THis is the very last chapter of Patient Hearts!*

slight trigger warning-mentions of grief and miscarriage*

6 Months later, October

Elizabeth groaned as she sat on the floor with August. He was sitting up now, babbling and smiling and starting to crawl. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was forty six, eight months pregnant and finding it hard to get on her knees or up from the floor. However, August needed her to be the best Mommy she could be so she got down there.

"Mom? What if you get stuck down there?" Vannah joked, walking in the door after class.

"Hush, dear. I'm just hanging out with your brother. If you'd like to help me though, can you please start dinner? You just need to put the chicken that's on the counter in a pan and into the oven. 350 for 2 hours."

"On it." Vannah was very helpful when she was home. She was going to school at Colorado University full time and had a job at the library but she came home when she could.

"Thank you, babe."

August smiled, dimples showing in his cheeks and crawled over to Elizabeth.

"Hi, bud. How are you?" she asked, picking him up.

He snuggled into her neck and sighed so she rocked back and forth, rubbing his back. What a dear son they had. He was so easy going and cuddly. He rarely cried. She hoped that the baby girl inside her was the same way or the next couple years were going to be very interesting.

"I'm home!" Lucas called, walking in the door from the garage.

"Dada is here, Augie," she told him but he was resting against her neck and hopefully going to sleep.

"Beth?"

"Living room."

"Do you need help getting up?"

"No, not really. But if you want to take Augie and put him in his swing, that would be great."

Lucas did as she asked and then offered his hand to help her anyway.

"Thanks, babe," she said, reaching up and kissing him hello. "How was your day?"

He rubbed her belly and smiled at the kick. "Hi, Eden. Daddy loves you."

Eden Grace Bouchard was likely to come in the next couple weeks and that was fine. Elizabeth was very ready not to be pregnant.

He smiled and kissed her again. "Shower tonight and then cocoa butter?"

"Of course." She had started out about month 4, when she started showing, rubbing cocoa butter on her belly to prevent stretch marks but it quickly transformed from him watching her to him being the one to apply it.

He loved interacting with Eden, pushing gently on her belly and feeling those kicks. It was a bonding experience.

Then afterwards, they used the time to bond as well, in more ways than one.

"So…."

"What?"

"How was your day?"

"Fine. Full of paperwork and more paperwork."

Lucas was bored with the paperwork. He sometimes wished he went on more calls but then he remembered his family and all they'd been through and he didn't want to do anything too dangerous.

"I think I need a change," he admitted.

"At work?"

"Yeah or not. I mean, I really love it." He sat down on the couch and she joined him. He put his arm around her and she snuggled closer. "Maybe I could take a class or something. I don't know."

"You could." He sensed her tone and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry. I'll wait until next fall."

"Well, maybe you only have to wait until spring semester. You could see if the classes are online."

"Maybe I'll do some research and see if I can figure out what my next steps will be."

"Sounds good."

The very next week, Eden Grace made her appearance in a very uneventful labor, thankfully.

A month after that

"Babe?" Lucas called as he walked in the door after running to get diapers and dinner after work.

"Here," she said from the couch, both babies asleep in her arms.

"Hey, I have the diapers and dinner."

"Thank you." She sat forward to get up but he stopped her.

"Babe, I'll help."

She'd been getting up and down all day but if he wanted to help…

"I'm ready for the kiddos. Lay them on me," he said, smiling.

She gave him Eden first and then handed him their big boy, August.

"How was your day?" he asked, following her into the kitchen.

"It was fine. Edie ate like a champ and Augie loved his sweet potatoes. We took a nap this afternoon and then we had a playdate with Bethie and Emmie."

Lucas leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "Sounds fun."

"How was your day?"

"It was good. Same as always."

They chatted about their day while they ate, Lucas finally relinquishing his babies so he had two hands.

As the fall went on, the family enjoyed Thanksgiving and then Christmas, all the kids and grandkids at the house to celebrate. Things were wonderful. Everyone was happy and this was what Lucas and Elizabeth had wanted for themselves and their family.

…..

Summer

Ivy graduated with a bachelor's in social science and a masters in counseling and then in the fall she would start an internship with a counseling center downtown Boulder. That was the plan, however, in early August, she took a pregnancy test and now her life was about to change dramatically.

"Babe?" she texted Jared. He was at work but he always had his phone nearby. He was a great husband.

