Jed stood frozen, his terror growing as doctors and nurses rushed into the room fighting to stop Abbey's bleeding. This was no ordinary woman, and a staff had been assembled for any type of emergency the First Lady might have.

Oh God please don't do this, Jed thought, while looking at the tiny baby boy in his arms. You can't have finally given me a son only to take away my wife. That isn't a fair deal dammit. It isn't a fair deal. This woman means the world to me, God. Please don't take her away from me.

"J...Jed," Abbey said weakly. Jed handed his son to the pediatrician and moved to Abbey's side. He could see she was fighting to keep from losing consciousness.

"Abbey, stay strong baby...you're going to be just fine" Her face was so pale, he thought. How much blood could she lose?

"Jed...my arms...are so heavy...am I...dying?"

"You are NOT dying, Abigail," he said fiercely as he took her hand in his. "Come on now, stay awake."

Her eyes were so heavy, it was hard to keep them open. Finally she stopped trying and let them close.

"Abbey NO...You stay with me," he tried pleading, and then turned to anger. "Don't you leave me. I can't raise these babies alone. I'll screw it up. You know I will. They need your discipline. I cave in too easy. You tell me that all the time. They need you Abbey. They need a mother's love. I need you." He was back to pleading now. "Dammit, don't you dare leave me." He pressed his forehead to her hand, allowing a single tear to fall down his cheek.

"Mr. President," one of the nurses said, touching his shoulder gently, "it's OK now. Dr. Brant has the bleeding controlled." Jed looked to the foot of the bed. Mia was still working on Abbey but she was calmer now and the other doctors had gone. He had been so concentrated on Abbey he not noticed any of it.

"Mia?" He asked.

"It's OK, Jed. Everything is under control now. Her blood pressure is rising." As her blood pressure rose, Abbey's eyes began to flicker back open. She was disoriented at first. She heard a baby crying. Her hand moved to her belly which was much flatter. Her body hurt so much, and her muscles ached. Then she remembered, she had just given birth. Jed was at her side.

"Wh...what happened?" She asked.

"You hemorrhaged and you lost consciousness briefly, but you are all right now. How do you feel?"

"Sore...and a little weak."

"The weakness is from the loss of blood," Mia said. "Do you have enough strength to sit up?"

"I think so." She struggled to a sitting position with Jed's help.

"Would you like to nurse one of your babies? It will help control the bleeding."

"Yes," Abbey said eagerly. She wanted and needed that contact with her babies again. Aislinn was sound asleep but their son was still screaming with indignation, his fists waving angrily in the air.

Jed helped Abbey untie her hospital gown and shrug a shoulder out, and then one of the nurses handed her son to her.

"Ssh, it's OK sweetie...Mommy's got you now," she said, placing his head to her breast. He latched right on to her nipple startling Abbey with the long forgotten force of a baby's mouth. The crying stopped and the room quieted as he began to nurse.

"He looks pretty comfortable there," Jed said, watching his son suckle, his tiny fists kneading Abbey's breast.

"Like father, like son," Abbey smiled, running a hand over Jed's cheek.

"I like the sound of that," he said, cupping his son's downy soft head in his hand. "Father and son."

"I'm glad you're happy."

"I would have been happy with two daughters, you know."

"I know, but I also know how much having a son means to you. You're not all alone anymore."

"I guess not," he said touching his sons kneading fist. The infant grabbed onto his finger tightly. He opened his eyes and regarded Jed with sleepy dark blue eyes. Those eyes widened and he blinked as Jed bent down to kiss his forehead. Abbey switched breasts and the baby continued to nurse with his eyes focused on his father.

"He seems to find you very interesting," Abbey chuckled.

"I am interesting," Jed said. "You know Abbey, I think he knows me."

"Of course he knows you. He's a part of you." There it was again, that realization that he had created these beautiful children. The thought that his children, all his children, carried his blood in their veins had always taken his breath away.

"You know, we came up with Nicholas for a first name but we never discussed a middle name. Got any ideas, Doc?" Jed asked her. "Do you want to name him for your father?"

"No," she said softly, "I want to name him for my husband. You've waited 30 years for this," she cupped his cheek in her palm and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. "You can introduce the world to Nicholas Josiah Bartlet."

Jed smiled at her, the tears welling in his eyes.

