NOTES: short chapter, but soon enough they'll start getting pretty long as something huge happens ;)

"Daddy..." Lily weakly muttered, causing James to jump up. He had started to doze off as he held Lily's hand, his head resting on the bed. He had struggled to get Kate to sleep, even though she was exhausted, she refused to leave her daughter's side. It took much coaxing but finally she curled up on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and fell asleep almost instantly.

"Baby?" James touched Lily's cheek gently, trying to get her to speak again.

"Tell me...about when I was born..." She whispered.

It was something special between them, when Lily was upset, nervous, sick or just wanted to spend special time with her father, she always asked to hear about the day she was born. It always turned into much more then just that day, it ended up the entire saga that existed between he and Kate, but Lily loved it, and she never grew old of her father's country drawl going on about true love and birthin'' babies.

It always began the same, "The day I found out your Momma was pregnant with you, I became a different man...I had done a lot of wrong. I wasn't a nice guy. I didn't ever want to be the nice guy, and never thought I'd ever settle down and have babies. But your Momma was, and IS somethin' special, when she smiles her eyes sparkle like stars and I couldn't stop the feelin's I had...like I'd stop the world if she asked me too. I'd never admit it though, I had to act the fool, be the tough guy cuz shit, if anyone saw me weak in the knees over this girl, well, they'd know how to get to me...I remember when she told me about you. I'll never lie to you, don't think I could if I wanted to...but we weren't together then and didn't plan on it neither. She looked at my with those eyes...and she told me she was pregnant. It didn't hit me, shit somedays I still think I'm in some cheap motel then I wake up and see your smile and know I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm no saint, I wasn't jumpin for joy, and it wasn't 'cause I didn't love you, it was because I was nervous, I guess.. Of all the people in the world, I was not meant to be a daddy, so I thought then. Your Momma and I didn't get along for a while, hell she was all set to raise you with Jack, that sappy sonofabitch. Oh, that never sat well with me. Anytime I saw him touch your Momma I wanted to tie him to a tree somewhere and leave him for the polar bears. But in the end your Momma chose me, sometimes I still wonder why, shit, I know I'm handsome but..."

He heard laughter from the doorway, jumping a little and eyeing Kate. He smiled at her as she walked over and sat on the bed, running her fingers through her daughters hair.

"Keep going." Kate smiled. She couldn't deny it, she loved to hear the story too. Lily struggled to keep her focus on her father as her leg throbbed in pain.

James took a breath and continued. "When you were born, I had never been so scared in my life. Almost like someone hit me in the head and said this is it, no turnin' back. I really did get hit in the head but that's 'sides the point. I was stuck in the woods with your Uncle Charlie gettin' my ass handed to me by some sneaky mother-" Kate shot him a glance and he jumped ahead. "I almost didn't make it back in time, and was a little peeved of havin' Doc see you before I ever did, but I made it back in time and I didn't know what to think when I saw you the first time. You were real tiny and had all this hair and you made these little noises and shit, I thought I was gonna break you anytime I held you. Like some sorta China doll, it was hard to believe you were real."

James ran his fingers through Lily's hair, damp from sweat. Weakly she smiled up at her father.

"I'll do anything in my power to keep you safe, baby girl." He said softly.

Jack entered the room and watched Lily. James obviously annoyed that he was interrupting the story.

"How is she?" He asked.

"She's conscious." Kate whispered.

Jack stepped forward and leaned over the girl.

"Lily, tell me exactly how you feel."

"Sleepy." She sighed.

"How does your leg feel?"

"Hurts...a lot." She sighed. Jack peeled back toe bandages and stared at the wound.

"I'm going to clean it again, alright? This is going to sting." He grabbed the botlle and some bandages that he had left in the room earlier and poured the liquid in the room as Lily cried out in pain, thrashing her arms and legs wildly, which caused her broken leg to throb even more with an undying pain. James struggled to pin his daughter down so Jack could clean the wound and Kate tried to help, attempting to wrap the bandages around her daughters leg.

Kate was close to breaking down at the sound of her daughter's scream, she started to sob and had to leave the room, sitting on the couch and burying her face in her hands, sobbing hard.

James sighed as he remembered the heroin and knew it would ease her suffering.

Quietly he said, "Give her another injection." Trying his hardest to stay strong. It wasn't but a few moments after Jack injected the young girl that she stopped flailing her lips, her breathing slowed and her eyelids were heavy and it killed James inside. His daughter didn't deserve to live like this, and the painful realization that she really could die hit him like a ton of bricks.

He excused himself and sat on the couch next to Kate grabbing her and pulling her close, resting his chin on the top of her head.

He remembered when he had thought Kate had misscarried Lily and remembered how he had been somewhat relieved, and it killed him to remember that he had tried so hard not to fall in love with the idea of being a father. He felt Kate's warm breath on his chest and squeezed her tighter hoping that his attitude in the past didn't jinx what he had now.