I realized shortly after posting the first chapter that this is my 20th story. Woot woot! It came up so quickly; I wasn't expecting it. I guess it's a happy coincidence that TB ended up being the 20th story. Pressure's on now. I better make sure this story is worthy of being the 20th. ;)

That was really all I wanted to say, so... enjoy part two!


~ "If you love something, set it free…" ~


Sabrina blinked back tears as she stroked the new picture of her baby – her baby girl. The obstetrician's office faded away in the background as she strolled through the parking lot. She felt Bree's eyes on her as they walked. No doubt the bionic girl was concerned about her; after all, Sabrina had barely talked for the entire appointment. Bree hadn't accompanied her to one in a while, but she knew something wasn't right. What with Sabrina's recent mood swings, it was hard to tell how she was handling all this. Honestly, not even Sabrina was sure what emotions she was experiencing right now. Everything just felt… unreal.

The two ladies were quiet all the way to Bree's car. They got in and shut the doors, but Sabrina made no move to fasten her seatbelt. She just continued to stare at the photo in her hands.

With one last worried overview of Sabrina, Bree finally spoke up. "Sabrina, listen…"

"Chase always wanted a girl," she said as if she hadn't heard Bree, smiling sadly. The blonde looked over at her sister. "It was all he ever mentioned when we talked about kids."

Bree sighed. "Sabrina, I know-"

"What? You 'know' what, Bree? You 'know how it feels' – is that what you were going to say?"

"Brina, please just hear me out-"

"You 'know' what it's like to find out you are pregnant days before you find out your husband is in a coma? You 'know' what it's like to suffer through months of morning sickness while he makes absolutely no progress? You 'know' what it's like to have to go to doctors' appointments alone? And to make all these baby preparations by yourself? You 'know' what that feels like?" Sabrina's voice got louder with each sentence, but her face remained hard.

Bree's eyes fell away from Sabrina. The brunette stayed silent for several minutes, contemplating her response. Finally, she replied, "You're right; I don't know how that feels. However, I do know how it feels to bring your brother home comatose and worry sick about him."

Sabrina scoffed. Worry sick. Bree had no right to talk about being 'worried sick'. Sabrina was the one who dealt with regular headaches and nausea because of how much stress she was under. It wasn't good for the baby, and she knew that. She felt extremely guilty about that. Her doctor kept telling her to "take it easy", but, honestly, how could she? How could she take it easy when her husband has been in a coma for five-and-a-half months?

"If you're so 'worried' about him, why are you trying to convince me to let him go?" The edge in Sabrina's voice was as sharp as a knife.

"I'm not trying to convince you of anything, Sabrina. I just want you to separate your love for Chase from what's best for him. You're dealing with a lot of emotions right now, and I just think it's stifling your better judgement."

Fire ignited in Sabrina's eyes. "'What's best for him'? 'Better judgement'? Do you honestly think I'm being selfish by wanting to give him more time?"

Bree gulped. "No, Sabrina. No, of course not. It's just that… well, you know my reasons for thinking we should let him go. It's pretty clear now that Chase won't pull through, and we shouldn't extend his suffering just because we would miss him."

"Right, because that's what this is about: me 'missing' him."

"Sabrina-"

"I'm pregnant, Bree! I am having a babyChase's baby! How do you think he'd feel if we gave up on him, especially now? He would want a chance to be a part of his daughter's life. I want that, too!"

Sabrina's pain-filled eyes bore into Bree's pain-filled eyes, and the two seemed to be in a standoff. Silence filled the car once again. Sabrina looked away to take some deep breaths. Once again, she had gotten herself all riled-up, and it wasn't healthy. Bree and the rest of the family were long past the point of trying to tell her to keep relaxed. It only agitated her more when they brought it up, so the issue dropped altogether.

