Mari knocked on the bedroom door. "Hey," she smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Catherine shrugged. "I can stand and walk short distances. Matt still wants me to stay in bed, but I get up and walk around when he isn't home."

"Yeah, yeah. Wonderful. Let's see it," Mari said excitedly.

Catherine stood up slowly and lifted her shirt, revealing an almost invisible baby bump.

"It's so cute!" Mari squealed. "Matt hasn't noticed?"

"There's nothing to notice," Cath chuckled. "I'm only eight weeks."

"You've gotta tell him soon," Mari sighed.

"I was planning to do it today since my next appointment is tomorrow."

"Alright," Mari smiled. "I just wanted to check in. I have a few things to take care of."

"Okay," Catherine smiled, hugging her friend. "Thanks for coming over."

Mari left with a few words of goodbye and Catherine went into the kitchen slowly.

Matt was reading a recipe when Cath wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. "Hey," she smiled.

"Hey," he said with concern, "what are you doing up?"

"I want to talk with you," Cath replied, trying to muster a smile, though she was much afraid to see his reaction to what she was about to tell him.

"Oh?" Matt frowned. "About what?"

"Um," Catherine stammered, "you might want to sit down. Can we go into the bedroom?"

"Yeah...you feeling alright?"

"Yes and no," Catherine shrugged, sitting down on the bed. "It's complicated."

Matt sat down beside her. "What's up, Hon?"

"I got some news the day of the accident," Cath sighed. "I'm just...worried about how you'll take it."

"Oh god," Matt cried. "You're dying, aren't you?"

"No, Baby," Catherine laughed, putting a hand to his cheek. "Nothing like that."

Matt gave a sigh of relief.

"It's that," Catherine stammered, "well, I'm...I'm pregnant."

"What?"

Catherine grasped both of Matt's hands gently. "Baby, I'm pregnant," she repeated softly.

Matt's eyes widened and he tightened grasp on her hands. "Really?! You?! We're talking about you and me?! We're gonna have a baby?!"

"About that," Catherine laughed nervously. "There's two. We're having twins."

Matt moved his hand and clenched the bed cloth. "I think I need to sit down."

"You are sitting down," Catherine chuckled. "Matt, are you alright?"

"Kids," Matt whimpered. "Two?"

Catherine nodded. "It's twins, alright."

"One? And then another one?" Matt asked weakly. "That- how? Wha- how long have you known?"

"Since my car accident."

"Two?" Matt whimpered again.

"Yeah," Cath smiled softly.

Matt tackled her in a hug. "I could have lost you...all...of...wow. Two. How's that happen? God, Cath, I would have died."

"I know," Catherine frowned. "I'm okay and they're both healthy, so everything's fine."

"I-I-" Matt stammered, "I don't know what to say."

"It's alright," Cath said softly. "It's a lot to take in."

Matt suddenly jumped to his feet and ran his hands through his hair. "Two? Two?" He mumbled. "One...one maybe, but two? Where- we'll have to move. What will I tell Maddie? I'll have to get a raise-"

"Calm down," Catherine laughed, standing up and putting both hands on his shoulders. "We don't have to move. The guest room is big enough for the both of them. As for money, don't worry about that right now."

Matt's face filled with fear. "You shouldn't be up. You should be resting. You should have been resting this entire time. How did I not sense this? Aren't people suppose to sense this?"

"I don't think so," Cath shrugged. "And I don't need to rest. I've been resting since I got home from the hospital two weeks ago. I want to do something."

"Resting is doing something," Matt stammered. "Mari can come talk with you...oh gosh, what am I gonna do?!"

"It's alright," Catherine comforted. "Calm down, Sweetheart."

"Let's call Maddie. Maddie knows about this stuff," Matt nodded, pulling out his phone. "She doesn't have much of a life. She can be over in a few minutes."

Catherine put a hand on his. "Just sit down," she said softly. "Just let it sink in for a moment."

"It's sunk." Matt said gravely.

"Babe," Catherine laughed, "you're going to be a great father."

"I'm gonna mess up, which will mess them up, which will make you hate me. Oh gosh, what if they're boys? Or girls? Is neither an option?"

"I think it's a little late for that," Catherine chuckled. "And I could never hate you. Just calm down."

"I am calm," Matt said emotionlessly as his world crumbled down. "I'm very calm."

