Aftermath--A 3rd Season Adult Beauty & The Beast Novel

By Vickey Brickle-Macky

Double Play

"Devin, I do wish you would reconsider this," Father begged him, looking up at him from over the rim of his glasses.

Devin stood before the table his arms folded, his stance taunt and angry, shaking his head, the movement dislodging a lock of his dark hair into his eyes, which he pushed back and then refolded his arms back to where they had been. "No, we've been over this time and time again, Dad. Lena is going Above. I know you know what you are doing as a doctor but this is my wife, my child, and we don't have the medical equipment down here for doing a transfusion or anything else that might need to be done for her or for the child," he told him, not mincing any words.

"But the baby isn't due for at least three more weeks. Why now?" Father asked.

"It's getting harder and harder for her to walk for one. If we wait any longer we won't be able to get her uptop. Then she's been having pains real bad," Devin told him and saw Father's face cloud with worry.

"Pains? What kind? When did they start?"

Devin shrugged. " A couple of days ago. I know its false labor, but they've been happening more and more and Peter said the baby has dropped all ready. She could go at any time."

"And Peter told you this?" Father asked.

"Yes, yesterday, when he came by. Mary is going to take care of Cathy while we're gone. Vincent's covering my classes, so everything is taken care of on this end. Peter will meet us Above. According to how Lena is doing we will either be staying at Merriana's or go to the hospital," Devin informed him.

"And how do you propose to pay for all of this? It's going to be expensive," Father asked wondering how he was.

"Money I had left over from selling the lake property. It will cover it. Dad, you worry too much. As to records of us being Above, Peter has that covered too."

Father sighed heavily and sank back in his chair feeling suddenly old and useless. "The risks, Devin, the risks. . . . I can't stop you. Do what you you feel you must."

"Dad, if there were any other way. We would stay Below. I love you and I'm not doing this to hurt you. I just love her more," he said unbending himself and coming over to hug his father before he left.

Father accepted his hug and gave him a hug and a kiss of his own. "Godspeed Devin, to both of you and good luck," he told him as he released him.

Devin nodded, "As soon as something happens we'll send word. I promise, bye Dad, keep the home fires burning," he said in parting then he turned and walked quickly out of the chamber to go meet Lena who was waiting in the corridor beyond.

"Ready?" he asked, picking up their suitcases.

"I guess so. It feels really strange leaving. I came here to have Cathy, and now I'm going Above to have this one," she said patting her very large stomach.

He grinned. "If this one is okay then we'll have the next dozen down here," he told her.

"Dozen, my eye! One more and that's it--period!" she told him, jabbing him in the ribs.

He moved out of her range. "Touchy, aren't we today?" he joked as they slowly walked along.

"Devin, I'm feeling really rotten today. I'm sorry. I just forgot how far it was to get up to the Park. There's not a quicker way?" She asked brushing a strand of her light blonde hair back out of her face.

He shook his head no. "Nope. I wish there was too. If you want to rest?"

She nodded and leaned against the smooth wall of the large concrete drain pipe. "Oh shit!" she exclaimed as her water broke and a pain hit her at the same time. "Devin, . . . call Vincent . . . get me to the hospital chamber--fast!" she panted between the waves of pain hitting her. "Too late. . . to go . . . Above!"

He knew she was right, unfortunately. He picked up a rock from the floor and began pounding out Vincent's name, emergency, and baby on the way. Pascal picked it up and relayed the news through the entire system, including a call to a helper to get in touch with Peter. Father heard the news, frowned, and then made his way hurriedly to the hospital chamber to get it prepared.

Vincent arrived five minutes after the call went out on the pipes. He was a little winded as he had been teaching classes and the school rooms were several levels below. He took in the situation in an instant.

"Vincent, we need to get her to the hospital chamber. I can't carry her that far," Devin said worriedly. "She's not going to make it to the hospital the pains are too close and too hard. Looks like I'm going have to trust Father after all," Devin told him.

His brother nodded, understanding his fears. Right now his concern was with Lena. "Put your arm around my neck and I'm going to lift you up and carry you," he instructed her.

She put her arm limply around him and very gently he picked her up. "You seem to be making a habit of this," she said reminding him he had helped her when she had had Cathy.

