Faith opened the door to the Infirmary and stepped inside, careful to be quiet, so she didn't wake Nathan, Quinn, or the babies if they were sleeping. She knew she was early; she never opened at this time; however, she hadn't been able to sleep. After Joshua had walked her home, she tossed and turned, rehashing their dinner and conversation but mostly worrying about how wonderful it had felt to be with him.
Over dinner at the Cafe, they had talked about anything and everything; family, where they grew up, their jobs, his compelling cases, and her interesting patients. Faith had laughed more than she could remember doing with any other man and had felt more comfortable with him than she should have with someone she had spent so little time with. She would have to be careful not to get in over her head and not become involved with Joshua. She could easily fall for him, which she needed to avoid, given her track record.
She walked over to her desk and set her basket down quietly, not surprised when Nathan stepped out from behind the screen.
"Good Morning, Faith," he said. He was smiling, but it was a tired smile from the lack of sleep.
"Good morning, Nathan. How was your first night with the twins?" she asked, trying to hide her smile at his dishevelled appearance.
"I don't have the words to describe how wonderful it was, although I am sure it would have been even better if we had been able to sleep."
"I think that is something you will need to get used to, Nathan," Faith chuckled. "At least for a little while until they settle into a routine and start sleeping."
"They are all sleeping now; Quinn fed them not long before you arrived."
"Well, I won't disturb them, especially Quinn; she should get as much sleep as possible. You too."
"Last night reminded me so much of when Allie was born. I went to see her and remember watching her sleep; we all were. I did the same when she came to live with me after Colleen passed. I watched her sleep, although that time it was more panic about not knowing what I was doing that kept me awake." Nathan laughed at the memory of his first few weeks with Allie when he had no idea how to look after a toddler.
"Twins isn't making you panic?" Faith teased.
"Oh, you have no idea, Faith."
A noise behind the curtain interrupted their conversation, and they stopped talking, trying to be quiet so that whoever was stirring would go back to sleep.
"I should get us some coffee and breakfast from the Cafe?" Nathan whispered. "I could use the walk."
Nodding her head, Faith said, "that sounds wonderful, thank you."
Nathan stepped outside into the early morning sunshine, heading down the boardwalk to the Cafe.
"Nathan, Nathan!" he heard his name called and turned to see a beaming Fiona rushing toward him.
"Congratulations! I heard the wonderful news. How is Quinn?"
"Wonderful, Fiona, tired of course, but they are all wonderful."
"When do you think Faith will let me see them?"
"I am getting us breakfast; you could come with me and join us if you have time?"
"I will make the time. I cannot wait to meet your babies. Tell me all about them." Fiona practically bounced along beside Nathan, unable to hide her excitement.
Faith heard a sound beyond the curtain and approached quietly to see who was stirring on the other side. Peeking around, she saw Quinn trying to sit up. Hurrying forward, Faith greeted her as she helped her.
"How do you feel today, Quinn? No concerns?"
"I am a little sore and tired but incredible, Faith. I didn't realise I could love the babies more than I already did, but I do. I think I love them more every minute." Quinn smiled at her friend as she tried to smooth down her messy curls, "I know I should be sleeping, but all I want to do is stare at them, check to make sure they are warm enough and comfortable." Quinn laughed at herself, "that they are breathing."
Faith shook her head, "you know you should be sleeping when they do."
"I know, Nathan kept telling me the same thing, but I didn't want to put them down."
Nathan took much longer than anticipated to get breakfast; he constantly stopped to receive well wishes and answer questions about the babies. In the end, Fiona offered to take the food back; otherwise, it would be lunchtime before they ate.
Fiona arrived back at the Infirmary and quietly snuck in, so she didn't disturb anyone if they were sleeping. As she set breakfast on the desk, she heard voices and tiptoed into where Quinn and the babies were.
"Congratulations!" she whispered, giving Quinn a quick hug. She walked silently to where the twins slept and peered down at them, smiling at them as they lay close together, sleeping. "They are beautiful, Quinn."
