An additional few days had gone by, and it had been two weeks since the birth of the twins. There had been major improvement for baby Caleb, to AJ and Punks relief. The baby boy had gained weight and was breathing on his own.
Punk hadn't taken any detours away from AJ, he had learned his lesson and was making sure he could be there day and night. He was trying to make her laugh and smile, and doing his best to keep her and his head held high whilst their baby boy slowly but surely got better each day.
"Look, he's looking..." AJ smiled, looking over Caleb who was still in his incubator, but only now he was looking up at his parents, wriggling his fingers and toes, looking up bringing them so much joy. It was wonderful to see his progression within just two weeks. AJ didn't believe it when Punk kept saying it, but he was getting stronger. Much stronger.
"They both look so different." Punk said, whilst gazing on at a sleeping Harleen who was in her car seat, a soft blanket tucked in to her whilst her small frame snoozed away. She had been settling into her new home just fine. The first few nights were tough. She was wakening a lot through the night, but now she slept right through, and only cried out for basic needs like her bottle or for her to be changed, which Punk was now an expert at. It was strange to him how easy he had picked it all up. AJ had been doing great too. He figured their first week was just tough, but things were getting much better.
"Well they won't be identical." She stated the obvious as he made a playful face towards her, "I could just eat both of them up." She admitted as Punk laughed. Her love for the babies was unconditional, as was his, but something about her love for them just stood out more. She was an amazing mother. The twins were lucky to have her.
"How are you doing today?" The nurse asked whilst entering the room, checking on Caleb and looking on at the monitors that he was still attached to. He was breathing on his own, but his heart was still being monitored.
"Good." AJ smiled, "How was he last night?" She asked curiously, taking a seat beside Punk who was fussing over Harleen who had woken up, trying his best to make sure she didn't erupt into a fit of tears.
"He was great." The nurse who was looking after Caleb said, "In fact..." She paused, going over her made up mind and nodding to herself as AJ and Punk looked up at her, "I think he's ready for a little hold." She smiled as AJ gasped into herself, not being able to sit still whilst she watched the nurse carefully lift Caleb up. He was still underweight, and wasn't able to go home just yet, but he was allowed to be held now, she thought anyway.
"Who first?" The nurse asked as Punk nodded to AJ. He didn't mind. He knew AJ was desperate, and he longed to see her face when she got to hold him.
AJ watched as the nurse placed him into her arms, the first time she'd held him ever, a unintentional tear rolling down her cheek as she smiled down to his precious little frame. He was so small, but he had gotten so much bigger in just the space of two weeks. She couldn't explain how good it felt to hold him. To stroke her finger down his soft cheek, to feel his soft and warm skin. He was such a little bundle of joy, just like Harleen.
"You're such a brave boy." She praised him in a whisper, pressing a kiss on his head.
"I'll give you both a moment." The nurse said, "I'll be back in five minutes." She said. She hated to do it, but unfortunately Caleb could only be out of his soft resting area for only a short amount of time. His body, from being so small, was bound to be sore if he was being held constantly.
The nurse excused herself from the room whilst Punk looked on at AJ holding Caleb, smiling at the sight that would forever warm his heart.
"Do you want to hold him?" AJ turned around to Punk, her tears still rolling down, not having a hand free to wipe them, not really caring anyway. She was so lost in the moment, and she couldn't describe how good it felt to be holding her baby boy in her arms.
Punk nodded, holding out his arms as AJ placed Caleb gently into his arms, stroking the back of his soft head whilst he rested in his fathers arms.
His beady eyes looked up into Punks, his toes and fingers wriggling whilst he settled peacefully into the cradle of his fathers arms. He sensed he was safe in these colourful arms. AJ could sense it too. Harleen and Caleb both had those soft, gentle eyes whenever their father held them. Eyes that knew they were safe from absolutely everything.
"He's perfect." Punk admitted, "Little fighter." He kissed his head softly. Before they knew it, he'd be able to come home. He knew it would be a long road from the beginning, but they were half way here now.
AJ smiled, resting her head on Punks shoulder whilst gazing down at their son, their daughter sleeping not that far beside after Punk had managed to rock her back to sleep. It was all she wanted. She was blessed with such a beautiful family. Caleb just had to keep getting stronger, and soon enough he and Harleen could be together, in a loving home with equally loving parents. It was all she asked for.
Punk pressed a kiss on her head that was resting on his shoulder, her body close against his, stroking the back of Caleb's soft head with her finger, admiring his preciousness. The same preciousness Harleen had. She was glad her and Punk were sticking together. It just went to show, that when they did, good things happened. It wasn't going to be long until Caleb could come home…
"You ready?" Punk smiled to his girlfriend, standing at the door to their home as she nodded. It had been a month and two week since the birth of the twins, and today was the day they finally got to take Caleb home. A healthy, happy, beautiful Caleb, alongside his twin sister who was still breezing through life the easy way.
