Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As she stood in the private hospital room, holding her newborn baby boy, Regina fought back tears, trying to understand how everything had gone so wrong so quickly.

Janis had started having contractions, so they had gotten to the hospital with time to spare, and everything with the birth was progressing perfectly. And then, their son came into the world screaming, and Janis collapsed. Regina just stood there as the doctor started barking orders and before she could even process the fact that her wife was bleeding, they had rushed her off to surgery. 

A pediatrician had done all of the check-ups  for Mateo, and then the nurse handed him to Regina, swaddled tightly.

Even though he was less than an hour old, Regina could tell he was an exact copy of Janis, from his big doe-like eyes to the shape of his tiny nose. She traced a thumb over his cheek lightly, and he scrunched his face a little, eliciting a stilted chuckle from the blonde.

“Everything’s gonna be okay, right?” She spoke almost silently “Yeah, your Mommy is the strongest person I know. She’s gonna be okay.”

She shifted him slightly in her arms, feeling a surge of love and devotion she had never felt before.

"We love you so much baby boy,” She murmured “I promise you’ll never have to doubt that.”

A couple of moments later a knock sounded, and Regina’s heart lurched, until she looked up and saw Janis’ parents – Kalea and Noa standing there, worry marring their expressions.

“Regina,” Kalea spoke as they stepped inside the room “what is happening?”

“I- I don’t know.” She responded, her voice cracking as she tried not to cry. “She gave birth and then she collapsed. They took her to surgery.”

“Is he okay?” Noa inquired, both of them moving to each side of Regina to get a better look at their grandson. All Regina could think was that that moment wasn't supppsed to go like that. It was supposed to be a joyful moment. Janis was supposed to be the first person to hold him, to be there when her parents held him for the first time. Janis was supposed to be there when they told them that his name was Mateo Kai ‘Imi’ike-George. 

“Yeah, he passed all his tests with flying colors.” She nodded, smiling slightly. As worried as she was for her wife, she was so unbelievably relieved that their son was alright.

“It’s going to be okay.” Kalea assured the younger woman, rubbing a comforting hand over her back.

“Do you want to hold him?” Regina asked her, and she nodded earnestly. Regina transferred him to his grandmother’s arms with all the care of a first-time parent, and he didn’t seem to mind the minor jostling.

“Well, aren’t you beautiful.” The older woman remarked, tearing up a little as her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing the newborn’s left foot lightly. 

“He looks just like Janis.” Regina offered a little breathlessly, and both of them nodded in agreement. 

Over the next three hours Regina tried her best to be patient and understanding with the hospital staff, even as none of them managed to give her an actual answer about Janis. A pediatric nurse brought a bottle of formula and Regina got a crash course in feeding and burping a newborn, though her mother-in-law was right by her side, keeping her calm.

It was at the start of the fourth hour since they had rushed Janis off to surgery without any news about her condition that the blonde had had enough. Their son was asleep in the bassinet, and both his grandparents were in the room, so Regina decided it was the perfect moment to stalk over to the nurse’s station. “What is happening with my wife?” She demanded before the nurse could even register her presence. 

“Ms. George, I really don’t have any information. The doctor should be out to update you soon.” She said, sounding borderline annoyed.

“Yeah, you said that three times already.” The blonde countered “It has been four fucking hours and none of you can tell me anything about my wife’s condition. The doctor is nowhere to be found.”

“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do-“

“I’ll tell you what you’re going to do.” Regina lowered her voice, leaning in closer, a menacing look in her eyes “You’re going to track down the person that does have information about my wife’s condition, and then you’re both going to come and update me.” The nurse opened her mouth to respond, but Regina didn’t let her. “I’m gonna go back to my son now.” She stated, tone scarily even “If I don’t get an update within 15 minutes, I’m going to use my considerable wealth and power to make sure that every single hospital employee involved is either suspended or fired. Am I clear?”

The nurse gave her a nod, and Regina turned on her heel, walking back to the hospital room, where her in-laws were waiting for her, somewhat confused.

“We should get an update in a few minutes.”

One of the surgery residents showed up 10 minutes later, looking very apologetic, trailed by the annoyed nurse. She explained that a part of the placenta had remained in the uterus, which caused the bleeding, but that the OBGYN had gotten a handle on it, even though Janis had lost a lot of blood. According to the young doctor, the surgery was going to be done within 30 minutes.  

It took them about hour and a half after that conversation to wheel Janis back into the private hospital room. She looked pale, and she was hooked up to an IV and a heart-rate monitor, but she was alive and breathing on her own.

“We’re going to keep a close eye on her through the night.” The doctor explained, as Regina did her best to stay strong “She lost a lot of blood, but we managed to stabilize her. She should be alright now.” 

