Well...this is it. The last chapter.

I hoped you enjoyed reading this story.

Family

Chapter 26

G insisted things be done his way. After all he was the mother figure in the family. He had nursed each of these children.

All of the kids had to be placed in a specific manner in their individual child and baby seats in the new Mercedes van. They had to be perfect for the trip home from Linden's laboratory.

And Sam allowed his husband to do anything he wanted in this regard. No arguements.

"All aboard?" G asked as he scanned the three rows of seats from just inside the sliding side door.

Sam turned to face him. "Second time I checked them for you. Anything else?"

"Okay, so I'm a little paranoid."

"No. You're a worried parent." Sam obliged his husband a third time. "Seatbelts checked and double checked. Three times."

"I guess I'm over doing it." He ducked back out of the van and climbed into the front passenger seat.

"I guess this meets with your approval then?"

G folded his arms over his still swollen belly.

Sam shut the sliding door and climbed into the driver's seat. "Any place you want to stop on the way home?"

"Nope. I just want to get home."

"Before anyone notices you?"

"Right. With our regular looks who's going to even look at us. They'll think we're transporting children around for a job." G smiled to himself. Lucky for them though the windows were heavily tinted to protect their children from looky-loos. It was something G had demanded for their kids. They needed some privacy from a potentially intrusive world.

Sam reached over and caressed G's left arm. "What are you thinking about?"

"Privacy."

"Ah, that's important."

"Very much so."

"Anything we need before we go home?"

"Can't think of anything. I just want to be home with my newest family members and enjoy ourselves without anyone else around for once." G clasped his husband hand in his. "Family is all I need right now."

"I hear you there." Sam sighed. "And a couple of nights sleep to get over the stress of having our twins?"

"It was stressful I'll give you that. Not knowing what was coming and that fast. Never expected to give birth that fast.

"Speaking of family. Did Linden give you the birth control lecture?"

"Did he ever." Sam chuckled. "He talked my ear off for over an hour. And then he dispensed two different types of birth control; one for me and one for you."

"Good. Then he fulfilled all of my expectations."

"So you were behind this?" Sam eyed him.

"Someone has to rein in your desires or I'll be pregnant again before our babies get to six months old."

"Speaking of our twins—"

"I know." G hadn't thought of any names yet and it bothered him. Nothing came to mind for the names. For the first time he was stumped and embarrassed about it.

"Linden needs to know for the birth certificates."

"You don't need to remind me again…and again…and again."

"Still nothing."

"Except variations of our names." G kept his eyes on the road before them.

"You know what that means. No more children. That's what we decided."

"I'm fine with that. Six is plenty for me. A lot of responsibility."

"Ah, you've changed your mind."

G had to admit it finally to his husband. He couldn't imagine any more than six children. Three pairs of twins proved to be the end of his desire for more kids. He had no idea why though. The thought of their care was one factor which haunted him again and again. G had literal nightmares from his worries. Those he hadn't told his husband about and chose to keep them to himself for the rest of their marriage. Sam had been right—six children were enough for a family.

Sam pulled up to the security gate outside their compound and allowed the scanner to swipe over his retina. The gate opened and they drove through and parked under the newly constructed porte cochere. Linden had finished the structure just in time for their homecoming. Sam exited the Mercedes van and came around to the passenger door.

G met him there.

"Remember what Linden said. No heavy lifting for three weeks."

That restricted G to the newborns.

"And one baby at a time."

"I remember what he said."

"Then go in the house. Now." Sam shot him a look. "I've got this."

G flipped on his heels and headed into their home. He stopped to get his retina scanned at a kiosk by the door. When the doors opened he entered and sighed. Home. Finally. He left one of the double door entry doors open for Sam. Then he strolled toward the bedroom. He was actually more tired than he thought he'd be. G removed his shoes and climbed into bed. Within minutes he was sound asleep dreaming about baby names again.

#

G awakened to the sensation of movement on the bed.

"Hello sweetheart." Sam leaned over and kissed his husband on the lips. "Ready to feed your newborns?"

"Tired."

"Linden said you'd be tired for about a week."

"Took more out of me than I thought.

"Ever thought of pumping my breasts for milk?"

"I did that while you were asleep once already."

"Seriously?" G opened his eyes wider. It concerned him that he hadn't awakened during the pumping of his breasts.

"Yes. I can do it again if you wish."

"Why didn't I wake up?"

"You're exhausted from giving birth. Remember?"

"But that? I mean I slept through you doing that? I mean what the?"

Sam laid down beside him and wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders. "Normal."

"I vaguely recall the conversation with Linden.

"Isn't that odd?"

"Nope. Fatigue can do that."

"So what now?"

"Pump or feed. Those are your choices."

G gave it some serious thought before answering his husband. "I think they need to be mothered."

"I concur but I'm not pushing it. I'll return with the little ones."

Names. They needed to decide and the time was now. It weighed heavily on G's mind to put this off any longer. He was the one holding back on it. If they used variations of Sam and G, it meant putting an end to further pregnancies. That was their agreement they had made after the first two children were born.

Sam reentered the bedroom as G sat up in bed.

G opened his arms to invite his husband and the newborns into his body.

Sam settled beside his husband and watched him feed the newest members to the family.

"Yes. I'm finished at six."

"You're certain?" Sam asked.

G understood why Sam kept asking him the question. The wanting to make sure scenario they had agreed on too. Ask each other the question until there was no mistake this is what was wanted by both of them. G had known Sam only wanted six children. He had been undecided up until the birth of these last two kids. Then G finally accepted the same reality. Any more would be too much to care for and yet part of him had the desire for more than half a dozen. G had to squelch that part that couldn't have enough children. It was a part of himself which felt there could never be enough loved children in their lives. An unrealistic part. It stemmed from G's years of experience with the foster care system. He wanted his children to belong to a family. Something he never got to experience for most of his life.

"I'm one hundred percent certain.

"G and Sammantha."

"G Jr and Sammantha." Sam added for definition.

"Agreed.

"And you're okay with the names the way they are?" G asked. It was part of their agreement: Make certain both liked the names. There was no other way it could go. Period.

"I love their names." Sam kissed G on the lips. "We'll call Linden in the morning." He stroked G's hair, knowing it calmed and allowed him to sleep better after breastfeeding.

G Jr finished feeding first. Sam took him from his husband's breast and burped him over a shoulder.

Sammantha was done with her meal and G brought her over his shoulder, massaging her back.

"I love you." Sam eyed his husband. "I'm so glad we decided to do this together. I love our family."

"And I love you." G leaned in to kiss his husband. "You and I were meant for this. I love our family."

The End.