Edward felt real fear for the first time since Cole’s accident. “Get us the hell out of here before her heart crashes!” Dr. Brown yelled. He picked up a microphone and turned on the CB radio. “C-med, this is Dr. Richard Brown requesting Mercy hospital with a priority one patient, female age,” he looked at Edward.

“Thirty.”

“Age thirty, blood pressure is eighty over thirty, pulse is forty, blood sugar is twenty-five, sick for unknown amount of time, complaints of nausea, dizziness, patient complained of stomach pain before collapsing, patient is unconscious and unable to regain consciousness at this time, IV and oxygen are in place. ETA.” He looked around. The EMT in back answered him.

“Ten minutes.”

“Mercy received.”

Dr. Brown replaced the microphone. “What’s wrong with her?” Edward asked, fighting back tears.

“I don’t know. We won’t know without more tests,” he said gently.

A group of doctors and nurses met them at the entrance. It seemed Dr. Brown’s name carried some clout here. They moved Dana quickly inside. They asked Edward dozens of questions, but he could hardly focus.

In the end they gave her more saline, medicine to stabilize her heart and breathing, as well as some nutrients to help settle her starving body as they ran their tests. Edward sat by her side after they drew her blood. He gently pushed her hair out of her face. “I love you so much, Dana,” he said over and over again.

“Baby, please don’t leave me.” He broke down after two hours when she still hadn't woken up. He climbed onto the bed and laid his head on her chest and sobbed. “Please come back to me. I need you.”

His sobs died down after a half hour, but he didn’t move away from her. He snuggled against her, willing her to be okay.

********

Dr. Brown walked in smiling as he pushed a machine inside. “I figured it out.”

“What is it? Is she going to be okay?” he asked as he climbed off the bed.

“I believe so, now. If it had gone any longer I wouldn’t have much hope,” he said. He moved to Dana and pulled down the sheet and pushed up her hospital gown, revealing her stomach.

“Do you think it’s cancer?” Edward asked nervously.

He shook his head and turned on the machine. After a minute he squeezed clear gel onto Dana’s stomach and pressed a handheld device to her stomach. Dr. Brown pulled the monitor closer. “If you look here, these are the clips that were used to give her a tubal ligation. The clips are supposed to cause scar tissue to build over them, however if they aren’t placed correctly there is no closure like we have here.” He pointed to two solid white objects on the monitor.

Edward tried to follow what he was saying, but he was more confused than ever. “The clips are hurting her?”

“Yes. They have to be removed and I’ll do that in a minute.” He moved the device an inch higher and turned the speakers on the monitor up. He pointed to two small quivering masses. Edward heard weird echoes. “Now, here we have the other problem.”

“Can you remove it?” Edward asked.

Dr. Brown smiled politely. “Are you her boyfriend?”

Edward reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. “I was hoping more than that.”

“Has she been with anyone else in the last….oh, I would say three months?”

“No!” Edward said, outraged.

“Well then, congratulations, Dad. Looks like twins,” Dr. Brown said, smiling.

Edward’s eyes dropped to Dana’s stomach and back to the screen. He watched the two objects move slightly. “Are you sure? This is why she was sick?”

“Yes, I am very sure. Her blood work confirmed it. The clips weren’t attached correctly, leaving her able to have children. She didn’t know she was pregnant, didn’t expect it. She felt sick and didn’t eat. Her body began to attack itself and the babies. If she waited any longer she would have lost the babies and been in serious trouble.”

“Save them, save them all, please.”

“I’m having what she needs pumped into her body now. I wouldn’t be surprised if she wakes up soon. You need to make an appointment with an OBGYN. For now I am going to prescribe medicine to help her. I want her to take a week for bed rest. Understood? That means she does nothing but rest and eat.”

Edward nodded robotically as he watched his unborn children move. “Now hold her hand, because if she wakes up she might feel the urge to slap me,” Dr. Brown said as he adjusted Dana’s feet into slots. A nurse came in and draped a sheet over Dana’s lower body as he moved in between her legs. Thankfully Dana didn’t wake up while the clips were removed.

She was moved upstairs to the labor and delivery unit where she would be monitored all night. Edward never left her side. She woke up a little after three in the morning feeling better than she had in days. Edward was asleep in the bed with her. His hand was under the blankets, protectively on her stomach.

“Edward?” she asked with a hoarse voice.

He stirred and looked at her with relief. “Oh thank god.” He kissed her lips.

“Baby, what happened?” she asked. He got out of bed, but not before he gently rubbed her stomach. He poured her a glass of water and helped her sit up to drink it.

“What happened, Edward?”

“You collapsed. Why didn’t you tell me you haven’t been eating?” he asked gently.

She shrugged. “It’s just nerves.”

“Hmm.” He took her hand and kissed it. “Sweetheart, I have to tell you something very important, okay?”

She nodded.

“They had to take out your clips. They were very loose and causing problems.”

“Is that why my stomach hurt all the time?”

“They think that had something to do with it,” he said, clearly trying to hide a grin from her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” he said. “First I have to ask you something that I’ve been trying to ask you for a while now.” He helped her sit up in bed and tucked her in. “Comfy?”

“Yes, what’s wrong?” she asked, trying to stay calm.

Edward dropped to one knee and held out a velvet box. “Dana Mathews, will you marry me?” he asked, holding his breath while he waited for her answer.

Her hands went to her face and she began to cry, “Edward.” She gave him a watery smile.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, not really sure how to take that response.

“Yes!” she said, nodding frantically.

He sighed with relief and slid the ring onto her finger. He kissed her. “Thank you,” he said. “I have two more questions actually. When can I adopt Elizabeth and Cole and what do you think about having more children?”

She was flabbergasted. “You can adopt them any time you want and I would love to have your babies.”

His smile was brilliant. “I have to tell you something. The reason you were sick and feeling like hell is because you're pregnant with twins. The clips didn’t work. I think I impregnated you on the first attempt,” he said smugly.

“Pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you?” she asked teasingly.

“Extremely proud.”

Chapter 10

“What are you doing?” Amy demanded.

Dana looked at her future sister-in-law and swore. She caught her again. She needed to get up and walk around, but Dr. Brown’s orders were very specific. She was to stay in bed and her guards were taking their orders seriously.

Everyone was excited and nervous about the pregnancy. They were excited because they adored Elizabeth and Cole and wanted more and nervous because this was the first pregnancy for most of them to be involved in. Eleanor and James were nervous because it had been so long since they were pregnant that Eleanor forgot that a lot of the complaints were normal.

The media had a field day with her collapse. Some claimed drugs, suicide attempt, or publicity stunt while others claimed she turned anorexic under the pressure. That is of course until Edward strutted casually out of the hospital towards the large media camp and yelled triumphantly “We’re having twins!” She watched that clip on YouTube at least five times a day. It was so damn cute to see him that excited.