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Chapter Forty-Seven

Troy

I stand next to Jamie, both of us staring at the babies in their incubators. They’re so damn small. And fragile. But they’re here. They’re alive.

Savannah did that. She brought them into the world, even when I thought it wasn’t time. I rub a hand over my face, trying to push away the exhaustion.

Jamie shifts next to me. “What’s on your mind?”

I glance over at him. “We need to do a paternity test for Noah.”

His brow furrows. “What the hell for? We already know he’s ours.”

“Not for us,” I mutter. “For the damn court. So we can have custody.”

Jamie lets out a low breath. “You think that’s gonna be a problem?”

“Yeah, I do. It’s not like we’ve all been on the same page with her. Not exactly. We need something solid. If her ex comes in trying to claim him...”

“Then we’ll fight it,” Jamie says, his voice rough but confident. “You know that.”

I shake my head, pacing a little. “What if they do the test, and he gets the results, but never shares them with us?”

Jamie stares at me for a second, thinking. “That could work. Could be messy, though.”

“You sure this is the right thing?”

Jamie shrugs. “Man, it’s the only thing we can do. If we don’t have a paper trail on this, we’re screwed.”

I nod, trying to keep the tension from my shoulders. I just want what’s best for them, for all of us. The thought of someone else fighting us for Noah, it’s fucking terrifying. But I need to stay calm.

“They’re sleeping,” Jamie murmurs, his eyes soft as he looks at the babies. “All three of them. Sav is sleeping, too.”

“She was perfect,” Jamie says, his voice low, almost like he’s talking to himself. “Did you see how she was with them? She’s amazing.”

“I did,” I say, voice rough. “She really is.”

Jamie turns his head, his eyes narrowing a bit. “What if we got the test now?”

I blink, processing what he said. “What do you mean?”

“The test,” he repeats. “What if we get it now, while she’s out of it, so it’s done? Just get it over with. We’re already here.”

I rub the back of my neck, glancing back at Savannah. “You think that’s a good idea?”

“I think it’s the only idea. We’ve gotta move fast, Troy.” Jamie’s voice is sharp, but there’s something else in his eyes— determination. He wants to protect her. Protect the kids. We all do.

I breathe in deep. “I’ll go get him,” I say, heading toward the nurses’ station. “I’ll go get the damn test.”

Jamie slaps me on the back as I move, and I don’t miss the look on his face. He’s trying to hide the worry, but I can see it. It’s there.

I head down the hall, my boots clicking on the linoleum floor. It feels like I’m walking through mud. I’m trying to stay calm, but all I can think about is her and those kids. I can’t imagine anyone trying to take them from us.

I reach the nurses’ station and spot one of the younger nurses at the desk. “I need to talk to the doctor,” I say, voice rough. “About the paternity test for Noah.”

She looks up, surprised. “You’re...sure about that?”

“Yeah,” I growl. “I need to get it done. Can you find a doctor for me?”

The nurse nods, picking up the phone. I shift, trying to keep my nerves in check, but it’s damn hard. My mind’s racing with the worst-case scenarios. What if they don’t let us do it? What if they give us a hard time?

Finally, the doctor comes over, looking like he hasn’t slept in days either. “You wanted to speak to me?”

I don’t waste time. “We need a paternity test for Noah. Right now.”

The doctor raises an eyebrow. “You understand what this means, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know what it means. But I don’t care. I need this to make sure we have a chance. I’m not leaving here without it.”

He sighs but nods. “All right. I’ll have the nurse start it. You sure you’re ready for this?”

I glance back toward the NICU, where the babies are. “We’re ready. Just do it.”

The doctor gives me a serious look but nods. “We’ll get started right away.”

I head back to the NICU, my mind spinning. When I walk in, I see Jamie sitting by Savannah’s side, holding her hand, watching her sleep. It’s almost too quiet in the room. I feel like we’re holding our breath, waiting for something.

“You get it?” Jamie asks.

“Yeah, it’s happening.” I move closer to them, my heart beating faster. “We’ll have the results soon. It’ll give us something to fight with.”

He nods, his expression tight. “Good. We’re gonna need it.”

I sit down next to Savannah, my fingers brushing her hair. She stirs, but doesn’t wake up. Her breath is steady, peaceful. I’m fucking terrified, but I’m also damn grateful.

Jamie watches us both, his face softening. “She did well, man. You know that, right?”

I nod. “She’s incredible.”

The door opens, and the nurse steps in with the test kits. “We’ll need to get the samples,” she says gently.

I glance at Jamie, then back at Savannah, then back at the babies. They’re all here. We’re all here. This is our family.

“Let’s do it,” I say, finally feeling like we’re taking control.