A/N: Just as a warning, this chapter does contain some drama. But don't worry, I'll never give a horrible ending. I hope you all enjoy!

"I think we should call the doctor," Emily told Paige, her arms folded as she watched her sitting on the bed. Paige shook her head.

"That's not necessary, Em."

"IT is. We don't know what's wrong."

It was the week before Halloween and Paige was barely six months pregnant. She had started complaining of stomach pains, although she said it definitely wasn't contractions. Bella and Clare had been healthy pregnancies and she had never felt anything like it. Emily was concerned but Paige was in denial, insisting it was nothing to worry about.

"Please," she continued. "At least let me call Spencer."

"Fine," Paige grumbled. "I'm gonna take a nap."

Emily gave her one last concerned glance before making her way to the phone. Spencer was a doctor, and although not a gynecologist, Emily was hoping she could at least give them some guidance.

"Hello?"

"Spence, it's me. Is there any way you could come over here and look at Paige?"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. She's complaining about abdominal cramps and she seems really lethargic."

"You know I'm a neurologist, right?"

"Please?"

"I'll be right over."

Spencer was there within ten minutes. Emily led her to the bedroom, glad the kids were in school and Clare was too young to understand what was happening. Paige was lying on the bed, her hand covering her face.

"Babe?" Emily started gently. "Spencer's here."

Paige grunted in response. Spencer sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What's going on?" she asked. Paige just looked at her. "Paige, honey, I need you to talk to me."

"My head really hurts," she replied. "And I keep getting these weird cramps."

"Like menstrual cramps?"

"I guess."

"That's not good," Spencer replied, and then cringed when she saw the look on Emily's face. "Sorry. Are you bleeding?"

"Uh," she replied. "I don't think so."

"How bad are the cramps?" she asked, leaning in closer to see Paige's pupils.

"Pretty bad at times."

"I'm gonna just take your blood pressure," Spencer told her, opening her bag. "I'm not an OB/GYN, but I definitely think that cramps are a cause for concern. It seems kind of late for..." She trailed off, her eyes widening. Emily immediately began to panic.

"Spencer?"

"Her blood pressure is through the roof. I would take her to the hospital right now."

"What?" Paige asked weakly.

"What's happening?" Emily asked, already on the verge of tears.

"She may have preeclampsia. And if she does, you need to get help now. I'll take care of Clare and get the kids from school. Go."

Emily wasted no time in getting Paige out the door, terrified that they weren't going to make it to the hospital. This couldn't be happening. The baby was too small to be born now and she was terrified something would happen to Paige. No. She couldn't lose someone else, not the person who meant the world to her.

"Stay with me, baby," Emily pleaded as Paige slumped forward. "Come on."

"I feel really weird," Paige replied, her eyes dazed.

"No! Stay with me!" Emily told her, sure she was driving at least twenty miles over the speed limit. She didn't even care.

"Emily... help me," Paige whimpered, her eyes closing.

"Paige!" she shouted as Paige's head slumped forward. "Fuck!"

Paige was in and out of consciousness the rest of the ride to the hospital. Emily was nearly hysterical when she dragged her into the ER, breaking down into tears when a nurse saw them and shouted for a wheelchair. They brought her to a cubicle where the nurse left them and ran to find a doctor, Emily trembling as she looked at her wife. Paige was pale and listless, her head lolled to one side as she looked at her through hooded eyes.

"You're gonna be okay, baby," she whispered, her voice breaking.

"I... I love you," she replied, before her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped against the pillow.

"No! Paige, wake up!" she sobbed, but there was no response. "Someone help!"

Two doctors came barreling into the room, almost knocking Emily over as they bent over Paige, checking her pulse. Nurses weren't far behind, not even seeming to notice the panicked woman standing by the bed.

"What's happening?" she asked hysterically.

"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"But-."

"We need to perform surgery now. You need to leave."

"Come with me," one of the nurses replied gently, leading a shocked Emily out of the room. "What is your relation to the patient?"

"I... I'm her wife," Emily replied, feeling dazed. This wasn't happening. Paige was fine. The baby was fine.

"We need you to sign a paper for us," she continued. "It says you give permission for the doctor to operate and give your wife an emergency c-section."

"The baby... too small."

"I know. And there is certainly risk with a c-section this early. But if there is no operation, it is a guarantee you will lose both of them."

