Carol is pregnant with her twins but she never told Doug.
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Carol was standing at the desk with her hands on her very round stomach. She was due in a week and she could hardly wait to get these babies out of there so she could hold them, and love them in a whole new way. She just wished Doug was there to share them with her. She knew he would be there....if she had told him that she was pregnant. But she had talked to him only once since he left for Seattle and she hadn't had the guts to tell him and wasn't sure if she ever would. She knew he had every right to know, but she couldn't bring herself to call him.
"Randi? Can you find me a pen please?" Carol said, looking up from the chart, at Randi who was in front of her. Randi looked up and was about to find her a pen, when she stopped short and stared behind Carol with her mouth dropped open. Carol was about to turn around to see what it was, when Randi snapped out of it, and grabbed her arm, bringing Carol's attention back to her.
"Here you go." Randi said, handing Carol the pen. Carol looked at her puzzled.
"Uh..thanks." Carol said, she went to walk away but quickly looked over her shoulder to see if she could figure out what Randi was staring at. She saw Doug, who was standing there with his jaw dropped to the floor. She realized that he was staring at her stomach and she started to panic. She turned towards the desk.
"Randi, will you get Mark?" Carol whispered. Randi looked at her and nodded slowly, then stopped just as she was about to turn around.
"He's right behind you." Randi said quietly. Carol turned to Mark.
"Hey Carol!" Mark said rather cheerfully.
"Mark..." Carol hissed and he whipped his head up to look at her.
"What's wrong Carol?" Mark said.
"She's PREGNANT! That's what!" Doug shouted from a few feet away. Mark turned to him, and his jaw dropped.
"Oh shit." Mark whispered.
"Oh shit is right. When were you planning on telling me Carol? Hmm...when were you planning on telling me, that I am going to be a father? Or am I even the father?" Doug shouted. Carol started to cry.
"Dammit Doug. Yes you are the father. And don't even be yelling at me. You left me when I was pregnant." Carol shouted back as the tears streamed down her face.
"But I didn't even know. How the hell WAS I supposed to know?" Doug shouted. Finally Mark took control of the situation. He took Carol's elbow and walked towards Doug.
"Come on you two. We're taking this outside." Mark said dragging them outside, but Doug stormed out ahead of them.
"I cannot believe this." Doug said, putting his hands on his head and pacing around once they were outside. "I cannot believe that I didn't know that I am having a baby. A BABY for christ sake's. Carol, we were trying for a baby for a long time, and you didn't even TELL me. It's my baby too you know!" Doug said, his voice rising once again.
"Babies! Okay. Babies." Carol shouted. Doug stopped short and stared up at her.
"What?" He whispered.
"I'm having twin's god dammit." Carol shouted, the tears pouring down again.
"Twins? TWINS? And you weren't even going to tell me. God DAMMIT!" Doug shouted. Carol was about to reply but Mark stopped her.
"Carol....you gotta take it easy. You'll push those babies right out of there, if you don't calm down." Mark said.
"To late," Carol said clutching her stomach, then talking through clenched teeth, "my water just broke."
"Your WHAT?" Doug shouted, and started shaking. Mark yelled through the doors at Chuny who was passing.
"Chuny! Grab a gurney and get it out here NOW!" Mark said, grabbing for Carol who was moaning.
"Oh god Carol. I'm sorry." Doug said staring at her. Chuny ran out with a gurney and when she realized what was happening she ran back inside for more help as Mark got Carol onto the gurney.
"Carol hun, breathe. And don't push just yet." Mark said.
"I know Mark. I know!" Carol said.
"Calm down Carol," Doug said.
"Shutup Doug. Just shutup." Carol said angrily. Doug stepped away, hurt. Carol realizing she hurt him, quickly regretted it, but didn't say anything, as another contraction hit her. She grabbed for his arm and squeezed it tightly as Carter, Chuny, and Haleh rushed helping Mark push the gurney down the hall. She quickly let go of him as the contraction ended. They rushed her to the elevator to take her up to OB.
"Mark! Mark would you please stay with me, I want you to help deliver." Carol said.
"Yes, Carol. If that's what you want." Mark said. Doug stepped back, thinking Carol didn't want him there. She looked at him through pained eyes.
"Doug." Carol whispered. He looked at her and she nodded slowly. His face broke out into a huge grin and he rushed to her side taking her hand.
