Chapter 5 part 1

Antonio kissed Sylvie on the cheek and she opened her eyes and smiled. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry" Antonio said. He kissed her again, on the lips this time. "Good morning beautiful. I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't" Sylvie said, and brushed her hand across his cheek. "Your sons did though." The look on Antonio's face made Sylvie's heart swell with pride.

"Are they kicking again?"

"They won't stop."

"May I?" Antonio's hand hovered above her and when she nodded, he placed his hands on her swollen belly. The babies wriggled, and Antonio smiled, feeling them move beneath his hands. As close as her and Antonio had become, and as intimate as they got, he still asked her permission to feel her bump, like pregnancy was something only a woman had the right to experience and it was a man's privilege to be included. She watched him, studying the thoughtful content expression on his face.

"They calm down a lot when you're near."

"For real?" Sylvie nodded and smiled, but Antonio sighed. "Say things like that and I may never go to work again." He lay back on the bed, one arm still draped over Sylvie's body. "I hate that I have to go, this case is kicking my ass, we're at a dead end, we need to find something soon or the suspect will walk."

Although they didn't technically live together, Antonio stayed at Sylvie's more often than he didn't. He had kept his place in case he had to work late or in case she wanted space, but more and more lately, as Sylvie's due date crept nearer, Antonio was reluctant to leave her alone. Just in case.

"I'll be fine" Sylvie said. "I promise."

"I'll talk to Stone about taking some leave. This will be my last case until the birth, I'll make sure of it." Sylvie was about to ask how, but before she could speak Antonio kissed her and her question died on her lips. "Do you have to leave now?" she asked when he eventually pulled away.

"No, I've got some time. What's on your mind."

"You" Sylvie said, a smile playing on her lips. "Move in with me. You practically live here anyway, and the money you'll save on rent will come in handy, and I want to wake up with you every morning."

Antonio felt guilty. It had been 3 weeks since he had asked Sylvie's dad for permission to pop the question. 3 weeks that he had been carrying around the ring, trying to find the right moment to ask. He wanted it to be special for Sylvie, but the moment hadn't come. And now it was only a few more weeks until Sylvie's due date and he was rapidly running out of time. He felt like he had let her down somehow, now that she was the one asking him to take a step.

"I love you" he said, trying to mask all the thoughts clouding his brain. "Yes, of course I'll move in."

Sylvie seemed happy, she didn't know what he was planning. It was only his own guilt making him feel this way, Sylvie had said nothing up until now to make him think she was wanting more. He had sworn her parents to secrecy, and he knew that they were perplexed that they hadn't heard anything from their daughter since, but he assured them he was still very much planning on asking, but wanted to make it romantic.

He had also, predictably, gotten hell from Gabby for stalling. "3 weeks?!" she had said, when he went round yesterday morning to ask her to look in on Sylvie while he was at work today, "You've been carrying that thing around for 3 weeks? What's wrong with you?" She had punched him in the chest and hadn't stopped bugging him since. But she had also kept her mouth shut.

Antonio wanted nothing more to ask Sylvie to marry him, but he was an old romantic at heart, he wanted to make the moment perfect.

"I've been thinking" Sylvie said, sitting up in bed. Antonio placed another pillow behind her back, making sure she was comfortable.

"About what?" Antonio asked, relaxing.

"Names. We haven't really talked about it, have we?"

That was true. They'd been so busy getting everything else ready for the twins, but Antonio had figured that when they met them, they would know what to call them. But this could be fun, talking about it beforehand. He loved nothing more than imagining the future with Sylvie and their babies. He smiled. "Do you have any ideas?"

Sylvie nodded. "I like Nathaniel. What do you think?"

Antonio thought for a second but the truth was, he didn't mind a bit. If that's the name Sylvie liked then he would like it too. "It's good" he said. "How about Joesph? After my grandfather."

Sylvie made a face. "And my ex-boyfriend?"

"Ok, maybe not." Antonio's hand crept onto Sylvie's belly and she laid her hands on top of his. "How about Isaac? Or Zachary?"

Sylvie closed her eyes. She loved this, conversations like this made her feel excitement for the babies to arrive, instead of the terror she felt most of the time. She'd been having anxiety dreams about things she didn't even know she was anxious about, but moments like this reminded her of the good things that were to come. "We don't have to decide yet."

"You hate them."

"No" Sylvie opened her eyes again. "I like them. But suppose we meet them and the names we pick don't fit?"

