Hayley burst out the bedroom door, wishing furiously that she had prepared more for this moment. As it stood, she had sat there motionless for a good twenty seconds after Skylar had told her the child was on the way, before almost shrieking and getting to her feet. Which led her to this very moment, her hand trailing along the wall so that she wouldn’t lose her footing as she sprinted towards where the others were hopefully still all gathered.

Cayden and Farah looked up as she threw the door open, Hayley frantically looking around for any sign of Liam or Michael. “Hayley?” Cayden stepped towards her, hands out in what he hoped was a pacifying gesture. “What’s wrong? Is something happening with Skylar?”

“The baby’s coming!” Their eyes went wide when she delivered the news, Farah immediately digging into her pocket for her phone so she could contact the brothers.

“Liam and Michael went out into the forest to work out their stress, I’ll see if I can get them to come back.” Farah fumbled the number a few times in her panic, finally managing to dial it the third time and hold the phone to her ear. “Come on, come on, pick up!”

Farah paced around the room, Hayley chewing on her fingernails and trying to think of how they could approach something like this. Obviously a conventional birth with a conventional doctor was out of the question, which left only one real candidate...

Hayley sighed, she didn’t want to summon her here right away, not without talking to at least Michael, and especially without letting Liam know. Inviting a witch into an Alpha’s house without his permission when he was already dealing with a lot of stress was just asking for trouble, and she did not want to risk a confrontation at such a crucial time in their lives.

That was if he would actually pick up the phone, otherwise she’d tear up his carpet and draw a summoning circle to drag his ass back here. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that, she didn’t want to pay for someone’s flooring on top of all of this.

Finally, just as she was giving up hope, Farah heard a breathless voice answer the call, still partially a growl as they said, “Farah? What’s going on, why are you calling?”

“Michael, I need you to grab Liam and get back here right now, Skylar’s gone into labor and she needs us all to be here. How soon can you be back?”

“Labor?” His breathless shriek almost certainly got Liam’s attention. “Uhh, we can be back in about fifteen minutes, can you hold on till then?”

Farah chuckled, “That’s not how labor works Michael, but the baby won’t be born in the next fifteen minutes, I assure you of that.” She hung up, turning to her fellow witch who was still thinking in the corner. “What’s the plan Hayley?”

“When they get back I’m going to tell them about Cassandra, she’s our best hope.”

---

As it turned out, ten minutes was all the brothers needed to get back to the house, the news that his wife was in labor making Liam’s body move with a swiftness and fury that he barely thought possible. They almost crashed through the door, sweaty, harried and desperate for any news on her condition, the expression on their faces incredibly relieved when they found she was stable.

“Ten minutes, I leave for ten goddamn minutes…” Liam scrubbed furiously at the top of his head, bottom lip between his teeth as he paced around the room. “Please tell me you have a plan or something for this, I don’t like feeling helpless here.”

Hayley laid a hand on his forearm, stopping him from pacing for a second. “Liam, I’m going to need you to calm down, ok? Take deep breaths, in and out, can you do that?”

He did as she asked, his heart beat slowing down gradually and his nerves starting to calm, though he couldn’t get rid of the pit of dread in his stomach that had been there ever since they had shown up at his front door. “I’m trying my best, but I’ve never felt like this before.”

Cayden raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you oversee multi-million dollar deals regularly? I thought you were used to high pressure situations.”

“I am.” Liam trailed off, looking towards the end of the house Skylar was laying with obvious longing. “But this is my wife we’re talking about.”

Cayden nodded, nothing more needing to be said as he got up from the couch, walking over to the liquor cabinet and pouring two drinks. “Regardless of how today goes Liam, we’re all here.” He handed him a very generous glass of bourbon, throwing his own back with a hiss.

Liam looked down at the amber liquid, swirling it lightly as he thought over what exactly was happening at that moment. “I’m going to be a father… I can’t believe it.” He tossed his head back, the drink going down easily, the burn in his throat centering him in the now. When his head came forward again, his eyes were keen and focused. “Alright, what do we do now? Hayley you’ve done the most research on this, what do you think?”

