River's pov-
We've been playing with Loki and Lincoln in my moms office for the past hour, waiting for some news from Perseus. I really just wanted to take Salah home and hold her. I couldn't stop looking at the blood on her pants.
I don't know if I should be relieved or worried about how Salah is reacting to the baby situation. I'm absolutely torn about losing one of the babies. I know the doctor said it was inevitable but I still feel awful about it. I feel guilty, it was my fault Max had to push Salah.
She's being so calm about the situation. I mean she's smiling and playing with the twins like nothing happened. I'm happy she's happy but I'm not sure how long this happiness is going to last.
I felt a hand land on my shoulder, "¿Puedo hablar contigo un minuto?" - " Can I talk to you for a minute?" Perseus asked.
" Sure." I got up from the floor, " I'll be right back, angel." I said, looking over to Salah, she nodded, still playing with the twins.
We walked out into the hallway and shut the door for privacy. " Did you find out about their dad?" I asked.
" Yeah, it's not good. Their dad didn't make it out of the fire and their mother died of cancer a little over a year ago. I tried looking for other family members but haven't had any luck. Both parents were only children and both sets of grandparents are either dead or in a home. The hospital workers were supposed to be watching over them while they waited for a social worker. They must've gotten separated in the fire." he explained to me.
The fuck are we supposed to do now?
" So what now? They go into the system?" I asked, he nodded, " Unless we're able to find someone to take them in they're going to be put into a group home and then into a foster home." I ran my hand down my face and let out a frustrated sigh.
" Thanks, man." I said. I walked back into the room and Salah looked at me expectantly.
" Tendrán que ir a hogares de acogida." - " They're going to have to go into foster care." I told her and a frown took over her features.
" Son solo niños." - " They're just kids." she said.
" I know, mi amor." I said, putting my hand on her shoulder.
" ¿Qué debemos hacer con ellos esta noche? No quiero llamar a los servicios sociales en este momento. Han tenido un día tan horrible que lo último que necesitan es más drama." - " What should we do with them tonight? I don't want to call social services right now. They've had such a horrid day, the last thing they need is more drama." she said and I nodded in agreement.
" Podríamos traerlos a casa con nosotros esta noche y luego resolver el resto mañana." - " We could bring them home with us tonight and then figure the rest out tomorrow." I suggested and she agreed.
" How would you guys feel about having a sleepover tonight?" Salah asked and both twins excitedly agreed. She called to warn Jack about the incoming guests.
We didn't have car seats so Salah sat in the back with the kids and I drove. We finally got back to Jack's apartment. We had managed to find some clothes and toys for the twins in my mom's office. Salah and I bathed the twins, cleaning the soot and dirt off of them.
" What do you guys want for dinner?" Salah asked, sitting on the couch with the twins in her lap. She had turned on some random kids show.
" Mac and Cheese!" they shouted excitedly. Salah and I laughed. I went into the kitchen and started making them mac and cheese.
Once we got them fed we decided to put them to bed. It was almost ten and they were only four, they probably should've been asleep hours ago.
Salah and I were finally settled in bed. It felt nice having her in my arms, it's been a crazy, stressful, depressing day. We'd found out we're having three children, we lost a child, we saved two kids from a burning building. It's been a hell of a day.
" What's on your mind, mi amor?" I asked, stroking her hair.
" Our babies." she responded quietly.
" Wanna elaborate?" I asked. She let out a huff, " I'm trying to focus on the positive but I can't help but feel guilty. I'm their mom, it's my job to keep them safe but I failed." she said, a hurt expression on her face.
I picked her up and turned her to face me, " Angel, you did not fail. What happened was completely out of your control. I wish we would've been able to meet all of our babies but I'm happy we still have three, healthy babies." I hated that she felt like it was her fault, it wasn't her fault.
It wasn't her fault.
" Can you believe we're going to have three babies?" she asked in a whisper. I smiled at her, " It's fucking insane. I mean, I was excited about one but three? I'm fucking ecstatic." I said and she looked relieved. Did she think I wasn't going to be happy about it?
" Did you think I was going to be upset about it?" I asked her, a hint of hurt in my voice.
" I was afraid you'd think it's too much." she admitted. " Angel, I know it's going to be a lot. It's going to be tiring and hard but I'm in it for the long haul. These aren't just your babies, they aren't just mine, they're ours. We made them together and we're going to raise them together." she smiled brightly at me, drawing a smile of my own.
She cupped my face and kissed me passionately. I groaned when she started to grind on me. She suddenly jumped off of me. I looked at her confused before she spoke, " Are you guys okay?" she asked. I turned my head and saw the twins standing at the door.
