The next day Allison made her way up to the NICU between patients. She found Leo and Theresa hovering over the incubators with their sleeping babies.

"Can I meet them," Allison asked.

"Yes," Leo said.

"Your parents and Annie have," Theresa said, "they need to stay there for a bit. They're both struggling with temperature regulation."

"I bet," Allison said, "they're beautiful."

"They might need extra support," Theresa said.

"Ev does and she was full term," Allison replied, "right on her due date. Then I have a 37 and a 39 weeker."

"My family would not be okay with this," Theresa admitted.

"Why," Allison said, "because they decided to meet you early? Because they're in the nicu getting all the help they need to thrive?"

"Because we're not married yet," Theresa said, "and I failed again and needed another C-section."

"That's not failure," Allison said, "I've had an elective one. Why would you say it's failure?"

"Because I should be able to have healthy babies," Theresa whimpered.

"I know this is hard," Allison said, "it's really hard and it's scary. But you are doing the hard thing, you are here with them and fighting for them and being their voice. This is right, and courageous, and hard. This takes more strength."

"My mom was a doula," Theresa said, "she believed in home birth and natural birth only. She delivered babies in peoples homes under the radar. I only went to the hospital because Aliyana was being adopted and there was protocol to follow."

"Wow," Allison said, "that's a lot to unlearn. I've had one, Annie, Ellie. It's a major surgery but has no moral bearing on you. What happens now is what defines you as a parent. The birth is just a stepping stone to meeting them. Scary, unpredictable, something I never want to do again but just a stepping stone."

"But I want her to meet them even if she never understood me being a surgeon," Theresa said.

"I'm sorry," Allison whispered.

"I feel better asking Annie then your mom," Theresa said, "Annie and my mom would have been pretty close in age."

"Annie is fabulous, so is my mom," Allison said, "but I know what you mean sometimes. My mom is almost old enough to be my grandma and my oldest niece and I are only 4 years apart."

"Would they mind," Theresa asked.

At that moment Annie came in to do rounds. Allison slipped out seeing the look on Annie's face.

"Never," Annie smiled, "we're family and we are here for you. Reviewing the scans Charlotte needs surgery. And soon. I can do the more common and invasive open procedure or the more experimental patch by inserting it through her groin and threading it up."

"Risks," Leo asked.

"It veins are too small," Annie replied, "and I have to go to the open procedure anyway. Over all the risks are lower if her veins are big enough. I can patch the VSD that way which has less of a scar and lower recovery time."

"If you have to go open," Theresa asked.

"She goes on By-pass which I want to avoid," Annie replied, "she's so young there's a risk she wouldn't come off it. I can do it the more experimental way faster and with less blood loss."

"Do it that way," Theresa said.

"Yes," Leo agreed.

"I'll get her on the schedule," Annie replied.

Both nodded.

That night when Allison got home Everly rushed to her, "mom you won't believe it."

"What won't I believe," Allison asked.

"Sarah's big sister is pregnant and she's in the 11th grade," Everly said.

"Oh," Allison replied, "is she okay?"

"Sarah's mom is pissed," Everly replied.

"I can understand that," Allison replied, "if it was you I would be upset."

"But," Everly started.

"It's because I had you so young," Allison replied, "Everly I don't think teens having sex is wrong as long as you're safe and protected."

"Can I have the pill so it's never a worry," Everly asked.

"You're 14," Allison replied, "I think you're still young to be having sex. You don't have a boyfriend. Dad and I weren't a couple when I got pregnant with you. It was a one night stand and we became a couple when I was 3 or 4 months pregnant with you. We were good friends and I knew him but we weren't dating then princess.

"Can I have the pill so my period doesn't affect my CP as badly," Everly tried.

"Let me look at your best option," Allison replied, "I want to be very cautious. My preference for you may be an IUD or implant so it's set it and forget it. Let me research and get back to you."

"Can I still go to Sarah's sleep over on Friday," Everly asked.

"Yes," Allison replied, "I don't see a problem with it. Some of your other friend's parents might but I've been there. I'll reach out to the mom and offer our support. Dad and I do a lot of mentoring of teen parents now."

"What about Theresa and Leo," Everly asked.

"They're not kids but we'll help out," Allison replied, "the twins will be in the hospital for at least a month and don't ask again to go see them. You can not go until they are out of the NICU. the hospitals rule is no one under 18 that's not a direct sibling can go visit. The babies are stable for now. Charlotte needs urgent heart surgery to correct a small defect and Annie can do it in the least invasive way possible. It's her latest project and the charlotte will be okay."

"Do you know why they were soo early," Asher asked joining them.

"No," Allison replied, "it was spontaneous. It can happen with multiples especially. My guess and i'm not an OB is that Theresa's body reached it's limit and she went into labour. But I'm going to try pumping a bit for them. I still have an over supply and they're using donor milk. I might bring what's in our freezer from last week and pump a bit more. Carly's 6 months shes starting solids and picking them up the fastest of any of our kids. "

"Why," Everly asked.

"Twins will need a lot of milk," Allison said, "we have extras and can share. I can easily help out. I have given Ellie extra milk for Ben when she's needed it."

"But Sarah's sister," Everly asked.

"We'll help if they'd like us to and we will send a baby gift," Allison smiled, "no matter what a baby should be celebrated even if the mom is only 16."

Asher gave them a look.

"Sarah's sister is pregnant," Allison replied.

"How can we help," Asher asked.

"We're finding that out," Allison replied, "I'll take the lead with this one.".