She looked over to Michael, his wide eyes telling her that he already knew what she was going to suggest. “I think that we should bring Cassandra here, she’ll be our best bet for a healthy birth and controlling Skylar’s powers. I didn’t want to summon her without telling you first, given that you’re an alpha…”

He waved his hand. “Today that means shit all. She can help my wife, she’s welcome to stay in my house as long as she wants, she can set fire to the curtains for all I care, if you think there is a chance she can help my family survive today then I want her here with us.”

She was surprised at his reaction, though she didn’t bother hiding her relief at the news. “Good, that’s very good.” She turned to Michael, hoping for the same reaction. “Michael? Are you ok with this?”

He took a deep breath, pausing for a good few seconds before he nodded with conviction. “Like Liam said, if there’s a chance she can help Sky then she needs to be here. She still creeps me out a little but she’s not as bad as I thought she’d be, I’m more than happy for her to come here.”

She nodded, fishing around in her bag for the incense that the witch had given her. “This should only take a few minutes, she’ll be able to transport directly to here without leaving any negative effects on the surrounding environment.” She chuckled, side eyeing Liam. “You won’t have to worry about a haunting in case you were worried about that.”

“I wasn’t worried about one anyway, right up until you said that.” He shook his head, huffing a little laugh, “Is there anything we should do? How can we help?”

Hayley grabbed the incense, holding it in her left hand while she conjured a flame with her right. “Just stand back. And I’m sorry about the carpet.”

“What about the carpet?” He didn’t get an answer as the incense erupted in a flash of light, Hayley waving it in circles and drawing symbols in the air, before crushing a handful and slamming it down into the carpet.

The ground burst into flames, brilliant blues and greens flashing in front of their eyes as they felt their hearts pulsing in their chests in time with the flickering of the fire, before one final throb of energy cracked the glass still held in Cayden’s hand.

“So soon? I wasn’t aware that I had grown on you that fast!” Cassandra strolled through the fire, a snap of her fingers shutting the flames off and giving up the feeling of control that everyone else had around their hearts. She scoffed as she saw everyone taking breaths of relief, pouting when she turned to Hayley. “I suppose I should have told you not to use it around people, shouldn’t I?”

“That… Would have been nice to know beforehand.” Hayley wiped the last of the incense off her hands, holding it out in greeting. “It’s good to see you again Cassandra.”

“A handshake? How quaint.” Cassandra took the hand, shaking it with a smirk. “But where is your little boy toy, don’t tell me all our progress was for nothing.”

Michael stepped up, still visibly nervous in her presence but carrying himself much better this time. “Hey, almost didn’t think you would have come.”

“If I wasn’t going to I would have just lied, I wouldn’t have given you that incense.” She sneered at the stains on the floor. “They’re like the world’s worst alarm clock, we don’t make a habit of giving those out to just anyone.”

“So why us?”

“Why you?” She raised an eyebrow, as if he had just asked the most foolish question she had ever heard. Her tone was matter of fact when she answered, “Because you are important, that’s why.” They weren’t given a chance to say anything further before she closed her eyes, her brow furrowing as she felt through the air.

“My god, the amount of power in this house is…” She clenched her fist, as though she could physically feel the strands of power. “Whatever it is that your friend is, it is far more powerful than anything you’ve seen before.” She looked around the room, looking pointedly at each of them. “Any of you.”

“According to the book and… What I’ve seen myself, she’s what you call an Enenra.” Hayley expected many reactions, but the witch suddenly whirling around and stomping up to her was not one of them.

“An Enenra? And you didn’t think to tell me this as soon as possible?” She sniffed at the air, walking towards the door leading towards Skylar’s room. “This is something that needs to be handled as soon as possible.”

Liam ran up to her, stopping just short of touching her. “Wait! What do you mean? What is happening with my wife?”

“If I don’t get in there and keep her calm, her powers are liable to kill everyone in this house, and from there everyone in this town. Normally Enenra’s are dangerous, but manageable…” She looked troubled before she shook her head. “Your wife though… I haven’t felt anything like this in a very long time.”

She started off through the door once more. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to stop her from killing every single one of you.”

Hayley followed behind her quickly, keeping in step as the older woman stomped down the hallway. “How powerful is she exactly?”

