AN-hey everybody, thanks for all of your great replies! And I know you are all anticipating the new relationship, and trust me, its on the way, Not in this chapter, but this is the beginning of it all. Remember reply with any sort of feedback.

Chapter8: Surname, Surname...that is the question

Manny was tossing and turning in her sleep. She was having a horrible dream. People were running around and screaming, and they were all yelling to her, but she couldn't here what they were saying, and that was what was frustrating the most. Suddenly in the dream a shot rang out, pulling her out of it, and awake. She sat up shaking, she was drenched in sweat, and her bed was drenched, she didn't know from what though. She hadn't been sitting up for more then a minute, when a gut wrenching shot of pain ran through her body. She doubled over in pain and cried out. She had no idea what it was, but she knew the horrible pain pulsing through her body wasn't right.

Jimmy's fluttered open when he heard crying. He looked at the alarm clock 6:12. He sat up and listened intently. It wasn't the TV and it wasn't him...Manny. He jumped out of bed, pulled a shirt over his body and burst into her room.

"Manny, what's wrong?" he came to her side and looked down at the bed, her sheets were soaked

"Oww, Jimmy it hurts so bad" she cried

"Oh my god...Manny, I think your water broke," he whispered

"No!" her head shot up

"Yes, come on we have to get you to the hospital

"N.nno! Jimmy I'm only 7 months, there is still 2 months to go! Jimmy stop" she tried to struggle against him as he pulled her from the bed and helped her change her cloths.

"Manny, just calm down, breath, its going be ok, either way we have to go to the hospital to see if the baby is ok, understand?" he asked, and she nodded as she breathed relaxing breaths in and out.

"Ok lets go" they got outside and quickly got in a cab and sped to the hospital. Jimmy held her hand the whole time, and made all of the necessary phone calls. Manny was quite for the most part, gritting her teeth and breathing deeply, and whimpering ever so often. Finally they pulled up to the hospital and everyone was outside waiting, Spinner and Paige, Marco and Dylan and Emma and Chris. And two people Jimmy really didn't want to see. Craig and Ashley. But still he pulled Manny from the cab. They were a couple of feet away from them when Manny doubled over from the pain. Jimmy was at her side in a minute, and he swore from the corner of his eye, he saw Craig lurch forward, but pull back.

"Manny come on were almost there" he told her

"No...Jimmy.... I cant. You don't understand it hurts too much. I cant do this" Manny cried from her spot on the ground.

"Go get some help" he shouted and Dylan and Marco ran inside.

A couple of minutes later a couple of Male orderly's came out and put her in a wheel chair, they all jogged inside to the Receptionists desk

"Can I help you" she smiled

"Yea, my, my uh, my friend is in labor, but she is only 7 months pregnant" Jimmy stammered
"name?" she started to type

"Manny Sa-Brooks" he stammered

"And your name?"

"Jimmy Brooks"

"Ok right this way Mr. and Ms. Brooks." She came from behind the counter and led them to a room.

The nurses hooked Manny up to different monitors and IV's.

"Now what?" Paige asked the nurse

"We wait" and the nurse left the room.

Paige Spinner and Jimmy sat with Manny, everyone else stayed in the hallway.

"Ooww a contraction" Manny whimpered

"Its ok, just breath" Paige held her left hand and Jimmy held her right, and placed his other hand on the top of her head, running his hand through her soft sweat pasted hair.

"Your doing great" he whispered and Manny nodded as she waited for the contraction to pass. Then the doctor came in, Mr. Smith; the same doctor who had Manny had been with through out her whole pregnancy.

"Ok, Manny lets take a look" he said as he begin to examine her, she winced here and they're but not much reaction.

"Well your moving a long perfectly, your all ready dilated 8 and a half centimeters, so we are going to start pushing soon. But we have to talk about something first. Your baby is going to be born within the next hour, and she is going to be born 2 months premature" he says slowly

"What does that mean?" Jimmy asked

"Well, she will be small, only about 2 pounds, but the babies lungs are pretty much developed, so she has a very strong chance. But, premature babies are always susceptible to more viruses and illness, so you shouldn't be worried if we take her away as soon as she is born its just for tests" he told them and they all nodded

"Ok, so the nurse will be coming in and giving you your epidural in and then we should be able to start pushing," the doctor smiled and left the room to scrub.

