Notes: please bear with me, dear readers. I know this will be a little heavy, and a bit of a downer, but they ... and we will get through it, I promise, love you all ❤

"Zed, please calm down, working yourself up into a frenzy isn't going to help her ... or the baby." Eliza said as they all sat in the hospital's waiting area. Well ... all except Zed, who was pacing to and fro at a feverish pace.

Addison had come to on the way there and had insisted that she was fine, but Zed, along with her family and friends had insisted that she get seen by her doctor.

"This is all my fault! I should've been there and helped her out more!" Zed said, his voice full of anguish as he resumed his pacing.

Just then, Doctor Henley came out to talk to them.

Zed practically pounced on her, desperate for answers and news.

"How is she? Are she and the baby okay?!"

Doctor Henley patiently held up her hand.

"Yes, she is stable and the baby is fine."

"Then why do I sense a 'but' coming here? Eliza said

"Do you remember when I told you that every pregnancy is different, and that they can even be different with the same parents? Well, unfortunately, Addison's body is trying to reject the pregnancy." She said

Dread settled heavily in the pit of Zed's stomach.

"W - what does that mean?" He said, his voice cracking with emotion as tears stung his eyes.

"It means that Addison will have to be on strict bed rest, and closely monitored for the remainder of her pregnancy. She will also have to take medication that will hopefully prevent her body from rejecting the baby.

Panic gripped Zed as he scrubbed his hands over his face and through his hair

He felt a light pull on his pant leg, he looked down to see his son, looking up at him with those brilliant blue eyes of his.

Addison's eyes.

"Mommy's sick?" He asked in a small, hesitant voice, his large expressive eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

A wave of pain suddenly crashed over him and he drew in a shaky breath as he willed himself not to break down in front of his son.

He had to be strong... for him.

He hurriedly wiped the tears from his eyes as he bent down and picked Zach up

"Mommy's gonna be just fine, bud." He said, unable to keep the tremor out of his voice as he clutched Zach to him almost desperately and struggled to keep the tears at bay.

She HAD to be ... because he couldn't even bear to think of going through life without her. Those few times they did fight and weren't speaking were torturous enough.

"Can ... can I see her?" He asked doctor Henley, almost desperately.

"Of course, right this way." She said as she motioned for him to follow her.

"I ... need to check on mommy for a bit, you stay with Auntie Eliza okay?" He said as he kissed his son on the cheek and handed him off to Eliza before following Doctor Henley.

She stopped at the door way to a room on their left and gestured inside.

"There's a chair set up for you." She said, she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder before she headed off bsck down the hall.

Zed swallowed hard and slowly entered the room.

His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her, she looked so pale and weak, and it scared the hell out of him.

"Hey, gorgeous. " he whispered as he quietly sat in the chair that had been placed next to her bed for him and took her hand in his.

"I'm sorry, Addy. You needed help and I wasn't there for you. I should've dropped EVERYTHING and helped you ... i love you so much ... I ...I ..." he said, trailing off as the tears he had been holding back burst forth in a deluge as he buried his face in her blanket and wept.

"Shhhh ... S' not your fault..."

His head snapped up at Addison's voice, barely above a whisper.

She smiled weakly at him as she reached up with a shaky hand and wiped his tears away with a feather light touch.

"Addy!" Zed said, her name coming out as a sob of relief as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it deeply.

"I'm sorry I scared you. " she said

His face grew serious as he wiped his eyes with his free hand.

"If you get to go home, it's feet up only, I'm going to stay home and take care of you, no arguments! He said as she opened her mouth to protest.

"But ... your job!" She said

"Are you serious right now?! You're more important to me than any stupid job, Addison. Without you, I'd die... Plain and simple." He said

She gifted him with that amazing smile of hers

"Oh, Zed ...! You're my someday, and my always. " She said as she rested her hand on his cheek.

He smiled at her.

"And you're mine." He replied as he kissed her lightly on the lips.

In the passing weeks, Addison soon was stable enough to go home under STRICT orders of rest.

"Mommy!" Zach cried, running to her as soon as she walked through the door.

"There's my little man!" She said as she knelt down (with some difficulty thanks to her growing belly) and embraced him.

"Is Sissy okay?" He asked as he pointed to her stomach.

"Yes, son. Your little sissy is going to be just fine." She said with a smile as Zed helped her stand back up.

"Mommy's just going to have to rest a lot until sissy is born, okay?" She said as she ruffled his hair."

"And Aunt Eliza is going to be coming over to help, doesn't that sound fun?" Zed said

"Yay! Auntie Eliza!" He cheered excitedly as he clapped his hands

Addison laughed in spite of herself at her son's ability to just go with the flow of any situation, he was becoming more and more like his father every day.

Zed promptly scooped her up into his arms.

"As for YOU ... My cheerleading queen, you are GOING to take it easy." He said as he carried her to the couch and gently laid her down.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Ah, ah!" Zed scolded Addison as she made a move to get up.

She smiled apologetically

"Sorry ... Old habits die hard." She said as Zed opened the door and Bucky strode in with Wynry and to their surprise, strode over and pulled her into a hug.

"You really scared us, baby cuz !" He scolded her as he released her and plopped down on the couch.

"Yeah ... I'm so sorry about that." She said, smiling bashfully. "But I'm glad to see you guys!" She added.

"Yeah I'm surprised that he didn't just barge in here like he always does." Zed said flatly

"I was the one who suggested that we knock first." Wynry said as she smiled that sweet smile of hers.

Addison looked at Bucky with a raised eyebrow, she remembered the days when he so self absorbed that he wouldn't listen to ANYONE and at times it had cost him, like at the cheer championship three years ago.

Yep, love had changed her cousin ... For the better.

"Don't you even!" Bucky said to Addison as he noticed the look she was giving him.

"Don't, what? Say that you're whipped?" Zed interjected, his face harboring a dry grin.

"I ... I am not!" Bucky sputtered as a traitorous blush crept up his cheeks

"Hey man, I don't mean it in a bad way, I'll be the first to admit that this girl right here has me TOTALLY wrapped around her finger. And I wouldn't have it any other way." He said as he took Addison's hand in his and brought it to his lips.

Bucky looked to Wynry and blew out a sigh as he grinned embarrassingly at her

"He's right, you know. You've had me since the first time I met you, and I couldn't fight it ... No matter how hard I tried to." He said.

Wynry blushed a deep crimson

"Well ... I don't know about THAT..." She began

He pulled her against him

"Oh trust me, it's true ... And I wouldn't change a thing." He said

"You guys are so cute!" Addison gushed, then suddenly, she let out a tired yawn.

"And I think that's our cue." Wynry said as they both hugged Addison and let themselves out.

"Now ... What does my beautiful wife want to eat? Because the MEN are handling dinner tonight!" Zed said as he hoisted Zach into his arms.

"Right!" Zach echoed as he clapped his hands excitedly.

"I'm sure whatever you make will be amazing, so surprise me." She replied

Zed grinned.

"You got it!" He said as he strode into the kitchen with Zach in tow.

Addison smiled lovingly after them as she placed a hand on her stomach.

"I can't wait for you to meet your big brother and your dad, they both already love you so much." She said. She smiled as she felt her daughter's strong kick against her hand

"It looks like everyone will have to watch out for YOUR high kick and your low kick, too!" She said with a laugh as she settled back against the couch.