A/N Thanks everyone for following along with this story for an entire year now!

...

"It smells great in here."

She turned away from the stove. "Blueberry pancakes."

"Oh yeah, the traditional Thatcher birthday breakfast." He kissed her cheek. "Is everything ready for little man's party this weekend?"

"I think so. My parents are flying down Friday afternoon. Julie and Vi can't make it again this year."

"That's a bummer."

She shrugged. "Vi couldn't get off work, and Liam has some doctor appointments that Julie said can't be rescheduled. It's okay, though. We'll see them at Christmas, and they've both promised to FaceTime today so they can tell Micah happy birthday and he can see his cousins."

"Speaking of his cousins, we're still on for dinner with Lee and Rosie and the kids tonight, right?"

She nodded. "They'll be here at six. Rosemary is bringing some cupcakes."

"Is there anything I can do? I can help with dinner or something. You've been doing so much lately."

"I'm fine." She added more pancakes to the plate on the counter as they finished cooking.

"Are you sure? It seems like you've been really tired the past few days."

"Of course, I'm tired. My caseload at work has gotten bigger, and then I come home and chase a toddler around, and then we have his birthday party on top of everything."

"Elizabeth, love, maybe you should take a step back from something here."

"I can't turn down clients, Jack, and I can't pawn Micah off on someone else. His party will be over this weekend, and then I'll be fine."

He put his hand on the small of her back. "I'm just worried about you. You don't seem like yourself."

"Well, like you said, I'm overworked. There's not anything I can do about that right now. I'll talk to my supervisor, if that'll make you feel better."

"Okay, and what if I ask my mom to come down here early? Marie and Leland, too. I'm sure they'd all be more than willing to help out with the party. They can help with setting things up and making snacks and everything."

"Fine. If you want to ask. Make sure they know this wasn't my idea, though."

"Elizabeth…"

"Mama!" Micah called out from his room.

"I'll get him." Jack left before she could protest. He found Micah in his crib, attempting to scale the side of it. "Stop right there, birthday boy."

He looked up at Jack and grinned. "Daddy!"

"You need to stop trying to climb out of your crib, little man." Jack lifted him out of the crib. "Let's go see mama. I think she has a special birthday breakfast ready for you."

...

Jack turned when he heard Elizabeth step into the kitchen. "Stop."

"Oh, come on."

"No. You aren't allowed in here tonight. You need a break. Go sit in the living room, turn on the TV, relax. I have dinner covered, and Rosie and Lee can help you with Micah."

"Jack."

"Elizabeth." He stared her down.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Love you!" he called after her as she left the room.

"He kicked you out?" Rosemary looked up when Elizabeth returned.

She nodded, sinking down onto the sofa.

Lee excused himself to join Jack in the kitchen, leaving Elizabeth and Rosemary alone with the kids. Lorelei was occupied by whatever movie was on the TV, and Micah and Leo were busy playing with a tub full of plastic animals, so Elizabeth took the opportunity to talk with Rosemary.

"I guess I've been a little run down lately, and he's worried about me doing too much."

"Should we be worried about you?"

"You can't team up with him, too! I'm just fine, Rosemary. Work is a little crazy, and I've been busy here with Micah's birthday and his party and everything, but it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm sure." She sighed, frustrated by everything. "I've talked to my supervisor about the work stuff, and Jack insisted on asking Charlotte and Marie and Leland to come down early this weekend so they can help with the party."

"Good. You should know better than any of us how important it is to take care of yourself."

"I know it's important. It's just hard to put into practice sometimes." She leaned back, crossing her arms in front of her. "I realize it would probably be good for me to step back from something, at least for a little while, but it's hard to give things up."

"Your six-month anniversary is coming up, right?"

Elizabeth nodded. "In a couple of weeks, yes."

"Why don't Lee and I take Micah one evening so you and Jack can have some time to yourselves?"

"Rosie, I couldn't ask you—"

She put a hand up, cutting her off. "You didn't ask. I'm offering. Besides, you two watched Lorelei and Leo for us on our anniversary, so it's time we pay you back for that."

"I guess it would be nice to have some time with just the two of us. We haven't had that since our honeymoon."

"It's settled, then. Just let us know exactly what day."

"Thank you, Rosemary."

"And for future reference, we'll be happy to babysit any other children you might happen to have, too." She gave her a wink, and Elizabeth blushed. "What?"

"Um, we actually are going to start trying once things settle down with Micah's birthday and everything."

"Elizabeth!"

All three kids turned, startled by the outburst.

"Shh." She laughed, reaching for Micah when he approached her. "I'm not expecting anything to happen right away—especially since I've been so stressed—but we figured why not?"

"That's so exciting! You have to tell me as soon as there's something to know."

"Jack gets to know first, but of course I'll let you know."

...

Elizabeth stood on the back porch, watching chaos unfold in the yard. Luna was barking as Lorelei chased her around. Opal and Philip were busy blowing bubbles; Micah and Leo were toddling around, laughing and trying to pop the bubbles.

