A one shot set in the early 80s before Carol got her powers and she was living a normal life. Carol and Maria await the arrival of Monica, leading to a talk about Maria's fears about being a single mother and Carol's strained relationship with her parents, as well as their struggles as women. For the record I don't know anything about Monica's father and why he isn't present, maybe he died or there was something in the comics but I don't know so I'm going to make up another reason for his absence.

Carol threw open the door, seizing the hospital bag and slinging it over her shoulder as she hurried round to the other side. "How's the pain?"

"Not so bad so far..." Maria winced a little, and then groaned. "Oh, god. There go the waters."

"Great timing. You couldn't have waited until you were out of my car?"

"Sorry, Carol..."

"I'm kidding, we've seen a lot worse during our time at the air force. Come on, let's get you and Baby Rambeau to the maternity unit. I cannot wait to meet this little one!" Maria smiled and chuckled.

"Neither can I."

The pain not too bad yet, Maria was able to walk somewhat normally to the hospital doors, supported by Carol. A nurse greeted them with a wheelchair. They'd called ahead to inform them that Maria's pains had started, and the hospital had prepared for their arrival. Maria gratefully sank into the chair, a hand on her belly, the other holding her best friend's hand.

Carol waited with Maria while the nurse headed over to the desk to find out which rooms are free. A very pregnant older woman sat in a chair with a magazine. She smiled in a friendly manner at them.

"Hi, girls. How are we doing?"

"Good, thank you." Maria smiled.

"First baby?"

"That's right. You?"

"Nah, this is baby number four. My other half is getting the other three some candy to keep them entertained, you know. What's your husband's excuse? He'd better get his ass over here, huh?" The woman laughed but Maria's smile faded a little. Carol glanced up from where she was searching through the hospital bag, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. This subject was uncomfortable for Maria.

"Well... not exactly."

"Work? Out of state?"

"No... he's not involved." The woman's own smile vanished.

"Oh.. so you're unmarried? Raising the child... alone?"

"That's right." Maria said, holding her gaze steadily.

"Oh. So I see." Her voice changed slightly and she averted her eyes. She turned away and tried to look engrossed in her magazine. Carol narrowed her eyes a little, detecting the haughty tone.

"She's not alone. And I think her best friend is good enough, don't you?" She pushed the chair and Maria forwards, for the nurse was now beckoning them to follow her. She looked over her shoulder, to shoot a glare at the woman who lifted her head high and aggressively snapped open another magazine, lifting it to her face so she could escape Carol's glare.

Maria was very quiet as the nurse did her checks.

"All seems to be progressing smoothly. Get comfortable, Miss Rambeau, because I don't think this little one is quite ready to come out yet."

"She wants to have a grand entrance. Can't say I blame her." Carol chuckled, dancing her fingers across her friend's bump. The woman smiled warmly and told them she'd be right outside if they needed her. They thanked her as she closed the door. Carol took off her jacket and turned on the radio. She flinched when the radio began blasting loud music.

"Who turned it up high?" She turned the dial to lower the volume.

"I'm not in the mood for Queen." Maria groaned.

"I thought you loved 'Bohemian Rhapsody?'" Carol adjusted the channels, and Maria continued shaking her head. "How about this new band?"

"Baby doesn't agree... argh! Just because you don't like Wham doesn't mean you have to the kick my bladder..." They eventually found a channel that didn't offend the baby or make Maria feel worse. The voice of Peggy Lee trickled from the radio, as they caught the end of 'Fly Me to the Moon.'

"You are all I long for... all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true... in other words, I love you..."

Maria, now wearing her dressing gown, began to slowly pace the room. She was closely shadowed by Carol, who held her hand the entire time. She tried to lift Maria out of the mood she had descended into, knowing the woman outside had made her very angry and self conscious.

"I've finally figured it out. You owe me twenty dollars worth of ice cream."

"Shut up, Carol." Maria groaned, more labour pains washing over her. "You have to let that go."

"Just trying to lighten the mood." Maria initially glared at her before melting away to a smile and they shared a laugh. "I'm just glad you didn't crave something weirder. The clerk gave me the strangest look when I bought eight tubs of mint choc chip ice cream. He probably thought I was panic buying for the apocalypse."

"Lighten the mood? You're not the one who's about to have a baby -"

Carol winced as Maria crushed her hand during another contraction. There was a period of ten seconds as Maria battled through the contraction, before she released her hand. "I think you've dislocated my fingers... " Carol massaged her knuckles, while Maria went across to the hospital window. It was cracked open, filling the room with cool air. The sun had just dipped out of the view behind a hill, staining the evening sky a golden orange. Crickets hummed already, a scattering of stars appearing on the darkening edge of the horizon as night approached.

Carol joined Maria, rubbing her friend's back as she leaned heavily against the window, breathing deeply through the pain.

"Can I get you anything? Tea, water?"

"No, I'm good..." Maria sighed. She looked down at her bump, placing her hand in various spots to try and feel where the baby was. "I can't believe it's finally happening... it's been such a difficult road to get here..." Carol was about to playfully ask Maria if that was a jibe against her driving skills. But she stopped when she saw Maria's expression. It was deeply troubled.

