Sleep nurtures babies
And sunshine young calves,
And my own little child
Is nurtured with caresses.
~~ Greek Nursery Rhyme translated into English

Michael turned the corner and looked through the glass window and searched among the many other babies. His eyes caught the dark hair already gracing Abella's head and smiled as his daughter slept peacefully side by side. Michael motioned for the nurse to move them closer as the group of family moved closer. Walter moved up against the glass and pressed his hands against the glass as the girls were moved closer to them. "Oh my god…"

"The one on the right is Abella Geneva… and the little cherub on the other side is Cerise Liana…" Michael softly spoke and Walter looked at Michael with tears in his eyes. "They are perfect…"

"I'm sure that Nikita will cry when you tell her that…" Michael spoke softly as Walter turned his head back to look at them. "They are being so good…"

"Well.. they went through a long ten hours of activity themselves…" Michael stated and Walter continued to stare as Davenport rolled his eyes. "Only if they would stay like this for a while…"

"Nikita must have cried…" Birkoff whispered, as he looked at the babies, suddenly afraid of everything. Before, it was kind of cool that Nikita was having twins, but now looking at the two small beings, it appeared to be too much to handle one, yet alone two.

"We all cried," Michael revealed as he looked over to the back of the hallway, where Michele stood, allowing those other members of the family to meet the newest additions.

"They are kind of small.." Quinn pointed out. Michael nodded his head as he turned back and looked at his girls. "They are… and they will have to gain some weight before they allow them to come home…"

"That might be a blessing," Davenport commented and Michael shrugged his shoulders. He looked at his daughters as Walter slapped his arm around Michael. "So you are finally a father… how does it feel?"

"Surreal…" Michael responded as he saw Abella opening her mouth for a slight yawn, before settling back to sleep. Michael knew that soon they both would want to feed. "And you are now a great-grandfather… How does that make you feel?"

"Damn old," Walter snapped and Michael smiled as Belinda kissed his cheek. "You surely don't act old…"

Michael laughed as he looked down at his daughters. "They said that probably by after dinner that you could visit Nikita and the babies… And if she lets go of them… she may allow you to hold them…"

"Oh, Michael… I wouldn't blame you for not wanting anyone else holding them for a bit… they are perfect!" Quinn gushed as the doors opened and Mick arrived, totting a large bouquet of red roses, twelve pink balloons and two giant teddy bears. "Let me see! Let me see!"

"Mick… here…. Let me take some of that…" Michele giggled as she struggled to grab hold of the teddy bears. Mick moved through the crowd and then against the glass. "Wow… they don't look anything alike…"

"That's a blessing!" Michele called out and Michael smiled. He had to concur. "But boy… that one…" Mick stated, pointing out to Abella. "She has Michael's hair already…"

~~

Nikita looked over at her babies as they were starting to fuss. Nikita looked around and fretted about what to do. She was so sore and didn't want to leave the comfort of her bed right now. Her back still felt like there was a roaring fire and her breasts had quickly filled with milk.

Nikita had expected a nurse to stay in the room with her, but they arrived with her babies and quickly left.

Nikita inched her body up and groaned slightly in pain. She rolled her head slightly to the side and then jerked her head up when the door opened up. "I see that they are more than ready…"

"What?" Nikita questioned the older woman as she closed the door and moved to the bed.

"They are ready to feed…. I'm Mrs. Collins… and I'm a lactation specialist… Ariane wanted me to go over techniques you can use… I would suggest that you feed each baby separately…" Mrs. Collins spoke and Nikita swallowed slowly. "Ok…"

"Now… why don't you pick up the one on the left…" Mrs. Collins instructed Nikita. Nikita looked at her and swallowed. "That's Cerise…"

"Well… pick her up…" Mrs. Collins ordered and Nikita looked at her and blinked her eyes. "Could you hand her to me?"

"No! You have to get up and out of bed now either way… You can't be babied when you have babies yourself…" Mrs. Collins declared and Nikita dropped her head, feeling very little for what was going on.

Nikita pushed back the tears and then pulled her legs out of the bed and over the edge. Nikita hissed in pain as she finally got to her feet, feeling very dizzy. "Come on, honey… your darling girls are hungry…"

"I know!" Nikita hissed as she tried to steady herself. She looked at Cerise who was waving her fists in the air with an angry scream taking over her face and then at Abella who looked very much the same. Nikita grunted with pain as she bent and picked up Cerise into her arms and scuffled back to bed. Nikita settled back down and rocked Cerise slightly in her arms.

"Now… take off your shirt…" Mrs. Collins directed and Nikita froze. "What?"

"I need to watch everything that you are doing…" Mrs. Collins spoke without much emotion. It was clear that she had done many years of this, but it wasn't rubbing off good on Nikita.

"I don't care…" Nikita spoke and Mrs. Collins stood up and shook her head. "You have to take your shirt off.. I can't help you if you don't."

"What if I don't want to?" Nikita hissed and Mrs. Collins swallowed and the muscles on her neck clenched.

"Then I'll get a nurse to get a bottle because then you don't really want to breastfeed your babies!"

"I do want to feed them!" Nikita protested as she looked down at Cerise and then to Abella. But Nikita turned her head to the side. "I want Michele…"

"Fine… I'll get you the sister… and I'll have the nurses prepare some formula!" Mrs. Collins proclaimed as she turned and left the room. Nikita dropped her head and started to cry as she rocked Cerise back and forth, feeling entirely overwhelmed in a room with her twins. Nikita jerked her head away and then placed Cerise back into the bassinet, unsure of what to do next.

Nikita realized that Michael had finally crashed after having a long day himself, but now Nikita just wanted him to be here with her, so she wasn't alone with the babies.

What if she did something wrong?
What if she couldn't care for her babies?
What if they didn't want her?
What if someone would tell her that she was doing everything wrong?

"Nikita?" Michele called out as Nikita's eyes were staring at the babies and showed no signs of having heard her enter. Michele was already in to see Nikita when the horrid Mrs. Collins stopped her in the hallway. Michele told Mrs. Collins what she could do to herself and then proclaimed that Nikita would be just fine and the babies wouldn't need the bottles and formula.

"Michele?" Nikita softly questioned, as she didn't move her head, feeling as if she was imagining the voice. Michele cleared her throat and tossed the "U" shaped pillow onto the foot of the bed and looked at Nikita. "Nikita… it's going to be ok…"

"That woman…" Nikita started to cry as she pointed towards a door with a shaking hand. Michele covered the distance quickly and held Nikita's crying face in her arms as the babies reacted to Nikita's sobs.

Michele held her and sighed softly. "She told me… to get a baby… and to strip…"

"Shh… It's ok, Nikita…" Michele spoke as she pulled back and sighed. "That woman was an overbearing social snob…"

"She said that my babies were better off with bottles…" Nikita groaned and Michele shook her head. "You are going to be fine… and that's why I'm here… because only a mother of twins can help a new mother of twins to learn to breast feed…"

"Really?" Nikita hiccupped and Michele nodded her head as she turned slightly and pulled the pillow up.

"This will help you… while the babies are small…"

"It will?" Nikita questioned and Michele nodded her head again. "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling? As in do my breasts fill like they are ready to explode?" Nikita countered and Michele laughed.

"I kind of guessed that… you did sleep a long time… But other than that… how are you feeling?"

"Tired… extremely sore… but there was no cutting down there…." Nikita spoke and Michele swallowed,

seeing how easy Nikita was able to composure herself. Michele turned and pulled Cerise out of the bassinet and moved towards Nikita. Nikita extended her arms and easily cradled her daughter. "Hey Cerise… mommy has you…"

"Do you want to feed both of them at the same time?" Michele questioned as she picked up Abella and settled down next to Nikita on the bed. "I can do that?"

"Yes… I'd make sure that you are feeding one fine… but these two spent almost nine full months inside of you next to each other… so it is only natural for them to want to be together…" advised Michele as she looked at Nikita. Nikita simply jerked her head slightly from side to side. "Ok… first, you want to wrap that pillow right underneath your breasts… it will help support the girls into the right position…"

"And later.. well.. not that much later, if you don't want to use the pillow and Michael wants to bond more… he can help hold them…" Michele added and Nikita looked to Michele, nervous about actually doing this, but could see how Michael would enjoy holding one or both of his daughters as they fed.

"And I pull my shirt up?" Nikita asked for the next step. Michele looked at Nikita before she answered.

"When you get used to it… and the girls get better… you probably won't have to do that…"

Nikita shrugged her shirt up and looked down at her daughter Cerise and guided her carefully. Michele watched and barely nodded her head as Nikita easily placed Cerise into the right position, and the little girl sought out her mother's breast. Both mother and daughter learned from each other and Michele grinned.

"It wasn't that hard, was it?"

"She is really soft… not hard and tugging…" Nikita commented and Michele rolled her eyes. "That probably won't last long. Do you want to try Abella?"

