"Tracy?" Alice touched her wife's hand. Tracy ignored her wife.
"Mom's enthralled in ELQ business. What's wrong?" Ned asked.
"Oh, her son is stretching and it's uncomfortable. I just need to have him shift, ah, there we go. Thank you, Aidan. My side is more comfortable."
"Aidan?" Ned asked.
"For now. Is he almost done?" Alice winced. Tracy finally noticed Alice's pained expression.
"Oh, Lion. What can I do?"
"Can I just lay down for a second?"
"Of course, Allie." Monica smiled sympathetically.
Tracy helped Alice upstairs. She spooned her wife, gently rubbing the baby belly.
"Should we go to the hospital?" Tracy asked.
"Mmm-mmm. No, I think I just needed to laid down for a second."
Tracy nuzzled her wife's neck. Alice sighed.
"Just close your eyes. Are the cubs just stretching?"
"I'm six months pregnant with twins. They have no room to stretch. It's just uncomfortable." Alice closed her eyes.
"Aren't you happy that we are taking those two weeks at the beach without Brook?"
Alice chuckled. When Tracy mentioned buying a beach house in the Quartermaines' old Southampton neighborhood, she was skeptical. But by the time the siblings took two months worth of weekend and day trips to find the secluded house on the beach, the idea grew on her. The Limes loft project also grew on Monica, who desperately tried to renamed the house. Limes came from both Alan's middle name, James and Tracy's, Lila.
"It's going to be a lovely honeymoon, even if I'm exhausted most of the time," Alice smiled.
Tracy nibbled Alice's neck. Alice sighed frustratedly.
"Tiger, we can't. Actually, you can but I can't right now."
"I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that there's no sex until you've drop. Cubs, you're making life difficult for your parents," Tracy kissed the swollen belly.
Alice sighed again. Tracy brushed her wife's hair back, noticing tears.
"Oh Lion. Everything's going to be o.k. We'll see Wexler on Wednesday and get an ultrasound. See if that our cubs are developing on schedule."
Alice smiled. "I-it's just getting harder. With Brook going on vacation again, the nursery isn't getting done, and we haven't done any shopping really except for some clothes and furniture and…."
"We'll go next weekend."
Alice nodded. " I need to use the bathroom." She made to the bathroom. A moment later, Tracy heard a scream.
"Allie?!" Tracy burst into the bathroom.
"I'm bleeding." Alice raised her head, her face painted with tears.
"What?! I'll get Alan."
"No, don't leave me."
"O.k. I won't."
Alan answered his phone, puzzled. "Tracy? Why are you calling—what?! How much?! I'm on my way. "
"Alan, what's wrong?" Monica asked.
"Get the car to the door. Alice's bleeding." Alan rushed up the stairs.
Tracy held Alice close murmuring calming words. Hearing a quick knock, she shouted for Alan to come in.
"O.k. Monica pulled the car to the door. We'll go to the e.r. right now. Alice just lean on me. Tracy, why don't you run and get the doors?" Alan helped Alice up and to the door.
"Mom? What's going on?" Ned asked as Tracy rushed to the front door.
"Alice's bleeding." Tracy yelled over her shoulder as she and Alan helped Alice to the car. A stunned Ned stared at the moving car. Brook Lyn came up behind her father.
"Dad?"
"Alice's in trouble right now," Ned told his daughter.
"Why aren't we going with them?"
Ned held his daughter tight. "If they lose the baby, they probably want to be alone, honey."
"Oh."
Tracy tried to smiled reassuringly at her wife. Alice just stared at the wall.
"Lion?"
"Yeah?"
"You and the twins are going to be fine."
"You don't know that," Alice said, crying.
"Honey, calm down. Babies need a calm mere," Tracy kissed Alice. A knock sounded and Wexler poked her head in.
"Hey, Tracy, Alice. Let's check this out." Wexler washed her hands as the nurse set up the exam.
Wexler did an ultrasound and the sighs of relief were audible when two heartbeats filled the room.
"There's our tough Quartermaines," Tracy whispered, as Alice cried harder.
"The babies are doing well. But I want to a physical exam." Wexler helped Alice shifted down to the end of the table.
Tracy stroked her wife's hair. Alice tried to relax and not think horrible thoughts.
"O.k. Your cervix is soft. I think we should reinforce the wall. I'll schedule the surgery for couple hours from now. For the moment just relax."
Alice sighed. Tracy asked,
"Is there any more we can do? Why did this happen?"
"You didn't do anything wrong. It's just the pressure on the cervix. You make big babies, Alice."
"But everything will be fine." Tracy squeezed her wife's hand. Alice nodded.
"Try to rest. When can I expect the rest of the vultures to descend?" Wexler asked.
"I need to call them. Alan and Monica are probably in the waiting room. Are you going to be o.k. here?"
"Yeah, just will sleep." Alice yawned.
"I'll be back." Tracy kissed Alice.
"These charts are impossible to complete," Monica complained.
"Hey at least you still get to do surgery. I'm stuck with more adminstration work than you…Tracy!" Alan stood up.
Tracy went over to them and sighed. "Hey. Alice's resting. Wexler's operating in a couple of hours. So we wait."
"We wait." Alan hugged his little sister.