The lack of sleep was making Mark sick. It was the fourth day in a row that he slept on the couch. It wasn't that the bed seemed a hundred degrees hotter with John's great bulk or that there wasn't really that much room on the bed. John seemed to have a need to take up a lot of the area. It was the twins, well one of them, Jolein, to be exact. She was being rather at tentative to Papa's needs and decided that to cheer him up she would sing to Mark. The problem was it was when he was trying to sleep and it was nothing but baby nonsense as well. She had linked into his mind and now she won't let go. The boy who was named after John's father, Leon, just let his sister do the dirty work. He just told Mark that he loved him and would go to sleep when John's head hit the pillow.

Bless John; they left him alone for the most part. But now that he was so close to the due date things were becoming hard to deal with. He was a furnace and a bunch of hormones. If Mark had to hear "I'm fat. I'll never get into shape again." One more time he was going to call his lover a fat pig and leave. John bitched and complained about everything even TV shows. Mark would be called all kinds of things in the process. That alone was enough to put even the most tolerant of lover's over the edge.

Mark's favorite was the 3am " I really could go for some ice cream."

"John we have some in the freezer."

"That's chocolate chip, I want chocolate, chocolate chip."

Mark would pick himself up and drag his tired ass to the store. Returning, John would be snoring away, and Jolein would start singing again, her "Praise to Papa" song. He would leave the room and fall on the couch, head under the pillow and hope the pain would go away.

The pain never did. Their daughter was a telepathic brat. She would not listen to him when Mark would ask, no beg her to stop. All he could hope is that when she was born, it would stop. He doubted it. He was seriously thinking of moving out.

John sensed this. "You haven't shared our bed in awhile."

"She is there! I can't John she won't let me sleep!"

Hurt John began to cry. God Mark was beginning to wonder what divine law suddenly interfered with the male and allowed them to conceive. He was never this bad. Was he?

"You don't love me!" John ranted. "You hate our children. You laugh at me in this pregnancy dress I must wear, because there are no maternity clothes for the 51st century pregnant man!"

Mark was appalled. "Damn it John, listen to me! I don't hate you or the children or your stupid clothes. She is making me sick! I need sleep! I'm going to stay at the Hub tonight. I know this is an inconvenient to you. But unless something is done soon, I will go mad!" His face was red with rage, he was breathing heavy and he couldn't see straight.

"John I'm so sorry. I mean it." John just stared. "She is hurting me. I need sleep or I won't be here to take care of you. I know it sounds selfish. But I'm not sure what she is doing or what is really happening, all I do know is that it is killing me slowly." The warmth of tears fell down the scar on his check. It was barely visible, until the water bought it out more in the light.

John gulped when he noticed the constant reminder of how he almost lost the father of his children, his lover, and his best friend. He moved and tried to wrap his arms around Mark, but his bulk got in the way of it being sincere or comfortable. "I'm so sorry, Mark, god I have been awful. Why didn't you tell me when it started?" He kissed his man's brow and lightly trailed kisses over the scar and the tears.

"Mum… that feels so good. I think I'm getting excited." He put John at arms length and stared in to his blue eyes. " We could try to be creative?" Raising a brow at his lover.

John in the heat of the moment began to pant.

"Creative I can do." He leaned to steal a much need kiss to easy a much troubled heart. Heated passion soared through the soon to be parents. The moment found Mark gently moving John towards the bed of his exile, the couch. He knew nothing rough or a full act could be accomplished, but he would at least show the man that he still loved him. Leaning in to steal one more opened mouth kiss, Mark moved down in between John's legs and began to…

"Papa I love you, I have a new song for you. Let me share it with you!" Jolein screamed into his mind. Mark fell over clutching his head.

Panicking John tried to sit up but he couldn't. "Shit, I can believe this. Mark, just hang on!"

Mark was rolling around on the floor in extreme agony. The pain cut through his skull, and his eyes began to water. "Oh god Jolein please stops honey, please baby! Damn it!"

He tried to put it into words only a child could understand. Pictures, he could use pictures. Closing his eyes and relaxing his thoughts, he sought his daughter's fresh wide-open mind.

She danced when she felt her Papa's presence. "I love you Papa!" He swore he heard Leon yawn and tell Jolein to be quite. Despite the pain Mark giggled.

She was so excited to have her Papa's mind that she just giggled and beamed happiness at him. Mark was able to persuade her willingly to view the pictures. He sent her simple images showing her that she was hurting him and that she had to stop being so forward with her thoughts. He conveyed to her that both John and him loved Leon and her and were anxiously waiting the day when they could hold them both and kiss them. He could feel her understanding, as she seemed to get the ideas Mark sent to her. "Jolein honey, you hurt Papa when you push your way into his mind." He gave her a small demonstration, nothing to sharp or painful but enough for her to shrink away a little.

She didn't stay away for long for his gently touch bought her back to him. She saw that he was hurt and began to smooth the pain away with her child thoughts. The singing was soft and soothing to Mark's mind. Finally he began to feel some relief and began to relax.

He was able to stand up and move to the couch next to John. Plopping himself down by t his partner, he reached into John's mind and shared his daughter's harmonious song. Leon awoke not to be left out. He too joined the family as they sang Mark to sleep.

End Part 1 TBC