Perfect dream come true
Chase kissed Zoey lightly and said "Our baby is going to be the luckiest kid in the world. You are going to be a great mother. Trust me Zoe you and I will be great parents."
Zoey smiled and said "last year you were afraid to become a father. What changed your mind? I didn't push too hard for it did I."
Chase said "you didn't Zoe right then I felt like it some ways I was still a child in some ways. We're ready now I can feel it."
Then Nicole came over to the house and said "Zoey James and I are moving away. The house is just too small for five children. We leave at the end of the month. James just thought I should tell you now before I forgot. I'm going to miss you so much it kills me to think about it."
Zoey hugged her friend and said "you'll write to me every day. It'll be just like when you would call me over the summer. Chase and I have news to I'm pregnant! The baby will be born on the exact same day Chase and I got married three years ago. This is the best thing I could ever hope for. This is a perfect dream come true. The only sad thing is that you and James won't be able to see the baby."
Nicole said "great I'm going to be an aunt and I won't get to see the kid."
Zoey hugged her friend and said "I'll send you tons of pictures. Just tell me the address when you can."
Nicole was about to say that she knew the address now when she felt a sharp pain in her bladder and her back.
She struggled to keep the tears from forming in her eyes. Then she said "Zoe I think the baby is coming. James went out to the movies with Logan and Michael. I don't when they're supposed to get back. I need him Zoey –oh god this hurts! I've been through this four times already and it's not getting easier."
Zoey said "Nicole just start your breathing and relax. I'll call the guys and have them meet us at the hospital. Chase and I need to get you there now so we can't wait for James I'm sorry. Chase drive as fast as you can! We need to get Nicole to the hospital her baby is coming!"
Chase dropped what he was doing and said "Lets go Zoey this baby is not going to hold for us. Have you called James yet? It wouldn't be right for him not to see his own baby being born."
Zoey said "I was a bit busy trying to get Nicole to relax so she wouldn't lose the baby. Now just drive please!"
Chase drove to the emergency room at the hospital and had Nicole admitted right away. James, Michael, Quinn, Lola and Logan showed up fifteen minutes later. James asked where Nicole was. Then he heard her screaming he thanked the nurse and ran into the room.
James held Nicole's hand and whispered "come on baby push. Just one more and she's out. I'm so proud of you. You did it by yourself without my coaching this time."
The nurse said "I'll go get her cleaned up you just rest ok Nicole."
Nicole kissed James and leaned up against the pillows. James was so happy but he couldn't help but notice that she seemed more tired then she had been after the birth of their last four children.
The nurse came back in with the baby and placed her in James lap. James looked at Nicole who had her eyes closed but was still awake. He tapped her arm and kissed her cheek. She opened her eyes and smiled at their new daughter.
The nurse said "all she needs now is a name. Then I'll leave you guys alone."
Nicole said "I like the name Marissa what do you think James?"
James said "Marissa Marie Garret. I love it! Marie was my mother's name Nicole and since she isn't here with us anymore I want our last child to have some ties to her."
Nicole said "James that's more than ok. I love that name."
The nurse wrote the name on the birth certificate and left the room. Then she walked out of the room. Nicole closed her eyes again. She sounded like she was short of breath when she said "James who's taking care of the kids?"
James was really nervous now. He said "Nicole honey are you alright? Dustin is watching the kids. Don't close your eyes please. I want you to look at Marissa."
Nicole said "go get Zoey please I want to say goodbye. I love you James take care of the kids for me."
James got Zoey but when he came back into the room a nurse pushed him out again. He heard someone yelling clear. Zoey started to cry into James's shoulder. James just stood there stunned by panic.
A doctor set a hand on James's shoulder. The doctor said "miss if you could let me have a moment alone with Mr. Garret."
Zoey sniffed and went out into the waiting room. Once she left the doctor said "Mr. Garret Nicole wasn't strong enough to live through the birth of her fifth child. I'm sorry but we lost her."
James felt his heart stop. He didn't want to hear it. Nicole couldn't have died! She was strong and could face anything. He couldn't believe that his last words to her were don't close your eyes. The doctor walked away leaving James to face his grief on his own.
A nurse brought Marissa to him. When James held her she began to cry. He rocked her and wiped her tears from her eyes. He whispered "I know you miss your mommy. I'll take care of you don't worry. You are a miracle Marissa I love you so much. You look just like your mom."
Meanwhile Zoey told Chase and the others what had happened. Chase immediately pulled Zoey close he didn't want to let go. Logan saw Quinn try to suppress a sob with her hand. Michael motioned for him to hug her and provide comfort. Lola buried her face in Michael's arm. Tears were flooding her face.