The nurse came in and Manny rolled on to her side and faced Jimmy. She held his hand tight as the Nurse injected the epidural. A single tear fell down her cheek and Jimmy wiped it away. "I'm scared" she whispered

"Don't be, I'm going to be here the whole time" he said as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek.. She nodded. As soon as she rolled back over she felt more relaxed.

"Thank god for epidurals" she sighed and everyone laughed. A couple of minutes the doctor came in again.

"Ok one last check" and he proceeded to examine her. "Ok Manny, lets get ready to push.

"1.2.3..." he said and Manny started to push.

An hour and a half later, still no baby. They had been pushing and pushing and weren't getting anywhere. Suddenly a steady beep coming from one of the monitors began to drop.

"What is that?" Spinner asked the doctor walked over to the machine that was printing out patterns that none of them understood.

"Manny, the babies heart rate is dropping and it's going into distress-"

"What does that mean?" Jimmy asked

"it means that we have to get the baby out, now, before she starts to loose oxygen"

"Oh god" Manny cried

"It's going be ok" Paige hugged her close

"We are prepping the operating room doctor," a nurse said as she exited

"What's going to happen now?" Spinner asked

"She's going to have a c-section-"

"How long will that take?" Paige asked

"If everything goes as planned, as quickly as 2 minutes-"

"Then lets get it done already," Manny wailed. The nurses unhooked her from the stationary equipment and started to roll her out of the room, with Jimmy following closely behind.

"Sorry, you can't come with us" one nurse said

"No I have to, I-"

"Sorry, you can wait in the waiting room" and they were gone. Jimmy walked silently backed to the others. He plopped down in the chair

"What's happening? Where are they taking her?" Craig peppered him with questions but he just blocked him out. He heard Paige telling everyone what was going on.

A couple of minutes later, a knocked out Manny was wheeled back to her room, no baby insight, not even inside of her. Jimmy sprang to his feet and went to go in the room but the Dr. stopped him.

"Jimmy come here, I need to speak with you," he said sternly. Jimmy looked between the doctor and the door to Manny's room, he sighed and approached the doctor.

"How did it go?" he asked

"Manny did beautifully and she is going to be fine, but-"

"What about the baby?" Jimmy cut straight to the point

"Well, like I said before, her heart rate is down, and she did loose some oxygen, but as of right now she's stable, but she isn't breathing on her own, we have her in the ICU." He said quietly. Jimmy felt his eyes watering. He ran his hands over his face,

"Can I see her?"

"Manny or the baby?"

"Um.The baby first" he nodded

"Right this way."

After changing into a sterile outfit and washing himself up Jimmy walked into the ICU.

"Hi, how can I help you?" a nurse said quietly

"Brooks" he whispered

"Ohhh so you're the lucky guy who is going take home this little sweetie" she laughed as she led him over to a small unit in the corner of the room. The unit was ladled "baby brooks, girl"

"Feel free to hold her hand and talk to her," the nurse said as she placed a hand on his back and walked away.

He was pretty sure everyone in this damn hospital believed that was his baby, besides Dr. Smith anyways. But he was ok with that. So he sat down I the chair and looked at her for the first time. She was absolutely adorable. She had tanned skin, and a perfect round little face with some soft jet black peach fuzz for hair. But she was very small, well smaller then he pictured.

"Hey their" he whispered "you gave us a scare" this was the hardest think he had ever done in his life. The poor helpless baby lay there, the oxygen being forced up her nose and her little eyes taped shut, but he held her tiny hand in his.

"Mommy needs you to get better, baby. For me, for mommy, for everyone. Please get strong soon. Everybody is waiting for you. Uncle spin is going to teach you to burb on command" he laughed "And aunt Paige is going to teach you how to shop around, everybody loves you, and wants you to come home, get better soon" he whispered as single tear was shed, but that was it. He wiped his eyes.

He tried to think of a name for her but nothing came to mind, he was sure Manny had a name. Manny, he should go and see her. He kissed his hand and ran it along the newborns cheek. And got up and left for Manny's room. He slowly slipped in and sat next to her bed.

