"Danny, she's tiny.  She's so small!" Jessica cries into Danny's arms.

"I tried to stay strong in front of them, but I'm so scared for her.."

"Baby, she's in good hands." Danny says as he rubs his hand up and down her back.

"We've all been prayin for her, honey.  She's a Huston, she'll pull through."

**

Hours pass and still no word.  They advised Alyssa to rest but she couldn't.  Not until she knew her baby was okay.

"Mom, please go home and get some rest.  That boy needs to stay in there!" Zachary points to his mother's belly.

"I feel bad leaving, Zachary."

"Don't.  We understand.  I'll call you as soon as they let us know what's going on."

"Okay.. I love you, baby." Jessica hugs him tightly.

"I love you too, mom.  Rest!"

"I will." Jessica chuckles.

Danny took Jessica home, and everyone else went to grab something to eat. Everyone but Michael.

"Mikey, you should go home for a while.  It's been a long day."

"No man, I'm staying. Not until we hear something."

"Thanks.." Zachary sighs and sits down beside Michael.

"How is she?" He asks.

"Well she finally managed to get to sleep so I left her alone. She deserves a rest."

"I bet.."

There was a short silence before Zachary looked down and finally let his tears out.

Michael pats his back and says, "She's gonna be okay, Zach."

"Mike, what if she's not?  What if we lose her?  I can't lose her!
..She's my little girl.. and she's so beautiful..
Just seeing her for those few seconds.. Mike, I know she's the sweetest little girl ever.  I want to be her father so bad!  I want to read to her.. I want to sing to her!  I want to chase boys away when she's older cause my baby girl will Always deserve better!  I just want to hold her and make her feel safe!" Zachary sobs.

"You'll get to do all of those things, Zach!  She has Huston blood in her.  You and coach are two of the strongest men I have ever met.  Alyssa is strong too.. to go through what she has and to have a smile on her face.. you both are tough as nails.  And Valerie will be just like the both of you."

"Thanks.."

"You don't have to thank me.. I love you, Zach.."

"I love you too, Mikey.."

There was a small pause before Michael tried taking his mind off the baby for a while.

"You know.. I was out here thinking and.. you and I pretty much started this whole thing.  We met in school and had a common interest of basketball.. we instantly became friends, and now we're brothers."

"It's crazy to think we were just two young boys who met at school."

"I know.. then our parents met and couldn't keep their hands off of each other!  Disgusting!"

Zachary laughs.

"My dad.. gosh, he has always been so crazy about mom.  Even before he ever met her.  You'd tell us these stories, then he'd go on about how incredible she was.  I thought it was a little weird, but now looking back it's really sweet."

"Yeah.. Heh, did you ever think when you first met my mom that she'd have your baby?"

"Mike!" He laughs.

"She carried our baby!  Don't make it sound sick, man."

Micheal laughs.

"She's so amazing."

"I know.."

"I still can't believe she did that for us.. to put your body through that for someone else."

"I know.  Pretty incredible."

Just then the doctor came out to find Zachary.

"Mr. Huston?"

"He's not here- Oh he means you! Right!" Michael quickly stands.

"Is she okay?" Zachary asks.

"She's stable. She only weighs one pound two ounces. She currently is unable to breathe on her own due to lack of development. Her blood pressure is extremely low, so we are working on that currently."

"Will she be okay?"

"We are doing everything we possibly can, but it is very crucial. She's extremely small, and is still in need of a lot of development. It will be a long journey."

Zachary closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
"When can we see her?"

"You two can go back right now if you'd like."

"Okay, I'll tell Alyssa.  Mike, will you call and let mom and dad know what's going on?  Mom will fill the rest of the family in."

"Sure!  Take pictures if you can.  I want to see my niece." Michael smiles softly.

Zachary smiles back and hugs him.

**

Zachary walked in and Alyssa was laying on her side with her back facing him.

"Aly?  Honey.."