“Powerful enough to concern someone like me, that should be a red flag for you.” She swept her hand through the air, growling to herself. “I should have known something like this would happen, nothing is ever simple when it comes to hybrid births, there always has to be some snag or some condition!” Cassandra looked back over her shoulder. “And why are they not trying to follow us?”

“I told them to wait out there, I wasn’t sure what Sky’s powers would do if they were nearby.”

Cassandra nodded. “Good, that was the right call. If they had been allowed to fuss over here there’s no telling how she would have reacted. It’s a miracle that I haven’t felt any signs of something bigger honestly. Is this the room?”

Hayley pushed it open, Sky’s face lighting back up even though she was still fighting the pain of labor. “Please, come on in.”

Sky quirked a brow at her new visitor, Cassandra’s demeanor changing drastically as she walked closer to the pregnant woman. Her smile became warmer, her posture less rigid, when she reached out and grasped a shaking hand she looked almost matronly. “Hello Skylar, my name is Cassandra. I’m a witch, and I’m here to help you.”

“You’re Cassandra? Hayley and Michael’s friend?”

Cassandra quirked an eyebrow, looking back over her shoulder at an embarrassed Hayley. “Is that how they described me?” She smirked. “Well I think that we’re quickly growing to be the best of friends, so they were right.”

The witch gestured for Skylar’s hand, her fingers working into the pressure points in her palm and wrist. She hummed in thought as she felt the energy coursing through her body, tiny flicks of smoke caressing her skin as Skylar’s contractions continued on.

“Skylar, what I’m going to tell you is very important, and you need to hear all of it. Are you ready for it?” She held her hand up as Skylar nodded. “No, take a moment, I need you to be calm and focused for this. It is very important.”

She took a deep breath, Hayley stroking a hand along her back as she counted to five, slowly exhaling and opening her eyes again. “I’m ready, what is it you have to tell me?”

Cassandra bowed her head in apology, speaking softly, “We are going to have you isolated from everyone else while we go through the birth. I know that’s not what you or your husband wanted but it’s the only way to ensure that you and the baby are safe.” She laid a hand on her stomach, her brow furrowing in thought and a small smile gracing her face. “Your child is just like you, I can tell that already, which is why this is even more important.”

Skylar tried to tamp down her disappointment at the news, though it was obvious to the two other women that she was crushed. “They’re just like me? They’ll have… This?” She held her palm up, faint lines of shadow dancing across the skin and dissipating in the air. “Just like me?”

“They will.” Cassandra took her hand, the blackness spilling over her arm as she remained like stone, not showing a single sign of anything other than perfect calm. “And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. With either of you.”

The other woman was silent for a long time, her eyes glued to the tendrils of shadow creeping over the witch, the way they wound around her wrist and crawled up her arm before resting at the base of her neck, almost as though they had decided they could trust her. She looked up into Cassandra’s eyes, those frighteningly colored orbs that never left her own, never showed even a hint of fear or trepidation at her body being overtaken by her powers, only showing concern for her wellbeing and the wellbeing of her child.

Skylar blew out a breath she wasn’t even aware she’d been holding, nodding almost imperceptibly as she squeezed down on the hand offered to her. “What is it that you need me to do?”

---

Liam stood facing the wall of the living room, eyes glued to the pictures of him and Skylar on their many trips together, including the one on which their child had undoubtedly been conceived. He smiled to himself, the memory of her hair whipping through the night air one of his most cherished in what had been very troubled times for all of them, her optimism never faltering even in the gravest of circumstances.

Perhaps he should take a lesson from her. If she was going to stay like this, then their child was in very capable hands. After all, a mother like her...

His eyes widened and he almost stumbled in horror, so suddenly that Michael rushed over in concern. “Liam? What’s going on, are you alright?”

“Mom!” The Alpha dug around in his pocket, searching desperately for his phone. “I still haven’t told mom about any of this!”

“Merde.” Farah said, stretched out on the couch next to Cayden. “That poor woman is in for the shock of her life.”

