Basic information:
-Emma, Maddie, Gabe, and Katie are the kids of Sam and Jason. Emma is 11, Maddie and Gabe are 10 year old twins, and Katie is 8.
-Paige is Emily and Nikolas's daughter and also 11; she is one of Emma's best friends, but closer to Courtney.
-Chloe J is Emma's best friend and Maxie and Matt's daughter. She is 11 and it briefly mentions her twin brother Christian and younger siblings Lukas, Leah, and Ava, but they're not important for this one shot.
-Courtney, Josslyn, Connor, and Jacelyn are Carly and Jax's kids. Courtney is 11 and Paige's best friend, but also best friends with Emma and Chloe J. Josslyn is 16 and best friends with Lindsey (who is scrubs' real daughter Emma with a different name). Connor is 10 and best friends with Maddie, and also Gabe. Jacelyn is 8 and best friends with Katie (and also Ava, but like I said, she isn't important right now).
-Zack, Brittany, and Hunter are Sonny's kids; Zack is 11 and Hunter is 10 and their mother is Claudia. Brittany is also 10, but her mom is Brenda, though she is closer to Claudia.
-Nate and Lindsey are Robin and Patrick's kids. Lindsey is 16 and best friends with Josslyn (she's Emma Grace Scorpio-Drake, but had to be renamed since I accidentally named the main character of That's Life Emma). Nate is 11 and best friends with Emma and the others.
-That's all that is really important for this one shot, but there are more people that aren't mentioned in this.
That's Life: After the Rain
Emma POV
I remember the summer that I turned eleven better than any of the others. That was a particularly rainy year and it was difficult to get out of the house, even for a couple of hours. Storm after storm hit Port Charles, confining us all to our homes.
That was the first year that I really examined my relationship with my brother, Gabe, and sister, Maddie. They were a year younger than me at ten and because of our being stuck in the house, we were able to get close.
The rain fell in endless streams, running down the windows of the penthouse. I can remember sitting on the ground, picking raindrops and betting on which one could race down the fastest.
I can still hear the sounds of my parents screaming at each other, fighting over what to do about the little baby that had yet to be born. It was a girl, they found out, and it was a high risk pregnancy. Dad swore that Mom was more important than this child and they could adopt one. He wanted her to get an abortion. But Mom refused to kill her child, especially after my older sister died at birth. So they fought and fought and Dad slept on the couch and Mom whispered apologizes into our bedrooms after she thought we were sleeping.
But I didn't sleep much that summer. You see, I love the rain. I have ever since I was a baby. Mom said that I was born on a rainy day and when I was really little, rain was the only thing that could calm me down when I was crying. So a lot of these nights, I sat at the balcony doors (I don't have a window since we live in a penthouse), tracing the paths of the droplets and watching the sky light up.
It rained all through July, and even on my birthday. Every year since I was four years old, I had had a huge party, but that year, I just invited my three best friends Chloe J, Courtney, and my cousin Paige over. We went up to my bedroom and then it started storming even harder.
That night was the worst one of the whole summer. I can still remember the way my mom yelled for my dad and his loud footsteps sprinting down the hallway. Paige's big, brown eyes stared at me, asking for an explanation, but I couldn't give her one. Maddie ran in, tears falling down her cheeks the same way the rain fell down the windows…
July 2006- No POV
"Emma! Emma, it's Mom! Something's wrong with the baby!" Maddie cried, throwing open the door of her older sister's bedroom.
Emma let her younger sister hug her as she stared out the door, watching her father run from his bedroom with her mother in his arms. Sam was crying in pain, her hands placed over her stomach.
"All of you, down here, now!" Jason shouted from downstairs.
Emma, Chloe J, Courtney, Paige, and Maddie exited the room at the same time Gabe and Katie came out of their rooms. They all went down together, huddling close and watching Jason frantically try to figure out what to do.
"We have the limo outside, Jason." Max stated.
"Thanks, Max." he ran to the elevator, the herd of children behind him.
Sam's face was buried in her husband's neck, shielding herself from the view of her worried kids, goddaughters, and niece/cousin. One arm was around his shoulder and the other was on her stomach. She was silently praying that her daughter would be okay.
They got off the elevator and Jason rushed them into the limo. Sam stayed on his lap, clinging to him as she cried. Jason rubbed her back, whispering that it would be okay into her ear. He noticed that the seven children had their hands linked and their facial expressions showed how terrified they were.
