This is going to be a bit different from my past chapters . . .

Two Hearts Beat As One: Chapter 9

December came, and as the days passed, the bitter chill brought with it a somber mood in the Schuester household. Gone were the times when Will and Emma would spend their mornings in the nursery, sorting through all the baby things they received from family and friends, sharing smiles and laughter. Mornings were now spent in bed, and sometimes, tears were even shared.

It all started in the second week of December. During their check up with the OB-GYN, it was revealed that one of the twins had a low-lying placenta.

"It's what we call a marginal placenta previa," explained Dr. Anderberry. "Most of them resolve once the pregnancy progresses near term, but in this case, it's hard to tell when labor will actually happen. It's difficult with twins, you see," she said with a small smile, trying to reassure a worried Will and a distraught Emma.

"But, doctor, everything was fine with my pregnancy. Why did this have to happen now?" said Emma, her voice shaking as the tears started flowing from her eyes.

"It's not as bad as you think, Emma," the doctor replied. "The placenta doesn't cover your cervix, it is just very proximate to it. And it's good that you did not have any bleeding at all. The babies are in good health, and you're doing well yourself. We just need to monitor your situation closely to ensure that everything will continue to be fine."

"There, there, honey. I don't think there's any imminent danger to you and the babies," said Will soothingly, although he looked like he was about to burst into tears as well. He gave Emma a kiss on the forehead and gripped her hand reassuringly.

Emma tried to put on a brave face and asked, "What do we have to do, doctor?"

Strict bed rest was not prescribed by the OB-GYN, whose advice was relaxation and avoidance of stressful and vigorous activities, but Emma insisted upon it, just to be safe. When Dr. Anderberry announced that a Caesarean delivery was the safest choice for the twins, Will and Emma had additional things to worry about. They had hoped that a natural delivery was possible since the twins assumed the cephalic or head-down position weeks before and stayed that way ever since, but a natural delivery was out of the question now. Scared as Emma was when she found out she had to push two babies out of her, she sort of embraced that fact because a natural birth was better than a C-section. Now, she can't stop thinking about the complications a C-section could bring to the babies. Will had even more to worry about since he also took into consideration what could happen to Emma. Their old fears had been renewed and they felt powerless.

On one cold December morning, five days after her last appointment with the doctor, Emma decided to venture on the recliner near the window, ditching the bed for the first time in days. She looked out the window, her mood dejected and spiritless, the bare trees in her line of vision not helping to cheer her up. Snow was late in coming this year, but judging from the icy air, one would never know that the first snowfall of the last quarter of the year was yet to come. An audible sigh escaped her lips. She glanced down on her huge baby bump when she felt a kick and rubbed it gently. She had a crazy suspicion that the twins could sense it when she felt particularly sad. One or both of them always gave her a kick during her dark musings. That made her smile a little. She heard shuffling footsteps outside the bedroom door, and a second later, Will tiptoed inside, carrying a tray laden with breakfast.

"Hey, honey! I didn't know you were awake. I made you some breakfast. And you decided to get out of bed, that's good," he said, trying to sound cheerful.

"Hey, sweetie!" Emma greeted him, forcing a small smile. "I felt like it was okay to do so today. It's just like lying down, anyway."

Thank God she's not crying! Today was better than the past days and Will was thankful for it. He only wished it would last. They shared breakfast, eating quietly, words seeming to evade them. Their eyes looked sad and tired these days.

After breakfast, Will sat by her, reading to her Persuasion by Jane Austen, her favorite book. He would pause once in a while, to kiss her cheek or nuzzle her neck, just to show her that he was there for her. She would smile at him every time he did those things, but it would never reach her eyes. She seemed to be always lost in her own thoughts these days, and hardly told him how she was feeling, but she didn't need words for that. He knew exactly how she felt, because that's what he was feeling, too. They were both scared.

"I think I'll have my bath now, Will," Emma said.

"Okay."

He ran the bath, making sure the water wasn't hot, and helped her ease into the tub when it was ready. Her body was changed from carrying his children, but he found it to be beautiful still.

"Just holler for me when you're done, okay, sweetie? I'm going to clean up in the kitchen, but I'll be back soon." He gave her forehead a kiss.

She nodded, closing her eyes and trying to relax. The lukewarm water was soothing to her body and soul.

xxxxx

Will was tired most of the time. Not just his body, but particularly his mind. He didn't know how he had survived this trial in their lives together. It seemed that when he had something good going for him, the universe would snatch it away from him, mocking him by reminding him that not all good things would last.

He had been so happy when he learned they were having twins. As he scrubbed the dirty dishes clean in the kitchen sink, his old fears crept up upon him once more. He feared again for the lives of his wife and their unborn children. Unbeknownst to him, tears were gently streaming down his face as he continued to scrub and clean. If he had known in advance that they would be dealing with what seemed to be a precarious situation at this point in their lives, he would have bargained with the Higher Power that they be deprived of having any children at all, just to keep Emma's presence with him, because even though she was there physically, he sensed that she was slowly distancing herself to him by keeping her true feelings to herself. Sure, it had only been five days, but it seemed to him an eternity. He was hurting so much.

