Five Months Later

Santana

It was New Years' Eve, and they only had a weekend left before winter break ended, but before Santana could go back to school for the last semester, her stepbrother needed her. (That's right, her actual stepbrother, for in October, in a small and private family ceremony, Miguel and Teresa had wed.) Although Jessa was supposed to have three more weeks to go, for her safety and the safety of their babies, it had been decided that she would be induced the very next day, on New Years' Day. Artie and Santana were traveling to be there for the big day. They made it to Columbus right as the sun was going down.

"New year, new babies," Artie mused, as he drove them there. Santana was content to be the passenger so that she could finish a little gift she'd been working on. Not to be one to fit into any stereotypes herself, Santana had a secret passion for crocheting. Her abuela had been her teacher, many years ago. She'd found some yarn to match the blue-green wall in the babies' room and was nearly finished making the cozy blanket she'd been planning to give them at the hospital. It would look great draped on the back of the little grey rocking chair.

"New... everything," Santana agreed, thinking also about her own life just as much as theirs. Recently, she'd decided to go to the University of Louisville in Kentucky on a cheerleading scholarship. One byproduct of the choice to go away for school, however, was that she and Artie had come to the mutual decision to break up. It seemed like the easiest way around the fact that she was a senior and he was still a junior. At least that was what they told themselves.

Artie pulled into the driveway of the cute house that Ike and Jessa had bought back in July, which now sported several more upgrades, including a brand new fence to replace the old one that had been falling down when they moved in. As Santana and Artie entered the house, they both noticed the doorway project had been completed entirely, as had the removal of the carpet in the house. Tile or laminate flooring now made up the entirety of the house, also making it much more wheelchair-friendly.

They saw Jessa's enormous belly turn the corner before the rest of her did. Having not seen her for several months, there could be no denying that there were definitely two babies in there. Isaac followed quickly behind, and the four greeted one other before Isaac shared some news.

"We, uh, might have to make a trip out tonight," he said, eyeing his wife nervously. "Jessa's been having some strong contractions this evening, we've been timing them, and it's starting to look like these kids don't want to wait to be induced tomorrow."

"What?" Santana squealed. This sounded like a truly exciting way to spend New Years' Eve. "Really?"

"I told you, it's probably fine to just go in tomorrow like we planned," Jessa interrupted, one hand on her stomach and the other swatting Isaac's shoulder. "I don't want to get sent home and spend New Years' Eve out on the road for nothing. Quit worrying so much. I want to show Artie and Santana their room, it's finished, come see."

"After this, you lie back down," Isaac insisted, casting an exasperated look over his shoulder as they followed his wife down the hall. At the end of the hallway, across from the master bedroom, was the babies' room. A rocking chair had been added, as well as a freshly painted changing table between the cribs. Many boxes of diapers lined the floor of the closet, gifts from the baby shower they'd had last month. The closet still contained both boy and girl clothing. The couple remained committed to the idea of not finding out the babies' genders, but Jessa was quite convinced that a boy and a girl were on the way.

"Jessa, it's beautiful," breathed Santana. "Perfect for boys or girls or both." She hugged her around the shoulders, then guided her towards the door. "I do hope it's both. But come on, let's go sit down in the living room before your water breaks on this pretty new rug."

"Thanks for the visual," added Artie, eyeing Jessa nervously as she waddled obediently back to the living room and lowered herself into the arm chair.

"You boys don't like people staring at you," Jessa said, pointedly, as she shifted around, trying to find a more comfortable position before settling onto one side. "Please give me a break here. Let's play a game or something."

"Can I feel the babies move?" Santana's curiousity got the best of her, and she only hoped Jessa wouldn't mind being stared at a little while longer.

"Sure!" Jessa surprised them both by lifting the shirt she was wearing, revealing her bare skin with a plethora of stretch marks. Santana had to bite her tongue to not say out loud that she'd die if her perfect stomach ever looked like that. "They've been moving a lot lately... oh look, there, you can see someone shifting around..."

"Holy shit," Artie commented, moving closer himself for a better look. Santana placed her hand on Jessa's side first, to feel the lump that they could see bulging out. A foot or something, Jessa confirmed. Artie surprised Santana by taking a turn to feel the babies next, his eyes widening in amazement. "That must be the weirdest feeling ever."

"And after tonight, that's it," Jessa looked sadly down at her stomach before covering it with her shirt once more. "I mean, don't get my wrong, I'm ready to get my body back for sure, but it's been a cool experience. I'll miss having them with me all the time and feeing them move."

But just not worth those stretch marks, thought Santana, wryly, hoping that a typical, singleton pregnancy didn't leave such a lasting impact.

