It was one in the morning. The three of them had said goodbye to David at the airport and were now watching as Reno faded behind them. Jacob had the same feeling he did four months before as he watched the lights disappear into darkness. He didn't want to go. Mil took his hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze. She gave him a sad smile and She soon fell asleep. Jacob followed her example and fell asleep also. He woke to the sun rising up behind the mountains. An hour later, they landed in Dallas Texas and they stayed on the plane as it was refueled and passengers got off and then more got on. The flight attendents came around, giving them peanuts and water. Three hours later, they landed in Miami.

    Jacob called a taxi and it took him and his siblings to his old house. Jacob felt nervous as he approached the door. He opened it and led them inside, the familiar smell of the tropical spray lingered in the air from when Hayley had last sprayed it to make the house smell good. He led his brother and sister too his old room, thelat he found completely the same, as if his dad and step mom hadn't even stepped foot in the room since he left. They put their bags on his old bed and he froze when he heard footsteps come down the hallway. Someone knocked on the door and her answered it to find a familiar face. It was their next door neighbors daughter. She was Ginny's age, Twenty two. In her arms was a little bundle of blankets.

"Jake!" She said hugging him tightly.

"Hey Wendy!" He said. He glanced down at the bundle and back up too Wendy. "Is this..." He lost his words. Wendy smiled and nodded, handing the bundle too him. His heart melted as he saw her big blue eyes staring up at him. Her hair was brown, like Hayley's and she had the same nose as Jacob and James, obviously from their dad.

"This is Lucy." Wendy said sticking her hands in her pockets. She glanced up at James and Mil and looked at James confused.

"Oh, Wendy, this is my twin brother James, and my half sister Mil." Jacob said. she nodded and then focused on Lucy.

"Are you taking her back to Nevada with you?" she asked. Jacob nodded.

"Yes. She'll have four half siblings to care for her." He said. Wendy nodded.

"Yeah. It'll be good for her." She said. she leaned down and kissed Lucy on her forehead, even though Lucy was staring at Jacob intently, as if she was taking in every deatail about him. Wendy smiled a bit. "I'll go get her stuff ready so you can head over to the hospital." She said.

"Is she..." Jacob began to ask if Hayley's was dead yet, but Wendy shook her head.

"No, but she is fading fast. She will want to see you and Lucy before she goes." Wendy said sadly. Jacob nodded and she rushed to the kitchen, returning with a bag full of clothes, bottles, formula and dipers. She handed it to him and stared at him for a moment.

"You've changed Jake. You'll be a good big brother." she said. She kissed him on the cheek. "Keep in touch." And with that being said, she left.

   Jacob handed Lucy off to Mil, who was very gentel with her. After Jacob made sure there was a car seat in the car that was in the drive way, they strapped Lucy into the seat and drove to the hospital.  They took the whole car seat out and headed into the building. Jacob asked which floor Hayley would be on and they took the elevator up. Mil and James sat in the reception area with Lucy while Jacob talked to the receptionist.

"Hi, I'm looking for Hayley Gareths room." He said. She bit her lip.

"Only family members can visit her." She said. Jacob nodded.

"I am her step son, and we have her daughter with us." He said. She looked over at Mil and James.

"Are those two related also?" She asked.

"They are my siblings." He said. She nodded once.

"Alright, room two forty six." She said. Jacob thanked her and took the carseat with the baby in it, leading his siblings down the hallway and too Hayley's room. The door was opened a crack and the doctor and three nurses were surrounding her bed. A heart monitor showed signs of her weak heart beat.

"I'm sorry, only family members. She does not have long." a nurse said. Jacob nodded.

"We are her relitives." He said.

"Jacob?" He heard a faint voice call. The doctor looked at Hayley. "It's alright doctor, he is my stepson." She whispered. He nodded and went to the door. The nurses following him. He stopped at the door.

"I'll leave you to say goodbye." He said. Mil shut the door behind them and Jacob rushed over to Hayley's bed. Her eyes were half closed and her breathing was ragged. Seeing her like this made Jacob wish he had just come home to Florida with them. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if he hadn't left. He sat down on the edge of her bed. He left arm was bandaged and so was her torso and her head. She had cuts all over her cheeks. She raised up her right arm and placed her hand on his cheek, her thumb skimming over his cheek bone.

"I didn't think you'd come." She whispered. Her eyes were full of tears. If they had only let in family members, Then Jacob would be the first and the last to see her. His eyes filled with tears and he gave her a weak smile.

"Of coarse, Hayley." He said, his voice was on the verge of breaking. He looked over at Mil, and she brought Lucy over to the bed. Hayley smiled as she saw her daughter and Jacob carefully placed her on Hayley's chest. Lucy cooed when she saw her mother, and Hayley let out a half laugh half sob.

"Hi Luce." She whispered, kissing Lucy's forehead. tears were now streaming down her cheeks. "I always wanted a baby, Jacob. I wanted a baby I could call my own. I thought I was so unfortunate when I lost Sam. I thought my life was never going to be perfect." She paused, looking up at him, she slowly pulled him down to her face. He rested his fore head on hers and she kissed his cheek. "I didn't realize that my life already was perfect. I couldn't call you my own, but I still loved like my own." She let out a shuddering sigh. they both opened their eyes. "You're father loved you too, Jakey. He felt like he had been tortured when he shot your horse and he saw your reaction. He cried the whole way back home, because he knew he had lost you forever." She said. He let out a small sob at the mention of his father. Hayley shifted a bit and patted the bed next to her. He laid down next to the person he called mom when he was little. He knew it had killed her that he called her mom when she didn't really want him. Hayley wrapped her arm around neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "I love you, Jake." She whispered. out of the corner of his eye, Jacob saw James and Mil inch out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

    Jacob laid next to Hayley on silence, with only the noise of the machines and Lucy cooing. "Take care of Lucy." Hayley said before she passed. Jacob promised her, and whispered to her that he loved her. She closed her eyes and had a small smile on her lips as she took her final breath. 

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A/N

  I know it was a short chapter, but I wanted it to be short as sweet. Hayley has loved him all this time, and He loves her back without really noticing he did. I was seriously crying as I wrote this chapter, and I know it's mean, but I'm kinds hoping you all cried too! It was suppose to be a sad but sweet chapter. Love ya all!

                     ~Avis Knight