Cast in Lights and Shadows
The past few weeks in the Halliwell household had been interesting. Leo had erected a bed for Kenzie in Melinda's room. The girls had hit it off well, often gossiping well into the night. Melinda was grateful to have another girl there at night to talk to about her brothers. The rest of the family had settled into having her around as well. Wyatt had left her alone, even offering to help her on occasion but most of the family knew it was to avoid Chris pummeling the crap out of him. The fears in the house had gradually transitioned from having a darklighter in the house among so many whitelighters to having a pregnant teenager in the house around some of the younger cousins. It was difficult to explain to them the nature of the situation. Presently, Chris was helping Kenzie in from the car. They were arriving back from yet another ultrasound. The gynecologist had insisted the see him every other week since the twins were so big.
"I don't want to deliver early. What if they aren't ok?" Kenzie was bemoaning as they entered the foyer.
"Hey, Wyatt was born early…and he turned out…sort of ok," Chris joked.
"Chris I'm serious," Kenz snapped irritably.
"Ok, relax. They're fine. They're fucking enormous and the doctor said they're healthy. But they're fine. And besides, twins are usually born early," Chris commented.
"I know…just I'm kind of tired of carrying around. And I want to hold them," Kenzie responded as she plopped down on the couch in the living room. Phoebe walked in and jumped, not expecting to see them back yet.
"Well that was a quick appointment," she remarked.
"The doctor said I have to stay in bed for the rest of the pregnancy. I'm looking forward to it…give my poor feet a break," Kenzie moaned.
"What was that?" Piper asked wandering in from the kitchen, apron about her waist and a smudge of chocolate on her cheek.
"Do a face plant into the brownies?" Phoebe asked, laughing.
"Very funny. What was that about bed rest?" Piper reiterated.
"I have to stay on it until I have the twins," Kenzie informed her.
"Alright, well let's get you comfortable. Do you want to go upstairs?" Phoebe questioned.
"Please. Not to hide from everyone but it's a really comfortable bed," Kenzie said with a giggle.
So, the four of them made the long trek upstairs and into Kenzie and Melinda's room. Once she was settled, Piper and Phoebe left her and Chris alone. Chris sat on the edge of her bed and just smiled at her.
"What are you smiling about?" she asked.
"I'm going to be a dad," he said with a happy sigh.
"You know…we can't have them and not know what the call them," she began none-too-subtly.
"Ok, I get it," Chris muttered.
"Baby book," he called out and it appeared in his hand.
"Well I was sort of hoping…we could name one of them after my dad," she said softly.
"And that would be?" Chris pressed.
"Jacob Evan," she replied.
"I like the sound of that. Jacob Evan Halliwell. Has a nice ring to it," he said smiling.
"Well it's only fair for you to name the other one," she orated with a grin.
"Um…My grandfather's middle name was Alexander…I kind of liked that name," Chris began.
"And not like I have an obsession with my brother or anything but I thought it was kind of unfair that he got the middle name Matthew and I got stuck with Perry," he continued.
"No offense Grandpa," he called to the ceiling.
"Ok…well did you have a preference as to order?"
"Alexander Matthew Halliwell or Matthew Alexander Halliwell…I think the second sounds better," he answered after pausing for a moment to think.
"Me too. Well how do we know which is which when they come out?" she asked.
"I don't know. I guess we decide when that happens," Chris muttered with a shrug.
"Ok. Well I hate to just kick you out but I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap," Kenzie informed him, stretching her arms above her head.
"Ok. Have a good nap Kenz," he said, kissing her cheek.
"You too, Matt and Jake," he added, kissing both sides of her swollen belly.
Chris descended the stairs and headed to the kitchen. No one was in view as he grabbed the milk and proceeded to open and drink from the carton.
"Dude! Now I can't drink that! It's got your backwash," Wyatt complained as he walked in from the sun room.
"Sorry," Chris gurgled as he finished the carton.
"Where's Kenzie?" the eldest Halliwell inquired.
"Upstairs napping. She's on bed rest until she has Matt and Jake," Chris answered, tossing the carton into the trash.
"Matt and Jake?" Wyatt repeated.
"What you didn't think we were going to call them A and B all their lives did you?" Chris retorted.
"Well no but…did you name one of your kids after me?" Wyatt whispered, almost afraid that if he said it too loud it might be true.
"Yeah actually I did. You got the better middle name," Chris answered.
"Wow…man I…thanks," Wyatt said, speechless. Chris stared at his brother. It was a very rare occasion when Wyatt did not know what to say.
"You're welcome," Chris said after a moment of silence.
The Halliwell household went about the rest of their day as usual. At Melinda's request, they all crammed into the girls' room for dinner so as not to leave Kenzie out. No one expected what would happen that night. The clock on the dresser in the girls' room had just turned to midnight when Kenzie awoke in excruciating pain. She tried to stifle a scream but failed miserably. Melinda sat up in bed, looking terrified.
