AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): The Beach Song by Hans Zimmer from True Romance (aka the Twins Theme :), Nothing Compares by Sinead O'Connor, Suavemente by Elvis Crespo, Family Affairs by Mary J. Blige, Pride by U2, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack, Walkaway by Thomas Newman from Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, Fried Green Tomatoes Main Theme by Thomas Newman from Fried Green Tomatoes Soundtrack.
THIRTY-SIX
o
Irina was lying draped across Jack in the early morning watching as the light reflected through the glass Memorial to her son and cast the room full of spectacular prisms of color making her smile. Jack was sound asleep, exhausted after such a long day and wonderful night, falling asleep not long ago. She was wide-awake with rampant emotions running through her and her smile remained when she carefully slid out of bed.
The discarded sheet was draped across the end of the bed and Irina quickly wrapped it around herself before moving to Nicholas first, removing his sleeper and then Nadia who were both stirring in their sleep about to wake up and cry with hunger.
With arms full and kissing both tiny heads with a smile, she eased out of the old wooden door and onto the little veranda. Her smile only widened when she saw the new hammock in a 'Family Size.' Carefully and with both babies held securely to her chest she slid into the hammock.
*The Beach Song*
When she was settled Irina pulled her knees up and laid her mostly naked babies back against them, cradling them together in her arms and looking over their entirely perfect forms with a smile. The slight breeze coming off the ocean was already warm and wrapped around them like a cozy familiar blanket.
Nadia's eyes were fluttering open and Irina smiled, nuzzling her baby girl with a kiss when she pulled her fingers into her mouth and started sucking on them with a sleepy look in her eyes. Nicholas's face scrunched up when his sister's arm swept over his own face and slanted his eyebrow opening one eye enough to make Irina laugh softly at their dynamic already.
She traced each perfect little ear with the tips of her fingers and then down and over their tiny little arms, finally filling out a little and not so terribly skinny as they were when first born. Their teeny tiny feet had always been her most favorite part of each of her children and she measured them now against her finger as she did every morning, inspecting them and memorizing everything about them as she'd already done a thousand times before.
Nicholas was the first to speak of his hunger with a tiny squeak when sucking on his fist no longer pacified him and Nadia followed immediate suit.
"Okay, okay…" Irina spoke softly with a soothing voice and smile, pulling down her sheet resituating them with Nadia nursing on her right and Nicholas on her left.
Their little bodies were nestled against her sides and held to her with her arms while her hands and bent knees supported their tiny heads. Both babies were wide-awake and seemingly staring up at her when she began to hum The Russian Lullaby and soon both were drifting off to sleep again while eating happily.
It was only on rare occasions that both babies were actually hungry and nursed at the exact same time and though she cherished her alone time with each, she loved moments like this with both of them equally as much.
Jack's hand swept over the side of the bed before his eyes opened, noticing her absence immediately from first his chest and then his side and he sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hand. Irina was gone and looking over into the bassinets, both babies were too.
His fingers picked up the delicate sleepers on the end of bed with the little ducks on them, pulling them to his nose and inhaling the sweet baby scent that still lingered and moved from the bed. He grabbed the light cotton blanket tangled on the bottom of the bed rail and wrapped it around his waist. His lips curled into a smile when he looked out the window and saw her in the hammock with their precious babies sound asleep against her chest and Irina staring out into the ocean.
The tree beside the house was in full bloom with its gorgeous orange flower blossoms and she had plucked one from the nearby hanging branch and stuck it behind her ear making his smile rage that much more at seeing it there again as it had been in his memories.
Jack reached for the baby bag and retrieved the camera with a smile knowing he needed to capture this gorgeous moment. Quietly he opened the door and smiled when Irina's eyes flashed to his with a peace he hadn't seen in a long time. Without a word, he took their picture and then set the camera down on the little table.
"Good morning, Gorgeous." He knelt down beside them, smiling and kissing Irina and then each sleeping baby. "How long have you been awake?" He asked sweetly, running his hand over her arm and kissing her fingers.
"I haven't been to sleep." She smiled, fingering his jaw-line. "Come sit with us." She tugged on his hand and Jack helped her to carefully sit up and eased in behind her, settling with her between his legs and Irina leaning back against his chest with the babies on hers.
They sat in silence watching the dolphins playing in the surf and enjoying each other and their surroundings for the better part of an hour before they heard a familiar voice making them both turn their smiles in his direction.
"Buenos dias, Senor Bristow…" Roberto called out with a smile to Jack that only grew wider when he first laid eyes on Irina and the babies on her chest, having not seen her since he thought she died more than twenty years ago, "Y Senora Bristow!" He waved taking a step through the gate and calling back excitedly to his wife, "Maria, Senora Bristow e aqui con los bambinos!"
Irina was as equally excited to see her old friends who were in there eighties now and looking impeccable and happy. Maria had joined her husband's side and instantly had tears in her eyes when she saw Irina, waving at them with a raging smile.
"Mio Dios." Maria clasped her hands together and closed her eyes in a silent prayer of thanks.
"Don't be shy, come here!" Irina beckoned them over with her hand.
They were about to get out of the hammock when the sweet older Mexican couple waved them back down to stay and their cozy little cuddle.
"That is how we always remember the two of you… in that hammock or tangled in a sheet laughing in the sand." Maria laughed softly wiping at her tears and bending over to kiss Irina, cupping her face and staring into her eye's with wonder. "It's so good to see you again," She kissed Irina again while Roberto shook Jack's hand on the other side of the hammock. "And look at these two gorgeous bambinos!" She lay her soft old hand over Nicholas's bare back, shaking her head in awe as she look between the two and then their parents. "Beautiful."
"Maria, take their picture." Roberto nodded towards the camera and the older woman immediately lit into another smile.
"That's-really you don't have to-" Jack tried to object but was cut off feeling odd about having his picture taken by someone else when only wearing a sheet and blanket with his wife.
"Nonsense, Senor," Roberto shushed him immediately with a smile, "You don't want a picture with your beautiful family?"
The twinkle in his eye before he winked made Irina laugh and she was grateful actually to have someone take their picture with both she and Jack when they had the chance. It was a spectacularly beautiful image that they all smiled over passing the camera around looking at the digital still.
"Your son Julian is extremely charming." Maria smiled clasping Irina's hand and refusing to let go still in awe the woman was alive and in front of her. "We were thrilled when he came here and asked us if we wouldn't mind selling this place to him as a gift for the two of you."
"It only made sense." Roberto added with a smile. "After the film's release we were getting calls for bookings in this place non-stop," He looked around at the bungalow, "But we didn't accept any of them." He turned his smile back to Jack and Irina, "It just didn't feel right. We've always thought of this place as yours and we just couldn't let anyone else intrude on your memories and space here."
"Thank you." Irina smiled getting choked up and running her thumb over the back of Maria's hand, "This place is very special to us."
