The whole time James was at work he couldn't get his mind off of Caroline. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he should just let her be.
James just didn't understand why they couldn't at least tell their parents. He felt like he was lying to them in a way. They even skipped on out family night because Caroline couldn't find anything to hide her belly.
James was so tired of hiding it. Why not celebrate?

During his lunch hour he called Caroline to see how she was doing.

"Hello?" Caroline asks sounding a little busy.

"Hey.. how are you?"

"Very busy. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see how you were feeling. How are the babies doing?"

"They're fine."

"Okay well.. make sure you take time to eat."

"I will, James." She says in an irritated tone.

"Well I guess I'll let you go. I love you."

"Love you too."

Caroline hangs up and James sighs.

**

Jessica's POV.

"Hello?"

"Hi Jessie, I have everything under control but I wanted to let you know that Nova has a low grade fever."

"Oh no! My baby's sick?!"

"She was really fussy and I noticed she felt kinda warm so I checked her temperature and it was 101.1."

"My poor baby! Give her some Motrin and tell her that mama will be there soon!"

"Okay, will do! You be careful, sweetie."

"I will. Thanks for calling me."

Jessica hangs up and goes to tell George she's leaving.

"Hey George, I'm gonna head out a little earlier. Nova has a fever so I just wanna get home to her."

"No problem. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"I saw James and Caroline at the store last night.."

"Okay.. good for you?" Jessica gives him a strange look.

"No I.. are they okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"They seemed really weird when I went over to say hi. Like they were in a hurry or something."

"Oh. I don't know." Jessica shrugs.

"The past couple times I've seen them they seem a bit off so I just thought I'd ask."

"Well now I'm worried!"

"I'm sure everything's fine, Jess. I was just asking."

"I'll call James later just to check in on them to see how things are going."

"Alright. Well you get home to your baby. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks George, see you later."

**

Dorothy's POV.

"Mama.. mama.. mama.. mama.." Nova laid there and whined for her mother.

"Your mommy's on her way, sweet girl! Don't be sad." Dorothy rocked her gently.

Nova just kept calling her mother's name in a soft tearful voice.

"I'm so sorry, Nova..
Mama is gonna get here and take you home, and she's gonna make you feel so much better.

Finally Jessica came in and ran over to Nova.

"Nova! My baby girl! Are you sicky?"

"Mama!" She cries and reaches for her mother.

"Come to momma, Lovebug!" Jessica holds her close and softly bounces her.

"My poor precious baby! Momma's gonna take you home and make sure you get all better, okay?
Thank you again, mom."

"No problem! Do you need me to pick up Grayson for you?"

"No it's okay, Danny's going to get him. Thanks though."

"Mama!"

"What baby?"

"Mama! Mama!" Nova whines.

"She's been saying your name the whole time! The poor little baby!"

"Awe! Well let me get her home. Say bye bye to grandma."

"Mamaaaaa!" Nova fusses and rubs her eyes.

"Okay, okay, let's go!"

Nova cried and cried the whole drive home.

"Novies, mama's right here, baby! We're almost home, sweet girl!"

Jessica drove into the driveway and quickly got Nova out of the car.

"My poor baby! You're okay." Jessica kisses the top of her head.

"Sick!  Sick!"

"I know you're sick, precious.  Mommy's gonna help you feel all better!"

Jessica took her upstairs and stripped her down to just a diaper.
Nova just wanted to be held, she wouldn't let Jessica leave her sight.

Nova started pulling on her shirt and kicking her legs.

Jessica unbuttons her blouse and nurses her.

Nova makes loud sucking noises and hums.

"Is it good, baby?" Jessica speaks in a soft voice as she softly caresses her cheek with her finger.

Nova grabs her hand and looks into Jessica's eyes.

"You're so pretty, baby." Jessica smiles.

"Let's call daddy to tell him you're not feeling well."

"Hey baby!" Danny answers.

"Hey, remember you're picking Grayson up today!"

"I know, I'm on my way."

"Great! Well I'm home already.. baby girl's sick."

"Oh no!  My baby love is sick?"

"Yeah she has a little fever and she's major cranky.  But she's eating right now so she's okay." Jessica looks down at Nova drinking and staring up at her with sleepy eyes.

"Poor little thing!  You want me to just pick up pizza or something for dinner?"

"Yeah that's fine, thank you, babe."

"No problem.  I'll see you in a little while."