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An hour later Carol is laying on a bed with Doug holding her hand. Even though he has been there the whole time, they hadn't talked about anything. Actually they hadn't said a word to each other since Carol had said his name downstairs. Mark and another doctor were at the foot of Carol's bed and they were coaching her through this contraction. She had tears streaming down her face, for the emotional pain of having Doug there, and the psychical pain of having the babies. Finally Doug whispered.
"Do you know what they are going to be?" Carol shook her head and her face wrinkled up in pain as another contraction hit. Doug encouraged her and she tried hard to ignore him, but she knew that she was so happy that he was helping her through this.
"Carol, on the next contraction I want you to push okay?" Mark said. She nodded.
"Now!" She moaned as another one hit her.
"I want you to take a deep breath and then push," Mark said. She nodded in pain. Doug squeezed her hand.
"Push! 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..10!" Mark said.
"Ughhhh," Carol moaned.
"It's okay baby," Doug said.
"Shutup! Your the one that put me here!" Carol said.
"Push again Carol! Now! 1....2...3...4...5....6...7...8...9...10! I see the head Carol. Good job. One more big push and this one will be out." Mark said. Doug winced as Carol squeezed his hand.
"Go! 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..10!" Mark said and the parents heard a loud cry. Carol smiled through her tears and Doug looked at the baby.
"It's a girl, Carol. We have a baby girl!" Doug said quietly. Mark sat the baby on her stomach.
"Would you like to cut the cord, Doug?" Mark asked. Doug smiled and nodded. He took the scissors and cut the cord. Carol reached down and stroked her babies head. Then Doug reached down and picked up the baby and handed it to a nurse to take it to get it wrapped up and weighed.
"Carol, she's beautiful." Doug said crying. He smiled at Carol and couldn't help himself as he leaned over and kissed her softly. "You did wonderful hunny." Doug said. Carol smiled. "I am so sorry Carol." Doug said.
"Shh..I'm sorry that I didn't call you." Carol said.
"It's not your fault. I left you." Doug said.
"It is my fault. I know you would have come back, that's why I couldn't tell you. I wanted you to come back so bad, but I didn't want it to be because of the babies." Carol said. Doug started crying harder. He kissed her hand.
"I'm so sorry Carol. You don't have to forgive me, ever. I understand. I left you alone for 9 months, pregnant." Doug said.
"Shh....owwwwww..." Carol said, her face twisting up in pain.
"I think the other one wants the same amount of attention," Mark said.
"Doug, go check on the other baby, please.." Carol begged.
"I want to stay." Doug said.
"Just check her real quick and come back. I promise not to push without you." Carol said.
"Okay, be right back!" Doug said and let go of her hand and ran to the side of the room. He stopped and saw the baby all wrapped up by the nurse.
"How is she?" Doug whispered.
"She's fine." the nurse whispered. Doug smiled and reached out to stroke the baby's face.
"She's beautiful." Doug said.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!" Carol shouted and Doug snapped back into reality. He ran to Carol's side and took her hand in his and stroked her face.
"She's fine Carol. She's beautiful. Now come on hunny. You can do this, I know you can. Bring our other baby into this world." Doug said.
"It hurts so bad. I quit." Carol said.
"You can't quit Carol!" Doug said.
"I am." Carol said.
"Come on Carol. Just a few more pushes and then it'll be all over." Mark said.
"Yeah, until next time!" Carol yelled. Doug looked at her.
"Next time?" He said his smile lighting up his whole face. She looked at him and knew she wanted to see that smile forever.
"Okay! I'll push. Just HURRY!" Carol shouted.
"Okay, come on Carol. NOW! 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..10!" Mark said. She pushed with all her might.
"There's the top of the head. Come on Carol. AGAIN! 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9..10!" Mark said.
"Oh shit!" Doug said.
"What? Doug! What is it?" Carol yelled.
"The cord. It's around the babies neck." Doug said.
"Nooooo....." Carol shouted.
"PUSH CAROL! You have to. We have to get this baby out of here now!" Mark shouted. She pushed harder than ever and screamed out in pain. "ONE MORE CAROL!" Mark shouted and Carol pushed again. Mark cut the cord quickly then ran over to a little table off to the side with the other doctor and a nurse.
"It was a girl Carol. Another girl." Doug said.
"Noooo. Doug, what if I killed her? What if she's dead because I wanted to quit? Mark, save my baby." Carol cried out. Doug turned to her and held her.
"Shhh...Carol, it's not your fault, you know it." Doug said holding her tightly. She cried into his chest.
"Doug. It's all my fault. I am so sorry." Carol said.