"We know… and only wish the best for you and yours in this place in the years to come." Maria smiled back at her, kissing Irina's cheek once more and then Jack's and each babies' head. "Now, Roberto and I will leave the four of you alone for now but also want to tell you, that breakfast will be ready in a half hour." Her smile stretched across her face at how easily things fell back into line and how natural and right it was.
"We'll be there." Jack laughed softly shaking Roberto's hand once more and waving to Maria.
"That's good, Senor as I can see in my wife's eyes she's about to jump out of her skin with excitement to hold those glorious bambinos." He winked with a laugh and took hold of Maria's hand.
Jack and Irina couldn't stop smiling and linked fingers watching the older couple walking away down the beach on their own morning walk, hand in hand and still very much in love.
"I want that, Jack… I want to grow old with you. With your hand in mine walking side by side." Irina sighed with a contented smile imagining them thirty or forty years from now doing the same thing.
"We'll have that. You and me… on this beach… walking down the same path… side by side." He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her again and the babies with a smile.
*Nothing Compares*
The moment Irina stepped out of the plane and onto the staircase, a smile lit her face to see her girls waiting on the tarmac at the bottom. Just Sydney and Lena were picking them up and they were meeting everyone else at home and then going to the restaurant later and Irina was glad for that.
Her eyes were already filled with tears thinking about Sydney's gifts and her heart had missed both of them so much it literally hurt. She practically ran down the steps and engulfed Lena into her arms as she was running towards her at full speed making both Sydney and Jack laugh at the mutual excitement.
Irina picked Lena up and smothered her in kisses making her daughter laugh and then clasp her cheeks, "Mama!" She squealed with laughter and then kissed Irina.
"Somebody's happy to see you." Jack smiled coming up behind them carrying the car seats with the twins. He set them on the ground as Sydney began walking towards them from the limo.
"Dad-dy!" Lena squealed next leaping from Irina's arms into his making his heart swell at the amount of love he felt from such a tiny being.
"And you too." Irina smiled at him and then turned, closing the distance rapidly the last couple of feet between she and Sydney, holding her tightly. "Thank you, so much. I love you." She cried into her daughter's hair, "I can't you believe you found it… and the Memorial." She pulled back crying and found Sydney doing the same. "It was beautiful, thank you."
"Yes, thank you." Jack's own eyes filled with tears at being able to hear his son's heartbeat because of the love of his daughter.
"You don't have to thank me." Sydney smiled, wiping away her tears and bending over carefully to inspect her other siblings and kiss them 'hello.' Both were still sleeping and she stood, linking arms with her mother while each of them picked up a twin and walked towards the limo with Jack behind them carrying Lena. "So you had a good time?" Sydney asked still sniffling but seeing a radiant glow coming from both parents.
"Yes. We had a fabulous time. It was the perfect gift." Irina smiled, leaning over and kissing Sydney's temple, "You're perfect... and I ask myself everyday what I did to deserve you." Her eyes filled with tears again as she smiled at Sydney.
"I have another gift for you. We," Sydney smiled and pointed over to Lena as she snapped her brother's car seat into place looking across the car at her mother doing the same with Nadia. "Have another gift for you."
"Oh?" Irina's tone rising in question as they settled in, curious about what this could be. "What's the occasion?"
"Just because we love you." Sydney smiled radiantly sitting next to Lena's car seat who, was smiling the same and facing both of their parents in the limo. Sydney reached into her bag and removed a wrapped gift. "We were going to give it to you for Mother's Day but couldn't wait."
Now Irina was extremely curious and tore the paper off to reveal a framed black and white photograph of Lena's hands on Sydney's belly feeling Anya moving.
"Ah…" Irina gasped overcome with tears instantly and smiling.
"Vaughn took it yesterday and I had it framed this morning." Sydney smiled her big dimply grin, seeing her mother's reaction. "So you like it?"
"I love it." Irina smiled widely, "It's absolutely precious. Thank you." She leaned across the car and hugged and kissed Sydney and then Lena who was giggling and kicking her feet wildly always on the move. "I'm going to have to have many copies made because I love it so much! One for here and another for Russia at least!"
*Suavemente*
"Did you guys look in the dictionary?" Sydney asked with twinkling eyes when they all sat down for dinner on that night. She passed the enchiladas to her mother with a mischievous grin whom she was sharing with.
They were eating at a Mexican restaurant of all places when they returned that Tuesday evening because Sydney was madly craving cheese enchiladas and had to have them 'now.'
"Yes, we did." Irina smiled shaking her head with slight laughter, "It was adorable."
Lena was perched on her lap, both mother and daughter missing each other severely after such a long separation for the first time since it had been forced upon them by Cuvee.
"What?" Vaughn asked clueless taking the hot plate from Irina when it was passed to him while telling Lena 'no' in Russian as her daughter reached for the item in curiosity.
"My esteemed older sister thought it be adorable to paste a photograph of herself under the definition of adorable in the Webster's dictionary she left in their room." Julian smirked shaking his head laughing.
"Well, don't feel left out, Little Brother." Sydney tossed right back at him with a smile, falling into their familiar rhythm of teasing, "I pasted your picture under the definition of annoying."
"You didn't?" Julian looked at her with a stricken face, pausing mid-bite of his chip to look at her.
"She did actually." Jack answered, trying not to laugh or smile but failed and the table erupted into laughter, "Don't worry your mother moved it."
"Ah!" Sydney gasped as if affronted Irina had done such a thing. "To where?"
"To 'charming." Irina smiled thinking about Maria's perfect description of her son.
"Oh please…" Sydney rolled her eyes with another exasperated sigh that had them all laughing again while Sydney blew out a large breath through pursed lips.
"What's wrong sister? Salsa too hot?" Julian smirked then quickly knitted his brows in concern when he saw her grab her belly.
"Sydney?" Irina reached out gently grabbing her daughter's arm in alarm.
"I think I just had a contraction." Sydney's eyes widened turning ghostly pale and Vaughn jumped from his seat beside her.
"But you're not due for another month!" He started to panic when she inhaled another large breath and blew it out.
"Well, neither was Mom!" She flashed her eyes in challenge from him to her mother.
"Okay, okay nobody panic… lets just go calmly to the hospital." Irina was the voice of authority and stood with Lena in her arms. She was only standing about a second before the long table of her family members and friends jumped up into a panicked frenzy with chairs tipping over and people rushing to Sydney's side to help usher her out, other's grabbing sweaters and purses and yet other's grabbing babies, carriers, diaper bags and everything else.
"Wait!" Vaughn yelled out when they were suddenly jam packed around Jack and Irina's Mercedes SUV with Sydney sitting in the front seat, "We all can't get into one car!"
"Everybody get into the car you came in." Irina took charge once again in the mass chaos as she strapped Nadia into her car seat. Jack was finishing with Nicholas and Lena was waiting patiently with wide-eyes on Weiss's hip, "Sydney, not you!" She called out to her daughter when she saw Sydney get out of the front seat, "You can stay!"
