AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sincere thank you to those who are continuing to read and support this story and to Guest, Sandy and fanficforyou for your reviews.

Ideas/or what you might like to see, for my Kyle story and my Ricky/Brax story are welcome, please don't shy from letting me know.

Enjoy :)

Chapter 5 – Labor

Denny lay on the couch and breathed deeply, her abdomen was largely swollen, and she was due any day now.

"Denny can I get you anything?" Evie asked.

"No I'm fine Evie...Ahh!"

"Denny you okay?" Oscar asked as he had been standing in the kitchen.

"Yeah, just a contraction." Denny replied.

Evie and Oscar looked on with concern as Denny continued to have contractions.

"Denny come on, let's call someone to get you to hospital." Evie suggested, approaching Denny to support her.

Oscar called Zac and he said he was on his way.

Zac rushed in and saw Evie and Oscar supporting Denny who was crouched over in pain.

"I'm gonna help you to the car okay. Hannah is already still at the hospital so she'll meet us there."

By the time Denny, Evie, Oscar, and Zac reached the hospital the contractions were closer. Nate rushed Denny into the maternity ward and prepped for delivery. Zac, Oscar, and Evie were ordered to wait outside while Hannah stayed with Denny while she started to push.

Zac called Brax to tell that Denny was in labor and soon after Ricky and Brax turned up with 4 month old baby Arlo.

"How is she?" Ricky asked.

"Hannah's in with her and Nate now, we haven't heard anything." Zac replied.

Brax wrapped his arm around Ricky and his baby, while Evie and Oscar had taken a seat outside the door waiting to hear news.

"Denny I need you to stay calm and breathe for me." Nate instructed.

Denny did just that and pushed with all her might, but was beginning to lose strength.

"Come on Denny, you're almost there, just one more push."

Denny thought of Casey and with the strength of wishing he was there to experience the birth of his child, Denny made one final push and Nate was left holding the little baby in his hands.

Denny flopped back exhausted and Hannah rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Well Denny congratulations, you have a baby girl." Nate smiled and held the baby up to her.

"Would you like some time alone with her?"

Denny looked down at the baby in her arms.

"I'd like everyone else to be here too." Denny replied.

"Is it okay if she has visitors?" Hannah asked.

"Sure, I don't see why not. I'll go notify them and let them in."

Nate left the room and was surprised to see so many people waiting outside.

"Denny has successfully had a baby girl." Nate announced and smiles spread across everyone's faces.

"Are we allowed to see her?" Zac asked.

"Come right in." Nate guided the families into Denny's room.

"You have quite a support system here."

Denny looked at her family and at Brax, Ricky and their baby, and smiled and felt overwhelmed with support.

"Yeah I guess I do."

Evie walked to Denny's side and peered at the baby.

"She's beautiful. Have you thought of a name?" Evie asked.

There was silence in the room for a moment as Denny glanced down at her daughter, the daughter that the man she loved had left behind. Denny looked up at Brax, thinking how he had lost a brother too and she smiled as the perfect name came to her mind.

"Yeah I have...Pamela Braxton-Miller." Denny announced.

Ricky gave Brax a smile as they heard the name.

"Casey and I may not have gotten the chance to marry but this little one still is a part of his family so I think she deserves his name."

"That's wonderful Denny." Ricky said. Brax nodded.

"Casey would have been so proud. You've helped keep his memory alive with this little miracle." Brax explained and tears welled in Denny's eyes.

"Would you like to hold Casey's daughter Brax?" Denny asked.

Brax stood still not knowing what to feel. Ricky gave him a nudge to go forward. Denny handed Brax the special baby and Brax held her in his arms having a sense that he was holding a part of his littlest brother again.

"She reminds me of Case." Brax smiled, holding back his sadness and tears.

Tears slipped down Denny's face and Hannah rubbed her shoulder.

"I wish he could have been here for this."Denny whispered.

"He'll always be a part of you Denny." Hannah reassured.

Brax went to hand Pamela back to Denny.

"Would anyone else like a hold?" Denny offered.

Evie smiled. "May I? She's so cute."

Denny nodded and Brax handed Pamela to Evie. Evie smiled and swayed the baby in her arms.

"I'm your Auntie Evie and one day I'm gonna teach you all about the world and we can hang out at the mall and the beach together."

Oscar leaned over to look in. "And I'm Uncle Oscar, the one who'll save you from all that and get you into running and sports."

Denny gave a smile watching the family around her.

Brax gave Ricky a kiss on the top of her head and stroked Arlo's head.

"I think we're going to have to go, the little one is due for a feed and proper nap." Ricky said.

"Brax, or the baby?" Oscar asked.

"Oi." Brax protested, receiving a laugh from everyone in the room.

"Bye and thank you for being here." Denny said in earnest.

Ricky and Brax gave a smile and left.

"Here." Evie said as she handed Pamela back to Denny.

"How are you feeling?" Hannah asked.

Denny nodded. "Like all this is real." She replied, taking in all the feeling around her.

Everyone left shortly after, leaving Denny in the hospital room with Pamela by her side in a crib. Casey had been born again and this time she was not going to lose him.

Denny slowly closed her eyes and pictured what her future may have been like, Casey holding up their daughter, the three laughing and running along the sand, Casey seeing Pamela off from her high school graduation. If only the dream was real.

Denny was discharged from the hospital a day later and went back to the Maguire house until she had everything set to move into the Braxton's flat.