Title: More Troubles Than Most (part 1 of at least 5)

Author: Toria (

Email: lambertuglie@yahoo.co.uk

Rating: I'm English so I don't actually know - I'll go for PG-13
because of subject matter (and possibly some swearing)

Category: Jake/Hamilton

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, they're nothing to do with me (

Summary: Jake discovers she has an illness that'll prevent her from
getting pregnant, then does so anyway!

Thanks: Thanx to Sarah, my muse, without whom all writing is futile.

A/N: As a 15-year-old single mother, I know how teenage pregnancies aren't great. However, I have an illness that means I'm not supposed to be able to get pregnant, so discovering my pregnancy was fantastic for me, as I want to have a really big family. In this story, Jake goes through exactly what happened to me when I had Aeryn, my deaf baby (who is now 17 months old). In this story, Finn didn't see anything in the shower (if it happened before, I haven't decided yet) and still thinks Jake is a normal teenage boy. Oh, and let's pretend that Ryder doesn't exist.

THE FIRST TRIMESTER

Jake sat in the empty English classroom, idly doodling on her Planner. Thursday, September 2nd. She smiled, drawing little smiley faces and love hearts with "I love Hamilton" written in them.

Suddenly, she frowned. September? When did that happen? Flipping back through the weekly pages of the organiser, she found the green squares marking when she'd had her last period. June. That was. 2 months ago.

Flipping forward one more week, she find written on the Sunday "Went to Carson, got next 6 months-worth of Pill.". She'd been taking her Pill every day since then, but she'd missed taking 5 tablets - on the Friday night, all of Saturday, and Sunday morning.

Could she be. Jake hardly dared think the word, let alone speak it. She knew she'd had sex with Hammie on that Friday night, and probably the Saturday as well, although she couldn't remember too clearly. Looking down at her hands, she realised she was shaking.

Hearing footsteps outside the door, she shoved her stuff into her bag and stood up to make for the door. As she took a few steps, a sort of black fuzziness crept in from the outside of her vision, and, before she knew what was happening, she'd slithered to the floor in a dead faint.

Finn was early for class - again. He was always early, just in case a student needed help on any assignments and wanted to speak to him privately. It had never happened yet, but, hey, he could always hope!

He turned right into what he thought would be an empty classroom, just in time to see Jake Pratt fall to the floor. Rushing over to him, Finn noticed how pale the boy was. Kneeling down, he put Jake into the recovery position, before sprinting back into the corridor.

The first student, who happened to be Will, looked at Finn in alarm as he sped out the classroom.

"Will!" Finn shouted, causing all other kids in the corridor to stare at him in surprise. "Will, go to the Sanatorium and get the Nurse to come here - fast!"

Will nodded, his eyes wide, and dashed away from his teacher to the school medical unit.

Finn meanwhile made his way back into the classroom. He noticed Jake had woken up a bit, but seemed rather confused and disorientated. He also realised the boy was sweating profusely, but shaking all the while.

"Hey Jake, are you OK? You fainted. Do you know where you are?" Finn looked at Jake with concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I. I'm at school. I fainted? Oh no!" Jake's' eyes grew huge and she struggled to sit up. "I have to go see Hamilton! And. " she looked around in puzzlement, "Why am I in an English room? I was sure I was in my room. my head hurts. " she sank back onto the ground, rubbing her temple with a fist.

Finn looked more worried. "Jake, I think you might have concussion. or something. I'm going to carry you to the Sanatorium - that OK? I hope you're not too heavy" he muttered to himself at the end.

Jake nodded, albeit a little nervously. "I.I don't think you'll find me heavy at all." She said, closing her eyes and wishing that Hamilton was there.

"Whoa dude! Watch where you're, man!" Scout yelled at Hamilton as he ran past, pushing Scout out of the way.

Hammie ignored him and continued running. Finally reaching his destination - the Sanatorium - he sprinted up to the Nurse. "Jake Pratt?" he asked breathlessly, bending over and leaning on his knees.

He walked slowly in the direction she'd pointed, and soon found the tiny room, which contained a bed, Jake, and Finn. Jake was sitting up in the bed wearing a pair of green pyjamas, and no corset. You could see she was very obviously female, and Hamilton was stunned that she'd be so careless, especially with Finn around.