"But I drove us here in my car!" Sydney almost whined feeling another contraction already out of the car.
"I'll drive your car, you can ride in here with your father," Irina reached for Lena, and set her in the middle car seat.
"No!" Sydney almost screamed in panic startling all of them as she climbed back in, "I don't want you to leave me, Mom!"
"Okay, calm down." Jack put a hand on Sydney's arm trying not to panic himself at the thought his baby was having a baby, "I'll drive your car and your mother will drive this one."
"But what about Vaughn?" Sydney reached in a pleading voice for her husband, "I want him with me too!"
"Honey, there's not enough room," He waved his hand to the capacity filled SUV with her in the passenger seat, and the backseat occupied by her three siblings in car seats. "He can ride with me," He looked over at his son-in-law who was a bit pale and looking like he'd been electrocuted all at the same time.
"No!" Sydney whined, "He has to be with me too!"
"Okay fine!" Jack tried to reason with her and started helping her out of the car again, "Why don't you, your mother and your husband take your car and I'll drive this one."
"Um… we can't." Vaughn looked around.
"Why not?" Jack snapped losing his patience.
"Because the car is gone. They took it and left." He turned his wide-eyes back to Jack.
In the excitement and chaos, everyone did as were told and got into the cars they came in and left. In Sydney and Vaughn's case, it had been the anxious paternal grandparents to be and Will who took Sydney's car, as that's the one they came in.
"Argh!" Jack wanted to stamp his foot and helped Sydney back inside, pushing Vaughn a little into the side door and the small space between the seats, "Get in. You're going to have to sit on the floor."
"Daddy, where are you going to sit?" Sydney asked as she got situated in the front passenger seat while Irina jumped into the driver's seat.
"Owe!" Jack grabbed his head cursing under his breath when Irina flew over a speed bump in the hospital parking lot and he hit his head on the ceiling in the back where he was wedged with the strollers and baby gear.
"Charlie horse! Charlie horse!" Vaughn grabbed at his calve muscle from being curled into the wedge area on the floor and grimaced in pain as Irina came to a stop in the Emergency loop. Jack practically fell out the back of the car with all the stuff when he opened the back door and Kendall had to stop and laugh at them watching as Irina was immediately trying to extricate Vaughn who was wedged in tightly and holding his leg while Sydney tried to get out of the front seat only to realize she was still buckled in.
"And the circus wouldn't be complete without the Clown Car." He snickered shaking his head looking over at Devlin, "And to think these people were the world's best spies?"
"I figured you would go with Sydney!" Mikhail threw his arm up in his defense about taking the car when they all clamored in through the front door of the house two hours later after learning it was Braxton Hicks contractions and everything was fine, just a false alarm.
"How Dad, with three car seats in there already plus Sydney and Irina?" Vaughn was flustered as he crashed backwards onto the couch beside where Jack had deposited Sydney.
"All right everyone, just calm down. It's okay. Take a breath." Irina smiled, coming through the door behind them carrying Nicholas in his car seat and Katya was behind her with Nadia and Lena ran between them on fast legs zooming around with all the excitement.
*Family Affair *
"Now we know, we need a plan of who rides with whom when the real deal happens." Irina brushed her lips across Vaughn's forehead with a smile, knowing he was just like his father and easily flustered and then across Sydney's head on her way by. She set the baby in the car seat on the floor in the living room looking around at everyone after they all piled in and smiled, "Okay then, since we didn't get to eat… where should I order take-out from?"
Everyone began shouting out different things and Carrie grabbed her stomach, "Um guys…" She repeated louder until she got their attention where she was leaning against the dining room table chair, "I think I'm in labor."
"Very funny, Carrie, ha ha!" Weiss mock laughed.
"No really…" She gasped and looked up at them just as her water broke and formed a puddle at her feet on the hardwood floor, "See!"
Everyone was frozen in shock for a moment and that this was really happening again, for real before she called out again on shaking legs, "Somebody… anybody! I'm in labor here! And it's coming fast!" She hissed out through pursed lips as another contraction flooded her body and she hunched over.
Irina was the first to her side, "Okay, we need to start timing your contractions." She gripped Carrie's hand, "Breathe through it, in through your nose out through your mouth… good." She encouraged her while everyone else finally snapped out of it.
"You're leaking!" Marshall gasped loudly, "But you're not due for another month either!" He ran over and slipped in the amniotic fluid falling to the floor and then scrambling up, "I'm sorry about your floor, Your Majesty." He looked around at the puddle, "But you're not due for another month! I'm so sorry about your floor." He kept babbling looking around wildly.
"Well obviously he wants to come now!" Carrie growled at him through clenched teeth as her contraction ended.
"Marshall, don't worry about the floor," Irina smiled at the flustered man, "Hold your wife's hand and she's right… babies have a tendency to come on their schedules, not ours." She spoke in a, soothe calming voice while slowly walking with Carrie towards the door. "Marshall, where are your keys? I'll drive you and Carrie in your Land Rover and the others can follow in their own vehicles." Just looking at the man, anyone could see he was in no shape to drive anywhere. "Please in your panic to leave, don't forget our children..." She smiled teasing Jack and about to ask him a question when Carrie cringed again with another contraction.
"I'm going to pass out." Marshall wavered and held onto the doorframe.
"Put your head between your knees." Irina commanded Marshall. "Another contraction?" She whipped her head back to look at Carrie and had her answer. Her eyes flew to her watch and then back up again, "The contractions are only three minutes apart!" She blew out a deep breath trying to remain calm, "Okay, this baby is coming very quickly, and we all need to move… very fast. Katya, will you please ride with me and help?" She waited for her sister to nod and they hurried out the door with Katya helping to keep Marshall upright. She held Carrie's hand on one side while Marshal held the other in the backseat and Irina jumped into the driver's seat.
"Everybody buckle up." Irina turned her head around to look at them when she snapped her own in place, winking at Marshall, "This is going to be a quick ride."
"Oh God," Marshall started to hyperventilate and fumbled with his seatbelt buckle as Irina put the car into gear and flew around the cars on the street, flooring it and weaving around oncoming traffic and the blaring horns and headlights in the darkness.
"One piece would be preferable, Darling." Katya cooed from the backseat where her knuckles were white from gripping the door handle hanging on for dear life as Irina flew around cars on the freeway. Her other hand gripping Carrie's hand who was equally terrified, not only to be in labor but to be riding all of them, for the first time with Irina when she was 'on a mission.'
"I'm the Godmother, of course I'll get you there in once piece. Hang on this is our Exit." Irina whipped the wheel and flew across the eight lanes of screaming sounds of traffic horns and that of her passengers.
She bit her lip flying through a yellow light almost red and felt the 'whoomp' as they hit a drainage dip and flew into the air and her passengers screamed once again to her amusement. Irina laughed as she fishtailed on loose gravel and slid into the Emergency Exit they had just left not twenty minutes ago.
