Twist of Fate

Excitement All Around

Two and a half months later
Liam
"It's twins!" Cheers Dr. Green at the scan.
"Really?!" We gasp, tears leaking from our eyes.
"Yeah. And you do want to know the genders?" He confirms. We nod. "Get to buying both! Daddy's Lad and Papa's Girl are on the way in 4 1/2 months!" He exclaims. "Now, maybe wait 3 months for your next scan. See you then!" He says, shooing us out after congratulating us. We smile like fools the whole way home.
"Twins, huh?" Niall asks.
"A boy and a girl. Charlotte, and we'll call her Charlie. And Jamie for the boy. How about that? And you can pick the middle names." I tell Niall. He smiles.
"That was a lot faster than the last time. Charlotte Eliza Payne-Horan and Jamie Lee Payne-Horan. I think we've named them before we even tell anyone!" Niall replies. I laugh.
"True. But we're home. So we can tell them now. And Dylan is going to be so excited!" I notice we are indeed pulling up the drive. We head inside, and hear laughing from Louis and June's room. Poor June is on bed rest until the triplets are born, which should be any day now. And even then, she's doing a home birth. She's basically on the bed and in the bathroom until they're born. Occasionally we'll let her walk down the hall into Zayn and Zoe's room to watch the sunset. She can take pictures and draw that way. Usually we do it every two or three days. We knock on the door. There only 5 of them. Zayn and Zoe are out for the morning to breakfast.
"Hello, in there!" Niall says, going over and hugging June, talking to the boys she's carrying. They must kick in response, because June groans.
"Nialler, I swear to God only you could get them this hyper before they're born!" She laughs. "Now, come on, tell us! It's so boring up here, I want some news!" She urges us. I laugh.
"Well.... we may or may not be expecting twins." I admit. "And we have the names." I add.
"Well?" Lucy and Jen prod. "Tell us!" They yell after a moment.
"On or around August 13th, 2015, we will be welcoming Charlotte Eliza and Jamie Lee Payne-Horan!" Niall cheers. "One girl, one boy, two proud parents!" And everyone starts yelling congratulations and cheering.
"Oohhh... I don't know if that was a small contraction or a really strong kick, but it was not ideal to feel in your lower abdomen." June groans. Louis' eyes go huge and he is seeming to give himself a mental pep talk.
"Do you want to call Renee or..?" He asks, and I'm hearing a little panic in his voice. She shrugs.
"Let's wait a few hours. Watch a movie, just don't give them anything to be excited over. If I'm not excited they aren't either. If I'm still feeling pain, then we'll call her." June says, calm as can be. He nods, and we start a movie debate.
"Guys. I'm not watching any horror movie, or action movie. Who wants to watch The Little Mermaid?" June asks calmly. Everyone shrugs.
"Okay. I'll get drinks. Water, everyone?" Lucy asks. We all nod.
"We can fit 6 around the bed. There are 7 of us. Niall, would you go grab three bean bags and bring them in?"  Harry asks. Niall heads for the  hall closet, and Lucy for 10 bottled waters. We always get an extra so no one has to leave to get one.
20 minutes later or so, we're all settled, and watching. We're enjoying. About 30 minutes later, June grimaces.
"Hey, Bug. You okay there?" Niall asks from the other side of me, noticing her discomfort. Louis' head snaps to us. She shrugs, smiling at him.
"I've been better. Let's finish the movie. I think it's been about 50 minutes. We can call Renee in a bit." She admits. Louis excuses himself to use the restroom, and I slip out behind him. I find him pacing the halls, muttering to himself.
"Hey, mate. You okay?" I ask. He shakes his head.
"There is no way in hêll I'm ready for this. I don't know what I'm doing." He mutters, sitting next to me on the floor.
"Louis Tomlinson. You know exactly what to do. You have plenty of little siblings, heck you have a 8 month old sister! And a nephew on the way, according to Lottie! And you used to babysit Lux all the time! Heck, we all did. She's Harry's goddaughter! You've had plenty of experience with kids. These are just yours. Hunter, Owen, and Logan. You got this, and we're here to back you up the whole time. Through it all. She wants the boys and I in the room if we can stomach it. She didn't ask the girls. We will be there for those boys and you two from the moment they are born. Now, let's go back in there." I say. He hugs me.
"I think I can do this. I hope I can. Let's go." He decides, and helps me up and we go back to the room, where June is currently experiencing a contraction with Harry and Niall. Louis is over as it ends.
"Hey. You want me to call her?" He asks, seeing the credits are rolling. She nods.