Zachary sits behind her and places his hand on her side.

"I'm up." She says in a low voice.

"They said we could go back and see her, sweetie."

"How is she?"

Zachary explained what the doctor went over, and by the time he was finished a nurse came in with a wheelchair.

Zachary helped her sit then pushed her to the NICU.
They saw their tiny baby girl hooked up to machines, struggling just laying there.

As soon as Alyssa saw her she cried.  Zachary did his best to stay strong for her, but seeing his daughter in this state made him want to scream.

"Zachary, look at her.."

"She's beautiful."

"Look at her tiny little feet!"

Zachary smiles softly. "Wow.. Hi Valerie.. it's daddy.
You're so beautiful and so so strong.  Your mommy and I know you can fight.. you've fought so hard already, Princess."

Tears pouts down Alyssa's cheeks as Zachary speaks to the baby.  He then looks over and places his hand on her back.

"Baby girl, it's mommy.  I just want you to know that I love you so much, and that I'll never ever leave you.  I promise you, baby girl."

**

Danny and Jessica's POV.

"Oh Danny look at this picture Zachary sent!  Look at those tiny little feet!"

"Oh my gosh!  Wow.. look at that.  Those itty bitty toes." Danny says starting down at the picture.

Tears slowly roll down Jessica's cheeks. "I just want her to be okay." She says.

"Honey, she will be!" Danny says wrapping his arm around her.

"I'm scared.."

"She's a fighter, baby."

"Yeah.. Ow!" Jessica grabs her belly and scrunches her face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it just hurts a little."

"Should I call the doctor?"

"No, no, I'm okay."

Danny places his hand on her stomach and rubs it from side to side.

"You need to calm down buddy!  It's not time for you to come out yet, mister."

Jessica chuckles.
"I'm thirty six weeks today.  For a normal pregnancy that means the baby can come at anytime.. but this time around I feel so pressured to keep him in.  I know it won't make a difference, I know he's still going to need the surgery.. but if I deliver even a little early, I'm going to hate myself for not being able to carry him the whole forty weeks."

"Oh honey.." Danny rubs her arm and kisses her cheek.

"The doctor said to take it easy so he stays in there, but I'm afraid he might want in on the fun." She says running her hand down her belly.

The baby starts kicking his mother and punching his little hands everywhere.

"Woah!  I saw that!  Jonas, calm down, little dude!  Mommy says it's not time so you need to just relax for.. how long, mommy?" Danny looks up.

"A month!"

"You hear that?  One month!  That's four weeks!  Now you just go night night, okay?" Danny kisses her belly and the baby rolls around in response to his father.

"Oh my gosh, you weren't even listening to me!" Danny says making Jessica laugh.

*Knock, Knock*
"Mommy!  It's Nova!" They year her cute little voice.

"Come in, baby."

"I can't open the door!  I'm just little!"

"Okay, daddy's coming!" Jessica laughs.

Danny opens the door and Nova looks up with a smile as she holds her bear.

"Hi daddy!"

"Hey Princess!"

"I'm here to see mommy."

Danny makes a face and mocks her.

"What's wrong, lovebug?" Jessica chuckles.

"I wanna sleep with you and baby brother!"

"Are you kicking daddy out?" She laughs.

"He can stay!  But you gotta put some clothes on, daddy!" Nova gives him a funny look.

"Yes ma'am!"

"Daddy, help me up!" Nova shouts.

"Please!" Jessica gives her a look.

"Please!" She smiles.

Nova crawls under the covers wraps her arms around her mother's belly.

"Your tummy's moving, momma!"

"Cause your brother thinks it's playtime!"

"Silly baby! Go night night, Jonas!
.. HEY!  I said go night night!
He's not listening, mommy!" Nova whines as she looks up to her mother.

"It's okay, baby.  Maybe once we lay down and stop talking to him, then he'll calm down."

"We'll see." She sighs.

