a/n: hey everyone, hope you haven't forgotten this story. i'm really sorry about the long waits. here is the latest chapter, enjoy.;)

Chapter 12

"Daddy, when are we going to see auntie Brooke and uncle Sheldon?" Clara asked her father at lunch.

"As soon as mommy gets home, Clarinet." Danny answered as he was helping Brian cut his food. Clara resumed eating her food but Danny thought she looked a little too quiet.

"Everything okay, Clarinet?" he wondered, slightly worried. She looked at him with her big blue eyes and nodded silently.

"Uncle Sheldon will let me hold the babies?" she finally dared to ask.

Clara was older and bigger than when Colin and Brian were born and he'd let her hold the babies if they were his kids but they weren't so he wasn't sure Hawkes or Brooke would be comfortable about that.

"I can't promise you anything, you'll have to ask uncle Sheldon and aunt Brooke, Clara."

"But I'm strong, look." She said proving her point by flexing her arms like she had seen her father do a million of times.

"I see that, honey but I still can't speak for your aunt and uncle. You'll have to show them your muscles." He told her smirking.

That answer seemed to satisfy her because she got back to eating.

Two hours later, the Monroe-Messer family was parking at the hospital to visit the newest additions of the lab family. When they entered their friend's room, Brooke was holding one baby while Sheldon was taking care of the other.

"Hey guys," Lindsay said just above a whisper, not wanting to disturb the newborns.

"Hi," Brooke answered motioning them inside.

With Brian on her hip, Lindsay moved closer to the bed while Danny and Clara approached Hawkes. They observed the babies silently for a few moments but Lindsay was growing curious.

"So what's their names?" Lindsay asked the new parents.

"Meet Hayley Daphne Hawkes," Brooke announced.

"And Hannah Jo Hawkes," Hawkes finished.

"Their middle names are after my mother." Brooked explained with a sad smile. Her mother had died a few years before from an ovarian cancer diagnosed too late. It had been hard for her not to be able to talk about her pregnancy with her mom. So, as a mother of two, Lindsay had become her primary source of information and comfort.

"She looks so cute," Lindsay cooed over Hayley. "Can I hold her?" she wondered, setting Brian on the far end of the bed. Brooke carefully handed her daughter over and Lindsay started rocking the infant.

Clara, in the meantime, was focused on Hannah and Danny was wondering if she was going to ask to hold the baby or not. Clara was thinking they looked much smaller than she remembered Colin or Brian being. So she wasn't sure she was that big of a girl yet. As if reading their thoughts, Sheldon asked.

"Clara, do you want to hold Hannah?"

"No, thank you." She answered timidly, having decided she could wait until they were bigger.

Danny was surprised to say the least. He had expected her to squeal excitedly at the prospect.

"How come you don't want to anymore, Clarinet?" he inquired.

"They're too small, I don't want to hurt them." Clara replied truthfully.

"You won't if you're really careful." Hawkes chimed in in the conversation.

Clara wasn't sure what to do. Before when she thought she could hold a baby, she was told she couldn't and now that she thought she couldn't, they were telling her she could. Do adults always have to say the opposite of what you're saying?

"Maybe later." She said after thinking about it. Then she snuggled into Danny's neck.

"I guess I'll hold her later too." Danny declared chucking as he ran his hand through his daughter's hair.

He turned to his wife and son who was gently caressing Hayley's almost bold head.

"So dad, how does it feel?" Lindsay wondered looking up from the baby to her friend.

"I didn't really do much, I had to leave my doctor's hat at the door or I would have been kicked out of the room," he told her laughing. "I had to refrain myself really but I think I was good, weren't I?"

"Yes dear." Brooke answered rolling her eyes at her husband.

Danny, Lindsay and the kids stayed a little more with the new parents, and then let them to themselves. Brooke fell asleep exhausted after the last few hours while Sheldon watched over his two beauties. He couldn't believe they were there and they were theirs. He had never been this happy and scared at the same time. He was a father, he had to protect them, take care of them. Right now, they were relying on their parents 100% for everything.

They were both sleeping now, Hayley was sucking her thumb while Hannah was simply lying on her stomach. They looked so peaceful, without a worry in their mind. He knew he was staring but he couldn't help himself, how could he, really? If he didn't think it would wake them up, he would be taking tons of pictures of them so he could show them off to his friends and family, or even to perfect strangers. They were that perfect to him.

Meanwhile, Brooke had awaken and was grinning at her husband. He had that goofy grin plastered on his face. She was finding him extremely adorable and couldn't blame him for falling in love with their baby girls. She was as smitten as he was and was actually missing them right that second, even though they were a few feet away from her. She needed to touch them, even just their tiny little fingers, so she decided it was time to break Sheldon out his reverie. Brooke cleared her throat but Sheldon was so engrossed in the babies that he didn't even hear her.

"Sheldon," she whispered to him. He finally turned to her, a bit startled but he grinned at her. He went over to her and dropped the gentlest kiss on his lips.

"Hey sweetheart, how do you feel?" he asked her softly, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Still sore but sleep helped. Can I see my babies now, please?" she answered grinning.

"Your babies?" he wondered cocking his eyebrow. "Didn't I play a part in this?"

"Did you give birth to them?" she shot back smirking, wanting to get a reaction out of him.

"Well that's not fair to play that card." He told her while crossing his arms and pouting. He couldn't prevent the grin that escaped from his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, now get me my girls, would you?" she playfully replied. Hawkes went back to the girls' cribs and rolled them over to Brooke's bedside so she could admire them properly. None of them stirred but the couple still wordlessly decided not to take them out of the cribs. Hawkes looked back at his wife and smiled sweetly. He sat down next to her and leaned in.

"I love you," he whispered to her before dropping his lips to hers, not even giving her time to say it back. She smiled into the kiss, content of her life. Then, they got back to their staring contest: whose eyes could be fixed the longest on their daughters?

a/n: i hope it was worth the wait.
anyone cares to guess an inspiration behind their names?:D
this is the last chapter but there will be an epilogue, i haven't written yet, and to behonest i do'nt know what it's gonna be. share ideas if you have some, they're welcome. hugs to all:)