Janis’ parents were allowed to stay until the end of visiting hours, after which they headed back to the apartment, while Regina tried to make herself comfortable in the hospital room. She fed Mateo again, and even changed his diaper with only a moderate amount of struggling, but once he was asleep, she was left to her own thoughts. Instead of taking the comfortable-looking couch in the corner on the room, Regina settled in the armchair by Janis’ bedside, taking the brunette’s hand in her own.

“I need you to be okay, baby.” She whispered, letting the tears she’d been holding back the whole day finally fall “Mateo is here and he is so perfect, but we need you. I can't live without you. So, you have to be okay.”

She had no idea how long she sat there, just watching Janis’ chest rise and fall, trying to convince herself that she was okay, that she wasn’t going anywhere. Mateo did wake up about two hours later, but he went back to sleep almost as soon as he was in her arms. She held him for about half an hour, until she was sure he was fast asleep, and then she put him back in the bassinet.  She must have dozed off well after midnight, which was why she was disoriented when she felt someone brushing her hair out of her face.

“’Gina?” Janis’ unmistakable, albeit a little weak, voice pulled her from her dream state as she sat up instantly.

“Hey, you’re awake.” She smiled, giving the artist’s hand a squeeze.

“What happened?” Janis asked, her eyes widening in panic “Is Mateo-“

“Mateo is perfect.” Regina cut in, not letting her freak out “He’s asleep. You had massive bleeding, so they rushed you to surgery to stop it.”

“Oh,” She exhaled shakily “am I okay now?”

“Yeah. They’re monitoring you, but everything looks good.” The blonde nodded, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand “Ooh, you scared me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Regina just shook her head “You are okay. That’s all I care about.”

“I wanna see him, ‘Gina.” She murmured, barely keeping her eyes open. She was on a lot of painkillers and she was dealing with massive blood loss, but Regina obliged anyway.

She picked Mateo up carefully and walked to Janis’ bedside so that she could get a good look at him.

“He’s beautiful.” She whispered, and then she fell asleep moments after, a blissful smile on her face.  

The doctors decided to keep Janis for another 24 hours to monitor her condition, but by the time she was allowed to leave the hospital, she was almost back to her old self. Almost because she still had very little energy and she couldn’t do anything strenuous, not even hold Mateo for extended periods.  

The first couple of days after they got home from the hospital were full of joy, but they were also really overwhelming. On top of trying to figure out life with a newborn, they were trying to manage the fact that Janis was still essentially on bed rest. She was allowed to get up and walk around for a bit, but she lost energy quickly. Being confined to the bed was starting to get to her and Regina knew it. That was why she wasn't surprised to find her with tears streaming down her face as Mateo lay in his bassinet. He was awake and gurgling to himself.

"Hey, hey," She rushed to Janis' side "what's wrong? Are you in pain?" 

"I can't hold my baby for more than a minute, Regina!" She sobbed, but allowed the blonde to pull her into a hug. Ordinarily she wasn't a very emotional person, but the pregnancy hormones combined with her exhaustion were getting to her.

"I have an idea." Regina stated, pressing a quick kiss to her head before rushing to the living room where Janis' parents were.  They had come a couple of days before Mateo was born to help them out, and Regina was grateful for their steady but unobtrusive presence after everything that happened.

“Kalea, can you come with me for a second?" She asked Janis' mom and the woman moved before she was finished speaking.

"What's going on?"

"I want to do something for Janis, but I need your help." Regina said vaguely.

"'Gina, what are you doing?" Janis frowned in question as the two women entered the bedroom and Regina went to pick Mateo up. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, before handing him to his grandmother.

"Just hold him for a second." She told her mother-in-law.

"Can you sit up and lean forward, just for a moment?" She turned to Janis, and though the brunette looked confused she complied. Regina worked quickly to remove the pillows that Janis had been leaning on, and before either of the women could ask her about her plans, she settled against the headboard, Janis between her legs, her back flush against Regina’s chest. 

“Kalea, can you hand Mateo to Janis?" She requested and the older woman was already smiling, having caught on.

"Baby, what are you-" 

"Just trust me." She murmured soothingly "Take Mateo and lean on me." 

As soon as he was in Janis' arms, Regina slipped her arms around her waist, supporting Mateo's weight so that Janis didn't have to strain herself.

"See, now you can hold him for as long as you want."

Janis’ mom had left the room without either of them noticing, letting the small family be. 

"He's so beautiful." The artist whispered, tracing his cheek with her thumb gently.

"The most beautiful." Regina responded, resting her jaw against Janis' shoulder as they both gazed at their baby boy.

"Thank you," Janis said eventually.

“It’s nothing.” Regina waved her gratitude off because she really didn’t consider it a big deal. She was actually kicking herself for not thinking of it sooner. 

“Not just for this.” The brunette responded “You’ve been our rock since he was born.” 

"I've got you," She pressed her lips to the Janis' temple "both of you."

They sat like that for a long time, enjoying the tranquility of the moment, basking in the joy that was their newborn.

