OLIVER'S POV:

"Ha! An eight, nine, ten, two, and a king!" Lilly exclaimed as she held out her hand in poker. We were at my apartment and Lilly said she would stay a while. I really couldn't stay here alone. It was currently like four in the morning but we didn't care, she's my best friend in the whole world.

"Wow, that's a good hand. You would win if I didn't have…all aces and a king!" I exclaimed proudly as I flaunted the hand. She crossed her arms in a pout and I grabbed the remainder of Oreos off the table making my pile very large compared to hers.

"That's not fair," She whined with this pathetic face on that made me feel sorry for her, "You must cheat because I always beat Miley and Mr. Stewart!"

"No cheating here! I'm just exceptionally good at poker!" I said with a smile. She frowned and said,

"I guess you are." She looked like something was bothering her greatly. I leaned over and said gently,

"Talk to me Lilly. Tell me what's on your mind." She just looked away and it looked like her eyes were tearing up but when she talked her voice sounded steady,

"It's just…I feel so left out and lost." She sounded like a little puppy that had been kicked repeatedly. I felt so bad for her that I just wanted to reach over and hold her.

So that's just what I did.

"Tell me about it." I replied. She buried her head on my shoulder and said sadly,

"I used to feel like you and Miley were my best friends, and that we would grow up together and our families would grow up together. But…I feel like I'm moving to slow…I feel like we are all riding in little cars and you and Miley's car is way in the third lap and mine is almost out of gas and chugging two laps behind you. The more I try to catch up the more unhappy I am."

I felt like I might cry then. Me and Miley have only been concerned about how teen pregnancy was going to affect our lives that we had never stopped to think how this was making Lilly feel.

"No Lilly…I, I mean we, don't want you to catch up. You are perfect where you are…don't try to catch up." I muttered.

"But…soon you two are going to go on with your married and family lives and that's going to leave me by myself. I'm losing my best friends Oliver…I'm losing them."

I wanted to tell her she wasn't…but it would be a lie because she was. And it was going to kill her when she finds out about that mountain house Jake bought in North Carolina. He talked to me about it before he bought it but I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. What was Lilly going to do when, or if, her best friend moved across the country? What was she going to do?

What was I gonna do?

Sitting here holding a sobbing Lilly brought on a million feelings I had just shut away. I suddenly wanted to kill Jake. I wanted to lock him in a metal box and ship him across the world to Africa. We had just got our best friend back, who does he think he is taking her away again? He ruined her life.

I kept telling myself that even though I know it isn't true.

He as much ruined her life as Lydia ruined mine. She didn't ruin it, she made it pretty happy. I had never experienced the feeling of being needed. She made me feel like she needed me and our baby did too. And God, did I want that baby.

"What am I going to do?" Lilly sobbed, "I can't get new friends…I just can't."

I stroked her hair and said, "You don't have to, we are here. We will always be here."

Or at least I will be.

Suddenly the shrill ring of the telephone shot through the air. I didn't want to answer it but I didn't really have much of a choice seeing as though Lilly had already picked it up and was handing it to me.

"Hello?" I asked feeling weary.

I heard hysterical sobbing and then, "Oliver-me-you-need-baby-here!"

"What? Lydia calm down and tell me what is wrong!" I exclaimed into the phone.

I heard her take a shaky breath and say, "I'm having the baby! Here in San Francisco! I need you here! Please come!"

"Lydia, listen to me," I commanded, "I will be there! Call 911. I will met you at the hospital."

"Okay, I will. I love you." She said through her tears.

"I…love you too." I whispered painfully. I hung up the phone and turned to Lilly. My heart was beating against my chest powerfully and I said,

"Lydia's in labor. I have to get to the hospital! Can you drive me up there since you know where everything is since Landon lives up there?"

Her eyes widened but she just nodded, "Of course I can. The trio should be there to see your daughter born!"

That's when a cold feeling of dread seeped into my stomach. Once again we wouldn't be the trio we would be the two people missing one.

Not this time. The WHOLE trio has to be here.

She has to come.

She just has too.

