Parental Advisory Rating: L, N, AC

Break out those V-Chips, everyone!

Credits:

Created, Produced, Directed and Written:

Fanatic and TNovan

"Do I look all right?" Kels asks me as I help her out of the car.

I gaze at my girl. She’s in a stunning, strapless, satin gown, ivory in color. Of course, it’s not the dress that’s stunning, but the woman inside it. "Darlin’, if you looked any more all right, we wouldn’t have made it here in the first place."

She smiles at me and squeezes my hand which she still holds. "You’re sweet."

I lean in and nuzzle her neck, which is amply exposed for such activity. "Oh, no, I’m not, chér. I’m bad to the bone."

She lets me stay there for a few moments, before gently pushing me back. Her hand lingers on my chest and fingers my lapel. "You look pretty good yourself, Stud."

I feel my chest puff out at the compliment. "You like, eh?" What’s a Perry Ellis tuxedo between friends?

A kiss on my chin is her reply.

"You sure we have to go in?"

Kels laughs, her voice warm in the cool night air. "Papa would notice our absence. And, if he didn’t, I guarantee Mama would."

I steal a kiss while I can. "How long do we have to stay?"

The look she gives me burns through my clothing. "Not terribly long."

* * *

We walk into the World Trade Center and take the express elevator up to the thirtieth floor. The Plimsoll Club is a private dining club. Papa has belonged to it for as long as I can remember. It’s absolutely beautiful and I look forward to my girl’s reaction to it. Every year the members of the club host a New Year’s Eve party for themselves and their families. Now that Gerrard, Jean and Robie are members as well, a large Kingsley turnout is always guaranteed.

As we make our way to the top, Kels asks, a teasing tone in her voice, "Who was Plimsoll? A famous New Orleans attorney?"

"Mais non. Samuel Plimsoll was a Brit who is credited with saving the lives of thousands of seamen. Back in the 1800s, a number of ships were being lost because they were overloaded with cargo. So he urged the Parliament to require a mark on the side of each ship which would indicate when the ship was fully loaded. Of course, ship owners fought him, but he ultimately prevailed. And that mark, known as a Plimsoll Mark, was adopted by all seafaring nations soon afterward. Papa says the club was named after him to reflect the international trade which is conducted here and how much life New Orleans draws from the sea, as well."

"You’re just a plethora of information, Tabloid."

I tweak her nose. "Brat."

The doors open and we step out into the lobby. I immediately stand a little straighter. I am, of course, escorting the most beautiful woman to the ball. I shouldn’t slouch. With a gentle hand on the small of her back, I guide Kels toward the Versailles room where a late dinner is to be served.

We aren’t two steps into the room when Gerrard and Katherine greet us. Gerrard looks quite dapper in his tuxedo, and, as always, Katherine looks wonderful. "Happy New Year!" he exclaims, leaning down to kiss Kels’ cheek.

"Not quite yet," I correct, kissing Katherine’s cheek. "Is the rest of the family here yet?"

"You are the last to arrive," Gerrard replies with a twinkle in his eyes. He seems to think I was luckier this evening than I actually was. Well, I suppose getting to feed my babies and sing them to sleep does count as lucky. "Robie is jealously guarding seats at the table for you."

Kels releases my arm and takes Gerrard’s, flashing me a playful smirk. "Then, dear brother, shall we? Before Robie is forced to do something silly?"

Gerrard places his hand over Kels’, which now rests on his bicep. "You mean there is anything that could stop him?"

"Well, we can always try. It is our duty to look after the younger members of the family."

And with that, they head into the dining room.

I smile at Katherine. "Shall we?"

Soon, we are all at the table. This is one affair where Mama and Papa aren’t able to sit with us. They are at his firm’s table. It’s almost even more fun for it to be just us kids. Especially now that we all have significant others and we’re all happy together.

Once I am seated, I nudge Kels and lift my jaw toward Lucien and Rachel, who are nuzzling each other like young high schoolers in love.

Kels leans over and whispers in my ear, her breath warm and traveling straight to other points in my anatomy. "You’re just jealous."

I chuckle and take her hand in mine. "Right, chér. It’s nice to see, though, isn’t it?"

"Absolutely. Nothing like starting the actual new millennium and being hopelessly in love."

"I’m so glad you said that, darlin’," I pause a moment for dramatic effect. "I’m so glad one other person on this planet realizes that the new millennium begins in 2001."

"I see." Kels picks up a glass of water and take a sip. "So are you glad I’m hopelessly in love, or that I know how to tell time?" She holds the glass in front of her lips, to try to keep me from seeing her smile.

I so love playing with my girl. "As you know, it’s very important that our children learn how to tell time. But it’s even more important that they know how much their parents love them … and each other." I lean in for a kiss. "I happen to be hopelessly in love with you too, Kelsey Diane."

I get the kiss I was looking for. "Glad to hear it, Tabloid. I’d hate to have to trade you in for a new model. I’m just getting you trained."

