“Rock, paper, scissors,” Susan laughs, “You loose.”

“Things that slow out here?” Lucy asks as she goes behind the desk.

“Carter's got a gunshot to the chest in two, Deb and Malucci are helping.”

“That leaves me and Luka out here.”

“Where's Kerry?”

“Left about a half hour ago on a personal matter.”

“DAMN,” she groans.

“Why's that?”

“I really need to take off a little early, my back is hurting and....”

“Yeah Carter told me about his early morning birthday present,” she smirks.

“Is nothing a secret around here?” she fumes.

“Come on Lucy, it didn't go any farther then me, he was just worried about you when we talked earlier.”

“That still doesn't change the fact that Weaver's gone, John's busy, and my back hurts. You wouldn't want to take the fall, and let me go rest, would you?”

“Are you feeling alright?” Susan asks, concerned.

“Yeah, I'm just tired. We have a big evening planned and I want to be rested.”

“Go ahead, I'll let Carter know where you are when he gets out of this trauma.”

“Thanks a lot, Susan. I owe you,” Lucy sighs, as she clocks out, goes to the lounge to get her bag, and heads down the hall to an empty on call room.

One trauma led to another until two hours had past since Lucy had clocked out. Ready to leave, John goes in searching for her.”

“Hey Randi, where's Lucy?” he asks.

“Do I look like her baby sitter?”

Lydia overhears their conversation, “Dr. Lewis let her clock out a couple of hours ago.”

“Where's Susan?”

“Upstairs.”

“Would you help me look for Lucy? We need to get home, she's taking me to dinner.”

“Yeah, I know it's your birthday.”

John and Lydia check every room until they find her asleep in the on call room. Noticing she was sleeping, he turns to Lydia, “Thanks, I'll take it from here.”

Turning his attention to this very pregnant woman, whom he truly loves, just smiles and thinks to himself, how beautiful she really is. Standing there he sees her slowly open her eyes, “Hey kido, you ready to go home?”

“Yeah, I .....Oh My God!!!”

“What is it?”

“My water just broke. I feel like I have push!” she yells.

“No, no, not yet. Breathe, breathe!”

He rushes over to her bedside, “We need to get you upstairs!”

“I don't think there's time.”

Stepping out into the hallway to get some help,” he realizes he can't leave Lucy alone.

“Breathe, breathe! Somebody we need some help in here!” he yells, hoping someone would hear. As luck would have it, Susan and Haleh are close by and hear him, as they come running.

“What's wrong?” Susan yells, breathlessly.

“Lucy's water broke, the babies are on their way.”

“No shit,” Lucy and Susan both answer at the same time.

“Slow down, dad. Let me check her and see how far she's dilated,” Susan orders, putting on protective gloves, “Okay, Lucy, spread `em.”

After performing a pelvic, “Lucy you're already six centimeters, we need to get you to the ER, now.

“John don't leave me,” she cries.

“Shh, it's going to be okay, I'm here, everything's going be fine,” he says, comforting her, holding her hand while Susan and Haleh wheel her to a trauma room.

The word spread quickly through out the ER that Lucy was in labor. Soon the staff gathered around Jerry at the admit desk, where he pulls out an envelope marked, "Carter-Lucy Baby Pool".

“Come on man, open it up, I can't remember what weight I guessed,” an anxious Malik pesters.

“No way, it's not going to be opened until the kid is here, and Carter confirms the weight,” Jerry says, taking charge.

Meanwhile, in the trauma room, “Breathe through it Luce, you're doing great,I love you so much, he whispers in her ear.

As the contractions become stronger, Lucy begins to let her pain out verbally with John, who is the nearest target.

“If you EVER touch me again, I'm going to kill you!” she snaps. But in the next breath, she says, “I love you too,” and begins to cry.

“Don't worry Carter, she doesn't mean it. What's even better, she probably won't even remember this,” Haleh laughs.

“Okay Lucy, you can push on the next one,” Susan finally says.

No sooner had Susan said this that the monitor indicated another contraction was on it's way.

“You ready?” John asks.

