Day after the birth….

Tom and Julie took the afternoon the day after their wedding to go see their new niece and nephew. They were high on the newlywed side of life right then, but knowing they would be gone for a while and unable to see them, they wanted to make the time.

Julie knocked on the door and peeked her head in, in case Elizabeth was nursing them. "Hey, Beth."

"Julie, come in."

"Can Tom come in too?"

"Of course. They won't be eating for another half hour or so."

"Honey, it's safe," she told Tom with a smile. She handed Elizabeth a bouquet of flowers. "For you, sister. We are so happy for you."

"These are so pretty, Julie. Thank you. Feel free to pick them up," Elizabeth told them.

"Oh, I'm good," Tom said as he stood by the door.

"Don't be silly, Tom. Come hold them," Julie told him, pulling him by the hand.

"They are so small, babe. I don't want to hurt them."

She picked up Matthew and gently laid him in her husband's arms. "Don't worry. You will be fine."

Julie then picked up Delaney and sat next to Tom. "She's beautiful, Beth. She looks just like you."

"Thanks, Jules. Are you two ready for your big trip?"

"I'm ready for the honeymoon part," Julie said with a laugh. "I'm still not sure about the Kenya part."

"You will be fine," Tom told her for the hundredth time.

"If I get stung by a bird mosquito, I'm flying home."

"Seriously, babe?"

"Of course not. I'm not leaving you in a foreign country with bird mosquitos."

Tom smirked and kissed her lips. "I love you, wife."

"I love you, husband."

"Okay, you guys are cute and all but it's kind of making me jealous when my husband isn't here for me to kiss," Elizabeth teased.

"You know that I had to deal with you and Jack smooching for a long time before Tom and I got together."

"And we are newlyweds. It's a rule that we get to kiss, and other things, whenever we want," Tom teased back, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife.

"I guess you're right. You guys did wait a long time. I'm so happy for you both and I know you will have a wonderful trip."

"Thanks, Beth."

Elizabeth and the twins came home four days after they were born, all pronounced in good health but with strict instructions for Elizabeth to rest for six to eight weeks to heal from her caesarean.

That meant that Jack and his mom and Elizabeth's mom were on deck to help with anything and everything she might need.

Jack and Hunter were still supposed to be in school but Jack did have two weeks off planned for after their birth so he was there.

"Honey, we're home," Jack told her quietly, waking her up from their ride from the hospital.

"Thank you."

Hunter sat in the back with a clear view of the babies so he could tell them if they were waking up that way Elizabeth could ride in front.

Jack first had Hunter stay in the car with the twins while he helped Elizabeth inside.

"Yoohoo! Elizabeth! Don't you look wonderful?" Rosie said, waddling over from her house.

"I don't really feel it, Rosie, but thank you."

"Where are the babies? Did you have to leave them at the hospital? I know sometimes that happens. You poor dear."

"No, they are in the car."

"Alone? No, you should never leave the babies alone in a car, Elizabeth. I have read so many horror…."

"Rosemary!" Jack interjected. "Hunter is there and if you will allow me to get her inside, I will be right out to get them."

"Oh, well, I suppose that's fine. If you will be right back out."

"Yes, but if you want, you can go see the babies and Hunter," he suggested.

"I think I might do that. I haven't seen them yet."

"Go ahead," he called with a wave as he and Elizabeth walked slowly up the steps and inside.

Rosie opened the side door to the vehicle and smiled. "Well, aren't they precious?"

"I guess," Hunter said with a shrug. "What does precious mean?"

"Beloved," she said wistfully.

"What does that mean?" he wondered.

"Oh, nevermind, Hunter. They are cute."

"I know what that means." He looked at her with interest. "Do you have two babies inside your belly too?"

"No, mister, I do not. Only one."

"Oh. It must be a big one then."

"Okay, let's change the subject. What are the babies' names?"

"This one is Delaney and that one is Matthew."

"Oh, those are wonderful names."

"Thanks, Rosie," Jack said as he walked up. "Hunt, you can go ahead and go inside. Thanks for watching them, bud."