“Damian and Cady started bugging me about when they can visit.” Janis shared quietly, and Regina did her best to suppress a laugh, not wanting to startle Mateo. 

“Same with Gretchen and Karen,” She offered “and my mom and Kylie too.”

They had shared a picture of Mateo on their private social media accounts in which he held on to Janis and Regina’s index fingers with each of his tiny little fists. The image didn’t show his face, but they used it to share the news with the description: Welcome, Mateo Kai ‘Imi’ike-George 💖.

The congratulations poured in from the moment the picture was posted, and so did the demands for visits. Regina almost felt bad for keeping everyone at bay, but the fact of the matter was that Janis simply wasn’t in a state to deal with guests, no matter how much she loved them. 

Even her own parents were leaving the next day, and Regina was as nervous about that as she was excited. She and Janis had a pretty good handle of the whole newborn thing, but it was nice to have someone with so much experience around.

“I mean, I guess we can have them over…” Janis trailed off, offering almost reluctantly.

“Absolutely not.” The blonde stated firmly. It was up to her to protect her family’s peace and wellbeing, even from close friends and family “You went through something very traumatic and you need time to heal. They get daily pictures of him. That’s enough.”

“That’s not fair.” Janis groaned, but Regina heard a trace of playfulness in her tone.

“What?”

“You know how hot and bothered I get when you are all bossy and protective, and I can’t do anything about it.” She complained, and the blonde couldn’t hold back a laugh that time. 

“Well, I’ll keep it in mind for when the doctor clears you.” The designer countered through her laughter.

“You better.” She said "And speaking of bossy and protective, my dad said you went all Apex Predator on the hospital staff. Actually he described as 'raining hellfire on them'. He was very proud."  

"It was threatening to rain hellfire on them, at most." She corrected, unable to suppress the urge to explain what had happened "You were in surgery for hours and nobody would tell me what was happening."  

"It's okay, baby, I probably would've been worse if the roles were reversed." Janis assured her, shifting to nuzzle her face against Regina's neck for a moment. 

"I don't like being that person," Regina continued quietly "it doesn't make me feel good when I treat people like that."  

"'Gina, I know." She reiterated "And I don't think it ever made you feel good. I think you just used to do it because you were scared and in pain and you didn't know how to deal with it. Now you do it only when people deserve it."      

In the month since Mateo was born, Janis had practically gotten back to her old self and their baby boy was thriving, but Regina still couldn't relax. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.  She knew the fact that she barely sleeping wasn't helping her at all, but she had been the newborn's primary caregiver, since Janis couldn't, and even when she wasn't getting up with Mateo she couldn't stay asleep for long.  

That's how she found herself curled up in an armchair in the living room, staring out the window at the city skyline at 3 a.m.   She kept replaying the images of Janis collapsing and bleeding out in her mind and it was driving her insane.  

"'Gina?" Janis startled her out of her perpetual anxiety spiral. She looked half asleep as she moved closer "Why are you up?"  

"Just couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake you up." She shrugged, hoping she was coming off as nonchalant. The last thing she wanted was to bother Janis with her own internal chaos. 

"Baby, what's going on?" She asked, making herself comfortable on her wife's lap. Regina instinctively shifted to slip her arms around her waist. "And don't say 'Nothing' because I know you haven't been sleeping well. Not just tonight."  

"I don't know," She murmured, feeling her resolve weaken by the moment "my mind's in overdrive and I can't get it to stop."  

"How long have you been feeling this way?" She asked, tucking a strand of hair behind Regina's ear. 

"Since you got home from the hospital." Regina looked away because she didn't want to see the pained look in Janis' eyes. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"Because you were healing- you are healing." She stated assuredly "I'm not gonna burden you with my bullshit brain." 

"'Gina, come on," Janis admonished lightly, cupping her cheek so that she could get Regina to look her in the eyes "we work so well together because we are completely honest with each other. We know better than anyone how badly secrets hurt." 

"I know," She conceded, pressing her lips and letting them linger against Janis' shoulder as a silent apology "I'm just so scared something's going to happen to you. I lie awake at night watching you breathe because I can't get that image out of my head."  

"I'm sorry, baby," Janis murmured "that must've been terrifying for you, I should've realized sooner."  Regina shook her head immediately

"You went through the trauma, I just sat there and held Mateo." 

"Physically, maybe." Janis acquiesced "But, I don't remember anything after I gave birth. You were conscious for all of it; the collapsing, the bleeding, the hours of surgery."  

"I can't lose you." She whispered, a couple of tears escaping down her cheeks.  

"I'm not going anywhere." The brunette responded in kind, making a quiet promise in the dark.   They sat there for a few minutes, just holding each other, and Regina felt her heart rate slow, the exhaustion setting in. 

"Why don't we go back to bed?" Janis suggested after a while "Everything is easier when you actually get some sleep."  

