"You look amazing sis," I say, hugging Izzy as Maisy and I walk into the kitchen at my brother’s house. 

"No baby yet?" Blake says to Maisy as a hello.

"No," she says bluntly, and I wrap my arm around her and kiss her forehead. Maisy is a little hormonal at the moment, and I worry for Blake’s sake as my girlfriend glares at him. I can’t count the amount of times people have asked her when the baby is coming now.

"Won't be long, May," I tell her as she sighs and rests into me. I know she is very uncomfortable right now, and I tried to persuade her to stay at home today. I didn’t have much choice when she said she would drive herself here without me. So, here we are; my stubborn girlfriend wouldn’t ever miss Izzy’s birthday.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Izzy," Maisy says with a smile.

"Thanks for the present, too, and you should be calling me sis." She laughs and hugs Maisy gently before placing a kiss on Maisy’s bump.

"I'm never going to get used to everyone touching my stomach." Maisy laughs.

"Only me, and our son, will when he comes out," I say, feeling jealous of anyone who touches her.

"Okay, caveman." She laughs, whacking my chest with the back of her hand.

"I know that feeling," Izzy says, kissing Blake on the cheek, who smiles down at her before pulling her to his side. 

"Another shot." Luke appears at Izzy’s side, and they have shots together. I raise my eyebrows at Blake who just shakes his head with a grin.

"Izzy lost a bet with Luke, so she has to get drunk tonight," he says and looks over at Izzy, who is chatting with some people from our old school.

"What was the bet?" I ask. I know Izzy doesn’t drink, so it must have been something she was sure wouldn’t happen.

"That Luke could get Allie to kiss Elliot." Blake laughs as I snort.

"There's no way Luke won that bet." I shake my head, but I glance at a smirking Luke, who's handing Izzy another shot. 

"He did. Izzy didn't say where Allie had to kiss Elliot, so he paid Allie to kiss Elliot on the cheek," Blake says.

"Did anyone record this? I bet Elliot went mad," Maisy says, looking happy. I grin at her.

"Nah, she did it quickly when he was surrounded by people and ran off." Blake laughs. I know Luke and Allie wanted Izzy to let loose a little because she has been so stressed over college work.

Izzy bounces over and throws herself into Blake’s arms, kissing him way too passionately for me to witness that. 

"Come on," I mutter, turning away from the couple and walking into the lounge. 

"Maisybear," Allie shouts, bouncing off the sofa where she was talking with some guy. I notice Elliot glaring at the guy on the couch before watching Allie again. I can't help the grin on my face as Elliot sees I've noticed his watching. I wink at him.

"How are you feeling?" Allie asks, running her hands over Maisy’s baby bump.

"All right, just had a few pains today," she says, looking anywhere but at me.

"You didn't tell me that, I wouldn't have brought you. Sit down." I tell her with a sigh and make her sit in an empty seat. 

"I know, but I had to come. It’s Izzy’s eighteenth birthday. Plus, they aren't too bad," she says, resting a hand on her stomach.

I don’t want to say Maisy is huge now, but she is. She’s overdue now by three days, and her bump looks so much bigger than the rest of her. She has been struggling with headaches and swollen feet for weeks. The midwives keep saying it’s all normal and her blood pressure is fine, so I shouldn’t worry, but I do.

"You sure?" I ask, brushing a kiss on her forehead, unable to stay mad at her for long.

"Yep." She grins up at me.

"Would you like a drink?" I ask Allie and Maisy, who both nod at me.

As I walk through the house saying hello to people I know, I find Harley and Elliot chatting in the kitchen by the drinks. I grab two beers and an orange juice as I go to say hello to my brothers.

"I heard you had a special kiss earlier." I smirk, and Elliot whacks me on the arm, nearly making me drop my drinks.

"Shut the fuck up," he growls at me. I can’t help the chuckle that comes out. I move behind Harley when Elliot looks like he’s close to strangling me.