Catherine put a hand to his cheek. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Matt held her hand against his cheek, leaning into her touch.  "Is the magic gone? Honestly, Cath?"

"Of course not, Baby."

"I mean, nothing I do now could ever be worth the three of you."

"That couldn't be farther from the truth," Cath smiled, sitting back down and pulling Matt with her. "Matt, are you...nervous?"

"Nervous? I'm terrified, Cath," Matt sighed. "I could lose you. Or them. I don't want to lose you."

Catherine wrapped her arms gently around her husband and pressed her forehead against his. "You won't lose me and we won't lose the twins. Everything's going to be alright."

—————

"Hey," Josh grinned, standing nervously at Mari's doorstep. "You ready?"

"No," Mari said weakly. "But...here I am."

"All packed?"

Mari bit her lip and nodded. "Josh," she moaned, "are we doing the right thing? I mean, won't Matt and Cath be upset?"

Josh gently rubbed her arm, his eyes full of worry. "I thought this is what you wanted. Just us."

"It is, it is," Mari sighed. "I'm just worried that maybe if we don't tell them...I don't know. They are our best friends."

Josh's eyes sparked with ingenuity. "I've got two options. We do this now and do it again with family and friends, a wedding-"

"Or?"

Josh shrugged and smiled contently. "Or we can call them right now. Right here. Right now. Mariah, I'd marry you anywhere, you know that."

"I want Cath to be there," Mari nodded. "Let's call them."

"Gosh," Josh sighed, his face turning crimson red, "we're really doing this?"

Mari kissed his cheek. "Yep."

Josh's hand shook slightly. "Should I call or should you?"

"I'll call."

Josh squeezed her hand. "Here we go."

—————

"We'll get through this together," Catherine nodded as her phone began to ring. "Hello?"

"Hi Cath," Mari said after a deep breath. "Don't freak out."

"Oh no," Catherine sighed. "What did you do?"

"I'm at home...ish. You know that little beach about forty minutes from here?"

"Yeah," Catherine said slowly. "Why?"

"How are you feeling?" Mari asked slowly.

"Stop stalling," Josh mumbled, sneaking up behind her and kissing her cheek.

"I'm not!" Mari whispered covering the phone speaker. "You feel up to meeting us there?"

"Us?" Catherine questioned skeptically.

"It's...it's complicated," Mari stammered. "But Cath...I really want you there. Both of you. Well...all three of you."   

Josh's eyes shot up and he pulled away. "What?!"

"Four of us," Catherine chuckled. "It's twins, remember?"

"Four!?" Josh shrieked rather too loudly.

Mari grabbed him by the shirt collar and silently kissed him. "Can you come? It's important. Please?"

"Alright," Catherine smiled. "We're on our way." She hung up the call and turned to her husband. "We have to go meet Mari at the beach."

Matt frowned. "In your condition?! No way!"

"I'm pregnant, not dying," Catherine laughed.

"I just want to make sure everything's safe. Why do they need us to go to some stupid beach anyway?" Matt grumbled.

"I don't know," Cath shrugged. "But I need to get out of this apartment."

"But the apartment's so safe and warm and...safe," Matt pouted.

"Yeah, but I have you to keep me safe," Catherine smiled.

"True," Matt grumbled, "Fine, but we go and then we come straight back."

"Deal," Cath nodded, kissing his cheek.

"Oh, and Cath?" Mari texted. "Bring some brown hair dye?"

"Okay," Catherine typed.

"Oh, and Cath?" Mari typed hesitantly. "Could you stop by the department store in the mall and pick up that fifteen dollar ring I was looking at a few weeks ago? I'll pay you back. I'd get it, but I'm in the car already."

"We have to stop by the department store to pick up a ring for Mari," Cath sighed.

"Why?" Matt asked crossly. "She's already putting my expectant wife in danger."

"I'm not being put in danger," Catherine laughed. "Don't worry about me so much. You do realize I can't spend the rest of the pregnancy in the apartment, right?"

"You're right," Matt nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe we can check you into a hospital room."

Catherine sighed. "I should have gone with the plan where I didn't tell you I was pregnant until I went into labor."

"That's a horrible thing to say!" Matt shrieked.

"Why?" Catherine chuckled.

"You would have scared me to death!" Matt laughed.

Catherine laughed with him. "My plan was just to say that I swallowed a planet when you asked about my size. I had it all worked out."

"Yes, because I definitely would have believed that."