~ 5 Weeks Until Due Date ~

Carlisle hangs up the phone, and with a groan he runs his hands over his face. He knew this was a bad idea. He told Esme it was a bad idea a thousand times. The pregnancy is high risk for premature birth. They should have stayed home. He shouldn't have gotten the call that Maria was in labor while he and Jasper were two thousand miles away.

He turns the faucet on and splashes cold water on his face. He's so frustrated he could scream, but that's not an option. Jasper is already freaking out. Carlisle has done everything he can for the situation already. Getting angry or frustrated will only make things worse.

He looks at himself in the mirror and focuses on relaxing his jaw, lowering his eyebrows, softening his expression. He takes a deep breath, then leaves the bathroom, and joins Jasper and Beau on the porch.

"It'll be okay, Jazzy boy," Beau attempts to comfort the pacing teen.

"He's not supposed to be born for another five weeks! It's too early!"

"Jasper," Carlisle calls. Jasper keeps walking back and forth in the front yard and shakes his hands rapidly at his side. "Jasper, come up here and take a seat."

"Is he going to be okay? Carlisle, he's not supposed to be born yet!"

"He's going to be fine, Jasper. Come sit down."

Jasper complies and takes a seat in his rocking chair, biting at his nails now that he can't pace his nervous energy away. Carlisle sits next to him and rests his hand on Jasper's knee.

"I made a bunch of calls. It's only early labor. That can last between six and twelve hours. AJ is early, but only five weeks. He will have to stay in the hospital a little longer than a full-term baby would, but he will be fine."

"How do you know that?"

"He's a doctor, Jasper." Beau says. "You can trust him."

"She's at a hospital near the prison. They have a very small NICU. When it is safe to do so, AJ will be transferred to our hospital." Carlisle explains. "If it is not safe to do so, he will stay in their NICU until it is safe."

"The NICU?" Jasper's eyes grow even bigger.

"It's just a precaution. The NICU's have the right equipment to care for AJ in case he needs any special care."

"Like what kind of special care?"

"He may need help breathing, keeping himself warm, and eating. His lungs aren't completely developed yet, he probably doesn't have enough fat to stay warm, and eating takes a lot of strength."

"He won't be able to breath?" Jasper asks. His own breathing becomes more rapid and shallow. His hands shake and his heart races.

"They will put him on oxygen if he needs help breathing. The hospital is fully prepared if that is what he needs. You need to calm down, Jasper," Carlisle says as he watches Jasper's chest raise up and down. "Deep breathes. AJ is going to be fine."

Jasper tries to follow Carlisle's directions. His breaths are shaky.

"It isn't usual for preemies to need oxygen." Carlisle attempts to comfort him. "It happens all the time. The hospitals have everything they need to keep AJ safe and healthy.

"Oh, god," Jasper panics. "I don't have any preemie size clothes! Or diapers!"

"The hospital will have diapers and an outfit for him."

"But what about when he comes home?"

"Here," Carlisle pulls his phone out of his pocket. "I'll order diapers and some outfits right now."

"What about the car seat? Will he fit in the car seat even if he's early?"

"Yes, he'll fit in the car seat." Carlisle says. He goes to Amazon, searches for the premature size diapers, and adds a package to his cart. He searches for the onesies, adds a set of six to his cart, and checks out. He holds the phone to Jasper so he can see. "There. Diapers and outfits will be delivered to the house in two days."

"Okay," Jasper sighs heavily. "What about our plane tickets?"

"Our new plane takes off at five in the morning." Carlisle says. Jasper nods. They were originally supposed to leave in two days, so five in the morning is much better. "And I spoke with Mrs. Valerie. She understands that we're out of state and that I got us the flight that can get us back to Washington the soonest."

"Oh, God." Jasper groans. "Not Mrs. Valerie. She hates me."

"Who's Mrs. Valerie?" Beau asks.

"She's my social worker." Jasper explains.

"She doesn't hate you, Jasper. She was very understanding." Carlisle states.

Jasper closes his eyes and leans his head against the rocking chair as he tries to control the worry that is threatening to take over his body.

"What happens when AJ is born?" Jasper asks. "Are they going to make AJ stay with Maria until we get there?"

"No, absolutely not," Carlisle shakes his head. "The nurses will take care of him, and he'll stay in his own room until we get there."

"He's not going to have any family there. He'll be all by himself." Jasper's voice shakes as he thinks of a tiny baby, born too early to a piece of shit mother, being cared for by people that aren't his family.

"The hospital is only forty-five minutes away. Mrs. Valerie will call Esme when the labor progresses. He won't be alone for long."

