Things were peaceful for a time after the dream was revealed. Brooklyn soon entered his 33rd week of pregnancy.
The twins were putting much more pressure on his internal organs and on his back. By now, he had to sit much of the night away. But he was still allowed to be up to do a little walking for exercise.
Fox observed how the red male was in pain all the time and bored. Then she remembered one other fun thing he could do. She went to him one night with a fun idea in mind. He was just sitting in the living room chair.
"Hi, Brooklyn." Fox greeted him.
"Oh, hi." He replied. "What's up?"
"I know you're feeling restless at this time with all the discomforts of your pregnancy, but there is something else you could do for exercise to take pressure off your feet and back." Fox recommended.
"What?"
"How much do you like to go swimming?" Fox asked.
"Never really thought about it. Usually only when I've had to." Brook replied.
"Well, you can feel free to use the pool in the paradise part of the castle if you want." Fox said. "If you want to have more exercise and not be sitting around being bored."
"Sounds like fun. Yeah, I'll consider it, Fox. Thanks." Brooklyn stated.
They had been doing their Lamaze lessons together still too. The breathing techniques helped when the twins were putting a lot of pressure on his organs and into his chest. It was definitely putting a strain on his breathing sometimes.
From his last ultrasound, the twins were both in head down positions. It didn't really help him any, though he felt some pressure on his pelvis too. Of course, he wasn't having them the normal way even if he wanted to. So many of his ligaments were stretched beyond what they were supposed to be to support the twins.
Now that Brooklyn was in the final stages of pregnancy, Dr. Sato was now going to come by weekly to examine him to make sure the twins were alright. He at least wanted the babies to make it to their 36th or 37th week. The lungs needed to be developed enough for them to be delivered.
...
Lexington was the smallest in the clan. If he stayed home, he was usually babysitting, but now, Brooklyn was doing the babysitting to get as much child experience as possible. Owen still took Alex out for magic lessons and all, but there were sometimes still business things to take care of.
Lex wouldn't really be able to handle the biggest of opponents if they attacked the castle. The taller gargoyles had to stay more and be there for Brooklyn while he was still pregnant. It made the red one feel incapacitated at times that he couldn't be of more help to the clan out in public. Then, Brook was feeling what heavily pregnant females felt at this time. He still felt worried for each time they left the castle that something might happen to them.
One night, there was such an event that happened. The clan had left for patrol. Broadway had been left with Brooklyn and Bronx tonight. The gar dog was with Brooklyn almost constantly, though he would still hang with Hudson too.
The gargoyles all wore earphones in their ears now, except for Brooklyn at this time. Sato recommended it until after the pregnancy so he wasn't stressed if things should go bad. He had enough worries about his own body and babies.
All the other clan members were trying to investigate robberies up in Chinatown lately. Usually, the clan could handle things fine but when Broadway got a call that Jackel and Hyena were attacking the clan, they needed backup.
"I'm on my way." Broadway replied to Goliath.
The aqua male went to find his brother. He found him in the tv room while he had been in the library before. "Hey, Brooklyn, I have to run out to help the clan. They're in trouble in Chinatown." Broadway explained.
"What sort of trouble?" Brooklyn looked up from his program.
"Jackel and Hyena. I'll be back soon. Just stay here. I'll leave Bronx with ya since he can't glide. Take care of Brooklyn, boy." Broadway declared before running out to the battlements as fast as he could.
Brooklyn couldn't move as fast as he used to. He would have been there in a moment if he had been able to. "I hope they all come back alright." Brook told Bronx. Bronx whimpered up at his red master. "Yeah, I know. I wish we could go with them."
There was nothing Brooklyn could do but wait. He hoped they all came back before sunrise. It made him turn off the tv and go outside with Bronx following him. He was going to be watching for them. He brought a chair with him and his baby book.
To distract himself, he also started looking up names for the twins. He was sure they were one of each. He was looking through the baby name book he got at his baby shower. Just as he thought he had decided the first name for one of his kids in the girl section, Brooklyn heard his clan return. What he saw was really distressing.
Brooklyn stood up and went to see what had happened. He held his back. He heard words saying, "Hurry! Get him to the medical ward immediately!" That was Angela.
In the infirmary, Broadway was severely injured. David, Fox, Elisa, and Owen were all in there along with Lexington. The others were waiting outside while Goliath had carried him in there and had come back out.
When Brooklyn got to the infirmary with Bronx by his side, he asked, "What happened to him?"
"Jackel and Hyena tore up Broadway pretty bad with their saws!" Angela exclaimed, crying. She was worried for her mate.
"He'll be fine if he makes to sunrise. We won't let him die without a fight, Lass." Hudson took her into his arms. He was doing his best to comfort her.
"I hope he'll be alright. I wish I coulda stopped him from going, but I couldn't." Brooklyn said, some tears coming to his eyes.
