AN: To anyone still reading... we're getting closer to the birth.
On February 18 Liz woke to horrible pain around 3am. She had been having a reasonable sleep - reasonable - which was considered exceptional under the circumstances - up until they started. Her belly was clenching in huge horrible spasms and she woke breathless.
She placed her hands on her belly in reflex only to find it hard as a drum. A new spasm rocked her and she curled around her belly moaning. She glanced over at Don who lay sleeping dreamlessly, his limbs tossed almost carelessly in a starfish position.
Her mind immediately jumped to the worst as minds are prone to do and she reached between her legs fully expecting to find blood. The wave of relief at finding the bedsheets dry was short-lived. While she was glad that she wasn't bleeding and her water hadn't broke something was still most definitely wrong.
Still, to be sure, she climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom where a quick scan of her underwear revealed that there was in fact no fluid of any sort. But another wave hit her in the doorway on her way back to bed and she found herself clutching the frame. When she could walk again she went to Ressler, shaking him awake as she turned on the light. He sat up confused, hair on end, but sobered to wakefulness immediately at the sight of his wife's pain tear-streaked face.
"Honey, hey, hey what's wrong?" he was climbing out of bed and reaching for her all in one motion. "Is it time to go?" he gestured at her belly even as he pulled on his shirt and was reaching for the bag they had pre-packed all at once.
They were at 38 weeks, one past term for twins, and anytime... They were expecting it anytime. Had thought it would have happened already to be honest. They'd spent a long time preparing themselves for preemies if the babies came early. They weren't all that prepared for if they came late. Which is where they seemed to be at.
"I - I think so" Liz groaned and clutched her belly again. "It hurts. Something feels wrong. We need to go."
Ressler placed his right hand on her belly and reached for his phone with his left. He dialed Aram's number because he had agreed to come watch the kids whenever they thought it was time to go in - day or night.
"Hey" he said as soon as Aram picked up, not giving him time to say much. "I'm taking Liz in." He watched as Liz doubled up again and felt her body stiffen under his touch. Then she crumpled to the floor. No - something was definitely wrong. The problem was that the hospital was only minutes away and he could probably get her there faster then an ambulance. Especially if enlisted the help of his lights and sirens.
"I - something's wrong Aram. This isn't right. I'm going NOW. I'll - I'll toss the kids in the backseat, can you meet us at the hospital please?"
"I'm already on my way" he heard Aram say and there was some shuffling in the background. He hung up and shoved the phone in his pocket.
"Liz, hey, hey" he said, lifting her from the floor in a move that strained every muscle in his body. "We're going to get help. We're going." She groaned.
"Put me down" she said, but her words were weak and he was already halfway down the hall towards the garage.
Ressler left Liz in the passenger seat and then was running back through his house. He punched the button for the garage door, flew down the hall to the master bedroom where he slung the bag over his head and shoulder, then ran to the kids' rooms pulling them from their beds and into his arms with no warning, scaring them awake. And back down the hall he ran, opening the back door of the SUV and placing both kids on the seat and the bag on the floor, closing the door and running back to the drivers seat.
"Aggie please buckle in your brother" he said.
"Daddy I'm scared" she said, but she was listening to him, shoving Ethan into his seat and buckling the belt on his chest. "What's happening?"
"The babies are coming Aggie. Mommy needs to get to the hospital. When we get there Uncle Aram will be waiting and him and Auntie Yvonne are going to watch you and Eth for a bit okay?"
"Okay" Agnes tried to sound brave.
"It'll be okay, honey. I promise you'll be fine. Daddy's doing everything he can, okay?"
The last part was said more for Liz then Agnes and he knew she got that, because he felt her reach across the darkness of the vehicle for his hand and clutch it tight in a death grip.
Thankfully the roads were relatively empty at 3am and with a little help from his police equipment Ressler was pulling into the hospital in no time. He pulled right up to the emergency room doors and seen Aram appear out of the shadows.
