Author Note: Hello strangers! It feels like it's been a while, which I am sorry about but I've had lots of busy-time. I moved house, my parents split up, I'm living with family because our new place isn't sorted out yet. I got a new job, my cats have had to go and stay with a friend. It's all been rather up and down. I just didn't have time or energy to sort out this chapter - though it was half written. I've finally completed it, though writing on a bed instead of at a desk is a challenge. Alas, we have actually reached the end of the story. This is the second to last chapter. Just one more and then I'll be putting this one to bed - excuse the kind of pun.

"Not long to go now," Angela said, running her hand across Jane's forehead. "Then you'll have your two beautiful baby girls in your arms."

"I feel like I've been in labour for days," Jane said, groaning. "I'm tired of lying on my back."

"You have been in labour for days, the terbutaline will only slow the contractions long enough for the corticosteroids to assist the babies' lung development," Maura said, clutching her hand on the other side of the bed. "They did warn you that it would only be a temporary measure."

"I don't remember. Why did we even get into this?" Jane asked, gripping Maura's fingers so hard she thought she was going to break them. "Sorry."

"Don't apologise." Maura untangled her hand. "But perhaps you could hold onto my wrist instead."

"I'll take anything."

"I remember when I was in Labour with Tommy," Angela said, moving around the edge of the bed and slinging her purse over her shoulder. "He just popped right out on the kitchen floor before I could even yell "Frank"."

"Don't." Jane leaned back and closed her eyes. "Don't tell me how much easier you had it."

"That was with Tommy, you took ages. You were as stubborn then as you've always been, didn't want to come out; they practically had to force you out."

Chuckling, Jane leaned forward, before pain seared through her body and she gripped the bedsheets beside her. Maura wrapped her hand around the other side of Jane's. "I guess the girls take after their Ma."

"Can I get you two anything?" Angela asked, squeezing Jane's shoulder. She breathed deeply, into the contraction, as her abdomen tightened. "Drinks, food, fresh clothing."

"I think we have a way to go," Maura said. "But I spoke with Cailin and she said she's going to bring some clothes. But please, Angela, you've been here all day, you don't need to stay. Why don't you go home and rest? By the morning we'll likely still be here."

"The morning?" Leaning back, Jane grunted. She rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. The pain subsided. "I take it back; don't take after your Ma. I want them out."

"They'll be here before you know it." Angela hugged Maura and kissed Jane on the cheek. She headed for the exit. "Try and get some rest, Janie, Lord knows you won't get much when they're here."

"Thank you, Angela," Maura said, closing the door behind her.

"Finally," Jane muttered, breathing in slowly and methodically. "Is it supposed to hurt this much?"

"You probably should have asked your mother," Maura said. "She's the one who birthed three children."

"She's got a vagina full of steel." Jane reached across to Maura's arm and gripped her wrist. "You heard her, Tommy just popped out like a fourth of July firework."

Sitting down, Maura cupped Jane's hand. "What you're doing amazes me, Jane. I want you to know how proud I am of you. I know it's been a difficult few days since the shooting but in a few days it'll be over and we'll be able to hold our children."

"But they won't be able to come home," Jane whispered, brushing tears from her cheeks. "I was supposed to look after them so that they could come straight home."

"It's not your fault."

"Whose fault is it?"

"Nobody's."

"You don't believe that."

"Why would you say that?"

Snatching her hand away from Maura's, Jane rubbed at her eyes, sniffing back the tears. "You're a scientist, science has an answer for everything."

"Not everything."

"That's not good enough," she shouted, banging her fist down on the bed. "If the babies are coming too early then we should know why."

"I'm sorry." Maura stood and cupped Jane's cheek, brushing fresh tears from her face. She leaned down, peppering kisses across her chin. "I wish the mechanism for labour was more thoroughly understood in humans, but I can't change that now."

"I know."

"You're tired, try to get some sleep between the contractions."

"It's too hard," Jane said, sighing. "They're too frequent."

"It'll get harder the further along you are. You need to conserve your energy now."

"Will you stay?"

"I'll be here all night," Maura said, kissing her again. "I'm not going anywhere."

x

"Maura," Jane whispered, her breath warm against her nose. She groaned softly. Her neck ached.

A tapping of fingers against her cheek made her open her eyes. Reaching a fuller level of consciousness, Maura sat upright. "What's wrong? Did I miss it?"

Jane scoffed. "I don't think they're planning on coming," she said, dangling her legs over the side of the bed and stepping onto the tiled floor.

"Of course, they're coming," Maura said, rubbing her tired eyes. She glanced at the clock. They'd been there for long enough, she really hoped by four in the morning something would have finally started to happen. "I suppose the medication still hasn't completely worn off."

