Disclaimer: I don't own Dawson's Creek or any of its characters.
A/N: Sorry it's taken almost a week for me to get this chapter out. Unfortunately, updates will now only be once, maybe twice a week. Here's the next chapter. Please read and review. Also if anyone has anymore baby names they'd like to share, please do so. I've chosen one name but I'm still deciding on the other. I'm not revealing the names until the babies are born. Also, I'm not exactly sure on the ages or order of the Witter children. I'm guessing that it was Doug, the two girls and then Pacey. Also I'm saying that Doug was around six, maybe seven when Pacey was born.
Chapter 4
Pacey stumbled backward as if Doug's words were a fist hitting him at full force. "W-what are you talking about, Doug?" he stammered.
Instantly Doug felt sorry for throwing out what he had without a warning. He sat down next to his brother on the porch swing. "Pacey – let me explain…" When Pacey didn't respond, Doug continued. "When Mom came home after finding out she was pregnant, she was overjoyed – we all were. Having another little brother or sister would even things out. The girls naturally wanted another sister but I wished for a brother. Having another sister was the last thing I wanted; it would not be fun for an only son." Doug smiled a little at the recollection. "When Mom went for her first ultrasound, I was so nervous. She was going to find out what the gender of the baby was. I was waiting at the door for her when she got home. When she told me I would have not one but two little brothers, I almost cried."
Doug paused to see how Pacey was doing. Even though his head was in his hands, Doug could tell he was listening. He continued, "The pregnancy was pretty easy on Mom. I begged to be there for the birth for about two weeks straight and eventually Mom and Dad agreed to it. It was around midnight when Dad came in and woke me up to tell me Mom was in labor. I was so excited. When we got to the hospital, I was practically jumping up and down, telling Mom to hurry up, that I wanted my brothers." Doug laughed. "I swear she would've killed me if she could have."
Doug stopped again, this time caught up in the memories. Pacey looked up. "What happened?"
"Well you can out first and were a perfectly healthy baby…" Doug frowned, "but then the machines started going off… I heard the doctors say 'fetal distress' and then it was over. Your twin died." Doug ended evasively.
"How?" Pacey asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.
"Your umbilical cord was around his neck and when you were being delivered, it tightened around his neck. After you were born, it got too tight and he died."
Pacey looked down. "Oh."
"I always resented you after that. In my mind, you killed my brother; you were the reason I didn't have two brothers. I often wished you were the one who died…" Doug hung his head in shame as soon as those words left his mouth.
"Why?"
"I named the other baby," Doug replied simply. "Mom and Dad let me. They knew how much it meant to me… I remember walking into the living room and giving them my choice for the name. I remember how good it felt when they decided to use the name… Then to have it all ripped away…" Doug couldn't finish.
"What was his name – my brother's I mean?" Pacey asked hesitantly.
"Ethan Michael Witter," Doug replied.
At that moment, Jack appeared at the door. "Hey guys, what's going on?"
"Nothing," Doug replied looking at Pacey, "we were just having a talk…"
"Oh okay well, Joey's looking for you Pacey."
"Tell her I'll be right in."
"Sure thing."
The brothers watched Jack leave the doorway. Doug turned to Pacey, "are you okay?"
"Not right now," Pacey admitted but continued, "Don't worry, I will be." Doug got up to head back inside but Pacey stopped him. "Hey Doug?"
"Yeah?" he asked turning around.
"Thanks for telling me. It means a lot and is helping me realize why my childhood was like it was."
"No problem," Doug smiled gently at his brother, "but we better get back in there before your wife sends everyone out to get us."
"Yeah we should; I don't need her after me." Pacey said smiling for the first time since he discovered this new part of his past.
"Hey Pacey, one more thing…"
"What's that?"
"Make sure you take care of her – really good care of her."
"Don't worry Man; I'm not letting her out of my sight for a second."
"Good," Doug said and walked into the house.
"Don't worry, I'm not taking any chances, you can count on that." Then he too went inside.
A/N: How did you like it? Please leave some reviews and don't forget to leave any baby names you'd like to share! I'll update as soon as I can.
