Together Again

Three days later, on the morning of September twenty-eighth, Ash was up early as he fed and changed his newest children again. So long as things kept progressing as well as they had been so far, he’d be released around noon, meaning that he, Levi, and Logan could finally go home. He was so sick of being in the hospital, mainly because he’d never liked being in one to begin with, but because he was sick of the nurses aggravating him, and he was eager to get home.

At the moment, he was lazing in bed with the babies resting between his legs, the TV’s volume low to avoid disturbing them. Levi and Logan were cuddled against his belly, listening to the familiar sounds of his guts gurgling as they slept. Their little bodies were propped up by his and covered by a receiving blanket, which kept them perfectly warm.

Since he was still sore from giving birth again, Ash didn’t have his legs spread very wide as they all rested, but they were spread enough to avoid hurting his babies. He sighed as he looked down at the sleeping babies, who were already dressed in their cute little going-home outfits. Levi wore a pair of khaki overalls, a green onesie peeking out and appearing to be a T-shirt. Logan wore a cute little dress that came down to her ankles since she was so short, its color purple. He hated the typical blue for a boy, pink for a girl argument, and even though most swore green was a girlie color, he didn’t care.

It was a short time later that he heard a soft knock at the door, which brought him out of his thoughts. He called out for the person to enter, not bothering to disturb his sleeping babies since he figured it was likely Andy. However, he was surprised when his OB/GYN walked in with a tired smile, bespeaking how long she’d been awake due to several other patients going into labor at roughly the same time.

“I figured I’d come check on you guys one last time,” Dr. Bohn said.

“We’re doing great, Dr. Bohn,” he answered with a smile. “These two have been content to sleep right where they’re at ever since I fed and changed them about three hours ago.”

“Awww. Their outfits are so cute, Ashley,” she told him.

“Thanks. I wouldn’t let Andy pick out what they went home in in,” Ash chuckled.

“Really, now?” she asked.

“He’d have ’em dressed up as Batgirl and a mini Batman, if it were his choice,” he laughed.

“Ah, I see. Unless it’s Halloween, it wouldn’t exactly want my babies dressed up like that as they head home, either,” the OB/GYN agreed.

“That’s why I told him that, so long as I get to pick what they wore home after they were born, he could choose their first Halloween costumes,” he chuckled.

“Well, I need to do one last physical exam on you before I can clear you for discharge,” Dr. Bohn told him.

Nodding, he asked her for a bit of help moving the babies to the little isolette still by his bedside, knowing what she meant. She needed to see how his episiotomy incisions were healing, as well as give him an estimate as to when his stitches could be removed. That meant he’d have to shed his gym shorts, but he’d need to do that to put his maternity jeans on in a little while, anyway.

After getting Levi and Logan settled, thankful they didn’t wake up from being moved, Ash shimmied his way out of his shorts. The OB/GYN quickly locked the door to prevent unwanted eyes from seeing what had to be done, that way no one could walk in unannounced. Once he was situated on the bed, she just had him brace his feet on the mattress since she doubted being in the stirrups would be too comfortable right now. That drew a sigh of relief from him as he spread his legs as wide as he could manage.

Despite it being a bit uncomfortable for him, Dr. Bohn had to spread his cheeks just a bit more so she had a clear view. The action drew a grimace from him, but he was thankful for her gentle touch. He just hoped that what she saw was good, considering that she’d had to slit his entrance in both directions.

“Looks to me like, if you take it easy for the next couple weeks, your stitches should be able to come out by then,” she reported, letting his cheeks relax back into their natural position.

“Sounds awesome to me,” Ash sighed, now letting his legs relax again.

“Just remember that after every trip to the bathroom for a bowel movement, you’re gonna have to have Andy or someone else disinfect it,” Dr. Bohn reminded him.

“I know. Toilet paper may not get everything, and even if it does, that doesn’t mean it won’t get infected,” he answered, nodding.

“Then I’m gonna go get the paperwork set up for your discharge. Go ahead and give Andy a call so he can come get you and these little beauties,” she told him with a smile.