MILEY'S POV:

Jake and I were lying together. His arms fit perfectly around my body and he smelled like perfection. His skin was warm against mine and he was so beautiful it made me want to make love with him again. Suddenly as if the devil himself had planned it, my cell phone rang. I didn't have any intention what so ever to answer it. I let it ring. Then it rang again and I wanted to cry because I didn't want to answer it. I didn't want to ruin this moment.

Jake seemed to sense my despair as he said, "Go ahead and answer it…"

It was so weird to hear him talk. It was like reading a book and having someone read it over you shoulder…it was like hearing the same thing twice because I didn't need him to say it to know what he meant.

I reached over and grabbed the darn thing off the nightstand in mid-ring.

"Hello?" I asked after clearing my throat at least eight times.

"Miley! Oh my gosh!" Lilly's voice rang through the phone loudly, making my eardrums throb.

"What?" I whispered. I don't remember telling my brain to whisper but it just happened that way.

"Lydia-Oliver-you-trio-please-have to-now." She stuttered.

"Lilly," I said irritably, "You interrupted something here so you better spit it out."

Silence.

"Oh…my bad to the max!" She said and I could tell she was blushing from the other end, "Its just Lydia went into labor and Oliver is like hyperventilating because he insists that the WHOLE trio has to be here to see Emily born and he says its not right that you should miss this because we just got you back and then you left again and you're gonna leave again soon for ITALY and Miley, he is like freaking out! The doctor said Lydia isn't even near being fully dilated so you might have a chance of getting here in time!"

I froze, "What? She's in labor?" I asked.

"Yes!! And do you think there is ANY way you can get here be- OLIVER! For God's sake, you would know if the baby was out already! How? Well honey there would be a ton of blood on the floor! Lord Oliver! Put the damn bag to your mouth already you idiot!"

I just shook my head in shock, "Lilly, I'm kinda on the other side of the United States! How do you expect me to get there in time?" I knew my voice sounded a little desperate. I wanted to be there, I really did! But it wasn't like I could. I felt the phone getting pulled away from my ear and Jake said into it, "We will be there don't worry. Tell Oliver to breathe for me!" Then he hung up the phone. I looked at him in shock,

"How do we get there in time?"

He smiled and said one word, "Jet."

I smiled too; glad to have a way to get there. I knew we had to leave soon.

OLIVER'S POV:

"What-," I paused to take a breath in the brown paper bag, "Did," breath, "She," breath, "say?"

"Well Jake said she would be here. So don't worry." Lilly answered. Suddenly Lydia, who was in a wheel chair beside me, let out a scream of pain.

"Can't breathe…" I muttered as my chest closed up in panic. Lilly rolled her eyes and shoved the bag back up to my mouth. I breathed in and out like Lydia's pregnancy teacher person taught her.

"I can't help but wonder which one of you is having the baby…" Lydia's Dad commented in humor as he looked between me and Lydia. I jumped up and hugged him.

"Thank goodness you're here!" I exclaimed. He just laughed and said awkwardly,

"I brought someone with me that you might be interested in seeing…" And from behind the corner came out someone I never thought I would see again.

My Mother.

She was looking nervously from me to Lydia, trying to decide how she felt. I knew how she and Dad felt when they disowned me…but how did she feel now? I hesitantly pulled her into a hug that she accepted.

After that my hyperventilating lessened a little.

MILEY'S POV:

"Wow the last time I was on here was when we were running from Luke." I stated as I stepped into Jake Ryan's personal jet. It looked exactly the same, as if it was unaware that things had changed.

"Babies really do come at unwanted times." Jake said thoughtfully as he sat down in a seat.

"True. Ours will probably come like when we are in the car or something inconvenient like that." I replied as I sat crossed legged on the couch. He frowned,

"The car? That's a very inconvenient place to have a baby and besides, I'm not exactly a doctor here! I mean, if I had to be I would…but yeah not such a good idea." I laughed.

"Well when you played that doctor what did they tell you to do?" I questioned.

"They told me to say 'push' then words of encouragement then pull the baby doll off the table that was hidden from view," He paused to laugh, "I dropped the baby doll on its head and it bounced."

My eyes widened and I said, "You do know that if you drop a real baby on the floor it won't bounce right?"

"Yeah I know. It's a bummer though." He said thoughtfully. My eyes widened in fright and he just laughed,

"I'm kidding! Geez, tough crowd!"