He chastised himself after thinking that. The twins were here, and they would bring him and Emma so much joy on their birth. How could he even think of not having them? They were a part of himself and Emma.

So even if he felt as helpless as her, on the outside, he put on a brave front. If he broke down completely, where would Emma be? He had to be strong for her, for their babies.

xxxxx

Emma slipped into her pink bathrobe and matching fluffy slippers after towelling herself off, a towel still wrapped around her hair. She came into the bedroom to find Will staring out the window. She cleared her throat and he spun around, surprised.

"Emma, why didn't you ask for help getting out of the tub?" he scolded.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I was being very careful, Will. I didn't want to holler for you."

"Em, promise me you won't do it again. You could have gotten hurt," he insisted, moving towards her to stroke her abdomen. He gave her a small kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Fine, I won't do it again," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Come over here, I want to show you something," he said, taking her hand.

She let him lead her to the window and they stared out into the winter waste. It was then that she noticed something that wasn't there before when she was sitting on the recliner earlier. Little flurries of snowflakes were floating around in the cold, wintry air, dancing around before their eyes. It was the first snow of the Christmas season.

"By this time next year, we won't be the only ones waiting for the first snow to fall," he said, smiling, a twinkle returning in his eyes.

She smiled back, wanting to believe his words, then leant her head on his shoulder as they watched the lawn below slowly being dotted with a soft white carpet. They remained in their moment of bliss for a few minutes, before their hearts were gripped with fear and worry again.

xxxxx

It continued for days, the vicious cycle which seemed to hover over them, one of anxiety, fear, and a lack of open communication. The first snowfall that they beheld together was a very brief respite from the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded them once more. The days leading up to Christmas were supposed to be gleeful and exciting, but for the Schuesters, the Christmas spirit was hard to capture this year.

However difficult they found their situation, thankfully, they were not alone. Will's mom and dad were a source of comfort to the younger couple, visiting them often despite the considerable distance from their home. Will had decided to take an early Christmas holiday, and Principal Figgins was gracious enough to grant him that. He even gave the twins a pair of woolen blankets printed with colorful balloons to keep them warm during the winter, the season in which they will be born. Coach Beiste visited often, too, and even Sue sent her regards to them, along with the occasional insult to Will's hair and butt chin. The current Glee kids and their substitute director, Holly Holiday, sent greeting cards and recorded songs for them to cheer them up. Emma's parents also promised to spend Christmas with them and were due to arrive from Virginia a few days before Christmas. Their family and friends made their ordeal lighter and more bearable.

xxxxx

Emma was crying into her pillow while Will was talking on the phone. She couldn't bear the news they had just received. Will's voice droned on and on in the hallway, his tone low and serious. She couldn't make out the words he was saying through her sobs and the howling wind outside.

It was the week before Christmas, and only days after the first snowfall. Mother Nature felt like she should make up for lost time, so in the past week, the landscape was transformed into a winter wonderland. Snow, several inches deep, now covered every exposed patch of land, and the rooftops were laden with it as well.

Emma heard silence in the hallway and knew that Will had hung the phone up. She hastily wiped her cheeks with the long sleeves of her shirt, not knowing that the huge wet blot on the pillow will still give her away. A moment later, Will peeked his head inside the doorway.

"Oh, honey!" he said, his face looking worn. He went over to lay beside her on the bed, and although she turned her back from him, he scooted closer to her to wrap his arm around her abdomen.

Emma didn't say anything. She didn't trust herself to speak, because she knew it would trigger fresh tears to fall from her eyes. However, she couldn't hide her sniffling.

Will propped himself up a bit with an elbow and kissed her cheek softly. He said, "I'm sorry your folks couldn't come over for Christmas, Em. I know you really wanted them to, especially Mom, but we can't control the weather. It's better for them to stay in Virginia than brave the snowstorms."

Emma's sobs grew louder with the mention of her folks and in a little while, she rolled around on the bed, faced Will, and freely cried into his old college sweatshirt. He held her tighter with both arms and repeatedly kissed her hair, whispering words of comfort once in a while.

He serenaded her with Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas as she continued to sniffle on his chest. Her breathing evened out a little and she seemed to finally relax.

She fell asleep in his arms that night to the sound of his voice.

xxxxx

Christmas eve came, and for the first time in almost three weeks, Emma was propped on the couch in the living room, sipping a mug of hot chocolate as Will tried his best to decorate their Christmas tree.

"Put a couple more of those red Christmas balls on that branch by the left, Will, to make the tree look balanced," she said.

"You like bossing me around, don't you?" he asked with a smile, complying with her wishes.

She grinned at him, nodding her head. "The tree looks wonderful! You're doing a great job, honey."

They gained a sense of normalcy on the lead up to Christmas. It was perhaps because of the Christmas movies, or the carols, or the Christmas cheer, but most probably, it was because of the good news from Dr. Anderberry.

