I Saw Your Heart as It Overtook Me

I wrinkled my nose some as I stepped out into the bright, June afternoon and took a look around me. The air was nice and warm, not too warm to where it made you sweat but rather a warm that was just right. There was a slight breeze blowing through the backyard, causing my hair to whip around my face.

I pulled my long, loose hair back and put it up into a messy bun to keep it out of the way before I started towards the opposite side of the patio where there was a chair that had my name written all over it. After what felt like forever of waddling, I reached my destination and slowly sat down, being careful not to jumble my very large, pregnant belly up too much.

I readjusted myself a little to settle in and unclipped my sunglasses from my shirt to put them on.

"Lauren?" I heard someone call from inside the house. "Lauren? Where'd you go?"

"I'm out here." I called back.

I propped my feet up onto the edge of a nearby flower pot and gently ran my hand over the top of my belly.

"Just one more month to go." I said out loud to myself.

"Hey, there you are."

I looked up and saw Johnny walking towards me, packing Azriel with him.

"Hey Johnny." I said, taking my cat from him when he handed him over to me. "What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing much." He said, lifting the bottom of my shirt up a little to expose my stomach. "I just came over to see if you wanted to come over and have a barbeque with us."

"Sure." I said, watching as Johnny bent over to place two kisses on my stomach; one kiss for each boy he says. "What time?"

"You can come over right now if you want." He replied.

He pulled my shirt back down and reached over to give me an extra tight hug. Azriel screeched a little from being squashed between me and Johnny, causing Johnny to pull away.

"Oops, sorry." He grinned.

Johnny laughed a little and looked around, spotting an extra chair for himself. He pulled it up beside my own chair and sat down, sighing a little bit.

"Man, I can't believe you're gonna have twins." He smiled. "This is insane. Two years ago I remember I was huddled next to Syn's car, scared that you were gonna kick my ass five ways from Sunday."

"Yeah, and holding a box of saran wrap if I'm not mistaking." I laughed. "Oh man, I'll never forget the look on Syn's face when he saw his car all wrapped up like that."

"Yeah." Johnny agreed, nodding his head with his mischievous smile plastered across his face. "But the thing I'll never forget was when you totally beat the shit out of Matt in Zacky's kitchen. That was awesome."

"But believe me, that seriously hurt like fuck."

Johnny jumped slightly and looked across the patio, spotting Matt making his way towards us.

"I'm not gonna lie, it seriously looked like it hurt like fuck." Johnny snickered.

Matt rolled his eyes a little and took a seat on the other side of me before he leaned over to place a gentle kiss on my cheek.

"Hi love." He whispered into my ear.

"Hi." I whispered back, gently lacing my fingers with his.

He brought my hand up and placed a kiss on it before he let it rest on his lap.

"But now look at you two." Johnny continued. "Engaged, expecting twins, going to live happily ever after. It's ... oh man, don't tell anyone I said this ... but it's cute."

" ... Cute?" Matt asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, cute." Johnny replied, his cheeks turning a soft shade of red. "And like I said, don't tell anybody I said that."

"Don't worry Johnny, we won't." I laughed. "Your secret is safe with us."

"It'd better be." He said. "Or else." He added, trying to sound intimidating.

'Trying' is the key word there.

"Or else what?" Matt asked.

" ... Or else I'll burn your steak on the barbeque?"

"Oh, well in that case I'll take your secret to the grave with me." Matt said sarcastically.

Johnny smiled in triumph and jumped to his feet.

"Well, I'd better get back over there. I just came by to see if you wanted to come over." He said.

"Yeah, we'll be over pretty quick Johnny." I said.

"Alright. But before I leave I need a hug."

I set Azriel on the ground so he wouldn't get smashed this time and reached up, wrapping my free arm around Johnny's middle as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"Do you want us to bring any th- owch!" I screeched, feeling a sudden sharp pain in my belly.

"Oh shit, what did I do?" Johnny asked hurriedly, pulling away from me as if to examine me.

"I- oh fuck!" I yelled as I felt the same pain again.

"Johnny, what the hell did you do to her?" Matt asked, his hand tightening a considerable amount around mine as he jumped to his feet.

"No, Johnny didn't do anything." I said weakly. "I- oh shit, Mattie, it hurts."

"I-I ... oh fuck, what do I do?" He asked.

"I don't know." I said, trying not to panic. "Call my brother." I blurted out.

"Okay, call Zacky." Matt repeated to himself.

He started off towards the house but I held tightly onto his hand, pulling him back.

