*April's pov*
[Two weeks later Tuesday December 19th Ethan and Jay are fine I'm at work my phone rings I answer:]
"Hello?"
"April."
"Jay what is it?"
"I wanted you to hear it from me before anyone else told you. Ethan got shot he's on his way to Landstuhl, Germany and he's going to need surgery."
"Are you okay?"
"I jumped in front of him caught a bullet to the shoulder too and I'm also going to need surgery. Erin already knows but there's one good thing about us getting shot."
"What is good about getting shot Jay?!"
"We're coming home day after tomorrow. I get to meet my daughter."
"Are you being serious?"
"Yea. We're coming home."
"Will you tell Ethan that I love him?"
"Absolutely. April thank you for looking out for my family. Erin said she wouldn't have gotten through the deployment and the birth without you so thank you."
"She would've been there for me."[I go to Nancy's Emily and Asher are there I walk in and say:]"Hey guys."
"Hi. What's wrong? You look like you've been crying."
"Ethan got shot. He's in Germany right now."
"Why are you smiling?"
"My husband is coming home."
"Asher and I are engaged. We're getting married next Saturday at the courthouse."
"What? You can't get married at the courthouse. It's not like you're pregnant."
"Mom! When Brad and Sophie died happiness was the first thing to go through the window but Ethan never stopped trying to be there for me even if I did blame him and yea we weren't all that close but he was still there for me. Asher makes me happy and I love him so can you please just be happy for me and come?"
"You think I'm not happy for you? Sweetheart I held you in my arms for two hours while you cried over Brad and then I stayed up all night with you for three days when you were in the hospital because you had become so stricken with grief that you passed out in the living room. I held your hand and your father held mine while Ethan held your other when they removed the remains of your daughters body. You were in such pain and shock but I was right there. Her ashes are sitting on the mantle. I'm overjoyed that you found someone to be happy with. I love you Marie."
"I love you too Mom."
"April have you had your baby shower yet?"
"I don't need a baby shower. I'm okay."
"What? You have to have one. I will take care of everything you just invite your friends over here."
"Nancy this really isn't necessary. I'm okay I don't want you to go through the trouble."
"Child please it's no trouble at all. I want to give you this."
"I don't want to have it without Ethan I've done everything without him up to this point. He's coming home and I would like to have a baby shower with him."
"Okay. How's Saturday sound?"
"You're not gonna give up unless I say yes are you?"
"I'm glad you're learning."
"I want to have it at my house though. Ethan hasn't seen the renovations I made."
"I have to admit that you are handling this deployment a lot better than I thought you would."
"It's your grandchildren. They're giving me strength and I can't wait to meet them."
"You're going to be an amazing mother."
"Thank you."
*Will's pov*
[December 20th Maggie, Noah, Sarah, Natalie, Conner, Sharon, and I go over to the nurses station April is sleeping with her head on the desk Noah shakes her and says:]
"April wake up."
"Leave me alone brat."
"April you need to wake up."
"Noah if you don't leave me alone I'm going to punch you."
"April come on you need to wake up."
"I'm up! What do you want Noah?! What is so important that you woke me up from a very beautiful nap?!"
"Ethan is here. Bed seven."
"If he's not in there I'm going to punch you. Could someone please get me some chili cheese fries and a large sprite please?"
"I'll have an intern get it."
"Thank you."[I go to bed seven and see Ethan his right arm is in a sling he looks at me and says:]
"Hi beautiful."
"Say that again."
"Hi beautiful. You look great baby. How far along are you?"
"Seven months. We're having twins Ethan."
"Shut the door."[April shuts the door and closes the curtain she comes over puts the guardrail down and sits on me she kisses me we kiss slowly and passionately we continue to kiss April is crying I pull away and say:]"Baby what's wrong?"
"I was so scared Ethan. Oh god baby I can't lose you. I wouldn't have been able to get out of bed if I lost you. When I saw the news my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach and I couldn't breathe. You can't scare me like that especially when I'm carrying your children. God Ethan I thought you were fucking dead. You can't do that ever again. You hear me? Don't ever leave me please."
