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Chapter 23: Baby Boom, True Heart and Noble Heart

True Heart lay outside on the grassy hill that overlooked the landing site of the Great Fox, white and yellow flowers tucked into the base of her long wavy pink and purple hair that spread out underneath and around her and her hands on her massive belly as the breeze tickled her and the sun warmed her fur.

She looked up when she heard hoof steps and saw Noble Heart approach her with his guitar in hand. His long blue and green hair waving behind him in the slight breeze.

"Here to serenade me again?" True Heart giggled.

Noble Heart chuckled and sat down next to her, "As much as I can until they arrive," he touched True Heart's swollen middle, "Not much longer now, but I promise they will get all the love and attention they deserve."

"And this time from their parents," True Heart sighed and fiddled with the radiant heart crystal that always hung around her neck, "I still wish we could have been here for Hugs and Tugs."

"At least Grams was, but don't waste time regretting." Noble Heart did one last tune of his guitar before he began his songs.

(Songs chosen by ThisCrispyKat and Dragonstrider)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TImNRqTkd7Q

"Take another sip my love and see what you will see, A fleet of golden galleons, on a crystal sea. Are you sitting comfortably? Let Merlin cast his spell.

Ride along the winds of time and see where we have been, The glorious age of Camelot, when Guinevere was Queen. It all unfolds before your eyes As Merlin casts his spell.

The seven wonders of the world he'll lay before your feet, In far-off lands, on distant shores, so many friends to meet. Are you sitting comfortably? Let Merlin cast his spell."

"When the white eagle of the North is flying overhead The browns, reds and golds of autumn lie in the gutter, dead. Remember then, that summer birds with wings of fire flaying Came to witness springs new hope, born of leaves decaying. Just as new life will come from death, love will come at leisure. Love of love, love of life and giving without measure Gives in return a wondrous yearn of a promise almost seen. Live hand-in-hand and together we'll stand on the threshold of a dream."

_"Now you know that you are real Show your friends that you and me Belong to the same world Turned on to the same word Have you heard?

Now you know that you are free Living all your life at ease Each day has its always A look down life's hallways, doorways To lead you there"_

"Now you know how nice it feels, Scatter good seed in the fields. Life's ours for the making, Eternity's waiting, waiting, For you and me.

Now you know that you are real, Show your friends that you and me

Belong to the same world, Turned on to the same word, Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard?"

"Won't you take me back to school I need to learn the golden rule Won't you lay it on the line I need to hear it just one more time Oh won't you tell me again Can you feel it Won't you tell me again Tonight Each and every heart it seems Is bounded by a world of dreams Each and every rising sun Is greeted by a lonely one 'Cos out on the ocean of life my love There's so many storms we must rise above Can you hear the spirit calling As it's carried across the waves You're already falling It's calling you back to face the music And the song that is coming through You're already falling The one that it's calling is you Make a promise take a vow And trust your feelings it's easy now Understand the voice within And feel the changes already beginning And how many words have I got to say And how many times will it be this way With your arms around the future And your back up against the past You're already falling it's calling you On to face the musicand the song that is coming through You're already falling The one that it's calling is you Each and every heart it seems Is bounded by a world of dreams Each and every rising sun Is greeted by a lonely lonely one"

True Heart nearly drifted off as she listened to her husband's soothing voice and music, until she felt a contraction hit her. Noble Heart hadn't noticed her wince or jolt awake but she didn't interrupt him, it would be at least a few hours before the twins were born so she waited until Noble Heart finished before she spoke. "Noble Heart, I think it's time. Ow!" she winced as she felt another contraction hit.

"What?!" Noble Heart seemed to go into instant 'new dad panic mode' as he left his guitar on the ground then helped True Heart to her feet. "Let's get to Take Care's now!"

"We still have time, don't leave your guitar behind." Once she was standing, True Heart planted her feet until Noble Heart retrieved his instrument, then they set off towards Take Care's office.

OoOoO

Take Care Bear had been expecting this any day now, True Heart being the first of the expectant mothers to go into labor was just the luck of the draw.

"Alright, True Heart just relax and breathe." Take Care was dressed in the doctor's scrubs as she checked True Heart's progress. "Dad, stop pacing," she turned to Noble Heart who was indeed pacing around the room.

"I can't help it, I'm excited and nervous," Noble Heart stopped.

"Just take my hand, Noble Heart," True Heart looked up at her husband, and he obliged. "I just want you here by my side."

"Just don't hold her hand too long," Get Well turned to Noble Heart, "Dads have been known to get broken bones from a contraction death grip."