As Sabrina calmed herself down, Bree descended into thought. This was an argument that the whole family had been having for a few months. Sabrina's mother sympathized with her, so she voted that they keep Chase on life support. Her father agreed with Bree and thought they should let him go. Donald and Douglas were at odds, as well. Donald didn't want to let go; Douglas thought it was time. Adam was vehemently opposed to the idea, while Leo had hesitantly sided with Bree. Tasha seemed to be the only neutral party in the family. She recognized both sides of the argument.

And, of course, Sabrina was abhorred at the thought of… pulling the plug, as it were. No one blamed her, but a few family members did think her increased hormones were getting the better of her. It was only natural that she'd want Chase alive, but her family thought that maybe she was focused too much on emotion and not enough on reason. Then again, how could she think straight when everyone was pulling her in a different direction? As Chase's appointed medical proxy, it was up to Sabrina to make the final decision. The Davenports were honoring that. However, everyone was still giving their own input to help the decision-making process. What no one realized was that that only made things worse.

Sabrina hadn't thought it would get to this point. No one had. Chase was a fighter – they all knew that. With that knowledge came the hope that everything would be fine. Except it wasn't. Some were beginning to realize that Chase might not be able to fight out of this one. Others were still exercising faith that he would wake up. From Bree's point-of-view, she didn't want to drag out a losing battle. From Sabrina's point-of-view, the battle could still be won.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Sabrina, even though you already know this. It is rare for patients to come out of comas that last this long. I just don't want to see you, the baby, or the rest of us go through any unnecessary stress when… when the outcome is pretty apparent." Bree chose her words very carefully, trying not to provoke any more anger in her sister.

"It's rare – but not impossible," the blonde mumbled in return. It was obvious the conversation was starting to take its toll.

"'Not impossible' isn't enough. How often do you think things like that actually happen?" she asked gently.

Sabrina looked back at her, eyes glossy. "Everyday. They're called miracles."

Bree's shoulders fell. "We can't rely on miracles right now, Sabrina. They are far and few between, and this is too serious for us to wait."

"Bree, you of all people should know that crazy things happen all the time. Plenty of phenomena have happened for your family – and in some pretty serious situations." She paused, glancing down at her protruding stomach and running a hand over it. "Why can't that happen now?"

Bree almost cried when she heard how weighed down Sabrina's voice sounded. She didn't want to argue with her; she didn't like constantly being the realist, the bearer of bad news. Sabrina was still hopeful, and Bree respected that. However, it just wasn't practical at this point, and she constantly had to remind the other girl of that. Bree loved Sabrina so much, though. She hated to see her hurt. It was just that… Bree couldn't afford to sugarcoat the situation for Sabrina's sake. None of them could.

Without another word, the bionic girl pulled her sister into an embrace. Sabrina wrapped her arms tightly around Bree. They stayed like that for a long time, leaning on one another for support – physically and emotionally. When Sabrina's chest began to quiver, Bree realized she was silently crying. The brunette pulled back to look her sister in the eyes.

"Don't cry, Sabrina. It's gonna be okay. No matter what happens, you will always have me, your parents, Donald, Tasha, Douglas, my other brothers – all of us. We love you. You're not going to do this alone," Bree said sincerely, giving Sabrina a small, reassuring smile.

For the time being, it seemed to work. Sabrina sniffled and quickly dried her eyes. "Thank you, Bree."

She nodded. "That's what sisters are for." Sabrina managed a small smile at that. "We should be focused on the positives right now, anyway. What do you say we put this aside for now, go home, and tell everyone the news about the baby?"

It was Sabrina's turn to nod. After sniffling once more, she mumbled, "Sounds good."


Sabrina carefully entered the room and closed the door behind her. Even though it made no difference to Chase, she still felt the need to come in gently. In a way, it was a show of respect. She found him lying in the same position he'd been in for the past five-and-a-half months. His face was static, but it somehow also looked peaceful – to her, anyway. His entire body appeared so delicate and pure, resting there quietly on the bed. For a millisecond, Sabrina could pretend that he was doing just that – resting.