“Sounds great, Dr. Bohn. Thanks again,” he said, grinning happily.

Once he’d managed to shimmy into his maternity jeans while laying on the bed, which left him a bit winded since he hadn’t been very active the last few days, he grabbed his phone. Considering that it was only about seven-thirty, if he was even up, he figured Andy would be getting the girls up for their second day of school. Still, he needed to get in touch with him as soon as possible since he didn’t know exactly when he’d be discharged.

When his call was sent to voice mail after ringing for a good thirty seconds, Ash sighed as the automated voice told him how to leave his message. He quickly told his lover that Dr. Bohn was already writing up his discharge paperwork and that he should be able to come home soon. After leaving his brief message, he ended the call and laid his phone aside, which allowed him to move his babies back to where they’d been previously. Levi and Logan were happy to be snuggled up to him again, which made him smile.

Now that his attention was riveted on his babies again, he never realized that Andy failed to call him back. If he had, he’d have worried unnecessarily, given that he was just busy with Legacy and Magick, so maybe his lack of observation was a good thing. Either way, it wouldn’t be long until the younger man arrived, and he’d soon be headed back home.



After finally getting their older daughters up, ready, and out of the house for school, Andy was able to let out a sigh of relief. His morning had been pretty busy thus far, which explained why he never heard his phone ringing. When he realized he had a missed call from his sweetheart, he immediately checked his voice mail to see if he’d left one, smiling when he realized that he had.

“Morning, Batman. I’m guessing you’re asleep or busy with the girls, or I wouldn’t be more or less talking to myself,” Ash’d said. “Anyway, Dr. Bohn just left after giving me one last checkup. She’s working on writing up my discharge paperwork, so I’m guessing I’ll get released sometime today, and said my stitches should be able to come out within the next couple weeks. Hopefully you’ll get this message soon and head on over, and without me having to call you again. I love you more than words can say.”

The message ended with that last sentence before a distinct click sounded, indicating he’d ended the call. With his sweetheart and newest babies ready to come home, he knew he needed to go upstairs and grab the carriers since they’d already gotten the bases strapped into his back seat.

Once he’d grabbed the carriers and some shoes for the older man, Andy headed out to his car to snap the former into place. He decided to take his time getting to the hospital, knowing it’d still probably be a while before they were discharged, so he wasn’t too worried about a traffic jam right now. Still, he was a bit surprised to hear his sweetheart’s ring tone when he was about halfway to his destination, and he was thankful for Bluetooth technology. That made answering his call easier, legal, and kept him from having to take too much of his attention off the road while driving.

“Hey, Outlaw,” he said, carefully watching his mirrors before making a lane-change.

“Hey, Batman. I’m glad to be talking to you and not a robotic voice this time,” the older man chuckled.

“Yeah, I got your message. I’m actually about halfway to the hospital now,” Andy told him as he turned his attention ahead again.

“I was just about to ask if you were on your way or not,” he said with an obvious smile.

“It took me a while to get the girls in gear, then gather what I needed to bring with me,” he answered a bit sheepishly. “By the time I finally got done with all of that, I thought I’d just surprise you, you impatient thing.”

“Well, can you really blame me for being impatient?” Ash laughed. “I’ve been here since early Tuesday morning, and I’m ready to sleep in my own bed again.”

“No, I don’t blame you. The nurses have driven me a bit nuts the couple nights I spent there with you guys,” the younger man chuckled.

“I’m gonna letcha go so ya can focus on the road,” his sweetheart said. “I’ll see ya in a little bit, all right?”

“I’ll see you and our little miracles soon,” Andy agreed.

“I love you more than words can say, Batman,” the older man told him.

“I love you more than I can ever scream, Outlaw,” he answered.

Their phone call ended with those simple sentences, then he heard the telltale beep from his car’s stereo as the call disconnected. He was so eager to see them again, considering that he hadn’t seen his sweetheart or newborns in about thirty hours. It’d hurt to have to leave the night before last, but he kind of had to since Legacy and Magick also needed him back home, despite being seventeen.

