Ben smiled as he made his way down the hall to where his parents, Chip, Genevieve, Mal's family, and some of the closest members of the castle staff had congregated upon Ben's request. They had known that today was the day that Mal was going to get her ultrasound done.
That this was the day that they were going to learn if they were going to have a son or a daughter.
In all honesty, Ben didn't care all that much about whether or not he had a son. He'd spent way too much time around Lonnie, Mal, Jane, and his own mother to think girls were somehow less than boys. All he cared about was that the child in question was healthy and happy—as was their mother.
And their mother at that moment was currently in the process of drawing herself a bath to relax as they'd gotten some rather startling news.
Instead of one baby, they were going to have two.
Twins, we're having twins, Ben thought with a grin; glancing down at the envelope in his hand which held the scans that Mal had had not half an hour ago. She'd begun panicking at the thought of twins and, Ben wasn't going to lie, he was more than a bit nervous as well but he knew they could handle it.
They had an amazing support system as shown by their families.
Oh Gods, I can just picture it if we're able to have a boy and a girl. A mini Mal running around the castle, a mini me curled up with Mal as he reads with her, Ben thought, a smile growing on his lips. Not that he wouldn't love having two daughters or two sons of course but a son and daughter combo was what they had talked about the most.
It was what they, or at least Ben, felt the most prepared for.
He wasn't going to lie, as he continued to walk, he had to stamp down the temptation to sneak a peak at the sonogram. To see the gender of his kids. But they were also Mal's kids and he wasn't going to open the envelope without Mal.
They had wanted to know, that was the whole point of the visit from Eileithyia. Since Mal wanted to keep the knowledge away from the prying eyes and ears of the press for as long as they were able to do so, hospital visits had been done via house call.
Of course, this had also strengthened Mal's belief that they'd be having the baby in the castle. Ben was happy to do whatever Mal wanted but that was the one thing he really wanted to put his foot down for. Though Mal would often argue that her mother had given birth to Hadie at home and she was fine.
I can't help but wonder if finding out we're having twins will change Mal's mind on the whole 'giving birth at home' thing, Ben thought as he walked into the living room where everyone was gathered.
"Thank you guys for coming," Ben said, grinning as he saw Geene and Rea in the corner curled up with Estelle. Actually, it looked almost like his sister and sister-in-law were napping and using Estelle as a pillow but the Cerberus seemed to not mind it one bit.
"Of course your highness," Lumiere said, giving Ben a smile which the King returned.
"As you all know, Mal had her sonogram done to check the baby's gender as well to confirm that nothing was going wrong with the pregnancy. After all, we've been concerned about how quickly the baby has been growing even with the smaller gestational period Mal has due to being both a Fae and a Godling ."
"Are there any issues?" Belle asked, the worry evident in her eyes.
Ben shook his head, his smile growing to Dizzy levels. "No, but there is a reason for the rapid growth. Instead of one heir to the throne...we're going to have two. Mal's having twins!"
"Oh that's great news son!" Beast said as Chip rushed over to gather Ben up in a hug. "Congratulations!"
"Thanks dad," Ben said.
Hadie grinned. "Two nieces or two nephews or one of each for me to spoil and be the fun uncle to? Awesome!"
"Um, that's my role!" Chip exclaimed as he released Ben. "Oh, Lucas is sorry he couldn't make it. He had a deadline he had to meet."
Ben shook his head. "I'm not offended at all Chip, I know how important deadlines are. But he's meeting his nieces or nephews or niece and nephew."
"I'll drag him to the hospital myself," Chip nodded. "Or is Mal still insisting on a home birth?"
"That's still a contender but I think this news might change her mind," Ben said.
Hades frowned from his seat. No one but Persephone had noticed him sinking down into a chair at the news. "Speaking of Mal...where is she?"
"In our ensuite," Ben said. "She's running herself a bubble bath. I was just about to get her some chocolate covered strawberries since she's feeling more than a little overwhelmed but I thought you guys should get the news first."
