Chapter one

Melanie's POV 

Five years ago, I gave birth to identical twin girls. Neither of them share Shawn's condition. Michael is protective of his sisters, including his sisters from Abbigail. Her twins are also identical, but one of them share Shawn's condition. All the kids call Shawn 'Daddy'.

Beth and I got married a year after Leslie and Leah were born. Shawn and Abbigail renewed their vows with us, as if we were all married to each other. We even booked a group honeymoon the four of us together. We used the honeymoon trip to Ireland that Shawn had planned and was postponed. The girls loved it and we were able to visit all the places Beth's mother wanted to see.

Shawn and I still work as partners in the homicide department and have solved one hundred fifty cases in the last five years. Together we've both come close to death. I almost died giving birth to the twins and there was one other time I thought I was going to die, but that was a year ago.

One year ago...

"Drop your weapon," Shawn bellows at the guy holding a gun to my head. "Drop it now or I'll shoot!"

I make eye contact with her and nod discreetly. I drive my elbow hard in his side causing him to drop his gun from my head. I duck down as Shawn fires her gun, hitting him in the shoulder. With her gun still trained on the suspect, I roll him over and cuff his hands while waiting for paramedics to arrive. 

Our backup arrived, taking over custody of the suspect and Shawn takes me in her arms. I held onto her, shaking from fear. "I've got you Melanie," she says in a soothing whisper and I let out a calming breath. 

"I want to go home," I choke quietly. "Please take me home."

Present day...

I woke to Beth giving me a kiss good morning. She had a pregnancy test in her hand with a smile on her face. "I couldn't wait for you to wake up," she says excited. 

She shows me the test and it was positive. I sit up, caressing her stomach with a smile and kiss her passionately. "Do Shawn and Abbigail know," I ask as I continue to caress her stomach. 

"I wanted to tell my wife first," she says softly and gives me a kiss, caressing my face. Tears fill her eyes and says in a choked whisper. "I know how much you wanted another baby, but weren't able to have your own."

In order to save my life when the twins were born, they had to remove my uterus and ovaries. I won't be able to have any more biological children and it's been eating at me for five years. Beth and I have been talking about another baby since I nearly died last year and now she's pregnant with a child.

Tears fill my eyes and lean down to kiss her stomach. "I'm happy for you Beth and this baby," I choke with a smile. "Thank you for this."

"I wanted to see my wife smile again and not when its forced so people don't ask questions," she chokes quietly and I take her in my arms. 

"I'm sorry," I say in a soothing whisper, rubbing her back in comfort. "Let me make you some tea and something to eat."

She nods lightly and we head down to the kitchen. Shawn and Abbigail were already having breakfast. Abbigail wasn't looking well and Shawn was feeding her yogurt with fruit and granola instead of her usual breakfast choices. 

"Daddy, is mommy going to be okay? She's not eating pancakes or cereal," Caysie asks with concern for her mother. 

"Mommy will be okay sweetie," Abbigail says in a breathy tone. "I'll just be a little sick for a while, but I'll be okay."

"You too," Beth chokes quietly, holding up her pregnancy test. 

Beth's POV 

Five years ago...

The doctor just came out and told me that the twins were delivered safely, but they were losing Melanie. "You get back in there and do whatever it takes to save her," I scream through broken sobs and Shawn takes me in her arms. "I can't lose her Shawn, I can't."

"Melanie is a strong woman Beth, she'll pull through," she says in a soothing whisper, stroking my hair. "She always pulls through."

An hour passed before the doctor came back, covered in Melanie's blood. He gives a light nod and I let out relieved sobs. When he mentioned she'd never be able to get pregnant again, I broke down knowing it would destroy Melanie. 

Present day...

"Beth," Melanie says with worry in her tone, knelt in front of me.

I break into uncontrolled sobs and Melanie scoops me in her arms from the chair I was in. I hold onto her and she rubs my back in comfort. "What's wrong with mommy," Michael asks with concern about me.

"I don't know buddy," Melanie chokes quietly. "Sometimes grownups think about something sad and it makes us upset. Mommy just needs time to calm down, maybe a hug from you will help."

He gives me a hug and says, "I love you mommy, I don't like when you're sad."

I laugh through my sobs and to my surprise, kisses my stomach. "Aubrey and Jordan showed Daddy a similar stick a few months ago and Aubrey's belly started getting bigger because of their baby. Don't be sad mommy, you should be happy," he says softly and rubs my stomach. 

"I am happy," I choke with a smile. "I'll explain better when you're old enough to understand more."

"Okay mommy," Michael says softly and goes to eat his breakfast. 

Abbigail's POV 

Three years ago...

Shawn and Melanie were working a double homicide with two suspects. They each had a team of officers, heading to two possible locations to find both of them. Melanie called two hours after they left. Her location was a decoy and Shawn's car was hit by the suspect's vehicle during a chase.

One of the officers riding with her died on impact. Shawn was in critical condition and airlifted to the hospital. I dropped the pregnancy test I was holding, having done it after they left for work. Beth was with me and called my parents. 

They offered to watch the kids while Beth and I went to the hospital for Shawn. Beth kept me calm for my baby's sake and took my phone from me. She told Melanie what was going on and about the pregnancy. I could hear her soothing voice through the phone and it was helping me to calm down. 

It was three hours before the doctor came out with news about Shawn. She pulled through surgery and was stable. To the doctor's surprise she stayed awake through surgery and was asking for me. I don't hesitate to follow him. Before entering the room I took a calming breath and look at the printout of the baby. 

Tears fill my eyes as I enter the room and saw Shawn with her right arm and leg in casts. Her face was covered in cuts and bruises. I walk over to her left side and hand her the printout. Tears fill her eyes as she looks at the printout of our baby. "I found out after you left for work," I choke quietly and she looks at me as the tears fall down her face. 