"This time your husband gets to do the honors. I am merely the chariot. Come Devin, Father and Mary will be waiting for you," Vincent told them both and starting walking down the corridor leaving Devin to follow as best he could.

Mary had arrived as soon as she heard the word on the pipes. Between her and Father they had almost everything set up by the time Vincent arrived with Lena with Devin following close behind.

Vincent laid her carefully on the bed, and then made his goodbyes and left.

This was Devin's time not his. Mary helped Devin get Lena undressed and into a nightgown. She didn't protest. The pains were coming fast and hard. Harder than than they had with Cathy. Watching her, Devin was sorry he had made her have to go through such an ordeal.

Father examined her, frowning as he did. Devin caught his expression and got doubly worried. "What's wrong? What's the matter?" Devin asked.

"Nothing serious, I assure you. Tell me, Devin, did Peter mention anything about twins to you?" Father asked and saw by his son's shocked expression that this was a new one on him.

Devin shook his head. "No, never. Why?"

"Well, unless I am sadly mistaken I heard two heartbeats, not one. I can also feel the shape of two bodies. Your mother was a twin, but I never gave it a thought until now," Father said with a touch of amusement in his voice.

"Twins? You're sure?"

"Very. We've have a few born down here over the years. Even had a set of triplets," he told his son. "Mary, it looks like we're going to be needing some extra supplies and clothes.

"Understood," the older woman said with a smile and patted Devin on the shoulder reassuringly. "It won't be too much longer, and she 's doing very well."

Lena looked up at Devin having heard the conversation over her head. "We're having twins?"

He squeezed her hand, and smiled at her. "That's what Dad's telling me. How are you feeling?' he asked.

"It hurts but it's easier too. I just hope the babies are okay. Is Peter coming?"

"I hope so. Pascal sent word to the Helpers. No reply yet."

Another pain hit Lena, and she rode it trying to pant through it. Then another and another, until it was hard to tell where one began and the other left off.

"It's coming, Father," Mary told him seeing the head crown. "Push Lena, push." she told her and she did and baby slid out into Father's waiting hands.

"It's a boy!" he announced happily, and the baby let out a loud wail on its own before he had a chance to suction it. Quickly, he clamped the cord and cut it and then Mary started cleaning it up.

Lena moaned and her pains started anew as the second one started coming. In less than a minute it was born. "It's another boy," Father announced, as it started crying lustily like his brother.

"We have two sons?" Lena asked Devin incrediously as she rested.

"It seems so. We outdid ourselves," he said with a smile and bent down and gave her a kiss, then he straightened up and watched his father checking over the two boys running Agape tests on them. "How are they doing?" he asked cautiously.

"Both are scoring very high so far. Boy one weighs in at about six-six and boy two is six-ten. No breathing problems, jaundice, or physical problems. Both are very healthy and strong and have come with very good sets of lungs as we can all testify to. It was probably a good thing we moved you way down by the waterfall cavern. Your neighbors aren't going to be getting much sleep for a while with these two," Father laughed. "I'm finished here. We'll let Mary help Lena get changed and you and I will get these young gentlemen cleaned up so they can see their mother."

Devin helped Father get them cleaned up. He was amazed at how large they were and yet small at the same time. They were identical twins. They had his dark hair but their eyes promised to be lighter than his. They had his chin, his nose, but her mouth. They took after him in general body build too. Their Wells ancestry was clearly marked, Father thought proudly as he looked them over. The two men got the babies dressed and brought them to Lena to see.

Lena was sitting propped up in bed with a fresh gown and sheets, looking radiant and none the worse for her labor. Devin thought her the most beautiful thing he had ever seen outside of his newborn sons who were still protesting their entry into the world as well as being handled, washed, and dressed. Devin laid one baby in one arm while Father laid the other one in her other arm. They quieted a little, discovering their fists and chewing on them.

"They're beautiful," she exclaimed as she looked from one then to the other one. "Except I can't tell which is which. Which one is one and which is two?" she asked hopelessly confused.

Father smiled. "This is number one pointing to the baby on her right and other is two," Father told her and saw he was having roblems keeping them straight too. "We may have to resort to the using a piece of string or yarn to tell who is who." Both parents looked at him. He shrugged. "It may not be fancy but it works."

