Haylie woke alone once more, her motel date with Raymond turned out to be a one day event, as she got up and got ready for her day. She put on loose, linen pants and a size, bigger blouse before she went downstairs and kissed Thomas goodbye, grabbing a breakfast bar and beginning her day.
She pulled up at the Post Office and entered the main room of their operations to find Cooper and Liz arguing about Raymond. "Is my man causing the task force trouble?" Haylie asked as she walked up to them.
Cooper nodded with a sigh, "He is too busy having fun at the pool instead of working on getting back to the top and providing us Blacklisters. Do you think you can do anything?" he asked, his tone clearly frustrated.
Haylie quickly shook her head, "I don't get into the business side of his life, as a rule. It's an important piece to our success."
"Then I have no choice," Cooper replied, "Elizabeth, you will take me to him and I will handle the problem directly. Agent Storm, would you care to join?"
Haylie shook her head, "No, thank you. I like to ensure he associates me with happy visits and this one looks like trouble. I'm sure I can find something to do from here. Good luck," she added before she walked to her desk and hoisted herself onto her stool and began entering data from all their previous cases. Cooper wanted her to find any ties between the cases, possible, then there may be a way for them to find a new Blacklister without Red's help.
Around forty-five minutes after Cooper and Liz left, they returned with Reddington in tow. Raymond smiled at her as he saw her deep in her work, as always, he worried she was working too hard. He waved her over to join in his conversation with Cooper and Liz.
Haylie wasn't sure she wanted to be in on their conversation, but Red wanted her so she saved her work and slowly got up to join them. "What's up?" she asked once she was in their space.
"Reddington wants us to help him get into business with Greyson Blaise by spending Bureau funds and not to catch him but to align the two of them in order to help him be the whale he once was," Cooper replied, sarcastically.
Raymond laughed softly, "Harold, you make it sound so awful the way you phrase it, but I promise this is essential to our dealings with this task force."
Haylie looked to Liz for help but got only a shrug in reply, "Raymond, if you really think this will help us in the long run, then perhaps you should ask in a more modest manner. I think Cooper has been very patient since things have been going downhill."
Raymond sighed, "You're quite right, Dear," he looked at Cooper, "May I please borrow your jet and checkbook to get in the favor of Greyson Blaise? This alliance will allow me to expedite my journey back to the top which is good for both of us?"
Cooper shook his head, "Fine, but you're taking a team to make sure you don't do anything underhanded. Storm, would you like to join?"
Haylie sighed as she looked at Red, having to share information she wasn't quite ready to, "I can't. The doctor has me on a strict, no fly policy because of the high risk status I gained last time."
"You're pregnancy is high risk?" Red asked, his attention moving fully to Haylie after the words she'd shared.
"It's nothing to worry about, Babe," she comforted him, "I just can't fly and be far away from here just to be safe. Something was strange on my last ultrasound and she wants me to come in for another one. Maybe, after she clears me then I can join the fun," Haylie explained, wishing she hadn't had to have this conversation with Raymond in front of his daughter, her best friend and her boss.
Red placed his hand on her elbow and pulled her away from the audience, "Dear, when did you have this ultrasound and why haven't you shared this information with me?" his tone wasn't angry but filled with sudden concern.
She placed her hand on his chest, "Raymond, if I really thought something was wrong I would have told you right after I left the office earlier this week. I don't, though. I'm sure it was just a bad image or a blurry one and I'm going back tomorrow, so I can share the results as soon as I have them. Don't worry," she finished, leaning forward and placing a kiss on his cheek.
"I shouldn't leave until I know you're alright," he replied causing Haylie to shake her head.
"Go, rebuild," she urged, "I'll worry more if you're pacing next to me. I can't fly which means I have to stay behind, anyway. Now, go enjoy living the good life with Liz and I will fill you in as soon as you return. Will you come to the house?" she requested.
He nodded, placing his lips to hers, "Don't do anything dangerous, as always and yes, I will be in our house by tomorrow evening. I promise," he added as he moved back to Cooper and Liz while Haylie got back to her work.
The next morning, Haylie went to her doctor's office before heading into the office. She signed in and took a seat in the waiting room, feeling her cell phone vibrating as she picked up a magazine.
"Agent Storm," she answered, gaining some curious glances from the other expectant mothers around the room.
"My Dear," she heard Raymond's voice, "I'm planning a party on Lake Como and I, deeply, wish you were here. Have you seen your doctor?" he asked.
Haylie smiled as her eyes rolled from him checking up on her, "I'm in the waiting room now and whether things end up good or bad, you won't be finding out until I see you in person."
"You're no fun," he teased.
