Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you enjoy this update.


Eight days later, Brooke was officially released from the hospital. They headed straight to the NICU and spent a few hours with their babies before they reluctantly headed home. Brooke was moving a little better now, but was still taking things easy. Lucas pulled their car into the driveway and switched off the engine. He glanced over at her as he removed his keys.

"Are you glad to be home?" he asked.

"Yeah I am," Brooke replied. "Although it would be better if we had our babies with us."

"It would," Lucas agreed. "At least we have the two fur balls to welcome us home."

"I bet they've trashed the place while I've been in hospital," Brooke said as she smiled. "I've actually missed them."

"Me too," Lucas agreed. "Even though I've been going back to the house every now and then. Thank God for my mom."

"And Mia," Brooke added. "It was nice of her to go and sit with Lucky and Mittens so they had some company while you were at work."

"Yeah it was," Lucas replied. "We'll have to get her a little thank you gift."

"We will," Brooke told him. "Once I'm moving round normally again, we'll head to the mall and get her something. We'll have to go there anyway to get things for the nurseries."

"I can't wait to start work on them," Lucas said as he smiled. "Once they're done it won't be long until the kids get to come home."

"And that's when the real madness will begin," Brooke told him as she returned the smile. "So are we heading inside?"

"Sure," Lucas replied. "You stay there and I'll come round and help you out."

"I'm glad of that," Brooke told him. "Otherwise I'll be sat here all day."

~X~

"Hey slut!" Rachel greeted Brooke as she walked over to the sofa where Brooke was sat. She carried Lee in his car seat and placed him on the floor at their feet.

"Is that any way to speak in front of your son?" Brooke asked as she kinked her eyebrow. "I can just imagine that being his first words."

"He's fast asleep," Rachel replied. "He doesn't know what leaves my mouth."

"You hope." Brooke replied as she smiled.

"Do you want anything to drink Rachel?" Lucas asked as he headed towards Brooke and handed her an iced tea.

"I'll have whatever Brooke's having. It looks pretty yummy." Rachel replied.

"Okay." Lucas replied as he headed back to the kitchen. The kittens followed him and dived at his feet as he did.

"I'm surprised that he doesn't step on them with them doing that." Rachel commented as she watched them.

"We're used to watching where we put our feet now," Brooke told her. "It'll be interesting when the babies come home and we have them crawling around as well as the kittens ninjaing about the place."

"I bet you can't wait huh?" Rachel asked.

"No I can't," Brooke replied. "It was weird leaving them in the hospital."

"I take it you'll be making a lot of trips to the hospital to see them?"

"Yeah. I have to take them milk so they can get food," Brooke replied sadly. "But they're feeding more now which is a good sign. The boys are way hungrier than Summer."

"How was your c-section?" Rachel asked curious.

"Dr. Copeland said it went exceedingly well," Brooke replied. "And it's like he gave me a tummy tuck at the same time."

"So I can see," Rachel replied. "I'm so jealous of you right now. Your abdomen looks way flatter than mine and I had Lee over a month ago. It's totally not fair."

"My stomach muscles were obviously in better shape than yours," Brooke told her as she laughed. "And they had more of a work out with me carrying three babies instead of one. But I'm still a way off looking how I did before. It's just nice to see my feet again."

"Well they should be in worse shape than mine," Rachel replied as Lucas returned from the kitchen with her iced tea and handed it to her. "Thanks Lucas."

"You're welcome," he replied as he sat on the other sofa. The kittens jumped on his lap almost instantly and began to tackle each other. "What's Julian up to?"

"He's working on his car," Rachel replied. "So I got Deb to drop me off here. She's picking me up when she's on her way back from doing the grocery shopping."

"So seeing me is your excuse to avoid that huh?" Brooke asked in a playful tone.

"Of course," Rachel replied before she sipped her iced tea. She then changed the subject. "So have you got started on the nurseries yet?"

"Sort of," Brooke replied. "I had a look online to get inspired and we have a few ideas. We just need to buy things now."

"How long have you got before they come home?" Rachel asked.

"Well Dr. Copeland said that it'll probably be around when they were due if all goes well," Brooke began. "So they should be home in time for Thanksgiving."

"Damn that's ages away," Rachel said in a surprised tone. She then grinned as she added. "But I guess that gives you and Lucas time to have your honeymoon and enjoy it properly."

