Hey, guys!

Some important news: next chapter will be the last... But, I'm gonna do a few bonus chapters (around 5-10 bonus chapters), I'll start writing them in about a month or so, when I get my new phone! Every few days will come out a new, short, bonus chapter. Each chapter will be no less than 10 pages, but not more than 30.

I promise to try and update the last chapter soon!

I'll probably have a full part thanking all of you for reading this fanfic, and still I want to say thank you, soooooo much!!

I love you!!

~ShoamEmily

~

12th of September, 2009
Brooklyn and Janet are 43

Janet: "JANET, IS WHAT LA TOYA SAID TRUE?! IS THAT REALLY ANOTHER MAN'S BABY?!" a reporter yelled in my ear.

"PAUL, ARE YOU THE FATHER OF THIS BABY?!" another one asked.

Now that's just ridiculous. La Toya has really done it this time.

Jermaine and Paul put the bags full of baby clothing in the back of the car, and joined me inside.

We just finished doing a little bit of baby shopping because everything Michael and Brooke bought stayed in their house, along with a few more of her and the kids' belongings.

And I knew Brooke wasn't planning on going there any time soon, not that she could do anything right now.

I pulled out my phone out of my pocket, only to find that I have seven missed calls from Brooke.

I looked up at Jermaine who was already placing his own phone onto his ear.
"Alright, we'll be right there. Thanks, Jason."

"Take us to UCLA Medical Center." he said to the driver.

"What happened?" Paul asked.

"She's having contractions."
Jermaine answered.

"Oh, no."

My phone rang, and I saw Wissam's name on the screen.

"Baby, don't worry, I'm right after their car with the girls." he assured me.

"Just watch her until we get there." I told him.

"Of course, baby."

I sighed and hung up.

I hope everything will be okay.

~

"Can we please go home? I haven't had a contraction in hours!" Brooke whined.

She shifted on the hospital bed, looking uncomfortable. She had a belt around her rounded bump with a scanner that monitored her contractions and the baby's heartbeat.

I knew how much she didn't want to stay at this specific hospital since Michael died here. But we couldn't take the risk to transfer her someplace else.

"No, the nurse said you have to stay overnight so we could be sure that you're not in labor." Jermaine said.

"And you've dilated further." I added.

"That doesn't mean I'm going into labor," she groaned. "Well can someone at least help me get to the bathroom? I gotta pee."

Paul helped her up. Everything happened so fast, and as soon as she took her first step, her water broke.

"Oh, shit, you're definitely in labor now." Jason muttered.

"Jason!" mother scolded.

"Ow." my best friend moaned.

Jermaine headed for the door, "I'll call Dr. James."

I saw the terrified look on Brooklyn's face, and hurried to take her hand.

"Jan, it's too early."

Paul rubbed her back then helped her lay down.

"You can do this, love. I believe in you." he placed a kiss on her forehead.

~

Brooke sat up as another contraction hit her.

Those really long ones only came now, and it's been around six hours since her water broke.

"Honey, drink some water." my mother offered her a cup with a straw.

She shook her head, letting out a whimper.

"Maybe you should walk around, Dr. James said it might help speed up your dilation." Jermaine suggested.

"I can't even stand, it hurts too much."

She kept refusing everything we offered. I noticed she was starting to get frustrated from us.

"Can you all just shut up?!" Brooke screamed.

Mother put a hand on my shoulder, "I think we should leave her alone with Paul for a while."

"Mother-"

"I don't like the idea of her replacing Michael, either, but I think she needs someone who's not from our family with her right now. A distraction from thinking about Michael and his absence could be good for her, and us being here would do the exact opposite."

"Jermaine," I called. "Let's go see what the kids are up to."

"But Brooke-"

I cut him off, "Brooke is absolutely fine with Paul."

He sighed and joined mother and I outside.

~

Brooklyn: Paul let me hold onto him as another contraction washed over my body.

I was so grateful that Jermaine, Katherine and Janet left me alone with him. I appreciated them being here, but it just made everything harder.

"Would you like a massage?" Paul asked.

"No, I just want it to be over- Oh, my God..."

I felt the baby move down and clutched Paul's shoulder tighter.

"I'll go get Janet and your doctor."

"No, please stay... Don't leave me alone..." I begged.

"I have to call them, darling..." he caressed my hair.

I was scared. No, I was horrified. This baby was not ready to be born now, and Michael wasn't here to say comforting things to me.

I didn't know what I would do if this baby wouldn't survive. I would feel like I let everyone down, including myself.

But most of all, I feared of doing this without Michael.

"I- I can't do this without him, Paul..." I wept.

Paul quickly wiped my tears away. "Oh, of course you can... Everyone is here with you. You're so strong, and your baby is too, you'll both be perfectly fine. I'm going to call them now, okay?"

He helped me lay down and left the room, but made sure to leave the door open.

The baby moved further down, making me moan.

"Mommy?" I heard all of a sudden.

Blanket's head was peaking inside. He ran to me, and attacked me in a big hug.

"Baby, w- what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I wanted to see you, but grandpa Joe and grandpa Joshua said we can't come in here." he answered, hugging me more.

"They're right, your baby brother's on his way, I don't want you to see me like this."

"Blanket, where are you?" my dad said from the hallway.

"I want to stay with you." he looked at me with his big brown eyes that reminded me of Michael so much.

"Honey, you can't-" I cut myself off as the urge to push was felt.

"Please, mommy. Let me stay."

"Sweetheart, hey," dad smiled when he walked inside. "How's it going? Why are you here alone?"

I responded by arching my back and groaning loudly. The baby was definitely not waiting for anyone.