Jessica laughs and kisses her forehead.
"Goodnight my babies."

***

The next morning everyone got dressed and went up to the hospital.  Jessica was feeling extra pregnant today.  She was extremely uncomfortable and had some pretty painful braxton hicks throughout the morning.

"Morning, you guys!" Zachary smiles to his family.

"Good morning, baby.  Have you eaten?" Jessica asks as she waddles up to him then places her palm on his cheek.

"Yes, momma." He chuckles. "You I don't look so good."

"She's over forty and pregnant, what do you expect?" Sam chuckles.

"Shut up.  Asshole." Jessica gives him a look.

"Asshole!" Baby Samuel laughs and points to his father.

"You see what you're doing, mom!"

Jessica rolls her eyes then turns to Zachary.
"How's the baby?"

"The same.  Are you okay?"

"I just feel pregnant."

"Well that's good cause you are!" Grayson laughs.

Jessica wasn't very amused with the boys' little jokes.
She suddenly got a sharp pain in her lower stomach and back.  She leaned forward and held onto Zachary as she breathed in and out.

"Oh my gosh!  What's wrong?" His eyes widen.

"She wants a hug. What do you think, Zach!" Sam shouts.

Just then Danny comes in from parking the car.
"Jess!  Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She says in a painful voice.

"No she's not.  Dad, take her to get checked out."

"Come on, honey."

"No, I want a turn to see the baby!" Jessica pouts with tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah you'll see her soon, momma.  Go make sure you and the baby are okay."

"Okay." She cries.

"Boys, watch your brother and sister, please." Danny says.

"Yes sir."

**

Danny took Jessica to get checked out, and on the way she had gotten a few more contractions.

"Danny, I'm scared!  He can't come now!"

"He'll be okay, baby girl."

Once getting into a room, a nurse hooked her up to a fetal monitor, and had her change into a gown.
Finally the doctor came in to see if she was dilated.

"How are you feeling, Jessica?" He asks.

"Not well at all!  My baby cannot come out yet!"

"We're going to make sure he stays put for as long as possible.  Your contractions aren't consistent, but they're coming!  That's what I'm worried about.  If you're not dilated then we can stop the contractions using a medication through IV.

"And if she is?" Danny asks.

"Then we'll talk about other options.  Let's just check first."

**

Danny held Jessica's hand as the doctor checked her cervix. Her palms were sweaty as she feared what her doctor had to say.

"No dilation!  That's perfect!  I'm going to give you Terbutaline to stop the contractions-"

"Will that effect the baby?" She asks.

"We're going to keep a close eye on him. Most common side effect is increase in yours and the baby's heartbeat."

"But he's already sick from his heart, what if this hurts him? What do we do?" Jessica cries softly as Danny does his best to comfort her.

"Like I said, we will keep a close eye on the both of you. If at any moment in the next twenty four hours his heart rate changes, we'll do an emergency c-section."

"Oh gosh." Jessica says tightening the grip on Danny's hand.

"It'll be okay, baby." Danny rubs her back.

"After twenty four hours in the hospital I'm going to send you home on bedrest."

"Bed rest? But I can't do that!"

"Honey, as long as it keeps him inside of you, then it's worth it, right?"

"Yeah.. okay.. I'm scared, Danny."

"I know.. everything will be okay, and soon we'll all be home with ALL of our new little babies. Enjoying family dinner night with our whole crew.."

"That sounds nice.. man, these babies have been giving us all a scare lately, huh?" Jessica says softly rubbing the top of her stomach.

Danny chuckles and nods his head.
"They have.. they just want to keep us on our toes.. these two babies are two of the strongest babies I know. They'll both be fine, honey."

Jessica looks at him, her bottom lip quivering.
"Hey, come here! It's okay, honey." Danny wraps his arms around her and rubs her back.

"I love you, Jessikins."

"I love you too, Danny.." Jessica spoke in a low voice.