Nick got the kids up and then everyone raced out the door.

On the way over to her parent's house to drop the kids off Jackie had another contraction. She gripped the arm rest and breathed as silently as she could.

"That's it, breathe." Nick said soothingly as he reached over and grabbed her hand after seeing the look of pain on her face.

She put her finger to her lips so he would be quiet, she didn't want the kids to know that she was in pain, she didn't want to scare them.

She glanced at the clock, it had now only been 17 minutes since the last contraction.

They got the kids dropped off and then sped to the hospital.

They made it before she had anymore contractions, but while walking towards the hospital doors she grimaced.

"Stop Nicky." She told him.

Nick stopped walking and turned to face her. He gently grabbed her around the waist and swayed softly back and forth with her.

"You're doin' great." He whispered in her ear.

When it was over she looked at him.

"How long between now?" she asked.

He glanced at his watch.

"About 15 minutes." He told her.

"I think the baby is going to come quick, these are pretty intense contractions and they are already getting closer together." She told him.

"You don't mean she's coming right this second do you?" He asked semi panicked.

"No dear." She assured him with a chuckle after seeing the look on his face.

"Oh thank god, let's go." He told her as he grabbed her arm.

With her saying things like that he wanted to get her inside the hospital as fast as possible.

He got her inside and no sooner had they got checked into a room she was bent over clinging to the side of the bed. Nick tried to get in between her and the bed so they could sway back and forth since that seemed to help ease her pain in the parking lot but she didn't seem to want to.

"No honey, just grab my hand, I can't move right now." She told him in between breaths.

He did what he was told, and soothingly talked her through her breathing exercises.

The doctor stood away from the couple watching them with a smile. In all her years of practice Nick and Jackie were one of her favorite couples, they seemed so connected, so much in love, and Nick was one of the most supportive husbands she'd ever encountered. You could tell by the look on his face that it was killing him to see Jackie in so much pain, it was obvious Nick would gladly trade places with her if he could.

After the contraction was over the doctor went over to where they stood.

"Jackie would you like me to check you now?"

"I don't know." She said.

"Are you feeling the urge to push?"

"No."

"Has your water broken yet?"

"No."

"Ok, since you don't feel like you have to push I don't see any reason to check you unless you want me to, I'll leave you two alone for awhile, if you need anything just have me paged."

"Ok." Jackie said.

The doctor left to give the couple some private time together.

Only a half hour after arriving at the hospital Jackie's water did break, and after that happened Jackie's contractions went from painful to almost unbearable they also moved much closer together which was hopefully a sign that it would soon be time for Jackie to start pushing.

"Ow." Jackie moaned in Nick's ear during a contraction.

"Just breathe through it honey, you're doing an awesome job."

"I can't it hurts so bad."

"Yes you can, just think of the baby, every contraction gets you closer to having her in your arms." He told her softly.

She began breathing slowly.

"Good sweetheart, just like that." He said as he placed a comforting kiss on her forehead.

Just two hours after her water broke Jackie felt like the baby was coming.

"I feel like I have to push." She told her doctor.

"Ok, come get in the bed and I'll check you."

Nick helped her get into bed.

"Ow, oh god." Jackie moaned during the exam.

"I'm sorry, I know that hurt, but I have good news, you're completely dilated, you can start pushing with the next contraction." Her doctor told her with a smile.

Jackie looked over at Nick and managed a smile.

He smiled back "See you're almost done." He told her as he grabbed a damp washcloth off of the bedside table and rubbed it against her forehead.

Despite it being a very intense labor Jackie was thrilled that it was moving along pretty rapidly. This was a much quicker labor then she had experienced with Johnna by far.

The next contraction came quickly.

Jackie pushed down.

She had only been pushing for twenty minutes when at the end of one of her contractions her doctor looked at her and said "Jackie, with that last push I saw the tip of the baby's head, rest until your next contraction and then with your next contraction I want you to do what is called exhale pushes."

"What's that?" Jackie asked.

"That means instead of pushing steadily for ten seconds, three times during each contraction like you have been doing you'll just breathe through the contraction but when you exhale your breath you'll bare down very gently. That way it will let the baby come out slowly and gently and it will also let you push against the pressure which should help you feel more in control, as opposed to just simply breathing through the contraction. I know it's hard not to push as the baby crowns because of the pressure and burning but if I let you just push the way you've been pushing I'm afraid you'll tear, so I think this is a happy medium."

"Ok, I'm getting one." Jackie said moments later

"Ok, breathe and as you let your breath out, very gently push down."

Jackie did as she was told, she hoped she was doing it right because she didn't have a clue what she was doing.

"That's perfect Jackie, just keep doing that." Her doctor said.

Although Jackie preferred pushing the other way, she had to admit that exhale pushing made things much easier than not pushing at all like what she had to do while delivering Johnna.

The contraction ended and Jackie laid her head back on the pillow.

"Great job, I can now see about a fistful of the baby's hair, just let her sit here and stretch you, give yourself and the baby a break until the next one and when the next one comes do just like you just did."

"You're doing an amazing job, she's almost in your arms." Nick whispered in her ear.

Before long Jackie grimaced.

"Getting another one?" the doctor asked.

"Yes." Jackie said.

"Ok, gentle exhale pushes, just like before." Jackie again followed her doctor's instructions.

