AKA: The absolute final chapter of the never-ending MPREG special.

MPREG 8

"I can't wait to see Daddy and Phillip and the baby!" Franny bounced in her seat. Mel was truly hoping that the little girl would have worn herself out by now, but apparently that wasn't happening. She was as springy as her ringlets.

Daisy looked over the top of her novel at her sister, "You do realize babies aren't that exciting. They cry, they poop, and they sleep."

"Yes, but I won't be the baby anymore!" Franny exclaimed gleefully.

"You aren't a baby, you're in grade one," Gabe retorted.

"Exactly! I have a baby brother!"

"Technically you have two baby brothers," Daisy reminded her. It brought a hush to the occupants of the vehicle, thinking about Leeann's new infant, their other new half brother, that they might not ever see.

"Mel, do you think Phillip and Daddy will still want us now that they have their new family?" Franny asked in a quiet voice, hesitant and anxious. She wasn't fully convinced that Leeann hadn't just replaced them with a newer, better family.

Daisy reached across the seat and grabbed Franny's hand. She realized her sister's fear, it was the same fear all three of them felt, even though Phillip got Bill to arrange the papers so that she, Daisy, was now a Cameron-Lewis, too.

Mel took a glance in the rear-view mirror and smiled at the children. "Of course they want you, all of you. The only family they have includes you, and wouldn't be complete without you. I remember how completely flummoxed Phillip was when he first met you guys. What would he do with kids? But after a few weeks he could never let you go. And now he has a baby to take care of, too? He's going to need you all more than ever!" she enthused. "Besides, he loves you guys, and so does your daddy. Now behave, with traffic it should only be another forty minutes or so."

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"He's beautiful, Gareth," Phillip breathed, catching the scent of a newborn baby for the first time, that milky sweet scent that only the smallest of children seem to carry, which fortunately wasn't currently marred by a dirty diaper smell. Gareth carefully laid the infant down on Phillip's chest, which was bared somewhat because his gown had loosened. While the breathing apparatus was a little disconcerting, Gareth knew that it was the beating of his husband's heart that would comfort the baby the most. After all, it had been the soundtrack of his tiny little life for the past thirty-eight and a half weeks.

"He's gorgeous, is what he is. And the c-section means he has the cutest round head. Gabe was a conehead for a week or two." His hand rested softly on the baby's back and he smiled down at the pair. "Now, if we could just come to an agreement on a name."

The name of the baby had been a bit of an ongoing battle, Gareth having a hard time not comparing former students to the names that Phillip suggested, and Phillip not wanting to choose before seeing the boy.

Phillip strained to get his head to the right angle to fully take in the baby. He laced his fingers through Gareth's and rested the palm of his hand along the side of the small boy. "I think he looks like a James to me."

Gareth gave a light chuckle. "That might give my dad a bit of a swelled head. You know Jack is short for James, right?"

"Yes. But we could call him James or Jamie. It's a family name," Phillip reasoned in raspy tones. "I want his middle name to be Samuel."

"Is that a family name, too?" Gareth was sure it wasn't Phillip's father's name.

"Yes, he was my maternal grandfather."

There was no way Gareth was going to argue with that. "James Samuel Cameron-Lewis sounds great to me."

The couple admired their slumbering baby for a little while longer, his little nostrils flaring with every tiny breath, when they were interrupted by a knock and then the doctor entering.

"Ah, wonderful, I see you're both awake. I'd like to discuss the outcome of yesterday's surgery, as there were a few complications." The doctor referred to his Ipad, then wrote a little on the chart at the foot of Phillip's bed. "Obviously the infant is doing fine, and there were no issues with his weight, lungs, or vigor. The complications arose with your uterus, Phillip. It tore while removing the infant, causing some bleeding. Possibly because of the organs surrounding the uterus being slightly more involved than with a woman's, we had some unforeseen problems. As your condition was a first for this hospital, it's really hard to say, but rather than risk the large intestine, bladder, and male sex organs we had to perform a hysterectomy. It was a bit of a complex surgery, especially with the complications of your anatomy."

"Wait, a hysterectomy? Like his uterus is gone?" Gareth asked, a little confused, although thrilled they didn't risk his husband's penis.

"We had no choice. It was the best option to stop the bleeding and save Phillip, since his uterus was so damaged and the risk of infection high. We did leave the ovary in place next to his testicle because we didn't want to run the risk of further damage, but Phillip is no longer able to conceive. If we left it and he did conceive, most likely it would rupture due to the strain and put his life in serious jeopardy."

