This was one epic chapter, I had to split it into two parts. I'm exhausted just writing it! I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for all the kind reviews so far.

edit: Sorry for that hiccup! I was in a hurry to get the new chapter up before I left for work and uploaded the wrong one!

Chapter 5 part 2

Matt ended the call, his face as white as a sheet. He didn't say a word. He was frozen to the spot, clutching Gabby's phone. He slowly stepped into Gabby's line of vision and waited, pleading with her silently to glance up.

She did, and did a bad job of hiding her alarm when she saw the look on Matt's face.

"Eva" she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "Come and hold Sylvie's hand."

Luckily Sylvie had her eyes closed, breathing through another contraction, but she opened them when she heard Gabby talk. "Where are you going? What's wrong?

Gabby brushed hair from Sylvie's face and looked her in the eye. "Nothing sweetie. I just need to go to the bathroom."

Eva knelt down and Gabby stood up and walked to her husband, who took her arm to lead her into the bedroom. He made sure the door was shut before saying a word.

"Matt, you're scaring me. What's happened?" Gabby searched his face for a clue, an ominous feeling rising in her gut.

"Antonio's been hit by a car" Matt said, and Gabby's eyes grew wide with shock. "That was Dr. Halstead at Med on the phone, Antonio must have you down as his next of kin. He was knocked unconscious about half a block from his car, it looks like he parked to walk the rest of the way. Dr Halstead said he was struck from behind on his left side when a car mounted the curb, it was the driver who called 911."

Gabby sat down on the edge of the bed in disbelief. "Well, how is he?" she asked, agitated. "What did Will say?"

Matt sat down too and squeezed Gabby's hand. "He said he's broken some ribs and has concussion but it could have been a lot worse. They're running some tests." He paused. This situation was unbelievable, he couldn't fall apart and he couldn't let Gabby fall apart either.

"Is he awake?"

Matt shook his head. "He'll be ok Gabby. He will. You have to focus on Sylvie."

"We can't tell her" Gabby said, resolutely. "She needs to stay calm."

"And have her think Antonio doesn't want to be here?"

Gabby thought quickly, her brain still trying to process the shock. "We'll say he's waiting for her at the hospital. It's not a lie. Matt, we can't say a word."

"And Eva?"

"What about me?" They hadn't heard the door open, but now Eva stood on the threshold. "What are you whispering about in here? The contractions are getting closer" she said to Gabby, "you better get back out here."

Matt grabbed Eva's arm and pulled her into the room. He looked at Gabby. They couldn't keep this from her now, not now she was already suspicious.

"Darling, sit down" Gabby said, standing up to make room for Eva on the bed. Her niece obeyed, but her face contorted into worry, knowing something was wrong.

Gabby crouched down in front of her. "Your Dad's been in an accident" Gabby said, taking Eva's hands. "He was hit by a car. He's at the hospital and he's being taken care of." Eva gasped and Gabby had to hush her. "I need you to be strong" she said, "can you do that? Sylvie cannot know, not now. The babies are coming and she needs to concentrate on that."

Tears began to fall down Eva's face. "How? What?"

"Sweetheart, please." Now the panic was slowly rising higher and higher in Gabby, panic that Eva would spill, panic for Sylvie and the babies, and panic for her brother and his condition. A flash of lightning illuminated the window, a manifestation of Gabby's emotions.

Eva slowly nodded, trying to control her sobs. "I can't go out there. Sylvie will know something is up."

"You can stay in here" Matt said. "Lie down. Answer the phone if the hospital call. Maybe you can even talk to your Dad when he wakes up" he smiled, reassuringly. "We need to go back to Sylvie."

Eva nodded, taking the phone. Matt helped Gabby to her feet and kissed her on the forehead. "You can do this" he said. "I believe in you."

"Where have you been?" Sylvie said, exasperated. "Please don't leave me alone."

Gabby went to her, pushing all other thoughts away with monumental effort. She crouched down to Sylvie on the floor. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

"Where's Eva?"

"She had to lie down, she wasn't feeling well."

"I'm sorry for scaring her. I can't imagine how overwhelming this is for her."