They tried playing Ticket to Ride, but every so often, Jessa would start her slow, deep breathing while the other three held their collective breath with anticipation. Finally, after this had happened with much too short an interval for a break, she finally admitted, now standing up to pace the room. "I think you're right, Ike. We need to go in tonight."

To his credit, Isaac was remarkable calm at those words. It was like he'd been waiting to hear it, for permission to do everything he was planning on doing as soon as she gave him the go ahead. "Okay we already have your hospital bag in the car, but is there anything else you need?"

"Some..." Jessa couldn't get a sentence out, as the contraction that had been starting when she decided it was time to go intensified. She gasped and reached out for Isaac's shoulder, for support. "Some... stuff in the bathroom."

Santana was very much not on board with having babies of her own anytime soon. This moment was most assuredly confirmation of the fact. "I can help you with that, Jess. Guys, go ahead and get in the car, we'll be out in a sec."

Santana packed Jessa's toothbrush, some make up, and her hair dryer and brush. After giving some thought to pictures, she tossed in her curling wand for good measure and zipped the duffel.

"We never, ever go anywhere on New Years' Eve." Jessa was seated on her bed now, cradling her enormous belly and gazing out the window, a dark expression on her face. "Isaac's accident happened on New Years' Eve, a little bit before midnight, when he was driving himself to a friend's house to celebrate."

Santana didn't remember that detail, but she'd only been about nine at the time. "Well, unless you want a home birth, we have to go out."

Jessa managed a small laugh. "No, no, I know," she said. Santana gave her a hand up and steadied her once she was back on her feet. Eventually, they joined the boys in the vehicle, though Jessa moved at a snail's pace. Santana was sure there'd only been about five minutes since the last one, but just as Jessa got into the passenger seat, another contraction seized her.

"Already?" Panic finally presented itself in Isaac's voice. He still drove pretty safely, taking backroads instead of the highway, but a couple of times, Isaac treated a stop sign as more of a suggestion than an actual law. Still, they managed to arrive at the hospital in one piece. But Isaac was now so flustered that Santana had to assemble his chair for him. They pulled right up to the hospital entrance, where Isaac and Jessa got out, leaving Santana and Artie to find a space in the parking garage and take the elevator that led them into the hospital.

Artie

Artie hated going to hospitals. He pushed those thoughts aside, for it was very different, going to the hospital to have babies. They nearly got lost a time or two before finding the maternity ward. As it turned out, they need not have been in a hurry. They got a few vague texts from Isaac but no real news for about an hour. Santana had brought along her blanket and crochet needles. Other than his phone, Artie had nothing to entertain himself except his wheels. He spun in circles and did a few wheelies to pass the time, with Santana giving him subtle looks every once in awhile. He checked the time and saw that, somehow, it was already past 11:00 PM.

It was then that Isaac finally appeared, pushing his way through the double doors that separated the waiting area from the maternity ward. "She's being prepped in the OR for the c-section," he said, breathlessly. When Santana and Artie looked alarmed, he hurried to explain. "No, everything's fine, but one of the babies has been breach for awhile now. It was already planned to be a c-section. It was just supposed to be tomorrow. Not tonight."

"You never thought you'd be celebrating something on New Years' Eve, huh?" Artie put a hand on his friend's shoulder to show he understood. Artie knew Isaac had been thinking about it for the better part of the night. It was how he felt every time his own significant date passed in November.

"Can't say that I did," replied Isaac, casting a nervous look over his shoulder at the double doors.

"Hey, at this point, you think they'll both be born before midnight or you think maybe they'll be born in different years?"

Isaac was wringing his hands now. "I don't know, I'm just ready to be done with this." He cast another anxious look at the doors. "They just told me to come give my family the news and to wait out here til they get me." Isaac checked the clock on the wall, tensing his jaw. "I don't want to drag this out any longer, but seriously, I did not think I'd become a father ten years to the day."

"New Year's Eve is about to mean something entirely different for you," Artie assured the older guy. "It's going to bring about only good memories. I personally hope it's before midnight."

"Or one before, one after," added Santana. She held up the blanket she'd nearly finished. "Hey, I kind of wish I'd made two now, but anyway, this is for you guys. And your babies can always remember that Auntie Tana finished it right as they were being born."

Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a nurse stepping out in the waiting area to bring him back. Isaac cast Artie and Santana one last anxious look before heading back.

Santana let out a breath. "I'm gonna throw up," she asserted. Artie just pointed out that she'd better not get any of it on the blanket. He went back to rolling in circles and popping wheelies, then he settled for playing games on his phone, although his battery was getting low. Santana pointed out the charging station nearby for their conveinance. Artie placed his phone on it, but now he had nothing to do again. She'd finished the blanket and was putting it back in the bag, as he grabbed the remote to find Times' Square. Artie had just realized it was almost midnight.