"We're here, sir." The driver announced as he opened the door. Jason shot out of the car with Sam in his arms.
"Come on, guys. Stay near me." He led the way into the hospital with the kids scampering behind him. They got onto an elevator for the second time that day.
The group was immediately greeted with the sight of Dr. Robin Scorpio and Dr. Kelly Lee (Jason had asked Max to call them as he was leaving).
"Oh wow." Robin said when she noticed all of the kids. She turned her attention back to one of her oldest friends. "What's going on?"
"Sam is feeling really bad pains and she says that they are contractions. She's only seven months along. She can't be having the baby."
"Okay, let's get her in the wheelchair and we'll do an exam." Kelly suggested. Jason lowered Sam into the wheelchair, kissing her forehead. "I'll be in as soon as they let me."
Sam nodded. "Love you."
"I love you too." They watched Kelly wheel her away.
Robin pulled Jason to the side. "What are you planning on doing with all the kids? Why do you have Courtney, Chloe J, and Paige with you?"
"Emma was having a sleepover since her birthday was last week. She didn't want a big party this year, surprisingly, so she chose just to have her three best friends over. She wanted Nate and Zack to come too, but I refused." Jason sighed. "I don't know what to do."
"I'll call Maxie. She can come get the kids or something."
"No, I don't want to bother her. She's got Christian, Lukas, Leah, and Ava at home already…"
"And Chloe J is her daughter and you know she loves your kids, Paige, and Courtney like her own. Let me call her."
"I don't know, Robin. You know she'll want to stay."
"Then let her. At least there will be someone here that can sit with the kids."
Jason gave in when he saw Kelly motioning him over. "Fine. Can you stay with them until she gets here?"
"Of course."
"Thanks." Jason looked at the kids. "Stay with Robin. She's gonna call Maxie. You can call Carly too, if you want, and Alexis. I'm gonna go sit with your mom." Jason went to his wife's room.
Robin dialed her cousin's number. "Robin, why are you calling me at three in the morning?"
"It's Sam. We're pretty sure that she's going into labor and the kids are all here. Jason wants you to come."
"I'll be there in ten minutes." Maxie hung up without saying another word.
"Chloe J, your mom will be here soon." She told the little blonde girl. Chloe J just nodded, not moving from her chair since her arms were wrapped tightly around her best friend, assuring her that everything would be okay.
Robin made phone calls to Carly and Alexis and then sat down to wait with the kids.
A couple minutes later, Carly ran over. She lived closest to the hospital, so it wasn't surprising that she had arrived first. Maddie jumped up and went to her. Carly picked up the ten year old, holding her close.
"Any news?" she asked Robin.
"Kelly said Sam is definitely in labor. She's getting steroids to help the baby's lungs develop and trying to stop the labor."
Carly sat down in a seat next to Courtney, holding Maddie on her lap and pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead.
Maxie came in then and went to them. "What's wrong?" Robin repeated the information to her cousin. "Oh my God." She pulled Chloe J up and sat down, pulling her oldest child onto her lap. She hugged her daughter to her.
Paige watched the scene in sadness. Her own mother had died a year ago and ever since, she had felt an emptiness in her heart.
Gabe and Katie were sitting next to Emma, silently watching the group. All they could do was hope that their mother was okay.
The elevator doors slid open and Monica walked out, surprised to see five of her grandchildren sitting in the waiting room. She went over to them.
"Hey guys." She smiled at the group. "What's going on?"
"Grammy, Mommy's hurt." Katie cried. She was only eight years old and terrified that her mother would never come back. She hugged Monica's legs.
"Sam's in labor." Carly replied when she saw the older woman's questioning look. "She and Jason had Chloe J, Court, and Paige at their house for a sleepover with Emma, which is why they are all here."
That's when Alexis arrived. She came over, looking like she had just rolled out of bed. "Where is my daughter?"
"She's being moved to a room and…" Robin trailed off when she realized Alexis was storming off, not even bothering to get the rest of the story. She faced the rest of the group and observed the children.
Paige was quietly staring straight ahead, a scared look on her face. Katie was silently crying with Gabe trying to comfort her. Carly was whispering assurances to Courtney and Maddie, as Maxie did the same with Chloe J and Emma.
Jason came over, his hands shaking slightly. "The…the baby's heart rate is dropping and Kelly's gonna do an emergency C-section. They don't know if she's gonna make it."
"Sam or the baby?" Carly demanded.
"The baby." He let out a shaky breath. "I'm gonna go back in there. Are you guys okay with the kids?"
