Points to note: Written while listening to Tare Zameen Par's (Stars on the Earth) song, Maa, (Mom) which why this fic is kind of depressing. I love that song, but it makes me cry so much.

Also, this might be revised later; I think the flow may be off, not entirely sure though at the moment. Will decide after some feedback.

Disclaimer: I Own Nothing spells ION. My Outstanding Mother spells MOM. Interesting.

Her Sons

Angeline was the proud mother of two perfect little twin boys.

The day of their birth was one of the happiest days that the Fowl family had been blessed with for a long time. Her husband had been by her side the entire time, not away on a business trip two continents away. The delivery had gone surprisingly smoothly for a mother with twins; there were no long hours of prolonged pain and fear. And the twins themselves were born completely healthy; there was no extra days of fighting to live for them, no sleepless, lonely nights waiting, hoping, praying that she'd see her child alive the next morning.

Everything had gone perfectly. Only he wasn't there.

The days following the birth of newest additions to the Fowl family were blissfully happy.

Artemis Sr., her husband, their father, seemed determined to smother his sons with as much love as he could. He rarely left their side, not even in the early days when they spent most of their days sleeping. Like her, he would always find some excuse to sneak into the twin's room to make sure that they were fine, that they weren't scared, that they were still there. He offered to feed them and change their nappies, something that he had never done before. He even took time to learn the difference between their personalities, to identity them as two separate individuals. She had not been surprised when he learned how to tell them apart before she did. And not once did he mention the Fowl Empire or the future or heirs.

They were a real family. Except he wasn't there.

The troubles began when the twins learned to speak, to express themselves and develop interests. At first she was glad, so glad, that the twins were so different from him. Both were intelligent, but nowhere near the intelligence that he had been at that age. Both were blond, not raven-haired like him. Both were happy and loved, not once did she have to fear about their wellbeing. Even if it only proved just how horrible a mother she was, she was glad that they were different. If the differences were not there, she feared that become confused.

She feared that she would start confusing them with him, looking for him in them, comparing him with them. She did not want to do that, she would never do that. It wouldn't be fair to the twins, to compare them with someone that they had never met and expect them to follow in his shadow.

She would not do that. Nor would she make any of the mistakes that she had made with her first born. No. Her sons would remain children for as long as they possibly could. She would make sure of that. She promised herself that the day she first looked into their innocent, unfocused eyes. She would not lose another child. Never again.

But, despite how much she tried, how much she shoved the memories away, she still saw him in those two. The similarities that were there, that had always been there, that always would be there.

Myles's fascination with science and the world around him. He was forever tinkering with some device of another; taking it apart, putting it back together or simply inventing something new. So like the elder brother he has never met.

And Beckett, he had his smile. Every time the blond-haired baby smiled at her, she was vividly reminded of the few instances that she had seen him smile. And she became even more determined to keep that smile on his face.

"Mommy!"

The shrill, childish voice, accompanied by a tug on her sleeve, startled her out of her thoughts. Blinking, she pulled her gaze away from the window and looked down to see little Beckett beaming up at her, one grubby hand clutching her sleeve, the other holding a small white daisy. Myles stood a little behind him, his lips pressed tightly together in a manner that she knew was his way of smiling. A small blue mug was gripped in his hands; the words 'Mom' were printed upon it in painstakingly neat handwriting.

The second the twins realized her attention was focused on them, they simultaneously raised their perspective gifts and announced "Happy Mother's Day!"

The need to smile was equally as great as the need cry. A wobbly smile forced its way upon her lips as she gently freed her sleeve from Beckett's grasp.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the flower and the mug. "These are wonderful."

She brought the daisy up to her nose and took a deep breath, letting the sweet aroma wash over her senses.

"What a beautiful flower" she told Beckett whose smile seemed to increase tenfold.

She turned her attention to the mug, tracing the ink letters upon it with a slim finger. "And Myles, this is gorgeous."

Myles' lips pressed tighter together as he tried not to mimic his brother's wide grin. "You keep the flower in it," he said, miming dropping a flower into the mug as a demonstration. "Like this."

Her smile steadied a bit her son's well-meant antics. "Why, you're right. What thoughtful gifts."

If anything, the happiness in their eyes grew with that. Suddenly, seeing her twins standing there with happiness shinning in their eyes, made her even more aware of just how much she loved her sons.

Each and every single one of her sons.

Reaching forward, she gently pulled both boys toward her, one in each arm and hugged them tightly. Pulling away slightly, she placed a kiss on Myles' forehead. "I love you Myles." She turned to the other twin and placed a kiss on his forehead as well. "I love you Beckett."

She closed her eyes.

I love you Artemis. Please, come home.

Happy Mother's Day everyone. Be sure to give your mom a kiss or a hug or at least some indication of how much you appreciate her.