At those words Emily snatched the paper from the nurse and signed with a shaky hand. The nurse smiled kindly at her and she vaguely remembered being led to the waiting area, where she sobbed and sobbed for what felt like hours. Paige could die. Her baby could die. They could both die. She couldn't do this. Not again.

"Em?"

She looked up to see Toby standing in front of her, looking concerned. Spencer must have sent him.

"Toby," she whimpered, and flung herself into his arms. He held her while she cried, patting her back and trying his best to soothe her. But it was nearly a half hour before she seemingly ran out of tears, still shaking against him. "Why does this keep happening?" she asked, her voice shaky. "What did I do wrong?"

"Shhh. Paige is strong, Emily. She's going to be okay."

"What if she's not?" she asked, and he didn't really have an answer for that. She burst into fresh tears, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Hanna and Aria are on their way," he told her. "Spencer wants to leave your kids with Melissa and come back here. Your parents and Paige's parents are coming too."

"I'm so scared, Toby," she whispered. "And the kids... they're probably terrified."

"It's going to be okay," he told her, because it was the only thing that could help her.

The others arrived gradually, gathering around Emily as they waited and waited for the doctor to come out. Everyone was silent and there were a lot of tears, mostly from Emily and Paige's parents. It seemed to her as though they had been in there forever, and she didn't know if that was good or bad. She could barely think straight as it was. This whole day had been like a nightmare and she was still hoping she would wake up and everything would be okay again.

Finally, close to eight, the doctor came into the waiting room. They all stared at him, wordlessly, as Emily stood up on shaky legs.

"Miss Fields?"

"Mrs. McCullers," she corrected in a voice that didn't sound like her own.

"Mrs. McCullers. Your wife's surgery went surprisingly well," he started, and Toby had his arm around Emily's waist before she collapsed with relief. "She made it through without any seizures, and she is currently in recovery and should be awake within the hour."

"And the baby?" Spencer asked as Emily broke down into fresh tears.

"The baby is strong. She's a fighter, that's for sure. She has a fairly steady heart beat for someone so premature."

"Did you hear that?" Hanna asked as everyone tried to hug Emily at once. "They're going to be okay."

"Can I... can I see them?" Emily asked, wiping tears off of her cheeks.

"We definitely encourage people to hold the premature babies as much as they can. It helps their development and will only strengthen the heart and breathing rate."

Everyone knew by the look on Emily's face that she was trying to decide who to go to first. Nick gently touched her arm.

"Go see the baby, Emily. Clare and I will stay with Paige."

"Well..."

"Nick's right," Clare agreed. "Paige would want you to see the baby. We'll look after her."

Emily knew that was true; Paige would want her to make sure their baby was healthy before seeing her. So Emily followed the doctor to the small room at the end of the wing where the preemies were kept. She gasped when she saw the bin labeled McCullers, shocked at how tiny the baby was. The nurse that was in there smiled gently at her.

"Would you like to hold her?" she asked.

"Please," Emily stammered, tears welling in her eyes. She didn't understand how she had anything left to cry.

The nurse lifted the tiny baby from her bin and handed her to Emily. Emily stared down at the baby in her arms, half the size of her other children when they had been born, and started to cry. The baby stared up at her through eyes that were too big for her head, confused. The same eyes as Paige.

"Mama's so glad you're okay," she whispered, slightly rocking the baby in her arms. "I thought I wouldn't be able to hold you…. you scared me so bad." She paused, taking a deep breath. The baby made a small mewing sound, her lungs not strong enough for much more. Emily bit her lip as more tears came to her eyes, staring at the tiny helpless girl in her arms. Another daughter. She wanted to be happy, and of course she was relieved, but she wouldn't be able to rest until Paige was awake and the baby didn't look so fragile. She knew they weren't out of the woods yet, and although everything that had happened so far was a good sign, she couldn't let her guard down. Someone would need to stay with the baby, holding her and talking to her as much as possible, and she wanted someone to be with Paige, too. But for now, she would try to appreciate that so far things were okay.

That morning seemed like so long ago and she never wanted to go through something like that again. She had been so terrified of losing Paige and the baby. There was no way she could have lost another woman she loved and a child, too.

"Em? The doctor said to tell you Paige is awake," Aria told her from the doorway. Emily's eyes widened. Already?

"What do I do?" she asked. She didn't want to leave their tiny, helpless baby, but she needed to see her wife.

"I'll take her," Aria offered. "Go see Paige. I'll hold her until you come back."