Present day...

Caysie and Alex may look alike, but they don't dress the same. Alex shares Shawn's condition and feels more comfortable wearing boys clothes because of it. Shawn junior, our three year old son, looks just like Shawn when she was a baby. I found out about him the day I thought I lost Shawn in a car accident caused by a suspect she was chasing. 

Now that Beth and I are pregnant together I have a feeling Shawn and Melanie will be home more. They were home more while I was pregnant with Shawn junior,  but that was mostly because Shawn was in casts on her right arm and leg and needed physical therapy. 

Beth wanted another baby for Melanie. After Melanie had the twins, they had to remove her uterus and ovaries in order to save her life. Beth was hoping having a baby would bring the old Melanie back and it seemed so this morning when they came down for breakfast and Beth said she was pregnant. 

"Good morning everyone," Jordan says with a smile as she and Aubrey walk in for breakfast. 

All the kids run to her, taking her in a group hug. "Good morning Jordan," they say in unison and take turns kissing Aubrey's stomach. "Good morning Aubrey."

Her eyes fill with tears and brings her hand to her stomach. "Jordan, come feel this," she chokes with a smile. 

Jordan places her hand on Aubrey's stomach and moments later Aubrey breaks into uncontrolled sobs. Jordan takes her in her arms and rubs her back in comfort. "If it's a girl, we'll name the baby after your mother and if it's a boy, we'll name him after your brother," Jordan says in a soothing tone and Aubrey lets out a calming breath. 

Her mother and brother were killed in a car accident a few months ago when she found out about the baby. Her mother was out shopping for a gift for Aubrey and Jordan when her car was struck, killing them both. Aubrey blames herself for their deaths and every now and then gets emotional just thinking about them.

"She was so excited about being a grandmother and it got her and Andrew killed," Aubrey chokes in broken sobs. 

"It's not your fault Aubrey," Jordan says softly kissing her head. 

Melanie takes Aubrey from Jordan and says in a soothing whisper, "You need to calm down for your baby's sake. Your mother wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened. She'd want you to have this baby."

As if flipping a switch, Aubrey calmed down, holding onto Melanie. We were all surprised at how Melanie was able to calm her down. Jordan gave her relieved eyes and Melanie nods lightly. Aubrey goes back to Jordan and Melanie walks back to Beth. 

Shawn's POV 

Two years ago...

I woke to my phone ringing in the middle of the night. It was my mother. She never calls in the middle of the night. I answer the phone and she was hysterical. "You're father just passed away from a heart attack," she chokes in broken sobs and tears roll down my cheeks at the news.

"I'll be right there," I choke quietly. "I'll bring you back here for however long you need."

"I need to wait for the coroner to get here," she chokes quietly sounding a little distant in her tone.

"I'll come wait with you," I choke quietly as Abbigail wakes up and sits next to me. 

She takes the phone and calms my mother down. She ends the call moments later and kisses my cheek. "Let me tell Melanie what's going on so she or Beth can tend to the kids while we go get your mother. I'll drive, you're too upset right now," she says in a soothing tone, wiping my eyes. 

I nod lightly. She throws on some clothes and goes to inform Melanie what's going on. I slip on shorts and a tank top and go wait for her downstairs. She comes down moments later with Beth and Melanie and they both give me comforting hugs.

The ride to my parents house was quiet. Abbigail takes my hand as we pull in their driveway and kisses my wedding bands. We climb out of the car and walk in the house. My mother was sitting on the stairs with a blank face. Tears clung to her cheeks and I knelt in front of her. 

"He woke me with chest pain. I went to get his heart medicine and he was gone when I got back," she chokes in a distant tone. 

Abbigail and I sit on either side of her. She lays her head on my shoulder and I rub her back in comfort. My mother reaches for Abbigail's hand and she gives it to her. Abbigail hugs at my mother's side, rubbing her arm in comfort. 

"He was a good man," Abbigail says softly and my mother looks at her as tears start rolling down her cheeks. "The kids are going to miss their Poppy."

"I needed to hear that," my mother chokes with a small smile. 

Abbigail nods and looks at me. I mouth a thank you to her and she gives me a sympathetic smile. "I'll miss his advice about women," I choke with a smile and my mother laughs.

"What's the matter Shawn, too many women for you to handle," Abbigail asks in a mocking tone. 

"No, it's a guy thing," I choke quietly as the coroner shows up. "Will you stay with my mother please? She doesn't need to go up there."

"What about you," Abbigail asks in sympathy. 

"I have something to tell him, even if I don't get a response back," I choke quietly as tears roll down my cheeks. 

Present day...

Hearing Jordan offer to name their baby after Aubrey's mother or brother made me think about my parents. My father died of a heart attack two years ago and my mother died a few months after him. Tears fill my eyes and I had to walk away.

I didn't get far before Aubrey stepped in front of me and took me in a comforting hug. "Abbigail is also pregnant and you were thinking about naming the baby after your parents," she says in a choked whisper. 

"I don't do well with my emotions in public. I don't want to hurt you or my grandchild," I choke in a scared whisper.

"Let me talk with her sweetie," Abbigail says in a choked whisper and I let out a calming breath just hearing her voice. 

"I miss them too, I never knew my grandparents. Your parents were the closest I could get," Aubrey says in a choked whisper and leaves the room. 

Abbigail takes me in her arms and I let out a calming breath. "I'm sorry," I choke quietly and Abbigail looks at me confused. "I should be supporting you with this pregnancy and I'm getting emotional about naming a baby we just found out about."

"I'd be happy to honor you parents' names," she says in a soothing tone and wipes my eyes. "I miss them too."