Well here is the end of this story... or Sanctuary at least (more on that later). As you can see it's quite a long one... I just couldn't break it up and maybe this will make up for the fact there is no episode tonight. I hope you like it. It may be a bit confusing at the beginning but will become clearer the more you read. So for the last time with this story... Enjoy!

Chapter 66.

Lauren lay on the bed, a small smile on her face. It was the first time she'd been left on her own for a little while now. The gentle beeps of the heart monitor to her left the only thing currently keeping her company. It was different this time. Everything was different now. She felt weaker than she would've liked to and she knew that was worrying Joey, more than she would've liked as well. Even breathing was an issue now and her chest really was starting to hurt. She winced a little as the beeping picked up speed, gasping for breath slightly, trying to grasp for the oxygen mask that seemed to be just out of her reach.

The door to the room opened and the love of her life and object of her thoughts walked into the room, quickly making his way to her side and slipping the mask over her face. She stared at him in silence as his fingers brushed the side of her cheek. "Not trying to leave me are you, baby girl?" he whispered, a small frown on his face and Lauren shook her head ever so slightly. She felt guilty for the worry she could see in his eyes.

"Never..." she whispered, her voice barely audible above the whir of the oxygen and the sound of her heart beat.

"I just went to see them." Joey told her softly. "We did good, baby." Lauren squeezed his hand, unable to form the words she wanted to say. "I'm so proud of you, babe..." he whispered to her. He sat beside her bed, lifting her left hand to his mouth and kissing it. "Your consultant said your condition will improve slowly over the next week. He's going to start you on your medication in the morning." He told her gently. Lauren looked at him, startled by what he'd said but at the same time she'd always known that this time she'd be unable to breastfeed. Hearing him say it hurt though. She squeezed his hand as hard as she could and he looked at her. "I know, babe. I know it's not what you wanted but you're just not well enough this time." He was right. Nothing was the same this time.

"Bella...?" she whispered.

"Alice is looking after her." Joey said. "She's being really good for her Auntie. She misses her mummy though."

Lauren licked her lips, "Want to see her..." she finally managed to get out.

Joey looked at her face and he must've seen the desperation she was feeling in her eyes. "You have to promise to be good, baby. No more shocks like you gave me a few hours ago, okay?" She nodded her head as best she could. Joey stood and kissed her forehead softly before leaving the room to get their beautiful daughter.

It had been a strange day, so different from when Bella was born and yet scarily familiar too. She'd been trying so hard to stay strong for this but had failed miserably. This pregnancy had been so much tougher than it was with Bella... of course the fact she'd managed to conceive when Bella was just seven months old hadn't helped the situation. After the length of time it took her to get pregnant the first time it seemed ironic that one split condom would be more effective than months of misery and relentless trying when they first began down this path. That's what you get when you celebrate Joey's birthday a little too enthusiastically.

Lauren tried to remember everything that had happened as she waited for her husband to return. The whole pregnancy really had been fraught for the entire family but especially Joey. Lauren knew she was extremely lucky to have had his help and support. So it obviously began with the unexpected surprise of discovering she was pregnant in the first place and the surprises just continued from there. This time the pregnancy test she'd taken had been positive. There weren't any false negatives but they'd followed it up with a visit to her obstetrician, who'd been shocked to see Lauren and Joey back at her clinic quite so soon but another twist was added to the mix when she managed to flummox them in return. And what was the news she gave them, you may ask? Oh, that would be the fact they were expecting twins! It was shortly after this proclamation that Joey decided enough was enough and he, after talking it through with Lauren, was going to arrange to have the 'snip' once the babies were born. He knew three children was enough for them both and the thought of Lauren putting her health at risk again was beyond him. Anyway he'd developed a real liking for making love to his wife with no need for protection so this seemed the best choice all round.

Of course, it was too much to hope that this pregnancy would be the same as her first... even though that one hadn't been easy by anyone's standards. The twin issue made her high-risk pregnancy even more risky and it was only natural that everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Firstly the morning sickness stage that Lauren had skipped over so effortlessly with Bella hit with a vengeance this time. After Lauren consulted her pregnancy book it transpired that morning sickness with multiple pregnancies was generally worse than for single pregnancies. Well, let me tell you now, that simple statement drastically underestimates it. Practically every day, morning, noon and night was spent with Lauren spewing all over the place. It really should be done under the trades description act or renamed as all day sickness. Anyway being as sick as she was wouldn't be good at the best of times but when you need to take in as much nutrition as you can to try and replace some of what you lose when breast-feeding your eight-month old daughter, this represents something of a nightmare. Sitting on the floor of the bathroom with her mummy was pretty much where Bella spent months eight and nine of her life, usually with her mummy crying her eyes out because the hormones were hyper-increased as well. Lauren eventually had to give in and start Bella on some solid food in an effort to get some sustenance into their daughter and of course, the second she started that the morning sickness lessened as well. It turns out it's also very difficult to hide a pregnancy when you're throwing up all over the place... so they ended up telling their parents much earlier than they had with Bella – within a week of the morning (or all day) sickness kicking in. Their news was met with excitement but trepidation from all concerned.

