"Elisha, did you see this?"

He handed the paper to her quietly. Her eyes widened when she looked at the picture, she quickly read the story. "She can't be serious! Good behaviour?"

Nick looked at the article again. "It says the hearing is in two days. I can't see them letting her out, it was a 20 year sentence for God's sake.!"

Elisha sounded frightened, Nick didn't like the look in her eyes. "I won't feel safe here if she gets out, Nick. The children...."

She let the thought hang in the air. Neither of them knew what she was capable of, but they knew what she had done. They didn't want to find out what she might do if released from prison.

"I'll call the lawyer in the morning." Nick promised. "We should be able to block a release, or get a restraining order or something."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the day of the hearing, temporarily forgotten since the lawyer promised he would do his best to stop any release. Elisha was relaxing on the sofa while Rebecca was in pre-school and Brian had a rare nap. Her eyes had just closed when a sharp pain hit her abdomen and she felt a wetness on her thighs. "It's showtime, huh?" She rubbed her stomach while she dialed Nick at the studio. "Hi honey, can you come and get me? We need to make a short trip to the hospital!" After she hung up with Nick, she dialed Linda and asked her to come and watch Brian and to pick up Rebecca.

"I'll be right there!" Linda promised.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nick clicked off his cell phone and smiled a goofy smile.

"What's up bro?" Kevin asked him.

"Gotta go! The baby's on the way, I'm gonna be a daddy again!"

He grabbed his jacket and car keys and ran out of the studio. Linda arrived at the house the same time as Nick.

"Hey daddy!" she greeted him. "Are you all set?"

Nick beamed at her. "Oh yeah!" He gave Linda a quick hug. "Thanks for watching the kids for us, we really appreciate it."

"Oh anytime, you know that Nick. We love them as if they were our own."

They walked into the house together. Nick took the crying Brian from Elisha, who was trying to sooth him with comforting hugs and kisses.

"Mommy's gonna bring baby Carter back from the hospital for you honey. You'll be able to see him soon. Auntie Linda will bring you to the hospital to see us very soon. Probably one sleep, okay?" Brian nodded solemnly, large tears shining on his cheeks. Nick embraced him.

"You be a good boy and help Auntie Linda and Uncle Brian. You're my big man, right Bri?"

Brian hugged Nick tightly around his neck. "Are you gonna help mommy bring baby Carter home?"

Nick nodded. "Yes sir, mommy will do most of the work, but, I'm gonna do my best to help her. You'll be able to see him tomorrow, promise!"

Brian kissed him and smiled happily. Nick handed him over to Linda and kissed him back.

"I love you little man, be good."

Elisha kissed Brian and hugged him goodbye. "Tell Rebecca I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye to her, Linda!"

Nick picked up her overnight bag and put his hand on her back, pushing her towards the door. "Let's go see what we have, alright?"

As they went out they could hear Brian hollering at Linda. "Baby Carter is coming home, Auntie Linda!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Push, honey, it's almost out!"

Nick was holding Elisha around the shoulders and wiping the sweat off of her forehead.

"Nick, I can't!" She panted. "It hurts! I can't do anymore!"

He bent over her and brushed his lips across her cheek. "Yes, you can. You're the strongest person I know. It's almost over, honey. Just a couple more pushes and we'll have a wonderful new baby."

Elisha gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could.

"That was a good one!" the doctor smiled. "Here comes the head!"

Elisha grabbed Nick's hand and squeezed it tight. Nick winced from the pain of it, but didn't say anything.

"Okay folks, here it comes, one more good push..."

Elisha pushed with all her might and screamed.

"It's a boy!" the doctor pronounced.

Elisha lay back exhausted. "A boy! Oh Nick!" she smiled. "Another boy!"

"Hold on!" the doctor said, surprised. "I think we have another one here!"

"I knew it!" crowed Elisha, propping herself up on her elbows again.

The second baby arrived a little easier and quicker.

"A girl this time!" the doctor announced. "A matched set!"

Nick hugged her gently. "Oh honey, you were wonderful! We have the perfect little family, I love you!"

The nurse placed the blanket wrapped twins in Elisha's waiting arms. She and Nick cooed over them, checking their fingers and toes, and covering them with tender kisses.

"They're so beautiful, Nick. Thank you."

Nick took their new son into his arms. "No, thank you." He glanced at his watch. "It's after midnight. It's my birthday and I couldn't ask for anything better."