"April babe I just had surgery and you're pressing down on my hurt arm."
"I'm sorry."
"Look at me. I got shot baby."
"You're not allowed to do that anymore either."
"Doc says that I have to be home for at least three months. Give it time to heal and starting physical therapy."
"Really?"
"Yea. You smell really good right now."
"Mom insisted on throwing us a shower on Saturday."
"Okay but you know what I need right now?"
"What?"
"Five hundred milligrams of your lips on mine. Doctors orders."
"Oh really? Well I don't want to go against doctors orders."[We kiss slowly and passionately we continue to kiss I can feel Ethan's erection under the gown I say:]"What if someone walks in?"
"Then we will just have to give them a good show."
"The drugs are that good huh?"
"Very. What are we having?"
"Fraternal twins. A boy and a girl."
"Names?"
"After my parents. I moved into my family home and it was too weird for me to make my parents old room into our room so it's the nursery."
"Where are we going to sleep?"
"In my old room. I knocked the wall down and made it bigger. Your family has been so good to me baby. Your dad came over just to put the cribs together and Emily gave me a bunch of her old baby clothes. I know how hard it was for her to do that."
"April!"
"What?"
"You're putting an insane amount of pressure on my arm."
"I'm so sorry baby."[I lay next to Ethan on his left side and ask:]"Better?"
"Much. Hey babe would it be okay if I just got some sleep?"
"Yea. Of course. I'm gonna go to the bathroom."[I kiss Ethan we kiss quickly I go into the bathroom when I come back Ethan is gone I go over to the nurses station and ask Maggie:]"Where's Ethan?"
"He's being discharged. You can go home too."
*Kelly's pov*
[Leslie and I are doing good I moved into the house. Casey, Cruz, Mouch, Mills and I all went out last night we spent the night at Cruz' place. I walk into work Gabby and Shay are talking near the coffee pot I go over and say:]
"Morning ladies."[I reach for a cup Shay grabs the coffee pot and pours the rest of it in her mug looking straight at me I say:]"Really? You saw me about to get some coffee."
"I need it more than you. You can make another pot."
"No you emptied it so you have to make another pot!"[we go into my office Shay and I start fighting she says:]
"You should've come home last night Kelly! Your daughter kept me up all night waiting for you!"
"I had one too many and I didn't want to drive much less be around my daughter like that. I'm sorry that she kept you up. I will be on night duty today and tomorrow. I'm sorry babe."
"You could've called me. I was worried."
"I left my phone in the car and it was dead this morning."
"I'm pregnant Kelly."
"Another kid? I thought you were on the pill."
"I'm still breastfeeding. I can't be on the pill."
"Okay. How far?"
"Two weeks. I know we weren't trying but is it such a bad thing?"
"No not at all."[I close the blinds and lock the door Leslie takes her pants off and sits on my lap we kiss slowly and passionately we continue to kiss the bells go off it's for truck I whisper:]"Are you sure we won't hurt the baby?"
"I'm positive. We have to be quiet."[We make love in the chair as quietly as we can Kelly bites my shoulders and moans out my name ten minutes later the bells go off again it's for squad Kelly whispers:]
"I have to go baby."
"No."
"Yea. Come on."[Shay gets up. I get redressed so does she someone knocks on the door and says:]
"Lieutenant we got a call."
"I'm coming."[I put my shirt on and tuck it in Leslie says:]
"Keep your name off the wall. I love you Kelly."
"I love you too baby."
[Ethan and I go to the house we go upstairs and lay on the bed Ethan says:]
"I'm gonna take a shower."
"Do you want some company? I can help you get your shirt off."
"Yea."[We shower together and get out I sit on the bed April walks by wearing lingerie I say:]"Come here."
"What's up baby?"[I sit on Ethan's lap straddling him we kiss slowly and passionately we continue to kiss I kiss his neck and body he asks:]
"Are you sure we won't hurt the babies?"
"Yea. It's okay baby."