Persephone shook her head. "Mal feeling overwhelmed is completely understandable. To go from thinking you were expecting one child to two...though with Hades' family's history, it was always a possibility. Apollo and Artemis are the obvious examples but there's also Castor and Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra, and Amphion and Zethus. Oddly enough they're all connected to Zeus in some way."
"It's not that odd," Hades shook his head. "But we're not here to dive into my family's history, we're here to celebrate the fact that Mal's having two sunspots instead of one."
"You're taking this awfully well Hades," Persephone said, and Hades was thankful that she hadn't mentioned the fact that he was the only one sitting. Though he was sure that she would tease him for that when they were alone.
Hadie chuckled. "He's ranting over the mental link again. Dad, you're about as good as Mal is with the link."
"Everybody's a critic," Hades shook his head.
Belle chuckled softly before looking over at her son. "Ben, let me know if you need me to watch the kids at any point," she said. "I'm more than happy to help."
"Same with me," Persephone nodded, a small smile gracing her lips.
"Thanks mom, Lady Persephone," Ben said.
Beast rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "Do you know the genders of the babies? After all you said that was the main reason for the visit today."
Ben sighed and shook his head. "Lady Eileithyia gave me an envelope with the genders revealed in the sonogram but I haven't looked yet. I want to do that with Mal. I mean, I know we should know if we're having two but it doesn't feel right looking without Mal here."
"I can agree with that," Beast nodded.
Belle chuckled. "I had insisted on knowing when I was pregnant with you Ben."
Ben couldn't help but chuckle as he heard that. It didn't surprise him at all.
"You all having a party without me?" Mal's voice called from the doorway.
"You are supposed to be relaxing," Ben told her as he turned to his wife, a smile on his face.
Mal shook her head. "Well I was drawing the bath but then I figured I'd see what was taking someone so long with the chocolate he'd promised," she teased as she walked over to Ben.
"I'll go ahead and get that right now dearie," Mrs. Potts promised.
"Oh no Mrs. Potts, I didn't mean...and she's gone," Mal sighed as Mrs. Potts got up and left.
Chip chuckled. "You really expected mom to just sit by when you'd asked for something?"
"Good point, I don't know what I was thinking. We'll just chalk it up to pregnancy brain," Mal chuckled before looking over at Ben. "So I take it that everyone's been informed about the change in the number of expected children?"
Ben nodded with a small chuckle.
"Congratulations Mal," Persephone said as she walked over to give her daughter a hug.
"Thanks mom," Mal told her, leaning into the hug.
Hadie shook his head. "So...now that Mal's here, are you going to open that envelope so Chip and I can know if we're expecting two nephews or two nieces or one of each?"
"I love how Rea and Geene aren't included in the aunt and uncle category," Mal snorted.
"And that might be something they'd want to do in private," Hades said as he looked over at his son. After all, Mal and the sunspot go so little in the way of privacy now that he wouldn't begrudge them the little they could get.
Mal shrugged. "I mean, it's not like you guys are reporters. You're going to find out anyway."
"Mal's right," Ben nodded as Mrs. Potts came over with a tray.
"Here you are dearie," she said, setting the tray down in front of Mal. "Now sit down both of you. You've had a long day and some rather shocking news. I'm surprised you're sill on your feet."
"Mom, what did we say about mothering the twenty three year olds?" Chip chuckled.
"Oh hush you, you're thirty two and I'll happily mother you," Mrs. Potts shook her head but gave her youngest son a smile.
Ben chuckled as he helped Mal sit down at the table before taking a seat himself and pulled out the envelope.
"You ready?"
Mal nodded and began nibbling on a bit of chocolate covered strawberry as Ben slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the results for him and Mal to look at.
"Looks like we got our wish," Mal said softly as she smiled and looked at Ben. "One of each."
Persephone smiled. "Oh how wonderful!"