"You're welcome, Dad."

Jack walked around the far side of the vehicle and unlocked Delaney's car seat before coming over and doing the same for Matthew. "Do you want to come in and visit? Should be about an hour before they need to eat again so you can hold them if you would like."

"I would. I'm getting a bit of baby fever, I think."

"Not much longer for you."

"Nope. I'm due next week."

"That's exciting. Would you please get the door, Rosie?"

"Of course." She opened the door and they entered the house.

Elizabeth was in the new rocker recliner that her parents bought her as a baby gift. She was dozing so Jack took the babies to the couch and unbuckled Matthew. "Hey, buddy. Want Aunt Rosie to hold you?"

…..

Rosie went home an hour later feeling a bit jealous and so ready to meet her own daughter. "Lee?" When she received no answer, she sat on the couch and pouted. "Of course you aren't home yet," she grumbled. He had been working as much as possible while she was still pregnant. Thankfully, the station gave him a week off after she gave birth.

Her stomach growled and the baby kicked. "Okay, I'm guessing you are hungry, Noelle? So am I, sweetheart." She texted Lee to see if he could pick up some Chinese food for dinner because she didn't feel like cooking.

"Honey bunny, u there?"

"Yes, sweetheart. R U okay?"

"I'm hungry and so is our daughter. Any chance we can get Chinese?"

"Absolutely. Call it in and I will pick it up."

"Thanks!"

"Anything for my girls."

Rosie couldn't complain really. Lee took care of her and Noelle as if his life depended on it. She couldn't wait for the next stage that was coming. Being a parent was so important to her and she was going to try her hardest to keep their baby girl happy and healthy.

"I love you, sweet girl," she told her. "I can't wait for you to come out."

A bit later, Lee walked in the door quietly, thinking maybe Rosie would be sleeping. She usually was around this time of day. She was on the couch, curled up under a blanket, her arm around her tummy protectively.

Lee had no doubt she was going to be a good mother. Maybe a bit overwhelming, but only because she loved her so much.

He took the food to the kitchen and fixed her a plate of her favorites. General's chicken, medium, with sticky rice and two egg rolls. Then he took it in to the living room and put the plate on the table.

"Sweetheart? Dinnertime." He kissed her forehead and lips.

"Lee?"

"Who else would it be, Rosie?"

"Well, Lee. I didn't want you to find out this way, but I met someone."

"Very funny, dear."

"No really. His name is Sam and he is so handsome and smart."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes. And he is a lawyer and he makes tons of money."

"Oh well, I guess lawyer's do make a lot. And since Sam is coming over, I will let you two have dinner. This looks delicious." He picked up her plate and fork and took a bite.

"Drop the fork, Coulter."

He laughed. "Why should I? You are cheating on me with a lawyer, for goodness sake. Couldn't you have picked like a garbage man or something?"

She leaned over and opened her mouth. He smiled and slipped a bite of chicken between her lips. "Mmm. Thank you, honey bunny."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

…..

Elizabeth handed Matthew to Jack and then burped Delaney.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Jack wondered. She had been pretty quiet since they got home.

"Tired. Sore. Overwhelmed."

"It's almost time for your meds. I'll get it for you. That will take care of the sore part."

"And the tired and overwhelmed part?"

"That will be solved in about ten minutes." He chuckled when Matthew let out a good size burp for such a little guy. "Good job, buddy. You are definitely a Thornton."

"What happens in ten minutes?"

"Backup is coming and then you and I are going to go upstairs and you will get to take a shower and go to sleep."

"Backup?"

"Yup. Your Mom and Dad are coming and will be here as long as we need them."

"Really?"

"Really."

Elizabeth was rewarded with a burp from Delaney too so she laid her on her lap and pulled down her oversized sweatshirt.

Hunter came into the room after his bath and sat on the couch. "Dad, can I hold Matthew?"

"Of course you can." He put a pillow under one of Hunter's arms and laid Matthew's head in the crook in his arm. "Now, hold him on your lap with this arm, Hunt."

