You sat quietly with your hands folded nervously in your lap while Barty stood nearby, studying your face.

“I went to see a healer today,” you said softly, breaking the silence. Your voice was barely above a whisper, but it was loud enough to stop him pacing.

He turned towards you. “A healer? Why? What did she say?”

You took a deep breath, steadying your nerves. “She confirmed something… unexpected.” Your voice trembled slightly as you continued. “There’s not just one baby. There are two.”

For a long moment, Barty said nothing. Then, as if a storm had broken inside him, he crouched down, his eyes fixed on your swollen belly. “Twins,” he repeated quietly, almost reverently. “Two babies.”

You nodded, reaching out to brush your fingers lightly across his cheek. “Two boys.”

“I’ve wanted a son for so long,” he murmured. “One strong heir. But two… two sons. It is amazing.”

His hand moved hesitantly to rest over yours on his cheek. “This changes everything.”

You smiled. “It’s more than we imagined, but it’s real.”

Barty’s jaw tightened, and he rose to his feet, beginning to pace the room again. “We have to prepare,” he said. “They will need clothes, furniture, toys... And you—” He stopped in front of you, his expression unreadable but his eyes burning with fierce protectiveness. “You must be cared for. Protected. You carry the future inside you.”

You stood, your hands slipping into his. “We’ll face it all. Together.”

A shadow of a smile flickered on his lips. “Tomorrow,” he said, “we leave for a shopping spree. Not frivolous, no — everything must be perfect. For our boys. And for you.”

He leaned in, pressing his forehead against yours. “This is only the beginning. I swear, I will make sure nothing threatens what we build.”

You closed your eyes, your heart pounding with the weight of his promise and the storm of his passion and protectiveness swirling around you.