Okay...*deep breath* I am taking a major leap with this. First off, this was not the sequel I was originally going to post. This came to me the other night and I REALLY wanted to do this. I want each and every one of you to trust me with this stroy. It's a major leap but I swear it's all for a good read. Last story we helped Em with her demons and this time we're dealing with Jack's. But Jack's fear is being rushed to be confronted. The Prologue, as you will read, does not hide much. What you read is what the story will lead up to. The 1st chapter will start exactly one year BEFORE the Prologue.

Again, I want all of you to trust me on this. This is going to be a serious story. Well, not TOO serious but it's all about Jack and him coming to terms with what he needs to come to terms with before Emilie finally gives up on him.

That said...enjoy the story and please let me know what you think.


Jack's eyes opened slowly. He stared at the ceiling as his vision cleared. When there was only one ceiling fan, he looked to his left. He smiled. Emilie was lying on her side, her hands clasped under her cheek as she slept. She had been through the wringer this week. Between the extra hours at the shelter and watching the kids for Jerry and Camille while they were on vacation, she was exhausted. He knew this not only because of how much she worked but because she did not even stir when the soft whimpering filled the bedroom. He placed a soft kiss on her nose before getting out of bed. He didn't bother putting on the pair of pajama bottoms that lay across the chair next to the door. Jerry had come to pick up Amelia and Danielle last night so he did not have to worry about running into either one of them in the middle of the night.

He opened and closed their bedroom door as quietly as he could and made his way down to the end of the hall. He let out a short yelp when his toe hit something hard. He looked down and frowned when he saw the toy car that was parked dangerously in the middle of the hallway. He picked up the bright pink Barbie car and set it inside the door of the room Amelia used this week. He would have to remind Emilie to drop it off on her way home from work tomorrow.

He stopped by the last door in the hall and poked his head into the room. The light green walls shined faintly in the moonlight that came in from the moon shaped window in the ceiling. He walked into the room and flicked the light switch on. Tiny lights from all over the room turned on and he smiled when he saw all the zoo animals on the walls. He remembered seeing Bobby and Angel in here working their behinds off trying to finish it like Emilie wanted only four months ago. He remembered laughing at angle when the giraffe wouldn't un-stick itself from his pants leg. Jack got quite the laugh from that day. Actually, that day was the first day that he laughed or smiled since earlier that year.

The memories of last year made him sigh and tear up. He was so hard on everyone. He pushed Emilie away when all she wanted to do was love him. He pushed his family away when all they wanted to do was help him. He almost walked away from the most precious thing that his life had ever given him.

Another soft whimper flowed through his ears. He smiled and walked further into the room until he could see the pair of big green eyes looking right back at him. He reached down and tickled the baby's belly with his index finger. The baby smiled a little before pouting its lips out.

"You're hungry," he whispered to himself. He looked over at the clock and then over to the dresser. "I don't think Mommy will get mad if I feed you half an hour early," he told the baby. He left the crib long enough to open up a can of formula and pour it into a bottle decorated with little palm trees and teddy bears. It matched the neutral colored room with its green cap and yellow ribbon around the bottom.

Jack set the bottle by the rocking chair in the corner and walked back over to the crib. He reached into the crib and picked the waiting baby up. He smiled when chubby little fingers probed around his face, pulling at his nose and scratching his cheeks.

"Did you even go to sleep?" he looked down at the baby. A small smile played on the baby's lips as Jack sat down in the rocking chair. "Or did you know that today was special for Daddy?" The baby saw the bottle in Jack's hand and waved its arms around.

"Oh, yeah. You are hungry." He held the bottle up to the baby's lips and the child greedily took it in.

"Did Uncle Bobby and Uncle Richie neglect to give you your afternoon snack? Daddy told Mommy to write them an hour-by-hour sheet so they would not forget. But does she listen to Daddy? No. She has way too much faith in your Uncles." Jack's voice trailed off as he fed the baby. Those big green eyes stared up at him. This is what Jack loved. When he held his child, he was number one. The baby looked at him in awe and in love. Little hands would reach out to him, just to touch him, and little smiles would greet him whenever he would walk into a room. The tiny laughs were just starting and Jack already adored those too.

He adored everything about the 3 month old in his arms.

He lifted the bottle from the baby's lips and chuckled. "I can't tell Mommy not to call you Piglet anymore. You deserve the name fair and square." He set the empty bottle back on the table and looked down at the baby again. Its eyes were still wide open and staring at Jack.