They were both teary eyed and distraught. Salah and I got out of bed and rushed towards them. I picked up Lincoln and she picked up Loki.
" What's wrong, kiddo?" I asked, rubbing his back as he hiccuped and sniffled in my arms. " Makemake au i koʻu makuakāne." - " I want my dad." he whimpered. Salah and I looked at each other, we had similar looks of shock on our faces.
" ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi ʻoe?" - " You speak Hawaiian? " Salah asked.
" Ua aʻo ʻo Māmā iā mākou." - " Mom taught us." Loki answered, rubbing his eyes roughly. Salah cupped his hand and used her own to gently wipe his tears.
" Do you guys want to stay here in tonight?" she asked and they both nodded. Lincoln's head was resting against my shoulder and his eyes were drooping shut. We laid down on the bed and Loki was between Salah and I. Lincoln was refusing to let go of me, I finally gave in and just left him on top of me.
" When is daddy coming back?" Lincoln asked, propping his head up to look at me.
" ¿Deberíamos decírselo?" - " Should we tell them?" Salah asked uneasily.
" Somos nosotros o un trabajador social, también podríamos ser honestos." - " It's either us or a social worker, we might as well just be honest." I said and she nodded.
" Remember when you told me about your mom being in heaven?" she asked and Lincoln nodded, " Well, now your dad is in heaven with your mom." she said and they both looked confused.
" But when can we see them?" Loki asked. Salah and I both looked at each other, unsure of what to say. " You can't, buddy he died." I said. Their tears were quick to return, " But he's gonna come back." Loki said, his lip wobbling.
I felt my heart shatter into a million pierces. I hate this, they shouldn't have to go through this.
" He's not coming back, love." Salah said. She had tears in her eyes and I could tell she was trying not to cry.
" Never?" Lincoln asked, tears streaming down his face.
" No, never." I answered. " But he's gonna come back. He promised he'd always come back." Loki argued.
" Honey, he died, he can't come back. But he loved you both so much." Salah said, quickly wiping a runaway tear.
" But who's gonna tuck us in at night? Who's gonna read us s-stories?" Lincoln sobbed.
" We will, we promised your dad we'd take care of you guys. I know that your guys miss your parents but if you let us, we'd love to be your foster parents." I said. I didn't want to say new parents because I know we'd never be able to replace their real parents.
I nervously looked over at Salah, realizing that I had just signed her up for a major commitment without talking to her. I didn't mean to but they remind me so much of myself when I was their age. My mom took me in and it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I can't just let the twins go, I see myself in them.
She simply smiled at me and nodded. I realized that if I hadn't said that then she would've. It was clear to both of us now that they were family. They were just as much our kids as the ones inside of Salah were.
Lincoln looked at me with his watery brown eyes, his lip wobbling and his cheeks were puffy. " They're really not coming back?" he asked in a whisper. " I'm so sorry Lincoln but they're not. But I promise you if they could come back they would, they'd do it in a heartbeat." I don't even know that's true but if they were truly parents, they would. Any real parent would do anything to make their kid happy. No parent wants to leave their child, that's their baby they're a part of them.
" But I miss them." Loki cried out. Salah had tears streaming down her face, the situation was too much for her to handle. I pray to god my kids never have to go through this. I pray that no one has to explain to them one day that we aren't coming back.
" I know, honey, I know." Salah whispered, hugging Loki tightly. They both cried themselves to sleep. Once they were out Salah slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. I carefully picked Lincoln up and laid him next to his brother.
I walked into the bathroom where Salah was sitting on the edge on the bathtub crying. I grabbed her sides and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around me and I sat her on top of the sink.
" That was awful." she whispered. " I know." I said, rubbing her back.
" River, we can't let them go into foster care, you know that right?" she said, pulling away to face me.
" I know, we'll talk to someone tomorrow about adopting them. I have a feeling it's not going to be done legally. I doubt they'd let us adopt them legally, I mean we're still in college, they're only going to see us as kids." I told her and she agreed.
I'd have my mom help me tomorrow. I don't know how she went through the process of adopting me but either way she's been through it so she knows how everything works.
" Please don't ever die." she whispered, her forehead pressed against mine. " I won't. As long as you're alive I will be." I told her and she let out a breath. She sniffled and wiped her eyes.
" I love you so much." I said, kissing her softly.
" I love you so much more." she said back and I smiled against her lips.
" Can we sleep now?" she asked, " Whatever you want, my love." I said, kissing her forehead. I helped her off the counter and we crept back into the bedroom.