"Now there's an idea," Lucas said as he gave Brooke a playful look and wiggled his eyebrows. "Although we'll have to sort out better birth control before then."

"Definitely," Brooke agreed. "I don't want anymore kids until these three are at least ten."

"You'd seriously want more kids?" Rachel asked in a surprised tone. "I can't imagine having any more."

"I could end up changing my mind by then," Brooke replied with a smile. Lucas smiled as well as he heard her words. "I don't know how I'm going to take to motherhood yet."

"Trust me if I can take to it, you will manage it fine," Rachel assured her. "And Lucas will be a great dad too I reckon."

"Thanks." Lucas replied.

"Well you're related to Julian and he's a great dad to Lee," Rachel continued. "And I think it must be in the Scott genes or something."

"I think you're right with that one," Brooke agreed. She then frowned as she said. "I'm hungry again."

"Do you want me to make you something?" Lucas asked. "Or shall I go and get take out?"

"Take out pretty please dear husband of mine," Brooke replied. "I really want some Chinese food."

"The usual?" Lucas asked as he stood. He was relieved when the kittens stayed on the sofa.

"Yup!" Brooke replied as she smiled widely.

"Do you want anything Rachel?" he asked as he checked his pockets to make sure that he had everything he needed.

"No I'm good thanks," Rachel replied. "Deb's making dinner when she gets back from the grocery store."

"Okay," Lucas replied as he went over to Brooke. He kissed her lovingly before he said. "I won't be long. Try not to miss me too much."

"I'll try." Brooke replied as Lucas headed out of the lounge.

~X~

A few days later, it was Evelyn's christening. Mia and Owen had asked Brooke and Lucas if they still wanted to be Evelyn's Godparents and they had confirmed that they would still love to have that honor. The service was attended by their small group of friends and then they had gone to Tric and had a private party in one of the back rooms. However, Brooke and Lucas had left the party early so that they could head to the hospital to check on the babies.

Lucas had made sure not to drink so that he could drive them there. Brooke still didn't feel up to driving after her c-section. Lucas pulled into the parking lot and was surprised when he easily found a space. He parked and in a few minutes they were inside the hospital and heading for the NICU.

"How's your belly?" Lucas asked softly.

"The cut feels a little tight," Brooke replied. "It must be healing."

"I'm glad it's not as bad as it was," Lucas told her as he raised their joined hands and kissed her knuckles. "I hate seeing you suffer. I've had to do that enough since we met."

"Likewise." Brooke replied as they reached the NICU. Dr. Copeland saw them and immediately came up to them.

"I'm glad you're both here," he told them softly. "I was just about to call you and ask you to come in."

"What's wrong?" Brooke asked in a panicked tone. The look on his face and the tone in which he was speaking immediately told her that they had bad news coming.

"Let's go through and see the babies," he told them as he began to lead the way to the door. He punched in the key code and the three of them walked through. Brooke and Lucas immediately went over to where their babies were. "We were doing Summer's checks and we noticed that there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Lucas asked as he looked over at his daughter.

"We noticed a problem with her heart," Dr. Copeland began. "So we ran some tests to see what the problem is."

"What is it?" Brooke asked as she swallowed hard. Her heart began to pound in her chest.

"She has something called patent ductus arteriosus," Dr. Copeland told them. Both Brooke and Lucas looked completely baffled. "It's a congenital disorder in the heart where a normal fetal blood vessel doesn't close once the baby is born. It's quite common in pre-term babies."

"Is it dangerous?" Lucas asked as Brooke stared at Summer in shock.

"It can be if left untreated," Dr. Copeland told them. "It allows a portion of oxygenated blood from the left of the heart to flow back to the lungs from the aorta to the pulmonary artery. Summer has increased pressure on her lungs due to that extra fluid in the veins, which means she's having greater difficulty inflating her lungs."

"Oh my God!" Brooke said in a whisper. "How do you treat it?"

"We can try certain drugs first," Dr. Copeland replied. "But if that doesn't work we'll be looking at a surgical procedure."

"What would happen if the medication didn't work and she didn't have the surgery?" Lucas asked.

"She could get something called Eisenmenger's syndrome," Dr. Copeland began. "And a long term effect would be pulmonary hypertension which could lead to her needing a heart and lung transplant."

"Have you tried the medication yet?" Brooke asked worriedly.