Robie sticks his ugly mug into our moment. "Enough! You’re giving us all diabetes. It’s bad enough that those two are going at it."

Before I can flick him on the forehead, Kels leans over and kisses Robie’s cheek. She then pats it and winks at him. "We love you too."

Rene begins laughing at her husband. "Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go dance so you don’t have to watch all these displays of affection."

I hold out my hand to my girl. "Let’s show these two how to dance."

After several turns around the floor, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Who in the world would be stupid enough to try to take my girl from me? It’s Gerrard. I’ll let him live. "May I?" he asks, politely.

I release Kels and step back. "Enjoy."

Kels laughs and shakes her head at me. "Apparently, I’m an appetizer." She winks at me. "And here I always thought of myself more as a dessert dish."

Not caring my eldest brother is standing there, I shake my head. "Oh, no, darlin’, you are the main course. Each and every time."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." She steps into Gerrard’s arms but manages to wag a finger at me. "Now, now, Stud, you know perfectly well that depends on who is serving whom."

Is my face as red as it feels? Apparently, it is, because Gerrard is laughing hysterically at me. "Better leave, Harper. You’re not winning this one."

"You got that right. Have fun, darlin’." And I hurry away.

* * *

"Every woman should look as good as you less than two months after having twins," Gerrard compliments me as he very capably begins leading us around the dance floor.

"It hasn’t been easy and I still have things to do, but I wanted to get back in shape." I can’t afford to be otherwise. Not in my career and certainly not if I intend to keep up with Brennan, Collin and Harper. I note that Gerrard makes sure we are a safe distance away from any family members. This must be a Big Brother Conversation.

"How are you feeling otherwise? I know it was a little rough for a week or so for you."

Yup, it’s a BBC. "Much better," I assure him. "It was a really nasty case of baby blues. But they’ve passed, thankfully. I’ve never in my life been happier."

He nods approvingly. "I’m so glad to hear that. Harper worships you and the babies, I hope you know. But sometimes she can be a handful. I know this from twenty-six years of being her older brother. Is there anything I need to work on with her for you?"

I have to laugh. The thought of anyone working on Harper is humorous. She tends to be her own person. Except where I’m concerned. "Gerrard, you and I are about the same age and we have a lot more experience with the world than someone Harper’s age. She’s young. She doesn’t always engage her gray matter before she acts, but I love her." Truer words were never spoken. "She has given me my life. She is going to keep me young and on my toes. I always wanted to be rich with a younger lover," I say this in a teasing tone, enjoying Gerrard’s reaction. "I wouldn’t trade her for anything."

"Glad to hear that. Mama celebrates the day Harper brought you home."

"To be honest," I meet his eyes and will him to see my sincerity, "so do I, Gerrard. I never had a place where I belonged before. I know I can come back here even without Harper, say if she were on assignment out of the country or something. I could come here with the babies and we’d be home. With our family. I’ve never had that before. With Harper, and all of this, I’m finally complete. I don’t need any more than this."

He must see it because he bends down and kisses my cheek. "So when are you two moving home?" His eyes convey the humor he intends in the question.

"I tell you, I just signed that new contract with Exposure which gives me the desk for three years. But I really don’t see being there that long. Unless Harper gets an offer she can’t refuse." I sigh. I hope she doesn’t, to be honest. "If I had my druthers, we simply wouldn’t go back."

"What would you do here? Or would you just enjoy your babies – all three of them?"

We both chuckle. "For awhile that would most definitely on the very top of my list. I have some ideas in the works I think I could do from here and stay active in the industry."

"Ah, ‘Kelsey Kingsley’s Guide to the Bayou?’" he asks in an exaggerated accent.

I really do like New Orleans’ accents. Whenever Harper talks to me like that … stop it, Kels. You don’t want to attack her in a closet here. Or do I? Focusing, I reply, "I suppose I could do something like that." I play with the lapel of his tux. "But I think using Stanton and giving some rather prominent residents of New Orleans some national exposure would be more beneficial. You never know, I could end up with a perfectly charming brother-in-law as a Supreme Court Justice or something."

Gerrard laughs heartily. "Nah, Robie’s not that charming. He only keeps telling you he is."

* * *

A hour later, after dinner is served, I take Kels over to the windows to show her the view. I stand behind her, sliding my arms around her waist, my cheek pressed lightly against hers. With my forefinger I point out the landmarks. "Obviously, that’s the Mississippi. And a little to our right is the RiverWalk where you and Rene tried to bankrupt Robie and me."

"I haven’t even begun to try, Tabloid." She kisses my cheek as she laughs at me.

"Oh boy. And to our left is the French Quarter and the Aquarium of the Americas. I can’t wait until we can take the twins there, Kels. I loved that place growing up." I point to a steamboat docked along the river. "That’s the Natchez. The Dukes of Dixieland used to play on it quite often. Papa would make Mama take him there a couple times a year. He loves Dixieland music."