Popping out of the door and opening the one her side with Katya almost falling out still clinging with a death grip to its handle she smiled.
"See. One piece." Irina held her hand out to her sister helping her out and then Carrie. "Marshall, head between your knees and slow deep breaths." She saw the younger man hyperventilating and motioned for Katya to help him. She helped Carrie into the same wheelchair left in the Exit that Sydney had just vacated while Katya walked on wobbly legs around the car to Marshall.
"We…" He heaved with wide eyes, "Made it."
"Yes." Katya laughed softly shaking her head and looking at her watch, "In three minutes. She's faster than the ambulance."
Ten minutes later in one of the fastest deliveries the doctor had ever seen, Mitchell Joseph Flinkman was born weighing 6 lbs 2oz and 20 inches long.
What Carrie had thought to be indigestion, while they were waiting in the hospital for Sydney from what little Mexican they had eaten, was actually labor pains and contractions.
St. Petersburg, Russia - April 17th, 2004
"Sydney, can you hand me the ice cream please, Sweetheart? I want to put it away before everyone gets back for the party and I don't want it to melt." Irina dug around in the freezer making room with Lena weaving in and out of her legs giggling into hysteria at playing any game with her sister, which was currently Peek-a-Boo.
Sydney dug around in the grocery bags they'd just brought home after picking up a couple of things for the party in town and found the item her mother wanted.
A sudden twinge went through her lower abdomen and then she felt a warm rush of liquid slide down her bare legs under her skirt. "Um Mom… I think I'm in labor." She looked across the kitchen island to her mother at the refrigerator and Irina wheeled around, almost knocking Lena over but managing to catch her with one hand and hold her steady.
"Are you sure, I mean…" Irina asked hesitantly with wide-eyes of excitement knowing today was indeed Sydney's due date but there had been four false alarms since the night Mitchell was born, two since they got back to Russia including one just last night.
"Yeah… either my water broke or I just peed on myself." Sydney looked at her with a look of shock and horror.
Irina immediately started laughing, and scooped up Lena closing the door with her foot and moving quickly around the island to Sydney, smiling with tears in her eyes at the puddle around her daughters' feet, "It's time."
"But I'm not ready!" Sydney gasped in panic with tears flooding her eyes.
"You never are." Irina smiled cupping Sydney's face and wiping at the falling tear remembering her own feelings at having her first, Sydney, "You're going to be okay and I won't leave your side until Michael gets there."
"Vaughn! Oh my God, Mom!" She almost shouted realizing he wasn't back from Gyrady with everyone else after picking up his grandmother, Talia.
"We'll call them from the hospital and have them meet us there." Irina squeezed Sydney's hand. "I'll walk you to the car and strap Lena in first and then come back for Nadia and Nicholas," She smiled at her sleeping babes still strapped into their car seat from going to town, "Good thing we didn't take them out yet… Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth." She pushed Sydney's long hair behind her ear when she saw her daughter clenching her teeth.
"Okay." Sydney hissed out the breath, "Okay…" She tried to calm down thankful her mother was by her side.
"We'll wait until this contraction passes and then go to the car." Irina smiled and shifted Lena on her hip.
"Nee-Nee ow-wy…" Lena pointed to her sister's belly with lip quivering after seeing Sydney grimace in pain and flashing back to her mother's delivery of the 'be-bees' apparently.
"No, baby," Sydney immediately smiled through her pain, putting on a brave face for her little sister terrified that Lena would slide back into that state of fear and trauma she'd been in when her mother had given birth to the twins. "I'm having the baby. Anya is ready to meet her beautiful Aunt Lena, no ow-wy," She kissed her little fingers and Irina blinked back more tears, smiling and nodding along with Sydney.
"My baby is having a baby." Irina whispered in astonishment to herself with a small gasp and smile and her eyes flashed to Sydney's.
"Mom…" Sydney called out to her in the same astonished whisper with a hint of fear and Irina immediately engulfed her into a hug, holding her tightly with Lena squished in the mix, too.
"Let's go." Irina pulled back after a moment, thumbing away Sydney's tears with a smile, "I can't wait to meet my granddaughter."
"Where is everyone?" Julian asked looking around when they walked into the kitchen of the palace finding it empty and every other room. The staff had the day off and Dmitri had been with them but they'd been expecting to find Irina, Sydney and the children.
"I don't know but they were here and left in a hurry." Weiss held up the ice cream tub whose top had already popped and melting ice cream was flowing over the top.
All their eyes went wide the moment before Jack's cell phone rang.
"Jack," Irina called her husband once they were at the hospital and Sydney was being settled into her room, just behind Irina by the nurse and Alexei.
"Where are you?" He asked rapidly with a sea of eager faces looking at him expectantly as they continued to pour through the door behind them arriving for Sydney's birthday party.
"We're at the hospital. Sydney's in labor… her water broke." She smiled.
"Her water broke?" He asked again rapidly in disbelief this was real and Irina heard Weiss's, "Ehhh!" of disgust at the same time over the phone when he stepped into the puddle on the floor realizing what it was hearing Jack.
"Will you please bring pajamas for all three of our little ones and Lena's yellow bear… Oh, and her Elmo's World DVD so she has something to occupy her with please." She smiled sweetly on Cloud Nine he could hear over the phone and yet she was flustered Jack could tell.
"Okay, do you need anything?" He asked already moving quickly through the palace and up the stairs into the nurseries to gather the items.
"My slippers. I'm going to be doing a lot of pacing." She smiled and laughed when she heard him do the same, "Thank you, Sweetheart." She had taken a deep breath and sighed. "I love you."
"I love you to, My Love. We'll be there soon." Jack smiled grabbing one of Nadia's sleepers, then Nicholas's and then Lena's pajamas. He zipped into his room and grabbed Irina's slippers and then flew down the stairs ushering everyone out the door.
Two hours had passed with everyone waiting in the Waiting Room and Jack having just finished dressing his three Munchkins for bed with Julian and Weiss's help.
"Those matching pajamas are entirely too sweet." Judy smiled at the matching pairs of footy-zippered giraffe print pajamas that each of the youngest Bristow children wore. Everyone had flown in for the week expecting the birth of the baby along with attending the fourth and final film premiere the night before.
"I was just about to say that." Hayden Chase actually smiled when Lena started to climb up on the sofa beside her. The woman was slowly finding her ease within the group over the past few months. "They look absolutely adorable," She put a guiding hand on Lena's little butt to make sure she didn't fall until the tiny determined girl who looked exactly like her mother, was settled with her books.
"Nelson Mandela sent them when Nadia and Nicholas were born." Jack smiled at how entirely strange that statement would have been to him just two years ago and now it just made sense that this man had sent he and his wife footy giraffe print pajamas for his children.
Weiss was rocking Nadia in one chair and Julian was snuggled with Nicholas against his chest leaning back against Ash on the couch.
Nadia started to fuss and then cry and Weiss looked helplessly at Jack, "She's hungry and I don't have the goods here, Panama." He tried not to laugh when the baby nuzzled her face furiously against his shirt and chest.