"Not yet," Dr. Copeland told her. "I was just about to call you to inform you of the situation."

"Give her the medication," Brooke said. "And if it doesn't work you have my permission to do the surgery."

"And mine," Lucas added. "Just make sure my daughter gets better."

~X~

"I really don't want to leave them Lucas," Brooke said as they walked towards their car. "It just feels wrong. Especially with Summer being how she is."

""I know exactly how you feel," Lucas said as they reached the car. He turned to face her and enveloped her in a hug. "She's in the best place right now though. And they promised us that they'd call us if there was any change."

"I know," she said as she leaned against him and sighed. "It still feels wrong. My gut is screaming at me to stay with them."

"Mine is too," Lucas agreed. "If we get a call we'll be here before you know it. You need to rest and keep your strength up remember?"

"I know I do. You do as well," she replied. "I just won't get any rest while I'm worrying about her."

"I won't either," Lucas admitted. "I tell you once they've got through this we're not letting them out of the house until they're forty."

"So they'll be home schooled then?" Brooke asked. She somehow managed a playful tone as she did.

"Completely," Lucas replied. "We'll get Haley to quit her job and she can teach Alyssa too. And Lee, Evelyn and whatever Peyton and Jake are having."

"You know I suddenly feel like I've aged about twenty years," Brooke told him. "I've gone from having no responsibility whatsoever to tons. It's kind of scary."

"I know what you mean," Lucas replied. "I mean I've only really had myself to look after outside of work."

"Now you have a wife and three kids to look out for," Brooke told him as she looked up into his eyes. "As well as two insane kittens and a God daughter."

"That sounds scary when you put it like that," Lucas replied. He then jokingly added. "How old am I again?"

"Likewise," Brooke replied. "Can we get in the car now before I turn around and camp out in the hospital for the night?"

"I think we better," Lucas said before he lowered his lips and kissed her deeply. "I love you Mrs. Scott."

"I love you too Mr. Scott."

~X~

The next day Lucas pulled up outside the hospital a little before five a.m. He was dropping Brooke off before he headed to the firehouse and started his shift.

"You'll call my cell as soon as you hear anything right?" he asked for the millionth time.

"Of course I will," she promised him. "And if I can't get you on your cell I'll try the phone at the firehouse."

"I hate having to leave you here to deal with it all by yourself." He said as he sighed. He wished that he could just play hooky for the day, but that would leave them one man short as Clay had called in sick.

"I'll be fine Luke," Brooke assured him. She was saying it more for herself than him. "Haley is going to come by remember? And Mia is kitty sitting for us again. So we're all going to be fine."

"How did you get so strong and amazing?" he asked as he gazed into her eyes.

"I'm only strong because I have you by my side," she replied. "And if anybody is the amazing one in this relationship it's you."

"That's really not true," he replied. "It's definitely you."

"If you say so," Brooke replied not sounding entirely convinced. "I tell you what; let's just agree to disagree on that one okay?"

"Okay," he replied as he saw the time. He let out a disappointed groan as he did. "I have to get going or I'm going to be late."

"Give me a kiss before you do," she told him. He obediently leaned over and kissed her deeply and lovingly. "That's going to have to get me through until you finish work."

"This is going to be the longest twenty four hours of my life." Lucas said as he let out another sigh.

"Just remember to bring me breakfast when you finish," she told him as she managed a smile. "Then we can eat it together with the babies."

"You can count on it," he told her as he returned the smile. "God I love you Pretty Girl."

"I love you too Broody," She replied. She then kissed him once again before she took her seatbelt off. She then opened the door and climbed out. "You better get that cute butt of yours to the firehouse before you end up in your dad's or Dan's bad books."

"I think they'll be understanding considering the situation," Lucas replied as she closed the door. He then lowered the window and said. "Tell the kids that their daddy loves them."

"Don't you worry about that," Brooke told him. "I'm definitely saying that to them."

"Okay," Lucas replied. He was stalling and Brooke's heart went out to him. "If you're allowed can you give Summer a kiss from her daddy if she has to have the surgery?"

"Of course I will," she promised. "Let's hope she doesn't need that."

"I hope she doesn't," Lucas said as he sighed again. "I don't want to go."

"I know you don't baby," Brooke replied. "Do you think that you could get the day off? I mean it's not going to be very practical you working anyway seeing as though you won't be concentrating on your job. We don't need another Felix situation."