Regina followed her to bed without a word, though they did stop to check on Mateo first.  When they settled in bed,  Janis lay on her back, while Regina's head rested against the brunette's chest. It wasn't their usual sleeping position, but she found herself relaxing at the sound of Janis' steady heartbeat.  

"Everything is okay." Janis murmured, kissing the top of the blonde's head "Let yourself relax."     

Regina did start feeling better once she started sleeping for more than 30 minutes at a time, but when her assisstant asked her about getting back to work, she postponed the decision for yet another week. 

Originally she was supposed to go back to work with reduced hours a month after Janis gave birth. But, then the complications happened and the old plan went out of the window.  

A month and a half had already passed and Regina was nowhere near ready to go back.  She knew she wasn't flying under Janis' radar with the delaying, so she wasn't surprised when Janis brought it up that afternoon, after she fed and put Mateo down for a nap.  "Weren't you supposed to be back at work by now?"  

"Yeah, but the situation changed." She motioned towards Janis, not having to explain. 

"True, but I'm okay and Mateo is okay," She countered "and you still haven't brought up going back to work."  

When Regina didn't say anything, Janis decided to press on. "I know you love your job," She said and she wasn't wrong. Regina George absolutely adored what she did for a living "so, why are you avoiding it?"  

"I'm worried." She finally answered honestly. 

"Baby, I'm fine. Like 3 different doctors told us I'm fine." Janis told her, mildly exasperated. 

"It's not just you," Regina spoke, grimacing slightly "I mean, you are definitely the main reason, but you aren't the only one."  

"What do you mean?"  

"I don't want to end up like my father." She heaved out a sigh, earning herself a beffuddled look. 

"Huh?"  

"My dad. Aside from the cheating, emotional abuse, and general shittiness, my father was an absent parent." Regina explained "He absolutely loved his job, and because of that he was never there. For anything. I don't want to be like that."  

"You could never be like him." Janis stated with all the certainty in the world.  

"You can't know that for sure," The blonde countered "maybe he was a good father until he let his ambition consume him."  

"You're right, I can't know that." Janis conceded, and before Regina could ask what she was doing, the artist had grabbed her phone and was calling someone – the call put on speakerphone. 

"Janis, sweetheart!" June George answered on the second ring "How are you doing? How is Mateo?"  

"I'm great, June." She responded with a small smile as Regina looked on in confusion "Mateo is absolutely perfect." 

"And my beautiful daughter?" The older woman asked, a knowing tone to her voice. 

"That's kind of what I'm calling about. I have a weird question about Regina's dad." She explained hesitantly. 

"Hit me with it," June replied instantly "you know I'm an open book."  

"Did your ex husband ever change diapers?" She asked and June laughed on the other end. 

"God, no. He said he didn't give birth to them, so it wasn't his job." She said, and Janis shot her wife a pointed look. 

"And did he ever get up in the middle of the night for feedings or diaper changes?"  

"Nope," She responded easily "he claimed he had a real job he had to be rested for. And again, that the baby wasn't his responsibility. That goes for Regina and Kylie." 

"What about doctor check ups, did he go to those?" The artist prodded some more, even though Regina had already caught her point.  

"Honey, to tell you the truth, I don't think he knew how old they were most of the time." June shared with a deep sigh. 

"Alright, thank you." She told her mother-in-law "I think that answers my question."  

"Let me guess, Regina is worried she's gonna be like him?" June questioned and Regina's eyes widened. Her mom knew her better than she gave her credit for. 

"Something like that."  

"Tell her to stop worrying," She asserted "she loves you and that perfect little boy of yours more than my ex loved anything in his miserable life."  

"Will do." Janis couldn't stop the laugh at June's flippant attitude. 

"And Janis?" She spoke again. 

"Yeah?" 

"Tell her she is more of a parent to Kylie than their dad ever was to either of them." She added, and promptly hung up, leaving her daughter stunned, staring at the phone.  Janis took her hand, drawing her attention

"He was never a good partner or a good dad," She reaffirmed June's point "you are already both. You've gone above and beyond for me since before we started dating and for Mateo from the moment you knew I was pregnant, not to mention you've been a parental figure to Kylie since you were like 14."  

"I just want to make sure I keep doing that." She offered with a small smile. 

"You will." Janis told her without a shadow of a doubt "And if you don't, I'll call out on it, you know I have no problem doing that."  

That finally got Regina to laugh and relax, the concerned look in her eyes slowly ebbing away.

Chapter Text

The next few months flew by, and soon enough Mateo was turning 6 months old.

Janis was amazed every day by the little tiny human that she loved more than she ever thought possible to love another human being.

She had decided to go the non-American route and stay home with Mateo until he was old enough for kindergarten because she knew it was better for all of them, and because they could afford it.  She did go to her gallery in the city about once a week, and she did paint regularly, but she wasn't back to work.  Regina did go back to running the label, but she made sure she was home for dinner and Mateo's bedtime routine every night. She even refused to go on overnight trips out of the state. 

