Response to Reviews

Brittany – I 'm glad that you like that Courtney said yes and that Zander is home.  The wedding is coming up in the later chapters

abc- thanks for saying this is a great story!!

Shamira –  I 'm glad that you liked the scene with Elizabeth and Courtney,  and her and Jason.  I love the pixie sticks too, so I had to included it

90opyu – I'm glad that you liked the chapter

Through Thick and Thin

Chapter 18

A few months later,


Courtney walked into Kelly's where she saw Emily and Zander. She walked up
to them with a smile.

"Hey," she said, "Just the person that I wanted to see." Emily
looked up and smiled.

"Hi Zander, I'm glad that you are doing better now. Emily was really wrong
about you," Courtney said.

Zander smiled. "Thanks. I'll see you tonight," he said as he leaned over and
kissed her.

"Bye," Emily said smiling as Zander walked away.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Emily wondered.

"You know that I am getting married, right?"

Emily nodded.

"Well Carly and I have been planning the wedding. Actually it's more like
Carly's been planning the wedding," Courtney laughed. Emily joined in.

"And well, I was just wondering if you would like to be a bridesmaid?"

"Of course, I would be honored to," Emily said as she hugged Courtney.

"When is the wedding?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I think it will be in a few weeks," Courtney patted her stomach, "I would like to be married before this
little one comes."

"How many months are you?" Emily asked.

"I'm almost 4 months."

"Oh that's great," Emily said smiling.

"So how are you and Zander doing?"

Emily started to smile. "We are doing great; he is going to take me dancing
tonight. He promises me a long time ago that he would share a dance with
me."

"Well that is great," Courtney said and looked at her watch "I have to
go now."

"Don't overdo it," Emily said. Courtney smiled at her and walked out of Kelly's when suddenly
she felt dizzy and collapsed onto the floor.

Emily looked at her watch, also and realized that she should be going, as well. As she walked out of Kelly's, she saw Courtney passed out on the ground. She hurried over to her.

"Courtney, are you ok? Can you hear me?" Emily asked frantically.

"Hmm," Courntey said softly as she started to wake up.

"What happened?" she asked as she slowly sat up.

Emily looked at Courntey. "I was walking out of Kelly's and saw that you were
lying on the ground. Are you okay?"

"I felt a little dizzy, but I'm fine now," she said as she slowly stood up.

"Why don't you let me take you to the hospital? Just to make sure that
everything is okay with you and the baby?"

"My baby," Courntey said. She prayed that nothing was wrong with her baby.

"Okay," Courntey agreed as she and Emily walked away.

**

Jason and Sonny were at the penthouse when Jason's cell phone rang.

Jason picked up the phone. "Hello,"

"Hey Jason. It's me, Emily. Courtney and I are at the hospital... "

"Is everything okay?" Jason asked with a concerned look.

"Courntey fainted outside of Kelly's, so I brought her to the hospital. We are
waiting to see Dr. Meadows. I just thought you would like to be there with
her,"

"I'm on my way," Jason said as he hung up the phone.

Sonny looked at Jason. "Is everything okay?"

Jason looked at Sonny. "I hope so. I have to go. I'll tell you later," he said and he
left the penthouse.

**
Meanwhile at the hospital,

Courtney and Emily are waiting in the waiting area to see Dr. Meadows.

"You know Emily you don't have to be here. I'm sure nothing is wrong with the
baby; I'm just a little overwhelmed with the wedding and everything. It's nothing." Emily smiled.

"I don't mind waiting with you." Courtney smiled.

"Thanks, I'm glad that you are here; I am a little nervous," she admitted. Emily smiled and squeezed her hand gently.

"Courtney!" a voice called outs. Emily and Courtney turned around and saw Jason walking towards them.

"What are you doing here?"

She then turned around to face Emily. "You called him, didn't you?" She grinned.

"I figure that Jason should be here with you." Courtney hugged Emily.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Suddenly a nurse walked over to them.

"Dr. Meadows will see you now," she said. Courtney got up from her seat and Jason grabbed a hold of her hand. She turned to face Emily.

"You don't have to stay here anymore. I'll be  fine; go get ready for your date with Zander," she said.

Emily smiled. "Okay, but call me later and tell me everything. Bye, Jas,"
she said.

Emily sighed as she walked towards the elevator. She hoped that nothing was wrong with Courtney's and Jason baby. They both deserve so much happiness, she thought to herself as she got onto the elevator.

**
Jason and Courtney were in the exam room waiting for Dr. Meadows. Both Jason
and Courtney didn't say anything to each other; they were both worried
that something was wrong with the baby. Courtney glanced at Jason.

"I'm sorry that Emily called you; I'm fine. I  think I am just working too hard on getting our wedding ready." Jason took a hold of her hand.

"You shouldn't been working so hard; you know  I don't want a big wedding and I don't think you want one either, do you?" Courtney laughed.

"No, I don't, but Carly does." Dr. Meadows walked into the room.

"I heard that you had a fainting spell. How are you feeling now?" she asked looking at Courtney, who smiled and nodded.

"I'm feeling much better. I'm sure it is nothing. I'm just tired."

"Well why don't we do an ultrasound, just to be sure, ok?" Dr. Meadows said.

"Ok. Courtney, you are about 16 weeks along, right?" Dr. Meadows asked. Courtney nodded.

