Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"Never," he swears. "I just want you to be safe and happy."

[Bethany]

Bethany sobs a little, rocking back and forth as she presses against her twin, finally letting herself come undone at the unexpected and life-changing news. After a few minutes, she finally runs dry and quiets.

[Varric]

During all this, Varric shifted so he's on the sofa as well, using the free space Bethany being half on top of Carver provided. Silently, he offers his youngest a handkerchief, which she gratefully takes. "Better?" he asks softly, getting a tired nod in answer.

[Carver Amell]

"La'a, m'win," he murmurs. "You'll always be my favorite twin, no matter what."

[Bethany]

"Thank you. Both of you," she says after some more sniffling and wiping her face a little. She doesn't budge from her spot in Carver's lap however. "Sorry about... I guess it's just... really sinking in. I'm... pregnant," she says, voice a bit stunned. "I... I want to be a mother, I just..." She frets at her lip.

[Carver Amell]

"You'll make a really good one. Oh! do you have to quit healing? To make sure? Of things?" he asks, waving a hand vaguely. 

[Bethany]

Bethany smiles faintly. "Not for months yet, when I get much, much bigger," she says lightly. "I cast a disease removal spell on myself every week like clockwork, so that's not really an issue, though I'll start screening my patients just in case. And I'll be double extra good about not going anywhere without Silence, promise." This... this is good. It's... good, that he's trying to help, that he cares. It... it's exactly what I needed.

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods. "Did you... you talked to Don already?" 

[Bethany]

Bethany winces. "...yeah. I... I messed up," she says, her voice going fragile again.

[Varric]

"Messed up how?" Varric asks gently, resuming his back rubbing.

[Bethany]

"I..." Simplify it. "I took a risk with my birth control and the odds caught me out," she whispers. "I- we haven't- we've talked about kids but not... not as a... now thing. Or even a soon thing. I was going to talk to him before his next heat, when I'd be twenty."

[Carver Amell]

"Oh," says Carver, his voice real small. Gods. I can't imagine what it'd be like to-- gods.

"Well," he says, trying to reach for the bright side. "We've a wedding to plan, at least. That'll be fun."

[Bethany]

"What? Who- wait, no, I'm not..."

[Carver Amell]

"Wait, you, he won't marry you?" asks Carver, stricken. 

[Bethany]

"I'm not going to ask," Bethany says firmly. "Catfok don't marry and..." She bites her lip. "I... I kind of..."