Phillip took a few moments to digest the information. "But I'm going to be okay now?"

"You're very healthy, so as long as you're careful and follow our recommendations, you should be fine. Honestly, these are all the same guidelines we give women who have had similar surgery. You have an abdominal incision, so you need to move to get blood flowing to the area again, but slowly over the next few days. You are catheterized and will remain so until later today. No lifting anything heavier than your baby for six weeks, no intercourse for six weeks, no undue straining during bowel movements."

All of those stipulations seemed reasonable, besides oral sex wasn't penetrative. "Can I still nurse my baby?"

"With the hysterectomy, your body may lack some of the hormones that made breastfeeding a likely option. You can try, but should be prepared to supplement," the doctor informed them.

"How long until I can go home?" Gareth could hear the longing in his husband's voice, and he could totally understand it.

"Generally a c-section is a three day stay, and that may be all you require, but you might be here for five or more. We will reassess in a day or so to see how you are doing. We did have to give you two units of blood, but you seem to be doing well." The doctor looked at the monitors attached to all of Phillip's wires and took a few more notes. "Breakfast will be here in a minute, and since your husband has recovered so well, you don't need a bed here any longer, Gareth. Phillip can handle infant care, and we are treating him no differently than all new mothers. The nurse will be in soon to do the healthy baby check, but all seems to be fine with him, too."

"Thanks, doctor," the men answered in unison, then smiled at each other, although Gareth wished he could still stay in the ward room with Phillip and the baby. Hopefully Phillip continued to recover well and could be home sooner rather than later.

Gareth helped Phillip ease into a slight sitting position, angling up his bed, then lowering his gown further to bare his nipples. Cradling the infant in the crook of his arm, Phillip brought James to his chest, and the baby rooted, then began to suckle.

"Holy shit, it's working, isn't it?" Gareth asked in surprise.

"You should know, you sucked them." Phillip's retort made Gareth blush. This was an entire different form of intimacy than what they had shared. "Sorry, not the time or place." A small satisfied smile broke across Phillip's face as he watched James drink. It was a weird, tingly feeling, that was draining and fulfilling all in one. He could provide food for their baby.

Gareth took in the scene in awe. The light from the window seemed to shine bright along Phillip's strong, stubbled jaw and the gossamer fine hair of their child. "I love you so much, Phillip. I was so worried when the alarms went off and they made me leave with the baby. I just love you so much." He bit back a sob, the gravity of the situation finally fully hitting him. "I am so grateful you're both okay."

"I love you, too. And we're going to be fine. All of us," Phillip stated with a calm beatific certainty. He nursed James on both nipples before pulling the baby away. Although he had some supply, it probably wasn't enough.

The breakfast came and was about what they expected, some sort of soggy scrambled eggs, toast with jam, tea, juice, yogurt, and turkey sausage. Both men ate, then gave James a bottle the nurse brought in. He ate with gusto, and burped heartily, spitting up a little, before Gareth changed his diaper and laid him back down on his exhausted husband. Both of them rested while Gareth showered and changed his clothes, seeing that a text from Mel said she and the kids would be arriving shortly.

Gareth decided that it would be easiest to meet them in the lobby and show them up to the room, rather than let them wander, so he took the elevator down and sat in the crowded front area of the hospital on a wire chair near the bank of elevators to the upper wards. Here was a completely different world than the room upstairs. There were people from all walks of life and in all manner of dress. There were the patients who had snuck down for food from the small foodcourt off to one side or out for a smoke, dragging their IV's with them to the benches by the road and hoping their robes would keep them warm for long enough. There were families carrying bags and accompanied by newly released loved ones, both old and young. And Gareth was sure a few of the plants in the front of the room were ones Phillip had tended to over the past few weeks.

"Daddy!" Franny yelled across the room as the elevator doors swished open, pulling Gareth's attention away from the greenery. "How's Phillip with the baby? Did you pick a name? I can't wait to see our new baby! Is Phillip okay from the surgery?" It was quite the onslaught of questions.

Many people in the lobby turned and looked at her after her unusual outpouring of questions.

"Shhhh, Franny!" Gabe exclaimed, trying to cover up for his sister's mistake. "People aren't supposed to know, remember?"

