New Beginnings

The Calm Before the Storm

PREVIOUSLY: "Wolfie?" He called cautiously as he slow stepped towards the sound, but his panic suppressed when he discovered a very muddy Wolfie clawing and scratching at the dirt beneath with such determination that he couldn't simply ignore, the canine had discovered something.
"What have you found there buddy?"

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"Please, can I come with you?!" Jellybean adorably pleaded with clasped hands, following her Father around the kitchen like a lost puppy.

"I'm sorry honey, but they don't really allow kids into the room for scans."

"But I wanna see the babies!" She begged once more cutely

"And you will, when they're born, but until then you'll just have to be patient." FP explained to her sweetly, stroking his thumb under her chin before kissing the top of her head.

"Why does she need to be patient?" Alice wondered out loud as she lightly waddled down the stairs.

FP halted his movements as he watched his girlfriend slowly approach he and Jellybean in the dining area.

"Jellybelly wants to come with us to the 6 month scan to see the twins, but I told her, kids aren't really allowed in, so she'll just have to be patient and wait until they're born."

"Oh come on! One more person in the room isn't gonna hurt anybody." Alice kindly implored, stroking the young girls chin before reaching for the freshly made mug of green tea FP had prepared for her, to which the young girl smiled, glad to know Alice was on her side.

Carrying two babies, rather than the one she was used to had drained all energy from her, and she needed all the healthy doses of caffeine she could get.

"Don't be a spoilsport babe." Alice jokingly added.

"Yeah, don't be a spoilsport, Dad!" Jellybean playfully repeated as she stood next to her stepmother.

"Besides, all the kids are out, along with Archie and Veronica. She'll be bored at Fred's. If the nurse doesn't like it, then she'll just have to deal."

FP pondered on her words for a moment, witnessing his two girls pouted lips and puppy dog eyes which of course he couldn't resist.

"Go get your shoes." He commanded with a soft sigh, trying hard to contain the wide smile that appeared as he watch the excited 8 year old race up the stairs.

"And how are the little monsters today?" FP cheesed as he smoothed his hand over Alice's large stomach. Considering the fact that she was carrying not one but two she was still pretty small, but he loved embracing it regardless.

"What happened to Bert and Ernie?" Alice teased as she quirked an eyebrow up at him referring to his everlasting list of nickname duos for their unborn twins. Last week it was Beavis and Butthead, and earlier in the week he got started on the Sesame Street pair.

"Figured I'd start being more gender neutral." He defended before leaning in for a kiss which she happily accepted.

"So you settled on little monsters?"

"We both know that with mine and your's DNA running through their veins,  they'll be anything but angels, so I think it's only fitting." FP concluded playfully, earning a soft whack to the chest by his girlfriend.

"I'm ready!" They heard Jellybean yell excitedly from the steps, drawing them away from their playful discussion.

They arrived soon after at the maternity ward of Riverdale General and were assigned a room to wait for their assigned doctor to arrive.

"What does this thing do?" A curious Jellybean questioned, poking and prodding at all the medical machinery and tools around her. She picked up the wand attached to the screening machine and observed it closely, mesmerised by the unusual machinery she was not quite familiar with

"That's to check the babies heartbeat and see how they're doing in there." Alice informed her gleefully gesturing to her belly.

"Are they girl babies or boy babies?"

"We already told you Jelly, they're one of each. A boy and a girl." FP reminded her

"Can you make the boy one a girl too?" She innocently begged with a cute pout that resembled her mothers, bringing a bittersweet smile to her fathers face.

"It doesn't work that way honey." Alice chuckled as she stroked the young girls cheek, finding her desperation for more girls adorable.

"How does it work then?"

Alice and FP shared a mutual look of awkwardness, their faces flushing a light pink shade before they silently agreed not to take the question further, and instead answer with a simple-

"That's a conversation for when you get older." FP chuckled in embarrassment. He certainly didn't need to explain the birds and the bees to his 8 year old daughter.

"Alice Smith?!" A nurse called entering the room, drawing all three's attention instantly.

"Hey." Alice softly greeted. Given the start of her new trimester, she was assigned a new nurse who was more specialised in that department.

"I'm Doctor Cartwright, I'll be your obstetrician for the remainder of your pregnancy." The brown haired woman calmly explained. "So how have things been since your last appointment?"

"Good, I guess." Alice honestly stated, softly stroking her belly before looking up at a smiling FP. "Never been pregnant with twins so I didn't really know what to expect. I've been a little more tired and fatigued, sleep's a little more rough but other than that, everything's A okay."

Dr Cartwright started up the ultrasound machine and prepared the wand attached before taking the clear gel and placing a generous amount over Alice's abdomen.

No matter how many pregnancies and scans she went through over the years, there was never getting any use to the chilling feeling of discomfort the Ecovue left.

Alice and FP's hearts began to swell as the loud and vibrant sounds of two heartbeats filled the room and the sight of their little ones on the ultrasound screen wriggling around brought smiles to their faces.

"Is that them?!" Jellybean excitedly inquired, her beaming eyes glistening happily as she bounced up and down pointing at the screen.

"Yeah honey."

"It seems as though everything is perfect. They're at a healthy size, their heartbeats are good. I can't say anything is wrong here." Dr Cartwright gladly informed them. "Would you like a recording of the ultrasound?"

"Yes please." Alice answered as she held onto FP's hand. They collected the disc recording and made their way home, feeling relieved that the scan went as well as it could've.

As FP drove down the deserted back road, peacefully admiring the trees, something rather unsettling caught his eye as he began to approach Fox Forest.

Small gatherings of townsfolk with a ray of emotions ranging from fear, confusion, wonder and shock chatting away began to raise unease within him, and as for Alice, the sight itself gave her a horrid gut feeling that something was wrong.

"Can we go to Pops please? I'm hungry." Jellybean pleaded, interrupting the awkward silence in the car.

FP briefly snapped back to reality before sharing a mutual glance of worry with Alice. "Uhm, just hang on for a minute honey." He quietly replied to his daughter, his voiced etched with nervousness as the build up of traffic in front of him forced him to slow down. No doubt it was due to the commotion up ahead.

"What's going on?" A suddenly tense Alice timidly wondered out loud, lightly squeezing FP's hand a little tighter.

Traffic began to ease up and FP slowly drove up closer ahead before spotting Mr Doiley walking along and shaking his head in conversation with another town resident. He rolled the window down and called out for him. "Hey, Dilton?! What's going on up there?"

"You haven't heard? Apparently they've found a body this morning."