As she did every time, Sabrina sat down in the chair next to Chase's bed and took his hand. She smiled sadly, eyeing every detail of his face. Her gaze was so intent, as if she thought this was the last time she'd see him.

"How are you doing, Chase?" she asked aloud.

Although she never got an answer, early on Sabrina found it comforting to talk to him. She shared her thoughts, feelings, concerns, and any new happenings with Chase. The blonde could spend hours in his room just running her mouth. It made her feel closer to him. In a way, it kept her grounded. On really bad days, it also kept her from breaking down. She enjoyed having a quiet, non-combative person to express herself to. In her mind, Chase agreed with everything she said because he wasn't awake to state otherwise. Here, she was always right. A small part of Sabrina also hoped that, somehow, the sound of her voice proved comforting to Chase. It was for his benefit as much as her own.

"I, uh, had my ultrasound a couple hours ago." As if imagining his hurt face, she quickly followed up with: "I mean, it's not that coming here wasn't a priority! It's just that… the rest of the family was waiting for me to share the news. I went by the mansion first and talked for a little while."

Sabrina took a deep breath. "So, guess what? You got what you've always wanted: we're having a girl." She easily pictured his huge grin, heard his cry of excitement. She imagined him picking her up in his arms and holding her close. With that thought, the blonde smiled to herself.

As quickly as it arrived, however, the smile slipped from her face.

What if Chase wasn't excited about the baby…?

Sabrina shuddered, dread spreading through her. Was it possible…?That concern hadn't ever occurred to her until now. On one hand, he'd wanted a girl for a long time. What if he didn't want to have a kid now, though? They were only 28; they still had plenty of time ahead of them to start a family. What if Chase had had other plans for them as a couple? What if he felt that the next 18 years of their life had to be put on hold for this? If he were to wake up this very second, would… would he reject her?

Sabrina took another long, hard look at her unconscious husband. After a brief minute, she took a deep breath and tightly gripped his hand. No. No, Chase wouldn't say any of that. He'd be happy about this. She knew the guy that she married, and that guy would embrace this situation. He'd embrace her – and the baby.

Honestly, how could she even allow herself to think such a thing? These pregnancy hormones must have been pretty powerful. In her right mind and health, Sabrina never would've entertained that ridiculous concern. Clearly, she'd gone too long without him. It must've been making her stir-crazy. She was suffering from temporary insanity. That was the only excuse.

With a shake of her head, Sabrina continued on with the story. "I got to take a few pictures from the ultrasound. She's so beautiful. I think she might have your nose – and mouth. Everyone was so happy when I showed them the photos. Tasha even offered to sew the baby her first blanket."

She paused, then chuckled, thinking of a moment from earlier. "Daniel is dead-set on us naming the baby Danielle. Huh, that boy. He is definitely Douglas' son." Secretly, Sabrina appreciated the comment. She knew Daniel had only said it to make her laugh – which she had.

"Sp–speaking of baby names… my mom thinks I should start looking into them – now that we know the gender. I haven't. I… couldn't bring myself to do it without you.

"Bree did make one suggestion, though: Cecile. I told her I didn't want to consider anything until you recovered, but… I do kinda like Cecile. It seems like a name you'd like, too." Hurriedly, she added, "Nothing's set in stone, of course! I just thought you'd like to hear it."

Sabrina looked down. "To be honest, Chase, there's next to no baby prep that I've done. People keep coming to me with nursery ideas and baby shower themes, but… it just feels wrong without you."

She had to pause again, this time to keep her voice from cracking. This conversation turned emotional very quickly. The mother-to-be took another deep breath. She didn't want to clam-up; she was supposed to be able to share everything with Chase. So, she kept going.

"You know, I went back home yesterday to pick up some more clothes. I can't remember if I told you, but I've been living with Bree for the past four months. I just couldn't stay in our house; it was too much. Your family has been helping me a lot, though. I'm sure you'd be proud."