"Jimmy?" she yawned

"I'm here" he whispered

"How is she?" her eyes fluttered open

"Perfect, beautiful, just like you" he whispered In her ear.

"What do you want to call her?" she asked Jimmy

"I'm not sure, but you should pick" he told her

"No you" she said in a tired voice

"Ok...what do you think about Jimmy?" he laughed and so did she but then she grasped her stomach.

"No laughing," she said steadily and Jimmy nodded. "I really, don't know, you should wait to you see her, maybe something will come to mind." And Manny nodded.

"Can I see her now?" she asked

"No, she's...she's in the ICU" he told her

"Why?" Manny was horrified

"She cant breath on her own yet, but she will" he caressed her cheek and Manny nodded.

"I'm so tired" she whispered

"Rest, its ok" he kissed her forehead and Manny closed her eyes. Her breath evened out and Jimmy knew she had fallen asleep. And he just couldn't help himself, so he scooted forward and let his lips just barely grace against hers. He laid his head down on her bed and closed his eyes as well.

The camera zooms out to Craig looking into the small window of Manny's room. He sighs. He walks over to the ICU. He looks in through the second window and sees his daughter, well Manny's daughter, practically Jimmy's daughter, it says Baby Brooks. But that didn't make her, his. And he was going to convince Manny, that he could be a good dad, one way or another. He was going to have his family.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" he turned to see Ashley standing at his side

"She's so adorable" he pointed her out

"Yea, she looks just like Manny" Ashley said

"I'm going to get them back, I know it," he said confidently

"What?" Ashley gave him a funny look.

"I'm going to beg Manny if I have to, I want this baby" he said firmly, Ashley stepped away.

"I can't believe you" she said in a low voice

"What?" Craig asked

"Cant you see, Manny and Jimmy are in love" she pointed out

"Uhh they are not!" he waved her off

"They are to, they just don't know it yet, ask anybody. And second, if you love that baby at all, you would know she is better of with Jimmy. He can support them and take care of them, and protect them "she told him sternly.

"Oh and I cant?" he raised his voice slightly

"No, no you cant, and you don't deserve to" and with that Ashley walked away. Now your probably thinking,..."Wow can we say, mood swings?" but Ashley had came to a realization these past few months.

Their could never be a Ashley and Craig, or a Ashley and Jimmy. But a Jimmy and Manny sounded right. An she felt really bad for all the things she had done and said, that's why she got Manny the rocking chair, she knew it wouldn't make up for much, but she thought it was the thought that counted.

Manny awoke a few minutes after Jimmy fell asleep. She turned her head to see the calendar on the wall. April 10, 2004, was her daughter's birthday. She smiled, her daughter, it did have a nice ring to it, but now, she needed a name. Sara, naaa, Julie naaa, Margot naaa, Nicole, naaa, jeez picking out baby names was harder then she realized. She looked down at Jimmy. He was sleeping peacefully. He hadn't left her side, just like he promised, and she loved him for that, well, that and a couple of other reasons. Suddenly there was a quite knock at the door. It was Paige, she waved her in.

"Shhh" Manny pointed to Jimmy and Paige nodded, she sat at the other side of Manny's bed, and slowly but carefully Manny turned to look at her.

"How you feeling?" Paige smiled

"A little tired but good" Manny whispered back

"I saw the baby she's gorgeous" Paige gushed

"Thanks" Manny beamed

"And I brought you a gift" Paige held up a baby names book

"Perfect, I was just thinking about that" Manny told her. Paige opened the book.

"Laura?"

"No"

"Teresa?"

"No"

"Jade?"

"Nope"

"Sara?"

"Um..No"

"Paige?"

"Now you sound like Jimmy" both girls shared a slight laugh.

"Well what exactly are you looking for?"

"Well, is she light skinned or dark?" Manny asked

"I would call her a bit darker then olive" Paige nodded

"Then something ethnic" Paige nodded and continued

"Lolita?"

"That means sorrow"

"Never mind, how bout Isabella?" Manny was quite for a moment

"That's my grandmothers name," she whispered, Paige sighed

"You wish they were here don't you?"

"A little, is that wrong?"

"No, they're your family-"

"Lets not talk about them, we have a baby to name" Manny changed the subject.