Jane paced back and forth, rubbing the sides of her enlarged stomach as she moved around the room.

"You're doing amazing," Maura said, standing up. She stalked across the room and wrapped an arm around Jane's back, rubbing it across her spine as she paced beside her. "It won't be much longer."

"I think it'll be the rest of their lives at this rate."

"Jane!"

"What? They're taking forever."

"Earlier you were worrying that they're coming early."

"That was before."

"Before what? Your gestation hasn't changed. You're still only thirty-three weeks."

"Before I realised that if it takes much longer I won't want to go home and sleep, I'll want to go out there and beat the living crap out of some low life piece of murdering scum."

Maura stepped back, her eyebrows tugged together, her chin dropped. "Not until the babies are home, Jane, please. If you're going to put yourself in danger, at least recover from the pregnancy first."

Rolling her eyes, Jane leaned over against the table beside the bed. She breathed into the contraction, and panted her way out of it. "I'm not really gonna do it."

"Oh." Maura returned to her side, pressing her fingers hard against the base of Jane's spine.

"Oh God," Jane groaned.

"B28. Acupressure. It can alleviate lower and sacral back pain. I thought it might help."

"It's not," Jane screeched, gripping Maura's sleeve as she placed her hand on Jane's arm.

"It isn't?"

"It's not that," she said, breathing slowly and methodically. "Either my water's broke or I'm incontinent."

Stepping back, Maura glanced down at the puddle. "Your membrane's ruptured, I'll get the obstetrician."

"What the hell is sacral?" Jane asked, stepping away from the puddle of fluid on the floor, lifting each leg up slowly and awkwardly as drops of fluid ran down her legs.

Stopping in the doorway, Maura frowned. "The sacrum."

"What the hell is a sacrum?"

"The triangular bone in the lower back." Maura stepped out of the door.

"Wait," Jane shouted.

She walked back in. "What is it?"

"What's a triangle bone in the lower back all about?"

"It's fused vertebrae, situated between the two hip bones. Why are you asking me questions about the sacrum?"

"I'm interested." Maura stared at her, her head lowered, her eyes narrowed. "I don't want that woman putting her fingers up my vagina again."

"Jane," Maura said, returning to her side. She looped an arm through Jane's and guided her back towards the bed. "She's only trying to help. It's important to assess the stage of your labour."

Shrugging Maura's hand away, Jane groaned. Another contraction worked its way through her abdomen, she gripped the material of the bedsheet. "I don't like strangers touching my lady…paaarts."

"Shh," Maura whispered, rubbing her back. "Remember to breath."

"I remember to breath," Jane said, gritting her teeth, then proceeded to pant. "I just choose not to."

"I'm going to get the obstetrician."

"But…"

"If it's that much of an issue, you don't have to have an internal exam."

"You'd better tell her that," Jane said. "I don't want here to come back here with any funny ideas about what she's going to do to me."

"I promise to speak to her before we get back," Maura said, smirking as she left the room.

x

The desire to give up overwhelmed Jane. Exhaustion set in long before the obstetrician had even asked her to push and now she couldn't think of anything else but sleep, and the unbearable pain. While she couldn't find the energy to push, she also couldn't find any way out of it. The desire to have it over almost overshadowed the pain and exhaustion itself leaving her confused, tired and in need of some privacy. She closed her legs.

"Jane," the obstetrician muttered, her head trapped between her knees. "Stay with me a little longer."

"I can't," she said, gripping hold of Maura's hand tighter. She stared into her eyes, allowing her legs to fall apart again. "It hurts."

"I know," Maura said, brushing her damp hair back with a cloth.

"No, you don't!"

"No," she said, her eyes downturned and her face solemn. "I don't. But I do know it hurts you right now. If I could trade places, I would."

"No you wouldn't."

"Of course I would."

"I don't want you to," she said, tears coating the edges of her cheeks as they trailed down her face.

"This isn't a competition, Jane."

"I don't think I could watch you do this. It'd hurt more."

"That's very noble of you. We're nearly there," Maura said, cupping her cheeks and staring into her eyes. "You've just got to try longer, it'll be over soon and you'll never have to do this again."

"Except I've got two babies up there," she said, rolling her eyes, the slightest chuckle escaped her lips. "Two babies, two placentas, two lots of pushing."

"I know."

She gripped Maura's fingers harder, promising to do something to repay the pain she was causing, yet too exhausted to think of how. "Is it time?"

