Rory woke early that morning at exactly 36 weeks pregnant desperately needed to pee as she did most days at the moment. She was just trying to heave herself out of bed gently without waking Logan who was sleeping soundly next to her when she felt a small pop and a little bit of water splashed to the floor. While up until that moment she had been moving carefully so as to not disturb her husband, the shriek that she let out as she felt the water come out of her body woke him with a start.
"Ace," he said groggily lifting his head to look up at her. "Are you okay?"
"I...yes I think so, but I'm not sure if my waters have just gone or I just peed myself a little" she grimaced.
"What?" he said sitting up.
"I know, that was too much information wasn't it?" Rory wrinkled her nose "Just what every man wants to hear from his wife...that she's incontinent".
Logan smiled a little but looked at her with concern. "Do you think we should call the doctor?"
"I don't know, I mean I feel fine" she shrugged. "It's probably nothing"
"Probably," he said but Logan insisted on calling the doctor anyhow, who told them that they should come in for a quick check over if they were worried at all.
The doctor came by to see them and gave them a little information about the premature rupture of membranes and the risk of infection but on examining her, she thought that there was a pretty good chance that Rory would go into labour quite soon. Rory was monitored for a little while and the CTG machine was starting to pick up some tightenings but nothing that was too uncomfortable for Rory to handle. The doctor confirmed that both babies were in a great position and there was no reason why the birth couldn't progress naturally so they went home for a little bit to try and relax, knowing that they were in for some excitement imminently.
Rory had a short nap on the bed before she woke up as the tightenings started to get a little more painful. Logan started timing the contractions but after an extremely intense one that lasted nearly two minutes he knew that it was time to get her to the hospital as she was really having to breathe through them now. Logan grabbed the hospital bag and called the car round to collect them. For the last time as a family of two, they left their apartment hand in hand.
By the time they got to the hospital the contractions were coming thick and fast – they were incredibly strong with barely a break coming between them. The nurse got Rory settled onto a bed before running some checks to see how dilated she was and to monitor the heartbeats of the babies. After a few moments the nurse smiled gently at Logan and Rory "The heartbeat seems a little slow for one of your babies, I'm just going to get the doctor to have a listen" She registered the worried look on their faces "Don't panic, this is quite normal" she said trying to reassure them.
A few minutes later the nurse reentered the room with the doctor who studied the charts and listened to the babies heartbeat before making a decision.
"Rory," the doctor said, "One of the babies seems to be in a little distress, everything is okay right now but given that you're only 6cm dilated at this point, I think that the best course of action would be to take you through for a c-section okay?"
"Okay" Rory nodded not able to say many words as she experienced another contraction but as they wheeled her towards the operating room she started to panic a little when they explained that Logan would have to stay outside while the team administered the spinal anesthetic. More than anything, she didn't want to be separated from Logan and she started to cry as she got more worked up.
Rory looked at Logan, seeking support, however, Logan himself was afraid. He wanted to be strong for Rory but what it came down to it, in that moment all that he wanted was for his wife and babies to be safe but everything felt so out of his control. He knew he had to put on a brave face for her sake though.
"Hey Ace, don't worry, I'll be right out here okay and I'll see you in just a minute" Logan squeezed her hand "Everything is going to be fine," He said as he bent down to kiss her.
Logan stood outside the operating theater, a million thoughts running through his head. He felt totally powerless but all he could do was wait for someone to come and tell him what to do next. He was at a complete loss.
Inside the theater, a lovely nurse called Helen took hold of Rory's hand. "I'll look after you okay?" she said.
As she sat sideways on the operating table with her back exposed, Helen sat with Rory holding her hands as she leaned forehead to forehead with her and talked her through everything. Rory was so very grateful for the caring support that this nurse was able to offer her. It didn't take long for the anesthesia to begin to take effect and once Rory began to relax a little, Logan was able to come back into the room to be with her while they started the procedure.
It felt like an hour had passed while Logan waited outside, but in reality, he knew it was probably only a couple of minutes before a nurse appeared and lead him into the theater. When he walked in, the first thing he noticed was that it was full of medical staff with a bewildered looking Rory lying in the middle of the room.
Logan went straight over to her and held her hand tightly. "It's okay, I'm here now," he said as she smiled weakly at him.
Rory could hear the doctor talking through the operation but she was feeling a little woozy and disorientated from the drugs and couldn't really focus on what he was saying. She just felt so weak and tired and completely overwhelmed with the situation but before too long she heard a little cry that brought her back into the room. She looked up at Logan and though she couldn't see his mouth because it was covered with the hospital mask, she could see the happiness and tears in his eyes.
