Cameron, North Carolina, three weeks later…
"Don't panic, how crazy can they get?" Finn says as he helped Amanda out of the rental car, Amanda readjusting her slightly oversized off shoulder willow print marble top and getting the feeling she would have to stock up on maternity clothes soon.
"I've known these guys since I was 10, they've hurt my past partners and badly. Just because they have families of their own doesn't mean they won't like their surrogate sister starting one of her own." Amanda says, rubbing her stomach. "And I don't want them hurting you, Finn." She says as they walked up the cobblestone path.
Amanda raised her right hand and curled it up… before lowering it.
"Let's go to the car and hide in the hotel." Amanda says, Finn rubbing his hand up and down her back.
"Nope, I say we conquer this fear together, love." Finn says, Amanda nodding and knocking on the door.
The door opened and three year old Maxel smiled, trying to jump into Amanda's arms but Finn picked him up.
"Got to be careful, kiddo." Finn says, Amanda kissing Maxel on his forehead before all three were in the house.
As much as Amanda wanted to hold her nephew, she couldn't since the doctor advised against heavy lifting.
"Mommy and Daddy said you two have some news, what is it?" Maxel asked.
"Well we do have some news but we'll wait to share it with everyone, kiddo." Amanda says, Maxel crossing his arms and huffing before pouting.
'It's like looking into a mirror of Matt from the early 2000s.' Amanda thought, remembering how Matt would used to pout at her like that whenever she was a young girl and wouldn't eat anything healthy. "Come on, Maxel. Let's go find everyone." She says, Maxel smiling and jumping down before leading them into the living room.
"Look who's here!" Maxel says excitedly, eight year old Ruby running from the couch and hugging Amanda.
"Mommy, Daddy, Auntie Mandy's gonna be a mommy!" Ruby says after they let go, having figured it out.
Jeff's mouth fell open in shock, Nera clapped her tiny hands together and before Amanda knew it, she and Finn heard "Did I hear that right?"
Both turned around, Matt looking at Amanda's stomach and confirming what his niece just said.
Finn and Amanda looked at each other in nervousness… but it faded away when Matt walked over and hugged Amanda before shaking Finn's hand.
"Life doesn't stand still, you two. Congratulations." Matt says.
Present time…
It had been a week since they had told the Hardy family about their news, Amanda trying to get comfortable on the hotel bed… but since it was early evening and they were testing the strength of their legs, Bria and Danny were moving around like crazy.
"They don't want to settle down." Finn says as he rested his right hand on Amanda's stomach.
"I'm pretty sure that last one was a dropkick… they take after us." Amanda says, her and Finn laughing slightly and him resting his head on her stomach.
But before he could sing to try to settle their rambunctious kids, a knock was at the door.
Finn helped Amanda carefully stand up and Amanda walked to the door, unlocking it and opening it…
"Steve!" Amanda said with a happy laugh, her and Sting hugging… when they let go, his eyes widened.
"Holy Christ! Kiddo, didn't I tell you to stop swallowing volleyballs?" Sting says jokingly, Amanda lightly swatting him on his right shoulder before he and Finn shook hands.
"Good Lord, Steve, I'm not that crazy." Amanda says, Sting seeing a sonogram picture and smiling.
"So how are these little kiddos doing?" Sting asks.
"They're great. Dropkicking me like crazy now but…" Amanda says, hesitating slightly.
"There was a scare… Maryse?" Sting says, Amanda nodding as Sting rested his left hand on her stomach… and right on cue, all four tiny feet hit his hand and he smiled. "They're doing dropkicks early, you'll have your hands full with them. As for Maryse, I swear that that blonde banshee is trying to kill you." He says.
"I hate what she said, trashing my extended family like that. I grew up around you all and I want the twins to grow up around you all too." Amanda says, trying not to cry and Finn brushing her tears away.
"It's okay. Better letting it out than bottling it all up inside, Mandy." Sting says.
The two hugged, Sting jumping slightly as Bria's and Danny's tiny feet hit his torso.
"I know, kiddos. Don't worry, great Uncle Steve is here." Sting whispered.
It was later at night after dinner when Amanda was asleep that Sting and Finn talked.
"You love her to death, that's easy to see… please keep a careful eye on her and those precious little ones. We all nearly lost her once…" Sting says.
"Mandy told me about that and that was damn scary… anyone wants to hurt my family, they're gonna have to go through me." Finn says, the two friends hugging like they were brothers.
"Damn right." Sting says before they let go and he walked into his room down the hall.
Finn walked back into the room, brushing a stray hair of Amanda's off of his shirt and lying down onto the bed after pulling the covers back.
Amanda let out a sleepy groan as Bria kicked her in the ribs hard enough to crack one, Finn resting his right hand on her stomach.
"Yep, definitely gonna be doing dropkicks in their careers." Finn says before he and Amanda kissed.
"You think they'll follow in our footsteps?" Amanda asks.
"If they do, they need to be really careful… and we'll help them when they get hurt, steady them back on their feet. Being a parent never stops… they'll need us even when they have families of their own, love." Finn says, his left arm wrapping around Amanda's shoulders after helping her sit up.
But as they tried to hug, the moving had woken Danny and both he and Bria kicked in protest.
"Socru sios, cinn beag." Finn whispered when his head was resting on Amanda's stomach.
But Amanda knew that hers and Finn's nightowl children wouldn't settle down.