"We're fine. Go." Carly ordered. Jason ran back to the operating room.
About an hour later, everything was chaos. The baby had been born and they wheeled her out in an incubator, rushing her down to the NICU. Sam was in tears, Jason was trying to comfort her, and all the kids were confused on why they couldn't see the new little girl.
Carly stood up from her seat. "Guys, how about you all come over for a sleepover at my house?" she suggested, knowing they had to be tired. Maddie and Katie nodded in agreement. She knew Gabe would be hard to convince. She noticed Emma standing at the window.
"Hey." She said, running her hand through the eleven year old's dark hair. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Watching the rain." Emma stared out. "It's so peaceful and constant. If I was out there, I would never guess what was going on in here."
"Em, I think you need a break. You wanna have a sleepover at my house? You, Court, Paige, and Chloe J can sleep in Courtney's room and in the morning, we can get breakfast at Kelly's or the Metro Court and then come back here."
"Fine." She turned and walked back over to the group. "Let's go, guys."
By now, Robin and Monica had left to go check on Sam and the baby. That left Maxie and Carly with the kids.
"Carly, I can take some of them if you want." Maxie suggested.
"No, it's fine. They probably don't want to be split up." Carly looked at the only boy. "Come on, Gabe. We'll come back in the morning."
"I don't want to leave."
"Gabe." It was Emma that spoke. "We can't do anything. Mom will just be worrying about us and then she won't be able to get better."
Gabe agreed to go after that. Maxie said she would stay and Carly took all seven of the kids. All of them but Emma fell asleep on the ride home, showing her just how tired they were since it was a less than ten minute drive.
Carly woke up everyone, but Katie who she carried inside. She took the youngest into Jacelyn's room and layed her down in her bed with her.
Surprisingly, sixteen year old Josslyn was wide awake and sitting on her bed, painting her toenails. It was five in the morning now and she didn't look like she had slept at all.
"What are you doing up?"
"Robin told Patrick and Patrick told Lindsey and Lindsey told me. Why didn't you tell me Sam is in the hospital? I would have liked to go!"
"Sorry, Joss. I just ran out. I didn't even think about it."
"How are Emma, Katie, and the twins?"
"Katie and Maddie are freaked out. Gabe and Emma kind of shut down."
"I would do the same thing." Josslyn finished her nails and then yawned. "Mads can sleep in here if she wants."
"M'kay, I'll tell her." Carly left her oldest daughter's room and went down the hall, but stopped when she heard crying from her son's room. She opened Connor's door and saw that he was half-awake, sitting on his bed with Maddie crying in his arms. He was comforting her as best as a ten year old could. Carly raised her eyebrow questioningly, but Connor just shook his head, letting her know that it was alright.
Next she went to Courtney's room. The four girls were lying on the bed together, the order going Courtney, Paige, Emma, and then Chloe J.
"Try to get some rest, okay girls?" Carly kissed each of their foreheads and then went downstairs. Gabe was on the couch. "You want me to set up one of the cots in Connor's room for you? Or an air mattress? Or I can pull the mattress out of the couch…"
"It's fine, I'll just sleep like this." She could tell by his voice that he wouldn't be doing much sleeping.
"How about you come sleep in my bed with me? Jax isn't home, so it's just us." Gabe looked at her. "Gabriel, you're never too old to cuddle with your Aunt Carly."
Gabe stood up and went into Carly's bedroom with her. Once they were lying down, he finally let his tears fall. Carly hugged him, trying to comfort him.
She could tell already that this long night was going to be even longer.
"Jason, where's my baby?" Sam sobbed.
To him, this was déjà vu. He had stood in almost the exact same spot nearly seventeen years ago and told Sam that her little girl, their little girl, was dead. He couldn't imagine going through it again.
"Sam, she's not doing so well."
"No." Sam cried.
"I'm so sorry. Her lungs aren't developed enough. They don't think she's going to last much longer."
"No! No, you're lying! She's okay, I know she is!" she punched him in the chest. "I want my baby, Jason! I want my baby!"
"I'm sorry, Sam. I wish there was something we could do, but Kelly said she just wasn't ready." He kissed her forehead. "I asked if I could take you down to spend some time with her and they said that was okay. Do you wanna go?"
Sam nodded wordlessly. Jason lifted her into the wheelchair he had brought in and pushed her down.
"Where are my kids?" Sam demanded, her voice laced with exhaustion.