Noble Heart gulped but didn't let go. "I can handle it."

Outside the hospital, Indy and Cautious Heart were running crowd control. It was sort of an instinctual tradition that every time a new Care Bear or Cousin or Magi was born that everyone felt they needed to be there for the parents, even if they had jobs to do. It was cute and heartwarming the first couple times but now, especially with so many more to come in the near future, Take Care was starting to get annoyed. Indy had taken the initiative to ward them off, asking that unless they were actually injured or sick to just leave and let her do her job while Cautious Heart sat at the reception desk in case there were those who did need help. The only legitimate visits were from Curious Heart Wolf and Pretty Heart Skunk, who got some minor scrapes after a sparring match between Pretty Heart and Mira got out of hand. Teacher Bear was there too to make sure they were alright.

"I understand there's a bit of a baby boom going on right now," Teacher Bear sat in the waiting room with the rest of her adopted children and Cautious Heart at the reception desk. Indy was taking care of the minor injuries as he had better first aid training than Cautious.

Cautious Heart Cat nodded, "Yup. Mom's been getting us ready for this."

"So who are the mothers?" Thorough Heart Weasel asked.

Cautious Heart didn't have to think long to come up with an answer, "Other than True Heart, Cheer's expecting twins and so are Proud Heart and Polite Panda down in Paradise Valley, Cozy Heart laid her eggs a while ago so she's just waiting for them to hatch. Then Love-a-lot and Harmony Bear."

"I guess in a community this small this counts as a baby boom," Passive Heart said.

"There's not even 100 of us, so yeah," Cautious Heart agreed. Once Pretty Heart and Curious were patched up, Indy sent them on their way after diverting Curious Heart from going to the Maternity ward.

Hours passed as True Heart did her best to remain calm. If anything she felt more at-ease now since Take Care was fully certified as a doctor and Get Well was here too, not to mention she felt stronger than she had last time, even as another contraction hit.

"Alright, True Heart, you're ready, push!" Take Care all but ordered. True Heart didn't need to be told twice and she started to push. Noble Heart still held True Heart's hand, wincing as she gave her vice-grip with each push but thankfully avoiding getting any bones broken.

"I can see the head, True Heart, you're doing great," Take Care said. True Heart obliged putting her all into each push.

"Almost there, one more should do it." Take Care held on as she watched the cub, or rather foal, slide out, catching him as True Heart panted. Get Well was there in an instant to cut the cord as Take Care smacked the foal to get him to cry so he would start using his own lungs then passed him off to Get Well to bathe and clean up.

"OK, True Heart, one down. Can you keep going?" it was a rhetorical question but still True Heart answered.

"Not much, eeeeerrrg! Choice."

"Then keep pushing with each contraction, you're not going to get any readier," Take Care didn't move from her spot beneath True Heart.

"You can do it, True," Noble Heart gave her a brief kiss before the next contraction hit and she started pushing again.

Get Well was relieved that she could at least handle the newborn. She had the cream colored foal with a yellow, blue, teal and golden striped mane and tail bathed and dried off before True Heart had finished and set him in the newborn crib wrapped up as she returned to her mother's side.

"Almost there. One more good push should do it," Take Care said.

"I hope so..." True Heart was sweating hard and she put her all into the last push then finally slumped limp against the bed, smiling when she heard the second set of crying join the first.

"There we go, True Heart. Two beautiful cubs," Noble Heart took True Heart's hand.

"May I...see them?" True Heart panted.

"Here they are," Noble Heart had picked up the cream colored foal, who was a boy while Take Care had just finished cleaning off the pale pink female bear cub who had small tufts of lavender and pale yellow hair on her head and tail.

"They're beautiful," True Heart smiled.

"They are," Get Well was filling out the birth certificates, "Do you have names for them?"

Noble Heart nodded, "The boy is Valiant Heart Horse and the girl is Kind Heart Bear. In fact," Noble Heart carefully took True Heart's hand. As tired a she was, True Heart was able to get her tummy symbol glowing as did Noble Heart. Their stares fired off and merged before they flew around both foals and bestowed their tummy symbols upon them. For Valiant Heart: a blue, teal and yellow kite shield with a gold edge and a gold star at the center, and for Kind Heart: a pastel pink, pale rose and purple heart with a large yellow star at the center with the arms extended past the edges of the heart.

"Hmm?" as Take Care held up Kind Heart to get a better look at her, she saw that instead of a small red heart on her right thigh Kind Heart had a small yellow star on her left thigh. "Look at this dad," Take Care showed both parents the oddity.