Joey had been working from home throughout this pregnancy. He had a laptop that was linked to the computer network at the club and he would do all the management and paperwork side of the business from home. The only time he went into the club these days was to meet with their accountant and to have meetings with contractors who were working on their second establishment. Lauren knew his work would pick up again in a few months once the new club opened as Steve and John would have to work more hours to get that up and running but they'd cross that bridge as and when it was necessary. Joey had come up with a plan to resolve this as soon as his work began to pick up and he'd discussed it with the relevant party to see if he was interested in investing in the business before mentioning it to Steve and John, who had both been keen on the idea. His final step was to mention it to Lauren before the final plan could be put in motion. He had been fairly confident Lauren would have little objection to Tyler Moon becoming part of their business venture but he never assumed anything. Joey and Tyler had become good friends in the months since he married Lauren, so it seemed a natural progression of that. It had worked for him in the past anyway and Lauren was really excited about it when she found out. So Tyler started helping out at the club that was already open, learning the ropes from Steve and John so he could step up with a larger role when the new club opened and they moved to work there. This did give Joey a bit more flexibility than they'd originally thought he'd have and it transpired it was a godsend that Joey was around so much because if he hadn't been... well she'd hate to think what might have happened to her and Bella.

But we're skipping ahead a few months... silly me. Month three was a month of change for several reasons. Firstly Lauren and Joey bought a house and moved in. They had a sizeable deposit available to them from Lauren's artwork income and now the twins were on the way, they knew the time of living with Lesley and Alice was limited. Fortunately they managed to find something pretty much slap bang in the middle of both sets of parents so they'd all be close by to call upon for babysitting duties. It also was close to the hospital and clinic so that was comforting for Lauren and Joey. Month three was also another Christmas season and Joey and Lauren's second wedding anniversary. Max and Tanya had babysat Bella for the night so the couple could have a night on their own in their new house to celebrate in the only way they would. It had also marked the first night that Lauren got to wear any of the Italian holiday lingerie since Bella's birth and she'd taken advantage of that situation much to Joey's delight. It was just as well really because just a few weeks later, fitting in that underwear was a dim distant memory once more. Do you have any idea how quickly your body grows when you're carrying two children inside it? Lauren was shocked... and a little devastated if she was being honest with herself, despite being much happier with her body since the previous Christmas. New Year's Eve was the biggest change for the month... because it marked the thawing of one Abigail Branning. Ever since she'd returned a year earlier, the two sisters had kept out of each others way but it seemed that watching Lauren's relationship with Joey over the last twelve months had had an impact on the younger Branning daughter and she approached Lauren in the Vic that night as the Square celebrated the end of 2016. The two of them chatted together, cautiously watched by Joey and Max who sat at the bar and the two men were stunned when the girls hugged and Lauren passed Bella over to her sister. Lauren winked at Joey as she sat with her sister who was holding her niece for the first time and in those few minutes it was as if nothing had ever been wrong between them. Since then Abi had been behind their relationship completely and while there were still difficult moments, the fences were soon repaired and all was forgiven – not necessarily forgotten but forgiven nonetheless.

At this point, I guess Derek also warrants a mention... much as the thought of him turned Lauren's stomach. After Abi returned to Walford, Derek had been located and charged with the assault of his niece, in addition to the charges from his attacks on Lauren. He'd been given the restraining order but it was unnecessary because the assault charge broke his probation conditions and he was put back into prison within weeks of Bella being born. He was still there today and Lauren pretty much hoped he stayed there. Her children didn't need another grandparent. They already had three of the best they could hope for and didn't lack anything from him not being in their life.

Month four of the pregnancy began pretty much as month three ended... with Lauren throwing up. Bella was now starting to crawl around which delighted both parents but added a few grey hairs to both of them as they quickly discovered the speed an almost one-year old could disappear from sight if not carefully supervised. Fortunately the grey hairs were quickly dispatched from Lauren's head with a visit to her mum's salon and Joey was soothed by the fact his wife assured him that grey hairs were distinguished on men. It's not like he was completely grey... it was just a few at his temples that Lauren really liked actually. She thought they made him look even sexier than he had before. The end of this month was also when their much longed for daughter had turned one. There was a party for the beloved granddaughter in Walford where the little girl was the centre of everyone's attention, much to her delight. Morgan, Tiffany, Denny and (a very proud) Uncle Oscar spent much time entertaining Bella. Lauren and Joey could hear plenty of giggles coming from the lounge which had worried them initially until they realised that their little man was steadfastly ensuring his niece was kept safe from harm. It was a happy day which only ended on a slight sour note when mother and daughter both threw up in the car on the way home, although Bella's sickness was caused predominantly by too much rich food (and sweets slipped to her by Morgan and Denny. Something they later regretted when Uncle Oscar found out).