Gareth froze in fear. What had Franny and Gabe done? They'd gone almost nine months without the secret getting out. But now? There were lots of people looking now.

"Sure, is Phillip okay!" Mel jumped into action to cover the gaff. "I'm the one who gave birth, and you don't even care. It's just Phillip and the baby. What about me?" She hunched a little, pushed her belly out and held her hand to her abdomen like it was sore.

"You've been a great surrogate, and you bounced back right away," Gareth said as he walked towards her, pulling Mel into a hug in greetings. "We've already written your last cheque." The ruse seemed to be working, people were turning back to their coffees and phones.

The elevator to the wards arrived with a ding, and the whole group made their way inside. Once the doors shut, the group let out a collective held breath.

"I'm sorry, Daddy, I was just so excited." Tears pooled in Franny's eyes. Daisy took her hand in comfort while Gareth rubbed circles on his youngest daughter's back.

"It's okay Franny. I think Mel covered it pretty well," Daisy said.

"Thanks." Mel gave Daisy a pat on the head. "But I can't wait to see Phillip and the baby, too."

"James," Gareth said. "James Samuel, to be more exact. We've given the baby a name."

The elevator slowed to a stop at their floor, the doors opening, and the kids trying to contain their excitement as the bounded down the hall, calling out room numbers as they went. When they finally got to Phillip's room, Daisy pushed the door open carefully as to not wake the baby.

Phillip and baby James were asleep on the bed, the baby laying along his father's upper chest, using the crook of Phillip's neck as a pillow, Phillip's arm cradling him securely.

"They're sleeping, Daddy," Gabe said, staring at the pair.

Phillip's eyes opened and he slowly lifted his head. A large grin played across his lips. "Hi," he said softly, "the baby's sleeping, but I am so happy to see you all. I missed you so much."

"Can we come closer?" Franny asked, looking nervous of all the equipment attached to Phillip. There was the IV, the oxygen, some sort of thing attached to his finger, not to mention the tube of something that snaked under the covers and whatever else she couldn't see.

"It's safe, I promise. Come see your little brother," Phillip was so relieved to have his family with him, Mel included. "I'd get up to hug you, but I can't right now." He winked at Daisy.

Mel stepped forward with tears in her eyes. "He's lovely, guys. Look at little James' tiny fists."

Gareth put Phillip's bed into a more upright position, and the family all crowded around. James woke with a sleepy yawn and eyes filled with wonder at the noises in the room. For the next little while everyone took their turn holding the baby. Daisy already had some experience, but Mel helped with both Gabe and Franny as the exhausted fathers looked on. They both had dark circles under their eyes.

"Mel, I just wanted to say thank you again for all you've done for us. Scotty has been a godsend, and Jon, too. With the plants and visits, then with the surgery and everything."

"Yeah, Scotty's awesome. My brother should thank me everyday that he's got him," she said with a laugh. "Best couple I ever set up."

"You never set us up," a voice said from the doorway. Jon stood next to Scotty at the entrance.

"Sure I did. I was totally responsible for the two of you getting together," Mel sassed, hand on her hip.

"Whatever, you broke your leg. If anything, it was irresponsible alcohol consumption that set us up," Jon countered.

"Enough." Scotty rolled his eyes,shook his head, and huffed in exasperation. "Siblings." Holding his hand out to Gabe, he offered, "You must be the big brother, Gabe. I'm Scotty. Nice to meet you."

Scotty and Jon introduced themselves to the kids and had their turns to hold baby James, too. Then they took Mel out for lunch so that the family could have some time together.

"When can you come home, Phillip? We miss you," Gabe asked.

"As soon as the doctors say he can, we want him all healed," Gareth said.

"The sooner the better," Phillip added. "I miss you all so much, and I can't wait to go outside."

A meal tray for Phillip's lunch was delivered, but not for Gareth, since Gareth was technically released. Instead he took the kids down to the cafeteria for food and to allow Phillip and James little bit of quiet.

After a few hours, Mel returned to get her car keys and say goodbye. Gareth and Phillip met with the doctors again, and as soon as Gareth left with the kids, Phillip was going to have his catheter removed. It was a good step towards healing, to be up and walking, so even though it was painful, Phillip was all in favour. The oxygenation level in his blood was fine too, as was his lung function, so the oxygen could go, too. Phillip was amazed at how much quieter it was once the constant rushing noise was gone. Quieter and louder all at once. He could hear the familiar noises of the ward again. The distant cries of other infants, the conversations in the hall, and the p.a. system all muffled by his closed door.

