"Here… have some hot chocolate." Michael handed over the mug as Nikita settled down on the bench, looking chilled, although it was a mild day. Nikita took a sip and then leaned her head slightly to the side to look far away. "Do you think they are being good?"

"I think we can't worry about that now. That we have other problems to deal with," Michael pointed out as he sat down next to Nikita, taking her free hand. "I never meant for it to get like this…"

"I didn't know that it was happening…. I was just focusing on the girls…" Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. "And so was I…. We both neglected the other…"

"How?" Nikita questioned, knowing that she didn't know how she neglected Michael. He looked to the sky and swallowed. He knew that what he was going to say could possibly hurt Nikita and make things worse.

"You took care of them fully… I got to hold them some… but I wanted to be a part of it all… You were trying to be superwoman…"

"I wasn't!" Nikita declared and Michael shook his head. "Yes… you were… you were doing everything, feeding, changing, cleaning, washing… you never let me in… you had to do it all until you finally passed out last night."

"I guess I did a bad job of it," Nikita bitterly berated herself. Nikita took a sip of her hot chocolate and then blinked her eyes. "I didn't want to keep you out of it… there was just so much to do, that I just needed to get ahead."

"Ahead? I don't think you got there…" Michael pointed out. "I think you found yourself overwhelmed and alone… and instead of telling me… you just pushed to make it look like everything was fine.

It took a few moments of silence for Nikita to react. Nikita nodded her head. "I felt alone… I never liked that feeling…"

"I'm sorry…" Michael spoke as he looked at Nikita. "We need to work this out…"

"How? You are work and I'm at home," Nikita stated with shivering lips.

"Many couples handle this Nikita…" Michael pointed out and Nikita looked at him like he had slapped her.

"We aren't other couples… we are us…. If you start forgetting that now… "

"I'm not forgetting that Nikita… I just want us to look at some realistic ways to make this work. Maybe we need to hire someone to help out." Michael offered, but again, Nikita continued to look at him as if she had been slapped. "I forgot… I can't do this… I'm not doing it well."

"I didn't say that Kita… and you know it… You just can't do it all the time all by yourself…" Michael whispered as Michael traced her lips and then dropped his hand. "We can build a nursery at Centre…"

"I don't want our girls growing up there… I know that it sounds nice, but they deserve what I never had," Nikita replied and Michael jerked his head up, realizing that this was more. Nikita was trying to give to her girls everything that she felt she didn't have, multiplied by fifty times. It was a goal that would never be achieved.

"Kita… this isn't about giving our children what you didn't have… It is about loving our children and caring for them as much as we can with our hearts… We can't give them the childhood you didn't have… that time passed a long time ago." Michael looked away and then back at Nikita. She was trying to cover her tears.

"Kita… you can't be so rough on yourself…"

"I'm not rough on myself… I finally seeing the truth…" Nikita declared. Michael tilted his head to the side and pressed his lips together. "Do you?"

"Why are you pressuring me like this?" Nikita trembled as she turned her head away. Michael grabbed her chin and looked at Nikita. "You can't be everything for our girls… and as parents, we have to realize that…"

"They need me now, Michael." Nikita stamped her feet up and down. She was getting agitated.

"Kita… You need to let me help… and we both have to realize… that our twins need to learn who Walter and Belinda and Birkoff and Quinn and Davenport and Bea and all of those important people in our lives are… We can't shelter them." Michael looked at Nikita's eyes.

"So I'm wrong?" Nikita countered with a cracking voice.

"You aren't wrong… you are trying your best… but things aren't working out right… We haven't talked to each other all week because you were upset… The most important thing for us and our girls… is that we can have a healthy relationship," Michael slowly spoke, trying to spread no blame on this situation.

"I don't know what happened… I was just frustrated… and alone…"

"And exhausted. And tired. And afraid," Michael added and Nikita nodded her head up and down. "You could have told me this."

"You have been working… I know how hard it is to work at the Centre…" Nikita countered and Michael shook his head back and forth. He took the mug out of Nikita's hand and placed it away so he could hold her hands. "It is not as hard as it is taking care of the two babies… and somehow we have to balance how I can help out at home… so you aren't doing everything… and how we can find time for ourselves… because you, Nikita, are still my wife and very much a woman…"

"I'm a mother," Nikita commented.

"Yes, you are a mother… but we can't neglected who else you are… We both know how much you fought to be Nikita… I'm not going to relegate you to being only a mother," Michael pointed out and Nikita pressed her lips together. Michael pressed his lips against Nikita's forehead and turned her around so that she could lean against his body. "So… do you think we can arrange for two hours… on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for us… to go shopping together? To talk? To eat dinner out?"

"Three days in a row? Isn't that asking a lot?" Nikita questioned as she leaned her head back and looked up at Michael. He stroked at her softened features and shook his head back and forth. "No… because we have all these friends and family dying to baby sit… Do you know that I didn't even have to ask Birkoff… that as soon as he heard my voice he offered?"

"He did?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head up and down. "They love those two girls too… and we have to learn to trust them with Abella and Cerise."

"But not Mick… not when they are this young…" Nikita declared and Michael laughed. "Mick probably won't want them until he can push them out in a stroller to get ladies."

"But this is only a beginning, Kita… we need to change how we do things in the night… and during the week."

"How can we change the night… I need to feed them…" Nikita countered and Michael nodded his head. He rubbed at Nikita's neck and then licked his lips. "Yes… you do need to feed them and I respect your need to not pump… but after you feed our girls… I can change them… and you can go back to sleep… You are doing it all day long… you deserve a break at night…"

"Really? But you are working… You need sleep too…" Nikita added and Michael smiled. "But I'm not nursing two growing and hungry girls…"

"I don't mind nursing them."

"I know… but I know that it is taxing on your system…" Michael commented. He looked up to the sky and swallowed. "We just have to split things up… and I think for a while… I'll come home for lunch… and I'm not working Fridays…"

"Michael, that is just going to make you stay later…" Nikita fretted.

"I'm looking into a chief fiscal officer, Nikita… I'm working on it…" Michael supplied Nikita the information that she didn't know about. Nikita blinked her eyes and swallowed. "You are? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't want you to worry about work stuff…"

"But I want to hear about work… all I hear all day are the babies…" Nikita urged and corrected Michael. He blinked his eyes, knowing that this was something important that he needed to listen to. "I forgot about that…"

"Gooing and Gaaing all day is cool… but it helps to hear a voice…" Nikita added and Michael nodded his head. "You could call Michele some…"

"She is fixing her house up."

"She is worried about you," Michael said. "I called her last night before I found you… I was so scared when I heard the girls crying and I didn't hear you…"

"Michael…"

"No, Kita… You need to hear this." Michael wasn't going to have Nikita brush this off. "I know that I couldn't do any of this without you. You are so precious to me… that I am willing to try anything to make raising Abella and Cerise easier on you… because we are partners on this… and I don't expect you to do it by yourself."

"I must be a fool.. I know that we are partners…" Nikita whispered and Michael shook his head. "Kita.. we all have our lapses… we just have to remember to talk to each other…"

"Yes… we do need to do that…" Nikita stated and Michael sighed. Nikita relaxed against him and closed her eyes. "Are you falling asleep on me?"

"No… I just haven't felt this good in a long time…" Nikita pointed out as she took his hand and intertwined her hands with his. Nikita looked at the union and swallowed. "Are you still coming to my doctor's appointment?"

"With Ariane? Isn't it at the Centre?" Michael questioned and Nikita smiled. "Yes… I think that Ariane likes us a lot."

"No, she likes Davenport a lot…"

"Come on, Michael… she is taking on a lot of our pregnant mothers at the Centre… I think that she is coming around to us…" Nikita joked and Michael chuckled. He still felt that he was more correct. "And when do the twins go in?"

"We go to see that doctor… ah… Dr. Daphane the following week.." Nikita spoke and Michael nodded his head.

Things were much better.

~~

Nikita clutched Michael's hand as they waited in their office. Walter was at their house, looking after the twins. Nikita had showed some pictures of the twins to the staff and some of the girls, but suddenly felt like she really didn't belong inside the Centre any longer.

Now, after being examined by Ariane, she declared that she wanted to talk to them in private. Nikita was beyond worry, terrified that something was wrong. Nikita leaned her head against Michael, trying to wait for Ariane to enter and say something, but she was taking a long time. "Michael… what can be wrong?"

