Just A Little Bit Longer

Three-Shot

"I can't wait until my first grandson," Denise breathed, clutching onto Paul with hope as she sat in the leather gray hospital chair, ethuasism glowed in her eyes even at three o'clock in the morning as her nails dug into her husband's upper arm. Although she hadn't been sure, it was good to be hopeful at the thought of her first grandchild, highly likely a boy. "I know they're going to be wonderful parents, isn't that right, Paul?"

"Yes," Paul nodded calmly, tired still claiming the older man as he carefully removed his wife's nails from his arm, well aware of their youngest son sleeping on their laps, a Webkinz clutched in his hand as he slept, and a navy blue blanket wrapped tightly around the boy to keep him warm in the early morning degrees. "They will, Denise," he smiled, his eyes sparkled through his glasses with the warmth that the older man did not express aloud.

"Mom! Did I --" their eldest burst into the room, his eyes bright as he swung his head around. He smiled sheepishly before lowering his voice, "Did I miss anything?" he whispered, giving his mom's hand a squeeze as he took a seat next to his quivering mother. "Joe's been on edge ever since Sky announced she was pregnant," Kevin lifted his eyebrows as he twiddled his calloused thumbs together anxiously. "Where's Nick?"

"He went to get something to wake himself up," Paul recalled, brushing stray hair out of his youngest son's sleeping face. "He might be a while," he added.

Joe stepped out almost two hours later, his right hand was sore and bruised from being gripped for so long, and his hair was wild and dishevled as he staggered towards his eager family, he paused and sighed, "She had the twins," his lips were chapped and dry as he flexed his wrist and hand, sweatdrops flecked his forehead as he glanced ahead.

"That's great!" Denise smiled, jumping up eagerly and giving her son an excited hug, and she took a step backwards. "But what's wrong?" she asked, studying Joe's tired expression carefully. "Joe?" she sighed, feeling her face fall with depression.

"One..." Joe's eyes closed and he let out a heavily exaggerated sigh. "I don't know if he's going to make it," he croacked out.

Denise shook her head before enveloping her carefree son into a tight hug. "I'm sorry," she took note that he said "he" which could only count for the worst. "Can we see her?" she asked hopefully.

"No," Joe whispered, his usually bright and eager hazel eyes were now dull with pain as he took in the fact that one of his children might not make it through to see the first rays of light. He took a seat in between Kevin and Nick and sank back, resting his head on the white washed wall belonging to the hospital. His ragged raven colored hair was beginning to lift up into half curls that he gripped with pain.

"They'll all make it through," Kevin whispered, rubbing Joe's shoulder assuringly as he ran an aggravated hand through his morning curls that seemed to pop everywhere.

"I wish I could say its true, Kev," Joe murmured, his glistening eyes fixed forward in a deathly stare in the direction he had come.

"They'll be fine," Nick agreed, blinking wearily at the hollowness in the words.

"Joey? Why're you so sad?" Frankie asked, his voice cracking from the disturbing noise that woke the boy from his dreamful sleep.

"Shh..." Denise soothed him. "Why don't you and daddy go get something to eat, ok?"

Frankie nodded and crawled off of Paul's lap and stood in front of Joe, "Here Joe, take my favorite Webkinz," he produced a lopsided smile towards his older brother.

"Thanks tank," Joe nodded once, gratefully accepting the plush toy that his brother was obsessed with. "I'll give him back, I promise."

"No," Frankie shook his head vigorously. "You can keep him," he said before bounding forward and hugging Joe tightly and stepping back to follow his father into the cafeteria.

"He has to wake up and make things difficult, doesn't he?" Joe questioned aloud, gripping the stuffed toy with a solemn expression. "And he's only nine."

"You should talk Joe," Kevin laughed, his face froze as an inquiring middle aged doctor stepped forward.

"Party for Mrs. Jonas?" His voice was brisk as he stepped forward. "My name is Doctor Richards and I'm here to explain the condition of Mrs. Jonas and her twins. Mrs. Jonas lost some amount in delivery, but she'll recover soon enough, as well as her daughter, but her son is weak, sir, he needs help breathing and might be in the hospital for a while longer."

"D-daughter?" Denise questioned meakly, her face turning a pale color as her lips curled into a smile.

"Yes, ma'am," Dr. Richards nodded. "Mrs. Jonas can have one visitor at a time and no more until her condition improves."

"Joe," Nick nudged his older brother forward with his shoulder.

"I will warn you that these next hours will be critical," Dr. Richards said before leading Joe back into the hospital room that held his family.

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Her fingers twitched and Joe turned from the window as one eye opened groggily. "Joe?" she whispered.

"Hey baby, I'm right here," Joe smiled nervously, striding forward and returning to his now cold seat before he lightly grabbed her hand. "I'm right here."

"We did it," her voice and smile were faint as she blinked up at Joe, who was smiling warmly down at her.

"We did," Joe agreed. "But it was all you, Sky."

"Where are they?" Skylar questioned, turning her head inch by fighting inch. "Where are they?" she repeated as though Joe hadn't heard the girl.

"Our baby girl is fine, but our son isn't doing to well," Joe murmured, tightening his grip. "He can't breath on his own yet."

Skylar's eyes grew as wide as they could with the fading drugs still in her system. "The doctor said the next hours might be critical," he swallowed uneasily.

Tears slipped passed Skylar's turquoise blue eyes and she nodded. "We will be strong," she stated with defiance. "We won't give up."

"Never," Joe smiled, wiping the tears away with his thumbs as he set Frankie's Webkinz down by her jawline. "From Frankie."

What should I name the twins? Ideas are helpfull! Thanks.