Alias- Forever And Always

34) Slumber Party

AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Isn't She Lovely? by Lionel Richie, The Beach Song by Hans Zimmer from True Romance Soundtrack, Home by Phillip Phillips.

THIRTY-FOUR

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"Katya," Irina spoke after a moment of silence while both were content to watch Lena for a moment, "How bad?" She asked knowing her sister would give her the truth of what had happened that night.

Katya knew exactly what Irina was asking when Irina's eyes finally flashed over to meet hers.

"Bad." Katya answered with a quiet voice filled with emotion as new tears surged in her eyes. "Just after the twins were born and they put you under…" She swallowed hard trying to stop herself from sobbing at the image, "Your heart stopped. You were in full Cardiac Arrest for seven minutes and forty-seven seconds before Ryan was able to get it started again." Another tear slid down her cheeks at how that had seemed like an eternity.

"Well, that explains why my chest is so sore, too." Irina spoke in a near whisper, swallowing hard and looking away with new tears in her eyes as well.

"It was horrendous to watch, again. Them shocking you back to life." Katya added quietly, thinking about seeing her sister being shocked back to life again, for the third time in her life before her eyes.

"I'm sure." Irina answered in a whisper; the visuals from the film still fresh in her mind as they had shocked her back to life after her Execution being the only reference she had as to what it took to bring her heart beat back.

"Even after your heart was started again, you quit breathing. They intubated you shortly after and started a direct-line of transfusion with me. An immediate transfusion was needed for both babies with the blood loss to them as well. Sophia donated to Nadia and Lena as you know, to Nicholas." Katya continued to inform her, knowing that Irina did better when having the details. "They were able to stop the bleeding and saved your uterus." She swallowed hard holding back a small sob knowing this next part was painful.

Before she could continue, Irina had picked up on the change in her sister's tone and the way she'd paused and guessed for herself at the outcome of such events.

"But I won't be able to carry any more children. Will I?" Irina spoke quietly as silent tears slipped down her face and into her hair as she looked up at Lena with a sad smile. She was elated to have been blessed with the children she had, but it was also a terrible sadness to know that her choice to have any more had been taken from her and to know that it was over, having anymore children with the man she loved.

"No, you won't." Katya answered her quietly, confirming the statement and seeing the tears falling endlessly in silence from her sister's eyes, knew the pain she was feeling with the loss. "It's too dangerous. You have too much scar tissue now. Alexei tied your tubes."

"I am blessed, and I am grateful." Irina spoke quietly after several long moments of silence, kissing Lena's tiny hand and giving her a small sad smile through her tear-filled eyes. "I can't wait to see my babies." She whispered, choosing to concentrate on the positive miracles she'd been blessed with and minimizing what was lost.

"Hey, where's Dad?" Sydney's brows furrowed as she asked Julian softly where their father was as he was absent from the nursery. Julian and Ash were the ones now sitting with Nicholas and Nadia.