"Shh… you are jumping to conclusions…" Michael warned his wife, although he had the same feeling in the pit of his stomach. Nikita looked away and rubbed at his knuckles.

The door opened and Ariane entered with a slight smile. "I'm sorry that it took too long… I had a few things to still check."

"What's wrong?" Nikita instantly questioned and Ariane fluttered her eyes. She had forgotten how blunt Nikita could be.

"I'm concerned about how quickly you lost the weight… I'm not sure that you are eating enough…" Ariane stated and Nikita grounded her teeth together. "I'm following that diet… and it is kind of hard trying to get it all in with twins to feed!"

"Nikita… I'm not attacking you… Actually, I'm worried that this has something to do with why you had such bad morning sickness… I think we want to put you back on the medicine…" Ariane declared Nikita leaned back, suddenly silent.

"This is a hormone thing?" Michael questioned and Ariane shrugged her shoulders. "It could be… I don't want to take chances… I know that Nikita wants to continue to breastfeed Abella and Cerise… and this is one way to ensure that she can do that… along with proper diet and sleep."

"Well… we haven't been quite honest with you," Michael spoke and Nikita turned to stare at his green eyes before she elbowed him. "She doesn't need to know…"

"Nikita… this is about your health and the health of the babies…" Ariane pointed out, frustrated with the puzzle that Michael and Nikita always presented.

"Nikita has been overdoing it… we are working on rectifying that situation," Michael diplomatically spoke, hoping that Ariane would take those words as the truth.

"How are you overdoing it?" Ariane questioned. Nikita looked to Michael and dropped her head.

"She was so exhausted that she passed out… but we have her on a schedule… it would be easier of the babies would sleep a bit more…" Michael softly spoke, moving quickly to another subject to speak about.

"They still feed every two hours?"

"Yes… like clockwork," Nikita declared and Ariane nodded her head. "We have to get them to spread that apart… they are getting more of your milk with each feeding… they don't need to be feeding that often… You are going to have to not go to them when they first cry… I know that it is hard… but you have too.."

"But they are so young!"

"Yes… and if you don't start now… you'll be feeding every two hours until they drain your entire body away…" Ariane wryly stated and Nikita nodded her head. "We'll work on it."

"Ok… and one last thing… I know that you aren't bleeding anymore, Nikita… but I think that another month abstaining from sex is advisable…. And I would suggest waiting for at least a year to become pregnant again…" Ariane started to informed Nikita. Nikita blinked her eyes. She didn't know what to say first.

"Pregnant again?" Nikita finally questioned and Ariane laughed. "I know that it is probably the last thing on your mind… but you probably do want to have enough time with your twins before having another one."

"We do," Michael replied for Nikita. He kissed her neck gently and then leaned back. It was all something that could be talked about later. "It is going to be the no sex that is going to be hard."

"You think? Michael… I have been sleeping through the night feedings.. you could probably feed and I wouldn't know!"

"Oh, you would know." Michael growled and Ariane rolled her eyes.

She didn't want to hear this.

~~

Michael and Nikita stood next to the examination table at Dr. Daphane's office. Abella and Cerise had both been weighed and measured, both doing remarkably well for their age. Nikita looked around and shifted her weight from foot to foot.

Her babies were a month old. It felt like six months since she had them. Nikita looked at Abella and touched her long hair gently. It was growing so fast. Just in the past week, her babies had changed so much.

Cerise was finally showing signs of light blonde hair and neither of them fussed too much with the strangers in the house.

Nikita and Michael had Davenport check the girls three days out of the hospital and this was their first time to see a "real" pediatrician. Nikita fretted all day that Dr. Daphane would be upset that they didn't come to her immediately.

The door opened and a tiny woman entered with long straight black hair. She smiled at Nikita and then Michael before shaking their hands. "Hello… I'm Dr. April Daphane…."

"Hi…" Nikita strained out, but Dr. Daphane moved immediately to the girls. "You both look so good…. How old exactly?"

"Thirty three days," Nikita responded automatically.

"They are doing great for twins…" Dr. Daphane gushed. She picked up Abella and rubbed slightly over her head. "She got so much hair… must be from Dad…"

"Yep… Abella takes after her father," Nikita supplied as she tried to look in. Abella just stared at the daughter and Dr. Daphane laughed and moved quickly onto Cerise. "I have learned from twins… they don't like to have one cuddled and fussed over without the other getting the same attention."

"We have noticed that," Michael added with a chuckle. "In fact… they don't like to feed apart."

"You are breastfeeding them at the same time?" Dr. Daphane questioned and Nikita nodded her head. "For the most part… I can get more sleep that way…"

"You are switching sides with them, right?" Dr. Daphane questioned and Nikita nodded her head. "Safety pins in the bra straps…"

"Good…." Dr. Daphane stated and she pulled a stool over to look at the girls and indicated that Michael and Nikita should do the same thing. "So… how are they sleeping?"

"A lot… about two hours…" Nikita stated and Michael cleared his throat. "No… it is almost exactly two hours… they haven't started sleeping longer yet."

"It's going to happen… it will be five minutes here and there… and suddenly you'll have a half hour or an hour more… it just is going to take a bit more time…" Dr. Daphane advised the parents. She could see that her words were calming Nikita down.

"Well… I know that you said that you are feeding them together… how often to do they feed?"

"When they wake up," Nikita declared and the adults in the room chuckled as Cerise started to raise her hands in protest. Michael stood up and started to rock her softly from side to side.

"Are you pumping milk and letting your husband feed?"

"Ah… Michael… no… we don't want to confuse them yet…" Nikita supplied the doctor with Michael's name and then answered her question. Nikita let the other reason that she didn't want to lose the bond with her children quite yet go unspoken.

"That's very good.,.. Most mother of twins get overwhelmed by now…" Dr. Daphane responded and Nikita looked at Michael. He was smiling, hearing that they were doing well as parents were doing a lot to boost Nikita's confidence.

"And how are the bowel movements?" April questioned as she picked Abella up. Abella was happy to be up and looking around. Nikita rubbed at her forearm slightly as Michael groaned. "Are you talking about it exploding?"

"Newborns do that for a while… but it is still soft, right?" Dr. Daphane inquired and she watched Michael and Nikita nod their heads. Sometimes with parents you had to pull out the information, but she had the feeling from discussions with Ariane that Michael and Nikita were hyper-vigilant, that they would worry about anything that didn't seem right. She didn't think she would have to pry the information away from them.

"And when you place them on their tummies… do they hold up their heads briefly?"

"We don't really up them on their tummies… but I think Cerise can hold her head up more than Abella…" Nikita stated and Dr. Daphane nodded her head. She attempted with Abella in her arms and smiled at Nikita. "And Abella is developing that quickly… now might be the time to let them spend more time on their bellies…"

"Sure," Michael responded with a smile. It was easy to see that he was a protective father and would do what the doctors suggested.

"Do they respond to your voices?" Dr. Daphane questioned, although she was sure that she already knew that this was positive. Nikita laughed. "They knew Michael's voice before they even arrived… some nights I couldn't sleep unless he whispered sweet nothings against my stomach… Michael's voice has a magic touch… and I think they hear my voice and assume that it is just time to eat."

"You won't be the first mother to say that…" April laughed as she handed Abella over to Nikita. They were a happy family and Dr. Daphane was pleased to add them to her vast amount of families. "Do they have longer periods of time that they are active, more alert?"

"I haven't really noticed that…" Nikita commented and Dr. Daphane looked at Michael as he shrugged his shoulders. It was also clear to see that Michael must have gone back to work and felt that Nikita had all the answers. Dr. Daphane charged forward. "They will… and believe it or not… they will start sleeping longer… and staying awake longer…"

"What was so great was when they started to watch my face… and how they started to coo softly.. they don't do it very often… but it is so sweet…" Nikita gushed and Dr. Daphane nodded her head, noticing how Nikita picked up on the developmental milestones quickly, although she wasn't very shocked. She had followed Nikita's and Michael's lives for a little bit and knew that as therapists, they must have been exposed to some of this developmental theory.

"Do they watch mobiles yet?"

"I saw Abella doing that last night instead of sleeping…" Michael reported and Nikita laughed. "That is Abella."

"And do they act up more during the late evening?" Dr. Daphane questioned. Nikita started to nod her head up and down as Michael did. "Forget prime time television with the twins.. they won't have it!"

