Chapter 7:

Jude woke to the steady sound of a heartbeat. She opened her eyes and looked around the room, noticing immediately that she was in the hospital and the sound of the heartbeat was her own. She was dumbfounded to see Tommy sleeping, clearly uncomfortably, in the chair beside her bed, one of his hands linked with one of hers. Jude wondered immediately what had happened, how Tommy had gotten here. She tried to think back, but could only remember bits and pieces. She remembered being at a restaurant with Mason, then the excruciating pain. Somewhere along the way she must have passed out because she didn't remember anything after that.

Her thoughts immediately went to the baby – she was in a lot of abdominal pain. Was the baby okay?? She was about to call a nurse when she saw Tommy's eyes flutter open. His eyes locked on her and he smiled sweetly.

"Hey," he said softly, leaning towards the bed, squeezing her hand gently.

"Hey," Jude said nervously. She didn't know what he knew or what he was even doing here.

Tommy sensed her anxiety and said, "I know Jude."

"You know that I'm… that we're…" Jude stammered.

"Having a baby? Yes," Tommy said, not breaking eye contact with her. He was still smiling and Jude figured this could not be a bad sign. As much as Jude had feared telling him, she was so relieved that he knew, that she could finally just deal with whatever reaction he would have to the news.

"And?" Jude asked.

"Well, honestly I'm still trying to absorb the news. I mean in the past twenty-four hours I've learned that you were rushed to the hospital, and then I arrived to find out that you are carrying my child. It's a lot of shock for one person to take at one time."

His words reminded her of why she was in here, "Is the baby okay?"

Tommy smiled again, "The baby's fine. The doctor was in late last night and he said that the baby should be fine if you avoid the type of stress you were carrying."

Jude felt exhilarated. Her baby was okay. She couldn't help but smile widely, feeling like she was bursting with joy.

"Oh, Tommy, I was so scared. I thought I was losing the baby, and then I realized that if that happened that you wouldn't even have known at all. And that was unfair," she looked at him sincerely, "I'm sorry Tommy, I should have told you. I was just scared. Not that that's a good excuse. But it's the only explanation I have."

Tommy leaned even closer to her, "Jude, you don't need to apologize. I have to admit I was mad, damn angry, that you didn't tell me. I was mad that you ran from me, and I was scared for you when I didn't hear from you, scared that something had happened to you. But whatever I felt before doesn't matter. All I feel now is relief that you and the baby are both okay. Jude, if something happened to you, I'd go crazy," he said, his voice cracking with the intensity of his emotions. "When Sadie called me and told me you had been rushed to the hospital all I could think was what would happen if you weren't okay. I would never get to touch you again," he said, lifting his hand to caress her cheek, "or tell you that I love you, or even just talk to you. And I realized my life would mean nothing, it would be empty without you. And Jude, I understand that you're angry with me. After all the times I've hurt you, I don't deserve the fact that you even speak to me, but I'm hoping you'll give me a chance to be in your life, and the baby's, again."

Jude reached out and grasped his hand tightly. "Tommy," she said, "before I say what I have to say, just remember that I love you. Nothing could or ever will change that."

Tommy smiled, looking hopeful. Then Jude began speaking again, crushing all those hopes to the ground.

"But that doesn't mean I think we should be together again. For some screwed up reason, you and I can't make a relationship work. And I'm afraid the more we try, the more we'll both get hurt," Jude looked into Tommy's distraught face. "I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear," she said quietly. "Tommy, right now I need to do what's best for the baby. And both the baby and I need you. I need support because, honestly, I've never been more scared in my life. I'm going to need you more than ever now, being pregnant and then once our baby is actually born. And our baby will need his or her father. So, I want you to be my friend, Tommy, my support, the person our baby and I can turn to. But I can't offer you anything more than that. Anything else would just lead to complications and heartbreak for all of us," Jude said, lowering her eyes.

For some reason, at the exact moment when Tommy was receiving this discouraging news from Jude, Jamie's words from a few weeks earlier came flooding back to him. "Ultimately Jude knows where she belongs. And as much as I hate to admit it – I've always known that where she belongs, where she truly wants to be, is with you." And for some inexplicable reason, regardless of the fact that Jude was telling him she just wanted to be his friend, Tommy felt an overwhelming sense of hope. Hope that one day soon he and Jude would be together because, as cheesy as it might sound, he knew that he and Jude were meant to spend their lives together. It's not like Jude didn't love him, she even admitted that she did love him. And he sure as hell loved her, more than he ever thought possible.

"Okay, Jude. If that's all you're willing to give for now, then I'll take it. I'll be your friend. But one day, you'll want more and I'll be here, waiting," Tommy said, smiling.

Jude was disconcerted, "Tommy, you're not listening. This isn't just for now."

Tommy laughed, "Face the facts, Harrison. You're never getting rid of me. And one day, one day soon, you'll realize you don't want rid of me, in fact you want everything that I want. But until that day, I won't pressure you. Besides, we have an awful lot to think about."

Jude smiled, putting her free hand, the one that Tommy wasn't still holding, on her stomach. "I would say so."

