A/N: Hey readers, I apologize for not updating sooner! I have chosen to feature congenital heart defects in this chapter in order to help rains awareness of them. I have tried to research as much as possible so accurate info is given. I've also listed some baby names I'm considering for the twins and would love to hear your favorites and ideas. I try to correct and assume there aren't any spelling errors and such in the chapters but I don't always catch 'em. If you'd like to volunteer to beta, I'd be happy to have you. Enjoy!

Did You Know?

Twins are more likely to develop a congenital heart defect than babies from other single (1 child) pregnancies.

Three and A Half Months Later

Tris' POV

I'm finally in my second trimester, finished with the awful morning sickness I've had for a couple months now. Today, I have an appointment with my OB, Dr. Miller, to find out the gender of the twins. Tobias is joining me today too.

We enter the clinic hand-in-hand and wait nervous and excited for my appointment. A nurse leads us into an exam room where I hop up on the table and pull my shirt up to expose my belly. Dr. Miller greets us then goes about moving the probe around to look at the twins.

My eyes begin to water as I listen to their heartbeats and Tobias' eyes are glued to the screen like my own. "Twin A is a boy, congratulations!" Dr. Miller beams. She's an aged woman, about mid-fifties with stunning red hair and green eyes.

She begins looking at the baby's anatomy, muttering softly to herself. "Tris, I don't want you to panic but I think you should see a specialist because I'm concerned about what I'm seeing right now." she tells me and I immediately feel my eyes widen.

Cardiac, there's something wrong with my son's heart? I'm stunned, unable to respond at all. "I'm not an expert in this, but I'm concerned the twins may have heart defects. I'm so sorry, I know this isn't what you were expecting to hear today."

Tears form in my eyes as my mind begins to process the news, both of our babies are in jeopardy now. "It's not fair." I mutter as Tobias moves closer to me and smooths my hair down. Being a nurse, I've cared for babies with heart defects before/

Those babies can be some of the sickest with risks of infections and several surgeries needed. Their families must handle devastating problems that can require years of treatments and surgeries to fix and now, we might be one of those families with two children who have these defects.

No, not yet. We don't know anything yet, but I can't help mind from going back to that place. Tobias holds my hand and whispers soothing words into my ear. The doctor finishes the ultrasound and we leave quietly, unsure of what to say or how to comfort the other.

When I arrive home, I call and make the appointment for the specialist to see tomorrow. It's a small comfort that they are at the same hospital I work at. I want to give birth there in the suite I know is for moms with babies who are expected to have problems after birth, where I know the NICU staff that will likely be caring for our babies.

Familiarity is what I need right now. We should tell our friends and family about the news but we are both emotionally exhausted. I look at Tobias and see my own pain and worry reflected there. His voice sounds strained as he speaks "I'm not going to leave you or them, no matter what happens. They're going to need us both." he trembles, reading my mind.

"I love you." I reply, wrapping my arms around him. "Oh." I mumble, feeling my stomach flutter as I bring his hand to my stomach. "They're both going to be fine, they're tough just like their mother." he says as I press my lips to his.

We spend the rest of the evening laying on the couch together, discussing names and the nursery and everything else to think about instead for now. I like the names Wyatt and Audrey, Sasha and Owen, or Owen and Hazel but Tobias likes Aiden and Enya, Owen and Louise, or Eliza and Micah.

Each name means something fiery, warrior, or blessed by God which we agree are good meanings to have and carry with them. They will need their strength and so will we. Later, I fall into a deep sleep unable to handle the events of the day any longer.

I rise slowly the next morning and get dressed as Tobias showers. We drive to the hospital where I am slow to enter, thinking of what could be wrong but Tobias helps press me forward and sit in the waiting room.

One of the nurses calls my name and we enter an exam room where they will do a fetal echocardiogram and I try to calm myself as I lay on the table, pulling my shirt up to reveal my growing stomach.

The doctor who introduces herself as Dr. Smith enters the room and uses a high resolution ultrasound in order to get a view of the babies' hearts. Tears fill my eyes as I look at the picture of the boy's heart. The doctor herself confirms it: hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

With the syndrome, several areas of the left side of the heart aren't fully developed. I know from what I have learned in nursing school is that he will need surgery soon after birth then two more surgeries over time to try to repair the defect.

The doctor then moves to the girl. She has an Atrial Septal Defect which is a large hole in the top two chambers of her heart. It isn't as severe as her brother's defect, but she will also need heart surgery shortly after the surgery to repair the hole.

The doctor leaves the room as my thoughts begin to race. The thought of both our babies needing surgery so soon in their lives is terrifying. What if we lose one of them? What if both of them don't make it? I'm panicked and suddenly feel like I can't breathe. I can't get enough air.

"Tobias! Tobias, I can't breathe!" I wheeze. "Tris, it's okay. Look at me, we're gonna be okay. I'm here for you, anything you need." he says calmly. "Will you hold me?" I ask and I move over toward him as he holds me to his chest.

The feeling of his warmth and the sound of his heartbeat soothe me as the tears begin to fall. "I'm scared." I admit, "I don't want them to have to go through so much." "I know, I'm scared too." he replies, kissing my forehead.