Month Eleven:

Month Eleven:

Adam quickly sits up and reaches for his ringing phone. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" He hears her laugh.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm sorry if I woke you." He lies back down.

"No, it's alright.

"I wanted to apologize to you."
"For what?"
"For sending you away two weeks ago. You just wanted to help me and our sons and I judged your motives on past actions. I miss you and wish you were here with me."

"I can leave right now."

"No, you sound tired but maybe sometime this week."
"Happy to. I have a meeting tomorrow but after that I'm yours."
"I'd like that."

"Stuart wants to see you. Would it be alright for him to come up?" Liza pauses to think.

"As long as it's just him, Adam, please."
"Ok, I will let him know. He has been really anxious to see you or talk to you."
"Me too. Sarah come by the other day and said that the boys are doing better. My blood pressure is down a little as well."
"Good. Liza, they are going to be alright. I know it."
"I know. I will let you get back to sleep."
"You don't have to but you sound tired too, so I will say goodnight."
"Goodnight." She smiles to herself before hanging up.

"She misses me." He whispers before going back to sleep.

Stuart walks down the hall looking at room numbers. Two doors ahead of him a couple of men come out followed by a woman still talking to the person inside. She turns and smiles at him holding the door open for him. It is Liza's room. The door closed behind him. "Liza?" He calls out tentatively. "It's Stuart." Liza comes out of the bedroom smiling.

"Stuart!" She pulls him into a hug. "I didn't realize you would be coming so soon." He sighs.

"I know but Adam suggested I come soon. He said you were probably going stir crazy." She laughs.

"He was right. Are you thirsty?" He nods and she fixes him a glass of water. She watches him take a sip. "So, why do you want to talk to me so badly? According to Adam."

"I want to tell him and Marian that we've been talking all of this time. I can't…"
"Of course, Stuart. I would prefer you not tell my mother where I am, yet."
"Or about her grandsons."
"Yes."
"She would be so happy, Liza."
"I never know how she is going to react, Stuart. She may be happy but when she finds out about Adam, then it will be a fight. And I don't have the fight in me anymore."
"Haley is happy and so am I."

"Yes, but Stuart, you know the people of Pine Valley aren't as forgiving and loving as you. I'm happy and I'm not ready to do battle over that." He takes another drink.

"Adam is happy, too. He was a little angry that you took Chandler Enterprises." She smiles.

"I know. I am going to make it up to him though."

"Who were those people leaving?"
"Oh, she was my attorney and the other two were the managers of my companies. They are in town so we can go over some work stuff. I am trying to get as much settled before I have other things to concentrate on." She rubs her back. "Come into the bedroom. I need to lie down." He follows her and sits in the chair while they talk about the twins and Adam. She asks about Colby and the rest of Pine Valley.

"Colby and Pete was Adam's doing. You didn't tell me that before." Liza is shocked.

"I wanted to keep Adam out of our conversations. But Colby has kept him as a friend. She was angry at first."
"Don't blame her. Anything else?" He looks a little nervous.

"Well actually, Marian talked to me. She said Colby came to her asking about you and Adam when she was conceived. I think she knows what Adam did."
"She knows you have my number if she wants to ask."
"You could call her." He says innocently, she smiles.

"My pride is too ingrained. I've let this go so long I can't see the best way to fix it."
"I could help."
"Maybe, after the boys are born. Right now, I am dealing with this pregnancy and trying to get work in order so I can have a little bit of maternity leave."
"Adam will help you." She leans her head back.

"I know. Stuart, I'm scared of feeling for him again. I don't feel safe. He has done everything I've asked but…"

"He is dedicated to you and the boys. Please trust him, Liza." Before she can speak, they hear the door open. Adam walks in.

"I got away sooner than I thought I would." He smiles at both of them before stepping over to kiss Liza. Adam sits next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. Stuart and I have been talking for hours." She looks over to Stuart.

"Are you hungry?" Adam asks. She shakes her head.

"No, a little tired though." Stuart stands up.

"I should go anyway. It was good to see you, Liza." He kisses her cheek.

"Stuart wait." Adam walks him out to the door. "Has she been ok?" He whispers.

"Yes. A little worried about the future." Adam closes the door and walks back to the bedroom. Liza has her eyes closed and is snuggled against a pillow. He climbs into the bed spooning against her.

"Did Stuart assure you I was fine?" He chuckles.

"You know me too well."
"Yep. I need you to not be mad when I tell you something." He sits up a bit to see her face, her eyes still closed.

