I'm sorry...~America

Double trouble

~Francis' POV~
That night after dinner I retreated to my bedroom to have a nice bath when I was stopped Arthur on his way out the stairs, "Francis wait!" Arthur whispered and called out to me as he ran over. "What is it?"
"I told you I wanted to talk to you later today so..."
"Oh- alright then come in" I let Arthur in and quietly closed the door behind me.
"I'm sorry if this is a bad time but I just figured..."
"Well I was going to take a bath...Perhaps we can continue our conversation there~"
"...that's actually quite efficient"
I stopped and looked at Arthur dumbfounded that my joke went right over his head. "Arthur I-"
"What?" Arthur looked up at me completely unaware that the bath idea was just a flirtatious joke. Oh my god he's clueless. "Well if your okay with it then I suppose I'll start the bath" I shrugged and started the water. Arthur sat down and began to strip down and I forced myself to look away. Is he drunk or something?- no he denounces alcohol- then why the hell is he acting so dense? Before now even being in his boxers was enough to turn him red in the face around me. "A-aren't you going to undress too?" Arthur blushed and held his knees to his chest in order to cover himself. No- wait he is embarrassed...so he is okay- wait a minute. IS ARTHUR HORNY!? No. No Francis. Don't assume things maybe he's just worried about the water bill or something, after all taking a bath together isn't much different from sharing a sauna room or a hot spring. I stripped myself of my clothing and got into the tub with Arthur who tucked his legs to his chest once again once he entered the water.
"You know I can't see anything under the water right?" Arthur blushed softly and hugged himself tighter. "Yes but...your taking up most of the bath"
I stared at him for a second before laughing and copying his pose.
"alright then there, now we both have more room"
"Thank you. Now then about our relationship... I don't think either of us can deny our feelings for each other"
"This is true...but?"
"...but I don't think it would be appropriate to get remarried"
"Why not? We were married for years-"
"Because I want to start over! I don't want to rush into it...I want to take our time...besides I don't think now is the time to have all the attention on our relationship when our main priority is to save Alfred's" I can't argue with him on that because he's entirely right, the baby could be coming any day now and there's no saying if Christina will survive or not.
"Your right...it would be rather inappropriate"
Arthur let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you agree"
"Unfortunately I do...speaking of which how is your spell...potion thing coming along?"
Arthur frowned and stared at the bubbles.
"It...it's not going to work on her...I can give it to Ailbe but i can't give it to her while she's this fragile and weak I would have to wait until after she recovers from birth"
"So there's really nothing we can do for her is there?"
"...." Arthur shook his head and sank down to his nose in the water. I sighed and held his hand under the bubbles to comfort him.
"Look at the bright side Arthur...at least there's a possibility she'll live, and after that we can save her and Ailbe and neither of our sons will have to be alone" Arthur gave me a small nod as a reply before putting his head under the water. "...oh mon amour" I let out a small sigh and leaned back in the tub, "I'm sorry things have to be like this..." I closed my eyes for a moment before I felt Arthur's hand creep up my chest, I opened my eyes and blushed as I looked down at Arthur as he laid his head against my collar bone.
"A-Arthur-" Arthur raised his hand up and pressed it against my mouth to silence me as he sighed at me.
"Don't get ahead of yourself...just hold me..." Arthur stared at the edge of the bathtub in deep thought. I moved his hand and kissed it before wrapping my arms around him, "as you wish your highness...."

