The hospital corridor was anything but calm.

What should have been a place of quiet urgency had turned into complete chaos.

Footsteps echoed. Voices overlapped. And in the middle of it all, Shawn was pacing like a man waiting for a life-or-death verdict.

"I’m telling you, this is too stressful," he muttered, running a hand through his hair for the tenth time in the last minute. "Why does this take so long? Shouldn’t there be like... a fast-forward option?"

"Shawn, this is childbirth, not a movie," Ethan snapped, though his own anxiety was evident in the way he kept glancing toward the delivery room doors.

"I know that!" Shawn shot back. "That’s why I’m panicking!"

"Then stop talking," Kathrine said, pressing her fingers to her temple. "You’re making it worse."

"I’m making it worse?!" Shawn pointed at himself in disbelief.

"Yes," Betty said firmly. "You are."

Henry, who had been trying—and failing—to stay calm, finally exhaled sharply. "Can everyone just sit down?"

No one sat. No one could. Because behind those closed doors, Anna was in labor. And the thought alone was enough to make every second feel like an hour.

The sound of hurried footsteps suddenly drew their attention.

They turned and froze.

Hugo, Marcus and Norma, all three had arrived, their expressions carrying a mix of urgency and concern.

"What’s happening?" Marcus asked immediately, his voice firm despite the tension.

"She’s inside," Ethan replied quickly. "They took her in not long ago."

Norma’s gaze shifted to the closed doors, her lips pressing into a thin line. "How is she?"

"No updates yet," Kathrine answered softly.

Hugo exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face. Even he—who had faced countless high-pressure situations—looked unsettled.

"This is taking too long," Shawn muttered again.

"Shawn," Betty warned.

"I’m just saying—"

"Don’t say anything."

"I’m not saying anything!"

"You’re literally saying something right now!"

"Okay, I’ll stop saying something!"

"Then stop talking!"

"I—"

"Shawn!"

"Okay!"

Silence came from him only for three seconds when he spoke again, "What if—"

"Shawn!" everyone snapped.

He clamped his mouth shut.

Meanwhile, inside the delivery room, the world felt entirely different.

There was no chaos here. Only intensity. Only focus.

Anna gripped the sheets tightly, her breath uneven as another wave of pain surged through her.

"Daniel—"

"I’m here." His voice was immediate.

Daniel stood beside her, one hand holding hers firmly, the other brushing damp strands of hair away from her face.

His usual calm exterior was still there. But his eyes—they told everything.

Concern, fear, but more....determination.

"You’re doing amazing," he said quietly, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles.

Anna shook her head weakly. "No... I’m not..."

"Yes, you are," he insisted.

Another contraction hit. Harder. Stronger then before.

Anna cried out, her grip on his hand tightening.

Daniel didn’t flinch. Didn’t move. He let her hold on as tightly as she needed.

"Breathe," he reminded softly. "Just like they told you."

Anna tried.

God, she tried.

But the pain— It was overwhelming.

"I can’t—" she gasped.

"You can," Daniel said firmly, leaning closer. "You’ve come this far. You’re not stopping now."

His forehead touched hers briefly.

"I’m right here."

Those words grounded her.

Time blurred. Minutes felt endless. But Daniel never left her side. Not for a second.

He stayed there, encouraging her, holding her together when she felt like she might fall apart.

"You’re strong," he murmured. "Stronger than you think."

Anna let out a shaky breath and continued pushing again and again until a cry filled the room.

For a second everything stopped.

Daniel froze only to be pulled out by Doctor’s voice.

"...Your baby boy,"

A boy. Their son.

Tears filled Anna’s eyes instantly. But before she could even process it, another wave hit.

"Wait—there’s another," the doctor said.

Daniel’s grip tightened slightly.

Another. Of course. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Twins.

Anna let out a half-laugh, half-cry. "I can’t do this again—"

"You can," Daniel said immediately, his voice softer now but no less certain.

"You already did it once."

She looked at him. Exhausted. Overwhelmed. And yet nodded.

One more time. One more push.

Daniel stayed with her through it all.

Counting. Encouraging.

Never letting her feel alone until another cry came.

It was softer but just as beautiful.

"...Another boy."

Silence followed. Not empty. But full.

Full of something too big to name.

Daniel exhaled slowly, his shoulders dropping as if a weight he didn’t even realize he was carrying had finally lifted.

Anna closed her eyes, tears slipping down her temples.

"We... did it," she whispered.

Daniel looked at her. At their sons. And something in his expression changed completely.

He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You did it."

Not we.

Her. Because he had only stood there. She had endured. She had fought. And she had brought their children into the world.

Outside the doors finally opened causing everyone jumped to their feet.

"Well?!" Shawn rushed forward.

The doctor smiled.

"Congratulations. It’s twins. Two healthy baby boys."

"...."

"TWINS?!" Shawn shouted.

Ethan laughed in disbelief.

Kathrine covered her mouth, tears already falling.

