Touch

Leah could hear Zacky down the hall, putting together the pups' cribs. She knew she should be in there helping, or at least watching, but she didn't feel like getting out of bed. The pups were due in just a few days and Leah was still almost in denial. She still didn't feel ready to be a mother and she didn't know that she would ever be. But it wasn't like she had a choice. Leah was still holding out hope that once the pups were born, she would change her mind about them. She would feel the maternal bond she was already supposed to be feeling. And even if she didn't she would have to act like she did. Everyone would think she was awful if they thought she didn't love her pups. Groaning, Leah finally forced herself to sit up and get out of bed. It wasn't because she was going to join Zacky in the nursery, she just had to pee. It was an unfortunate side effect of having three pups on her bladder.

---

Matt transformed into his human form as he reached the front porch. He was still breathing a little heavily from running through the woods, but that would pass soon enough. He slipped into the house, kicking off his shoes before going to greet Aubree in the kitchen. "Hey," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek. "I feel pretty gross so I'm going to take a shower but then I was thinking maybe we could grab something for lunch before your appointment this afternoon?" Matt had almost entirely forgotten about Aubree's appointment at the council mansion's hospital that afternoon. It was mostly a follow-up appointment, a little bloodwork to see if the fertility meds were working. Matt headed upstairs, grabbing a clean set of clothes before heading into the bathroom. He hoped the doctor would have some sort of answer for them today, because he wanted pups soon and he knew that Aubree did too, more than anything.

Zacky slowly but surely started to get at least one of the cribs together. Maybe he should have recruited one of the guys for help. Deciding to take a break, Zacky pulled himself up off the floor and went to check on Leah. He went down the hall and pushed the bedroom door open, smiling at her as she emerged from the bathroom. “Hi, baby,” he greeted her, walking over and pecking her lips. “Are you hungry? I was thinking about ordering a pizza or something. I know you mentioned you were craving some pizza.” Zacky had been supporting all the cravings Leah had been having, trying to get anything and everything she could possibly want. She had some weird weird ones too, that was for sure. Like pickles and peanut butter, or popcorn and mayo. He had to admit though, they weren’t that bad once you tried them. “How are you and the pups?” He asked her as he placed his hands on her stomach. It was huge, which was to be expecting since she was having three babies. Zacky was beyond excited and he couldn’t wait for them to get here. It was definitely going to be a lot of work but he was ready for it.

---

Aubree gave Matt a small smile as he walked through the door. Even if he hated it, she loved when he was all sweaty. The smell that radiated off of him drove her wild. She cleared her throat and nodded, almost completely forgetting about her doctors appointment. “Sounds good,” she told him, watching him walk up the stairs. She bit her bottom lip hard as she tried her best not to follow him up there. “Oh what the hell,” she said as she quickly followed him. She heard the water running and smirked, stripping her clothes off. Aubree knew that they didn’t exactly have that much time for anything, but a quickie wouldn’t hurt. Or maybe just a hot and heavy make out session. Honestly she just wanted to be with a naked Matt. Aubree slipped into the shower behind him, wrapping her arms around his middle and pressing her cheek to his back. “Hi, handsome,” she murmured before pressing a small kiss to his back. The smell that was radiating off of him was overwhelming and it drove her mad, but it was also calming her anxious nerves. She was pretty nervous for her appointment later.

@ zacky vee;

Once she was done in the bathroom, Leah's sights were immediately set on returning to her bed. She was exhausted all the time and she knew that feeling wouldn't be going away anytime soon with the pups due any day now. But before she could make it back to the bed, Zacky was coming into the bedroom. "I never said anything about pizza," Leah mumbled. Well, she might have. But she'd changed her mind by now. She tossed back the covers and climbed back in bed, immediately turning onto her side. It was so uncomfortable to lie on her back now and she hated it. "We're tired," Leah said to Zacky. "Well, I'm tired. They've got plenty of energy, judging by how much they seem to enjoy using my internal organs as punching bags." She groaned. "Go get me a cheeseburger. I want a cheeseburger."

