Hey guys-

Sorry for the super long wait for this chapter. It's been a really difficult one for me to write. I have 3 very different versions and I'm not truly happy with this one but I think it will work with the rest of the story which I also think just got longer (hope you don't mind). Anyway I have the next few pretty well along so it shouldn't be that long of a wait for the next one. Enjoy and keep up the reviews!!!! I'm aiming for 200 now with this one! Make those dreams come true.

Miley watched as Jake drove them to the hospital. To anyone else he would seem calm and collected but she could tell the difference. He was breathing heavier than normal and if you looked closely you could see his hands trembling slightly on the steering wheel.

Miley herself didn't know what to do. She was watching the scenery pass by trying to keep the tears that were threatening to spill out from coming.

Jake noticed her struggle and instinctually took her hand in his.

Miley instantly felt stronger than she looked. There was something so innocent and yet so calming about his hands that she couldn't help loving the feeling of them with hers. It was such a simple gesture but with Jake it said everything about him. She knew for certain that he was there for her completely. There were no conditions with Jake. There never had been. He had always been willing to do anything for her. It had been so long since anyone had treated her that way that she had almost forgotten what it was like.

When they arrived at the hospital they located Kevin in the emergency room waiting room pacing about looking more frantic than Miley could have ever imagined.

Miley did the only thing she could think of….she hugged him. It was obvious to anyone that no one really existed at the moment except for Jenna and their child and that nothing would be right again until they were both in his arms again and it killed her to see the pain so clearly painted on his face. She let go and let Jake and Kevin embrace as brothers.

"God I'm glad you're here." Kevin got out holding back tears. "They're still prepping her for surgery. I'll go back there before they put her under." He was breathing deeply. "I have no idea what's really going on. Her doctor is on vacation at the moment so this new guy doesn't even speak very good English. I had to get one of the nurses to translate! They act all calm but they're checking both Jenna and the baby's heart rate constantly!" He breathed in again heavily. "They've been trying to stop the contractions to see if they can bring up the baby's heart rate but it hasn't been working." "They came in about 2 minutes ago and told me that they're going to have to go in and get the baby out…or else…" Kevin couldn't continue but they all knew how that sentence would end.

Jake hugged him fiercely. Then taking Kevin's face in his hands he looked directly in his eyes. Speaking steadily and calmly he told him "Tonight you and I are going to celebrate the birth of your child. There is no question of that. Ok?" "Now you have to be strong for Jenna and the baby…you're going to be a father before the day is out."

Hearing Jake's steady words seemed to calm Kevin and give him a sense of purpose. He took in a deep breath and walked down the hall to the room where they were prepping Jenna for surgery.

Jake watched Kevin walk down the hallway and remained eerily still. Miley could see the fear etched in his features. She could also tell that if anyone could will things to go well today that Jake would do it. She slowly took his hand in hers and then wrapped her arms around his waist not wanting to face the pain of what might happen alone. Jake responded immediately holding her closely. They stood like that until a stranger entered the room breaking apart their silent sanctuary.

At first Miley had tried to cope with the emotions running around her by herself. But soon the terror and dread of what Jenna was going through overtook any rational thought. Miley and Jenna had spent so many hours picking out decorations for the baby's room and finding toys that they thought he or she would enjoy that the baby was already very real to Miley. She couldn't bear to think of the baby or Jenna being in danger.

She couldn't just sit there and wait this out alone. She needed Jake.

She tried first to be calm again just holding onto his hand for support. Then she laid her head against his shoulder and let him calmly stroke her hair. After an hour passed and no word had reached them about Jenna or the baby Miley couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and began pacing the room.

She was imagining how Jenna must have felt being put under with her baby's life in danger and the tears she had been holding back started overwhelming her. An instant later Jake was next to her with his arms around her holding her tightly and telling her that Jenna and the baby would both be fine.

Miley couldn't explain what she was feeling. She had never felt this before. She was terrified one minute and then the instant he took her in his arms she felt safe. He made her feel as if everything would be ok.

She knew that things between them were changing without saying anything. They had flirted and gotten close but she was beginning to realize that she needed him in a way she had never needed anyone. The walls around her heart that had been there for so long were crumbling.

A half an hour later it was Jake's turn to lose it. They had stood near the window to the waiting room holding onto each other as if both their lives depended on it. Then as if something inside of him snapped he broke away and started pacing. His hand was immediately in his hair ruffling it as he always did when he was agitated.

He began talking to himself. "An hour and a half! And no one has come by to tell us ANYTHING." He spoke loudly while pacing back and forth.

She looked into his eyes. They were dark and sad and helpless. This was not the man that the public knew. Even the man that had been strong for Kevin had disappeared. This was the Jake that she thought only she really knew. The one who could be vulnerable…the one who was just as mortal as everyone else.

Miley took a deep breath. "You don't have to be so strong all the time you know." She said.

Jake just shook his head. "I just…I hate being helpless. Those are my best friends. If something happens…" Jake couldn't finish the sentence. He was feeling choked by the words.

Miley didn't say anything. She just walked up to him and took his hand in hers. She slowly brought their entangled hands to her lips kissing his hand and fingers softly. Jake had closed his eyes and his head dropped in surrender. It looked like all of his energy was gone. He rested his head against Miley's. Miley could see him relaxing at her touch. She continued to disarm him by repeating her soft kisses with his other hand then encircling her arms around his neck bringing her body closely and tightly up next to his. Jake wrapped his arms around her again and they held each other even tighter than before.

Jake couldn't believe the effect she had on him. One minute he was going mad ready to run around and shake people until someone told him what was going on and the next she had melted him. The feeling of her lips against his skin had been his undoing. It was as if she was taking away everything painful, everything stressful and all she had to do was be herself. She knew exactly how to help him even when he didn't know how to help himself.

He opened his eyes and found her blue piercing eyes staring up at him. Jake cracked a small smile. "Thank you." He whispered softly before lightly kissing her forehead.

Miley looked into his green eyes and knew things between them were different than they had ever been before. She was standing here with him facing a truly scary and difficult time…and instead of feeling lost and hopeless she felt….found. It was as if standing here in a hospital waiting room she was experiencing her first taste of real love.

She was stronger with him than she would ever be alone and she knew that it was the same for him. She had been worried for 5 months about losing herself if she allowed herself to fall for him again. But standing there in his arms she realized she hadn't been herself since he left. She had been pretending to be fine for so long that she had forgot that it was an act. Now being with him she knew she couldn't pretend any longer.

She knew for certain that she wanted and needed Jake by her side. More importantly she realized that she needed and wanted to be by his. It was then she saw Jake for what he really was. He was much more than a boyfriend or a lover could ever be. In his eyes she saw a true partner and the closest friend she would ever have in her life.

She looked in his green eyes and realized finally that the thing she had been most afraid of in life….losing Jake's love could never really happen. She had never lost his love, they had both just lost their courage to fight for it. She tightened her arms around his neck and delighted in the feeling of loving and being loved so completely by her one and only…the man she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. Jake.

Finally after nearly 2 hours of being gone Kevin came back into the waiting room with a huge smile on his face.

"It's a boy."

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