"Two babies. I thought one was a handful. How am I ever going to keep up?' Lena asked, putting one to one breast and the other to the other, winching at their suction powers.

"I'll see about laying in a store of formula just in case and we'll get you more clothes and supplies. Mary's just spread to word on the pipes and the traffic is already getting heavy," he said with a grin listening to the background chatter as the news of the twins arrival made it back and forth through the pipe system. Then turning to his son, "Well, Devin, my boy, you're still living up to your reputation," his father said.

Devin looked puzzled.

"You could always be counted on to make life interesting. You haven't disappointed me yet," he said with a smile and a slap on the back. "And if these two young men are anything like their father--heaven help these poor tunnels!"

They both laughed at that.

"You have a point, Granddad," Devin grinned at his father's expression at the word Granddad. "You and Mary can go and get some rest. I'll stay here with Lena for a while. We have to start deciding on what to call these fellows. ," he added thoughtfully.

"If you're sure you'll be okay?" Father asked checking all three of his patients before he left and seeing no problems.

"We'll be fine--Go, go celebrate," Devin told him pushing him towards the door. "And thanks, Mary. Couldn't have done it without you," Devin said giving her a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

She smiled. "I'll have William send down a tray of food. You're both going to need to keep your strength up. Take care, Devin, Lena," she said and kissed him on his cheek and followed Father down the corridor.

Then Devin came over to the bedside sitting his long and lean body into the chair by the bed. The babies were still nursing and Lena wore a very dreamy, wistful expression as she held them in her arms.

"They both look like you. They even have your stubborn hair," she said pushing a long lock of thick brown hair off one of the boy's forehead.

"Not quite. They've got your eyes. Least they won't be plain old mud brown like mine. It's going to take some getting used to--two kids all at once. I feel like I hit the jackpot. Any idea on names besides One and Two?" he asked leaning forward and marveling at the twin wonders.

"A few," she said and they began discussing it in earnest.

* * * * *

Three days later they stood in Father's Chambers before the community for their sons' naming ceremony. Despite Devin's fears the children have developed no complications nor had Lena. They were all very hale and healthy, and loud.

Lena and Devin finally got the boys quieted enough so Father could start the ceremony.

"It has been said that the child is the meaning of life and that has never been more apparent on this day when we celebrate not one but two new lives that have been born into our world. We welcome these children with love so that they may be able to love. We welcome them with gifts so that they may learn generosity.

And finally we welcome the children with names. What have you decided to name your sons," Father asked Devin and Lena.

Holding one of the babies in her arms she proudly announced, "This one will be called Peter Jacob," she said with a smile and saw Father's delighted grin.

Then Devin held up the other boy and announced, "And this young man will be called Charles Vincent," and watched with amusement his brother's first stunned then delighted expression. Got ya didn't I, little brother? Devin thought wickedly to himself.

"Well in honor of young Peter Jacob and young Charles Vincent, William has made us all a king's feast down in the Great Hall. So let's go to it," Father said happily.

Devin saw Vincent and Diana approaching with Jacob and Destry. He smiled at them waiting for them to speak first.

"You know Father and Peter are going to be insufferable?" Vincent commented with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know. You already had dibbs on Jacob so I had to come up with something. I surprised you too, didn't I?" Devin grinned wickedly.

Vincent nodded. "I am honored and so would Charles be," Vincent said still amused that his brother would give one of his sons his name.

"Yeah, it seemed only fitting. He meant a lot to me as you do, little brother, he said affectionately. "Hey, before we all get all misty eyed let's go down and get some of that food. Besides, I want to see what the Old Man has to say this time around."

His brother grinned, "After you Mr. Wells."

"No, after you. All the hell with it, let's just go," Devin said with a laugh and they they all left together to go to the banquet.

* * * * * * *

End of Part 7/7 of Aftermath

To be Continued?

(Actually, when I originally wrote this I had an entire series of stories and novels planned out.

"As On A Darkling Plain" sort of follows this but is set many years in the future. "In The Heart of Darkness"--my other V&D set of stories follows along the lines of some of Nan Dibbles concepts with V's problems adjusting to life after Catherine and is a lot darker set of stories. Unfortunately one complete, very large V&D novel "The Nightmare Lives" is lost forever as the discs it was written on self destructed and all hard copies are packed away or lost in one of my moves.

Vickey