"No Mattie, don't leave me." I begged.

"I'll go call him." Johnny said, running inside the house.

"Okay sweetie, come on." Matt said softly, carefully helping me to my feet.

"Mattie I'm scared." I whispered, feeling a single tear fall down my face.

"Shh." He cooed. "It's okay, everything will be just fine, I promise."

It was then that I had the strange sensation that I was peeing on myself.

"Holy shit Matt." I cried, clutching tightly onto him. "I think my water just broke."

"I-I, but ... holy fuck, come on." He said, carefully picking me up bridal style.

I cried softly on Matt's shoulder as he hurried through the house. There were so many things rushing through my mind; the boys being born one month premature, the thought of them having problems like I had when I was born ...

"Johnny?! Get over here, Lauren's water broke!" Matt yelled through the house.
When we almost got to the front door Johnny popped out from the living room, the phone held up to his ear.

"Scratch that Zacky, head to the hospital." He said into the receiver. "Your sister's water just broke."

With that, Johnny tossed the phone aside and followed right behind us, pausing for a split second to shut and lock the door behind him. Matt came to a spot in front of my car and opened the back door.

"Johnny, you're driving." Matt ordered while he carefully set me down on the back seat.

I let out a little whimper as I felt my belly cramp up and held my hand out for Matt's. He quickly climbed in behind me and grabbed a hold of my hand.

"It's okay, sweetheart." He whispered, adjusting me so that I was resting comfortably between his legs. "It's gonna be okay, our babies are gonna be fine."

I nodded my head and sniffed back the tears as I felt the car starting to move. The whole ride to the hospital, Matt was gently caressing my face, wiping away the tears as they fell, and singing softly to me to keep me calm. I have to say so far it was working. I was no longer panicking, thinking about the worse possible outcome, but rather thinking about how healthy my two baby boys were going to be.

After what felt like five hours, Johnny pulled to a stop in front of the emergency room entrance at the hospital. Matt opened his door and cradled me in his lap, waiting for Johnny to come around and help me up.

"Alright sweetie, come on." Johnny said softly, carefully taking me in his arms so Matt could get out of the car.

"Lauren?! Johnny?! Matt?!"

Matt's POV
I climbed out of the backseat and straightened myself out when I heard someone calling for us. I looked up and saw Zacky running across the parking lot as fast as he could, heading in our direction. I shut the door behind me and gently pulled Lauren back in my arms.

"Oh shit, sister, are you okay?" Zacky asked, skidding to a stop in front of us.

"I think I'll be fine." Lauren said quietly.

I picked Lauren up bridal style once again and turned around, heading for the entrance. The automatic doors slid open for me as soon as I got close enough and a rather cold blast of air hit me as I entered the waiting room. I rushed Lauren over to the front desk, instantly gaining the attention of the lady sitting behind it.

"M-my fiance's water just broke." I said hurriedly.

"Okay, just hold tight." She said, picking up the phone sitting next to her.

She pressed a couple of buttons and then hung up the phone. I gave her a funny look and opened my mouth to say something but just then a few nurses came into the room, one of whom was pushing a wheelchair.

"Alright, go ahead and set her here, we'll go get her settled in." The nurse pushing the wheelchair said.

I rushed forward and carefully set Lauren down. I reached over and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, giving her a hug.

"I love you Lauren." I said softly.

"I love you too Mattie." She whispered.

I kissed her lips gently before I pulled away.

"Sir, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait out here for now." A nurse said while the other began to wheel Lauren away.

"But, I-"

"I'll come get you as soon as we get her settled in the room, I promise." The nurse said, cutting me off. "She's going to be just fine."

I bit my lip as I watched the nurse wheel Lauren out of my sight completely and couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness wash over me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Zacky standing there beside me.

"Come on Matt." He said quietly. "She's going to be just fine."

I nodded my head a little and let him lead me over to the chairs. I sat down next to Johnny and leaned forward, burying my face in my hands, waiting anxiously for the nurse to come back and get me.

******************************************

Here I stand, holding tightly to Lauren's hand while the nurses bustled around setting up some last minute things for Lauren's C-section. Yes, C-section.

The past five hours have been so insane, so overwhelming in a way. It turns out that the boys had already dropped but Lauren wasn't dilated enough yet. It gets better ... both of the boys were facing the wrong way in Lauren's womb.

Dr. Stokes had come in about a minute ago to give her the epidural for the surgery. Any minute now Lauren's other doctor would come in and get this shit started.

