Flashbacks indicated by italics:

Squib sped down the street, knowing he was going faster than he should have been. He kept checking his watch, even though he knew there was no way he could know when Cody was going to have the baby…

"Why don't we just wait until it's born? Then, if it's a girl, we can paint the nursery pink. And if it's a boy, blue."

"Because," said Squib, "I want it painted before we have the baby. That way the little guy- or girl- has a nice room when he or she gets home."

"Well then, what do you suggest?" Cody asked.

"Why don't we paint it a neutral colour? Like yellow?"

"Because, they say you're not supposed to paint babies' rooms yellow. It makes them go crazy," Cody informed him.

"…My room was painted yellow."

"See? Point made."

"Did you call him?" Cody asked Adena.

"Yeah, he's on his way," she informed her.

"How far away is he?"

"I don't know, he didn't say. It was a very rushed conversation." Cody looked as if she was about to speak again when her face suddenly contorted in pain. "What's wrong?" Adena asked frantically as Cody let out a yell of anguish.

"What do you think is wrong?" She yelled.

"Erm…oh! Contraction!"

"Bingo, Sherlock!" Just then a nurse entered, postponing anymore of Cody's angry rants.

"Okay, Mrs. Furlong, you've dilated nine centimeters. Pretty soon we'll be ready to take you in. Can I get you anything?" She asked politely.

"Squib…ice…a very strong sedative…maybe a rhino tranquilizer?"

Adena laughed nervously, "She could use some ice chips."

"Will do," the nurse smiled and left again.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" A very wary-looking Cody asked.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"Squib! Now is not the time to be macho! If this crib falls apart with our baby in it, you're dead!"

"Relax, City Girl! I have everything under control!"

"That's what you said about the entertainment center," she reminded him.

"Yeah, and I got it set up!" Squib replied.

"After three weeks!" Squib was about to reply when what he had assembled of the crib came crashing down on him.

"Uh…Cody?" Came his muffled voice from underneath the mess.

"Oh God…"

Squib sighed as he hit yet another red light. Why did New York have to be so big? As soon as the light turned green he floored the gad pedal and sped toward the hospital.

"Squib…Squib…Are you up?" Squib felt someone shaking him.

"Huh? What time is it?" He asked groggily.

"Three thirty," came Cody's reply.

"And why exactly are you waking me up at three thirty?"

"Feel my stomach!"

"…Why?"

"Just do it!"

"Fine," Squib sighed, deciding it was better just to humor the pregnant lady. He reached his hand over and put it on her stomach.

"You feel it?"

Squib was silent for a moment when he started smiling, "Yeah. I do."

"It's kicking."

"Okay, Mrs. Furlong," the same nurse said a little while later, "we're going to take you into the delivery room now."

"Squib's not here!" Cody exclaimed to Adena, who was walking alongside as they wheeled her down the hall.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be here any minute!" Adena assured her friend.

"Um…Cody? What are you doing?" Squib asked as he entered the kitchen to find it full of smoke and…interesting aromas.

"Cooking," she said simply.

"Okay…what? And why?"

"I'm making pancakes and roast. I had a craving."

"Okay, one- weird craving…and two- Why didn't you just ask me?"

"You were asleep."

"Okay," said Squib, "well, I'm awake now, so…"

"No, it's okay," Cody said to him, "I've got it."

"I thought you didn't cook. You don't cook. It's our arrangement, remember? I marry you, and you don't cook?"

"Very funny, Squib," she rolled her eyes as she waddled around the kitchen, "now move over and let me flip the pancakes."

"Cody," he said, stepping forward and grabbing the hand that was going for the pancakes, "you know I love you. You are a beautiful, amazing woman with many, many various talents. But I need you to put the spatula down."

"Oh, fine. Just don't burn the roast."

Squib ran down the hall in the direction that the nurse had pointed him. Bursting through the door he was met with a doctor, two nurses, Adena, and a very pained-looking Cody.

"Squib!" She managed to shriek happily. "You're here!"

"Of course," he smiled and Adena moved so he could take her place at Cody's side.

"Okay, Cody," one of the nurses said, "I need you to push again." Cody groaned in protest but pushed nevertheless, with Adena and Squib cheering her on. A few seconds later, she collapsed against the bed.

"Good work, Cody," the nurse smiled.

"Yeah, good job sweetie," Adena smiled and Squib squeezed his wife's hand.

"This really hurts…" She said in a very small voice, staring at Squib with pleading eyes.

"I know, baby," he smoothed back her hair, "but just think, after this, we'll have our very own baby."

"Yeah," she smiled.

"Okay, Cody, another one," the second nurse said, "You can do it," she encouraged. Cody pushed once more, shrieking in pain. This time when she stopped, however, there were no words of praise from any of the staff. Instead the three had formed some sort of huddle and were talking quietly.

"Again, Cody," the doctor said, trying to sound encouraging, but his voice was laced with thinly-veiled worry. Cody nodded and pushed once more. Squib and Adena cast each other fearful looks, both noticing something wrong with the doctor's behavior. This time when she stopped, the nurses cast each other worried glances.

"One more big one should do it, Cody," this time the doctor looked downright scared. Cody ignored it, though, and pushed on. Finally, she collapsed against the bed. The whole room was silent, but Cody was too tired to notice. When she finally did have the energy to sit up and tune back into the room around her, she saw Squib and Adena watching the doctor and nurses frightfully. The three were huddled around some sort of equipment that she couldn't see and the doctor was shouting orders she couldn't make out.

"Wait…" she said slowly, "…why is it so quiet? Where's the crying?" She whipped her head around to look at Squib, but he continued to stare at the staff. Finally the turned to face her, the doctor looking regretful and the nurses looking on the verge of tears.

"Mrs. Furlong," he spoke, "I'm so very sorry."

"Why?" Cody asked, frantic. "What's wrong?"

"You've had a still born."

Someday they'll find your small town world on a big town avenue
Gonna make you like the way they talk when they're talking to you
Gonna make you break out of the shell cause they tell you to
Gonna make you like the way they lie better than the truth
They'll tell you everything you wanted someone else to say
They're gonna break your heart, yeah

From what I've seen
You're just a one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

Somebody ought to take you in
Try to make you love again
Try to make you like the way they feel
When they're under your skin
Never once did you think they'd lie when they're holding you
You wonder why they haven't called
When they said they'd call you
You start to wonder if you're ever gonna make it by
You'll start to think you were born blind

From what I've seen
You're just a one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

I'm here for the hard times
The straight to your heart times
When livin' ain't easy
You can stand up against me
And maybe rely on me
And cry on me, yeah

Some day they'll open up your world
Shake it down on a drawing board
Do their best to change you
They still can't erase you

From what I've seen
You're just one more hand me down
Cause no one's tried to give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now

Lay them down on me
Oh yeah
You're just one more hand me down
And all those nights don't give you what you need
So lay all your troubles down...on me

-Matchbox20 'Hand Me Down'

Thoughts? Comments? You know what to do (….review, that is).