"Maria?"

There was a pause. "Do you think I'll be a good mother, Carol?"

Carol was surprised Maria would ask that question. Her friend was self assured that she could do anything. After her initial fears, she had become very excited about he prospect of becoming a mother. She hadn't been worried throughout the pregnancy, not doubting her capabilities, and Carol had encouraged and supported her every step of the way.

Maria had done everything she could to ensure she had the healthiest pregnancy possible. She took it easy, and - eight tubs of craving-induced mint choc chip ice cream aside - had eaten the best foods to nourish the baby. She was frequently reading through pregnancy books, and she had been going to classes regularly. They had spent hours decorating the nursery; Carol had painted dozens of individual stars on the ceiling.

"Good? You'll be an amazing mom! This is going to be the luckiest kid in the world. She's going to be so loved and she's going to adore you."

"Will she?" Maria eased herself down onto the hospital bed, one hand digging into the sheets, the other cradling her belly. Carol frowned, hearing the doubt in her voice. "You know the attitudes towards unmarried single mothers... I mean, it's better than it used to be, but there are still people who think a woman can't raise a child by herself..."

"Is this about that lady out there?"

"You saw the way she looked down her nose at me..."

"Don't think on it, Maria. It's no one's business, an outdated view. And you were a pilot for the air force, a kickass pilot at that. If anyone can raise a baby on their own it's you! And you won't be on your own, anyway."

"I know... but what if when Baby Rambeau goes out to play and sees other kids playing catch with their dads..."

"Hey." Carol sat beside her. "She doesn't need a dad, you're going to be the greatest mother a kid could ask for. And she'll have her auntie Carol too."

Carol kept it to herself that Baby Rambeau wouldn't be missing out on much. She had met Maria's ex a few times - she'd sensed that he had had a problem with Maria having an far more impressive career than himself, and a dislike toward Carol and their friendship. She had wanted to punch his lights out when Maria had told her the waste of space had run off, not wanting the responsibility of a child.

"I know. He was a coward..." Maria seemingly read her mind.

"Having a dad isn't always the best thing for your kid. I mean, my dad was..." There was a note of pain and disappointment in Carol's voice. "He was a jerk. Still living in the past. You can't do this or that. This is all you'll ever be. You can never be more. It wasn't just him, my mother was just as bad..."

"How did they react when you said you wanted to join the air force?"

"I don't think I've ever told anyone that..."

Eighteen year old Carol Danvers walked into the front room, nervously wringing her hands. It was unlike her to be nervous, but she had good reason. Her father was invisible in his armchair, the sight of his arm and a thread of smoke from his cigar revealing that someone was sitting there. Her mother was flicking through the few channels of the tiny television. As usual, neither one of them acknowledged her until she spoke.

"I got my grades. Mostly Bs and As."

"That's great, honey." Her mother said, finally tearing her eyes away from the screen. Carol looked at her father. He turned his head slowly to look at her.

"Not bad, kid. College for you, then?"

"You wanna get rid of me that fast?"

"Don't be smart with me, young lady."

"It was a joke... " Carol muttered. "I have an announcement to make." For once she seemed to have their full attention. Her father watched her through narrowed eyes while her mother's interest seemed peaked. "I'm not going to go to college..."

Her father stood up. "If you think for one minute that you're just going to bum around my house rent free, you're wrong -"

"Let me finish." Carol snapped. "What I was going to say was... I want to join the air force. I want to be a pilot." Silence. Her parents stared at her, and Carol 's heart thudded with hope... had she finally won their approval?

Laughter. Cold, cruel laughter. It erupted from the both of them, and Carol felt tears flood to her eyes. They laughed for a solid ten seconds, heads thrown back, before they finally looked at her.

"Wait... you're serious?" Her mother's grin vanished.

"Yes." She hissed, through clenched teeth. Her father paused before laughing yet again, as though she had made a hilarious joke.

"Women can't join the air force." He sneered.

"Then what's this?" Carol brandished a piece of paper, an acceptance letter from the air force. Her parents blinked in astonishment. Her father snatched it from her hand and read it word for word, lifted the paper up to a lightbulb, as if to try and tell whether it was fake. Then he shook his head, refusing to accept it. He leaned in close, inches from her face.

"You wouldn't last a week." He said, nastily. "You're not strong enough. The training breaks many men, what makes you think you'll survive?"

"Because I am not a man." Carol said, coldly. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Honey.. " Her mother crushed out her cigarette. "You have excellent grades... you could be a nurse. You have a pretty face, and you're the right height. If you want to be in the air, don't you think you'd be more likely to succeed as a flight attendant?" Carol stared at her mother in disbelief. There was a long silence.

"Are you serious?"

"Darling, I'm being realistic. An air force pilot isn't a job for women... I don't think you'd be physically capable..."

"You're wrong! I'm meant to do so much more than a nurse or... goddamn flight attendant!" Carol didn't know why she was yelling. After years of being ignored and kept quiet, she had snapped. Her parents leapt to their feet.

"Carol Danvers, that's enough!"

