*******A Week Later******
Elisabeth walked into her daughter's hospital room and smiled as she did so. She saw her daughter curled into her husband's side as he lay on his back on her hospital bed and Maddy's leg across Mark's. Elisabeth being herself couldn't resist taking a picture, even though Mark wouldn't want to remember Maddy being in the infirmary. Without even thinking about it she automatically sends it to her daughter and son-in-law's tags and plex. When Maddy's plex beeped Mark shot awake. "Good morning sweetheart." Elisabeth said when his eyes opened. "Oh. Morning, Lizzie." Mark replied turning and kissing his wife's head, stirring her awake. "Morning," Maddy said smiling. "Morning baby." Maddy lifted up to kiss her husband, still not noticing her mother being there. When she deepened the kiss her mother cleared her throat.
"Oh. Hey Mom." Maddy said, blushing. "Hi Mad. I just came in to check on you, but I see that you're doing well." At this Mark laughed and Maddy hid her face in his chest. "MOTHER!" "Oh calm down. I'm just going to check your vitals and I'll be back in a little bit with the sonogram machine to see if you have sists or anything in your stomach to explain your stomach pain before you passed out. Now have you ate anything?" Elisabeth said going into doctor mode. "Mom do you honestly think Mark is going to let me go without eating?" "Yeah come on Lizzie. You know I would not let her go without food whether she fought me or not." "Yes I know, but you know I had to ask. Now Mark honey could you get up for just a second so I can check her?" "Of course." Mark said getting up and sitting down in the chair next to the bed.
"Mark I meant can you step out of the room for a moment." "Oh..OH! Alright, yes. I'll be right outside baby." Mark stood patiently outside the door to his wife's roo for about 10 minutes before Elisabeth came back out. "Everything alright?" "Oh yes dear it's fine. I just went ahead and took some blood since she isn't dehydrated anymore so we can run some tests." Elisabeth said walking toward the lab. "Lizzie. Do you think it would be ok to bring the twins here or let her go see them?" Elisabeth stopped and turned around with a smile, "How about I call Jim and tell him to bring everyone by? Z has been wanting to see her anyways." "Thanks Lizzie." "No problem sweetheart." "So baby what do you want to do today?" Mark asked as he walked back into the room. "Well let's see. We could watch a movie or watch a movie." Maddy joked earning a laugh from her husband. "Or you could see your family." "What do you mean?" "Well it was just cleared that everyone can come see-" "Momma!" Mark was interuppted by his son, when Jim walked in the room. "Hey baby!" Maddy said excitedly.
"Jim how did you get here so fast? I just talked to Elisabeth like 3 minutes ago. Hey baby girl." Mark asked grabbing Maicey from her grandfather. "Well we were at the command center seeing the Commander and Wash when she called so I rushed over. How are you feeling Mad?" "Better now that my babies are here. Can you bring him here please?" Jim walked over and handed MJ to his mother. "How's my little man doing?" Maddy asked her son. "Momma!" MJ yelled happily. "Yeah sweet boy. Momma's here." Right then MJ turned around, "Paw-paw. Paw-paw." Jim laughed and reached for his grandson. "What? Since when can he say that?" "Oh Mad they have been learning words like crazy. Liz is MiMi. Zoey is Zooey. Josh is JaJa. Skye is Smye. Oh and just earlier they called Taylor Taywor and Wash Mash." Maddy started crying at the news. "Oh baby it's ok." Mark said going over and rubbing her hair.
"I've only been in her for a few days and I've already missed them learning all these words." Maddy said between sobs. "Maddy you've been in here a week and a half." Mark stated. "Maddy it's ok. I missed it too, with you and with Josh. I was undercover when you started talking and I was undercover when Josh started walking." Jim told his daughter trying to calm her down. "Really?" "Yes. I was heartbroken, but you know even if you miss the big moments, you have to remember they remember the small ones, because they are the most important." "Thank you dad." "For what?" For calming me down." "That's what I'm here for sweetie." "Oh Maddy Shannon!" They heard from down the hallway. Seconds later Josh, Skye, and Lynlea walked in. "Joshy! Skye! And my favorite neice." "Umm Mads she's your only neice." Josh said walking over to hug his sister with his fiance and daughter in tow. "How's Miss Lynlea Shannon doing lately?" Maddy asked Skye as she hugged her. "She's great. I understand why you never wanted to leave the twins now though." "Yeah it's hard to leave them once they are born."
Maddy grabbed her side fast and buried her head in her husband's side, who was still sitting in the side of her bed. "Maddy are you alright?" Mark asked really concerned. "Hmm..yeah. I'll be fine." "No you won't." Everyone said in unison. Elisabeth came in with the sonogram machine right as they finished their sentence. "Alright let's check your stomach. Is everyone staying in here?" "Yes." Everyone replied in unison again. "Is that ok Mads?" "Yeah it's fine, Mom." "Well alright then." Elisabeth put the gel on her daughter's stomach and started at her side viewing to see if there was any abnormalalities. She got to her mid torso, stopped, and her mouth dropped open.