"It's time," the obstetrician said, resting a hand on her knee. "I need you to push down really hard."

x

The baby cried seconds after she made her way out of Jane's body. Maura's heart swelled up until she thought there couldn't possibly be enough space in her chest to contain it. Then her knowledge of anatomy pushed its way back through the emotion and reminded her of the improbability. The obstetrician swathed baby number one in a blanket and handed her to Jane.

"I, I can't," Jane whispered, tears flooded her eyes. Maura wrapped her arms around her and stared down at their daughter.

Their daughter.

It still didn't feel real, like a dream she wouldn't wake from, nor did she want to. Maura reached up and cupped Jane's cheeks, capturing her lips, desperate to show her gratitude in the only way she thought possible.

Then the baby cried again and Maura pulled away.

"Thank you," she said, wiping fresh tears from her eyes and staring into the now open eyes of their child. Lifting a finger tentatively up to her cheek, she ran it along the baby's face, her squishy skin moved, so soft, under her touch. She gripped Jane's hand on her other side and nuzzled her face against her neck. "I love you so much."

x

Stopping their loving moment in its tracks, Jane thrust the baby across to Maura and scrunched up her face, groaning as her body pushed through another contraction.

"It won't be long," the obstetrician said, pressing down on Jane's stomach. "We're gonna do an ultrasound, and if it's okay, I'd like to do an internal exam."

"Whatever," Jane said, her eyes fluttered opened and closed. "I just want it over."

Maura cradled the baby, too in awe of their little girl that she almost forgot to focus some of her attention on Jane. She perched on the edge of the chair behind her. She always knew becoming a mother would be complex for her, given her own entrance into the world, but she didn't ever expect to feel so…okay. The lack of blood relation with the child dissipated into the abyss the second her eyes landed on her daughter.

"Nearly there," Maura said, resting the baby in the crook of her arm and gripping Jane's hand on the other side.

"Is she okay?" Jane asked, shaking her head back and forward

Maura slid her hand up Jane's arm and stroked her shoulder. "She's perfect."

"Is it supposed to feel so surreal?"

Standing up again, Maura returned the baby into Jane's arms and wrapped her own around her. She kissed her cheek and ran a fingertip across the baby's chin. "You're exhausted, but the babies will need to go to the NICU so you'll be able to get some rest."

"We didn't choose names."

"Don't worry about that," Maura said. "There's plenty of time."

"But she needs a name," Jane whispered, cupping the back of her head with her hand. "Baby number one is a terrible name."

"One and two will do for now."

"That rhymes," Jane said, laughing a little too loudly. The baby wriggled, her tiny lips opened and a squawk escaped. Jane rocked her gently. "Shh, I'm sorry baby."

"We're ready for her," a nurse said, rolling a plastic crib across the room towards them.

"No!" Jane held her tighter against her chest. "I'm not ready."

"I know," Maura said, kissing her forehead. "But baby two needs you now, and baby one needs to be looked after."

"I should be with her."

"You can't be in two places at once."

"Go with her," Jane said, handing the baby to her.

"I need to be here with you."

"But the baby."

"I'll go be with her when her sister arrives," Maura said, placing their child into the crib. She leaned down and pressed her lips to her cheek. "We love you."

x

The second baby squawked as she entered the world, wriggling and screeching. The obstetrician placed her into Jane's arms and everything felt like it had grown more abstract. She closed her eyes, so far beyond exhaustion that she wasn't sure she could keep herself awake long enough to enjoy the moment.

"Baby number two," Maura whispered, her breath hot against her already warm cheek. Jane turned her face and leaned forward, kissing her roughly, fighting for something that felt real.

"No more," she said, turning her face away and closing her eyes. The weight of the baby disappeared from her arms. She looked back to Maura who cuddled her against her chest. Tears skirted down her face.

"They're going to take her to the NICU with her sister," a nurse said, rolling in another crib. Maura settled her down on the bed and returned to Jane's side. "Go."

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"The placentas."

"But the babies."

"They're being looked after, right now you come first. I'll be with them soon." Maura stood over her, running a hand across her cheek.

The obstetrician leaned forward. "We're going to help you along with the last bit, Jane, and then you can rest. Be ready for a couple of last pushes."

Five minutes later and Jane leaned back, her eyelids fluttered closed. She could still feel Maura's hand wrapped around hers as the world around them ebbed and flowed away.

x

Baby one and two slept side by side in neighbouring cribs, their vitals on display for the whole ward to see. Jane sat in a chair, despite a few hours' sleep, she anticipated the tiredness would last for weeks, if not forever. No matter how many late nights or early mornings as a cop, nothing could have prepared her for the exhaustion.

"I can't believe they're here," Jane whispered, resting a hand over Maura's on her shoulder.

Maura turned her hand around and gave Jane's a gentle squeeze. "I've never been so happy as I am right now."