"She's fine Sylvie. Just concentrate on your breathing."

"Antonio's not coming, is he?" Sylvie said after a minute.

Gabby took a breath. "I'm sorry, he couldn't get through. He'll be at the hospital waiting for us."

"I wish he was here." Sylvie looked up and tried to swallow her tears. It broke Gabby's heart but she had to be strong.

"I know. But you can do this. Let me check on how things are going down there." Gabby smiled, trying to make light of what was happening but she wasn't fooling anyone, not least herself.

Eva must have called Antonio 30 times, sobbing harder every time it went to voicemail, before someone answered his phone. "Is my Dad awake yet? Please, I need to talk to him."

When they finally put Antonio on the phone, he sounded out of it, but Eva's relief at hearing his voice, however groggy, was palpable. "Dad" she cried, then couldn't get any more word out.

"Hey, shhh" Antonio said. "Eva, Sweetheart, I'm okay."

"I was so worried."

"I know, but I'm really ok."

"You were hit bar a car." Saying those words out loud made Eva take a sharp breath, she was in mild shock.

"I've got concussion and my ribs are killing me, but come on, you know me, I'm tough. I've been through worse." Reminding his only daughter that he had once been shot probably wasn't the smartest idea but Antonio didn't dwell on it. "How's Sylvie?"

Eva sat down on the bed, finally convinced that her Dad was alright. She looked towards the door, where she could hear Sylvie's screams coming from the other side. "The babies are coming really soon, Dad. I think it's too late for an ambulance."

"Eva, I need you to be brave. I wish so much that I could be there holding Sylvie's hand, but I can't. you will have to do it for me. Can you do that?"

"I'll try" she said. "You should speak to her, I know she'd want to hear your voice."

"No, I shouldn't." It pained Antonio to say that, but he knew the minute Sylvie heard his voice she would know something was wrong. When he spoke again, there was a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes. "She'll be devastated, and she needs to focus. You have to help her for me Eva, promise me."

Eva took a deep breath after ending the call after a few more tearful words and walked back into the room. Her aunt and uncle both looked up and she nodded that she was ok. She went straight to Sylvie and sat down on the floor beside her. "I spoke to Dad" she said, mostly to Gabby so she would know it was true. A weight was lifted off Gabby knowing her brother was awake and talking, and Eva knew she had been right to say it. Sylvie wasn't the only one who needed to concentrate. "He told me to tell you he loves you and he's heartbroken that he can't be here."

A tear slid down Sylvie's cheek and Eva grabbed her hand. Matt was sat the other side of Sylvie and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "It wasn't supposed to be like this" she said quietly to the universe.

"You can do this" Eva said. "We're all here for you."

Gabby looked at her niece with pride and love. She was so proud of her stepping up. "She's right, you know."

"Are you sure we can't call an ambulance? Please, just try one more time."

"I'll make one more call" Gabby said. "But I think you're having the babies here and there's not much we can do about that."

Gabby left them then, taking her phone from Eva and walking to the kitchen. Sylvie slumped back against the couch, exhausted, leaning on Matt for support. She was thankful her friends were there, but he was not the man she wanted holding her right now. She should have called 911 when he waters broke, it was her fault. She left it too late and now if something went wrong it would be on her.

Matt read the expression on her face and guessed what he was thinking. "It's not your fault Sylvie."

"It is" she replied through her tears. "It's my body, I should have known how quickly my labour was progressing and tried to get to the hospital."

Matt shook his head. "No, if you had you could be giving birth in the back of a car in a traffic jam right now. Instead you're warm and safe in your own home with people who love you and someone who knows what they're doing. You made the right call. Do you hear me? You made the right call."

Gabby stood behind Matt and waiting for him to finish before she re-joined the trio. She hoped to God in that moment that she did know what she was doing and that her husband's faith in her was justified. She felt a tremendous amount of pressure then, not only was she about to help one of her best friends deliver her nephews, she was about to do it with limited medical supplies and the knowledge that if anything went wrong there may not be any back up.