"Jake! You. " Hamilton hesitated, unsure of what to say so that Finn wouldn't guess there was something going on.

Jake just smiled. "It's OK Hammie, I've told Finn everything, he knows."

Finn smiled too. "Jacqueline was ill and sweating, and I noticed that she was wearing a lot of layers so I took the liberty of removing some of her outer clothing. After I got down to the fourth layer I realised that Miss Pratt here was hiding something, and when I finally got down to her binder I discovered what it was. She has explained the situation with her mother to me, and I understand. Therefore I am not going to tell the Dean about this little deception. However, Hamilton, seeing as he is your father, I think you should. And soon." Eyeing Hammie sharply, he added, "and now I believe Miss Pratt needs to speak to you about something important, so I will leave the two of you alone." Taking Jake's' hand and giving it a little squeeze, he left the room.

Hamilton rushed over to the bed and hugged Jake. "Hey boy! What happened? Are you OK?" he released her, but kept a tight hold of both her hands.

She smiled shyly. "I'm OK, just my head is a little sore and I'm tired. But Hammie, I really need to tell you something, and it's hugely important. Ready?"

Hamilton shook his head. "What is it? Jake, you're scaring me!"

Jake took a deep breath. "You remember in June when I'd temporarily run out of my Pill and we had slept together then I went out the day after and bought some more Pill?"

Hammie nodded, and a slow lopsided grin began to spread over his face - the sort of look when you know what's going to happen next, but you can't quite believe it because it's so good. "Yeah. " he replied, running his fingers backwards through his hair.

"Well. I'd missed a Pill and then we had sex and now. Hamilton I'm pregnant!!!" Jake bit her lip to keep from grinning, and searched deep into Hamilton's' eyes with her own. "Hammie? Say something!" her smile faltered as her face fell, and Hamilton got up and walked over to the window, leaning against the frame with his back to her.

She saw his shoulders heave as he took in a huge breath. He turned, a grin matching her own on his face.

"Jake that's the best news I've heard all. ever!!! I can't believe it, I. I'm gonna be a Dad!!!" he could barely keep his excitement in, and leaped over to the bed to envelop her in a huge hug. "Hello Baby!" he said, placing his hands on Jake's' stomach. "I'm your Daddy."

Jake rolled her eyes at how tacky he was being. "Earth to Hamilton! We have a rather large (and growing) problem on our hands!" At his quizzical look, she gently removed his hands from her tummy and looked at him good and hard.

"I'm pregnant - that means I'm going to get fat. The fact that I'm a girl in an all boys' school seems to have escaped your dads' notice so far, but I know I could never get past your mum if I was pregnant. We're gonna have to tell them, or something. Finn's right, we can't keep this a secret forever, especially now I'm going to have a child."

Hamilton smiled at her. "I gather you're keeping it then?" he dodged the pillow she threw at him. "Look, if you want me to tell them then I will - I'm sure they won't kick a pregnant girl out onto the streets. If you don't want to spill then I'll help you as much as I can, but you're right, I think they deserve to know - especially now." He smiled again. "Jacqueline Pratt I love you, and our baby. I will do everything I can to keep you here with me, and I'll do anything you want.

"Hamilton that's so sweet - and I love you too - SO much!" Jake turned more serious, and looked away. "This could be the only baby I'll ever have. I'm just so glad that it's with you. I mean, if we ever break up - which I hope we never do - then I'll live my life knowing that my baby was fathered by my first love, and the one I loved the most." She smiled a tiny smile and watched Hamilton creep out of the room backwards, smiling at her all the while.

"Me and baby are so lucky!" she whispered, before settling back into the pillows and falling into a dreamless slumber.

The next day, Jake was allowed to go back to her dorm room, once the Nurse had made sure that she didn't have concussion, or any lasting side effects from her fall. As she left, the Nurse gave her some leaflets on pre- natal and anti-natal care, coping with a teenage pregnancy, and even some notes on abortion that Jake immediately threw away. She would never get rid of her child, just in case it ended up being the only one she ever became pregnant with.