Zoey finally spoke but her voice was chocked with tears. She said "this morning everything was perfect. My dreams had finally come true. Now I just lost my best friend! I just can't stand it Chase I just can't."
Logan was hugging Quinn who had given up on holding her emotions back. He said "guys we can't cry like this in front of James. He's going to be raising five children on his own. None of them are going to be able to understand why their mom isn't tucking them in at night. We need to pull ourselves together for him and for Nicole. She wouldn't want us to be like this. She would want us to remember the good times we shared with her before tonight."
Then James came into the room tears pouring down his cheeks. Zoey got up and hugged him. He said "Zoey can you please take Marissa for a while. She just looks too much like Nicole. I really hate to ask you to do this. Especially when you are going top be having a baby yourself soon. I remember when Nicole first found out she screamed so loud I could hear her outside. She was so excited and happy for you. Her dream was for you both to have the babies at the same time. I guess there is really no point in us moving into a bigger house because with just me and the kids we won't need as much room. Oh god the kids. The last thing Nicole ever said to me was take care of the kids for her! I forgot about the kids! I can't do this on my own I just can't! How am I going to tell Laura, Becky, Lisa, and Ann that their mom isn't coming home? They're still so young. They are too young to have to be told that their mom is dead!"
Zoey said "James she wouldn't want us to be sad. Nicole would want us to be happy for the birth of your child and remember her as she was. Trust me James I know this isn't easy but you need to focus on your life."
Lola said "Zoey can things ever be like they were before? Can our dreams ever truly come true now that Nicole is dead?"
Zoey said "Lola be sensitive James just had to deal with her being dead. He's raising five children by himself now. He will never truly be alone because we will help him through this. If he needs us he just needs to pick up the phone."
Chase said "James tough break for you. I mean losing your wife on the day your child is born. That has to hurt man. Zoey and I will always be here for you. We can watch the kids for you. Just for a month or until you're ready to take them back."
Zoey agreed with Chase but James said "Nicole wanted me to take care of the kids. I can't let her down. I've done that enough. However I would really be grateful if you would watch the baby for me."
Chase agreed and said "sure we'll take care of the baby. I need the practice anyway. I still want all of our dreams to come true even though all of us have lost a friend."
Michael said "Chase things aren't going to be easy. James loved Nicole so much that his daughter who looks like her he can't look at her."
Zoey defended Chase and said "Michael I think Chase knows that. He means that we shouldn't give up on live. We need to keep living keep breathing and most importantly keep smiling."
Michael turned to James and asked "who is taking the baby? Zoey is due to have her baby in two days so why don't I take her. Lola is always saying that she wants a baby in the house. However Lola isn't strong enough to have a baby of her own. You live across the street from us so you would be able to see her every day."
James didn't say anything he just handed Marissa to Michael after giving her a little kiss.
Lola lifted her head and said "James don't do this to Nicole. She knew she probably wouldn't make it so she asked you to keep the kids safe. How do you think she'd feel if she saw you agree to let someone else take care of her last child?"
Michael put his hand gently over Lola's mouth to shut her up. He knew that James didn't need to hear this right now. Not when his prefect dream had just come crashing down. It seemed like everyone but Lola understood that a piece of their own dreams had been broken to.
Chase said "James stay at our place tonight bring the kids to. It won't be any trouble at all. I love your kids. Becky is just like Nicole scared smart and has a lot of attitude."
Zoey said "Chase I'm going to be having a baby in two days. I can't have someone in the house that's depressed. That will raise my stress levels and I'll lose the baby. We already had that happen once."
Chase had been in the bathroom when he heard Zoey come in to the house. She ran into the bedroom and buried her face in her pillow. Chase heard the heart wrenching sobs and ran into the room with out pulling up his pants. He asked "Zoey what happened? I thought you were getting a sonogram of the baby."
Zoey sobbed "remember when I found out I was expecting the doctors told me to relax. There's a woman at work who is constantly depressed her stress levels raised mine I lost the baby!"
Chase said "Zoey we'll try again but stay away from people who are depressed. I don't care if they are our friends or not."(End Flash back)
Chase couldn't believe that he had said those things and he didn't need Zoey reminding him when James and his family needed him the most.
Chase said "Zoe the girls and James are coming to stay with us. They need us what kind of friends are we if we turn the other cheek."
Zoey said "Chase your right. I shouldn't turn James and his girls away because I'm pregnant. Nicole did have me be the god mother so I guess I should help take care of the children."