"Well, I think so, but then I may be biased," Quinn said, smiling at her friends.
"Were you here all night, Faith?" Fiona asked. She noticed a blush creep up her friend's cheeks and said, 'well, now I am intrigued; what did you get up to last night?"
"Nathan decided he was staying with Quinn for the night. As I was leaving, I ran into Joshua, and we had dinner." Faith knew she had to tell her friends about her dinner with Joshua; too many people had seen them at the Cafe last night.
"You had a date with Joshua last night." Fiona gasped.
"Not a date, it was a ...coincidence, that's all." Faith explained. She needed to play down the night before; she was determined not to think of last night as a date.
Quinn and Fiona exchanged a glance before Fiona sat on the bed beside her and said, "we need all the details, Faith, then we will make up our minds if it was a date or not."
Nathan was glad for Fiona's assistance earlier and her foresight in getting extra food because Sam and Bill were waiting outside when he finally arrived back at the Infirmary. He assumed Allie had gone inside already to see Quinn, Avery, and Sam.
Nathan greeted Bill and Sam, then hurried inside, dropping the bag of food he carried on the desk. He wanted to be with his family.
Eventually, everyone found their way inside the Infirmary to fuss over Avery and Sam. Nathan stood beside Quinn, watching as their friends took turns holding their children. As he listened to their friend's fuss over his children, he agreed; the twins were the cutest twins ever. And his wife, well, he had no words to describe how amazing she was.
Quinn tried to stifle her yawn. She had managed to get some sleep last night, it wasn't her usual amount, and she was tired. She knew it would be this way for some time, so she had better get used to it. The last thing she wanted to do was ask people to leave, so when she heard Faith asking them to give her some privacy to rest, she was grateful.
As everyone started to leave, kissing Sam and Avery goodbye, Nathan saw Allie's face drop. He knew she wanted to stay with Quinn and him, and he wanted her there. Nathan glanced toward Quinn to mention it to her but didn't get a chance.
"I'm sure Faith didn't mean you, Allie. You and your dad don't have to leave." Quinn said, reaching out to take Allie's hand.
Nathan's watched as Allie's face lit up with joy. "I'll be quiet, I promise."
"Don't you worry about that, Allie? Sam and Avery need to get used to us and the sound of everyday life, although I don't expect you to go running and shouting through the house when we get home." Nathan ruffled his daughter's hair before leaning in to kiss the top of her head.
"When will you be able to go home?" Allie asked.
"That depends on how well she rests," Faith answered for Quinn.
"I'll make sure she does," Allie said sincerely. "Tell me how I can help, Dr Carter."
Quinn felt rested when she woke up from a nap she hadn't planned; looking around; she realised Nathan and Allie had left while she was sleeping. She strained to identify the voices she could hear on the other side of the screen and smiled when a baby squealed, and she knew it was Rosemary and Lily.
"I'm awake," Quinn called out, loud enough for them to hear her but not too loud. She looked around and saw the empty bassinet, and she smiled, guessing where her children were.
Rosemary walked around the divider screen holding one of the twins, Faith following behind, holding Lily. Faith and Rosemary were followed by Elizabeth, carrying the second twin.
"Oh Quinn, they are divine," Rosemary cooed, smiling down at the baby in her arms. "How does Bill feel about this one being his namesake?"
"I think he was shocked but pleased," Quinn responded, remembering the tears that welled in his eyes when he heard her name.
"I hope you don't mind we swooped in on the babies while you were sleeping; neither of us could resist any longer." Elizabeth smiled at Quinn as she rocked Sam in her arms, "I miss Jack at this age; it seems forever since he was so little."
"Of course not," Quinn assured them. "Do you know what happened to Nathan and Allie?"
"The Wiese's called by and invited Allie to the Cafe for lunch." Faith explained. "After much persuasion, they managed to convince her to join them. Nathan was going to check in on the Mountie office while you slept; he dropped lunch in for you."