Month five was a definite change from Lauren's first pregnancy for mother and father. This time they'd decided to find out the gender of their children. Both were secretly hoping for at least one boy and so they were immensely pleased when it turned out the twins were both boys. And it appeared they were identical too. This was by far the best news they'd had in a while and so began what they hoped would be a relatively calm month. Lauren's sickness – see how it's no longer referred to as morning sickness – had abated to a vague queasiness after she ate anything and for the first time in either of her pregnancies she actually felt like she was glowing. She felt great and had so much energy; more than enough to run around after her baby daughter who was quickly progressing from crawling to toddling around on two feet. She was the picture of health and Joey watched with pride as she tried to encourage Bella to take those first few hesitant steps. Lauren also went back to her art, having found another gallery who wanted to show and sell ten pictures. She was completely inspired during this month and managed to complete seven pieces in very little time. That all ended at the beginning of the last week of the month. Looking back at it now, Lauren remembered the day vividly, most of it anyway. Joey had popped into the office for a short catch-up meeting with the contractors to finalise the layout of the bar area so Lauren and Bella were home alone. Lauren was playing with Bella until she noticed the time. She got to her feet so she could go and get something for Bella to eat as it was nearly lunchtime but as she stood she knew something was wrong instantly. Her head swam and her chest felt tight. Before she could do anything to stop it from happening she was falling to the floor again, hitting her head on the door gate that was in the doorway as she did so.

Joey found her probably about twenty minutes later and the sight that greeted him sent him into panic mode. Lauren was unconscious on the floor and Bella had crawled over to her, lying next to her, patting the side of her mummy's face with her hand. Subsequently his daughter was covered in blood from the wound on Lauren's head. He quickly phoned for an ambulance while climbing over the gate and rushing to his wife's side. He picked Bella up into his arms and she seemed to sense his distress because she began to cry. He checked Lauren and found that while she was breathing, she did seem to be struggling for air and he found her pulse was far too quick. The paramedics turned up after what felt like the longest eight minutes of his life and he let them treat her after telling them about her cardiomyopathy and the pregnancy with twins. While they were sorting Lauren he rushed into the kitchen and sorted out a bottle of juice for Bella, some food she could snack on and then he rushed to her room and picked up the always prepared changing bag – which had been Lauren's suggestion in case there was ever a medical emergency and they needed to leave for the hospital quickly. He was back in time to see the paramedics start to get ready to take her to the hospital and he made a call to Max, guessing (correctly) that Tanya would panic too much to be rational in this situation. He then phoned his mum, although he kept it short because he could feel his own emotions starting to overwhelm him. He grabbed Lauren's medical files and followed the paramedics out to the ambulance. Sitting in the back of the ambulance he watched in despair as they hooked Lauren up to a heart rate monitor and he could see it was far too fast. For a second he had a flashback of when her drink was spiked in the Vic and he clung to Bella tightly, jiggling her slightly as she whimpered against his chest. They put one foetal monitor on her bump for each baby and Joey glanced at the screen, relieved to see that both babies seemed to be okay.

Once they got to the hospital the paramedics ran Lauren deeper into the department leaving Joey standing in the middle of the waiting room with a grizzly one-year old in his arms, both of them covered in blood. He'd never felt so useless in his life. He couldn't even calm Bella down. Max and Tanya arrived minutes later and he wondered how many speed limits Max had broken to get there so quickly. Max took Bella from him and she instantly calmed down – obviously she'd been picking up her daddy's stress. He also took the bag from him and began to clean up the little girl, removing all signs of what had happened from his granddaughter. Joey felt even more useless once her granddad took his daughter from him and Tanya quickly pulled him into a hug, recognising the signs of overwhelming despair on his face.

It was a very long hour before the doctor came out to speak to them and by that time both Lesley and Alice had arrived too. The first thing the doctor had clarified was that the babies were okay and hadn't been affected by Lauren's fall. Lauren had concussion from where she'd hit her head but the most concerning issue was her heart and the resulting affect on her breathing. Joey was led through to see her and he was heartbroken by what he saw. She was hooked up to masses of machines and on a ventilator. It gave him some insight into how she must have felt when he was in hospital in a similar situation. Joey stood by her side and brushed his hand over her bump, feeling the familiar movements beneath which indicated the boys were okay. He sat on a chair beside the bed, cradling her hand against his face. Every now and again his eyes would drift to the heart rate monitor and he'd will it slow down, seeing the dangerously high number that seemed to only increase in value. The door to the room opened and Lauren's consultant was there. He flicked through Lauren's file and checked the machines, making notes in the paperwork. Joey held his breath as the consultant asked to speak to him outside. Their parents and Alice crowded around him as he exited the room with the consultant and all of them listened as he explained that Lauren's blood pressure was dangerously high. There was a good possibility that this could lead to pre-eclampsia so they were going to monitor her for the next week. Joey asked about the babies and he wasn't thrilled by the answer he was given. At this stage it was too early to deliver them so they needed to try and get Lauren stable enough to continue her pregnancy. Her obstetrician was going to be coming in this afternoon to check on them but it appeared there were currently no problems.

Joey was devastated by this news and felt guilty for the fact he hadn't been there when she needed him. He couldn't help but blame himself for not looking after his wife, however much the family tried to reassure him it wasn't his fault. The next week passed in a blur. He spent a large amount of his time at Lauren's bedside. Her heart rate, and therefore blood pressure had levelled off slightly so he was a little calmer about that but he wished she would wake up for more than a few seconds. They'd done some tests on her heart and it wasn't good news. The thirty one months off the medication had finally begun to have an impact on her. Her heart had increased in size since her last appointment with her consultant and there was fluid collecting around it. Joey hadn't thought things could get any worse but he heard that news and he knew they could. Suddenly the possibility of losing his wife became all the more real.

