It was already 8 in the morning when he woke up with Adiva struggling to stand on her feet.
"What the fuck?" He mumbled, raising his head. "Adiva, what the hell are you trying to do?"
She snapped her head towards him, her eyes distending in alarm. He cocked his eyebrow waiting for her answer.
"I-Uh..I need to use the washroom.." Her cheeks and ears were red by the time she blurted out.
He couldn't help but chuckle at her flustered form. "Let me help you..."
"No!" She shouted, eyeing him incredulously, but her legs wobbled as she tried to get up.
Shaking his head, Zacharias rose to his feet and picked her in his arms before walking towards the washroom. She protested when he tried to lift her hospital gown.
"It's nothing that I haven't seen before. You've nothing to be ashamed of, trust me." She turned crimson at his words and turned her face away.
The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smirk, as he watched her all flustered.
"Call me when you are done." He announced getting up. She still did not look at him as he simpered, walking towards the door.
After she was done with her business, he helped her back on the bed and by that time both Zaina and Zmaray were wide awake playing with themselves.
The doctor once again examined her and gave a clear signal. Adiva couldn't be more than happy when for the first time she fed her babies, who happily drank from her. Zacharias felt as if someone has stolen his breath away, as he stared in astonishment and love, at his wife and babies.
Their daughter had gotten his hair color, while their son got his mother's, but other than their hair color, they were his exact copy.
"Zacharias, look at the way they are latching on me...Oh they are so adorable.." She gushed and squealed happily, tracing her finger over their soft skin.
When she reached Zaina's small hands, she was quick to hold her finger in her small tight fist. Adiva gasped in amazement. "Look Zacharias, look how she is holding my finger. God she has a strength for her tiny body." She watched in amusement.
Zacharias sat beside her and let his son hold his finger and he too was quick to tighten his tiny fist around his last finger. Adiva's eyes were twinkling in joy and amazement, as if she was watching this for the first time. She traced circles on their heads, watching their brown eyes that were wide open, carefully surveying the surroundings, although all they could see was her.
Soon they heard the commotion and Zacharias was quick to close the door. As soon as the twins were done feeding, he helped her lay them on the bed and their family was instantly scrambling around them.
"Finally!!" Tina squealed, running and encapsulating her. "Finally you are awake. God how much I missed you. I missed my bestie and my sister so much." Her eyes brimmed with tears.
"Hey, I am all right now. Please don't cry.." Adiva patted her back in consolation.
"You better be..." She sniffed, wagging her finger half beratingly and pulling away.
Ana pulled her in a hug as she whispered, "Welcome back dear" and kissed her cheek.
Next her parents and siblings were the ones by whom she was throttled with lots of hugs and kisses.
"Welcome back to the world angel face..." She giggled at Igor's dramatic way of displaying his affection.
"Yeah, you don't know how glad we are to see you well again." Alyosha spoke, as he playfully slapped Igor on his back earning a scowl from him. She giggled softly, watching the playful exchange.
"Thanks, I am so glad to see you all too..." She voiced her gratitude.
All of them were greeting her and congratulating them while the twins were being transported from one set of arms to another. This was the first time they were holding them, as Zacharias had strictly forbidden from holding them before Adiva. They all cooed at their cuteness. One telling that the twins looked like him, while the other arguing on that point.
"Mom, look at their tiny fingers. They are so small..." Ziya squealed in astonishment, holding each one of the twins hands in hers.
"They are hardly few days old, what do you expect from them sweetheart?" Her mother chided playfully, making her pout.
"Hey babies..." She cooed, as both of them looked at her intriguingly, flailing their tiny hands and legs. "I am your aunt Ziya..."
"These two look so much like the both of you..." Anastasia spoke, holding one of the twins in her arms. "Especially Zaina has Adiva's smile and Zmaray looks exactly like Zach. Eyes, charm and all."
"I seriously don't know how you all are able to guess the difference between them, for all I know they look like these cute little chipmunks." Igor got a smack on his head as soon as he blurted out.
"Argh!...Will you stop doing that Zach?" He scowled, rubbing his hand over his head.
"Then don't you dare call my kids chipmunks." He retorted.
Igor had on and on been calling the same thing from the first moment he had laid his eyes on them. He had said the same when Adrian and Irina were born.
"You two deserve every bit of happiness and we wish you both many and wonderful filled times ahead of you...Congratulations..." Asad spoke, while others nodded happily in approval.
"True though...You both have gone through so much, and we wish that no further harm comes your way." Ana spoke, placing her arm around her brother's waist, leaning into him.