A short while later, he was parked outside the hospital and unlatching the carriers from their bases. It was a bit harder to unlatch them than he’d thought it’d be, but still didn’t take too long. Once he’d finally managed to unlatch them, Andy quickly locked his car up before heading inside and subsequently up to the maternity ward.

He had to check in as a visitor at the nurses’ station, which didn’t take very long either, but it was still one more delay he didn’t really want or need. When he was finally through the bureaucratic red tape, he quickly headed down the hall to his sweetheart’s room. Even if he hadn’t had the room number memorized after the last couple days, the placard that had A. Purdy written in the patient slot, Dr. Y. Bohn written in the one reserved for his doctor, would’ve given it away.

“Batman!” the older man cried softly, but happily, when he walked it.

“Where?” he asked jokingly, pretending to look around.

“You goofball!” Ash laughed. “Get over here and gimme a kiss, Batman.”

“Your wish is my command, Outlaw,” the younger man answered, setting the carriers down before gently connecting their lips in a chaste kiss. “How’re ya feeling this morning?”

“Tired and still a little sore,” he answered. “I can’t really spread my legs very much, but it’s not as hard to walk now.”

“Well, that’s good, considering that you just pushed roughly fifteen pounds of baby out your ass,” Andy chuckled.

“Actually, it was exactly fifteen pounds,” he chuckled. “But that’s not too much more than when I had Legacy and Magick.”

“Really, now?” he asked curiously.

“Legacy was six pounds, ten ounces, and seventeen and a-half inches long; Magick was six pounds, six ounces, and sixteen and three-quarter inches long,” the older man answered as he nodded.

“So that totaled thirteen pounds altogether,” he mused.

“Mmm hmm. Fifteen is nothing when they’re compared,” Ash chuckled.

“I suppose it’s not. And Dr. Bohn said your stitches could be removed soon?”

“Probably within the next two weeks, so long as I keep healing like I have been.” He paused and gave him a thoughtful look before grinning. “I hope you don’t mind wiping my ass, so to speak.”

Andy cocked a brow at him curiously.

“Hey, I have to shit out the same hole I gave birth through,” he laughed.

“And if it’s not cleaned properly, it could easily get infected,” the younger man said, realizing what he’d meant.

“Exactly. And I’d personally rather it go ahead and heal so I don’t have to keep these stitches for longer.”

“I don’t blame you. I personally never want stitches in my ass, but if I ever do need them, I want them back out as soon as possible.”

It wasn’t long afterward that Dr. Bohn joined them and said that he was free to go whenever he was ready, and so were the babies. They were all in the best of health for being three days out from delivery, and that drew a relieved sigh from both parents. Since he was ready to go as it was, he and Andy decided to get the twins settled in their carriers while she went to go get him a wheelchair.

Per hospital protocol, something that was routine even twenty years ago, new mothers were wheeled down to the parking lot by either their significant other or a nurse. Considering that there were two carriers that needed to go down, it was agreed that a nurse would wheel him down while his lover carried the babies down. Granted, they wanted them strapped into their carriers to make loading them up quicker and easier, which is what they were working on now.

By the time they got Levi and Logan strapped into their carriers, the OB/GYN returned with a nurse and wished them luck. She quickly gave the new mother a hug, telling him to make sure he set up his two-week post-partum visit after he got some sleep. Ash promised he would, knowing that’d likely be when he got his stitches taken out, and he wasn’t about to miss that. It took her and the nurse to help him get settled into the wheelchair, which drew a pained yelp from him as his sore rump came into contact with the less-than-comfortable seat. Both women apologized profusely, but he waved off their apologies.

Once he was settled, which included slumping a bit so his pelvis was tilted up, Ash let them know he was ready. He didn’t want much pressure on his ass for a while, which was understandable, and he was beyond ready to go home. They all laughed as they headed down, but his wish was still granted and this was the beginning of a new chapter of their lives.

Notes