriously, this whole time you haven’t cared at all because you want her to succeed. Don’t you?” 

Caitlyn sighed and stood up to approach Vi. The room watched their conversation tentatively. Few people seemed willing to go toe to toe with Vi these days, and that also pissed her off.

“Maybe I do. I can’t make you rest. She seems to have been doing a good job of it, why would I fight that?” 

“Because it’s pissing me off and you’re supposed to be on my side!”

"I can't force her out of the kitchen Vi, but maybe I wouldn't have to if you would-"

"If you say talk to her," Vi interrupted, "I'm gonna scream. We've had this conversation." 

“Maybe you could just let Grandma do Christmas dinner this year mom?” Lilac said. 

“Oh is that what you think?” Vi narrowed her gaze to scan the room. “Anybody else have an opinion they want to share?” 

“It wouldn’t hurt to sit down,” Claggor said. 

“You’re like, so pregnant, sis,” Powder said. 

“And miserable,” Mylo added. 

“I’m not going to be less pregnant or less miserable sitting on the fucking couch!” 

She was really trying not to shout. Caitlyn ran her hands across her big belly and caressed around to her back, pulling her into a hug. Vi grunted, but accepted the affection. Caitlyn’s touch was ever soothing. 

Which was also kind of annoying as hell.

“Tobias?” She managed a slightly calmer tone. “Can you get your wife out of the kitchen?” 

“I’m sorry, Vi. I’ve never exactly been able to boss Cassandra around.” 

“Oh, perfect.” Vi threw up her hands. “Incredible. Since when in the hell was nobody on my damn side?” She grabbed Caitlyn's hands and threw them off of her to turn for the door. “Fine, I didn’t want to have to do this, but since it’s apparently gang up on Vi day, and nobody wants to help me, I’ll get her out of the kitchen my own damn self. Fuck you all. You’re dead to me. I just want to make Christmas dinner. Since when was that too much to fucking ask?” 

She slammed the door behind her and fought her angry tears as she grabbed the hand rail and slowly hobbled her way back down the stairs. It only heightened her frustration that she had to take the stairs at practically half the speed she normally did. 

She wanted to punch something. And she was really hoping that something wouldn’t end up being her future mother in law, but at this rate, she wasn’t sure she could make any promises. 

When she re-emerged in the kitchen Jericho had instructed Cassandra what to do and the two of them were working away. Cassandra was in her spot, chopping her veggies for her stuffing while Jericho prepared the birds and hams for the oven. They were jabbering about one thing or another, as if Cassandra had always been a part of the Christmas dinner team. 

Vi clenched her teeth. 

“Get out.” Vi planted her hands on her hips. 

“I thought I sent you upstairs.” 

“Get it through your thick ass skull that’s not happening and get out.” 

Cassandra looked surprised for a second, but then Caitlyn appeared through the kitchen door, having followed Vi downstairs. Vi looked at her hopefully. Maybe she’d changed her mind and was going to provide Vi with backup after all. Vi put her hands on her hips and glared with new vigor. 

“Caitlyn.” Cassandra barked. “Keep her out of the kitchen. She’s not preparing Christmas dinner for hundreds of people while she’s practically due.” 

“Fucking, watch me,” Vi challenged. 

“Go take a break, Vi.” Jericho said. “You deserve it, and you can make Christmas dinner again next year. Besides, she’s catching on quickly. We’ve got it covered.” 

“Not you too Jer…” Vi’s shoulders collapsed in defeat and her mouth fell open. “You traitor.” 

“Listen to him, Vi. It’s going to get too hot in here. Jericho will just tell me what to do.” 

“I’m not helpless!” Vi cursed the way her eyes watered, but she’d never felt so powerless in her life. 

It was new that people didn’t just listen to her when she said she was fine. Now she knew where Caitlyn got it from she supposed, although Caitlyn had much more of a finesse.

“Isn’t there something she can help with?” Caitlyn finally said. Vi turned to her, offended. 