Gabby crouched back down in front of Sylvie. "I'm going to be real with you" she said, looking her in the eye. "I've called someone but it's chaos out there because of the weather. They probably won't be able to get here in time." Sylvie nodded slowly, accepting the fact. "But I've done this before, you know that. I won't let anything happen to you or your babies."

Sylvie took a deep breath, summoning all the strength she had left. "Okay. I can do this."

Gabby smiled. "Of course you can. You're going to meet your sons so soon, focus on that."

Sylvie's contractions kept coming, closer and closer together, and she had to fight to concentrate when all her body wanted to do was give in. The pain was unreal but by focussing on the end result, bringing two healthy babies into the world, Sylvie was able to push through. Seeing the calm confidence on Gabby's face, whether she was feeling it or not, was just what Sylvie needed.

"Here's another" Sylvie said, gritting her teeth against the pain of a contraction. "I really feel that I need to push. Can I push?"

Gabby checked. "Yes" she said, every emotion imaginable in that moment showing on her face. "I think you can."

"Oh my god" Eva said. "This is unreal."

"It feels very real to me" Sylvie said, but laughed, despite everything.

"Ok" Gabby said, "when you feel the next contraction, you can push."

The first baby was born a little after 9pm, and no one in that room had ever felt emotions quite like the ones they felt when he took his first breath. There were tears, and relief, but everyone knew it was not over yet.

"He's here" Gabby said, gently cradling her newborn nephew. She cleared his airway and checked him over, marvelling at his tiny body.

"How is he? Is he okay?" Sylvie panted. With effort, she lifted her head from Matt's shoulder to look up.

His impassioned cries filled the apartment and neither Sylvie, Gabby, Matt or Eva could stop themselves crying either.

"He's perfect" Gabby said, and held him up for Sylvie to see.

Sylvie gazed at this squirming, wrinkled creature and the love she felt for him hit her with more force than she had imagined. She thought she had been prepared for what she would feel when the time came, when she truly became a mother, but she wasn't. "Hi baby."

"You can hold him any minute" Gabby said. "His brother's right behind him."

Gabby lay the baby down on a blanket on the floor and clipped the cord, cutting it with a pair of sterilised nail scissors. She wrapped him tightly in the blanket and lifted him up. Passing him to Matt, the couple shared a moment, but there was no time for sentimentality yet.

"Antonio should be here" Sylvie whispered.

"I know" Gabby said. "I know."

There was a knock at the door and at the sound of the familiar gravelly voice coming from the other side, Gabby could have cried with relief. "Thank God."

Eva scrambled up to open the door to find Herman and his truck company standing on the other side. "Did someone call for a knight in shining turnout gear?"

At the sight of Sylvie on the floor and the baby in Matt's arms, Herman motioned for his guys to stay in the hallway. Sylvie didn't need an audience, but Gabby's pleading expression beckoned him to come inside.

"Herman?" Even in her fatigued semi-delirious state, Sylvie was sure she wasn't imagining things.

"Hey kid" he said, a grin on his face. "How's it going?"

"I've been better" Sylvie replied.

Herman sat down and took he place that Matt had recently vacated. Completely unfazed, he took Sylvie's hand and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders. He'd done this five times with Cindy at the births of his own kids, he was an old hand at this and took up the role that he needed to without a word.

"One down one to go" Gabby said. "Are you ready to go again?"

"Something's wrong, I know it. But I don't know what. If I had monitors and equipment I might know, but I'm lost."

Herman and Matt both looked at Gabby and then each other with dread. They were standing in the kitchen, they needed to talk without letting Sylvie or Eva know how scared they were. Matt still held the first baby in his arms. He didn't want to put him down. He couldn't do much to help he realised, but this he could do.

"The minute this baby is out, we gotta go. Get your guys ready."

"They're ready" said Herman. "Will you be able to? Get this baby out I mean?"

"I don't have a choice" Gabby said, then took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Look, he's not breach, that at least I know. It's Sylvie I'm mostly worried about, if I were to take a guess I'd say her blood pressure is low, that's why she seems so spaced out. My fear is that she'll pass out before the second baby is born and if that happens they're both in danger."

