"How are they? Are they okay?" I asked Lucas as soon as he stepped back into the whitewashed hospital room. I tried to look everywhere but at him in order to hide my bloodshot red eyes which clearly evidenced that I had been crying.

"Yeah, they are warriors, just like their mother. They're beautiful Brooke! Just like their mother and they - we are going to be just fine," he said to me.

The fatigue from the bathroom incident and the c section that I had undergone only a few hours ago, let alone the wild hormones coursing through my veins made me finally crash. I burst out crying hysterically, letting all my feelings and emotions out.

"I was so scared that I would lose them. I am so sorry that I slipped - that I did this to them. I really didn't mean to put their lives in jeopardy. I love them so much even though I haven't even laid eyes on them. I am so scared that I hurt them and they won't be okay. It hurt so much, Luke - when I fell. I tore my insides, it still hurts. I feel so much pain in my lower abdomen, but nothing like what the babies are going through," I wept.

Lucas got into the bed, scooping me up as slowly and carefully as he could and put me on his solid frame.

"Shh. Shh," he cooed while stroking my back. "Why don't you close those pretty eyes and rest up. When you wake up, I promise that I will still be here."

"The babies need you more. Please, be with them, please," I begged before fighting sleep became too hard and I crashed.

I woke a couple of hours later to find Peyton in the room, sketching something in the corner.

"Hey Brooke, how are you feeling?" she asked me, seeing some movement.

"Fine. I want to see the babies," I said to her with a straight face.

"Uhh, let me ask a nurse if you can," she said, getting up in order to walk to the nurse's station.

"They said no, that I was too weak and they would take me tomorrow. But I need to see them, Peyton," I said hoarsely.

"Umm, Brooke, we need to listen to the doctor's orders. They know what is best for you," she said, despite knowing that she was fighting a losing battle. "Everyone is in the waiting room. If you want to see them, I could go out. The Doctor said only one person was allowed in the room. Nathan, Haley, Jake, Karen and all of the basketball and cheerleading team are here. Hell even Deb, Keith and Whitey came.

"No, I want to see my children, please," I begged. Peyton finally took note of the plight in my eyes and I saw something in her face melt.

"Okay, give me fifteen minutes. I promise you that I will take you to see them. Let me get someone to sit with you and I will figure out how to get you there," she said to me and walked out of the room. I saw Nathan walk in moments later.

"Hey there Penny!" He greeted me, sitting on the chair by the bed that Peyton had just vacated a few moments ago.

"Did you see the kids? How are they?" I asked him.

"Sorry Brookie, I haven't. They only allowed Lucas and Karen into the NICU. Apparently brother's don't make the cut," he said, his voice thick with disappointment.

True to her promise, Peyton walked in about fifteen minutes later wearing nurse scrubs and pushing a wheelchair.

"Nathan, can you help her get on?" she asked him. I couldn't believe this! My face broke into the widest smile. "It's a good thing we have tv and the internet to come up with these bizarre ideas! Come on Brooke Davis, I'm about to be your second-best girl when you meet your new one."

"Thank You!" I whispered, before letting out a hiss as I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen where I had stitches. My lower body was still so raw and tender.

"Nate, go and keep that head nurse occupied so that I can wheel her out," Peyton instructed.

"Guys, are you sure about this?" he asked, his forehead creasing up as he studied my face intently to find pain.

"Just do it Hotshot!" I yelled, but even doing that tired me out so much that I limped back on the wheelchair. "Please, I only want to see my babies."

He nodded his head before doing what he was instructed to do. Nobody gave us a secondary glance beyond that point, even if the scrubs that Peyton had chosen were quite large on her thin frame.

"I've got Mis Davis here to see her children," Peyton said professionally to the NICU nurses. All they did was nod their head before getting me ready. They gowned me up and sanitised my hands before taking the wheelchair from Peyton and taking me inside.

"Brooke!" Lucas yelled from his spot between two incubators.

"Come meet the newest Scotts!" he beamed as the nurse stopped the wheelchair where I could get a good look at both the babies simultaneously.

Overwhelm. That's the first feeling I got as soon as I laid eyes on the two souls in front of me. A gush of Strong Unconditional Love. That was the next. And finally, Sadness. At the sight of all the tubes and monitors that they were hooked onto.

