When Jack pried his lips off Mark's, he brushed a thumb across Mark's cheek to wipe his tear away. Mark stared into Jack's eyes, memorizing his face as if it was the last time that he'd see him. Just the idea made his heart ache enough to suffocate him. Sniffling softly, Mark forced himself to look away and strain out weakly. "Rosemary thinks we should consider a home birth". He just needed to change the subject to anything else. It had worked. Jack took a step back, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself as he asked concerned. "What about a doctor? What if something goes wrong? Mark...". Mark raised a hand to slow him down, looking back at him more collected as he calmly stated. "She has a doctor that has done this kind of thing before. He is more experienced and... He won't bring up questions about... How this happened". 

Jack bit his lower lip, admitting casually. "Ya... I didn't think about that. Do you think I should? Where would we have them? I can't go back to Ireland in this condition". Mark lowered his eyes to the floor, shuffling his feet nervously. Rocking slightly against the porch railing, Mark answered hopefully. "Ireland would be a nice place... but I was thinking... We should have them here"? Mark didn't look up to see Jack's reaction, but heard the curiosity in his voice. "Why here? Wouldn't you want them at home"? Mark lifted his eyes to Jack's soft blue ones with a smile, answering warmly. "This is my home". Jack smirked, reaching out to slide a hand up Mark's chest to his shoulder. Jack stared out at the large open yard, squeezing his shoulder as he said happily. "Than we will have them here... If your mother approves". Mark scoffed loudly, wrapping an arm around Jack's waist to pull him against himself. Then leaning over Jack's shoulder he told him playfully. "Are you kidding? Her first grandchildren born in her house? Our kids will never hear the end of it".

Jack chuckled, rubbing him stomach. His laugh lighted Mark's heavy heart, until Jack asked him without looking at him. "Mark... I will eventually have to go back to Ireland. So... Assuming that I make it... What will we do"? Mark patted Jack's hip, mumbling out. "I don't know... But I wish you would consider staying with me". Jack lowered his eyes, still avoiding Mark's gaze. Jack let out a sigh, telling him tenderly. "You know I can't do that. Things here... They are too different from what I am used too. I feel more at home there". Mark straightened up off the railing, telling Jack softly. "You'll have me to help you. I know you'd love it. You just have to-". Jack stepped away from him, causing Mark to stop short. Jack finally met his eyes with a guarded look, replying curtly. "Don't do this again, Mark. Not now. I enjoy my independence. I don't want to rely on you. I need more time".

Mark shook his head, stating a bit harshly. "You don't have time. You are about to become a parent and you are still dishing out this crap about your independence? You will need me. You can't just... Jack, you're not being fair to me". Jack scoffed a bit, snapping back sarcastically. "Fair? I stay up all night just to talk to you. I go to Pax just to see you. If I didn't care about you, than why would I do that? Why would I force myself to suffer a long distance relationship for this long, if I didn't think I was giving this my fair share"? Mark moved closer to Jack, taking his wrists as he pleaded with him hopefully. "It's not enough. I want more. I want you here with me always. Marry me"? Mark meant that to come out smoother, but Jack's expression turned hurt by something. Mark wanted to backtrack and rephrase it, but Jack yanked his hands out of his.

Before Mark was able to say anything in response, Jack smacked him hard across the cheek and stormed inside. Holding his burning cheek, Mark listened to Jack mutter something in such a thick accent that he couldn't understand a word of it. Jack grabbed his plate of pancakes, storming off toward the bedroom and leaving behind a series of fowl curses. Mark's mother stood up from the couch, watching Jack leave with a worried look. As a door slammed, she finally turned to Mark asking seriously. "What the hell did you do"? Nico set Mark's phone down on the kitchen counter, informing Mark lightly through the open back door. "For future reference, Mark... Never tell a hormonal person that they haven't done enough. Especially, when you know as well has half the world, how hard Jack works". Mark's mom sighed heavily, telling Mark in a commanding motherly tone. "I told you not to stress him out. The number one cause for miscarriages and premature induced labor is stress. We can't afford him to have either right now"!

Mark stepped into the house, he was feeling enough regret and pain. When he suddenly noticed Nico acting weird. Nico was strumming his nails on the counter nervously and looking like he was trying to bit his tongue. Mark leaned forward to take his phone back, asking really concerned. "Cat got your tongue, Nico? Tell me that you at least, got Rosemary and Trey to come"? Nico took a deep breath, before saying slightly casual. "Yes. She said they are on their way. They should be here in a few hours... but that isn't...". Mark's mother approached, wide eyed with deep concern over Nico's sudden anxiety. Mark closed the back door, just in case Nico tried to run and avoid the tension. Nico's stress built too high and he shifted back into a black cat. Sitting on the tile floor, Nico told Mark reluctantly. "When I said earlier that I was jealous and tried to scare you both off... I wasn't being truly honest with how much I have done...".

