Ms. Lips sneaked back into the room as quietly as possible, and shut the door very, very carefully.

"Welcome back," she heard a slurred voice behind her.

She sighed, turning around. "Darn it. I was trying so hard not to wake you."

Daniel Baldwin shrugged, resting lackadaisically in the hospital bed. He had become one with the mattress. He was as limp and relaxed as melting putty. He sighed contently.

"I take it they've given you something to help you sleep?" Ms. Lips sat on the side of the bed.

"Not a drop. Like I need anything," he chuckled.

"Yeah, that's a fair assessment. Did they get you all cleaned up?"

"Yep. Had a bath, no more pouch fluid, and miraculously, no stitches needed," he smirked, patting his middle. "I don't look exactly as I did before, much to my chagrin."

"I assumed it would take a while, and I'm a patient sort," Lulu said, brushing a tentacle against his cheek. He kissed it.

"You know, I may never quite get back to my pre-pregnancy figure…"

"I can live with that. Besides," she blushed, "I always thought you looked kinda cute with a little…extra padding."

Baldwin's mouth formed a gaping, surprised smile. "Well, well! Lulu has a type! I'm just learning so much tonight!"

"Shut up!" She playfully smacked his arm. "I didn't want you to feel weird, but yeah, I like more…bulky guys."

"Eh, I like bigger women," he admitted.

Lulu flushed bright red, suppressing a smile. "Thank Cod! I thought I was going to have to get cute for the wedding!"

"Cute? You're gorgeous, Lu. I mean that."

Lulu threw herself next to him and pulled him as close as possible without crushing him. She gripped his shoulders, kissing him deeply and passionately. She stroked his soft hair, still able to smell his real smell, which was so comforting, underneath the overwhelming smell of hospital sanitation.

"Careful, I just had four kids. I wasn't planning on having more anytime soon," he chuckled.

"Pssh! We can't procreate anyway, dumdum," she said.

Dan rested his head against her chest; Lulu pecked the top of his head. He eyed the four bassinettes gathered in the corner of the room.

"Are they doing okay?" Lu whispered.

"I think so," he started to relax again, hesitated, and then sat up, "but just in case..."

She pulled herself out of the bed and turned to Daniel, arms outstretched, "I'll help you up."

"No, no. I'm…oh, yeah. Everything aches. Help me," he hugged her around her shoulders, and was gently pulled onto his tail.

Daniel wondered if the pops he heard in his back could be heard four blocks away. The two fish hobbled over to the corner of the room, Baldwin's IV-pole giving him some leverage. They stared down at the four snoozing bundles. Aside from some slight shifting in their sleep, all the babies remained completely undisturbed.

"Cod, they really are adorable," Baldwin mused.

"They really do look exactly like you," Lips added.

"Nah, if that were the case, they wouldn't be so cute," Dan said.

"Danny!"

"Just saying!" He threw his hands up.

"They're so tiny, though," she breathed.

"Go figure…" Dan sighed, and shook his head.

"You weren't that big..."

"You need your eyes checked," he smirked, but it suddenly faded. "This is all so surreal."

"How do you mean?"

"I just can't believe they're actually here. And I really…I'm really their dad," he sniffed, wiping his eyes.

"You okay?"

"I'm not crying!" Dan said, defensively.

"Honey, you've cried like five times in the past eight hours. The jig is up. You have feelings."

"Drat. I thought I could hide it until after the wedding. Then it'd be too late for you to bolt." In spite of his attempt to continue the light humor, Baldwin was still crying.

"What is it?"

"What if I really mess this up?"

"Oh baby, where on earth is this coming from?" Lulu wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"I mean, I never planned on being a dad. It just sort of happened. What if all that initial wanting and planning makes a big difference?"

Lulu gave him a soft smile. "Do you love them?"

Dan wiped his face, "Why would you even need to ask that?"

"Then you'll be...WE'LL be fine." Lulu's grip around him tightened. "Lots of people don't plan on having kids, and then just have them anyway. And it's certainly not like anything about this relationship has been by the books," she smirked a little.

Daniel sighed inwardly and nodded; she had a point, there. "I'm afraid of failing them," he admitted.

"You will. Probably several times. And so will I. But that's parenthood. You mess up a lot, but you also do a lot of things right. And how the kid turns out is how they turn out."

Baldwin wasn't entirely sure why, but it did make him feel slightly better. "You seem so confident..."

"Honestly, I am terrified!" Lulu chuckled. "I don't know anything about raising kids. But I know when they're adults, I can be their personal therapist! Fix all the stuff I messed up in their early years."

"When you put it that way..." Dan laughed.

One of the babies stirred in her bassinet, and her parents braced for the oncoming wailing, but she never even opened her eyes. Dan reaches out a cautious hand and rubbed her chest, watching as her breathing slowed and deepened.

"You think they should sleep in the nursery tonight?" Lulu asked, being careful to whisper.

"Definitely. We need a good night sleep before our lives go to hell."

"Daniel?"

The seahorse looked up.

"I am so excited to be doing this with you. You have already made a great dad," Lulu grinned.

Daniel beamed and kissed her cheek. "You are going to be the perfect mom, Lu. I have absolutely no doubts."

Lulu's eyes got misty, and she tried to wipe them as discretely as possible. "And, what will we tell them? When they start to ask questions?"

"The truth, depending on how old they are. But you are their mother, Lulu. I need you to know that."

"I do know that, but I want to give them the right to know her."

"And they will! But I need you to know that your presence in their lives trumps her biology."

"So," Lulu grinned, "you really want to marry me?"

"As long as you can promise me one thing," Baldwin said.

Her heart dropped. "Anything, Cupcake."

"Promise me I never, ever have to be pregnant again."

She let out a sudden guffaw. "I can get that promise to you in writing, notarized."