Raven was the first to wake up after two days of sleep. She felt groggy as hell and just plain horrible in general. She tried to get up from the bed, when she realized a skeletal hand held her down. 

“stay down, blackbird, you’re still healing.” Dream gave a worried smile as he urged her to rest.

She was confused at first about why Dream was in her room, when she realized that this wasn't her room AT ALL. And that she was still dressed in her assassin outfit.

'SHIT!!!' 

She patted her face but realized that her mask was off. Her stomach dropped. She then felt nauseous. "Dammit! I feel like crap…" she had to try hard to hold in her vomit.

He was about to laugh at her rather adorable reaction, but he was more worried. “one second, i’ll get you a bucket. stars i hope this isn’t a side effect from the poison..” He left for a moment, quickly returning with an empty ice cream pale. He’d have to thank Blue for eating the rest of his ice cream later. 

She snatched the bucket and wretched in it unceremoniously. "Crap… not again…. Now I feel like double shit." She croaked.

“again..?” Dream asked as he kept her hair out of her way.

"Yeah… it's been happening for a few weeks now. I think it's just the flu. Though I haven't been having any fevers though… stomach bug?" She mumbled the last part as she vomited in the bucket again.

At first he was relieved. ‘So it’s not poison..’ Then he thought about her other words, and things… clicked. ‘Oh shit.’ 

“um… raven? forgive me if i’m being too forward… but when was the last time you, uh, bled?” 

Raven raised a brow. "My period…? It ended a few weeks before I met you. Why?"

“...” 

‘Shiiiiiiiit.’ He blushed, looked down, and fidgeted with his phalanges. “um… a, uh, symptom of pregnancy… women don’t get their periods when they are… pregnant..”  

She seemed to stare at him with an undetermined look in her eyes. He couldn't really figure out what she was thinking.

Oh I'll tell you what she's thinking.

'.....What?'

And then after two minutes she then grabbed her head in panic. 

'What?! How?! I mean I know how… but I thought I was careful?! I was on the pill for the longest time! When did I stop taking it…? No! This isn't the time! Right now I possibly have a little life growing in me right now and I am not in the LEAST bit prepared….! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!?!?!'

Dream hugged her close. “sh, sh it’ll be ok! i’m so sorry, i thought… i didn’t mean to…. we will figure this out, raven..”

"...What am I going to do…? I am the LEAST qualified to be seen as a caregiver little alone giving birth or raising a living being! I mean, part of my occupation is ENDING the creeps of the Black Market…. How the Hell…?" Raven started to spiral. And Dream set the puke bucket on the floor before it fell over. He gently rocked her back and forth and rubbed soothing circles on her back and giving pecks on top of her head.

“it’ll be a-ok, raven. remember the mirror, and the visions. this was bound to happen eventually… we’ve got this.” Dream reassured. 

Raven breathed in deep and slowly. Dream was right. In the vision there were little baby birds. The meaning is obvious. But she didn't plan on having any so soon! But Dream seemed like he wasn't going anywhere or was asking me anything ridiculous or unforgivable. So, she calmed down but was still very confused and worked up.

"...In the vision… there were a few chicks… but I didn't count how many… was the same for you? Did you count?" She asked carefully.

“i’d counted… four..” He replied as he thought back on the vision. “it sorta makes sense since twins kinda run in my family..”

"So… am I going to have four babies at once?!" She screeched.

Dream jumped at the sudden loudness. “no, no! well, actually i don’t know, i just know that that’s how many we will have within our lifetime together! you could only be have one for all we really know!” He concluded in a slightly panicked rush to make her feel better. 

She breathed in and out slowly to calm her nerves. She then turned to a flustered Dream and calmed down.

'This isn't fair for him.'

".... I'm sorry Dream… I didn't mean to freak out so hard… Just… the thought of even having a mate alone was surprising enough. And now I'm going to be a mother...."

She then had a cheeky smile. "And honestly, from the way you perform in bed, I'd be damn sure that I would be knocked up a few more times." She giggled at his flushed face.

“i-i- it’s ok- i, em… heh…” He cleared his “throat” and tried again, without the flustered mess this time. “i get it, it’s big news. you are right to react that way.” He smiled brightly. “but i know we’ll be great parents! especially with you as the mom~”

She smiled. "By the way… I should probably apologize."

“apologize? what for?” Dream tilted his head. 