"What's wrong?" the thirteen-year-old asked, getting up and turning on the light.
"I…don't know…get your mom," Kenzie answered through clenched teeth.
Melinda pulled open the door and rushed down the hall to her parents' room. She rushed and began to shake her mother vigorously.
"Mom wake up," she urged, shaking harder when her mother did not respond.
"What? What is it?" Piper asked, finally sitting up.
"Kenzie. She started screaming. She doesn't know what's wrong," Melinda answered just as another scream rang through the house.
Piper nearly flew out of bed and down the hall. She nearly missed colliding with Chris and Wyatt going into the room. Chris was by his girlfriend's side instantly.
"What's happening?" he asked his eyes full of fear.
"I think…I'm in labor," Kenzie squeaked out weakly.
Piper shooed Chris away and pulled down the blankets. Sure enough the sheet beneath her was soaked. The liquid was clear, always a good sign.
"I'd definitely say you're in labor. But the water was clear so that's a good sign," she said patting the girl on the arm.
"God it hurts!" she cried, tears streaming down her face.
"I know it does. Just breath through it honey," Piper coached.
"Leo. Go get some clean towels, sterilize a pair of scissors and get the baby scale from the bathroom," Piper began delegating tasks.
"Wyatt, get a tape measurer and extra pillows," she continued.
"Mel, sweetie. Can you clean off your blanket chest so Daddy can put the scale on it," she asked of her youngest. Melinda jumped to her feet and began clearing it off.
"What can I do?" Chris questioned meekly.
"Stay with her, I'll be right back," Piper ordered and rushed from the room.
Piper ran downstairs and grabbed the phone in the kitchen, setting it to three-way calling and dialing both Phoebe and Paige's numbers.
"Hello?" a groggy Phoebe answered.
"Hello?" echoed an equally disoriented Paige.
"Get up and over here now. She went into labor," Piper snapped.
"What…now?" Phoebe remarked.
"Piper it's like midnight…can't you tell her to hold it until later?" Paige whined.
"Paige she's having twins!" Piper shouted.
Reality set in rather quickly with this statement and both Paige and Phoebe hung up. Within seconds, they were both standing in the kitchen.
"Thank you. Now let's go deliver some babies," she said and marched her siblings back upstairs. When they entered the room, Kenzie seemed to be resting comfortably.
"Have the contractions stopped for now?" Piper asked soothingly.
"I think so," the girl answered.
"What's the tape measurer for?" Wyatt asked.
"Just give it to me," Piper snapped. He handed it over quickly. Boy his mother was cranky.
Piper bent down and lifted the sheets. Wyatt turned away quickly, highly embarrassed.
"Wow," Piper exclaimed.
"What?" a chorus of voices resounded in the small space.
"She's progressing fast. She's already five centimeters. Chris, are they both heath down?" she answered.
"I think so," Chris muttered, giving her an 'I don't remember' look.
"Good," Piper muttered.
"I feel another one," Kenzie announced, her face scrunching up as she breathed through the pain.
"You're doing great," Chris whispered, smoothing her hair.
Twenty minutes later she was fully dilated. The entire family was gathered around her, giving her moral support. She was currently pushing through a contraction and fighting back the urge to scream. Suddenly Wyatt's eyes bulged.
"Don't look at her down there you prick!" Chris snapped, covering his brother's eyes as he saw the head of his first child protruding from his mother's womb. As the child emerged further something no one expected began to happen. The child was wrapped in blue and white orbs. Piper had to choke back tears.
"It's a boy," she called as she reached for one of the towels to wipe him off. Chris and Kenzie exchanged a knowing look.
"Matthew Alexander," they said in unison.
Leo took his grandson and took him over to the scale and lay the squirming newborn down. He was having trouble seeing the digital numbers on the scale through his own tears.
"Seven pounds, three ounces," he called out. Just then, Piper gasped.
"What? What's wrong/" Leo asked, turning around only to see his second grandson beginning to emerge in swaddling orbs, not of blue and white but of black.
"Oh hell I'll do it!" Chris growled. Piper moved away and watched as Chris maneuvered the child from it's mother's womb. Melinda handed him the other towel and he wiped the blood from his son's face.
"Hi Jacob," he murmured moving to where his dad stood. Leo backed up with Matthew in his arms as Chris lay Jake down.
"Seven pounds seven ounces," he announced. He wiped tears from his eyes as he sat on the edge of the bed, displaying both boys for Kenzie to see.
"They are identical," she remarked happily, kissing each curl covered head.
"How can you tell them apart?" Melinda asked.
"Easy. Jake is part darklighter and Matt—" Wyatt began but was cut off.
"Don't say that around them!" Chris spat.
"They're perfect," he concluded as Paige returned with a camera and took a picture of the new family.