Chapter One,

I clutched my side as it struggled to make it up the steps. "Why didn't I take the elevator…?" I thought to myself. In one hand was the report I was working on. The other hand was keeping me from bleeding to death. I got to his door and knocked weakly. He opened the door and gasped. Mick dropped the glass of blood he was drinking and ran over to me.

"What happened?" he asked. I shakily answered "I was coming to bring you this file but… but… out of nowhere some person stabbed me." He picked me up and brought me over to his counter. He pushed all the glasses and random items off the counter, breaking a few glass objects, and put me down. I removed my hand from my side and revealed the stab wound. A giant gash 2 inches left of my belly button. His face told me that it wouldn't be long until I bleed to death and he had to get to work.

Mick ran and grabbed a little first aid kit and started asking me questions. "Did you see his face?" I shook my head. All of a sudden this stinging pain rain through my body. I grabbed his and squeezed it hard. Through gritted teeth I pleaded, "Please Mick, make it stop…" He looked down at me with worried eyes. "I can only do much…" he grumbled. Tears swelled in my eyes. I managed to choke out, "Mick, I… I can't die." Another sharp pain ran throughout my body. I thought I was going to die.

Mick brushed the hair out of my face and gazed at me lovingly. "Beth," he said "We have to get you to a hospital, okay?" I started to panic. "I hate hospitals… you know that…" I shot him a look with terrified eyes. "Then I'll take you to Josef's clinic. It's right around the corner." He put some gauze over the gash and picked me up. I almost passed out from the pain. He ran to the car and laid me down in the back seat. I curled myself up in a ball. He slammed on the gas and we sped to the clinic.

The sliding doors opened and Mick carried me in, making sure not to cause me anymore pain. He started talking to one of the nurses but all I could hear was my own heartbeat. I was dying. He laid me down on a bed and the nurse stuck me with an IV. That made it a little bit better. The nurse cut off my shirt so that all that was exposed was my bare stomach and my bra. Mick took my hand and I looked up at him. "Please call Josh." I managed to get out. He nodded and said something but I couldn't hear him.

He walked out of the room and the nurse came to prep me for surgery. She said something and put a mask over my mouth. Within minutes I was out cold. When I woke up Josh and Mick were standing in the room. Josh was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands and Mick was pacing back and forth. I groaned quietly and Mick sped over to me and took my hand. Josh got up and kissed me and whipped the hair out of my face. I smiled at him and kissed him back. We were getting married in a week.

"When can I leave?" I asked anxiously. "You have to stay for a while. You just got surgery." Mick replied. I started to get mad. I just wanted to go home. I took the IV out of my hand and hoisted myself up with Josh's arm. Mick got up and said "Beth, you get back in that bed right now." I shook my head. Josh started to say something that would agree with Mick but I cut him off. "Josh, drive me home…" Josh started, "Beth… I can't…" but I cut him off yet again. "JOSH DRIVE ME HOME!" I yelled. A few heads turned and looked at me. I didn't care. I just wanted to go home. The nurse handed me a bottle of pills and walked away, not really concerned I was up.

I took Josh's arm and dragged him with me out into the lobby. Mick followed yelling about how I should stay but I ignored him. Josh apologized to Mick as I got into the car. When Josh got in he turned to me. Mick had gone inside and I crossed my arms across my chest. Josh asked "What is wrong with you today?" a tear rolled down my cheek but I didn't know why. I was so irritable today. Josh sighed and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I hope Mick wouldn't be mad at me for leaving.

A week later and I still hadn't heard from Mick. I was going to call him but I restrained myself. I was watching TV with Josh. My head was resting on his lap and my legs were extended over the arms of the couch. There was a knock at the door and Josh went to go get it. I tucked my legs under my body and repositioned myself. Mick walked in awkwardly. Josh walked over to me and kissed me on the lips. "Bye baby. I'll be home around five. Okay?" I looked up at him adoringly. "Gotcha" he smiled, grabbed his coat and left.

"Come sit down" I said patting the spot on the couch next to me. He sat and looked at me worried. "How are you feeling?" I looked down. It was time to tell him. "I'm good. So is the baby." His face shifted from uneasiness to shock to delight to concern in about three seconds. "H…How long have you known?" he asked. I looked at him confused. "I thought you knew… You should've heard the baby's heartbeat." He looked concerned "Have you been taking those pills that nurse gave you?" I looked down. "Yeah, they work great with the pain." He stood up quickly. "That dosage could kill the baby."

I started to panic. "It can't!" Mick grabbed my hand and drove me to the clinic. "Is it okay?" I asked my hand on my stomach. "We need to cleanse your system free of any drugs. Then we'll see." I started to cry. This was going to be me and Josh's first and only baby. We came to an agreement that we would spoil it rotten and love it unconditionally. This was a major setback on our plan.

"We have to call Josh." I said while Mick held my hand and brought me into the clinic. Mick replied with, "We don't have time," Which just freaked me out even more. I shoved the doors open and Mick walked in beside me, holding my hand. The nurse hooked me up to this machine thing and told me to lay there still. Mick walked over to my side. "I called Josh." He said. I nodded as a tear rolled down my cheek.

Five minutes later the nurse came back and unhooked me from the machine. "You're going to be fine." She told me. "I have new medication to get you for the pain. A lower dosage that's safe for the baby." She left and it was just Mick and I. I looked at him. "You're coming to the wedding right?" he nodded in silence. I looked down and twittled my thumbs.

"How far along are you?" he asked. I smiled. "Three months." I cocked my head to one side. I'm surprised you didn't know I was pregnant a week ago…" he looked down with a concerned look on his face. "Something's wrong…" he said.

Chapter 2