AN-Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait for an update. So this is the last official chapter of this story. There will be an epilogue uploaded soon, though, so make sure to look out for that!

…..

Sam smiled as she stared at the two plastic cribs by her bedside. Each of the twins were peacefully sleeping, their small chests rising and falling with each breath they took.

She still couldn't believe how lucky she had gotten.

Between the difficult pregnancy, the premature birth and the fact that she had been carrying twins, things could've ended much differently. Yet the children were both healthy. They were small, both weighing under five pounds each, but still perfect nonetheless.

Sam gently reached into their cribs, softly stroking the heads.

When Heather had been born, Sam had secretly wondered if whether or not she'd be able to be a mother again. It had been years since she had done it, and she was unsure of whether or not she was ready to start again. She feared that she would begin to try and make Conner live on through Heather.

But when Sam held Heather in her arms for the first time, she instantly knew that she would never be Conner. And she was fine with that. She was glad. At that moment she had realized that while there would never be a way for her to bring back her son, she the amazing chance to love someone as she loved Conner, even though she would always be her own person.

That's why last night, after Lauren and Heather had gone home with Mrs. Fields and Sam and Freddie were putting all their efforts into naming their new twins, when Freddie suggested they name their son after Conner, Sam disagreed.

"He's not Conner," Sam had softly said, smiling down at the boy in her arms. "And I don't want him to be. I want him to be him. Let him have his own name."

"You guys are so perfect," Sam whispered. "Shay…Bradley, I already love you both so much. And I always will, no matter what."

"Hey," Freddie said softly, coming into the room. "I just talked to the front desk. You're all set to check out of here the day after tomorrow."

"Good," Sam nodded. "I want to go home."

"We'll have to move these two in with us until I get the nursery finished," Freddie told her, leaning down to give her a quick kiss before turning and smiling down at his sleeping children. "I still can't believe how perfect they are. I-when I heard you went into labor early, all I could think about was what if-"

"I know," Sam nodded, reaching for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Me too. But they're alright. They're both alright."

Freddie gave her a small smile. "They really are."

"How's Lauren doing." Sam asked.

"She-She's probably still a little, you know, shocked from everything that happened yesterday," Freddie replied. "But I think we're going to be okay."

He looked different down at the floor. "Sarah called last night, after I got home with the girls. I had left her a message hours ago telling her that I found Lauren and you know what she said to me?"

"What?"

"She wanted to let me know that because I 'panicked', she wound up missing some big closing," Freddie said. "And that next time, I shouldn't be so 'paranoid'."

"You're kidding," Sam frowned. "Her daughter was missing and all she cared about was work?"

"That's Sarah for you," Freddie said darkly.

Sam rolled her eyes. "Really goes to show you."

"What?"

"It's like I've been telling you for years," Sam said. "Blood doesn't matter when it comes to being a parent."

…

"Why they sleep so much?" Heather pouted later that day when Freddie brought her and Lauren back to the hospital to visit Sam again.

"All babies do," Sam explained, shifting a sleeping Shay in her arms.

"I didn't," Heather said.

"Yeah you did," Sam smirked. "You drove Lauren crazy. She was just like you; she wanted to play with the new baby but couldn't because you were always napping."

"It's true," Lauren grinned from her seat next to Sam's bed, where she was holding Bradley.

"I just got off the phone with Carly," Freddie announced, walking back into the hospital room. "She says she's expecting a video chat once you're back home, Sam, and she's hoping to fly out here to see the twins in person within the next few weeks."

"She better be getting her butt out here," Sam said. "We did name one of them after her and Spencer."

"Daddy," Lauren said, suddenly cringing as she handed Bradley over to her father. "He needs. To be changed"

"Okay, okay, I've got him," Freddie said, taking his son.

"Oh, can you change Shay when you're done with Bradley, baby?" Sam asked sweetly.

"That's right," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "Enjoy this while you can. But just know once you're back on you're feet, you'll be changing diapers too."

"Yeah, yeah," Sam grinned. "Whatever you say."

As Freddie went to grab a fresh diaper from a stack left by one of the nurses, he glanced back over at Lauren, who now had her phone out, smiling as she texted someone.

"Who are you so happy to be talking to?" Freddie asked.

"Just someone," Lauren replied, not looking up from her phone.

"Someone?" Freddie repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh."

"Right. And this someone…this person doesn't happen to be-"

"Aw jeez," Sam sighed. "Here we go."

