𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 2

Chapter 2:

Baby Fever & IVF Decision

The night after the proposal, Taylor and Reese barely slept. Not because they were out celebrating or dealing with a flood of texts from their friends—though those were still rolling in at 2 AM—but because they were too wrapped up in each other.

They lay tangled in their Nashville home's big, cozy bed, talking about their future in hushed voices, the way couples do when the world feels quiet and safe.

They talked about the wedding. About where it should be, what kind of dress Taylor wanted, whether or not Reese would cry (which she absolutely would).

And then, sometime around 3 AM, Taylor whispered something into the darkness that made Reese freeze.

"I want a baby with you."

Reese blinked, her brain still half-asleep, but her heart wide awake. "Wait. Like, now?"

Taylor laughed softly, pressing a kiss to Reese's shoulder. "Not now now. But soon. I don't know... I've just been thinking about it. We're getting married, and I've always wanted a family. And I want that with you."

Reese swallowed hard. Her chest felt warm, full, terrified—but in the best way.

"I—I've actually been thinking about it too," Reese admitted. "For a while now."

Taylor lifted her head, eyes searching Reese's face in the dim light. "Really?"

Reese nodded. "Yeah. I've always liked the idea of carrying a baby, you know? I want to experience that."

Taylor's heart melted at the way Reese said it—soft, a little vulnerable.

She reached down, lacing their fingers together. "Then let's do it."

And just like that, the next chapter of their life had begun.

—

A week later, Taylor and Reese were sitting in a sleek, well-lit office at a fertility clinic, holding hands so tightly their knuckles were turning white.

Reese had been confident about this—until about five minutes ago. Now, sitting across from a doctor who was way too calm for a person who was about to change their lives, she felt like she might throw up.

Taylor squeezed her hand, sensing the nerves. "You okay, baby?"

Reese forced a smile. "Yeah. Just... it's a lot, you know?"

Taylor nodded. She knew Reese had a complicated relationship with medical stuff. She wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of doctors poking at her, but Taylor also knew that this—starting a family—was something Reese wanted more than anything.

Dr. Patel, their fertility specialist, gave them a reassuring smile. "You're not alone in that feeling. IVF can be overwhelming at first, but I promise, we'll take it one step at a time."

Reese exhaled. "Okay. Where do we start?"

Dr. Patel explained the process in detail—hormone treatments, egg retrieval, fertilization, embryo transfer. Reese listened carefully, nodding at all the right moments, but Taylor could feel the tension in her body.

Then came the next big question.

The sperm donor.

"You have a few options," Dr. Patel said. "We can use an anonymous donor from a sperm bank, or if you prefer, you can choose someone you know."

Reese and Taylor exchanged a glance. They had talked about this before coming in, but now that it was real, it felt heavier.

"I like the idea of someone we know," Taylor admitted. "Just so our child has a connection to where they come from."

Reese bit her lip. "Yeah, but then there's the whole co-parenting thing. I don't want to deal with any weird legal issues."

Taylor nodded. "True."

They sat in silence for a moment before Taylor's eyes suddenly lit up.

"...What about Austin?"

Reese blinked. "Your brother?"

Taylor shrugged. "He's got the Swift genes. And he'd do it if we asked."

Reese stared at her. "Babe. If we use your brother's sperm, the baby is, like... biologically yours, too."

Taylor's heart skipped a beat. Oh.

She hadn't even thought about it like that.

Dr. Patel smiled. "It's actually a pretty common choice for same-sex couples. One partner's sibling can be the donor, keeping the biological connection within the family."

Reese's mind spun. A baby with Taylor's genetics. A baby that would have her smile, maybe even her music talent.

"...Okay," Reese said slowly. "Let's ask Austin."

—

They decided to tell their closest friends first, mostly because Reese knew someone would leak it to the press, and she'd rather it come from them than some shitty tabloid.

So they FaceTimed Selena, Sabrina, and Gracie, all at once.

The second they broke the news, chaos erupted.

"YOU'RE HAVING A BABY?!" Selena shrieked, nearly dropping her phone.

"Holy fuck, I'm gonna be an aunt?!" Sabrina yelled.

Gracie teared up immediately. "This is the best news ever. Oh my God."

Taylor and Reese laughed as their friends all started talking at once, already planning baby showers, gender reveals, and outfits (Sabrina had very strong opinions about the baby needing "rockstar energy").

Then came the important part.

"So... we're thinking of asking Austin to be the donor," Taylor said.

Selena blinked. Then—

"Oh my God, that's genius."

Sabrina gasped. "Wait. That means the baby is literally part Swift. That's so powerful."

Gracie, wiping at her eyes, whispered, "This is gonna be the most talented baby alive."

Taylor and Reese just laughed, hearts full.

—

They should've known nothing in their life would stay private for long.

Two days later, Taylor woke up to her phone buzzing like crazy. Texts. Missed calls. News alerts.

She groaned, rolling over and nudging Reese awake. "Babe. We've got a problem."

Reese, still half-asleep, blinked at her. "Huh?"

Taylor turned her phone around, showing her the headline splashed across every gossip site:

TAYLOR SWIFT & REESE CARTER EXPECTING FIRST CHILD VIA IVF—INSIDER CONFIRMS!

Reese sat up so fast she nearly smacked her head against the headboard. "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Taylor was already calling Selena.

"Please tell me you didn't leak this," Taylor groaned.

Selena scoffed. "Are you insane? Of course I didn't. You know I'd rather die than betray you."

Taylor sighed. "I know. Sorry. I just—who the fuck told them?"

They never figured it out. Maybe a clinic employee. Maybe someone overheard them at dinner. Either way, the damage was done.

For the next few days, the paparazzi followed them everywhere. Every time they left the house, reporters shouted invasive questions:

"Taylor! Reese! Who's the sperm donor?!"

"Reese, how do you feel about pregnancy? Nervous?"

"Taylor, are you giving up music for motherhood?!"

It was exhausting.

Selena, being the ride-or-die that she was, handled half the PR nightmare for them. Meanwhile, Sabrina swooped in with a distraction.

"You two need a fucking break," she declared. "Pack a bag. We're going on a girls' trip."

And because Reese and Taylor trusted her, they did exactly that.

Because at the end of the day, no matter how wild their lives got, they had their people.

And soon, they'd have their baby.