"And you?" Quinn asked, sure Nathan wouldn't forget Faith. It was something about Faith's tone that made her question her.
Faith felt a blush crawl up her cheeks, and she dipped her head, kissing Lily's cheek to hide it. "Someone dropped lunch in for me."
Quinn's eyebrows shot up; it would appear she had missed a lot while sleeping. Now wasn't the time to talk about it; she would ask Faith about it when there wasn't such an audience.
Nathan was sitting behind his desk in the Mountie office, shuffling the paperwork on his desk without really seeing it. He was still struggling to wrap his mind around the fact he was the father of twins. Despite seeing them born, holding both his children in his arms, and hearing their cries, it still didn't seem real. He gave up pretending to work; he couldn't concentrate; he was too tired and distracted by the twin's birth.
"Hey there, what are you doing here, Dad!"
Nathan looked at Gabe, who leaned casually against the door frame with a broad smile.
"Gabe, what are you doing here?" Nathan said as he rose to shake his friend's hand.
Gabe ignored Nathan's outstretched hand, instead pulling him in for a quick hug. "How are you, Nathan?"
"Tired, relieved, elated, Gabe," Nathan said, stepping back. "Did Bill let you know?"
"Joshua. He called when he found out Quinn was in the Infirmary with Faith; he didn't have any details, though. I figured I would find out when I got here to back you up while you settled in with the baby."
Nathan grinned; Gabe didn't know there were twins! "I am not doing any good here," he said, indicating the pile of paperwork. "Let's go to the Infirmary so I can introduce you."
Nathan strode into the Infirmary before Gabe; he could hear Quinn talking to the baby behind the screen and smiled. He hoped Allie was back from lunch so his whole family could be there to witness Gabe's reaction.
Gabe followed Nathan inside, eager to meet the newest member of the Grant family. Despite Nathan being tired, he could feel the joy coming from him; the lack of sleep couldn't dull the love shining from his eyes. He couldn't wait until he and Lillian were able to add to their family.
Gabe smiled at Quinn, sitting in a chair near the hospital bed, holding the baby in her arms. Quinn looked beautiful as she held the tiny bundle in her arms.
"Hi, Gabe; it's lovely to see you. I am so glad you came." Quinn smiled at Nathan, "with you here, Nathan might actually take some time off."
"I don't think he will want to spend too much time away from you and the baby."
Quinn frowned and glanced at Nathan again, rolling her eyes when she saw his smirk and realised, he hadn't told Gabe about the twins. "Would you like to hold him, Gabe?"
"Him! You had a little boy. That's wonderful." Gabe strode forward, eager to see their son, "What's his name?" he asked when he was close enough for Quinn to place the baby in his arms.
"Samuel Colin," Nathan answered, pleased to see Gabe nod acknowledging the name and its significance.
"That's a fine name, a strong name," Gabe said, his voice gruff with emotion as he gazed at the child in his arms.
"Hi, Uncle Gabe; when did you get here?" Allie asked, excited to see her Uncle, glad he was there to see her siblings.
Gabe heard Allie come into the room and looked up at her with a smile. He couldn't wait to see her reaction to the baby, knowing how much she had wanted a family, especially a sibling. As he looked at her, he was confused, unable to process what he saw. It appeared Allie was also holding a baby, but how was that possible?
"Twins?" Gabe finally asked, looking between the three of them, his eyes wide.
"A boy and a girl," Allie explained excitedly. Walking closer to Gabe, Allie tipped her arms down so he could see the baby she was holding. "This is my sister, Avery Gabrielle Grant."
"Thank you, Nathan, Quinn. I am honoured." Gabe said, his throat tight with emotion, and he smiled at Nathan, who had come to stand beside him. As Nathan clapped him on the back, the baby in his arms began to stir and wriggle. Gabe laughed down at the screwed-up face and handed him to his mother, "I think it's over to you, Quinn. That's my cue to head back to the Mountie office."
The group laughed as Quinn took Sam from Gabe, "Yes, it won't be long until his sister catches on and starts up as well."