“I can still do everything. There's nothing I can't help with! I shouldn't have to help with shit it's my Christmas dinner!” 

There was a plea in her voice, but Caitlyn just set a comforting hand on the small of her back and turned her gaze back to the pair. 

“Can’t she do the potatoes or something?” 

So much for back up. 

Before she could even make a fuss Jericho conceded. Cassandra didn’t look happy but she seemed to become sympathetic to Vi’s plight. Vi wanted to keep fighting, but she was suddenly scared this was really all the ground she could get. She didn’t want to jeopardize that by pushing harder. 

“Fine, go get her a stool,” Cassandra ordered. 

“I don’t need a fucking stool. I’ll stand.” 

“Caitlyn, go get her a stool.” 

Vi opened her mouth to protest again but Cassandra continued. 

“You don’t need to use it, it’s just in case you want it later.” 

Vi waddled to the counter and grabbed a knife from the block. 

“This is bullshit,” She grumbled to herself. “Fucking ridiculous.” 

Jericho bellowed with laughter at her misfortune and Vi glared at him. 

“Thanks for nothing, asshole.” 

He laughed harder and turned up his orchestral Christmas music. Cassandra looked slightly worried, like she wanted to say something, but she held her tongue. 

---

Caitlyn stayed to mediate for about half an hour. She parked herself deliberately between Vi and Cassandra. She was trying to be comforting, but Vi kept shaking off her touches. She was too pissed, and infuriatingly… she was, in fact, already too hot, and the ovens weren't even on full blast yet.

Then Vi noticed the way Caitlyn's narrowed eyes flicked between them and then lingered on her mother. Her stress spiked when she realized she was about to say something whether Vi wanted her to or not. Which was obviously the last thing Vi wanted. If this whole disaster also led to a fight between Caitlyn and her mother, Vi would never forgive herself. 

So when Caitlyn was summoned back upstairs Vi urged her to go. The look of concern on Caitlyn's face made Vi instantly regret being so pissy. She gathered all the will power she had to make her face soft again and assure Caitlyn that she was fine. She braved the heat to give her a reassuring kiss, and squeeze her hand, and Caitlyn conceded. She left with the promise to return and the plea to not kill each other.

As Vi watched her go her face fell back into it's state of displeasure. Now she didn't even have the comfort of Caitlyn's presence and the ovens were fired up for real. So Vi started focusing on her potatoes, trying desperately not to let on how hot and miserable she was. 

She knew if Cassandra noticed even a slight hint of her discomfort she would try to boot her out of the kitchen again, and the scary thing to Vi was that she might succeed. Vi was usually a force to be reckoned with, and could easily stand her ground on a normal day, but pregnancy was in fact turning her brain to mush, and everything made her want to cry. A constantly quivering lip greatly inhibited one's intimidation factor, unfortunately.

So she peeled, and chopped, and glared, and wiped her forehead on her forearm, and peeled and chopped and glared. 

Then it came. 

“You can go take a break, Vi.” Cassandra said. “You helped, now why don’t you go rest?” 

She sounded patronizing but also somehow so fucking caring, which made Vi’s lip quiver again, which pissed her off even more. 

“I’m fine.” 

“Vi.”

“Cassandra.” She mimicked in a nasally voice and then immediately shut her mouth. 

God, she sounded like a petulant child. What the hell was wrong with her? Cassandra huffed, showing the first signs of her annoyance.

“Vi, there’s no shame in at least taking a break. I can see you sweating.” 

“I said, I’m fine.” 

“We’re on track to have everything done, why don’t you go outside and cool off for a minute,” Jericho offered. Clearly reading the tension in the room.

It was true that it was one of their scheduled down times. Usually they played cards, but Vi couldn’t deny that she felt like the turkey in the fucking oven, so outside was sounding pretty nice right about now.

“Fine, but I’m coming back,” She threatened and headed for the back door. 

She made it out into the blissfully cool back alley and stared up at the sky. The cold wrapped around her bare arms and she sighed with relief. 