"So it is a boy?" Freddie frowned.

"Um…yes?" Lauren nodded. "But he's super sweet, daddy. He's on the school news show and he works at an animal shelter. His name is Rodney and-"

"Are you kidding me?" Freddie groaned. "Again with this? I thought with Scott out of the picture we'd be done with boys for a few years!"

"Dude..," Sam said, amused.

"But Rodney's such a nice guy, dad," Lauren said. "And he just asked me out. He wants to get Chinese food this weekend."

"What?" Freddie frowned.

"Please?" Lauren begged. "Can I go daddy? I'll do the dishes for a whole month and help out with the twins and everything. Please?"

Freddie sighed. "Is it okay with you, Sam?"

"Sure, as long as she's home by eleven, I don't see any harm in her going," Sam nodded.

"Thanks, Sam," Lauren smiled. She looked back over at her father.

"Well," Freddie said heavily. "I guess since you've already been out on dates, it would be inconsistent parenting to change the rules now."

"Yes!" Lauren cheered. "Thank you, da-"

"But I want to meet the guy," Freddie said firmly. "I'm not gonna wait to intimidate this one."

Sam snorted from the bed.

"Okay," Lauren agreed. "No problem. Oh, I should call Rodney and tell him the news!"

She hurried out of the hospital room, wearing the smile that Freddie had always given in to for her entire life.

"You okay?" Sam asked sympathetically.

Freddie sighed. "Sam, twenty-four hours ago, I didn't know if she'd ever want to speak to me again. I couldn't handle that. But this…this I can."

…..

A few days later, Sam and Freddie were back in their bed in their bedroom, both fast asleep. Suddenly, a series of loud cries filled the room, waking the couple up.

"Didn't we just feed them?" Sam mumbled groggily as she slowly sat up, looking over at the crib across the room in which both twins were currently housed.

"They probably need changed now," Freddie yawned.

"Alright," Sam sighed. "I'm going."

"No, go back to sleep, baby," Freddie told her. "I'll take this shift."

"But you went last time," Sam pointed out. "You sure?"

"Yeah, you stayed with them by yourself all day while I wad at the office," Freddie nodded. "You deserve some rest."

"Alright, well no take-backs," Sam yawned, laying back down and closing her eyes.

Freddie quickly got himself up out of bed and walked across the room, scooping the twins both up in his arms.

"Hey guys," Freddie whispered, as Shay and Bradley both slowed their cries. He checked both their diapers. "Huh. You don't need changed at all. And you just ate an hour ago…did you guys just get a little lonely in your crib? That's okay, you can hang out with daddy for a little bit. I don't mind. I never will."

Quietly, so not to wake Sam, Freddie headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs into the living room, where he carefully sat down on the couch. He stared down at his children, who were both looking back up at him.

"So," Freddie said. "Here we are. Just the three of us…man, I know its been close to a week but I still can't believe you guys are here. You guys don't know how worried I was about you. And if either of you do anything to make me that worried again, you'll be grounded until college."

He smiled down at Shay and Bradley. "Listen, I know neither of you understand a word I'm saying right now, but I just want you to always know how much I love you guys. I'd do anything for you, just remember that."

He paused, gently stoking each of the twins' heads. "You guys are the best things in my life. You two and your sisters and your mom…I-I really don't know what I'd do without any of you."

He leaned down, placing a tiny kiss on the infants' foreheads.

"Shay," he whispered to his daughter. "You can ask your big sisters, sometimes I'll probably annoy you half to death. I'll probably embarrass you in front of your friends and I will do my best to scare any boy that you bring into this house. And I know that once you get older, you're probably not gonna want me hanging around all the time. And-And that will be hard, but I also know that no matter what, I'll always be there when you need me. No matter if you're ten, twenty, forty, or one hundred."

He looked over at Bradley. "It's gonna be rough for us, buddy," he grinned. "You and I are outnumbered around here. Trust me, living in a house of girls can be crazy, but at the end of the day, you'll see, you wouldn't have it any other way…Look, you'll see soon enough I-I'm sort of, well, to quote your mom, nubbish. I'm not at all athletic, but you bet I'll spend the summers playing catch with you. If by some horrible twist of fate you wind up preferring Comet Treck to Galaxy Wars, I promise, I'll put aside my pride and watch every episode with you. And even though I was far from a ladies guy in school, I'll give you the best advice I can when you get older and are nervously getting ready for your first date. Bradley, I don't have experience raising a son, so if I make some mistakes, just know, I'm trying my hardest."

