His Forever Flame

59. Twins 1st Birthday & Tennessee

4 weeks later.....

It was a Saturday and they were getting ready for the twins first birthday at the park. Jay was watching Lauren bustle around trying to get the decorations just right. He watched as Mouse played with the twins having healed nicely.

He remembered four weeks prior sitting by the bed waiting for him to wake.

After almost ten hours of sleep, Jay felt his hands twitching as Mouse started to wake. He wasn't sure where he was until he heard Jay's voice. He locked eyes with his best friend.

"It's ok. You're safe," Jay said reassuring him.

He'd stayed in the hospital three days before they flew back to Chicago and his care transferred to Med. Jay had moved him in with them knowing Mouse would need them more than ever.

Once his had body healed, he'd started meeting with Dr. Charles. Jay didn't want Mouse slipping again, and he knew his PTSD would return. When Mouse wasn't doing some kind of therapy, he was helping Lauren with the twins. He wasn't ready to go back to work yet, and it was a big help while Jay was at work and the baby continued growing inside her.

While Mouse still wasn't one hundred percent, he was doing much better. Lauren snuck over and wrapped her hands around Jay from behind making him smile.

"Hi beautiful," he said pulling her around in front of him kissing her.

"Hi," she smiled returning the kiss. "He's doing fine you know," she said having watched Jay watching Mouse.

"I know. I was just thinking about far he's come in four weeks and how different it is than last time."

Lauren smiled up at him. "That's because of you Jay. He has a family now."

"It's because of you too," he smiled kissing the tip of her nose making her giggle.

"I can't believe our babies are one," she said turning so her back was against him and they were both watching the kids.

"I know Jayden is walking and Jayla almost is and they both babble nonstop."

Lauren laughed "Yes they do."

It'd been the week Mouse had come home that Jayden took his first steps. Mouse had been on the couch and Jay and Lauren were in his chair and they were watching a movie. The kids were playing in the floor and Jayden decided he wanted "Mooowwww" to play too. He pulled up on the coffee table and took off walking to him. They'd barely gotten it on video. After that he walked everywhere.

Jayla had tried but every time she fell she cried and didn't like it. Once her balance was better they knew she'd take off like her brother. "They're growing up," Lauren sighed.

"Yep. But we've got another one," Jay chuckled running his hands up and down her growing bump. Just then the baby kicked as if reminding his mother he was there.

Lauren laughed and laid her hands over Jay's. "Yes baby I know you're still there. Mommy didn't forget you." She felt another kick and smiled.

"Have you told them the name yet?" she asked Jay looking up at him with a smile.

"No. I will later. I wanna keep it a surprise."

Lauren just nodded. "Surprise it is," she said.

Will, Natalie and Grace arrived at the same time as Kelly and Shay. The guys from the unit showed up and the party started. The kids played, loving the attention from everyone and they ate.

Then they did cake and ice cream. The twins loved their mini cakes and ended up with it all over them. After a quick clean up they opened all their presents and then played with some of the toys in the grass while their parents visited with everyone.

About mid afternoon they started getting fussy and everyone cleaned up and headed home. Lauren got the twins down for their nap and went to take one herself. It'd been a busy but good day celebrating the kids. She still couldn't believe her babies were really one now. They were just growing way too fast.

/

The next week she decided to take the twins to Tennessee to meet her family. Her babies were one and still didn't know that side of the family. She'd tried getting them to come up for Christmas but they just wouldn't.

While Jay wasn't thrilled with the idea, he didn't stop her either. They decided he needed to stay and work so he'd have time off when the baby was born, but he really wanted to go with her. She had a ten hour drive with two kids while seven months pregnant. Needless to say, he called her a lot on the way to make sure she was ok.

She finally made it and was totally worn out. The babies decided to be clingy since they were in a new place with strangers. They ended up sleeping in bed with her the first night.

They still weren't too sure about her family the next day when everyone came to her grandparents to visit. Everyone was excited to see them and meet the kids, but the kids weren't excited. They stayed glued to Lauren and cried when anyone tried to take them.

Her mom wasn't too thrilled she was already pregnant again. She thought they definitely should've waited and Lauren should've went to work for a few years and saved up money. Lauren tried not to let it dampen her spirits at being home, but it was definitely starting to get stressful.

Her mom had reconciled with her step dad in the year and a half since Lauren had been gone so things were on rocky ground to begin with. Lauren was having to stay at her grandparents and her mom wasn't spending as much time with her as she'd have thought she would've wanted to. She definitely didn't make an attempt to get to know the kids which didn't help with their clingyness either.

Lauren missed Jay and was really wishing she hadn't come without him after the second day of the babies being clingy with no help. On the third day Lauren decided to head home. She'd seen everyone, her mom wasn't making much effort to visit long, and the babies needed to get back home and to routine.

She told everyone goodbye before lunch and her mom threw a fit. She didn't understand why Lauren was leaving early or why her children acted the way they did. Lauren had once again had enough and packed up heading back to Chicago. She was exhausted and the kids were cranky.

It was a long drive with many stops. She ended up getting home at midnight making it a twelve hours drive. Luckily the twins were out and Jay just carried them to bed. Lauren went to take a quick soak in the tub wanting to just relax.

"You were right," she whispered to Jay once they were in bed and he was rubbing her back relaxing her.

"About what?" he asked quietly.

"I shouldn't have gone. Of course it was great seeing my grandparents, but mom's back with him and things are just as they were. She isn't happy about the new baby, she didn't want to spend time with us. It explains why she never came up either."

"I'm so sorry sweetheart," he said kissing her forehead.

"Yea me too. But she's the one missing out."

"Yes she is," Jay said glad Lauren knew that. "You're an amazing mother and our children our lucky. Nothing will ever change how much I love you and our babies."

"We love you too Jay," she smiled kissing him hard.

It wasn't long and she drifted into a soundless, peaceful sleep.

Jay was glad she was back home with him. He was upset he hadn't been able to go with her and that once again her mother had treated her that way, but he was very glad she was back home and happy again. If he could he'd protect her from all that forever so she'd always know how much she was loved and wanted by him. He softly kissed her forehead and watched her sleeping.

How anyone could treat her the way her mother had was beyond him. He'd love her everyday until he died. He snuggled her close and fell asleep with her dreaming of how happy their little family would be.