"I'll take her to Irina," Jack smiled standing up and reaching for his daughter.
"Dad-dy no! Come too!" Lena scrambled off the couch crying out and running after him on her fast little legs making them all laugh and surprised at how well she was putting words together now.
"Okay, Peanut," Jack paused and held his finger out to her and they all 'awed' watching him walk out of the room and down the hall with his little giraffe beside him toddling and pulling on his finger to move faster towards 'Mama' and carrying another in his arms who was also eager to see the beloved Mama figure.
The nurses who had been working the same night he had been pacing the halls with Lena when the twins were born were lit with raging smiles to see their Imperial Family again, like this, only on a much calmer and less stressful birthing occasion and the Emperor Consort once again adorable with his children.
"Hey, how's it going?" He asked quietly stepping into the room and Lena made a beeline for Irina scrambling up into her lap in the chair beside Sydney's bed.
"Well, she's already at nine." Bella smiled from her own little station in the corner commenting on Sydney's progress.
"Almost there," Irina squeezed Sydney's hand and smiled, at her while Vaughn moved his checkers piece and Sydney quickly jumped him in a triple jump with a smirk.
She'd had her epidural and life was much better especially when she was kicking her husband's butt in checkers.
"I don't have to tell you she's hungry." Jack smiled walking towards his wife who knew her children's cries by heart and was already sliding the strap down her shoulder from her own sundress.
"Lena come sit here with me, Little Buddy." Sydney prompted her little sister, patting the bed beside her seeing her mother was about to have her hands full.
"Sydney, are you sure?" Irina asked when Lena was already climbing over her and onto the bed with Vaughn's help where he sat facing Sydney from the other side.
"Yeah, of course." Sydney smiled kissing the top of Lena's head when she sat down next to her and snuggled under her arm, "She can help me whip her brother-in-law in checkers."
Irina smiled taking the baby from Jack and caressing Nadia's little head with her hand when she latched on and settled down.
"Someone really should take a picture of this," Bella smiled moving to stand and reaching for her son's camera. "We have a mother nursing one daughter while sitting beside the other who is about to give birth to her own daughter and another daughter curled up so sweetly on the bed looking like an angel beside her big sister and the picture of perfection this all is… I just think we need to take a picture." She smiled and laughed along with everyone else at her ramble and at the irony she wanted to capture that indeed did make a beautiful picture.
"Well, this isn't something you see everyday." Alexei smiled as he came into the room, smiling at the same image, "It's a beautiful sight someone should take a picture." He smiled and they all laughed.
"We just did." Bella smiled holding up the camera.
"Good!" The older man smiled with them walking over to check the machines monitoring Sydney's progress, "You're such a beautiful family. I was so proud to deliver your mother, and am equally proud to be delivering your baby, Your Highness," He smiled at Sydney, "I only wish I had been able to deliver you." He touched her on the nose with a smiling laugh in a gesture so very much like that of a grandfather. "Delivering the little Grand Duchess today will be the Third Generation of Romanov women I've delivered. First, I delivered your mother and then her child and now her grandchild, named for her mother, Anastasia, which I'm certain you already know means, resurrection. The rise of the Romanov women again… This is a very proud day for me indeed." His eyes got a bit glassy behind his glasses from unshed tears of pride and happiness when he looked from Irina to her children. "You're progressing along beautifully, Child and it shouldn't be long now." He tweaked Sydney's foot before leaving.
Another twenty minutes had passed before Alexei returned to check on Sydney and announced, "It's time."
Sydney's panic hit full force when the nurses started to put up her bed rails and Irina took Lena from her side, smiling through her tears, "You're going to do fine, Sweetheart. I love you both."
Irina kissed Sydney and then Vaughn on the way out the door and Bella did the same, the two anxious grandmothers holding hands with encouraging smiles to their two panicked looking children about to become parents.
When they joined the rest of the group in the Waiting Room everyone knew it was time and they immediately sat on the edge of their seats in anticipation.
"Vaughn, I'm scared." Sydney clung to his hand while the nurses put her feet up into the stirrups and changed her IV bag, commotion all around while they prepared for the birth.
"I am too." Vaughn admitted with wide-eyes stepping back and taking the scrubs handed to him by another nurse.
*Pride*
"You're not supposed to tell me that! You're supposed to tell me it's going to be okay!" She cried.
"It's going to be okay!" Vaughn quickly amended himself struggling to tie the string on his scrub pants.
"Now I don't believe you!" She hiccupped and let go of his hand, grabbing the bed rail instead feeling the intense pressure now full force and wanting to push.
"Okay, Sydney… we're ready to push." Alexei smiled up at her before tying his facemask on.
"I want my Mommy!" Sydney began to cry feeling like the only person in the world who could make this better was her mother.
"Sydney, you can do this!" Vaughn tried to encourage her leaning over her and fingering the stray hairs from her face that had fallen from her ponytail, "You just have to keep breathing. In through your nose and out through your mouth."
The contractions were now one long relentless one and Sydney gritted her teeth, "I want Mom! Please!"
"Sydney, you have to calm down and relax. The baby won't come out if you don't relax." Alexei tried to calm her.
"I want my Mom! I want my Mom! I want my Mommy!" Sydney cried again, gripping Vaughn's hand and fisting his shirt, "Please, I want my Mom!"
There had been so many times in the last twenty years she needed her mother and didn't have her; and never more then this moment and if she could have her by her side she wanted her, needed her.
Vaughn looked at Alexei who nodded, both knowing Sydney wasn't about to calm down anytime soon and Irina would probably help.
"I'll go get her." Vaughn kissed her forehead and was spinning to leave when Sydney fisted his shirt tighter.
"No! You can't leave me! I need you!" She cried pulling him closer to her and buried her face into his neck, practically pulling him into the bed with her strength, "I love you please don't leave me."
"I'm not leaving you, Baby. I'm right here." Vaughn kissed her repeatedly with a smile.
"I'll go get her." The nurse smiled and left the room.
"Your Majesty," the nurse called out stepping into the Waiting Room and ceasing Irina's pacing.
"Oh God, is something wrong?" Bella immediately paled, fingers to her mouth and Mikhail right behind her.
"No." The nurse smiled apologetically, "The Grand Duchess is quite scared and worked up and is pleading for her mother. She won't calm down and-"
"Say no more." Irina pivoted and headed for the door with the nurse, not about to let her baby cry for her when she was in pain and scared, remembering giving birth for the first time and wishing that her own mother was by her side.
"Sydney." Irina came through the delivery room doors a minute later already dressed in the mint green scrubs with her own hair pulled back into a ponytail to find her daughter pushing.
"Mom!" Sydney cried again when she saw her in relief when the push was over and reached frantically with the hand that a nurse had been holding on her other side for her mother. Somehow seeing your mother who gave birth to you, made you feel somewhere inside you that you could do it too.