Just nodding her head, she gets ready.

“Okay Lucy. Push, 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10,” John coaches as she squeezes his hand.

After what seemed like hours to her, Lucy bears down and with one final push, welcomes their first child, six pound, seven ounce, Elizabeth Christine Carter to the world.

“Lucy she's beautiful,” John whispers into her ear, after taking a look at their daughter, and gives her a kiss on the side of her head.

“Thank you John, thank you,” she mumbles through her tears.

“Hey dad, do you want to do the honors?” Susan smiles, nodding towards the cord.

Taking the surgical scissors from Susan and cutting the umbilical cord, thus creating an individual human being, no longer solely dependent on Lucy for life.

Taking the baby to the warmer, John couldn't help but notice the little wisp of blonde hair on his daughter's head, just like her mother's.

Carrying little Elizabeth over to Lucy, he smiles at the life he and Lucy had created and gently hands her to her mother.

“What's her Apgar?” Lucy asks, concerned.

Turning to Haleh, who holds up nine fingers.

“That's good,” she sighs, as she begins examining Elizabeth to make sure everything was in it's right place. “John don't you think you'd better go out there and make the announcement? I bet someone's anxious to get their hands on some extra money. Then you'd better call our families.”

“Sure.”

“Don't be long, we're going to have a repeat performance pretty soon. By the way John, Happy Birthday,” she smiles.

“This is the best present, you could have ever given me, Luce, thank you.”

“Thank YOU.”

Going to the admit area, all conversation comes to a halt, as the staff sees him approaching, “It's a girl!” he grins.

“Come on Carter, tell us something we don't already know, the weight?” Jerry persists.

“Six pounds, seven ounces. Blonde hair, brown eyes, and a nose just like her mother's.

“Congratulations, man! Malucci says, slapping him on the back. Turning to Jerry, “Open the envelope.”

“Let's see, Chunni: eight pounds, two ounces. Dave: ten pounds, two ounces.”

Malucci cracks, “She was like huge, I thought that kid would be a big one!”

Jerry continues down the list, until he finally gets to the winner, “Malik, six pounds, six ounces.”

“Come to daddy!” Malik smiles, taking the money greedily into his hands. “How much is there?”

“Don't worry, all hundred and fifty is there,” Jerry groans.

“So how's Lucy doing?” Lydia asks.

“Pretty tired, but happy.”

“Glad it's over, isn't she?”

Not wanting anyone to know of another impending birth, simply replies, “Yeah she is. I gotta go and call the folks, see you all later.”

Going to the lounge where he could make his phone calls in private, he dials the seven digit number to his grandparent's house.

“Carter residence,” the voice on the other end of the phone answers.

“This is John, may I speak to my grandmother please.”

“Of course Mr. Carter.”

Waiting patiently for Gamma to answer the phone, John thinks about how the day began with just him and Lucy and it was going to end with the making of their family.”

“John?” Millicent asks.

“Gamma, Lucy's having the babies. Actually, we're already parents, Elizabeth arrived a half hour ago.”

“Oh John, that's wonderful, how's Lucy and the baby?”

“Their both doing great! Blonde hair, brown eyes. We'd really like to have you and grandfather here when the other one arrives.”

“Your parent's came into town for your birthday, we just got a call from them, their on their way here, I'll call them and let them know to meet us at the hospital.”

“Just go to the ER, that's where we'll be. We didn't even make it upstairs. Besides, Lucy feels more comfortable there.”

“What about her mother?”

“I'm going to call her as soon as I hang up with you. I really gotta go Gamma. See you soon.”

“Congratulations, give Lucy our love, and give that baby a kiss from her great grandmother.”

Dialing the Boston number, “Hello?”

“It's John, we're having the babies. Infact, Elizabeth's already here.”

“How's Lucy?”

“Great, she came through it with flying colors, but I'm a little worse for wear though,” he says, sounding tired, but happy. “How soon do you think you'll be able to get flight?”

“As soon as I can get to Logan. The firm's letting me use their private jet, I'm already packed, all I need is to do is call a cab.”

