when you wish upon a star (scrooge and della)

[sos_pilot]

 It was half past midnight when the crash came. Perhaps the gods of fortune decided to give Donald one last break in that it didn't destroy his houseboat - no, this landing was in the gardens.

The mangled heap of what used to be the Spear of Selene and moon-men-based-technology left a sizable crater in the ground, smoke billowing up for ages. A few minutes after the landing, one of the windows was pushed open, and the pilot made an ungraceful landing on the ground. She had expected a more dignified leap, but had also forgotten about gravity.

Compared to all the other things that had happened on the moon, this pain was nothing. She wobbled to her feet, and then stopped in place once she got an eyeful of... everything.

The mansion.

She was at the mansion.

She was in Duckberg. Earth. Home.

Comments

[sos_pilot]

"Oh, please, that won't happen for another hundred years... two hundred, if we play our cards right." She shot him another grin. "I wouldn't be surprised if, by the time you finally do get around to retiring, my babies will be the ones taking over."

[richestduck]

Scrooge didn't return the grin. It was a conversation he really didn't want to have, but...he was almost a hundred and forty. "Della, I don't plan on retiring any time soon, but we both know I might not have a choice in when you and Donald take over. I really should've taken you two in sooner to start learning some of the ropes."

[sos_pilot]

Oh, sheesh, he was really going to start in on the loss of his life when she was ready to give birth to three lives? He was Scrooge McDuck, he was practically immortal! Nothing less than gods could take him down - and apparently not even that, given Zeus' track record.

(Maybe she was in denial, seeing how deeply she loved him, but, eh, details.)

"I don't think mom and dad would've been all that happy if we got here any sooner," as usual, she tried to deflect,relax, and make a joke out of a stressful situation. "They're already jealous enough of how much time we spend with you."

[richestduck]

Scrooge knew she knew what he was talking about, but he sighed and decided to drop it for now. (One day they needed to seriously talk about it, but now might not be the best time after all.)

"Well, I suppose waiting a little longer wouldn't hurt. You'll be busy enough trying to get around for a while yet," he lightly teased.

[sos_pilot]

Dela blew him a raspberry. Clearly she was mature enough for a child, and multiples of them.

"I think mom only just came around now to forgiving me for... this." She gestured to her stomach.

[richestduck]

"In her defense, Della, what you did was incredibly risky," he told her flatly. "Be grateful you ended up being surprised by triplets, not something truly nasty."

In the modern era, one could never tell. Though, honestly, syphilis in particular was notorious during his own younger years.

[sos_pilot]

Welp, that was clearly the wrong path to take. She looked away, a hint of shame and guilt crawling up. Probably not as much as someone in her situation should have, but still.

"I get enough lectures from them, thanks. And I'd rather not think of my babies as mistakes."

[richestduck]

"Don't put words in my mouth, young lady," Scrooge said sternly. "When I said 'surprise, I meant that they were surprise gifts, not mistakes. Just like you and your brother were."

[sos_pilot]

Della blinked.

Blinked again.

Oh, boy, mom. Had anything she ever said been the truth?

"... Moooooom always told us we were planned." Not that she really cared either way, but it would be a nice comeback in case her folks ever complained again.

[richestduck]

"You were planned," Scrooge said with a smirk. "Hortense and Quackmore had everything all planned out save the timing. They'd wanted to wait a year or two to find a nice house of their own and then have a couple of kids one at a time.

"Unfortunately for them, you two had other plans."

[sos_pilot]

Della snorted, covering her hand with her mouth.

"Of course." She replied with a shake of her head. "Leave it to our family to be the gift that keeps on giving, especially unintentionally."

[richestduck]

Scrooge chuckled at that. "You're in for a real corker of an adventure, Della. Quite frankly, I'm a bit jealous of you for it. You and Donald when he finally decides to settle down and have kids." He paused. "And Matilda if she ever finds her own 'Mr. Right'."

[sos_pilot]

Every now and then she heard rumors about Matilda and a mysterious mister "Von Drake", but she decided not to bring it up unless she got absolute confirmation. No need to kick in "big bro mode".

