Hello once again everyone! Just a quick heads up here, this chapter will feature Charlie and Maxwell's babies finally being born. That being said, there will be some childbirth in this part, but it's nothing graphic! Anyways, on with the story!
Everything felt like a blur. The first thing Charlie knew she was being carted off in a wheelchair to who-knows-where, and the next she was in a hospital bed in an artificially lit room with people bustling around her.
A thin blanket had been draped over her lower half, but it had failed to give her any privacy at all. The doctor and nurses had already examined her multiple times, each time giving her the same answer: "Soon, but not yet."
She stifled a groan as she leaned back on the pillow behind her head. The contractions were already so painful, and they still needed to wait them out. How bad was it going to be when the babies were finally ready to be born? She didn't want to think about it.
Then, another contraction began wrapping itself around her body. She leaned forward slightly and let out a strangled cry.
This one felt different from the others. Instead of the sensation spreading all over her body, it felt lower-down and more pin-pointed. It was as if a weight was pressing on her, making her involuntarily want to bear down.
Dr. McConnell was immediately at the foot of the bed, examining her once again.
"Why… did it feel like that?" She asked between deep breaths.
"The first baby's finally moved further down into your pelvis. They're almost ready to be born." He glanced at her reassuringly. "When you feel the next contraction, don't resist it. Focus on taking deep breaths, and push along with it."
Charlie breathed and rested her head back to look at the ceiling. This was it. She was going to be a mother. Nine months of preparing, planning, and waiting had finally brought them to this moment.
"Are you ready, Mrs. Carter?"
She glanced back at the doctor before taking another deep breath. She could do this. For her children and for her husband, she was going to pull through.
She gripped the sides of the bed. "I am."
The next contraction made its presence known not long after. Charlie grit her teeth and pushed, which relieved some of the pressure that came from her abdomen bearing down. It also made it feel like a thousand knives were jabbing themselves into her body.
"Don't forget to breathe, now."
She unclenched her jaw and took a several deep breaths, letting loose another cry of pain that had been threatening to escape from her. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. She hadn't even realized that she'd been holding her breath.
"It's important to keep breathing. Now, keep pushing."
She took another breath and did as she was instructed.
"Once more, Mrs. Carter."
She cried out and pushed once again. Her bangs were now stuck to her forehead with sweat and she took several shaky breaths.
"Good, good. You're doing wonderfully." A nurse brought several towels over to McConnell. "The head's almost completely out now, so we're going to give you a small break and let it ease the rest of the way out on its own."
She made a small noise in response and leaned back on the pillow once again.
"They've got a lovely patch of brown hair, just like yours."
She looked up slightly and managed a small smile, her heart fluttering. "Really…?"
The baby had her hair. She briefly wondered what the second baby was going to look like, and whether or not they were going to be identical or fraternal twins. Then, the next contraction came. She grimaced once again from the sudden new pain.
The doctor refocused himself. "Alright, I need you to not push on this one. Just let your body do the work."
It was much easier said than done. She took deep, rapid breaths to counteract the urge to push. Finally, the contraction passed once again.
"Fantastic job, Mrs. Carter. You're getting really close now." Dr. McConnell encouraged her. "When the next contraction rolls around, I want you to give it all you've got. Do that, and your baby will be born before you know it."
Charlie nodded, unable to respond. She hoped he was right.
"Okay, whenever you're ready, go ahead and push."
She readied herself once again for the pain she was becoming far too familiar with, and began to push.
"Good, good! Push again."
Her body felt as if it were being ripped in two. She cried out in pain and pushed once again.
"One more time, Mrs. Carter, you can do it."
She thought her cry must have been heard all the way from the waiting hall. Then, in one fluid motion, the baby was pushed completely out of her.
"Ah, here we are." The doctor lifted up the tiny infant just as they gave a few wet coughs, and then filled the room with a shrill cry. "It's a beautiful baby girl."
Charlie immediately forgot about any of the pain she was in. The sound of her baby's cry, her daughter's cry, made tears come to her eyes. She watched as the doctor wrapped her in a towel, trying to keep her from squirming too much.
Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "She's… She's- AAGH!" She suddenly leaned forward once again as her body began to contract and bear down, the red-hot pain returning to her all at once.
Dr. McConnell handed the baby off to the nurse next to him. "Ah, and here comes baby number two."