---

Matt stripped off his clothes and turned on the shower, stepping into the tub. He'd just barely rinsed the shampoo out of his hair when he heard the bathroom door open and it didn't take much thought to figure out that Aubree had decided to join him. "Hey," he said, smiling. He turned around to face her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He could tell she was anxious, likely about her appointment. Matt wished he could just snap his fingers and give her a baby. His wolf just wanted his mate to be happy and he knew the only thing that would really make Aubree happy was a pup. It didn't help things that her sister was days away from giving birth to her own pups, pups she still didn't seem to really want. "We should probably hurry if we want to grab lunch before the appointment," Matt said. "You want me to wash your hair?"

Zacky raised his brow, a smirk making its way on to his face. He was pretty sure that she had said she wanted pizza, but he wasn’t going to argue with her. His mate got what she wanted. “Alright, cheeseburger it is,” he said with a nod. He watched her try to get comfortable in the bed, a small frown making its way on to his face. Zacky wished so badly that he could just make her comfortable, but he knew that it was near impossible. Hopefully she would get to feeling better after having the pups. He sighed softly and left the room, going downstairs and turning on the grill. They had everything they needed for burgers. Zacky pulled out the hamburger meat and made the patties, placing them on a plate. Once the grill was heated up he went outside, cleaning it off and placing the patties he had just made on there. Zacky went over to his outside fridge and grabbed himself a beer before sitting down in a nearby chair. He knew that he probably shouldn’t be drinking, but he just needs something to relax him a little.

---

Aubree grinned, nodding her head. “Please,” she murmured. She loved it when Matt washed her hair for her. It was always so relaxing and made her feel a million times better. “Can we get something really greasy and good to eat?” She asked him, tilting her head back to get her hair wet. She was craving some not so healthy food. She wanted some food that stuck to her ribs and increased her risk of a heart attack. Aubree also just wanted to bury herself in food and not worry about her problems. Between not being able to get pregnant, Dracula, and her sister everything was just starting to become to much. Eventually she was just going to say fuck it and not worry about it anymore. The more she let herself get stressed, the less her chances were of getting pregnant. “I love you,” she murmured, leaning up and kissing his cheek. At least she always had her mate to make her feel better.

It took Leah forever to finally get comfortable. She hated being pregnant, she hated every second of it, but she knew it wouldn't exactly be any better once the pups got here. She just hoped she wouldn't have to do this again for a long time. Or ever again. Surely three pups would be enough to make Zacky happy. Aubree and Matt could have the rest. Leah could tell by the smells coming from downstairs that Zacky was grilling cheeseburgers. She'd meant for him to go out and get some from somewhere but it didn't really matter as long as she got her cheeseburger. She doubted that Zacky wanted to leave her alone for long anyway, what with the pups due so soon and the vampire activity steadily rising.

---

Matt grabbed Aubree's shampoo and squirted a little bit into his palm before he started to work it into her hair. "Whatever you want to eat is fine with me," he said, laughing. If a little greasy food would make Aubree feel better then that's what they would get. Matt was hungry enough that he didn't care either way. Once he'd lathered the shampoo into her hair, Matt had Aubree lean back into the water so he could rinse it out. "I love you, too," he whispered, smiling. "We should hurry if we want to eat before your appointment." He didn't have much to do, since his shampoo was two-in-one, so he was done much more quickly than Aubree. He gave her a quick kiss before he stepped out of the shower, wrapping the towel around his waist before going into the bedroom.

Zacky finished up the burgers, setting them on the plate and then taking them inside. He got the buns along with the plates, setting them on the counter and preparing them. Zacky had also made up some fries, but he'd take some chip or something up to Leah to in case she wanted those instead. He wasn't sure what she was in the mood to go with it. When Zacky was finished making up Leah's plate, he made her a drink and set it all on a tray before taking it upstairs to her. He knocked on the door softly before entering, giving her a small smile. "I would have gone out and got something, but it takes forever to actually get there and back and I didn't want to leave you alone for too long," he told her, setting the tray on the bed once she sat up. She looked so miserable and Zacky hated it. He couldn't wait for her to hurry up and have the pups so she can get back to feeling good again.