Walking along the corridor, she bumped into Scout and Will, who jumped back and stood there, staring at her stomach.

"I guess Hammie told you then. " Jake remarked dryly.

"Yeah, he did." Will replied, shaking himself out of the little trance and grinning. "And let me be the first to congratulate you. Mum!" he stepped over and hugged her, then Scout followed suit.

Jake grinned back. "Thanks you guys! Umm. you haven't told Bella, have you? Cause I kinda wanted to tell her myself, you know, the whole "girl thing". That OK?"

Scout smiled. "Sure. We thought you might wanna tell her yourself, so we didn't say anything when we saw her earlier."

Will cut in. "We did say that you'd had an accident and fainted yesterday, she's waiting by the phone now, ready for you to call her."

"So go call her!" Scout gave her a little shove in the direction of her room.

Jake laughed and wandered back into her own room. Hammie was at crew practice - from which Finn had given her exemption for the time being - so the room was empty. She collapsed onto her bed and reached for the phone.

"Hey Bell, it's me." she said when Bella picked up the phone. "Can you talk for a bit? I've got something really important to tell you."

It was a week later. Hamilton grabbed Jake's' hand, which was nearly obscured by the long, pink, flowery top she was wearing. "Ready?" he asked quietly.

She took a deep breath. "OK. " she replied.

Gathering up the courage, Hammie turned the handle of the door, and let himself into his own house, where his parents were expecting them.

Of course there were tears. And shouting. The Dean was the angriest Jake had ever seen him, all tight-lipped and white faced. Kate was in floods of tears, as was Jake.

"Why?" Dean Fleming asked bitterly. "Why did you come here? The Girls' Academy is just as nice, you would have been happy. Now you've stolen my son, deceived me and the school authorities, and to top it all you're pregnant!"

Hamilton scowled at his father. "OK, for one, she did NOT steal me! I love her and I chose to be with her - I even kissed her before I knew she was really a girl, I was prepared to let myself be gay for her. And secondly, it's not just her fault she's pregnant - funnily enough, I was involved too. And we're keeping this baby - whether you like it or not!" he stormed out of the house, leaving the door wide open.

Jake looked up, midst her tears. "Dean Fleming, Mrs. Fleming, I take full responsibility f or everything that's happened. I didn't mean to deceive you or your son - I just wanted my mother to notice me. I thought she'd take me about after a few weeks, but she's obviously never read my letters because I'm still here. I also didn't intend to get pregnant. In normal circumstances I'd probably terminate my baby, only. well. I have polycystic ovaries, and I might never be able to get pregnant again and I really want a family. But don't blame Hamilton for this situation - if you wanna blame anyone then blame me!"

She left quietly, leaving the Flemings' to talk and think it over.

Back in her room, she found a very emotional Hamilton.

"I think it's gonna be OK." She said to him, going over to where he was standing and wrapping her arms around him. "They were gonna be upset, you knew that from the start. But I think they'll let me stay - I hope so anyway! If not, I can always go stay with Bella, or go back to New York or something. " Jake trailed off, as the realisation of what might be to come hit her.

Shaking herself out of it, she smiled wryly. "Now we've got to get through the hardest part of all - telling my mother!" she walked over to the phone by her bed, holding Hamilton's' hand, picked it up, and dialled her mothers' number.

Monica was out - no change there then. Her cellphone was off, so she was probably at a rehearsal or a show, Jake guessed. She left a message.
"Hi Mum, it's me, call me when you're not busy, I've got something really important to tell you." She hung up.
"Oh well. " she said glumly to Hamilton, "I'm sure she'll call back soon." Jake smiled a tiny smile, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings: hurt, rejection, abandonment, betrayal.

By the end of September, Jake - who was almost three months gone - still hadn't managed to speak to her mother. She also still hadn't sorted out where she was going to go when she started showing.

On the last day in September, Jake and Hamilton were sitting on the dock watching the sun fade below the waterline, and feeling the heat fade with it.

"Hamilton." Jake murmured, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Where am I gonna go when I show? Because I'm, like, nearly three months gone, and I know for a fact that my Mum started showing with me at four months. I'd better sort out what's gonna happen soon, else I'm gonna look really weird."

