four months later

Fred

I swerved into the nearest parking place, getting out of my car as quickly as I could. I grabbed my coat and ran to the door at full speed.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me," I said, squeezing through the people crowding the doorway.

I ran inside the hospital, earning a glance from the lady at the front desk.

"My wife's in labor!" I yelled, running to the elevator.

I erratically pressed the buttons, impatiently tapping my foot.

"God damn it," I cursed, finding the staircase. I ran up quite a few flights of stairs, and lost count while doing so.

I busted through the door when I made it to the women's floor, looking around at the near empty waiting room.

I seemed to calm down when I saw Lena standing there, a smile on her face. "Hi."

"Hi," I sighed, gripping my hips, "where is she?"

"805," she answered, leading me to Alexis's room.

"Be quiet," she whispered, looking back at me.

"Yeah, okay," I said.

I opened the door and a let out a sigh of relief. "Hi."

"Hi," she greeted.

I wrapped my arms around Dad, chuckling. "This is it! I'm about to be a dad."

He patted my back, chuckling. "Yeah, you are."

"How fast did you drive to get her here?" I asked, pulling away from him.

He jutted his bottom lip out, shaking his head. "N-not fast."

"He was on, like, 120," she muttered, leaning her head back against the bed.

"I got her here, that's what matters," he said.

I smiled and knelt down beside her, grabbing her hand. "How are you?"

"Ready to pop these kids out, how about you?"

I chuckled, standing up. I cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "The jet pilot just picked your parents up thirty minutes ago."

"How long?" She asked, looking up at me.

"About three more hours, I think?"

She leaned her head back, nodding. She couldn't make out words, and I felt her grip tightening around my hand.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Contraction," Adora said, gently rubbing my back.

"Can I do anything?" I asked, looking down at Alexis, "d-do you-"

"Stop talking," she firmly said, her eyes meeting mine.

I nodded. "Got it."

Her head fell back against the bed, and she let out a breath. "I-I don't know that I'm going to make it three hours."

Adora rubbed her hair, smiling. "You pop those kids out whenever you need to, sweetheart."

Alexis nodded, her bottom lip pouted out. She squeezed her eyes shut and I turned away from her, sighing.

"Does it normally hurt?" I asked, looking over at Dad.

He tilted his head over, his eyes in thin slits. "I don't think it feels good."

I nodded, gripping my hips. "I mean, you're two baby mamas in. So."

He slapped my head and I chuckled, watching as he and Adora exited the room.

"Hey," I said, smiling down at Lex.

"I wish you could just get in the bed with me," she sobbed, placing her hands over her face.

"Sweetheart," I said, sitting on the edge of her bed, rubbing her hair.

"God, can these kids just get out already?" She sobbed, looking down at her legs.

I smiled and pressed a kiss to her head, equally as ready for our children to make their appearance. I'm sure my reason was quite different from hers, considering I was just ready to meet what would absolutely turn my world upside down.

~*~

Fred

"Push one more time, sweetheart," the doctor yelled, his eyes meeting Alexis's.

I was currently trying to drown out the gut-wrenching screams and sobs coming from Alexis's mouth, considering I couldn't witness her being in pain.

"I can't do it," she sobbed, leaning her head back against the bed.

"Hey," I said, gripping her face, "you can do it. You're the strongest woman I know."

"I can't do it, Fred," she cried, shaking her head.

"Look at me," I whispered, earning her tear filled eyes.

"You can do it," I confidently said.

She bit down on her lip and nodded, looking back at the doctor. "Okay."

"Alright, on three," he said.

"You've got this, baby."

"You're doing great, sweetheart."

I gripped my hips, looking at the doctor. His motivation tactics clearly weren't working.

She slapped my arm, gripping it tightly as she pushed again. I could tell she was giving this one her absolute all, and not leaving any effort behind.

I heard a cry and my jaw nearly unhinged. My world seemed to stop spinning for a split second as I saw the doctor holding my child.

"It's your boy," he said, smiling up at me.

I laughed, looking down at Alexis. "One more, baby. One more."

She laughed, nodding as she wiped her eyes. "Yeah. My baby girl."

The nurse wrapped him up in a blanket and held him out to me carefully, making me pull him into me.

"Oh, my God," I sobbed, "that's my boy."

The world was completely pushed to the side as my eyes met his. I smiled, a tear rolling down my cheek. "Hey, buddy."

"Fred!" Alexis screamed, and I spun around to face her.