"On the other breast? At the same time?" Nikita questioned and Michele merely started to hand Abella over. Nikita turned Abella so that her feet pointed towards her sister and gently placed her on the pillow.

Abella took more guidance to Nikita's nipple, but soon she attached to Nikita and Nikita began to cry.

"Nikita?" Michael called as he knocked at the locked door. Michele looked at Nikita and winked as she stood up and opened the door. He looked at Michele and swallowed. "I heard some of the nurses talking about bottle feeding… is something wrong?"

"Come in and look," Michele indicated as she inched the door open and allowed Michael in before closing and securing the door once more. Michael's mouth opened as he viewed his wife nursing both of their children. It was so natural and Nikita was so happy. "Michael!"

"Oh, Nikita… you are stunning…" Michael rasped as he moved to the side of the bed and stroked at Nikita's hair. She turned her eyes to her husband as he bent down and kissed her lips. "They look so happy…"

"Oh my… you two are getting spoiled by the newborn easiness… this won't last…" Michele warned with a nervous chuckle, knowing no matter how much she warned, this wouldn't be heard. Michael and Nikita were on cloud nine right now.

"I heard the nurses talking.. I'm sorry I wasn't here…" Michael started to apologize and Nikita shook her head back and forth. "It's fine… all that matters is that they are nursing now…"

Nikita held each of her babies carefully and Cerise pulled away. Nikita started to move her skillfully away from her breast and Michael swallowed. "Why don't you burp your daughter?"

"Oh my…" Michael whispered as he held Cerise carefully against his shoulder. "I never… imagine.. that I would feel this happy…"

"My heart feels like it is growing bigger and bigger, Michael… and I couldn't have done any of this without you…" Nikita gushed as she started to cry again.

Michael looked at Michele as she shook her head back and forth, knowing that Nikita would continue to be weepy for days and weeks still.

"We have the press in a frenzy… they think you are still in labor…" Michael stated about five minutes later, after Cerise had gone to sleep and Michael moved to burp Abella. Nikita carefully cleansed herself and covered back up. "We have to get Hannah… Have you called her?"

"We are waiting on you… for an interview and pictures if you want… but I think we can at least release a statement… the hospital officials won't do anything until we decide what to do…" Michael informed Nikita, not wanting her to feel like they were forcing her into anything that she wasn't ready for. Nikita looked at Michele and took a deep breath.

Nikita wished that her children didn't have to be a front-page story on their first day with their parents, but it was the only way that Michael would be allowed to go home, and her friends and family could just be themselves again. Nikita licked her lips. "I don't want an announcement… if it doesn't come from Hannah… things get all screwed up with rumors…"

"Do you want me to arrange for Hannah to come in for the morning?" Michael questioned, finding that it would be difficult to hide this until the morning.

"Let me get a shower… and we'll do it tonight… she'll be able to be interviewed for the late evening news reports and it will be turned in time for the front page…" Nikita responded although she was clearly bitter about needing to do this now when she wanted to bond and watch her daughters. Michele moved over and looked at Nikita. "Can I help you?"

"The bathroom looks so far…" Nikita commented and Michael pressed his lips together, wishing that he could just tell everyone to leave them alone, but Michael's voice wouldn't be heard.

Hannah's would.

~~

"So she had them this morning?" Hannah questioned as she walked along side of Michael. She had just spent a half hour with the security of the hospital waiting for Michael to come down and escort her to the maternity ward. Michael nodded his head and looked back and forth, to see who was around. He waited until they were in the elevator and going up to the maternity ward. "At 10:04 and 10:06 this morning…"

"Two girls… you must feel overwhelmed…" Hannah commented and Michael smiled at the comment. Everyone who knew about the twins had been telling Michael similar statements, but Michael didn't feel overwhelmed about it at all. "I'm ecstatic about it all… not overwhelmed."

The doors opened and Michael started to the right, swiftly moving through the people who were milling around. There were a few more guards at the entrance of the ward and Michael smiled as they passed through. Michael had already lined their pockets well for the excellent work on protecting their privacy.

"How was the labor on Nikita?" Hannah questioned, feeling that it must have been extremely rough if it had taken hours for them to finally get her and release information.

"It was actually smoother than our doctor had been expecting… our girls come out like little princesses… and looked heavenly…" Michael reported as he turned and knocked on the door slightly. He opened it and looked at his wife as Michele stood off to the side. "Hannah… this is my sister Michele… and over here… are Cerise Liana and Abella Geneva…"

"Such beautiful girls to go along with their names!" Hannah exclaimed as she looked over the bassinets. She dropped her bag of tape recorders and camera to touch the girl's arms.

"That was Nikita's magical touch on the names…" Michael gloated and praised his wife. Abella turned her head and started to scream. Michael moved and picked up his daughter. "What am I allowed to take photos of?"

"A group shot…" Nikita replied and Hannah nodded her head as she pulled out the camera and looked at Nikita as he rocked her baby carefully in her arms. "You are a natural, Nikita… Do you know that?"

"That's what everyone has been telling her," Michele chimed in to the laughter of the adults in the room. "You might think I'm a natural, but every time I hold one of my daughters… I feel like I'm quaking in fear…"

"Nikita worries too much," Michael commented as he picked up Cerise as she started to fuss from being away from her sister. Michael moved to the other edge of the bed and settled up next to Michael. The girls quieted down and stared up at their parents as Michael kissed Nikita's cheek.

They didn't notice Hannah taking pictures of them. Right now it felt like it was just them in the room.

"Where you in the room when Nikita delivered?" Hannah questioned Michele as she dropped her arm slightly and took another picture.

"Yes… Nikita did amazing… the twins were so healthy when they arrived too…" Michele informed Hannah. Hannah did have copies of their birth certificates that listed their birth weights and other assorted information so she wouldn't have to ask all the details that no one really wanted to go over right now.

"I bet that there was not one dry face in the entire room…" Hannah wryly stated as she looked at Michael and Nikita as they silently talked to each other through their eyes. "I think Michael cried the most once he saw Abella and Cerise…"

Nikita shifted in the bed and groaned slightly. Her back was starting to throb again and Michele moved away from Hannah and back to the bed. "Do you want me to get you more hot compresses?"

"No… I'm fine…" Nikita wearily spoke, but Michele knew otherwise. Hannah moved back to the bed and looked at Cerise in Michael's arms. "Is the Centre going to be getting a nursery now?"

"Is this on the record or off the record?" Michael countered with a solemn voice. Nikita looked to Michele and pressed her lips together. "Michael… its Hannah…"

"It's ok, Nikita… I know how things are… and it is off the record…" Hannah replied and Michael nodded his head in thanks for the answer. "Nikita is going to be taking some time off from the Centre… we don't want to raise them in our workplace."

Nikita turned her head and looked down at Abella, but Michele could see a storm brewing in several months. Michele shook her head and pushed that thought out of her mind. Right now, the twins and Michael and Nikita had to adjust to each other. Nikita squirmed slightly and looked to Michele. "Can you put Abella in the bassinet? I have to go to the bathroom… and then they need fed again…"

"You are breastfeeding?" Hannah questioned and Nikita nodded her head as she groaned as she slipped her feet to the bed. Hannah blinked her eyes as she saw how Nikita instantly had lost that large tummy.

"Can I get a picture of the girls side by side in the bassinets?" Hannah questioned as Michael moved Abella into hers. Michael nodded his head and looked to the bathroom. This was nice and all, but he knew that Nikita needed some attention to her and only her.

~~

Nikita sighed in relief as she leaned back on the heating pads. Michael pulled a sheet over Nikita's body and looked at her as she looked like she could sleep for the next three weeks. "Aren't you glad that Michele insisted?"

"Yes…" Nikita groaned as she looked at Michael and pressed her lips together. "You have to go, right?"

"I'm afraid so…" Michael whispered, not liking the sound of it. Michael looked to Nikita as she turned her head to the side and there were tears rolling down her face. "I'll be back early in the morning…"

"I don't like it…" Nikita admitted as she looked at Michael. He swallowed and then leaned back on his heels. He didn't like it either. "I'm not going to be able to sleep without you, Michael…"

"You are exaggerating, Kita… you are ready to fall asleep talking to me…" Michael chided his wife. Nikita tossed her head from side to side. "They'll be up with the girls in a few hours…"

"That isn't a reason for me to stay… you need your rest…" Michael spoke back as he looked at Nikita. He stroked her hair gently and kissed her forehead. "You know that I would stay in a heartbeat, right?"

"I know… I know…" Nikita cried out as she rubbed back against the heating pads. "I just don't feel right when you aren't here…"

"Kita…" Michael softly spoke, but had no more words. He looked at her as she was in pain and leaned his head back. "Do you want me to rub your back before I leave?"

"Lower back…" instructed Nikita as she rolled onto her side. Michael rubbed gently and then used more and more pressure, feeling the tight muscles trying to keep his hands from relaxing them. The door opened and Ariane walked in. "How are you feeling, Nikita?"

