JAY JAY POV
The first thing I registered was the noise—a low, rhythmic thumping and the hushed but urgent sound of voices arguing. My head felt heavy, like I had been underwater for a week, and every muscle in my body ached in a way I couldn't even describe.
I groaned softly, blinking my eyes open. The hospital room was dimly lit, but I could see shadows moving. I tried to pull myself up, my arms feeling like jelly.
"Keifer..." I croaked, my throat dry.
In a split second, he was there. He moved faster than I'd ever seen him move, hovering over the side of my bed. He looked... different. His hair was a mess, his expensive shirt was wrinkled and stained with sweat, and his eyes were red-rimmed.
"Jay-Jay," he breathed, his voice cracking. He leaned down immediately, pressing a long, firm kiss to my forehead. His skin felt cool against my feverish face. "Hey. Don't move too fast. Just breathe."
"The babies..." I whispered, my heart starting to race as the memories of the screaming and the pushing came flooding back. "Are they—"
"They're perfect, Jay. They're right here," Keifer interrupted, his voice dropping to a jagged whisper.
He stepped back just enough for me to see. On the small plastic bassinets beside my bed, two tiny, swaddled bundles were tucked in tightly. They were so small.
I felt a sob rise in my throat. "Two of them. We really have two."
"Two princes," Keifer murmured, reaching down to take my hand. He squeezed it gently, his thumb tracing over my knuckles. "They've already got the nurses wrapped around their fingers. And Keigan is currently in the hallway trying to fight Jare over who gets to be the 'favorite' uncle."
As if on cue, a loud thud came from the door, followed by Jare's muffled voice: "I'm the Godfather, Keigan! That's a legal title! Move!"
I let out a weak, shaky laugh. "Some things never change."
Keifer smirked, but his eyes never left mine. He looked at me with a level of devotion that made me feel like the only person in the universe. "Nothing changes, Jay. Except now, I have three people to protect with my life instead of just one."
He leaned down again, his lips brushing against mine this time in a soft, lingering kiss. "Thank you. For everything."
"Don't thank me yet," I teased, my voice gaining a little strength. "You still owe me for the 'no touching' comment during the second one."
Keifer chuckled, a real, warm sound. "I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, Mrs. Watson. I promise."
I smiled, feeling a bit more like myself as the boys circled the bed. It was good to have the whole family back together, especially Keiran. He looked older, taller, but he still had that same mischievous glint in his eyes.
"How are you, Ate?" Keiran asked, leaning over to give me a careful, gentle hug as if he was afraid I'd break.
"Good," I whispered, pulling him in and kissing the top of his head. I ran my hand through his hair, realizing he didn't feel like a little kid anymore. "You grew! When did you get so tall?"
"Well, obviously," Keiran teased, pulling back with a grin. "London life suits me, but I had to come back to see my nephews."
"Some things never change," Keigan added from the foot of the bed, leaning against the rail with a tired but happy smirk. He looked back and forth between us, the relief clear on his face. My laugh was weak, but it felt amazing to let it out.
Keiran turned his attention to Keifer, who was still hovering protectively by my side. "Wow, Kuya. Double? You really never miss a chance to beat Kuya Jare, do you? He has one, you have two. Efficient."
Keifer rolled his eyes, though he looked incredibly proud. "It wasn't a competition, Keiran. But if it was... I clearly won."
The mention of Jare made me sit up a little straighter. The memories of the hallway chaos came back. "Wait, what about Mia? How is she? Did she...?"
"She's fine, Jay," Keifer said, his hand resting on my shoulder to keep me calm. "She's in the room down the hall sleeping. They have a baby girl. Healthy, loud, and looks exactly like Jare—God help us all."
"A girl," I breathed, a smile spreading across my face. "Aries is going to lose his mind. He's going to be the most overprotective uncle to a little princess."
"He already is," Keigan laughed. "He's currently trying to sneak into the nursery to see if she needs a 'chef-curated' bottle."
I looked at the two bassinets, then thought of Mia's little girl just a few doors away. After all the danger, the threats from Yuri, and the fear we lived under for months, it felt like the world had finally balanced itself out.
"The next generation of the Watsons and the Mariano" I murmured.
Keifer leaned down, his voice low and private. "The world isn't ready for them, Jay. But they're going to be unstoppable."
"Just like their parents," Keiran added, reaching out to poke one of the sleeping babies' tiny hands. "Welcome to the madness, little guys."
The bubble of joy felt like it was starting to thin as the reality of the situation set in. They were so small. Too small.
"So, Kuya, since the boys are preemies, is there anything we should be aware of?" Keigan pointed out
I felt my heart hitch. I had almost forgotten they were early. My grip on Keifer's hand tightened instantly.
"The doc said they look healthy and all... nothing so far," Keifer said, his voice dropping an octave. He looked down at the twin on the right—the second one. "Although..."