I heard another cry and I let out a laugh, my eyes landing on my daughter.

"Oh, my God," Alexis cried, holding her arms out.

The nurse swiftly wrapped her up after a quick cleaning and placed her in Alexis's arms. Alexis looked up at me, smiling. "We did it."

"You did it," I said, standing next to her, "you're superwoman, baby."

She smiled. The nurses cleared out soon enough, and the doctor followed shortly after.

"Look at them," she whispered, "I've never seen anything like them. Ever."

I smiled, rubbing her cheek with my free hand. "You've now given me a gift that no one else could ever even think about matching."

She smiled at me. "They're perfect."

"Wanna switch?" I asked, smiling down at my daughter.

"Yeah, carefully," she whispered.

I smiled, realizing this was what my life was going to be for a long time, and I couldn't have been more happy about it.

~*~

Josiah

"Where are they?" I asked, rubbing my hands together with a smile.

"Come in," Alexis said, smiling a broad smile.

I walked inside, Lena following behind me. I smiled when I saw the twins, one in Fred's arms and the other in Lex's.

"I want to hold one," I whispered, looking over at Fred.

He nodded, holding my niece out to me.

I smiled down at her, rubbing her cheek. "Hi. It's Uncle Jo."

"And she's Josephine," Fred said, his eyes meeting mine.

I looked at him, tears clouding up my eyes. It was simply uncontrollable.

"You're kidding?" I softly asked, keeping my eyes locked on his.

He shook his head, pressing a kiss to her head. "No, that's my little Jo."

I bit back a cry, clearing my throat. "Well, that means a lot to me."

He smiled, nodding. "Yeah. Josephine Fleur."

"She's beautiful," I said, looking over at Lena.

She was absolutely doting over the baby boy in her arms, a warm smile on her face.

"Can we come in?" Adora and Dad asked, peeking inside.

"Please," Alexis said, nodding.

"Her name's Josephine," I said, looking back at Dad.

He gasped, rubbing her head gently. "No way."

Fred nodded. "They're my world."

Dad smiled, embracing him in a hug. "I knew they would be."

Adora smiled at Lena. "And who's the future soccer star?"

"Henry," Fred answered, "Henry Alejandro."

Adora's face seemed to drain of its color. She tilted her head over and bit down on her lip, obviously trying to hide tears. "Oh?"

Fred's eyes went wide. "D-did I hit a nerve?"

She shook her head, clearing her throat. "I-um, no. You didn't."

She folded her arms over her chest and smiled, blinking back tears.

"Alejandro," she said, "that was my father's name."

We all looked over at her, completely taken aback. We'd never heard much about her parents.

"I didn't know," Fred said, shaking his head.

Adora smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love it."

He nodded, smiling at Alexis. Alexis held her hand out and I walked over to her, grabbing it.

"You're a superhero, God," I said, "pushing two of these things out? At the same time?"

She laughed, looking up at me.

"I never would've thought this is where we'd be," I said, shaking my head.

She grinned, her eyes meeting Fred. "Yeah, me neither."

I looked over at Lena, who was still doting over Henry.

"Can I hold Jo?" She excitedly asked, looking up at me.

"Yeah," I said, and we skillfully enough switched babies.

"Wait, that wasn't even hard," she said, her eyes meeting mine.

"Right?" I asked, smiling down at Henry.

My focus stayed on Henry for a bit, but it was slowly making its way to Lena, and only her. The way she was absolutely admiring the child in her arms, the way she was making a child, that wasn't even her own, her world.

My smile faded, my eyes still locked on her.

"Oh, shit," I said, as soon as I realized I wanted this for myself, and soon, for that fact.

~*~ 

hi guys 🥺

welp.. this chapter might just take the cake for my fav chapter ive written in a LONG time

HENRY ALEJANDRO AND JOSEPHINE FLEUR, WELCOME TO THIS FICTIONAL WORLD. YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF PROTECTORS, AKA READERS.

i love them sm already lol 🥰

i genuinely loved this chapter so much to be honest. it wasn't flawless, but ive been waiting on this moment since chapter 1 of the kings (the first book, literally)

y'all the moment when jo found out that JOSEPHINE WAS NAMED AFTER HIM LITERALLY BYE

and what a coincidence that adora's dad's name is henry's middle name 🥺 but alejandro was actually kind of a tribute to alessandra if u caught that

OK I LOVE U GUYS

thank you for reading and always supporting me ❤️ the next chapter is the last chapter, so let's make it count!

love you guys forever,
jay