"Harper?" Kels turns around in my arms, running her hands under my jacket. Shivers skitter down my spine and I curse the fact we are in public.

"Yes?" My voice breaks on even the one word.

"Do you have any idea how cute you are when you’re trying to make small talk?"

She kisses my neck and I will my knees to continue to hold me up. "Uh. No?"

I feel her laughter against my skin as she does not move her lips away from my neck. My arms gather her closer still. To hell with the tour. "You’d better pray someone in your family saves you, Tabloid." She nips my neck and I barely suppress a yelp. "Or I’m just gonna keep this up until you can’t take it anymore."

Promises, promises. "Oh, God," I groan. "Do you happen to remember last New Year’s Eve, chér?"

She nods, but doesn’t stop what she’s doing.

"Do you, perhaps, remember what I said up on top of the building?"

She stops and looks up at me. "Harper, we were in a crowd of a billion people."

"A little less than that, but close." I reach up and brush back some hair from her eyes and I am momentarily lost in them. "I told you that I loved you."

Kels traces my lips with her fingertip. "I’m sorry I missed it, but you get the next fifty or sixty years to tell me again."

I lean in toward her touch. "Deal. I just want us to both always know who said it first," I tease.

"First, second, all that matters is we said it." She resumes her place at my neck. "Now where was I?"

When she bites my earlobe, I make up my mind. "How would you like to ring in the New Year … alone? At home? Naked? Under the tree? I swear, I used the Dustbuster there earlier today."

Kels laughs in response, killing my libido. A tiny bit. "Oh no, nope. You promised your parents we’d be here for the party. We’re here. I’m just going to torture you every chance I get." Before I realize what happens, Kels slips out of my arms and dances a few steps away. "Right now I’m gonna go see if Robie – or maybe Rene – wants to dance."

* * *

I got into the bathroom and splash water on my face, trying to get my temperature down to a reasonable level. Elaine steps into the room and joins me at the sink. She glances down at me and then laughs. "Harper, Harper, Harper," she tsks and then begins reapplying her lipstick.

I grab a paper towel and pat my face dry. "What?"

She sighs. "You have no will power anymore. You used to be able to withstand such assaults. Now you come scampering into the bathroom at the first sign of attack." She wets a paper towel and leans over toward me. Before I can protest, she lifts up my hair and puts the towel on the back of my neck. "Does that make you feel better, dearie?"

I glare at my sister. "I can’t wait until your kids start dating, Elaine. I plan on torturing you. I just want you to know that." I grab the towel, a little reluctantly since it really is helping, and toss it into the garbage. "Oh, by the way, does Mama know about what really happened in the porch swing when you and Jean were dating?"

She raises her finger to me. "Don’t you dare, Harper Lee."

I smile. It’s always nice to get the upper hand again. "You plan on continuing to tease me?" She mouths a couple replies, but nothing comes out. I walk over and kiss her cheek. "I thought not."

I think I’ve won, until Elaine slaps my ass as I walk out of the room.

* * *

"Having fun, baby girl?" Papa asks me when I join him at the bar for a drink. Papa is in a dapper tuxedo with a bright red bow tie that matches the red of Mama’s gown. From his vantage point, he is watching her interact with his young partners at the office. Mama is, of course, charming them all. Papa has always relied on Mama for her insights into his employees. She comes to the social events, gets all sorts of information about who likes working with whom, any political struggles and power plays, and who is ready for more – or less – responsibility. He always jokes about putting her on the payroll as his Chief Talent Officer.

"Sure enough, Papa. Thanks for inviting Kels and I. It’s such a nice way to end our time down here."

"Hate to see you four leave. Mama will be beside herself not being able to get her hands on those babies for awhile." He rests his hand on my shoulder. "You did good work there, Harper Lee. They are beautiful."

I sigh, thinking of my babies. I hope Collin is doing all right without his Mommy around. I almost wish we were at home with the kids for a quiet New Year’s Eve. Then out of the corner of my eye, I spot Kels in her gown. This is nice too. "They take after the Kingsley side of the family."

Papa puffs up with pride. "That they do. Kels seems better, happier."

"She is." I mock wipe my brow. "Thank God we got through that phase. I was at my wit’s end a few times."

"You did good. I was proud of you."

Five words that mean more to me than he’ll probably ever know. "Thanks, Pa."

"We going to see you for Mardi Gras?"

"Mais oui!" I give Papa an aggrieved look. "I need to whoop Robie’s ass in the doubloon contest."

He chuckles. "It always warms my heart to see how close you and Robie are, Harper."

"Mine too, Papa."

* * *

At a quarter to midnight, I find Robie in the Galvez Room, standing to the side of the dance floor. I go over and stand by him, nudging him with my shoulder. "The little woman in the bathroom?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. Not there."

"Eating still?"