---

Aubree grinned at Matt and nodded. She felt a little bit better but she was still pretty nervous. She waited a moment before she got out of the shower, sighing softly and grabbing a towel. She wrapped it around herself, biting her lower lip as she left the bathroom and picked out her clothes. She grabbed one of Matt's band shirts and a pair of Nike shorts, wanting to wear something loose fitting and comfortable. Aubree wasn't in the mood to dress up at all and it wasn't like she really needed to. She had no one to impress and her mate loved her for her she was, right? She shook her head at herself, tearing away from her thoughts and getting dressed. She quickly ran a towel through her hair to dry it, grabbing a hair tie from her vanity and sliding it onto her wrist. Aubree put on a bit of mascara before slipping on her flip flops and heading downstairs.

It seemed like Leah had just finally gotten comfortable when she heard Zacky coming upstairs. She knew he was bringing the food and she couldn't eat laying down so she started sitting up, moving a bit slowly because of her belly. "Thanks," she said softly, taking the tray from Zacky. She had to admit, the burger looked pretty damn good. She decided not to address his comment about not wanting to leave her alone. Leah knew he had good reasons but it still made her feel a little helpless and she didn't like that. She munched on a fry as she turned on the television, wanting to find something good to watch before she started on her burger. Her days of being able to lay around and relax were quickly disappearing and she wanted to soak up as much of it as she could while she still had the chance. Although, it was getting a bit difficult with the impending birth of the pups constantly on her mind. Leah still didn't feel ready to be a mother and she just hoped that would change once the pups were actually here.

---

In the bedroom, Matt quickly got dressed. There wasn't any need for him to get dressed up so he just pulled on an old t-shirt and a pair of his nicer jeans. It was only a few minutes before Aubree came out of the bathroom and Matt watched her as she moved around the room, getting dressed and putting on a bit of makeup before she went downstairs. He hoped they got some sort of good answer from the doctor at the appointment. He was ready to have pups and pass on his genes. And he was ready to give Aubree the pups and the family she wanted so badly. Sighing, Matt got to his feet, slipping on his shoes before he followed Aubree downstairs. "Have you decided where you want to go eat?" he asked. "We should probably figure it out before we go because we'll have to travel in our wolf forms since that's the only way to get to the council mansion."

[Is Leah going to have the baby at home or try to go to the council hospital?]

Zacky watched Leah, sighing softly. He didn't really know what else to do for her and she didn't really seem like she wanted his company or talk about anything. "Well, if you need me, I'll be in the nursery," he told her, giving her a small smile before leaving the room, making sure the dogs were out of her hair. Zacky made his way to the nursery, running a hand through his hair. He hated the fact that he had to put together three cribs by himself. If it weren't for the fact that Matt had to take Aubree to the doctors today, Zacky would make him help. "Screw it," he murmured, pulling out his phone. He was going to try to get Matt to come over after Aubree's appointment. Zacky desperately needed help and he knew that Leah enjoyed her sister's company sometimes. Do you think you and Aubree could swing by after the doctors? I really need a hand with these cribs and maybe this changing table. He sent, placing his phone on the floor beside him before picking up the instructions.

---

"I wanna go to Sonic," Aubree said with wide eyes. She quickly went outside, changing into her wolf form before running at full speed towards Sonic. They had the best chili cheese tots in the world. Aubree wanted a large one along with maybe a milkshake or a slushie. She wasn't really sure which one of those she wanted yet. Maybe a slushie with her meal and a milkshake for dessert? She glanced behind her, smirking when she saw Matt trying to catch up. Aubree may not be as fast as her sister due to how big she was, but she was still smaller than Matt which gave her an advantage. "Come on, slowpoke," she told him. She picked up her speed, wanting to hurry up and get to Sonic to get some food since she was so hungry. She couldn't eat to much though, she had no idea what they might do to her today and she didn't want to have an overly full stomach.