I let out a sigh of relief and joked, "Thanks goodness! For a second there I thought I married a torture chamber chainsaw man!"

He grinned like the crazy man in 'The Shinning' did and said in his 'creepy' voice, "How do you know I'm not?"

I just laughed and curled up next to him, "There is no way you are a murderer."

He sighed, "Man. I couldn't fool anyone could I?"

"Maybe someone who doesn't know you…"

"Good. Then there is hope for my acting after all." He muttered before leaning his head on mine and drifting off to sleep with his hair falling all in my face. I didn't mind though and I just fell asleep shortly after that.

--------

"We're here." Jake muttered sleepily as he kissed my cheek. I opened my eyes slightly and said,

"I'm tired."

"Me too but let's go…if we don't Oliver might forget to breathe." He joked. I laughed slightly and I said,

"I'm really tired…five more minutes?"

He just laughed and shook his head before leaning over and picking me up.

"This works too." I muttered into his chest. I wondered in the back of my mind where he landed the jet…but as soon as I asked myself the answer came to me. The hospital had a landing and taking off place for helicopters so I was pretty sure as I slightly opened my eyes that that's where they landed it. I felt my eyes slowly slip back down.

"Excuse me sir? OH MY GOD! IT'S JAKE RYAN!" Some silly nurse screamed. Jake just said,

"I need the room number for Lydia Oken." She looked very flustered as she looked in the computer.

"Room 645 on the 6th floor. Elevator is over past that picture." She said as she pointed with a shaking finger.

"Thank you." Jake said which caused the young nurse to like almost pass out. I fell fully asleep after that.

OLIVER'S POV:

"Come on Lydia!" I tried to encourage. Lydia was currently giving birth and I felt as though I would pass out any minute. She would give me these awful glares and I would begin hyperventilating. I wondered where Miley was of even if she was coming.

"You're almost there…" the nurse said nicely as she held Lydia's other hand. I took a deep breath to keep from passing out as a shrill cry ran through the room. I felt tears of relief stream down my face as I made my way over to cut the umbilical cord of Emily Eve Oken.

MILEY'S POV:

"Is she awake?"

"Poke her!"

"I'm not gonna poke her!"

"Well she would want to see the baby!"

"Come on someone just wake her up!"

What a great way to wake up, huh? Not really. I opened my eyes and saw Lilly and Jackson standing around me. I sat up from the couch I was lying on and stretched before saying,

"What's going on?"

"The baby was born about ten minutes ago! Miles, she is so beautiful!" Lilly exclaimed. I stood up and said,

"I want to see her! Where's Jake? How is Oliver doing? How is Lydia doing?"

"One at a time please!" Lilly exclaimed. I nodded and she put her arm around my shoulder and said quietly to me,

"It's pretty cute, but yours is gonna be so much cuter! The poor baby looks like Lydia." I laughed out loud. It was a known fact that Lilly hated Lydia after she left Oliver.

She led me down a hall and into a gray bland room full of people. Immediately when I walked in everyone started talking to me at once, giving me a headache.

Oliver, instead of screaming at me, merely walked up to me and handed me the baby. I was surprised at first (and everyone laughed at my facial expression) but I finally realized I was holding Oliver's daughter and cradled my arms around her.

She really was beautiful.

It was like a hazy dream until I finally woke up and looked at the little baby in my arms. She was so small but she looked healthy and was sound asleep wrapped up in a soft pink blanket.

"Oh geez," I said, making everyone laugh, "She gorgeous, Oliver and Lydia!"

Lydia beamed in pride where she laid with her head propped up and her hair piled on top of her head.

I smiled back down at the baby and said, "Hello Emily Eve! I'm you aunt Miley!" The baby just stayed asleep looking angelic.

Then for some reason unknown to me, everyone started giggling nervously. I looked up,

"What?" They just kept their eyes down cast and giggled. I shrugged and looked back down at the baby.

Suddenly I felt something very cold slide down my back. I screamed VERY loudly at the sudden temperature change and frantically took one hand and reached down my shirt to try and get the ice out. I spun around once I had the ice out.

Jake was standing there with a smile on his face holding a cup full if ice. I smacked his arm with the hand the baby wasn't in and said,

"Now look what you did, the baby woke up!" Emily started crying hysterically and I glared at Jake. Oliver made his way over to the baby and took Emily out of my arms. As soon as she was cradled in his arms, she stopped crying.