"You know," he said, seeing that Mia had finished stitching and cleaning Abbey, "speaking of introductions, I think it's time we introduce these babies to their sisters."

"I suppose they have been out of the loop long enough. All except Sam, that is. Boy, he really got an eyeful didn't he?" Abbey smiled.

"And an earful. I don't think he'll be foolish enough to enter the room of a laboring woman ever again. Although, it may have been a great method of birth control. I tell you Abbey, we should just show kids a video of you with your legs in the stirrups screaming while you try to pull my damn ear off, and they would never want to have sex again. Maybe that could be your next public service announcement. Kind of like, the First Lady says just say no," he was grinning at her now.

"You know Jed, you ought to give Jay Leno a run for his money when you're out of the White House. You seem to think you have some comedic talent," she said sarcastically. "I'm sure that would go over really well with the Republicans. Now, why don't you bring Aislinn out to meet everyone and give me about five more minutes to finish feeding Nicholas before you bring them all in."

"You want everyone or just the girls?"

"Oh, what the hell, let them all in. My vanity is gone for the day," she touched her sweat dampened curls.

"You're beautiful," he reassured her and kissed her cheek. He turned and lifted his sleeping daughter into his arms. There was no awkwardness in his movements, he was an old pro at this and it showed. He carried Aislinn into the waiting room, where everyone was sprawled half asleep. They all rose to their feet at his approach.

"Aunt Jane said the babies were here," Ellie said, "but she wouldn't tell us what sex they are."

Jed stood there in his blood smeared scrubs holding the baby and grinning at them, enjoying the anticipation.

"Well," Leo said impatiently, "tell us."

"It's a girl!" Jed shouted and began to laugh as everyone swarmed around him for a glimpse of the baby. Ellie and Zoey stood peering over his shoulder. "Meet your new sister, girls," he said to them. "Aislinn Faith Bartlet."

"She's beautiful sir," CJ sighed.

"How is Abbey?" Leo asked concerned. "We saw doctors rushing in and out and we got worried."

"The second twin was breech. They had to get him out pretty fast and after it's birth, she hemmorhaged," Jed said, his eyes going cloudy with the memory. "It was touch and go for a little while but she is fine now. A little weak from the loss of blood, but fine. She is just finishing nursing the other baby."

"What is the other baby, Dad?" Zoey asked.

"Well, follow me and see." He poked his head into Abbey's room and was given the thumbs up so he began to lead them in. Sam was pulling up the rear. "It's OK Sam," Jed smiled, "Abbey won't bite your head off this time. She's a little calmer now." Sam nodded apprehensively and the men walked in slowly, nervously, a little afraid of what they might see in this mysterious room.

All they saw was Abbey Bartlet sitting propped up against the pillows holding a baby in her arms looking weary, but happy.

God, Leo thought, even with her hair mussed and no make up Abbey was a beautiful woman, even more so because despite her exhaustion she was radiating happiness. He watched Ellie and Zoey rush to their mother's side, while everyone stood expectantly.

"Everyone," Jed said, in his best official Presidential voice, "I would like to introduce you all to the youngest Bartlet, who arrived 16 minutes after his sister, our son, Nicholas Josiah Bartlet."

"A boy," Leo laughed, patting Jed on the shoulder. "Congratulations." He knew just how much these babies meant to Jed and he was thrilled for him that one had been a boy. Everyone was offering congratulations and Jed was passing around 'It's a boy' and 'It's a girl' cigars to all present, including any hospital personnel who happened to be in and out. Leo noticed the gold pocket watch on the stand by Abbey's bed and read the inscription.

"This was JFK's?" He said. "Where did you get it?"

"Abbey gave it to me for Christmas," Jed said, "I used it to time contractions."

"Hell of a present," he said admiringly.

Zoey and Ellie took turns holding Aislinn and CJ sat by Abbey's bedside admiring Nicholas.

"He's so tiny," she said. "I can't believe how little he is. Look at those tiny fingernails."

"Would you like to hold him, CJ?" Abbey asked.

"Oh...I don't know...I'm not really much of a baby person."

"Oh come on. Don't you want to be able to write in your memoirs that you held the President's son less than an hour after he was born?"

"Well, when you put it that way...," CJ stood and Abbey placed the baby into her stiff arms.

"Relax, CJ. Just make sure you hold his head up. Look at that, you're a natural."

"Sure," CJ grinned, staring at the sleeping infant in her arms. "He's beautiful, Abbey."