"Hi! How are you, love?"

"Are you still coming home for lunch?"

"Of course."

"Great. I need to talk to you about something."

"Looking forward to it, hon."

Ivy went from being nervous to being excited and then to nauseated by the time Jared came home.

"Babe?" he called.

"Hi!" She said, rushing over to him. "Honey, I'm pregnant!"

"You are? Oh wow. That is amazing!"

"It is. I know we didn't plan it but I think its perfect timing even with my internship."

He brushed her curls behind her ear and leaned in to tell her how he felt about the situation. His lips caressed hers, starting soft and tender and growing with intensity and emotion.

She sighed as his mouth left hers and moved down her jaw and then to the soft skin behind her ear.

"I'm glad you have an hour," she whispered as he backed her down the hallway.

"Me too. I love you so much, Ivy."

"I love you too, Jared."

…..

Allie and Tim's house

"Mamama," Emmie and Beth said, clapping their hands from their pack-n-play in the living room.

"Hi, pretty girls!" Allie called from the kitchen where she cut up their bananas and grabbed their juice.

She couldn't believe they were a year old already. The year had gone so fast and they had grown before their eyes.

Emmie could walk now, being the more adventurous of the twins. Beth was timid, almost always falling on her butt before taking a step.

Allie's phone rang and she smiled, picking it up. "Hey, hon."

"Hi, beautiful. How are my girls?"

"We miss you." Tim was on a 24 shift so they wouldn't see him until morning.

"I miss you all too. When I get home, I have something I would like us to talk about."

"Ooh, mysterious," she teased.

"Not really, I…." their conversation got interrupted by the fire bell. "I love you. Give the girls kisses. See you soon."

"We love you! Be safe!"

She prayed immediately for his and the other men's safety and took the girl's snack into the living room. "Let's eat, kiddos. Then maybe we can go to see Gran and Papa."

….

Marley and Caz's house

Caz was coming home! He had been stationed out of the country for three months and now he was coming to visit. Marley missed him so much and so did Ellie.

Marley looked down at her diamond ring that he had given her the night before he left, with a promise of marriage in the near future.

To her, they were life partners and were both responsible for Ellie but he wanted them to be officially married so if something happened to him, heaven forbid, she would have rights as her mother.

However, if and when she deployed, they needed to figure out what would happen. She suggested Ivy and Jared but Caz wasn't 100% sold. They would talk about it again.

"Marley?" Ellie said, walking into the living room and joining her on the couch.

"Yep."

"Cazzy is coming home soon!"

"I know. Tomorrow."

"I missed him."

"Me too, El."

"So when you and Cazzy get married, you'll be like my big sister, right?"

"Yep. That's right."

"Cool. I've always wanted a sister."

"And since I will be your sister, so will Ivy and Allie and Vannah."

"And Eden and then Augie is my brother."

"He is."

"Can you also be like my mom?"

"I suppose I will be."

"A girl in my class last year said that Caz could be my Dad if he adopted me."

"That's true but either way, he and I love you, whether we are your brother and sister or whether we adopt you. You know that, right?"

Ellie leaned her head against Marley's arm and nodded. "I know."

Marley heard her sigh so she kissed her head. "What is it?"

"What if…what if you die when you deploy? Or what if Cazzy dies?"

Marley knew she couldn't promise that she wouldn't die, after all she'd be in harm's way and so would Caz.

"I know you can't promise and I know bad things happen but I don't want to be alone. I'm still little."

"You won't ever be alone, Ellie. You have a big family now and we all love you so if something bad happens, they will always make sure you are taken care of."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now, I have an idea. What if we went and visited my parents and the babies?"

"Okay! Can I hold Eden? I love holding her."

"Of course you can."

…..

Ivy drove over to her parent's house, eager to hold her siblings, feeling baby fever big time, knowing her own little one was on the way. Jared was working so she thought she'd take advantage of that and go for a visit.

When she got there, Marley's car was in the driveway and Allie's too. Then she noticed Van pull in right behind her.

"Hey!" Van yelled, running over and hugging her. "I guess everyone decided to visit today. Mom's going to love this."

"Yeah, lets go in!"

Ivy was only nine weeks pregnant so she had no intention of leaking her news just yet, especially given her history. However, once she and her sisters and mom and the babies were all chattering and laughing, she didn't want to hold it in.