"Okay."

"You've got a good team behind you, youngster," Beau comforts Jasper with a pat on his arm. Beau stands up, looks at Carlisle, and nods towards the front door. Carlisle stands and follows Beau into the house. Jasper leans forwards, his hands on his knees and his head down. Once they reach the kitchen, Beau lets out a worried huff. "The baby will be okay?" He asks Carlisle.

"Yes. Five weeks early isn't ideal, but it is not life threatening." Carlisle reassures. Beau nods.

"I got another question to ask you while we're alone and since you boys are leaving so soon. It's about Jasper. His temper, his emotions," Beau mumbles. "Do you think he has the same disorder that Joann had? Does he go up and down like she does?"

"Absolutely not," Carlisle answers quickly. "He's had his bad moments, but he doesn't have the disorder Joann had. I don't know what her exact diagnosis was, but from the stories I've heard, I would guess it was bipolar disorder. Jasper does not have that."

"Good, good," Beau lets out a relieved sigh as he opens the refrigerator. He pulls out two beers and passes one to Carlisle. "This is a big day for him."

"It is." Carlisle agrees as he cracks open his bottle.

"Can he have a beer?"

Carlisle thinks it over for a moment. He should say no. Jasper is a teenage parent with a history of misbehavior and trouble making. He shouldn't add underage drinking to the rap sheet.

"Just one. I don't need him being hung over on the plane tomorrow."

Beau grabs another beer, and the two men return to the porch. Jasper is lost in thought, staring off into the field across from Uncle Beau's house. It isn't until Beau touches Jasper's arm with the cold beer that he jolts back to awareness. Jasper takes it skeptically, then looks over to Carlisle. Carlisle nods and holds his bottle out.

"To AJ, and all the wonderful adventures that come along with him," Carlisle attempts to lighten the mood with an impromptu toast. Beau smiles and joins his bottle to Carlisle. Jasper follows their lead and their bottles clink together.

"To AJ," Beau says and takes a sip.

"To AJ," Jasper repeats. He takes a sip, and horror sweeps over his face. "Oh, no. I don't even have a middle name yet."

-JWiD-

After eleven hours of traveling, Jasper and Carlisle are finally home. Both look similar with dark circles and tired eyes. The family inside the house is waiting anxiously around Esme's cell phone. Because she was on call to respond if AJ made an appearance, Esme couldn't drive to Seattle to pick them up, so Carlisle had to arrange for another rental car to be ready at the airport. The car now sits in his driveway. He could have had Emmett meet him at the rental company closest to their home and drive Jasper and him the rest of the way, but turning in the car would add at least forty minutes to their travel time, and neither him nor Jasper were up to extending their time on the road. They'll figure out how to get the car returned tomorrow.

When Carlisle and Jasper enter the living room, they're greeted by the whole family. Esme's cell phone is in the middle of the coffee table with the volume turned all the way up, and Esme, Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice are all scattered around the couch and sitting on the floor. They ask about the trip, but Jasper is too worried to answer in detail.

"No word about AJ yet?" He asks.

"I talked to Mrs. Valerie about a half hour ago. She's still in early labor. They don't expect him to be born today." Esme answers.

Jasper sits next to his sister and rubs his eyes. He needs to go to sleep, but what if something changes?

"I don't even have a middle name yet." Jasper sighs. "The J in AJ means nothing right now."

"Let's brainstorm some more names then." Esme suggests with a smile and glances around to her family members on the couch. "Every think of J names."

Carlisle settles next to his wife as the kids call out names. Jasper nods as he considers them. Jonah, Josiah, Jaylon, Jeffery, Jared, Joseph. Not seem to feel right, though, until Rosalie gives another suggestion.

"What about James? That's a classic name. Sounds strong and brave." She says.

"That's Dad's middle name," Edward pipes up.

"What?" Jasper snaps his head over to Carlisle and looks at the man like he's absolutely crazy. "Your middle name is James?"

Carlisle nods.

"Why didn't you tell me that? I've been looking for a J name this whole time!" Jasper huffs. Carlisle scrunches his eyebrows in confusion.

"I didn't think you'd want to use my name."

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't use a name like Carlisle, but James is good." Jasper mocks with a rotten smirk.

"What's wrong with Carlisle?"

"Nothing. I mean, it fits you because it's an old man name, and you're an old man, but it isn't good for a baby."

The living room erupts into laughter, and Carlisle can't help but smile along. This teasing relationship that he and Jasper have developed is better for everyone and laughing at his expense is better than his family being filled with worry.

