~May 27, 2003~

"Katie!  I'm home babe!" AJ called out, tossing his keys onto the counter.

He saw the back of her head out on the patio, back in that swing again.  She didn't say anything.

"Babe?" he walked out, thinking that maybe she'd fallen asleep.  He walked up to her and she wasn't sleeping.

"Ow, ow, ow," Katie moaned softly.  Her hands were gripping the armrests and she was obviously trying to take calming breaths.

"Babe, what's wrong?  Are you okay?" AJ knelt in front of her, putting a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"Do I look okay?" Katie snapped.

"What's wrong?  What do you need me to do?" AJ was worried.

"I don't know...I think...I'm having...a contraction," Katie slowly relaxed, taking deep breaths.

"It's okay.  We're going to the doctor.  It will all be okay," AJ tried to convince them both.

Katie nodded, "I'm okay now.  I'll be fine."

AJ grabbed a pair of Katie's flip-flops and slipped them on her feet before helping her up and leading her to the car.

AJ remembered this same oddly surreal and emotional feeling from the first time he'd escorted Katie through these doors.  It seemed like so long ago that he was waking her in there to see their babies for the first time, to see that everything was okay.  They were going to end up doing the same thing today.  They were going to see that everything was okay.

"Katie?" the nurse called her name.

Katie nodded and AJ helped her up and they went back to the examination room.

"Here's the deal Katie, everything appears to be going great, but we're going to have to stick you on bed rest.  With those contractions you were having earlier, and the fact that you've gotten so big," the doctor began.

"Big doesn't cover it.  I'm almost as wide as I am tall," Katie moaned.

"You're gorgeous," AJ assured her.

"You're not any bigger than any other mother-to-be of twins would be at this stage, it's just that your body is telling itself there's no more room.  Extra movement could set off contractions again, and we don't need to be risking anything."

Katie nodded her understanding.  This was going to suck, but it was necessary.

"If you continue with your normal daily activities, even though we've already cut them back, you could go into premature labor.  We've already cut back your exercise and I instructed you to be off your feet as much as possible, but it just doesn't look like it's enough anymore.  You're off your feet now unless you need to use the restroom, and one shower a day.  A quick shower.  There's no stopping by the laundry room to throw in a load, or stopping to make sure the dishes are done or put away."

Katie nodded again.  This was really going to suck.

"The better you keep to this, the longer those babies stay in there, the stronger and healthier they will be."

Finally Katie spoke up, "I knew this was coming.  Stuck in bed all day, oh joy."

The doctor gave her a sad smile, "It doesn't have to be all that bad.  That's were you come in daddy.  You can be a major help in this.  Set up bed rest ‘stations' for mommy.  Put some things for her to do in various places in the house.  Maybe in the bedroom, the living room, her favorite place in the house.  A few different places so she can change things up periodically."

AJ nodded.  He could do that.

"Giver her activities, books to read, if she likes puzzles, or video games.  There are several great message boards out there for moms on bed rest, so set her up with a computer.  Snacks as well.  A cooler with drinks and the likes."

"Got it.  We'll get that going as soon as we get home," AJ was making mental notes of the doctor's instructions.

*****

"Comfortable?" AJ asked again, turning back for the fourth time.

"Yes Alex.  I'm good.  You're going to be late if you keep stopping to ask if I'm comfortable."

"Okay fine.  I'm going.  I have my cell on if you need anything."

"I promise I'll call if I need anything."

"And one of the girls will be over in a little while to keep you company."

"Babe, I know.  I set it up."

"Okay, I'm leaving now, I promise."

*****

"How're the sea monkeys?" Nick grinned.

AJ rolled his eyes, "I wish you'd stop calling them that."

"You find them names, I'll stop calling them sea monkeys.  I'm not calling them baby a and baby b.  It's weird," Nick protested.

"Any closer to any names?" Howie joined the conversation.

AJ shook his head, "We can't agree."

"How's Katie doing?" Kevin asked.

"She's miserable.  She hates the bed rest, but she knows she has to."

"Kris is going over there after she gets finished with her thing.  I'm sure they'll have fun and take her mind right off of it for a while."

"Yeah, I'm just worried about her."

"She having more contractions?" Brian asked.

"No, not as far as I know.  I just hate leaving her home while she's stuck on the couch or in bed."

"She'll be fine man, her and the little sea monkeys."

AJ shook his head, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"You going to be able to concentrate enough to lay down these tracks?" Howie asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he turned to the mixers, "But it that phone rings you have to tell me no matter what."

The guys nodded.  AJ would have their heads if he missed a call from Katie and something went wrong.