"That's par for the course… and it is actually a good thing because they more they are crabby and stay up, the more likely it is for them to stay asleep at night…" Dr. Daphane informed the parents, although she was probably sure that Nikita needed to hear all of that most of all.

"So?" Nikita questioned as Dr. Daphane wrote something on the chart and dropped it down. "They are fine… perfectly healthy… Next month, they'll need their first booster shots…" Nikita nodded her head and Dr. Daphane shook Michael's hand. "And if you have any questions or needs between now and then… don't hesitate to call."

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

The night has come and she has brought darkness with her. Mummy went out Closed the shutters, Sleep, sleep, Fall asleep! ~~ A Russian Nursery Rhyme translated to English

"You have maintained your body weight… I'm very proud of you, Nikita…" Ariane declared as she helped Nikita to sit up and stood away as Michael handed Nikita one of her shirts. It was almost spring, but right now the entire city of Paris was getting ready for a large snowfall and even in the warmth of the Centre's medical clinic, Nikita was shivering.

"It has been a challenge… but it is for my babies…" Nikita responded as she wrapped the shirt around her body, smiling at Michael and then Ariane as she turned around, nodding her head. "How are they?"

"Fine… growing, quickly," Nikita replied and Michael rubbed his hands along Nikita's shoulders.

"And they're feeding schedule? Have they stopped the every two hour feedings?" Ariane inquired. Knowing this information was just about how the babies are doing, but to also know how Nikita was doing and what was being required of her body.

"During the day they are about every three hours… during the night… they could go four hours… but not at the same time… so I'm still up every two hours…" Nikita declared and Ariane winced. "The problem with twins…"

"That and always running out of diapers," Michael commented wryly. Nikita giggled and then looked at Ariane. "How about me?"

"You are fine…" Ariane spoke, deliberately avoiding the conversation.

"Ariane.. she is going to drive us both crazy… are we allowed to resume sexual relations?" Michael finally questioned as Nikita's glaring eyes hadn't drove Ariane to answer the question.

"You have been allowed to have sexual relations… you haven't been allowed to have sexual intercourse… you both know the difference," lectured Ariane and Nikita rolled her eyes. "One usually leads to the next thing…"

"It may… but not always…" Ariane stated with a flat voice. She knew that for her and Davenport, it barely got to sexual relations before they were doing the sexual intercourse. "Your body is prepared to have intercourse again… but you will have to take birth control precautions… you couldn't handle being pregnant again this soon…"

"I don't want to be pregnant again this soon," Nikita declared and Michael nodded his head. "I could order you birth control pills…"

"No.. it takes two months and it may bother the breast milk," Nikita issued with a steady and firm voice.

"Have you been studying up on this?" joked Ariane.

"Yes, she has," Michael declared, not knowing that Ariane was actually joking. "Nikita has bought every

book about this topic… and is kind of mad that she had to wait and extra week."

"Nikita… that was for your well-being… your body is very stressed with producing the milk for the two babies… and I want to know that if I give you the ok on this… that you aren't going to do this every night…" Ariane warned and Nikita nodded her head. "I couldn't.. the twins keep me very active… but I want to have the option again…"

"I understand… but I also need to know that you are going to listen to your body…" Ariane softly spoke, looking at Nikita's eyes. She smiled and then looked at Michael. "I think I learned that last month…"

"Good… because believe it or not… the twins are going to get harder to deal with…" Ariane chuckled and Nikita merely nodded her head. Ariane had tried twice to get Nikita into a group of parents that had twins, but Nikita wouldn't hear of it. Ariane was sure that it was because it sounded too much like therapy, but sooner or later, Nikita was going to need those words of wisdom, especially with Michele so far away.

"Before I can give you the go ahead… I'd like to discuss birth control methods… There are some that are better… I don't want anything that is longer… and IUD's have a lot of side effects…" Ariane started and Nikita squirmed. Michael looked to Nikita and kissed her head. "Nikita… do you one that you prefer?"

"Can't we just use a condom?" Nikita questioned and Ariane nodded her head. "You can… but I was hoping that you may consider another method on top of it… at least for a few months… your body can't take another pregnancy right away…"

"But condoms with spermicides are almost 98% effective!" Nikita cried out and Ariane turned red slightly. She had been having the same discussion with Davenport just a few days ago. Ariane had decided years ago, before dealing with Davenport to use Depo-Provera. He didn't like it, but has dealt with it, but recently started to ask Ariane to consider other methods.

"Nikita.. I must stress again… your body is still recovering from the babies… and although it is ready to receive another embryo… I would seriously worry about your overall health… And I'm not looking for something permanent… Just another barrier… You can use a cervical cap… a diaphragm…" Ariane started to educate Nikita, knowing that Nikita often ran similar information pass young girls about to become sexual active.

"I don't know… I think we will be fine…" Nikita started and Ariane lifted her eyes. Nikita seemed to be near tears. She looked over at Michael and swallowed as she realized that she was going to have to choice something more. "Nikita… I can easily prescribe either the cap or the diaphragm… it's up to you…" Nikita looked at Michael and slapped her hands down to her knees. "The diaphragm…"

"Ok… and if you are uncomfortable with all of this… and you have stopped breast feeding and have continued to hold off on further pregnancies… we will switch you over to an oral pill… I promise!" Ariane declared as she lifted a hand. Nikita nodded her head and the leaned her head onto Michael's shoulder.

"It isn't going to change what you feel…"

"I'm going to have spermicides inside of me… that's not me…" Nikita complained and Michael swallowed. He didn't want to add to the complaints, but he wasn't looking forward to not feeling Michael tightly wrapped around his every cell of his arousal.

"It is you… and if you give it a chance… and think about Michael… you won't know the difference…" Ariane declared and Nikita raised an eyebrow. "I'll know."

"No you won't. But if you fixate on it…"

"I've been fixating on sex with Michael for the past month, Ariane… I want to be a wife and lover to my husband again… now it just feels planned…" Nikita declared. Michael grasped Nikita's hand and swallowed. He wasn't sure that this was a conversation for Ariane. "And me and Michael said something about doing this on fate… and we had unprotected sex for a long, long time before we created twins!"

"Look at the outcome, Nikita… You had twins!" Ariane's voice rang out. Michael raised his hand and shook his head. "Take the prescription Nikita… if it doesn't work… we'll come back…"

"You are siding with her?" Nikita bellowed and Michael sucked in a deep breath of air. He wasn't sure that Nikita knew how much he needed to be with her.

"I'm siding with her that you need time before becoming pregnant again… and don't think that I'm not worried about what this is going to do to us… but, Kita.. we know many ways of making love to each other…" Michael seduced Nikita gently with words. Ariane leaned back with a silent sigh and she wrote quickly before stopping with another question. "Have you found anything out about your mother?"

"No," Michael stated for Nikita. They rarely ever talked about her, but Michael didn't want this to color their afternoon. Michael was taking Nikita home to feed the babies and they were getting an extra afternoon walk of three hours to themselves.

"But she is dying… so we won't have much to worry about much longer," Nikita bitter commented to no one particular. Michael looked over Nikita's head and shrugged his shoulders. He knew that Ariane would rather they had Nikita's entire health history, but it was clear that for now, no one was looking for the woman.

"Well… if you do find something out.. please let me know… ok?" Ariane stated and Nikita nodded her head. Nikita looked around and then rubbed her legs together. "If you don't mind.. it's getting cold out and

I'd like to dress."

~~

"Shh… shh… mommy and daddy will be home soon…." Walter cooed as he rocked back and forth with Abella in his arms, screaming loud enough wake up the dead. He used his food to rock the cradle that held the equally upset Cerise. He looked to the clock and swallowed.

Michael and Nikita had called on their way out of the Centre. The weather was going to get bad sooner than it was forecasted so Michael and Nikita decided to stop at the store before heading home. Walter at first was upset because that meant that Michael and Nikita wouldn't have their afternoon alone. He had a feeling that they wanted to do "something special". But now as he looked at a clock, he wanted to kill them.

Nikita was late for the feeding.

"Oh… honeys… your mother will be here… and she will feed you… You know.. she is probably hurting something pretty bad to feed you two…" Walter spoke gently as he continued to talk with his attempts to sooth the upset children.

This was why Walter found it difficult to deal with Nikita. He understood her need to breastfeed her children, but since she was pumping nothing at all, Walter was stranded in a house with nothing for the babies. He wanted to just buy a breast pump, but he wasn't sure that it would go over well.