"Avery James Whitlock." Jasper says as the laughter dies. He lets it hang in the air for a moment, then smiles. "I like it. AJ will be named after both his grandfathers."

—two days later—

The NICU room is packed full of the Cullen-Whitlock blended family. Jasper sits in the overstuffed armchair next to what the hospital calls a crib. It looks more like some kind of fish tank to Jasper with it's clear plastic sides. There's monitors and cords and wires everywhere. There's a shit ton of people, too. There aren't supposed to be this many people in the NICU room, but the staff made an exception since it's for Dr. Cullen's new grandson.

After the call came that Maria was being taken in for a c-section after prolonged labor, Jasper felt like he held his breath until AJ was born and successfully and safely transported to the hospital Carlisle works at. He didn't want the other doctors messing with AJ, but Carlisle told him that the NICU staff was the best of the best and had more pediatric education and experience than Carlisle did. He reluctantly agreed on the condition that Carlisle checks on the little baby as often as he could when he was working and that he be in the room whenever the nurses had information to tell Jasper concerning AJ's health. One downside, though, was that everyone in the hospital was coming down to visit. Jasper has no clue who they are, but some bring presents and balloons. Most of the presents are stuff from the hospital gift shop so they received a lot of boxes of chocolates, teddy bears, and gift sets of socks and matching pacifiers. They're only here to congratulate Carlisle on becoming a grandfather, which is fine by Jasper. It means he doesn't have to talk to them.

He watches the numbers on the monitors near the crib until his vision blurs and he can't make out what is being displayed. He blinks a few times to reset his focus and looks down at the little bundle in his arms.

AJ is even smaller than he expected. The nurses have him connect to all kinds of things. Jasper is most concerned with the tubing forcing oxygen in AJ's tiny nose. Carlisle swears to Jasper that for being five weeks early, AJ is rather healthy. A little help breathing is all he needs, Carlisle said. He stated his lungs will be stronger in no time and then he won't have to be on these damn machines.

All he's doing is holding AJ. It's nothing difficult, so it shouldn't feel so challenging. Jasper wore a flannel shirt that belonged to Avery that he brought home from Texas. It's unbuttoned, and he has AJ in just a diaper cradled close to his bare chest. Esme helped tuck a blanket around them to keep AJ warm. He read online that skin to skin contact can help a NICU preemie. Every now and then AJ kicks his leg or stretches his arm. It's a bizarre sensation to the teenager. He's helped care for small kids when they were in mutual foster homes together, but never babies this small. Skin to skin contact is his first fatherly duty and it he's so nervous that he's sure his heart is about to beat right out of his chest.

"He's so cute," Rosalie giggles as she moves the blanket away from AJ's cheek. She smiles at her brother. "You're doing great, Jasper."

"Thanks." He murmurs.

"Have you guys taken a picture all together yet?" Dr. Cobb asks. Jasper was embarrassed when he came in the room, but Dr. Cobb didn't seem to hold a grudge over the dislocated shoulder incident.

"No, we haven't." Carlisle says.

"Well, everyone get around Jasper. I'll take the picture." He offers with a smile. Carlisle opens the camera app in his phone and hands it to his colleague before calling his crew over to take the picture. Rosalie and Alice kneel on the ground next to Jasper's chair. Emmett stands behind Rose, one hand on her shoulder. Edward stands close to his older brother. Esme and Carlisle stand behind Alice.

"Scoot closer. Smile, Jasper." Dr. Cobb says. Jasper forces a queasy grin. They all squish together even tighter, and Dr. Cobb snaps multiple pictures before the family disperses again. Alice, however, stays knelt next to Jasper.

"Fatherhood looks good on you," she says.

"Thanks." He takes in a shaky breath, then lowers his voice so only Alice can hear. "I'm scared shitless."

"I know. It's written all over your face. We'll figure it out, though."

Jasper nods and finds comfort in her use of 'we'. He looks around the room. Carlisle stands behind Esme with his arms wrapped around her. They're all smiles and laughs and happiness. Rosalie and Emmett are similar, holding each other's hands as they chat with Esme, Carlisle, and Dr. Cobb. Edward looks rather awkward in the room, like he doesn't know where he's supposed to stand or what he's supposed to say. All of them have been nothing but excited today over this five pound nine ounce, eighteen inch long baby boy. Alice stretches up to kiss Jasper's cheek. He nods again and tries to reassure himself with his next sentence.

"Yeah, we'll be okay."

We're nearing the end! I have the end planned, but am currently unsure how many chapters it will be split into. Probably 2 or 3. Either way, review and let me know what you think!