"Alright, bye baby."

**

Nova was obviously exhausted but she refused to go to sleep.  She was so fussy.  Jessica knew it was going to be a long night.

"Maaaamaaa!" She cried.

"Nova baby, go to sleep.  You'll feel so much better!"

Jessica felt horrible for her little girl.  So far nothing was making her feel better.

"Mommy, I'm home!" Grayson runs in.

"Hi baby, how was school?"

"Good! Hi Nova!"

"Don't get too close baby, she's sick."

"Oh no! My poor sister!"

Jessica smiles.
"You hungry?"

"Yeah! We got pizza!"

"Yummy! Why don't you go get washed up for dinner?"

"Okay!"

Grayson runs out as Danny walks in.
"Careful with sister, she's sick!"

"I'll be carful, thanks bud!"

Danny walks in and kisses Jessica then kisses Nova's warm cheek.
She whines and arches her back.

"Oh you're so fussy! You poor baby!"

"Mama!" Nova grabs Jessica and buries her face in her chest.

"She's not wanting to let go of mommy today." Jessica chuckles with exhaustion.

"I see that. Well you rest up, pretty girl." Danny softly rubs the top of her head.

"I'll bring you some pizza."

"Thanks baby."

Jessica held her and rocked her for a while before she eventually fell asleep.

**

Jessica went to Danny and talked about James and Caroline. She told him what George said and how she was concerned.

"I guess they have been acting a little funny."

"They have! Do you think something's going on between them?"

"I'm sure everything's fine. Don't worry too much, babe."

"Well I'm gonna call James!"

"Okay." Danny chuckles and watches Jessica run upstairs to grab her phone.

"Hey mom!" James answers.

"James!  How's it going?"

"Pretty good. How are you?"

"Well your sister's sick so it's been a bit crazy, but it's okay!"

"Awe really? Poor baby."

"I know.  She has a fever and when she's awake she's completely glued to Momma!" Jessica chuckles and runs her hand through her hair.

"Awe, little bug!"

"I know..
Hey!  Danny's barbecuing Saturday, do you and Caroline want to come over?"

"Uh I'll ask her.. we might have something."

"Okay what's up, James?  You and Caroline have been acting really weird!  You didn't even come to dinner the other night!"

"I know, sorry.. it's just uh.. work.  Work has been crazy."

"Oh.. well I understand.  I hope I get to see you soon though!"

James ran his hand through his hair.  He felt so bad not telling his mother the truth.

"We'll be there, mom.  Don't worry.. we'll be there."

"Really?!  Yay!"

James hears crying in the background.

"Someone pulled your sister's string!"

"Heh! I'll let you go. Kiss Nova for me and tell everyone I said hi and that I love them! N'tell Sam to piss off."

"Will do, baby boy!" Jessica laughs.

After hanging up Jessica does a little happy dance by herself.

"My baby's coming over!"

"MAMAAAA!!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Jessica grabs the baby and takes her downstairs.

"Honey?" Jessica smiles sweetly.

"Yes?"

"What are you planning on doing this Saturday?"

"Well it's my first day off in a while so.. nothing! I just want to do absolutely nothing!" He chuckles.

"Well too bad because you're barbecuing for the whole family!"

"What?" Danny asks with a less than pleased face.

Jessica giggles.

"I told James you were barbecuing so he'd come over!
..Now don't look at me like that, Daniel! I'm just standing here holding a sick little baby. Our baby that I carried for nine long months and pushed out of my little body! She had the biggest head out of all of my babies, Daniel! ALL I'm asking is for a damn Saturday barbecue with our boys!" Jessica fake tears up.

"You're so dramatic Jessica." Danny laughs.

"It's not a big deal, I'll make the damn barbecue!"

"Yay! Thank you, Danny!" Jessica jumps.

"Where's my reward?"

Jessica giggles and walks over to kiss him.

***

Saturday.

"Mommy! Nova's nose is yucky again!" Grayson steps away while playing with her.

Nova was still a little sick but hadn't had a fever in almost twenty four hours.

"You got boogies! Yucky yucky yucky!" Jessica scrunches her nose as she cleans her.

"Ah! Ah! No!" Nova turns her head away and pushes Jessica's hand away.

"Nuh uh, let me clean your nose!"

She starts crying loudly and shouting for Danny.

"Dada! Dadaaa!"

