Elizabeth was six and a half months pregnant when Emily's death anniversary rolled around. As she did on the mornings of Emily's death anniversary she made Logan's favourite breafkast, waffles. She had roses in a vase for him and for Jack. Every year she left it to Logan to decide whether he wanted her to go and each year he would ask her to go. Every year it was almost an unspoken expectation.

The months following the announcement of the twins Elizabeth had made a conscious effort to spend quality time with Logan. She was always on the ball but she took his concerns to heart and never wanted to give room for question on her love for him. In saying that she could't help but wonder if it would ever be enough. She could feel that he had kept her to a certain distance and it admittedly stung.

As Logan came down the stairs he saw the roses and his breakfast. There was comfort in traditions and this one meant a lot to him. From the moment Elizabeth had come into their lives she had been there to love him through the day even when he hadn't quite grasped the enormity of what they were doing. However, that day was going to be different. He kissed her good morning as he did every morning. He ate breakfast and joked around with Annabelle, but when it was time and Jack rose to his feet to go, he followed suit without a word, without a look in Elizabeth's direction. Jack threw Elizabeth a somewhat apologetic look seeing the pain the crossed through her eyes. She gave him a small reassuring smile as if to tell him it was okay. Father and son headed to the pier to pay their respect and love to the first love of their life.

Henry called and asked his mother to come over so he and his little bestie Annabelle could play. Without waiting for Jack and Logan they had walked to the Coulter's leaving a note for Jack. It was a Saturday and the air was cold but the sun was out making for a beautiful day. Elizabeth loved living a few houses down from Lee and Rosie's.

"Hey pretty Momma, you look more and more pregnant every day." Lee greeted cheerfully as they walked through the gate standing from where he sat on the porch.

"Uncle Lee it's because my brothers or sisters are growing every day." Annabelle answered as a matter of fact. Lee picked up his godchild in his arms turning her upside down tickling her.

"Is that right?" He asked as she squealed gleefully. After a couple of minutes she begged for mercy and was released to find her partner in crime."

"More and more like you every day." He stated fondly.

"It's what makes you love her even more Leland," she pointed out.

"Well I'd love her regardless but the fact that she's my Godchild and a mini you does work to her advantage."

"Spoken like a true partner in crime,"

"You know it," he replied draping and arm around her shoulder and dropping a kiss on her head.

"Tough day?" He stated aware of the day and all it held.

"Toughest one I've had for awhile," she confessed. Lee raised an eyebrow. Elizabeth after eight years had learned to navigate the day and was always adamant in reassuring everyone around her.

"Logan didn't ask me to come today." She said softly,

"I mean he doesn't have to. We don't have to read into it, but Lee…"

"You are?"

"I don't know if it's the pregnancy or that he's just getting older. Yay for teenage years. I have never felt so disconnected from him as I do right now. I don't know whether to give him space or be in his face so he knows I'm not going anywhere. That I will love him through whatever this is."

"You're hurt," he observed unnecessarily.

"I'm not his mother Lee, it doesn't matter how hard I love him. I will never be. It feels like someone else could have done it better. The way it was meant to."

"Bea, you are his mother in all of the most important way. He knows the value of that." Elizabeth wasn't so sure.

Jack and Logan arrived home to an empty house. Logan found the note on the kitchen counter.

"Hey, Belle and Henry wanted to play so we'll be at the Coulter's. There's food in the fridge for lunch. Feel free to join us if you're up for it." Jack noted how vague she was and that she didn't sign off. He sighed inwardly. It was a tough day for all.

"How about you and I go to mini golf and grab burgers there?" Jack suggested to Logan knowing this was a new thing for him. Seeing out his Mom's death anniversary without the mother he's known and regarded for the last 8 years, out of his own choice.

"Sure Dad, that sounds great."

"Awesome, grab a jacket upstairs, it's getting cold." Logan nodded and ran up the stairs. Jack dropped Elizabeth a quick text to let her know of their plans

"Sounds great Jack. Have fun."

"Sweetheart, you okay?" He asked biting the bullet as he heard Logan move around upstairs.

"Yeah Babe, all good. Enjoy your time with Logan. Use the day to remind him of Emily and remember her. Maybe tell him new stories so he gets to know her through your eyes. I think he needs that."

"I love you,"

"I know Jack, I promise." She replied before putting her phone away. Lee watched as Elizabeth shook the cobwebs from her head and stand to her feet to join Rosie in the kitchen.

As luck would have it, she too was heavily pregnant. She was a couple of months ahead of Elizabeth and her due date was literally days away. Much to Lee's relief, theirs was not a set of twins but they were having a girl. Elizabeth and Jack had decided to wait until the twins were born to find out their gender.

"So Lee tells me you were having contractions last night?" Rosie nodded.

"And today but they're still far apart." Elizabeth looked alarm.

"Is your hospital bag packed?"

"Yep and already in the car." Rosie said calmly.

"Wait is that why Henry wanted a play mate?" Rosie smiled at her friend,

"Probably. We're going to need to drop them off to Abigail's before we head to the hospital." Elizabeth was going into the delivery room with her and Lee. Just as she was when Henry was born, just as Rosie was at hers when Annabelle was born.

"Way to go in downplaying guys," Elizabeth said dryly as Lee came from behind her.

"Using the boss as a gauge, if she's not panicking I'm not. But we should probably get moseying on to be safe. I've just got off the phone from Abigail's they're expecting us." Elizabeth gathered the children.

"You guys head on over to the hospital. I'll drop the kids off at Abigail's be five behind." The Coulter's nodded as Lee helped his wife on to his car and Elizabeth made sure the kids were buckled in the Coulter's family car. Grateful that there was always an extra child seat there for Annabelle so they didn't have to grab it from home.