"I'll go and talk to my dad and see what he says," he replied. "And hopefully I'll be back here in an hour or so."

"Hopefully," she agreed. "Now get going and ask your dad. I need to go and give this milk to the nurses."

"I'm going," he replied as he managed a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too." Brooke replied as she stepped back from the car. Lucas slowly drove away and she waved as he did. He waved back before he pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Brooke then headed inside and hoped that good news awaited her.

~X~

"Hey," Haley said as she headed into one of the private family waiting areas a little later that day. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"Yeah I have," Brooke replied in a sad tone. Haley went over and maneuvered herself into a sitting position beside Brooke. "The medication didn't work. They're going to have to do the surgery."

"Oh my God!" Haley replied in shock. "Does Lucas know?"

"Yeah I called him as soon as Dr. Copeland told me," Brooke replied as tears began to fall. "He tried to get the day off but they're too short on guys for him to come here."

"Clay's off sick. He reckons he has the flu but Quinn says its man flu." Haley told her.

"Huh?" Brooke asked as she pulled a confused expression.

"He's basically got a normal cold and making out that it's worse than it actually is," Haley explained with a slight smile. "So me and her call it man flu."

"Oh," Brooke replied. "Normally I'd laugh at something like that, but I don't feel like doing that right now."

"I understand," Haley told her as she took hold of her hand. "I can't imagine how you feel right now. I'll be here for as long as you need me okay. If you need a shoulder to cry on you can use mine."

"Thank you Haley," Brooke said in a grateful tone. "I think I'll need that shoulder."

"Is Summer in surgery yet?" Haley asked.

"No," Brooke replied with a sigh. "Dr. Copeland is getting the paperwork for me to sign. They're checking Summer's vitals as well which is why I'm in here."

"Are they going to let you see her before they take her into surgery?"

"Dr. Copeland said that they would," Brooke replied. "He's even letting me hold her. I've not been allowed to so far. I'm worried I might do some damage to her."

"Brooke you'll be fine with her," Haley assured her. "Do you want me to get some pictures of the two of you while you hold her?"

"That would be great," Brooke told her. "Dr. Copeland said that the surgery is fairly simple compared to other heart surgeries. I'm so scared that she won't make it through. I mean she's so small compared to her brothers."

"I'm going to call Clay and tell him to stop being a whiny ass wimp with his man flu and get his butt into work so Lucas can come here," Haley said as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse. "Do you think they'll mind if I use this in here?"

"This is where I used mine," Brooke told her. "So I don't think so."

"Okay," she said as she dialed Quinn's number. "I'm going to use my teacher voice on him. It seems to work on everybody when I want them to do something."

"Good luck," Brooke replied. "I just hope he's not too sick to go to work."

~X~

Lucas hurried through the hospital doors and headed down the now familiar hallway towards the NICU. He quickly pulled on a plastic apron, used the hand gel and typed the code into the pad. He then used some more gel on his hands and rubbed it in as he headed into the room. He saw Brooke and Haley over by Summer's incubator and hurried over.

"Hey you," Brooke said as she saw him. "Good timing."

"I got here as fast as I could," Lucas replied as he saw that she held Summer in her arms. "I'm going to kick Clay's ass the next time I see him. Thanks for going all teacher on him Hales."

"You're welcome," Haley replied. "As soon as I knew just how serious it was with Summer I thought it was the right thing to do. Is he really sick?"

"He has a cough and a runny nose. He looks a little like Rudolph right now," Lucas replied. "But it's nothing he can't work with."

"I knew it!" Haley replied. "I'll be having strong words with him too when I see him."

"How's she doing?" Lucas asked Brooke as his attention went back to Summer.

"Good considering," Brooke replied. "Haley's going to take some photos for us."

"Well we better get posing then huh?" Lucas replied. "Because I really want to hold our little girl too before she goes to surgery."

Brooke and Lucas then began to pose for the pictures. They posed for quite a few with Brooke holding Summer. She then carefully handed her over to Lucas and they took some more. As Lucas held his daughter for the first time he couldn't help the tears that welled up into his eyes. In a matter of moments they were working their way down his cheeks.

"She's so light," Lucas said as he looked down at Summer. "I know you've done a lot of fighting already, but you have to fight a little more okay? You have to make it through this Summer because me and your mom don't want to lose you. And if you take after your momma I know you have that fight in you."

