Digging up old memories

Chapter 27

Jane's POV

They'd finally arrived home yesterday with the twins after what can only be described as a traumatic birth – at least for him. It had been difficult for him to watch Teresa go through so much pain, he'd never seen her like that. He'd decided then and there that he was getting fixed as soon as possible – no way was he ever going to watch her go through that again.

Teresa was having a nap in their bedroom and he was watching the babies sleep in their swing in the living-room. They now lived in D.C. in a quiet neighborhood near Teresa's work. He still worked for the FBI branch in Austin but was allowed to live here and work the cases when needed. It wasn't perfect, but it had made Teresa happy and now he only had two more months and he'd be done for good. They'd both decided that he would be the stay-at-home parent and he was happy to begin this new part of his life... his second chance at a family.

He went in the kitchen to prep the breastmilk Teresa had pumped before heading for a nap... the babies would be up soon to feed. He saw the hospital envelop with all the paperwork for the twins and Teresa and he opened it and found what he was looking for... He held the little I.D. bracelets that they wore before being discharged. It hadn't occurred to him until he saw their bracelets at the hospital, that his name wasn't anywhere on them because they weren't married. He needed to fix this problem as soon as possible. Teresa should be his wife, not his partner as they were referring to her at the hospital.

He'd taken off his ring and had given it to Teresa the next day after they had made up as a symbol of his commitment to her. He'd also promised to not keep secrets from her and to be open about his past.

He looked at the birth documents again and read their names on the form. It was surreal to him that he was a father again. Teresa felt strongly that the babies follow the same naming tradition of her family and this included godparents and namesakes.

Sophie-Grace Kimble Jane

Noah-James Kimble Jane

His name was listed as the father and Teresa's as the mother. He never would have predicted this outcome 3 months ago, let alone the first time he laid eyes on her. Fate... he was still wondering if it was real... the first girl he ever kissed, and she'd be the last one too. He should have given her the ring he bought months ago... he wasn't going to wait another day. As soon as she woke up, he'd give it to her and ask her to marry him. He wanted to make a grand gesture, but now that the babies were here, he realized that it wasn't important to go big, but that she knows he's committed to her.

He heard one of the babies cry and headed over with the bottles before it woke up Teresa. She was exhausted and needed her rest.

It was Sophie-Grace crying her little heart out. Noah-James was chilling with his eyes open but unfocused. He could already see who was going to be the troublemaker – he picked up his tiny 6lbs 3oz daughter and started feeding her. As soon as she stopped crying, his little son fell back asleep. Oh yes, he had a little hellion on his hands and very laid-back little koala bear. He smiled down at his little Sophie, she had a ferocious appetite, which he thought she got from him.

Both babies were blond like him and the eye color would surely be blue or green, they would have to wait to find out, but Teresa insisted that both babies were a miniature version of him but he just didn't see it right now. They were still so wrinkly, and alien like to him. It remained to be seen how they would blossom and who they would truly look like.

When Sophie was all done he put her back down and he picked up his sleepy little koala bear, all 5lbs of him, that needed coaxing to eat because he would rather sleep.

"Hey..." Teresa said from behind him. "How long was I out for?"

"Not long enough... you need your rest," he said quietly as to not wake the little sleeping lioness.

"Jane... I'm fine. You're being too dramatic. It was childbirth, not a shootout," she said patiently. "You helped me with the pain, remember? I was fine after that. I'm okay."

He watched her go over to Sophie's swing and watch her sleep.

"Can you believe we made them? I swear, she makes the same face you make when you're sleeping," she whispered. "She definitely has your curly hair... Is he eating?"

"Slowly..." he responded and frowned.

"You're going to have to undress him like the nurse said at the hospital, so he stays awake," she added.

"But he'll be cold, and he cries when he's cold."

"I know, I hate it too. But he has to eat to gain weight."

Jane looked at her and knew he had to do it but hated the idea of making him cry. Teresa came and sat beside him and started undressing Noah and it woke him up alright. As soon as he cried, he saw her get emotional and hold him to her chest to feed him at the breast. Because he wasn't gaining weight as fast as Sophie, they had recommended bottle feeding to ensure that he was getting what he needed, but he could see that Teresa was going to go with her instincts and keep him at the breast, which he latched onto with all his might. She was such a great mom already.

"I think he prefers the breast to this bottle," he acknowledged.

"I know. Sophie doesn't seem to care either way, but I think I'll just keep him on the breast for now, right?" she said uncertainly, looking for his support.

"I agree 100%," he said, smiling at the beautiful picture of her feeding their son.