There was pain when he got up to change James' diaper, and again when he went to the bathroom all by himself. Phillip slept off an on, and so did the baby. He nursed and supplemented, burped and rocked, cuddled and cried. The whole experience was completely overwhelming. First the bizarre genetic abnormality that allowed him to conceive in the first place, to the emergency surgical procedure that took that ability away. All children were miracles, but here was his very own miracle, his and Gareth's. He just wished that sometime in the future Mel and Vern were going to be able to have their own miracle, too. He and Gareth had already asked them to be godparents to the children--all of them, and they'd readily agreed.

Gareth's parents came to visit the next day, and were ever the part of doting grandparents. They brought gifts for both baby and father. A lovely stuffed puppy for James and some chocolates for Phillip, which he greatly appreciated. Jack preened a bit about having a namesake, and joked that maybe it was the SUV that put his name to the top of the list. Phillip knew that it was more that Jack was the father he'd never really had, but didn't want to swell the man's head further.

As thrilled as Phillip was to see them, he was also happy when they left. There were only so many pictures he could pose for, and he was completely exhausted. While it was fine for the baby to nap when there were visitors, it was probably impolite for Phillip to do it. The surgery had left him drained, of sorts somewhat and it was taxing. His incisions were a bit weepy, but the actual area was completely numb. Plus his nipples ached, and the lanolin provided to help didn't do too much but make them greasy. There was some internal surgery pain too, but due to nursing, Phillip could only take aspirin and tylenol because other drugs could harm the baby. Not that he was one to complain, and, as Phillip liked to remind himself, women had this kind of surgery all the time, and under similar circumstances so he needed to suck it up.

Gareth came again on the third day, and was relieved to see Phillip standing with the baby at the window when he entered the room. Striding over to his two boys, Gareth gave both a kiss.

"God, I've missed you. Has the doctor checked on you two today?" Gareth was eager to hear any news.

"Everything is okay. Pain is reasonable, sutures are healing nicely, and James is doing great, gaining and everything," Phillip replied, although his face told Gareth he was holding something back.

"What is it?"

As it turned out, Phillip was holding a lot back. "I have to...umm...have a bowel movement before I'm allowed to go." His face was red with embarrassment.

Gareth was just about to respond when there was a knock at the door, and Victoria popped her head in the room. "How are my favourite daddies doing today?" Her smile faltered when she saw the men's expressions.

"Does Phillip really have to poop before he can leave?" Gareth asked.

"Yep. Standard procedure for abdominal surgery. Things have to be moving in order to prevent blood clots and sutures to reopen due to straining. Actually, that's one of the reasons I'm here. I've got your stool softener." She waved a plastic medicine cup in the air, the orange gel capsule rolling back and forth within.

Phillip's face went from just red to completely crimson. Sadly it seemed that being exposed and indecent was pretty much a way of life at the hospital. His parts had been on full view during the surgery and several times afterwards, not to mention the indignity of having the catheter removed. Now the subject of his toileting was general knowledge, too.

"And the other reason?" Phillip asked, trying to maintain some dignity. How had his mother managed to deal with all of this during her illness? God, he wished she could meet James. And Gareth for that matter. Screw dignity, tears were pooling in his eyes. He wiped at his face with his free hand, trying to hold it all together.

"It's okay Phillip, let's just get you back to bed," Gareth said, as he rubbed his husband's back and guided him away from the window.

"I'm sorry, but it seems like there's been some sort of breach of confidentiality. The reporters don't know for sure, but a few have been calling asking about the man who had a baby. We've been fielding calls for the past few days," Victoria explained. "I don't know how this could have happened, we've been so careful as to limiting the number of staff in the room and restricting Phillip's movement. The press don't really seem to know anything, so far, they've just been fishing. Hopefully this will all go away shortly, and we can discharge you."

Gareth and Phillip stared at each other in shock. "How could this happen? I've been here for weeks and no one's said anything," Phillip protested.

Gareth's face went deathly pale. "Oh god, Phillip, it was Franny and Gabe the other day in the lobby. Mel and I tried to cover it up, but maybe word got out? They were just so excited to see you and James, they were a little loud."