"Awe! What's matter, Princess?"

"She's mad at me because I'm trying to wipe her yucky nose!"

"Novies, is that why you're mad?!"

"Dada!" Nova reaches for Danny.

"My sweet little princess. Come here, love bug!"

Danny picks her up and kisses her cheek.

"I hope you get boogies all over your father." Jessica says making Danny chuckle.

**

James and Caroline's POV.

"If you don't want to go then I'll just call my mom and tell her we won't be there."

"I didn't say that, James!"

"Okay well you just seem bugged so I just figured you didn't want to go."

"I'm bugged because you're constantly asking me if I'm okay, or if I need something! Just leave me alone!"

"Jesus, I'm sorry!"

Caroline sighs and covers her face.
"James, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to blow up on you. I just.. I'm so stressed and it's making me turn into this mean person."

"Honey why are you stressed?"

"Because I'm so scared of losing them!" Caroline cries.

"Honey, don't think that way!"

"It's not that easy, James!  I'm constantly worried about them that it makes me sick.  I won't be okay until they are out of my body and in my arms happy and healthy."

James wraps his arms around Caroline and holds her tight.

"Honey, I know there is nothing I can say to make you feel at ease and I'm so so sorry. But you can't make yourself sick, honey. We have two healthy little babies. The doctor checked on what went wrong the last time.. everything is okay and it's not going to happen again."

"I just can't get it out of my head! James I can't go through that again!"

"And you won't, baby! Everything is okay. Our babies are fine."

"And then I just keep thinking how he should be here with us right now... my due date was while we were in Italy and I didn't want to say anything because we were having a good time and I didn't want to be sad.. but James our baby should be here!" Caroline cries.

"Honey I'm so sorry.. I didn't want to bring it up for that same reason."

Caroline wipes her cheeks.
"I know he's in a better place.. I just miss him so much. I want to hold him!"

"I do too.." James tried his best to stay strong.

"I just pray these babies stay healthy.. It scares me because.." Caroline's voice shakes.

"What baby?" James rubs her back.

"I haven't felt them.. at all. Shouldn't I be feeling something by now?"

"Maybe they're just too little."

Caroline sighs.
"This anxiety will never leave me.. you're just going to have to deal with it. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'll be here to tell you everything's fine.. because everything will be fine."

"Can we please not say anything today? We have a sixteen week appointment next week.. after I hear them then we will say something."

"Okay." James nods.

"Thank you... now, I need you to help me hide these two." Caroline chuckles and places her hand on her belly.

James smiles and kisses her stomach.

"You two are getting so big!"

Caroline giggles then stands up.

"Come on, let's see what we can do. I think mommy is past the sucking in stage." James smiles and holds her belly in his hands.

"Ya think?" She laughs.

**

"James and Caroline are here! They're here!" Grayson runs to the door.

"My baby!" Jessica runs to open the door.

"Jamesy!!" Jessica hugs him tight.

"Hey momma!"

"Caroline! Hi sweetie!"

"Hi Jessie!"

"You guys come in!"

"Hey bro, long time no see!" Sam hugs him.

"I know! *Chuckles* Are Zach and Mike coming?"

"They said they would be here."

"I spoke to them a couple days ago, they seem to be liking their new place."

"Of course they do! There's no mom there to boss them around and tell them to clean up their filthy rooms!" Jessica chuckles.

"Right?" James laughs.

The front door opens and Sam says, "Speak of the devils! They're here!"

"Hey! Oh look who it is! Who are you strangers?" Zachary chuckles.

"Hey it hasn't been that long!" Caroline playfully taps him before he hugs her.

Zachary hugged her tight and lifted her up.

"Ah! Zachary Huston!" She laughs.

Nova stumbles over and hits Sam's legs.

"Hey missy!"
He picks her up and she sneezes three times right in his face.

"Oh thank you so much for that!"

Nova laughs and smacks her mouth into his face.

"Nova!"

"Sam don't yell at her, she's giving you kisses!"

"Well Nova, you're doing it wrong." Sam says to her.

Jessica chuckles.
"My poor baby! Mama loves your kisses!" She takes her from Sam and kisses her cheeks.

"I'll be right back, let me check on the food."

Jessica walks outside with Nova on her hip.

"Caroline's pregnant."

"What?" Danny's eyes widen.

"Well at least I think she is!"

"Why?"

"I hugged her and I felt something."