"Nope."

"Let me guess, she left?"

He sighs and points to the dance floor. "Nope. That’d be her there."

I follow the line of sight and find Rene. The song playing is fast and hot, and Rene is in the middle of the revelers, dancing her heart out.

With my wife.

"How long have they been at it?"

He sighs. "Too long."

I fold my arms across my chest. "You remember what happened last time they did this."

Robie nods and retrieves his wallet from his pocket. "Yes, her name is Kelsey Cecile Kingsley." He shows me her baby picture.

I crack up every time I see it. God, she looks pissed. Of course, I would be too if they put that damn pink cap on me. "At least, you finally got a girl."

"She is precious, that’s for sure. Christian seems to think she’s his. I found him one night asleep on the floor beside her crib."

"No matter what, Christian loves Kelsey. Both of them." I bump his arm with my elbow. "Maybe he’ll marry a Kelsey one day. Just to really make family reunions confusing."

Our eyes are both drawn back to the dance floor. I groan. I really can’t handle this tonight. I wonder how the members of the club are. A quick glance around confirms that others have noticed this little display.

"Time to cut in?" Robie asks. I know it’s not really a question, however.

"Absolutely."

We head out onto the floor.

* * *

I feel a hand on my shoulder and know immediately who it belongs to. Rene gives me grin. "They’ve had enough apparently," she chuckles, even as Robie comes up behind her.

"Apparently," Harper says dryly. "You two are bad. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

I put my arms around her neck as the music slows and we start swaying together. "We should? Why?"

My darling spouse lifts a brow at me. "Because you two know what that does to us." She leans in and whispers, adding, "And never mind the fact you nearly gave a couple of Papa’s older partners heart attacks."

"Well, we didn’t mean to do that, but as for you and Robie, that’s why we’re not ashamed of ourselves." I move closer to her, getting my body to fit with hers in a way that she understands all too clearly. I glance at the clock and see that we’re getting closer to midnight. "It’s almost time to kiss, Tabloid."

She leans in and nuzzles my neck. Oh yeah. "It’s always time to kiss," she whispers in my ear.

"Uh-huh," I agree as I melt into her. Damn, she’s good. What am I thinking? She’s great, and I know it, and I want to get home and do some serious digging in. "Gonna take me home and make love to me until I beg you to stop?"

"That’s the current plan of action. Any complaints?"

"No, not a one," I’m quick to agree. "I can totally see bringing in the New Millennium with you all naked and sweaty." I laugh, threading my fingers through her hair. "Welcome to the twenty-first century, Stud."

As the crowd around us counts down the last ten seconds of the year 2000, I give my darling spouse a kiss I hope will leave her quite breathless. For the rest of her life.

* * *

Harper is lying on her back as I straddle her hips, her hands caress my thighs. I reach out and push her bangs from her forehead. "Had enough, Stud?" I tease.

"Never." She grinds her hips under me to prove her point. "You? Did I wear you out?"

I lean over and kiss her chin. "Nah, I think I can go another round or two… or three."

"Insatiable," she murmurs, pulling me to her lips for a kiss.

I love this woman. Her body is perfect. It’s toned and firm in all the right places, and yet so soft and perfect in so many others. We fit together like two pieces of a machine, after the last couple of hours, a particularly well oiled machine. I snicker at my own raunchy thoughts and begin a complete massage of her body with everything I am.

I hear her groan, deep and low, as I stretch out over her. Making love to her is truly almost a mystical experience for me each and every time. I experience something new either physically or emotionally with each touch, each kiss, and every caress.

No one has ever satisfied me the way Harper does. And the beauty of it is I know no one else ever will. I can be anything I want. From the lover to the beloved. From dominating to so very submissive. The harmony between us is exceptional.

Even now as our bodies intertwine closer together, sliding against each other as our passion builds once again, there is nothing old or familiar about it. The tips of her fingers graze tenderly over my skin causing me to shiver as I begin the orgasmic fall into the abyss.

I can’t help it when my nails dig into her flesh, but the extremely satisfied moan in my ear and the involuntary spasms of her body against mine tell me she doesn’t mind. She is enjoying me as much as I am enjoying her.

Our bodies melt together, very nearly becoming one, as I rest my forehead against her shoulder, listening to her breathing go from short bursts to longer, even breaths. I can’t help but whimper as she shifts under me causing another jolt to pass through my body.

She draws a deep breath. "Okay, I’m going to say something I’ve never said before."

"Yeah?"

"You win."

"Actually, Stud, we both did. Let’s call it a tie."

* * *

I pull the handle back on the baby stroller, stopping it securely. I lean in to start stripping Collin out of his bulky winter clothes. He positively hates the heavy stuff and stretches as soon as he’s free. Then it happens. He sneezes.

"Is he okay?" my overprotective spouse asks earnestly.

I drop my head. "Yes, Harper, he’s fine. He sneezed." I pick my son up and watch as Harper extracts his sister from her winter gear and her side of the stroller.