"Ohhhh, I don't know for nearly killing you with poison, with keeping my identity secret from you even after we were dating, and for…. This mess." She gestured to herself.

He paused for a long minute. Then he started laughing. “heheheheh! i don’t see a mess, i see a pretty little blackbird!” His smile was genuine as he calmed himself. “as for the poisoning, i forgave you for that like forever ago, even before i knew it was you. as for your secret… i get it. and i’m really proud of you for keeping our side of the kingdom safe… even if it’s a bit… unconventional.”

She laughed. "When involving the Black Market, you kind of need to be "unconventional" or else they won't take you seriously. That reminds me I still have to release my prisoner from the basement…" she muttered the last part.

He chuckled. “i guess i wouldn’t know. never dealt in the black market..” He gave her a hug. “so other than criminal activities and pregnancy, how are you feeling? no dizziness or any of that?” 

She chuckled. "No, I feel fine. But I still have to give that information to your brother."

“oh yeah! he’s in his room with his mate right now.” Dream replied. “when someone comes in, i’ll have them get him, but i’d like you to stay in bed just a bit longer to be safe. the poison was fast acting so i’m a bit nervous..” He chuckled wearily. 

"Hmmm, can I just tell you then?" She asked curiously.

“yeah, i’m more or less caught up on events.” Dream nodded, giving her his full attention.

".... Okay. So, what I got is a list of not just one but multiple funders for the mob. The first one on the list is the ringleader. She's on the Negatives side and a cruel baroness at that. Here." She found her bag next to her, opened it, and grabbed a vanilla envelope. She then handed it to Dream.

Dream flipped through the list, frowning. Some of the names he recognized, while others, like the one at the top, must have been from Nightmare’s side. It kinda pissed him off and made him sad at the same time. He thought they’d been doing a great job, co-ruling Dreamtale. “thank you. i’ll have to show these to nightmare since some of these people are on his side..”

"Yes. And from what I've heard, the Venom Fists are getting stronger because of them. You might have to act fast." Dream nodded in confirmation.

"I'm going to try and sleep again to see if I feel any better later on. Can I have a goodnight kiss~?" She teased.

Dream smiled and leaned in to peck her soft lips.

Meanwhile in Nightmare's room….

Nightmare was still in his passive form, he didn’t want to change back at the moment, he was too worried. So many possibilities ran through his head on what could go wrong. 

Sunny's eyes twitched open and her blue eyes looked back and forth until they landed on Nightmare. She then realized that she was still wearing her gear without her mask.

'Dammit!'

"Nightmare… I can explain---" before she could finish, she was in a bear hug from a passive Nightmare.

“oh sunshine, i’m so glad you’re ok!” Relief flooded him. She was awake, she was alive. That’s all that mattered. 

"Oof!!!" She let out on impact. "Moonpie… I'm… sorry I…" she was about to apologize when Nightmare shushed her with a kiss to the lips and temple.

“oh hush you… if i’m being honest, i’d figured it out when i visited your house a few weeks back. it was just a hunch at the time but… i’m so proud of you, my lil robin hood~” He purred. 

When he purred, his voice tickled her neck as he nuzzled her. She giggled and playfully swatted him on the arm. "I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn't love me anymore… sorry for doubting you." She said with a sweet smile.

“pft- you’re like the only person i ever loved, i’m not letting go that easily.” He grinned at her. “besides, it’s nice to know there’s someone out there watching the kingdom when i can’t.” He booped her nose, feeling oddly playful now. 

She giggled but then felt a harsh cramp in her stomach. She curled up in the fetal position and whined.

“sunshine? Sunny? where does it hurt? should i get dream? or even blue? i know he’s skilled in this sort of thing..” Nightmare was starting to panic a little. 

"I-It's alright… I've been having these with some vomiting these few weeks. It's just a bug. It'll go away…" she said as she tried to prevent herself from hurling.

“a “bug” doesn’t hurt. this is more than a bug, sunshine..” He replied as he fetched a plastic mini trash can and handed it to her, moving her hair out of the way before she could start. 

She vomited and coughed out as she emptied her stomach, again. She looked up at him with desperation. "What do you think it is..?"

He was deep in thought, running through all the human and monster illnesses he knew… until something else came to mind. ‘How many weeks has it been since we made love?’ That was a whole new can of worms as he realized, that it’d be right about this time that the symptoms really started to pick up.. “shit.”