Back in the living room, Sylvie grabbed Gabby's hand. "You don't have to lie to me, I know something's wrong. I don't feel at all well."

"Herman's truck is waiting downstairs, the moment your baby is out we're heading to the hospital. You just need to hold on."

A tear fell Dow Sylvie's face. "I don't know if I can."

"Eva." Matt gestured for her to join him and she let go of Sylvie and stood up. Matt pulled out an armchair. "Sit down. Hold your brother. I need to help." Eva sank into the chair and took the baby.

"What can I do?" Matt asked Gabby.

"Keep her awake." When she spoke again it was to Sylvie. "When your next contraction comes, I need you to push." Sylvie began to cry and shake her head. "I know you're exhausted and I know you're scared but you need to stay with me. Come on, I know you, I know you can do it."

Once his head was out it was easy. When Gabby saw that he was breathing the relief she felt was indescribable.

"Why isn't he crying?"

That was Eva. She craned her neck to look. Gabby massaged the baby's chest, trying to stimulate him. While his brother had struggled, and fought his way into the world like a baby should, this one was limp and hadn't seemed to kick start his fight for life. "Come on little one" Gabby urged. The baby stirred. He opened his eyes. Gabby picked him up and that was the thing that elicited his cries. It wasn't until she was sure the baby was well that she looked up.

"Thank God. Sylvie, he's fine, he's fine."

But Sylvie was not. That last effort had been too much. Her eyes fluttered shut.

"Sylvie. Sylvie, stay with us."

Matt was shaking Sylvie's shoulders to no avail. Gabby froze. It was Herman who took charge then, finally letting his guys into the apartment. "Gabby, come on. Let's go." Someone pulled her to her feet and steered her towards the door. She still clutched the baby to her. Herman lifted Sylvie into his arms and rushed out of the apartment.

The ride to the hospital in the back of the rig felt like it took a lifetime, although in reality it can't have lasted more than 10 minutes. All Gabby could do for Sylvie was check she was breathing, and check her pulse. It was a tight squeeze in the back of the fire engine, but comfort was the last thing on anyone's mind. Sylvie was lying on the floor, her head in Gabby's lap. Herman was sitting on the bench beside Gabby, cushioning her head from hitting anything whenever the truck swung around a corner. In the cab, Eva and Matt cradled the twins, who were wrapped in two jackets donated by Herman and one of the other crew. They murmured softly, but Gabby was unaware of anything but the blaring siren and Sylvie's unconscious body.

There was already a gurney waiting when they pulled up in the ambulance bay at Med, and anyone available in the emergency department had descended to lend a hand. Sylvie was one of them, and they were going to do everything they could to help her.

By the time Gabby reached the trauma room where Sylvie was being treated, she had already been hooked up to monitors and drips and doctors shouted instructions to each other across the table. Gabby was barred from entering by Maggie, gently but sternly the nurse told her to stay outside. She was about to protest but something made her stop. Ten feet away stood Antonio, his arm in a sling and stitches on his forehead. He looked terrible, and when Gabby locked eyes with him the utter terror in his expression shocked her out of her daze. He was scared to take one more step, scared of what he might find if he did.

Gabby ran to him. Gently, mindful of his injuries, she took him in her arms. Her big brother, who had always been there to comfort her was the one that needed comforting.

"How is she? What happened?"

Gabby was still trying to make sense of events in her head, but she knew she had to say something soon or Antonio would only think the worst. "I don't know" Gabby said. "They're working on her in there. I delivered the babies but then she lost consciousness, I don't know why. I'm sorry Antonio, I'm sorry."

"You…?" The question died on his lips.

Gabby nodded. "The babies were born on your livingroom flor." She released Antonio and stepped back to look at his face. He was crying.

"I should have been there" he said. "Sylvie needed me and I wasn't there."

"Stop it" Gabby said. "You had a pretty good excuse. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Antonio waved Gabby's concerns away. "It's doesn't matter. I should never have gone to work this morning."

"You're here now, that's all that matters. Sylvie will need you to be strong."

