Beast couldn't help but smile as he looked at the calendar. In all honesty, had he been a younger man (or even Chip), he'd probably be bouncing up and down on his heels but he didn't care.
This was the day when Lady Persephone would be returning to the Isle, when Ben would be returning to the Isle.
Yes it wasn't something a normal parent would be happy about and in all honesty, Beast wished for nothing more than for Ben to be able to never step foot on the Isle again so that he could be as far away from Gaston as possible. But he was still human, and he still missed his son.
"Papa!" Ben's voice broke into Beast's thoughts and Beast made his way to the portal room where his son, Lady Persephone, and Mal were. Oh and her Cerberus.
Or rather the room where Lord Hades was trying to gently shoo Mal and Ben out of the way as he tried to guide his very pregnant and visibly in labor wife to be anywhere other than a standing position.
"Hey Ben, Mal, why don't you two get Estelle set back up in his bed?" Beast suggested and Estelle perked up. "I think Lord Hades and Lady Persephone would like a bit of private time?"
"Are...are you sure papa?" Ben asked as Beast gently ushered them out of the room. If Beast was mistaken, he might have seen a thankful look on Hades' face. Or maybe it was just a trick of the light. Either way, Beast knew from his experience with Belle's labor with Abby, it was better to not have young children underfoot.
Gods I wish Chip was here, he's always so much better at corralling young kids, Beast thought.
"I'm sure Ben," Beast nodded before an idea came to him. "Hey, how about we play a game?"
"What kind of game?" Ben asked.
"It's called the 'Get Anastasia Tremaine' game," Beast said. Ever since the hospital's construction had been completed, Anastasia Tremaine had shocked everyone by becoming an intern to the OBGYN assigned to the hospital. It had especially shocked her mother who had assumed that, with the arrival of the hospital, she and her daughters could resume dedicating their time and efforts to the hair salon if that was all they were going to accomplish in life.
The argument that had occurred after she said that was one people on the Isle were still talking about.
"Mother I like it! I like being able to make a difference!" Anastasia Tremaine exclaimed as Beast walked past Curl Up and Dye. He knew it was out of character for the two upper crust women to argue out in the streets but apparently there was no helping it this day.
"Anastasia, enough with this foolishness," Lady Tremaine ordered. "Now I may not care for it but at least the hair salon is a respectable career. The only reason we even became midwives in the first place—."
"Was to give myself and Drizella the chance to get off the Isle should they release us," Anastasia finished and Beast knew Anastasia would have rolled her eyes had they not been in public. "I know mother. But I also know you can't dictate my life anymore. You lost that ability when I married my husband."
"Oh yes, the baker," Lady Tremaine sniffed. "And how often is he here? Once, maybe twice a year? Honestly Anastasia, had you tried for a proper match with a man of your station—."
"I married for love! Like you did! Twice if I recall," Anastasia shot back. "Or are you saying you only married Richard for his status and that you merely lucked out that he treated me and Drizella like his own daughters? You honestly think with all your talk of wanting to elevate Drizella and my standing that you would have risked marrying a man who would have treated us cruelly? That you would have married a man who, if Gods forbid something had happened to you, would have treated us the same way you treated Cinderella?"
Beast had to admit, he shouldn't have stayed to overhear the conversation but it was almost like observing a car crash. He couldn't look away.
"Anastasia!" Lady Tremaine snapped. "You are making a spectacle of yourself!"
"No mother, I am making a spectacle of you," Anastasia said. "And I thought you would be proud that I was doing something to elevate my status here, that I was doing something more than merely being a lowly shop keeper. Wasn't that your argument against my marrying Jacob in the first place?!"
I am going to be so late for work, Beast thought and yet his feet still did not move. He finally understood why Chip always seemed eager to dish gossip from his school with him back when Beast lived in Auradon.
Though in all fairness to the former teacup, two of the three members of Queen Ella's step family arguing in public for all the Isle to see was a smidge more interesting than whatever teenage shenanigans were happening.
"Anastasia that's enough! You're drawing a crowd," Lady Tremaine said, pulling Beast out of his thoughts as he could see her looking at him.
"So? I fail to see why that would matter mother unless you'd rather not have the Isle know you were denying them even more help! Not to mention denying them being treated by one of their own as opposed to being looked down upon by whatever Boreadon doctor decided to grace us with their presence!"
Beast shook his head and made his way into the restaurant. He had a feeling that the argument would last a while longer however he couldn't keep standing there. Lord Hades would only be so understanding after all.
"You're late," Hades said as Beast walked in.
"Yes Lord Hades," Beast nodded. He knew it wouldn't due to argue or make an excuse, not when Hades could have kicked him out onto the streets.
"...Have they started slapping each other yet?"