He'd watched for twelve days as Lauren's health would deteriorate for a few hours just to stabilise for some hours after that... and repeat. Over and over again her life circled the drain, each time never quite recovering to how she'd been before. Every time her heart got worse he'd wonder if this was it. Would this be the time he would lose her? It was difficult to watch. It was even more difficult to know there was nothing he could do to help her other than pray for her to get better.

His family watched from afar. The first couple of days they'd tried to comfort him, to give him some support and tell him everything would be okay. They soon realised their words just upset him more because he couldn't allow himself to believe them. He knew the stark reality of the situation. Bella was the only thing that seemed to offer him any comfort. She would sit quietly on his lap, leaning against his chest as she sucked on her thumb and watched her mummy 'sleeping'. At times Joey would sit her on the edge of the bed and she would stroke her mummy's tummy, talking baby talk that Joey had yet to really grasp any understanding of. He could pick up odd words she was saying but not that much. Lauren had been so much better at understanding her than he was. It was another thing that made him feel like a failure. The only words he could spot were mama, dada, ta and no. Each time he heard her say mama he swept her into his arms and hugged Bella tight; her tiny arms wrapping around his neck as she'd then murmur dada over and over.

Day thirteen started with some good news. Lauren finally woke up... and actually stayed awake for more than a few seconds. Once she'd calmed down after realising where she was, the first thing she did was brush her hand over her belly and Joey knew she was checking to make sure the boys were still there. He gripped her other hand tightly and shifted his chair closer, brushing his free hand down the side of her face. Her eyes darted to his and he could see the look of panic on her face. "It's okay, baby girl." He reassured her, "You're going to be okay..." He lifted the hand he was holding and kissed the back of her hand, "Ti amo." He whispered to her and a tear ran down her face. She was still looking at him and she frowned. "You had a fall. There's a problem with your heart, babe. And when that started you fell and knocked your head on the door gate. You've been in hospital nearly two weeks."

"Boys...?" she whispered.

"They're fine. Perfectly happy where they are." He confirmed with a smile.

"Me?" she asked.

"Your blood pressure is a bit high. They're monitoring it and it seems to be under control at the moment. Your heart is struggling though, baby. It's working too hard and it's not coping well." He kissed her hand again, feeling her fingers tighten on his.

"Bella?" she mouthed.

"She's fine. She's staying with her nana and granddad but she's been in to see you a lot. She's been looking after her daddy too." He saw the unspoken question in her eyes. "She was lying next to you when I got back to the house. She was trying to wake you up." Lauren closed her eyes and she was biting her lip to stop herself from crying. Joey brushed a hand over her bump, "We need to keep the boys in you as long as we can, baby girl." He told her softly.

"Home?" she croaked.

"It might be a while yet, baby. We'll need to speak to your consultant."

It turned out Lauren was released a week later, although she was sworn to complete bed rest once she was at home. This was difficult for two reasons. Firstly she had a very active one-year old to look after and however much Joey wanted to help he couldn't be there the whole time. Secondly Lauren was stubbornly independent and she hated having to rely on other people to do things for her. Joey managed to convince her though and he organised for various people to come in and spend a few hours with her and Bella each day. So his mum, Tanya, Alice, Max, Poppy, Whitney and Lucy took it in turns to come over to the house and spend time with Lauren and Bella. Joey also set up her easel so she could stand it over her lap while she was sitting in bed and she could work on her remaining pictures without potentially harming herself. This routine carried on for three weeks and in that time Lauren managed to finish the pieces for her second show, with Joey delivering them to the gallery. He explained to them that she would be unable to attend the exhibition due to her current ill health. Lauren had felt a little guilty about not being able to go there but Joey assured her they had understood and she couldn't anyway. The doctors wouldn't allow it even if Joey would. All ten pieces sold on the night of the show (for the overwhelming sum of twenty eight thousand pounds) and the gallery had asked if Lauren would do another show once she was feeling better. She had agreed but it was a plan that was on hold for the time being.

The weeks passed relatively slowly, for Lauren at least. She very quickly got bored of being shut in the one room and despite the company from her friends and family, she hated this time. Her only comfort was the news from her obstetrician that the boys were thriving and were relatively healthy for their size and age. There was another thing Lauren truly hated... being confined to her bed had many many downsides as far as she was concerned. Firstly she piled on the weight (in her opinion), her bump was HUGE but her doctor kept telling her it was really all baby and no fat and she would hopefully get bigger still. Lauren however hated it. She'd struggled after Bella was born to shift the weight she'd gained and she'd been relatively active during that pregnancy. Now she was stuck in a bed so it was going to be even worse afterwards. She was going to be hideous. All these thoughts only spiralled further with the biggest downside as far as Lauren was concerned. Her sex life... or should I say, lack thereof. It was banned completely. Not even a quick fumble when the mood struck. Considering how despondent Lauren was about her own image... adding in the lack of sexploits with her husband and Lauren Branning was one unhappy girl. One very unhappy and frustrated girl.