"Me neither."

"Baby One Isles-Rizzoli, and Baby Two Isles-Rizzoli still doesn't sound right," Jane said, leaning forward. She trailed a finger delicately across the babies' cheeks, one at a time.

"Rizzoli," Maura said, sitting back down in the chair beside her.

Jane turned around, her frown deepened. "What about Isles? They need your name too."

"I don't need to share a name with them. The Isles name may have prestige in the charitable community, but it doesn't have the family standing it deserves. They should be Rizzolis. You come from a family, not people who grew up in the same building half the time and didn't speak the other half."

It didn't sit well with Jane, but she nodded anyway. "Then one of them can be called Maura."

"I'm not naming one of my daughters after myself," Maura said, smiling.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to."

"Men do it all the time. Besides, if it works for Lorelai Gilmore, it works for Maura Isles."

"No, Jane." She pursed her lips. The mere idea of naming one of their children Maura felt bizarre to say the least.

"One of them should be named after you," Jane repeated.

"I said no."

"Dorthea?"

She shook her head. "Definitely not."

"Isles."

"Jane," Maura said, rolling her eyes. "Be serious."

"I am."

"No. They need a proper name, not one made up of mine."

"Isla."

"Isla?"

"Why not? It's a proper name. It's close to Isles."

"I…" She hesitated. The name felt unfamiliar on her tongue. "I don't hate it."

"But you don't love it, either?" Jane asked.

"I like it…I…let me think on that one."

Shrugging, Jane reached for one of Maura's hands and held it over her knee. "What names do you like?"

"Cynthia."

"No, no and no," Jane said, groaning. She didn't go through days of labour to come out of it with a child named Cynthia. It might work for some people, but Cynthia Rizzoli was never going to happen.

"What's wrong with Cynthia?" Maura asked.

"Do you want our kid to get bullied?"

"Cynthia Kenyon is an important female scientist of our time." Maura stared at her, an earnest look on her face. For the briefest moment, Jane felt guilty for vetoing the name, after all, they were going with Rizzoli. "The work she's doing on helping us to live longer and healthier lives, is significant."

"What about Kenyon?"

"If one of them was a boy, then maybe, but I don't think it suits a girl." Maura stood up and leaned over the nearest crib. She grinned, staring down at one of their daughters. She glanced back at Jane. "What about Angela?"

Scoffing, Jane shook her head so fast that it ached. "I'm not naming one of them after my mother. But we could name one after yours."

"Constance?"

"Hope."

"I do not wish to give our children the burden of someone else's name."

"You just suggested Angela."

"You're right. Middle name?"

"Angela?"

"And Hope."

"Deal."

Maura perched back down on her chair and drew an arm across Jane's back. She leaned against her. "Francesca?"

"And give Frankie a bigger head? No thanks." Jane sloped her arm around Maura's back, her head rested on her shoulder. "Ivy?"

"Ivy's nice. Where is that from?"

"Ivy Andrews."

"Who is she?"

"He. A baseball player."

Maura shook her head. "If we're not naming one of our daughters after a scientist, we're not naming one after a baseball player."

"Fine. Adriana?"

"From?"

"From my brain," Jane said, nuzzling her face against Maura's neck. She sighed, another wave of tiredness took over.

"What is it you like about it?" Maura asked.

She yawned. "Why all the questions?"

"Please answer."

"I dunno. It's an Italian name, Ma was gonna call Tommy Adriana before she found out she was having a boy. I guess I always liked it."

"I like it."

"You do?"

"Addy."

"Doctor Maura Isles, is that a nickname?"

"I'm not against nicknames, Jane. You just don't happen to have a name long enough to require one."

"That's not true!"

"Refusing to call you The Rocket in bed is not the same as having a nickname."

"Spoilsport," Jane muttered. "Adriana Angela?"

She sat upright again, fixing her gaze on Maura as she spoke. "Adriana Hope."

"Yeah, okay, I can live with that."

"I don't want you to live with it." Maura frowned. "I want you to like it."

"I love it."

"Me too," she said, leaning in and pressing her lips to Jane's.

Jane moved her hand over Maura's shoulder and deepened the kiss. She pulled away. "Now for two."

"Two?"

"Baby two."

"That's definitely not a good name," Maura said.

"I know."

"Adriana and Isla."

"We're going back to Isla?" Jane asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Isla Angela Rizzoli…"

Jane paused, waiting for Maura to continue.

"I'm trying it out," she said.

"How does it sound?"

"Perfect."

Grinning, Jane settled back down against Maura. "Isla and Addy."

Pulling her arms tighter around Jane's shoulders, Maura felt tears fill her eyes. "Isla and Addy."