Watching Regina with Mateo made Janis simultaneously want to cry, jump for joy, and drag her to bed. She was so soft and gentle and patient with him, that Janis often found herself just standing there and watching them. 

It was a Friday in January, and that weekend their high school friend group, with the exception of Aaron, who couldn't make it, would finally come to see Mateo.

Regina wouldn't let anyone near them until Janis was back on her feet, which the artist was very grateful for. Then once Janis healed and June and Kylie, and their NYC friends started visiting regularly, the West Coast group couldn't make it.

To make up for lost time, they would all be staying with them for a week. Space wasn't an issue, since they made sure they had plenty when they designed their house in upstate New York, while Janis was still pregnant.

The house was move-in ready by the time Mateo was two months old, and they absolutely loved ever corner of it.  They both loved the city, but they wanted Mateo to grow up in a calmer environment surrounded by nature. 

At the moment, Janis was packing up their stuff at the end of their Mommy and Me class. At first she scoffed at the idea of those classes, but she gave them a chance and realized she loved them. The friends she made were a nice bonus. 

"Janis, are you joining us for coffee?" One of the women, Shauna, asked, breaking her out of her stupor. 

"Not today," She shook her head "I have plans."  She and Regina made sure to have date nights at least once a week, usually on Fridays, lowkey at home after Mateo went to sleep, or by going out for dinner. When they went out, Kylie – who was studying law at NYU, watched her nephew. 

"Ah, well next time." Shauna shrugged.  Janis made sure Mateo was bundled up well, and then the group of moms and their babies made their way out of the building. 

They had barely stepped outside, when one of the moms, Blake her name was, let out a low whistle. "Damn, who's the blonde bombshell?"

"Yeah, I've never seen her before." Another woman, Tracy, cut in and Janis followed their gaze towards the parking lot where Regina was standing by the passenger side of her Mercedes SUV. She was dressed in a black Armani suit with a red Armani coat she had left unbuttoned, and of course, Louboutin heels on her feet. 

"Okay, I am straight." Shauna said, "but that woman could make me reconsider."  

Janis tried and failed to keep a straight face. If she was being honest, she kind of enjoyed when people fawned over her wife because 1. it was all true and 2. she got to go home with her. 

"Seriously, do you think she's single?" Tracy questioned aloud, and Janis couldn't hold back a laugh that time.  Instead of responding verbally, she just walked over to Regina as she felt her friends' eyes drilling holes in the back of her head.  The blonde seemed unbothered by the staring as she slipped an arm around Janis' waist and pulled her in a kiss, careful not to crush Mateo.

"How was it?"  

"Alright. Little man is crushing his motor skill exercises." She shrugged, handing Mateo off to Regina, whose face lit up as she peppered him with kisses. 

"You are the smartest baby, right? Yeah, you are!" She spoke directly to him and Mateo looked completely enthralled. Janis couldn't stand the cuteness.  

Their little moment was interrupted when Janis' friends approached them.

"So, Janis, are you going to introduce us?"   She held back an eye roll, shooting Regina an exasperated look.

"Sure," She said "'Gina, these are my friends Blake, Shauna, and Tracy. Girls, this is my wife, Regina."  

"Hey." Regina shot them a small smile as both her hands were proccupied by a squirming 6-month-old.  

"Regina..." Shauna hummed, deep in thought "Not Regina George?" 

"Nice to meet you." Regina responded automatically with a semi-real smile. 

"Who-" Tracy tried speaking but Shauna cut her off. She was a writer for a fashion magazine in the city, so Janis understood her excitement. 

"Oh my God, I love your work!" She exclaimed, and the blonde shot Janis an apologetic look, as if Shauna's reaction was Regina's fault "My first solo assignment was your New York Fashion Week debut."  

"Well, then you could've met Janis years before you did." Regina pointed out, and Shauna rounded at the brunette. 

"You were there?!"  

"Yep." 

"Wait, I remember your speech," Shauna gasped "at the end of it, you thanked your friends and family, and-"  

"Janis." Regina supplied "Had to save the best for last." She added smoothly, and Janis could've sworn the three women swooned, not that her own heart rate didn't pick up. 

Even after almost 5 years of a romantic relationship, she still wasn't immune to the way Regina casually doled out compliments. 

Before they could bombard them with any more questions about Regina's career or their relationship, the brunette cut in. She knew Regina was uncomfortable but trying very hard not to he rude.

"Well, we should get going, ladies." She spoke firmly "See you next week." 

They left, albeit reluctantly, but even as they walked away, Janis could tell they were gazing back at them. Regina settled Mateo in his car seat without a fuss, which only she seemed to be able to do, while Janis dropped the diaper bag off in the car trunk. 