"Well, wherever you go, I'm going with you."

Jake lifted her head to look at him in surprise. "Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Of course!" Hamilton replied, taking both her hands in his. "This is my baby too, you know, and I'm not letting you do a single thing without me. I know my parents aren't too thrilled about the whole idea, but I'm gonna try to talk them into letting you maybe staying in their house until it's born. I can't afford to lose you now, and at least if you stay here then no-one can force me from seeing you."

Jake smiled - she had the best boyfriend ever! As the last drop of sun slipped below the horizon, she rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. She just couldn't be more content.

"Well it's not as if I planned it!" Jake screamed down the phone, her face a little red as she knelt on her bed.

Hamilton, who had just walked into their room after class, raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, but all he got in reply was an exasperated shake of her head.

"Yes I do understand that you expect me to. to. to terminate it as you say, but I don't want to. This baby is mine, mine and Hamilton's', and neither of us will give it up for - Oh!" Jake's' hand flew to her stomach and she dropped the cellphone onto the bed.

"Jake?" Hamilton rushed over to the bed, where he could hear the tinny voice of Monica Pratt blaring out of the receiver. Grabbing it, he said "I'm sorry, Ms. Pratt, but Jak-Jacqueline will have to call you back." very brusquely into it, before shutting it off and turning to his beloved Jake.

"Jake honey, are you OK?" he asked with concern in his eyes. She was bent over double, her hands on her stomach and her eyes wide with pain.

"Yeah I'm fine" she said easily, her position lying for her. "I'll be alright in a minute, just let me take a breather. " she glanced at him and he knew she was in serious pain.

Easily scooping up her light frame, Hamilton gathered her up in his arms and jogged out of the room.

"Finn!" he gasped, arriving at the door to an English classroom where the man in question sat marking some papers. "Finn, I need to borrow you car!"

Finn took one look at a shaking Jake and grabbed his keys. "It's OK" he said, hurrying out of the room, "I'll drive." Hamilton followed, and soon the three were on their way to the hospital.

Jake struggled to open her eyes. Flicking them open momentarily, she winced in pain at the sight of the harsh light, and shut them. She had no concept of where she was, except that there was a low buzzing sound, very methodical, coming from her right. She opened her eyes again, more slowly this time, and smiled as she caught sight of a sleeping Hamilton clutching her hand. Jake shifted slightly, her back aching. As she did so, Hamilton woke up and grabbed her hand tighter.

"Jake? You're awake! Thank God - I was so scared!!! They said there might be something wrong with the baby!" his hair was all tousled, and he looked so young and lost that Jake felt an instant urge to comfort him. Scared as she was about her baby, she knew that he was equally scared.

"Hey it'll be OK. What happened anyway all I remember is getting into Finns' car. where is he anyway?"

"He had to get back to school yesterday. You fainted in the car on the way here and apparently you've been in and out of consciousness since you arrived - but I don't remember, I've been sleeping mostly. Finn went back to school and told Dad. He hasn't visited but Mum's been twice - I think she accepts all this a little bit."

Jake smiled faintly - at least she had someone else on her side. "Wait - visited twice? How long have I been in here? And what's the matter with my Baby?!?!" Jake was suddenly very scared. She sat up properly, grabbing Hammies' other hand and holding on tight.

"Hey it's OK. You've been in here 3 days - it's October 5th today, you came in on Tuesday. And Baby is fine - apparently she was just moving around a lot more than she should and she nearly detached the place-"

"Hey hey!" Jake interrupted, dropping his hands, "Did you say. she?!?!"

Hamilton grinned. "Yup." he said, "She's our little girl." Jake's' hands flew to her face as she opened her mouth in a little "o" of surprise. He gently pried her fingers away from her skin and kissed each one. "She's a girl and she's going to be perfect"

Jake sighed happily - a girl! A healthy little girl who was very active - like her daddy! Settling back on the pillows of the hospital bed, she put Hamilton's' hand on her slightly bigger stomach, with hers on top. Lacing her fingers into his other hand, she slipped into a sleep filled with dreams of girls in pink dresses with deep blue eyes.