"Oh darlings… maybe if I sang for you… what do you think about that?" Walter questioned as he placed Abella back in the crib next to Cerise, decided that rocking her in his arms was doing no good at all; he might as well have them both in one place. He scratched his head and smiled. "Hey girls… you know… one of my favorite guys out there in this world… such a peaceful guy was Bob Marley… you are going to enjoy him… ok?"

The girls continued to scream and Walter cleared his throat slightly. "We don't need. No, we don't need. No more trouble. No more trouble! We don't need no more trouble!"

Abella scrunched her face up, almost stopping her crying, but burst into more tears and screams. Walter smiled and rocked at the cradle. "Wo! Oh-oh-oh! We don't need, We don't need no. No more trouble! We don't need no trouble! We don't need no more trouble."

Walter leaned over and touched the two noses, but that only served to upset the girls more. They were hungry and they wanted their mother!

"Make love and not war! 'Cause we don't need no trouble. What we need is love. Love. To guide and protect us on. On. If you hope good down from above, Love. Help the weak if you are strong now. Love." Walter sang out and he heard the car door slam. He looked at the bedroom window and was shocked to see the ground layered with snow.

The twins seemed to settle some, and Walter smiled, trying to tell himself that it was because he was singing. "We don't need. We don't need trouble. No more trouble - no more trouble - no more trouble! Seek happiness! Oh, ...! Come on, you all and speak of love. Oh, yeah!"

"You are singing them Bob Marley? Don't you know any lullaby's?" Nikita questioned as she pushed the door open. Michael walked in and lifted his eyes slightly to Walter. He touched Nikita's arm slightly. Michael's relationship with Walter had been strained. Michael rarely talked to the older man. "Kita… I'm going to take them to our room… Maybe once you get in I'll go down and unpack the groceries."

"No, man… I'll do that," Walter stated and Michael coldly looked at Walter. Michael picked up Abella and Cerise like an expert that Walter wished he were like. Michael brushed passed Walter and moved back into the room he shared with Nikita.

"I want to know what is going on between him and you," Nikita declared as she picked up a few nursing blankets, feeling that the babies were probably going to torture her for being late.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Walter hissed and Nikita rolled her eyes.

"Pappap… you must have done something… Michael isn't cold to people for no reason… and sooner or later, I'm going to find out!" Nikita declared as she picked up a rattle to amuse her children with and looked around the room. "I know that he isn't upset about the Bob Marley… he has been chilly with you for over a month."

"Look sugar… sometimes there are just things going on in that pretty head of yours that doesn't match the reality of the situation," Walter attempted to explain, but Nikita batted her eyes. It was an indication that she didn't believe one word of what her grandfather said.

"I am not even going to dignify that with a response…. I think you did something… or said something without thinking…" Nikita declared and Walter huffed.

"It's nothing sugar…"

"Don't sugar me… I know when you are lying… and I know when my husband is lying too… So if you two have a grip with each other… fix it and don't get me or the children involved…" Nikita threatened as she picked up one more rattle and knew that she was ready to nurse the girls. Her breasts were hurting fiercely and Nikita now just wanted to spend some time with her deserving children. Nikita was about to brush away when she remembered that she needed the feeding pillow, as she was going to feed both at the same time.

"Sugar… I don't know what you think is going on…" Walter started to try to mend things. Nikita looked at him and pressed her lips together. "I know that something happened… you are being punished by being asked to watch the twins alone… we trust you… but we also know how hard it is for one person to do it all… even if it is only for two hours… I suggest you fix whatever Neanderthal spat you are having and start being my grandfather and Abella's and Cerise's great-grandfather."

Nikita finally stormed her way out of the room with a huff of steam. Walter picked up slightly and then walked downstairs to put away their groceries. Walter waited and saw Michael walk downstairs, and turn away from him.

"You better get going, Walter… the roads are getting bad." Michael turned away and moved into the kitchen after his announcement. Walter looked over his shoulder and swallowed, hearing the song in his head once more.

We don't need no trouble; What we need is love, now. What we need is love! We don't need. Oh, we don't need no more trouble! We don't need, no - we don't need no trouble! We don't need - no, brothers and sisters ... no more trouble! We don't need no trouble; we don't need no trouble! We don't need no trouble! What we need is love!

~~

"Look at all that snow… it is really falling," Nikita stated as she stepped away from the window and turned back towards Michael. He had started a fire in the den and Nikita smiled as she looked over in the cribs and saw their girls peacefully asleep. "We are to have a foot by morning…"

"Did the Centre close down programs?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head.

"We closed what we could… we do have two staff staying overnight with the few homeless families we have with us… and they should be able to handle any situations that arise overnight…" Michael informed Nikita. When he had first gone back to work, he tried not to talk about the Centre and work, but found it impossible to do that. Nikita helped created the Centre and it was part of who she was. She needed to be involved, even if she was home with the girls.

"So… I guess we are staying in for a while," Nikita joked and Michael reached out to cuddle Nikita down and around him. Nikita sighed gently as she relaxed in his lap.

"I guess it is just you… me…" Michael whispered as he kissed Nikita's neck gently.

"And the twins…" Nikita pointed out, sounding sad. It was clear that Nikita was missing the love and attention from Michael and if anyone, Nikita wanted to have a physical encounter tonight.

That wasn't going to happen.

"We can talk… there is a lot we just don't get the chance to talk about…" Michael suggested as he rubbed at the slender wrist of Nikita's right hand. Nikita leaned back and tilted her head so she could place a kiss on the underneath of his chin. "I love that idea."

"Maybe we can talk about our godparent situation.." Michael added and Nikita twisted slightly. It was clearly something that Nikita was uncomfortable with, but had been unable to express. "Anyone would be a good choice… they all love our daughter so much."

"Except Mick," Michael declared instantly. Nikita nodded her head as she chuckled softly, not wanting to be too loud and wake up her sleeping daughters. "He is just going to be that man who gives too many expensive and over the top gifts."

"Over the top doesn't start to describe his gifts," Michael generalized and Nikita rubbed at Michael's hand. Mick was a good man; he just sometimes didn't understand the boundaries that Michael and Nikita needed in order to feel like a couple and to feel like a family. "But at least we get free food…"

"It has helped out," Michael stated and Nikita grinned gently. She looked to her socked feet and rubbed them inbetween Michael's, feeling comfortable and totally relaxed, which was something that Nikita hadn't felt in a long time. "You know… Adrian and George have done a lot.. but have they spent time with the girls?"

"They saw them in the hospital.. I think they just wanted to give us the time to get into a routine," Michael informed Nikita as she pulled a blanket over their laps and arms. "That's nice… but I think they need to met the girls… they are getting to be a lot of fun… and not just about the eating and sleeping."

"Oh… you think they are fun… wait till they hate us for the booster shots!" Michael warned and Nikita dropped her head against Michael's chest. She lifted a hand and rubbed her fingertips against the material of his sweater, longing to do more, but knowing that for tonight, this was all that they could do.

"Don't remind me… it almost makes me sick to my stomach…" Nikita murmured gently. She looked towards the fire as it crackled gently. The windows showed the images of the continuing snow falling down heavily. "Back to Adrian and George… maybe they should be the godparents… I mean… I do see them more like grandparents… but our children have no grandparents… so, maybe it is a good choice."

"But that isn't your first choice," pointed Michael immediately. He knew what his heart was telling him and knew that it matched Nikita's first choice. Nikita pressed her lips together and swallowed. "Adrian and George would do anything for our children."

"They would do anything even if they aren't named the godparents," Michael informed Nikita, although he knew that it wouldn't matter. Nikita turned to face Michael. She lifted her fingers and crossed them over Michael's eyebrows. She looked into his green eyes and swallowed. "I know… but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't… and I think that the godparents… should be someone that can be here for the twins…"

"And Michele and Dominique can't?" Michael verbalized and Nikita swallowed. She didn't want to nod her head, but she did. "They are so far away… I want our children to benefit from this…"

"We don't need them… it's just a formality that everyone wants us to do…" Michael posed the other option. Nikita shook her head. "I don't want our children not having something because we couldn't make a decision… and I think that Adrian and George will be wonderful choices."

