Chapter 7: Taylor's Greatest Fear

Taylor was seven months along, her stomach was showing but she was able to get a bigger uniform to hide her pregnancy, even though everyone in the SGA knew she was pregnant.

One day, Taylor was walking along the hall when she heard whispering coming from two other people. She looked over at them with a glare. "Excuse me," she interrupted. They looked up when she walked over to them. "Is there a problem here?" She asked.

"No ma'am," one of the men replied.

Taylor felt the baby kick and she placed a hand on her stomach. "With all do respect, ma'am, but a woman like you who's far along shouldn't be working," the other man commented. Taylor shot them a dirty look.

"With all do respect, sir, but what I do with my child is my business and if you don't mind I'd like you to stay out of my personal affairs," she informed.

Taylor glared at them before turning and walking away.

Wes was coming down the hall to talk to Taylor in her office when he heard someone gasping in pain. He rounded the corner and his eyes widened in disbelief. "Taylor!" He gasped. He hurried over to Taylor, who was sitting on the floor holding her stomach. "Taylor, what's wrong?" He asked. She shook her head slightly.

"I don't know…something's wrong…it's too early," she replied.

Wes held onto her and looked up to see people standing around them. "Don't just stand there call an ambulance!" Wes ordered. A guardian ran off to call an ambulance while Wes held onto Taylor. "It's okay, everything's going to be okay," he assured her.

(Silver Hills Memorial)

Taylor was lying in her hospital bed waiting for news about the baby's safety. She was in fact pushed into an early labor, but the doctors were doing everything they could to stop the labor from progressing. Taylor practically kicked Wes out of the room, telling him to go back to the SGA. She looked up when there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" She asked. Alyssa opened the door. "Alyssa! What are you doing here?" She asked. Alyssa and Cole walked into the room.

"We came as soon as Wes called us," Cole answered.

Alyssa walked over and hugged her. "Has the doctor said anything?" Alyssa asked.

"Nothing, all they told me is that I went into an early labor," she replied.

Cole sat in a chair by the bed. "And that they've given me a drug to try to stop the contractions," she added.

"Is it working?" Cole asked.

"Seems to be," Taylor replied.

Just then the doctor came in. "Hello Taylor," he greeted. Taylor sat up slightly with Alyssa's help.

"Hey, doc, what's going on with my baby?" She asked.

"Your baby seems to be okay now that the contractions have stopped," he replied.

Taylor let out a sigh of relief. "However, I want you to stay away from work," he informed. Taylor shook her head.

"I can't. I have to support this baby by myself," she answered.

"But you don't have to Taylor," Cole pointed out.

Taylor shook her head and placed a hand on her stomach. "If you want to keep this child alive you have to take your maternity leave," the doctor instructed. Taylor bit her lip and she placed her head on the pillow.

"Taylor, this is going to help your baby," Alyssa commented.

Taylor shook her head again. "I have to support this baby on my own, Eric's dead," she mumbled. Cole stroked her hair.

"Taylor, you never had to do this on your own. Alyssa and I want to help you," he insisted.

"You two have your own kid to worry about," she answered.

Cole sighed and held her hand. "Please, Taylor, come back to Turtle Cove with us. We can help you out. Elizabeth would love to see her Auntie Taylor again," he commented. She shook her head.

"No," she answered.

"This is an offer you can't pass up," the doctor commented.

"Watch me," she mumbled.

"We're not going to let you," Alyssa put in.

"What are you going to do? Make me?" Taylor asked.

"We can certainly try," Alyssa replied.

Taylor remained silent. "Get out," she mumbled. She looked at them with a glare. "I said get out. All of you. Get out!" She snapped. When they didn't budge Taylor sat up. "Are all three of you deaf? I said GET OUT!" She shouted. She grabbed her cup of ice and threw it at them. "GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!" She shouted. She watched them leave and she lied back down on her side looking at the fetal monitor hearing the baby's heartbeat. She closed her eyes and placed her hand on her stomach.

Alyssa looked into the room and felt tears falling down her face to see her best friend all torn up inside. Cole wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "Why won't she let us help her?" She asked. Cole sighed and closed his eyes.

"You know why," he replied.

"I just wish she'd stop being so damn stubborn and let us help her."

"Sadly…Alyssa…it's her choice to make."

She nodded her head slowly and closed her eyes.

Taylor pulled her necklace out and was watching Eric's ring slowly spin around the light hitting it as it spun around. She let out a sigh and just stared at the engraving inside. "Always mine," she read. She bit her lip and just held onto it. "Damn you Eric Myers for leaving me like this," she whispered. She closed her eyes and curled up with her hand on her stomach, feeling her baby move inside of her. She started humming her favorite song her mother used to sing to her when she was a child. "Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away. Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket save it for a rainy day," she sang quietly.