Once Mateo was secure in his car seat, Regina shut the door, and then turned to hold the passenger door open for Janis. As she slipped into her seat, Janis saw the three women going back and forth, staring at her, but she just shrugged it off. That was a potential problem for future Janis.

"How was coffee with Kylie?" She asked when Regina took a seat behind the wheel and started the car. 

"It was alright," She shrugged "she's stressing about some exam even though she knows the subject better than the guy who teaches it."  

"Hmm, anxious perfectionism, where have I seen that before?" Janis drawled teasingly, causing the blonde to stick her tongue out. 

They drove in comfortable silence for a while, until Regina decided to bring up the encounter with Janis' Mommy and Me friends.

"Are they going to bother you?" She questioned.  Janis just gave her an unbothered shrug.

"I have thick skin," She responded lightly "and what are they going to bother me about? The fact that my wife is literally perfect? I know that already."

Regina rolled her eyes bemusedly, though a blush did color her cheeks. "Baby, we've talked about this," She countered jokingly "you saying stuff like that isn't healthy for my ego."  

"Eh, I can just challenge you to a game of Scrabble and bring you down to earth." Janis told her with a smirk, and then they both burst out laughing. 

"But, seriously though." She said, sobering up "Most of them keep complaining about partners that barely do anything around the house or with the baby. I know how good I have it."  

"Why would you even get married and have kids if you're not going to be a present partner and parent?" Regina questioned, shaking her head slightly. 

"The fact that you don't understand that tells you everything you need to know." The brunette responded, taking Regina's hand in hers.   

That night, they had a lowkey dinner date at home, because they knew the next week was bound to be chaotic and they wanted some peace and quiet. 

After dinner they snuggled up under a blanket on the sectional in the living room with a glass of wine each. The crackling from the fire in the fireplace and the vinyl Frank Sinatra album Regina had put on filled the silence, and Janis wondered to herself if heaven was anything like that moment. 

"I still can't believe this is my life sometimes." Regina murmured, pressing her lips to Janis' head, as if she had heard her thoughts. 

"What do you mean?"  

"I don't know," She shrugged "for a long time I didn't think I'd actually get to feel this in love, this happy, this peaceful. And I definitely didn't think I deserved it." 

"You deserve every bit of it." Janis told her gently. 

"So do you." The blonde replied "And I'm glad I get to have it with you."  

"Me, too." She shifted to press her lips to Regina's, both of them melting into the kiss. "And I'm definitely glad you wear the outfits that you do."  

"Yeah?" Her smile widened. Janis knew her style was a big point of pride for Regina, and she really meant what she said. 

"Holy shit, 'Gina, that suit you wore today..." She raised her eyebrows, only slighly exaggerating her reaction. 

"Maybe I should start wearing more suits." She smirked in response. 

"You should, not that you are any less hot in dresses, or jeans, or sweatpants." The brunette rattled off, punctuating her point with a kiss "But, you know what look I like the best?"  

Regina just quirked an eyebrow questioningly.  

"When you aren't wearing anything." She leaned in to whisper into Regina's ear, and the goosebumps on the back of her neck were instant. 

Instead of saying anything, she drew Janis into a kiss that made them both forget about the conversation entirely. 

Eventually they moved to their bedroom on the upper floor, half-full glasses of wine discarded on the coffee table.   

The next day, their friends' plane landed before noon, and they insisted that they didn't need to be picked up from the airport, opting to rent a car for the week they were there.  

By the time they got from JFK airport to their house in the Hudson Valley, it was nearly 2 p.m., and Mateo had just woken up from his afternoon nap.

He wasn't exactly cranky when they walked in, but he was always clingy with the person that happened to get him out of his crib, which was Regina that day. 

Janis went to open the door, and found herself smothered in a tight hug. Damian held on to her tightly for a long time and so did she. She was very happy with the way her life turned out, but she missed seeing him, at least on a semi-regular basis. 

Cady, Karen, and Gretchen stepped inside the foyer, patiently waiting for the two best friends to separate. They left their bags on the floor, each of them squeezing Janis tightly and telling her she looked amazing. 

"Janis, this house is even more incredible in person!" Gretchen was the first to comment, looking around in awe. They had all seen numerous pictures and Facetimes of the house since they moved in, but seeing it in person was different.  

"We love it." Janis responded with a smile. 

"Of course we do, we designed it." Regina joined their conversation smoothly, and all 4 guests squealed, moving to her side to get a good look at their honorary nephew. 

"Oh my goodness, he is so cute!" Damian covered his mouth with his hand, gasping a little.  

"Don't touch him until you wash your hands!" Cady warned, and Janis pointed them in the direction of the nearest bathroom before they could even ask.  

Karen was the first one to come back, and she grasped Mateo's tiny hand gently, even as the 6-month-old squirmed, pressing his face against Regina's neck.

"Janis, he looks just like you." Karen breathed, an awed expresson on her face. He really was a carbon copy of her, from the shape and color of his eyes to the curve of his lips, and even his full head of luscious black hair.  