"You are right… maybe we'll tell them next week?" Michael questioned and Nikita nodded her head as she leaned forward and kissed Michael. She pulled away as she swallowed back the passion that was mounting and quickly. She adjusted her body, sliding off of Michael's lap because she could feel her reaction to their kiss along with Michael's reaction.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Michael questioned gently as he looked down at his wife, parting her blonde hair to the side. Nikita was stumped. "About having to wait?" Michael laughed happily.

"No." Michael continued to stare at his wife, his green eyes looking into her blue eyes, instinctually knowing that Nikita purposely questioned what he was talking about so she wouldn't have to face it right away. Nikita pulled her lips tight, caving into the pressure. "Dominique?"

"Yes… I know that you miss him," Michael started the conversation. He felt Nikita shiver almost and he held her tight. Nikita had a special relationship with Dominique. On many levels, he was that best friend that Nikita never had. Nikita had friends in Michele, Quinn, Bea, and even Belinda, but nothing was like the friendship between Dominique and Nikita when they were near each other. Michael was sure that Nikita would tell Dominique all of her secrets before anyone else. Michael didn't like to know that part of her was missing right now.

"I do miss him… but I think he is going through things right now that we can't help with," Nikita slowly spoke. She blinked back tears on her long eyelashes before swallowed deeply with a bowed head. "I want him to be happy."

"Do you think he is happy in Italy?"

"No," Nikita responded. She looked up at Michael and then turned her head away. "But I have nothing to really base that conclusion on."

"But it is what your heart is telling you?" inquired Michael as he lightly rubbed Nikita's shoulders, using his feet to pull the blanket over their feet. The fire was providing heat, but they still needed more.

"My heart is telling me that if Dominique was happy in Italy, that he would have called." Nikita looked over her shoulders and looked at her twins. She couldn't stand the thought that Dominique may never know her children and that her children might never know Dominique. For the short amount of time they had known each other, Dominique was a great man to be around.

"Maybe you should call. Maybe he is waiting to hear from you," Michael suggested and Nikita shook her head back and forth. "No. If he is dealing with things… like Antonio… Dominique would call us if he wants us back in his life."

"And you think he doesn't?" Michael questioned, shocked with the tone Nikita's voice had taken.

"If it is between Antonio and us… He'll chose Antonio… and that would be the right choice."

~~

Michael moved towards the window and looked at the beautiful snow covered day that was dawning. Nikita had pulled the curtains backed and was happily feeding her daughters over looking their backyard filled with snow. There were a few birds still flying about, probably shocked with the sudden snowfall. Michael walked up and pulled Nikita's hair off of her neck and kissed her neck before he touched both of his daughter's heads gently.

"It's their first blizzard," Nikita whispered and Michael cracked a half smile. "They are too small to go out and play in the snow… but they might as well dine in front of the beauty."

"You are the one that is beautiful," Michael declared without effort as he looked at his wife. He was in awe of how his family was all there, right in front of him, enjoying the morning.

"Michael…" Nikita rasped and Michael shook his head. He settled down on the bench that was in front of the window, forgetting the aches and pains that his body was trying to remind him of from sleeping on the floor all night wrapped up with Nikita. He reached out and helped to support his daughters as they ate. Nikita smiled and nodded her head, reaching a free had to touch Michael's curly hair.

There was not a better way to spend a snowy morning together.

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

Sleep, little wicker-bush, it is still winter! Sleeping still are birch and heather, roses and hyacinths. It's still long until spring, until the rowans bear fruit. Sleep, little wicker, it's still winter. The sunlight's eye watches you, the sunlight's embrace cradles you. Soon the forest's paths turn green, and every flower raise flags. Yet a little sunlight-prayer: tiny wicker turning green. The sunlight's eye watches you, the sunlight's embrace cradles you.

~~ A Swedish Nursery Rhyme translated to English

Ariane and Belinda moved up the stairs, looking over their shoulders, knowing that Michael and Nikita didn't want anyone inside of the Centre to know this small secret, especially those like Elizabeth had been obsessive over Nikita's life of late.

The babies were inside of the Centre.

"Nikita?" Belinda whispered as she pressed her ear against the door. She didn't hear anything and swallowed. "Come on in." Nikita's voice allowed both women to sigh with relief. They opened the door and saw that Nikita was feeding her daughters.

"We heard from Michael that you were here… not for long, right?" Belinda questioned as she looked down at Cerise. Nikita nodded her head as she handed Cerise over to Belinda to be burred. Nikita covered herself and went on to burp Abella. "We are only here for Michael to finish his meeting… he wasn't going to get us home from their appointment."

"Oh… they had their check up…" Ariane stated and Nikita rolled her eyes. "And their first boosters… It was difficult…"

"More difficult for you than on them," Belinda assessed and Nikita blushed deeply. Nikita knew that it was the truth. She didn't like hearing her children cry at all, but to hear them cry from pain was a different emotion inside of Nikita, and she knew that Michael was affected the same way. She had feeling that was why he needed them to come to the Centre.

"They did very well," Nikita stated as she blinked her eyes. She wanted to block out all of the memories of the appointment. Nikita looked at Abella as she gently started to coo and was no longer interested in being placed on Nikita's shoulder.

"So… have you and Michael had any time alone?" Ariane questioned, almost sure that it had happened. But Nikita dropped her head and handed Abella over to Ariane to hold. "The snow hampered our plans…"

"They did?" Ariane questioned, finding it almost difficult to believe it. Nikita looked to the wall and then smiled gently at Belinda. They were women and they were her confidents. "It didn't feel right to sneak into a room, while our children were asleep… Plus… for a while during the weekend we were out of electricity and heat… we had to scramble finding ways to stay warm and eat…"

"Ouch…" Belinda declared. She could feel for Nikita. She loved Michael so much and her making love to Michael was just a natural extension of her soul towards her husband.

"We have plans this weekend…" Nikita slowly started to inform the two women. Belinda blinked her eyes, knowing that she was babysitting Saturday night with Walter. Nikita started to nod her head up and down.

"Yes… that's why we asked you to baby sit… and I was planning on pumping my breasts…"

"Oh?" Ariane inquired. She knew that Nikita had been very stubborn on this aspect of her life with her children. "Yes… I read this book about self pumping… and while I can't do it very well… Michael really has the technique down… we really haven't tried a bottle yet though…"

"What are you talking about?" Belinda questioned and Nikita chuckled nervously. She felt like she was just telling Michael her plan for the first time. She had horrid time following the directions, but Michael looked at the book and easily took care of her.

"There are techniques on self-expressing milk instead of using pumps… you can usually get more milk out that way than with mechanical pumps…" Ariane explained with a soft voice. Nikita nodded her head up and down. "Ah… has Michael… mmm… tasted?"

"What? No… god no!" Nikita stammered immediately. Belinda laughed and shook her head as Ariane shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't find it wrong, Nikita… Men are very interested…. Maybe when you start to get engorged while being away from the babies…"

"NO! It's not for Michael to consume!" Nikita declared angrily and Ariane rolled her eyes. "It won't hurt him… and you'll probably enjoy it!" Nikita looked around and then sat down, shaking her head. "I can't believe we are talking about this."

"Me either," Belinda added as she sat down, now cradling Cerise in her arms, playing with the flying arm that Cerise kept moving.

"Come on… It isn't as uncommon as you think… I'm surprised that Michael hasn't tried to take a lick before now," Ariane declared and Nikita's mouth dropped open. Her world seemed to be off kilter at the moment. Finally, Ariane cleared her throat and moved Abella in her arms. "Ok… forget that I said that…. But if you are engorged… some women have experienced a release of milk with their orgasms… I don't want you to be worried about that."

"Oh, that? I've read about that," Nikita simply stated with a shrug of her shoulders. Ariane looked at Nikita. If Nikita knew about that little tidbit, she was shocked with Nikita's behavior about her suggestion. Ariane handed Abella back to Nikita and Belinda looked to her watch. "Dear god… I'm already late… Please tell me that you are leaving as soon as Michael gets back up here?"

"Yes… I don't want anyone else finding me up here…" Nikita sighed as Belinda rushed out. Ariane lingered and looked at Nikita. "Don't worry, Ariane… I have plans for Saturday…"

"I don't doubt that you do," Ariane knowingly added as she turned and left Nikita with her twins.

