A/N: After careful consideration, unlike what we got for Seasons 4 and 5, I have officially decided that I will not be watching Season 6. I have learned that Elizabeth will be getting a new love interest which is not only stupid, but predictable and contradictory of everything the WCTH team has been telling us. If the show was about more than just Jack and Elizabeth, then why aren't you focusing on other people? The fact that you are giving her a new love interest means that the show IS about Elizabeth and Jack, or at least about Elizabeth. They keep saying that it's a community show and that it's about everyone in the community but they're still only focusing on Elizabeth and I'm sure as a result of her conflicting feelings about moving on to a new man, Jack. So umm yea Brian, Lori, and the rest of Hallmark, you can miss me with that bullshit (excuse my French). Let me not upset myself again. (Insert pause here where I walk away from my computer to go cool off) With that being said, I still do consider myself a #Heartie because no matter what anyone says, yes even you Candace Cameron Bure, I am a true fan. I stuck with the show for five seasons and supported everyone involved the whole time, so I will always be a #Heartie. I'm just a #Heartie who stopped watching after Season 5. And now onto Chapter 4…
"Jack?" Elizabeth tapped her husband's shoulder. "Jack, honey, wake up." Her voice was calm but urgent. Ever since they had officially began living in their home, two months ago, Elizabeth had gotten the best sleep she could in her condition. The feather bed Jack had purchased had done wonders for her back. This morning, however, for some reason, no matter how hard she tried, she just could not get comfortable. And when she felt the first jab to her abdomen, she knew exactly why.
"What is it Sweetheart?" Jack asked, sleepily. Elizabeth got out of bed and stood by the dresser, clutching her stomach, as she felt a warm liquid run down her legs.
"I think it's time." She said, her teeth clenched, fighting through another pain. Jack shot up out of bed and ran to her side. As he rubbed her back, soothingly, he tried not to panic. However, her pitiful moans and groans were not helping.
"What should I do?" He asked.
"Jack, I need you to go get Carson. I need you to tell him that I'm having the baby and I need you to hurry." Jack didn't have to be told twice. He kissed his wife's temple, threw on a shirt and some pants, not even bothering to take off his nightclothes and scurried out the door to the infirmary, where Dr. Shepherd stayed.
"Carson?!" Jack called, entering. "Carson, it's me, Jack." He was frantic. Carson came out of his makeshift bedroom, pulling on his coat.
"Jack, is everything alright?" He asked, sensing Jack's urgency.
"It's Elizabeth, she's having the baby." Jack said, trying to control his breathing. Carson immediately gathered all the equipment he needed and followed Jack out the door. The two men returned to the Thornton home as fast as their feet would allow. Upon entering the house, they both could hear Elizabeth's screams coming from upstairs. Jack and Carson rushed up to find Elizabeth still clutching her stomach. She was lying in the bed with her back propped up on the pillows.
"Alright Jack, do you have anything like linens or shirts that you don't mind being torn into strips?" Carson asked, putting his stethoscope around his neck and listening to Elizabeth's tummy.
"We have some old towels in the cupboard." Jack said, going to get them.
"Alright, I need four long strips, one tied around each of the bed posts." Jack tore the towel into strips and tied them like Carson explained. "Alright now, tie the two next to me around each of her ankles, tightly." Jack did just that as Elizabeth held tightly to the two above her held. "Lastly, I need you to bring her a cold rag and something to bite down on because this next hour or so will be very loud and very painful." Jack hurried downstairs into the kitchen and ran a cloth under the water pump and took the stairs two at time to give it to his wife. He laid the cool rag across her forehead, making her sigh in relief. He handed her another cloth to put in her mouth and grabbed her hand. "Alright Elizabeth, you should be ready to start pushing in about ten minutes." Carson said after about an hour and a half had passed. Jack climbed behind her on the bed and rubbed her back. Elizabeth tried not to scream through the next few pains but she had never experienced anything like this before.
For the Thorntons and Dr. Shepherd, the next ten minutes passed excruciatingly slowly. Carson checked Elizabeth's progress periodically and finally he deemed her ready.
"Alright Elizabeth, when the next pain hits, I want you to push as hard as you can okay?" He asked. Elizabeth nodded. Jack leaned down next to her ear.
"Are you ready to meet little Patrick or Lily?" He asked her, smiling. Elizabeth nodded again as the next pain hit. She squeezed the strips tied to the bed post and screamed as Jack rubbed her back and pushed her hair out of her face. He kissed her sweaty temple and tried not think about how much pain his wife must be in.
"You're doing great Elizabeth, just relax now." Carson said. Elizabeth leaned back into Jack and waited for the next wave of pain to hit her. When it did, she jolted forward and pushed with all her might. "Almost there, I can see the head." Carson encouraged her. Elizabeth gave one more mighty push and the screaming baby was in Dr. Shepherd's arms. "Congratulations, it's a girl." He said. He cleaned her off, cut the umbilical cord, and handed her to Jack, who had climbed out from behind Elizabeth and was all smiles. Just as he began to speak to his daughter, he heard his wife scream again.
"Something's not right!" She cried, after removing the cloth from her mouth. "I feel like I have to push again." Carson checked her and sat back up smiling.
"A mother's intuition is never wrong." He said. "There's another baby waiting to meet their family in there."
Elizabeth barely had time to put the cloth back in her mouth before another pain hit and she was pushing again. Fortunately, the second baby only took one push before joining the world.