"Watch out in there guys. Daddy is about to do some real bad things to mommy."[I pin April between the mattress and me I ask:]"May I?"
"You better."[We make love our moans and screams fill the house. I fall asleep in Ethan's arms he kisses my head it's dark when I wake up I look at the clock it's 1:00am Ethan is sitting on the floor I say:]"Baby? What's wrong?"
"If you knew what I did over there you wouldn't want anything to do with me."[April wraps her body up in the covers and sits in front of me she says:]
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"When those RPG's hit Jay two other guys and I were thrown back by the blast but we saved all of them but three of them. It would've been a lot worse but their trajectory was thrown off. I must have passed out or something because next thing I know we're all in this dark place barely any light. When the doors opened it was this family they gave us everything they had. I guess the Taliban found out so they drag the youngest out in front of the village and every time I close my eyes I can see her screaming and crying they raped her in front of the entire village she's crying begging them to stop and when we heard the gunshots I knew they killed her. She died just because her family helped Americans."
"Ethan. She died doing something she believed in. Give me your hands and close your eyes."[he puts his hands in mine and closes his eyes I say:]"What do you see?"
"The little girl she's being beaten."
"Okay. Now feel this your daughter has been kicking me like crazy this whole pregnancy and she's never moved from this spot. Do you feel that baby?"
"Yea. Hi baby girl it's daddy. Your mother is so beautiful and she has an amazing heart and I hope you are just like her in every way. Wow. She's got a strong kick."
"Yea. Now over here this is your son he's been giving me heartburn every time I eat and he's been kicking whenever someone says your name. He's kind of quiet but he's really strong and he's calmed his sister down through a few sleepless nights. I would sleep in your shirts and they were knocked out. Ethan look at me you're going to be okay and you are one of the strongest men I know. I am right here and if you ever want to talk then you just find me or you call the therapist. When you go back and you're having a hard time just write me a letter even if you can't send it just write."
"How did I get so lucky to be able to call you mine?"
"Will set us up and then you broke down my walls. I have something to tell you and you're not going to like it."
"So tell me something I'm going to like."
"Tate came to see me and he kissed me."
"What do you mean he kissed you?"
"Like he tried to have sex with me and he kissed me."
"Okay."
"You're not gonna ask what I did?"
"No. I trust you wholeheartedly and if you had done something wrong you would have told me. That's just the kind of woman you are."
"I slapped him and told him that I'm very happily married and to go to hell."
"Okay."
"Come back to bed babe."[Ethan stands up and helps me up he says:]
"I'm gonna get a beer. Do you want something?"
"Bolinho de Chuva."
"I don't know what that is babe."
"They're like cinnamon and sugar doughnut holes. The twins love Brazilian food last week I made
Moqueca de Camarão for your family and Sarah and Noah came over they loved it and I didn't have heartburn. It was so good you have to try it."
"Maybe you could make it for me now."
"It's one in the morning Ethan."
"So? It's five pm somewhere. Come on please?"
"Tell you what I'll make it for dinner tonight. I'm too tired right now."
"That's as good as I'm gonna get?"
"Yep."
"So we should get some sleep?"
"After you get my doughnut holes. They're in the fridge middle shelf it's labeled cravings."
"Yes dear."
"And could you bring a glass of warm milk and heat the doughnuts for me please?"
"Yes dear."[I go into the kitchen and open the fridge I get the pink box of doughnut holes I put a dozen on a plate and warm up some milk I heat the doughnut holes up I ask:]"Babe do you need a fork?"
"No."
[I grab a beer and put the box away I take the plate and the glass into the room April says:]
"Oh you're such a good husband. Gimme."[Ethan leans in to kiss me I say:]"I was talking about my doughnuts."[Ethan gives me the doughnuts and the glass of milk I sit up and take a picture of them I send it to Sarah:]"I've got Bolinho de Chuva."
"Lucky. I want some."
"Come over for dinner tonight. I will cook."
"Maybe. How are my niece and nephew doing?"
"Good. Get some sleep. Love you."[I turn my phone off and plug it in I start eating Ethan asks:]
"Can I have one?"