~~

"Babbo… I want you to cook… not one of Mick's friends," Quinn declared as she washed at the dishes that were piled in the sink from the large dinner crowd. Birkoff's parents had been having a boom in business of late, despite the opening of Abella and Cerise within five blocks of the place. Babbo looked at Quinn and sighed. "Darling… the wedding is next year…"

"I know… but if we have an agreement… then Mick can't tell me no way… and you know how Mick is…" Quinn almost whined and Babbo raised an eyebrow. "I have heard a lot about this Mick Schtoppel man… but I've never met him… Maybe he isn't as bad as you make him out to be…"

"He is worse!" Quinn countered and Mario rolled his eyes. He loved the woman that had stolen Birkoff's heart, but he couldn't help but wonder if sometimes she was a little bit dramatic.

"Still… if I'm going to do the food… I think I should at least meet the man before I say yes to you…" Mario firmly asserted and Quinn sighed. She knew that she couldn't stop Mario from doing this. "Then I guess I'll have to take you to Abella and Cerise…"

"How did Michael and Nikita let him get away with that?" Mario questioned and Quinn shrugged her shoulders. "He is very independent and doesn't always listen the people who matter."

"Still… he is making money off of their children…" Mario pointed out as he rolled his head to the side, pulling out a large pan, crusted with heavy cheese and sauce. Quinn looked at it and swallowed. "Do I have to wash that?"

"No…" Birkoff spoke up as he entered the kitchen. He had been working late at the Centre and wrapped his arms around Quinn. "I'm sorry that I'm late."

"We left you a plate," Mario pointed out.

"Thanks, Babbo… I'm starving…" Birkoff grinned as he moved to the refrigerator, pulling a fork and eating without even heating it out. Mario sighed and snapped a towel off of his shoulder and onto the counter. "Sometimes I think that the computer fried your brain… you heat up food."

"This is good anyway!" Birkoff declared as he turned back to Quinn. He nudged her back towards the tables and she waved politely to Babbo before walking away from the dirty pans. Quinn twirled a piece of her hair and looked at Birkoff. "Why were you so late?"

"Going through resumes for Michael… he really is looking for a person to take over the fiscal responsibilities of the Centre…" Birkoff sighed as he continued to eat the food. Quinn leaned against the counter and then looked out towards the street. "What is he going to do when we get married and start our own family?"

"Find someone else to help out and be the slacky…" Birkoff declared and Quinn watched as Birkoff continued to eat.

For some reason she didn't believe his words.

~~

Adrian sat down next to George, nursing a glass of wine as Michael settled Cerise and Abella into the crib that was in the den, and Nikita finished a phone call with Michele. Adrian looked at George and felt almost guilty. "You know why we are here."

"I do?" George questioned, trying to play it all off. Adrian's eyes grew colder. They didn't have the time to play games right now. "George. We are their mentors… is it ethical for us to be involved in their lives as godparents to their children."

"That isn't your real concern… your concern is that we are the second choice…" George declared and Adrian flickered her eyelashes out of disgust and not so much anger. She didn't like the situation at all, and didn't know how she wanted to handle this decision. "And they must really mean it, Adrian. They are going to ask us."

"But is it right?" Adrian inquired and George looked at her. He took her hand and rubbed it slightly. "We can be good godparents… even if we aren't the first ones in their hearts…"

"Sorry about that…" Nikita's voice echoed in the room as she hung up the phone. She rubbed her hand against her sleeve and rolled her head around. "Michele has been without her telephone since the snowstorm and wanted to know that we were ok here."

"We were worried about you… maybe it isn't so wise to be so far away from other people…" George commented, but Nikita shrugged her shoulders as Michael inched his way back in. "Are they napping?"

"Not really… I don't think they'll stay quiet long… you know it is that time of night…" Michael evaluated the situation at hand. Nikita nodded her head, sitting down. It was clear that Nikita decided to cut to the chase. "We'd like you to be the godparents to Abella and Cerise."

"Wow… that is some honor…" Adrian replied, faking her excited response. George mildly placed his glass of wine down and grinned like someone who had just won the lotto for the tenth time. "Of course, I would be honored to be their godmother…"

"And I would be honored to be the godfather…" George included, almost sounding very rehearsed, but

Michael and Nikita didn't notice as the babies started to cry. Nikita stood up and shrugged her shoulders. Michael leaned back and rubbed a hand through the back of his hair. "Abella and Cerise demand a lot of attention at this time of day…"

"Wait till they get just a bit bigger… and they are crawling and getting into everything… You'll wish to be back at this time," Adrian warned and Michael chuckled. He was getting very used to the warnings from everyone about raising his twins. George cleared his throat and leaned forward. "I do have one concern… is there any religious component to this entire godparent thing."

"No. But me and Nikita thought that it was important for you to have an official position in Abella's and Cerise's life." Michael informed George. It was a question that Michael had expected. He had spent a lot of time with Nikita talking about this aspect. They didn't know if they needed a ceremony or something like that to make it official, but in the end, just knowing that they had asked and got an answer was enough.

"We don't want a fuss over this…"

"Good… I don't think you two need anymore media attention," Adrian declared as Nikita walked in, totting one daughter in both arms. "So… would you like to spend some time with your goddaughters?"

~~

"Damn…" Nikita hissed as she dropped her head down into her hand. After about two weeks of having a solid routine, things started to go haywire on this night. Friday night, one night before she got to be with her husband again as a wife should be, her children were driving her up the wall.

"MICHAEL!" Nikita hollered out as she tossed the outfit into the laundry hamper. "Michael… I need you up here…"

"I'm getting the clothes!" Michael responded as he was starting up the stairs. "Forget the clothes… I just can't change both of them at the same time!"

Nikita pulled Cerise up and groaned as her daughter smiled and giggled as she continued to pee. Nikita turned her head and groaned. "Michael!"

"Ok… ok…" Michael declared with a sullen voice. He knew that they were going to need clean clothes for the twins soon, but he placed the basket down on the fourth stair and jogged up the stairs, hearing the stress in Nikita's voice.

Nikita wanted to sit down and hold her head between both of her hands. There was a pounding headache and Nikita took a deep breath, knowing that if she continued to get upset, that her daughters would just pick up on that mood. Michael opened the door and looked at the mess on the changing table. "What?"

"They have decided to have a pissing contest… I think they are little young…" Nikita declared and Michael shook his head, hearing Nikita's sarcasm making her need for help instantly. Michael pulled at Abella and crossed his eyes. "Pissing contests are for boys."

"Tell… they sure trying to make their territory…" Nikita bluntly stated as she looked at Cerise and swallowed. "Maybe I can just walk into the shower with her?"

"You are going to take your clothes off, right?" Michael questioned and Nikita looked down at her shirt and allowed a growl out of her throat. "I know that you know that she peed on me… and if you don't watch it… Abella will do the same to you…"

"It could be worse… we could have had twin boys… and they have no aim at all…" Michael tried to lighten the moment up, but he didn't know that Nikita had a headache. She kicked her shoes off and started to move towards the bathroom. Michael looked at Abella and shook his head with a smile on his face.

"Sometimes your mother overreacts…"

Michael closed his eyes and felt the warmth spreading down his shirt. "Oh shit!"

"NO! IT'S PEE!" Nikita yelled out from the bathroom before she started to turn the water in the shower.

~~

"Do you think it is wise to be doing this?" Michael questioned as he carefully balanced Abella in his arms as he stripped out of his clothes and pulled the shower curtain to the side. That was when he looked at his wife and blinked his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I have a terrible headache…" Nikita whispered and Michael moved forward, using his free hand to stroke her head. She was leaning back against the shower, allowing water to run over her and Cerise, but keeping the direct spray out of the little girl's body. Nikita looked around and swallowed. "It has just has been a bad day… and I worry…"

"Sometimes they just have to pee a lot.." Michael commented and Nikita rolled her eyes. She tried to crack her neck and Michael looked into her eyes. "You are stressing about tomorrow."

"I just want to get through tonight…" Nikita declared and Michael nodded his head as he inched into the spray, much like Nikita did. He looked at Abella as she smiled and laughed. "She really likes this…"

"So does Cerise…" Nikita quietly added and Michael looked over his shoulder, seeing Cerise waving her hands happily around. "They are getting so big…"

"Quickly…" Nikita agreed with a note of sadness in her voice. But there was relief there too. Relief that she wouldn't spend the rest of her life as a human cow to be milked.