"Although what?" I asked, my voice trembling. A cold wave of fear washed over me. "Keifer, tell me."
"The doctor said the second one... he might have asthma," Keifer finished, his expression darkening with that familiar protective intensity. He hated not having total control over a threat, especially one he couldn't fight with his fists.
"What?" I breathed, looking at the tiny, rhythmic rise and fall of my second son's chest. He looked so fragile in that big bassinet. "Is he struggling now? Is he okay?"
"The doctor also said it wasn't risky at all, Jay," Keifer added quickly, reaching out to cup my face and force me to look at him. "He just said we have to be vigilant. It's common with twins who come early. His lungs just need a little more time to catch up to his brother's."
Keigan stepped closer, looking at the chart at the end of the bed. "He's right, Ate. It just means we have to stay on top of his environment. No dust, controlled temperature... basically, he needs to live in a palace."
"He already does," Keifer grunted, though his eyes softened.
"We'll protect him," Keigan promised, looking at me. "I've already started researching the best pediatric specialists in the country. He's a Watson. He's a fighter."
I looked back at my baby boy. He was so still, so peaceful. "We'll give him everything he needs. If I have to buy every air purifier in the city, I will."
"I've already ordered them," Keifer murmured, kissing my temple. "Jare is currently arguing with a supplier about why they can't deliver them to the mansion within the hour."
I let out a shaky breath, leaning into Keifer. We had survived the warehouse, we had survived the blackout, and we had survived the birth. Asthma was just another enemy we would conquer.
"What are we calling them?" Keiran asked, breaking the heavy silence from the corner of the room. He was looking at both boys with wide, curious eyes. "They can't just be 'Twin A' and 'Twin B' forever."
Keifer looked at me, a silent question in his eyes. We had talked about names for months, but we only ever had one ready. Now, we needed a second.
"The first one," I said, looking at the slightly larger baby. "The one who wanted to lead the way... he's Kace. Kace Watson."
"And the second one?" Keifer asked, his thumb stroking the cheek of our warrior.
"Kian," I whispered. "Kian Watson."
"Kace and Kian," Keigan repeated, a wide smile breaking across his face. "I like it"
The door finally swung open and Jare walked in, looking like he'd been through a war zone himself. He walked straight to me and kissed my forehead, his usual loud energy replaced by a Rare moment of genuine tenderness.
"Can I see Mia?" I asked him, my heart aching to see my best friend.
Jare nodded, his eyes bright with pride. "She's been asking for you. Come on."
Keifer didn't even wait for a nurse; he was at my side in a second, his strong arm supporting my waist as he helped me out of the bed. My legs felt like lead, but the need to see Mia pushed me forward. Keifer carefully picked up Kace, and I cradled Kian close to my chest, his tiny weight feeling like the most precious thing I'd ever held.
Slowly, we made our way down the hall to Mia's room. When we walked in, Mia was propped up on her pillows, looking exhausted but radiant as she looked down at the pink bundle in her arms.
"You already have your dad's nose... what else do you have that's going to trouble me?" Mia was whispering, teasing her daughter with a tired smile.
Amy and Aries were already there, tucked into the corner of the room.
"Oh god, Jay! Finally!" Amy whispered-yelled, jumping up but moving carefully. "We came as soon as we heard, but you were still resting so we decided to come wait in Mia's room."
I nodded, my eyes drifting to Amy's stomach. Her bump was definitely getting bigger now—it wouldn't be long before the Watson-Mariano nursery was completely full.
"Look at you two," Mia gasped as she saw us enter with a baby in each of our arms. "Twins, Jay? You and Keifer just had to one-up us, didn't you?"
"It was a surprise for us too," I laughed softly, moving to sit on the edge of her bed.
I looked down at the three babies. Kace, Kian, and Mia's little girl—who Jare had proudly named Miana.
"They're going to be trouble," Aries muttered from the corner, though he looked like he was already planning out the security detail for all three of them. "Three of them at once? The estate is never going to be quiet again."
"Good," Keifer said, his voice deep and certain as he stood over us, looking down at our growing family. "It's been quiet for way too long."
Jare leaned over, poking Kace's tiny hand. "Look at this guy. He's already got the 'King' scowl down. And Kian... he looks like he's already planning how to trick his brother out of his toys."
"He's a Watson," Keifer smirked. "He doesn't plan. He just takes."
I looked at Mia, and we shared a long, silent look. We had survived so much to get to this room. The warehouse, the threats, the fear—it all felt like a lifetime ago. This was the peace we had fought for.
"To the next generation," Mia whispered, lifting her daughter slightly.
"To the next generation," I repeated, holding Kian closer as Kace let out a small, demanding whimper from Keifer's arms.
The madness was just beginning, but as I looked at the family surrounding us, I knew we could handle anything the world threw at us.