All she could do was watch as her daughter was gathered up and carried off into the next room, her cries becoming more distant the further away she got. She wanted them to come back, she wanted nothing more than to hold her baby daughter.
Her distress did not go unnoticed. Dr. McConnell did his best to reassure her. "Sorry Mrs. Carter, but we're going to have to postpone the celebration until the second baby's out."
The second baby. She'd almost forgotten she was giving birth to twins. She took several deep breaths as the contraction ran its course. "Can I see them once we're done?" She asked breathily.
He gave her another smile. "Yes, you can. Now, let's focus on the task at hand. It should go a little more quickly the second time around."
She nodded, satisfied with his answer.
It was still excruciatingly painful, but it did go more quickly. Maybe she was becoming used to it, or maybe the ecstasy from seeing her first baby be born gave her some newfound energy.
"One more push, Mrs. Carter, and your second baby will be born."
The newfound energy could only take her so far. At this point, she had never felt so exhausted in her life. Her legs shook and she felt as if she were lying in a pool of sweat. And somehow, she found the energy to push once more, letting loose one more long, painful groan.
The shrill cry of the second baby filled the room once again. Charlie managed to sit herself up slightly, waiting expectantly for the announcement of the gender.
"And it is… another girl!" The doctor announced proudly as he lifted up the baby for Charlie to see.
Charlie gasped softly and leaned back down on the bed. "Twin girls…" She whispered to herself, the word echoing in her mind over and over. She and Maxy had twin daughters.
The second nurse had another towel at the ready. She wrapped up the second baby and prepared to take her over into the next room.
"We'll let you see them as soon as we get them cleaned up."
Charlie watched as they took her second crying daughter out of the next room. So many emotions coursed through her at once, she didn't know what to say or think.
"They've both got quite a healthy set of lungs on them." McConnell began gathering the extra towels around him and rearranging the space.
Soon enough, the two nurses wheeled her daughters in on a portable bassinet. They were swaddled in soft blankets, one in a yellow one, and the other in a pastel orange one. Clean and warm, they still squirmed around in the bassinet, making tiny sounds that threatened to completely melt Charlie's heart.
She smiled as the nurses gingerly picked them up and brought them over to her, and placed them gently on her chest. As soon as they came in contact, the babies calmed their movements and snuggled as close to her as they could, their tiny hands grasping at the fabric of her gown.
She breathed softly as to not disturb them, tears starting to form in her eyes once again. They were finally here, safe and healthy.
"Hello, my darlings…" She stroked their heads, they did have her hair. "I'm your mama…" Tears rolled freely down her cheeks for the second time. "You're both so beautiful…" She wiped her eyes with her hand.
"Your husband's going to be very proud when he sees them." McConnell strode up to her, smiling. "Would you like me to send for him?"
She looked up at the doctor, having forgotten he was still in the room. "Yes, please."
"I'll get right on it." He quietly exited the room.
Charlie sighed once again, glad to finally have some privacy. She turned her attention back to the babies resting on her chest and cradled them gently. "Wait 'till Maxy sees you two…"
If there was anything Maxwell could learn from waiting with as strange of a crew as his, it was that Wes was frighteningly good at charades, and Wigfrid and Willow were relentless at card games. He'd just finished his eighth losing streak against them before deciding to forfeit.
After quite literally hours, Dr. McConnell entered the waiting room once again. Maxwell, upon seeing him, immediately stood up and walked over to him. Everyone else fell silent.
"Ah, Mr. Carter." McConnell gave him a wide grin has he approached.
"Doctor McConnell." He replied curtly. "Is everything…?" He could barely finish his sentence.
"Everyone's doing perfectly fine." He smiled at him. "Would you like to come meet your children?"
His heart rate increased at least two-fold. "Yes, yes I would. And Charlie…?"
"She's doing great. Now, if you'd just come with me, I'll take you to them."
It took a vast amount of his willpower to not just race down the halls to find his wife. They walked down several hallways and around multiple corners before they finally came to a stop at a closed door.
"I'll let you two have some privacy for a bit." McConnell gave him one more glance before turning and heading down the hallway one again.
Maxwell quickly thanked him before he disappeared out of sight, then stood there by himself, straightening his tie anxiously. No turning back now.
As quietly as he could muster, he opened the door.
Charlie was resting on a single bed, in the middle of a softly-lit room. She looked mightily exhausted, but her smile was unwavering.
His heart skipped as he noticed the two tiny bundles resting on her chest, how gently and protectively she cradled them.
