jamesbond

Generation 4, Chapter 4

I stayed at the hospital for a few days after the c-section. For all the time I'd spent there before the babies were born, you would have thought I would have been ready to leave but the thought of leaving my girls behind broke my heart.

It took some time before I was able to even touch them; let alone hold them. But after a couple weeks, the nurses handed me a set of scrubs and allowed me to feed Ezri - she was the strongest of the three and had fewer set backs.

Annika had a weaker immune system than her sisters and seemed to suffer from every little germ that got near her. Kira's lungs were the least mature of the three; for the first few weeks she would forget to breathe on her own so she had more wires and tubes connected to her. It was heartbreaking to see them like that but the first time my parents got to hold them was a wonderful day.

The nursery that I thought would be just perfect for my baby now needed at least two more cribs. Since that much had to be done, Mom decided that we should completely redecorate the room. With the babies stuck at the hospital, I gave in to her suggestion and together we started painting the room, building the new cribs, putting down new carpet.

I felt like I was going out of my mind any time I was at home and away from my babies. Not only was Scotty still being held but the girls were stuck at the hospital. When I wasn't at the hospital, I filled my days with mundane chores.

And of course keeping up with my garden. It had suffered in the months I was stuck in the hospital and needed a lot of tending to get it back in order.

Ezri was the first of the girls to come home. I was happy to be able to show her her new home but it was a bittersweet day. Scotty should be here to welcome his daughter home too. It was one thing for him to be missing their lives while they were in the hospital - I was missing much of it as well during that time.

"Look at your room Ezri, Grandma and I made it just for you and your sisters." I cooed at her as I laid her in her crib. "Hopefully Annika and Kira will come home soon too."

I realized early on that Ezri liked the outdoors almost as much as I did. We bought her a portable bassinet so that she could be outside while I worked in the garden or hung the laundry. She would coo happily as the clouds rolled over us and seemed to be soothed by the sound of the nearby ocean waves.

Annika came home next; she'd been delayed by a cold she had to fight off before the doctors would release her.

Kira had to stay the longest. Her lungs were still trying to catch up to where they should be for her age. Thankfully I had Mom and Dad to help with the two at home so I could still see Kira often at the hospital. Still, with two tiny babies at home, it became harder to split my time between them.

Finally, a full three months after they were born, I had all my girls at home and nestled into their nursery. They were all on completely different schedules so Kira liked to cry while the others slept; thus waking them up.

After a couple weeks of pretty much no sleep, I had to figure out a way to get them on the same routine. By pure luck, I discovered that playing the guitar tended to help them drift off to sleep if they were fed and changed before hand.

Once all three of the girls were home and in a routine - time started to fly by. I didn't have much time to watch the news; probably just as well. Dad was almost never home.

Soon their first birthdays had rolled around, I couldn't believe it had been a year since they were born...and over a year since Scotty had been taken. I forced a smile on my face for the girls and Mom helped me make them each a cake.

"Mom, where's Dad? He said he'd be home for the party..." I asked.

"I don't know dear, you know how busy he's been lately..." she trailed off, not wanting to upset me today of all days.

"Well...let's just get started." I said a little sadly. We'd decided to just have a small family gathering for the triplets because the last thing I wanted was a bunch of people I barely knew walking on eggshells around me.

I took Kira to her cake first and and bent to light the candles. When I straightened up, there was Dad...and Scotty! I swear I almost dropped Kira on the floor when I saw him. If she hadn't started fussing at that moment, I think I would have forgotten about her and the cake completely.

I rushed through blowing out candle for her and put her down before running into his arms. "Is it you? Is it really you?" I asked touching his arms, his face, his recently buzzed hair.

"Yeah it's me." Scotty said holding me tightly.

I was sobbing as he kissed me all over. I couldn't believe he was finally home. There were so many questions on the hows and whys but all that matter was that I had him in my arms.

After awhile, I forced myself out of his arms as I thought about the birthday party. I picked up Kira and put her in Scotty's arm. "This is Kira" I said, wiping away happy tears. She reminded me a bit of my sister Kaylee with the black hair. My mom saw it and half chuckled, half grimaced. There was always one...

Annika and Ezri had to celebrate their birthdays still and I brought each of them to the cake with a new found joy. Scotty cheered with every ounce of his being.

Annika had my hair color and my eyes - so far she was a mini-me.