"Not yet Lord Hades."
Hades sighed. "Shame, I always wait for the day where Anastasia will finally slap Tremaine across the face. Though Anastasia does have her daughter and son to think about so maybe that's why she doesn't."
Shaking his head, Hades looked at Beast. "You're to watch and let me know if it does turn violent. No sense in all of us staying here if the Tremaine women scare off our customers."
"...Yes Lord Hades," Beast nodded. Was he shocked? Of course. Was he going to argue against watching to see if Lady Tremaine finally got slapped? Not on your life!
Beast shook his head and dragged himself out of his thoughts as he realized his son was still staring at him and Mal was glaring him down.
"Are you done? Mom needs help!" Mal snapped, never realizing that she'd called Persephone 'mom' for the first time. Of course, Beast knew by this point that if he'd pointed that out, Mal's walls would go back up and they were wasting time.
"Of course, sorry I got lost in thought," Beast said. "You two go to the hospital and scream as loud as you can to get someone's attention."
"But papa...you said to never scream in a hospital unless you're bleeding," Ben said, tilting his head.
"This is different," Beast said. "The sooner you two get someone's attention, and hopefully you get Anastasia Tremaine's attention but anyone will do, then the sooner Mal's brother or sister can arrive and Lady Persephone can get something for the pain."
"...Did...did I make Maman feel like that?" Ben asked as a scream could be heard from Lady Persephone's room. "I...I know Abby did but did I do it too?"
"We can talk about that later Ben, for right now I need you to go and play that game," Beast said. "Get Harry and Uma too if you'd like."
"Okay!" Ben nodded and grabbed Mal's arm to take her out of the Underworld before Mal had the chance to run to Hades' and Persephone's room.
Beast shook his head and listened for the sound of the door to the Underworld closing. Once he was positive the door was shut and both kids were out of earshot, the former king walked to the door of Hades' and Persephone's room and lightly knocked on it.
"Is there anything I can grab for you?" Beast asked, keeping the door shut. He knew from Belle's time giving birth to both Ben and Abby that it could be a rather private experience and the last thing he wanted was to make a pregnant woman feel uncomfortable. Especially a pregnant Goddess who's husband was still doing a huge favor in protecting both Beast and Ben.
"A midwife," Hades said. "And you can open the door Beast, no sense in us shouting at each other through a closed door."
"I wanted to make sure the kids weren't in ear shot," Beast said as he opened. "Plus...Belle gave birth twice and said it was probably some of the only times since we married that she lacked any privacy. The last thing I wanted was to do the same to Lady Persephone."
"...Appreciated your highness..." Persephone groaned with a contraction. "But Hades...is right...a midwife—."
"Ben and Mal are out grabbing Anastasia Tremaine," Beast told her. "I have no doubt that they'll be joined by young Uma and Harry as well so they'll be reasonably safe."
"Plus the hospital's in our territory," Hades told his wife. "So it's not as if Mal runs the risk of running into Gaston."
"What if...she does though?"
"Then I get to kill him if he hurts her," Hades said simply. "Yes it'll mean I have to deal with his soul for the rest of my life but it's a small price to pay if it means I finally get to remove him from this world."
Persephone gave Hades a small smile. "Hades...the LeGume girls need him..."
"He does squat for them!" Hades said, shaking his head before sighing. "Beast, instead of standing in the doorway, can you grab another blanket for Persephone? It's not as if she can change out of the wet clothes she's in and the last thing I want is for her to be uncomfortable."
"Grab the...blanket on the sofa..." Persephone told Beast who looked a little confused as to where he could find a blanket. To be fair to the former royal, it wasn't as if the Underworld was stocked with linen closets.
"Oh! Right," Beast nodded and scurried off, causing Hades to shake his head.
"Honestly..."
"Be...nice Hades," Persephone told him before leaning back in relief. "Ah...that contraction's over. I think I'll have a bit of relief until the next one."
"And hopefully Anastasia will be here by then," Hades said before bending down and kissing Persephone on the forehead. "And you're sure you don't know the gender?"
"Hades I told you. If you weren't there to learn with me, then I didn't want to know," Persephone said with a kind smile. "Better we learn together than you miss out on one of the milestones of the pregnancy."
Hades sighed. "I'm just...worried that Mal might think..."
"But we...ooh...we talked to her about that remember?" Persephone said. "And Mal came with me to all of my appointments. The Baymax robot even explained to her that there was a 50-50 chance that the baby could be a boy, at one point she'd apparently gotten it into her head that we'd be having another girl."
"Why?"
"Apparently the fact that Prince Ben has a sister and Harry and Uma both have sisters as well made Mal think she'd be having a sister."
"...She does know I have two brothers right? I may not talk to Zeus at all but he's still my brother as unfortunate that is."