"After we are done here… I'll get them dried off and clothed… I want you to lay down and put a hot towel on your head…"

"I'll be fine.." Nikita whispered and Michael shook his head before he turned around, protecting Abella from the water's spray. He kissed Nikita's lips and looked into her eyes. "Just listen to me…"

"Ok… on this."

~~

"Michael… you don't have too.. just get Abella to go to sleep…" Nikita stressed as she sat up in the bed. Her headache was still there, but nothing was helping. The hot towel just cools off too quickly and Abella kept on screaming and screaming. Cerise seemed immune from her sister's screams and was fast asleep.

"You need something for that headache and since I know that you won't take anything…" Michael muttered as he walked back into the room, placed the towel on Nikita's forehead. Nikita looked at Michael and shook her head. "It is going to be cold in three minutes."

"Do you remember where the hot water bottle is?" Michael questioned and Nikita closed her eyes, trying to remember when she last used it. "It is probably downstairs… I don't think we brought it up after the twins were born…"

"Then… I'll take Abella downstairs with me… and we'll go find it… Maybe she just needs a walk…" Michael declared with a gentle smile on his face. He just wanted to make Nikita feel better.

"Michael… I don't want you to do that… Just get Abella to go to sleep and come hold me…" Nikita whined as she looked at her husband. He shook his head. "You will still have a headache… and I want nothing to bother us tomorrow… tomorrow is why I'm doing this…"

"You are too good for me…" Nikita whispered and Michael winked as he moved out, grabbing the crying Abella. "Shh… my, my… you are being noisy tonight…"

Michael moved into the hallway and tucked with her clothing. "Do you just want my attention?" Abella was getting quiet as Michael turned and started down the stairs. He looked at his daughter and smiled. Then he started to think of where he had last seen the hot water bottle.

He forgot about the basket of clothing that he had put down on the steps.

Michael felt it on his foot and then flashed to the floor below, his mind whirling as he thought about his two-month-old daughter in his arms. He had two choices.

1. He could fall forward, and roll down, but he couldn't protect Abella that way.

2. He could launch his body down towards the bottom of the stairs and land on his right side, since he was holding Abella on his left, he would then protect his daughter.

Nikita heard a click and then the loud holler from Michael's voice before she heard the loud thud. And then silence.

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

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water Jack fell down and broke his crown And Jill came tumbling after.

Abella screamed as Nikita jumped up from the bed, her heart pounding. She didn't hear Michael talking; he didn't even make a sound to sooth Abella. Nikita moved quickly, even as Cerise began to cry, hearing the difference in Abella's screams.

Something bad had happened.

"Michael!" Nikita shouted out, expecting to hear something, but she only continued to hear her two daughters scream. Nikita ran out of the room and rounded the corner and looked at the stairs. "OH MY GOD!"

Nikita took the stairs two at a time, looking at her husband laying on his side, his eyes only now starting to flutter. He groaned as he felt the pain before he really heard Abella. He opened his eyes as Nikita stopped and then stepped over him. "Michael… Michael… what happened?"

"Is Abella ok?" Michael questioned immediately as he didn't think he could move onto his back. He felt so much pain right now and he knew that the first thing that needed to be done was for Nikita to take Abella. Nikita pried Abella out of Michael's other arm, assessing her quickly. She calmed down slightly and Nikita nodded her head. "She appears fine…. Do you want me to call Davenport?"

"No… call for an ambulance…" Michael ordered Nikita. She swallowed harshly and looked down at her husband. She was about to reach out and turn him; Michael shuddered and ached with that thought. "Don't touch me… just call."

"What happened?"

"I was falling… the only way I could protect Abella was falling on this shoulder…" Michael carefully spoke, trying not to let the severe pain he was in to linger into his words, but Nikita could see it on his face.

"Did you break something?"

"I believe so… please, Kita… call the ambulance… and then you can call Davenport or who ever else you need…" Michael strained as he looked at his wife. She was crying, scared out of her mind. Nikita nodded her head and dashed to grab the phone. Michael felt so helpless, but he knew that he couldn't move at this moment. He listened to Nikita's rushed tones, giving the story that she knew and their location. He could hear his daughters still screaming, but there was nothing that would stop that right now. Nikita reappeared and looked at Michael as her fingers dialed the next number. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing… wait for the pros to come and get me…" Michael whispered and Nikita pressed her lips together. She knew that this was bad, and worse, now she didn't know what to do. She wanted to be with Michael, but she had twins that needed her, feeding was not that far away again.

"Davenport… It's Nikita… Michael fell down the stairs… and I already called the ambulance…" Nikita rushed out and Michael concentrated on the words, knowing that it was one method at probably staying conscience. He was sure that if he allowed the pain to win at this moment, Nikita would go hysterical. "Are you going to come here or go there?"

"OF course Abella is fine… I checked her… she is scared… so is Cerise…" Nikita defensively spoke. Michael knew that Davenport was asking if Abella was ok, and it was alight for Nikita to be protective that she did the right thing.

"She doesn't even a bump! That is why Michael is so hurt!" Nikita screamed as she swallowed. "So, you are going to meet him in the hospital? Ok…. I'm going to call Walter…"

Nikita looked at Michael and then danced towards the window. It was going to be a good amount of time before the ambulance would get here, even though Nikita had called right away. Nikita moved back and took a deep breath. "Do you need a pillow? Some ice?" Nikita's voice was cracking and breaking, and only serving to upset Abella once more. The twins were so in touch with Nikita's emotions that they knew when something was wrong and would react to it from Nikita's voice alone.

"Kita… call Walter… you need him…" Michael rasped as he looked up at his wife, never having had this angle before and wished that he didn't have it right now. Nikita nodded her head and started to shake as she dialed the number.

"Pappap! I need you to come here…" Nikita declared and Michael closed his eyes. Walter would take care of Nikita through this. "Michael? Michael! You need to stay awake…"

"I was just resting my eyes…" Michael whispered and Nikita shook her head. "Pappap… Michael fell down the stairs… and is really, really hurt… I need you to come and be with the twins… so I can go with him."

"You aren't coming… you need to stay with the twins," remarked Michael immediately. Nikita shook her head back and forth. "I'm going with you!"

"Sugar!" Walter's voice echoed out of the phone. Nikita pulled it back to hear ear and the distant siren was heard. "Pappap… just run out in your pajamas and get here… we need you…"

Nikita hung up on Walter and threw open the door. Michael moved his head backwards and winced with anew pain. "Kita… there is snow out there… Wait for them to get here…"

Michael's words weren't heard as the ambulance pulled up and Nikita opened the door, waving her free arm. Michael felt the cold air and listened to the happenings, wishing that he felt like he could move, knowing that because he didn't feel like moving, that things were bad. Nikita swallowed and continued to cry. "He is right here…"

"Look at my daughter first… I was holding her…" Michael rasped out at the first man that crossed the door. He turned his head and looked at his partner as she walked up the path. "Lisa… look at the baby… I'm going to get the stretcher… we are going to need it."

"Hi… I'm Lisa Fanning… Is this the little one?" Lisa questioned with a smile on her face. Nikita backed away. "Michael… I told you that she is fine… they should be worried about you!"

"Kita…" Michael rasped and Lisa looked down at Michael and sighed. "Nikita… my partner, Gray Wellman… he'll be right back with the stretcher and backboard…. Until he brings them, can I look at the little girl… What is she, three months?"

"Two months," Nikita snapped as she handed over Abella, who instantly started to scream again. Nikita looked up the stairs as Cerise started up. Lisa looked upstairs and wrinkled an eyebrow. "Her twin is upstairs…"

"Well… she looks fine…" Lisa declared as Gray pulled the stretcher to the stairs and Lisa moved to help pull it all the way up. Gray moved into the house and looked at Michael. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"I was walking downstairs to get a hot water bottle… there was a basket of clothes on the step… I didn't want to hurt Abella…. So I pushed off and hit the floor with this side…" Michael explained as Gray pressed a stethoscope to Michael's chest. "Can you move?"

"Yes… but my arm… feels so numb… and burns…" Michael whispered. Nikita took Abella out of Lisa's arms and clutched her carefully. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Not yet… he does need to go to the hospital…" informed Lisa as she pulled out a radio and started to talk into it. "Michael… did you lose consciousness?"

"He did," Nikita replied as Michael opened his mouth to say no. Gray looked up at Lisa and she reported the answer along. "Can you feel your legs?"

