I stared at the doctor in dismay, unable to make sense of the words that he was saying. Luckily, Tom came flying up right then. Thank fuck that I'd had the presence of mind to call him as I'd anxiously followed the ambulance to the hospital.

“What's wrong with Milo?” Tom cut right to the chase. The doctor looked at me, but Tom snapped his fingers abruptly to get his attention. “I'm Milo's brother. It's okay to talk to me, tell him Rafe.” I nodded weakly at Tom's order, relieved to have the bossy little omega there to help take charge.

“I was just explaining to Mr. Smythe that your brother has placental abruption. That happens when the plac-”

“Forget all that. I'll research it later,” Tom interrupted. “Tell us what you're going to do about it.”

“Oh, that's simple.” The doctor said with obvious relief. “We're going to give Milo a C-section.” He looked from Tom to me. “One of you can be in the room, if you'd like. We're preparing him now.” He pointed to the nursing station. “Just go have one of the nurses help you get changed and we'll see you in there.”

I looked at Tom, at a loss as to what I was supposed to do. Tom looked at me and pulled himself up into my face. I pushed back the urge to cower from the bossy little twink as he glared up into my eyes.

“Listen here, Rafe. I know you're scared shitless right now. And that's okay. I am too. But you know what? Fuck. That. You are going to alpha the fuck up and put it aside. Break down all you want later when it's done. But now? Now you're going to go in there. You're going to hold Milo's hand, stroke his head, tell him he's beautiful and all that other shit that he needs to hear from you right now. I would do it, but I'm not the one that he needs in there. You are. Are you with me? Can you do this for Milo?”

I nodded hesitantly, slowly coming back to myself as I pushed the fear aside. “Good. Now let's go see a nurse about some scrubs.”

Tom took charge with the nurses, charming them into doing his bidding. Before I knew it, I was wearing a paper gown and scrub pants over my clothes. I had a mask over the lower half of my face and was being led into the room where they had Milo.

As soon as I saw him, laid out on the table with a curtain blocking his lower half from view, I rushed over. I ignored the sight of them preparing to slice into his abdomen, and instead I reached for his hand. I looked into his eyes, so clouded by pain and fear. All at once, my own fears vanished and were replaced by a primal need to protect and comfort my mate.

I leaned over and touched my forehead to his. “It's okay, baby. I know that this isn't the birth plan that we expected. But you know what? Shit happens, right? Now you just get to lay here and relax while the doctor delivers the baby. Doesn't that sound better than fifteen hours of labor?”

I got a smile out of him. A weak smile, but a smile nonetheless. Encouraged, I kept talking. “Tom is out there, taking charge as usual. I think he's tripping though. He had an entire conversation with me and the doctor and didn't slip into third person once.”

Milo smiled at that and said in a hoarse voice: “Wow, that means he is really freaking out then.”

I nodded. “So, any last minute bets on what gender we're getting?” Milo rolled his eyes and squeezed my hand. He'd refused to find out the gender, insisting that he wanted it to be a surprise. I'd tried to argue that the baby was a surprise in and of itself, but he didn't back down.

“I don't have a preference,” Milo rasped. “I just want a healthy baby. Although I won't hate if our baby has your emerald green eyes.”

Before I had a chance to respond, a squawking cry filled the room. My eyes teared up as the doctor held up a gunk covered baby boy. “Congratulations, gentleman! It's a boy!” He handed the baby to a nurse, who whisked him off to clean him up.

Milo and I watched as the nurses fussed over our son across the room, while the doctor finished doing whatever he was doing on the other side of the curtain. I looked down at Milo. “Does it hurt, babe? Did you feel anything?”

“No, it's totally weird.” Milo rasped in his hoarse voice. “I'm completely numb from the waist down, but I can feel them tugging at me. If that makes sense?”

I nodded. “Well, considering what they're doing, I bet you do feel some tugging. I just hope it doesn't hurt too bad when the drugs wear off.”

Milo smiled softly. “It doesn't matter. It's all worth it for him. Besides, nothing can hurt as much as that god-awful lancing pain that I had when I woke up tonight.”

I nodded with complete understanding. The nurse brought the baby over then, and helped me figure out how to hold him properly. She smiled regretfully at Milo. “I'm sorry, hon. You can't hold him just yet. But don't worry, you'll have sore arms from lugging this little prince around soon enough!”

Milo nodded and craned his head to see our son. I dipped sideways and tilted my arm so that he could see our baby too. Milo gasped with pleasure as he drank him in. “Look at that little rosebud mouth and button nose, Rafe! Have you ever seen anything more adorable than him in your entire life?”

I smirked at Milo and said: “Is that a trick question, baby?”

Milo chuckled and said: “No. I'm being serious. Besides, I'm the cute one and he's the adorable one. See? Easy peasy.”

We cooed over our son until they said that Milo needed to go to recovery. The nurses took the baby to the nursery, and I went out to tell Tom the good news.

As soon as I walked out of the room and lowered my mask, Tom was up in my face. He bounced up on the balls of his feet excitedly and said: “Well? Tell Tom! What is going on in there?”

I grinned proudly and said: “It's a boy! Come on, they took him to the nursery but we can see him through the window they said. Milo will be in recovery for a couple of hours before he gets moved to a room.”

Tom threw himself at me. I caught him and gave him a firm hug. I could feel the relief from him as he hugged me back. As he pulled away, I caught his arm and said in a serious voice: “Tom. Thank you for jerking me back to reality earlier. And for always being there for both of us.”

Tom blushed and said: “It's no problem. Like Tom said, Milo is Tom's brother. And now Tom has a nephew to spoil!” He gave a sideways glance and added: “Tom supposes if pressed that Rafe is Tom's brother now as well.”

I grinned and put my arm over his shoulder as I led him to the nursery. “Damn straight I am! Are you kidding me? You're the annoying little brother that I never knew I wanted. Beats the shit out of the one I'm related to by blood. If you ever meet him, you'll probably end up bitch slapping him.”

Tom snorted and I laughed. “No, seriously. My kid brother is a spoiled little shit. He's off in Europe somewhere with my mom. Or at least they were the last I heard from them. Who knows. It's not like they stay in contact with me.”

Tom looked at me and said: “That sucks, Rafe. Family isn't supposed to be that way. Why does Rafe's family act like that?”

I shrugged and replied: “Best guess? I don't act rich enough for them. They're ashamed of me because I don't waste my life getting drunk and eating caviar.”

Tom shook his head. “Damn. Well, Rafe has Tom and Milo now.” He grinned. “And Tom's nephew! Never forget the nephew!”