With Gabe settled into the Mountie office, Nathan felt able to spend the remainder of the day with his family. Faith agreed Quinn could go home the following morning, so Nathan went home quickly to ensure their home was ready to house two babies. Pulling up to their house, he was overwhelmed by the townspeople's gifts and other items left on the steps. He had thought everyone had left their gifts at the Mountie office, but clearly, he had been wrong.
He quickly carried the items inside, making sure there was nothing perishable or that needed attention. Looking over their gifts, he knew the twins would lack for nothing. He decided to leave the pile of gifts for when Quinn and Allie were home and moved on to more practical things, like where the twins would sleep.
As Faith helped Quinn pack her things for her return home, Quinn decided it was the perfect time to ask her about Joshua.
"So, are you going to tell me more about your date last night?"
"It wasn't a date. I told you it was a coincidence," Faith replied without making eye contact.
"And lunch today, did that just happen to throw itself on your desk?"
"You know Joshua delivered it."
"And how was he when you saw him?"
Faith was blushing furiously when she finally looked at Quinn, "my reluctance is nothing to do with Joshua; he is terrific. I wish I were brave enough to try again, but I don't think I am, and he deserves better."
"He deserves to be happy, and it seems you make him happy. You both deserve to be happy." Quinn stopped Faith as she went to walk out of the room, "why don't you talk to him, tell him how you are feeling? The trial is starting; he won't have much spare time, so the two of you will be forced to take it slow."
Faith shook her head, "I don't know, Quinn."
"At least promise me you will think about it, please."
"OK, I will think about it." Faith finally agreed with Quinn, not just so her friend would leave her alone, but because she knew in her heart, she was right. Joshua was a wonderful man, and they did both deserve to be happy.
Joshua sat in his office, thinking about Faith. No matter how often he tried to concentrate on the upcoming trial, his mind kept drifting back to their dinner date. He had enjoyed spending time with Faith more than he had anticipated and wanted to see her again. He knew she was reluctant, holding back and had been avoiding him; he just wasn't sure why. Maybe it was time to talk to someone, but who? Fiona? Rosemary? He didn't want to intrude on Quinn or complicate his relationship with Sam Madison as the trial was starting.
Sighing, Joshua stood up and walked toward the window to look over Hope Valley's main street. Hope Valley was starting to feel like somewhere he could settle, there or in Brookfield. After the death of Judge Walker, the vacancy had been offered to him. He needed to decide whether to take it and soon. When Isobel's trial was over, the deadline to decide would be up.
Joshua saw the Infirmary door open, and Faith stepped out onto the Verandah. He was tempted to go outside so he could run into her by chance, but he didn't want to scare her. As he waited, he saw Faith glance toward his office and wondered if she could see him. Faith looked around, and when she saw no one watching, she started walking toward his office. Joshua's eyes widened, wondering if she was coming to see him. His heart started pounding in anticipation, hoping he was right.
As Faith opened the door, she was surprised to see Joshua standing, apparently waiting for her. "Oh, I thought you would be at your desk."
"I had taken a break and was looking out the window; I saw you coming," Joshua explained. "What can I do for you?"
"I came to say thank you for delivering me lunch, it was very considerate, and I don't think I did thank you earlier." Faith could feel her cheeks reddening but was determined to finish what she came to say. "I also enjoyed our meal at the Cafe, and I was wondering if you would be interested in doing it again when you are free."
"Tonight?" Joshua asked, hopefully. If Faith were suggesting dinner, he would make sure it happened.
"Oh, well. Yes. Tonight is fine." Faith stammered; she hadn't expected him to be so eager.
"I could collect you from your home or the Infirmary at seven tonight?"
"OK, I will see you at my home at seven." Faith said, finally able to smile at him.
When Faith left, Joshua let out a huge sigh and allowed the smile he had been holding in to spread over his face. Surely, Faith taking the initiative for them to spend more time together meant that she felt the same way he did. If she didn't yet, he was determined to do everything in his power to show her how good they could be together.