Luis's heart pounded as he rushed Sheridan into the emergency room, cradling her in his arms. Swallowing hard as he heard her groan, he hugged her tighter.

"It hurts, Luis—it hurts!" Sheridan clenched his jacket between her fingers and buried her head in his chest.

"I know, Sher. I know," Luis breathed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Can you please help my wife?" he begged, stopping a nurse walking past them.

"What seems to be the problem?" The nurse gave him a sympathetic look. "Is she having contractions?"

"I think so, but she's barely halfway through her pregnancy—this shouldn't be happening yet." Luis's eyes darted over toward an orderly, who was rushing a wheelchair over to him. "Please, you've got to help her."

"We will do everything we can, sir," the nurse responded, helping him lower Sheridan to the chair. "Hopefully, these are just Braxton Hicks."

Luis nodded at the nurse and settled Sheridan into a seated position. A tear sprang to his eye as he watched her continue to clutch her belly.

"Sheridan, I'm so sorry." Luis gulped back a sob and knelt down beside her. "I didn't mean to make you so upset."

"I know, Luis," she whispered. "Just, please, stay with me right now. I won't be able to bear it if I lose our daughter."

Luis's heart dropped to his stomach.

What if that happened?

What if the doctors couldn't stop Sheridan's contractions?

What if they lost their little girl?


Gwen rubbed her temples and put her bag on the front table as Hank followed her into her apartment.

"What's going on, Gwen?" Hank asked, coming up behind her and massaging her shoulders. "Is there something else you didn't tell me earlier?"

Gwen turned around. "Oh, Hank, I didn't want to talk about this in front of Sheridan, but there's a chance I may have to testify against my mother."

"Testify against your mother?" Hank raised his brows. "Gwen, that's absolutely crazy!"

"Maybe so," Gwen replied, "but it's the law. Apparently, only spouses are insulated from having to testify against each other. There's no protection for parents and children."

"So you are going to testify then?"

"I don't see what other choice I have, Hank," Gwen cried. "It's either that or go to jail. My mother suggested that maybe I could go into hiding . . ."

"Your mother is a piece of work, Gwen." Hank slipped his arms around her waist. "Running won't solve anything." Hank frowned. "Believe me—I know. I've spent the last few years of my life running from my past, and look where it's gotten me."

"I know, Hank," Gwen said quietly, placing one hand on his chest. "And I know I can't run either. I just don't know how I'm going to find the strength to do this."

"You're not alone in this, Gwen." Hank squeezed her hand and pulled her in for a kiss. "Whatever happens, I'll be right beside you. You won't be alone in this."


Sheridan squeezed Luis's hand as Dr. Valerii reviewed her chart.

"From what I can tell, everything seems to be okay, Sheridan." Dr. Valerii seated herself on the stool in front of the bed. "Your cervix hasn't dilated at all, and giving you fluids seems to have stopped the contractions. I want to keep you here overnight for observation, but from what I can see, it seems like the contractions you were experiencing were Braxton Hicks."

"Isn't it a little early for her to be having those?" Luis asked, his heart in his throat.

"Not at all—although they usually aren't this painful," Dr. Valerii said. "Just try to stay hydrated, Sheridan. It's an important part of taking care of yourself—especially when you're pregnant."

"I know," Sheridan said, glancing down and rubbing the side of her belly with her free hand. "I just got a little distracted today."

"I'm sorry for my part in that." A heaviness tugging at his lungs, Luis kissed her knuckles. "I didn't mean to get you so upset."

Sheridan rubbed the side of his hand with her thumb. "I know you didn't, Luis."

Dr. Valerii studied both of them. "It is also important to keep mom's stress levels down. Prolonged stress can have detrimental effects on a baby's development—or even cause premature labor."

"Understood, doc." Luis brushed his thumb down the side of Sheridan's cheek. "I'll do whatever I have to do to take good care of her."

Dr. Valerii smiled and stood up to wipe the ultrasound gel off of Sheridan's belly. "I knew you'd say that, Luis. I think you're both going to be great parents."

Luis picked up Sheridan's hand again, his eyes glistening at his wife's. "Well, Sheridan definitely is going to be."

"If you have any questions, feel free to have me paged." Dr. Valerii wiped off the last of the gel and gathered up her clipboard and pen. "I'll be back to check on you later, Sheridan—just try to take it easy."

Luis swallowed hard as he watched Dr. Valerii leave the room.

"Luis?" Sheridan whispered.

Luis turned back to her. His eyes watering with unshed tears, he traced his fingers over her belly. "I can't believe how big she's getting . . . how quickly she's growing, Sher."

"I know, Luis," Sheridan said softly, rubbing the sides of her tummy. "I feel like I'm carrying around a little bowling ball."

"Our little bowling ball . . ." Luis smiled and cupped her belly. "I'm so sorry I asked Hank to babysit you," he whispered. "I'm just worried about you, Sher."

Sheridan looked up. "I know you are, Luis. And I'm sorry I blew up at you." Sheridan averted her eyes to the floor. "Maybe you're right. Maybe there are things I can't handle."

"I was wrong, though." Luis raised one of Sheridan's hands to his lips and pressed a kiss down upon it. "Working at the youth center is not one of them."

Sheridan smiled softly at him and covered his other hand with her own. "I know you're worried about our daughter, Luis. But I promise you—I learned my lesson a few weeks ago, the night of Ethan and Theresa's wedding. I will never put myself in a situation that might hurt her again—even unintentionally."

Sheridan's eyes fell to the bed. "I know I acted irrationally when you were my bodyguard, but it was only because I thought that you were using me. I think, deep down, I was just trying to get you to prove that you cared, that my feelings for you weren't unrequited . . ."

"Your feelings for me were never unrequited, Sheridan." Luis's voice came soft and raw. "That's why it's so hard for me when I feel like you're in trouble or danger . . . because I love you so much."

Luis caressed Sheridan's tummy and then glanced back up at her. "I love you and our daughter so much—I'd die if anything happened to either one of you."

Tears welled in Sheridan's eyes; she stroked Luis's cheeks with the pads of her thumbs.

"What is it, Sher?" Luis asked, moving in to sit beside her.

Sheridan scooted over as Luis squeezed in next to her and put one arm up around her shoulder. "Nothing, Luis—I'm just really emotional right now."

Luis squeezed her shoulder. "That's completely understandable. I am, too, Sheridan."

Sheridan began to relax into his embrace—but then drew in a sharp breath and tightened her fingers around her belly.

"What is it, Sher?" Luis panicked. "Are you having another contraction?"

"No, Luis." Sheridan's eyes lit up, a small smile coming to her face. "Feel this," she said, placing his hand on her stomach. "I felt a definite kick."

Luis held his breath as he cradled Sheridan's tummy, his heart skipping a beat as he felt a tiny foot nudge his palm through Sheridan's skin.

"I think she's trying to tell us she's okay," Sheridan whispered, intertwining her fingers with Luis's.

A tear slipping down his cheek, Luis cuddled her in closer. "I think you're right, Sheridan."