"Sore…" Nikita stated and Ariane nodded her head. "Usually… we would be scheduling for you to come home sometime tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow?" Nikita questioned and Ariane sadly nodded her head. "I know that it is soon… but you also had a severe back labor… I'm going to see what strings I can pull…"

"Ok…" Nikita sadly spoke as she turned her head away and Ariane looked at Michael. "I have to go home soon…"

"Why?" Ariane questioned.

"Visiting hours were done over two hours ago… and we already had Hannah up here…" Michael started to explain and Ariane shrugged her shoulders. She knew that Nikita would be a bear to deal with if Michael wasn't here. "I know the nurses working with Nikita tonight.. they won't say anything."

Michael looked at Ariane as she winked as she moved away. Michael kissed Nikita's neck gently and found that she had already fallen asleep again.

**************************

Mum's little piggies all together
All together, all together
Mum's little piggies all together
All together, the lot.
That's you, and me, too
That's you, and me, too.
~~ A Finnish Nursery Rhyme translated to English

"It feels weird to be able to walk on balance again…" Nikita commented as she navigated the stairs that led up to their house. Michael looked around, seeing their house decorated to the hilt, announcing the arrival of the twins and announcing that their family and friends hadn't listened to Michael's and Nikita's pleads for no hoopla be made over them coming home. "Are you complaining about that?"

Nikita tossed her head from side to side as Michael closed the gap between himself and Nikita. Nikita had Cerise bundled up in her arms and Michael had Abella in matching clothes. They stared at the house and Nikita stamped her feet together. "We have to get them inside…"

"I know… but I have one more thing to say…" Michael whispered and Nikita lifted her head and looked at Michael. "What?"

"Thank you," Michael replied and Nikita shook her head. He had been saying this every since she had gotten pregnant, and then it began in earnest since she delivered Abella and Cerise. "Michael… we both have what we dreamed of… there is no reason to thank me…"

"Come on you two! The little nuggets are getting cold!" Mick hollered from the opened door as he waved his hand towards the door. Nikita nodded her head and walked up to the porch, which was adorned with two huge pink storks, each announcing one of the twins.

Nikita walked into the house and saw the signs and banners about, shaking her head. She wanted to come home, feed her children, and let them go to bed, so she could take a nice long bath. Nikita smiled as Walter came over and slipped his hands out and took Cerise out of her arms and started to walk away. "My little one… look at how much you have grown already!"

"Pappap… she hasn't grown any that you can see," Nikita protested as Belinda helped Nikita out of the coat and then turned to find Michael needed help out of the coat. Birkoff and Quinn had taken Abella out of her father's arms and moved in the opposite direction.

"We are without our children," Nikita stated as she looked over her shoulder at Michael. He moved up to her and rubbed her shoulders. "Don't complain…"

"I'm not… I'm stunned…" Nikita bluntly commented and Michael kissed at her neck lightly. Michele was moving closer to them and sighed. "Alain's company wants him up there next week… He'll be going in a few days… and as soon as I have everything packed up… I'll be following with the boys…"

"Michele…" Nikita whispered as her eyes turned heavy. Michael rubbed at Nikita's shoulders, wondering how they were going to get through the next few months without his sister around. She had been the support for both Michael and Nikita through this pregnancy.

"Don't worry… I'm just a phone call away… and I'm trying to write down all the tips I can remember…" Michele smiled, trying not to drag down this celebration.

"Sugar did you see the article?" Walter called out as he was passing the paper back to Belinda. Nikita shook her head from side to side. "I was a bit busy yesterday…"

"You didn't even see the news? The one channel interrupted regular programming to let us know that you were ok," Quinn spoke, clearly shocked that Nikita didn't know how much of a sensation this was. Nikita only knew that they left the backdoor of the hospital because there was press out there, but hadn't really thought about it.

"Hannah did a wonderful job…. I know that I showed you the photos…" Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head. After Hannah had selected the photos for the paper, she sent color copies of all the pictures (in sets of two, one for each baby) to Michael and Nikita at the hospital. Belinda leaned over and handed Nikita the paper.

The awaited birth of two babies is finally over, as Abella Geneva and Cerise Liana Samuelle screamed their way into the world after a relatively easier labor for their mother Nikita Samuelle and her husband Michael.

Not that this pregnancy has been easy on the couple that France has come to hold as part of their own family. The pair's life from the beginning of their engagement, which was meant as a touching moment so that Nikita and Michael wouldn't be auctioned off to other people, has been that of a very public nature, giving both not a lot of time alone.

I remember when I first spoke to Nikita about her pregnancy. She spoke of how they tried to hide it and how she had to beg storeowners to close their stores so she could shop without other people knowing that she was there. And early last night, I went through what all of Michael's and Nikita's family and friends had to in order to visit Nikita and the twins, who were born early in the morning.

And before you get upset about how they didn't announce it till late, just think of this private time of bonding between mother, father and children. Think of how I had to go through three checkpoints in the hospital before Michael Samuelle had to personally escort me upstairs to see his wife and beautiful daughters. Think about how many gifts the Samuelle's have accepted and turned around and donated to the families through the Centre, even though they had asked repeatedly for no gifts.

Michael and Nikita have already tried to protect their daughters from the life that they didn't want to have, that of a very public couple. I'm sure that in the next year, the names Abelle and Cerise will double and be the most popular names in France. Sometimes, watching Michael and Nikita, is like watching a royal couple, who just want to be a normal family.

For everyone who is wondering, Abella Geneva and Cerise Liana were born at 10:04 and 10:06 in the morning. They were 5 pounds 4 ounces (Abella) and 5 pounds even (Cerise). Both girls were 16 and ½ inches tall, and have proven to be everything that a newborn should be, loveable, cute, and needy of its parents.

And then, after Nikita spent ten hours of labor, she invited me into her room after she fed her babies. During the first day of their life, Nikita was worried about the press and the rumors that could be fed into the papers. I walked in and saw this amazing family, and wondered how I could protect them more. I felt guilty to watch Nikita painfully move in the bed, knowing from other mothers who had "back labors" how painful it was to move afterwards. Nikita moved around, not because the babies needed her, but so I could take a better picture.

There are going to be tons of questions about Abella and Cerise, but I think that Michael and Nikita are the ones that should get to know their daughters better before we do.

Enjoy the pictures. They are an amazing family.

And Michael and Nikita thank you for allowing me in, one too many times. Your generosity flows beyond what is needed.

And Abella and Cerise, in ten years, when your mother and father share this article with you, realize how amazing your parents are. They love you dearly and have given up almost everything to have you two.

"Oh my god… Hannah… sounds guilty…" Nikita whispered as she dropped the paper away. Michael held Nikita gently and kissed her neck. "But it did stop the onslaught of reports… Do you know that they caught four people in the hospital trying to get pictures of the twins? Those people were dressed as nurses and doctors…"

"Is this ever going to stop?" Nikita questioned and Michael slightly shrugged his shoulders. "But if it stops.. it will be because of Hannah…"

"We have to invite her over sometime… to thank her," Nikita spoke and Michael laughed. "We'll think about it in a few months."

"Nikita… would you like some quiche?" Belinda called out as she walked out of the kitchen. She had busied herself back there while Nikita was reading the newspaper.

Nikita sighed and nodded her head. Everyone had been feeding her since the labor. Yesterday, Nikita thought she would have the opportunity to rest during the extra day in the hospital, Nikita had run the gambit of classes about washing, changing and feeding the babies, and friends and family trying to sneak her in food.

And the mention of quiche brought one thing to Nikita's mind: Dominique.

"Did you call Dominique?" Nikita questioned Michael as she turned into his arms. Michael nodded his head. "Yes… but I only got an answering machine…"

"Maybe Antonio came home and surprised him.." Nikita tried to explain and Michael nodded his head, as he liked that idea. He helped Nikita over to the couch and they watched as Cerise and Abella were passed from person to person.

"So… who has the extreme honor and privilege of being these wonderful darling girls' godparents?" Mick questioned as he held Abella in his arms, making faces down at her that didn't upset her. Mick had gotten to hold her when Abella threw a fit being in Quinn's arms.

"We haven't really had a chance to think about it, Mick…" Michael replied as Nikita sunk into Michael's arms, her eyes already started to drift closed. The doorbell rang and someone stood up and answered it.

"Ah… Sugar… you better come here and see this…" Walter spoke and Nikita shook her head and pushed her body up. Michael watched Nikita go and then followed behind her. He looked into the hallway and the basket and box that had arrived. The basket was full of pink flowers and two cute teddy bears. Nikita looked at the card and started to cry. She looked to the box and looked at Michael. "I know that there are cookies in that box…"

Michael picked it up and placed it on the table before carefully opening it. Michael pulled the tray out and looked at the vast amount of cookies that had been handmade and hand-painted pink teddy bears, every other one bearing the names of their girls. Nikita held on her hands and looked to Michael. "I miss him… he should be here…"

"I know…" Michael softly whispered, knowing that it was part of the reason why neither of them wanted to think about godparents at all. Nikita dropped her head to Michael's shoulder for a few moments until they returned to the room with everyone to share the cookies.

