One morning, in March - Meredith woke up and took off down the hallway and threw up in the bathroom gagging. She was glad the girls room were not next to the bathroom. She didn't hear Hershel come in. She was still gagging and stuff when he walked in. He grabbed her hair and held it back, rubbing her back also. She finally stopped once she was empty and wiped her mouth and flushed. She sat back shaking slightly.

Hershel felt her head, and rubbed her shoulders. "You're not burning up." he said quietly. He kept rubbing her shoulders while she laid against him trying to calm down. It clicked finally. "Are you late for…"

Meredith had her eyes closed thinking and also hoping the room would stop spinning for a minute. "I uhm…" She shook her head. "I… Yeah." She sighed. "Just thought it was stress and everything."

"Doctor never wanted you to come back in?" He said softly, holding her.

"No, she never said anything about coming back in." She stopped and started throwing up again.

Hershel kept doing what he did - held her hair and rubbed her back. "Well..Annette kept some tests here… They should still be good."

Meredith finished and cleaned up again. "Alright." She slowly got up and washed up more brushing her teeth the best she could to not make herself gag, and used the mouth wash. She dug into the cabinet and got out the last two that were kept there. She looked at the date, and they didn't expire until later that year.

Hershel went into the hallway and shut the bathroom door.

Meredith took the tests and laid them on the sink after. She opened the door and sighed. Hershel came back in and sat on the bathtub.

A few minutes passed, and Meredith looked at the tests and sat back down on the toilet and covered her face. She didn't say anything. Hershel didn't say anything, he glanced at them and saw they both were positive. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lets get some rest and talk in the morning." He said helping her up. Meredith nodded and walked back to her room. She laid down in bed and on her side facing Hershel who sat in the chair. He moved the chair closer and held her hand. She broke down crying, holding his hand and curled up under the covers.

"It'll be okay." Hershel promised, giving a soft smile holding he hand and rubbing her back softly

Meredith smiled slightly, forcing it, and closed her eyes trying to stop the tears, she couldn't help but fall.

The next morning, they got up before the girls, made breakfast and sat down at the table keeping the food warm. It was a snow day so they were letting the girls sleep in and get some much needed rest.

"It would be best if you seen a doctor." Hershel said breaking the silence, and drinking his cup of coffee.

"Probably would be." Meredith sighed softly, and drank her tea. "I'll call and make an appointment." She promised.

"Do...you want the baby?"

"I..." Meredith knew she couldn't abort - She couldn't do that to a little baby. "I do." She smiled slightly. "Not the way I wanted to get pregnant, but... I hope it ends up turning out good." She bit her lip. "Adoption would be too hard..."

Hershel smiled softly. "I will raise the baby like it's my own." He reached over and held her hand.

Meredith took his hand back and smiled softly. "Thank you..." She blinked the tears away and took another drink. "If I'm not..." She bit her lip. "If things move forward with us - if we ever get that far...Would you want children with me?"

Hershel smiled slightly. "I wouldn't mind going through all that again." He chuckled slightly. "I would. Would you want them with this old man?"

Meredith smiled and laughed slightly. "You're hardly old - 41 isn't that old." She wiped her face off with a tissue.

"It's old enough" He chuckled again and smiled. "It'll be okay. I promise." He kissed her hand. "We will make it work."

Meredith nodded and relaxed slightly. "I hope so."

After breakfast, Meredith went into the kitchen and used the old house phone, to call the doctors and get in. She got an appointment for the next morning, and with her history the doctor wanted to do an ultrasound also if it came back positive at the office.

The following morning, Meredith went to her doctors appointment while Hershel was at work, and the girls at home with Mrs Patty and Otis.

The test came back positive for Meredith at the doctors and got an ultrasound done. She walked out hiding the picture and went to her car. She drove home to spend the day with the girls, and let Patty and Otis get back to work on the farm. Hershel came home later and she showed him the ultrasound. "I'm 13 weeks." She couldn't help but cry, she was feeling really emotional, but she was happy.

Hershel looked at the picture, and pulled her in for a hug. He held her tightly, and rubbed her back. "Looks like a new little one in the house." He smiled softly, kissing her cheek and holding her trying to calm her down.

"I'm scared to death this time around." She finally admitted, she was worried a repeat would happen from last time - not the abuse, but the loss of the baby.

"It's okay to be scared, it's a different situation." He said cupping her face. "This baby will be a blessing. I know it."

She watched him and smiled slightly, she calmed down, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." she kissed him softly.