"He's grumpy when he wakes up just like her too." Regina remarked jokingly, and they all gathered in the living room to get more comfortable.  

"I still can't believe you guys are parents." Gretchen commented, rushing to elaborate "In a good way! It suits you both." 

"Well, there's no getting out of it now." Janis replied with a grin, causing them to laugh.

Mateo had apparently decided that he was in no mood to socialize, so he clung to Regina's sweater, his face hidden from the people he didn't know. 

They took that time to give their friends a proper tour and get them settled in the rooms they'd be staying in for the week.

After, they returned to the living room and settled around the 6-month-old, who finally decided to grace them with his attention, as he sat in his Mama's arms facing them.  

Each of them had brought him a gift, even though the kid had everything he could possibly need. Damian had gotten him a full outfit, complete with a tiny beanie and sneakers. Karen presented him with the softest teddy bear Janis had seen in her life and Gretchen pulled out a crib mobile with the entire solar system. Cady had the last gift, and she pulled out a blanket knitted in the pattern and colors of the Maasai tribe in Kenya.

Whether it was the soft teddy bear or her overall chill demeanor, they didn't know, but Mateo eventually reached out for Karen, who was more than happy to take him.  

"Alright guys, what do you want to drink before the food gets here?" Janis asked, getting white wine requests from Gretchen and Damian, and water from Cady and Karen. 

She pushed herself into a standing position and nearly lost her balance as black dots littered her sight, feeling slightly woozy. It was the one lingering effect of the complications with Mateo's birth - occasionally she had very low blood pressure that caused brief dizzy spells.

Regina was at her side, resting a hand on Janis's hip, before the others could even realize something was wrong. 

"You're alright," She spoke calmly, though Janis could hear the concern in her tone "do you need to lie down?" 

Janis paused for a moment, taking a few deep breaths, her vision clearing up and her heart rate returning to normal.

"No, all good." 

"Sit down." Regina said, leaving no space for argument "I'll get the drinks." 

"Janis, what the hell was that?!" Damian demanded as soon as he was sure she wasn't going to pass out.  

"That is my lovely souvenir from giving birth." She chuckled, only a little breathless.  

"What do you mean?" Cady leaned forward, and so did the others. Karen was listening attentively, even as she kept Mateo entertained.  

"We didn't tell you guys because we didn't want to freak you out from across the country," Janis began quietly as Regina returned with everyone's drink of choice "but, there were some complications with Mateo's birth. Or, I should say with me when I gave birth to him." 

"What happened?" Gretchen frowned, looking between Janis and Regina, who took a seat next to her wife, placing a comforting hand on her back.  

"Apparently," Janis cleared her throat uncomfortably "I started bleeding heavily immediately after Mateo was born, so they rushed me to surgery. I don't really remember any of it."

"She just passed out," Regina explained quietly "and there was a lot of blood, so they didn't wait around." 

"Why didn't you tell us?!" Damian demanded, addressing Regina more than his best friend.

"Honestly?" Regina laughed humorlessly "I don't know how the fuck I made it through those few hours when she was in surgery. And then I was a little busy trying to make sure my wife and my newborn were both taken care of." 

"But, everything is okay now?" Karen cut in, diffusing the tension in that way only seemed to be able to do. 

"Yeah, aside from the occasional low blood pressure, I'm fine." Janis assured them, and they let it go, even though they didn't look all that convinced.  

The conversation moved to much lighter topics, and they caught up with each other about the small and not-so-small things that hadn't made it to their weekly phone calls or even to the group chat that was still alive and well.  

The day flew by, and soon enough Janis found herself seated in the rocking chair in Mateo's room  feeding him as his eyes started to droop.   Regina, who had been on bath duty that night, came into the room to say good night, wearing a clean and dry shirt. She leaned over to kiss his head, and he was so used to their nightly routine that he didn't even stir. Janis transferred him very gently to his crib, and then turned the baby monitor on.  When they got back to the living room, they found their friends looking properly beaten up. 

"Jeez guys, I wasn't even the one looking after him all day and I'm ready to drop." Karen sighed, causing them to burst into laughter.  

"Yeah, babies will do that to you." Janis patted her on the shoulder comfortingly. 

"He is so cute, though." Cady offered, the other 3 nodding earnestly in agreement.  

"Told you we'd have the most beautiful babies." Regina shot Janis a wink, and the artist instinctively rolled her eyes even as she smiled bemusedly.  

"You did." 

They all stayed up talking for about an hour, and after that, they started tapping out one by one. Karen was the first one to go to bed, and then Cady and Gretchen followed.   Regina wasn't that far behind, and Janis knew she wasn't really that tired, but she wanted to give Janis the opportunity to catch up with Damian one-on-one.  She kissed Janis, bid Damian 'Good night' and trudged up the stairs. 