“Great, I know she'll be glad to hear that.”

“Carter! They need you in the trauma room,” Malik interrupts, running through the door.

“Looks like the second one's on it's way, talk to you later.”

“John tell her I love her,” Barbara says, choking back tears.

“of course I will. Bye,” he says abruptly.

Returning to the trauma room, John sees Lucy is in obvious pain “Susan, what's wrong?” he asks, quietly.

“Let's move over here,” Susan says, motioning to the other side of the room.

“Susan, you have me worried.”

“She experiencing back labor, we're going to have to rotate the baby so it's head is facing down in the birth canal, or we can.....”

“Or what?”

“We can do a C-Section. I understand you and Coburn discussed the possibility.”

“Yeah, but Lucy wasn't too keen on the idea, we really haven't discussed it lately.”

“You've got to try to convince her,” Susan says, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Going over to the bed, John sits down and gently begins brushing her hair behind her ear.

“Luce, there's a problem,” he whispers.

“No shit,” she answers sarcastically.

“The baby's presenting with it's head up, not looking down. Susan will have to rotate it or we can do a C-Section,” he says quietly.

“No,do what you have to do, no C-section.”

“God, you're stubborn,” he whispers.

“You just don't understand it's important for me to know that everything's alright when it's born. John, please, no C-Section.”

“I just don't want anything to happen to either one of you, but if that's what you want, we'll do it your way.

“Thank you,” she sighs, and prepares for a difficult time.

“Susan, I'll hold her to make sure she doesn't push.”

“Okay, let's get this other baby ready to come into this world.”

After twenty minutes of painful maneuvering of the baby, it's head is finally in the right position. Brushing her hair from her face, John gives her kiss on her forehead.

“You did good,” he whispers.

“Okay Lucy, you're ready to do it again, on the next contraction, push!” Susan orders.

As the next contraction starts, “Push, 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.”

As Lucy is bearing down, Malucci pokes his head in the door, “Barbara Knight just called, she wants to know how things are going. How's Lu...?” he stops and stare.

“We're having another baby,” John yells, “Now get the hell out!”

Malucci leaves and begins to tell the rest of the staff. By this time the Carter family had arrived and were anxiously waiting news of the family's new addition.

“They're having twins, you know,” Randi volunteers to Eleanor.

“Yes dear, we know,” she replies, curtly.

“Oh?”

“Yes, we've known about the twins, since shortly after they were married.”

“I can't believe we let something like that get past us. There must be somebody here in the ER, whose been keeping secrets.”

Meanwhile, back in the trauma room, Lucy let's out an anguished cry and falls back exhausted.

“I can't do this,” she whimpers.

“I know how much of a fighter you are, when you have to. You've got too, Luce, it's just about over, one more push,” John whispers.

Giving it all the strength she could muster, she delivers their son.

“It's a boy, Lucy!” Everything in it's right place. Carter, do you want to do the honors-again?” Susan smiles.

“Absolutely,” he says, smiling, giving Lucy a kiss. “I love you.” “I love you too,” she whispers, through her tears.

After he cuts the cord, he hands their son to Lucy, who immediately does check, to make sure everything is in its proper place.

“Lucy, we need to check him out, I'll bring him right back,” Haleh promises.

“John, you need to let the family know, I'm sure they're here by now,” she whispers.

“If you're sure,” he says, starting to leave, “Wait a minute,” stopping and coming back to her bed, “Weight, hair, and most important-name.”

“Since Elizabeth's got my middle name, what about John for his.”

“Sounds good,” he smiles, “that takes care of one name.”

“Now, before you say no, just think about this.”

“Oh?” he says, scrutinizing her carefully, “Doesn't sound good,” he says to Susan.

“How about Robert?”

“As in Romano? No way, he might have saved your life, but I'm not naming my son after that...”

“I said, don't say anything. See Susan, this is what he was like when I was his student. ANYWAY, as I was saying, Robert, as in "Bobby", like after your brother? Of course, if that's okay with you and your family.”

“Now, I know why I love you so much, that's a great idea. I'm sure mom and dad would think so too. It would be a wonderful way to honor his memory.”