Cayden stood up, helping her to her feet and beginning to lead her from the room. He nodded at Michael as he passed, the latter raising an eyebrow at their sudden departure. “Farah and I are going to jump in the shower, freshen up while we can’t do anything else you know? Besides, we figure you could use your privacy for this call.”

Michael smiled gratefully, clapping them on the back as they passed by. “I know it’s not my house, but treat it like it’s your own. Bathroom is down the hall to the right.”

They left, leaving only Michael and his near hyperventilating brother alone in the room. He walked over, rubbing a hand up and down Liam’s back while he dialed the number, both of them knowing that this phone call was a disaster waiting to happen.

Liam knew it was his own fault though, that’s why it hurt so much.

“Liam? Honey why are you calling so suddenly?” Leah’s voice filtered through the line as she picked up, glad to hear from him so suddenly but knowing that he rarely did so without letting her know beforehand. The fact that his breathing was so harried clued her in that this was very much not usual.

“Mom I... I have to tell you something very important, are you sitting down?” She thought his request was strange, and more than a little alarming, but she did just as he said. Liam took a deep breath, pushing out what he had to say in a single breath. “Skylar is giving birth.”

Leah shot out of her chair, immediately marching over to the door and collecting her coat. “Liam! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? After that whole mess with those disgusting mobsters...” She growled at the memory of the house, all charred metal and shattered windows. That particular wound was still fresh for all of them. “I don’t want to be left out of the loop with anything from now on, I want you to tell me these things.”

“I know mom, I know, I’m sorry...” He sucked in a breath, the next part of what he had to say not coming easily. “I have more to tell you, a lot more actually... It’s best that I tell you in person.”

“Damn right it is.” She twirled her keys around her finger as she closed the door behind her. “I’m coming over there right now, and I want you to tell me everything. Don’t leave a single thing out.”

“Ok, we’ll see you soon.” He paused, his voice clearly regretful as he said, “I’m sorry mom, really.”

“It’s ok honey.” She chuckled, “It’s far from the worst secret that’s been kept from me lately.”

---

As it turned out, it wasn’t the worst secret that had been kept from her. Though it certainly ranked up there.

Liam and Michael anxiously awaited her arrival, feet tapping against the floor boards as the seconds ticked by. Liam scuffed the back of his shoes along the carpet, thumb running along his index finger while he tried to figure out just how to start a conversation like the one that was coming.

Michael picked up on his mood, nudging his shoulder with the top of his head to try and draw him out of his rut. “Come on Liam, tearing up the carpet is going to do any good. Besides, she’s our mother. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Well I don’t know Michael, why don’t you tell me how you’d react if you found out your son had found out about a prophecy that your evil, betraying husband had eagerly taken a part in. You know, after he’d conspired with a group of witches to give you cancer.” He clapped his hands, tone absolutely dripping with sarcasm, “Oh, of course this prophecy just so happens to revolve around your son and his wife, a woman who is supposedly supposed to be a great harbinger of power and an eagerly awaited tool for said witches.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Alright Liam, I get it...”

“Oh, but I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet!” He stood, arms outstretched as he twirled in a circle. “What if, after all of this, after learning about your crazy cancer giving husband and his insane delusions of power, after you recently lose another son because of infighting, after you discover that you in fact are not dying after all... What if after all of this, you find out that your son just forgot about it?” He leaned in, eyes wide as he hummed in expectation, “Tell me Michael, just how well do you think you’d take something like that?”

Michael grimaced in thought, having to concede the point. “Alright yeah, I can see how someone could take that pretty badly.”

“Oh! So, you do understand? You understand why I’m all but shitting myself over the prospect of giving our mother even more traumatizing news after she’s been through so much over the last year?” He sat back down next to his brother, suddenly exhausted. “She doesn’t deserve this Michael. She should be enjoying getting older with her family by her side, not having to worry about all this shit that we keep putting her through.”

“She’s glad that you’re here Liam, she wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“Yeah well, what we like and what’s healthy for us aren’t necessarily the same thing are they?” He breathed out harshly, “I just want to be able to give my mother some good news without having to tell her something horrible as well.”

“Well, think about it this way.” Michael stood as he saw Leah’s headlights coming up the driveway. “There’s only so much horrible news you can give before it’s all uphill from there!”