Mark inched closer and Nico's ears fell back across his head in fear. Nico's eyes quickly averted from his stony gaze as Nico mumbled out. "I wasn't going to bring this up... but Rosemary thinks it is important for you to know...". Mark lowered his hand from his face, asking suspiciously. "And that is"? Nico slump his shoulders, preparing for Mark to yell as he meekly mumbled out. "Rosemary is concerned how the potion is going to effect both you when the babies are born...". Mark shrugged, trying to hold back his own fears. He had a feeling that he already knew what was coming... but he prayed that he was wrong. Asking Nico in a semi-defensively tone. "The potion only effected Jack. It hasn't effected me". Nico peered up at Mark with timid eyes, raising a nervous paw as a means to protect himself, answering scarcely. "The potion I gave him at the Halloween party, yes... but I'm not talking about that one. I'm talking about how I switched the potions on Rosemary on Valentine's Day... The potion you both drank that day in the chapel... It really was Love Potion number 9".

Jack slammed the bedroom door with all the force he could. He couldn't believe Mark would say that to him! All the things he could have said and he tells him that all his lost sleep was for nothing?! Then gives him that half-assed proposal to boot. Jack locked the door in frustration. He was going to leave it like that, but he thought Mark's mom might have a skeleton key. So, he tossed his pancake plate on the bed and grabbed a wooden chair from the cluttered closet, shoving it up against the door. He wanted to be left alone. The effort exhausted him so much that he climbed up onto the bed. Laying on his side, he hugged a pillow close and let himself cry. He hadn't thought about what he would do once the babies were born. Should he leave them with Mark, or take them with him? He didn't want to separate them, but would he have a choice? Was that really why Mark wanted him to have them here?

So that his mother could help take the babies from him, if he didn't choose to stay here? He loved Mark, but his emotions felt so scattered... Could their relationship survive this? They couldn't even agree about what to do with them now. Jack gritted his teeth and began to punch the pillow. He just wanted to shut off his brain. He couldn't focus and he felt like he was sinking. Drowning in rough waves of confusion and worry. He hadn't even gotten around to telling his own parents yet. What would they say about this? What if he died. Would they believe that he died in childbirth? Would they help care for his kids? Would they fight Mark to take possession of them? He was having trouble breathing from the weight of it all. Grabbing his phone, he quickly slipped in his earbuds and blared the music. He wanted to drown out the thoughts rushing through his head. He had too, or he'd brake.

Jack rolled onto his back, closing his eyes and simply listening to song after song. His body started to relax and he imagined himself rising off the bed. Hovering in a place between worry and calm. A place where time stopped and nothing mattered except this second. This minute. This moment. When he opened his eyes, he was calm. Taking a pancake off the plate on the bed, he nibbled at it. He'd eventually unlock the door and give Mark a chance to apologize... but he just wanted a few more minutes alone. A chance to eat in peace. He finished his pancake and was starting to reach for a second, when he realized the bed was wet, just before pain shot across his stomach. The pain was sharp and blinding, causing him to curl up with a gasp. Jack stayed upright for a second as the pain vanished just as quickly as it had came. Taking a deep breath, Jack forced himself to relax and started to lay back down. He thought it might have been the babies kicking something.

If it was, they felt so strong. He had just laid back, when the pain shot across his stomach again... Only this time it felt like a belt was tightening around the upper half of his stomach. The pain didn't pass. It lingered. Jack yanked his earbuds out, gasping for air and crawling at the sheets. After a minute or so, the belt loosened and Jack gasped heavily for air. If he had a voice... It had been shut off. He could talk or breathe, but not both. Jack gritted his teeth as he felt the belt slowly come back. Tightening up again like a snake without mercy.  Jack raised a hand to bang the headboard as loud as he could in desperation. Something was wrong. Jack forced himself to roll off the bed, but sank immediately to all fours. He had to unblock the door... He needed help. His fingers reached for the chair, but the pain had sapped all his strength, causing him to lay weakly across the floor.

The second the belt loosened up again, Jack weakly called out Mark's name. He didn't think he was even remotely loud enough to reach him... but he was struggling to take deeper breaths now. The pain was coming faster every time. From the kitchen, Mark lifted Nico into the air by the scruff of his neck, yelling out. "YOU DID WHAT?! How long has Rosemary known"?! Nico raised his paws and feet up to protect himself, yelling back franticly. "I told her the day after you showed up to stop Jack's bleeding! She's been trying to fix it all! I told you that"! Mark's mother tried to calm Mark down as Mark started to rant about throwing Nico into a tub of ice water. When Nico's ears suddenly perked up at the faint sound of Jack's agonized voice. Despite Mark's threats, Nico ignored him, glancing toward the hallway and asking in a worried voice. "Jack..."? Everyone fell silent for a moment. Enough to hear Jack start to cry out in pain and Chica whining in the hallway. Mark dropped Nico and dashed for the bedroom. To Be Continued...