"You really should just tell that girl how you feel," Harley says with a hidden grin.

"That she is annoying?" Elliot answers.

"Nah, more like you want to fuck her and have since high school," I say and get hit again for that one on the arm.

Elliot walks off as Harley and I laugh our heads off. 

"See you in a bit, bro," I say to Harley before heading back to my girl. 

"Here you go." I hand over the orange juice to Maisy and the beer to Allie. "So, what are you ladies talking about?" I ask them.

"You don't want to know, Sebby," Maisy says with a look I don't get. I notice she is holding her side. 

"Maisy was just telling me about how she got you to finally wear those fangs and pretend to be a vampire in bed." Allie laughs at my horrified face.

"You know what, I really didn't want anyone to know that, Allie, and I wish you didn’t know that," I say and glare at Maisy, who is bright-red and giggling. I can’t stay mad at her, and she knows it.

"You asked what we were talking about," Allie says as she continues to laugh. 

"Are your roommates here? I would like to meet the people Izzy is moving in with," I say, trying to get her to change the subject.

"Well, the new one who sleeps around is here with some girl. Emilia couldn't come, she has a date with some beefed-up dude." Allie shakes her head at the thought.

"What do you think of them, then?" I ask.

"They’re good people, don’t worry. I’ll kick their asses if they mess with my Izzy. I doubt this new guy would try it like the last one,” she tells me, and it makes me more relieved than I want to admit.

"I knew there was a reason I like you." I wink, and she laughs. 

"You’re quiet, you all right?" I ask Maisy, who seems a little pale.

"Yeah, I'm good," she says quietly, and I frown.

I’m about to say something stupid, like demanding Maisy lets me take her home when Izzy and Blake come into the room. They both have messed-up clothes, and Izzy is straightening her hair down. I can't help but frown a little, feeling overprotective as I glare at Blake, who just shrugs at me. I swear the bastard even mouthed the words, ‘not sorry’ to me. Thank fuck I’m not having a girl, I don’t think I could cope with it.

"Shots," Luke shouts, coming into the room carrying a tray of multi-coloured shots.

"Izzy, come here, sis," Luke shouts, and I watch as Izzy does four shots with Luke and sways as she stands.

Allie goes over, doing a shot before turning the music up and dancing with Izzy. Half an hour later, Izzy is dancing on the coffee table, while Allie laughs with Maisy and me. I get my own payback by watching Blake trying to get Izzy down off the table and not helping him. 

"Ow, ow, ow," I hear Maisy shout, and then my feet feel wet.

"Fuck, your waters have gone, Maisybear," Allie shouts, and I panic.

"Turn the fucking music off," I shout at Luke, who stops dancing with some girl to do that quickly for me.

"Let's get you to the hospital, May," I say, picking Maisy up who smiles at me, even when she holds her stomach in pain. I don’t care that my top and shoes are wet as I hug her close, wishing I could take the pain from her.

"Our baby is coming," she whispers.

"I know, baby," I say, kissing her forehead when she suddenly holds her stomach in pain and screams. 

"Wait, I'm coming," I hear Izzy say behind me, followed by a thump as she trips over something.

"No chance, you’re wasted, Izzy. It's sober up time for you before I'm taking you to the hospital later," Blake says, and I agree with him. 

"I will start my car. Allie, you open the doors for Seb," Harley shouts, getting his keys out of the bowl by the door.

"Someone grab the bag out of my boot would you? The car is open," I shout, unlocking the car with my keys in my pocket when I get outside. Maisy doesn’t say anything as we all run around sorting things out.

"Ah, fucking hell, that hurt," Maisy screams, holding onto my neck. 

I don’t complain when her nails dig into my neck, enough that I'll likely have marks. She can hurt me as much as she wants if it makes her feel better.

"We will be at the hospital soon, and they have drugs," I tell her, having no idea what else to say. 