I woke up fairly early the next morning and decided to make breakfast for everyone. I felt bad that Jack had been nice enough to let us stay here and we ended up inviting two more people over. I made all kinds of different foods, avoiding the certain foods I knew would make Salah sick.
I didn't know what the twins liked so I just made a bunch of stuff. There were pancakes, waffles, bacon, turkey bacon, smoothie bowls, a fruit platter, eggs, bagels, but no sausage. Sausage makes Salah sick, that's also the reason I didn't make french toast or muffins.
My mom taught me how to cook and bake. Since most of my uncles couldn't and only one of my dads could, she thought it was important to teach me, so I didn't end up like them. One time my dad started a fire trying to make eggs.... Fucking eggs. How do you even do that? They're one of the easiest things to cook.
Loki wandered out of the bedroom as I was pouring pancake batter into the pan. His eyes were still swollen and bloodshot and I felt my heart clench. " Hey, kiddo." I greeted him, bending down to his height.
He was tiredly rubbing his eyes, " What're you doing?" he asked.
" I'm making breakfast. Do you want to help?" I asked and he nodded his head yes. I smiled warmly at him and picked him up. I set him on my hip and handed him the spatula. I kept one hand on as well and when it was time we flipped the pancake. He was smiling brightly as we continued to cook breakfast.
" Can we make Hawin oatmeal?" he asked.
" What's Hawin oatmeal?" I asked.
" It's super yummy. It has pineapples and coconuts and all-monds." he had to sound out the word almonds.
" Do you mean Hawaiian oatmeal?" I asked with a slight laugh, realizing the word must be too big for him to pronounce.
" Mhm." he nodded surely, " Mommy used to make it for us every morning." he said, exaggerating the word every.
" Yeah? Did you cook with your mom?" I asked and he nodded. " Mommy and I always cooked together and Lincoln would always build stuff with daddy." he told me and I smiled and nodded. I continued asking him questions as we cooked.
" Can I tell you a secret?" he asked, " Sure." I said, wondering what a four year old could be keeping as a secret.
" I really like Salah." I laughed, " I like her too." I said, why is that a secret?
" She looks like my mom and she smells like her." he said in a hushed tone, " Why is that a secret?" I asked.
" Because Linc doesn't want her to know." I furrowed my brows in confusion, " Why doesn't he want her to know? It's not a bad thing." I said.
" Cause our first mommy left us and he doesn't want her to leave too. I don't want her to leave either, she's nice." he said, fiddling with her fingers.
" You guys don't have to worry about us going anywhere. I know it's scary but I promise we won't leave you." I said reassuringly, smiling at him. Poor kid.
We continued talking about his parents and stuff they liked to do.
Talking about his parents seemed to make him happy. The last thing I want to do is make him feel like we're trying to replace his parents. It's clear they loved their parents very much.
" Good morning." I turned my head and saw Salah walking out with Lincoln in her arms. Lincoln had his face buried in the crook of Salah's neck. " Good morning, angel." I pecked her lips when she walked over to me.
" Look! We made oatmeal!" Loki said excitedly, shoving the bowel in her face. " Wow, that looks so good, you guys!" she said, ruffling his hair. I put a hand on Lincoln's back, " Morning, buddy." I said, giving him a pat.
He let out a mumble into Salah's neck, " He's still sleepy." she said with a goofy smile on her face.
" Loki and I made you guys breakfast." I said and Loki nodded excitedly. " Look, Linc, we made mommy's oatmeal." Lincoln lifted his head and looked at the bowl of oatmeal. He stared at it for a moment before putting his face back into Salah's neck.
" Are you okay?" Salah asked, rubbing his back in a motherly manner. He didn't respond, he just sat there in her arms. " Probablemente sea porque Loki mencionó a sus padres. Todavía están de duelo." - " It's probably because Loki mentioned their parents. They're still grieving." I said and she nodded.
" Is Jack up yet?" she asked. " He left, he said he had a work emergency." I told her and she looked at me weirdly before shrugging and sitting down. I watched as she tried to put Lincoln in his own chair but he kept his arms wrapped around her neck.
She looked up at me for help, " Tiene miedo y está apegado a ti." - " He's scared, and he's attached to you. "
" Apenas me conoce." - " He barely knows me." she said with a confused expression on her face.
" Loki dijo que les recuerdas a su mamá. Sin embargo, no les digas que te lo dije, querían que fuera un secreto." - " Loki said you remind them of their mom. Don't tell them I told you though, they wanted it to be a secret." I said. She still looked confused but I waved her off with an I'll tell you later.
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Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.
Please let me know if you see any mistakes, especially spelling and grammar.
I'll see you in the next chapter.
Also, a big thank you to sesame street.
Word Count- 3106