"He looks like Jed," Abbey smiled softly. CJ envied that smile, a mother's smile of pride.

"How can he sleep through all this noise?"

"He has a full belly," Abbey laughed, "when he gets hungry again, he'll wake up screaming. He's got his Daddy's temper."

"You're a lucky woman, Abbey," she said, watching Jed laughing as he placed his daughter in Leo's arms.

"I know, CJ," she yawned. Jed caught the yawn and could see Abbey tiring. The natural high after birth was fading. She'd been up all night and had been through an incredible ordeal, it was time for her to get some rest.

"I think we all need to let Abbey get some sleep," he said and began to place the babies back in their bassinets. They were being kept in Abbey's room for security purposes. "CJ, you have an announcement to make."

"Yes I do," CJ grinned, "and this is one announcement I will be happy to make." Jed gave her all the information on the babies needed for the announcement and everyone began to filter out. When they were gone, he moved back to Abbey's side.

"You look kind of pensive," he said, "are you uncomfortable?"

"A little. But that isn't why. I was just thinking about the last time we were here. Only five and a half months ago. A lifetime ago. The night I almost lost you."

"I still don't remember much of that night, but I do remember you telling me you were pregnant and how scared I was about that. Back then I never would have believed we would make it to this day. Now here we are with our two babies and a whole new beginning. So, on that note, I am going to leave and let you get some sleep." He bent over her and stroked the hair back from her face. "You did great, sweet pea," he kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled sleepily, "G'night." Jed moved to kiss the forehead's of his son and daughter.

"Goodnight kiddos," he said softly, "I love you guys."

****

Jed had planned on going to bed as soon as he got back to the White House but he was still filled with excitement and energy. He was a Dad again. He was starting all over. Back to birthday parties, trick or treating, and Santa Claus. Another daughter to cuddle on his lap and watch Cinderella with. A son. Finally a son to play catch with and to teach how to be a good man. He made phone calls to relatives, Abbey's and his. He ate half an apple pie and finally tried to lay down to catch a few winks before going back to be with Abbey and the twins. Before falling asleep he offered a prayer of thanks for his two healthy babies and that his wife had made it through the delivery safely.

When he awake later in the afternoon after a few hours sleep, he attended a briefing in the West Wing and then headed back to the hospital. The press had been waiting all day and was rewarded with the sight of the President carrying roses and a bag of gifts.

"How are the twins?" One shouted.

"Just fine," Jed called out, "they're gorgeous, just like their mother."

"How is Mrs. Bartlet?"

"She's fine. Tired, but fine." He continued into the hospital with a bounce in his step. Abbey's parents were leaving her room as he arrived.

"Abbey's awake, she just ate some supper," Beth told him as she kissed his cheek. "You two sure do make beautiful babies."

"Thanks, Mom."

"How are you doing?" Michael asked, him patting him on the shoulder.

"I don't think my feet have touched the earth yet today," he grinned. They all laughed and Jed turned to enter Abbey's room.

The room was now transformed by balloons, flowers, and stuffed animals. Abbey looked lovely sitting up in bed with her hair pulled back into a braid. The color was back in her cheeks. She had Aislinn over her shoulder and was patting her back gently.

"Jed, the roses are beautiful," she said, accepting his kiss on cheek.

"One dozen for each baby. You look very pretty tonight. Feeling better?"

"My mother helped me to take a shower a little while ago so I feel a little more human. What have you got in that bag?"

"Oh, just a few goodies. First of all, this is for Aislinn who will follow your footsteps to Harvard medical school." He pulled out a little crimson Harvard t-shirt that stated 'Class of 2019'. Abbey laughed, shaking her head as he began to reach back into the bag. "And for Nicholas, who is going to follow both of us to Notre Dame," he pulled out a tiny Notre Dame football jersey that stated 'Bartlet' on the back.

"You've been waiting a hell of a long time for that one, haven't you? Abbey said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Yeah, but he was worth it. And now for their mother," he took out a small box and handed it to her. It was the mother's ring he had given her for Christmas now fitted with January birthstones for the twins' birth. "Thank you Abigail, for a beautiful son and a beautiful daughter. I know I don't say it enough but I really couldn't love you more."

Abbey looked at him, too overwhelmed by emotion to speak, but the tear that trickled down her cheek spoke volumes.

The End