Gladion's sorrowful moaning and crying wakes me. In the dim morning light, I watch him thrash around under the blankets. Ever since that horrible day, he's suffered from aggressive nightmares.

Protecting my large belly, I carefully pull back the covers and rub his back until he wakes.

He hisses and rubs his face. Pulling the sweat soaked blankets back over his shivering body, he rolls over to face me.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he whispers, placing his hand on my firm, round, womb.

"No, but could you fix my arm?"

Gladion gets out of bed and rearranges the pillows that are propping up my tender, casted, arm.

He leans over and kisses me before returning to bed.

"Feel!" I gasp, pulling his hand to the top of my stomach.

He smiles proudly as two hard lumps swirl and pop under my skin, "I still can't believe we're having twins," he snickers.

"I can! Help me up. Time for my hundredth bathroom break!"

Between the injuries and the pregnancy, he rarely lets me do anything myself. How can a man be so sweet, yet so irritating at the same time?

"You know, you don't need to watch," I groan.

Gladion scoffs and turns his back, "You and your shy bladder!" he chuckles, turning the sink on.

"Any word from Green yet?"

"He said the results should be in soon. We're so lucky to have him around."

"I don't know what we would do without him."

I grow queasy anticipating the results of the latest series of DNA tests. I understand why Gladion has nightmares. I don't remember much from that day, but the aftermath has left me a nervous wreck as we face the unknown.

Nobody knows for sure how the radiation from the lasers will affect the twins, but Green has been working his hardest to give us answers. The research team he assembled has yet to figure out Necrozma's true origins, but most think it is an alien.

Knowing there won't be any more sleeping, Gladion helps me get dressed before heading off to work.

I groan when the nurse comes in to check on me for the millionth time. I know Gladion means well, but his constant doting and nurse services are driving me mad. I have no privacy with these people constantly dropping by.

"Need anything?" the nurse peeps timidly, sensing my frustration with the situation.

"Actually, yeah. Wheel me down to Dr. Mohn's office."

The nurse helps me into the wheelchair and steers me off towards the elevator.

__________________

Green carefully studies the data on his computer as he jots down notes.

He gasps as he pulls up a new screen of data. Going over the data several times, he picks up his phone. His fingers tremble as he scrolls through his list of contacts.

Mohn watches nervously from his office as Green paces back and forth across the catwalk, talking frantically to the person on the other line.

Still on the phone, Green darts back into his office.

"Something's going on with Green," Mohn mumbles to me as the nurse wheels me over to his desk.

"Do you think it has anything to do with us?" I whisper.

"He hasn't taken a break all day, been like this for weeks! I have a feeling he's getting to the bottom of it," Mohn says, glancing down at his watch.

"Get Gladion down here!" Green shouts from his office across the hall, "I want to talk to you guys."

Surprisingly, Gladion manages to join us rather quickly. He struggles to remove his tight gloves from his sweaty hands.

"Why do you wear those stupid things anyway? Are you really that embarrassed of your hands?" Mohn asks, putting his hands on his hips.

"I think most people find them frightening!" Gladion scoffs.

"Meh, I think they are kinda hot!" I giggle.

Gladion's face softens at my remark. Grabbing him by the wrist, I seductively trace the jagged, silver and purple scars that cover his skin.

"Come into my office," Green blurts from the doorway.

Green helps me into the padded chair across from his desk. The casters of an office chair roll across the floor as he situates it next to mine, offering the seat to Gladion.

He grabs his notebook and sits on the edge of his desk in front of us. Green nervously chews on the end of his pen, his tired eyes strain as he goes over his notes one last time. I think this is the first time I've ever seen stubble on his chin.

"Well there is no easy way of saying this, but you've got a couple of special babies in there."

Gladion grips my hand as he delivers the results of the last DNA test.

"So, we did get DNA samples from both of the twins in our last sample of amniotic fluid. The male twin has only one, uncommon, but not unheard-of condition. He will be albino, not really concerning on its own. The bad news is, he carries a gene associated with blindness. There is a small chance he may have some sight, but not much."

I let out a sigh of relief. I'm very heartbroken that my son may never see, but with everything that could go wrong, I feel very optimistic.

"Now, about the female twin-"

Green hesitates, causing me to hold my breath. My chest hurts, I don't like the tone of his voice.