Ezri also had my hair color but she had her daddy's bright blue eyes. She snuggled against him as if they'd never been apart.

End Chapter

Outtakes

All three home

Gardening at night because the babies are all home

Close up of two of the triplets

Generation 4, Chapter 3

Prom was quickly followed by graduation. I tried to talk to Byron a couple times but he always managed to be busy with family or other friends. I hated this feeling - but I knew it was my own fault.

Scotty, who's birthday was a few months before mine, decided he would wait to celebrate with me. My mom was nice enough to make us both a cake. While I think she would have preferred I ended up with Byron, she was always very nice to Scotty.

Scotty was at our house so much he was practically living there. Thankfully my grandparents old room had been made over into a guest room some time before. I...well we...sort of claimed it as ours and my parents never said a word. I guess they figured I was an adult now. Maybe I didn't give my mom enough credit?

Scotty wanted to be an inventor or scientist. My grandmothers invention table had been mostly gathering dust since she'd passed away and with a little nudging from my dad, he finally dusted it off and got to work.

When it became obvious that he was pretty handy with a blow torch; my dad arranged a job interview with the military so Scotty could become a civilian consultant. They were happy to have him as they'd been lacking in that department for years. For the most part, Scotty had open hours; just so long as he could produce something of use now and then, they were perfectly happy. As a result, he spent even more time at our house - if that is possible -to use the invention table.

A few months passed like this; Byron still wouldn't return my calls and I never saw him around to try and talk to him. One morning, for the first time in months, I woke up alone. Scotty had a big meeting with Dad and some military folk, so he'd gone home last night. I barely made it downstairs before I was overcome with a wave of nausea. "Ugh"

The nausea persisted through out the day and I curled up on the couch feeling miserable pretty much. When Scotty called that afternoon, he sounded really excited and I tried to muster up the energy to get dressed anyway before he came over.

As soon as he was in the door he swept me up and spun me around making the nausea return. I resisted the urge to throw up on him but he must have seen the look on my face because he put me down then. "What's wrong?"

"Just not feeling too well today." I said weakly.

"Alright, I was going to suggest we go out but how about we stay in? I'll make dinner and we can watch a movie or something." he said. He was headed for the kitchen before I even had a chance to reply.

He presented me with a plate of waffles - which was normally something I really liked - but the sight of them made me ill. "Thanks hun..." I said trying not to give in to the urge to run for the bathroom.

Days passed but the nausea still didn't abate. It woke me up at all hours of the night too.

Finally, after a week or so, I felt better. I woke up and showered and put on real clothes instead of moping around the house in my pajamas. I worked in my garden which was overrun with weeds and the fruit was dragging down the branches.

When Scotty came over after work, I had dinner ready for him and a few glasses of wine. "Feeling better then?" he asked with a smile.

"Yep!" I said cheerfully.

"Good, I have some news..." his face was a mix of sadness and excitement. "I'm needed in Egypt...or work."

"Oooh that sounds exciting" I said thinking he meant for a week or two. "When? And for how long?"

"I need to leave next week....and it will be at least 6 months." I'm sure my face slipped. Egypt no longer sounded exciting to me at all. Six months?!

I rallied though and smiled for him, I knew he enjoyed the resources working with the military and government could give him for his inventing. "Well then I should give you this..." I pulled a ring off my finger and got down on one knee. "Wouldn't want you running off with some Egyptian goddess..."

"What are you saying..." Scotty asked.

"When you get back...will you marry me?" I asked

"Isn't that my line?" he said with a laugh, but allowed me to slide the ring about a third of the way up his finger...he had much bigger fingers than me.

The night before he had to leave, he came over for awhile but had to head home to pack. I climb into the bed sulkily and turned to turn off the light and then I saw it.

Scrawled on a post it note next to a gorgeous ring; "You're the one who is supposed to wear the ring. -Your fiance." I fell asleep with a smile on my face even though he would be flying out in a few precious hours.

The nausea returned with a vengeance after he was gone. My mom had been content to let me think it was a stomach bug the first time, but she insisted on me going to the doctor when it didn't abate after a few days. So I found myself in a cold, sterile exam room, waiting after being siphoned for generic tests.

I paced the room after a bit. I couldn't stand the waiting! Finally I heard the click of the door opening. "Congratulations Ms...." the doctor's voice caught for a moment. "Taffity..."

I turned and there was Byron holding my chart. "Byron..."