She looked up from the bundles as he entered the room, and smiled wider as she saw who it was.
A wave of relief washed over him as he took the view in. She was alright. "Charlie…" He whispered to her, not knowing what else to say.
"Hey Maxy." She whispered back to him, then looked back down at the yellow and orange bundles in her arms. "There's someone here I'd like you to meet…"
He came over to the side of the bed and sat down in the chair next to her, not taking his eyes off of her or the bundles. They were so small, and delicate. Most of all, they were his. Theirs. They had children, they were parents now. Parents!
He lifted his hand, then hesitated. "Can… Can I…?"
She looked at him, then chuckled softly. "Of course you can. They're not going to bite." She stroked the yellow-blanketed baby's head. "Like this."
Mimicking Charlie's motions the best he could, he carefully touched his long, slender fingers to the head of the baby in the orange blanket. They stirred ever so slightly, but didn't show any discomfort.
He swallowed down a lump in his throat as he stroked the baby's brown hair. "They're perfect, Charlie…" He took a breath as tears threatened to escape his eyes, but then remembered something. "What are they? I mean, in terms of gender?" He'd almost forgotten.
She smiled, looking at the baby in the orange bundle. "That one's a girl."
His heart already felt as if it were about to burst with pride. He turned his attention to the yellow bundled baby and stroked their head. "And this one?"
She looked at him, not wanting to miss a single one of his reactions. "Also a girl."
He was at a loss for words. "Twin girls?"
She nodded.
"Wow… Twin girls." He repeated, then looked at her, smiling. "Looks like we've really hit the jackpot, haven't we?"
She chuckled once more, then nuzzled him softly. "Yes, we really have."
He laughed quietly with her and kissed her forehead. "You never cease to amaze me."
She smiled again, then looked down at the bundles still in her arms. "Do you want to hold them?"
He looked down at them with her. "I, I don't know…" He leaned back. "It's been years, no, decades since I last held a baby. I don't want to hurt them."
"Maxy," she gave him a look, "you won't hurt them." She motioned to the baby in the orange, the one closer to him. "Here, just start with one."
He took a breath, still feeling rather insecure with his baby handling skills. "Alright…" He reached for the bundle, but paused again, unsure of where to begin. "Wait, how should I…?"
"Just put your hands underneath her, and pick her up." Charlie smiled patiently. "Then, just gently turn her over onto her back so you can cradle her in your arms."
He nodded, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Okay, let me try."
He extremely carefully slipped one hand underneath the baby, the other on top of her to keep her from falling. Then, he gently lifted her up.
Upon being taken away from the warmth of her mother's body, the infant started to squirm slightly in Maxwell's hands, making a noise of protest.
He hesitated again, holding the fussing baby in mid-air. "M-maybe I should just-"
"No, you're doing fine." Charlie coached him reassuringly. "Just keep going."
His heart was racing, but he did as she said. He lifted his daughter over to him and carefully worked on positioning her properly.
"Good." She watched him closely. "Now hold her close to you so she can keep warm."
He gently brought her to him, holding her close. The baby finally stopped her squirming and snuggled into her father's chest.
He breathed an audible sigh of relief. "There we go, little one." He spoke to her softly as he stroked her hair again. "I was worried I'd upset you too much."
"You did fine, Maxy." Charlie smiled, rubbing the back of the baby still in her arms. "Looks like you still got it."
He chuckled softly. "I suppose I do." He watched as the baby in his arms took hold of one of his fingers, refusing to let go. "Hm, that's quite a grip you've got there, Dorothy."
It took Charlie a moment to realize what he'd said. "Dorothy?" She looked at him.
He stared back, looking sheepish. "Well, I mean, she looks like a Dorothy."
She looked at the baby resting in her husband's arms, then back at the one in hers, and grinned. "And this one looks like an Amelia."
Maxwell smiled, then leaned closer to kiss her once again. "I love you, Charlie."
"I love you too, Maxy."
The now twice-as-large family sat together in silence for the longest time, until a thought occurred to Maxwell. "Charlie?" He asked.
"Hm?"
"Just out of curiosity, which one of them was born first?"
"… I haven't the slightest idea."
Hey once again! Thank you so much for reading my Maxlie story! If you liked it, please drop a review and tell me what you liked about it! Got some constructive criticism? Let me know! Here's to next time, and thank you once again for reading!
-NineCentsChange