Antonio smiled that he had had a similar thought only moments before. "Let's ask them what they think" he said, sliding down so his head was on Sylvie's stomach. She laughed. "What do you want to be called boys?" Antonio lifted up Sylvie's shirt enough to kiss the bare skin of her belly. Twice, as had become his habit.

Antonio continued to plant kissed up Sylvie's body, ignoring her protestations that he was ticking her. He made his way up her, until he was level with her face. "I'm so happy" he said, and now it was Sylvie who kissed him, burying her fingers in his thick dark hair and pulling him towards her. "But I have to go to work."

Sylvie held his head for a beat longer, then unclasped her fingers. Sylvie glanced out the window at the eerie dim light of the morning. "There's a storm coming. Be careful driving in the rain."

Around mid-morning, Matt and Gabby appeared at Sylvie's door armed with groceries and gossip. Sat in the living-room drinking tea, Sylvie was thankful for a distraction from her constant tiredness and aching body.

"Herman called me yesterday. A candidate spot has opened up on Truck 27 and he offered it to me if I want it."

"Gabby, that's great. And do you want it?"

Gabby took a sip of her tea and looked at Casey. "Yeah, I think so. I've been thinking about resuming my training for a while now, this could be the perfect opportunity."

"You'd leave 51?" Sylvie was surprised how sad that thought made her. Even though she knew she would see Gabby all the time anyway, she figured that eventually, when the twins were old enough, she would go back to work and pick up where she left off. But everything was changing. First Herman leaving and now Gabby. Everyone, herself included, was moving on and their firehouse family was no longer the same one she had left.

"I'd have to" Gabby replied. "There's no way the department would let me back on Truck 81 now that Matt and I are married, they were anxious enough when they thought we were only dating."

Sylvie's eyes wandered to Casey, who was looking both worried and proud simultaneously. "What do you think?"

He smiled. "I think it's awesome. If there's anyone I trust to look out for Gabby on the job, it's Herman. He was practically her mentor before any way. Of course, I'll be worried and I'll miss working together, but if it's really what you want I will support you one hundred percent." He turned from Sylvie back to Gabby. "I think you should tell Herman yes."

"Really?"

"Yes!" Matt smiled widely. "Call him now."

"I have to talk to Boden first. And there's a ton of paperwork to sort out, they'll need to find a replacement for me on ambo, and…"

"And nothing!" Sylvie too grinned widely. "You should do this Gabby. I'm really happy for you." Sylvie leant over and hugged her friend tightly. Now Sylvie had something she wanted to share, and she couldn't keep the smile off her face while she shared it. "I asked Antonio to move in with me this morning and he said yes. It makes perfect sense financially, and when the boys are here I'll need his help around the clock anyway. "

"So you asked him for purely practical reasons?" Gabby asked, but the glint in her eye plainly showed she was teasing.

"Of course not. I love him."

"I can't imagine why" Gabby said with a smile. "I lived with him for 15 years, and trust me when I say it was no picnic."

Sylvie felt like she had only been napping for a minute when a knock on the door made her open her eyes. She pushed the blanket aside and slowly stood up from the sofa. When Sylvie looked through the peep hole in the door, the person she saw standing in the hall was the very last person she expected to see.

"Eva. Hi." The teenager stood awkwardly on the threshold, her hair and coat dripping wet. "Do you want to come inside?"

Eva nodded and stepped through the door.

"Why are you here?" Sylvie asked, and she hoped she didn't' sound hostile. She'd spent months hoping to spend some time with Antonio's daughter, if only to explain herself and clear the air, she didn't want to scare her away.

"I've been talking to Dad" Eva said, removing her coat and wringing rain water out of her hair onto the doormat. "I mean, I've been talking to him for months, but not about you. I know I've been selfish, I can see how happy he is when he mentions you and the babies, but he always changed the subject pretty quickly so he wouldn't upset me."

Sylvie walked to the couch and gestured to Eva to follow. Her hands in her lap fidgeted awkwardly, but she looked at Sylvie with a sincere and steady gaze. "It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that my parents were not getting back together. It was hard for me, and I fought it for the longest time. I didn't want to accept that my family was coming apart. But Dad made me realise that my denial was only making me miserable and affecting everyone else around me too." Eva looked upset, Sylvie wanted to say something or do something to make her feel better but sensed that she needed to get whatever it was off her chest completely before they could move forward.