[in the council hospital]

Leah didn't really expect Zacky to sit with her. He hadn't really seemed to want to be around her lately and she couldn't entirely say she blamed him. All she wanted to do was lay in bed and she wasn't at all interested in preparing the nursery for the pups' imminent arrival. As she ate, Leah could hear Zacky down the hall, trying and seeminly failing to put together the other cribs and the changing table. She wished she could help him but even if she wanted to, she wouldn't do much good. She was terrible at building things and that was when she had full range of motion. And actual energy. Nowadays just climbing out of bed to use the bathroom took all of her energy. Speaking of using the bathroom, Leah already needed to go again and she groaned as she slowly climbed out of bed. As much as she wasn't ready to be a mother, she was ready for these pups to be out of her and off of her bladder.

---

"Snnic it is," Matt said, chuckling. He followed Aubree outside, swiftly changing into his wolf form. He wasn't surprised when she immediately took off at a full tilt run and he rolled his eyes before he followed after her. "Slow your ass down, I'm old, remember?" Matt said. He supposed that was one of the downfalls of having such a young mate. She would probably always be just a bit faster than he was. Eventually, though, Matt caught up to Aubree and he ran alongside her until they reached Sonic. He transformed back into his human form, waiting for Aubree to do the same before he walked up to the patio stall. "I'm thinking a double bacon cheeseburger," Matt said, looking over the menu. "And a route 44 vanilla Dr. Pepper."

Zacky was frustrated beyond belief because of those cribs. He really didn’t have a clue what to do with them. He groaned and laid back on the floor, staring at the ceiling. If he kept procrastinating then they were never going to get done and he knew that he couldn’t rely on Matt to come and help him either. Zacky sighed and sat up, scratching his temple before he went back to putting the cribs together. He stared at the instructions, licking over his lips before he got up on his knees and grabbed some parts. He screwed the leg into one, his eyes widening when he realized that it didn’t actually go there. “Well great,” he murmured. He tossed the instructions down before getting up and making his way towards his and Leah’s room. He wanted to check and see if she were done eating. “You finished?” He asked, leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms over his chest. He watched her leave the bathroom, pushing off the doorway and helping her into bed.

---

Aubree rolled her eyes at Matt. He wasn’t that old. She kept on running, really excited when they finally got to sonic. She had been dreaming about this For like ever. Aubree listened to what Matt had ordered himself, biting her lower lip. “I want a chili cheese dog and chili cheese tots with a chocolate coke slush,” she said with a nod. Her mouth was practically drooling at the thought. Aubree quickly ordered their food, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She was in a rather good mood today for some reason. Maybe she just had a good feeling about whatever was going to happen at the doctors. She was still pretty nervous but there wasn’t anything negative that they could really tell her. All she could get was positive. “Are you nervous?” She asked him, tilting her head to the side. Matt was always so calm and collected no matter how he was feeling and sometimes that frustrated Aubree to no end.

Leah looked up at Zacky as she came back into the bedroom. "Yeah, I'm finished, she said, climbing back into bed. She pulled the covers over her legs. "Did you have any luck with the cribs?" she asked. "I could hear you cursing in there, so I'm thinking no. You should see if Daddy or one of the others can stop by and help you." She knew Matt was busy at the doctor's with Aubree, but she was sure her dad or Jimmy or Johnny were probably free. Leah's dad was excited as hell about the imminent birth of his grandchildren do she was sure he would be happy to help in any way that he could. "I would say that I would try to help you but I would probably be completely useless. I'm terrible at reading instructions and plus, I can't really bend down at all."