"It's okay, I'm right here." Irina smiled, kissing her daughter's forehead and wrapping both of her hands around Sydney's smiling over at Vaughn, "Deep breaths, Sweetheart." Her voice was so calm and smooth as she spoke she relaxed everyone in the room and Vaughn was glad she was there.
"Ok, Sydney, another push, ready and go!" Alexei commanded.
"Five, four, three, two, one… good Baby, you're doing good!" Vaughn coached her with a smile, kissing her hand.
"Good job, Sweetheart." Irina pushed a sweaty stray hair behind her daughter's ear, smiling over at Vaughn who was doing well as her daughter's coach and both thinking about that moment she was having Lena and speaking of this moment now.
"And again." Alexei instructed.
"Five, four, three, two, one… you're doing great, Sydney!" Vaughn smiled, feeling beads of sweat forming on his own forehead.
"Okay, Sydney, I need a long push this time and we'll see her head, okay?" Alexei looked up at her with encouraging eyes.
"Okay," Sydney barred down and started pushing when her husband started counting, her knuckles turning white gripping his hand and her mother's.
"Two, one! I can see her head!" Alexei smiled excitedly. "She got a lot of dark hair."
"Good Baby, you're doing great!" Vaughn smiled through his own blurry eyes as the tears began to build that this was real and happening.
"Another big push, Your Highness."
"Eight, seven, six, five-" Vaughn counted down.
"Come on, Sweetheart you're doing so well!" Irina's forehead was pressed against Sydney's head speaking softly into her ear knowing this was the hardest part.
"Four, three, two, one!" Vaughn finished.
"And there's her head!" Alexei immediately started suctioning out her mouth and slipped the cord that had wrapped around her neck off, thankful it hadn't been a problem until this point.
"Oh my God…" Vaughn looked down and saw his daughter's little head and swallowed hard to see her.
"Ok Sydney, one more big push and she'll be out!" Alexei smiled behind his mask.
"Come on Syd, six, five, four, three-" They all began the countdown with him.
"Two- and she's here!" Alexei exclaimed the moment the baby slipped into his hands. "She's gorgeous!"
The baby started wailing instantly and they all started crying when he held her up and then placed her on Sydney's stomach, where the nurses began wiping her down.
"Oh my God… she's so beautiful." Sydney cried looking down at the slippery little rigid body wailing on her stomach and looking right at her.
"She's so beautiful." Vaughn cried with tears streaming down his face, kissing Sydney's temple and then lips in disbelief she was really here.
"Daddy, want to cut the cord?" Alexei handed him the scissors and Vaughn snapped into action while Irina hugged Sydney, both crying.
"Sweetheart, you did such a good job! She's perfect. I love you so much. Congratulations," Irina pulled back looking deeply into her daughter's eyes feeling a new mixture of love she hadn't felt before at seeing her own child giving birth, "I'm so proud of you."
"I love you, Mom… thank you for being here." Sydney cried as they both looked down at the baby staring at them and crying.
Alexei picked the baby up and put her on a little exam table so he could check her over for a minute while she was tagged with an ID bracelet and cleaned up further.
"She's perfect!" He wrapped her up, put a little cap on her head and handed her to Vaughn with a raging smile. "Congratulations."
"Hello Sweetheart." Vaughn cried carrying her over to Sydney and Irina, "God, you're beautiful." He couldn't tear the smile off his face looking down at her.
Carefully, he passed her to Sydney who started crying all over again when she looked down into her sweet baby's face.
"Hello Anya," She greeted her baby with a teary smile, "I've been waiting to see you." She laughed with the others when Anya's little lip quivered looking up to focus on the voice she already knew well and then wailed, "It's okay, don't cry."
"I think she's hungry." Irina smiled, wiping at her own tears peering down at her gorgeous granddaughter.
"Sounds that way." Alexei laughed softly from where he was finishing with Sydney.
"I don't know how." Sydney's face immediately looked up panicked to her mother, as did Vaughn, having seen it done now many times but this was different.
"I'll help you." Irina smiled speaking softly and unsnapping Sydney's gown from her shoulder. "Michael, can you pass me that pillow please?" She pointed to the pillow on the counter beside them and the nurse smiled, handing it to him, seeing this patient was well taken care of by the Mother of Russia and the thought only made her smile grow.
Irina motioned for Sydney to lift the baby higher on her chest a second, and then settled the pillow under Sydney's arm and around her front helping her to situate Anya.
"As long as you make sure they have a good latch," Irina smiled watching her granddaughter open her tiny mouth and latch on perfectly, "They know what to do." She laughed softly when Anya started feeding immediately and her hand softly grazed over the baby's head of downy dark hair. "Perfection." She kissed Sydney and then Anya's head.
"Wow…" Sydney was stunned looking down at the tiny body feasting at her breast, "Thank you." She smiled up at her mother with another teary-eyed smile.
"Thank you." Vaughn smiled, reaching over to squeeze Irina's hand with tears still pooling in his eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed in awe, "For everything."
"Nonsense." Irina kissed him and then Sydney again, "You have nothing to thank me for. It's what mothers do." She smiled, speaking in Russian as they always did in Russia. "Now, I'm going to leave the three of you alone to get acquainted here for a few minutes before the rest of the family can't wait any longer to see her." She laughed softly, kissed the baby's head again, running her fingertip over the tiny fingers clinging to Sydney's finger. "Congratulations. I love you both," She ran the fingers from each hand briefly under both Vaughn and Sydney's chin, looking them both in the eyes with love and pride, "And I love you too," She whispered to her granddaughter who she was itching to hold and gaze into her beautiful eyes, already overcome with emotion and knowing she had to go now or breakdown crying seeing her baby have a baby and then seeing the actual baby, hearing her addressed as Anya and thinking so very much about her own mother in this moment.
Irina smiled on her way out the door when she heard Sydney say, "She has your ears," to Vaughn, as they inspected their tiny new daughter just as she and Jack had done with Sydney so many years ago.
"Congratulations Babushka." Alexei caught her arm, walking out beside her and pulled her into a hug with a kiss to her forehead, "You may be a Babushka now, Irina but you'll always be my child," He smiled with pride, cupping her face in the hallway and then kissing both cheeks, "Did you have a chance to look into her eyes yet?" He asked more quietly with his own tears building again still holding her face and looking into Irina's.
"Yes," Irina nodded and the tears slipped from her eyes as she smiled.
"She has your mother's eyes… your eyes." He smiled, thumbing away her tears with his old soft gentle hands, "It was the first thing I noticed when you were born, and the very first thing I noticed with this beautiful child. So much promise in those eyes… your mother lives on." He put his forehead to hers, holding her close for a moment while the activity around them had slowed considerably, unable to hear but watch in fascination the interaction between their Tsar still in scrubs with her head pressed to the older doctor's sharing an intimate moment that made them smile knowing he was like another father to her.
"She is perfect and beautiful and…" Irina announced to all the eager faces when she stepped into the waiting room minutes later, "Absolutely adorable. They're taking her to be weighed and measured right now."