"Thank you," she told her gratefully. She kissed the top of the baby's head. "Mama loves you. I need to go check on your Mommy and I promise I will be right back."

After getting Aria settled with the baby she practically ran down the hallway to Paige's room. She barged inside to see Paige laying wide eyed against the pillows, her parents standing by her side.

"Emily!" she exclaimed as soon as Emily came into the room. "The baby…"

"The baby's fine," she soothed, going to her side. She took her hand, more tears coming as she knelt down beside her. "She's so small but the doctor says she's strong and her heart is beating well."

"Thank God," Paige whispered, closing her eyes.

"Paige… I was so scared," she whispered, holding her close. "I have never been more terrified."

"I'm sorry," Paige told her, looking like she was going to cry, too.

"Don't be," she replied, upping her face. "I just need you to know how much I love you."

"I know," Paige told her, smiling slightly. "Believe me, I know."

"We'll give you some time alone," Clare told them, although neither of them looked anxious to leave. "We'll be outside."

The two of them left the room. Emily pulled Paige in for a tight hug, not ever wanting to let go.

"I am so relieved," she whispered, feeling Paige tighten her arms around her. "That all happened so fast."

"What time is it?"

"Eleven. It's been a long day, I know."

"The kids. Where are they?"

"With Melissa. Now that you're awake Spencer's going to take them back to her house and they're going to spend the night there. We'll figure out the rest tomorrow," she told her, squeezing her hand.

"I want to see the baby."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," she replied, knowing Paige wasn't going to like the answer. "You have to stay here until the doctor says you can move, and the baby can't leave the NICU."

Paige's lip quivered. Emily gave her a soothing kiss.

"I want my baby."

"I know you do, sweetheart. And you'll get to see her, I promise."

"Another girl," Paige replied, her eyes shining with tears as a small smile crossed her lips. Emily nodded.

"Another girl."

"Em?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for calling Spencer. You probably saved both of us."

Emily couldn't answer, too overcome with emotion. The thought of what could have happened if she had just left Paige alone to take a nap was too much to bear.

"Well, I did. And everything is going to be okay."

Paige nodded, sniffing. Emily didn't let go of her hand.

"I know you want to see the baby. I'm sorry."

"What's she like?"

"She's beautiful," Emily replied, smiling as she thought of their brand new daughter. "She's a fighter, just like her mom."

"How small is she?"

"Very small," Emily replied honestly. "Her card says two pounds."

"Oh my God," Paige whispered. "How is she going to make it?"

"She will," Emily promised. "The doctor said she's very strong for someone so small and as long as people keep holding her she'll only get stronger."

"Is someone with her now?"

"Aria is. I'm going to go back and see her in a little. I just needed to see you."

"Thank you," Paige replied. "I'm sure today has been hell for you."

"You have no idea."

"Actually, I do," Paige told her. "After Olivia was born. She was healthy, but I was terrified I was going to lose you."

"Right," Emily replied. In all the panic and tears of the day, she had completely forgotten that Paige had gone through something similar when she had started bleeding out after giving birth to Olivia.

"Hey, Em?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you want to stay here with me, and that's very sweet, but we have four kids who need you. I want you to go call Melissa and talk to each of the kids and tell them everything is okay. And then I want you to go spend some time with the baby. Please?"

"Okay," Emily agreed, giving her a kiss. She knew Paige was right; she needed to divide her time among all of her family. They all needed her. "I'm going to send your mom and dad in, okay?"

"Yeah," Paige replied, giving her a small smile. "Tell all of the kids I love them and I'll see them soon. Tell the baby, too."

"I will, honey," she promised. "I love you."

She left the room and made her way to the waiting room, where she pulled out her cell phone to call Melissa. Spencer and Toby had left to get the kids and bring them to their house, but Hanna and Aria were still here. Aria was with the baby, and based on the fact that Hanna was nowhere to be seen, she guessed she was as well.

"Hello?"

"Melissa? It's Emily."

"Emily. How's Paige?"

"She's awake. I think everything is going to be okay."

"Good. I'm really glad to hear that."

"Thank you so much for looking after the kids."

"Any time, Emily. Did you want to talk to Olivia? Bella and Clare fell asleep a little while ago, but Olivia's up. She's really worried."

"Yes, please. Thank you."

She heard soft voices in the background while she waited for Olivia to come to the phone. Bella and Clare were still so young, but Olivia was old enough to know what was going on. Plus she was very aware and intelligent, which couldn't have been good for her today.