“Okay that being settled, Haleh how big is the newest Carter?” Lucy asks.

“Well, Apgar is 8, six pounds, one ounce, perfectly healthy. Lucy it's time to feed Elizabeth.”

“Do you want me to leave?” he smiles, bringing their daughter to her.

“No, I really want you to stay, but they might want to see Bobby.

“You don't mind if I take him out there?”

“Just be careful,” she teases.

Carefully, holding his son, John carries the sleeping infant in his arms, through the trauma doors, and straight to his parents.

“Mom, dad, Gamma, grandfather, I'd like you all to meet, Robert John Carter,” he quietly tells them, watching for their reaction.

“Lucy thought this would be a great way to keep Bobby's memory alive, what do you think?”

“I think your brother would be honored son,” Jack acknowledges.

“Oh, John, he's beautiful, he's got your dark hair and Lucy's blue eyes,” Eleanor says, with tears coming to her eyes.

“You should see Elizabeth, she's got Lucy's blonde hair, and my eyes. We're going to have trouble with her, in about eighteen years.”

“Just like her mother,” Chunni pipes up.

“No denying those kids,” Jerry says, “Hey what about the money? I don't think Malik should get it all. Did anyone even guess a boy?” he asks, digging through the trash to find the list, but didn't have any luck.”

“Well, I guess it's ALL mine,” Malik says, greedily fanning himself with the money only to have a hand appear out of nowhere.

“I'll take my half, comes a voice from behind them. Turning around, they see Romano, with a slight smirk on his face, eagerly taking half of Malik's money.

“How'd you know?” John whispers, for fear of waking his son.

“Let's just say, somebody's mother, couldn't keep a secret,” he smiles.

“I guess, mother like daughter, huh? Guy's listen, I've got to get back in there before Lucy sends out a search party for us. I don't think she'd be worried about me, but she's not going to let this little guy out of her sight for very long. Thanks for everything,” John grins.

As John returns to his wife and daughter, he sees Lucy finally getting some rest and nursing Elizabeth.

“Mind if we trade? I'm sure he's getting hungry too,” he suggests.

“Absolutely,” Lucy says, beaming, and switching babies.

Watching her nurse Bobby, John gives his daughter a small kiss on the forehead. As he does he begins to cry.

“What if things would have turned out differently?” he continues to play with her blond hair.

“We'll never know, will we? Remember not so long ago, you told me we need to close that particular chapter in our past and that our children are, our new beginning. These, babies are that future, John.”

Getting up, he gives her and Bobby a kiss.

“I hate to break up this Kodak moment, but it's time to move Lucy upstairs, and the babies to the nursery.”

As Lucy is being wheeled out of the trauma room, the staff and Carter family gather around to take a peek at Elizabeth and another look at Bobby, before the family heads upstairs.

“I think I can speak for everyone here,” Chunni begins, “We're really happy about the additions to your family. And if you, don't want anymore soon, you'd better stay away from empty exam rooms, supply closets, or storage rooms,” she winks, “Congratulations.”

As the staff leaves, only John's family remain around Lucy's bed.

“We're going to leave now, but we'll be back later tomorrow. John, Lucy you have two beautiful children, and don't hesitate to call if you need help,” Eleanor offers, at which she gives both John and Lucy a kiss.

“Thank you Eleanor. Have you heard from mom yet?”

“Yes dear, she was able to send a fax from the plane. She'll be in Chicago around midnight. She's to call us and we'll have a car waiting for her to bring her here,” Millicent offers.

“Thank you all so much, I'm really glad to be part of your family,” she says, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Uh oh, postpartum blues starting already?” John teases.

“Today's been one of the happiest days of my life,” she sobs.

“Mine too, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present,” he says, as the new family enters the elevator.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Barbara Knight arrives at the hospital and is brought up to Lucy's room. There she marvels at the sight of her daughter lying in bed, with her husband beside her, holding her protectively in his arms. “Lucy?”

“Mom?” Lucy answers groggily.

“Hey Sweetie, or should I say mom?”