"Please." She says. He runs down to the landline to call Renee.
"Hey, sweetie. You ready?" Niall asks her as I sit on the bed. She takes a breath to get back the air she lost.
"I think so. I don't see how people have like 8 kids! I don't know if I want more after the boys." She admits. Niall laughs.
"Juniper, you will know why we're having more the minute that first little boy is born. Words can't even describe how amazing the feeling is. I could barely feel anything and I know how amazing it is." He reassures her.
"Basically, Niall is volunteering to have the next one." I say. He shrugs.
"If there are more, I'm willing." He says. June laughs. Louis comes back.
"Hey, baby. Hey, boys. You doing okay?" He asks softly. She smiles.
"I'm perfect now that you're here." She replies.
"She'll be here within the hour." He says. She nods.
"We'll let you two have some time until she gets here." Harry says, and we all depart.
One hour later
Harry
"Jesus Christ!" June moans. "How far along, Renee?"
"Well they're about 30 minutes apart. You're maybe 2 and 1/2 centimeters. You've got time." Renee says as June grips my hand.
"Hey, lads, can you stay in here for a moment? I need to talk to Louis." Renee asks the boys. Liam takes Louis' place, and I stay in the far corner, like I've been doing. I can't watch this. Even 30 minutes in between seems like a few minutes when she's going be in pain for even a minute. She's basically my baby sister. So I've been listening at the door. I miss a lot of the conversation, but I catch the end of it.
"So do you want to be in for the birth? The boys are staying." Renee asks. Louis is shuffling around.
"I do. I really do." He decides. I scoot away from the door as they open up and walk back in. Louis sits next to me, legs stretched out next to my bent ones. They're the same length.
"You really are short." I comment, messing up his hair.
"No, you're freakishly tall." He retorts quickly.
"No, I'm only 6"2.5'. That's taller than average. But freakishly tall is going on 7". Get it straight, man." I laugh. June glances over at us. Louis puts his head in his hands.
"Harry this is the hardest thing. I'm trying to stay calm. But more often than not she's comforting me instead of the other way of around. I can't watch her go through this." He admits, head on my shoulder. I hug him from the side.
"It's almost harder for me, because I almost feel like I need to be here, but something draws me to the door, and June keeps me in. I feel trapped wherever. You probably feel the same way." I tell him. He nods. "But you are going to be the most amazing father to the most beautiful boys. And not one of us will leave you. Not one. We will always be around to take care of them, and of you both. Now, get over there. She's your wife, for god's sake. I'll even try to stay over there. Let's go." I say. He turns to me.
"That helped more coming from my best friend than from my own mother or wife." He admits. I hug the shorter boy and we join the conversation.
"Hunter, Owen, and Logan, huh?" Niall asks. Louis smiles at the mention of the names. June locks eyes with him, and nods at Niall.
"Hunter Elias, Logan John, and Owen Michael Tomlinson. Hunter's blanket we bought him will be green, Owen's is orange, and Logan's is blue. Most of the time, until we figure them out feature-wise, that's pretty much the only color they will wear." June says. All the boys nod.
"Hey guys, vas happenin?" Zayn says, huge smiles on his and Zoe's faces. The kind of smile that only comes after some alone time, a wedding, or a baby... oh man.
"Zayn, skip it. Please tell them. Please. Or I will." Zoe pleads.
"Guys, this is the best day of my life. I'm going to be a father!" He screams, jumping in the air like Niall used to before his knee surgery. Cheers erupt and we all go crazy.
"Zoe! Congrats, girl! I'm so happy for you two!" Lucy cheers.
"Zayn, man, this is so great!" I exclaim.
"We're not getting married just because we're having a baby, though." Zayn says, casting a side eye at Louis. Things have been tense lately.
"Excuse me, I told him I was pregnant after he proposed. Chill out- ARGH!" June starts, but doesn't finish.
"You okay, June? Is it the babies?" Zoe asks. Zayn now looks concerned.
"She's in labor, you guys. What exactly does it look like?" Louis snaps. "Just breathe. You're okay." He says, turning back to June.
"Well how was I supposed to know?" Zayn asks sharply.
"Well for one, there's another car in the driveway. Another thing, Renee is in the kitchen and I heard the kettle go off before you walked in, and lastly, most people don't groan when they're 8 1/2 months pregnant because they feel like it!" Louis quips right back.
"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP?!?! I'M KINDA BUSY HERE!" June shouts, drawing quiet.
"Sorry, my love." Louis says.
"I'm sorry, Berry. Got out of control there." Zayn apologizes.