"You've never supported me! Neither of you! I remember - 'Slow down!' 'Stay down!' What was that other one? 'They can but you can't?' Times are changing. The world is turning and I'm moving on with it. I don't give a damn what you say. I am done with you two and an outdated world telling me what I can and can't do! I am joining the air force. And there's nothing you can say that'll bring me down or change my mind!"

"Go ahead." Her father said, coldly. "You can try it. But they'll never let you fly."

Carol looked behind him. Her mother was nodding in agreement. She blinked rapidly, the tears flowing down her face. She turned and fled the room, racing upstairs and slamming the door. She released a short shriek, seizing an ornament and flinging it across the room. It struck the wall and smashed into little pieces. She covered her face with her hands.

"Why are you surprised, Carol?" She whispered to herself. She slowly dropped her hands from her face, looking into the tarnished mirror on her wall, at her reflection.

Doubt. For the first time ever, Carol doubted herself. What if they were right? The training would be brutal. She would face even more pressure than anyone else. And if she did fail, they would gloat about this for the rest of her life, about how they were right, and she was wrong...

Suddenly a feeling, like a bolt of electricity, surged through her, kicking Carol alive. She had failed a few times in her life. She had been struck down, doubted, shut and cut down, chained to the earth while others reached for the stars. But every time she fell... she always got back up. And she would do that, every time she fell, for the rest of her life... as she would now. She picked up her acceptance letter, and began to pack the few things she owned, more determined than ever before.

"You're so much more than what the world thinks you can be." She whispered to her reflection, before smiling. Carol Danvers was going to spread her wings, and fly free, leaving her cage behind.

"Hey," Maria said, gently. "I'm the one about to give birth. If anyone should be crying it's me." Carol laughed, brushing away the tears.

"Sorry, we've gone a bit off topic... their reaction has stuck in my head for years... It almost broke me."

"It's okay, honey. Talk all you want. But I'm telling you now... you're so strong. Unbreakable." Maria squeezed her hand again. "You sure showed them. You flew. We both did. My parents were supportive but I could tell they had their doubts... you know, the world they grew up in... it wasn't just about me being a woman. But we proved them wrong."

"That's the thing, though. We shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone."

Maria winced through another contraction. "It was hard for both of us, but through it all we had one another. You helped me so much throughout this pregnancy. You've supported me when no one else would... I want my baby to grow up believing that she can do anything. And she will, because you'll be an inspiration to her."

"Not as much as you will be." Carol rested her head on her best friend's shoulder. "What are you going to name this kid? We can't keep calling her Baby Rambeau..." Maria chuckled.

"Hmm... I guess not. But I'm not sure." Conveniently, there was a book of baby names sitting on a shelf. They began to flip through it. "These are all terrible." Maria sighed, shaking her head.

"Let's go a little closer to home. Let's see if there's any good names beginning with M."

They debated in a few names. Marlene, Madonna, Marilyn. Nothing really fit. Carol searched her head for options, listing off every name beginning with 'M' she could think of.

"Michelle, Monica..."

There was a pause. Maria glanced at her thoughtfully. "Monica... that's nice. Monica Rambeau. That's... that has a nice ring to it -" Maria suddenly cried out as the fiercest contraction her took hold of her, but she was smiling. "I think she agrees... "

A few hours later, Maria lay in the hospital bed, curled on one side around the bundle of blankets laying beside her. Her eyes were tired but full of love as they gazed at the tiny human being who had been born an hour ago. Monica Rambeau's tiny little limbs stretched, reaching toward her mother's voice. Maria gently stroked her tiny face, the dark little curls, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

"She's so perfect." Carol rested her chin on her hand, gazing at them. "You did so well, Maria..." Monica suddenly turned her head at the sound of the new voice, eyes peeking open. She squinted curiously in Carol's direction, her eyesight still blurry.

"Thank you, Carol. For everything you've done... not just today. I think it's time Monica met her godmother..." Maria smiled softly. Carol slowly looked up.

"Godmother?" She whispered.

"Who else am I going to ask?" Maria chuckled, sleepily. Carol blinked through tears, honoured. She looked at her best friend for permission, and Maria nodded. "Go ahead..." Maria's head drooped and her eyelids slipped shut.

Carol gently lifted Monica into her arms. "Get some rest, Maria... you deserve -" She then paused, and smiled when she saw that Maria was already asleep after the long and exhausting labour.

"Your mom is amazing, little one." Carol whispered so as not to wake her. She walked to the window, not taking her eyes off Monica, who could see her a little more clearly. She looked up at her godmother, fascinated. Carol smiled, before looking outside at the starry night sky. "I don't know just how clear your eyesight is at the moment... you might not be able to see outside right now. But you'll see the night sky soon. You'll always be under the stars, because I painted a bunch of them on your nursery ceiling so you can see them even when it's a cloudy night..."

"Your mom and I came from a generation that thought girls should stay on earth... but don't you worry. We'll help you reach for the stars..." She rocked Monica gently, and her god daughter snuggled into her, letting out a tiny yawn. Carol began humming the tune she had heard on the radio. Then in a soft whisper, began to sing.

"Fly me to the moon... let me play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like... on-a Jupiter and Mars."