The beginning of month seven was about the time Lauren reached the end of her tether. Joey was perpetually busy with the club and taking into account her already fragile state of mind, she lost it. She had a complete meltdown. She was blubbering all over the place, unable to shut the lid on the emotions that were pouring from her. She felt like a walking hormone... without the walking part, obviously. And this all happened as her dad watched which would later mortify Lauren. He tried to console her, reassure her that Joey would never stray. Joey wasn't like he was; he adored her and he would never cheat. Everything he told her just reminded her of the many times she'd heard him say the same things to her mum; each time it turned out to be a lie and she couldn't let herself fall into the same trap. Things were going to be different. In that one afternoon all the insecurities from her first pregnancy; the ones Joey had managed to convince her were unnecessary re-emerged... just a lot more pronounced than they had been the first time round.

Joey came home that evening to find his wife lying in silence. Max had called him about an hour earlier to talk to him about what had happened that afternoon. Lauren's back was to him but he could see the tension in her whole frame. "Why are you working yourself into such a state about this, baby girl?" he asked her as he lay next to her, his arm wrapping around her waist. "You're just going to make yourself ill again. You should be staying calm, baby."

"I'm failing you as a wife... why would anyone want me when I look like this?" she whispered miserably.

"You aren't failing me. Do you know how much I love you because of what you're doing for us; it fills me with joy to know we've created a little family of our own and despite every setback we've had we've come through it all together. I don't need to look elsewhere because I have everything I could ever need here." He let her absorb what he'd just said, feeling her body relax slightly. After what felt like an eternity Lauren rolled over to face him. "Do you believe me, baby girl...?"

"It's difficult, Joe. I want to, I really do but there's so much you're missing out on because of me and I know you... you like it too much to not be getting it elsewhere..." she whispered the words to him, biting her lip.

"Do you mean sex?" he asked. She nodded, not lifting her head to look at him. He put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. He wanted her to know he meant every word he was about to tell her. "I don't care about it... or about the lack of it. What I care about is getting you and the boys through this pregnancy. What I care about is that you're here afterwards to see them grow up and play with their sister. I can live without the sex for a few weeks or months because that is a hell of a lot more appealing than living a life without you in it." He told her in a whisper. "When you were in hospital and no one could tell me if you were going to get better or not... I was so scared, baby girl. I was scared I was going to lose you. I was scared I would be on my own; forced to live in a world where you aren't with me. I don't want to do that. I want me and you to grow disgustingly old together and make our kids look after us for many years to come. I want us both to greet our grandchildren when they're born and remember the time when it was us in our children's position. So I don't need sex. I need you."

Lauren looked at him, seeing the tears in his eyes and she believed him. She knew he was telling her the truth. "Ti amo." She whispered, looking up at him through blurry eyes. His mouth was on hers quickly, his tongue sweeping around her mouth as it danced with hers.

"Ti amo too, baby girl." He breathed against her lips.

Of course two days later everything went to hell in a hand basket. The doctor came around to check on Lauren and the boys and she said that Lauren's blood pressure was far too high. She called an ambulance and within minutes Lauren was being rushed to the hospital. They spent a long twenty four hours trying to lower her blood pressure but instead it stayed stubbornly high. The days crept by and soon she was thirty two weeks pregnant. If she'd thought it was boring being at home and in bed, it was even worse in the hospital. There were only so many books you could read. Maggie had come in and tried to show her how to knit so she could make some baby clothes for the boys... but unless they were wanting to wear the latest fashion in misshapen scarves, that wouldn't be happening any time soon.

Lauren tried really hard to remain positive and to make sure her blood pressure didn't rocket but there was little she could do about it, it seemed. Today, April 25th, was the culmination of all that and this morning Lauren had been rushed in for an emergency caesarean when she went into early labour. The boys were born and although both were relatively healthy considering how premature they were, they needed assistance and support so were currently in the neonatal unit. Lauren had only seen them for a few seconds before they were whisked away. She'd tried to convince Joey to go with them but just as she did, all hell broke loose. Lauren didn't remember much after that, having blacked out when she began to haemorrhage. Apparently it had been something akin to a bloodbath though and Joey had stood there, scared to move from her side in case she left him permanently. He had to be literally dragged from the room when Lauren had had a seizure. And it was only then he'd gone to check on the boys, needing to know they were okay and wanting to keep his mind occupied on something other than his wife's failing health.

Lauren had come round from the anaesthetic just a few short hours ago and she found out her heart had taken it upon itself to choose that moment in the operating theatre to have a rest and they'd had to shock her. Her whole body ached, even blinking was painful and she longed for a time when she could be home with her family; when things could be normal again... because at the moment she felt about as un-normal as you could get.

The door to the room opened and there was Joey with Bella in his arms. "Here's mummy, beautiful girl." He whispered and her face lit up as she saw her mummy. For as much as Bella was a daddy's girl, she had a special place in her heart for her mummy too, knowing exactly how to wind her round her adorable little finger. It turned out neither of them were particularly firm with their daughter. Not that Bella ever really tested them that much. Yet.

Bella clapped her hands together in excitement, "Dowdow..." she murmured and Lauren could see the confusion on her husband's face.

She pulled the mask from her face, "She wants to be put down..." she whispered.

"You want to see mummy?" he asked Bella softly and she nodded her head, her eyes so wide they were almost popping out of her head. "You need to be careful, yeah. Mummy's been poorly and she's in a lot of pain so gentle Bella, okay?"

"Mama..." she whispered, staring at Lauren intently.