"That reminds me… I have a gift for the girls!" Mick declared as he pulled out a sweater box wrapped in pink paper. Nikita looked at it as Michael shook his head. "Mick… you have already bought the girls enough stuffed animals so every child in the Centre could have one…"

"But this is important… those sweet peas will be able to reap the awards of this for sometime… And it is hot off the presses!" Mick declared and Nikita crinkled her eyes as Michael sat down next to her. He wasn't sure if he was going to like this at all. Nikita pulled the lid off and stopped as she was staring down at what appeared to be a menu.

To the restaurant named Abella and Cerise.

"What is this?" Michael questioned as Nikita picked the menu up and opened it up, finding it impossible to read what was being served.

"My new family style restaurant.. I named it after your daughters… and all the profits go to their college fund or towards buying the restaurant when they are old enough…" Mick declared and Walter huffed. He had already given a college fund to both of the girls. Has had Adrian.

"Mick… this is too much…" Nikita started to sputter. Mick rolled his eyes. "It is just right… I mean, the restaurant is different from my others… it's a family style restaurant… and everyone sits down and shares the same food… and each day of the week is another style of food… There is even a vegetarian night… and I'm sure that Mommie's Milkshakes are going to be the most popular drink…"

"Mick!" Michael hissed and Mick tossed his hands up in the air. "Ok… maybe Daddie's French Cheesecake will be the most popular desert… what matters is that it is theirs… and you have free dining there whenever…"

Nikita looked to Michael and swallowed down at the menu. Mick was going to make money off of this. "We'll think about it."

"Fine… fine… but Nikita… just think of it… when your daughters are sixteen years old… and they are looking for work… they can go and work in their own restaurant rather than dealing with the shady restaurant owners out there…" pointed out Mick as he smugly smiled. "You are one of those shady restaurant owners."

"Popsicle… I thought you knew better… I'm a business man… a big difference," Mick declared and Nikita sighed. She was going to continue, but Abella started to scream and that set off the chain reaction to Cerise.

Nikita stood up and looked to Michael. "I'm going to go upstairs and feed them…"

"Ok…" Michael replied as he stood up and walked up there with Nikita. Walter folded his hands and looked around the room. Belinda wasn't so quiet. "What are you doing, Mick? Trying to buy your way to a godparent?"

"No… I'm just giving them what I wanted too," protested Mick immediately, not liking what Belinda was blaming him to do. "You can ask my business manager and restaurant manager… I was just waiting for the babies' names… of course we have to work on the colors because I really thought they were going to have one of each… but it is just a minor detail."

"Ok… hold it all of you… I don't think that Michael and Nikita have had a lot of time to think about things that all of you are fixated on," Ariane stated as she stood next to Davenport, tired, but still there. She couldn't wait to go home and curl up next to Davenport.

"Yeah right…" Walter mumbled and Belinda lightly slugged him, knowing that Walter was starting to slip back into that stubborn little child mood that had only lifted for the past two days.

"Really… this pregnancy was hard on all of you… but particularly Michael and Nikita… give them sometime to adjust to being parents of twins… it is going to take sometime…" Ariane replied, not giving up her position. Michele frowned slightly and took a cookie into her hand. She bit into it and swallowed, knowing that it was the people who exited and who were about to exit from their lives that were causing the hold up.

"I have to be going… Alain is leaving pretty soon and the twins have been difficult to pack…" Michele abruptly spoke as she stood up. She felt out of place right now, not wanting to get too close to Michael and Nikita has they transitioned into being parents of twins. Michele had been lucky. Alain's mother had been living with them when she had the twins, but Michele was afraid of Nikita doing this alone.

She slipped out as the conversations continued and she looked upstairs to the nursery as she walked towards her car. The lights were one and Michele knew that right now, Michael was helping Nikita as much as he could.

She just wandered how much Nikita was going to let Michael help.

~~

Nikita padded into the nursery and pulled the rocking chair between the two cradles. She had fed them not more than an hour ago and then had to change Cerise, which meant she then had to change Abella. Nikita could feel the heaviness in her breasts and knew that soon they would need to feed again and the cycle would continue.

It wasn't like Nikita was getting sleep next to Michael. She was wide-awake, listening for any noise that would indicate that her children needed her. The snaps and crackles over the baby monitor didn't help Nikita at all. She just wanted to be near them at all times.

Abella started to stretch and Nikita sighed as she picked the little girl up. Her hair seemed to be multiplying quickly while Cerise was bald as can be. Nikita watched as Abella's mouth already started to suckle. It was amazing how well these girls knew their mother already. Nikita knew that if she started to feed Abella now, that Cerise would wake up and want to be fed. Nikita carefully woke up Cerise and held her in the other arm. Nikita looked around and swallowed. She had forgotten the pillow and groaned in frustration.

"Haven't you been in here all night?" Michael sleepily questioned as he stood next to the door, having heard Nikita groaning with the frustration of not having two more hands. Nikita looked at Michael and swallowed. "They need to feed every two hours… and they both woke up and needed changed…"

"I could have changed them… you need your rest…" Michael whispered as he took Cerise out of Nikita's hands and looked to the rocking chair. He settled in and indicated for Nikita to sit on his lap. Nikita did that and quickly unbuttoned her nightgown. Michael kissed her neck as he positioned Cerise towards her breast. Nikita carefully watched Cerise latch on and then aided Abella in doing the same. Once both daughters were suckling milk from Nikita, Michael started to push the rocking chair slightly back and forth.

It was moments like this that made life heaven.

~~

Michael walked into the bedroom with a tray of breakfast foods. He knew that he had to act fast to get time with Nikita before their daughters needed to be fed again. Michael settled the tray on the nightstand and slowly kissed Nikita's cheeks and then moved her mouth as she began to respond. Nikita turned onto her back and opened her eyes. "Good morning…"

"Michael…" Nikita whispered as she blinked her eyes, still in that haze between asleep and awake. But that shattered as Nikita's eyes opened wide. "How are Abella and Cerise?"

"Asleep… I brought you breakfast… I know that you have to keep your strength up while you are feeding…" Michael commented as he helped Nikita sit up in bed and then placed the tray in front of her. Nikita smiled and picked up a fork. "Do you need anything else?"

"Water… I need to drink a lot too.." Nikita commented with a nervous laugh. She looked at the food and swallowed. There was a lot of food there. "Michele suggested this meal… said it would feed the babies… but would also give you energy…"

"It must be the orange juice," Nikita commented as she took a sip, tasting the hint of lemon in it, just like Dominique always made it. Nikita turned her head slightly to the side and pressed her lips together.

"Michael… I don't have the heart to name godparents… I really don't…"

"Kita… we don't have to worry about it now," Michael replied as he guided the fork to the sausage and watched Nikita has she half-heartedly eaten it. Nikita settled the fork down to speak, but Michael filled it with food. "Eat… I'll be back with water…"

Five minutes later as Michael walked back in the bedroom, he saw that Nikita barely ate more. He handed her the glass of ice water, which she drained about half right away. Michael placed more food on the fork and looked to Nikita. "You have to eat…"

"Michael… we have to name godparents…" Nikita stated as he lifted the fork to her mouth. Nikita looked at him and finally ate as Michael sighed. "We don't have to do anything according to their schedule…"

"I want things to be different too… but these gifts are going to get out of control… maybe we should just name Birkoff and Quinn the godparents since they aren't related to us… just to be over with it," Nikita attempted to make sense of this time.

"But that isn't what you want…" Michael commented as he settled down on the bed, filling Nikita's fork each time that it was emptied.

"There are a lot of things that I want that I don't get," Nikita said as she looked to the side. "We don't even know if we are going to see Dominique again…"

"Kita… all of this can wait…" Michael whispered and Nikita pressed her lips together before sighing. "Right now should be about you… and me… and Abella and Cerise…"

"You are right," Nikita added and gobbled at more of the food and finished off the water. Michael rolled to the side and pulled out a box. "I got this for you." Michael handed Nikita the box as she shook her head. "I have enough."

"Just open it," Michael directed Nikita with a wryly smile crossing his face. Nikita pulled the box open and stopped as she pulled out the delicate gold bracelet with two little girl's charms on it. Each had the girls' names on it and their birth date. Nikita looked at Michael and started to cry. "Everyone bought the girls gift… but their mother… the most amazing women in the world deserved something too."

"Michael…" Nikita whispered and then was interrupted by a crying baby. "That's Cerise."

"You know that already, Kita?" Michael inquired and she nodded her head as she moved to get out of bed. Her breasts throbbed slightly, knowing that it was time to feed once more. "Yep… and Abella won't be far behind."

