Here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long, it's been crazy busy. There are only two chapters left in this story. Let me know what you think!
...
Nate leaned over to Serena and pressed his lips against hers.
Dr. Zamora walked into the room and smiled at them. "Are you guys ready?"
Nate turned and nodded to her. "Very ready. Serena?"
Serena nodded excitedly and took his hand. "I'm ready."
"Okay. Lift up your shirt please. This my feel a bit cold." She squirted gel on Serena's stomach and then brought the ultrasound machine over her. After a few seconds she smiled at them and pointed at the screen. "This here is a boy...and…" It took a few seconds longer. "A girl. A boy and a girl."
Serena had been convincing herself that she didn't have a preference but having a boy and a girl was the perfect combination. She looked at Nate, who stared intently at the screen. "A boy and a girl…are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I'll print these for you and let you guys have some privacy." She wiped Serena's stomach then left the room silently.
Nate turned to Serena. "This is amazing." He planted kisses on her belly.
Serena ran her fingers through his hair. "It's perfect."
…
"I'm two months pregnant!"
"What! Congratulations, Blair! I told you it was morning sickness."
"Our babies are only going to be three months apart! Them and Henry are going to grow up together just like Nate, Chuck, and I did!"
"I can't wait."
"How are you feeling?"
"Fat."
"Well…apart from that."
Serena frowned. "I'm cranky. I want Nate to be home all day and he's not. I just want him there; he doesn't even have to talk to me. His presence is just calming. When did I get this needy? It's gross."
"It's all the hormones, totally normal. He's been gone a lot huh?"
"He crawls into bed at like 3 in the morning and is gone by the time I wake up. The only reason I know he was there is the notes he leaves."
"He's just trying to get a lot done now so that he will have time off when the babies come. I'm sorry to hear that, though."
"It's okay, I'll get over it. I should go. I have some baby clothes to fold."
"Alright. See you tomorrow!"
Serena put her phone down and went back to organizing the nursery. She wanted everything to be ready for her babies even though she still had two months left.
She heard a door open and close.
"Serena?"
"In the nursery!"
Nate walked in the room a few seconds later. "Hi."
"You're home early."
"I know. I've missed you."
She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Me too."
He held out a hand to her. "Let's have some dinner."
…
"Nate…"
"I know! I heard you the first twenty times you told me."
"I just want you to understand how serious the situation is."
Nate stood up and re-filled his drink. He looked over at Chuck to see what he thought but Chuck looked as troubled as he felt. "Look…I don't want to just send an army and crush this...whatever they call themselves. They want to be coven-less, that's fine by me. We don't need them."
"That's not the concern, they are-"
"I am fully aware of the situation. Look…can we just talk about this some other time? I really cannot give you a good response right now." He ended the conference call and looked at Chuck.
Chuck shook his head at him. "It's up to you, Nate."
"They aren't a threat."
"I agree."
"I don't care about their propaganda."
"So it's settled then. No action?"
"No action."
…
"Serena?"
Serena turned around to see Carter Baizen. "Carter? What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting my parents for a bit. How are you? You look-"
"Like a whale?"
"I was going to say stunning, actually. Even as a pregnant woman, figures. When are you due?"
"Oh…in about a month or so. Time is flying by and yet I feel like I've been pregnant forever, at the same time. It's weird. How are you?"
"I'm great, great. Where is Nate?"
"Oh I'm not sure…coven, I assume. I should get going but it was good to see you."
"You too."
Serena was walking into her apartment when she felt liquid down her legs. For a second she thought she peed and then her eyes widened. She pulled out her phone desperately. "Nate! Hi…umm…I think my water just broke."
The next few hours were a blur. She'd demanded a natural and medicine-free birth but 18 hours later, she was regretting her decision. Nate held her hand dutifully as another contraction came. She was exhausted. "Nate…please…epidural…"
Nate nodded. "Dr. Zamora…it's been too many hours of this. She needs pain meds."
"Oh, are you sure?"
Serena was too tired to yell at her. She just nodded weakly.
"Okay, then. Nurse-an epidural!"
Just then another contraction came.
"Wait no, it's too late! The babies are coming! Everyone in position."
It was all a blur. Serena expected a moment of bliss after her child was born but she was too tired to feel anything but pain. She heard someone faintly say it was a boy and then shuffling around. There was still a second baby coming.
"She's losing too much blood. Her blood pressure is plummeting. Let's get this baby girl out quick!"
Serena gave one final push and then everything went black.
Serena opened her eyes groggily. "Nate…where are…"
Nate smiled down at her. "Hi baby. You passed out from the loss of blood." He raised her bed so she was in a slightly more seated position. "Do you want to hold them?"
She nodded slowly. Nate carefully placed a tiny bundle in her arm and then brought another tiny bundle to place in her other arm. She couldn't help the tears run down her face. "They're perfect."
Nate placed an arm gently around Serena. "Yes, you all are."
…
Serena let out a content sigh. "I could stare at them all day."
Blair nodded in agreement. "They're both beautiful. Liam and Olivia. "
"Olivia Blair," Serena reminded her.
Blair smiled. "I love it."
"I'm glad you approve."
Blair hugged her best friend tightly. "I love it. And also I hate you. How have you lost half the baby weight in a month?"
She shrugged. "Well I am a human cow! They eat every two hours. It's exhausting."
"Jesus…how do you have that much milk?"
"It's a miracle."
Serena heard the door open and smiled. "Nate's home."
"Really? It's like noon."
"I know…this is when he gets home these days. I don't know how he's getting anything done."
He walked in the room and made a beeline for the crib. "How are my babies?"
Serena gave him a fake pout. "Good to see you too, jeez."
He smiled at her and gave her a kiss.
…
Serena let out a content sigh. "I could stare at them all day."
Blair nodded in agreement. "They're both beautiful. Liam and Olivia. "
"Olivia Blair," Serena reminded her.
Blair smiled. "I love it."
"I'm glad you approve."
Blair hugged her best friend tightly. "I love it. And also I hate you. How have you lost half the baby weight in a month?"
She shrugged. "Well I am a human cow! They eat every two hours. It's exhausting."
"Jesus…how do you have that much milk?"
"It's a miracle."
Serena heard the door open and smiled. "Nate's home."
"Really? It's like noon."
"I know…this is when he gets home these days. I don't know how he's getting anything done."
He walked in the room and made a beeline for the crib. "How are my babies?"
Serena gave him a fake pout. "Good to see you too, jeez."
He smiled at her and gave her a kiss.