They were so tiny, I could have sworn that the water bottle I carried to school was longer. Their skin was red and they barely had a few strands of hair on their head. I saw tufts of blonde fuzzy hair on both of them. I saw their chests move up and down rhythmically. They were so tiny that the movement was so defined. Their eyes were closed. I did not know their eye colour. I could not tell whether they looked like Lucas or me, it was so hard to.

"Do you want to touch them?" Lucas asked me after giving me a few more moments to take it all in.

"We can?" I asked, surprised that we were allowed to. They were just so fragile.

"Yeah, they are more resilient than you think. Here put your hand through this hatch," Lucas said as he grabbed my trembling hand and directed it to where our son was lying. My eyes widened as I came in contact with his skin. His finger was the size of an apple seed! I could not wait to just hold them close to me. I wanted to take them in my arms and never ever ever let them go. Just then he opened his eyes and I was met with the most gorgeous baby blues! He had Lucas' eyes! My eyes grew misty.

"They're perfect," I said as I moved on to touch my sweet little daughter.

"Should we name them?" Lucas asked me, his eyes still fixed onto the children.

"Yeah," I answered. I wanted to sound excited but I was just so tired and drugged up. "Do you have any in mind?"

"As a child I always imagined naming my hypothetical daughter Sophia, she is the goddess of wisdom," Lucas spoke. Just then our baby girl opened her eyes! A matching shade of baby blue. I had never felt so content in my entire life!

"Sophia! I love that name and I think she approves of it too. It's beautiful. But I also want to honour Peyton. Sophia Peyton or Sophia Elizabeth? Do you like Sophia Elizabeth?" I asked.

"Sophia Elizabeth Scott! It's perfect!" Lucas said, giving me a kiss on my forehead. "What do you want for our little trooper right here?" His hand was pointing towards the adjoining glass box.

"I figured you would want to honour Nathan or Keith, but I am not naming my kid Royal or Eugene, gosh scott men have the most terrible middle names," I sighed.

"Hey, shut it Penelope," he said playfully.

I stuck her tongue out at him, although even that simple act exhausted me so much.

"Whom would you wanna honour, Brooke?" he asked me.

"My granddad," I said immediately.

"What was his name?" he asked.

"James," came my simple reply.

"Oh my god, that is perfect!" Lucas said, his face widening into a deep smile.

"James Lucas Scott , has a nice ring to it," I suggested.

"I was thinking of James Nathan Scott… I want it to be his name," he said.

"I like it, even though James Lucas Scott does sound a lot better," I tried to coax him.

"Nah, I don't want to be one of those self obsessed Lucas Jr. type of dads," he said, shaking his head.

"Sophie and Jamie," I smiled while feeling so tired that I was almost about to fall asleep on the wheelchair. Yet, I could not stop smiling. "They will be okay, I know that they will."

"Of course they will! They're part Brooke!" he said to me, stroking my hair gently.

"Part Lucas ain't bad either," I smiled.

"Come on, let's get you to your room," he said.

"Wait! Godparents!" I said, remembering that we needed to select the pair. "I want it to be Nathan and Haley, they are the most stable people I know and the perfect couple who would make incredible parents some day."

"I couldn't agree more," he said, wheeling me out.

Peyton was still standing there in her stolen scrubs. "I'll take her," she said to Lucas.

"Peyton, why are you dressed like a nurse? Wait, what did the two of you do?!" he asked alarmingly.

"If anyone asks, we were never here," she said cryptically before wheeling me away.

"Where have you been! We were just about to call out a Code Yellow!" the nurse yelled. Oops, we were busted! "And who are you?" This time she was talking directly to Peyton.

"I was told that I had to take her to run some tests, but I actually got the wrong patient. I am so sorry, I had to take the patient in 406, not 306. Please, it's only my third day on the job. Can we keep this between us, nurse to nurse," Peyton lied through her teeth.

"Consider yourself warned. Go tend to the correct patient, I will help Miss Davis to her bed and learn to read a chart and fill it in! Who is your supervisor to have not taught you that?" she asked.

"Uhh, please, I will be in deep trouble. I am going to go to 406 now, bye!" she said before sprinting out of the room. I had to work so hard to stifle my giggles which were also making my stitches burn.

"Don't worry, we will get you to see your children soon enough," the nurse said to me kindly before putting me back to bed.