And as Michael and Nikita walked out of the room, the other baby started to cry also.

******************

Long life like, good, moves back and forth White water underneath in a circle, it is made, they say. Then White water, on it, spread across it is made they say. White shell curved over, beneath it rests, it is made, they say. Lightning alongside dances, they say. Lightning by it fastened across, they say. Rainbow its rope it is made they say. Black water blanket underneath rests; White water blanket underneath rests. Long life like, good, baby-carrier it is made they say. Sun, his chief, by, inside it rumbles they say. ~~ The Blessing Song for Girls, translated from Lipan Apache to English

Birkoff walked back into the bedroom, feeling a strain in his back from this last creative play with Quinn. He looked at Quinn as she propped one elbow up and held her head up. "Sore?"

"Can you stop slamming me against a wall without telling me?" Birkoff whined and Quinn laughed. "I thought you enjoyed yourself…"

"That's not what I'm saying… if you could just warn me…" Birkoff softly stated as he slipped into bed. Quinn curled up next to him and sighed. "Do you think we can get our own place?"

"You want to live with me?" Birkoff questioned as he kissed Quinn's forehead gently. He liked the idea, especially since they got engaged they spent the nights rotating from one place to the next place.

"I think it makes logical economic sense," Quinn replied gently as she wrapped her arms around Birkoff, smiling at the love of her life.

"Apartment? House? What do you want?" Birkoff inquired.

"It isn't only about a what I want… it's about what you want…"

"I just want you… and I have that," Birkoff smoothly replied and Quinn kissed at his chin before grazing her teeth against his neck. "Have you been taking charm lessons off of Michael?" Birkoff jerked his head up and looked down at Quinn. "No… I haven't."

"That's good to know… because I only want to be where you want to be…" Quinn echoed Birkoff's words.

His own heart stopped as he heard the, realizing how special it was to hear it. "But I guess before we can make a decision about a house over an apartment, I guess there are bigger questions to answer." Quinn pushed her body up to a sitting position and looked down over Birkoff. He followed suit and swallowed.

"Are you talking about children?" Birkoff's voice trembled out as he took Quinn's hand and played with her engagement ring.

"Yes," admitted Quinn as she noticed how tense Birkoff suddenly got. "Does that scare you, Seymour?"

"Sort of… but it isn't over me not wanting them…" Birkoff explained as he didn't want Quinn to take any of his words wrong. But Quinn knew where it was heading. "Not all pregnancies are like Nikita's, Seymour."

"I know.."

"How many do you want?" Quinn inquired as she looked at her fiancé.

"How many what?"

"Children. What does your dream have in it?" Quinn continued to press, but with a soft voice. Birkoff looked to the window and then back at the moonlit face. "I always thought about two kids… but not at the same time."

"I don't even want two at the same time!" Quinn joked happily and sighed as she wrapped her arms around Birkoff. "But I am not pressuring you, Seymour… I'm not ready for children yet… but it is good to know."

"Yeah… it is good to know…" Birkoff agreed as he leaned back slightly. "But it doesn't mean that I want to go out and offer to baby sit a lot either."

"Michael and Nikita will need sometime to themselves!" Quinn countered and Birkoff rolled his eyes.

"You know that they are by themselves right now."

"With twins!"

"They sleep a lot…" Birkoff countered and Quinn rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that Michael and Nikita are finding out how wrong you are about twins sleeping a lot."

~~

"Oh shit!" Michael hollered as he looked at the diaper he was attempting to place on Abella get splattered with baby poop. It had just exploded from her tiny body and it was like Abella had no idea why her father was yelling and swearing.

"Michael! Watch your language!" Nikita shouted over Cerise's cries. She was not a happy baby this evening from the moment that she woke up for her evening feeding.

"Nikita… she exploded poop everywhere!" Michael exclaimed as he looked at he changing table and noticed that he was going to have to do a lot of cleaning up, once he cleaned Abella up and got a diaper around her. He pulled out a wipe and jumped away as Abella let loose again. "Oh god.. this is disgusting!"

"Michael… Cerise did the same thing to me about an hour ago and all you did was laugh!" Nikita countered as she rocked her baby back and forth and finally gave in, pushing her gown to the side and allowed Cerise to nurse once more.

"She did it again, Kita… and it is still green… how long is that going to last?" Michael questioned as he picked up another wipe and looked down at his daughter, was almost ready to drift off to sleep. He started to wipe her up, which meant that threw her into a tizzy. "Just a few more days… it's their body getting use to the breast milk."

Michael pulled the diaper away and pulled out another one. He used another wipe to clean off the table and groaned as he realized that he was going to have to change Abella's clothes now also. "Where are the rest of the clothes?"

"What? There were four there before we gave them a bath…" Nikita stated as she turned and stared at the table, seeing Michael holding up the last outfit. Nikita groaned and leaned her head back. "I knew I should have done that wash!"

"It's ok… I'll put it in as soon as I get Abella dressed again…" Michael replied, trying not to react to this, seeing that Nikita was already stressed. The feedings every two hours were taking their toll on Nikita, and she wasn't listening to Michael. He had attempted many times to take care of the twins by himself during those two hours, but Nikita wouldn't listen to it. Every time a baby cried, Nikita was up on her feet, ready to work.

"No… I'll run downstairs and do it…" Nikita commented quickly as Cerise pulled away from her breast. Cerise just wasn't feeding well when she was away from Abella. Michael turned and placed the diaper down and turned to ease Abella's legs up when she peed. "This is ridiculous!"

"What?" Nikita questioned, afraid that Michael thought that she was doing something wrong. Michael looked at Nikita as his hand stayed on Abella. "She peed on the new diaper… doesn't she ever stop going to the bathroom?"

"She is a baby, Michael," Nikita chided her husband carefully. She placed Cerise into her cradle and pulled at the basket of dirty baby clothes. "Cerise is going to need changed… I think I have a few of their nighties in the dryer… I'll be right back." Michael turned to watch Nikita retreat in a rush down the stairs. Michael swallowed and looked around.

He was alone with two babies that only liked to pee and poop.

~~

Belinda opened the door and walked into the kitchen, finding the house very quiet. She knew that Birkoff and Quinn had started the search for a house of their own, but Belinda also knew that the two of them were finicky when it came to what they wanted. At this rate, it was going to take Birkoff and Quinn about three years to find their perfect house.

Belinda dropped her bags on the table and picked up the phone to check if there were any messages. She hadn't heard anything from Michael and Nikita since they arrived home with the twins about a week ago. Belinda assumed that everything was fine and that the family was adjusting.

"Belinda?" Walter bellowed as he walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. He looked at Belinda with a smile on his face. "What did you buy good to eat?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me why you are smiling like a cat after getting the last of the milk," Belinda countered and Walter leaned against the banister and laughed.

"I stopped by Michael's and Nikita's today…" Walter started to explain, but he couldn't help laughing.

"Oh? How are they and the babies?"

"Well… they were attempting to wash the two…. I think that Michael and Nikita may be overwhelmed…" Walter spoke, deciding that his words were being very generous to the two.

"Overwhelmed?"

"That might be the wrong word," Walter admitted as he shrugged his shoulders. "Nikita is exhausted… but won't let Michael do things on his own… and Michael doesn't want to miss a moment, so he is always up too.. they aren't sleeping… I think that Abella and Cerise sleep more than they do," Walter informed Belinda with a smile on his face. She didn't like it that Walter was finding it humorous. Michael and Nikita needed their support right now, not to be made fun of.

"Did you help out?" Belinda questioned and Walter raised his hands. "I offered… but both of them snapped at me."

"You must have offered to help out doing something extremely inappropriate…" Belinda decided and Walter moved away from the banister and started to peak into the bags. "I just do what those two tell me to do… and if you think this is bad… Michele leaves tomorrow morning…"

"I wish she didn't have to leave," Belinda whispered, knowing that it was going to be difficult. Michele has probably been there each day, trying to help out. For some reason, it was easier to accept help from Michele than it was anyone else. Belinda was sure that it was because Michele has twins.

Belinda started to pull out the pastry and then turned to look at Walter. Michael and Nikita probably haven't had the time to call, so it wasn't that Michael and Nikita called for Walter to come over and visit. She knew that something was up. "Exactly why did you stop by their house?"

"Why? I'm the great-grandfather… I can stop by any time…" Walter declared and Belinda leaned her head to the side, not believing one word that was being told to her. "Really?"

"Of course… Nikita likes it that way," Walter lied and Belinda placed the pastry down on the table and sighed as her eyes narrowed. "You are lying… now why did you go over there?"

"Belinda… it was nothing… I just wanted to see the babies…"

"Walter…"

"Ok… ok… I saw an ad for Mick's restaurant, Abella and Cerise, and wanted to make sure that Michael and Nikita saw it," Walter declared partial truth. Belinda pulled out the stalk of celery as her mind went over what he was saying, knowing the man better that he wanted to admit.

