I do not own any of Higher Ground characters, and in this chapter you won't know who is who anyway.Also the song, " With arms wide open" by Creed isn't mine either. Enjoy........please review thanks.


He slowly hung up the phone, and he had a weird expression on his face as he stared at the wall in front of him. He just couldn't believe what she just told him. He got up and started to pace back and forth rubbing his hands together. He stopped and closed his eyes and looked up trying to figure it out in his mind what she said could it be true. He lowered his head and opened his eyes. "What she said could be true!" He said out loud with tears in his eyes. He picked up a glass that was sitting on the counter and heaved it across the room; it shattered against the wall. He wasn't sure if he was angry or just plain frightened.

*Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is going to change
I closed my eyes, begin to pray *

He started to pace back and forth. " I now live two hundred miles from her.It takes more then a night to get there by car," he thought to himself. He picked up the phone and made a call. He hung up phone and sighed as he sat down trying to let the news sink in. After a couple minutes he got up and went into his room and threw some clothes in a duffel bag. He took in a breath and exhaled as he locked the door to his apartment. He drove to the airport.He paid for his ticket, and walked down to terminal where he was going to board. He sat down and stared out at the plane he was soon to board, which will take him to a state he tried so hard to get away from and back to her, and his life will be change forever.

He arrived in Seattle at one that afternoon." At least it isn't raining." He stated to himself as he stared out the cab window. He decided to go check into the hotel before going to see her. He was not sure if was up to it yet. He paid the driver and walked into the hotel and got his room. He turned on the light in the room and looked around. " Not bad," he said out load. He threw the duffel bag on the bed and walked over and opened the drapes. He sat down in the chair that was next to the window and looked out at beautiful green Forrest . He sat there for a while. " I guess it's time," he thought as he got up and put the room key in his pocket. He called for a cab, and walked out to lobby to wait for the cab, which showed up an hour later.
The cab driver pulled up to the hospital. He got out of the cab and paid the driver, and walked into the hospital and up to the service desk. He asked what room she was in. The lady typed her name into the computer, and looked up at him.

The lady: she's in room 213.

HE: Where is room 213?

The lady: Take the elevator up to level four. Then you will turn left and go down the hallway until you come to a nurse station it be right across from there.

He: Thanks.

He walked over to the elevator and pushed the up button. The doors open couple seconds later, and he walked in. he pressed the four and second later the doors opened again.He got out and followed the direction; the nurse gave him. He stood in doorway looking at her. He stood there for a while just starring at them as he wiped away the tear from his eyes. A nurse walked by and tapped him on the shoulder. he turned around and faced her.
The nurse: You can go in she has been waiting for you.


He shocked his head and turned around and stepped into the room. He paused for a second then walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. he stared down at them. " they look so beautiful with the sun shining on them," he thought to himself as he wiped away the tear from his eyes

She : you want to hold your son?

She sat up and hands the baby to him. He walked over to the chair and sat down, and looked down at his baby boy. He put his finger in his son's little hand, and he griped on to his finger. he looked up and over at her with tears rolling down his checks.


*Then tears of joy stream down my face
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open *

He looked back down at the baby and kissed his forehead. He wiped away his tear, but they just kept on rolling down his face. The baby moved and let out a little whimper. He got up and carried him back over to his mother, f or he was afraid he had hurt him. She took him back in her arms and rubbed her nose on his little button nose, and looked up at him.

She: He's all right; he just needs to be change.

He looked at her and at his son. He was not sure what to do. She smiled at him and pulled away the covers and got up. He ran to her side and put his arm around her.

HE; Are you sure your supposed to get out of bed?

She laughed at him and walked over to the crib and lay the baby down. She took the diaper from the bag and lay it down next to the baby long with the wipes. He watched over her shoulder as she took off the diaper and started to cleaned the baby. The baby started to cry. He came around and put his finger in the baby hand and softly talked to the baby as she finished putting the diaper on.


She: do you want to wrap him up in his blanket and hold him again?


He; sure

She picked up the baby and lay a clean blanket down and laid the baby back down on the blanket. He pulled one side of blanket around his body and the bottom piece and then the other side, with guidance from her. He looked over at her, for he was not sure how to pick the baby up. She gently picked him up and put the baby into his arms. He tried to help her back to bed carrying the baby. She got in and pulled up the covers and closed her eyes.

She: Do you think you be all right with him? I need to take a nap, but if you need any help just push this button, and a nurse will come.

