Chapter 37 – Side By Side – Part 2

Stepping into the operating theatre, Stephen felt the lump in his throat grow. All he wanted was for everything to go smoothly, he couldn't wish for anything more. This was what they wanted. They had wished and prayed for this moment. Needing to get a grip of himself, Stephen blew out a heavy breath. The doctors in the room acknowledged him, and soon enough, Izzy glanced over her shoulder, lips curing into a smile. He quickly sat down next to her by her head. There was a screen covering the lover half of Izzy's body so neither of them could see what was going on.

"You look a bit pale, are you okay?" Izzy whispered, taking Stephens hand and kissing his palm.

"Yeh making fun o' me, lass?" Stephen frowned, and the laugh that escaped Izzy settled in his heart. Her smile spread across her face and Stephen had no resistance to stop grinning.

Stephen held onto Izzy's hand, staring at her. Doing anything she wanted him to was at the top of his list of priorities at that moment. Nothing was more important than what they were about to embark upon. "Keep talking to me." Izzy spoke quietly but intently.

"Ah don't know what to say." Stephen said, sheepishly rubbing his chin in thought.

"Ste, you talk to thousands of people every day for a living."

"Yeh want me to cut a promo?"

"I really don't, Stephen." Izzy teased, resting her head to one side, longingly staring at her husband.

"Ah spoke to yeh mum again before ah came in." Stephen raked his eyes across the room between his words. They had just started the surgery. Each second ticking past. Each second passing he was thrust deeper into the world of becoming a father. He was starting to wonder how Stu had coped. "They managed to get a hold of Josie."

"Where was she?"

"At Nobu with Paul."

"I Guess they're working things out then." Izzy chewed on her bottom lip before continuing for spill out her thoughts. "Do you think Paul would really cheat on her?"

"Ah like to think not lass, but they're half way around the world, yeh don't know what their relationship is like." Stephen sighed, not wanting to have this conversation.

"I hope it's not true."

"Are you ready to be a mommy?" The midwife interrupted their conversation and Izzy could only nod. She had already been told that because they were being born premature, they would be taken to be checked over and put in a warmer immediately.

"Ah love yeh." Stephen whispered, bringing Izzy's hand up to his lips and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. Izzy remained speechless, her breath catching in her throat. She just squeezed his hand instead, thankful that he was by her side.

"You have a beautiful baby boy."

"We have a boy? Iz we have a baby boy." Izzy had never seen Stephen grin so much. His eyes lit up, staring in amazement and wonder as the newest addition to their family was shown to them. His little eyes were squeezed shut and his body curled up. Just as Izzy's heart tightened with unconditional love, he was taken away from her to be examined.

"He's perfect." Stephen said, his voice near to breaking. "Yeh're perfect, Iz, thank yeh." Stephen kissed her cheek, his smile blazing and eyes full of emotion.

Izzy couldn't keep her hormones in check. As soon as those words had been uttered to her, tears started to collect and fall down her cheeks. "He's so beautiful, I can't believe we made him." Stephen kissed Izzy on the forehead, unable to stop smiling. But being honest, he didn't want to.

"Ready for baby number two?" The midwife asked, and Izzy grabbed Stephens hand again, squeezing it and praying. She was ready, more than ever.

The midwife repeated her actions, working with the doctors and nurses in the room. Eventually she showed Stephen and Izzy their second baby. "Here she is."

"She? We have a girl?" Izzy felt more tears running down her cheeks, but Stephen was quick to brush them away for her.

"Wow." Stephen breathed out, wanting to reach out and hold her, to make sure she was real. "She's tiny."

"You're doing great Izzy." The doctor told Izzy, performing the last parts of the procedure. All whilst Stephen never left her side, his smile beaming and eyes filled with love.

"Thank yeh for giving me the most beautiful children." Stephen whispered into Izzy's ear. Joy and happiness surging through him. His excitement was clear for everyone to see, bursting through him like nothing Izzy had ever seen.

"I think you had a part to play in that too." After a kiss to Stephens cheek, Izzy rested her head back, closing her eyes and taking a much needed breath of air.

"Can I see them yet?" Izzy pleaded, turning to Stephen in hopes of convincing him she was fine. It had been just over an hour since she had arrived back from the operating theatre. Though sleep was fast looming, she wouldn't get rest until she had held her children.

"Iz, yeh need to rest." Stephen glanced up, almost in a slumber himself. Sat next to Izzy in the world's most uncomfortable chair, he wouldn't be able to sleep unless she was. Izzy's parents and his mother had left after Simon had brought over things from their house, but they would be back bright and early they'd promised.