"My behaviour was nothing to do with you personally, I want you to know that. It was just the idea of you. The idea that Dad was starting a new family and was in love with someone who wasn't Mum. Diego was the one who told me toc suck it up. He'd come home from spending time with you guys with stories of picking out nursery colours and feeling the babies kick and I was envious but too stubborn to give in. But my brothers are going to be here so soon and I want them to know me."

Eva finished, and Sylvie finally spoke. "I understand how hard all this must be for you. It was never my intention to cause anyone pain. I didn't plan this, it just happened." Sylvia indicated her belly and it was as if Eva was noticing it for the first time since she walked in the door. She had been so focused on what she needed to say that she hadn't really looked at Sylvie at all.

"You've not got long left now I guess."

"I'm due in 3 weeks but it probably won't even be that long."

"Dad's excited. He told me this morning he's moving in with you" Eva said. "I think he finally got sick of walking on egg shells around me and told me like it is. The bottom line is I've been a stubborn idiot and I'm sorry. I know that you're not trying to steal my Dad away from me, and that the only way I'll lose him is if I continue to refuse to be a part of this new chapter in his life. I want to be a big sister to these babies and I want to get to know you too."

Hearing Eva say those words caused a flood of relief to wash over Sylvie. "I'm so happy to hear you say that." Sylvia took a chance and reached over to squeeze Eva's arm. She was relieved when the girl didn't pull away.

"I brought you something" Eva said, reaching for her backpack. "It's for the nursery. Call it a peace offering."

She pulled out a wrapped canvas and handed it to Sylvie, who took it, all the while watching Eva's face. The girl was still struggling, Sylvie could tell, despite her words, but she was trying hard and that meant more to Sylvie than anything. Antonio's kids were part of the package, she knew that when she first got involved with him, but she hadn't appreciated back then exactly what that meant. She was getting it now.

She unwrapped the bubble wrap to find a black, white and read painting of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. She looked up at Eva and smiled. "Did you paint this?" Eva nodded, embarrassed. "It's brilliant" Sylvie said, and meant it. "You like art?"

"Yes" Eva replied, relaxing a little. "It's about the only thing I can do."

Sylvie admired the painting. "I know just where to hang it. Come on."

The warm yellow walls of the nursery brought light into the room despite the gloomy rain battering the windows. Sylvie drew the curtains to shut it out. Every time she stepped into this room Sylvie felt a twinge of nervous excitement. In less than a month her two baby sons would be sleeping in the matching white cribs. Sylvie had visions of sitting in the rocking chair in the corner in the middle of the night feeding the babies and soothing them back to sleep. She knew it was a romantic notion and a far cry from the chaotic reality that would reign, but she allowed herself a quiet moment of fantasy every once in a while, and it filled her with joy.

Eva followed Sylvie slowly into the room She reached over and spun a tiny little planet Earth suspended over one of the cribs. "Let me guess who picked this out" Eva said, indicating the space themed mobile. "Diego was obsessed with rocket ships as a kid."

Sylvie switched on the lamp. "I think Diego wanted one for himself" Sylvie said. She pointed to the other mobile, boats and cars and aeroplanes hung from the silver chord. "Guess who chose that one?"

Eva laughed. "Dad?"

"You've got it. You know, I don't think there's a single thing in the room that I chose. Here" Sylvie said, holding Eva's painting above the chest of drawers. "What do you think?" A small smile crept onto Eva's face but she didn't know what to say. Sylvie smiled too, understanding Eva's shyness. "There's a hammer and some nails on the kitchen counter."

When Eva re-entered the room only a minute later, Sylvie was leaning against the chest of drawers with her eyes shut, breathing slowly.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. The babies are restless today, that's all. Everything hurts at the moment. That's what you get when you have two actual little people growing inside you." Sylvie put her hand on her belly and forced herself to stand up straight. "They're moving right now. Would you like to feel?"

Timidly, Eva stepped forward. She put the hammer and nails down and gently placed her hands on Sylvie's bump. A second later she pulled away, a look of surprise on her face. "It's so weird."

Sylvie grinned. "Yeah, it is."

Eva replaced her hands and smiled back at her when she felt one of the babies kick again.

After Eva had hung the painting on the wall and they both stood back to look at it. Outside, the storm raged on.

"I should go" Eva said, as they left the nursery and walked back to the living room.

"Eva, have you seen the weather outside? You should stay. Unless you have somewhere else to be."

"I don't, I just thought you'd want to rest."