"And Sydney?" Bella asked with tears already raining down her face with a smile.
"Glowing." Irina smiled, reaching out and hugging Bella, "She's fine. They are all doing well."
Vaughn couldn't tear his eyes away from his daughter's who was quiet now with a full tummy but her eyes were open and looking around while they weighed her.
"I bet you're wondering what all this is, huh?" He whispered to her, holding onto her tiny hand and running his thumb that covered all her fingers gently back and forth. "You are so beautiful, just like your Mommy." He smiled, wiping away his tears that were falling again, "You have your Babushka's eyes." He leaned over staring into her piercing gaze with a smile, "And your Grand-Mama's nose." He lightly grazed one finger over her perfect little nose, "You're so beautiful. Gorgeous."
The nurse slid a tiny white t-shirt over Anya's head and then replaced her little knit cap before swaddling her tightly. "They liked to be wrapped tightly when they are newborns as it reminds them of being in the comfort of the womb." She explained to Vaughn as she folded the last corner of the blanket.
"Yeah, I know." Vaughn smiled, taking the baby from her when she was finished, "I've had a lot of practice." His smile raged looking down at the gorgeous baby who was drifting back to sleep.
"Oh, that's right." The nurse laughed softly, "You've had a lot of practice with the Tsarevicha and recently with the twins."
"Oh! She's so cute!" Sophia squealed when they were all in Sydney's room waiting when Vaughn returned with the baby.
Vaughn smiled passing the baby back to Sydney, "She's 6 lbs 11oz and 21 inches long."
"Oh, can I hold her, please, please, please?" Bella begged clasped hands unable to stand it any longer and they all laughed softly while Vaughn took the baby back and handed her to his mother with a smile.
"Oh she's so beautiful!" Bella instantly had tears in her eyes again while Mikhail joined her side in looking over their grandchild. "Hello gorgeous, I'm your Grand Ma-Ma."
"And I'm your Grand Pa-Pa." Mikhail kissed her little head overjoyed and in disbelief. His eyes flashed up to Irina's with a smile; all these years later and they shared a grandchild. Mikhail held the baby and then he smiled over to Jack, "Anya, I think its time to let your other proud grandfather have a turn, Papa Jack?" He motioned for Jack to come and take the baby with a smile and Jack inhaled a deep breath before picking up his grandchild for the first time.
He held her in front of him, cupped against his forearms so he could look her over and a raging smile lit his face, she was the perfect combination of her two grandmothers and mother and impossibly beautiful.
"She's absolutely gorgeous." He whispered in awe smiling up at Sydney and then over to Irina who was nursing their own baby boy. He couldn't stop the snicker when his brain suddenly short circuited to the fact she was the sexiest Grandma he knew and had to tear his eyes away from the exposed skin of her chest and shoulder wanting to kiss the spot on the curve of her neck and tell her how much he loved her in this moment. His eyes found hers and conveyed just that and Irina smiled at him in response.
*The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face*
Hours later, everyone had headed home and Irina was on her way as well, having stayed behind to make sure they were settled before leaving and hoping to kiss Sydney goodnight but not wanting to wake her. The new mother had fallen asleep some time ago and Irina was now alone with Anya in Sydney's room while her daughter slept peacefully beside her. Vaughn was getting cleaned up and for the first time, Irina was able to hold her granddaughter and have some alone time.
She inspected every part of her just as she'd done with her own babies and smiled tracing her perfect little lips with her fingertip. The baby awoke with sleepy eyes and stare straight up into Irina's.
"Hello, My Heart," Irina whispered blinking back tears at staring into another piece of her heart now out there and exposed to the world.
Sydney had awaken to the sound of her mother's voice and with a smile, remained silent on her side with hand curled up under her face watching her mother with her daughter standing by the windows looking out at the moon.
"I'm your Babushka... and I love you to the moon and back," Irina pointed with her finger to the moon and then caressed Anya's cheek with it smiling, "More than the stars in the Heaven's and the grains of sand on Earth… I love you-"
"Forever and always." Sydney added smiling and Irina turned around. "Look at her look at you," Sydney smiled, marveling at her daughter's intense gaze up at her mother, "She already knows you hung the moon."
A solitary tear fell when Irina blinked and she walked slowly over the bed and sat on its edge, leaning over carefully and kissing Sydney's temple.
"I love you, Sweetheart… so much." She brushed the hair behind Sydney's ear as her daughter turned over to look up at her.
"I understand now." Sydney's own tears welled, as she took hold of her mother's hand, gazing from her daughter back to Irina, "What you meant when you said I wouldn't understand how deeply you loved me until I looked into my own child's eyes. I do now. I really do." She cried, "And I love you, Mom… so much. I'm so glad you're here."
Irina leaned over again, cupping the back of Sydney's neck and pressing her forehead to her daughter's as they both cried with eyes closed, just holding onto each other in the moment.
Vaughn paused inside the doorway, stopping mid-stride and smiling. Before he could back out, Irina's senses picked up the intrusion and pulled back, smiling at her son-in-law.
Carefully, she passed the baby to Sydney, kissing Anya's sweet little forehead and then her daughter's once more.
"I'll be back in the morning. If you need anything, call. Happy Birthday." She smiled, dropping another quick kiss to Sydney's lips with an, "I love you" and "Goodnight, Sweetheart."
"Katya stayed behind." Vaughn smiled at her, seeing the surprise flicker in Irina's eyes, "She's waiting in the lobby for you."
Irina nodded and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly and then kissing his forehead.
"I love you, Michael." She pulled back, cupping his face and smiling as she stared into his eyes.
Vaughn swallowed hard. Irina had told him before that she'd loved him and he'd said it in return with Sydney but never had she looked him so deeply in the eye, with him having her complete attention and hearing her say those words with his name.
It was a direct hit in his heart and he felt new tears welling, "I love you, too." He smiled looking at her with the same intensity and a nod before kissing her cheek and hugging her once more. "Babushka." He added softly smiling over her shoulder and heard her soft laugh at her new title and she held him more tightly.
Sydney was an emotional pile of goo watching the exchange and batted at the river of silent tears falling from her eyes with a smile when her mother gave a little wave before disappearing out the door.
*Walkaway*
Katya stood nervously in the lobby, smelling the bouquet of flowers in her hand for the hundredth time since she'd had them delivered a half hour ago. Her eyes locked onto Irina's the moment her sister rounded the corner giving her a sheepish smile.
Irina's eyes glittered with tears as she walked slowly up to Katya glancing at the bouquet of white roses and Baby's Breath in her hands, a hint of question in her eyes, had her sister read her mind?
Katya handed the flowers to her with a nervous smile, the look in her eyes let Irina know she had indeed known where she was going.
"How is it that you know me so well?" Irina asked softly, gripping Katya's hand and walking towards the door with the flowers in her other hand, wondering again, after most of their life apart, how it was that her sister knew her so well.