"Oh… so this was not only about the restaurant… this was about you worrying about who is going to be the godparents…." Belinda declared with a smile crossing her face. She knew that this fact was driving Walter to the brink of insanity.

"No… I am not bothering them at all…" Walter protested and Belinda arched an eyebrow. "And if it was Mick, you wouldn't complain?"

"I didn't say that either… that man is a weasel and shouldn't be a role model for Abella and Cerise!" Walter hissed and huffed as he tried to pull the pastry up. With one firm smack of her hand, Belinda had made Walter retreat away. "You have to stop bothering them about it…"

"I don't know what it is an ordeal… Its just godparents, for Pete's sake!"

"Sometimes I don't think you even listen to yourself…" Belinda declared as she opened up the refrigerator and stashed the celery deep into it. She looked over her shoulder, as Walter was puzzled at her last statement. "Walter… you don't want Mick to be the godfather… but yet you don't think that Michael and Nikita should worry over this?"

"I mean… they should know that it is ok that the godparents aren't in town…" Walter stressed and Belinda shifted her weight slightly. "What if they are out of the country?"

"Well…" Walter drifted off and sighed. "If that is what is holding all of this up…"

"I don't think it is… you know it isn't… and we all know that in some way and form that godparents represent a religious thing… and I don't know how much religion Michael and Nikita practice," Belinda spoke and Walter turned away. "I guess that is part of my fault."

"How can it be your fault? Look at Nikita's life. There is no way that you would have been able to sell her on religion when she came back to you… and Michael… look at the people and look at what you are talking about… and then think about stepping off of the pressure…" Belinda lectured as she pulled a few boxes of cereal out of the bags and then looked back at the chastised Walter. "I didn't mean to cause problems…"

"I know… but sometimes you have to think very hard before you go visit Michael and Nikita," Belinda reminded. Walter rubbed his hands together and then kicked at the floor. "But I enjoyed my visit."

"Where the twins good?" Belinda offered and Walter started to laugh again.

"Oh… peeing in the water… pooping after they are clean… crying and screaming while Nikita tries to eat a sandwich… I think it is good…"

~~

Nikita opened up the refrigerator and pulled out the head of lettuce. She pulled out a knife and started to chop the lettuce up as she pulled out about twenty small plastic containers. Michael blinked his eyes as he watched Nikita working.

Whenever she had to do something in the house that wasn't upstairs near the twins, Nikita had taken to the habit of hooking the baby monitor onto her clothing, so she would be able to hear every single noise that was being made. Michael couldn't help but think that things were getting excessive quickly.

"Kita… what can I do?" Michael questioned and Nikita turned and stared at him as she threw the knife down into the lettuce. "You can take another week off."

"I can't."

"I get to say goodbye to Michele tomorrow.. and you are going to back to work… What if I can't do this!" Nikita cried out as she stared at her husband, feeling like she was ready to sleep for two weeks.

"You are doing everything, Nikita… Sometimes I am just in the way…. And the Centre needs me," Michael replied and Nikita felt the tears in her eyes.

She needed him. But she wasn't going to tell him that.

"Michael… I am in the kitchen… making salads… prepared so I can get something to eat between the babies crying, feeding, and needing changed. I have about fourteen loads of laundry that needs to be done… and I can't remember the last time I got to take a shower!" Nikita started to speak, but her voice got louder as she went on.

"Nikita… you can get a shower tonight… and I'll work on the laundry…" Michael responded. Nikita fluttered her eyes. "You shrink clothes."

"Nikita… I am offering my help… but whatever I offer to help with… you won't let me do!" Michael exclaimed and Nikita sighed. "I can't stand you asking me what to do. Just do it, Michael. For once when the babies cry, I would love to hear you go to them before asking me if you want me to allow you to get them!"

"Nikita… this is ridiculous! Why are we fighting over this?" Michael questioned and then he stopped. He knew exactly why they were fighting over this.

Michele was leaving and Nikita was feeling very alone.

"We aren't fighting! You are upset that I'm upset that you are going to back to work!" Nikita shouted as she turned back to the lettuce, chopping it up finely. Michael pressed his lips together and opened up the refrigerator, pulling out the tomato. "What else can I prepare for you?"

"I'll be lucky to eat the salad…" Nikita commented harshly and Michael frowned. He pulled out a large pot and pulled out some pasta. "I'll make you some noodles."

"I don't want noodles!" Nikita declared with a final chop to the lettuce. She heard the babies crying and rushed out of the kitchen. Michael watched her go and picked up the knife and continued Nikita's work.

When Nikita came back downstairs, forty minutes later, there were twenty prepared salads and ten small dishes of pasta, all ready to be easily eaten.

And Michael was downstairs washing clothes.

But none of that mattered. Nikita just wanted Michael to be home with her.

~~

Nikita stood on the stairs, holding her coat tightly around her. "I wish you didn't have to go…"

"I'm just a phone call away, Nikita…" Michele encouraged Nikita even though she understood Nikita's tears.

"It's not going to be the same… I'm going to be all alone…" Nikita whispered. Michele shook her head back and forth. "You aren't alone… you have two beautiful girls that love you."

"That make me so tired that I have been falling asleep on the toilet!" Nikita declared and Michele took Nikita's hand. "This is all going to pass and you are going to look back in just a few months and wonder where it all went. Don't wish for it to happen so quickly."

"Call when you get in," Nikita ordered Michele as they hugged. Michael touched Nikita's shoulders, but Nikita wouldn't be outside when Michele pulled away with the boys. Abella and Cerise began to wail again.

Michele pulled her brother's arm and moved him in-between her car and the house. "She really needs you, Michael."

"She is doing it all, Michele," Michael explained and Michele shook her head. "She needs you… don't go back to work and forget about her."

"I'm not going to do that."

"Come on early, Michael.. bring her flowers… surprise her… but don't come home late… please…" Michele urged her brother.

"I can't… I have twins," Michael declared and Michele pressed her lips together. Alain had said the same thing when he went back to work after she had the boys. And very quickly, he was back to his old schedule.

"I'm only a phone call away… and since Alain's mother is moving in… if something happens… I can come down for a visit…" Michele informed Michael. He kissed his sister's cheeks and smiled. "I'm sure that we will never have to pull you away from your family."

"You are my family too, Michael… don't forget that," Michele urged her brother. Michael nodded his head and hugged her once more. "Be good to her, Michael."

And upstairs, Nikita held Cerise in her arms, crying.

She watched Michele's car drive away with Michele, Philippe and Samuel. And then she watched Michael drive away to work.

And she was alone.

************************ Pussy, little kitty, Kitty - little, grey tail. Come to us and stay the night, To rock our little baby. I will pay you, cat, For your job - I will give you a piece of cake And a jug of milk. ~~ A Russian Nursery Rhyme translated into English

"Michael! You are here!" Elizabeth hollered as Michael walked back into the Centre after having a meeting at the bank early that morning. Michael was discussing the steps that would be needed for the bank to allow another person to sign checks on the Centre's account. Michael stopped and watched as Elizabeth ran towards him.

"Elizabeth? Why aren't you with Adrian? And where is Stanley?" Michael quickly countered, wanting to eliminate the need for him to interact with clients right now. He was going to have a mass of bills on his desk that needed his attention.

"Stanley is in the day care that Adrian arranged… but I really have to talk to you about Adrian…" Elizabeth spoke and Michael shook his head. "That's why you have Quinn."

"Quinn isn't listening to me. When can I see Nikita?" Elizabeth countered and Michael pressed his lips together. He knew that this was exactly what he was trying to avoid at all costs. "Elizabeth… our twins are only two weeks old… Nikita won't be back for a long time."

"Why? We need her. I need her," Elizabeth replied, being the stubborn teenager. Michael looked to the wall and then over at Birkoff. He picked up the phone and made the motion that he was calling for Quinn.

"Elizabeth… you have been working with Quinn for a long time now. I'm sure that you can get pass this misunderstanding and move on with your relationship," Michael carefully spoke.

"She doesn't understand how it feels to be a mother!"

"Nikita won't be back for sometime," Michael declared and Elizabeth turned away with tears in her eyes. "You are keeping her at home!"

"I am not keeping her at home. She wanted me to stay home too… Now, I'll let Nikita know that you asked about her…" Michael compromised, knowing that once he mentioned Elizabeth's name that Nikita was liable to get too involved either way.

"Fine! Do what you want you bastard! All you really care about is what you want!" Elizabeth hollered as she spun around and walked down the hallway. Michael saw Quinn shrugging her shoulders and following behind Elizabeth. Michael turned and started up the stairs, suddenly exhausted.

"Hey, Michael…" Davenport spoke and stopped when Michael's shoulder slumped forward and he looked defeated. "The twins keeping you up all night?"