He chuckled. "It's a madhouse around here half the time. But it's your home now, and mommy and I will do whatever we can to make you happy here."

"Babies up?" came an excited voice from behind him, and Freddie turned his head to see Heather running down the stairs.

"Heather, what are you doing up?" Freddie asked as his daughter plopped down next to him. "You should be in bed."

"Hi babies!" Heather said happily, ignoring her father.

Freddie sighed. "Alright. You can stay up for a little but then it's back to bed."

"Good luck with that," came Sam's voice, and Freddie looked over to the stairs again to see Sam coming down to join them. "She's not gonna want to go back to bed now. It's almost six in the morning; she'd be waking up in an hour anyway."

"Oh, I didn't realize what time it was," Freddie said as Heather hopped into Sam's lap once she sat down next to him. "What are you doing up, though. I thought you were tired."

"Eh, I guess it was too quiet for me to sleep up there," Sam smiled, taking Bradley from Freddie.

"I hold baby?" Heather asked, looking up pleadingly at Freddie.

Freddie glanced at Sam, who gave him a quick nod.

"Alright, Heather, you want to hold your sister?"

"Yeah!" Heather said excitedly.

"You have to be very careful," Sam told her. "Make sure you keep an arm under her head. She's too little to hold it up on her own. And make sure you're quiet so you don't scare her."

"Okay," Heather nodded as Freddie gently placed Shay in Heather's arms, taking care to stay very close to her.

"Hi Shay," Heather whispered. "You are little."

"What's going on down here?" came another voice, and a moment later, Lauren appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Wow, look who's up a whole two hours early," Sam grinned as Lauren sat down with the family on the couch.

"Did we wake you, Laure?" Freddie asked.

"Sort of, but I'll let it slide," the teen yawned. "This time."

She leaned over a tickled Bradley's toes as he laid in Sam's arms, causing a soft coo to emit from the infant.

"I try?" Heather asked.

"Yeah, you can do that with Shay," Sam nodded. "She loves it too."

Mirroring her what her older sister had just done, Heather gently stroked the bottom of Shay's feet, making a tiny smile appear.

"She happy!" Heather announced proudly.

"That's right," Sam smiled.

"I used to do that to you all the time," Lauren told Heather. "And you went crazy for it. All babies do."

"It's true," Sam nodded. She looked over at her husband. "Hey, now that we're all up, how about you make us some breakfast. I'm in the mood for some bacon."

"Oh, and eggs," Lauren added.

"Waffles!" Heather said loudly.

"Alright, alright," Freddie chuckled, getting to his feet. "Or…how about we all go out for breakfast?"

"Really?" Lauren asked.

"Sure, we have time before you need to be at school," Freddie replied. "And I could use a break from cooking."

"I'm in," Sam said. "I haven't been to a restaurant in ages."

"Great," Freddie said. "Lauren, go help Sam get the kids in their cars eats. I'll meet you outside in a minute."

"Alright," Lauren agreed, taking Shay from Heather as her and Sam got to their feet. "Come on, Heather."

"Hurry up, okay?" Sam said, giving Freddie a quick kiss. "Mama's starving."

"Don't worry," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "I know better than to keep you waiting for food."

"Smart man," Sam smirked.

Freddie watched as his family headed out the front door to the car, letting out a soft sigh as they left.

Ever since Lauren was born, there had been some instances when he just had to step back and wonder what he could've possibly done to deserve such wonderful moments in his life. He had four children who he loved more than words could describe and a wife who made him feel a way he never thought possible. His family was his whole life. Growing up, he had heard people use that expression countless times, but at times like this, he truly understood just how powerful and accurate those words were.

He looked over at the coffee table, where a small framed photograph of the six Bensons sat. Freddie had insisted on taking that picture the moment Sam and the twins arrived home from the hospital.

You guys are the best things to happen to me, he thought to himself. All of you.

"Daddy," Lauren said, poking her head back through the door. "Sam says if she doesn't have bacon in her stomach within the next ten minutes, she's going to put all of your underwear in the freezer again."

"I'm ready," Freddie said quickly, jumping to his feet. He turned and gave the family photo one last look before hurrying out to join the others, making a mental note to hide his underwear when he got back home.