"Carmen?"

"I like it, but how bout we use it for the middle name?"

"Perfect.... ok...Bella?"

"Over used"

"Sofia?"

"Sofia...Sofia Carmen.... or Carmen Sofia.... yea Sofia that's it...Sofia Carmen" Manny nodded

"I love it" Paige closed the book.

"That was just the easy part" Manny sighed
"What do you mean, we just figured out the first and middle name" Paige was confused

"Now what about the last name...Santos or Manning?"

"Well, Sofia Carmen Santos...sounds good....Sofia Carmen Manning....its ok...but...I think I like Sofia Carmen Brooks. If I do say so myself" Paige gave her award winning smile.

"Uh...I don't know if Jimmy would agree to that," Manny answered

"Jimmy would agree to what?" he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Thankfully before Manny had to answer there was a knock at the door. It creaked in and everybody filed in. Manny was smothered with hugs and kisses, and compliments on her baby girl, but Craig and Ashley stayed towards the back of the room. Manny really wanted to do what she did next. She waved ash over. "Me?" she pointed to herself and Manny nodded.

Ashley reluctantly walked over and Manny hugged her "Thanks for the rocking chair I love it" she whispered in her ear and Ashley smiled. Maybe she had been forgiven.

Everyone sat and talked, and cooed about the baby. Finally Manny got a little tired, and convinced everyone to go and see the baby for her. And they all agreed but Craig staid behind.

"Can we talk?" he asked

"I thought you were going to stay away?" she asked, but there was no attitude in her voice, only curiosity.

"I was, but I couldn't" he admitted. Manny nodded and pointed to the chair at her side.

"Look, I know that we have our problems and differences, but, that little girl out their. She's my daughter to, and I really want to be in her life. I want us to be a family. I already talked to Joey, he said we can move into the basement, and Ill get a job, and the money my dad left me is more then enough for a while at least. I want this baby, I want you, most of all, I want our daughter to have my last name" he whispered the last part. And by now Manny's eyes were getting teary.

Just when things were getting good with Jimmy, Craig had to come around and say stuff like that. What the hell was she supposed to do, she was sooo confused. She was positive she had feelings for Jimmy, but she didn't know how he felt. She couldn't throw it all away. She needed to talk to Jimmy. "I need some time, I have to think this out," she said and he nodded. He went to leave but she stopped him. "Can you get Jimmy?" she asked, Craig's heart dropped but he nodded.

Jimmy watched Paige in the ICU unit talking to the baby and cooing to her, most of all, he watched the baby. Her little chest would rise and fall in sync with the machine and her heartbeat on the monitor was steady. For the first time in his life, Jimmy wanted something. Actually wanted, not like he wanted a new Nets jersey, and not like he wanted to go to Honolulu for summer vacation. It wasn't even a want, it was a need. He needed to adopt her, or at least have her carry his last name. Heck, even Manny was using his name right now. That was just the way he liked it.

"Jimmy" he turned around and came face to face with Craig "Manny wants you" Jimmy smiled and practically skipped to Manny's room. When he walked in she was starring out the window. "Hey" he interrupted the silence. "Hi" she answered back

"I wanted to talk to you bout something," she whispered

"Me to," he said lightly

"You first" she smiled

"Ok, so, like, I was wondering if you were ok with it, if the baby could have my last name, you know, maybe I could even adopt her. I mean, cause your going to be staying with me, so I, well it just seems easier, I mean right now, your even under Brooks so I just think that, it makes sense" he rambled on.

His words were music to her ears, but they cause her heart to ache too. Cause now she had a choice to make. So she had to know only one thing. "Why?" she asked

"Why what?" Jimmy retorted

"Why do you want her last name to be brooks?"

"Cause I fell in love with y—her, and I just want to share that with her, plus she would be on my insurance and stuff" he stammered, he nearly lost himself their, but he made a quick comeback. His falter hadn't seemed to effect Manny. She turned her head back to the window.

"Mrs. Brooks?" the turned to the nurse who had entered the room.

"Yes" Manny nodded

"Here is the birth certificate we need you to fill out" the nurse handed her the card and a pen, and then excited the room.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" he asked

"Sofia Carmen" she whispered

"I like it" he nodded

"I just don't know about her last name" Manny looked up at him

"Oh" Jimmy just looked down.