“Vi. I need to talk to you.” Cassandra’s voice interrupted her reprieve and she almost groaned audibly, but caught herself. 

Cassandra sounded like she was on a fucking mission, which couldn’t mean anything good. She turned to face her. 

“You’re being ridiculous.” 

Wow, great start. 

“There’s really no need to put yourself through all this trouble.” 

“What part of, I will go crazy if I’m doing nothing, do you not understand? Do you want me to go crazy? Are you trying to make me feel worse?” 

“Of course not. I know you want to help but I also know it’s not comfortable in there for you, and it will be such a long miserable day if you’re slaving in the kitchen the whole time.” 

“It’ll be worse if I’m not!” 

“Why can’t you just let me help you? Why must you fight so hard to do everything yourself? It’s not the end of the world to let others take care of you for once.” 

“You’re too suffocating. You treat me like a child!” 

“Well quite frankly, you’re acting like one.” 

“FUCK OFF MOM!" Vi felt all of her frustration boil to the surface. Lashing out was like watching a car accident in slow motion, an inevitable disaster she was helpless to prevent and couldn’t look away from. “YOU’RE NOT HELPING! GOD I’M NOT INVITING YOU FOR CHRISTMAS EVER FUCKING AGAIN! IT’S NOT YOUR GOD DAMN HOUSE! IT’S NOT YOUR GOD DAMN BABY! STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO IN MY OWN FUCKING BAR!” 

Of course, she managed to bite her tongue quite well then, slapping a hand over her mouth. After the lid had blown clean off, go figure. 

Shit. 

Cassandra froze and Vi froze too. Her anger dissipated and she felt shame take its place. She was embarrassed and miserable, and her eyes started to sting again. She cursed the way her god damn lip started quivering yet again. It was a fucking traitor too.

Cassandra looked visibly shaken, and her eyes began to water too. 

Fuck. 

Vi was trying to make her mouth apologize, when Cassandra spoke, voice thick with shock, and emotion. 

“You just called me… mom…” 

Vi blinked.

She thought back and realized she had. She felt even more embarrassed, and if she wasn’t so shocked by just about the last response she was expecting, she’d probably have started crying by now.

“What?” 

“You…called me mom.”

“Oh… Shit…sorry, I didn’t mean to. I know we’re not even in laws yet, I just…” 

Cassandra straightened her shoulders, 

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course you can call me mom.” Her lip started quivering at the final statement. 

It was Vi's turn to be completely derailed. Her frustration seemed instantly forgotten, her recollection of what they were even talking about was…vague, to say the least.

“Really?” She could hear the quiver in her voice as an inevitable flood of tears started building up behind her eyes. “You mean that? Because I wouldn’t be offended-” She choked out. 

“Yes.” Cassandra sounded so earnest that Vi couldn’t fathom being mad at her for anything. “In fact I would like it very much if you…call me mom”

Cassandra demurely wiped away the tear which had escaped her eye. Vi broke as she rushed forward and felt Cassandra's arms wrap around her while she started sobbing into her shoulder. There was something about the way her arms were bony but her grip was so fierce which made Vi feel… safe. 

“I’m s-s-sorry I yelled.” She managed to choke out through her uncontrollable sobs. She should be embarrassed to be so hysterical, but at this point there was nothing for it. “I didn’t mean it.” 

Cassandra just squeezed tighter. Her own voice was also wobbly from repressed sobs. 

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel useless… I just wanted to take care of you.” 

“I’m sorry I- I- I can’t stop crying.” 

“Shhhh that’s okay. You can cry honey.” 

This only made Vi sob harder. It was like a flood. Cassandra petted her hair and rubbed her back while she choked out her own sobs.

“I...I really missed having a mom.” 

“Ugh!” Cassandra complained. “Fuck you. Now I can’t stop crying either.” 

They kept crying together until sobs became sniffles.

“Ugh, look at us.” Cassandra wiped her eyes and Vi laughed through her sniffles. 

“At least I have the excuse that I’m pregnant. You’re just being sappy.” 