"She's not dead Carol. It's not your fault. Shhh..." Doug said rubbing her back but looking over his shoulder at the people working frantically on his little baby.
"Oh God." He whispered softly, so Carol couldn't hear.
"Doug. Can you come here real quick?" Mark shouted.
"I'll be right back, Carol." Doug said running over to Mark.
"Save her." Carol whimpered. Carol clung to herself as she watched them.
"She's going to be fine Doug. But we will need to run her up to the NICU, but she should be back down here later. Okay? Tell Carol she's fine." Mark said. Doug looked at his baby then back up at Mark.
"Thank you Mark." Doug said as they wheeled the baby out of the room. He returned to Carol's side.
"Carol..she's going to be fine. They just had to take her up to the NICU for a little bit. She'll be back down here later Mark said." Doug said.
"Oh god! What if she had died? I would never have been able to live." Carol said.
"Yes you would have. I know you. Your strong Carol. And she's fine." Doug said. The nurse came through with the first baby.
"Would you like to hold her?" the nurse asked.
"Yes. Please." Carol said. The nurse settled the little baby into her arms. Doug leaned down over Carol and the baby and smiled.
"You did wonderful Carol." Doug said smiling. She smiled at him, then looked down at the little baby. Doug reached out his finger and the baby took it in her hand.
"She needs a name." Carol said.
"You pick." Doug said.
"No I want you to pick. She's your daughter too." Carol said.
"No..I don't deserve it. I wasn't here the whole time." Doug argued.
"Fine. Her name is Tess." Carol said.
"Carol you don't have to name her that." Doug said.
"To late. I know you wanted that name so that's it." Carol said.
"Tess. Thank you Carol." Doug said, with tears in his eyes.
"Theresa Michelle Ross." Carol said quietly. Doug gasped slightly. Carol looked up at him. "What?"
"Your naming them Ross?" Doug said.
"Yes. Your still their dad, Doug. And I was sort of hoping, now you would stay." Carol said, realizing he probably wasn't planning on it. Her eyes filled up with tears as she looked down at her beautiful baby. Doug realizing she was about to cry, tried to comfort her.
"I'm staying." He whispered. Her head shot up and looked at him to see if he was lying.
"Really?" Carol whispered.
"Yes. I couldn't stand to be away from you any longer Carol. I'm in love with you. I quit my job last week and I got a new apartment here. I was just upset when I got here, because you didn't tell me about being pregnant. I'm sorry." Doug said. Carol reached up with one hand and caressed his cheek.
"I love you too Doug. And move back in with me. Please." Carol said.
"I don't know Carol. Do you really want me to?" Doug asked, skeptical.
"Yes I do. Or I wouldn't have asked." Carol said.
"Okay. I will then." Doug said smiling. He leaned down and Carol met his lips with hers, sending them into a passionate kiss. They heard someone clear their throat and they reluctantly pulled away. It was Mark holding their other baby.
"Ohh, can I have her please?" Carol asked.
"Here ya go." Mark said.
"She's beautiful Carol. They look just like you." Doug said.
"We need to name her." Carol said looking at their second born.
"You pick. You named the other one what I wanted." Doug said.
"Mark? What was your mother's name?" Carol asked.
"Ruth." Mark replied. Carol wrinkled her nose. Doug and Mark laughed.
"Her middle name was Katherine." Mark said offering.
"Katherine. Kate. I like it." Carol said. She looked down at the baby.
"Katherine Elizabeth Ross." Carol said.
"Elizabeth will appreciate that." Mark said.
"She's been a wonderful friend to me, since, well since Doug left, and I wanted to thank her. And you Mark." Carol said.
"I've been happy to help." Mark replied.
"Can I hold them?" Doug whispered.
"Here." Carol said smiling. He took Kate into his arms, then Tess.
"How are my little angel's?" Doug said smiling at them. Carol's eyes misted over.
"They are beautiful." Doug said.
"I'm glad your here." Carol said.
"I am too. What do you think Katie? Tessie?" Doug asked the babies, then chuckled as the babies yawned in unison.
"I don't think they care too much...yet." Carol said smiling realizing he had already given them nicknames.
"Well I'm going to leave you two alone, okay? See you later." Mark said.
"Wait!" Carol said.
"Hmm?" Mark said.
"Can you ask Elizabeth to come up here as soon as she's free?" Carol asked.
"Yes. I will. Bye." Mark said walking out.
(cut to show Doug holding his girls and smiling as Carol watching them, her face filled with love)
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