"I do" Sylvie admitted. "But that doesn't mean you have to leave. Make yourself comfortable. Watch TV. I have plenty of food if you're hungry." There was a clap of thunder outside and the windows shook slightly from the force of the wind. "Will you stay?"

"If you're sure I'm not in the way."

"Not at all."

Sylvie woke with a start. She hadn't realised she had even fallen asleep. Rain and thunder and lightning were still battering Chicago, but that's not what had woken her up.

That was not a baby kicking.

She struggled to sit up and looked at the clock. It was dark outside but it was not yet 4pm, the weather had brought night on early. Sylvie waited. She could hear the TV in the next room and was glad she wasn't alone.

And again. Sylvie took a deep breath to calm herself. Thai was it, she was sure of it, but panicking wouldn't do anyone any good.

Sylvie stood up and opened her bedroom door, leaning on the doorframe for support. "Eva?" Sylvie heard the sound of the TV shut off and Eva walked into view. "You know how I said it would probably be less than 3 weeks before the babies came?"

The look in Eva's face was one of mild panic. "You mean...?"

"I think so."

Eva took Sylvie's arm and led her to the sofa. "What can I do?"

"Breathe." Sylvie smiled, trying to convey that everything really was ok. "Eva, sit down." She duly obliged. "It could be hours yet, and it might not be anything at all."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Not yet" Sylvie said. "It's not safe to drive anywhere in this weather, hopefully the storm will move on before we need to go." Sylvie noticed her slip the word 'we' into that sentence. "I'm sorry" she said. "You don't need to stay."

Eva made a face. "I'm not going to leave you now" she said. "I've only just dried off."

Sylvie smiled. Antonio's 15 year old daughter was not the person she expected to be with her when she went into labour, but she was thankful she wasn't alone.

Sylvie dialled Antonio's number and listened to it ring to voicemail. "Antonio" she said to his recorded voice, "please come home. I think it's time." She hung up without saying anything more. "His phone is off" she told Eva. "Typical."

"I'll call Aunt Gabby" Eva suggested. Sylvie guessed she felt way out of her depth and wanted someone who knew what they were doing here. That wasn't the worst idea. Hell, Sylvie felt out of her depth too. She had delivered other people's babies before but this was far from the same. Eva took out her own phone.

Matt and Gabby didn't live far, within walking distance. She wouldn't dream of asking them to drive the storm otherwise. Eva nodded and put the phone to her ear. When the call was answered the relief on her face was palpable. "Hi" she said nervously. She put the phone on speaker and placed it on the couch between them.

"Hey kiddo" Gabby said. "Everything okay?"

"Erm" she said, unsure how to answer that question. "I'm actually at Sylvie's apartment. I just popped by and got stranded by the storm and, well..."

"I'm in labour Gabby" Sylvie said. "Pretty sure I am anyway. And your stupid brother has his stupid phone turned off."

"Sylvie?" Gabby sounded surprised, but whether at the fact Eva was there or that the babies were coming Sylvie didn't know.

"Are you at home?" Sylvie asked.

"Yeah. Matt too. We'll come right over."

Thirty minutes later, Gabby and Casey were stood outside Sylvie's apartment looking wet but happy. Eva opened the door and launched herself at her Aunt, not caring a bit that she was soaked from the rain.

"I'm so glad you're here" Eva said, not even trying to hide her relief.

Gabby hugged her niece and looked over her shoulder at Sylvie. "How are you doing?"

Sylvie was learning on the back of the sofa, more comfortable standing up than sitting or lying down. Although comfortable was not the first word that came into her mind. "My waters broke" Sylvie announced. "I didn't think that would happen so fast, I only just started feeling pain an hour ago."

Gabby and Matt stepped inside and shrugged off their rain coats. Eva let go of Gabby and gave Matt a quick hug too. "We're here to help" he said, although looked somewhat uncomfortable at the prospect.

Luckily Gabby was completely unfazed. There wasn't anyone else Sylvie would rather have with her in a crisis. Although there was one other person she would rather have with her right now. One other Dawson.

"Have you got through to Antonio yet?"

Gabby kicked off her boots and went to Sylvie's side, massaging her back soothingly and offering a shoulder to lean on for support. "Not yet" she admitted. "I got through to his office, Stone said he and Nagel were out interviewing a suspect, he said he'd try to keep reaching him."