"Yes, about 4 months," she confirmed as Dr. Meadows began getting the ultra sound machine ready. Courtney and Jason looked at each other; they couldn't believe they were going to see their baby for the first time. A few seconds later, they were
looking at the picture of their daughter or son.

"It is still a little early to see if it is a boy or girl," Dr. Meadow
replied. Courtney couldn't stop smiling as she looked at her daughter or son.

"Is everything okay?" she asked the doctor.

"Everything seems to be okay," Dr. Meadows replied, "Have you been under much
stress lately?" Courtney shook her hand.

"No, I haven't been under stress, but I have been
planning my wedding."

"Well I would suggest that you relax a little bit. I think that is the
reason you faint; you were working too hard."

Suddenly the doctor's pager went off.

"Come see me in 4 weeks for another check-up," she
said and then headed out of the room.

"See, I'm fine, "Courtney said. " I'm just going to change so that we can go."

A few minutes later,

"I'm ready," she said. Jason looked up at her.

"I'm glad that everything is okay with the baby and I think you should listen to the doctor and relax a little bit." Courtney smiled.

"I guess we don't really need a big wedding. I'll talk to Carly tomorrow about that," she said as they walked out of the hospital.

Courtney was so relived that everything was okay with the baby. She wouldn't  admit it to Jason, but she was a little scared that she was going to lose this  baby. She then touched her stomach.

"You are just fine; I'm the one who  needs to slow down." Jason looked at Courtney.

"Are you talking to your stomach?" he laughed.

"No, I'm talking to our baby," she smiled as she grabbed his hand.

**

A few hours later,

Emily was getting ready for her date with Zander but she couldn't stop
thinking about Courtney and Jason and their baby. She decided to call
Courtney.

"Hello," Courtney answered the phone.

"Hey, it's Emily. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay
with you and the baby." Courtney laughed.

"I told you I would phone you, but there isn't really
anything to say. Dr. Meadows said that the baby is fine and there was nothing wrong
with the baby. I just need to relax more." Emily smiled.

"I'm glad that everything is okay. I was worried about you and
the baby. Is there anything I can do with the wedding to help you?" Courtney laughed.

"I know one thing you can do for me."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to get ready for your date with Zander and stop worrying about
me." Emily chuckled.

"Okay I will."

"I'm going to talk to Carly tomorrow about the wedding and see if we can
make it a small one with just close friends and family."

"That's a good idea."

"Well I should go now and get ready for my date," Emily said and hung
up the phone.

She looked at her clock and saw that she was going to be late to meet
Zander if she didn't hurry up. She quickly went into the bathroom and
got ready.

**
A half an hour later,

Emily saw Zander sitting by the fountain.

"I'm so sorry that I keep you  waiting; I was on the phone with Courtney making sure that she and the baby were okay and lost track of time." Zander smiled.

"It's okay. You are here now. Are Courtney and the baby okay?" Emily smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, they are just fine. So where are we going tonight?" Zander took her hand.

"It's a surprise." Emily smiled.

"I can't wait to see."

A few minutes later,

they came up to a restaurant.

"What are we doing here? The sign says that it is closed for a private party," Emily said looking at Zander confused. Zander smiled.

"It's for us; I booked us the whole restaurant." Emily couldn't believe it.

"But how could you afford it?" He looked at her.

"Don't you like it?"

"Oh no! Of course, I do. Let's go inside."

"I thought you would never ask," Zander laughed as he grabbed her hand and
walked into the restaurant.


**
A few hours later,

Emily looked at Zander.

"You know I never thought that you and I could ever  be like this again. When I got back to town and you didn't want to be with  me because you thought I pitied you, and then you getting shot..." He grabbed her hand.

"Don't think about that. We are together now and that's all that matters," he said. Emily smiled at him.

"This night has been so great; I don't want it to end.,"

"It doesn't have to end I think that I still own you that dance," Zander
said as he looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Will you dance with me?" he said extending his hand to hers.

"I would love to," she said as she got up. They went on the dance floor
and started to dance. Emily leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. She
felt so happy being in his arms; she didn't want the night to end.

We are going to be together forever, Emily thought to herself.


**
A few weeks later,

Courtney walked into Kelly's and saw Emily and Carly talking to each other.
"What are you two talking about?" Courtney laughed as she walked up to them.

"We were just talking about your wedding," Carly said. "I send out the  invitations."

Courtney smiled.  "Thanks, you know, I could have done that."

"But you know what the doctor said, you have to relax and not to work
so hard." Courtney laughed.

"I don't think she meant that I couldn't do anything. She  just meant that I shouldn't do a lot of strenuous thing." Carly looked at her watch.

"I have to go now, but I'll see you later," she said as she walked out of Kelly's.

"I guess it's just me and you," Courtney laughed. Emily looked at Courtney.

"What are we doing just sitting? Why don't we go  shopping? I'm sure you need some stuff for my little niece or nephew."

 Courtney smiled. "Sure, that sounds fun."


**
A few hours later,

Courtney and Emily had finished shopping, when Courtney turned to Emily.

"Well, thanks for shopping with me. I think I got enough for the baby. I
better be going back to my loft."

"Actually I need to go talk to Jason about something and I tried calling your
place, but he wasn't there. Do you think we could stop by the penthouse
for a second?" Emily asked with a smile.

"Sure," Courtney said.

A half an hour later, they showed up at Sonny's penthouse. Courtney opened the
door and jumped when she heard:

"Surprise!"

To be continued!!