Joey placed Bella next to Lauren on the bed and Lauren reached for her. Bella curled up next to her mummy on the bed and played with Lauren's hand as it held onto her. Joey lingered near the bed and Lauren smiled at him. She moved the mask from her face again and tilted her head slightly so he knew she wanted a kiss. It was a wish he was grateful to be able to fulfil. "I want to see them, Joe." She breathed, her voice still so frail. Bella had quietened down and was sucking her thumb, her eyes fighting her tiredness. Joey's hand settled on top of Lauren's as she held Bella and he bent down to be closer to his wife.

"I'll speak to the doctor, okay and see if you can see them. Bella's not allowed in there, she's too young and she might have some germs that she could pass on. You need to concentrate of getting well again for the next few hours though, baby. If you're well he won't be able to say no to your request."

"How are they?" she whispered.

"I won't lie to you, baby, they're very small and they're both on oxygen just like you are right now. They're both in the same crib, like we asked. When I saw them a while ago, it looked like they were holding hands with each other."

"How small?"

"Baby A was born first and weighs 3lbs 4oz and baby B weighs 3lbs 3oz. He was born about a minute later. Your doctor told me that if you'd gone full term, they would've been healthy sized babies." He told her softly.

"Need names..." she said, frowning when he heard him call them baby A and baby B.

"We'll decide when you see them, okay?" She nodded her head slightly. She lifted her free hand and brushed across her chest. "You alright?" he asked.

Her face flushed slightly. "My boobs ache..." she finally admitted.

"Let me go and speak to a nurse. You okay with Bella?" he said, brushing his hand through her hair.

"Joey, I'm her mummy. I think I can manage a few minutes, just the two of us."

"I was just checking, baby girl." He leant forward and kissed her forehead. He left the room but was back just a few minutes later. "The nurse said you could express some milk and they'll give it to the boys. You haven't had any medication yet so it's still safe to do this. It'll be really good for them to have it apparently so she's sorting out a breast pump for you to use, if you want to." Lauren nodded. She knew the importance of them having the first milk from her; that it would help them get stronger and that was all she wanted.

*JL*JL*

Joey helped Lauren move in the bed so she was sitting a little more upright. Bella had been despatched to her grandparents just moments earlier. She'd got a bit fretful and Lauren said she was hungry and needed her nappy changing. Apparently she knew that just from looking at Bella. Joey was seriously beginning to doubt his parenting skills all over again. The nurse came in with the machine and proceeded to hook Lauren up to the pump. There was one pump attached to each breast and Lauren felt pretty ridiculous but one glance at Joey's face, the lust in his eyes as he eyed her body made her feel slightly better.

Once everything was in place the nurse showed Joey how to switch it on and work the machine and she left them alone, giving them some privacy. "You ready?" Joey asked her softly and she nodded. He turned on the machine and Lauren winced slightly as the pumps began to pull on her breasts. Joey sat on the edge of the bed and watched her, seeing her face gradually turn redder. "What's wrong?"

"I feel like a cow being milked..." she whispered. "It's embarrassing."

His fingers brushed the side of her face before running down the side of her neck and grazing the side of one of her breasts. "I think you look gorgeous, baby girl." He leant forward and kissed her. "I wish I could touch them..." he breathed, his mouth millimetres from hers.

"You can..." she said. "I think it might help... The nurse said it will start slowly and the leaflet she gave me said that holding the baby would help stimulate the milk. I think you touching me would do the same thing..."

"I'd be prepared to try..." he said, winking at her cheekily.

"I thought you might." She said, smiling at him. She knew her husband and what he liked, sometimes before he even did. He brushed his fingers back up the side of her breast again and she closed her eyes, letting herself feel the sensations. His hand then brushed the underside of her breast, cupping it gently, being careful to not dislodge the pump. She was just getting used to his touch then when he took her by surprise by moving his other hand to her other breast. She gasped, biting her bottom lip as his hands worked in tandem to caress her body. "That feels so good," she murmured, very aware of the arousal beginning to course through her body and she wondered if she would really come from him touching her breasts alone. It had been a long time since the last time she'd had an orgasm and his touch was amazing. She didn't have to think about it very long as a small orgasm rippled through her, sending her heart racing and the machine beeping suspiciously fast.

"Was that...?" he whispered.

"Yes, baby... you're that good." She said, her face aglow from what had just happened.

Joey kissed her deeply, his hands resting against her skin again, his thumbs brushing softly across the skin, barely touching her but making her body tingle in the afterglow of her peak. Joey shifted uncomfortably on the bed and it was her turn to smirk as she realised she wasn't the only one aroused. "Don't laugh at me, baby girl." He moaned, his forehead resting against hers as he closed his eyes.

"Serves you right..." she told him softly but secretly wishing she could help him out with his little problem.

*JL*JL*

Once the pumps were removed, enough milk for the boys for a few feeds now being stored by the hospital, Joey ran his fingers across each breast again, leaning down and kissing the upper side of each one softly. "You should get some rest now, baby." He told her. "I'll go and see how the kids are... How good does that sound, eh, baby girl?"

"It sounds good..." she said. Her hand grasped his that lay next to hers and she held it tightly. "Stay... please."

"Are you okay?"