"The female twin has several, unrecognized mutations. I've went over this with several experts in the field and none of us can come to any conclusions. We have all seen the ultrasounds, her organs are developing just as they should be-"

Green's voice trails when he notices the hot tears streaming down from my eyes. He puts his hand on my shoulder, massaging it gently.

"She's got five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot!" he chuckles nervously, trying to reassure me.

"What are you now? Thirty-seven weeks?"

"Yes," I mutter.

"So really, any day now! I can't wait to meet them. There is still a lot we don't know yet, but I'm confident our team can manage whatever these two bring us on that special day."

________________

Acerola and Lillie join me in my bedroom as I prepare for our private maternity shoot.

For once, I'm actually excited to get my picture taken. It's a welcome distraction from the news I received earlier.

"So, what should we do with that hair of yours?" Acerola asks, rubbing her hands together excitedly.

"Nothing too crazy, I still want to look like my normal self, just prettier, if that makes sense!"

"So maybe use this one?" she suggests, holding up a large barreled curling iron.

"I think that's a great choice," Lillie adds.

Acerola is her normal, chatty self, telling me all kinds of stuff I don't need to hear. I'm definitely not complaining, her gossip is always so juicy!

"That is insane! I would have never pictured those two together," Lillie snickers.

"Well, I'm sure people probably said that about Gladion and I and look at us now!"

Lillie watches nervously as I groan. The muscles of my stomach tighten in a contraction-like way, they seem to get more and more uncomfortable each day.

"Are you okay?" she peeps nervously.

"Yeah, I'm fine. They are just false labor contractions. It's normal, my body is practicing for the real thing."

"I can't believe I'm going to be an aunty! Watch me spoil your kids rotten," Lillie says, rubbing her little hands together.

The camera man snaps a picture of the three of us as we are in that moment.

"Are you ready?" he asks.

Acerola wheels me out into the garden and Lillie tags along behind us. The flowers are blooming profusely, leaving a lovely scent in the breeze.

Gladion pants when he catches his first glimpse of me. I rarely dress up, so I can't blame him for being excited.

"You look so beautiful," he whispers as he helps me out of the wheel chair.

Gladion beams with pride as the photographer snaps our first pose, I cannot wait to get the prints. For once, I feel like the camera is capturing something sincere. There is no pressure to look perfect for magazines or newspapers, it is simply us in the moment.

"Okay, time for the last shot!" the photographer says excitedly, arranging Gladion and I into position.

He has Gladion and I face each other, leaving a small amount of space between us. Nothing else, no hand holding or props, just 'hands at your sides'.

I don't remember this pose.

It seems, so boring.

"Ready!"

Ready for what? My eyes dart over to the camera man for just a moment, before returning them to the man in front of me.

"I don't know if you remember the first time we met," Gladion whispers, "but I will never forget it. Your kind words and actions gave me hope when I was at my lowest."

Taking a deep breath, he reaches for my hands.

"You continued to show me kindness, even though it brought you nothing in return. You saw something in me that I didn't know was there at the time. You inspired me to grow, both as a trainer and a person."

Watching him get down on one knee takes my breath away. His eyes stay focused on mine as he takes a small box out of his pocket.

"I can only hope, that you will allow me the rest of our lives, to prove to you how grateful I am to have met you."

Carefully, his fingers open the small, velvety, box. But I have no interest in what's inside. Looking deep into his eyes, I see my future. Our future. Our children's future. It is full of love, comfort, and understanding.

"Of course, I'll marry you."

In the time it takes me to blink I find myself in his arms, his tender kisses showering my lips.

Through the sounds of the flash bulbs, I hear Acerola and Lillie shrieking and cheering, but that doesn't stop us from shamelessly getting lost in the moment.

"Okay! Let's see it!" Acerola shouts as she comes barreling towards us.

Gladion laughs under his breath as he carefully pulls the ring out of its box. Seeing the gorgeous smile on his face as he slips the ring onto my finger was worth not seeing the ring for a few more seconds.

"It's beautiful!!" Acerola cries, grasping my hand to get a good look.

It is beautiful. The most perfect pearl I have ever laid eyes on surrounded by a thin circle of shimmering diamonds. I couldn't have picked a better ring myself. It is simple and elegant.

We take one last picture together.

Gladion gets down on one knee and kisses my left hand. My stomach is so large that my arm barely reaches across for him to kiss.

That day was a real turning point in our lives.

The twins came later that night.