This is their first trip to their New York pediatrician. He’s supposed to be the best. He shares office space with Doogie, and came highly recommended by him, so he’s already earned some trust from Harper and me.

While waiting in the exam room, I move over to Harper and put Collin near his sister. They like being close together and get grumpy if they are separated for too long. Plus, it gives me an excuse to give my wife a kiss on the cheek.

I rub Collin’s back to soothe him. He’s starting to fuss like he’s hungry. I’d rather wait until we’re done here. "So after this, are we going to take them to the studio and show them off?"

"Oh yeah." She nods eagerly. "I have to introduce my babies around and show those people what true perfection looks like."

"I thought you were perfection?"

"I was, until they got here." She grins at me, nestling Brennan against her shoulder. "Now I’m willing to step down and allow them to reign in my stead," she teases.

"We should go buy them little crowns."

"Ooo, can I?"

"No." God, help me for mentioning it. Now it’s gonna be a fight to keep her from doing it.

Dr. Adam Thompson comes into the room. He’s young, like Doogie, and has a very nice smile. "Good Morning." He’s very cheerful as he glances at the files. "This would be Collin and Brennan Kingsley, and Moms?

"We would." Harper straightens in her seat, using her best ‘Make one mistake with my kids and I’ll hurt you’ voice.

I notice the doctor turns to me and gestures for Collin first. "This little guy is Collin?"

"Yes." I hand my son over. The doctor cradles him and waves his hand in front of his face, then snaps his fingers softly a couple of times. I smile. I like the way he’s handling him. He’s very gentle and seems to care about my son.

"Hello, little guy. You are a cutie." He places him down on a scale and begins his exam in earnest. "Kelsey, you are the birth mother, correct?"

"Yes."

"Any problems you think I should be aware of? Anything you think is not right in their world or yours?"

"We’re having a devil of a time getting Collin to take a bottle. He much prefers breastfeeding."

He nods and scratches his chin. Next he pulls out a gown and hands it to me. "Would you step into the bathroom and remove your shirt? Are you wearing a nursing bra?"

"Yes."

"You can leave it on. How about Brennan? Any bottle problems with her?"

"No," Harper replies firmly.

"Okay." Harper is looking none too amused at the moment. She’s watching me, eyeing the doctor with a great deal of distrust, and giving Brennan kiss, all at the same time. She’s very talented. I wink and step into the bathroom to change.

When I return, the doctor places Collin in his seat, being sure to secure it lest he wiggle his way out, and pats the table for me to have a seat. "Okay, Kelsey, I’m going to do a couple of things. The first is a routine exam of your nipples and take a sample of your milk."

"All right." I glance back at Harper who does not look happy, but she’s managing. Fortunately she has her hands full with Brennan, so she can’t throttle the doctor.

He continues on, not intimidated in the least, "I’m guessing you have smaller nipples than the average baby bottle. Since Collin is a little smaller than his sister, he may simply not like a larger nipple. We should be able to help him out." He puts on a pair of gloves and hands me a small vial. "You want to do it or…"

"You’re a doctor. I trust you." I smile. He seems kinda shy about the concept but manages to express the milk very quickly. He caps the vial and marks it before placing it on the tray. "Are you tender or sore from nursing?"

"I was at first, but not so much any more."

He opens the gown a bit and makes a quick inspection. "Little bruised. No tenderness?"

"Nope."

"Okay. Are you feeding both babies or only Collin?"

"Both. We wanted them to take both in case I’m not available. Once I get back to work, breastfeeding is going to be almost impossible on some days."

"All right then. I think what we need to try and do -" He pauses and exams my breast again. "Is give you some smaller nipples."

"Excuse me!" Harper moves forward now. I happen to know she’s particularly fond of this particular part of my anatomy.

"Sorry," he’s quick to amend. "We’re going to give you smaller nipples for his baby bottles."

* * *

First stop after Kels’ nipple inspection is Doogie’s office. Fortunately, it’s right across the hall so we don’t have to bundle up the little ones. His medical secretary looks up from behind her desk and immediately springs to her feet. "Look at who we have here!" she exclaims. "Dr. McGuire! The Kingsleys are here!"

I sure hope he doesn’t have a patient in there.

The matronly secretary hustles over to the twins, scooping Brennan out of Kels’ arms. "Look at this one! Look at those cheeks!" She holds my daughter up a bit precariously, in my opinion, and studies her and Kelsey. "She looks just like you, Kelsey. I think you have a future anchor on your hands." I beam with pride. I hope my little girl has as successful a career as her Mommy.

Kels smiles sweetly and holds her arms out for Brennan. I think she’s a bit concerned about our daughter too. "Thanks, Gwen. And this is her brother, Collin." Kels indicates the little man in my arms.