"Ok, I promise I will do my best."
"Close enough." She takes a deep breath. "You know I told you that I had someone checking up on Colby."
"Yes."
"That someone was Stuart." He lets go of her and sits up.

"Wh…"

"He has had my number everywhere I went in case something happened to mother or Mia."
"Since when?"
"Since I left with Colby." Adam forces himself to keep quiet and fumes. "Adam?"
"I can't believe Stuart would do that."

"Adam, please don't be mad at him. He thought it was a good way to keep at least some contact." Adam lies back down, draping his arm over her stomach and taking her hand.

"Fine. It still hurts."
"I know." He kisses her shoulder.

"I know you do." Liza relaxes and falls asleep. Adam's mind works overtime. Did I really get so bad that Stuart willingly kept Colby from me? Did I break Liza? Take all of the fight from her? What happened to me that I became so wrong? I took her choices, played on her fears, like Lee Hawkins. He tortured Haley, kidnapped my son, and entombed Marian. His daughter tried to drive me insane. I did that to Liza and Dixie. I use to protect my family, when did protection turn to pain? Colby came to me then faked her own death to try and leave. JR and Haley have both disowned me at times. He slowly slips away from the now sleeping Liza and sits on the end of the bed unable to stop his train of thought.

"I don't know, Lilly. He was distracted all day then left this morning. He said that he had something to take care of." Liza whines to Lilly over the phone. Adam walks to Tad's door and knocks. Krystal answers.

"Adam?"
"Is Dixie here?" She rolls her eyes and steps aside. He steps inside. Tad, Dixie, Jake, JR, Babe and Krystal look at him. "Dixie, I need to talk to you."
"What?" She doesn't want to leave the room considering the current unseen power struggle between her and Krystal over Kate.

"Ok, here. I'm sorry."
"About?" She is confused.

"Everything. I'm sorry about everything I did regarding our son. Putting you in psychiatric care and taking him away. Also," he looks to Tad, "everything I did to you and Tad. I'm sorry for all of it. It doesn't mean I like Tad but I had no right to interfere in your lives." Dixie is speechless and Tad is confused.

"Stuart?" Tad asks.

"No! I've been doing a lot of thinking about my past and things I've done and caused." JR stands up and pulls him aside.

"Dad, what is going on?"
"Son, Dixie deserves my apology and it is long overdue." He walks back over to the crowd. "Babe, my apologies to you as well for anything I've done to make your life any harder."
"Thank you, Adam."

"You're welcome." He smiles.

"Yes, thank you." Dixie comes back to herself. He nods.

"Does this have to do with your pregnant woman?" Jake spews hostility.

"Partly. I don't want to make the same mistakes so I have to recognize the ones I've made. I have already eaten crow from Marian and Stuart, called Brooke and Gloria, spoke with Erica." He looks at his watch. "I need to get back. I promised I would be back today."
"How is she? And the boys?" Dixie asks.

"She's on bed rest but doing better. The doctor is hoping she will make it to the due date."

"Wish her well." He nods and exits.

Liza can't concentrate on the Mel Gibson movie Adam put in to pacify her. Adam is asleep next to her. He came back and told her what he had done. She lightly brushes his hair off of his forehead. "Adam." She whispers. "Who are you?" She asked him that before. 'I'm you.' Was his answer. He shifts around opening his eyes and seeing her.

"Was I snoring?" She smiles.

"No."
"You're missing Mel." He points to the screen.

"I have a better man next to me." She lies down as he sits up a bit on his elbow.

"Better than…well I won't question that." He pulls her close. She inhales his scent deeply.

"After the boys are born, I will ask Lilly or Sarah to watch them so we can spend the whole day together."
"You and me alone, what would we do?" He smiles.

"Sex, lots of it, was my plan." He kisses her lips.

"Deal." He looks into her eyes for a while. "Liza, I …I don't want there to be another man in your life." She looks confused.

"I don't really date seeing that I'm pregnant and on bed rest. So, unless there is …"
"No, I mean after they are born. I want you for myself."
"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yes, I know there was one small adulterous affair on my part but besides that I'm really a one man woman. Men are too much work to have more than one."
"Too much work?" He looks insulted. She smiles teasingly.

"Yes." She sighs. "With all of the ego drama and the bravado it is tiring keeping you guys emotionally secure." He tries not to smile. "Besides I already decided to be faithful to you."
"Good." He waits for her to say something else. "I decided on you only, as well." She looks from the TV to him.

"Ok. So, we are exclusive then." He nods.