Sylvie closes her eyes. She so badly wanted him with her, but more than that she didn't want to be worrying about him out in the storm. She groaned. "He's supposed to be here" Sylvie said, then stopped. "No, actually, we're both supposed to be at a hospital on a maternity ward, not in my living room."

Gabby and Matt shared a look. Walking the 10 blocks to Sylvie's apartment they had seen trees down across streets and traffic chaos. Even if an ambulance could get through, it was probably best they stayed put for now.

"We brought some supplies" Matt said, hauling a carrier bag into the couch. "We stopped at a drug store on the way."

"Oh god" Sylvie said, grimacing. "I don't want to give birth here."

"It won't come to that" Gabby said. "It's just a precaution. Once the storm has passed we'll get you to the hospital, but right now I think it's best we stay put."

In the kitchen, Matt filled a couple of glasses with water and stared outside at the stormy night.

"Uncle Matt?"

Matt turned around. He hadn't even heard Eva enter the room. "Hey. How's everything going out there?"

She shrugged. "Aunt Gabby took Sylvie into the bedroom. I don't even want to know."

"It's pretty intense, huh?" Matt held out his arm and squeezed Eva into a hug.

"It's weird."

Matt laughed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I wish Dad was here though."

In the bedroom, Gabby pulled a blanket out of the closet. Sylvia sat back on the bed, breathing evenly and trying to stay calm. "I think Eva's freaked out" she said.

"Probably. But she's a tough kid really, definitely her father's daughter." Gabby closed the closet door. "Do you want to stay in here for a while?"

Sylvie nodded. Actually, she didn't really know or care. She didn't even really care whether she was at the hospital or not, although that would probably change when she went into active labour. She just really wanted Antonio.

There was a knock and Eva opened the door. She had Sylvie's phone to her ear and a smile on her face. "It's Dad" she said, offering the phone to Sylvie, who took it gratefully.

"I just got your message, I'm so sorry I couldn't answer. Is it really happening?"

At the sound of his voice Sylvie's emotions bubbled over and a tear slid down her cheek. It was real for her now. Today she was going to meet her babies. "Yeah, it's happening. My waters broke."

"Oh my god. You're still at home? Can you get to the hospital?"

Sylvie looked at Gabby who was standing with her arm round Eva's shoulders listening to Sylvie's side of the conversation. A concerned look passed across Sylvie's face and she looked nervously out of the rain streaked window. "I don't know" she said. "It's pretty bad outside. It's alright, Gabby's here with me. And Casey. And Eva." Sylvie smiled.

Antonio didn't really know what to say about that. His daughter was a constant mystery to him, but he was pleased and proud that she had begun to come around. Typical that she picked today of all days to try and bury the hatchet.

"I'll come right home" Antonio said, then laughed and Sylvie clouds just imagine the way his eyes were lighting up with excitement. "I can't believe the boys are coming."

Sylvie smiles through her tears, and wiped her face with her sleeve. "I know."

"I love you so much."

"I love you too. Antonio, please please be careful."

"Baby, don't worry. I'll walk all the way if I have to, I'm not missing this."

"That felt like a big one" Sylvie said, and looked at her friend apprehensively. "Gabby, I should be at the hospital. I should have left the minute I knew I was in labour. I waited too long."

"I'm here, ok. Whatever happens, it will be ok."

Sylvie nodded. She had said those words enough times her selves to patients without truly meaning them, but in this moment, it was just easier to believe that Gabby was telling the truth. Matt was holding Sylvie's hand. Eva hovered some way away, looking helpless and terrified. Gabby looked from her husband to her niece and back to her friend, hoping to reassure them all. She took Sylvie's other hand in hers and picked up the towel lying on the table nearby. She mopped Sylvie's brow.

"Gabby, I do not want to give birth on my living room floor."

Gabby looked at her with sympathy. "Honey, you may not have a choice."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Listen to me, nothing will go wrong." Gabby wished she knew that for sure but had to stay positive.

Sylvie had another contraction and squeezed Matt and Gabby's hands as the pain surged through her whole body. "Where in the hell is Antonio?!"

Rain hammered the side walk, and collected steadily in a discarded take out container lying in the gutter. What was he doing lying on the sidewalk? And why did everything hurt? Antonio was dimly aware of someone leaning over him and speaking, although Antonio couldn't hear what they were saying.

Antonio heard a clap of thunder and thought how absurd it was that he was even outside in this weather when he should be inside with his girlfriend. His last though before passing out was of Sylvie.