Arising

2. Papers

It took some convincing and a lot of shouting and pleading but by 4am Danny was allowed to see Jordan. Dressed in medical scrubs and a mask, he entered her room and saw his beloved laying, pale and practically unmoving, the beeping sound of the heart monitor the only indication that she was even alive.

"J-Jordan?" Danny asked quietly, clutching the papers to his side. "Jordan?"

"Danny…?"

"Hey…" He whispered quietly, rushing to her side.

"Hey…" Jordan answered softly, her eyes fluttering open. "…how's the baby doing?"

"Oh-uh- the baby's doing fine." Danny answered, smiling although he knew that she wouldn't be able to see it. "She's doing fine. The doctors say that she'll be fine."

"That's good…"

"How are you doing?" He asked worriedly as he took her hand, cursing the fact that he had to wear a plastic glove.

"Ugh…" Jordan moaned and tried to pull herself up to a sitting position- an act which Danny had to help her with.

"That bad-?" He asked, his voice hitching a bit.

"Yeah." She answered honestly. "That bad…"

"Well," Danny began, forcing some courage into his voice. "-the doctors say that it's not that ba-"

"Whatever the doctors are saying," Jordan interrupted firmly. "-is a lie. They're lying….they have been careful not to say anything, but I know…I can tell…"

"Jordan…"

"I'm…I'm in critical condition Danny….."

"It's just a designation." He insisted, worry creeping back into his voice. "You have to keep fighting."

"I have no intention of giving up…" Jordan insisted, her eyes glancing down the bed to see the white papers laying there. "…Danny?"

"Yeah?" He asked looking into her eyes- worried at how dim the light was in them.

"What are those papers?"

"What papers?"

"Those papers." Jordan answered, pointing to the papers on the bed.

"These?" Danny asked, grabbing them. "Oh these are nothing."

"Give them to me."

"Jordan-" Danny protested.

"Give them to me…" Jordan insisted holding her hand out, knowing what they were. "…they're guardianship papers."

"Yeah-" Danny answered handing them over.

"Signed by Mary Tate."

"Yeah…"

"And their for you…"

"Yeah,"

"To have guardianship over my baby." Jordan finished, looking up from the paper into Danny's eyes where she saw a wealth of fear and longing that she wished she could ease.

"Yeah…" His voice was so soft, so defeated and Jordan had to force the next words out.

"Give me… give me a pen."

"Jordan-" Danny objected.

"Danny, give me a pen…" Jordan insisted, watching the fear spread from his eyes. "…please."

"I don't-"

"What?" She asked, her voice softening. "What is it?"

"I don't want to become her father this way." Danny stated finally, snapping with emotion as he handed the pen over. "I want to become her father by marrying you…. I don't want it to because I've lost you…"

"You won't lose me…." She promised, reaching out to touch his face- cringing internally at the feel of the fabric after she had signed the paper.

"Jordan-"

"Danny…" She began, handing the papers signed to him. "-this is the smart thing to do. This way if anything- anything happens to me, my baby…our baby will have a family."

"Jordan…"

In one word he tried to convey his feelings. In one word, her name he tried to show her how much he loved her but she didn't quite get he message.

"Danny, I've already agreed to be your wife…"

"Yes you have." Danny agreed, placing the papers aside and grabbing both her hands with his. "And I still want you to be my wife- but I want you to be my wife before dawn."

"Danny….."

Her voice trailed off as she looked into his eyes. Just hours ago she had been a healthy pregnant woman with a boyfriend. And now she was sick engaged woman with a daughter and she smiled as she realised that before the sun came up she could be a sick married woman with a husband and a daughter……

A/N- Hello my beloved readers! And hello and thank you to MrsMattAlbie and Zoburger for reviewing the last chapter- this little plot bunny should have ended with this chapter but it's kinda exploded. I estimate two more chapters at the very least and I hope that you Studio 60 fans will follow me though them... :D Please review if you have the time! Oh, and I have changed the title... I think that it fits better...