She was so very tired after giving birth to her son and daughter. Harold Jr. and Niamh both slept soundly, milk drunk after she had nursed them, one in the cradle and the other in her arms. The priest had gone to tend to churchly business, the woman had gone to tend to her husband, and some time earlier the messenger boy went looking for Pony. It had happened so fast after her waters broke that she hadn't had time to alert her brother. The house was a bloody mess, the yard marred by her little tumble into the mud created by said broken waters, the mud smearing the back, hallway floor, laundry basket tipped over and half emptied from that...

Overwhelmed, she started to talk to herself, "Where is he? He's going ta be so cross with me."

When the news had broke to Pony, it had been difficult to not just race Jenny home with his livelihood spilling out on the street behind them. He had to remain calm and remind himself that it took women hours to give birth unless something and amiss. As he approached, he felt a lump in his throat when it became clear that things hadn't gone well. Why was the house such a mess?

He worried for his sister, certain something was very wrong and she was on death's door. Not hearing any sounds of child birth or seeing anyone, he called out loudly. "Karen!" The one person he cared about above all others could be gone or close to it. He didn't know. He ran towards the bedroom, his foot slipped on some mud nearly sending him falling to the ground. He caught his hand on the door frame and looked in, calling even louder, "Karen!!"

She was there, and she was alright. He slid to the floor, feeling almost as exhausted as she was at that moment and put a hand to his face to calm the trembling that filled him. "Don't go scaring me like that.."

The babies both began to cry, woken from sleep by the sound of their uncle's voice calling out for Karen. The crying was soft, however, not gusty like most babies. But the fuss wasn't for very long, for both children settled back down, as milk drunk as they were. Karen looked at her brother with her eyes big and moist, and she said, "I didn't have much time. They were ready whether I was or was not." There was no small amount of fear in her voice, for it sounded shaken, for having just birthed two babies and being without her husband. Emotions were high.

She sighed and gently lay the little girl down so she could check on Harry, leaning over and touching his wrinkled little brow. The boy gave a sigh and his brow smoothed. Then she gestured to Pony, beckoning him over.

Pony shook his head and closed his eyes. He rubbed roughly at his face as he took in the information and settled a little. Finally, he stood up and walked over to her. His steps were careful and he leaned in towards her to whisper. "Leave it to you to not only have them early but fast like it were a race. Are ya alright? I know that you had help, but I'm sure you need something. Water maybe?" He looked at her in concern, barely glancing towards the children. He couldn't help but be reminded of their father.

"I'd been having pains all day, I didn't think it was already happenin' so I did laundry just to keep movin'. It was the only thing that helped anyways, moving about. It was even a lighter load than normal, and I rested between garments... I had to. Then all of a sudden, they were comin' and I was birthin' my son in front of a damned priest of all people, for he was the one that heard me callin' for help. The doctor came and moved me from the floor to the bed, and not long after came my daughter." She gave a tired chuckle, though there was not much humor in the laugh. She looked so worn, her skin pale, and the thought of water had her sitting up and nodding. "Please."

The doctor had also warned her that she might end up feverish from the conditions in which she birthed Harold Jr. She didn't want to say anything to Pony, but it wasn't right to keep it from him. "There will be a woman coming to help take care of the wee ones and watch o'er me. The doctor is worried that I might end up with childbed fever because it wasn't clean... I'm frightened."

Pony blinked and shook his head. It was still too fast, stupid doctors. Only care about money and not actually keeping a close eye on those that need them. "Well, I'll help keep an eye on you too, unless you don't trust me? " He smiled slightly and carefully sat by her side on the very edge of the bed. "I do hope if you have any more pains you won't just keep it to yourself and hope it's nothing? You know you're fragile. And I don't mean in a womanly way. You've gotten sick and weak plenty of times and that's even before you got pregnant. You'll be even more at risk now. Until you heal, you keep close eye on yourself and how you feel. If you so much as start having your heart start pounding without reason, you let me know. Got it?"

"Ye know I trust ye brother." she said with a hurt look in her eyes that he could even think she didn't trust him. "I am too tired not to rest. I wanted to get out of bed the moment I saw ye and I would have if I could have, but my body aches Birthin' is not easy even if it was fast." She reached out and patted his hand with a slightly clammy one. She bit into her bottom lip before continuing, "I promise ta tell ya." She gave a half smile, something looming there in her eyes that was left unspoken. Would he notice the fear in that gaze? She hoped he wouldn't see that she was afraid, she had to put a brave face on now and be strong.

Pony watched as she spoke to him. He didn't smile, but he did lean in close. He searched her face as he knew her almost as well as himself. At least he felt confidence that he still knew her better than she thought. His hand reached towards her and then tapped her nose lightly. "You're lying to me right now. I can see it. What's wrong?"

She looked away with a sigh, not replying right away. When she did, it was a very quiet, "I am so frightened."

Pony slipped his arm carefully around her shoulders to hold her and let her lean against him for strength. "It's a scary moment. I can understand that. Doesn't mean you have to keep it to yourself. If you're scared you can tell me. I'm here for you, right? Please, I'm not telling you not to be scared. I'm telling you to just let me know and I can remind you that I'm here for you and will do all I can to not let anything happen. "