"Look at that hair!" She reaches out and pulls Collin’s hair straight up, Don King style. Collin squawks a protest. I smooth it back down. Gwen continues on, undeterred. "Looks like Dr. McGuire called this one right. I hate to tell you, but, last month, a little girl was born who was supposed to be a boy."

"Hey! No ratting out the doctor," Doogie protests, stepping into the room. "I can’t help if it she wanted to hold onto the umbilical cord." He comes over to me and takes Collin from my arms. "What a handsome fellow! Is it possible that he takes after his obstetrician?"

I roll my eyes. "You have dirty blond hair."

"Yeah? So?"

"And hazel eyes."

"My wife says they’re beautiful."

"So he has black hair and blue eyes." Collin, bless his little heart, at this moment opens his eyes, displaying them perfectly. "Guess which one of his parents also looks like that."

Doogie pretends to consider my question. He presses a kiss to Collin’s forehead and transfers him back to my arms. He goes to Kels next and takes Brennan from her. "How was your labor, Kelsey?"

"It was labor, Kevin, how do you think it was? I believe Harper is still carrying around a few bruises." Kels sobers for a moment, glancing at the little guy in my arms. "Collin had to come by C-section and gave us a scare."

Doogie’s eyes travel back to my son, taking another look at him, this time professional. "Everything all right?"

"He’s fine now. And he has learned to use those little lungs just fine."

Doogie regards me for a moment. "He does take after you."

"Hey!" I protest. I stop immediately and gaze at Collin. "Well, I hope only in the good things."

"He’s already got that wonderful dark hair and those deadly blue eyes. He’s gonna be a heartbreaker when he gets older." The look Kels gives me warms me to my toes.

I smirk at Doogie. "Thanks for all your help, Doog … Kevin. We really appreciated it. And I know the twins did too."

"Doogie?" The youthful doctor gives us a mock outraged look. "Have you two been calling me Doogie behind my back?"

"Pretty much." Kels leans forward and gives him a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush deep red instantly. "But always out of love. Thanks for taking such good care of us."

"We expect you to bring presents to their first birthday party," I add, prepping Collin for the cold outside.

"My pleasure. That’s actually one of the perks of this job."

* * *

Next stop: the station.

When we finally get past the security guards who fawn over Brennan and Collin like there are no other babies in this world, we step off the elevator and find Langston waiting for us. "Let me see the reasons why my favorite anchor isn’t in front of the camera right now." He bends down next to the doublewide stroller and looks at them intently. "How the hell do you tell them apart?"

Kels laughs at his question. "Langston, I sure hope I don’t need to tell you about that. But we do helpfully color code them for people. Please note that Collin is dressed in blue and Brennan is dressed in pink."

"Only because I didn’t dress her," I add.

Langston’s mouth creases into a smile, a movement I wasn’t sure it was capable of. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Kels!" Kendra calls out from the end of the hallway. "I didn’t know you two were stopping in today!" She hands a clipboard to her assistant and rushes over to us. "They’re angels!" she pronounces.

Oh, yeah. That’s right.

Kendra gives my girl an enthusiastic hug, then pulls back, holding Kels’ hands in hers. She studies Kels from head to toe and back up again. "You look amazing! Motherhood must be good for you."

Kels gives that enigmatic smile she now gets whenever she’s thinking about the babies. I wish I knew exactly what was going on inside her mind. "Thanks, Kendra. We were so sorry that Frankie couldn’t come down and see us in New Orleans."

Langston tears himself away from our charming kids and stands up. "I’m not. He did a damn good piece."

Now it’s Kendra’s turn to beam. "He’s been waiting for you to get back, Harper. He has a couple story ideas he wants to pitch to you."

I walk around and slide my arm around Kels’ shoulders. "I doubt if he’s been waiting for me to get back. I think there’s someone else he’s more excited to see."

"Nah, Tabloid, that boy worships the ground you walk on."

"Fortunately, we have a mutual admiration society going." I kiss Kels’ temple, enjoying the moment. "Where’s that protégé of mine, anyway?"

"Down in the editing bay."

I bend down and get Brennan out of her stroller seat. She squirms happily in my arms. She knows that when I have her, we have fun. "We’ll be right back, Mom."

"I’ll be in my office. Your son requires his mid-morning snack now that we’re done with the doctors."

I hold Brennan up next to my cheek, so we’re both facing Kels. "We’re going to see how Frankie reacts to a miniature version of you. Does he faint? Or merely swoon?"

"Go ahead, you nut. Have fun."

I take Brennan and head off down the hallway. "This is where Mama works, Brennan." We stop by my office so I can show it to her. "This is Mama’s office. That’s Mama’s chair and Mama’s desk. And that’s Mama’s couch. Sometimes Mommy comes in and sits with me on it and lets me kiss her. That’s a good couch." I take my extra set of credentials out of my desk drawer and drape them around Brennan’s neck. "There you go, sweetie. Now you’re a dead ringer for your Mommy."