Vi pulled away from the hug to wipe her face, but Cassandra shocked her by beating her to it. She used the sleeve of her tailored blouse to wipe Vi’s face. She was gentle, but efficient, as if Vi were a baby she was cleaning. As she wiped her tears away, and cleared her mouth and nose of all their sobby mucusy disasters, Vi’s tears only welled again, threatening to come back anew. 

“I really am sorry I’ve upset you so much by fussing. I didn’t mean to treat you like a child… I just feel so strongly about making you comfortable. My own pregnancy was so miserable, I know how much it hurts, and how inconvenient it can be, and I see a lot of myself in you, Vi. I wasn’t willing to tell anyone I was uncomfortable either, even when I was. I’m just so scared that you’re suffering in silence.” 

Vi brought her own hands up to grip Cassandra's wrists. 

“Mom.” She said, using the term still made her well up, but she managed to push it back down this time. “I’m so hot I feel like I’m in a furnace all the damn time, my back feels like it should have snapped in half by now, I feel so heavy when I lay on my side my shoulder and hip get numb, I can’t physically sit for longer than two minutes without peeing myself, and don’t even get me started on my emotions. My point is, I’m not really going to be comfortable no matter what you do… Can’t you at least let me be helpful in my misery? Making Christmas dinner makes me happy.” 

Cassandra studied her for a long moment. 

“Okay. Fine. But I don’t want you to feel like you have to. You have nothing to prove.” 

“I do though…” Vi shook her head. “...If I don’t fight for my autonomy, everyone just dismisses me. Like my feelings don’t exist because they're caused by hormones, and my opinions don’t matter because my brain’s not working properly… I already feel so unlike myself sometimes, and then when nobody treats me like me... I need to prove I’m not just pregnant, and that I’m still Vi.” 

Cassandra nodded seriously, her face taking on a deeply guilty expression. It wasn’t a feeling she’d articulated to anyone before, but she could tell instantly that Cassandra understood.

“I’m so sorry that I contributed to you feeling that way…I'll do everything I can to change that. But may I ask, if you felt that way this whole time, why didn’t you talk to me about it? I want to be more approachable, for you and Caitlyn, and if I know what put you off talking to me, I can be more conscious of avoiding it in the future.”

Vi studied her, and while her brain had been a mess of hormones and emotions for months, her mind seemed magically clear now.

“I think it was a lot of things… Partly, I don’t know how to talk to a mom. I haven’t had one since I was seven.” Vi whispered honestly and Cassandra sucked in a breath. “I thought I’d fuck it up… I’ve never exactly been a great daughter-” 

Cassandra’s hands found her face again, exactly like her dad used to do. And long ago, maybe her mom had too. 

“I never had the pleasure of meeting any of your parents, but I know they’d be on my side when I say that’s the most laughable thing you’ve ever said. I’ve known you little more than a year and I already know you’re a fantastic daughter. I truly couldn’t have hoped for a better daughter in-law.” 

“You’ve gotta stop doing that.” Vi’s complaint turned warbly as she once again lost the fight to her emotional sobs. A helpless fight from the beginning, really.

“Okay, shh,” Cassandra pulled her in to comfort her again. “I’m sorry…shh. Anyway you said partly?” 

“I also didn’t want to make a big deal out of it when I knew you were only trying to help. So in other words, I guess I was…” She hung her head. She would have stared at her shoes if she could see them. “…suffering in silence.”  

“Oh I knew it!” 

Cassandra put her hand over her mouth and started giggling at the absurdity. Vi felt her own mirth rise at the ridiculousness of the whole situation and her sobs turned into giggles, into sobs, into giggles. 

“So maybe your concerns weren’t so unrealistic regarding that, specifically,” Vi conceded.

They both started laughing. Their giggle fit died down and Cassandra asked. 

“Will you let me help you with Christmas dinner, Vi? However I can, even if it’s something little. Whatever you need.” 

“Would you go back upstairs if I asked you to?” Vi wiped her eyes again of tears she wasn't sure began as crying or laughter, but either way it seemed to have finally stopped.