"Mama?"

"Hi, baby. I'm calling to tell you that Mommy and the baby are just fine."

"They are?" she asked, and started to cry.

"Oh, Liv…. honey, I'm sorry. I know today must have been scary for you."

"I was so scared, Mama. I thought Mommy was going to die."

"I know, baby girl. But she's okay. She's awake and she wanted me to tell you not to worry. I'm sure you were very brave today and you helped Melissa take care of your sisters."

"I did. I'll tell them as soon as they wake up."

"Okay. Honey, can you do me and Mommy a favor and try to get some sleep now? It's late and Mommy's probably going to have to stay here a week or so."

"A week? Where are we going to stay?"

"We're going to figure that out, sweetie. Don't worry. But for now, get some sleep. It's been a long day for all of us."

"Wait. Can I please talk to Mommy? Then I go to sleep. I promise."

"Well…. okay," she agreed. If it would help her get to sleep, she was sure Paige wouldn't mind. "Oh. You have another sister."

"Cool. Is she cute?"

"Of course," Emily replied as she went back into Paige's room. "Honey? Olivia wants to talk to you."

Paige took the phone from her. Emily kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to go see the baby."

Paige nodded. Emily went back down the hall, feeling much lighter than she had the first time going down. Paige was going to be okay, and with a lot of love and TLC the baby would be too. Today may have been hell, but everything was going to work out.

Sure enough, when she went into the NICU, Aria was sitting in the chair holding the baby while Hanna stood next to her. They both looked up when Emily came in.

"How's Paige?" Hanna asked.

"Awake. She's going to be okay," she told them, relieved at being able to say those words.

"Em, that's great. Did you come back to hold the baby?"

"Yeah. Paige wanted me to come back and see her since she can't. She said I'm going to have to divide my attention among all of them, and she's right. It's not going to be easy, though."

"We'll be there to help whenever you need us," Aria told her, handing the baby to Emily. "That's a feisty one you've got there."

"Good," Emily replied, looking down at her tiny daughter. "Hey, there, munchkin. Mama's back. Your mommy wishes she could see you but she can't for now. We both love you so much, though."

"What are you going to name her?" Hanna asked, and that was when Emily realized they didn't have a name. The baby was three months early and they hadn't settled on a name yet.

"I don't know," she admitted. "We'll have to figure that out."

"Do they know how long Paige and the baby will be here?" Aria asked.

"Not yet. Believe it or not, it's still the first day. I can't believe this has all been less than twenty-four hours."

"It is hard to believe," Hanna agreed. "You're spending the night here?"

"Yes. But between the baby and Paige I don't know if I'll get much sleep."

"Try to rest, Em. You're going to be doing a lot of running around."

"I know," she replied, looking down at the baby. She didn't know if it was her imagination or if her eyes already looked more focused than they had earlier.

"We're going to head out for the night," Aria told her. "Do you need anything else?"

"I think I've got this," she replied, and for the first time that day she actually felt confident. "Thank you for everything today."

"Of course. We'll be back first thing tomorrow morning."

The two girls left, leaving Emily with the baby. She smiled down at her, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the little miracle in her arms.

"You're lucky," Emily told her. "We're all lucky."

The baby gurgled. She was so incredibly small, yet she seemed so incredibly strong. Something told her that she was going to be okay.

It was four in the morning when she made her way back to Paige's room. Paige was awake, having just had her blood pressure taken by the nurse. She smiled widely when Emily came into the room.

"How is she?"

"She's great. Really. She's strong and she already looks more aware than she did this evening. Your parents are going to go hold her for a while so we can get some rest. Then I'll go back and see her. Hanna and Aria are coming back in the morning and at some point I'm going to go see the kids at Spencer's. Maybe bring them in to see you if the doctor says okay."

"I would like that," Paige agreed. "I feel drained, but okay considering."

"I'm relieved to hear that," Emily told her, squeezing her hand. "Today was such a long day. Well, technically yesterday."

"Yeah. Who would have thought yesterday morning?"

"I'm happy with how things are now. But I never want to go through that again."

"I think four is the perfect number."

"Paige?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you think of naming the baby Mercy?"

Paige thought for a moment. Then she nodded, smiling.

"I think that's the perfect name."

Emily smiled, settling in the chair. They were far from normalcy, but they were on the right path. And they were a strong enough family to get to where they needed to be.