We wander through the office toward editing, stopping every few feet to say hi to various passersby. When we finally arrive, I rap on the side of the door and wait for his reaction.

"Hey! Hi there!" He nearly knocks his chair over when he jumps up and bounds over to us. "Who do we have here?"

I place Brennan in his arms. "This is Brennan Grace Stanton Kingsley, our eldest, and her Mom’s spitting image." I stay close in case I have to catch my baby.

"Hello, Brennan Grace," he coos, exceptionally gentle with my girl. "You are a very pretty, little girl. I also hear you have a very handsome little brother. Where is he?"

"Younger brother," I automatically correct, sticking up for my boy. "He’s having a snack right now." I wait to see if the type of snack he’s having might sink in with the teen.

It does and he turns a bit pink. "Gotcha!"

"Want to come say hi to them?" He gives me a wide-eyed, horrified look, but I shake my head. "Collin’s a fast eater, don’t worry. Come on, I’ll even let you carry her there."

"Uh … you sure Kelsey won’t mind? I mean, I don’t want to interrupt … umm …"

I try my best to maintain a serious expression with him. "Not a problem. I’ll go in first and make sure everyone is decent."

He agrees, still a little reluctant, but eager to see my better half. He fills me in on the office gossip as we head to Kels’ office. Apparently Bruce and Jac are in a spat. This means Jac has been drinking more than ever. He says the talent is looking forward to me returning, as the pool of producers is shrinking rapidly.

"Even Bruce?" I ask, teasing.

"Well, Aunt Kendra is. And so is Sam."

"Next week," I sigh. "And we’ll be back." God, I don’t want to leave my babies. I knock on Kels’ office door. "Everyone decent?"

"Yes, we’re all done. Come on in." We do so and Kels emerges from the bathroom, brushing a damp towel over her shirt. "He ate, spit up on me and now I’m cleaning up my blouse." She smiles wryly at the little guy who is lying on his back on the floor playing with his feet, gurgling and making the most delightful baby noises. It’s music to my ears to ears to hear my boy so happy and content. "How is it you always miss the towel?"

"He’s trying to bond with you."

Kels tosses the towel at me playfully. "We’re about as bonded as two people can be. He needs to work on his aim." She gives Frankie a huge hug. "Hello to you, young man. I hear you’ve been trying for my job while I was gone."

"Never! I’d never do that -" he stops his protest, realizing she was teasing him. "Aunt Kendra has been coaching me some while you were gone."

"Ah, I get it. It’s a family conspiracy." She winks to keep him from falling apart again. Removing Brennan from his arms, she asks, "Has Harper introduced you to our boy?"

Given my cue, I bend down and scoop him up in my arms. I note a little spit up still in the corner of his mouth and I wipe it away with my thumb. I must be a parent. That doesn’t even bother me. "This is Collin Lee Stanton Kingsley. My son."

Frankie chuckles. "I know you didn’t do it, but how is it he looks so much like you?"

"I didn’t do what, Frankie?" I feel a need to play with him a little.

Frankie isn’t falling for it. He crosses his arms over his chest and stands up as straight as possible. He’s grown while we were gone. He’s almost my height. "You did not produce the genetic material required to make this tiny human from your own body."

Kels snorts. "He’s got you on that one, Tabloid."

I kiss Collin’s fuzzy little head. "My brothers were the donors. So both of the twins share twenty-five percent of my genes. Not bad, eh?"

He nods in agreement. "Actually, that’s very cool. So you really are related to them, on top of being their mom. Neat." He drums his fingers on his arm thoughtfully. "There might be a story in there somewhere …"

I nearly choke on my teeth. "Uh … no," I say as firmly as possible without biting his head off. "Not quite."

"Oh, I don’t necessarily mean you guys. But just couples who have babies the way you did. I don’t know. Maybe it was a dumb idea. Lately, it seems my brain is always fishing around for a story. Sorry."

I get a reproving glare from my wife. Okay, I feel about two inches tall. Suck it up and be a grown up, Harper. "Nah, I’m sorry, Frankie. I’m a wee bit overprotective of my family here. Go figure." I nudge him with Collin’s foot, eliciting a smile from the young man. "We can’t afford to be out, with Kels’ career and all. I wish we didn’t have to worry, but we still do. One day we won’t have to. And I think it’s a fine idea for a story."

He tugs on my boy’s foot, eliciting a happy gurgle. "You’ve got a great reason to be protective. Maybe one of these days, I will too." He takes a deep breath and smiles at Kels. "Guess I should get back to work. I want all my assignments cleared up when you get back, Harper. I can’t wait to get back to work with you."

"Same here, kiddo. See you next week."

He scampers out and I steal a kiss from my girl. "Hey, do you think we could leave one of the poopy diapers on Bruce’s desk when we leave?"