"What's wrong Lizzie?" Mark asked concerned. "Liz?" Jim said. "Mom?" Josh stated hesitantly. Right then Wash and the Commander come in, and Elisabeth turned up the volume on the sonogram. Everyone froze in place, including Wash and the Commander. "Liz?" Wash joined in. "Umm Doc is that what I think it is?" the Commander asked. The waiting was getting the better of everyone, and Maddy still hadn't said anything, knowing what just happened. Jim walked over and put a hand on his wife's lowwer back, "Liz. What is going on?" "Jim honestly you've had three kids and you don't understand what's going on?" Elisabeth snapped out of her shock. "Mom there is no way!" Maddy finally spoke up. "Madelyn Shannon don't give me that. How is there no way if it's there now?" Elisabeth yelled. "Mom why are you yelling me? What is wrong? Why are you so angry?" Maddy said through tears.
"Maddy the twins are only 5 months old. How do you plan to take care of the twins and deal with this?" "I don't know but I will figure it out." Maddy said defending herself. "Well obviously you will have to figure it outbecause there's no going back now. I can't believe you would be so irresponsible Madelyn." "Elisabeth! Calm down. Let's go outside for a minute." Jim said, leaving his daughter crying while pulling his wife out the door. "Mads are you ok?" Alicia asked walking over and hugging the young girl. "Licia I don't know what I'm going to do. Mom is yelling at me, no one else can say anything, I have 5 month old twins, and I'm only 19! How am I going to handle this?" "Maddy-" Alicia started but the Commander stepped in. "Mads look I know I've only known you a few years, but in these last few years I have seen you grow and change so much. You've changed the people around you for the better, including me. You are one of the strongest women I know. You are a great mother and even though you are only 19 I couldn't think of anyone more capable of handling this than you and that knucklehead over there." "Wow thanks Commander." Was the first thing Mark had said in a while. "Mark you know off duty I'm Nathaniel to you."
"Thank you so much Comman-Nathaniel. Josh. Skye. Say something." Maddy said looking to her big brother and best friend. "Um I don't really know what to say Mads, besides I agree with the Commander. You will be just fine." Josh answered. "Skye?" Maddy asked hopefully. "Well I'm kind of upset. I wanted to catch up with you before this happened again." Skye laughed, making Lynlea laugh. "Thanks guys. Can you please just go check on my mom and dad? But please don't leave yet. I want to see everyone." Maddy asked again. "Sure sweetheart." Alicia siad. "Yeah, ok Mads. We will be right back." Josh said as they all turned around to leave.
"Babe. WIll you talk to me? What's going through your head?" Maddy questioned her husband. Mark sat there playing with his children, who had been put on Maddy's bed when Josh and Skye came in. "Mark?" Maddy repeated. "I'm just speechless right now. I literally don't know what to say. Maice and MJ are only 5 months old, like Lizzie pointed out. I mean we have money and family, but no time. You already were about to put on antidepressants right after the twins got brought home. I believe in you with all my heart and I know you can handle this becauase you are so strong but it's a lot to handle even on the strongest person." Mark finally said. "I know. I can't believe Mom freaked out though. If anyone I figured it would be Dad. I don't want to take time away from the twins, I just don't know." "Listen baby we will get through this like we did everything else. You know why?" Mark said picking up the twins and handing MJ to Maddy. "Why?" Maddy asked laughing and taking her son. "Because I love you and we can make it through anything, as long as we are together." Mark said before bending down adn kissing his wife.
"Daddy!" Maicey yelled as soon as he kissed Maddy. "Yes princess?" "Hunry." Maice said drawing her brother's attention. "Hunry." Mj repeated. "Are they saying hungry?" Maddy asked. "Yep. They just learned that one yesterday." Mark said taking MJ from Maddy. "I'm going to give them back to Jim to take them home to feed them. How about I send everyone home and they can come back later and we can all have dinner?" Mark asked at the door. "That sounds great. And I'm sure they miss their Daddy how about you go home with Dad to spend time with them? I want to take a shower and nap." "Alright baby. I love you. I'll be back in a few hours." "I love you too babe." Maddy got up to take a shower a few minutes after Mark left. When she got out of the shower her mother was sitting on the foot of her bed with her feet over the bottom of the bed.
"Mom?" Maddy said scared. "Maddy I'm so sorry." Elisabeth rushed to the point. "Oh no Mom. I'm sorry." "What for? I overreacted. I just couldn't believe it. I worry about you even though you're married with 5 month old twins already. You're still my baby and I am worried that you are overwhelming yourself." Elisabeth confessed starting to cry. "Mom I didn't do this on purpose. I wanted to wait a few years but now that it happened I'm really happy." "I know you are sweetheart." "And all I want is for you to be happy for me too. And proud of me." "Oh honey. Is that what you think that I'm not proud of you?" "No sometimes I feel like I've disappointed you." Elisabeth got up and walked to her tearing up daughter.
"Madelyn Shannon you have never disappointed me! I am so proud of you and the woman you've become. You grew up fast but you were always wiser than your age. And I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am that you found Mark and come out of your shell and let someone in all the way after everything you went through in 2149. I am so thankful for Mark in that sense." Elisabeth told her daughter. "Really?" "Maddy it hurts that you would even think that." "I'm sorry it's just the way you reacted." Maddy said. "Maddy I love the twins and Lynlea more than anything and I will love this baby just as much. Even though it's making me older faster than I would like." "Really? Thanks Mom." "I love you Maddy."