Only then did Antonio and Gabby dare to glance through the blinds into the trauma room. "She has to be okay" Antonio muttered, more to himself than to Gabby. "She has to be okay." He repeated the mantra over and over under his breath as the siblings stood in the hospital corridor watching the team work.

Natalie Manning sat down beside Antonio in the doctor's lounge and offered him a cup of water. He didn't take it, just continued to stare into space. She put it down on the table and squeezed his hand. The staff had taken pity on him and let him wait in here rather than the usual family waiting room. Antonio was thankful for the peace and quiet. He should really have been in his own bed on a ward resting from his accident, but they knew better than to try and keep him there.

"They called down from the OR" Dr Manning said. "Sylvie's out of surgery. She lost a lot of blood but they managed to repair the damage with no lasting effects. She'll be ok."

Antonio slumped forward his face in his hands, crumbling with emotion. "I was so scared" he said. "If I'd lost her..." Antonio couldn't bear to finish that thought. "Can I see her?"

"Not yet, she's still in recovery. They're running some more tests. Listen, have you seen the babies yet?"

Antonio shook his head. He couldn't explain it, but while Sylvie was in surgery all he could focus on was her. Of course he wanted to meet his sons, but with the worry of whether or night Sylvie would make it hanging over him it would have been more than he could handle. And the thought of meeting them without Sylvie by his side was unimaginable. But he had to, if only so he could tell Sylvie about them when they let him into see her.

"They're up in the NICU" Dr Manning said. "They were premature so they need to be monitored closely, but they're doing great. You should see them."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't, not while…"

Dr Manning put her hand on his shoulder. "I understand, but everyone's fine. I promise. Come on, I'll take you to them."

Antonio nodded and stood up, but paused, a thought striking him. "My belongings that I had when I came in, where are they?"

"They'll be at the nurse's station. We can get them on our way."

Antonio was relieved. There was only one thing he wanted.

Eva threw herself at her Dad before Antonio had even walked into the NICU, and Gabby had to gently remind her to be careful. Antonio kissed his daughter's head. She didn't let go until Antonio unwound her arms from his waist. "I was so worried" Eva said.

He looked past Eva to Gabby and Matt, who were standing between two incubators.

"The breathing tubes are really just a precaution, a little extra help after their traumatic entrance into the world" Dr Manning told him as he slowly approached. "Both their vitals are normal. It's a miracle really. They can be moved to the nursey later today, we just want to watch them for a little longer to be sure."

As Antonio got nearer, Gabby and Matt stepped away, giving Antonio space for this special moment. He looked on in wonder at the sleeping babies. His babies. "Hi" he said in a small voice, looking from one to the other. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."

Left alone to get acquainted with his new baby sons, Antonio couldn't hold it together any longer. He cried, for what he missed and what he almost lost, and vowed then and there that he would never put his work before his family again. He took the small velvet box from his pocket and studied it. "I have something you ask your Mom later, what do you reckon?"

Antonio sniffed and wiped a tear from his eye. He had been a fool. Waiting for the right time, wanting to make a big romantic gesture, when he should have just asked Sylvie to marry him the moment he knew that's what he wanted. Asking the question was the romantic gesture, and every minute of every day for the last 7 months was the right time.

One of the babies stretched in his sleep, his tiny fingers grabbing at the air. Antonio pay his palm flat on the clear side of the incubator, wanting to take his hand, touch his soft skin. He had the rest of his life to hold his sons and get to know them. He would do it right this time, he would learn from his past mistakes and try his hardest not to make them again. This family would stay together. He would fight for Sylvie, whatever it took. He could have lost her tonight, she could have died without knowing how he felt about her. He had to rectify that. Right now.

"I'll see you later" he whispered, and blew kisses to his baby boys. "I have something important to do."

Sylvie was still sedated but if her stats continued to improve the doctors would ween her off the drugs soon and they hoped she would come around soon after. They had tried to get Antonio to go back to bed to get some rest but he had refused to leave Sylvie's side. He would be here when she woke up no matter how long it took. Gabby had sat with him for a while, but eventually she and Matt had left to take Eva home, promising they would be back in the morning.

