**********************5 months later**********************
"Baby we should really get going. We were supposed to be at the family dinner 15 minutes ago." Mark yelled to his wife, walking into their bedroom and going straight to where he knew she would be. He turned the corner into their walk-in closet finding his wife on the floor in the corner rolled into a ball crying. "Mads what's wrong?" he rushed over to her, "Are you alright?" "No, Mark I'm not alright! I am fat, can't fit into any of my clothes, barely fit in any of your clothes-which used to be really big on me, and I'm just ready to have these babies so I don't look completely disgusting. And I'm so tired of sitting at home all day doing nothing." She told her husband between sobs.
"Ok first off, you are not fat how many times do I have to tell you that? And the clothes situation can easily be handled-as a matter of fact I got that covered, and you by no means look disgusting-you are gorgeous. You've been on bedrest for almost a month and I know you aren't the kind of person that just sits around, but it's almost over. You need to calm down sweetie this is why you are on bedrest to begin with, you get stressed out about the smallest things, you are pregnant all this just goes along with it." Mark said trying to calm her down. "Aww thanks babe. But I do hate bedrest. What do you mean you got the clothes covered?" Maddy looked up hopeful to Mark, who was wiping the tear tracks from her eyes.
"I got you a present. Well technically me and Alicia got you a present, she helped me." he told her getting up to get something out of his military bag. He came back and sat down in front of her with a sweatshirt and handed it to her. Opening it she read what the front said 'Terra Nova Soldier's Wife' and on the front pocket she read 'We Love Our Soldier'. "Alicia's idea. She just figured out how to put words on clothes, so she was going a little crazy." Mark said laughing. "Yeah I can tell. But I love it Mark, thank you." Maddy said leaning up to give him a kiss.
"Glad you like it." He said with a smile getting up and bending down to pick her up. Maddy let out a laugh and held on to him tight, "Mark! Put me down! You don't need to be picking me up like that you could hurt yourself." "Mads I will be fine, the question is will you be?" He laughed loudly spinning her around and then setting her on the ground. She hit his arm hard and he let out a huff. "Ow!" Mark yelled holding his arm and Maddy smirked. "That's what you get. Now maybe we should get going. I'm starving and I'm sure my parents are getting worried." Maddy said, putting on the sweatshirt and walking out of their bedroom to the front door.
"Mad, Mark, what took you so long?" Jim asked when they walked through the door to the Shannon family home. "Well Maddy here had a little melt down because there are only like three things in our entire house that fit her. I found her in the corner of the closet in a ball crying." Mark said putting his hand on Maddy's back and rubbing it. "I remember when Elisabeth did that." Jim said with a laugh and that earned a hit from his wife. "I was tired of living in your clothes all the time. I just wanted to fit in mine again!" Elisabeth said, "Anyways let's eat everyone."
Everyone got their food and sat down around the living room. "Umm I have something I want to tell everyone." Skye spoke up to break the silence. Josh choked on his food, "Really? Right now Skye?" "Yes Josh now." she said sternly looking toward their family. "What is it honey?" Elisabeth said. "Well, Josh and I found out earlier today that we are going to have a baby." Skye said looking hopefully at everyone. They all stopped eating and just stared at her. Of course Zoe was the first to run and hug Skye, "Yay I'm going to have another brother or sister!"
Everyone snapped out of their daze when she said that. "Z, what are you talking about?" Jim asked his youngest daughter. "Well I already have Josh, Mad, Mark, and Skye. After Mad has her babies I will have two more, then Skye's will be another one." Jim and Elisabeth couldn't stop laughing so Maddy decided to explain it to her. "Zo, mine and Mark's babies aren't going to be your brother and sister, they will be your niece and nephew, just like Skye and Josh's baby will be." "So I will be an...aunt?" "Yep." Maddy replied to her slightly confused little sister.