Haylie laughed quietly, "Enjoy your party in Italy and I will see you later. I love you," she added as she ended the call and went back to reading her magazine.
"Haylie Storm," a nurse called from the door behind the office counter.
Haylie waved her arm to acknowledge it was her as she gathered her things and followed the nurse to the ultrasound room, "Will I be doing anything else while I'm here?"
"That depends on the results," the nurse replied, "Did you drink plenty of water?" Haylie nodded so the nurse could continue, "The doctor will be in to do the ultrasound herself. Lay down and she'll be right with you."
Haylie got herself onto the table as the nurse walked out and waited, once more, her nerves beginning to get the best of her as she waited. She wished she was further along so that she could feel the baby move and ease her mind.
"Haylie I'm glad you came back in," the doctor said as she entered the room and sat next to the table, "The last photo was inconclusive, so I'm going to do it over again. The baby should be alright because we found the heartbeat, but it was echoing and that, along with the blurry image makes me want to do it again. Are you ready? This is going to be a little cold," she gestured for Haylie to lift up her shirt. The doctor placed blue jelly on her lower abdomen before placing her ultrasound wand gently in the same location. She shifted it around a few times, keeping the monitor facing her for the beginning, "That makes sense," she commented as she looked.
"What makes sense?" Haylie asked, her voice displaying her anxiety, "Is something wrong?"
The doctor turned the monitor to face Haylie before she explained, "The heartbeat echo wasn't an echo at all, but two heartbeats and the image was blurred because your twins were moving too much inside you."
"Twins?" Haylie asked, her voice shocked as she looked from the image to her stomach, she'd thought she was bigger because it was her second pregnancy.
"Congratulations," the doctor said with a nod to confirm her findings, "Would you like to know their genders? They're both being very cooperative today."
"Sure," Haylie replied as the doctor looked over the visual more closely.
"There are two girls in there," the doctor replied, "I'm glad I placed you on high risk precautions already because with twins and you're early labor last time, it will be essential. Do you want a print out to take and do you have any questions?"
"I'd love a picture," she replied as she took a towel from the doctor to clean herself off, "And no, I don't have any questions yet. Well, do I need to come more often?"
The doctor shook her head, "Not yet, you're still early at fourteen weeks but once we reach, between twenty and twenty-four, depending on you, I'll have you in every two weeks instead of once a month," she explained, handing Haylie the picture of her babies.
"Thank you. Do I need to do anything else today?" Haylie asked.
"You're good to go," the doctor shook her head, "Take it easy. Oh, and with twins you might feel movement earlier and it will, most likely, be much stronger, so don't be alarmed. Congratulations again," she repeated as she left the room.
Haylie put herself back together before she left the office and made a stop at Target on her way home to find something to share the news with Red, to go along with the photo. She settled on a matching pair of pink booties.
Later that night, nearing midnight, Raymond walked through the front door to see Haylie asleep at her desk, her head leaned down on her laptop's keyboard. He walked over and gently tapped her shoulder, "Dear, I don't think you should be sleeping like this," he said, softly.
Haylie woke immediately at his touch, wincing as she moved to sit up straight, "I think you might be right," she agreed as he helped her up, "Did you have a successful trip?" she asked.
Red nodded, "Yes, we are on our way back to the top, but none of that is important right now. How did your visit with the doctor go?"
Haylie nodded as she grabbed his hand to lead him to the kitchen, "I do have some news to share from my visit. You need to prepare yourself," she added as they reached the counter where she'd placed the photo and the booties.
"Dear, just tell me what's happened," Red replied, "We can prepare for anything as long as we're together," he reassured her, though the worry was evident in his voice that something had gone wrong.
Haylie pointed to the items she'd laid out for him, allowing him to look at them before she said anything. She watched him look at the baby shoes and the photo before looking back at her, his facial expression still confused.
"Babe, we're having twins," she revealed as she pointed to the photo and showed him each baby before placing his hand on her abdomen, "That's why I'm showing so much, already. How do you feel about this?"
Raymond looked at her, his eyes tender, "It's certainly big news but happy news, at that. I was horrified that something had gone wrong, however we've actually been blessed in doubles. Are you alright with the news? Have your restrictions been lifted now that the doctor knows what's going on?"
Haylie shook her head, "No, I'm still on high alert because it's twins and I went into labor early last time, but I am excited, overwhelmed and thinking Jessica may need some help but excited," she changed the subject, wrapping her hand around Red's, "Now, will you please sleep in our bed with me, tonight?"
"I'd love nothing more," he replied, "Now, I know why you've been glowing so radiantly, as well."
A/N: I deleted the epilogue since I've changed things in their future slightly but I hope y'all are enjoying Haylie and Red's story.