"Something like that. Nikita is upset that I came back today," Michael informed Davenport. He frowned and shrugged his shoulders. "I know that you would love to spend all your time with them all… I'm sure that once Nikita gets used to things, that she will understand everything."

"I don't know if that time is ever going to get here," Michael shrugged as he turned and continued on to the office. He saw Walter standing there and dropped the briefcase to the ground. "Please don't yell at me for coming back."

"Why would I do that?" Walter questioned, surprised that Michael had said that. "Why? Because Nikita is absolutely livid that I came back?"

"She'll get over it. She is the mother," Walter replied and Michael blinked his eyes, not liking that statement at all. "Yes, she is the mother. But I'm an active father… or as active as Nikita lets me be."

"Nikita already has you whipped into shape," Walter commented and Michael frowned. "Nikita hasn't done anything to me. We are both trying to get used to have two needing babies."

"They need Nikita," Walter stated and Michael turned his head and placed his hands over his chest. "Get away from me."

"What? What did I say?" Walter questioned and Michael looked at Walter.

"Just leave before I do something that I will regret and that Nikita would never forgive me for doing," growled Michael. Walter shook his head. "Come on, Michael… we all know that you aren't going to suddenly sprout breasts and start breastfeeding those kids!"

"Shut up, Walter." Michael hissed once more and Walter lifted his hands up and walked away. Michael turned against the wall and slightly pounded his head against the wall. Walter was acting like Michael should have been back to work the day after Nikita delivered. Meanwhile, although Nikita was acting like Michael was happy to be back at work, he wasn't.

He wanted to be at home.

Michael finally pushed the office door open and saw the blinking light on his phone. He sighed and looked at the overflowing inbox, even though he had taken some of the work home a few days ago when he stopped in for about an hour in the dead of the night.

Michael turned on the light and sat down at the desk, pulling out a pad of paper to write down the messages. He pulled the cradle up and dialed in his password.

"You have 2 7 messages," The voice announced and Michael pulled out a pen, groaning. He started to listen.

The first 15 were important, although all of them mentioned the babies and congratulated Michael and Nikita on their arrival. Then Michael got to the last twelve calls.

"Michael… it's Nikita and it just about five minutes after you left. I just wanted to you know that I hope your day goes fine. The girls want me now… so talk to you when you get home." Nikita's voice came over the machine, as did the screaming babies. Michael frowned and sighed as he erased the message and went over the next one.

"Michael? Are you there? Why aren't you picking up? The girls won't go to sleep… and I just wanted to see if you could think of something that I'm not doing…. Call me." Michael's fingers moved quickly and he moved onto the next message. "Michael… I didn't want you to worry about the girls and me… so I wanted you to know that they are asleep now, but please call me when you get in."

"Where are you? I thought that you would call when you got in. I'm worried Michael… please call me," Nikita's voice came over strained and more panicked. Michael sighed and blinked his eyes, knowing that this wasn't easy on her at all.

"Michael… can you pick up some more laundry soap on the way home… Shhh… Abella… mommy got you… shhh… Either way, Michael… Cerise peed over all of their cleaned clothes and we'll be needing more soap." Michael groaned and dropped his head. He pulled out a catalog, determined to buy more clothing for the twins so washing wasn't going to be a big deal.

"It's Nikita… I was hoping to get in touch with you… I was wondering if you could stop by Josephine's… that really nice maternity and mother store… she has a few shirts on hold for me… that are button down… I'm so sick of walking around the house naked just because our girls always want to eat… Ok? If you don't know how to get there, please call me." Michael closed his eyes and groaned. Each call Nikita's voice sounded more stressed out than the last one.

"Hell, Michael… where are you? You said that you were going to work and you haven't shown up yet? Or did you just need an excuse to get out of the house and away from the babies and me? Is that it? Are we that bothersome that you have to lie to me? You better call, jerk!" Nikita angrily hissed and Michael dropped his head, afraid to find out that the rest of the calls were from Nikita.

And they were.

Michael pressed the button for the last one and swallowed. "Michael… I thought you loved me… and the girls… and here we are… all alone… not knowing where you are and when you are coming back. Do you think that I can do this alone? Where the hell are you? Are you that upset at me for all of this? Do you even care anymore?" Nikita cried out over the line. Michael dropped the phone and pushed the pad aside, knowing that he needed to talk to Nikita first.

He pulled up the phone and dialed the number. And listened to it ring and ring and ring. Finally, the answering machine picked up. Michael swallowed. "You have reached Michael and Nikita Samuelle. We aren't able to take your call right now. Please leave a message."

"Kita? Kita? Can you pick up? Please? Nikita… we really need to talk.. I know that you are nervous about this day… but you are going to be fine… Please, don't be mad at me, Nikita… Pick up the phone? Please?" Michael begged and then stopped as the machine ended his message. Michael stood up and walked out of the office, walking down to Birkoff's area. "Has Nikita called you?"

"Nope… Why? Are you expecting her?" Birkoff questioned and Michael shook his head. He looked around and looked at the two men sitting down. "Are they my interviews?"

"Yes… kind of stiff if you catch my drift…" Birkoff commented and Michael nodded his head. He introduced himself to the first one and walked down to the conference room, working on finding someone suitable to work for the Centre and who would be able to deal with all the insanity in this room.

~~

"Nikita… pick up the phone! Nikita… I know that you are there, now pick up the phone!" Michael directed over the phone. She had called ten times while he had been in the interview. Her mood ranged from the beginning being weepy to being extremely upset that last time, which was over a half hour ago. Michael couldn't take this much longer and dropped the phone down. He had so much to do and he couldn't stand the fact that the more often Nikita called, the less time Michael spent on catching up with work.

Neither man that he had interviewed was suitable for the job. Michael looked at the ad that he had sent out to the newspapers and revised it some so it could be posted once more. He needed to get someone into that fiscal position or his life was only going to continue to get worse.

Michael had another interview in twenty minutes, but he didn't think that it was going to work out from just looking at the resume. Michael picked up the phone, trying Nikita once more, but getting nowhere. He sighed and left the office, wondering how many more phone calls would make in this day until he finally talked to her.

~~

Michael rolled his head around as he looked at the clock. It was getting later than he had planned on being at work. He had spent some time with Birkoff, planning on where else they could advertise for the position that was opened and then got stopped by some of the families that used the Centre. They all wanted to talk about the babies, but Michael just wanted to finish writing the checks and get home.

Michael groaned as he saw the blinking light on the phone, but picked it up either way. He waited and then dropped his head as he heard his children screaming first.

"I took care of everything that I didn't know that you would. I had the grocery store deliver the laundry soap and I started a load of clothes as our girls screamed. And I had Josephine's deliver the clothes because after the exploding poop from Abella, I needed to change into something and all that was left was a tank top that I still can't fit into because I'm still carrying pregnancy fat on me. So, I decided that I am only going to eat a salad tonight, since the girls probably want to milk more from me… not that you really care about what is going on here. I just didn't want you to run around and get home later than it already is," Nikita's curt voice cut over the line. Michael looked at the pile of bills that needed to be taken care of and the list of phone calls he needed to return and stood up.

He needed to get home.

~~

"Kita?" Michael called out as he walked into the house, holding a bouquet of roses in his hand. He looked around as Nikita came to the top of the stairs with a finger over her mouth. "They are finally asleep! Be quiet!"

"I just didn't know where you were," Michael replied as he extended the flowers. Nikita looked at them, held them in her hands and moved to the kitchen without a word. "I brought food from Abella and Cerise… Mick said he could make sure we have food delivered each night if we need that…"

"I already ate," Nikita stubbornly spoke as she dumped the flowers unceremoniously into a vase and filled it with water.

"Nikita… I tried to call…" Michael attempted to explain as he placed the bag of food down. Nikita turned and blinked her eyes. "Yes, you did call… and each and every single time the girls were asleep. Were you thinking at all?"

"How was I supposed to know that they were sleeping?" Michael questioned.

"They are babies. They sleep." Nikita turned away and rubbed her neck. Michael moved in closer, trying to rub her, but Nikita jerked away. "Maybe you need some sleep yourself."

"I'll be fine. I just spent all day alone with them and we did perfectly fine." Nikita started to walk out of the kitchen and Michael swallowed. He wanted to scream and yell. "Kita… we could make this easier on you… if maybe you pumped some milk after you fed them… then I could bottle feed them when they wake up in two hours… You need to have more sleep."

"We can't do that! It will confuse them and then they won't feed from me at all. Or is that what you want? Do you want them to stop breastfeeding so you can be closer to them and be all-mighty father again?" Nikita hollered and now the babies cried. Nikita jerked the baby monitor off of her shirt and threw it to the floor before jogging up the stairs. Michael swallowed and sat down.

~~

"I'm going home, Birkoff… I won't be in till Monday," Michael declared at 3 o'clock Thursday afternoon. Birkoff jotted it down and smiled. "Planning on some time with Nikita and the girls?"