Zach kissed her forehead, as he held her in his arms.
"Amen to that..." Artyon said from beside her, and she was quick to be back in her husband's arms.
"Look at you...You cutie pie.." Tina crooned softly, tapping her finger tips on Zaina's nose. "Oh god, look at her..." She gushed, when Zaina scrunched her nose adorably and flailed her tiny arms.
"Aww...I so badly want to have my own kids now..."
Alyosha's eyes twinkled at her statement. "Don't worry my squirrel, I will give you as many kids as your heart wishes..." He winked.
"Alyosha!!" She gasped, looking all flustered and red at his statement, while the others chuckled.
"What?" He shrugged. "Don't you want one?"
Before she could come back with a reply, a knock on the door interrupted her and soon everyone was ushered out, as a doctor entered for the final check up. Adiva and the twins were examined once again, before they announced that the mother and the babies were doing perfectly fine and are good to go.
Adiva squealed happily and jumped in his arms as soon as the doctor's left the room. Zacharias couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction, as he held her in his arms. Half an hour later, Zacharias left the hospital with his wife and twins and drove towards their home, towards their awaiting future of happiness, joy, and new beginnings.
It had been three months since the birth of their twins and these three months had turned out to be one hell of a roller coaster ride. Even though there were a lot of people to help, but raising twins hadn't been an easy task.
Adiva woke up, hearing the cries of Zaina. It had hardly been fifteen minutes that she had fallen asleep after putting Zmaray to sleep that Zaina had to wake her up. Zacharias had already taken her in his arms, trying his best to calm her, but she was not having any of it, unless she would be back in her mommy's arms.
"Go back to sleep love, I will take care of her..." Zach spoke between his daughters cries.
"She is hungry Zacharias. Give her to me..." Enervated, she spoke raising her arms.
"Hey baby, look, mommy is here." She cooed and took her in her arms.
Her cries quietened, as soon as she was back in her mother's arms and started suckling on her mother's breast.
"See, I told you she is hungry.." Adiva whispered softly, caressing her baby's velvety hairs.
"Indeed she is..." Zach couldn't help but smile.
They had put Zmaray to sleep just an hour ago. Unlike his sister who was already awake, he slept the most. She peeked into the crib and found her son fast asleep.
These past few weeks, Adiva had little to no sleep. The twins couldn't be more naughtier. When one would sleep, the other would refuse to sleep and would end up waking the other. Sometimes they would wake up in the middle of the night and both would cry loudly till Adiva took them, fed them and played with them. She would sometimes hum or sing to them in her melodic voice, and sometimes both Zacharias and Adiva would take them out in the balcony for some fresh air or made different hand gestures that they could see.
Adiva was adamant that the babies would sleep with them in their room. Her fright of losing them had still not gone, always insisting that they be in front of her eyes all the time. Her physical wounds were healed, but she had yet to recover from her mental injuries and Zacharias was doing his best in helping her recover at every path.
She hardly had enough sleep, but when she slept, she would wake up from one of those horrible nightmares. Zacharias was worried about her all the time. He even suggested to visit a shrink, but she straight away declined, not wanting to replay the horrid memories in front of a stranger. She was confident that her husband was enough for her to conquer every single of her monsters. And indeed, he was her medicine, her cure. His love and warmth was enough for her to overcome her biggest of fears and nightmares.
Zaina was back to cooing and gurgling as soon as she was fed and was now trying to reach her daddy with her grabby arms.
Adiva couldn't help but giggle. "Look at her, she only wanted me for her food and as soon as her tummy is filled, she is back into her dad's arms."
"That's my baby girl.." Zacharias stated proudly, picking her up in his arms.
"Yeah, daddy's girl.."
"Sleep love, I will wake you up after sometime..."
"Oh thank you..." She replied earnestly, falling back on the bed.
Zacharias leaned down and lovingly kissed her forehead, she just hummed in response, while Zaina was desperately trying to gain his attention by making those beautiful gurgling sounds and placing her soft palms on his cheeks.
Knowing that Zmaray will be asleep for at least a couple of hours, and Adiva will be able to have her much needed sleep, he walked out of the room with Zaina in his arms. She was busy flailing her arms and making soft gurgling noises, when Zach entered the foyer and found his whole family seated.
"Hey baby..." Ana murmured softly, taking her from Zacharias.
"Adiva did not come down?"
"She is asleep with Zmaray. Hardly slept the whole night."