"Don't want to be on my own..." she said. "You never told me what they did after I blacked out."

"They managed to stop the bleeding. They had to restart your heart and they made sure you were okay when you had the seizure." He noticed her face had paled and he kissed her tenderly. "It's all over now, darling. Everything is going to be okay now. And soon all five of us will be going home."

"I love you, baby." She whispered.

"As I love you." He sat back down on the bed, "Why don't I stay here until you fall asleep and then I'll go and check on the kids." She nodded her head, her eyes already drifting shut. He brushed his fingers through her hair and she was soon fast asleep. He kissed her one more time before walking out of the room.

*JL*JL*

The following morning Lauren was cleared to see the boys and she was now sitting in a wheelchair. She had expressed some more milk that morning but would be unable to do that again now as she was now back on her medication. As Joey pushed her towards the neonatal unit Lauren was both excited and scared to see her sons. Joey had tried to prepare her for what she was about to see but she knew she was nowhere near as ready as she needed to be... but the need to see them was too intense now. She needed to see them one time because at the moment they didn't seem real to her. The fleeting glance she'd had of them had been too brief for her to absorb.

Joey pushed her down the corridor and she could feel the tension increasing within her, the closer they got. As she was wheeled into the room she was overwhelmed by the noise. There were other cribs and other parents around the room and it struck Lauren that this didn't just happen to her and Joey. This happened to people all the time. She actually found that thought a little comforting.

Her chair was stopped next to the crib and she could see through the side of it both of her sons as they lay next to each other. Joey had been right when he'd said they were small but she could never have prepared herself for seeing them. It took her breath away. They were so much smaller than Bella had been and she had been on the smaller side. Joey was standing at her side and she reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Can I touch them?" she whispered to the nearby nurse.

"I think your boys would really like that," he said with a smile. He moved to stand at the end of the crib and opened the side nearest to Lauren and Joey. "You need to be careful when you touch them. Their skin is very fragile."

Lauren nodded and Joey moved the chair closer so she could reach her boys. "How long will they be here?" Lauren asked as she reached in and brushed her finger down the arm of one of the boys.

"It will be a few weeks, I'm afraid."

"Are they okay?"

"Considering the fact they're eight weeks early and they're twins, they are very good. Both of them need a little help breathing but that's not a surprise as their lungs aren't fully formed." Lauren nodded, "Would you liked to feed them some of the milk you expressed?" he asked. "They've both got a tube down into their stomachs so the milk will get straight where it needs to be without overtiring them so you would have to slowly inject the milk into the feeding tube." Tears fell down Lauren's face at his words. "I know it's not the same as breastfeeding them and hopefully in a few weeks, when they're a bit bigger and stronger you'll be able to hold them in your arms and feed them with a bottle. It's just not practical at the moment though, Lauren... their stomachs are so small and they aren't strong enough for that to happen just yet."

"Can Joe help too?" she whispered, her eyes fixed on them both as they lay before her.

"I think that would be great." He moved to a fridge at the side of the room and retrieved a small bottle of milk. He filled two tiny syringes with a fraction of the milk before placing the bottle back in the fridge. "Would you like to feed A or B, Lauren?" he asked. He indicated which was which to her.

"I don't mind. I'll do A as he's closer to me." The nurse passed her one of the syringes and showed her what to do, watching as she started to do as he'd instructed. Joey stepped forward and received the same instructions, doing as his wife had done with their other son. "We really need to think of some names for them both..." Lauren whispered, glancing at Joey and seeing the concentration on his face.

"I think you should choose..." he said. "I chose last time so it's your turn now."

Lauren fell silent as she continued to feed their first son. "What about Jack?" she whispered.

"I like it... and I'm sure Uncle Jack will too..." he said with a smile. "He really will be confirmed with favourite uncle status."

"Do you think dad will mind?"

"About?"

"That we've named him Jack? And not after him..."

"Of course he won't." Joey said. "So which one is Jack, A or B?"

Lauren studied them both. "Baby A I think..." she said.

"How about David for baby B?" he said, "Unless you'd rather something else...?"

"No I really like David too." She said. "Jack and David..." she whispered. She froze when she heard an alarm blare and turned her head when she realised it was from the other side of the room. She watched in horror as the room became a throng of activity but turned away when she caught a glimpse of the parents and shared their devastation as they helplessly watched. Tears were unavoidable as she turned back to the crib and her little angels. She reached and brushed her finger across David's hand, repeating the action on Jack. She bit her lip when first David and then Jack pressed their hands on her finger. "Joe, look..." she gasped.

Joey crouched beside her, his much larger hand settling on hers and squeezing it softly before he touched his sons carefully. His other arm settled around her shoulder and he pulled her close to him. Lauren's head rested on his shoulder as they sat with their sons a little longer.

*JL*JL*

That evening Joey was lying on the bed beside Lauren. She didn't want to be alone again and she was lying with her head on his chest. "Do you think they'll be okay?" she whispered.

"We have to think positively, baby."

"I know but... I'm scared something will go wrong and we'll lose one or both of them."

"Baby, you've done your part in the process. You've kept them safe for the past seven months or so. We need to believe they're strong enough to deal with this. The hospital is looking after them and we'll be with them as much as we can to get them through it."