Faith stood with Sarah and Rosemary, holding a squirmy one-and-a-half-year-old Ezra in her arms. Sarah rubbed her belly, now nearly full-term with what Opal still insisted was her baby brother, despite the fact that they were keeping the gender a surprise until the baby was born.

Jack was across the yard, talking with Charlotte; Tom, Shane, and Lee stood nearby, sipping on their drinks. Grace and William were getting the cake ready with Leland's help, situating it in front of what would be Micah's chair.

Marie came over and put an arm around Elizabeth. "It's really amazing, huh? All of these people gathered here because of one very special little boy."

"It's wonderful." Elizabeth gave a sad smile. "Days like this really make me miss Patrick, though."

"He'd be so proud. His son is beautiful and smart and healthy, and he has so much love in his life."

"That's all very true." She nodded.

"I know Leland and I weren't as accepting as we could have been when you and Jack first got together, but I want you to know that we really are happy for you. You and Jack are doing a great job raising Micah, and we're glad he still gets to have a father in his life."

"Thank you, Marie. That means a lot." She smiled as she watched Jack walk over and scoop up Micah. "He still knows who Patrick is, by the way. We'll show him a picture with Patrick and Jack in it, and he calls Patrick 'dad' and Jack 'daddy.' And you know that book Jack and Lee had made for him with all the pictures of Pat in it? He still asks for it as a bedtime story at least twice a week."

Marie smiled. "Patrick got fixated on books like that, too. So much, in fact, that the first time he read a book to us, Leland thought he had just memorized it from hearing it so much."

"Knowing Patrick, that sounds like a stunt he could've pulled." Elizabeth chuckled.

"What's so funny over here?" Jack approached them, Micah riding on his shoulders.

"Just talking about Patrick."

"I wish he could've been here." Jack kissed her forehead. "Now, I don't mean to break things up, but I think little man here is ready for his cake."

...

"Well, I'd say that was a successful birthday party." Jack settled onto the sofa beside Elizabeth.

She nodded, running her fingers through Micah's hair as he slept on her chest. "He needs a bath, but I don't want to wake him. He's worn out."

"Just bathe him in the morning. It's not going to hurt for him to sleep with some frosting in his hair for one night."

She laughed softly. "He's such a mess." Her face grew serious, and she sighed. "I can't believe he's already two. Time is just flying by."

"I know what you mean. It's like he changed from a baby into a little boy overnight. And do you realize in about a week and a half, it'll be six months since we got married? Where did that time go?"

"I have no idea." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Jack, I just want to say thank you for doing so much with the party today. And for making me take time for myself this week. As much as I fought you on it, it was exactly what I needed."

"Good." He put his arm around her. "I know when you found out you were pregnant with Micah, you thought you'd be doing this all alone, but we're a team, Elizabeth, you and me."

She kissed him softly. "I have no idea what I did in my life to deserve the love of not one, but two of the best men in the world."

...

The next week, Elizabeth sat at her desk, staring at the bulletin board on the wall. She had hung up a few pictures from their trip to Scotland and Ireland, and looking at them made her wish she was there again.

She sighed and reached for her phone, dialing Jack's number almost without thought.

"Beth? Is everything okay?"

"Why did we have to come back from Europe?"

He laughed softly. "You're really missing it today, huh?"

"Yes. It's been a rough day here."

"I'm sorry about that. Anything I can do to help?"

"Take me back to Scotland?"

"It's only been a month and a half since we were there. I guess I could make some haggis for dinner. Then it'll feel like you're back there."

"Ha ha. One bite of that was more than enough."

"In all seriousness, though, how about I order takeout for dinner so you don't have to cook? Maybe Chinese?"

"Make it Italian and I'm in."

"You got it, love. Well, I have a class in fifteen minutes, so I should get ready for that. I'll see you this afternoon."

"Okay. I love you, Jack."

"I love you, too."

After she hung up, she went back to gazing at the photographs. Her mind wandered, until it suddenly locked onto something Jack had said. She dropped her phone in her purse, locked her office door, and headed down the hall.

"Molly?" She poked her head into her supervisor's office. "I'm still on my lunch break, but I'm going to run an errand really quickly. It shouldn't take long, but I'll have my cell on me if anyone needs anything."

"Is everything okay, Elizabeth? You seem a little…distracted."

"I'm fine. Just have some things on my mind. Nothing serious, though."

"Okay. Well, I'm here if you need to talk."

"I know. Thank you, Molly."

...

Elizabeth rinsed out her mouth and clicked off the light in the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Beth?" Jack rolled over to face her, his eyes seeming to glow in the moonlight. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." She slipped back into the bed. "Just a little sick to my stomach, but I'll be okay."

"You sure? You barely touched your dinner tonight, and you normally love pasta."

She nodded. "I really am fine, Jack. I was hoping you wouldn't notice I've been under the weather, because I wasn't going to give you this for a few more days," she flicked on the lamp and pulled a small package from the drawer in her nightstand, "but I guess now is a good time, too."

He looked at her curiously before he lifted the lid from the box. He froze when he saw what it contained.