---

"A chocolate coke slush?" Matt repeated, making a face of disgust. He shrugged his shoulders. Whatever. It wasn't like he had to drink the damn thing. Once he'd ordered, Matt went over to sit down at the table just next to the patio stall. He smiled as Aubree joined him at the table. "Of course I'm nervous," he said. "But I try not to think about it because it's not really anything I can do anything about. Plus, I need to keep you calm," he added, grinning. When the carhop came out with their order, Matt handed her a twenty and told her to keep the change before he carried their food over to the table. "Here's your chili cheese dog, chili cheese tots, and your disgusting concoction of a drink," he said, handing Aubree her things. "And my normal food. Probably need to hurry up and eat, your appointment is in forty minutes. Maybe if we get there early, they can fit you in early."

Zacky smiled at Leah and shook his head. "It's alright, baby. I had texted Matt but you're right, he's probably busy with Aubree. I'll probably call your dad or something," he said with a small sigh. Sometimes it was weird having Brian help them with baby things. It made Zacky think about the times when he was the one helping Brian put things together for the twins. "Yell if you need anything, okay?" he murmured before leaving the room with her empty plate. Zacky went to the kitchen, dumping any leftovers she had in the trash before rinsing her plate off and putting it in the dishwasher. He was trying to stay on top of things the best he could so he didn't get behind. The last thing he wanted was to have so much housework piled up when the pups got here. Zacky pulled out his phone and called Brian, almost crying in relief when the other man said that he'd come over and give him a hand.

---

Aubree smirked when Matt made a face at her choice of drink. She was seriously having some odd cravings. They definitely weren't pregnancy cravings. Well, she didn't think they were. Aubree yawned and stretched as she sat down at the table, putting her head in her hands as she looked around. "I know, I'm really thankful for that," she told Matt with a small smile. When their food finally arrived she perked up, bouncing in her seat a little. "No worries, I'll have my heart attack down in record time," she told him through a mouthful of chili cheese tots. She hurried up and scarfed down almost all of her food, groaning and rubbing her tummy. She was so full. "I ate way to much," she said with a sigh. "But it was so good." Aubree licked her lips with a smile. She waited for Matt to finish his food before she got up and threw both of their trash away.

Leah nodded when Zacky said he would call her dad. She knew it was probably weird for him to ask her dad for help considering that he'd probably helped him set things up when she and Aubree were born. "I will," Leah said, watching as Zacky left the room. She felt a little bad that he was downstairs cleaning up while she was sitting in bed but it wasn't like she could do much. Just walking down the hall to the bedroom took so much of her energy and she needed to rest before the pups arrived. She knew she wouldn't be getting much rest with three pups to take care of. Leah was getting a little bored just sitting in bed, though. Maybe she would see if Aubree and Matt wanted to go out to dinner with her and Zacky after her doctor's appointment. It would likely be Leah's last chance at an outing before the pups were born.

---

Matt couldn't help but make a face as he watched Aubree eat. "You're definitely your father's child, you know that?" he asked. It was a little weird to see the similarities between Aubree and Brian. Finishing his food, Matt handed his trash off to Aubree and pushed to his feet. Once she was back by his side, he led the way away from the restaurant and transformed into his wolf form, taking off into the woods. The trek to the council mansion was roughly five or six minutes, so Matt took a few seconds to catch his breath once he'd returned to his human form. "You ready?" he asked, looking over at Aubree. They were a little early but that never hurt. He followed Aubree inside, waiting for her to check in before going to take a seat. More than anything, he hoped they would get some good news today. Any news, really, since they still didn't have an answer as to why Aubree hadn't gotten pregnant again yet.

Zacky was so thankful for when Brian finally showed up. He let Brian say hello to Leah before leading him to the nursery. "Alright, let's see if we can get these bad boys together." Zacky sat on the floor while Brian sat in the rocking chair, making him raise a brow. "Your first said of grandkids aren't even here yet and you're already sitting in a rocking chair and making yourself seem so much older than you are," Zacky said with a laugh. His laughing came to a halt when he realized that he and Brian were the same age and Brian was going to be a grandpa. He honestly couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was as old as his kids grandfather. Zacky sighed and grabbed the instructions, reading them over step by step to Brian and slowly putting the crib together piece by piece.