"Well still...yay!" Zoe said after hugging Skye and Josh and walking back to her food. "Congratulations." Mark said getting up and hugging his brother-in-law and future sister-in-law, "Now I guess I know how all of you felt when we surprised you." "Seriously, why do all of you insist on making me old all at once?" Jim sighed. "Oh shut up Jim. You know you're excited." Elisabeth said to her whining husband. "I'm so happy for you gu-" Maddy was interuppted by an intense pain in her lower stomach and back, "Ow!" she let out graabbing her stomach and rocking a little.
"Mads! Are you alright?" Mark half ran over to her. "Yeah I'm fine. One of them just kic-Ouch!" "Maddy!" Elisabeth yelled scooting over to her, "Um I think you're in labor." "WHAT!" Everyone in the house yelled. Mark and Maddy went pale. "Jim, call the infirmary and let them now what is going on now! We are leaving. Mark, Josh get Maddy to the rover." Elisabeth ordered. Mark put out his arm, stopping Josh. "I got it man. Just open the door and get the rover started fast." Mark said bending down and picking up his wife and running to the door.
"Can we please hurry!" Mark yelled back into the house from the rover, "Ow! Baby I kind of need that hand." "Well my bad, maybe you shouldn't have gotten me pregnant to have me in this pain to need to squeeze your hand off." Maddy barked back at her stunned husband. "Well excuse me! I'm sorry! Last time I checked we agreed we wanted kids and you were excited when you found out you were pregnant." "Yeah well so were you!" She screamed in pain. "Mads, sweetheart, just breath and try to calm down. I can't handle seeing you in this much pain. I'm sorry, it is my fault, you're right." Mark said rubbing his other hand up and down her arm.
Maddy reached up and put her free hand on his cheek and rubbed it with her thumb. "I'm sorry babe. I know you hate to see me in pain, and it's not your fault. We did agree we wanted kids it just hurts so bad. I couldn't really control what I was saying. I love you." Mark moved his hand to her belly and rubbed circles on it. "I love you too. But they are taking forever and the contractions are getting closer so I'm about to carry you to the infirmary." "Mark, no, it will be o-" She was stopped by him picking her up in his arm and took off running.
The usual 15 minute walk turned into 5 minutes later he was running through the front door of the infirmary, "We need Dr. Jones, now!" Mark yelled, not noticing that she was sitting at the front desk. "Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds what are you doing here. I'm not scheduled to see you until tomorrow." "She is in labor. Has been for almost 45 minutes. I don't understand why her family was taking so long her mother being a doctor and all but-" Mark rambled. "Mark, babe, you sound like me calm down." Maddy told her freaking out husband. "Why are you telling me to calm down? You are the one that's having two babies right about now. You should be freaking out but no the soldier that's been through all kinds of training is the one that's about to have a heartattack." Maddy decided that the best plan of action at this moment, no matter how many people were around, was to kiss him before he literally had a heartattack.
So she kissed him quick, taking him by tightened his grip so he didn't drop her. "Thank you Mrs. Reynolds." Dr. Jones said with a giggle. Maddy pulled away and without looking away from Mark she said, "No problem." Mark grinned. Maddy jerked a little and said something under her breath, Mark assumed she was saying something to the babies, she had been doing that alot lately. "Another contraction?" the doctor asked. "Yes, one of the worst ones yet." Maddy answered. "How far apart are they?" Dr. Jones asked. Mark looked down at his watch, "Umm about 3 minutes." "3 minutes? Yeah, it's time to get her into a room and prepped for delivery. Follow me." Mark never set her down until they were in a room and he could set her on a bed.
"Mr. Reynolds, I'm going to need to ask you to step out for a moment." Dr. Jones said. "No! I want Mark to stay. I need him to be here with me. Mark hand please." Maddy screamed as another contraction came on. Mark gave her his hand and she squeezed it with all her strength. He was surprised by how much strength she actually had. She screamed through the pain and he stood over her kissing her head and playing with her hair, knowing it soothed her when he played with her hair. "Ok well Maddy it looks like you are going to have to have a c-section." Dr. Jones said looking up from the sonogram, "It seems your son is having some problems breathing, and your daughter is as well." "What?" Mark said. "Nurse prep Mrs. Reynolds here for a c-section." "Yes ma'am."
