Raina laid in her hospital bed getting increasingly irritated by Dukat clucking around her like some demented hen. If he asked her if she was ok once more, she was going to strangle him with an IV line. She was the one in labour. The one who had been labouring for hours with no progress. The doctors tending to her had left to discuss how best to proceed. Raina did not care what they did, she just wanted her babies delivered safely. "Please, Skrain. Calm down."

"How can I be calm?" He asked, quickly as he paced.

"Because I need you to be." She snapped back at him; her voice laden with distress. "I am dying inside right now and need you to be the one who says, "Everything will be ok," because I need that." Tears slipped down her cheeks and she let out a heart-breaking sob. "It'll be my fault that our babies die."

Seeing her fear was like a blow to the gut. He took her shaking hands in his and pressed his forehead against hers. "The babies are going to be fine. They are just like you, stubborn and beautiful."

"Skrain, I don't feel well." A burst of pain rampaged through her head and it felt like her head was splitting in half. She felt like her skin was burning and her mouth got unbearably dry.

Dukat watched feeling helpless as Raina fell limp in his arms. He shook her gently to rouse her, but she did not respond. The beeping of the monitor next to her spurred him into action and pressed the emergency button. The next few moments blurred as he was ushered out of the room, forced to sit alone outside.

Full on panic has set in and he expected the doctor to come out to say that his wife to be and daughters were dead. He was numb, so numb that he did not even acknowledge his own mother sitting next to him at first. An older Human male sat the other side of him, but he could not find the space in his head to wonder who it was.

Together, all three sat together in silence for what seemed like hours. Time just kept going without even going anywhere at all.

Yva sat holding her son's hand, willing Raina to be alright. She feared what would happen if Raina died. Yva herself had grown to adore her daughter in law. She was the daughter that she never had. The children would be heartbroken without their mother. They loved Raina as much as they loved their father.

John, never a religious man, prayed to the universe to keep his daughter alive. She was his baby; he couldn't be without her. He watched his son in law, and he had never seen a man look so lost, like he was adrift in an ocean with no land in sight.

All three sat up when a nurse left Raina's room, with a frustratingly unreadable face. Dukat stood up shaking. "Is she ok?"

"The babies are perfectly healthy. Raina suffered a lot of blood loss, so we've had to perform a hysterectomy, but she's stable now and her vitals are good." The nurse reassured him, lightly tapping his arm.

"When can I see them?" Dukat was eager to get back into the room to see her and his daughters.

"Soon. They are just finishing up with Raina and the babies." The Nurse smiled. "Congratulations. They are very beautiful."

After waiting a few more painful minutes, Dukat finally got back into the room followed by his mother and father in law. He gave the sleeping Raina a tender kiss on the lips before he moved over to the cot where his babies lay sleeping. His knees weakened underneath him as he stood still over his new-borns. The love of his life had not only given him two beautiful daughters, but a beautiful son too. A little laugh escaped him as he looked down at his sleeping son, wondering how he managed to stay so well hidden all that time. Water welled in his eyes as he studied them in detail, reliving fond memories of when his older children were born. "I don't know which one I want to hold first." He wanted to scoop all three into his arms and hold them tight.

"Sit down, son. We'll bring them to you." Yva cooed as she lifted one girl in her arms, giving her a kiss on the forehead and laid her gently onto her father's chest. John did the same with the other girl and Yva picked up her grandson.

The enormity of what Raina had achieved finally hit Dukat when he had all three babies on his chest, and he could smell their new-born scent. The girls looked like little half Human versions of Talyn and the boy looked like his brothers, but he had Raina's nose. All three had lots of dark hair and appeared more Human but already had some obvious Cardassian features. One thing he definitely noticed was the serene look on their faces as they slept. It was the same look that Raina had on her face when she slept.

Raina groaned as she became aware of where she was once again. She could hear the quiet voices of her family, discussing how beautiful the babies were. "Skrain?" She called. Instead of her soon to be husband, her father appeared at her bedside. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Rai." He kissed her cheek. "That man of yours is hogging your beautiful babies."

"Are they ok?" She croaked.

"They are perfect. Let me help you sit up." He helped his daughter sit up in bed, getting her settled and placing a pillow on her lap.

Raina smiled through her tears as she got sight her daughters for the first time. A gasp of shock escaped her when Dukat placed their son in the middle of his sisters. "Oh, they are so beautiful." She cried as she cradled them, already so in love with them. She looked up at Dukat, watching as he tried to remain in control of his emotions. "I love you."

He gave her a tender kiss, pressing his nose to hers. "I love you, too."

Yva gave both her son and daughter in law a kiss. "We'll see you at home."

John shook Dukat's hand before hugging his daughter. "See you in the morning."

Once they were only, they shared a look with each other that said, "How the hell are we going to do this?"

Raina laughed as all three of her babies grizzled slightly. "Oh, we are going to get very busy."

"They all look like you." He caressed their +way. "Rosie, something went wrong during the labour."

Raina caught her husband's face, sensing his sadness, guilt, and fear. "What is it?"

He sat on the bed, putting an arm around her. "They said some scar tissue in your womb ruptured during the labour. They had to perform a full hysterectomy."

Raina wasn't quite sure how to take the news. She managed to carry three babies to term, something she never thought she'd be able to do. Then she realised that she ignored the first half of the only successful pregnancy she would ever experience. She felt like so guilty for that, but she shook it off. "I managed to get three babies out of this pregnancy, now I'm a mother of six. I won't ask for more than that."

"We need names for these three."

"Can we name our son after your dad and maybe after our first baby together. Zoran Procal Dukat-Cavendish?"

Dukat nodded his approval, kissing her forehead. "And the girls?"

"I think the kids had their heart set on Ayla and Maya."

"What about middle names. You Human's love over naming."

Raina nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "I'll over name you in a minute." She smirked. "So, Ayla Ziyal Dukat-Cavendish and Maya Eleanor Dukat-Cavendish."

The family gather in the morning, Cardassians and Humans gathered chatting, mostly about what the babies would look like. Both Yva and John had kept the boy a secret so it would be a surprise. All of Raina's family had arrived on Cardassia just in time and Yva welcomed them warmly.

Talyn had been anxiously waiting for her parents to arrive home. When she saw the transport arrive, she ran into the garden. "They're here." She squealed excitedly.

Raina and Dukat entered the garden with the three babies in carriers, much to the surprise of the family. "Where's my babies?" She asked, looking around for the older children. When they appeared, she pointed at the sofa. "Take a seat. As the big siblings, you get first snuggles." All three sat down, ready to hold their new siblings. "Mekor, this little lady is Maya." Mekor took his new sister in his arms, tears welling in his eyes. "Jacen, this is Ayla." Jacen also had tears in his eyes when he his little sister closer to his chest. "Talyn, here is the surprise. Your little brother, Zoran." Raina stood back and watched as they bonded with their new siblings. "So, what do you think?"

"Thank you." Was all the children said as they admired the babies.

Later Yva approached Raina in private, clutching a small box in her hands. "Raina, you know how much I adore you and since I didn't have a daughter, I wanted to give you this."

Raina gasped as Yva opened the box to reveal a beautiful headpiece of silver like flower native to Cardassia. "It's beautiful."

"I would be honoured if you would wear it at your wedding."

Raina cried, pulling her into a hug. "Thank you."

Yva held her daughter in law with one hand and the box balancing in the other. "Thank you, Raina. Your mother made such a beautiful daughter."