Alfred's POV~
The next four days went by relatively normal, Francis and Arthur seemed to be getting along better, Matthew seems happier, and Christina actually seemed to be getting better so all was pretty well in the house; even I was starting to feel a little better about everything going on. But there's still a constant cloud of worry over my head, Christina is physically over 8 months pregnant so the baby really could be here any moment, on any day, at anytime...and something deep down in my gut tells me it's soon.
"I just don't think it's necessary Alfred" Christina chuckled and hid her mouth behind her hand as to not let me know she was laughing but she was failing. "How is it unnecessary? Every book and every class on pregnancy says that the father has to be prepared for absolutely anything and everything."
"Yes but...it's a baby not an asylum patient" Christina giggled and took a cushioned pad off the wall. "Well if the child is anything like Alfred was as a kid you'll need as much protection as you can get" Francis nodded in agreement with me and sat down in one of the new baby proof silicon chairs.
"Hey! I wasn't that bad...all the time"
"You put a tree through our living room because you thought it would be funny to make the cows stamped" Francis gave me a smug look.
"Hey I was 7 not a baby so ha!"
"Alfred sweetie your...well first of all your very energetic, and second of all you worry too much...a little safety is fine but we don't need to put padding all over your father's estate" Christina smiled at me and held my hand, I let out a small sigh and looked around at the walls, "yeah...okay I guess it is a little overboard...hey Ailbe help me take these down will ya?" "Not that I mind but...why me specifically?" Ailbe got up and started taking the pads off the walls. "Because your 6'5 and I don't wanna get the ladder back out." I grinned at him and helped him take the pads down, "I guess I'm just a ladder to you huh?" Ailbe faked being offended by my comment.
"No no! Not at all...your much more then that"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah! Your like...a bulky chocolate covered bottle of scotch brewed by a god"
Ailbe smiled and rolled his eyes before taking down another panel.
Christina smiled and sat next to Francis.
"So Christina have you decided on a name yet?" Francis smiled and put his elbows on the table.
"Well...sorta...we've narrowed it down to Jimmy, Joaquin, Adam, Julie, Jessie, And Abby"
"Aw all of those are lovely names, I'm sure you'll know which to choose when the time comes"
"I'm sure we-" Christina stopped and held her stomach standing up and holding onto the chair.
"A-Alfred....." I stopped what I was doing and ran over to her, "are you alright? What is it?" Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and all eyes were on Christina. "My water just broke..."
Francis got up and put his hand on my back, "get her in a car and head to the hospital I'll go find Arthur and we'll meet you there" I nodded my head and quickly got Christina into my car with Ailbe's help before he ran back inside to find Matthew.
I got in the drivers seat and didn't even bother buckling my seatbelt before speeding off to the hospital.
Once the staff had her in a bed the contractions were in full effect and Christina was screaming bloody murder, it was mortifying but I had to be strong for her. "Hey-hey Christi breathe, look at me and breathe" Christina's breathing quickened as she turned to look at me, she held out her hand to me and took a deep breath. I squeezed her hand and smiled at her "Just focus on breathing and squeeze my hand as hard as you need too"
"Oh Alfred I-" Christina screamed and crushed my hand causing me to wince hard but I didn't dare pull away. "Breathe Honey breathe..."
"OH MY GOD GE T IT OUT!!!" Christina arched her back as the doctor ran over and prepped her for delivery. "Is she gonna be okay doc?"
"I'm not sure we're going to have to operate, the child is coming out too quickly for her body to adjust"  The thought of all of Romes wives dying in labor came to my mind and I squeezed Christina's hands tightly. Christina sobbed and cursed the world as the contractions became worse. A nurse came in and out her hand in my shoulder, "sir I'm going to have to ask you to wait in the hall as we prep for surgery" Christina looked up at me with tears streaming down her cheeks, I cupped her face and kissed her forehead, "I love you so much Christina...everything is going to be okay..."
"I-I love you too Alfred...I'm- AHH!!" Christina screamed and let go of my hand as the nurses escorted me out into the hall before returning to put Christina under. I stood by the window and bit my hand as I watched them stick an IV into her wrist, Christina looked up at me and held her hand out to me, I felt tears begin to well up in my eyes as I touched the glass...and before I knew it...she was out cold and the doctor prepared for surgery. No one was there yet...I was all alone in the hallway...my entire family was no where to be seen and the love of my life is about to be carved into by a doctor we've never met. I bite down harder into my hand as I felt the walls begin to slowly close in around me, blood trickled down my knuckles and dripped onto the tile; but I didn't care. I watched every single movement made by each person inside the operating room, the small twitch of one nurses finger, the way the doctors hands steadily cut through Christina's flesh careful to avoid her organs and any major arteries.
I closed my eyes and bit down harder as I began to tremble and loose my vision as it slowly became to blurry to see anything. "Alfred...Please stop hurting yourself..." I could hear a faint voice somewhere around me but I couldn't place exactly where it was coming from until I heard the faintest sound of a baby crying. My vision returned and the sound of the crying disappeared and was instead replaced by the sound of Matthew shouting at me as he shook my shoulders. "Alfred stop your going to loose a finger!" I looked down at my blood soaked hand and released it from the clutches of my jaw. Ailbe came jogging over with a towel and wrapped it around my hand before Arthur forced me to sit down on the bench. "Jesus Christ Alfred what's gotten into you"
"...I don't know I- I didn't realize I was biting so hard I...I wasn't paying attention."
Arthur put his hand on my shoulder, "It's okay Alfred...just breathe for a moment...everything's going to be okay" I stared at the floor and held the towel tightly around my hand, "that's what I told Christina..." Francis frowned and sat next to me.
"Then take your own advice and try to stay calm"
I nodded my head slightly before looking back at the window, I can't see the operation from here...but it's probably for the best that I don't.

After several minutes a doctor came out rubbing his hands together with hand sanitizer lathered between them. "Congratulations Mr. Jones, your now the proud father of a matching set"
"Y-you mean we have twins?"
"Yes sir, a boy and a girl"
"A-and Christina?!"
"She's just fine"
I nearly collapsed from sheer relief, everyone cheered behind me as I made my way inside the hospital room. Christina was still sleeping due to the drugs but color had returned to her face and she was just as beautiful as always, I smiled and kissed her forehead, "good job Christi..." Christina groaned and hesitantly opened her eyes, "Alfred...am I..."
"Your alive..." I smiled and wiped away a tear as I kissed her gently. She smiled back at me weakly and looked around the room, "my baby...I want to see my baby..." I chuckled and moved her hair out of her face as a nurse walked over with our babies in tow.
"Actually...the correct term is bab-ies" The nurse smiled and handed Christina and i each a baby before standing off to the side.
"Oh Alfred...their perfect...Jessie looks just like you..."
"And little Joaquin looks just like you" we both smiled at each other before looking back at the twins and kissing them both on the forehead.
Francis and Arthur walked in and smiled at us.
"Oh their beautiful..." Arthur smiled and did his best to contain his tears. Francis' lips quivered as he too tried not to cry, "o-oui... très beau..." Christina chuckled and yawned. "I'm sorry Alfred I can't stay awake I'm just so tired...please take her..."
"Of course...you've worked hard so take your time and rest..." I gently took Jessie from her before she put her head down on her pillow and passed right out.
"Do you guys wanna hold them?" I whispered.
Arthur and Francis nodded and held their arms out for a baby, I smiled and gave Jessie to Francis and Joaquin to Arthur.
Arthur smiled at Joaquin and began to tremble,
"I-he- mm-" Arthur burst into tears of joy and Francis grinned at him barley able to keep his own tears back. "Your such- a baby"
"S-shut up- frog" I smiled and chuckled, "Meet Jessie and Joaquin...your grand babies."
Francis looked at me and smiled, "I'm proud of you Alfred...so proud"
I smiled at him and looked back at the twins.
"thanks pop..."