She had tried staying in their house after Chase came back from space, but it only brought her more pain. Everything reminded her of him, and the house was so dreary without Chase in it. The day that his side of the bed grew cold was the day she couldn't take it anymore. Bree had offered to take her in for the time being, and Sabrina had gratefully accepted. It was best that she not be alone right now, anyway. Her emotions were so unstable due to, well, everything going on in her life. The Davenports had all really pitched in to support her when Chase couldn't. The thought of it almost brought her to tears, because she knew it was exactly what Chase would've wanted. No – would want.

"Anyway… I came across your old leather jacket. The one you gave to me. As many times as I wore that thing, it still smelled exactly like you."

Tears filled her eyes. She was too tired to wipe them away. "Chase, I- …I don't know how much longer I can take this. I miss you. I want you to be a part of all this. Everyone keeps telling me that sooner or later I'll have to start planning for the baby, but I just can't!"

It was at this point that Sabrina could no longer stop from crying. She hadn't cried at Chase's bedside since the first day, because she had felt obligated to stay strong for him.

She couldn't be strong anymore. It hurt; it really hurt. Chase hadn't been there to sit on the bathroom floor with her during morning sickness. He wasn't able to give his input on baby names. The mere sight of a baby store now almost brought her to tears. Shopping for a new child should've elicited joy. Instead, it made Sabrina feel awful, because Chase wasn't there to enjoy it with her. He even missed her ultrasound. She had so badly wanted him to be there, to see their baby for the first time and discover it was a girl. In fact, Sabrina had postponed the appointment up until 22 weeks, all with the hope that Chase could've joined her. She would've postponed it longer, but the doctor insisted that he needed it done.

None of this was something she was meant to do alone. Sabrina couldn't stand to be without Chase anymore; she needed him. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't be a widow and a new mother at the same time. No, it wasn't impossible, but it certainly wasn't favorable, either.

It wasn't favorable for Chase because he'd miss out on his child's life. It wasn't favorable for Sabrina because she'd have to do it without his support, without them being together. Most importantly, it wasn't favorable for the baby. Every decision she made from now on affected, not only herself, but also her child. It was a heavy load to bear, and Sabrina didn't want their little girl to grow up without a father.

At the same time, her family did make some valid points. Maybe she did need to let go. Maybe she was allowing her emotions to drive her actions. The last thing Sabrina wanted was for Chase to suffer along just to make absolutely no additional progress. Was she being selfish? Perhaps she needed to start considering Chase's comfort instead of her own.

But then again… no no no no no! Chase was strong, stronger than anyone she knew. She wanted to have faith that he could recover if given some more time. What if he still had fight let in him, but she decided to pull the plug anyway? How would he feel if he knew that she denied him the chance to be with his family?

That was perhaps the thing that scared Sabrina the most. To think – to know – that she would have denied him life, it was too much. If Chase di-

Ahem. If he were to… pass, and it was because of her decision… didn't that make it her fault?

It was one thing if Chase was gone and she couldn't have done anything about it. But for her to have a choice in the matter, to decide life or otherwise for the man she loved… what did that say about the kind of person she was? She couldn't allow that to happen to him when she had a say in the matter. It was unthinkable.

What about Chase's opinion, though? She assumed he would be upset with her, but what if he wasn't? What if he didn't want her life, the baby's life, and everyone else's lives to be held back by him? She definitely imagined Chase feeling that way. His concerns were never about himself; he always thought about others. Maybe he'd want to be let go… so that he didn't hinder anyone from anything. Perhaps all he wanted was for her to be okay without him.

Sabrina dropped her head, crying even harder now. Hot tears cascaded down her face as her body became wracked with sobs. "I don't know. I-I don't know, I don't know, I don't kn-know…" All she wanted right now was for him to wrap her in his arms and say everything would be okay. Except, that might not be the truth.

Without even realizing it, she gave Chase's hand another tight squeeze for support.

…And then, moments later, the hand weakly squeezed hers back.