He had spoken to Sylvie's parents. That was one of the hardest calls he'd ever had to make. They had promised to board a flight as soon as the airport reopened. He had also talked to his own parents to let them know what had happened, but assured first his mother then his father he would call them again tomorrow and they didn't need to rush to the hospital now.

The ward was quiet, it was way after midnight, it felt like it was only him and Sylvie in the whole place. He held her hand and gazed at her beautiful peaceful face and had never loved her more than at that moment. "I'm so proud of you" he whispered, and stroked her cheek. "I can't wait for you to see our sons. They are just perfect. You did that. I love you so much."

Antonio pulled his chair closer to Sylvie's bed and lay his head down on top of the sheet. He felt the soft rise and fall of her body as Sylvie breathed and drifted to sleep, lulled by the rhythm.

He awoke to find a nurse in the room, checking Sylvie's vitals and making notes in her chart. Antonio breathed deeply and stretched, massaging his stiff neck. His ribs were killing him, so too was his arm.

The nurse turned when she heard him and smiled at him. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"What time is it?"

"Almost 6, you slept right through the night."

"How is she?"

"She's improving by the hour. We should be able to try taking her off sedation in a couple of hours."

"Do you know how the babies are doing?"

"No, but I can find out."

Waiting for her to return, Antonio stood and paced the room, stretching his stiff limbs. The ward was beginning to wake up, he could hear people in the corridor beginning their day. A moment later the nurse returned.

"I spoke to Dr Manning, your boys are doing really well."

"Thank you."

"We'll check on Sylvie again at rounds. You should take a break until then, grab a coffee or a shower?"

"No, I'm good" Antonio said, sitting back down. "Do you hear that baby?" he said, taking hold of Sylvie's hand again. "The boys are doing well."

When the doctor took Sylvie off the sedative, he said it could take a while for her to come around, that Antonio should be patient. But he was a bundle of nerves, the worse case scenario, that she wouldn't wake up at all, kept turning over and over in his mind. He had tried to calm him, but he thanked her and said he would rather be left alone.

It was the longest half hour of his life, waiting for Sylvie to open her eyes, but when she did the relief Antonio felt was indescribable.

Sylvie looked around the room, confusion on her face but her eyes fell on Antonio's face and she smiled.

"Hey" he said, brushing her hair from her face, "you had us all worried?"

"Where are the babies?" Sylvie asked with panic on her face. She tried to sit up, but Antonio was quick to soothe her.

"They're in the NICU. They're doing fine. I'm so proud of you, I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

It was then that Sylvie noticed the stitches on Antonio's head. She reached out her hand and Antonio flinched. "Antonio, what happened?"

"I had a bit of an accident, I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about." Sylvie didn't need the details now, there would be time for all of that later. They'd both had one hell of a day, reliving the details was not top of either of their priority lists. "I need you to know how much I love you. If I could go back and be there with you…"

Now it was Sylvie's turn to provide comfort. "It doesn't matter. What matters is you're here now."

"I am, and I'm not going anywhere."

"Have you seen the boys?" Sylvie asked.

"I have. They're gorgeous Sylvie. I can't wait for you to meet them properly." Antonio paused. He patted the box in his pocket. He didn't want to waste another moment. Sylvie watched him, his head bowed, and saw twenty different emotions cross his face. She stoked his arm and smiled weakly at him.

Antonio took a deep breath, opened the box, and took the diamond ring that he had been carrying around for a month between his thumb and forefinger. Sylvie saw it and put her hand to her mouth, speechless. Antonio pushed the chair away and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I love you so much. I've been trying to find the right time for so long now to ask you this question and it never felt quite right. But I've realised it doesn't matter when I ask you, or where. Today was the most terrified I've been in a long long time, when I thought that I may never see you again or be able to tell you how I feel about you, I couldn't breathe. I want to make you a promise. I promise to think of you first in everything I do. Family is everything to me, Sylvie. You are everything to me. I promise to be the best man that I can be for you and the twins. Always."