"Hey," Marley said, sitting next to her. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she shrugged, but knowing Marley sensed the opposite.

Marley raised her eyebrows. "You're pregnant," she whispered.

Ivy just nodded and they squealed and hugged, bouncing on the couch.

"Anyone want to share with the class?" Allie asked, her girls crawling all over her as she lay on the floor.

"Mamamama!" Emmie and Bethie yelled, giggling.

"Hi, honeys!"

Then Augie crawled over and climbed on her too. "Not three babies at one time!" Allie giggled. Ellie went down and laid down too, hoping to have the babies crawl on her too.

"I'm um…I'll be right back. I just need to talk to Jere for a minute," Ivy said, walking out of the room.

"Babe, do you really think we should tell?" he asked her a minute later.

"Well, its my family and Marley just knew, I didn't need to tell her."

"You and your twin things."

"I know. So…I want to tell them. They are my sisters and my mom. They went through Oliver's miscarriage with me and I feel like I want them to be a part of this too."

"Sure, Ive. Go ahead. I wish I could be there too but yeah, they should know too."

"Thanks, honey! I love you!"

"Love you more."

Ivy walked in and sat down and everyone looked at her. "I'm pregnant!"

The squealing and jumping up and down scared the babies, causing them to cry and then everyone else laughed. It was perfect. Ivy felt so much love and support and knew that whatever happened, everything would be fine.

…..

A week later, Lucas walked Marley down the aisle they created in the backyard at her and Caz's house. He gave her away, knowing that Caz was her person, the one that she was meant to be with. The wedding was intimate and perfect and just like that, Marley went from being Marley Grant to Marley Callahan.

As the summer ended and turned into fall, Caz received news that he was being stationed out of the country.

"Germany? Wow," Marley whispered as they talked by the fire in the living room.

"Yeah. We will live on base and Ellie will go to school on base."

"Babe?"

"Yeah."

"I think I just want to be a nurse. Not in the Army."

He was shocked. He thought she was enlisting very soon. They were just waiting for his orders.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I want to be a nurse and raise Ellie and any other kids we may have. I think I want to make sure that they have stability. Just in case something were to happen to you, I want them to have one parent who isn't in danger."

"Babe, if I'm honest, I'm shocked but I'm also relieved."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I worry about Ellie every day and you are the best parent to her and I was worried…she's already lost two parents…"

"You both have."

"Right but Ellie needs a mom and I think that since she can't have our actual mom, you are the best one to fill that role."

"I love her, Caz. With all of my heart."

"I love you too!" Ellie said, rushing into the room and tackling them both. "I heard you say you weren't going to be in the army, Marley. Is that true?"

"It is."

"Thank you! I'm so glad."

At eleven and a half, Ellie was turning into a young woman and she needed a mother figure, like Caz mentioned.

Caz squeezed Marley's hand and he nodded. "Ellie, on December 1st, we are moving."

"We are? Why?"

"I got my orders. Remember we talked about this? I didn't know where we would go, but it could be anywhere."

"I know. I guess I was hoping that wouldn't happen." Marley brushed Ellie's hair away from her face. "Where are we moving to?"

"Germany."

"Whoa. That's far."

"It is."

"How long will we be there?"

"I'm not sure. At least six months."

Marley could see the emotions playing on Ellie's face. "You can tell us, bugs. How are you feeling about it?"

"I'm sad. I don't want to leave all my sisters and brother and Daddy Lucas and Mama Beth. I wanted to spend Christmas Eve at their house and wake up and open presents by the tree. We had a plan."

"I'm sorry, El," Caz told her, pulling her to his lap. "Part of being in the Army is moving alot and being willing to go wherever I'm needed."

"Maybe we can get a tree for the house where we are going to live," Marley offered.

"It won't be the same."

"No, it won't, but I'm proud of you for telling us how you feel and for being so grown up about it."

"I don't feel grown up." She pouted and Marley and Caz tickled her until she begged them to stop.

"Germany might be cool," she admitted. "I guess I'm okay with leaving."

Ellie hugged them goodnight and went off to her room. Marley turned to Caz. "So…what would you think about maybe having a baby?"

"Well, when it happens, it will be perfect."

"Caz, I mean, let's make it happen. I don't want to wait."

"Now?"