She sucks air in through her teeth. I don’t know how she can do that, gives me the chills every time I try. "I’m not even sure I dislike Bruce that much. Those diapers are downright deadly. Speaking of which," she hands me the diaper bag, "take this to your office and empty it, will you?"

I take it and swing it over my shoulder. To Collin I say, "Come on, son. Let’s go make Mama’s office smell to high heaven. We’ll say a prayer the cleaning ladies don’t hate me forever, okay?" To our girls, I say, "We’ll be back soon. Try not to miss us too much."

The sarcasm is unmistakable in the reply. "We’ll do our best."

* * *

Later that night, Kels squirms under me. "Lay still," I growl.

"Harper," Kels sighs, a bit exasperated.

I snuggle down in place, her knees pressed against my hips. The majority of my weight is supported by my elbows, on either side of her breasts. Next to them, I am holding up the bottle nipples, both old and new. I look at the old one in my left hand, and compare it to the real thing. "It doesn’t look that much bigger to me," I grumble.

This time my wife gives me an indulgent smile.

"He used the old ‘let me look at your nipples and see if they’re too small’ thing. What a load of crap."

Kels laughs, causing her breasts to bounce attractively. I focus on the other one and the new nipple. Kels reaches up and takes the new bottle nipple from my hand and puts it even closer to her own. "Look, honey, it is a bit closer in size."

"Uh huh. ‘Mind if I pump your breast?’" I mimic Dr. Thompson once more.

"Come here," Kels tugs on my arms. "Put those things away." I frown a moment longer and then toss them off the bed. Obligingly, I move further up Kels’ body, feeling her hook her legs around my thighs. "It’ll be all right, sweetheart."

"I don’t like sharing," I admit, a bit sheepishly.

Kels caresses my face gently, smoothing away my frown. "Harper, that wasn’t sharing. That was a doctor’s exam; an exam to make sure our little boy can eat well when we’re at work next week."

I feel stupid. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t be sorry, sweetheart. It’s okay. In fact, I’m glad you don’t like sharing." Kels tightens her hold on me, drawing me closer into her body. "Because I know I don’t either."

My heart warms. "Good, glad to hear that." I kiss my girl, enjoying the sweetness of the moment. When I pull back, I get a brief flashback to my vision? dream? nightmare? of last week. "Chér, I am concerned about your mother."

"Concerned? Are you afraid she might have a cold, Tabloid? Personally, I’m hoping for the plague."

I kiss her, chuckling. "I hear you there. But I am serious. I’m concerned about what your mother might try to do. To you. To the twins."

It’s Kels’ turn to frown. "What could she possibly do to me?"

"Nothing," I assure her immediately. "I swear it." I close my eyes against the sight of Kels in a mental hospital, her mother pretending to kiss her. Not in my lifetime. Not while I’m around.

Kels pulls me down for a kiss which quickly turns incendiary. I slide my arms under her body, lifting her up, needing her close to me. As I let our passion take over, I say a silent prayer that she and the twins are always safe. And that I can always be there with them to ensure it.

* * *

I roll over, suddenly awakened by the sensation that I should be feeding someone and I’m not. There is something so very wrong with this system. I groan, reaching for Harper, but she’s gone. Getting up and slipping into my robe, I head to the nursery. I stop in the doorway, watching her tuck Brennan back in with a kiss.

"One down, one to go. It’s your brother’s turn. Let’s see if that doctor was right about what his problem was."

"Hiya, Tabloid," I offer softly, making my way into to room.

"Hey, it was our plan to let you sleep. Fuzzy has agreed to take a bottle for me tonight," she tells me as she reaches down and picks our son up, tenderly cradling him in her arms.

"Oh, he has, huh?" I watch as she sits in one of the rockers with him and picks up a bottle.

She takes a deep breath, looks at the bottle, and carefully moves Collin into a natural nursing position as the doctor instructed her to do. I step forward, to see if it’s going to work. But not too close, I don’t want to distract him if he’s going to cooperate. Harper turns him close to her own breast and offers him the bottle. He takes it, nurses for a moment, then looks as if he going to refuse it. Then he takes a little more, and then a little more until he curls in tight against Harper and begins eating like normal.

"Good job, sweetheart." I smile, watching her absolutely beam at her own success of getting him to take it.

"He’s doing it, Kels." I swear I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a combination of awe and pride in her voice all at the same time. Except at their birth. "He’s all curled up. Does he do that with you?"

"Like a little armadillo."

"Guess that’s good."

"That’s very good." Taking a seat in the second rocker, I hug one of the over stuffed Teddy Bears. "Thanks for letting me sleep."

"Why aren’t you, by the way?" She never takes her eyes off our boy. "Everyone is perfectly happy."

"My body has these two natural alarm clocks now that woke me."

"That was not part of the plan."

I watch her. She’s very happy and content and never more so that when she’s got one of our babies in her arms. All those horrible things that I saw last week will never come to pass now.

Life is indeed perfect at this moment.

<fade out>

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