I was discharged 3 days later, yet the kids were not. They were growing each day, getting stronger, the tubes that helped them breathe were out, so we were out of the woods, yet they were not strong enough.

"I'm not going home," I said after signing my discharge papers. "Let's go to James and Sophia."

Lucas looked up at the doctor and shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

"At Least let him wheel you out," the Doctor said, knowing very well he could not keep us away from our kids. Ever since they had officially allowed me to go see them, I had spent every waking moment in the NICU much to the dismay of the nurses who were afraid that my body would not heal well.

"Are you a mother?" I had asked them, my eyes showed vulnerability but my voice was determined.

"Yes, I am," she had said.

"Then you can imagine how it must feel when somebody takes you away from your children. Children who are struggling and fighting as it is. Children who need you!" I replied.

"They are in the most capable hands at the NICU," the doctors and nurses had reassured me.

"So are you telling me that when your child is sick or hurt, you just leave them here and drive away? Or do you stay by their side all day and all night?" I asked.

"Okay Ms. Davis, but only a little bit longer. You need to heal as well in order to take best care of them once your family is home," they had said reluctantly.

"Luke, you should go home and shower. You stink," I said to him after a few hours of just staring.

"Go rest up, between the three of us, you haven't slept and it shows. Your eyes are burning, aren't they?" I asked him. The boy looked weary. His hair was matted like it hadn't been washed in days, he had been surviving on coffees and though Nathan kept bringing him a change of clothes, he needed a real shower.

"No, I'm fine. We haven't told Nathan and Haley that they are godparents yet. Maybe when they come tomorrow after school?" he asked me.

"Stop trying to change the subject. We will be fine Lucas. Go home, grab a shower and get some sleep in a real bed, then come back to us," I smiled at him.

"I don't think I can get myself to, even if I want to," Lucas said, helplessly.

"At least take a nap or a walk, maybe some food from the cafeteria?" I suggested.

"The food in the cafeteria is not real. But don't worry, mom is going to get us some take away from the cafe," he said.

"How long are they going to be here for? When can we take them home, Lucas?" I asked, leaning into his chest.

"A week according to the doctors. They are getting stronger everyday," he said.

"I just want to hold them so badly!" I complained.

"Me too," he sighed.

"Well since I'm in charge of the food, you have to deal with every smelly diaper, okay?" I tried to settle into an easy conversation.

"Have you started producing milk?" he asked me. I was surprised that neither of us were grossed out by the conversation.

"Not yet, the doctor said it's due to premature birth, but they said that I will be able to breastfeed when we can take the twins home, something about them latching and me beginning. I don't understand all of it. The nurses have been teaching me how to bathe and feed them, especially since there are two, so how to hold them. They say that my breasts will still get bigger as I'd be producing twice as much milk! Lucas, I went up one more bra size a couple of weeks ago! They are already so big! Just look," I said.

I saw Lucas stare at my breasts, but not the way that I was telling him to. "I don't think I actually mind that part."

"God, you're such a guy!" I exclaimed, punching his shoulder.

"I thought you liked that part about me! But jokes apart, I love you, no matter what," he said to me.

"Even if the stretch marks never go and my boobs sag from breastfeeding? Even if I stay fat forever?" I asked.

"Maybe not if you stay fat forever," he joked again, earning another punch.

"I will always love you even if all your hair and teeth fall off,"he said.

"Good," I replied before directing my attention back towards Jamie and Sophia.

"Is it a week already?" I asked five minutes later.

"No, but it is time to eat, mom just texted. She is waiting outside with the food. Let's feed you gorgeous," Lucas said, bopping my nose as we stood up to meet Karen.

— — –

"It's time to get them home!" I yelled, bouncing on Lucas' belly. "Come on, let's go!" I was so excited. We had spent every waking minute that we were allowed to at the hospital and finally we were going to be allowed to get our new and shiny babies home. They were bigger, healthier and did not need to be in an incubator.

"Brooke, there's still three hours before visiting hours start!" Lucas complained as he squinted at the watch.

"I know, but I want to get them home, maybe we can coax them to give us our babies early! Who can say no to this cute face?" I asked, pointing towards the puppy dog eyes I was making.