Tears were falling down Sylvie's face, but they were happy tears. Antonio picked up her left hand and she laughed nervously. Her sedation had not worn off completely yet, but she was pretty sure that had nothing to do with the giddiness she felt when Antonio looked deep into her eyes. "Sylvie Brett. Will you marry me?"

"Yes." Sylvie nodded furiously. "Of course I will."

Antonio slid the ring onto her finger, and she threw her arms around his neck when he bent down to kiss her. When they pulled apart and looked at each other they both had tears in their eyes.

"I'm kinda high on pain meds right now" Sylvie said, laughing through her tears. "You may have to remind me of this later, I might think it was all a dream."

Antonio kissed her again. "I'm the one who's dreaming."

Sylvie had threatened to get out of bed and walk there herself if she had to wait any longer to meet her sons. Antonio had negotiated to bring the babies to Sylvie, scared that she would follow through on her threat. He helped Sylvie sit up, propping pillows behind her back to support her. Despite her protests, she was still weak. Her body had been through one hell of a struggle, not to mention an operation.

Two nurses entered, bringing the twins in their little portable cribs to the side of Sylvie's bed where Antonio was standing. Sylvie watched in amazement, her eyes filling with tears. She'd done a lot of crying lately, she had a feeling there would be plenty more tears to come. The nurses left silently, leaving the brand new family to share their first special moment together.

Antonio bent down and gently lifted one of the babies from his crib. Wrapped snugly in a blanket with a little blue hat on his head, he was sleeping soundly. "This little guy was second to arrive" he said, placing the baby in Sylvie's arms. "Gabby tells me you haven't met him yet."

Sylvie took him eagerly. "Hi little one. It's good to finally meet you."

Antonio held the other baby now, and rocked him back and forth when he began to fuss. He stared down at his tiny face, besotted.

"I can't believe they're ours" Sylvie said, stoking her son's soft cheek with her thumb.

Antonio sat down on the chair, resting the baby in his lap. "Look what we made."

"They need names" Sylvie said. "I have an idea."

Later that morning, when the babies were back in the nursery, what seemed like half the first responders in the city stopped by to see how they were doing. News of their dramatic birth had spread and everyone was clamouring to meet the babies and share their congratulations and good wishes. Antonio had left Sylvie's side long enough to thank everyone for coming and tell them that Sylvie needed to rest but she was grateful to them all for everything. Antonio hugged Herman longest of all. He had learned the effort him and his crew had gone to in order to clear the street to get to Sylvie. One by one the peeled away, making Antonio promise to give them updates and share photos of the twins as soon as he could.

Antonio grabbed his sister's arm, signalling to her to stay back, and asked if they would come into Sylvie's room for a minute, they had something they wanted to share. Gabby saw the ring on Sylvie's finger the moment she walked in and threw her arms around Sylvie. Matt shook Casey's hand and patted him on the back.

Gabby hugged her brother. "About time" she said. "I'm so happy for you Tonio."

"Thanks sis" he said, kissing her forehead, "but that's not why we called you in here, we have something else we want to tell you both."

"I don't think I can take any more surprises" Gabby said.

"Don't worry, you'll like this one."

Antonio sat down on the bed and put his arm around Sylvie. She met his eyes and he nodded encouragingly. It had been her idea, she should be the one to say it. "I can't thank you both enough for yesterday. You supported me, you kept me calm, you helped bring our sons into the world safely and you took care of me when I needed it most. I wanted to show you just how grateful we are for everything you did, I'll truly never forget it, and we'll make sure the boys grow up knowing just how amazing their aunt and uncle are."

Matt and Gabby shared a look and held each other in a hug. Gabby was close to tears, and it made Sylvie well up too. "Stop it" Gabby said, "you're our family, of course we would be there for you."

Sylvie sniffed. "We decided on names" she said, smiling at Antonio. "Matteo and Gabriel."

There were a lot of tears and hugs in that room, Sylvie sat in the middle of it all exhausted but happier than she had ever felt in her life up until then. Whatever the future brought for her, whatever obstacles life threw in her way, she knew she could get through it with the people she loved by her side.