Written in the stars

"Larry!" Megan howled at the top of her lungs. Larry rushed out of the bathroom, half his face still covered in shaving cream.

"What? What's wrong?" he questioned nervously. Megan wouldn't be full term for another three weeks.

"I can't…breathe," she gasped.

"Well not when you yell like that," he said with a sigh.

"No…I mean…Ow!" she cried. She was curled up on the couch, her knees pressed as close to her chest as they could get.

"Oh dear…no this can't be happening. You're early!" Larry exclaimed.

"The doctor said twins are generally born early," Megan managed to get out once the contraction had finished.

"Right…ok…so do we go to the hospital? Are you packed….am I packed?" he rambled, scratching his head and spinning in circles.

"Oh…stop spinning. You're making me queasy," Megan moaned.

"So sorry," he apologized.

"The bags are in the closet. I'll be in the car," Megan said, standing very slowly to make sure she wasn't hit with another contraction. Larry dashed into the bathroom, wiped the shaving cream off his face and headed for the bedroom. He pulled on pants and shoes and grabbed the two duffle bags in the closet. He pulled on his coat as he frantically ran out the door.

"Are you doing ok?" Larry asked as he paused at a stop sign.

"You didn't stop," Megan stated, partly shocked and partly amused.

"Well…you're going into labor. Stop signs aren't really on our side here," Larry reasoned.

"You crack me up," Megan giggled as Larry pulled into the parking lot at the hospital. He got out and ran around to the other side of the car. As quickly as they could, which wasn't very quickly with a very pregnant woman and a frantic boyfriend; inside and to the front desk?

"Yes, may I help you?" the receptionist asked.

"Well…we don't have an appointment but um…she's going into labor," Larry explained as calmly as he could.

"Let me page a nurse and she'll take you to a free room," the receptionist replied with a serene look. She picked up a phone and dialed an extension. After exchanging a few words a nurse appeared with a wheelchair. Megan gratefully lowered herself into and the nurse led Larry down a long hall and to the maternity ward.

"Here you go. Let's get you settled and I'll be back to check your vitals," the nurse explained, getting Megan situated in the bed. Megan leaned back against the pillow.

"The contractions seem to have stopped for now," Megan informed Larry who was seated next to her, holding her hand tightly.

"Alright let's see how're you doing," the nurse said after returning.

"My name is Marsha by the way," she added as she took Megan's blood pressure and temperature.

"Now have you been having contractions?" Marsha asked.

"Yeah…not too many…and they were pretty far apart but the doctor said I wouldn't make it to full term," Megan answered.

"Twins I see. Why don't we take a look at them and see how they're doing," Marsha suggested and Megan nodded. As usual she winced against the cold gel as it was applied.

"Baby A, the little girl," Marsha began.

"Cassie," Larry interrupted.

"And the boy is Gabe," Megan added quickly.

"Cassie looks good. She's head down. Looks like she's moving a little bit. And Gabe…he's a bit sideways. Hopefully as your labor progresses his head will turn down and they'll be both set for a vaginal delivery," Marsha finished.

"Now just lay back and relax. Let the contractions come. And when they start to get closer together let me know and we'll check the baby's again," Marsha explained as she left.

"This is kind of exciting," Megan breathed.

"Do you want me to call Don and Charlie?" Larry asked.

"Yeah," she stated. She couldn't believe this journey was coming to a close. She drifted off into a light sleep only to be awakened what felt like seconds later by pain ripping through her body. She gritted her teeth and held onto the bed rails as she fought through it. Her body relaxed just as soon as Larry walked back in.

"They told me to keep them updated," Larry murmured.

"I just had another contraction," Megan informed him, running a hand through her hair.

"Should we get Marsha?" he asked.

"No…not yet. We should wait until they get closer together," she answered.

The time passed slowly in their room. It was punctuated by Marsha stopping by every half hour or so to check on Megan's progress. Since getting into the hospital about two hours ago, she'd dilated to two centimeters.

"You're doing really well. Only 8 more centimeters to go until you can start pushing," Marsha consoled.