"We needed some extra help." Goliath replied. "But we wouldn't have wanted you to come in your condition anyway. You are wise in how to deal with opponents and wished you could be with us, Brooklyn."
"Thanks, but that'll be again soon." Brook replied.
It was a little while later that David came out of the infirmary with blood all over him. Brooklyn saw that and couldn't help but faint at all the blood. He was usually a strong one, but his hormones were still doing stuff to him.
Goliath caught him. He set him down before asking, "How is Broadway?"
"He's going to be fine. He had some deep cuts in his stomach and limbs, but he's stitched up and ready to wake up, or ready for sunrise." David explained.
"Can I see him?" Angela asked.
"Yes, you can go on in."
Angela immediately bolted through the doors to go to her injured mate. Then, Lex came out. He too was injured, but just with bandages on one of his legs. The whole clan had some small cuts from the fight with Hyena and Jackel. They were never easy to take down. They were glad Brooklyn hadn't been there while in his condition.
Lex then went over to Brooklyn, seeing him unconscious. "What happened to him?" he asked.
"He's fine. He just fainted at seeing Xanatos." Hudson said.
Lex went over to wake his brother up. "Brooklyn, wake up. Can you hear me?"
Brooklyn woke up at the sound of his little brother's voice. "Lex?" He mumbled.
"I'm here. Are you alright?" Lex asked.
"Hm, fine." Brook claimed as he came more to. Then he saw the bandages on Lex's leg. "What happened to you?! You're hurt too!"
"Yeah. Just one of the skirmishes with Hyena. I'll be fine." Lex declared.
"You have to be more careful, Lex." Brooklyn got more protective of him.
"I'm fine, Brooklyn. What's gotten into you?" Lex asked.
"It's bad enough Broadway was brought back so injured that it upset Angela. I don't want to see you hurt too." Brooklyn explained in a panic.
"Brooklyn, calm down. That stress is not good for you or the twins." Goliath stepped in.
"He's my little brother, Goliath. I have to look out for him." Brook had tears in his eyes. It was just a mood swing.
"Broadway will be fine too. But Lexington is alright, Brooklyn. Just calm down, lad." Hudson coaxed him. "Sit down and breathe."
The red male didn't know what overcame him, but he was just worried about Lex. Lex was just much smaller than the others were and felt he had to look out for him. But it had been the blood that had worried him. He didn't want any of his clan harmed.
Sunrise couldn't come soon enough for them to heal their injured.
Angela spent the rest of the night with her injured mate in the infirmary and the clan was welcome to come see him before sunrise. He was just unconscious for the time being. She was so anxious, but her mate would be fine.
The next night, Broadway came out of his stone sleep fully healed. He was happy to be healed. Lex was also glad to get out of his bandages too.
Angela hugged and kissed Broadway in desperation to know that he was alright. Tonight, they would stay in and have a special meal. Tonight, they were cooking in Broadway's honor and let him have a break from cooking since he did it most of the time.
Owen, Fox, and Angela were all doing the cooking this time. Elisa was with them too.
Brooklyn just sat in a chair, rubbing his belly. He didn't want to imagine anything bad happening to his children. It made him think about what could happen to them if that Illuminati man had gotten his hands on them. He didn't care if they were half human and half gargoyle. They still deserved a real life outside of a lab.
The meal was soon done, and everyone sat down to it. Broadway was happy to have some attention for himself for once. He was glad that his clan was showing how much they appreciated him. He knew that Brooklyn had been getting a good deal of attention lately due to the pregnancy. But he was happy for his brother. At least Broadway had Angela and their future to look forward to.
...
Life was peaceful on patrols for the next few weeks.
Brooklyn had moved up into the 34th week. He had been deemed at such a high risk for problems by now that it was better that he was on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. He didn't like that idea, but he would do it for the twins. He found himself either reading or sleeping a lot. His energy reserves were running low as it was. He had to conserve his energy for the twins.
Dr. Sato came by weekly now to make sure the twins were still doing good in their development.
"Is it time to deliver my twins yet?" Brooklyn complained.
"No. Just two weeks to go, at least, Brooklyn. I know this is frustrating for you, but this is for you and their safety." Sato explained.
"Man, the babies are hurting me immensely! My back hurts like heck! My hips are bothering me, and the babies are pushing on my bladder constantly." Brooklyn whined. "It's also hard to breathe when they kick into my lungs."
"I know, but you'll get through this. You've held on for this long. Their own lungs have to finish developing first." Sato said.
With each ultrasound, Sato saw that the twins' lungs were getting closer to being done developing. He didn't print off sonograms so much now, but he would do it every other week anyway.
While Sato took care of the medical needs, the clan would take turns spending time with him as long as he didn't send them away. They knew he was uncomfortable and tried to be there for him as much as possible.