"It's okay, but I don't want Renee think you're causing me too much stress and kicking you out. So stop fighting until you go on tour and there aren't people to stress out there. Except Liam. Don't stress him out, either. Just stop fighting, how about that?" June says. They nod.
"Now, Zayn, Zoe, I'm so happy for you guys! Congrats! Zoe, how far along are you?" She asks.
"Oh, I'm about 6 weeks in. Thanks, June." Zoe says, seeming uncomfortable. Lucy sees me looking very uncomfortable as well, and comes over to me.
"Hey, my prince. You okay in here?" She asks, kissing my cheek while standing on her toes.
"I'm fine. Just kills me to see our happy little JuneBerry like this." I admit.
"Well, your possible godchildren are in there, so she's taking the pain for a reason. And don't let her see you're worried for her. She and Louis are worried enough for the kids. This is a very risky natural delivery." Lucy says. I nod, and we all turn as Renee walks in with cups of tea for everyone, and water for June.
"I think it'll be a long night, so I made tea. June, I'm gonna check you real quick." She says, and then gasps. "Maybe not so long. 8.5!" She cries. "At the rate you're dilating, I would say maybe an hour. The contractions should come a lot harder and faster, I hate to say." She says, and slips out while another contraction hits.
"This is all your fault, Louis! I swear to god, I'm going to murder you!" June threatens. Louis looks a little freaked out, until Niall and Liam whisper into his ear. He relaxes.
"Oi. What'd you tell him?" I ask them.
"I told him that I was probably a lot worse and she's not doing bad at all." Niall says.
"I told him that her threats were minor, and told him what Niall said to me." Liam admits, nodding over at Louis, who is trying not to laugh. June finally gets a breath, and Louis leans over to us.
"Nice profanity, mate." He comments. We all laugh.
"Hey, Tomlinson. Get over here." June says quietly.
"What's up, baby?" He asks.
"You're not going to leave me are you? Ever?" She asks. "You've been so standoffish today. I just want to make sure you're okay." She asks. I soften, and sit next to her.
"Juniper, don't ever think that. I've been a little anxious, but I'm not having second thoughts, I'm not gonna run, I'm right here with you. And the boys are too. I will never leave you. Or Hunter, Logan, and Owen. Or any other kids we may have. These have been the best years of my life. I'm not running from that." He says. She smiles.
"Good. Cuz I'd kill you if you did and I found you." She says. We all laugh, and settle in for an all nighter.
Several hours later
Louis
"Louis, how much longer?" June moans. Oh my god. I can't take this. She's getting contractions every three minutes, and she's barely at a 9. Maybe an hour my âšš. It's been almost three. Niall is curled up on Liam, and they're both passed out, Zayn is sleeping near them, and Harry has succumbed to coffee. He's still awake with us.
"This stuff is so gross. But it works. Louis, you want a cup?" Harry asks, taking a sip.
"You learn to love it Hazza. I did. In the eighth grade." June says tiredly. "At least you get coffee. I'd kill for caffeine right about now." She yawns.
"We'll get used to not sleeping. I have a little girl at home. I didn't sleep more than three hours a night for the first week." Says Renee, walking in. "Let's see. Looks like you've gone pretty fast.  Very close to a ten. Do you feel any extra pressure?" She asks.
"I have been for quite some time. Does that mean not long now for real?" She asks. Renee smiles.
"Yeah. I'd go ahead and wake up the lads. I'm going to get towels, some water, that stuff. I'll be back, and you be ready." She says, running out.
"I got them." Harry says. "Hey, mate, up you get. It's time. She wants you in here to be awake, not asleep." He says, shaking Zayn. Zayn stand up and stretches. Harry goes to wake up Niall and Liam.
"Hey, Bug. How are you? Must have nodded off." Zayn says, sitting next to me on the bed.
"Yeah, for three hours--HOLY JESUS!!!!!" She screams as a contraction hits. "Yup, needing to push! Where the HĖLL is Renee?!?!" She yells.
"Hey. Breathe. You need to breathe. You don't know how much it helps until you do it, love." Niall says, rushing over. "In and out. Not long now." He encourages.
"How are you so good at this?" I ask, confused on how he knows so much.
"You are stupid when you're sleep deprived. I gave birth to a child a year ago." He says, reaching over and hitting me on the head.
"Oh yeah. Right." I say. Wow. I am stupid when I'm sleep deprived. Hopefully June and I can get some sleep while Renee looks over the boys.
"Okay. It's almost time. Get to a good position, and we'll go over what will be happening." Renee says, reentering.