"Yeah I don't know how to say no to that! Let's go get them home!" Lucas agreed. Karen was still asleep so we snuck out of the beach house fairly easily. She had been trying to get us to attend school instead of being at the hospital every waking moment. I just did not understand her sometimes, even though what she said was correct that I would be leaving them with her and going to school. Yet, I was clear, the kids prioritised over everything and I did not care, I would be nowhere but while they were in the hospital!

"What are you carrying in that bag?" Lucas asked me, seeing it for the first time in my hand.

"It's the first thing I bought for the twins. It's onesies and booties, and stuffed animals. I wanted it to be their first outfits and you know, the plushie they just cannot live without," I said, the ends of my cheeks red with embarrassment at how much of a cliche I was being.

"I love it," Lucas simply replied before we made our way to the car.

"You're early," the Nurses said to us when we walked towards the NICU.

"Hey Janice, we just really… well. Lucas said that it wouldn't hurt to try to pick them up a little early!" I said, giving my most charming Brooke Davis smile. "Please Janice! I just miss them!"

Janice was a young nurse, who wasn't as strict as the others. She had let us stay longer than visiting hours on more than one occasion.

"Well, we still have to teach you the basics, check if the twins can latch and feed properly. You do plan on breastfeeding, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," I nodded my head, getting completely serious.

"And Dad, how would you like to learn how to give the baby a bath and swaddle it. Mom, you need to learn how to burp the babies," she said to us. I had told her that we had not done any parenting classes and the young nurse had taken pity on the teenage parents.

Let's go to that room so that we have our privacy and we can ensure that everything is okay," she smiled.

Janice asked me to sit on a chair and she left to get the kids. We had already been taught how to hold them the previous day. I remembered the feeling of euphoria that settled into me when I held them for the first time in my arms, feeling their tiny arms and legs, holding them close to my chest. I would never forget that day, ever! When they had placed the sleeping babies on Lucas' lap, he had grown so still, afraid to do something wrong, that was until his dad instincts had kicked in and he was rocking them like a pro within minutes!

"Here dad, why don't you hold Sophia and we can begin with James," Janice instructed as she picked up Sophia and handed her to Lucas who took her much more willingly this time than yesterday. "Hi, my Princess," he gently cooed, rubbing the tiny girl's back. She opened her eyes at the sudden intrusion and settled to intently study Lucas' face, making his face turn into putty.

"Mom, here, let's try it with James. If you could pull up your top and bra," she said patiently. I blushed a little before complying. She placed my baby boy directly at my chest. "Let him just get familiar for a while. Chest to chest contact has shown to decrease stress and promote bonding."

I looked at my little baby boy, snuggled cosily on my chest and felt nothing but love and warmth. I couldn't help but smile. "Okay, now why don't you try to get the baby to latch?" she asked as she coaxed me to move him towards my nipple. "Don't feel scared, it might hurt only a little in the beginning."

I tried for a bit until I finally got the baby boy to latch and feed. "Oh my God, I'm actually doing it!" I said out, quite surprised. I gently caressed his little body, patting on his bum as he continued to suck on the milk. He let go once he was done.

"Okay, now take him on your shoulder and rub his back gently. It will take a while, but just keep a steady rhythm. I followed her instructions until I heard a soft burp. "Congratulations Mama! You did it, now how about you repeat the same with your daughter. Try using the other breast this time so you are comfortable both ways in case you feel tender on one side, or you know double feeding."

"Dad, let's learn how to swaddle, shall we?" she said, picking up Jamie and placing him in Lucas' arms. She handed Sophia to me before walking to a changing table to help Lucas learn how to correctly swaddle. He seemed to get the hang of it on the third try. Princess on the other hand was fussing. She did not seem interested in feeding at all!. "Janice, she won't latch," I whined.

"It's all normal, don't worry. Be patient. Gently slip your finger in her mouth and try to get her to latch on that," Janice instructed.

"She did! She is sucking my finger!" I exclaimed after a few moments.

"Good, now get your finger out and try again with your nipple, it should work," she continued to teach us.

"You are an absolute miracle worker!" I thanked her.

"How about I try to get you that early discharge that you wanted," she said smilingly after we had gone through bathing steps and diaper changing. I had asked her about the best baby products to get and had even taken the effort to write it all down so that I could send Lucas to get it all for me once we were settled at home.