Goliath and Hudson tended to keep their distance and let Bronx stay with him. Lex, Broadway, and Angela would play trivia games and board games with him and talk about their adventures out on the streets.
"I wish I could be out there with you." Brooklyn stated.
"We know but you can't." Lex declared.
Brooklyn also timed his babies' movements too. The others would bring him his food and drinks. When it came to his food, he had stronger cravings for meat a lot more. He was still drinking water and milk mostly, but juice was also strong in his wants too. Apple and grape juice were his favorites.
He was allowed out of bed for two things. Stone sleep and for needing a little bit of walking around the room.
Fox and him also continued their Lamaze lessons.
Angela offered some massage for Brooklyn to try to get him to relax. It would make the pregnant male go to sleep while she did it. He loved her touches. How he wished she had chosen him. But nothing went beyond friendship with them, and Brooklyn would never do anything to hurt her or her mate.
David had also gotten Brooklyn a smaller tv in his room so he could at least still watch tv and not be so bored all the time.
...
Life was peaceful aside from mood swings from Brooklyn. But one night, just prior to Brooklyn's 35th week, the red male was watching tv when a bulletin interrupted the story.
"Ah!" He groaned in despair. "Always interruptions!"
"We interrupt this program to bring you news from the front. Today, there was a shooting in a downtown Manhattan school." The man announced.
"Huh?" Brooklyn was in shock. He hated seeing the news of what happened. "There had to be innocent kids in there."
"Five children and two teachers were killed in the shooting and many more were injured by the two shooters." The man announced.
That really upset Brooklyn. He put a hand on his stomach. "Goliath!" he shouted out in distress. "Anybody!" Tears were in his eyes.
His cries made Broadway and Angela come flying into the room. "What's wrong, Brooklyn?" Angela asked in concern.
"There's been a shooting at a school on the news. I wish I could go help find out who did it." Brook sobbed. He started trying to get up.
"Don't you dare get out of bed, Mister. Goliath, Lex, and Hudson are out trying on it right now. Yes, we know about it." Angela responded. She got in front of him and pushed him back down with her mate right beside her.
"I just hope they don't get shot too." Brooklyn admitted his fear for his clan members.
"Perhaps that isn't a good program for you to watch until the pregnancy ends." Broadway advised.
"I wasn't watching the news. I was watching a good movie, and the news interrupted it." Brook complained. "Now it's back on again."
"It might be best to change the channel then after the movie is over or do something else." Angela advised.
"What is there to do? I'm stuck in my bed!" Brooklyn snapped as he was sobbing. He was just feeling sad for the kids and families that lost their kids or parents that day. It was just the hormones. He put a hand on his stomach.
Broadway went and changed the channel for him. "Here ya go. Something better." He had stopped it on the Disney channel. The movie of Aladdin was playing.
Broadway and Angela made sure he was okay before leaving him alone with Bronx. The gar dog whined at him, and Brooklyn scratched behind his ears. "I'll be okay, boy." He told him before Bronx laid down again.
Brooklyn was still crying but he tried to stop. But watching this movie also upset him as the boy got the girl in the end. Brook knew he wouldn't be getting a girl anytime soon. Women always chose to pass him by. It would take a miracle for any female to notice him in an attractive way. He was always seen as a monster or just not attractive. Brooklyn hoped he wasn't doomed to face his life alone, though he would have his son and daughter, but they would grow up someday and find mates of their own.
Brooklyn hoped his kids wouldn't be ridiculed by other gargoyles of other clans should the other clans ever meet his clan. He hoped they would pass for real gargoyles. But if there was one other thing he needed to get to work on was wanting to find names for his babies. His pregnancy was almost over, and he still hadn't found their names yet.
After Broadway and Angela left him alone for a while, Brook turned off the tv and he went looking through the jar of chosen names from the clan. He was serious about finally thinking about their names. From what he remembered in his dream, he wanted to find some good names. They deserved the best names he could find. He opened up the jar and the names that he chose, he would look up the names in his baby name book he had by his bed.
He started with the girl names first. He settled on Sienna. When he looked it up, he saw it meant orange red. The orb he had seen in his dream was kind of like that. It also sounded pretty too. He definitely wanted her name to start with a letter that wasn't used in the clan already. Then he looked up boy names.
Looking up his son's name was a little more difficult. Brooklyn knew he wanted a special name for him. He ended up choosing the name Kenji. It was Japanese meaning strong and vigorous. Now that he had his names chosen, they had a certain saying to them the more he practiced saying their names.
"I just decided on your names, little ones. Sienna and Kenji." Brooklyn said aloud, rubbing his belly. "I definitely just wanted something different and unusual for you since you were both created in an unusual way. It just made you all the more special. But I think this will only be between us for now." He smiled down at his belly.
Brooklyn was aiming to wait until after the birth to tell the others of his decision on their names.
Time to start getting excited! The babies are due next time!