"I wish Bella could meet them..." Lauren said. "I won't feel like we're a proper family until we're all together." She added.

"It won't be long, baby. Just a few weeks." He kissed her forehead, his lips remaining pressed against her skin.

*JL*JL*

Joey was right. It was five weeks before Jack and David were allowed home from the hospital. They both put on fifty percent of their initial birth weight during that time. Today was the day Joey and Lauren took them home for the first time. It would also be the day that Bella met them both for the first time too.

They pulled into the driveway and Joey was soon carrying both car seats into the house while Lauren walked into the house. Her consultant had been correct and as soon as she'd been put back on the medication her health had improved dramatically. She still had times where she got tired easily but it wasn't anything she couldn't cope with. Alice and Abi had wanted to throw a small party for them when they brought the boys home but Lauren had nixed that idea, wanting a couple of days where it was just the five of them at home. So the family had been told to stay away for a few days more.

Lauren sat on the couch with David in her arms. He was the quieter of the twins and would rarely cry, even when Jack was screaming his head off. Joey walked into the room, having just changed Jack's nappy. He was also carrying two bottles of formula. He handed one to Lauren once he sat down and they both started to feed their sons. This was something they'd had much practice of now and they would usually interchange between sons to ensure they bonded with both of them. Both boys were eager eaters and rarely turned down the opportunity of food.

The front door opened and Lesley pushed Bella's buggy into the room. She'd spent the morning with nanny while her parents brought her brothers home. "Baby..." Lauren said, smiling at her daughter.

Lesley pulled her quickly from the buggy, seeing her struggle to get out. She'd been so excited to finally meet her two brothers today and now she could see them she wanted to get closer. The fifteen month old girl was lowered to the floor and she toddled over to the couch, her arms outstretched before her.

"Careful Bella," Joey said, "Remember how I said you had to be gentle with your brothers? Mummy and daddy are feeding them now so you can't disturb them or they'll get really grouchy."

"Want see..." she said, her bottom lip popping out into a lovely pout her mummy would've have been very proud of.

"Do you need me to stay?" Lesley asked softly.

"No, we're good." Joey said.

"Thanks mum." Lauren told her with a smile.

"You're more than welcome." She said with a broad grin. She left the house and shut the door quietly behind her.

Lauren smiled at Bella encouragingly as she stood tentatively a step away from her parents. Suddenly she didn't appear as excited but instead she was nervous. "Come here, Bella..." she whispered, placing the bottle on her lap and holding her hand out towards her daughter.

"Mama..." she whispered. She took that last step and leant her hands on Lauren's knee, standing on her tiptoes so she could see better.

"Bella, this is your brother, David. Can you say that like we practiced last night?"

"Dabid..." she tried.

"Close enough, beautiful..." Joey said. He moved off the couch to kneel in front of Lauren, lowering his arms so Bella could her other brother, "This is your other brother, Jack. Do you want to say hello to him too?"

"Hi Dack!" She said, teetering slightly towards her dad as she tried to get a little closer to Jack.

"Easy there, beautiful..." Joey said, putting his arm around her to steady her.

Bella turned to her mummy, "Cab I hole... mama?"

Lauren smiled, "How about if mummy and daddy finish feeding them both and then they can have a nap like you did at nanny's. Then while they're sleeping you, me and daddy can have some special time together, just the three of us. When Jack and David wake up later you can hold each of them. Is that okay?" she asked, brushing the curly hair back from her daughter's face. She smiled as she found herself tucking it behind Bella's ear.

"Yes, mama."

Joey had finished feeding Jack his bottle and he could see Lauren was finishing with David. "Swap?" he said with a smile. Lauren nodded and they expertly changed boys between them. This wasn't the first time they'd done this. Joey put David on his shoulder as he got back to his feet, "Come on, beautiful," he said, putting his arm around Bella's waist and lifting her so she was up under his arm. As usual this made her dissolve into giggles and when he sat back on the couch, he placed her between him and Lauren. Both parents sat the boys on their laps, supporting their heads and necks as they started to wind them. "What do you want to do when your brother's are in bed, beautiful?" Daddy asked.

"Nemo?" she whispered, her eyes darting between both her brothers, unsure of what was happening.

"I think that sounds like a pretty good plan, Bella." Mummy answered.

Joey looked up at Lauren and they shared a smile. Their lives really were complete. They were safe from harm in their own little sanctuary, taking care of each other and their children.

THE END.

A/N: So was that what you were expecting? Did you like the choice of names for the boys? I couldn't resist. So several people have asked and I'm kind of thinking of doing one last story as a sequel to this, although it might only be a one-shot. It's still swimming around my head but it's definitely an idea of sorts. However, I've got other stories to post before I do that one. I'm working on another story which I hope to start posting soon... It's another one that's a bit different and I'm working on a slightly lighter one too. It's between both of those as to which one is first. My third story that I have on the go is a bit more heavy going and I want to do something a bit happier for a little while before I finish that one... but we'll see. It's unlikely any of these will be ready to be posted until mid to late June though at the earliest. Anyway, thanks to everyone for the many reviews throughout this story. I hope everyone was pleased with how it ended and enjoyed it. I've certainly loved writing it. So, I'm sure I'll be back soon... with a one-shot or two at least. Bye for now!