"Your heart has never changed." Katya gave Irina's hand a brief squeeze, "And it's the part of Mama in each of us that speaks to each other without the need for words." She whispered into Irina's ear as their hips bounced off each other walking towards the car. "May I come with you?" She asked hesitantly, having never gone to see their mother before with her sister.
Even though they'd talked about it and she'd told Irina she forgave her long ago for the reasons their mother was killed, she was still nervous about going with her, not wanting to intrude and if truth be told, she was scared and still feeling guilty to be in the space with her mother and sister and the legacy of her death that had kept them apart for so many years.
She knew that Irina would be going on this evening, had seen the look in her sister's eyes as she told Jack she would follow behind them and be home later. It made sense to her, that Irina would visit their mother after the birth of her first grandchild, a granddaughter that would not be in existence had their mother's life not been sacrificed so that Sydney could live.
*Fried Green Tomatoes Main Theme*
This was what their mother had wanted, had shown and told Irina in her last moments… for her daughter to have a life filled with love and her granddaughter and life to go on. And it was going on. Anastasia had given her life for her grandchild and today the circle had been completed when her namesake was born to that grandchild. Her life and death had, had meaning and she was resurrected today in the face of the angel baby born with her eyes and ensuring her real legacy would go on, one of an undying and undeniable love between a mother and child…a piece of her heart given to Irina… given to Sydney and given to baby Anya.
When Katya had seen the look in Irina's eyes, realizing where she would be going, she fully understood then, what this day meant to her sister. It couldn't be chance but fate that her sister's first granddaughter, an impossibly perfect gift from Heaven, already named for their mother, Anastasia and meaning 'resurrection'... had been born on her daughter's birthday, the grandchild that their mother had lost her life for. Her sacrifice had given Sydney continued life and in turn, Sydney had given her grandmother continued life today by giving birth to her own daughter.
The feeling inside her own chest and heart was monumental and she could only imagine what her sister must be feeling. She stopped walking when Irina did and her gaze only wavered slightly when her sister's intense dark eyes searched her own depths before answering the question.
Irina immediately began to cry in silent rivers through her smile, staring into Katya's eyes so touched that her sister would want to come with her. She too had been afraid to visit their mother together even after having been granted forgiveness by her sister, afraid that by doing so, she'd be reminded of why it was their mother had died and perhaps the gap they'd been trying so hard to close would widen once more.
Looking into her eyes now, she saw that Katya really understood what this day meant to her, and in turn, Irina saw what it meant for Katya too… a new and complete understanding and acceptance that hadn't been thought of or realized until the birth of this baby, until they both had looked into her eyes and saw the circle completed ensuring their mother's death had not been in vain and that her legacy of life and love would go on and be the one remembered from this day forward.
"I'd like that." Irina answered in barely a whisper with a smile, pulling Katya into her arms and holding her tightly in the parking lot.
As they both knelt at Anastasia's tomb, Irina placing the bouquet on its top, the sisters held hands while their others they placed with palms out onto the marble wall encasing their mother in front of them, connecting the three of them once more and closing the gap between them from her death, forevermore.
It was late by the time they'd gotten home and Jack was waiting up for Irina in their room while everyone else had already gone to bed. Katya had told him on the way out of the hospital they might be late and he guessed by the look in her eyes and then thinking about Irina's, where they were going. He was sitting up reading, both babies asleep on his chest when she walked in the door and paused with a smile. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying, her hair was wild in a loose ponytail with stray wispy curls around her face and still in the mint green scrubs he knew she'd keep forever now, most likely going into the Hope Chest and to him she'd never looked more beautiful.
The sight of him with their little 'giraffe' babies on his chest melted her heart and Irina couldn't stop the smile from growing as she walked towards them and sat on the edge of the bed, kissing his lips and then each of their little heads.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly, tilting her face up to look him in the eyes.
"Better then okay, Papa Jack." Irina smiled and then laughed softly kissing his lips again, "Can you believe we're grandparents?" She asked nuzzling her own tiny babies heads and looking up at him.
"No, I can't." Jack smiled, "But she's absolutely perfect."
"Of course she is," Irina shrugged sitting back with a raging smile, "She's Sydney's." She pulled off from the bed and began taking off her clothes, stripping down and saying to 'hell' with putting on any pajamas tonight as with nursing the twins every two hours she was constantly having to remove them and knowing what day it was, Jack would discard them anyway.
When she started pulling her hair out of the messy ponytail standing only in her black satin panties she could feel Jack's eyes on her and turned.
"You've got to be the sexiest Babushka I've ever seen in my life." Jack smiled shaking his head in amazement at her perfect body with scars and all. Her form bouncing back as it had with Lena at an incredible speed, sadly due to her inability to keep weight on.
"Not all Babushkas are round plump elderly women with scarves on their heads wearing shawls." Irina laughed walking towards the bed and shaking out her long hair, "Give me a few years and I might fit that description though." She smiled sliding across the enormous bed and taking Nicholas who was already stirring and about to wake up ready to eat.
"I highly doubt that." Jack chuckled at the image of Irina in that description, "You seem to be in the reverse aging process with those Rambaldi genetics of yours. Alexei said you're aging ten or fifteen years behind your real age and anyone looking at you can see that."
Jack looked at her mostly naked form in front of where she was now nursing their son who'd barely made a peep and didn't skip a beat in sleeping before his Mama was feeding him and meeting his needs, "I, on the other hand," He snorted with held back laughter shaking his head, "In twenty years am going to be looking very much like 'Papa Jack' and you'll 'still' be the sexiest Babushka in the world."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Irina smiled coyly and then laughed running her thumb over Nicholas's ear while he nursed, "But I happen to think you're an 'extremely sexy' Papa Jack… and I know I'll still feel that way in twenty years." She smiled loving that they were talking about such a distant future and imagining them there but also not wanting to hurry it along, "But lets not get ahead of ourselves here. I happen to think time is moving much too quickly these days as is," She looked over at Nadia and then down at Nicholas already seeing how much they'd changed in just three months, "I want to savor the here and now."
"As do I," Jack smiled mischievously brushing his lips over Nadia's head, "And plan to as soon as you're done nursing our children." He laughed with Irina when she did, "It is Sydney's birthday after all, or well… was…" He smiled looking at the clock and seeing it was indeed a new day, "And we always make love on Sydney's birthday and that of all our children. Not that we need special days to make love as every day with you is special and there are few and far between days that I 'don't' make love to you now that I have you back..." He chuckled with a naughty grin thinking about how happy he was.
"Well, it will take us years of making love daily," Irina smiled seductively, "To make up for those missing twenty years worth." She laughed softly bouncing up on her knees from where she'd been sitting with crossed legs in front of him with the grace only a dancer-slash-ninja could perform making him laugh with that thought as she kissed him. "I love you… never forget that." She brushed her nose with his.
"And you never forget, that I love you." He kissed her back with a smile.