"Poor girl, juggling between two kids has worn her out a lot." Anastasia said. "Good that she is taking her rest."
"What were you all discussing about before my arrival?" Zacharias probed, picking up the glass of juice.
"Nothing much. Just talking about Irina's birthday party." Damien supplied.
"I still have to buy her birthday gift.." Zacharias groaned. "Gosh, she has already turned three and our little Adrian is almost five now. Didn't even realize how time flew by...."
"Yeah, so much has happened in these past few years..."
"Can't believe that our arch nemesis is finally slained."
"After generations of enmity and bloodshed, there will finally be peace and our children would finally be able to grow in a fearless environment."
Their talks continued for an hour before they all interspersed back to their own work. Zaina was squealing and bouncing in his arms as he blew raspberry kisses all over her face, as he walked back into the room. Adiva was lying half asleep with Zmaray playing beside her. He was already awake.
"You are back..." She murmured, peeking through her eyelashes.
He hummed, placing Zaina beside her brother, before pecking her lips.
"Had a good nap?"
"Yeah, I was desperately needing that." She smiled, coiling her arms around his neck as he balanced himself by placing his arms on either side of her and dipping his head in the crook of her neck. She giggled as he started taking in her divine scent that was now combined with the baby scent, while peppering kisses in between.
The twins were busy playing and blabbering with themselves with their tiny legs raised and their toes and fingers stuffed into the tiny mouths. Looked like both their tummies were taken care of. They were both drooling, squealing, blabbering and flailing their arms and legs in the air.
"Looks like someone is happy..." Zacharias looked at them amused, as they squealed and babbled hearing his voice.
Zacharias leaned towards them to kiss their noses and they were quick to kick their legs and swing their hands in excitement. They were smiling in all their toothless glory, hitting his chest with their fists, a clear indication that they wanted to play with their dad.
Looking down at his kids, made him feel like as if his heart was going to burst with all the happiness love and affection. Zacharias savored each and every single moment that he got with his children. He felt as if he was on top of the world, overwhelmingly happy.
As they cuddled up to his chest, he couldn't help but feel the love, care, protectiveness, pride, happiness and peace, all euphoric emotions combined into one.
Adiva was looking at the trio with love and happiness shining in her beautiful eyes. Zacharias pulled her in his arms, while placing the babies between his legs and kissed her gently, pouring all his love into the kiss.
"Thank you love for bestowing me with the best gift ever..." She beamed, giving him one of her bedazzled smiles that he fell in love with.
"I never thought that one day I would fall in love and have kids of my own. Thank you for coming into my life, for accepting me as your husband, and most importantly, thank you for loving a wretched soul like me and bringing the ray of love and happiness in my heart."
Her eyes glazed with unshed tears at his little speech.
Shaking her head, she placed her arms across his cheeks. "Why are you thanking me, when I should be the one thanking you for loving me unconditionally, fighting off my demons, for being my guardian angel and for saving my life. I was a plain Jane and never in my life did I thought that god would gift me with such a strikingly handsome man as my husband, with such a beautiful heart that's filled with so much love and compassion. You don't know how much I am thankful to god for choosing you as my soulmate and gifting us with these two beautiful angels..." She spoke, smiling at the two squealing angels who were too busy in their own world.
"Strikingly handsome husband huh..." Zacharias teased, earning an adorably scowling reaction from her.
"Out of all I said, you just have to catch that don't you? Did you even hear what I said?"
"Oh I heard all of it loud and clear, alright." His voice held amusement.
"And yeah you indeed are the most strikingly handsome man that ever laid my eyes upon. I am so lucky to have you as my husband. I am proud to say that you are mine and only mine. I am crazy for you..." Her voice held possessiveness.
His chest expanded in happiness at her confession as he pulled her by her neck and placed a passionate kiss on her lips.
"And I am for you... I love you my queen..." He conveyed passionately.
She smiled. "And I love you my king...."
Love twinkled in her eyes as she spoke, while laying her head against his chest. Her safest haven...her husband.
As Zacharias looked down at his wife and kids, he suddenly remembered his matushka's words.
"Once in a lifetime, you will find a love so deep that you'd be willing to give up even your wildest ambitions and possessions, your pride and even your time for them...."
And indeed Zacharias was ready to sacrifice anything to have his beautiful wife and kids and of course his family, who always respected him, and loved and supported him in every single aspect of their lives. His family, his brothers and sisters were his world. It was them, who made him the true king. He knew that no matter what the future holds, they will conquer it together.