Twice Blessed

By Ann3

Writer's Note: Okay, this was originally the final chapter for this story, but... well, thanks to some lovely reviewers, that's kinda changed ! So to tie up some loose ends, and by much appreciated request, there's one more chapter to go after this one.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to get in touch - and I hope you enjoy the new ending !

Chapter Ten

We Are Family

His previously empty Infirmary, Carson Beckett dryly noted, had gone through quite a turnaround over the last few hours. Those of his staff on duty, even those who weren't, had all filed in for the inevitable 'Oh, I was just passing by...' visit.

There'd been hugs from every one of them, all the love and support he could ask for, and... well, yes, tears, too, of course. Lots of them.

Now, though, just the familiar, ever protective core of his surrogate family remained. Elizabeth. John. Rodney. Teyla. Ronon. Kate.

If truth be told, though, Carson was so thoroughly drained now, both physically and emotionally, that he could so easily just curl up with Laura right now... so easily close his eyes to everything, and everyone around him, and sleep for a week, and –

"And you really had no idea, Carson, that you were expecting twins...?"

Startled by Elizabeth's question, Carson then recovered, wearily returning her smile as he shook his head.

"No, lass, we didn't, it... well, I can tell ye, it was a bloody surprise for both of us..." he said at last – hugging Laura gently closer to him while casting his second in command the same dazedly elated grin. "I dinnae think Kate was quite expectin' it either...!"

"Ye can say that again..." Kate agreed, grinning back at him while adding an equally dry afterthought. "When that second head appeared, I nearly had bloody kittens...!"

There was a voodoo insult in there somewhere, but... well, for once, Rodney McKay couldn't find it. To the quiet amusement of those around him, he was still spellbound by the tiny new life in his arms – his somewhat peeved observations on newly born babies prompting another wave of humouring laughter.

"She's... um... well, not really doing much, is she...? I – I mean, she's just lying there, staring at me, and... stuff..."

"What did ye expect, Rodney...?" Carson asked mildly, casting his friend a gently teasing smile. "She was only born four hours ago, son. Were ye expectin' her to come out dancin' a bloody jig...?"

"Yeah, Rodney, go easy on the poor kid..." John Sheppard chipped in from the neighbouring bed – giving his own snugly wrapped bundle a final cuddle before passing it, very gently, across to Teyla. "Until she... well, popped out after her brother here, none of us were even expecting her..."

"Yeah, what's with that...?" Rodney asked, recovered enough now to give as snarkily sarcastic as he got as he glanced back at Carson. "I mean, you're a doctor, Carson... apparently, and... well, you still can't count your own kids...?"

Making a mental note to blunt a few needles for his friend's next check up, Carson just rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Rodney, I am a doctor... and yes, I can count perfectly well too, thank you..." he said at last – finding it impossible not to laugh, though, as his daughter made her opinion of Rodney equally clear. Rarely in history had a screaming, kicking baby been passed, with such frantic 'Oh, crap...!' speed, back to its father.

Soothing her gently quiet again, with an ease that left Rodney staring in envious wonder, Carson then smiled.

"With such wee babies as these, Rodney, they'll often hide each other on the scans..." he said at last – whatever he'd planned to say next pointedly interrupted by a somewhat miffed voice drifting up from his shoulder.

"Wee...?" Laura echoed, squinting a baleful glare up at him through a still tousled, sweat-tinged fringe. "Carson, passing a bowling ball through a hole the size of a straw does not constitute wee...!"

Just in case he'd missed the subtlety of her point, she then gave Carson a meaningful poke in the ribs.

"Not just once either, Kilt-Boy... I had to pass two of those bowling balls, remember...? Two...!!"

Laughing helplessly now against wickedly accurate fingers, Carson gently kissed Laura's forehead – guaranteeing his aching body safety, for now at least, from Laura's earlier, direly muttered threats of 'birth control, Marine-style.'

"I know ye did, love... an' ye did a grand job wi' both of them... I couldnae be more proud of ye..."

Too drained but elatedly happy to argue further, Laura just snuggled herself closer against him – the study of total contentment as she raised the dilemma loved and loathed by every new parent.

"Now all we need to do, babe, is choose some names... something a little better than BB one and BB two..."

"No, lass, what ye both need to do now is get some rest..." Kate Buchanan piped up from beside her – the gently firm tone of her voice, a purposeful lift of her eyebrow, leaving very little room for further discussion.

Knowing better than to even try, both Carson and Laura were already nodding in grateful agreement – returning a second gauntlet of parting hugs and handshakes with as much energy as they could manage.

As they left Laura's bedside, Elizabeth then turned in response to John Sheppard's prompting nudge – sharing every bit of his pride, every part of his delight, at the peaceful scene they'd left behind them.

In their respective cots, and one snugly shared bed, 'clan Beckett' were all now blissfully lost to the world.

It was a charmingly tranquil scene, but... well, both Elizabeth and John knew such calm wouldn't last. Life in their city, especially their CMO's tiny little part of it, was about to get a whole lot louder.