The Fallen Short Stories

Jude and Eden (dual POVS)

EZRA'S POV

I feel like I'm just settling into sleep when the alarm goes off. I bat, mind still drunken with sleep, at the clock. Attempting to silence the noise. Avalon is still breathing deeply beside me. I scrub my face trying to awaken myself. I lazily lay back on my side and run my hand under her shirt. Feeling the raised marks pregnancy has left on her skin. I nuzzle my face into the crook of her neck and kiss the warm skin there until she stirs. She hums, signaling her wakefulness. "Guess what?" She just grunts, her hand drifting to rest over mine on her belly. "It's baby day," I practically sing, faking delight hoping it will rub off on her.

It was safe to say Avalon was less than pleased when Marnie informed her that a scheduled C-Section would be preferrable to a vaginal delivery. After the compilations with Waverly, and that paired with being a multiple birth raised the stakes. As stubborn as she was, she'd never put herself or our babies at needless risk.

She rubs her stomach. "Morning boys," she says rolling over to face me. I pack a pillow under her stomach and tuck myself against her. "Morning Love." "Good morning," I tell her reaching up to stroke her face. "And how are we feeling this beautiful day?" "I'm a little bit nervous." I look at her for a moment, I was nervous too, but I couldn't let that show. "Everything will be fine," I push her hair behind her ear.  "I promise."

AVALON'S POV

Despite Ezra's best efforts, I'm feeling little more than panic, as we walk down the hall on the labor and delivery floor. It didn't help that the girls both burst into tears when we left. Both overtired, they screamed and sobbed until Ezra had to pry me away. I knew they were safe with Keela but that did little to ease my mind. Within the hour I am prepped and sitting exposed on a table. They've separated Ezra and I until he can change into sterile clothes, so I bide my time counting speckles in the ceiling tiles, holding Marnie's hand. I've refused to allow anything to be done until he can be with me again.

When he finally comes in, pressing a kiss to my forehead, I feel myself relax. "I'm scared," I whisper. "I know," he kisses me again. He cups my cheek and whispers, "I've got you, everything's alright." Marnie pulls away and goes to scrub in. The tech then instructs me to put my hands on my knees and to keep extremely still while they administer the anesthetic. It hurts like a bitch.

"Just look at me," Ezra tells me, as tears work their way down my cheeks. "Just look at me."

Eventually, they numb me up and have me disrobe and lie on the table. I'm trembling, but not so much from fear as the cold. Ezra sits on a stool directly beside my head, stroking my hair. It feels so nice that I nearly forget that they are cutting me open from hip to hip. At least until the pulling sensation starts that is. I start to panic. "I love you," I blurt. Ezra's eyes meet mine, "I love you more." I grimace when I feel a particularly rough tug, and his eyes get wide. "Are you okay?" I nod, leaning my cheek into his hand. He brushes my cheek once more before settling on holding my wrist.

EZRA'S POV

I try and ignore the scent of blood that no amount of antiseptic can temper. I busy myself by trying to keep Avalon sane. Watching obsessively for any warning signs of complication. I'm whispering comforting things that I cannot even recall when I hear the little whimper of a cry from across the blue partition. Avalon gasps at the sight of him. Tiny, smaller than both of our girls, miniature pink features, and dark hair like his mother. I watch the nurse whisk him away to clean up, before I drop to my knees by my wife. I wipe the tears staining her face. "We have a son," she cries. I confirm her words, pressing my lips to her hair. "Here comes baby b," Marnie chants, and I find my feet. The next cry is louder, I am distracted with Jude being placed into my arms when Marnie laughs. I look at her. "It's a girl." I stare at the baby in her arms, I know my smile must be two feet wide. "A girl," I mumble. "Another girl," I tell Avalon. I kneel down again and put Jude where she can reach him. She's laughing and crying, overwhelmed by so much at once. She strokes his little nose. I follow the baby with my eyes until she is finally in my grasp. I hold each of them, head resting in my palms, feet in the crook of my elbow. "Don't drop them!" Avalon cries. "I won't," I say laughing, "I promise." I get the newest of our brood close enough for her to kiss. I watch her nuzzle her face against the babies and my heart swells. "Hi babies," she whispers, "Hello, I'm your mommy."

AVALON'S POV

After I am cleaned up, side-by-side, like we do everything these days, Ezra and I feed our children. I'm feeding Jude, who eats as though he has never known food, with a supplemental bottle of formula. Ezra has the other twin, whom we have just been calling baby girl since birth. Once he empties the bottle I lift him to my shoulder, patting him to burp. I look at my girl, her bottle is still nearly half-full. "She eats so slowly." I nod in agreement, so far, she has definitely been the fussiest baby we've had. "The princess is taking her time." Ezra scoffs at the joke and crosses his ankles. "So?" "So what?" I ask swapping her with Jude taking over feeding so that Ezra can lay him down. Ezra stands, walking in swaying motions to loll the infant to sleep. "We never talked about backup names." "We can still call her James." "Do you like the name Eden?" "I do actually, where'd that come from?" "When I first saw her that's what popped into my head." "Is that alright with you? Huh, princess? Do you like that? Little Miss Eden James?" I say playing in a baby-talk voice.

When she finally finishes her bottle, I lift her up to burp and she spits up all over my nightgown. We take this as a sign she likes the name.