"Well, yeah…if you want to."

Caz stared at her for a moment and then stood up, reaching for her hand, a big smile on his face. "Let's make a baby."

…..

Eight months later, Summer

"They are two and a half. I think that I want to finally start teaching," Allie said to Tim one night at dinner in July.

"You just have one semester to finish before you get your certificate, right?"

"Yes. I'm ready, Tim. What do you think?"

"Will we put the girls in daycare?"

"Well, here's the thing. Your mom told me she and Maggie are thinking about moving closer so what if they were to watch the girls?"

"They're moving closer?"

"Thinking about it."

"Well, if they are willing, it would be better if they watched them and we didn't put them in daycare."

"I think so too. So…you're okay with it?"

"Will it make you happy?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, I'm good with it."

She took another bite of her spaghetti and watched Tim. He was stewing about something. "Babe, what happened at work?"

"Same old thing, different day."

"Babe."

"Chief said I'm not ready to be a lieutenant. I've been working so hard but he says that I need at least another six months. That Flynn is higher in seniority so he comes first."

"But in six months, you could try again?"

"Yeah. I mean, its fine, it just wasn't what I was expecting."

She squeezed his hand across the table. "I know. You are good at your job, babe. You will get there. Just keep working hard."

"Okay. I will."

"I'm proud of you, Tim Lawson."

"Thanks, babe."

…..

Ivy and Jared's house

"Jere….I think its time."

He turned toward her and raised his eyebrows. "Time, time?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"I don't know. I just feel funny. I've been having pains and Mom thinks they might be contractions."

"How often?" He had been home two hours and she hadn't mentioned anything.

"Every eight minutes," she admitted looking at her phone. "I'm keeping track."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Jared hopped up from the couch and reached for her, helping her get up. "Let's go to the hospital."

"Well, what if I'm not?"

"But what if you are and we wait and you have him or her in the car? I don't want to deliver my own child!"

Her water broke as they were standing there. "Um, my water broke."

"Let's go! Our bag is in the car. We can call the hospital from the car."

"Luke! Ivy is in labor!" Elizabeth yelled up the stairs to where Luke was bathing two year old Augie and almost one and a half year old Edie.

"Okay! I will call Mike and Fiona to come watch the girls and I'll meet you there!" he called back. He was going to be a grandfather again. He couldn't believe it. He had Allie's twins and in his heart, he had Ellie too. But now, he was going to have another and in about three months, Marley was also going to be having her little boy Nathan way over in Germany.

Oh how their lives had changed. Just over a handful of years ago, he was trying to figure out how to make a move on his best friend's widow and now their family had grown leaps and bounds. He wouldn't have it any other way.

He was now a Fire Marshal and it was more up his alley and safer than anything else he had done at the station.

"Van?" he called, knowing she was in her room.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"All ready to go?" he asked from her doorway, carrying both babies in a towel on his way to the master. Van was packing the last of her boxes. She was twenty now and moving into an apartment with her best friend from school.

"I'm ready. I'm just going to drop these boxes off at the apartment and then I'll come to the hospital."

"Okay." Van kissed her siblings and then Lucas' cheek.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you."

…..

Eight hours later, Denver Memorial Hospital

A girl. Ivy and Jared had instantly fallen in love with their daughter. As soon as they saw her, they named her Poppy. It had been on the top of their girl list and she looked like a Poppy with her brown hair and facial features.

"Poppy Rose Smith," Jared repeated, sitting next to Ivy on the bed. "She's perfect."

"She is. I don't know how I could possibly love her this much already but I guess that's how it works."

Afterall, she had loved Oliver and had never physically laid eyes on him. Now, almost three years later, she held her rainbow baby in her arms. One that she hadn't thought she would ever want or meet, believing that she would never stop grieving and never heal from the pain of losing Oliver. But she had patience and she allowed herself to feel everything and to love Jared. She would be the best mother she could and one day, she'd tell Poppy about what it meant to love someone.

Lucas and Elizabeth stood inside the door of Ivy's room and watched the new family bond. Elizabeth looked up at Lucas and smiled, hugging his waist. "Thank you, Lucas. For your patience with me. For loving me and my kids and for giving me our babies."

He leaned down slightly and slowly kissed her, holding her tightly and safely in his arms. "I love you, Beth Bouchard. It has been my honor to be your husband."

The End