Maximum Ride: Picking Up the Pieces (A Maximum Ride Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-three: Good Life

I woke up with a slight start. My shirt and bra were off, my chest stung slightly. My baby bump was still there, and when I went to go put my hand on it, I found Fang's already there. I moved to put my hand on top of it. He shifted, and breathed out a sigh. I tried to sit up, but winced in pain, and my chest and body started to ache.

"Don't," Fang whispered. "You need to rest. Our daughter's coming in a month or so, and we need to be more careful. You almost died back there." I grunted gently in response. He nuzzled his nose into my neck, and then got up.

"I'm gonna go get some babies. How does that sound?" I smiled and nodded in agreement. He smiled, kissed his fingers, and then turned his hand to face me, walking backwards out of the room. He soon returned with the triplets waddling behind him and a sleeping Lysander in his arms. The triplets pulled themselves onto the bed and tackled me.

"Mommy!" They shouted. I hugged them back, trying to be gentle to myself and to them. Aidan curled herself under my arm, and I pulled her close up next to me. The boys, on the other hand, decided to explore my stomach.

"Mommy, why you tummy so big?" Kane asked, patting it with his tiny hands. His multicolored hair stuck up in tufts around his head. Fang and I chuckled at his question.

"'Cause your sissy's in there, K," Fang answered.

"Mommy, why you eat sissy?!" Little Max yelled. Fang shushed him gently, and whispered, "Your brother is sleeping." Max bobbed his head up and down.

"I didn't eat your sister, silly. She's hiding in there and she's not ready to come out yet. You won't tell anyone where sissy's hiding, will you?" Kane and Max shook their heads very solemnly.

"No, shhhh, it's a seclet!" [A/N secret*] Kane whispered, putting a finger to his lips and making Fang and I grin at each other.

"Mommy, when do sissy's hiyandseek go 'fownyou!'?" [A/N hide and seek go 'found you'] Aidan asked, looking up at me.

"It's a surprise, kiddo," Fang said smiling.

"Awww, I wanna know when sissy comes!" Aidan shouted in protest.

"You'll know, sweetie. We'll tell you. We told you when your brother came," I said, looking down at her and stroking her tufty dark hair.

"I don't wemember dat and I wanna know now!" she said pouting.

"Well, see, we don't know either, sweetheart. Sissy's gotta come out of hiding herself, and she will when she wants to." Fang said, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Sissy, come out!" Little Max yelled at my stomach. Again, we shushed him, and he looked down, embarrassed. "Sowwy," he whispered.

"Daddy, can I see bubby again? I fowgot what he wooks wike." Aidan said, reaching her tiny hands toward Fang. I chuckled and lifted her up to put her on my other side.

"Sure, Aidan. Here, let's give bubba to mommy," Fang said, putting Lysander into my arms. I gently took his sleeping form and sort of leaned him towards Aidan so she could see him.

"Oh, he's sweeping!" Aidan whispered, fascinated. She petted his hair gently.

"That's right, he's sleeping. Shhhh," I whispered and winked at her. She continued to pet his hair, but then he started to cry. I knew he was hungry. Aidan gasped and quickly pulled her hand away.

"I hurt him! I'm sowwy bubby!" Aidan said scared and sad. She started to cry, and Fang quickly swept over to comfort her. Her brothers stared at her, and drew back from Lysander; they were afraid too.

"It's okay sweetheart, don't cry, you didn't do anything, he's just hungry, that's all. He's just telling me he's hungry. You used to do it too."

"Oh. Okay," she said sniffing.

"Come on, kids, let's go play. Maybe Auntie Nudge wants to play dress-up with you guys, huh? Maxi, you wanna play Legos?" The kids all shouted happily and ran with Fang back to the nursery. In the meantime, I tried to soothe Lysander enough to get him to eat, and eventually he did.

I leaned back and closed my eyes, smiling. It was gonna be a good life.