"How much longer until then?" Megan asked, sipping a glass of water.

"Well with first time moms it's usually about a centimeter an hour but everyone's body reacts differently," the nurse answered.

"Great," Megan groaned and tossed her head back on the pillow.

Two more hours passed and Megan's contractions were coming much closer together. The next time that Marsha checked her cervix she sprinted from the room and Megan's OBGYN entered.

"Well hello there you two," he greeted with a wave.

"What? Is something happening?" Larry asked, jumping to his feet.

"Larry, sit down," Megan ordered.

"You've progressed a lot since we last checked you. You went about four centimeters to about eight," Marsha informed the patient.

"So it could be in an hour so that we start this whole thing. How do the babies look?" the doctor asked and the nurse started an ultrasound.

"Cassie looks very good. Head is down and she's moving towards the birth canal. Gabe has rotated and he's in about the same position. Looks good for a vaginal delivery," he affirmed, making Megan smile.

"Now do you want an epidural?" Marsha questioned.

"No…I want to do this naturally. I know it's going to hurt like hell but I work in the FBI. I think I can handle giving birth," Megan replied.

"Ok. I'll be back in fifteen minutes," Marsha assured her and both she and the doctor left the room.

"We're so close. You're not going to faint on me now are you?" Megan asked her boyfriend.

"I hope not," he answered, looking innocently cute.

"Ow!" Megan cried as another contraction hit her. She was at least getting used to how the felt even if they did intensify.

By the time Marsha returned fifteen minutes later with the doctor, Megan was 10 centimeters and very ready to push.

"Ok…we're going to rupture your water," the doctor warned Megan as he slid a hook between her legs and snagged the membrane covering the infants within.

"Christ that hurt," she cried out.

"Just take a deep breath honey," Marsha urged, helping Megan to get her legs up in a good pushing position.

"I feel like I need to push," Megan announced. The doctor gave her a nod to go ahead and do what she felt best. She bore down and let out a very pained scream. In the back of her mind she was starting to wish she had taken an epidural. She had to endure not one but two deliveries.

"Relax. Now push again sweetie," the doctor instructed. Megan dutifully did as she was told and she felt pressure building in her nether regions. After several pushes she was instructed to reach down. She let out a laugh as she felt her baby's head protruding.

"It's amazing," Larry gasped, kissing Megan's cheek.

"Come on Megan. One or two more good pushes and this one will be out," Marsha coaxed. Megan took a deep breath and pushed for all she was worth and miraculously out slid Cassie. As soon as the nursing staff on hand cleaned out her nasal passages and lungs she screamed loudly, joining in chorus with her mother. Nine minutes later Gabe joined his sister in the world outside their mother's womb.

"We did it," Megan sighed once she'd been cleaned up. She took Gabe from the nurse's hands and gazed down at him. He blinked back at her with small sleepy eyes. Larry sat in the chair beside the bed, cradling Cassie to him protectively.

"My little constellation," he whispered, rocking her gently. There was a knock on the door and the new parents looked up to see Don, Charlie, Amita, Alan, Colby and David with balloons.

"Come on in," Megan said happily.

"Wow…they're so small," Charlie breathed, gazing down at Gabe in Megan's arms.

"You were that small once. Both you and Don were," Alan whispered to his younger son.

"So who is who here?" Don questioned.

"Isn't it obvious. That's Cassie and that's Gabe," Amita answered, pointing at the pink and blue hats.

"Right," he muttered sheepishly.

'You want to hold him?" Megan offered Amita. She nodded vehemently and took the newborn.

"Hi Gabriel. Happy birthday," Amita cooed. The infant gurgled at her.

"Not letting this one go huh?" Charlie asked Larry.

"She's so perfect," he answered as Cassie managed to get an arm free of the waddling and wrap her hand around her father's index finger.

"Yeah…" Charlie agreed. Amita tapped him on the shoulder and he looked down at Gabe.

"He's adorable too. Little Fleinhardts. Who would have thought," Charlie mused.

"Yes…who would have thought," Larry agreed as Cassie snuggled closer to his chest.