Meg held the doors open so Alex could carry Claire into the house, to the old couch they'd moved into Jack's office, Claire unwilling to part with it. "She was bleeding; she's hurting."
Meg nodded. "Get a cold cloth for her head." He nodded, running to get it, bringing it back. "Claire?"
Claire opened her eyes. "The baby."
"Is eager to get here...and stay here...just like his mum." Alex and Claire hadn't wanted to know the baby's sex this time, but most of the time, the baby was referred to as a little boy.
"Alex..."
Alex stroked her hair. "I'm here, Claire."
"Blaze."
"They're okay. She's in the corral."
"Tess."
Amy came to stand in the doorway, hearing Claire's question, nodding at Meg. "Tess is fine, Claire," Meg said quietly. "You're an aunt."
Claire winced, balling her hand up. "Here. Hold mine." Alex picked Claire's hand up, holding it. "Breathe." He breathed with her as Amy checked on her. "The blood was her water breaking. It might have had a red tint to it. From what I can tell, everything's okay. Just a little early."
"I'll go check on Tess, keep an eye on Charlotte," Meg said, standing.
Alex looked up at her briefly. "Thanks, Meg." She left and he turned his attention back to Claire, still wiping her forehead, holding her hand, breathing with her.
"It shouldn't take much longer. I can see the head," Amy said.
Claire turned, throwing up. "Oh, no."
"I'll get it later," Alex told her. "Don't worry about it. Just breathe." She looked like she was about to cry. "Tell me the story about Jack's desk," he said, trying to soothe her, knowing how much she loved the desk that her father and now she used, that she used to play under with Tess, that Tess had carved on.
Meg kneeled beside Charlotte, who was holding her stuffed horse to her cheek. "Hey."
"Is Mommy sick?"
"She'll be okay." She stroked the horse's mane. "Auntie Tess and Uncle Nick want you to come meet someone." She extended her hand, which Charlotte took.
Tess smiled as Charlotte came to the doorway. Nick handed the bundle he was holding back to Tess, clearing his lap, extending a hand to his niece. "You wanna come meet your cousins?" She climbed into his lap and he hugged her.
"They're beautiful," Meg smiled.
"Pretty," Charlotte smiled.
"Yeah, pretty like your Auntie Tess," Nick said, causing Tess to smile again.
Meg looked at the babies, both identical. "They look exactly like you when you were born," Meg said. She couldn't have been prouder of Tess and Claire if they were her 'real' daughters and, despite her doubts before Charlotte was born, loved being 'Grandma Meg'. "What did you name them?"
"Ruth McLeod and Marion Louise," Nick said proudly.
"They're beautiful." They heard the ambulance come up, siren blaring.