I own no part of SON

Peace and love to all!

The small clock on the wall reads 3:30am and I rub my eyes wearily. At this point sleep is impossible as I sit with bloodshot eyes. Ashley fell asleep two hours ago, curled up on a musty waiting room chair.

Christian is in Becky's room and has been all night, the only person still awake is the youngest out of all of us.

"You want some coffee?"

Familiar gray eyes meet mine and I give Carmen a slow nod. She untangles herself from a sleeping Madison and grabs my hand. As I stand I place a gentle kiss to the top of Ashley's head.

"How are you still awake?"

Carmen grins at my question and gives a slight shrug, her eyes still holding onto her childlike glow.

"I guess I'm used to staying up this late, I am still in college don't forget."

She ends with a small chuckle and it's the first sound close to laughter I've heard all day. It sounds wonderful.

"I guess you're right. How's Madison?"

The mindless task of fixing up my coffee with sugar and creamer keeps my thoughts away from my nonresponsive friend.

"She's worried…about you Spence, we're both worried."

She stares at the label on her water bottle intently and avoids my gaze as I think about her words. Should she be worried about me? I try to rub some of the sleep out of my eyes but my vision just goes a little blurry.

"Why me? I'm not the one hooked up to machines."

My voice is rough from crying and it sounds hollow even to me. Stormy gray eyes meet mine and Carmen pulls me into a tight hug.

"A person can only take so much heartache before they lose it. You've already had so much happen to you. You've got to be close to the breaking point."

She whispers the words against my ear and the tears I figured would fall never leave my eyes. As she pulls away I give her a grateful smile and tell her I'm going upstairs to see the baby.

A slight smile tugs at my mouth when I reach the NICU. My curly headed brother has his face pressed against the glass and I can hear him making cooing noises at the nursery full of babies.

"Having fun?"

He practically jumps out of his skin at my voice and clutches his chest like he is having a heart attack.

"Damnit Spence you scared the living daylights outta me, don't sneak up on people like that! Jesus."

I shake my head and roll my eyes before standing next to him to gaze at the numerous babies lined up. The nurses have them on display with their pretty pink or blue socks tucked neatly over their tiny feet.

"Has the nurse done anything with Christopher?"

Glen gives me a weird look and runs his hand through his hair.

"Who is Christopher?"

I give him a weak smile and turn my attention to the baby at the smallest baby in the back.

"That's what they're naming him, Christopher Allen."

Glen wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close.

"No they haven't done anything new. Just that drippy thing and writing down on little clipboards."

More tears fall as I watch his tiny chest rise and fall but no other part of him moves. Christopher looks like one of those baby birds that have fallen out of the nest, only his chest moving, and the rest immobile.

"Glen I'm scared. I'm scared Becky won't wake up and I'm scared Christopher won't make it through the rest of the night."

He pulls me into a tight embrace as I sob loudly into his chest. I feel him kiss the top of my head and rest his cheek there.

"Everything is going to be ok, it has to be. You know I used to think I was going to marry Becky?"

I pull my head out of his chest and look at him through a watery gaze.

"Really?"

I'm going to play dumb because I bet he thinks I never noticed how he used to look at her.

"Yeah when we were younger I was practically in love with her. You know she was my first real crush. I remember thinking to myself 'She is so pretty, I'm going to marry her someday' but I was terrified of your reaction."

My first real laugh since Becky was put in the hospital comes and surprises the hell out of me.

"Why were you afraid of my reaction?"

He shrugs and turns his attention back to the babies.

"Oh come on she was your best friend and I was the older brother. Admit it you would've been pissed."

I watch as a baby gets rolled out of the little nursery and her happy parents hold her close, a happy ending for another family. Now where the hell is ours?

"Nah I kinda always knew you liked her, honestly she liked you too."

Glen grins and the boyish twinkle returns to his face. The laugh and worry lines on his face are even more apparent tonight and I chalk it up to stress.

"Well shit. Are you guys having another baby?"

My jaw drops so suddenly the gum I was chewing falls right out. Where did that question come from? He and Ashley must have been plotting this together or I'm just crazy. I'm actually going to go with crazy.

"Uh well hmm see…"

My phone signaling a text message saves me from trying to answer Glen's question.

Becky is responding. 3 u

Ashley's text has me sprinting down the hall with Glen hot on my heels. Oh God please let her be awake, please.

I skid to a stop in front of Becky's room where all our friends and family stand anxiously.

"So…what's…going on?"

Damn I'm outta breath. Ashley's deep, brown eyes lock with mine and she moves closer so that she can wrap her arms around me.

At the feeling of her arms around me I immediately relax and my breathing starts to even out. The heat coming off Ashley's body is incredible and lights my whole body on fire, not in the 'you're turning me on' kind of way but just warm, safe.

"The doctor hasn't come out yet but the last we heard she was responding to some simple tests."

I nod pathetically because I don't know what else to do and Ashley kisses my temple.

"She has to be ok Ash, I need her to be ok."

She rests her forehead against mine and her hands find their resting place on my hips.

"I know baby, I know."

She leans in and kisses me softly, the scent of her perfume surrounding me. We don't kiss any further then our mouths moving gently against each other as she presses her self against me, a trail of goosebumps exploding across almost every inch of my body.

"Is there a Spencer Davies here?"

An unfamiliar voice causes me to break away from our intimate moment and step closer to the door.

An older man in a white coat stands with a small smile on his face.

"Uh I'm Spencer."

I bite my lip nervously and feel someone place a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"She's asking for you."

I almost vomit at his words. She's awake. Becky is awake. She didn't die.

Even though I'm excited and thrilled and all other kinds of happy I can't move. It's like I'm frozen in my spot.

"Spencer get your scrawny, les ass in here."

A rough, broken voice coming from Becky's room gets me to move, and fast. I know that voice even when it's like that, Becky is yelling at me.

As I rush into the room I pass a relieved looking Christian leaving who gives me a happy smile. Honestly I don't give a shit about him and launch myself at the bed where my best friend is waiting with open arms and happy tears.

We both cry as we hug and I can't describe how happy I am to have her arms around me again.

"Shit Becks you scared me. I thought I was going to lose you."

She continues to cling to me and I can feel her hot tears running down my neck.

"You can't get rid of me that easy."

And thank God for that.

Sorry that took awhile. I've had some serious writer's block. Here's a shorter chapter just to wet the appetite. Thanks for everything! I'm going on vacation for two weeks but I'll have my computer so I'm going to try and update but it may only be once or twice.