"Yes!" Michael hissed. Gray nodded his head and pulled into his bag, pulling out an IV. "What is that for?"

"I'm going to start you on an IV so we can get you started on some pain medication…" Gray explained as Lisa stopped the report and returned to help Gray. "I don't want any…"

"You need it… we have to get you onto a back board… and we think you have multiple fractures…" Lisa explained and Michael turned to find Nikita backing away into the living room, crying. Michael allowed Gray to establish the line and Nikita flinched and turned away. No one heard the car stop out in front of the house until Walter bussed in. "Michael…"

"Go see Nikita… she is breaking down…" Michael sighed and Walter nodded his head, moving into the living room. Meanwhile, Lisa and Gray gingerly turned Michael onto the backboard, causing Michael to scream out in pain. "Do you want something stronger of that pain?"

"No." Michael replied as he swallowed as they moved around him, securing him.

"Pappap… I'm going with him… I need to be there with him.." Nikita's voice broke through the noise that Lisa and Gray were providing, letting Michael know everything that they were doing to him. He was starting to feel the haze of painlessness that the paramedics had promised from the medicine. He turned his head even as they attempted to put a collar around his neck. "Kita… I'll have Davenport call…"

"I'm not letting you go… Walter can watch Abella and Cerise…" Nikita declared and Lisa looked over at Gray, waiting to move Michael's backboard onto the stretcher. Nikita pulled at Walter's grasp and then bent down as Walter now took Abella. "I need to be with you…"

"The girls… are upset… they need their mother…" Michael issued and Gray cleared his throat. "He has multiple fractures, Nikita… he is going to be in the emergency room for several hours… maybe it would be best if you arrived afterwards."

"No…" Nikita declared and Walter sighed. Abella was screaming furiously now that she had been passed off again. She wanted her mother and Nikita turned her head, clearly torn between her husband and her children.

"Nikita… are you still breast feeding the twins?" Lisa questioned and Nikita nodded her head. Lisa felt the glare from Gray. He had warned her several times not to get involved with the family disputes. Lisa lifted her chin and carried on. "Maybe you should stay here and feed them… and we'll have the doctor call you if you are needed…"

"Davenport is meeting him…" Nikita informed the two paramedics. Nikita looked at Michael and nodded her head. "You better take care of him…"

"We will…" Lisa promised as she moved to help Gray move Michael onto the stretcher. Nikita watched in silence, even as her girls screamed, the paramedics move Michael out of the house and to the ambulance. Nikita turned and dropped her head to Walter's shoulder.

"I caused this to happen…. I made this happen…" Nikita cried out as Walter looked around. Nikita needed to pull up her bootstraps and do something to help her children, but right now, all she could do was cry.

~~

"Michael?" Davenport questioned as he pushed the curtain away and looked down at the man. Michael fluttered his eyes, but was groggy from all the heavy pain medication they had flooding his body, not that Davenport didn't want that. Michael was in a lot of pain.

"What is it?" Michael inquired and Davenport pressed his lips together, pulling a stool over. He had been able to have the paramedics roll him right to x-ray. Davenport had a few friends in the radiology department and had the films read while they were still wet. It aided Davenport to get to the next step, call in his friend, Dr. Mowen, a specialist on shoulder injuries. One was needed.

"I have a friend coming in… you have to have surgery to repair your shoulder and arm… other than that and some bruises… you are very lucky…" Davenport reported, unsure if Michael wanted all the details.

"What exactly needs repaired?"

"You shattered your shoulder blade.. that is probably what is hurting the most… you have two fractures in the collar bone and a fracture of your Humerous…" Davenport stated, each causing Michael to wince.

"How long until I'm better?"

"I'm not the specialist Michael… but it will take some time…" Davenport warned and he closed his eyes.

"Have you told Nikita?"

"I haven't called her yet, no… Do you want her to come in?" Davenport inquired, wanting Michael to know that this was his call on this.

"The surgery is going to be long?"

"It could be… there will probably been metal plates to put in…"

"How long?" Michael inquired and Davenport shrugged his shoulders. "Does this matter about when I should tell Nikita?"

"The girls… were upset… they'll need feed… I don't want her to stay here for the whole thing…" Michael declared and Davenport pressed his lips together. He felt that it was hard to believe that Nikita wasn't here yet. "Why don't I go tell her at the house about your injuries and bring her back… after you have already gone into surgery?"

"I don't want her staying… she needs to be with the girls…" Michael urged and Davenport nodded his head. "Ok… Ok… I'll do it… but you know Nikita too…"

"I feel like I'm in a nightmare… I should be home… with my family…" Michael's voice broke. Davenport touched Michael's good hand. "The good news… is that after the surgery and a day in the hospital… you will be going home.. you won't be able to do a lot… You are right handed, right?"

"Yes."

"Well… you'll be unable to do a lot…"

"Like hold my daughters…" Michael softly spoke and Davenport nodded his head. He looked at Michael, knowing that Michael was going to take not being able to hold his daughters the hardest. "But you will be able to be around them… and you should be able to work too… as long as someone drives you…"

Michael blinked his eyes and dropped his head back slightly, feeling the pain started to grow again. Davenport looked at the heart monitors and then out of the room, where Dr. Mowen was waiting to conference with him. "I'm going to get going… I want to get you into surgery quickly… because the sooner this is fixed… the sooner you will be to holding your daughters."

~~

"She is still crying…" Walter reported as he rocked back and forth with Abella in his arms, which wasn't who he was talking about. Belinda looked to Cerise, who had been calming down also. It was Nikita who was in her room, crying non-stop and the wait was starting to kill her.

"Have we heard anything?" Belinda questioned and Walter looked to Belinda. "Only that Michael made it to the hospital and that Davenport had called in a specialist…"

"Oh god… this isn't good…" Belinda stated as she crept near the door of Nikita's room. Belinda walked back to the cradle and placed Cerise in. "I'm going to have to talk to her… try to get in touch with

Davenport… find out something, because that is what Nikita needs to know…"

Belinda pushed the door open and walked into the room. Nikita jerked her head up, hoping that there was news about Michael. "Is he ok?"

"We haven't had a phone call… Davenport is doing his best, Nikita…" Belinda stated and Nikita dropped her head into her hands. Walter had found out that Nikita had been having a headache most of the night and that Michael was attempting to take care of her and the girls. That was why Nikita was blaming herself right now.

"I should have been the one going down those stairs…" Nikita muttered as she stared at the wall. Belinda sat down and shook her head. "Michael survived this because he is a male and a bit more stronger than you… and the girls need you Nikita…"

"But I'm the reason why he fell!" Nikita declared as she pulled a pillow up to her face and pushed her face deep within. Belinda yanked the pillow away and saw Nikita's disbelief as she stared at her. "Nikita… accidents happen…"

"I caused this… and now he doesn't even want me to be there for him… he is all alone!" Nikita declared and Belinda swallowed and pulled her arms around Nikita, hugging her. Belinda soothed Nikita much like a mother would and looked over her shoulder at Walter, who was now holding the sleeping Abella, who must have just given into the exhaustion of all the crying. "Nikita… it is going to be ok…"

"How? He was so hurt… they put him on a back board… and a collar.." Nikita started to list what she had seen. "Nikita… it was all precautions… ok?"

"Just when we were getting used to things…" Nikita's voice choked up. Belinda sighed and looked back over at Walter, who had placed Abella down and was now pointing out to the hallway. Belinda shook her head back and forth, knowing that right now, Nikita needed her and Walter to be there for her, not to be talking out in the hallway. "Do you still have that headache?"

"It's all my fault…" Nikita whispered and Belinda swallowed. She eased Nikita down into bed, knowing that she wouldn't sleep long, but moved out of the bedroom. "What?"

"Davenport is on his way here…"

"WHY!" Belinda cried out and then covered her mouth. She pulled Walter down the hallway and looked towards Nikita's room, glad to see that Nikita was still curled up in the blankets.

"I don't know… but I do know that Michael is in surgery with Dr. Mowen…" Walter declared and Belinda pressed her lips together. She wished that she had known more people in the hospital that Davenport was working with the past several months.

"Do you think we should call Michele? If Michael is having surgery, isn't Nikita going to need help?" Walter questioned and Belinda sighed heavily.

"That is Michael's and Nikita's decision… Not ours." Belinda turned and sat down on the top stair of the staircase, looking down at the stairs that never looked dangerous before. "Now we just wait for Davenport."