Sunny was a little scared. "W-what is it? Is it bad?" She clutched into the bucket before promptly throwing up again.

“that really depends on you if it’s good or not. it’s not life threatening, if that’s what you mean.” He replied as he started to pace in thought. “how many stars was it again..? am i even ready for the responsibility?” He started to mumble incoherently to himself. 

"Moonpie…? What's wrong?" As she said this Nightmare peeked at her stomach as he felt magic, similar to his, was being emitted just so slightly. It was barely even there.

“it’s too faint for me to tell how many..” His attention abruptly snapped to his mate. “no… nothing is wrong… i… just wasn’t expecting an heir so quickly within our relationship..” 

"A… what…?" Sunny couldn't hear it right and when she comprehended it, she nearly plotzed.

“sunny..?” He stopped pacing and returned to her side. “i know it’s a lot, but the facts do add up and i can faintly feel it’s magic… their magic..?” It brought on a whole new set of incoherent mumbling. 

Sunny finally comprehended his answer. She was pregnant. With how many? She didn't know. But according to her mate, he could sense their magic even in this early stages of pregnancy. Which means they were probably powerful as well.

'Oh Stars and Garters….'

She grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Hun. It's ok. I'm okay…? Now that I know what I'm somewhat working with… I feel like I'm walking on cloud nine! It just means our cooking experiment worked! Little mini Moonpies~" she squealed with delight.

He blushed purple. “o-oh.. well… i’m glad you’re excited! it makes me feel better..” He sighed in relief, smiling. 

Just then Sunny remembered something. "Hey, you said your brother found his mate right?"

“yeah. she’s here too.” He confirmed. 

"Is she… somehow related to Death Bringer? Or was she in the stadium's stands with the people?"

“...” 

‘That’s right… she’s the Death Bringer.. I wonder how Dream is taking that..’

“i’m not entirely sure i’m at liberty to say.” ‘That should tell her enough without actually telling the secret.’

".... well if she IS related to them somehow… DB told me something during halftime that should be told. Something important… I do as well…"

“i’m all ears, sunshine.” He waited patiently for the information.

"Not only did they say that they know about who's funding the mob. But they found their mate and well… if it's like how you and me started out… then did Dream's mate have protection methods. I'm not too worried about DB, but Dream's mate… wouldn't she be in the same position as me if not more since they got together before we did?"

“...” 

Night hadn’t thought of that and he wasn’t sure how to feel now that he was aware of it. 

"... Well either way. I also have information that… you know that "Baroness" that I hate?"

He nodded wordlessly, giving her his attention once more. 

"...well now I found out that she's "broadening her horizons" and giving slaves in children to her "associates" and is starting a drug cartel with some funders at her side." She said with bitter hate in her tone. The magic from her stomach seemed to leak through, trying to reach for her soul. Trying to reach and comfort their mother from distress.

Nightmare growled, but hugged her all the same. He could redirect his rage later but, “even the baby(s) are trying to comfort you. we will take care of that bitch baroness and the mafia.”

She nuzzled into his bony neck and placed little kisses and nips. "I love you. You know that…?" She said as she purred out in a croaked out voice.

“i love you too, my sunshine..” He hugged her even closer, resting his chin on top of her head. 

As the minutes stretched on, Nightmare relaxed, until….

“boss- oh! uh…” Dust stood there awkwardly. 

Sunny looked at him and held a patient smile. "Nightmare… one of your boys is here. It sounds like he has something important for you."

He’d hoped that if they just sat in silence, he would go away and they could cuddle more. Alas, this was not the case. “continue dust.”

“...” 

“She looks like someone from the positives side..” He pointed out.

“she was mixed up in the registration, what were you going to say?”

“she really isn’t goth or emo? i’m shook.”

“dust. watch what you say or i’ll torture you in your dreams for the next week.” Nightmare warned.

“uh… we, uh, heh… got some of the mafia to talk..” Dust replied fearfully. 

She giggled at his response. "It's nice to meet you too." She laughed at how her passive looking skeleton was starting to become her gooptipus again. 

“... i’m dust. it’s nice to meet you, mistress?” He questioned with uncertainty. 

Nightmare’s reformed tentacles joined in the hug. He figured she might as well acquaint herself with the boys, seeing as one day, she’d be their queen. 

"It's good to meet you. My name is Sunny Auroris. You might also know me as a certain thief friend of yours that outsmarted Error~" she giggled.

.......