She came through and 30 minutes later, we dressed up the kids in their sweet little new outfits. Lucas took a couple of pictures with both of them in my arms, all dressed in their pale pink and navy blue onesies and matching booties as I placed the grey elephant by Jamie and the purple hippo by Sophia's side. Shortly, we had the kids in their new car seats, sleeping as we made our way to the house! Lucas drove at the steadiest pace that I had ever seen him drive at. This boy loved his cars, loved to drive and especially loved to race. He was maturing so much in front of my eyes. I stared at him from my sunglasses.

"What?" he asked, catching me staring.

"Nothing. I just think that you're a really great dad!" I remarked.

"You're not too bad yourself, mom," he smiled, as he patted my thigh reassuringly. I glanced at the back, watching the babies in their car seats.

"Wait Luke, you took a wrong turn, you had to take a left on the next lane," I said, surprised that he had messed up.

"No baby, home is this way," he smiled before stopping his car in front of the mansion, my grandfather's house - our house!

"Wait, we had no time!" I remarked, getting out of the car and grabbing Sophia's car seat.

"Yeah. But we have an army behind us," Lucas smiled as he walked behind me with Jamie.

"Welcome home!" I heard everyone yell as soon as Lucas swung open the door.

"They worked day and night to get the place ready for us. It is ready though and I do believe that you're going to love the nurseries!" Lucas said. Within moments the kids were snatched from our arms as everyone gushed over just how gorgeous they were.

"They are so Lucas with the blonde hair and blue eyes!" Peyton said, laughing. "Look, they even brood!"

"But just look at those dimples! It's pure Brooke. Their faces are exactly like Brookes," Haley chimed in. "You have the cutest whittle dimples, don't you," she said, playing with Sophia's legs.

"Come on, they will be fine," Lucas said as he led me up to the first floor.

I opened the first door next to our bedroom and I was instantly transported. The room was pink and purple with white furniture. There was a silver tiara painted atop the crib with delicate silver angels hanging from the ceiling. The walls had were an enchanted forest complete with fairies and princesses and mermaids and it was just perfect!

The next room, obviously Jamie's, was blue and white and it had a mural of the rivercourt, complete with the thousands of twinkling lights and brown furniture.

"I love this Luke!" I said, getting on my tiptoes to kiss his lips.

"I'm glad you did! It was all Peyton, the rest of the house is exactly how you left it, including our room. The new owners hadn't done much to change things. I guess they appreciated the stylings of Brooke Davis," he said to me.

"Let's go down to our babies now!" I smiled, running down the steps! "God it feels good to be able to see the ground below!"

We walked down to see Jamie in Jake's arms and Sophia sitting on Peyton's lap.

"Guys, we have some announcements to make," Lucas said.

"Are you finally tell us their names? Please say yes! I don't understand the need for the big announcement!" Nathan asked.

"Yes, we are," I laughed.

"Say hello to James Nathan Scott and Sophia Elizabeth Scott!" I smiled.

"Elizabeth as in me?" Peyton asked, her eyes getting teary.

"Obviously P. Sawyer! Who else would I honour?" I said pulling her into a hug. "I love you, PE Sawyer."

"And I love you BO Davis, and you Lizzie Scott!" she said, smiling at my baby girl.

"Nathan's a great name Squirt!" Nathan bemed towards my little boy.

"Also, Nathan and Haley, we would love for the two of you to be their Godparents," I announced.

"Oh my! Brooke!" Haley began crying as she came to hug me. "You didn't even know me a year ago and now I'm your children's godmother! It's an honour Brooke, thank you!"

"Okay, my hormones are still whack you guys! I don't know how to thank all of ya'll enough for working so hard to get the place ready for us! Pizza is on us, but I really really appreciate all of you!" I said getting very teary eyed.

"And we will be counting on each one of you to babysit!" Lucas joked earning eyerolls from everybody.

It was a perfect day. Lucas ordered pizzas for everybody, Peyton played some music, we all hung out in the large house, the kids were the centre of attention, until the cried at which point they were handed back to us. I enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by my family, it felt magical.

"I love this life with you, Lucas Scott," I said while sitting on the rocking recliner nursing Sophia.

He gave me a large smile as he bent down to kiss my cheek with our Jamie Squirt rocking in his arms.