"Mattie?" Lauren asked quietly. "You're gonna be right here beside me the whole time, aren't you?"

"Of course I am, sweetheart." I said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Lauren bit her lip and tried her hardest to blink back the tears that were glazing over her eyes.

"Shh, it's okay Lauren." I cooed. "I know it's scary but everything's going to be just fine. Just take a deep breath and think about our two beautiful baby boys we're gonna be holding in our arms later."

She nodded her head and sniffed a little before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I heard the door open and I looked up, seeing Lauren's other doctor walk in.

"Doctor's, we're all ready to go." A nurse said.

"Okay, let's get started, shall we?" The doctor said.

Almost instantly everybody took their places and Dr. Stokes and his colleague stepped up to Lauren while two nurses took their places beside them.

"Alright Lauren, we're going to go ahead and start. If you feel any kind of discomfort tell us, okay?" The second doctor said.

"Okay." Lauren said, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Don't worry, hun, you'll be out of here in no time." Dr. Stokes added. "You ready?"
Lauren opened her eyes and looked up at me.

"Yes, I'm ready." She said quietly.

I watched as the doctors set to work, cutting into Lauren's flesh ... and that was about all I could watch. I turned my eyes away and locked them instead with Lauren's eyes.

"You feeling okay Lauren?" I asked, squeezing her hand tightly.

"Yeah." She whispered.

I gave her a soft smile as I just stood there, staring at her. Kind of weird but it was able to help me avoid the surgery taking place beside me.

"Okay, we have the first baby out." Dr. Stokes said, causing me to turn back to him.

I felt my heart stop for a second or two as my eyes landed on my baby boy, my oldest boy. Everything seemed so surreal, almost as if there were no possible way that this could be happening. I watched as the nurse took my baby boy and wrapped him up on a blanket, hurrying him over to a table to get him cleaned off. A split second later I heard a high pitched crying that only could have come from a baby.

"Oh no, don't tell me he's going to be a cry baby like his dad."

I turned back to her and laughed a little, blinking back a couple of tears of my own.

"So what if he is?" I grinned.

"And we have the second baby out." Dr. Stokes announced.

I turned back to him and caught sight of my second baby boy just as they were cutting his umbilical cord. I looked down at Lauren, getting ready to say something when I heard that words that made my heart drop to the ground.

"He's not breathing." Dr. Stokes said, rushing him over to the table where my first son had been lying.

"W-What?" Lauren stuttered. "What's wrong Mattie? What's going on?"

"I ... " I trailed off, watching helplessly as Dr. Stokes and his colleague worked on my baby.

"Mattie, why isn't he crying? Why can't I hear him?"

I tore my eyes from the table and looked down at Lauren to see the tears were now spilling relentlessly from her eyes.

"Shh, sweetie, he's ... he's going to be fine, okay?" I said, reaching over to wipe the tears away.

"But why can't I hear him?" She cried.

"Don't worry, Dr. Stokes is wor-"

I cut myself short when I heard a little cry and I whipped my head around to see Dr. Stokes hand my little boy over to one of the nurses. I turned back to Lauren and tried once again to wipe her tears away.

"Did you hear that babe?" I grinned. "He's fine, sweetie."

Lauren smiled up at me, her vibrant green eyes shining with a little touch of something I've never quite seen in them before.

"Congratulations Matt, Lauren." Dr. Stokes said. "You have two beautiful, healthy baby boys."

Two beautiful, healthy baby boys ...

So it was official now, I was a father, a proud parent. I let my own tears start to fall as I continued to stare down at the beautiful woman who had given me my two babies.

"I love you Matt." Lauren whispered. "I love you so much."

"I love you too Lauren." I whispered back. "More than words could describe. You're my angel; I love you more than you'll ever know."

I leaned over and locked my lips with hers, kissing her deeply but still kept it appropriate for the operating room we were still in, surrounded by two doctors and what seemed like a hundred nurses. After about ten seconds I heard somebody clear their throat and I pulled away from Lauren to see Dr. Stokes raising an eyebrow at me.

"Sorry." I blushed.

"It's okay." He laughed. "But we still have to get Lauren stitched back up. Why don't you go ahead and go tell everybody in the waiting room that you now have two baby boys."

I grinned a little and nodded my head before I turned back to Lauren.

"Sweetie, I'll see you in a few, okay?" I asked softly.

"Okay Mattie." She replied. "But hurry back; we still have to pick some names."

"Alright, will do." I smiled.

I gave her hand one last squeeze before I let go, heading out into the hallway and go share the news with everybody.