"God Lucas you're making me cry now." Brooke said as she wiped at her eyes.

"And me," Haley added. "I really can't blame this one on my hormones."

"Sorry," Lucas replied. "But I'm just being honest. I hope she can hear me."

"I think she can," Brooke said as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her chin rested on his shoulder and she gazed down at their daughter in his arms. "Do what your daddy tells you okay Summer? I'm gonna need you to back me up in a house full of boys."

Haley quickly raised the camera and took several more pictures of Brooke, Lucas and Summer together as they continued to say encouraging things to her. She managed to get her tears under control as she did. When she was taking the last picture, the doors to the NICU opened and Dr. Copeland came in, along with several other medical staff.

"Brooke, Lucas, we're ready to take Summer to the OR now." He told them softly.

Brooke and Lucas shared a look before their attention went back to their daughter. They both gently kissed her head before Lucas handed her over to a nurse. Lucas pulled Brooke into his arms and held her as the medical team wheeled Summer's incubator out of the NICU. As the doors closed behind them neither of them could hold their tears back any longer.

~X~

A while later, Brooke and Lucas were still beside the incubators that held Jamie and Jack. They were sat on chairs and were now allowed to put their hands into the incubators through openings on the side. Lucas had his hand in Jamie's incubator and his index finger was being held by Jamie's tiny hand. Brooke's index finger was being held by Jack.

The door opened and both Brooke and Lucas looked over. They saw Summer being wheeled back into the room in her incubator. However, there were several more machines and tubes attached to it. They watched anxiously as she was wheeled back to her spot. Several nurses then proceeded to position the many machines around her as Dr. Copeland came into the room.

"How did it go?" Lucas asked him. He kept his hand in the incubator and Jamie's hand gripped his finger tighter at the sound of his voice.

"Very well," Dr. Copeland replied as he smiled. "There were no problems whatsoever. Summer should be fine."

"Really?" Brooke asked as she smiled in return.

"Really," Dr. Copeland confirmed. "We'll be checking on her more often over the next 48 hours just as a precautionary measure. After then she should start growing like her brothers."

"Thank you so much Dr. Copeland," Lucas told him sounding relieved. "Thank you."

"Yes thank you." Brooke repeated as tears of relief made their way down her cheeks.

"You're welcome," Dr. Copeland replied. "I'm just doing my job. Now I'll leave you in peace with your babies."

"Are you feeling as relieved as I am?" Lucas asked after the medical staff had left.

"Yes," Brooke replied as she wiped her tears away with her free hand. "I had visions of him coming in here and telling us that she hadn't made it through the surgery."

"I have to admit that I did too," Lucas confessed. "I'm so glad that Haley talked Clay into coming into work as well. If he hadn't and I hadn't been able to be here I wouldn't have got to hold her. Then if something had happened during the surgery I would never have had the chance."

"I'm glad Haley did as well," Brooke told him. "I couldn't have handled today without you here. I know Haley was here before you got here and I love her for that. It just wasn't the same."

"I know what you mean," Lucas told her. "And it's good that I was here. I think it wouldn't have been fair to Haley to have to be stressed out in her condition."

"You're right it wouldn't," Brooke agreed. "We should call everyone and let them know the good news."

"I'll go and do it when Jamie let's go of my finger." Lucas told her as he smiled fondly.

"Jack's gripping mine too," Brooke told him. "Their hands are so tiny."

"They don't seem quite as small as when they were born," Lucas told her. "I can't wait for Summer to start growing now."

"Me neither," Brooke replied. "You heard what Dr. Copeland said. Now she's had her surgery she should start growing."

"I just hope these next 48 hours go by fast," Lucas said as Jamie let go of his finger. "Then she'll have a better chance."

"Yeah." Brooke said softly.

"I'm going to go and make those calls," Lucas told her as he stood from his seat. He stretched to try and get the knots out of his muscles. He'd obviously been sat in the same position for too long. "Do you want me to bring you a hot drink or anything back?"

"I could really do with some tea right now," she told him. "Any kind."

"I'll have one with me when I come back," he told her as he bent and kissed her lovingly. "I won't be long I promise."

"You better not be." She told him as she managed a smile. Lucas smiled back before he headed out of the door to go and tell everyone their news.