"I have to push." I cried as immense pressure was put on my hips and thighs.

Dad froze, and Blanket just stood there, oblivious to what was happening.

I started panicking.

Am I really alone when this is happening?!

I closed my legs when the my body contracted around the baby's head. I was so scared.

I can't do this... I need Michael. He would never leave me alone in a time like this.

With the tiny bit of power I had left in me, I pushed myself up to sit. But that just made it worse.

~

Janet: "Mommy, what's happening?" I heard Blanket's small voice.

Paul probably heard it, too, because we both started running towards Brooke's room.

"Honey, what are you doing?" I asked her once I noticed she was trying to get out of bed.

"I- I want to go home..." she answered, not giving up on trying.

Her body muscles were so tense since her contractions were so close, along with the fact that the baby was coming.

"You're giving birth, love, you can't go home now... Lay back down, Dr. James is on her way." Paul grabbed her by her waist as he tried to get her back into bed.

But she resisted by pushing him off and removing his hands from her body.

"Joshua, take Blanket away." I ordered her father who stood there, completely shocked by what was happening.

"No, I wanna stay with mommy!" Blanket protested and clutched Brooke's hand. "I'm here, mommy, I won't leave you. I promise."

"Brooklyn, lay back down." Joshua said sternly.

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. Your baby's coming, and if you don't lay back down you could harm the both of you."

I watched as Brooke gave in and Paul quickly lifted her back up on the bed.

~

Dr. James joined soon enough with my mother and Brooke's.

I was holding up her leg while her mom held the other, and Paul, Blanket, and mother encouraged her.

"His head is right there, hun. Just push whenever you feel like it. I'd rather have him out as soon as possible." Dr. James said.

"W-why?" Brooke stuttered.

"He's premature so I want to make sure he's okay."

I appreciated that the doctor lied to her. Really, the baby's heartbeat was slowing down. She whispered it to me just before we got Brooke ready.

Brooke nodded before taking Blanket's and Paul's hands in hers. She bore down, letting out a low groan as she did.

I noticed a nurse bringing in an incubator as a few more nurses and a pediatrician waited patiently to check on the baby.

Marie gasped. "Ooh, I see him! Keep pushing, honey!"

Brooklyn let out the breath she was holding, then lay back down.

"His head is almost out, hun." Dr. James smiled.

My best friend shed a few tears and I could clearly see she wanted to cry now more than ever.

"Come on, girl, you got this." I told her, rubbing the skin of her leg gently.

"No, you don't understand, Jan. I really need Michael..." she whimpered.

Blanket wiped her tears with his small thumb, "But mommy, look, we're all here... And daddy's watching from heaven and he's really proud of you for bringing my baby brother into the world."

He leaned in and placed a long kiss on his mother's cheek.

She sniffled, closing here eyes. She leaned forward again, and gave everything she had to get this baby out.

~

Brooklyn: I screamed at the top of my lungs trying to get past the last push.

All the pain disappeared in an instant, and Dr. James showed me the tiniest baby I've ever seen.

The tears were pouring by now, but not because I was happy to finally see my baby. He was blue, and his mouth was wide open but no cries were heard. Not even a small squeal. Absolute quiet.

"Why isn't he crying?" I asked as the doctor cut the cord, giving my baby to one of the nurses.

"He's having a little trouble breathing, but he'll be just fine, I promise." she reassured.

I leaned back and started crying hard.

My baby can't die. I wouldn't be able to handle him dying, too.

"This is all my fault. I'm so sorry." I looked at Katherine and Blanket who stood next to each other.

"He's okay, honey... They're working on him right now, he's in good hands. I can see it from here." my mother-in-law cooed.

Please, God, just let my baby live. Don't take him, too. Please...

Katherine kissed my forehead, then I heard very small cries.

Sighs of relief, including mine, were heard all around the room.

~

"He's so... Tiny." Kamron looked inside the incubator at his baby brother that was hooked to so many wires.

"But he's so cute!" Paris giggled.

"Mommy, can you make him grab your finger again?" Blanket questioned, his eyes sparkling from excitement.

I sighed, washing my hands for the third time today, and carefully slid my hand through the hole.

The baby grabbed my pinky very gently. Tears formed in my eyes again, loving this tiny bit of interaction I had with him.

"So what's his name?" Prince asked.

"It's obvious, his name is Chris. Duh." Paris rolled his eyes at him.

"Christopher Michael Jackson. That's his full name." I said and gently moved my pinky along with the baby's hand.

He clutched my finger tighter.

"He looks like Blanket when he was born." my daughter commented.

Blanket laughed, "He even has my black hair!"

"He's darker, though. Almost like me." Kamron said.

I smiled victoriously, thinking of all those times Michael and I argued about who baby Chris would look like. He kept saying he'd look like me. It was obvious that baby Chris, just like Blanket, was a mini-Michael.

"Guys," I heard Janet call. "We should head home. Your mom needs to rest, and so does the baby."

All of my children whined, but knew they couldn't fight with her.

"Goodbye, mom," Prince kissed my head, then turned to the baby. "Stay strong, bro. I love you."

Paris and Kamron hugged me before placing a small kiss on the incubator glass.

"I love you, mommy." Blanket was the last one to come and say goodbye.

"I love you, too, honey. Thank you for being so brave today." I caressed his cheek with the back of my free hand.

I watched them leave, then a nurse and Paul came to take me back to my room.

Although I wished Michael was here to tell me how much he loves me and how much he's proud, I was holding on to what Blanket had said to me.

I believed that my husband was now watching from heaven, smiling and being very happy that he has another son.

That he's proud of all us for being strong enough without him.