What Happened in the Morning...

The Delivery

"Come on, Alice. One more push." Alice was breathily heavily with Ratchet holding onto her right hand trying to calm her down.

"AAAAHHHH!" she screamed while writhing in pain on the bed.

"Relax, honey," Ratchet said, still trying to calm her down. "You're doing great." He turned to Talwyn, who was prepared to grab them as they came out of the birth canal. "Talwyn, are any of them crowning yet?" She shook her head.

"No, not yet." He brought his attention to Alice, who was starting to cry heavily.

"I can't do this," she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's too painful." Ratchet gripped her hand tightly.

"Yes you can," he said. "These babies need to come out, and you're the only one who can make that happen." Alice squeezed his hand tightly.

"...Ok...," she said in between shaky breaths.

"On the count of three, push. Ok?" he said. Alice nodded shakily. "Ok... One...Two...Three...push!" Alice pushed with all her might.

"AHHH!" She could barely handle the pain. From her position, Talwyn spotted a pair of Lombax ears emerge from the opening.

"Ears," she said. "I see ears." Ratchet smiled as he wiped Alice's sweaty forehead with a damp cloth.

"You hear that, honey?" he said. "Ears. Just a few more and the first one's out." Again, she nodded. She waited for Ratchet's count and pushed even harder.

"AAHH!" She panted as she squeezed Ratchet's hand even tighter.

"Alice, take a break for a moment," he said, losing sensation in his hand from her tight grip. "You need air to do this. Breathe." Alice was breathing shakily; the stress, pain, and lack of oxygen has caused her breathing to become shorter and quicker than usual.

"Zephyr," Ratchet said, looking over his shoulder. "Can you pass me the O2 mask?" Using his free hand, the robot grabbed the mask and handed it over to him. Ratchet then placed it on her face and secured it over her muzzle.

"Take deep breaths," he said. Her breathing became a little more even, but still alarmingly fast. "Ready for another push?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied weakly. Ratchet gave her the countdown and then she pushed with her remaining strength.

"AAGH!" Suddenly, Talwyn piped up.

"I see a head!" she exclaimed. Ratchet beamed.

"Catch your breath first, honey," he said. "You're almost there." Alice panted heavily.

"No..." she gasped. "These twins are coming out now."

"Alice," he started. "We don't want you risking your life. Even if the twins survive, we don't want to lose you."

"Ratchet," she said. "I promised you, I will not die during this delivery. I'm sorry, but these twins have been waiting to come out for so long. I just can't stall it anymore." With new motivation, she gave one last push.

Suddenly, Talwyn saw a little fur ball making its way out. She caught it but stumbled backwards. A thin wailing was heard from the furball. Talwyn quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped the newborn. The fur ball quickly unraveled itself into a beautiful Lombax infant. It had the same colored fur and stripes as Ratchet. The newborn also had a head full of brown hair. Talwyn checked for its gender.

"It's a girl," she said. Ratchet's eyes widened.

"I guess the girl came out first," he said, peering over to Alice. "Time for baby #2. Talwyn, be prepared; the next one is coming out." He gave the countdown and then Alice pushed with her remaining strength.

"AAGH!" She panted as the pain returned.
"It's crowning!" Talwyn exclaimed.

"Okay, honey," Ratchet said. "Just one more push and it will be out." Reviving her motivation, she pushed like she pushed before. Being more prepared, Talwyn caught the newborn without stumbling backwards. Another thin wailing was heard as she swaddled it in another blanket. The newborn unraveled into a handsome Lombax. This one had the same colored fur and stripes as Alice. She checked the gender of this one.

"This one's a boy," she said. "Congratulations, Ratchet."

"They both made it," he said quietly. "Did you hear that, honey?" He peered over to see Alice lying motionless on the bed, her color fading quickly from her fur and hair. Just like from the hospital, her hair became a bleached tan with her fur losing its light brown color.

"Alice?" he asked, starting to shake her shoulders vigorously. "Alice! Don't do this to me! Wake up!" He started performing CPR on her, hoping in vain that she would at least open her eyes. To his relief, she finally opened her eyes, her color returning to normal. He embraced her tightly.

"Don't you ever scare me like that ever!" he said. "I thought I lost you again!" She just giggled.

"I told you, Ratchet," she said. "I promised I wasn't going to die during the delivery." As the couple sat there in silence, Talwyn approached them, holding the twins.

"Um, could I have a little help here?" she asked, with Ratchet holding the girl and Alice holding the boy.

He took a good look at his newborn daughter. She wrinkled her nose and opened her eyes. Just one look into her eyes made his heart melt. They were an brilliant emerald green, just like his. Her little smile caused his eyes to well up with tears.

"My baby girl," he said proudly. How good he felt to be the lucky father of twins! He gave her a big wet kiss and nuzzled her small nose. She squealed with pleasure.

"What are you going to name them?" Talwyn asked. Ratchet and Alice exchanged glances.

"I have the perfect name for her," he said, still gazing into his daughter's eyes.

"Which is..."

"Genevieve." She giggled in response.

"I think she agrees," Alice said, giggling.

"What about the boy?" Alice glanced down at her son.

"He looks like a Taylor to me," she said. Taylor looked up to his mother, instantly recognizing her smell. He also had the brilliant emerald green eyes of Ratchet.

"I think they're both beautiful names," Talwyn said while taking out her camera. "Let's take the first family photo." The couple got within the camera's range and the first family photo was taken.