They had gone to their last prenatal visit of the year two days ago and the results of her final examination looked encouraging. They both felt relieved. Nonetheless, out of his frustration from her behavior in the past days, Will ratted on Emma to Dr. Anderberry on how she acted at home, like she was going to miscarry at any second. She got a scolding from the doctor.

"I'm not saying that you not worry at all, I'm just saying you not to worry too much, and judging from what Will said, you worried like there was no tomorrow! Our mind and emotions play a very big part on how our bodies function physiologically, Emma, so if you keep thinking about the worst, it may just happen. God forbid it, though!" said the doctor. She continued more gently, "You have to stay positive, Emma. We're almost at the finish line."

Emma was taken aback, realization hitting her now that another person apart from Will and their families tried to reason with her, a very good doctor at that. She when they reached the car, she broke their awkward silence and promised him she would try to be more cheerful and let him in. He turned to look at her with a smile on his face as he said, "That's all I'm asking for, Em." After that moment, things turned for the better in their home life.

Will put the finishing touches on the Christmas tree, adjusting the star at its tip. Even though they were to spend Christmas alone, he felt happy because Emma didn't throw another fit when his own parents couldn't celebrate Christmas with them. The roads were very slippery this year due to the scattered snowstorms they experienced sporadically. In his heart, Will was kind of glad that they would be spending Christmas alone, with only each other for company, because it would be the last time they would be doing so. This Christmas felt very special to him.

"Are you ready for the test run?" he asked Emma brightly.

She nodded happily, her Bambi eyes lighting up like a child's.

"Here we go!" said Will as her turned on the Christmas lights.

He stepped back from the tree and joined her on the couch. They watched the dancing lights, their faces full of delight. They were entertained by the lights for quite a while, the Christmas music playing softly in the background adding to their contentment.

Emma snuggled further into Will's chest as far as her swollen belly could allow her, and he lifted her chin with a finger to face him.

"I love you, Emma."

"I love you, too, Will."

They shared passionate kisses on the couch, the only ones they have shared in three weeks.

xxxxx

Christmas day came, the sun peeking out from its hiding place under the clouds. The wintry sunlight was a welcome change from the dark skies they beheld for most of December. Will was woken up on this sunny morning with kisses all over his face by his very pregnant wife.

"Merry Christmas, Will!" she said after kissing his chin one last time.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Emma!" he replied, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He gave her a sweet kiss after doing so.

"Let's go downstairs and open presents," she said enthusiastically.

"Okay! That's a brilliant idea!"

He helped her go slowly down the stairs even though she wanted to go faster.

"Emma, slow down! I don't want the babies to come into the world before their due date!"

"Sorry!" she said to Will. To the babies, she said, "Don't you dare make an appearance before the second week of January!" as she rubbed her abdomen gently.

Will helped Emma settle into the couch before he got the presents from under the tree for her to open. They got some personal items here and there from family and friends, but mostly, they got baby things.

"Open this one next, Em. It's from me. I hope you like it!"

She carefully unwrapped a small rectangular package, smiling at Will. The present was a heart-shaped silver locket on a silver chain. It was engraved with 'We love you, Mom!' on one side, the one which comes in contact with the wearer's chest.

"Open it, Em."

She did, and in it, she found her picture and Will's.

"It's a four-picture locket. It already has our pictures in it. We can add the twins' pictures later," he explained.

"I love it," she said, her eyes tearing up, "It's perfect!" She gave him a kiss on the lips. "Thank you, Will."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you like it," he said, clearly happy. "Now, where's my present?"

Emma handed him not one, but two presents.

The first one was a book entitled Baby: An Owner's Manual, which made Will laugh.

"This will come in handy, Em. Thanks!" he said, chuckling.

The second one was a messenger diaper bag.

"That's going to be useful when you decide to take the twins out for a walk or something. I thought the diaper bag we got during the baby shower was too feminine for your taste," Emma said, shrugging. It was a pink one with printed lollipops. "It has something inside for you!"

"A present within a present, huh?"

He opened the bag and took out a white t-shirt that had 'The Best Daddy in the World' printed on it in bold black letters.

"I made it months ago using the letter press at school. I was surprised you never found it."

Will wore the t-shirt over his pajama top, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I love my presents! Thanks, Em," he said, kissing her on the lips. "Let's have some Christmas brunch. I'll make you your favorite!"

That Christmas day turned out to be the best they had yet.

xxxxx

Two days after Christmas, in the wee hours of the morning, Will was woken up by a sob coming from the bathroom. He rushed over to Emma in a heartbeat, suddenly awake and alert. She was standing by the bathroom sink, gripping the edges for support. Their eyes met, Emma's wide with fear and Will's with a questioning look.

"Will, my water broke!"

AN: I thought it was healthy to inject some drama into the story, because life has its fair share of it. I could never completely abandon the fluff, however. LOL! Any thoughts about the chapter? Feel free to review. :)

Thank you to everyone who has read my Wemma fic, and a special thanks to all who have reviewed as well. ^_^