---

Aubree was tired out by the time they finally got to the council mansion. She groaned as she turned back into her human form, trying to catch her breath. "As ready as I'll ever be," she told him with a small smile. She'd been dreading this day for a few weeks now and she really wasn't sure why. It wasn't like anything worse could happen that already has. She held Matt's hand tightly as they went inside, going to the front desk of the doctor's wing and checking in. She smiled and thanked the receptionist when she said that the doctor would be with her shortly, walking over and sitting down with Matt. "I wish we could just get taken right in, there's no one here," she murmured, beginning to bite on her nails. She really needed to shake that bad nervous habit. It wasn't long before Aubree was being called back, almost jumping out of her skin when she heard her name. She smiled sheepishly and stood up, waiting for Matt before they were lead back to a room. Aubree wanted to roll her eyes when the nurse started to check her vitals, really wishing it weren't necessary.

Leah knew immediately when her dad had arrived. She hadn't had her mother growing up so it was her dad's smell and the sound of his voice that was familiar and comforting to her. She started to get up to go and see her dad but before she could, her dad was coming into the bedroom. "Hey Daddy," Leah said, leaning up in bed to give him a hug.

"Hi, sweetheart," Brian said. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Leah sighed. "Ready for these pups to be out of me already."

"Well, only a couple more days," her dad replied with a smile. "I'm going to go help Zacky put together the other cribs, so we'll be just down hall if you need anything."

---

"There might be people back there, you never know," Matt said. He knew Aubree was anxious to get back and see the doctor and he was, too. But like he'd told her at Sonic, he knew he needed to be calm for her. As a high-ranking male in the pack, it was his responsibility to remain calm at all times because if he panicked, other people would panic. And besides that, Aubree was his mate. He would do what he needed to do to keep her happy. Matt could tell that Aubree was a little annoyed that the nurse needed to take her vitals, but it was necessary. And it wasn't long before the doctor stepped into the room, anyway.

Thankfully it didn’t take long at all to get the cribs together. Zacky was so thankful for Brian’s help. “Thank you so much,” he said with a huge sigh, taking a step back and looking at the cribs. “I don’t think I would have been able to finish them myself.” Zacky thought the nursery actually looked really nice considering he picked most of the stuff out himself. It totally could have went way wrong but he managed to keep it simple and neautral. Well, as neautral as he possibly could.

“Have you two picked out names yet?” Brian asked, rocking in the rocking chair.

Zacky just kind of shrugged and shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think there are a few that she’s been thinking about but we haven’t really talked about it that much. We don’t really talk about the pups in general. I try not to bring it up because I can see how much it bothers her and I don’t want her feeling terrible at any time. More than she already is anyways.” He sighed heavily. They really did need to pick out some names for their pups though, they were going to be here at any minute.

---

Aubree thanked the nurse as she left, groaning and laying back on the exam table. “This is torturous,” she grumbled. Her eyes widened when there was a sudden knock at the door, sitting up straight and smiling at the doctor as he came in.

“Hello Aubree, Matt, it’s good to see you two again,” the Doctor said as he shook both of their hands. “I think we’re going to run a few different tests on you today, if that’s alright,” the doctor said as he pulled out a little container from the cuboard. “I’m going to have you urinate in this cup when you’re ready and one of my nurses are going to come in and get a few tubes of blood. Once the results are in, which should only take about 15 to 20 minutes, I’ll come back in. Sound good?” Aubree nodded and thanked him before he left, sighing heavily once the door was closed behind him.

“I didn’t think about possibly needed more tests done today,” she said with s pout. She hated getting her blood drawn. Watching all of that blood rush into the tube always made her want to pass out, but she couldn’t help but watch it. If she didnt then she would freak out. Aubree slid off the exam table and grabbed the cup. “I’ll be right back,” she told Matt before leaving the room and going to the restroom. Luckily she had to pee anyways. She quickly peed in the little sanitary container, placing it in the silver cubby hole when she was done. She washed her hands before going back to the exam room.