Liam rolled his eyes as he stood, walking over and opening the door, his mother immediately rushing into his arms as he stood there. “Liam! I’m so happy to hear about Skylar! I can’t wait to be a grandmother!” She stepped inside, sweeping Michael into her arms as well before taking a seat. Leah looked around the room, noticing for the first time that not only were they alone, but they both looked very nervous. “Liam, Michael? What’s happened?”

“There’s a lot that I haven’t told you mom, and for that I’m sorry.” He sat down next to her, laying his hand on her knee. “I’m going to tell you everything, some of it might be hard to hear, but I’m going to tell you all of it, ok?”

She nodded mutely, his nerves almost shattering him before he continued on. “Skylar isn’t human, we thought she was but... She’s not.”

Leah’s eyes widened, her first instinct to think that he was joking. The look on his face convinced her that it was no joke. “What is she then?”

“I don’t know, apparently it’s something old, something very powerful.” He clenched his fist, eyes closing in grief. “I can’t even be there for the birth, it’s not safe enough.”

“Why can’t you be there?” Right as she finished her question, the lights flickered, bulbs buzzing as Leah looked up at them. When she looked back at her son his expression was resigned.

“That’s not an issue with the lights. She’s doing that.” He sighed, “It happened last night as well, when the baby was kicking. They don’t want us to take any chances, there’s no telling what could happen when she actually gives birth.”

“I’m so sorry Liam. That’s awful.” She held onto his hand, Liam squeezing down gratefully.

“I just wish there was something that I could do. The best that I can do is nothing, and I hate that feeling. For a lot of reasons.” He frowned, not able to look directly at Leah. “Mom? Do you remember what I told you about dad? About... About the deal that he worked out with those witches?”

“How could I forget?” She grimaced, every memory of her husband tainted by what he had done. “You don’t often forget the man you love giving you cancer.”

“When I found about that part of his plan... It wasn’t the only thing that he was involved in.”

“What do you mean?” Leah furrowed her brow, jaw set in worry. “What else was he up to?”

Liam walked over to the cabinet next to the wall, pulling open the drawer and grabbing the journal, the book that had destroyed whatever faith he had left in his father and changed the way he looked at everything since then. He placed the book lightly down next to her, taking her hand in his and looking into her eyes. “Dad was working with those witches for much more than just bringing me back to take over. It wasn’t just about killing you to make me step up as a leader... He was working on fulfilling a prophecy that they had about... About my future wife.”

“About Skylar?” She looked down at the book in horror, her grip creaking the bones in his hand. “What was that bastard planning to do?”

“There was a prophecy that my wife would possess incredible power... That she’d be unlike anything that they’ve ever seen before. The witches wanted to take possession of that power and mold it for themselves.” He snarled, his teeth elongating slightly as his eyes flashed. “Dad was working with a bunch of covens to try and find a way to take her powers for himself, to what end I don’t know. But he’s dead now, and Skylar is still here.”

She closed her eyes as she tried to process everything, her husband... Her ex-husband was an even bigger monster than she could have ever thought. “Liam... Why didn’t you tell me this before? Why did you keep this to yourself?”

“I’m sorry.” He bowed his head in apology. “At first I wasn’t sure that it was the right time, you were already going through so much. Then... Well, with everything else that’s been happening lately, worrying about Skylar, those mobsters last week... I’m sorry, it just slipped my mind.”

“You were worried about me?” She tilted her head at him, frowning as she ran a hand over his cheek. “Liam... This isn’t about me, this is about you and Skylar, and the danger that an evil old man has placed the two of you in. I may be your mother, but I’m tougher than you give me credit for, I had to raise three of you after all.”

Liam chuckled, pulling his mother in for a hug. “That much is true, we were monsters when we little too.”

“Exactly.” She smiled into his shoulder, rubbing her hand up and down his back. “But no more secrets from now on. This is bigger than my feelings, or yours for that matter, now it’s about Skylar’s safety.”

The two of them pulled back from each other, and Liam was struck by the strength in her gaze. “I’m not going to let that wonderful woman be anyone’s tool, she deserves so much more than that. Anyone who thinks that they can harm her will have me to deal with, I may be getting older but it’s a mistake to underestimate me.”

