"GIMME THE FUCKING DRUGS ALREADY!" Briana screamed at the top of her lungs.  She was sat up on her hospital bed, legs spread, hyperventilating to the point where her face was strained and burning a dark beet red.

Mike couldn't help but to snicker.  "Well, that's relatable..."

"Yeah, no shit," Phil giggled with him.  He stopped, though, when he caught a look of judgment piercing from his ex wife's eyes.

They had been in the hospital for close to three hours now.  The nurses kept coming in every half hour or so to check on her.  She was dilating, but not as quickly as she obviously wanted to.

"GET THEM TO GIVE ME THE DAMN EPIDURAL!" Briana went on.  She had tears streaming down her reddened face.

Layne bit his lip as she clamped her hand down on his and gripped tight.  He cringed at the pain, but fought it.  "They will, soon, babe," Layne soothed.

Everyone in the room was quiet when the doctor finally tapped back into the room.  A few nurses were following behind.  And to Briana's luck, they were finally going to start the delivery.

"Only two of you can stay," the doctor ordered as he turned to glance around at everyone in the room.  His eyes shifted to meet Layne's.  "Including you."

"Mike and I will stay," Layne blurted out.

Mike looked hesitant.  He wasn't even sure what the heck to do in this situation.  It was daunting enough that he had just gotten discharged from rehab a few hours ago.  Now he's going to help his best friend's girlfriend deliver a baby?!

When everyone else left the room, Layne couldn't help but to laugh at mike.  "You look like you're going to shit yourself."

"Well, yeah!" Mike exclaimed. "I just got out, I don't know what to fucking do!"

Layne nodded towards the other side of Briana. "Just comfort her. Let her hold your hand."

Mike walked over to where he gestured to. Before he grabbed ahold of Briana's hand, he looked down to see that Layne's was turning a deep purple from her grip. "I sure hope she doesn't rip off my fucking hand... I'd still like to record some tracks with you..."

Briana swiveled her head over to face him. "I'm right here, you know!" She snapped.

Mike flinched and quickly grabbed her hand. Irritation sketched across his face when Layne laughed. "You're a real dick, you know that?"

Layne just nodded.

They both watched as the nurse pushed the needle into Briana's spine. It seemed as though her body finally relaxed a little once as the drug coursed through her.

They kept telling her to push and reminding her to breathe. It took so long until finally the doctor told them that he could see the starting of the crown. Layne couldn't help himself but to skip over to the end of the bed to watch.

"Oh my God," he shrieked out. He glanced up to see Briana was looking back at him. "Her head is almost out, babe! Keep pushing!"

This motivated Briana even more. Each time she pushed, a frantic, pained groan came from her. The epidural helped to numb her, it just made it harder for her to push because she couldn't feel anything...

Tears immediately streamed down Layne's face when the baby was finally out. When they cut the umbilical cord, the baby started to scream. Layne wanted to follow them over to the other end of the room where they were going to clean her, but they stopped him. So he made his way back over to Briana.

She grabbed onto him, still short of breath. "How does she look? Is she okay?"

Layne couldn't seem to muster out any words. But, soon enough, one of the nurses gently handed Briana her crying baby. She was wrapped up in a soft white blanket, her eyes wide open.

Briana broke out in quiet sobs. "Oh my God," she whimpered quietly. A huge grin grew on her face. Her eyes were glued to the innocent being. "She's beautiful, Layne..."

Layne wrapped an arm around Briana.  He reached down to the newborn baby, gently kissing her forehead.  He curled his finger to rest upon his baby's face, gently stroking it.  A huge smile played on his face when the baby finally started to relax.

"She has your nose," Layne commented.  He shared a smile with her.

"Thank God for that," Mike blurted out.  He laughed when Layne rolled his eyes.  "I'm just saying, you have a big nose."

Briana giggled.  She turned to Mike.  "Do you want to hold your niece?"

Those brown eyes grew wide as they landed on the child.  "Uh...I've never held a baby before..."

Briana handed her over to him anyways. She laughed when fear immediately over came his face. Surprisingly though, he seemed to have relaxed. He began to rock her back and forth, a soft smile replacing that usual bitter frown.

"Hope," he whispered.

Layne raised a brow at him. "What...?"

Mike smiled at the baby. "You should name her Hope..."

Layne and Briana glanced at one another for a minute. It didn't take long for them to nod their heads in agreement.

Briana took back her child from Mike, whom was now peacefully sleeping. "Hope Aniston Staley."

Layne cringed, which made Briana laugh all over again. "Really, Briana?" He gave her a bored look when she just nodded her head. "Just... really? Can't we agree on one freaking name?"

"We agreed on Hope," she spat out sarcastically. She giggled again when Layne furrowed his brows in annoyance. "Ashley would be a really crappy middle name."

"Aye," Layne shrieked, quietly though. "No cussing..."

"She has no idea what we're saying," Briana slurred out between giggles.

Layne rolled his eyes. "Fine. Her middle name can be Aniston," he crossed his arms in defiance. "Just don't be pissed off when she gets older and wants to change it."

"Aw, Thomas, don't be so butthurt," Mike sung out. He laughed along with Briana.

"You guys are...." Layne stopped himself from saying the f-bomb, which only made them laugh even harder. "Screw you guys..."

Briana's eyes lit up even more as she cradled her child. "Hope Aniston Staley..."

Mike gripped her shoulder. "It's a beautiful name, Bre," he reassured her with a grin.

The three of them just stood there in amazement, analyzing the innocent being. This child, this whole new person in this big ugly world... this child seemed to make the world seem beautiful for once.

And as time went on, the rest of the family was allowed to join them in celebration.

Hope.

She had brought them all Hope.

Hope that maybe mike and Phil will finally get it together. Hope that Layne and Briana will continue to walk on the long, narrow path instead of the short and wide one.

Hope that their child won't dare to make the same mistakes that they did...