"It's a boy." Carson said, getting the umbilical cord cut and getting the crying baby boy cleaned off as well before handing him to his mommy. He did one final check to make sure there were no more babies hiding in Elizabeth's tummy before cleaning her off and returning his equipment to his satchel to be cleaned later. "Congratulations Jack and Elizabeth. I'm gonna head back to the infirmary to get ready for the day. If you or the babies start feeling bad, do not hesitate to come get me okay?" The two new parents nodded. "Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you." And with that, he made his way back to the infirmary.
"Do you think our parents are up yet?" Elizabeth asked a few hours later, cradling her daughter. Jack walked around the room, lightly bouncing his newborn son. He looked at the clock on the nightstand.
"It's about 9 o'clock. I'd say they should be getting ready to start their day." He maneuvered their son into the crook of Elizabeth's other arm. "I'll go and get them." Elizabeth nodded and watched Jack leave before turning to look down at what he and she had created together. With tears in her eyes, she began to talk to them.
"Hi, my beautiful babies. Mama is so happy that you're here. Me and Daddy having been looking forward to meeting you ever since we found out you were coming. Mama can't believe there are two of you. I love you so much." She leaned down to kiss each of their tiny heads, as tears spilled over her eyes. "Daddy is over the moon excited to watch you grow. He's probably going to spoil you rotten. Especially you princess." She said to her daughter. "But that's alright champ." She said to her son. "I can already tell you're gonna be a mama's boy through and through, just like your daddy."
Jack rode Sergeant to the row houses where their families had been staying for the past month. He entered Elizabeth's old row house in search of Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher and Julie. He walked up the stairs and knocked on each door. Julie answered first, already dressed and ready to conquer the day.
"Good morning Jack." She said, surprised to see him there. "Is everything alright?" She asked. Just as he was about to answer, Mrs. Thatcher opened the door with Mr. Thatcher not far behind her.
"Good, everyone seems ready to go." Jack said, smiling. "As of a few hours ago, you are grandparents again." He said to Grace and William. "And you are an aunt again." The Thatchers jumped for joy at the news and quickly followed Jack to the neighboring row house to retrieve Charlotte.
When Charlotte answered the door, Jack smile grew even wider.
"Good morning Ma." He said. "Or should I say Grandma." Anyone who knew Charlotte knew that she was not an overly emotional woman. But nothing could stop the tears pooling in her eyes. After giving her son a tight hug, she followed the Thatchers to their car as Jack mounted his horse. The family made their way back to Jack and Elizabeth's house.
Back in the bedroom, Elizabeth was still cooing at her newborns.
"I hope you two are social, because you two are going to be meeting a lot of people very soon." Elizabeth chuckled. She heard Jack enter the house with their families. As they quietly came up the stairs, Elizabeth sat up a little in the bed. Jack opened the door and led them inside.
"I would like to introduce you to Lily Grace Thornton and Patrick Douglas Thornton." Jack said, grabbing his daughter from Elizabeth's arm. Everyone's jaw dropped. The news had been just as much of a shock for them as it had been for Jack and Elizabeth.
"Two babies?" Charlotte asked. "You have two babies?" Jack and Elizabeth nodded.
"Oh sister!" Julie whisper shouted, so as not to startle her niece and nephew. She sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed Elizabeth's hand. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you Julie." Elizabeth said, handing her son to her father, who had followed his youngest to his middle daughter's bedside.
"Hello there young man." William said, trying to hold back his tears. "I am your Grandpa, William." Patrick gazed up at the man. "You sure are a handsome boy. I bet you'll break a lot of hearts when you get older." Willam laughed and handed him to Charlotte. Grace, who was holding Lily, couldn't help her own tears.
"Hi there, sweet-pea. Aren't you just the cutest little thing in the world?" Grace cooed. "You look just like your mother when she was a baby." Grace bounced Lily for a few more minutes before handing her off to Julie.
"Oh Elizabeth, she's beautiful." Julie beamed. "I mean she is gorgeous. I just met her and I already love her so much." Elizabeth chuckled.
"I hope this isn't giving you any ideas Julie." She teased.
"Oh no." Julie replied, laughing. "Between you and Viola, this is enough for me. I'm content to just be the aunt that spoils them."
Once all the babies had been held by everyone, they were returned to their parents.
"Well, we'll let you rest dear." Grace said. "We are so proud of you. Really." They each gave her a kiss on the head as they headed back out. Jack saw them back to the car and returned to his wife and his babies. Elizabeth was nursing them when he walked back in the room.
"Wow. Now that is a sight for sore eyes." Jack said, giving his wife a kiss. "I know everyone said this already, but I really am so proud of you. You did it my love." He kissed her again.
"I couldn't have done this without you Jack. I mean it. I cannot imagine my life for one single second without you in it." Just then, Lily hiccuped. "I think she's done." She said removing her from her chest. "Can you burp her while Patrick finishes up?" Jack nodded and took his daughter in his arms. He gently patted her back until she let out a small burp. He continued to sway with her until she was asleep.
"I'm gonna move the crib in here for a little while." Jack said.
"You read my mind." Elizabeth smiled. Jack went into the room across the hall, laid Lily in the crib and pushed it into the bedroom. Once Patrick was fed and burped, Jack took him and laid him in the crib next to his sister. He crawled into bed, careful not to jostle his wife too much as he knew she was still rather sore.
"You should get some sleep while they are honey." Jack said, lightly kissing his wife's head again.
"Only if you promise to hold me." She said, snuggling into him as best she could.
"There is nothing I'd rather do." He said, as they both drifted off to sleep.