"Jess, please don't tell her that!" Danny chuckles.

"I'm not! I'm gonna ask James."

"No just stay quiet until they tell us."

"I could be wrong.. I'm probably just making more of it.. she had a little belly before and James said she's been better about eating.... that's probably it."

"It'll happen.. don't obsess over it."

"I'm not!" Jessica hits his arm.

"Owe." He says in a serious tone making Jessica laugh.

Nova starts coughing so Jessica looks at her and baby talks, "Oh goodness! Oh my goodness! You and this yucky cough!"

Nova sniffles and rubs her nose before hitting Jessica's chest.

"You're a cutie!" Jessica kisses her cheek.

**

"James!" Zachary calls him from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure.."

"Is Caroline pregnant?"

"Why?"

"Is she?"

"... No."

"Oh my gosh, she is!"

"Zach, you can't say anything!"

"Oh wow, this is great! Do mom and dad know?"

"No they don't. Please don't say anything!"

"I won't. How far along is she?"

James sighs.
"She's almost sixteen weeks."

"What?!" His eyes widen.

"Shh! Quiet! She doesn't want to say anything until we go to our appointment next week. She's really nervous about something happening to them."

"THEM?!" Zachary's eyes practically fall out of his head.

"Oh right!
.. It's twins."

"Oh my gosh! Dude, mom is gonna freak! You have to tell her Now!"

"I can't do that. I'm going to support whatever Caroline wants to do."

"This is exciting. I'm happy for you, James!" Zachary hugs him.

"Thank you so much!"

**

Everyone sits down to eat and halfway through the meal Caroline feels a small movement in her belly.

Her eyes widen and she inhales deeply.

"Everything okay, Caroline?" Jessica asks.

"Hm? Yes! Uh.. could you please excuse me for just a second?"

"Of course!" Jessica chuckles.

James was worried about her so he quickly excused himself as well.

"Caroline. Are you okay?" He asks following her down the hall.

"Yeah! I just felt the babies move!" She smiles with her hands on her belly.

"Oh my gosh, really?!"

"Yeah, feel!" Caroline takes his hands and places them on her stomach.

They both tear up and just stand their in silence for a little while.

"They're saying, We're alright mommy! Aren't you, little guys?" James smiles.

Caroline's smile grows.
"I think we might be okay." She nods as tears slowly roll down her cheeks.

"We will be okay!" James wipes her face.

Caroline looks lovingly into his eyes and they both lean in to share a kiss.

Suddenly they hear a loud gasp.
They break their kiss and turn to see Grayson with one hand over his mouth and the other pointing at them.

"Grayson! Hey! H-H-Heyyy Buddyyy!" James yanks on Caroline's top to make it look like he's just fixing it.

He then crosses his arms and leans against the wall.

"You have a baby in your tummy!"

"Shh! No I don't!"

"Yes you do! James, you were holding her belly!"

"Gray-"

"I'm gonna be an uncle again!" He shouts with excitement.

James grabs Grayson and quickly takes him into one of the rooms.
Caroline follows and James sits him down to explain.

"Grayson.. Yes, yes she's pregnant-"

"I knew it!"

"You have to promise us you won't tell anyone!"

"No one at all?"

"At ALL!"

"Not even my momma?"

"No!"

"But mommy tells me not to lie! It's really bad to lie, James!"

"I know it's bad to lie but this isn't a lie! Momma isn't going to ask if Caroline has babies in her tummy."

"BABIES?!" His eyes went wide.

"Uh.. Yeah."

"Oh my gosh! This is gonna be hard!" He bounces up and down in his seat.

"I know and we're so sorry, Gray! You only have to hold the secret until after our appointment on Monday."

"But what if I slip?" He covers his mouth.

"Just try not to. You can do this!" James smiles.

"I can do this!"

"Yes! That's what I wanna hear!" James hugs him.

"I'm gonna be an uncle of twins!!"

Caroline chuckles and wipes the tears forming in her eyes.

"Now can I please go to the bathroom?" Grayson jumps up and down.

"Yes, go!" James chuckles.

He leaves and James turns to Caroline.

"He's a good boy.. I promise you we can tell them after we hear from the doctor next week." Caroline rubs his back.

James smiles softly.
"My mom is going to be so pissed that he knew before her."

"I'm sure she'll be fine!"

"Yeah I'll remind you of that when she's beating my ass!" He chuckles.