Ok, so I finally did move it up the timeline. It's about 3 1/2 months after the last chapter. Carly is still living with Courtney, but she did allow Michael and Leticia to move back in with Sonny so they'd be just across the hall. Sonny and Carly are still separated, but on speaking terms, even though Carly never passes up a chance to tell Sonny he's selfish and that Jason should be with Courtney. Ok, anyway now, on with the chapter! Please review! It's what keeps me writing!

~*~ Chapter 7 ~*~

Courtney woke up with a smile on her face. Today she had a doctor's appointment, and she decided she wanted to know the sex of the baby. She only wished Jason could be there. Carly had taken her to all her doctor's appointments, helped her shop for maternity clothes, and was even her partner for lamaze class. But everyday she still wished it was Jason.

She got up and went downstairs to eat some cereal. Carly was already dressed and ready to go.

" Carly, the appointment's not for another hour."

" I know, I'm just excited! Now we can start decorating the nursery!"

" You act like you're the one having the baby!" Courtney said laughing.

" Well, this is the next best thing. Now hurry up and eat. You still gotta get dressed!"

" I'm not the one that takes forever to do her makeup."

" Oh, shut up."

They both started laughing.

~*~ 1 hour later ~*~

Carly in a chair beside Courtney, holding her hand, when the picture of the baby came up on the monitor. Courtney smiled as she heard the baby's heartbeat.

" So," the doctor asked, " Would you like to know the sex of the baby?"

" Yes, I would."

" Well, it looks like the baby is a girl!"

~*~

Before leaving the doctors office, she had printed out pictures of the baby for Courtney, who was now smiling from ear to ear.

" Courtney, I'm so happy for you! Now we can start the nursery!"

" Right now? Carly, we just found out what the baby is..."

" I don't care, let's go!" Carly said, grabbing her hand and led her to the car.

~*~

Courtney rolled her eyes as Carly dragged her through the baby store, looking for things for the nursery. They had already looked at cribs, bedding and changing tables, and now they were headed toward clothes.

" Carly, please, can't we do this some other time?"

" Courtney, you only have about 4 more months until the baby is born! We need to start the nursery ASAP!"

" Can't you start without me? I trust you completely. There's something that I really gotta do, and I'm feeling tired."

" Fine. You take the car, I'll call Max when I'm done."

" Thank you! I'll see you later!"

~*~

Courtney closed the door to the penthouse and sat down at the desk.

' How should I start this?' she thought, taking out paper and a pen.

So she just wrote a few sentences, and sealed the note in an envelope along with a picture. Now all she had to do was deliver it. She got up and set out to find Jason.

~*~

Courtney had already been to Kelly's, the club and the loft, and she still had not found Jason. Her last stop for the day was the pier, and as soon as she turned the corner, she saw him sitting on the bench.

~*~

He had been sitting on the bench thinking about Courtney and their child. What she didn't know was that he had been watching her from afar, making sure she was safe and getting to see her beautiful face. He looked up when he heard footsteps.

" Jason."

" Courtney. You shouldn't seen with me. I'll go."

" Jason, wait! Just talk to me for a second."

Jason looked down at her protruding stomach, knowing that their child was growing inside.

" Is everything ok? I mean, with the baby?"

" Yes, everything's fine."

" What about with you?"

" Physically, I'm fine. But emotionally, I'm not! Jason, you deserve to be a part of our child's life too! I don't care what Sonny says! Let's go away together, start somewhere new with the baby. We can be a family! Please, Jason."

" Courtney, I can't. You and the baby mean more to me than anything! I love you both too much! I cannot let you guys get hurt!"

" You don't think you can protect us, honestly?"

" Yes, I do think I can, but Sonny..."

" I said I didn't care what Sonny says! Why can't you think for yourself?"

" Courtney, I know what Sonny went through after Lily and their baby died. If Sonny thinks the same is gonna happen to you because of me, I can't risk it. I can't!"

" Sonny doesn't deserve to have you as loyal as you are."

" It doesn't matter what he deserves, that's just the way it is."

" I'll leave it be for right now, but don't think I've given up this fight, even if you have. You will be with me and the baby. No matter what Sonny says. Here, I have something for you," she said, handing him an envelope.

" What is it?"

" Just open it. I got to go. I love you Jason."

She turned and walked up the stairs, but stayed behind the corner, watching him. He sat back down on the bench and opened the envelope, pulling out a letter first.

[i] Jason,

I just wanted to let you know that I have not given up on us or you, but until we can be together, I know you can't have anything to do with the baby and I. So here's a picture I got from the doctor today. We love you.

Courtney [/i]

Jason pulled the picture put of the envelope and looked at it with tears in his eyes. Courtney had written 'Our baby girl' at the bottom of it.

' We're having a girl,' Jason thought smiling.

~*~

Courtney still watched from around the corner. She had gotten him to admit that he loved them tonight. That was progress. Now all she had to do was convince Sonny that they should be together, not just for her, but for their daughter too. She turned around and headed back toward the penthouse. Hopefully, Carly would be home by now.

~*~

Courtney opened the door to see Carly on the couch, paint and wallpaper samples spread all over the coffee table.

" Where have you been? I thought you were tired."

" I am, but I had to run an errand first. Wow, look at all those samples!"

" I just couldn't decide without you, she is your baby, so I brought samples home for you to look at. I've just been going through them. So, what errand did you have to run?"

" I went to see Jason. I gave him a picture of the baby."

" And?"

" And he admitted that he still loved me, loved us, but he still thinks we'll get hurt. I think I made a little progress with him, though. But Sonny's still another story."

" I'm wearing him down, even if it is slowly."

" I know. Now come on, let's go over those samples!"

Ok, a little bit longer chapter for ya. Overall, most people wanted a girl, even though most stories with Courtney pregnant has them having a girl. I was gonna make it a girl to begin with, so obviously a lot of us think alike when we picture Jason with a baby. Anyway, hope you liked it! Please review!