"Its either, Santos Brooks or...Manning"

"Manning?" his head bolted

"Craig wants to be a 'family' or so he says" she studied the birth certificate

"An your seriously contemplating that?" Jimmy was horrified. He knew Craig would try and them away from him.

"I don't know Jimmy, can we not talk about this right now?" she put the paper on the end table.

"Yes I think we should!" he raised his voice.

"Jimmy, calm down" she soothed

"No! After everything I've done for you, and then you want to back with that creep? Manny I lo.I..." Jimmy just walked over to the window.

"You what Jimmy?" Manny questioned

"Nothing, do whatever you want, just let me know when you're leaving" and with that he stormed out of the room. And out of the hospital. He made such a loud noise, that Paige and Spinner who were with the baby heard him; they looked up to see him run out of the hospital doors just in time.

"Ill go see what happened" Paige left Spinner with the baby. He soon decided he should see if Manny was ok.

"Jimmy? Where the heck are you?" Paige yelled, finally she turned to her side and saw him sitting on the curb. She sat next to him His face was covered with his hands. She rubbed comforting circles on his back. "What happened?" Paige whispered

"She's thinking about moving in with Craig and giving the baby his last name" he spat

"Ww.wwhat? You can't be serious"

"Serious as a heart attack"

"Well then I guess it's a good thing were already at the hospital" Paige tried to joke, and she got a stifled laughter from Jimmy, but that was all.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked her

"Of course?" she patted his back

"Well, somehow, I really can pin point when, but I think I fell in love with Manny, and I know I'm in love with that beautiful little girl in their. I want them as my family." He pouted much like a 5 year old would if they had been sent to the corner.

"Well its good to see you finally admitting it, cause I have none it all along" she smiled "but you should really tell Manny that, cause I bet you she's confused as hell" they laughed.

"I think I'm just going to go home, I'm really tired" he rubbed his face. And Paige nodded, they stood up and hugged and Jimmy went on his way. Spinner walked the halls to Manny's room, everyone else had gone home and it was just he.

He knocked on Manny's door and walked in. "hey" he greeted "hey" she said as she wiped away the tears.

"What happened, do I need to kill Craig or Jimmy?" Spinner sat next to her. And Manny shook her head.

"Its all my fault" she sobbed

"Its not, its really not, now what happened?" he pushed

"They both want me to give the baby their last name, and I just, I don't know what to do. Its not Jimmy's baby, and I already feel guilty enough for how I put him out, I don't wana ruin his life. But I don't like Craig, and I don't want to ruin his life either! I just.... why does it have to be so complicated." She whined

"I don't know, but I really think you should straighten things out with Jimmy. Cause...I know he cares for you."

"He does?" she looked up at him

"Yea, a lot" they both nodded. Spinner handed her the phone.

Jimmy had just walked in the door. He started to pour himself a glass of soda when the door rang. He opened the door

"Ash? What are you doing here?"

"I heard about the fight you had with Manny, I thought you might want to talk to someone," she said as she walked passed him

"Uh, I guess, do you want something to drink"?

"Sure" she sat down in the living room and the phone began to ring. "Ill get it"

"Hello?" she clicked the phone on

"Ashley?" Manny was confused

"Yea who's this?" Ashley questioned

"Um.. Manny" she told her

"Oh is everything all right? Do you want to talk to Jimmy?" Manny was silent "hello?"

"Sorry, uh, no I didn't mean to interrupt, sorry" and she clicked the phone dead.

"Who was it?" Jimmy handed her a drink

"Manny, but she hung up before I could say anything" she told him as he sat next to her.

"I can't believe it" she whispered

"What's the matter?" spinner takes the phone back

"He's at home, with Ashley," she informed him and Spinner raised an eyebrow.

As much as she tried to fight it, jealousy and hurt swept over her. But it wisents even her place. She covered her face as the fresh tears sprung to her eyes. This was becoming such a mess. All she wanted was to go and see her baby and be with Jimmy, but she couldn't do any of it.

AN2-incase you guys didn't know surname, means last name, (from the tittle)