A smile tugged at her lips. "Happy almost-six-month anniversary, Jack."

"What…?" He took the little plastic stick out of the box, staring at it with wide eyes. "But we just started trying… You can't be… Uh, h-how? When?"

"The trip to Scotland and Ireland. Remember those nights when Micah went to bed extra early? I guess I missed a pill or two that week, and I didn't think anything of it at the time. I blame it on the time difference."

"All it takes is missing a couple of pills?"

She nodded. "If they're missed at the right time."

"Wait. So we're really having a baby?"

"Yes." She pulled his hand to her stomach. "We're really having a baby."

"We're having a baby!" He grinned and pulled her to his chest, kissing her soundly. He slipped his hand under her shirt, resting it on her bare stomach. "I can't believe it. Our baby is in there. When are you due?"

"Based on my calculations, next spring, mid-April, I think. We'll have a more concrete date after the first ultrasound."

"When is that? I want to make sure I can be there."

She put her hand on top of his. "I haven't scheduled it yet. I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow and try to get something in the next week or two"

"Just let me know when, and I'll be there." He smiled and kissed her again. "I love you, Beth."

"I love you, too."

He rolled onto his side, resting his head in his hand. "How long have you known?"

"Just a few hours."

"You just found out today?"

She nodded. "I think it's been an idea in the back of my mind for a few days, but it wasn't until I called you earlier that it clicked. You mentioned that it's been a month and a half since the trip, and I realized I missed my cycle last month. With that on top of the exhaustion I've been feeling, and the nausea, it suddenly made sense."

"So you didn't know when we talked earlier?"

"No. I went out and got the test on my lunch break—right after we talked on the phone—and then I took it as soon as I got home."

"Oh, so that's why you took so long to get changed out of your work clothes today."

She chuckled. "Changing only took two minutes. The rest of the time, I was waiting for the test results."

"I wonder what Micah is going to think about being a big brother."

"I don't know, but," she covered her mouth as she yawned, "can we wait until later to find out? Growing a baby is exhausting."

"Of course. You need your rest." He kissed her, grinning as he pulled away. "Good night, Beth."

"Good night, Jack."

He put his hand back on her stomach. "Night, baby."

...

"Micah, do you know where we're going?" Jack glanced in the rearview mirror at Micah.

"Eat?"

He chuckled. "We'll eat after, but first, we're going to the doctor. Mama has a baby in her belly, and we're going to see some pictures of the baby today. Isn't that fun?"

"Baby?"

Elizabeth smiled and rested a hand on her belly. "Yeah, little bug. You're going to have a little brother or sister. What do you think about that, Micah? You're going to be a big brother."

"Brudder?"

"That's right, little man." Jack grinned, reaching over to take Elizabeth's hand. "Can you believe we're going to have another one of those?"

"I can't wait."

...

Jack settled into the chair beside the exam table, situating Micah in his lap.

"Is this big brother? He's adorable."

Jack nodded and smiled. "This is Micah. Micah, can you say 'hi'?"

"Hi."

"Hello, Micah. What do you say we get a look at your little brother or sister?"

Elizabeth reclined on the exam table, tucking her arm beneath her head.

Jack's eyes were filled with excitement as he stared at the blank screen. Though he had been around for Elizabeth throughout her pregnancy with Micah, he hadn't experienced everything. And he had to admit, though he loved Micah as if he were his own, it was thrilling to know the baby Elizabeth was carrying now actually was his in every way.

A fuzzy image appeared on the screen, and after a few moments, they were looking at their…

"Are there two of them?" Elizabeth asked, eyes wide.

"It would appear so. If you can see, this one is sideways, so this is the head, and there's an arm and a leg right here." The technician pointed at the screen as she explained everything, "And this one is facing away from us, so we're looking at baby's back right there." She clicked a few buttons, and the swooshing sound of two fast heartbeats filled the room. "And those are two very strong heartbeats."

Jack reached out and took Elizabeth's hand, squeezing her fingers gently. She turned to look at him, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

"Do you see that, bud?" Jack pointed toward the screen. "Those are your brothers or sisters."

"Brudder sister."

"That's right, little man."

...

Jack buckled his seatbelt but made no move to turn on the car.

"Jack? Are you okay?" Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm.

"Yeah, I just…" He turned to meet her gaze. "Twins. I just wrapped my mind around the fact that we're having a baby, and now it's two babies."

"I knew I was a little bigger than I was at this point in my pregnancy with Micah, but I thought that was just because it's a second pregnancy. I never guessed it would be twins." She rested a hand on her stomach, feeling the little bump that had appeared in the week since she took the test. "We can do this, Jack. We'll be fine."

"I know, it's just…"

"A lot."

He nodded.

She reached for his hand, placing it on her stomach. "Just take a breath. These are our babies."

He took a deep breath, flexing his fingers on her belly. "Our babies," he whispered.

"Mama? Daddy?" Micah spoke up from the back seat. "Go eat?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yes, little bug. We're going to eat now." She touched her hand to Jack's cheek. "Let's go. Micah and the babies need to eat."