"You should've told me." Damian spoke after a few long moments, clearly still angry that he had been kept in the dark.  

"I didn't want to worry you," She explained "especially since you couldn't do anything from across the country."

"How has she been?" He inquired, dropping the subject for the time being. 

"Regina?" Janis asked just to be sure and received a nod "Absolutely perfect. She went above and beyond, especially the first couple of weeks after I got home from the hospital." 

Damian just hummed, prompting her to continue.  

"She'd take care of every diaper change and bath and feeding. She even helped me hold him so I didn't have to strain myself." She added, and he nodded, looking almost impressed.  

"And what about since then?" He prodded again, and she smiled at his insistence.  

"Not as intense because now I can do everything myself, but she's still here for everything." She told him quietly "She took the brunt physically, emotionally, and mentally when I couldn't, and even now that I'm fine, I can still lean on her for everything." She paused for a moment "She's the mother and partner I knew she was going to be."  

"Alright, I hear so many new mom horror stories about their partners that I had to check." He offered quietly.

"And I appreciate that, but you don't need to worry." She leaned her head on his shoulder "Regina steps up every time, even at her own detriment."  

"What do you mean?" He frowned in question. 

"We had a...situation when Mateo was about a month old," Janis shared quietly "I still couldn't do much physically, so it was all on her, and even when she wasn't getting up every two hours for Mateo, she couldn't sleep because she was scared something was going to happen to me. It got to a breaking point." 

"She's okay now, right?" Damian prodded, concern clear in his eyes. 

"Yeah, she went back to therapy," She said "and I'm much better physically, so that helped."

He nodded, quiet for a moment, before he spoke. "Well, motherhood suits you both," He remarked "you're, like, glowing."  

"I never thought I'd love it this much." Janis admitted, a smile tugging at her lips. 

"Probably helps that you're doing it with the right person." He winked and they shared a chuckle. 

Once Damian made sure his best friend was taken care of, they were able to settle into their familiar back-and-forth.   Janis didn't get to bed until after midnight, and by that time Regina was already asleep. She got ready for bed quickly, and slipped under the covers, curling up against her wife, arm tucked tightly around her waist.

"How mad is he?" Regina woke up with the movement, having become a notoriously light sleeper since they had Mateo.

"Not at all," Janis assured her, pressing her lips to her neck "we talked about it, and he gets it."  

"That's good." She murmured. 

"Go back to sleep, baby." Janis whispered "This week is going to be exhausting."  

"Love you." Regina breathed, settling into a more comfortable position. 

"Love you, too," She responded with a smile "so much."   

When Janis woke up the next morning, it was almost 9 a.m. which wasn't late by her normal standards, but it was late because she was a mom to a 6-month-old.  Regina's side of the bed was empty, so Janis didn't rush out of bed, since she knew Mateo was taken care of. 

When she trudged downstairs, she heard Regina and Damian conversing as Mateo babbled to himself. 

"I am sorry about yesterday," Damian said, and Janis paused out of sight, curious about their conversation "I shouldn't have come at you like that." 

"It's fine." She responded, but Janis could her a twinge of hurt in her voice. 

"No, it isn't." Damian continued insistently "You are a wonderful wife and mother, and I have no business questioning that."  

"Janis is your best friend," Regina said and Janis could almost see her shrug "you want to protect her."  

"I don't need to protect her from you," He countered "or from anyone. You've got her now."  

"It's okay, Damian." She told him firmly "We are good."  

Janis gave it a couple of moments more, and then she walked into the kitchen. Both Regina and Damian were sitting at the kitchen island, each with a steaming cup of coffee, and Mateo was in his high chair, eating the carrot and sweet potatoes puree that Regina was feeding him. 

"Good morning." She murmured, kissing the top of Mateo's head. 

"'Morning." They both chorused back at her, as she sidled up to Regina, taking a swig from her coffee mug.  

"You do know there is a functional coffee maker right there?" Damian quirked an eyebrow. 

"'Gina's coffee tastes better." She volleyed right back with a smirk.  

"What's mine is hers, what's hers is mine." Regina cut in with an endeared eye roll.  

"That's right, baby." Janis kissed her cheek, moving to the fridge to get the products she needed to make breakfast for the adults in the house. 

"You're sickening." Damian told them, wearing a wide smile. 

"Don't be jealous, babe." Regina shot back, picking Mateo up from his high chair, after she cleaned him up. 

"Let's get you dressed, baby boy." She blew a rapsberry kiss against his tummy, eliciting a loud giggle. 

"I swear to God, I can't believe that's Regina George." Damian murmured, shaking his head. 

"She always had it in her." Janis just gave him a shrug. "It was just buried deep, deep down for a while."  

Years before, when she reconnected with Regina in New York, she would never have thought, even in her wildest dreams, that they would end up happily married with a child. That was the reality they were living though, and Janis loved every second of it.