"This is truly exciting! A little Prince and Princess running around the castle," Mrs. Potts said though if anyone looked at her closely, they could tell that the smile had a hint of sadness to it.
After all, other than Beast, she had been the one to see the affects the miscarriage had had on Belle. How much she had wanted a daughter and how devastated losing Abigail had been for the Queen.
"I'm so happy for you both," Belle said, her voice soft but her smile at almost Dizzy levels as she walked over and gave Ben and Mal a hug.
Mal returned the hug but then looked over at her husband. "Ben...we never did tell them what the name we wanted to use if pup was a girl, did we?"
"You told Uma I believe but no we never told our parents," Ben said, shaking his head.
"Oh right, that reminds me I'll have to tell Uma about the whole twin thing," Mal said. "But that can be later."
Hades chuckled. "Pregnancy brain getting to you Mali? Come on, spill. What's the name?"
Mal and Ben looked at each other and smiled before Mal looked back at her parents. "For the boy, we're going to go with our first pick of Maurice Benjamin Adam and for the girl...we're going to go with Stephanie Isabelle Hailey."
"We want to make sure all the grandparents get included," Ben said as Hades tilted his head in confusion.
Persephone, however, gasped in realization as her mind flashed back to a conversation she'd had with Mal before Hadie was born. About what name they could use had Hadie been a girl.
"Hailey...for Hades?"
"It's not the best I'll admit, but it was the best we could come up with," Mal said with a small smile. "As for Stephanie...well that was Ben's idea. We wanted to name her after you mom but as history has shown, favoring one God over another ends in chaos. So we figured since your nickname is Steph..."
"Brilliant!" Hadie exclaimed.
"What's brilliant?" Rea asked, looking over at them.
"Your sister of course," Hadie said as he walked over and scooped Rea up in his arms.
"Oh...why is she brilliant?"
Mal chuckled. "I just am. It's the perk of being the eldest you know."
"Yeah yeah," Hadie shook his head. "Anyway, don't you think your kids are going to hate having a really long name?"
"The third name will only come out if they're in big trouble," Mal said. "Otherwise it's just going to be for show."
Persephone shook her head. "Gods...it's almost hard to believe that May will be here before we know it. That's still your due date right?"
"It is," Mal nodded. "Stephanie and Maurice will be born around the end of May."
"And we'll be here if you need any help," Belle promised.
"Same with us," Persephone nodded.
"I think Lucas and I go without saying," Chip chimed in.
Ben chuckled. "We know, and we're grateful. For all of you. And now, if someone will please go and relax?"
Mal smiled and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Okay, okay," she said as she stood up.
"If it makes you feel better Mal, his father was just as bad when I was pregnant with Ben," Belle told her.
"Your father was worse when I was pregnant with Hadie and Rea," Persephone chimed in.
Hades shook his head as Mal snorted fondly. "Yes well, in terms of your pregnancy with Hadie, excuse me for being concerned about my pregnant wife being in a realm without me."
"And I wasn't that bad when you were pregnant Belle," Beast said.
"You almost banned me from the library, Adam!"
"Belle, we wouldn't have any books left if you had kept reading them."
"We could have ordered more, Adam. You had already forbidden me from reading your paperwork and I was the Queen!"
Ben bit his lip to avoid laughing. Mal had no such restraint however she had the ability to pass it off as pregnancy related.
Beast shook his head. "Belle, I didn't forbid you from reading it. You had developed a habit of reading it over my shoulder."
"And what was wrong with that?"
"Nothing except for when you'd point out grammatical and spelling mistakes."
"So?"
"My spelling and grammatical mistakes Belle. You'd correct my mistakes."
"You can't have mistakes on official documents, Adam."
Mal shook her head and leaned over to whisper to Ben. "Come on, I think they'll be like this for a while...you want to share that bath?"
"I think that would be a great idea," Ben whispered back and the two of them quietly snuck out of the room to enjoy a moment alone.
After all, those moments would soon become fleeting once two became four.