"Attempting to fix things… Nikita hasn't really talked to me at all this week." Michael rubbed his face. In fact, the only time that Nikita did talk to him was to fight.

She didn't like the delivered food. She didn't like the clothes for the girls that Michael bought. She didn't like Michael's three robes that he bought for her to wear instead of shirts. She didn't like anything.

"Maybe you two should just try to get out for an hour or two…" Birkoff suggested and Michael nodded his head. He had tried, but it hadn't worked. "Me and Quinn are free most of this weekend… so give us a call if you need some help."

"Thank you, Birkoff," Michael responded as he turned and headed out of the door. Going home, to who knew what.

~~

"Shh… Abella… you are surely crabby today…" Michael soothed his daughter as he walked back and forth in the hallway. She wouldn't calm down and Michael took care of it, despite Nikita's warnings that he didn't know how to help her the most. Michael looked down and found her asleep. Quickly, Michael deposited Abella back into the cradle and went downstairs. "All done."

"Well thank god… the father does something," Nikita sarcastically retorted as she walked back into the kitchen, looking at the plates and starting to fill up the sink. Michael followed her and turned the water off.

"I said that I would do the dishes."

"You never had before," Nikita stated as she turned the water back on.

Michael pulled Nikita's body away and Nikita turned around and slapped him. "Don't you dare do that! I can do this all. I do it all day by myself there is no reason why I can't do it now!"

"I'm home, now, Nikita… I'm going to be home tomorrow too… I can chip in now…" Michael attempted to get Nikita to open up, to let him help.

"Why? So on Monday when you go back to work, I can do it all by myself again. Why lull myself into thinking that I got help. Work is most important too you, you should be there!" Nikita hollered and walked back out of the kitchen. Michael watched as she stomped and then went back to the sink to do what he was going to do.

The dishes.

Michael finished and picked up the baby monitor, hearing nothing. He pressed his lips together and then turned to pull up the phone. He dialed the number and swallowed. "Hello, Guillou residence…"

"Michele…. It's Michael," Michael breathed out, feeling better just hearing his sister's voice. "Michael! How are you and Nikita doing with the twins?"

"That's why I called…" announced Michael and he heard the sigh on the other side. "What's wrong?"

"I haven't talked to Nikita all week without a fight breaking out," Michael declared and he heard Michele groan on the other side. "It's because you went to work."

"I know… but Michele… I can't get into her to talk… she just is always mad at me…" Michael almost whined to his sister. He was ready to listen to anything that Michele said, because he needed his Nikita back.

"Michael… Nikita is not only mad… she is scared out of her mind when she is home alone… Did you get home early?" Michele inquired.

"Yes… and that first day, before I even got into the office… Nikita called twelve times… and then I couldn't get in touch with her… and now she won't even answer the phone during the week…" Michael related the story over. "It isn't because I don't want to do anything, Michele. She is exhausted and she won't let me do anything."

"You need to talk to her, Michael," Michele warned, knowing that it was much easier to say this than it was for it to happen. "Is there any way that you can get someone to baby sit for two hours… so you two can just take a drive to somewhere private?"

"There are plenty who will baby sit… I don't know if Nikita will let anyone," Michael replied as he leaned against the sink, now hearing the babies crying again.

"Michael… you have to do something about this now… it will only get worse if it continues… Nikita needs your help… no matter how much she protests…" Michele gave the grave warning. Michael frowned and stood up as he picked up the monitor. One of the girls were crying and Nikita wasn't responding to the.

"Michele… I have to go… I'll work on this…"

"Have Nikita call me if it is too overwhelming for her to leave the babies alone for two hours…" Michele offered as Michael hung up the phone. He held onto the monitor and jogged quickly up the stairs. "Kita?"

Michael didn't hear Nikita before he turned into the nursery. Cerise was flailing her arms around crazily. She was so upset. Michael picked his daughter up and noticed that Abella was about to cry also. Michael moved and rocked Cerise as he walked out of the room, looking for Nikita. "Kita?"

Michael walked into the bedroom and saw Nikita asleep on the bed. Michael nudged her hips with his hips, but Nikita didn't even roll over. Michael looked concerned as Cerise continued to scream in his arms and Nikita still hadn't woken up. "Nikita… Nikita!"

Michael squatted and pushed at her shoulders with one hand. Her head shot up and then Nikita blinked her eyes. Michael wasn't sure if she was asleep at all. "Ummph?"

"Nikita… the babies were crying… I think they need fed…" Michael whispered and Nikita jolted her body up, breathing quickly and nervously. She didn't even know when she had sat down on the bed. "Kita? Kita?"

"Give me her… and I'll go get Abella…" Nikita shakily spoke and Michael frowned. "No, Kita… I'll give you Cerise… but I'll bring Abella to you… You are exhausted…"

Michael continued to hold Cerise as Nikita turned her head with tears in her eyes. "I can't do this… I can't do this anymore…"

"Yes you can, Kita… we just have to work through things… ok… But first thing is first… let me help you feed the girls… and then you can sleep, ok?" Michael spoke slowly and surely. Nikita numbly nodded her head up and down. Nikita swallowed and looked at Michael as he carefully placed Cerise in Nikita's arms. She immediately started to suckle, trying to find Nikita. Michael looked over his shoulder before dashing to gather Abella and bring her into the room.

"I'm failing…" Nikita barely mouthed and Michael shook his head as he sat down in the rocking chair. This was the favorite position for Michael to help out in. Nikita moved over, shrugging off the opened rope before sitting down on Michael. "I'm so tired…"

"Shh… we'll take care of it… we will…" Michael soothed Nikita as he eased Abella onto Nikita's nipple and then looked at Cerise as she struggled to get a hold onto Nikita. Michael shifted Nikita's breast for her and soon both girls were happily feeding.

And Nikita was virtually asleep.

******************************

The little sandman with the umbrella the friend of Snow White and Cinderella When you are sleepy, he takes your hand and guides you gently to fairyland. ~~ The Little Sandman with the Umbrella by Peter Lemche (A Danish Nursery Rhyme)

"Thank you for doing this," Michael softly spoke to Birkoff and Quinn as they sat in the living room. Nikita was in the closed up dining room giving the girls the feeding. The deal was that after Nikita fed them that she wouldn't change them that she would hand them over to Birkoff and Quinn to take care of for the next two hours.

"It's no problem… and you have the cell phone if there is a problem," Birkoff stated and Quinn rolled her eyes. "We can take care of them for two hours."

"Still.. I know that it was short notice," Michael whispered as he sighed. He didn't want this need to become an issue in the family. Michael was sure that if Walter found out that Michael called Birkoff first to baby sit, a war was going to start. But the whole thing was, Michael didn't think he needed Walter involved.

Last night, other than feeding the girls, Michael took care of them, and he suddenly had a new appreciation for what Nikita was doing in the day all by herself. Plus, he didn't have the physical demand on his body that breastfeeding was having on Nikita. Michael burped each girl, changed them and put them back into their cradles. Twice, one of the girls didn't want to go back to sleep, so he stood over her, singing and speaking softly to ease her to sleep.

Two hours later, the whole thing began again.

"We just really need to talk," Michael barely got out of his mouth as he turned and saw Nikita waving her hand towards him. Michael moved in and took Abella out of her hands. "They need to be changed… I'm sure that we can do it before we leave…"

"No, Nikita… we need to go and talk before they need fed again…" Michael declared as he narrowed his eyes on his wife. Nikita nodded her head. Much of the past night was a blur. Michael said that she hadn't fallen asleep from exhaustion, but rather that she had passed out from exhaustion. That really hit home, because what if that had happened when she was home alone and Michael was there?

Quinn stood up and took Abella into her arms. The little girl started to scream and Nikita felt her heart breaking. She didn't want her daughter to be so upset. "Shh… Abella… Abella…"

"Michael… they are too young…" Nikita choked up as Birkoff took Cerise out of her arms. Cerise didn't fuss, but she was about to scream because of her full diaper. "Watch Cerise… she has been having propellant poop…"

"We'll be fine, Nikita…" Quinn soothed Nikita as Abella slowly calmed down. Michael pushed Nikita's coat over her shoulders and then opened the door. Nikita rubbed her face and looked back at the babies as both Quinn and Birkoff moved towards the changing table. "Kita… they will be fine."

"Who? Abella and Cerise or Birkoff and Quinn?" Nikita worriedly questioned. Michael tugged at Nikita's arm slightly more and then closed the door. Nikita looked around and took a deep breath.

It may have been the first time since she got home that she had been able to take a deep breath.

"Where are we going?" Nikita questioned as she hugged her body. Just about a month ago, no matter how cold it was outside, she was extremely hot because of the babies and the extra weight she had put on. Now, she didn't have those layers and found the winter wind very cold.

"To the park…" Michael responded as he opened the door and helped Nikita to sit down. She stared at the house as it moved out of sight. The tears rolled down her face and Michael continued to drive.

Their children needed for them to have this talk.