"You're not even sleepy are you?" he smiled and looked over at the clock again. "It's 2 o'clock in the morning and you are wide awake." Jack shook his head and traced a circle over the baby's tummy. "Want Daddy to sing to you?" he asked and pursed his lips in thought. "Let me think."

Jack did not hear the soft footsteps out in the hall as he started to sing.

Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

Emilie leaned against the wall on the outside of the nursery and smiled to herself. She would have never thought that they would be here tonight. After last year and its horrible mess, this was the last place she thought Jack would be.

And if that mockingbird won't sing,

Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

Nevertheless, he was here, in the nursery cradling their baby to his chest as he sang. She could not help the tears that filled her eyes. She still had left over hormones and would cry at the drop of a dime. She thought Jack would pick on her for it but he never did. If the baby would smile or gurgle out giggle, he would hold her while she cried.

And if that diamond ring turns to brass,

Daddy's gonna buy you a looking glass.

Emilie was proud of Jack. His whole family was. They saw the impact that the last year took on him. They saw it beat him down and they watched him climb back up. If the shooting did not force him to grow up and be strong, this year did. They watched a completely new Jack Mercer emerge and they loved every bit of him.

And if that looking glass gets broke,

Daddy's gonna buy you a billy goat.

Jack smiled when the baby grabbed finger and brought it to its lips. The baby studied his father's finger for a second before taking it in his mouth and sucking on it. Jack could only shake his head and give up his finger as he tried to sing his baby to sleep.

And if that billy goat won't pull,

Daddy's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

Emilie poked her head in a little and looked over at Jack. This was so not the boy she met when she was seventeen. He was a man now and he was the father of her baby. They had gone through thick and thin together. Now they were here. He walked her through the fiery crashes and stopped her from being burned. In return, she walked him through the miracle of forgiveness and helped him forget the painful memories so he could replace them with happier ones.

And if that cart and bull turn over,

Daddy's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

Jack almost sighed when the baby's eyes finally started to flutter shut. He softened his voice and carefully lifted himself out of the rocking chair. He bounced the baby in his arms gently as he walked over to the crib. His finger slowly slipped out from between the baby's red lips.

And if that dog named Rover won't bark.

Daddy's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

Emilie watched Jack as he laid the baby down in the crib. He leaned over the rail and she smiled at the tattoo on his back. She did not like the idea of the angel wings on his shoulder blades at first. However, when he came back with hers and the baby's names in the middle last week, she could not be mad.

And if that horse and cart fall down,

You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

Jack finished the song and bent down so he could kiss the baby's forehead. He set the stuffed teddy bear by the baby's hand and leaned his forearms against the railing. Even if he tried, he could not stop looking at his baby. Every time he did, he thought of Emilie and everything that they had been through. He thought of their future and he thought of more kids. He thought of the life he was going to give his family, the life he did not have.

He jumped a little when two soft hands traced the names on his back. "Go back to sleep." he turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Emilie.

She smiled at him and moved to stand beside him. "I will if you come back with me." She reached down and tucked a yellow and white blanket around the baby. Jack moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I didn't mean to wake you." he apologized and kissed her neck softly. She moved her head to the die, giving him more room to kiss, and brought a hand up to brush through his hair.

"I woke up to you singing our baby to sleep, Jack," she whispered to him. "Don't ever apologize for that." He smiled against her neck and kissed her one last time.

"I already fed him." he said and looked over at the clock. "Think we'll even get to sleep before we get woken up again." Emilie looked over at the clock that was reading 2:45am.

With a chuckle, she shook her head. "I doubt it. A diaper change is bound to come soon." she turned around in his arms and smiled up at him. He bent down and kissed her nose.

"Oh, I almost forgot." she breathed when his lips skimmed hers. Jack pulled back a little and watched her walk over to the baby's dresser. She pulled out a small black photo album and handed it to him. Emilie handed it to him and watched as a grin spread across his face. Jack stared at the pictures in the album.

"When did you get these taken?" he asked as he flipped through random pictures of Emilie, the baby and his family. She looked over his arm to look with him.

"Last week at the mall." she told him and looked up. "You like them?" she asked. Jack rolled his eyes and closed the album. He set it on the crib's rail and wrapped his arms around her again.

"I love them," he whispered as he kissed her hair. "And I love you." Emilie squeezed his neck and kissed his ear.

"I love you too, Jackie," she whispered. "Happy birthday."


The prologue takes place in March 2009. The first chapter (and rest of the stroy) will start in Macrh 2008. Emilie is almost 23 in the story and almost 24 in the prologue. Jack is 27 in the story and 28 in the prologue.