Adam paces watching her talk on the phone. It has been a week of constant interrupting phone calls. If she's not on the phone, she's on the computer. They have been sniping at each other for a day or so over her working. Now, she is standing on the balcony on the phone. She turns still listening to the meeting and sees Adam pacing. Liza mentally prepares for the fight that is building up in him. After a few more minutes, the meeting ends and she comes inside. "Bed rest. BED REST! That was the doctor's orders. Rest, Liza."
"I know but there is only so much time I can lie in bed, Adam. And if I didn't work I wouldn't relax. I have a lot to do, Adam." She starts to walk past him.

"You're only job is to take care of yourself and our sons." He says angrily and she turns on him.

"I am. Just because I am not doing everything you order me to, doesn't mean I'm not calm. Until now that is. Right now, you are detrimental to our sons." Her words cut deep into his heart. She regrets saying it but won't back down.

"Then, why did you even ask me to come back?" His pain wants justification of her feelings towards him.

"Because I wanted you here, trusting that you would continue your good behavior." She yells.

"Like I'm a puppy who is here just to cuddle with you." The door slams snapping them out of their fight.

"Sarah." Liza says calmly looking a little like a child in trouble. Sarah looks to Adam and rolls her eyes.

"Liza, I didn't just hear you yelling, did I?" She asks stepping closer.

"Yes."
"And you were yelling at your very pregnant girlfriend?" She says looking to Adam.

"You don't know me." He says feeling suddenly uneasy about this woman.

"Nice retort but not an answer." She says sarcastically.

"Adam Chandler. Dr. Sarah Wallace." Liza introduces, and then Sarah extends her hand to him which he takes.

"Now we know each other." Adam responds but Liza doesn't hear it. The pounding in her head mutes all other sound. She doesn't know how long she stands there before sinking into Adam and Sarah's arms. Then, all is dark. She feels motion and loud sounds then nothing. All of a sudden, she is bombarded by sound, beeping monitors and people talking. Liza opens her eyes and struggles against the light and mask. "Liza. Liza, relax." Sarah moves the light off of her face and takes her hand. "Hey, you passed out. You need to relax." Liza nods and moves the mask off of her face.

"Adam?" She brushes back Liza's sweaty hair.

"He is outside. He was annoying the doctors." Liza smiles. Sarah steps away and comes back with Adam, who looks visibly shaken.

"Liza." He kisses her forehead. "I'm sorry." He whispers to her.

"It's not your fault." Sarah turns to the nurse.

"Get her up to labor and delivery." Liza snaps to.

"What? Sarah?"

"I'm sorry, Liza but the boys are in distress. We can't wait. Your labor started in the ambulance." Her body agrees as she feels a contraction begin.

"No. Sarah, what can…" Sarah takes her hand and leans in.

"Liza, your doctor is struck in a traffic jam. I have temporary privileges here. I am delivering your boys. I will do everything possible." Liza's water breaks in the elevator and the contractions come quicker. Liza insists on delivering.

"Please, if you say no I'll have the C-section."
"Fine." Sarah pulls Adam off to the side. "When we are in there if I tell you to leave, then leave. Ok?"

"Ok, but…I …"

"I love her, too. My plan is to see the two of you holding healthy boys in a few hours. I'll do whatever I have to." He nods. His uneasy feeling about her before is gone and replaced with confidence.

Liza wills herself to stay conscious. Every time she pushes, she feels the blackness coming on. Adam tries not to squeeze her hand but he wants to hold her as close as possible. She is pale and weak. The cries of their son give new energy to them both. "How is he? Is he alright?" Sarah nods to her.

"He is small but breathing on his own." Sarah takes the scissors from Adam's hand. He didn't realize that he had cut the cord. Liza begins to feel pressure again but more pain than before. The last thing she hears is Adam's frantic voice.

Adam holds her hand. A tear drop followed closely by another fall onto her hand. He kisses them away and pulls his cell phone out to call Stuart. "Colby? It's Dad. Is Stuart home?"
"He's out back. Are you ok?" Colby can hear something in his voice.
"I will be. You have brothers. She went into early labor. We almost lost one and her own life but …I'm just tired."

"Is there anything I can do for all of you?"

"Thank you Colby, but I need her to wake up and you can't help with that."
"Dad, I know I haven't really been supportive but if you or my brothers need anything. What are their names?"

"Benjamin and Christopher. They are small but not critical."

"Good. Here's Stuart." Adam tells Stuart everything he can until Liza begins to wake.

"Hey." He kisses her. "They are fine and so are you." She smiles.