Betty squealed, grabbing Shawn’s arm.

Henry exhaled deeply, a wide smile spreading across his face.

Marcus closed his eyes briefly, relief washing over him.

Hugo let out a quiet breath.

Norma— smiled, softly. Proudly. Because inside that room a new family had just begun.

And when Daniel finally stepped out, his expression calmer than ever before there was something new in his eyes.

Not just love. Not just relief. But something deeper. Something unshakable.

Because now he wasn’t just a man.

He was a father.

***

The hospital room had transformed into something far from quiet.

If anything, it was louder than the corridor outside.

"Careful! Careful—don’t hold him like that!"

"I am being careful!"

"No, you’re not—his head—support his head!"

"I know how to hold a baby!"

"You clearly don’t!"

"Give him to me!"

"NO!"

Shawn and Henry stood in the middle of the room, arguing like two amateurs handed the most precious responsibility of their lives.

Between them one very confused newborn.

"Shawn," Betty snapped, trying not to laugh, "you’re holding him like a football."

"I am NOT!"

"You literally just adjusted your grip like you’re about to throw him!"

"I WOULD NEVER THROW HIM!"

"Then stop looking like you might!"

On the other side, Ethan stood with the second baby in his arms, unusually still.

Kathrine hovered next to him, watching closely.

"...You’re not blinking," she pointed out.

"I’m scared to," Ethan replied honestly. "What if I do something wrong?"

Kathrine smiled softly. "You won’t."

Ethan glanced down at the baby again, his expression shifting.

"...He’s so small."

"And yet," Henry called out from across the room, "he’s already more stable than Shawn."

"HEY!"

Laughter erupted.

Marcus stood nearby, watching the scene with a quiet smile, while Hugo and Norma stood beside him, their expressions softer than usual.

For once there was no tension. No past. Just... family.

And in the middle of it all, Anna lay against the hospital bed, her exhaustion still evident, but her eyes filled with something far brighter.

Daniel sat beside her, one hand resting gently over hers, his gaze drifting between her and their sons.

For a while He didn’t speak but simply watched, listened. Took it all in.

"...You’ve been doing that a lot," Anna turned her head slightly, catching him staring again.

Daniel didn’t look away. "I know."

She smiled faintly. "What is it this time?"

He paused for a few second. "Nothing," he said quietly.

Anna raised a brow. "That didn’t sound like nothing."

Daniel’s fingers tightened slightly around hers.

"...I’m just thinking."

"Dangerous," she teased weakly.

A faint smile touched his lips. Then he leaned closer. Not rushed. Not dramatic. Just... closer.

"I thought I knew what love was," he said softly.

Anna’s breath slowed.

"But I didn’t."

Her eyes softened.

"Not until you."

Silence settled between them, warm and intimate despite the chaos happening just a few feet away.

Daniel’s gaze held hers steadily.

"In every lifetime..." he continued, his voice low, almost like a confession meant only for her, "I think I would still end up here."

Anna blinked.

"With you."

Her fingers curled slightly against his hand.

"I don’t think it matters how things begin," he added. "Or how complicated they get."

His thumb brushed gently over her knuckles.

"I would still fall for you."

The words sank deep. Not rushed. Not exaggerated.

Just... true.

Anna felt her chest tighten, her eyes shimmering faintly.

"Me too," she whispered.

Daniel’s lips curved slightly.

She let out a soft breath, her voice quieter now. "I will still choose you no matter what the circumstances are because I know you love for me has no boundaries"

"Every time "His answer came without hesitation.

Anna smiled.

Daniel shifted slightly, his gaze flickering briefly toward their sons before returning to her.

"And now..." he said, "we have this."

His voice softened even more.

"Our family."

Anna followed his gaze, her heart swelling at the sight of their babies—safe, loved, surrounded.

"It feels unreal," she admitted.

Daniel nodded faintly. "It does. But it’s not," he added.

His hand moved, gently resting over hers and then over the edge of the blanket near her stomach—protective, grounding.

"It’s real," he said.

"And it’s ours."

Anna looked back at him.

There was something different in his eyes now.

Not just love.

Not just intensity.

But something deeper.

Something steady.

Unbreakable.

"Our love..." he continued, his voice steady, "it’s not going to stay the same."

Anna tilted her head slightly.

"It’s going to grow," he said.

"With them."

"With us."

"With everything we go through."

His forehead rested lightly against hers.

"And no matter what happens... it will only get stronger."

Anna closed her eyes for a brief second, letting his words settle deep within her.

Then she opened them again, meeting his gaze.

"You sound very sure."

"I am."

A small smile formed on her lips.

"Good," she whispered.

Because she believed him.

Completely.

Daniel pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, lingering there for a moment.

And for once— he wasn’t thinking about anything else.

Not the chaos.

Not the voices.

Not even the future.

Just— Her. Their sons. And the quiet promise that whatever came next, they would face it together.

Always.