"No. Oh these are so good. Ethan!"[He steals one off of my plate and eats it he says:]
"That's delicious. Come on give me another."[April feeds it to me cinnamon and sugar fall onto my chest I lick it off her hands and kiss her neck biting and sucking she moans out my name I say:]"Yes?"
"Stop. I want to finish my food."[I dip a doughnut in the milk and feed it to Ethan he growls against my neck and says:]
"You're such a great cook."
"Thank you."[Ethan and I take turns feeding the other until they're gone we finish the milk off I put the dishes on the nightstand I go in the bathroom and put on my facial mask Ethan says:]
"April."[she steps out of the bathroom brushing her teeth she asks:]
"Yea babe?"
"I was thinking we could go on a baby moon. A little vacation before we become parents. What do you think?"
"That sounds great. When?"
"Next Saturday. We could go to North Carolina rent a beach house."
"We have plans next Saturday."
"What plans?"
"Call your sister."
[I call Emily she answers out of breath:]
"Hello?"
"Hey. It's me. How are you?"
"Great. Asher and I are getting married next Saturday at the courthouse. April is my maid of honor and you're gonna be the best man. Be there at eleven."
"Are you okay? You sound really out of breath."
"I'm fine."
"Did I interrupt your sexy time?"
"Ethan hang up the phone."[he hangs up I walk over to him and kiss him we kiss slowly and passionately we continue to kiss he pulls me onto his lap I get on my side of the bed and crawl up under the covers I turn the lamp off Ethan says:]
"We're not gonna have sexy time?"
"I'm pregnant and fat. No."
"You are not fat my dear. I have seen you beautiful a million times but this glow that you have it's gorgeous."
"You're too sweet. Goodnight Ethan."[we kiss slowly Ethan moans into my mouth I pull away I wake up at eleven am Ethan's side of the bed is cold I put on my black cotton robe with a pair of Ethan's boxers I go into the kitchen and see my friends and Ethan's family Ethan walks over to me he says:]
"Morning sweetheart."
"Morning. What the hell is going on? Why are they here?"
"It's Saturday we're having our baby shower today."
"I slept the whole day and night? Why didn't you wake me up?"
"We tried. You were knocked out cold sis. I've never seen you sleep for so long."
"Yea. I'm gonna go get dressed."
"I went out and I got you some maternity jeans."
"So you're calling me fat now?"
"No. I just thought you might want to wear them."
"I know that I'm fat okay?! I really don't need you telling me Ethan. I can't see my feet and my back hurts so much. I don't need you telling me I'm fat!"[I go over to the fridge my box of doughnuts is gone I ask:]"Who ate my Bolinho de Chuva?!"
"Oh that was me and Sarah. I'm sorry April."[April starts speaking in Spanish she's crying Noah says:]
"Abril va a estar bien voy a hacer más."
"Siempre los quemas Noah."
"Entonces iré a buscar más."
"Realmente? ¿harías eso?"
"Por supuesto que lo haría por ti Abril."
"Usted debe traer más de una caja porque no me gusta compartir."
"I'll be back."
"Thank you Noah. You're the best little brother ever."[Ethan slides a plate of food and a cup of coffee in front of me he kisses my head and whispers:]
"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to upset you love."
"You really think I'm fat?"
"No baby of course not. You have never been sexier well I mean other than when you're wearing lingerie."
"Oh! I forgive you but you have to kiss me like you mean it in front of them."
[I pin April to the wall getting as close as her belly will allow I put both of my hands on her stomach and say:]
"Good morning my beautiful children it's Daddy I hope you two slept good oh I can't wait to meet you because I know that whenever I'm away you two will be here with Mommy and she needs that. She's going to need you guys on your best behavior. Mommy and I love you so much. Baby girl I hope you have your mothers strength and her faith in good people and good things. I hope you have her admiration for the arts and her beauty and her grace. My boy you're every bit of your old man but you've got your mother's strength I can already tell. You weren't built for backing down and you'll protect the ones you love. I can already see it now. I hope that you treat your sister with respect and that you will always respect your mother because she is a badass."