"Aw! Isn't that sweet!" Lydia exclaimed. I saw Lilly make a very ugly facial expression in her direction and mouth 'ho'. I stifled a laugh and turned around. I grabbed Jake by the sleeve of his shirt and said,

"Come out here, I need to talk to you."

My Dad, Jackson, Oliver, and Lydia's Dad all laughed at him in a way that suggested he was in trouble…which he was.

I dragged him into the hallway and said, "Don't put ice down my shirt when I'm holding a baby!"

He shrugged and said, "Well you never told me not to…"

"I never thought I would have to!" I exclaimed. He just smiled and said,

"So I can't put ice down your shirt when you're holding a baby?"

"That's righ—AHH!" I exclaimed as ice was stuck down the back of my shirt.

"You weren't holding a baby right then!" He said with a grin. I just narrowed my eyes and said,

"You're so dead." Everyone in Lydia's room had gathered at the door with laughs. I think they all wanted to see me scream at Jake.

"Dead," He joked as he put on this pathetic confused face, "Why…if I was dead could I do…this?" He threw a piece of ice at me. I just watched him with narrowed eyes. Slowly I walked over to the ice machine and got my own cup of ice. Lilly was watching with the same intensity as she did three years ago when we kissed on the beach…but without the popcorn.

"No," I said, "But I couldn't do this either." I threw a piece of ice at his head, which smacked him in the forehead.

"Good aim." He said, impressed.

I smiled, "Thanks I lea-" I was cut off by a piece of ice hitting me on the shoulder. I said,

"Okay it's on now, Mr. America."

"I don't get it…" Jackson said from the door. Lilly shrugged.

"Jake," I said suddenly as I grabbed my stomach and twisted my face in immense pain, "I-I think I'm going into labor…"

He dropped his ice and rushed over there and bent over to help me. I winked at Lilly over his shoulder who was about to call a nurse. I stifled a laugh and griped my stomach in mock pain. Then I reached over his back and poured the whole cup of ice down his pants.

"AH--" He started as I grinned evilly. He stopped and put on a 'brave' face but continued squirming.

"Is it cold?" I asked innocently, "Tsk, tsk you should know me better then that. Labor at four months?"

"I'll show you cold…" He said after he got all the ice out of his pants and picked up his ice. He walked closer.

"No…Jake…t-think about this…" I said as I backed up. He just grinned and walked closer, backing me into a corner.

"Now remember…" I said nervously, "I'm pregnant."

"Uh huh, you already used that to your advantage. You know the story about the little boy who called wolf right?" He said as he walked closer, forcing me to move back farther in the corner. I gulped.

"Vaguely…that's the one where the little boy gets eaten by a wolf right?" He nodded his head.

"Yep…that's the one…"

"Yeah…," I laughed nervously, "That was my favorite picture book…"

"Then you should know the story line very well…"

He had me backed completely up in the corner at this point and was sticking his hand in the cup of ice.

"What does the little boy that called wolf have to do with anything?" I asked, eying the cup.

He laughed and said, "I think you know very well what I'm talking about."

I moved away from the ice again and said, "Maybe…maybe not…"

He either meant if I kept calling labor then I would really be in it and no one would believe me…or he could mean he was the mean wolf and I was the little girl that called wolf.

"You don't really want to stick that ice down my shirt do you?" I asked.

"Yes." He said as he poured the WHOLE thing down the front of my shirt. I screamed and started jumping around, trying to get all the crushed ice out.

"That's not fair," I whined as I tried to get out the ice, "The ice gets stuck! If I stick it down your shirt it just slides right out!"

He just shrugged and said, "You get a taste of your own medicine."

Once I got it out I smiled sweetly and said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."

He pressed me to the wall and kissed me breathless. He pulled away and I said while trying to catch my breath, "That was more like five spoonfuls of sugar."

"Hey! What are you doing! The waiting room is not a hotel room!" A nurse screamed at us. I blushed and whispered to Jake,

"I'm glad I'm not coming here to have the baby."

He shot a glare at the retreating nurse and said, "What does she have against sugar?"

"Maybe she's diabetic." I suggested.