"Well... is it really too late for you?" She dared to venture. "I know you're no spring chicken, but the right woman, the right kids..." She made a wavy gesture with her hands. "Impossible's a hard thing to accept with us, after all."

[richestduck]

Oh he knew that the director of SHUSH was seeing his sister. He and his former "boss" had had this conversation before. Ludwig knew that Scrooge knew how to castrate animals and that if he hurt Scrooge's sweet little sister, he'd be singing soprano for life. (Assuming, of course, Hortense didn't get to Ludwig first.)

There was a long silence before Scrooge admitted, "Lass, I imagine it's been too late since my time mining in Australia. Do you know what's primarily mined in Australia nowadays?"

[sos_pilot]

Della blinked. What was with the sudden change in subject? Had the topic really made him that uncomfortable?

"Can't say that I do," She said with a shrug. "... Koalas?"

It was difficult to tell if she was kidding or meant it.

[richestduck]

"Uranium," he told her flatly. "And back when I was a lad, it wasn't understood that well. Particularly the effects on the body."

He sighed.

"Here's a dirty family secret for you, Della, one I'll be sharing with your brother once he's got little ones of his own on the way: I looked at hiring a surrogate mother after you and Donald's eggs were laid. I always wanted a family of my own, but seeing Hortense and Quackmore with you two made me want it all the more. Only trouble is I didn't know who would marry me for me and not my money, so I figured I'd cut out the potential for a messy divorce." He shook his head. "Doctor had given me a checkup and told me when I came back for results and his list of reputable surrogates to speak with that it wouldn't matter how many times I slept with a woman; I'd never get her pregnant."

[sos_pilot]

Her shoulders sank, eyes widening. "Oh, Uncle Scrooge..."

This time when she got up, she ignored the weight and pain. She was going to see this through - he needed a hug, and he was going to get one. She held him gently, not knowing what he needed to hear. How long had been carrying that burden alone? "I'm so sorry."

[richestduck]

"Your aunts are aware of the situation, but when we go visit your grandmother and grandfather, don't say anything," he pleaded as he leaned into her hug. "Last thing I need is to hear Daddy's criticizing how I had literally one job as acting head of the family."

"Acting head" since the head of the family was trapped in the castle.

[sos_pilot]

"Of course." Although if that did come up again, she wouldn't promise she wouldn't kick grandpa right in the shin or somewhere else unpleasant.

"But, you know... there are lots of kids out there who are looking for a good home." She pointed out. "Does it have to be blood...?"

[richestduck]

"I thought about adoption, lassie, but I'd have to give up quite a lot to be considered a fit candidate for adoption. Particularly since I don't have a spouse," he told her. "I've got more than enough wealth, but my lifestyle is a big red flag."

He reached up and patted her belly with its three passengers.

"I'm happy, Della. I'm glad I get to help you and these wee ones as much as I can just like when your mother was in your place."

[sos_pilot]

That was a sad but true fact. And if he did use his money to skirt the law... well, then he wouldn't be Uncle Scrooge, now would he? It was unfair. He was so good that sometimes it hurt him.

"I'm glad you're here too." She said softly. "I can't imagine doing this without you."

[richestduck]

It had been tempting. It had been super tempting. However, he'd forced himself not to take that path because if he did it once, what was to stop him from doing it again for something else, potentially for something less benign than giving a child (or children) a home with him?

"With a little luck, you won't have to see it much less imagine it." He stood up. "Let's go for a little stroll in the back garden. Doctor says it's important for you to get some light exercise from time to time. If I remember correctly, the last of the new benches were put in last week."

[sos_pilot]

"Okay, but I can't promise I'll go very far." Della was more than happy to return to joking territory. If you asked her, Donald was way better with emotions and serious stuff - she considered him the heart of the operation when it came to adventures.

"After you, good sir."

[richestduck]

"And that's why we put benches in for when you inevitably need to sit down and catch your breath." He chuckled and teasingly poked her belly. "I doubt even I'll be able to carry you back to your bed if you wore yourself out in one go."

[sos_pilot]

"Yeah yeah, get all the chubby jokes out now." Even if she instigated most of them. "But I get free reign on old man quips the next time I hear your back crack."