Leaving the engine running he hopped out and came around for Liz, helping her to her feet and slinging the bag over his shoulder again.
"Thank-you" he said to Aram who was already heading for the drivers door.
"Of course" he countered. "You know that."
At least he knew the kids would be safe. He didn't wait to watch Aram pull away, he knew that Yvonne waited with their vehicle and they'd follow each other home. He trusted his kids with them.
Instead he half carried Liz through the doors and up to the nurses desk asking for help.
Thankfully her big belly and the way she was clutching it stood out like a beacon and the nurses came around the desk just as Liz doubled up again. She might have gone down if Ressler hadn't caught her up in his arms for the second time in one night.
A stretcher appeared and Ressler laid her on it. A nurse closed the curtain and by the time a doctor appeared a moment later Liz was changed into a gown.
The doctor questioned them on what was happening and Liz filled him on the half hour since she had woken up. He put a fetal monitor on her belly and found both heartbeats, satisfying them that their babies were fine.
They gave Liz something for the pain and they waited for a while. Her water didn't break and the pain lessened a lot, her contractions easing slowly.
After about an hour the doctor had a verdict of what was happening.
"You are contracting" he said, "but it's not organized contractions. You're not in active labor."
"Then what's going on?" asked Ressler. He was leaning on the edge of Liz's bed, holding her hand, being very overprotective.
"Here" said the doctor and stretched out his hand palm up. Ressler looked at it confused. "Give me your hand" the doctor explained.
Ressler gave him a weird look but placed his hand on the doctor's. The doctor moved to Liz's belly, down low at the bottom of her huge bump. Liz couldn't see what they were doing but she could feel it and she felt Don's hand get pushed firmly into her flesh.
"Feel that?" asked the doctor and Ressler nodded. Liz reached down to feel too and the doctor placed her hand next to Ressler's, also low on the belly but on the opposite side. She nodded too.
"Those bulges are your babys' head's. They're both upside down. I'm guessing that the second one only decided to flip about an hour or two ago. It didn't actually have the space so his movement forced things to move, causing pain. In response your body contracted in an effort to keep him where he is. It didn't work. But on the good side, both of your babies are in position to be born. It just isn't going to be tonight."
"You sure?" asked Liz, thankful that it was over but wishing that they could just come already so that she could have her body back. She was sick of the constant discomfort and the inconvenience of the babies.
"Well, your contractions have stopped. You aren't effaced or dilated. We'll keep you overnight for observation but I think your boys just aren't ready to come out yet."
"Oh" said Liz
"I called up to the fourth floor, they'll have a porter here for you right away" the doctor said as he left the room.
But Ressler had caught the disappointment in her voice.
They were released from the hospital in the morning, still very pregnant, but Liz hadn't had any more contractions and it didn't seem like the babies were coming just yet.
Thankfully Ressler had great medical coverage - something that experience had taught him he particularly needed - and Liz and the kids were all included in it as dependants so it wasn't like they were wracking up hospital bills.
Aram picked them up again and dropped them off at home with the kids.
The next five days were torture for Liz. She could barely walk, she needed Ressler's help to sit up, she hadn't held the older kids or played with them or talked to them barely at all. She couldn't wash or dress herself and she hurt all the time. Or well - hurt was a strong word - but she wasn't ever comfortable any more.
By the 22nd Liz had had enough. She wanted them out. She requested hot sauce which Ressler brought her and she spent a long time bouncing on the big inflatable ball they had, both of which were supposed to help instigate labor. When that didn't work she insisted on a walk and with Ressler's help they did the stairs and took a spin around the block. Nothing happened.
On the afternoon of the 23rd she called Ressler to their bedroom.
"Can you ask Aram and Yvonne to take the kids tonight?" she requested.
"I probably could" said Ressler, "what's happening? Are you having contractions again?"
She wasn't, hadn't since their scare last week and the resultant trip to the ER.