"I want you to move in with me," Tommy said suddenly, the thought hitting him of the blue.

"Tommy, I don't need to. I've got a home of my own."

"Jude, look, you and I are going to be doing this parenting thing together. I think it would be good for us to live together, to experience all aspects of your pregnancy together in order to get ready for the actual parenting part. Besides, I want to be there for you, to go out and get your midnight cravings and rub your feet when they're sore and share with you all the random baby facts I learn and I can't unless we live together," Tommy said, knowing his powers of persuasion were working on Jude. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was definitely considering it.

She looked up, her eyes locking with his. "Okay. I'll move in with you, Quincy, for the sake of the baby. But remember what I said. You and I are just friends, no more. And that's the way it stays."

Tommy smiled at his victory, "Whatever you say Jude," he said, smirking devilishly. "Now, what about the press? Obviously, we have to tell Darius and figure out some way to break the news to the press."

"I wish we didn't have to tell them," Jude said, "but that's not an option. And I think it's better to be up-front about it. Maybe just a simple press release announcing that I'm pregnant, you're the father and we're going to be amicable co-parents."

"Well, we'll talk to everyone close to us once we get back. Suffice to say, I think everyone else is going to be a little shocked at this turn of events. Then we'll worry about the press."

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation and they both turned to see Mason.

"Do you mind if I visit with Mama Harrison for a minute?" Mason asked, waiting in the doorway.

"Not at all. Actually I'm going to go get some coffee," Tommy said, standing and leaning down to kiss Jude's forehead, "I'll be back," he whispered. Then he soared out the door, smiling at Mason as he left.

"Well, he certainly was happy." Mason stated, sitting in the seat Tommy had vacated.

"Well, I agreed to move in with him. And actually, he seems surprisingly happy about the baby," Jude said, smiling despite herself.

"Well, well. That's good to hear."

"Actually, things are good. I made it clear that we can't be involved romantically, but that I want him in my life to be a father to the baby."

"Jude, I hate to break your bubble, but Tommy didn't look like someone who had been convinced that his romantic prospect with you had just been crushed."

Jude glared at him. "Okay, so maybe it will take a bit more convincing. But he'll get it. I just have to be strong and resist him."

Mason laughed loudly, "Like that ever worked before!"

Jude continued to glare at him. "Where are my dad and Sadie, anyway?"

"They both crashed at my place last night and they were still sleeping when I left. I figured since you really are okay that I would let them sleep and they could come when they woke up."

Jude shot Mason a look of deep appreciation and reached for his hand. "I don't think I've thanked you yet. You took good care of me and you didn't panic at the restaurant but got me the help I needed. I will always be grateful for your kindness, letting me stay with you, and everything you've done for me and my baby. My baby's going to have some amazing uncles. Think about it – you, Spiederman, Wally, Kyle," Jude laughed. "He or she will have one wild childhood with all of you guys hanging around."

"Jude, I love you like a sister and whenever you or your baby need anything, you know I'm here. Any day, any time. And I'm sure the SME guys will feel absolutely the same way. You're important to all of us Jude."

"Thanks, Mason," Jude whispered, her eyes beginning to tear up; she grabbed Mason into a hug, "I'm sorry. I'm seriously hormonal right now," she quipped, laughing happily.

As Tommy walked backed to Jude's room from the cafeteria, he couldn't believe how far things had come. A couple of weeks ago, Jude was so angry and hurt that he was afraid she would never even speak to him again. Now, they were having a baby together and he and Jude had regained the comfortable, relaxed feeling when they were together that they had developed almost instantly on their first meeting. Tommy wasn't delusional, he knew he'd done a lot of damage and that he had a lot of ground to make up before he could win her back. He felt the wall she trying to build between their friendship and any possible move towards a romantic relationship. He just had to find a way to break it down.

He reached the room just as Mason was leaving, and also just as the doctor was going in. The doctor was bringing a monitor of some sort with him and worry shot through him that Jude's condition had changed. He rushed in, "Is everything okay?"

Jude was smiling, her eyes glistening with emotion. "It's fine! Tommy, come here, they're going to let us hear the baby's heartbeat!!" Jude said, motioning for Tommy to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. It took a few minutes for the doctor to set up the machine, and all of sudden, they could hear the baby's quick, steady heartbeat fill the room. Tommy watched Jude, her face glowing, the joy permeating from the inside out. He couldn't believe that he was listening to his child's heartbeat, a child he made with Jude.

"It's a miracle," he said softly, and Jude turned her head towards him, grabbing his hands in her own.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" she asked, the smile on her face wider and happier than he'd ever seen.

She released one of her hands from his grasp and touched her stomach. "We hear you, baby. Loud and clear."

Tommy looked at her curiously. "You talk to it already?" he asked, smiling at the idea.

"All the time. Why don't you try it?" she asked, reaching for his hand and placing it on her stomach.

"Hey little baby," he whispered, rubbing Jude's stomach gently. "It's your daddy. I'm glad we got to meet at last," he said, and Jude felt tears flowing down her cheeks, matching the one streaming down Tommy's.