"So...how was it?" Skylar wanted to know as they were sitting outside on a bench. The hospital had this whole area out back, green grass and trees, shadowing what looked like a small  park, only you knew it wasn't, because most of the guests there, were patients.

She was asking about his first day back in College.

"It was fine, it will take some getting used to, for sure. But I can do it. I like the idea of being back in school, being productive, you know? That feels pretty good." He wasn't lying. It felt good, the notion of having some sort of purpose with your life, felt like a relief somehow.

"That's awesome Ryder" she said, leaning up against him. He knew she was enjoying the sun, it was shinning so bright from a clear sky. It felt warm, he finally appreciated the moment, like she did. Being outside in the sun, having it shine on you like that, felt amazing.

"I went to see my mom afterwards...I don't even know why. I just felt like it, but now - I wish - I had left well enough alone, honestly. Nothing good can come from having her in my life, it just brought me right back" he was overwhelmed. With everything that was going on with Skylar; the baby; College, and the future. He didn't need to throw her into that mix. He had enough on his plate, it was full.

"I think you were just curious. Maybe you just had to feel it - for real. With everything that has happened, maybe you felt like you needed to see, if there was a place for her in your new life?" Skylar was always on point, she had a way of expressing his emotions to him, before he could even get the words out himself!

"I think so...but being close to her made me panic. I just couldn't deal with that. She is my mother, she will always be my mother. I just don't like her all that much" he said, it was the truth. You always think about your family as a fixture in your life, something built-in, something you cannot remove or get rid of. But maybe that's wrong? You might not choose your family, but you definitely choose if you want them in your life, that is your choice!

Ryder finally understood that.

He never liked the family he had been born into. How could he? And that is actually okay, no one forced him to spend time with them anymore, he was an adult now. He was free to choose.

"I just want to be with you and your dad...I have Charlie and his family. That's all I need" he smiling at the open space in front of them. An elderly lady walked passed them and she smiled back at him.

He finally felt at ease. He wanted his mother to leave her past behind, he hoped she had managed to do that this time, but he no longer wanted to be a part of it.

He just wanted to concentrate on his life with Skylar. He was about to build his own family and it felt like a huge responsibility.

It was.

It had to be. You can make mistakes, you are going to make mistakes! How can you avoid not doing that? No one is perfect. But the really big mistakes, the kind that leave scars, he was going to steer clear of making those!

He knew all too well, what kind of consequences mistakes like that would have.

"I think I want to know the gender of our baby" he said, breaking his stream of thoughts, for once.

"Me too" she replied.

Once they made that joint decision, the time started flying. Once you make up your mind about something, time tends to fly. And it did.

At 16 weeks they were ready for the big reveal.

The technician doing the scan was an elderly lady, she looked real sweet and they felt like they were in good hands.

"Now...let's see...your little one is a lively one, this baby keeps tossing and turning, showing me the backside" she smiled.

Ryder couldn't help but laugh.

This was his baby alright!

Skylar was all quiet. Her eyes were locked on the screen.

In a matter of seconds, they would know - if it was a boy or a girl.

Still nothing.

The murky dark grey picture showed off this little white figure, it was clear to see it was a little person; a human; a baby.

Their baby...

It felt so surreal.

He held her hand and squeezed it a bit harder, as the lady turned to look at them.

"I see it now...Are you ready?" She was trying to prolong the moment, keep them in suspense a little while longer, knowing you only get this message once in a pregnancy, she wanted them to savor this paticular moment.

"We're ready" Skylar said, although she didn't sound confident at all.

"Here we go...drum roll...it's A LITTLE GIRL!" She smiled at them with such a sincere warmth painted across her face, they both gave out a loud gasp.

A little girl. They were having a little baby girl.

Ryder hugged her, he noticed she was tearing up. He gave her a slow kiss on the mouth - and her eyes said it all.

Skylar was happy, so was he. It dawned on him, it felt almost like fate? This little girl was meant to come into their lives...making Skylar immortal, that sounded far more weird, than he had intended it to. But this way Skylar would always be in his life, no matter what happened, he would always have a small piece of her in his life, right?

He was beginning to think, there really was a greater meaning with everything that had happened these past months?

"We are having a girl...I am going to love her just as much as I love you, from now on you two are my only priority in life...I promise you that" he whispered silently.

He finally got his priorities straight...

Finally. It all made sense.

His life had a purpose now, he had something tangible to live for. He could no longer just drive off every time things got tough. He could no longer bail out, from now on that was not an option.

And it felt really good for some reason?