Cassandra’s face moved around in slight irritation before she set her jaw. 

“Yes, of course. But I would like to keep checking on you.” 

Vi smiled at her, barely avoiding another show of water works. 

“Don’t worry about that… You can help.” 

She linked their arms and started walking them back towards the door. 

“You were right after all, it’s really fucking hot in there.”

---

When Caitlyn came back downstairs she was clearly surprised to find a peaceful atmosphere. 

Cassandra placed a card down and smacked the counter. 

“Hah. I win, again.” 

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Vi grumbled from where she was sitting on the stool at the other end of the counter. 

“I change my mind.” Jericho grumbled over the music from his place at the stove. “She’s not allowed to play any more.” 

“You’re just sore losers.” Cassandra packed up the cards and shuffled them to begin dealing again. 

“Hello you two.” Caitlyn said suspiciously. “Everything okay in here?” 

She approached Vi cautiously. Vi felt herself light up. Caitlyn’s mere presence made her already lightened mood feel even more blissful. She jutted her cheek out and watched Caitlyn immediately visibly relax. She only had to lean over slightly to give Vi her obliging kiss. 

“Yeah, we figured it out,” Vi said. 

“Quite, dear.” Cassandra left the cards alone to walk into the fridge. 

She reappeared to approach Vi and replace the wet cloth that was draped over her shoulders with a new blissfully chilled one. She used the old cloth to mop Vi’s brow. 

“Thanks.” Vi said, smiling bashfully at her. 

Caitlyn’s eyebrows shot up her forehead as her mother brushed Vi’s hair off her forehead and smiled tenderly. Vi fidgeted from discomfort on her stool, and slid off to resume standing. She could admit it was going to be nice to have on hand though.

“She’s finally accepting my doting.” Cassandra said, clearly very satisfied with herself. 

“Good.” Caitlyn leaned forward again to kiss Vi’s forehead.

“I’ve never seen Vi this docile even when not pregnant.” Jericho said. 

“Don’t get used to it,” Vi said. “As soon as this baby pops out I swear to god-” 

“You will need plenty more help, as you’ll have a newborn you’re tending.” Cassandra said. 

Vi rolled her eyes but she felt a small good natured smile settle on her face. 

“So in theory, you two won't kill each other after all? I’d be safe to go back upstairs?” 

“Not yet,” Cassandra barked. “Hold up her stomach for a while.” 

Caitlyn smiled while Vi looked at her with wide excited eyes. 

“Can you?” 

Caitlyn kissed her again and slipped behind her to wrap her arms around and under her stomach. 

“With pleasure.” 

“Stay there until your arms are jello. Then you can leave,” Cassandra ordered and Caitlyn chuckled. 

Caitlyn slowly adjusted herself so she had a good grip and then lifted the weight of Vi’s stomach just enough so the baby’s weight was entirely in Caitlyn’s arms. Vi leaned her head back on Caitlyn’s shoulder and let out a deeply satisfied groan as the pressure that permeated her whole lower abdomen and back just...lifted away.

“Holy shit.” She whispered, then turned back to her chopping. “Ma, grab me that big blue casserole dish?” 

Cassandra immediately complied and then parked herself at the stove to stir something for Jericho. Caitlyn leaned forward to whisper into Vi’s ear. 

“When did that happen?” 

“Like…twenty minutes ago.” Vi paused and twisted a little to try and look at her. “Are you okay with that? Because if it makes you uncomfortable-” 

“Of course I’m okay. I’m delighted that you feel you’re close enough.” 

They enjoyed their closeness and silence for a moment while Vi resumed chopping, and the dramatic orchestral Christmas music wafted through the kitchen. 

“Cait?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Next time I’m being stubborn about something, do me a solid and remind me that you’re always right?” 

Vi could feel Caitlyn’s smile against her ear. 

“Somehow…I doubt that will work how you think it will.” 

Vi sighed. 

“Yeah… you’re probably right about that too.” 