"Language."
"Sorry don't say that. I love both of you so much and I hope you two will always know that I love your mother no matter what we go through."
"You're going to make an excellent father."[I go upstairs and get dressed I can't fit my jeans I put on a dress and my black sandals I go downstairs two hours later we're all in the living room talking Maggie says:]
"Okay this is from me. I hope you like it."[I give the box to April she looks at me and says:]
"I like the box."[I open it and pull out a scrapbook I open it and find pictures of my parents and I when I was a kid every picture has a caption. I keep going through the pages I see a picture of my mother and I at my graduation, my nursing school graduation, Noah's graduation from med school, at his wedding, and mine I start crying Ethan pulls me closer and kisses my head and says:]
"She would be so proud of both of you. Her and your father would be over the moon with pride and joy."
"They won't be here when I have our kids."
"April I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought it would be nice to have them there in some way."
"I'm sorry I just need to be alone for a minute. Excuse me."
"Honey."
"Ethan please just give me a minute. I really just need to be alone."[I go into the backyard I stand by the lake crying for almost two hours it's one o clock when I feel someone wrap their arms around me I look up it's Noah he says:]
"Maggie showed me the scrapbook. Are you okay?"
"You know I didn't shed a tear at her funeral and I didn't really cry at daddy's until it was just me and you. I'm the strong one in the family. Mom knew it everyone knew it. I have never been this vulnerable Noah and it scares me."
"Why?"
"Because it means that I'm not so strong after all."
"You think being vulnerable means you're not strong? April you didn't cry at mom's funeral because you knew that she'd tell you to dry your face and keep moving. That's exactly what you did too. You showing your vulnerability is exactly what makes you strong. If you hadn't been there holding me and Dad up when she died then I wouldn't have an MD behind my name. If you hadn't cooked for us then we wouldn't have eaten anything for weeks. If you hadn't been doing all the house work then this place would be boarded up and run down. If you hadn't been there when Mom died then I would have never been able to get past it because I know how hard you tried to save her April I do. Because when we got to the hospital you were still on her chest doing compressions and aunt Andrea literally had to get security to get you off of her. You stood outside her door and watched them call time of death even though she was long gone. You being vulnerable is what makes you strong it means that you're human like the rest of us. You don't have to be so strong all the time. Let us in and I promise you that we will always be here for you."
"I'm naming the babies after mom and dad."
"My sons name is gonna be Kaden Reese Sexton."
"That's adorable. I like how you guys are using Sarah's maiden name."
"She said it was like holding onto her roots."
"Ahh!"
"Are you okay?"
"Your nephew just Tae Bo'd me."
"Okay. You wanna come back in and open all these gifts for those kids?"
"Could you send my husband out here? He's never met Daddy."
"Sure."
[Ethan comes outside he comes over and wraps his arm around me he says:]
"I know that you're used to being strong all the time but baby you don't have to do it alone. Let me in sometimes you don't have to tell me everything just tell me some things."
"When my mother died I didn't cry at her funeral and I barely cried at my fathers. I was sixteen when my mom died and um I held my family together. I did all the housework and I got two jobs to pull my weight. I'm not really emotional but this pregnancy has me crying over the dumbest things. I have never been more vulnerable and I hate being vulnerable so I will shut people out and I will shut down. I waited until nobody was around to let it all go. Your children are making me vulnerable and it's the most beautiful thing I have ever felt."
"I'm falling even more in love with you everyday."
"We had my father cremated and we spread some of his ashes here. Ethan this is my father, Daddy this is the love of my life, the sweetest and strongest man I have ever known, the father of my children a man I am proud to call my amazing husband Ethan Choi."
"It's an honor to meet you sir and if you were here I'd shake your hand and thank you for raising the sweetest strongest and most beautiful woman I have ever met. I'm so thankful that she is my wife because I don't know what I would do without her."[April doubles over groaning in pain she says:]
"Ethan."
"Baby what is it? What's wrong?"
"Something is not right with the babies."