Liam and Michael chuckled at her threat, though they knew that she would happily follow through on it. As the lights flickered once more, they were soberly reminded of just why such threats needed to be made.

“Thanks mom, really.” Liam drew her in again, Michael coming in to her other side. “Thank you.”

---

Inside the room things were progressing in a manner of speaking, Skylar’s contractions becoming more frequent and her breathing coming heavily. Cassandra looked fascinated by the speed at which the birth was progressing, funneling the events of the night into the back of her mind to write about later. “How are you feeling Skylar? Describe exactly how it is right now.”

“I’m...” Skylar exhaled harshly, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead already. “I feel like my body is crawling with something, I don’t know how to describe it. It just feels... off.”

Hayley dabbed at her face, determined to do her best for her friend’s comfort in this undoubtedly stressful time. “Take deep, calm breaths. Just focus on that movement, ok?”

Skylar focused on breathing in and out, slowly taking air into her mouth and exhaling out from her nose, the feeling of something crawling and snaking along the underside of her skin constantly on her mine no matter how far she tried to push it. Her eyes were closed in her concentration, her head thrown back on the pillow as she winced with each kick her child gave her. Hayley squeezed her bicep, that little touch keeping her grounded as she rapidly felt herself spiraling towards something else, something... more.

“Everything feels like it’s swimming, my skin it... It just doesn’t feel right.” She opened her eyes, looking up at Cassandra and Hayley. “When the baby kicks it’s like I can feel it in every part of my body, like they’re kicking on the inside of my head.”

Cassandra nodded, this time actually pulling out a pen and notepad. “The birth is progressing much faster than is normal, of course the same was true with your pregnancy so it makes sense to apply here as well. Fascinating.” She flipped her notepad shut, stepping around to the front of Skylar. “You don’t seem to be in any bodily danger, you’re adapting rather well. We can start the rest of the process very soon in fact.”

“Oh, thank god!” Skylar threw her head back down on the pillow. “I’m going to love this child with everything I have, but please, get it the fuck out of me!”

“All in good time.” Cassandra chuckled, though her voice took on a serious edge, “Now Skylar, this is very important. I need you to try and use your powers. Can you do that for me?”

“What?” Skylar and Hayley said at almost the same time, their eyes wide with their shared disbelief. “What will that accomplish?”

“If she doesn’t get used to her powers sooner then there is more chance of a random manifestation. These are very common in high stress events.” She gestured over Skylar’s swollen stomach. “Now, normally we can try and control or at least limit these events, but that is usually when we don’t also have an impending birth on the way. This complicates things, so we have to adapt to that.”

Hayley swore under her breath, taking Skylar’s hand and tracing a line down her forearm. “You can do this, ok Sky? You’re an incredibly strong woman, this will be nothing for you, just focus.”

Skylar took a deep breath, almost feeling those tendrils crawling through her lungs and up her throat. She focused on the hand that wasn’t being held, her heart beat slowing to a crawl as she felt her stress and worry ebb away until all she could sense was that feeling of crawling. She followed it from the depths of her chest outwards, traveling through every vein and along the surface of her bones, the feeling sliding along the inside of her arm until it seemed to explode out from each finger.

Hayley yelped and jumped back, Skylar’s left arm suddenly losing any semblance of humanity as it shifted effortlessly into a shifting black mass of... Something. Skylar didn’t react to her surprise, lost in her own little word as the mass shifted further into the form of a hand, flexing the new shadow fingers that had emerged in place of her flesh and blood arm. She turned to Cassandra, asking, “Is... Is that normal to happen?”

The older witch shrugged, thumbing idly at her nose. “With Enenra’s it’s... Hard to tell. This seems consistent with the other Enenra that I ran into once though, so I doubt this is anything to worry about.” She chuckled bitterly, “Now if she starts going the same way as that one, then we should start to worry...”

“What happened with the other one?”

“They went insane and butchered an entire town.” Her tone was matter of fact, as was her ensuing shrug. “They just slipped away after that, I’m not sure what happened to them.”