Leah sort of wanted to go and sit in the nursery with Zacky and her dad but there wasn't really anywhere for her to sit in there and this bed was pretty damn comfortable. She was sure her dad would come in here to say goodbye before he left. And it was only another twenty minutes or so before her dad was coming into the bedroom and Leah sat up so she could hug him. "Keep getting some rest, okay, sweetheart?" he said. "You won't be able to do that very well once your pups get here. And you need to name them before they get here!"

"We're trying," Leah said, stiffening a little. She knew Zacky had probably mentioned something to her dad about them not really having any names picked out. "I sort of like the name Jacob. Or maybe Silas."

"Those are great names," Brian said, smiling.

---

"Baby, you should've known they were going to run more tests on you," Matt said. He knew Aubree didn't like having her blood drawn but the way he looked at it, it was another way for the doctor to figure out why Aubree hadn't gotten pregnant yet. And he hoped they figured it out soon because with the birth of Leah and Zacky's pups only days away, Matt knew Aubree would be feeling the urge for pups of her own more than ever. And she deserved them because Matt knew that she would be an amazing mother. "You want me to hold your hand while you get your blood drawn?" Matt asked, looking at Aubree. "I know you're not fond of it."

When it was about time for Brian to go, Zacky followed him down the hallway and to the bedroom where Leah was at. He leaned against the doorway as he watched the two, biting his lower lip when names were mentioned. He and Leah had talked about names a few times but nothing serious. It wasn’t like they really had to name them right away. “I’ll walk you out,” he murmured to Brian before following him out of the room. He walked down the stairs, going to the front door and opening it. “I’ll see you later. I’ll let you know if anything happens,” he told the other man as he watched him leave. Once Brian had disappeared into the woods, Zacky closed the front door and made his way back upstairs to Leah. He groaned as he laid down on his stomach on the bed next to her, burying his face in the pillow. He felt like he could sleep for days with how tired he was. It was only going to get worse though once the triplets got here. Zacky was excited but also dreading that moment. He loved his sleep.

---

Aubree pouted a little. Matt was right. What had she expected? “Please,” She murmured with a nod when Matt asked if she wanted to hold his hand. When the nurse came back in with a little cart, she could already feel herself freaking out. She quickly took Matt’s hand, pulling him over to her and burying her face in his arm. She didn’t want to watch it. Even though she usually did almost every time, just today she was feeling extra queasy. Aubree gasped a little when she felt the cold alcohol wipe touch her skin, squeezing her eyes shut. She let out a deep breath she didn’t realize she was holding once she felt the needle poke her.

“All done,” the nurse said, placing some gauze and medical tape on Aubree’s arm. “The results for the tests shouldn’t take long, so just sit tight, dear,” she said with a smile. Aubree smiled and nodded back, watching the nurse leave.

"Are you tired?" Leah asked, looking over at Zacky laying next to her. She was sure he had to be, he'd been fighting with the nursery furniture practically all day. But at least it was finished now and all that was left was just to wait for the pups to get here. And they wouldn't have to wait much longer; Leah knew they only had days of peace left. "So um, did you want to talk about names some more?" Leah asked, breaking the silence. "I mean, we've only got a few days left to decide and we haven't come up with any girl names..." She didn't really want to talk about it but she knew they needed to decide on the names before the pups were actually born.

---

Matt offered his hand out to Aubree as the nurse returned with the supplies to draw her blood, giving it a comforting squeeze when Aubree pressed her face into his shoulder. He knew she wasn't happy about all these tests and having her blood drawn but hopefully it would get them the answers they were desperately seeking. "See, that wasn't so bad," Matt said as the nurse left the room again. "Just a little prick. And you should probably get used to it because once you get pregnant they're going to be pricking you with lots of needles. Gotta make sure those little pups stay healthy," he added, reaching over to rub Aubree's stomach.