AJ had Harleen in her arms, tucked into her chest whilst Punk was carrying the car seat that Caleb was sleeping in. He had came such a long way. The poor little thing. He'd been injected with all types of medication. He'd been through a lot, and it felt good now to take him home. Healthy and happy, just like his twin sister.
Punk opened the door, letting AJ go in first whilst he followed behind with Caleb, smiling as AJ noticed the house wasn't empty, seeing her family and friends here for her, as well as his own. He'd taken into account having a little gathering for the twins like she suggested. They couldn't do it when they were just born from the obvious, so now that Caleb was home, and they were both healthy and well now, he figured he would invite everyone around.
AJ's mom was there along with her sister and friends. His own friends were there with of course his brother and his family. They were all so glad just like Punk and AJ that both twins were now home and perfectly healthy.
AJ smiled and welled up with tears as she seen the banners and balloons around the house, along with some presents and the ones she loved dearly. She turned around to Punk behind her, smiling to him as he nodded with raised eyebrows, winking to her as she turned back around to her family and friends who immediately swarmed her and Punk, admiring the two beautiful babies who were fast asleep.
"You guys are lucky. You get to escape it all now. I still have to go downstairs and humour that non sense of humoured grandmother of yours." He rolled his eyes whilst putting the twins down into their cribs in he and AJ's room, placing the blankets over them as they stared up at him. He couldn't believe how much Caleb had grown and put on his healthy amount of weight. They both weighed the same now, and were both peachy skinned, happy little bundles of life. Patience was the virtue in all that he and AJ done. It was hard in the beginning to see him so small and tiny. But they stuck together and here they were, finally with their babies home and together.
"God, you two are just beautiful." He admitted as they began to fall asleep on him, "Just like your mother." He smiled. They had all of AJ's features besides the eyes. The eyes were his. The rest of their beauty was definitely from their mother. Maybe Caleb had his little edgy mouth, but that was all.
"First night home, Caleb… huh?" He continued to talk to them, sitting down on the edge of the bed, looking over them, "You aren't gonna keep us all awake, are you? Harleen won't be happy with you, and I know your mom won't." He laughed, "I don't sleep much anyway." He smiled.
"Hey..." AJ whispered whilst sticking her head into the room, "You coming downstairs?" She asked him, wondering why he was taking so long. She knew both twins would have went down easily.
"Yeah." Punk smiled, "Just making sure they're down for the night." He said as she smiled to him, leaving the room and heading back downstairs. That smile that made his stomach do butterflies. They'd got at each others necks in the beginning, but it was only normal for two new parents who were just as scared as each other. Now everything was better, and life seemed so much better. But he understood now was where the hard stuff really began. Keeping these two, and AJ safe was the only thing that mattered to him now.
"I'm gonna propose to mommy when I go downstairs..." He spoke softly, "I'm gonna go out and buy flowers and ask her to marry me. So in case no one lets you know, I'm giving you guys the first heads up." He smiled watching as Harleen made soft noises through her little mouth whilst stirring her little body around in her sleep, "I'll take that as a congratulations, baby. Thanks." He smiled, stroking her soft cheek, "You two have sweet dreams, alright?" He smiled, standing up and leaving the room, taking the baby monitor with him, keeping a lamp on in the room but turning off the main light, heading downstairs with a permanent smile on his face.
He had decided when they knew they were taking Caleb home that he was gonna propose to AJ. As if she couldn't get any happier, he was hoping he could make this the best day of her life.
He found her in the kitchen with her sister, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, are they asleep?" She asked with a smile. She was enjoying seeing her friends and family so much, especially on such a wonderful day of taking their son home from the hospital. It had been a long road to get to this point, and she couldn't be any more happier than what she was right now. Not that she thought so anyway.
"Yeah. Out cold." He smiled, "We're out of diapers. I'm gonna run to the store and get some. I won't be long." He told her as she nodded.
"Ok. Well don't be too long." She smiled as he nodded, pressing a kiss on his lips as he smiled, appreciating that kiss more than she knew. He wanted to make that kiss his forever. He couldn't wait to pop the question. He was nervous. But he was so ready, and he believed AJ was too.
He headed through the living room and out of the house into the car, turning the engine on and getting on route to go to the store to pick up some flowers. Bringing their son home today was magical and special, and so relieving to do, but proposing to AJ was going to be even more magical.
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