Grace and William walked in few moments later.

"Grandma, Grandpa, look who I have!" Hunter said in a loud whisper.

"Wow, look at you, Hunt! Such a good big brother," Grandpa William told him, sitting down next to him.

Grace knelt next to Elizabeth and kissed her cheek. "How are you, sweetie?"

Elizabeth promptly started crying. "I don't know," she cried. "I just don't feel like me."

"Oh, Beth. This is why we are here. With Jack here to help and us too, you will feel better faster."

"I'm so tired."

Jack stood in front of her and assisted her out of the chair. "Come on, sweetheart. Shower then bed."

He helped her up the stairs when she declined his offer to carry her up them, leaving the kids downstairs with the grandparents.

After her nice warm shower, she let Jack help her into bed carefully. "I love you so much, Elizabeth," he told her with a kiss. "You are amazing and I am so lucky."

Her tears flowed from pure exhaustion and hormones. "Thanks," she croaked. "I love you too."

"Get some sleep, babe."

"Will you stay here? Just until I fall asleep?" she asked, her hand out for him to take.

"Of course."

He sat down on his side of the bed and held her hand. He didn't need to stay long. She was asleep within about two minutes, but he held her hand for a good half hour past that, just in case she woke up.

Then he headed downstairs to see to dinner.

He received a few congratulatory texts from Mike and Jane and from a few others. They wondered when would be a good time to come meet the babies. He told them to wait for a few days until Elizabeth was rested up and they got their bearings.

"Dad?" Hunter said, sitting on his stool at the counter.

"Yeah, bud?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, bud."

"No, I reallllllly love you."

"What do you want, Hunt? Does it involve money?"

"Nope! It's free!" he said with a huge grin.

"Okay. Shoot."

"Can we have Opal over to see the babies?"

Jack smiled and turned to look at Hunt. He was a super proud big brother for sure. "In a couple days. Mom needs a bit of time to rest before we have any more visitors unless it's family."

"She's going to be family one day," Hunter said matter-of-factly. "But, okay. I will ask her in a few days."

"Thanks for understanding, Hunt."

"You're welcome," he said, hopping off the stool and running back over to the sofa, slowing down when he got close. "Grandma, can I hold Laney?"

"I think she needs a diaper change first, unless you want to help me," Grace said.

"Yeah, I want to learn."

"Well, Matthew needs one too," William announced. "And it's a doozy, I think."

Jack laughed from the kitchen at the reaction of Hunter when he saw what was in the diapers. A lot of "Whoa!" and "Gross!" and "Ew!" came from the living room.

"How did so much poop come out of them?" he asked when they were all clean and smelling better.

About an hour later, the babies needed to eat so Jack carried them both upstairs to Elizabeth. He didn't want to wake her, but the babies would soon if he didn't so he took the initiative.

"Honey?" he whispered as he approached. "The babies are hungry."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "I need your help getting up, please."

He laid them on the bed and helped put pillows behind Elizabeth's head and back and then, one at a time, helped her get the babies situated.

"Did you get some sleep?" he asked as he watched his children eat.

"Yeah. I need a lot more though."

She laid her head back and relaxed as they babies ate, once in a while adjusting if needed. After about ten minutes, she asked him to take Matthew and burp him so she could burp Delaney.

"This is our life now. I guess I can't do anything myself," she muttered, tears forming again.

"Elizabeth, we are a team, but I can let you do this if you want."

"I can't, Jack. That's my point. I can't burp both of them alone at the same time. I can't. It's not possible."

He knew that she was speaking from hormones and frustration and exhaustion. "Is that so bad?"

"I guess not… I don't know. I'm just tired. I don't know what I am saying."

"My guess is, there will be a time when you will do it yourself. Until then, if you are okay with it, I will help you. The way I see it, I helped make the babies and you did the hard work of carrying them and having them so I should help out when I can."

She stared at him and cried, yet again. This time she agreed with him. "Thank you, babe."

He leaned over and gave her a kiss before handing Matthew back to her. "I'm going to go get you some food and some water. I will be right back."