"Um, the doctors are busy with some emergency...but your lab results came back." He stared at my chart instead of looking me in the eye. "You're pregnant."

Pregnant?! My brain tried to process this concept as Byron stood there. "Wow...." I said less than enthusiastically. "Well thanks..." I trailed off, not sure what else to say. "So you're a doctor?"

"Um, no, not yet - just a student. Someday maybe...anyway, you should check in with the nurses; they'll direct you to OB and you can make a few appointments for check ups." Byron said quickly before leaving.

The rest of the day was a blur. I wanted a family...and I wanted one with Scotty but he was in Egypt now and the idea of facing a pregnancy alone was terrifying. "How did your appointment go?" my mom asked.

"Um...I saw Byron." I said lamely. For some reason I just didn't have it in my to tell her yet. "He's a medical student now."

"Ah, he's a good lad." she said with a smile. Byron seemed to distract her well enough from my appointment.

It took me a long time to be truly happy about the pregnancy. It came on so slowly that I wasn't sure I'd ever get the new mommy excitement but then one day I was outside picking apples and I felt these little butterfly flutters inside and I had to stop in hope of feeling it again!

That was the moment it all felt real; and it felt exciting! Mom and Dad were happy for us and supported me completely. She offered to help me redo the nursery if I wanted to but I assured her that I loved the green in there. I wrote to Scotty and told him the news as well; with his reply letter, he sent a package containing an adorable little Mummy Teddy Bear he'd found in a local shop.

I had appointments every month and saw Byron more and more. Our friendship seemed to be slowly rekindling; it helped that he had a girlfriend I think. I was a little over half way through my pregnancy when I went in for my ultrasound. Scotty and I both agreed that we wanted to be surprised about the baby's gender but we still wanted to make sure everything was okay of course. I was reading one of the many books given to me in the waiting room when I heard a television on in the small cafeteria.

Back home, unknown to me, my mom was also watching the same news program. "Ozlander Scientist and Military consultant, Scott Shear, has been taken hostage by a band of terrorists. They have released the following picture of Mr. Shear; who is clearly bound and gagged. Mr. Shear was studying a rare mineral in the area; he is also the fiance of President Taffity's youngest daughter. The terrorists have not released any demands yet for his release."

I couldn't believe my ears. I stood and started for the cafeteria and stumbled as my vision seemed to blur. "Ms. Taffity" some one said; they seemed miles away. "The doctor will see you now...."

The world swirled around me as I thought of Scotty...hostage....terrorists....and everything went black.

When I woke up, I wanted to believe it was all a horrible dream and that Scotty would be looking down at me with one of his smiles. Although it wasn't him; Byron was there in his place. "Welcome back." he said. My voice was scratchy as I tried to speak so he held up a hand to stop. "Your babies are fine Inara."

"Babies?" I scratched out in surprise. I'd always known twins were possibly - even probable - but no one had said anything in all the previous appointments!

Byron told me the doctor insisted on me staying the hospital for the rest of my pregnancy; I wasn't thrilled but he stayed with me as much as his work and studies would allow. When he wasn't there, my mom was. I didn't see much of Dad but Mom said he was busy with work. Of course that would remind me of Scotty...

I knew he was alive...the terrorist made a point of telling us that much. It felt like they were taunting me with pictures of him holding a newspaper or something. He was becoming my gaunt with each pictures and I sobbed every time I saw a news report about him. My mom tried to turn the TV off but I wouldn't let her. Byron tried to have the TV removed from the room, said it was bad for the pregnancy, but I wouldn't let him either.

The babies were eager to get out; I was still two months from my due date when all medical attempts to stop them failed. They were ready to join the world whether the doctors said they could or not. They planned a c-section so that they could control the birth as much as possible. There was an army of doctors and nurses around and incubators were lining one wall so they could whisk the babies away.

The OR felt so cold; freezing really...the image of it was one of the last things I remember before they put me under. That and Byron standing by my side.

Mom and Dad were both waiting for me when I woke up. Mom stroked my hair and Dad immediately shut off his phone; which had been glued to his ear almost since Scotty had been taken. "Come on." my mom said. She helped me stand slowly and together we hobbled out of the room.

"They look so tiny..." I sobbed.

They were precious....but so tiny and seemed like they were barely clinging to life. "They're fighters." my mom said.

"Of course they are, they're Taffitys" my dad said, putting his arm around me.

Annika, Kira and Ezri were going to have to be fighters...