Hayley shivered as she looked back at her friend, serene expression at odds with the shimmering chaos that was her forearm. “Well... Let’s hope that things don’t go that way then.”

Slowly, Skylar let her eyes open again, her arm remaining in its smoke form as she cautiously turned her gaze to it. “This isn’t a bad thing right? I’m not dying right now am I?”

Cassandra laughed, “On the contrary, I’d say that you’re a natural at this! With that I think that we can actually focus on getting this kid out of you!” She put her ear to her stomach, tracing a finger outside in circles as she felt the energy pouring out of Skylar’s body. “What I need you to do is take that feeling that you have right now and extend it to your whole body. The child needs to be birthed into an environment that is safe for it, and your powers being active is the best fit for that in my opinion.”

“Alright I... I’ll try.” Skylar pursed her lips in concentration, the smoke traveling further up her body much easier than last time. It swept over her chest and down her stomach, flicking downwards until it covered her from her head to her toes. Unlike last time however, she was still recognizably her, skin still visible as the smoke wisped and crackled over the surface.

Hayley looked over at Cassandra, the two of them nodding as they set to work. “Alright Skylar, I need you to lift your legs for me, can you do that?” She smiled as Skylar acquiesced, rubbing her hands together as she channeled energy into her hands. “It’s a very good thing that you opted not to go to a traditional hospital for this, modern medicine may have improved immeasurably but they know precisely jack about supernatural births.” The witch chuckled, laying her hands on Skylar’s stomach. “Can’t say I even blame them really, most Supernatural’s don’t know much about it either.”

Hayley leaned as close to Skylar’s head as she could, whispering gentle encouragements into her ear and holding her hand as tightly as she could. Skylar was breathing heavily, the process not as hard as she had thought it was going to be but undoubtedly... Strange. Whatever it was she had been expecting, she knew for certain that this was far from a normal pregnancy.

She gasped as she felt the first pulse, starting from her stomach and spreading until it tingled behind her eyes, a feeling of tugging starting within her in response. Cassandra growled lowly in her throat, hands flashing as she once more channeled into her hands. “Wiley little bastard aren’t you...” She held her hands out, willing the infant to come out to her, sweat running down her face as she felt the intense connection building between them. She called out to them, feeling them getting closer and closer to her as Skylar started whimpering in discomfort. “Hayley! Let her know that everything is alright, this is how it’s supposed to feel, nothing is wrong!”

“You hear that Skylar? Everything is just fine, you’re doing so well...” Skylar squeezed down on her hand, smoke spreading up her own arm but she wasn’t going to let that make her uncomfortable now. “Just trust us, this will all be over soon.”

Skylar yelped as that pulsing feeling started over again, one coming every five seconds as she suddenly found it hard to breath. The lights flickered, almost shaking in the walls as her chest started to heave. One final pulse pushed her over the edge, a feeling like a cord being pulled erupting in her chest as she screamed into the air, walls shaking as the lights finally shattered, the room being plunged into darkness.

Cassandra yelled in triumph, feeling the infant’s connection with her finally click, her hands filling with the newborn. The room stopped shaking immediately, leaving only the heavy breathing of the three women and the crying of the child to echo off the walls.

Hayley held up her hand, creating light as effortless for her as extinguishing it. When she turned to look at Skylar however, she stopped in her tracks. While it stopped as soon as she noticed it, she couldn’t help but think that Skylar’s skin had been almost... Swimming. The smoke was gone, leaving only pure, untouched skin behind, but for that split second, so brief that she wasn’t certain she hadn’t imagined it... It was like the smoke hadn’t even gone away, just changed color.

Any concern that she might have had about her friend however disappeared in an instant, Skylar’s face lighting up when she saw the newborn baby cradled in Cassandra’s arms. “Oh my god... Is that them?”

“I should hope so.” Cassandra chuckled, “Otherwise your powers are the least of our concerns. Skylar Moore Conway, meet your daughter.”

Skylar accepted the child into her arms, cradling it close with tears streaming freely down her face. “My daughter...” She smiled, giggling as the child batted at her nose. “It’s so nice to meet you, Abigail.”