"Well, don't you worry, Mr Cameron-Lewis," she said to Gareth. "Mr. Cameron-Lewis is going to drink lots of water, take his stool softener and have a nice big poop, then you can all go home and not have to worry." Victoria held out the meds to Phillip, who choked them down quickly. "We'll also make sure to release both these guys in the middle of the night when there won't be anyone around to notice."

"Do you really think that will work?" Phillip asked nervously.

"For sure the stool softener will, tried and true," she smiled at the men. "Oh, you meant the discharge. Don't worry. Not only are we the best hospital in the city, none of our staff is ready to lose their job and face criminal charges for giving you up to the press. Your case is far too important to the medical staff, in terms of future journal articles and experience, and the rest of us need our regular income." She patted Phillip's arm comfortingly, then left.

"I really want to go home tomorrow, Gareth. I'm not sure how much longer I can stay here. I miss the kids and our house and my garden, even the business." It was killing him to be cooped up, and looking out the window with James just served to reinforce how much of spring had passed while sequestered in this tiny corner of the hospital. James was worth it, for sure, but now he was ready to go.

"We all miss you too, and I'm sure that even though you won't be able to bend easily, you can still spend some time in the potting shed when James is napping. Although I won't be able to spend time in there with you for another month or so." Gareth gave Phillip a naughty grin. "Just drink lots of water to help that pill to work so we can get out of here. Maybe if you go this evening, we can leave in the morning."

"What are you going to do? I mean I can't just have you drive back here at three am."

"My parents are staying with the kids tonight and keeping them off school tomorrow, too. I'm staying the night in that chair right there. I'm sick of driving right now and I'm really hoping the pill will work. Did you want me to go to the lobby and get you a bran muffin and a coffee?"

"How about prune juice?" Phillip joked, then realized that laughing wasn't a fun feeling.

"Whatever you want, Phil."

"I'd prefer to never have this conversation again, honestly." Phillip shook his head and took a large drink of water.

The night settled in as Gareth shifted uncomfortably in the armchair. Phillip had finished nursing and eating, and Gareth had grabbed a quick bite in the lobby. Scotty and Jon stopped by a little earlier for a brief visit before they went to hockey, and then Gareth and Phillip both talked to the kids on skype. But now he was trying his hardest to sleep. The past few days had been a whirlwind.

Gareth must have drifted off, because shortly after 2 am, he was awoken by an odd cry from the bathroom.

"Phillip? Are you okay?" Gareth asked immediately at attention. His gaze shifted to James, who was soundly sleeping in the bassinet.

"Yes and no. Don't come in, though." Phillip's voice sounded a bit strangled.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, I think we can go home, but I'm stuck."

"What do you mean?"

"I...I had a bowel movement, and I'm fine, but I can't reach down to pull up my pants, and I can't stand up."

Gareth resisted laughing at his husband even though it was a funny predicament. He knew just how embarrassing the situation was. "Have you flushed?"

"Yes."

"I'm coming in to help you. I'm going to have to help you at home anyway, so it's not a big deal." Gareth made a move towards the bathroom door.

"I know, but I just hate that I'm so helpless."

"You aren't at all. You just gave birth and had major surgery. You're going to need a little help, and who better to get it from than the man who loves you? How long have you been sitting there?"

"About twenty minutes."

"Wouldn't you rather be out of the bathroom and getting the doctor's okay to leave? If we go soon, there'll be no traffic and we can be home before the kids are up."

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Dawn had broken an hour ago, the sun bursting across the horizon as Gareth drove. Longing increased the closer they got to their destination, and fortunately traffic was sparse. The garden was in bloom in the front of the house, the bright flowers spread throughout the varied vibrant green foliage of the spring growth in the traditional English garden. Pulling into the driveway was the same but all new to Phillip at the same time. It felt like eons since he'd been home, and he couldn't wait to be in the house surrounded by his family, all his family.

"Welcome home, little James. I don't think you could be any more loved," Phillip whispered softly as he unhooked the infant seat and a weary Gareth saw to the luggage. Their sleeping children were waiting inside along with his in laws. Everyone Phillip held closest to his heart was close at hand and he was ready. More so than the wedding, it really was the start of forever. The two men smiled at each other in love, relief, and contentment, as they made their way to the front door with baby James.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this story and the bonus MPREG that followed! I've been rewriting what I lost when my old computer imploded, so I am aiming to have Scotty and Jon's story (Game Sheet) sometime in the near future...okay, kind of near.

Really and truly thank you all!

<3 JJ