A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. This is a bit of a random idea that probably doesn't really fit the title but still. This one is about the past pairing Tom/Sam :) hope you like it!

~Mini Peacelet~

Wintry Advent

8. Candycanes

As Tom entered the house, the potent aroma of paint smothered his nostrils. The chemical fumes had transpired throughout the spacious house. It wasn't a scent he had anticipated greeting him the instant he entered the house, shutting the door behind him briskly to obstruct the bitter, wintry weather that had engulfed Holby abruptly.

"Sam, I'm home!" He called as he slipped his shoes off and shrugged his thick coat off, then abandoning it on the stair banister before he began to climb the stairs in search of his wife.

Locating Sam was effortless, he simply followed the soft sound of the radio that reverberated the upstairs ambience and discovered she was in the nursery they were still yet to complete. Propping himself against the door frame, he watched his wife in silence who hummed along faintly to the Christmas songs that were currently airing on the radio whilst armed with a paintbrush and applying the liquid substance to the walls.

He stifled a light hearted chuckle when he realised she was wearing one of his shirts - still too big for her even though she was thirty-one weeks pregnant and expecting twins. The material was splashed with dots of the white paint, and she also had a smudge on the tip of her nose which he found surprisingly cute.

"I thought we agreed that I would decorate the nursery." Tom disrupted the muted atmosphere and established his presence.

The female jerked with a start, pirouetting round sharply to face her husband and dipping her head slightly as she deposited the brush into the can and fiddled with her hands as a distraction, "I know, I know we did. But I was bored. Being at home all day on my own with nothing to do is no fun."

Her husband padded into the room and drifted towards her, "I know you hate just sitting around but you should be resting. It's bad enough that you are still refusing to take maternity leave yet. Your midwife said you need to start taking it easy now because they could come up to six weeks early."

"I know," Sam nodded, "But I was bored and wanted to do something productive. At least the painting is finished in here and as soon as it's dry we can bring in the furniture we've already constructed and arranged it."

Tom nodded and enveloped his arms around her, glancing round at the three walls she had painted with the delicate cream colour and then at the fourth wall he had recently wallpapered that had stripes; a feature wall. Candycanes.

~\~\~\~\~

(3 weeks later...)

Sam was still bluntly declining Tom's pleads for her to give in and take her maternity leave. Now thirty-four - nearly thirty-five - weeks pregnant, their twins could decide to make an appearance at any moment. She collected another patient file and shuffled off into the cubicle and exhaled a long sigh as she learnt the patient was a drunk male who required stitches in the side of his head. They were always so unpredictable.

She introduced herself as she pulled on a pair of rubber, sterile gloves and organised the equipment she needed, "Right, this might sting a little but try to keep still, please." She raised her arm to disinfect the wound with a soaked cotton pad, but the man didn't take too kindly, uncoordinatedly swiping his arm towards the doctor and colliding with her expanding bump.

Sam momentarily lost her equilibrium, faltering backwards. He may have been highly intoxicated but he still had strength. She peeled off her gloves and disposed them in the bin and then departed the cubicle, hands protectively around her swollen stomach, rubbing tentative circles.

Tom had perceived his wife exit the cubicle and promptly walked over to her as he saw her stroking her baby bump, "Is everything okay?"

She nodded slowly, "Yeah, I just took a little knock. We'll be fine. I think I might go sit down for a bit, though."

The male doctor ambled into the staffroom as soon as his break came, desiring to check on his pregnant wife. She was curled up on one of the material chairs, still massaging her stomach; she jumped faintly when the door opened and immediately tried to conceal her discomfort when she saw Tom.

"Are you still getting pains?" He inquired with a concerned expression, tone laced with compassion as he perched on the arm of the chair.

Sam paused for a moment, roughly running her tongue over her lips as she contemplated her response, "It's just braxton hicks."

Tom frowned, "How long have you had them?"

She shrugged, remaining silent.

"Sam..."

"I don't know - twenty four hours maybe." She shrugged again and dipped her head, apprehensive for his reply.

"I think we should go see your midwife." He announced and Sam reluctantly agreed, both of them regaining their balance and Tom wrapped his arm protectively around the younger woman, noticing the fear that bubbled in her rich orbs.

~\~\~\~\~

It had been confirmed that Sam had indeed been in the early stages of labour; a labour that was progressing rapidly. Within a couple of hours, the first wails of a tiny baby's lungs reverberated the atmosphere - along with Tom muttering that Sam had crushed the bones in his hand. It was a baby girl. The second cries of another baby soon followed and both of the newborns were placed onto Sam's chest.

"Well done, Sam! I'm so proud of you." Tom grinned and kissed her forehead as she gazed in awe at the little lives that had just arrived into the world. Their babies.

Whilst the twins and Sam were checked over, she had instructed him to go fund her some food and fresh water - she despised the water they provided in the jugs. It didn't taste as pure as she liked. Despite being premature, both babies were perfectly healthy except for being a little smaller than usual.

Tom entered the room again with some food and drink for Sam along with two balloons saying 'It's a boy!' and 'It's a girl!' as well as two mini teddy bears for the twins; a bear each clutching candycanes - one pink and white, the other blue and white - and wearing santa hats.

Sam chuckled as she spotted the teddy bears, diverting her attention from the twins briefly to acknowledge her husband, "They're so perfect, Tom."

"I know they are," He agreed and pecked his wife's lips, "I'm so proud of you." He then placed a bear next to each newborn that was wearing a matching baby-grow to the candycane the bear grasped as Sam shook her head spiritedly, "What? They are Christmasy babies. There will only be a few kids with these bears!"

She laughed mildly, "I wasn't saying anything." She shrugged futilely as she opened the chilled bottle of the water and ingested a mouthful, "They need names. How about you name the girl and I name the boy?"

Tom nodded and they both basked the hushed ambience contently.

"What about Holly Samantha Kent?" Tom suggested, gradually extending his arm to stroke his daughter's silky cheek tenderly.

Sam grimaced at the mention of her full name, loathing ever being addressed by it but nodded. Holly Samantha Kent sounded better than Holly Sam Kent to her personally, "Yeah, I like it...I was thinking Michael Tom Kent for him?"

He nodded, "I love it. Welcome to the world little ones."