Vi felt Caitlyn bury her head in the crook of her neck and smile.

The mood was night and day for Vi. Cassandra's ever present fussing was not only magically tolerable, but almost as easily acceptable as Caitlyn’s now. 

Vi was having feelings. 

The way she felt a warmth spread across her chest, urging her shoulders to relax all tension and ease back against Caitlyn’s chest, said she was having feelings.

The way the edges of her mouth crept up until she caught her reflection in the steel walk in refrigerator door, grinning like an idiot, said she was having feelings. 

She tried to school her expression back to neutrality. 

Sometimes she had a hard time figuring out what her feelings were, sure, but surely it wasn’t happiness to warrant that idiotic of a grin.

Her feelings had a lot to do with Caitlyn, holding onto her from behind making her feel safe and loved as ever. They had a lot to do with the rest of her family, whom she could hear stomping around in the apartment upstairs, shouting and laughing about something. They had a lot to do with the baby… who kicked with a gusto that may have hurt, if it didn’t make her well with pride and love, and anticipation first and foremost.

And they had a lot to do with Cassandra… The woman who fussed over her incessantly, and treated her like a child, and surprised her again and again with her humor, and care, and love.

You know what, she did know what it was this time. 

Her feelings were joy, and pride, and hope, and gratitude. And it was mostly thanks to the woman she now called mom.

Notes:

Bada bing, bada boom, there you have it folks. The aforementioned Christmas extra is complete.

Thank you all for reading, I greatly appreciate it! Big thanks to anybody who left kudos or a comment, your support means the world.

For anyone wondering why Lil didn't get her bouncy castle this Christmas. The answer is she already has it at this point, but can obviously only use it in the summer. That story is in another extra I've been not working on nearly as much as I should.

On that note. In the way of what other projects I'm working on, this time I really have nothing for you. Life is as life does sometimes, and that is to say, it's been kicking my ass. When that happens I always suffer creatively before anything so I've been project hopping so horribly that the progress I've made on each of them has been too miniscule to note. That's why this one took me so long. SO, all I can say is go back to that big fancy house of yours and forget me.

But jokes aside, now that this one is done, I'm just gonna deal with my life stuff without putting any pressure on myself to write for the next little while. So if you just forget I exist and don't expect anything, then if I show up sooner than six months with a new project, it will be a pleasant surprise for both of us! If you are one of the dear people who looks forward to my work, you're welcome to subscribe so that you're at least notified when I re-emerge, but other than that I'm disappearing into the woodworks, I don't know what to tell ya.

I've still got recommendations though (This is going to be a post-fic habit btw) if you need somewhere to go after this!

Mirror Mirror by Author_Rendering

I found out about this in the literal comments of the last chapter of The Family Plan, so it was too late to add it to my recommendations then (Who am I kidding those end notes were also like two words from max capacity) But that doesn't mean I can't recommend it now! It's ongoing, and adorable, and seriously if you love The Family Plan universe I'm so sure you'll like Mirror Mirror too. It's also a fluffy family fic. There's another adorable Caitvi kid, autistic Caitlyn, familial communication, AND pregnant Vi. If I need to say more I don't know why you're here at all tbh.

On the Green Field of War By Taq

This is another really adorable kidfic, but this one is complete because it's just a one shot. Vi makes such a great enthusiastic soccer mom, that's all I'll say.

Can You Chase the Fire Away By Panglosian

For the genre deviant recommendation I found this oldie but goodie. Super sweet, fluffy, romantic, summer fling, meet cute. LIFEGUARD VI!...right?!?!? I know, I know, magical. It's long since completed, so no waiting around, and it's honestly just the nicest little read. I'm wistfully dreaming of warm weather right now, so this was a 'live vicariously' 'escapism fantasy' situation with all the summer beach vibes.

Aaaanyway those are my recommendations, sorry I don't have more, I haven't really been reading that much either tbh.

Okay that's really it from me. Thanks again friends, and until next time.

Take care of yourselves :)

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of All the Family Plans