I slide into Harley's car, and Allie shuts the door behind me. Elliot moves into the seat next to me, and Allie slides into the front seat, leaning back to hold onto Maisy’s hand after doing her seatbelt up.

"You’re doing great, Maisybear," she says as Maisy screams again.

Harley starts the car, and we drive to the hospital. 

"Ah, it really hurts," Maisy screams again, and I feel my jeans getting soaked.

I panic when I feel the warm blood on my hand, there’s no way that’s water. I pull up my hand behind Maisy and see it covered in blood to make sure. Maisy doesn't see, but Allie does, going pale. She whispers to Harley, and I feel the car speed up. 

"You’re doing great. I love you, baby." I kiss her forehead, freaking out about the blood. 

"Call the hospital and tell them we are on the way, and that Maisy is bleeding a lot, Elliot," I tell my twin, who looks as worried as all of us.

I don’t like saying it out loud because I know it will scare her. I feel her tense, but she screams with what must be another contraction. That can't be normal. The next ten minutes to the hospital are the worst of my life. All I can think about is how I can’t lose her or the baby. I'll do anything to make sure I don’t.

I lift her out of the car when Allie opens it for us. I place her on the gurney that is ready for us, with midwives and a doctor standing around it. We are quickly taken in, and my brothers wait outside while Allie comes in with me. I'm covered in blood, and I must look terrible by the way the nurses are staring at me.

"Okay, Maisy, I'm going to check you now," the doctor says, and I hold Maisy’s hand as they do the examination.

Maisy screams, and I see more blood appear, the white bed sheets turning red. She looks so pale, and Allie is pacing by the door.

"Maisy, listen to me. No pushing your baby out even if you want to. We need to do an emergency c-section, you’re haemorrhaging badly, Maisy," the doctor tells her.

She whispers, “Just save my baby boy, please.”

The sound of her breathless plea breaks my heart, and I hear Allie crying by the door.

“I will do everything in my power to save you both,” the doctor tells her.

The next thing I know, Maisy is being taken out of the room, and I'm told I have to wait in here. Allie has to hold me back when they tell me I can’t follow and that they will bring the baby out. I vaguely hear Allie making sure that we are told of anything that happens.

I fall to the floor holding my hands to my face because I can’t believe this has happened. 

"They will both be fine, she is strong. I'm going to get the boys. We need the family," Allie says, and I don't move.

“Brother, she is a King already, and she will make it through this. Maisy and your son need you to be strong,” Harley says to me. I can see him crouched on the floor in front of me.

“You’re right,” I say as I realise I can’t break down now.

"I brought some clothes from the car," Harley says as I stand. I glance at the pile and take them to the bathroom to change. It's some jogger bottoms and a white top that I know are Harley’s from the gym.

None of us say anything while we wait in the room for the next half an hour. Allie holds my hand, which helps in a way. Elliot sits close to Allie on the floor, I swear he is holding her hand, but I don’t check. Harley is pacing the room by the window, sending texts to the rest of our family, I think.

The door opens, and I jump to my feet to see a midwife walking in with a tiny bundle wrapped in a white blanket. I walk over, feeling myself shaking, as the midwife explains that Maisy is fine and our baby boy is looking great. She hands over my son, who is sleeping and wearing a little, white hat. He has a load of black, curly hair and looks so much like his mother with his dark eyelashes.

I don't know how long I spend standing in the doorway, holding my son as his small hand reaches out and squeezes my little finger. I know I’m crying, but I don’t care. I turn eventually, to see my brothers and Allie standing in wait.

Allie is standing holding Elliot's hand as they walk over and take turns looking at my son.  Harley wipes away a few tears as he kisses my son’s head, and Allie cries into Elliot’s shoulder in happiness with a massive grin. Elliot smiles so much that I’m surprised he is the brother I’m used to.

It's over half an hour later before Maisy is brought in. They said it would be a while before she wakes up. I sit in the seat next to her, bottle feeding our hungry baby and feeling complete in a way I didn't know I could.