"What do you think it means?" Noble Heart asked.

"Maybe... a gift... from the...Great Wishing Star," True Heart lay back, "excuse me... tired." She closed her eyes and was snoozing moments later.

"Alright, let's get the paperwork finished, grandpa," Get Well smirked as she carefully led Noble Heart out of the room. Take Care stuck around just long enough for Noble Heart to return.

Noble Heart was staring at his two newborn cubs sleeping silently then back to True Heart, who was doing the same, with a serious look on his face.

Take Care was about to leave when she saw the serious look on Noble Heart's face, "Dad, is something wrong?"

"No. I've just made a decision, something that's been a long time coming..."

OoOoO

Noble Heart stood at the head of the meeting in the Hall of Hearts, everyone's eyes were on him as he spoke. "Today, I would like to announce that True Heart Bear and I are officially retired as the leaders of the Care Bear Family. From this day forwards, Tenderheart Bear, Brave Heart Lion, Take Care Bear and Love Heart Bear are in charge of every aspect of the Care Bear Family." He held up his hand before anyone could speak, "I know what some of you are thinking, but the truth is we haven't been involved in any major decisions for quite some time, especially regarding the message that Futureheart brought us. I know you all look up to us as the founders who raised most of you and that we're the ones to go to for advice, but I don't think you need to do that anymore. You four have taken command of this new threat against us in ways neither of us could have been prepared for. For now, True Heart and I just want to relax and raise our new children: Valiant Heart Horse and Kind Heart Bear. That doesn't mean we're not going to do anything else, we will still go on caring missions and help when needed but," he chuckled and looked down at himself, "I look younger than most of you these days anyway so don't be afraid to order me around." This elicited some laughter from the assembly. "Thank you all, I know the world's in good hands."

"What about Sage Heart and Life Heart?" The question came from Bright Heart Raccoon.

Sage Heart stood up to answer, "Honestly, we haven't been serving as leaders for the Magi for years. The only reason we don't try to retire from active is because we can still fight and serve as trainers when needed. As far as I'm concerned, Love Heart has been in command since before we returned to the Kingdom of Caring and the way the Magi are organised now we're not taking command anytime toon."

Noble Heart was already heading for the exit as people debated what exactly this meant, but was stopped when he heard two voices right behind him.

"Dad!"

"Wait!"

It was Hugs and Tugs, and right behind them were Contrary Heart Liger, Marina Bear and Patient Heart Liger.

Noble Heart smiled, "Hugs, Tugs, sorry we don't talk much."

"I know, it's just," Hugs sounded nervous so Tugs took over.

"We just wanted to ask if everything is alright with you and mom."

Noble Heart nodded, "Things are fine, and to be honest hearing you call us 'mom and dad' is still odd." He sighed, "But before you ask, yes True and I still feel like we failed to be proper parents to the both of you. I remember you were overjoyed to... meet us, but you stayed with Grams after that so we never felt like proper parents to you both."

"Grams did raise us..." Tug admitted.

"But we're still your kids and you didn't fail us, we just..." Hugs was struggling to find the right words.

"You imprinted on your grandmother because of how much time you spent with her." Pace spoke up, "You see her as the real parental figure in your lives because Noble Heart and True Heart vanished."

"That about sums it up," Noble Heart walked forwards and put a hand on Hugs and Tugs' shoulders, "Never think for an instant that I'm not proud of you both. You're great kids, but we do want to devote the time we have now exclusively to raising Valiant Heart and Kind Heart. We want to be proper parents this time around."

Hugs immediately drew Noble Heart into a hug, "You always were, even if you were distant."

Tugs couldn't resist joining in the group hug, "You're great parents. Now go prove it to yourselves." They let their father go and watched as Noble Heart returned home.

Inside, the four leaders had convened in their private office. Take Care almost never came in here but this was important enough to warrant her presence.

"Aren't you going to say anything, Take Care?" Brave Heart asked.

Take Care shook her head. "He told me yesterday, I already had my talk with him. Not like I could talk him out of it but he's right. The Kingdom of Caring's in good hands."

"Our hands," Tenderheart put his right hand over the desk.

"And our shields," Love Heart placed his right hand over Tenderheart's.

"And our hearts!" Brave Heart did the same then looked to Take Care.

Take Care rolled her eyes but smiled and put her hand, "And our minds." She pulled back a moment later, "Now if you don't mind, I have to get back home. There's going to be a lot more newborns soon and I need to be ready."

Valiant Heart Horse is owned by ThisCrispyKat

Kind Heart Bear is owned by PrettyKittySierra