"I just want to hold them." Stephen could see what was running through her mind and immediately rushed to sit on the edge of the bed just as she let a few tears spill down her eyes. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, carefully as she was still recovering.

"Yeh'll see them soon, they're being looked after." Stephen brushed Izzy's hair back from her face, wanting nothing more than to give her what she wanted. "Yeh want me to ask the midwife?"

"Yes please." Stephen brushed his thumbs against Izzy's cheeks, wiping away the tears that were there.

"Ah'll be right back, lass." Stephen kissed her forehead before leaving her side, making his way out of the room to find the midwife. After turning the corner of the corridor Stephen found her, immediately asking to see the babies. With a little bit of persuasion and Irish charm, the midwife agreed to check over Izzy once more to make sure she was okay.

Stephen pushed the door open to their room, seeing Izzy playing with her hands. As soon as she heard Stephen padding across the room to her she looked up, a smile upon her face, hoping for the best.

"How are you feeling?" The midwife asked, checking over her vitals.

"Great, can I see my babies now?" Stephen had to chuckle at Izzy's persistence. He didn't want to tell Izzy that he had been given the opportunity to see them earlier, but immediately declined knowing it wouldn't be the same without Izzy being there.

"They're both doing great, I'll bring them through but you need to rest."

"I can't rest until I've seen them." The midwife gave Izzy a knowing look and sympathetic smile.

"I know sweetie. You have to promise me you'll rest afterwards."

"I promise." Izzy knew she was pleading, but she couldn't explain what she was feeling. She had been craving to see them, and knew Stephen had too. Having often wondered whether those motherly feelings would ever come to her, Izzy knew they had, and instead of going down the route she usually would, she was going to embrace them, take hold of them and treasure them for all they were worth.

"Give me five minutes and I'll be here with them." The midwife left, and Izzy immediately turned to Stephen.

"Don't drop them." Izzy warned playfully, the same way she had when Katie had her baby.

"Do ah look like Stu? Ah'm not that clumsy." Stephen grinned, taking hold of Izzy's hand. "Yeh've made me the happiest man alive, yeh know that?"

"I think you said the same thing on our wedding day." Izzy smirked, cupping Stephens face with her free hand then bringing him towards her.

"Ah can't explain how ah feel right now." Stephen stared straight into Izzy's eyes, his loving gaze shooting straight to her soul.

"Good feelings?"

"Amazing feelings, sweetheart." Izzy kissed Stephen on the lips, feeling more elated than ever.

A few minutes later the midwife walked through the door, nurse in tow with the babies in their baby warmers. "Here you go, sweetie." The midwife passed over the baby girl, placing her into Izzy's awaiting arms.

"Hey beautiful." Izzy cooed, staring in amazement at her daughter. Glancing up just in time to see Stephen take hold of their son, Izzy knew everything was going to be just fine. Butterflies exploded inside of her. Feeling scared was now the last thing on her mind. She was excited.

"How yeh doing little fella?" Stephen whispered to him son who rested in the crook of his arm, held tightly against his chest.

"I'll leave you both for a few minutes." The midwife left the room with the nurse and after what seemed like an eternity, Izzy and Stephen were finally alone with their children.

"You make him look even tinier." Izzy laughed, smiling up at Stephen. Stephen grinned back before placing a soft kiss to his sons forehead. "And I think Mark would be the perfect name for him."

"Yeh think?" Stephen raised an eyebrow, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm sure." Looking back down at her daughter, Izzy just stared. Still a little bit of shock was with her, not quite believing the babies were finally with them.

"Ah have an idea for her name." Stephen spoke into the silence of the room, immediately getting Izzy's attention.

"And what's that?" Izzy looked back down at her daughter, taking one of her tiny hands between her fingers, still in awe.

"Madison." Izzy knew her heart had just melted. Knowing exactly why he had picked that name. The arena they had just left, the arena where Izzy told Stephen she was finally pregnant after months of trying. Staring down at the tiny person in her arms, Izzy knew it fit. "Yeh think it's cheesy, don't yeh?"

"I love it, Ste." Izzy looked up at Stephen, the sight before her more amazing than she ever conjured up in her imagination. "I think it's perfect." It was perfect; no other words could describe it. Looking at Stephen holding their son, then looking down at their daughter, everything had clicked into place.

A/N – Thank you mrs.a87, MissShelz, hotpocketbandit, DeansTrueGirl, xFindTheEnigmaWithinx, ResplendentAnarchist, DeirdreLaelia and wwemagpie for the lovely reviews. Getting closer and closer to the end now, and I still appreciate everyone still reading and leaving feedback, I can't thank you enough! Lou x