Four Weeks Later

I awoke with a start when I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I groaned quietly and pulled my body pillow in closer. Now that I was thirty-two weeks along it was next to impossible to find a comfortable position. It felt like every position I tried only proved more uncomfortable than the previous. After a few seconds the pain in my abdomen vanished and I sighed in relief before turning my head slightly to check and make sure I hadn't woken up Leo. Then I closed my eyes and tried my best to fall back to sleep. I was literally closing my eyes when I felt another pain in my abdomen, this one hurt a little more. It knocked the breath out of me.

"Oh God. Not now." I begged.

"Piper?" Leo asked groggily. I put on a fake smile.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." I told him honestly.

"Is everything okay?" Leo asked. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think I'm just having some Braxton-Hicks." I told him. Leo sat up in bed.

"Are you being stubborn again, or are you positive it's just Braxton-Hicks?" Leo asked.

"I'm positive." I told him. Leo nodded slowly and laid back down. A few minutes later, when I was trying to get comfortable. I felt a much sharper pain in my abdomen. "Leo." I whispered.

"What?" He asked.

"I think we need to go to the hospital." I told him and tried my best to stay calm. Leo nodded and got out of bed to start getting things ready to go the hospital. I sat up a little straighter in bed, but I still kept my left hand protectively on my stomach.

"Should I call Phoebe or Paige about the kids?" Leo asked as he threw an extra set of clothes in the bag.

"I will call Phoebe. You pack." I told him and reached for the phone on the night stand. I dialed Phoebe's number without even thinking. She answered on like the forth ring.

"Hello?" She groaned sleepily.

"Hey Pheebs, it's Piper. Listen, Leo and I are on our way to the hospital. I feel like I'm having contractions. Can we drop Chris and Wyatt at your house?" I asked.

"Absolutely. Let me know if it's contractions or Braxton-Hicks when you find out okay?" Phoebe told me. I nodded.

"I will. Thank you so much." I told her.

"No problem. I'll see you soon. Love you." Phoebe told me.

"Love you too." I told her and hung up. The pain hit again and I winced. Leo came out of the bathroom with my hospital bag zipped and ready to go.

"Are you having pains right now?" Leo asked noticing the pain in my facial expression. I nodded. He dropped the bag on the floor and came to rub soothing circles on my back. I smiled in thanks as the pain passed.

"It's gone. Will you go get the kids and everything in the car? I have to pee and then I'll make my way to the car." I asked. Leo nodded and grabbed the bag off the floor before leaving the master bedroom. I slowly made my way into the bathroom. Not only was I afraid that I had gone in to labor, but I just moved slow these days anyway, so I kept one hand on the wall for support until I finally reached the toilet. After two more pains had come and gone we were finally all on our way to Phoebe and Coop's house to drop off Wyatt and Chris. Both of whom, were fast asleep. Leo said they had hardly stirred when he'd carried them out to the car. Cooper met us in their driveway and helped Leo with the boys and their stuff. Phoebe came around to the passenger side of the car and talked to me.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"The pains come and go about every ten minutes or so. They aren't too painful yet, but I'm sure they will be soon if this really is labor." I told her. She nodded and reached in through the window to take my hand.

"Well, I hope you can keep them in a little longer. But I guess thirty-two weeks for twins is pretty good considering all of the stress you've been under." Phoebe reasoned. I nodded and swallowed hard.

"That still doesn't make this any less nerve-racking." I told her. Phoebe smiled and nodded.

"I know sweetie. Have you called Paige yet?" Phoebe asked. I shook my head. Phoebe nodded. "Don't worry about it, I will call her." Phoebe told me and stifled a yawn.

"Go get some sleep, you are growing a human now too." I reminded her. Phoebe rolled her eyes but walked off anyways. Leo climbed back in the driver's side and started the car up again.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded and took a deep breath. Leo smiled encouragingly and started to back up down the driveway. Phoebe and Coop lived in a small town house downtown. It was two bedrooms and two bathrooms, so it was small but it was perfect for them. Even with their first baby on the way they still had plenty of room for what would soon be the three of them. By the time we got to the hospital the pains were coming at nine minutes and they were a bit stronger. I was convinced this was preterm labor now. Leo helped me inside where my doctor was waiting for me. I didn't realize Leo had called in ahead of time. They got me set up in a temporary room much like the ones in the ER while they assessed the situation. Dr. Wallace ran an ultrasound and checked my cervix for dilation.

"Well Mrs. Halliwell, these are definitely contractions. You're about two centimeters dilated, so we're going to give you an IV of Terbutaline to try and stop contractions long enough for the corticosteroids given to mature their lungs to take effect. We may be able to stop labor until much closer to your due date, or we may be only able to stop it for two to three days, maybe even only one day. We don't really know at this point." Dr. Wallace explained as a nurse inserted my IV into my right arm.

"So are you moving her to a permanent room?" Leo asked. Dr. Wallace nodded.

"They are setting it up now, just hang tight Mrs. Halliwell." Dr. Wallace told me calmly. I nodded.

"Call me Piper, please. I have two other sisters with the same last name and when they get here calling us all Mrs. Halliwell is going to get really confusing." I told him. He smiled and nodded before leaving. I turned to look at Leo and we exchanged nervous smiles.

"We can never get a normal birth can we?" Leo asked and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. I smiled weakly.

"Guess not. This is the last time though." I told him. Leo nodded. "I mean it Leo, we can't afford anymore, and don't get me wrong, I love being pregnant. I love bringing little miracles into the world, and I love our kids. But I am just so tired." I told him. Leo nodded.

"Alright, I'll get a Vasectomy. Promise." Leo assured me. I smiled.

"Thank you so much. I love you Leo." I told him.

"I love you too Piper." He replied.

What do you think will happen? Will the medication work and Piper will get to carry the twins closer to term? Or will she be delivering them in the next 72 hours? Review with your thoughts! So, I think there will be about four more chapters and then I'll have an epilogue and the story will end. I just don't feel like anyone is reading this anymore. So if you are and you want the story to continue past four chapters then please review and let me know that this story is actually being really read. I have plenty more ideas for this but I just feel no one is reading it. Much love, stay Charmed!