"Baby A is a boy" she heard someone announce "six pounds two ounces". Rory barely had time to take in the information before there was another cry "We've got another boy, four pounds eleven ounces" the nurse smiled.
Logan squeezed Rory's hand happily and he bent down to kiss her on her head while their babies were whisked to the other side of the room for their initial checks.
The nurse Helen came back over to Rory "They're both absolutely perfect. We're just going to get you tidied up and then you can have a cuddle with them, Mommy. Daddy, you want to come have a hold?" she asked Logan.
Logan nervously followed the nurse over to where his two sons were resting in a crib. She carefully handed him one and then the other. With a baby nestled under each arm, he walked slowly over to Rory so that she could have her first look at them.
She smiled up at him "And then there were four"
"Double trouble" Logan winked.
Rory groaned weakly "Three Huntzberger men to try and keep under control. I must have been very bad in a previous life".
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Rory was moved to her private room where she was able to sit up a little in bed and take a proper look at her children before they decided on their names. After a lot of talking and after deliberately deciding to eschew any form of family or traditional name they opted for names they just happened to like and went with Leo and Max for their newborn sons.
Leo had a soft covering of fair hair while Max had a healthy crop of dark hair, just like Rory. It seemed incredible to her that they had actually made them and she had been carrying these two little beings around inside of her for almost nine months.
Logan sat looking at the scene before him – his beautiful wife Rory holding their two sons. He knew in that moment that he felt completely bonded to her in a way that he had never felt before. She was the mother of his children and he loved her with everything he had in him – he always had but somehow, it felt different now.
"Are you ready for a visitor?" a voice said as a head popped around the door.
"Mom!" Rory smiled happily.
"Hey Lorelai, come in," Logan said.
Lorelai glanced in at the little family. Her daughter lying in the bed with one baby sleeping soundly next to her in a crib while Logan sat gently cradling the other little boy. She felt a lump form in her throat.
"Wow Rory, just look at them," Lorelai said with tears in her eyes. "I can't believe that you made those."
"Well I certainly helped them to grow but it wasn't all me, Logan definitely played a big part in the making of them..." Rory laughed.
"Eww, Rory. Mommy does not need to know about that" Lorelai pulled a face.
"Do you want to hold this little guy?" Logan asked. "This is Leo"
Lorelai nodded and took the baby carefully out of Logan's arms. She thought it was the weirdest feeling in the world – holding the baby of her own baby. It only felt like yesterday that Rory had been that small.
"Hey, little man" Lorelai whispered "Oh he's just perfect, isn't he? Congratulations guys" she smiled. "How are you feeling Rory?"
"Honestly? A bit like a truck ran over my body right after a great white shark bit me in half" Rory said. Logan perched on the edge of the bed next to her and put his arm around her gently and she rested her head on his shoulder
"That good huh?" Lorelai smiled at the couple. She had to admit that while she'd had her doubts, Logan and Rory just looked so happy and comfortable with each other.
"My c-section scar is really hurting" Rory complained.
Logan thought he'd give the two women a moment alone together. "I'll go and get some drinks for us shall I? Coffee?"
"Well duh," Lorelai said with a smile. She waited until Logan had left the room. "So, you guys look really happy"
"We are" Rory nodded. "Happier than I ever thought we could be. Logan is..." she trailed off "...he's just amazing in every way. He's really been there for me throughout this, you know?"
"There goes the Harlequin romance face again" Lorelai joked. "Seriously. I'm glad kid, you deserve to be happy" she smiled "and I deserve to have lots and lots of cuddles with these beautiful boys," Lorelai said as she stooped to gently rub noses with Leo.
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After a few days in the hospital, it was ready for Logan to take Rory and is boys to home. Rory was more than a little nervous about having to face the big bad world on their own, outside of the safety of having doctors and nurses on hand twenty-four hours of the day but she knew that she couldn't stay there forever. Logan was going to take a few weeks off work to help them all settle in at home so while she was a little apprehensive she was also excited about starting their life together as a family.
As they walked into their apartment together, each with their arms wrapped around a baby, they stopped to kiss each other just before they stepped over the threshold.
"Are you ready to do this?" Logan said with a raised eyebrow.
"In Omnia Paratus!" Rory laughed.
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A/N: And that's a wrap! I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I've had some truly lovely comments about it which I haven't always felt worthy of but they've got me writing so thank you very very much. I've already started work on my next story which is called "All Too Well". The first chapter of this is live now – so please do keep your eye out for it as I hope you'll read and enjoy that one too! Thanks again – you guys are awesome!