Hey again everyone! Like I promised, here is the next chapter, and I'm proud to say that there is more where this came from. Also, thank you to those of you who have reviewed my story and told me to make sure I don't burn myself out.

"River, Fase, River, get out here!" Musa calls through their home. Their sea side home in Melody is often a peaceful one, without stress and anxiety, but today is not a typical day in the Musa household.

"Mama, what's wrong?" River calls out as she carefully walks down the stairs from her bedroom.

"What's wrong? Well, let's see. . . The dishes aren't done, the floor needs to be swept, the living room is a mess, and last time I looked outside, you and Fase had toys in the yard. Your aunts and uncles are going to be here in three hours and we still need to give you and your brother baths and get you two dressed. Riven!' Musa calls out again and River cringes some at the tense sound in her mother's voice.

"Musa, stop yelling." Riven says as he comes in from outside. "The front yard is clean. Fase is already cleaning his room and River cleaned hers this morning."

Musa just stares at him and crosses her arms. He knows how important it is to her that her house be clean when her friends are over. Other than Riven, River, and Fase, the girls and their families are her family. They are all she has.

"River, can you go and sweep the kitchen? Your mom and I are gonna talk." Riven closes the front door behind him and looks at his wife, crossing his own arms. "Musa, are you gonna tell me?"

She freezes, her breathe caught. "Tell you what?" comes barely audible out of her mouth.

He smirks, then says, "Tell me what's making you so upset?" She releases the rest of her breath, then drags in another breath.

"I'm not upset, just anxious. The girls haven't been over in so long. And this is the last stop before we all go to Andros for Layla and Nabu's wedding. Besides, I just want to make sure that everything looks nice for them."

"Musa," he says softly, walking toward her, opening his arms to take her into them. "Honey, you know that they love you no matter what, including if your house isn't perfect. You have twin children, a working husband, and are working yourself. Most of our friends have servants who help them clean their palaces or someone stays home to watch the kids and clean. We are a busy family. It's okay. Besides, it's been three weeks since the coronation, do you really think that they are going to be worried about the house?"

She lets him wrap his arms around her and cuddles closer to him. "No, I know. The house doesn't have to be perfect, but I want to show them that I can still manage everything. That I can take care of you like Flora takes care of Helia, and that I can take care of the twins as well as Stella and Brandon take care of Aaron. I want to prove that marriage and children has only made us stronger."

Riven holds his wife tighter as she confesses her worries. When she is done, he pulls away just enough to look down at her. She looks up at him, tears threatening to fall. She smiles softly at her and leans down to kiss her. "Musa, you never need to prove anything."

"Riven." She calls out and buries her face in his chest. "But, I do. I have to prove to you that we can handle another baby."

Despite the muffling of her voice against his shirt, he heard her. He freezes and looks down at the top of her head. "Musa?" He asks, questioning not her but that she hasn't just told him.

She pulls away from him and turns away, crossing her arms again. He reaches for her and turns her back to facing him, holding by the arms.

"Musa, baby, please talk to me. Do you mean it? Are we. . . ?"

"I'm pregnant." She blurts out.

Her breath stops, and so does his. Then, out of seemingly nowhere, he picks her up and hugs her closely to himself and spins. A howl of pleasure is heard ricocheting around their living room. River and Fase both walk in from the kitchen to see their father holding their mother and kissing her.

"Ew!" cries out and Fase pretends to gag.

Riven pulls away from Musa and smiles at the kids. "Guess what?" he asks them.

"No." Musa mumbles, not ready for the whole world, or her whole family, to know, but Riven just smiles at her and looks back at the kids.

"Your mother just told me that she's pregnant. Do you two know what that means?"

River gasps and Fase jumps up and yells "oh yeah!"

"I'm going to take that as a yes." Riven smiles.

"I want a sister!" River says just as Fase calls out, "I want a brother!" River turns on her brother and pouts.

"Oh no," Fase says. "No more girls."

"Fase, River, will you please go outside and check and see if your aunts are here?" They both nod and smile and giggle as they walk outside.

"Riven, wait, I don't want the kids to tell the girls. Not yet."

"Well," Riven says, pulling Musa toward the door. "That's probably too late honey." He pushes the door open and the warm sunshine of the afternoon pours over her.

"Surprise!" comes from her best friends and sisters, from her brothers (the girls' husbands), and her nieces and nephews. They are all gathered in front of the house, with tables littered with gifts and food behind them, a middle table holding a huge birthday cake with flowers and (musical) notes decorating it.

"What?" Musa asks, surprise clear on her face. "Why are you all here already?"

The guys all laugh, having been talking to Riven before he went inside, and knowing that Musa always cleans compulsively. The girls all smile at her and point at her.

Meadow points at Musa and says along with Zoe, "Cause it's your birthday!" (Of course, Zoe's sentence came out as "Cuz it's your birfday.")

Musa looks confused. Riven hugs her and says, "Happy Birthday, my love."