"Carly took them back to her house. They're okay."
Jason helped Sam get one of the protective gowns on and then put one on himself. He pushed her into the NICU.
"She's right over here." Kelly led the couple to an incubator. Inside was a tiny little girl with blonde hair.
Sam started crying as soon as she saw her. "She has your blonde hair, Jase. We've never had a baby with your blonde hair before."
"She's gorgeous." Jason kissed her temple. "I brought the camera. Do you want pictures of her?"
"Mmhmm." Jason took pictures of their daughter, and then some of Sam with her finger in one of the little holes as she talked to their baby.
"Hi, angel." Sam whispered. "It's Mommy. I-I just want you to know, that if you want to, it's okay for you to go. I know that you probably hurt right now and that there is so much pain. We love you so much, and we want you more than anything, but I would rather know that you're happy and safe than know that you're living in constant pain. So if you want to go up in Heaven with Aunt Emily and Grandpa Alan and Grandmother Lila and your big sister Lila, then that's okay with me." Sam stroked her tiny hand with her index finger. She looked up at her husband. "I want her to have a name, Jason. She deserves that."
Jason nodded. "Are there any that you really like?"
"One." Sam smiled at her newborn. "Zoe. Zoe Caroline Morgan."
"It's perfect." Jason went over and told Kelly, who filled out a birth certificate and put the name on a little card and stuck it in her incubator.
Suddenly, the beeping on the monitor became constant. Sam and Jason were forced out of the room and a swarm of doctors entered. Ten minutes later, Kelly came out.
"I'm sorry. She's gone."
"No!" Sam screamed. She got out of her wheelchair and nearly fell. Jason caught her and they went down to the ground together. He held his wife in his arms as she cried for their little Zoe.
"Zoe Caroline Morgan lived a short life, only a couple of hours, but that doesn't mean that she wasn't important. She meant the world to her parents, Jason and Samantha, and to her siblings, Emma, Madelyn, Gabriel, and Katiana. We're not saying goodbye to this little angel; we're saying see you later. Because she's out there now, watching over each and every one of you." The priest said. "The oldest child, Emma, has asked to say a few words."
Emma left her seat in the front row between Maddie and Gabe and came onto the small stage. She gave the priest a small smile and then took the microphone.
"Thank you. Hi everybody, my name's Emma, but most of you already know that. Zoe was my little sister, even if it was only for a little while. I never got to meet her, but I felt like I knew her." She brushed her hair behind her ear. "This has been one of the rainiest summers in Port Charles ever. A lot of people hate that, but I don't mind it at all. I was born on a rainy day, just like Zoe. The rain means everything to me. It can wash away sadness and make everything feel new again. I hope that the rain can do that now. Yeah, Zoe died and she's not coming back, but that doesn't mean she's gone. We're gonna see her in every rain drop, in every puddle, in every rainbow. She's still here, just not here." Emma smiled slightly. "I hope you all will come into the rain with me. For Zoe."
Emma walked off the stage and towards the door. Maddie, Gabe, Katie, Chloe J, Courtney, Connor, Josslyn, Nate, Lindsey, Zack, Brittany, Hunter, and Paige followed immediately.
The adults all gathered at the door, watching their children dance around. Sam leaned into Jason, resting her head against his arm.
"We have some pretty amazing kids."
"They get it from you." He said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Emma's just like you when it comes to the rain."
Surprisingly, it was Sonny who ran out into the rainy mess. He lifted Emma up and spun her around. Claudia followed, then Carly, then Robin and Patrick. Maxie grimaced, but slipped off her heels and joined in.
"Come on, Mr. Morgan." Sam grabbed Jason by his tie and dragged him into the rain. He took Emma from Sonny and lifted Maddie in his other arm. Katie and Gabe ran over and hugged Sam.
"Daddy, look!" Maddie pointed towards the sky and everyone followed her finger. There, right in front of them, was a rainbow.
Emma smiled. "Told you Zoe was still here."
This is just part one of my extremely long That's Life series. There is going to be some Oneshots coming out that will show the lives of the characters at different points in time. Currently, That's Life (the actual story) is 291 pages and 118, 277 words and it will be coming out sometime, though I'm not really sure when, it'll probably depend on the feedback of this one.
Sorry it's been so long since I've updated anything. The show hasn't been very inspiring lately. But I will hopefully finish all of my stories someday.
Please REVIEW with your thoughts on this, if you would like more Oneshots, and if you want to see That's Life!