“Have you seen them yet?” she whispers, as not to wake her sleeping husband.

“I have, and they're beautiful.”

With Lucy slightly stirring, John pretends to be asleep, but couldn't resist the temptation, “I think I had something to do with that too,” he says with his eyes closed, and a grin on his face.

“Feeding time!” Kit says, opening the door, and bringing the babies to the new parents and grandmother.

Giving Lucy, Bobby, Kit gives Elizabeth to Barbara to hold. As Lucy nurses, John decides this might be the perfect time to leave for a while.

“I'm going to get some coffee, Barbara do you want anything?”

“No thanks John, I just want to hold these babies, and talk to Lucy.”

“I'd ask you Luce, but I can see you're already busy,” he teases, “I won't be long,” he says as he gives her a kiss before leaving.

“So? How'd things go?” her mom asks immediately.

“I didn't have too much trouble with Elizabeth, but Bobby took a little longer, then I would have liked,” she smiles, gently stroking her son's cheek.

Finishing feeding her son, Lucy gives Bobby to Kit, who in turn takes Elizabeth from Barbara and gives her to Lucy to begin feeding.

“Lucy will you be alright? If you need anything, you know where the call button is.”

“Thanks Kit.”

Taking her grandson in her arms, Barbara begins rocking him and pacing around the room, deliberating whether to tell Lucy her news. Deciding now was as good as time as any she begins, “Lucy, as you know Robert and I have been seeing a lot of each other.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Nodding her head and taking a deep breath, she continues, “He was in Boston last week… He told me about that guy who attacked you and John being brought to the hospital.”

“And?”

“I was furious with him for keeping that from me, but he made me realize, I have to let go of you. You're not my baby anymore, you have John, who loves you and will take care of you. Anyway, we had a good talk about our relationship and where it is headed. I guess what I'm trying to tell you is, we're unofficially engaged,” Barbara quietly says, setting Bobby back in his bassinet and sits next to her daughter, who had a stunned look on her face.

“Lucy, please do something, yell, cry, scream, just let me know how you feel.”

“I doesn't make any difference how I feel, does it?” Lucy says, in disbelief.

“Actually, no it doesn't, but I'd like for you to be happy for me,” Barbara replies anxiously.

“Mom, you know I am. In the beginning I wasn't too happy, I was more worried what others would think, but I'm glad you got a second chance for happiness, like I did. There's only one thing though.”

“What's that?” Barbara asks.

“I can't picture Romano as the grandfatherly type,” Lucy snickers.

“Well, we'll just have to work on that, won't we?” she laughs.

After spending a little more time comparing Lucy's baby pictures to her new grandchildren, Barbara begins to notice Lucy getting tired.

“Give John my love, Sweetie, I'd better go, you've had a busy day and besides, Millicent's driver has been waiting to take me to the Carter house. We'll all be coming to see you tomorrow.”

“Thanks for everything mom, and I really am happy for you,” Lucy says, giving her mom a kiss goodbye.

As Barbara leaves, Lucy is alone for the first time with her children. Carefully, getting out of bed, she gently lays her daughter in her bassinet. Standing between her two babies, she gently begins stroking their hair and quietly sings a lullaby. Watching her from the door, John smiles and quietly come up from behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, there they stand, watching their children sleep until Kit comes to take them back to the nursery.

The following day was busy with visiting friends and relatives, mot to mention hungry babies. Finally, when Lucy thought they were alone, there was a knock on her door.

“Come in.”

Much to Lucy's surprise, in walk three men in formal attire, two carrying the most delicious smelling food, and the third, playing very romantic violin music.”

“We didn't make it to my birthday dinner yesterday. So, I called for delivery.”

At the same time, he pulls out a small velvet box and gives it to Lucy. As she opened it, she begins to cry, for there in the box was a new lopsided heart, with two little diamond chips in it, one for each of their children.

“Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“No Lucy, thank you, for giving me two of the most precious gifts anyone has ever given me,” he says, taking her in his arms, and for the first time in months, held her close.

TO BE CONTINUED-------