An hour later the whole family walked into Maddy's room from the waiting room, to find Mark in a chair next to Maddy's bed holding a pink blanket and Maddy laying down looking exhausted holding a blue blanket. "It's about time. We've been waiting for forever." Josh said walking up by Mark. "Joshua stop it. Aww Mad, Mark they are beautiful." Elisabeth said, after hitting her son. "Thanks Mom. You want to hold your grandson?" Maddy asked offering her mother her newborn son. "Yes I do. So much!" Elisabeth answered in tears, grabbing her grandson form her daughter. "Jim would you like to hold you granddaughter?" Mark questioned standing up to hand his father-in-law his daughter, hesitantly.
"Of course." Jim said craddleing his arms and Mark set his newborn daughter in her grandfather's arms, "You don't want to let her go?" Mark shook his head. "Yeah I didn't either when Maddy was born." Jim reassured him, grabbing his granddaughter from Mark. Everyone circled around them. "Can I hold one o fthem?" Zoe aasked jumping up on the bed with Maddy. "Why of course you can." Mark answered. "I assume Jim isn't going to let go of -" Elisabeth started, "Wait. You never told us what you were going to name them." "Well Mom you are holding Markus James Edward Reynolds." Maddy said, smiling at her tearing up Dad. "And Jim you are holding Maicey Elisabeth Grayce Reynolds." Mark said looking at Elisabeth who was crying harder now. "We are going to call them Maice and Mark," she said looking at a glowing Mark, "We decided to name the twins after the people that inspired us the msot, our parents."
"Honey that is so sweet! I love you Mad." Elisabeth said bending down to hug her daughter. "Yeah I love you too." Jim said doing the same. "I love you guys." Maddy said to her parents, "And I love all of you." she finished, looking around the room. Skye walked over from where she had been standing and said, "We love you too. Josh I'm ready for our baby to born!" Josh stood up and hugged his fiancee. "Well I think this calls for a Shannon family hug." Jim stated. They all got in on the group hug and stood there happy for a few minutes. When they all separated Maddy looked at her mother. "Mom will you and Dad take Maice and Mark to the nursery. I'm exhausted and want to get some sleep?" Maddy asked hopefully.
"Sure honey. I will stay and keep an eye on them. Have a good nap." Elisabeth said. "We'll see you later sweetie." Jim said. "But I didn't get to hold one of the babies!" Zoe said upset. "Later Z. Maddy needs to rest, and if I recall correctly Mark needs some rest too." Jim told Zoe and turning to face a nodding Mark. "Bye guys." Josh and Skye said. "Bye I love youguys. See you later, but I'm the first one to hold them when you wake up." Zoe told her sister and Mark. "Ok Zo." Mark said laughing and closing the door behind them after they all walked out.
Mark walked back over to the bed and laid down next to a clearly tired Maddy. "You did great today Mads." he told his wife. "Thanks babe. You didn't do so bad yourself." "What did I do?" "You were here to support me. And I know you were worried when they had to do a c-section. I love you for not showing me how scared you were even though I knew you were. Now we have two beautiful healthy babies and we are fine." she looked up to kiss him. "I'm not going to lie, I was scared to death, I don't know what I would do without you and that's major surgery. But you're right we have two healthy babies and life couldn't be better. But let's get some sleep because we won't be getting much sleep once we take th twins home." Maddy laughed and cuddled herself into him. "I love you Mark." "I love you too baby." Mark said wrapping a protective arm around his wife. They were asleep in the matter of minutes dreaming of how their life was going to change, but being happy that they were going at it, head on, together.