Nick noticed that Jackie seemed to be in much less pain with this delivery then with Johnna's, she at least wasn't screaming in pain.

"Ouch come on baby girl." Jackie moaned in between deep breaths.

"Hang in there, you're doing great." Nick told her.

Once again when the contraction was over Jackie laid her head back against the pillow to take a break.

"Come look daddy." The doctor instructed Nick.

"Can I sweetie?" He asked Jackie.

Jackie shook her head yes.

"You are so close Jacks, you are amazing." He said as he stole a glance.

"It should only take one more contraction for her head to be all the way delivered, two at the most." Her doctor said encouragingly which was music to Jackie's ears.

"I'm getting another one." Jackie said moments later.

"Ok, you know what to do." Her doctor said with a smile.

Jackie continued to exhale push.

"Easy, easy, gentle, great job Jackie, here she comes." Her doctor said.

"OW." Jackie yelled.

"Jackie her head is all the way out, just relax for now. You'll be able to push her out the rest of the way with your next contraction." Her doctor told her.

Jackie was extremely happy the worst part was over, she let out a big sigh of relief as she laid her head back to take a break.

When the next contraction came Jackie started exhale pushing.

"Oops, now I need you to give me good strong pushes, like you were before she started crowning." Her doctor said.

"Oh sorry." Jackie said.

Nick had to stifle a laugh, leave it to Jackie to apologize when she was on the verge of giving birth and in immense pain.

She took a deep breath and pushed down hard.

"Good, again." Her doctor instructed after Jackie had let out her breath.

Jackie again took a deep breath and pushed down.

"I need one more good push." Her doctor said when Jackie had stopped pushing.

Jackie gave another push.

"One more." Her doctor said when Jackie had let out her breath and the baby still hadn't come all the way out.

"You said one more with that last push." Jackie argued, she was exhausted and in a lot of pain, she just wanted this whole experience to be over so she could hold her baby girl.

"I know, I lied, I'm sorry, one more." Her doctor said.

"One more push honey, come on, you can do it." Nick told her with an encouraging smile.

Jackie took another deep breath and pushed again.

Finally the baby was born.

Within seconds the doctor laid the baby on Jackie's chest.

"Hi sweetheart, you're such a beautiful little girl, I love you so much." Jackie said.

She then turned her attention to Nick, he had an ear to ear smile on his face and tears in his eyes.

"I love you so much." He told Jackie as he leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

"I love you too." She whispered.

They looked down at the baby who was squawking loudly.

"She's beautiful." Nick declared with a proud smile on his face.

"Yes she is, she's looks a lot like Johnna did when she was born."

"Yeah she does, a little bigger than Johnna, and with a lot less hair though." Nick said.

The doctor then let Nick cut the cord and then a nurse took the baby over to the other side of the room to get her weighed and cleaned off.

Nick gave Jackie one more kiss before going over to where the baby was.

"7 pounds 4 ounces." The nurse relayed to the happy parents.

"Quite a bit bigger than Johnna." Nick said as he turned back towards Jackie.

"Yeah." Jackie agreed.

The baby was perfectly healthy and after the nurse was done with her she let Nick swaddle her and bring her over to Jackie. Jackie had her arms outstretched waiting impatiently for Nick to hand her over.

"She is just gorgeous." She gushed.

Nick beamed in happy agreement.

Within a couple hours of the baby's birth Jackie's parents brought in the other kids to meet their baby sister.

Houston and Jasmine raced over to Nick, who was sitting in a rocking chair with Karlie in his arms.

"Baby come out." Jasmine said excitedly as she lovingly kissed her baby sister.

"Yeah, she finally came out didn't she?" Nick said with a smile.

"Baby." Houston said as he patted the blanket the baby was wrapped in.

"Yeah bud, that's right, she's your baby sister." Nick said.

Johnna was in Jackie's mom's arms and so Jackie's mom walked Johnna over to Nick and the baby.

"No, no." Johnna said as she covered her eyes and turned her head away.

"That's your baby sister." Aubrey said.

"No, no." Johnna said as she refused to look at the baby.

"Are you scared, don't be scared, here let's look at her." She said as she bent down so Johnna could get a better look.

"No, no, mama." Johnna wailed as she pointed at Jackie.

Everyone looked at each other confused, nobody knew what to do.

"Mama." Johnna wailed again.

"Ok, ok, here's your mama." Aubrey said as she handed Johnna over to Jackie.

"I honestly think she's scared." Aubrey said.

Once she was in Jackie's lap Johnna was happy as a clam.

"So what's the baby's name?" Jackie's dad asked.

"Karlie." Jackie replied with a smile. "That's really cute, what's her middle name?" He asked.

"We don't want to say until Nick's parents get here, they promised they'd be on the next flight out to Vegas so we'll tell you then." Jackie said with a smile.

"Ok." Rich replied, thinking that was odd but he respected his daughter and son in law's decision.

After Jasmine and Houston each got a chance to hold the baby Jackie's parents took the kids home, it was really late after all, but they promised to come back after the kids had gotten some more sleep.

"Johnna didn't react the way I thought she would." Jackie told Nick after the kids had left.

"She'll come around." Nick told her.

Nick sat with the baby in the rocking chair while Jackie drifted off to sleep. He looked at the baby and an instant smile spread across his face. It was going to be an interesting and fun journey having four little kids and he couldn't wait to get started.

The End!