He looked at her nervously, for he was not sure if he be all right, and he was nervous as it was, but he said yes anyway. He walked over to the window and looked down at his son. he was sound asleep in his arms, and he smiled nervously at his son. He walked over and pulled the chair over to the side of her bed and took her hand into his hand, and stared down at his son.

*Well I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, take her by my side
We stand in awe, we've created life
With arms wide open*

She moved, and he let her hand go, for he didn't want to wake her. He carried the baby and lay him in the crib and gently rub his hand over his son cheek.The baby stirred and opened his eyes and started to cry. He didn't know what to do he looked over at her and back at the crying baby. He gently picked him up and cradled him in his arm and rocked back and forth trying to calm him down, but it didn't work. A nurse walked by and peeked in and saw him trying to calm his son down. The nurse walked in and smiled at him.

HE: He won't stop crying. I don't know what to do.

She walked over to the baby bag and took out one of the bottle of milk and hand it to him. He took the bottle and put it up to the baby's mouth, and the baby took the bottle and stopped crying. He sat down and fed his son for the first time. A couple minutes later the baby fell back to sleep. He gently took the bottle out of his mouth, and put it on the arm of the chair. He watch as his son slept peacefully in his arms.

The nurse: You have to burp him, or he will get upset tummy

He: But he's asleep. (still looking down at him) How do I do it?

The nurse: Put him up to your shoulder and patted his back firmly. It might take few minutes.

He put him up to his shoulder and softly patted his back. The nurse came over and took his hand and showed him how to do it. The baby let out two big burped. He got up and walked over to the crib and lay the baby down. The sun softly shined down on the baby, he stirred, but didn't wake up.

*Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open*

He pulled the drapes closed that the sun won't shine on the baby anymore, and sat back down in the chair. He looked over at her; who was still asleep. Her hair lay on her pillow and a strand lay over her face. He got up and moved it out of her face. She turned around and looked up at him with sleepy eyes.He smiled down at her.

*Now everything has changed
I'll show you love
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open *
She sat up in the bed and glanced over at her son to make sure he was all right, and turned and looked back at him. He was still starring at her. He sat down on the side of her bed, and she put her hand on top of his hand.

SHE was on the verge of crying: you know what to day is right?

She took in a deep breath trying not to cry. He looked up at her shaking his head up and down, and wiped away a tear from her eye. He pulled himself up, so he was sitting next to her, and took her into his arms.

HE quietly speaking: Yeah, I can't believe it's been a year.

She was crying now: Me either, I still remember it as if it just happened.

* FLASHBACK*

Headline in the newspaper said a freak accident that took five lives.

* END OF FLASHBACK*

The baby started to cry, which brought her back to reality. She started to get up, but he got up and walked over to the baby and scooped him up in his arm, and softly talked to the baby to calm him down. He walked back to the bed and sat down next to her. He hand her the baby, who was quiet now. She looked down at her sleeping boy.

SHE: At least now I can remember this day as a happy one instead of a sad day. (she swallow and wiped away tears from her eyes) I need to talk to her, it was really hard going through this without her. I do visit her daughter at her grandpa's house once in while, but I could not work up the courage to go to the cemetery to visit any of them.

HE wiped away the tears that were running down her face: We will go when you get discharge in two days.

He looked at her and at their son, and got up and walked over to the window. He opened the drapes and stared out the window. It was getting dark it looked as if it could start raining any second. He watched the cars as they drove by, wondering where they were going. He turnaround and looked at the two of them, both sleeping. He sat down and watched them as they slept.The baby moved a little but didn't wake up. He got up and gently took the baby out of her arms and sat back down with him in his arm. He just want to hold him, and watch him sleep in his arms.

HE whispered in the baby ear: This morning I woke up and I didn't have any idea that I would be a father, and now you are lying in my arms sound asleep. I promise you this I will always love you and protect you.

He wiped away the tears from his eyes as he watch his son sleep. He looked away from his son and looked out the window at dark cloudy night sky ," Unlike my parent, who didn't care. I hope I won't be like them. I know I won't; I won't let myself be like that" he said to himself.

*If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he's not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open*

The baby started to wake up, and he looked away from the window, and turned his attention back to his son. The baby open his eyes, but didn't cry he just lay there looking up at his father. He looked down at his son, he knew his son eyes weren't able to focus yet, and that he couldn't see him, but to him it looked as though his son was actually looking him. He looked over at her, to see her smiling at him. He wondered how long she was watching them.

HE: What are we going to name him?


TBC

The next chapter:
You will find out whom the father and the mother are.
They will go to the cemetery
and someone father comes to visit and to see his grandson.