"Please don't leave. I need you to help me."

"You will be okay. I will be back before you need me again."

She watched him walk off and vowed not to panic. She could do it. She was a strong woman and had dealt with a lot in her life, not to mention criminals. She could deal with two little babies.

As she lay there watching them, Delaney looked up at her, fixing her gaze on her. "Hi, baby girl. I'm sorry I feel so unsure. I love you so much." She felt a tear run down her cheek. "I promise, I will be the best mom I can to you and your brothers." She looked over and Matthew was looking up at her too. "Hi there."

Jack stood in the hall and listened as Elizabeth talked to the babies. She was doing just fine just like he knew she would. He was so very proud of her and he loved her more than he thought possible. She heard her start telling Delaney that Matthew was going to burp first and to be patient while she figured out how to burp her too.

He hesitated and then walked in, setting her water and food on the table. "I see you got it handled."

"Not really. I still am only burping one at a time."

"And Delaney is just fine sleeping on your lap while you burp Matthew. You are doing fine, sweetheart."

She looked down and smiled. Yes, their lovely little girl was peacefully sleeping on her lap, her little rosebud lips still moving. "She's beautiful."

Jack nodded. "Just like her mother."

That night Jack got up around two a.m. to grab the twins to eat. As he walked over to the crib, he noticed Hunter sleeping on the floor next to the crib. As Delaney started squawking, Hunter woke up.

"Is she ok?" he asked.

"She's hungry, son. Why don't you go sleep in your room? It's quieter in there."

"Because they need me. They need to know that I will protect them. It's my job." Hunter laid back down and turned over, falling back to sleep.

Jack picked up Delaney and took her over to Elizabeth who was getting ready to feed them. Then he went back for Matthew and changed his diaper before handing him to Elizabeth.

"I think Hunter is going to be a great dad someday, Elizabeth."

"I know he will. He has you for an example."

…..

A week later….

"Lee!" Rosie yelled, scaring him out of a sound sleep.

"What?"

"This is it! We need to go to the hospital."

"What? What do you mean?" He was still trying to wake up so he wasn't fully comprehending what was going on.

"It's time to go to the hospital. Now, Lee." She swung her legs to the side of the bed and moaned through a contraction. "Oh gosh. Can you hurry, please?"

He dressed quickly, grabbed her bag that she had packed by the closet and helped her into a pair of sweats. Then they walked slowly down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to moan through another contraction.

Lee walked her to the car and dialed the doctor to let her know they were going to the hospital.

They made good time, mostly because at three in the morning, there wasn't too much traffic on that particular route. The other part was Lee wasn't, absolutely wasn't, going to deliver his own baby. It was best left for the trained medical professionals. So he made sure to go as fast as he could legally go to get them there.

He pulled up to the doors at the hospital and rushed inside to let them know they arrived. A nurse followed him back out with a wheelchair.

For the next few hours, Lee marveled at his wife. She was so calm and quiet during contractions, he almost didn't know she was having them and on top of that, she refused to have the epidural that she had wanted her whole pregnancy. "You are doing so good, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear as she rested. "I'm so proud of you."

The doctor walked in and sat down. "How are we doing, Rosemary?"

"I don't know. I guess fine."

"I'm going to check and see how far along you are. So just try to relax for me, okay?"

"I will try."

A moment later, the doctor peeled off his rubber gloves and smiled. "Well, won't be too much longer now. You are about 9 centimeters. You two should get to meet your baby within the next half hour or so."

Rosie smiled and looked at Lee. She couldn't believe it. It was finally happening. He smiled back and kissed her. "Let's meet our little girl, sweetheart."

And about an hour later, she was born. A sweet 7lb 4 oz baby girl. Noelle Adrienne Coulter.

Her parents couldn't help but be completely in love, as it should be.

For Lee and Rosie, and Jack and Elizabeth, their children were the representation of the strong, enduring love they had for each other and their life that they had now, was wonderful and unexpected. That being said, it was exactly what they wanted.

Thank you for everything readers! Epilouge coming soon.