"No" she said. "But there is one way left for us to try and get them out and for that I need no children and your help."
He looked confused.
"The same way they got in" she said.
A look of understanding flooded his face and she could tell he was going to resist but she wasn't having it anymore.
"No Don, seriously I need them out. Please. They" and just like someone had hit a switch she was crying. She'd been dealing with it for too long and the whole thing was too much. "I'm tired and sore and I - I just don't feel like me anymore. I don't even feel human. I can't do anything. I just lay here all day like some incubator. I might as well be plugged into the wall. I love them, truly, but I need them out. I need them out. Now. Orgasm stimulates contraction and semen softens the cervix, I looked it up. Plus simple penetration at this point is bound to shift things."
"Okay" he said, information overload. "Okay. I'll call them right now."
"Thank-you" she said with a sniffle.
He left the room and made a call then came to tell her that Yvonne was on her way before going to pack some outfits for the kids. They were looking at a few days here possibly. A few minutes later she heard the front door open and Yvonne's voice, interspersed with the higher ones of their kids who seemed excited. She heard Ressler's lower voice as well, but nothing they said was discernable even though they were just in the kitchen on the other side of the wall.
Then footsteps headed down the hall and the door closed again. A minute later Ressler was back at their room. He sat next to her on their bed and wiped the tears from her face, smoothing back her hair.
"I'm sorry" she murmured, embarrassed by her outburst of emotion.
He smiled gently at her in return.
"You sure you're ready?" he asked. He knew full well that if they did this they'd likely be headed to the hospital within a few hours. He wanted Liz to know too. The pain of labor lay ahead of her. And so far - well, they had known it could come anytime but if they really did this then they knew that it was coming now.
She nodded bravely. "I'm ready" she said, though not with a lot of conviction. "I mean I'm not - but - you're here and we have the help we need for our kids and waiting at the hospital. I - I don't think I'll ever be ready for what's about to happen to my body but my...- I'm exhausted Don. I can't do this anymore. I really can't. I need you to be on my side with this."
"I am Liz. I am." He sucked in his breath and looked at her, raising his arms. "I'm terrified but I'm ready. It's time."
"It's time" she nodded and let him dry her tears as opposed to smearing them on a pillow. "Time for our boys to greet this world."
Then Ressler stood and promptly began to strip himself of his clothing.
"How do you want me? - I mean... you know?"
She reached out a hand and he helped her to a seating position.
"We can try the chair I think. If we sit."
"Okay" he reached for Liz's shirt hem gently.
"It's okay" said Liz, "you don't have to do-" She put her hand on top of his to stop him.
"Liz" he said, stopping and tipping his head to meet her eyes. "I'm not doing this like it's business. I'm making love to my wife. My very beautiful wife who I wish was very naked. So if it's okay with you then I'd very much like to take this off." He held out the edge of the offending article of clothing.
"How can you want me like this?" asked Liz.
"Because I love you Liz. And I think you are beautiful."
"You're just saying that."
Ressler didn't know what he could possibly say that would get his message across better then actions. So he took her hand and brought it between his legs, settling it firmly on himself so that she could feel the evidence of his words.
"Huh" said Liz and she tugged his clothing down, letting it slide to the floor and pool at his feet where he stepped out of them. He wasn't lying. She could tell because naked men come equipped with a very convenient lie detector.
So she let him remove her clothing as well and lead her to the big plush chair in their room where he sat down first and then lowered her sideways in his lap.
Nothing happened immediately after the first time. And considering that they - hopefully - only had a short window right now to enjoy each other before they wouldn't have a chance for the next who-knew-how-many weeks, they moved to the bed afterwards.
That's where they still lay, several rounds later, Liz in his arms on their right sides when they drifted off to sleep. A good sleep. A deep sleep. Like one final replenishing rest before the arrival of their twin boys, after which they weren't likely to sleep again.