"Ten, nine, eight," he and Santana chimed in with the countdown on TV. They were the only people in the maternity ward waiting room, which gave them permission to be as loud and silly as they wanted. As they finished the countdown, she stood up and walked across the room. Placing her hands on his armrests, she planted a kiss on Artie. He returned the gesture he'd been missing so badly in the month or so since their mutual breakup. His hand brushed her cheek, eyes closed, as he held on for as long as he could. Her brown eyes fluttered open as she drew back, meeting his blue ones.

"Happy New Year," he said, smiling. He tugged her down into his lap, giving her a spin for good measure. He wasn't sure it was a good time to define, or redefine their relationship, but this was some indication that she at least shared those feelings still.

"Happy New Year, Artie," she said, hugging him tightly around his neck. "I've missed you."

Artie's heart was all kinds of confused, for he was pretty sure the break-up, though mutual in the end, had been her idea when they'd met for coffee and conversation about a month ago. They'd been talking about her going to the University of Louisville and Artie, if he was really honest, had been struggling with this news, coupled with the recent break-up of Tina and Mike. Next year, Mike and Santana were leaving, and next year, Tina and Artie were left behind. Artie didn't want to do the thing he hated, he didn't want to cheat on anyone, and yet, it was hard to imagine how they'd keep the relationship going. Just like the song said, breaking up was hard to do. Even when it was mutual.

Santana heaved a sigh as she stood up and paced the room. Artie couldn't tell if she was acting this way to cover her awkwardness over having just kissed her ex-boyfriend or if she was truly feeling this anxious about how long the birth was taking.

"There are two of them," Artie pointed out. "Obviously that takes longer. I don't know how long it takes to get one baby out." He shuddered. "Just the thought is making me cringe."

"Oh, I'd take a c-section over the alternative," Santana commented, also shuddering. "No thank you, I happen to like my lady parts." She grinned. "It's way too easy to make you blush, Artie."

Artie ignored her comment and began practicing choreography to the number they'd just started for Regionals before the break. Santana caught onto what he was doing and joined in, doing the steps beside him. Five minutes went by. Then ten. Then, at last, the double doors swung open.

Isaac wheeled out, a huge grin on his face. "They're here. And one after midnight, one before, we might be on the news..."

"That's great, but what are they?"

"A boy and a girl!" Isaac cried. He then blurted out that he had to go and disappeared again, through those double doors, leaving Artie and Santana to celebrate the news alone.

"Now they can be done having kids if they want," Santana commented. "I guarantee you my mother would have stopped at two, but she had to have her girl — me."

"It's a miracle, but they need to have at least five," Artie argued, being totally serious. It was a miracle to be able to have children, and now that Ike knew he still could? Why would you stop so soon?

"I guess that's another reason we wouldn't work," Santana said, her voice soft and wistful.

"Guess not." Artie agreed, touching his lips. "Thanks for the midnight kiss, though. It was pretty hot. I never thought I'd be kissing anyone in a hospital waiting room."

"There was no reason to miss out," said Santana, shrugging it off. Artie didn't think she was any more certain than he was that breaking up had been in their best interest. Kentucky. Tina. All those problems still lingered, Artie knew it, but being back in Columbus was giving him a serious complex.

After about ten more minutes, Isaac came out, being pushed by a nurse who probably wasn't accustomed to pushing the new father out in a chair. Isaac did not look bothered by this, for his attention was fixated on the two bundles in his arms.

Artie had never seen babies this small and new in person before. Isaac shared that one baby was five pounds, the other six, making for a whopping eleven pounds of pure baby that Jessa had carried.

"Do they have names?" Santana wanted to know, as tears pricked her eyes. Artie seriously could not believe she, like him, didn't want at least five of these beautiful bundles of her own.

"This little princess was born right before midnight and her name is Hallie Kate Morales," he said. "And this little guy, who was really in no hurry to get here, is Henry Isaac Morales." He shares a meaningful look at Artie, who felt like he might start crying at this.

"Did I... miss something?"

"My middle name..." Artie was honored. He'd never disliked his middle name and, with Isaac's name as the middle name, it sounded great. He especially liked it paired with little Hallie. And, of course, he felt honored that Isaac would name his son after him.

"So, your full name is Arthur Henry Abrams?" Santana confirmed, making some sort of face before straightening it out.

"Yes, I'm shocked that I'm not the king of England, too, Santana," said Artie, sighing and shaking his head. "And yes, my initials are AHA. My parents had some crazy sense of humor. But I really like the name, Ike. Hallie's too. Tell Jessa we love her."

"I'll do that," said Isaac, smiling down at his two children once more as the nurse turned him and headed back through the double doors.