"We did...ooh...discuss that," Persephone nodded as Beast came in with the blanket and Anastasia Tremaine.
"Where're the kids?" Hades asked.
"Ben's got Mal in the den, they're working on another French lesson," Beast told him. "Mal wanted to camp out outside the door but I told her it wouldn't be safe for her or for Estelle to be there."
"Smart," Hades nodded. Plus then Mal won't have to hear Persephone scream in pain, I doubt Anastasia has any pain medication that would work for a Goddess.
"As wonderful as this conversation is, I'd appreciate it if someone could move so I could better assist Lady Persephone," Anastasia said and Beast flushed slightly as he realized she was talking about him.
"Apologies," he said as he moved and Anastasia sat down in front of Persephone. "I'm going to go and check on the kids."
"Good idea," Hades nodded as Persephone took his hand. "And close the door would you?"
Beast nodded and made sure the door shut behind him, waiting to hear the click of the sound of the doorknob in the little doorknob hole thing. What? He honestly didn't know what it was called.
"You know, at least he takes direction well," Hades said as he turned back to Persephone. "Now then, what can I get you? Water? Ice? Pillow to throw at me?"
Persephone let out a weak chuckle. "Just stay here please."
"That is never a problem," Hades said, keeping his hand in hers.
"Okay Lady Persephone, I'm going to need you to push as hard as you can, okay?" Anastasia said, looking up at Persephone. "I know this is hard, I've done it myself twice, and I have to commend you for having to do it without the pain relief the hospital has available—."
"Anastasia...with all due respect...help me give birth now, commend later!"
"Oh right, right!" Anastasia nodded. "Okay now and push!"
Hades gently kissed Persephone's hand as he heard his wife let out some of the loudest screams he'd ever heard from her.
"Mal don't!" Hades heard Ben call from the hallway.
"No! I don't care about French right now Benny! The baby is hurting my mom and I need to tell him or her to cut it out unless they'd rather go and live with Maleficent instead!"
"It's normal though! Abby did the same thing with maman!"
"...She did?"
"Uh huh! And Chip's brothers and sister say Chip did the same thing to his maman! All babies do it!"
"Should we tell her she just called you 'mom'?" Hades whispered to Persephone.
"Let's focus...on getting our...child...into the world Hades!"
"Right, right," Hades nodded and time seemed to stand still as he watched his wife continue to push and push. Honestly he didn't even notice the pain in his hand, as long as he was doing something to help Persephone.
"Okay Lady Persephone, one more big push...and congratulations Lady Persephone, Lord Hades," Anastasia said as she held their child in her arms. "You have a healthy baby boy."
"Oh wonderful..." Persephone said with a weak smile as Hades brushed some hair out of her face. "Can I hold him?"
"Of course, let me just get him cleaned off," Anastasia nodded and got up to get a towel. As she did so, everyone was startled by Mal rushing into the room.
"Mal? What's wrong?" Hades asked.
"I...Steph wasn't screaming anymore...I thought...she'd gone to be with Harry's mom..." Mal said softly; her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she realized that since Persephone was a Goddess, that couldn't happen.
But Hades didn't belittle her, didn't laugh at how wrong she was. All he did was give her a gentle smile and shake his head.
"Steph wasn't screaming anymore because the baby's here," he said. "Do you want to sit next to her and see your brother?"
"I...I can?"
"Would I be offering if you couldn't?" Hades asked. "Come on, I'll give you a boost."
Mal smiled and a small giggle slipped out of her lips as Hades almost threw her onto the bed, landing her right next to Persephone.
"Here you are, Lady Persephone," Anastasia said. "One perfectly healthy baby boy."
"Thank you Anastasia," Persephone said as Anastasia gently placed the bundle in her arms. "Well Mal, what do you think about your brother?"
"...He's kinda small...how's he supposed to survive the Isle?" Mal asked.
Persephone couldn't help but give Mal a kind smile. "Well that's what he has your father and I for. And hopefully, once he's a bit older, you wouldn't mind looking out for him?"
Mal shook her head. "Uma said a big sister's supposed to look out for her sister...or in this case her brother. But um...what's his name? I can't just go around calling out 'baby' if I'm looking for him."
"His name...his name is Hadie," Persephone said. "After his kind and selfless father."
"Careful Steph, you'll ruin my rep around the kids," Hades told her.
"She already told me about the whole 'naming your Cerberus Spot' thing," Mal said.
"...Steph!"
Persephone couldn't help but smile as she heard Mal's giggles, as did Ben as he stood in the doorway with his father. Ben had known that Mal had been worried about Lady Steph changing after the baby was born and he was happy that wasn't the case.
Plus now Abby could have a friend when she started to come to the Isle!