As they got to Abigail's Elizabeth gave their family spare phone they had for emergencies to Annabelle,

"Baby, I'm not sure how much I can be on the phone whilst there so you hold on to this. You need anything you tell Aunty Abigail. You can call Dad and send me messages okay?" Annabelle nodded. Her five year old was quite tech savvy much to her amusement. She attributed that to having an older brother who was constantly teaching her new things.

Elizabeth hugged both kids goodbye, dropped a kiss on Abigail's cheek and motored all the way to the hospital. As she was getting out of her car and going into the hospital she dropped Jack a quick message not wanting to interrupt father and son time.

"Hey Jack, Rosie's in labour but she says she's still pretty far apart. Lee's taken her to the hospital. I've dropped the kids off at Abigail's and meeting them there. I'm not sure how long she'll be in labour for so I don't know what time I'll be home. Both Belle and Henry have clothes at Abigail's so if they need to stay they can she's happy to have them. If you're going to take Belle with you, please take Henry too so they're together. Just got to the hospital and about to scrub in so I'll touch base when I can. xxE"

Jack kept his phone on silent whilst he and Logan had spent their afternoon together so he had missed Elizabeth's message. He had wanted to give Logan his undivided attention so that he could understand the sudden change in his demeanour when it came to Elizabeth. He had spent the day telling him stories about Emily. What he loved about her. What traits he had that were hers. For Logan it was like he was hearing it all for the first time.

Clearly something had shifted.

"Hey Bud, what's going on?" Jack asked not beating around the bush. Logan read his father like a book so he knew what the question meant.

"I love Mom. You know I do. So much." He stated,

"I know she loves me as though I'm hers. That she's never seen or loved me less than that. I look at the way Belle looks at her, not entirely unlike the way I look her and I feel guilty. Ashamed almost that I don't have that for my Mom. Even though Grammie Grace has been gone for so long Mom still has all these memories and continue to love her like she always did. Dad I can't feel that way about my Mom."

"So you think because you're can't, through no fault of yours, denying and distancing yourself from Elizabeth is what you deserve?" Jack asked gently. Logan shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't remember Mom at all. The memories I have are the stories you tell me over and over again and I know its because you don't want me to forget her, but Dad they're your memories of Mom. Not mine." Jack pulled his son in his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry Buddy. You were so young when your Mom died. There's no way you could remember her and that's not your fault. Elizabeth came at a time when I guess you needed her because Bud you were like a moth to a flame. You followed her wherever she went. She doted on you because she loved you from the first moment she met you. She will never be able to take the place of your Mom, because Emily Thornton will always be your mother but it doesn't mean Elizabeth is less than a Mom to you. Bud, she raised you, clothed, fed and most importantly loved you and continues to love you. You are every bit as important to her as Annabelle and the twins. There's no Logan and her kids, you're all her kids. You can't deny yourself her love because you feel guilty. Your Mom would never want that for you. If she could be here, she would be. But if she can't, it would mean everything to her to know that you are so loved."

"Do you think Mom's at me for not asking her to come this morning?" Logan asked,

"No bud, I think she's worried that you're clearly distancing yourself from her but she's not mad. She would never be mad at you for not asking her to come this morning."

When they had finished talking and completed the course he and Logan had a somewhat later lunch than usual. By the time he had finally looked at his phone, it had been hours since Elizabeth had sent it. Judging from the no follow up, he guessed she was still in the birthing room with Rosie.

"Hey Bud, Aunt Rosie has gone into labour. She's dropped Annabelle and Henry off at Aunt Abigail's. Let's go check in with Aunt Abigail." Logan nodded standing to his feet.

"Is Mom in the delivery room with Aunt Rosie?"

"Yeah bud, she is."

"Will she be okay being so pregnant?"

"I'm sure she will be Bud." Jack attempted to reassure him whilst sharing his concern. Elizabeth tired easily and understandably so. Jack knew that Lee would make sure she was well, but worried nonetheless.

"Hey my favourite Thornton boys." Abigail greeted as they walked through the Diner doors.

"Logie!!!" Annabelle squealed with excitement seeing her big brother. She dropped the crayon in her hand to run over and hug him. Logan laughed as she crashed on to him.

"She's never that excited to see me. It low key kind of hurts," Jack said teasingly to Abigail who laughed knowing he was joking. Annabelle jumped into Jack's arms after hugging Logan.

"Aunt Rosie is having a baby."

"Yes she is."

"Logan, Cody is upstairs if you want to head on up." Logan looked at his Dad who nodded consent. Logan tickled Annabelle before running up the stairs to see his Cody.

"Lee's just sent a message. Her contractions are coming through regularly and closer together but no where near where they need to be."

"Has her water broken?"

"I don't think so, they're just monitoring her at the moment. You can leave Logan here if you want to go on to the hospital to check on your pregnant wife." Abigail offered knowingly,

"Are you sure? You already have these two little peanuts," he said as he had Annabelle in one arm and Henry in the other.

"Yeah, you'll just be driving me crazy with your worrying here so win win." She answered with a smirk making him chuckle.

"I'm going to head there in a little bit too. Becky is here and has offered to watch them."

"Thanks Abigail. Now you two be good for Aunt Abigail. I'm going to check in on your Mommies."

"We're always good Uncle Jack," Henry answered with a toothless grin.

"Hmmm, I don't know about that little monster." He teased making both 5 year olds giggle.

"Good luck Aunt Abigail." He gave them all a hug before heading to the hospital.