*25th April 1989*

Me and Emma are going to get my dress resized today. There's five days left until the wedding, and I'm getting a little more excited about it. I think Michael is, too, he won't stop talking about it!

"Oh, only five days to go!" he tells me for the millionth time today.

And it's only 9:30am.

"I know it is, Michael. Do you possibly think you're more excited than me?" I ask with a chuckle.

Michael looks up, thinking of a witty answer, at my guess.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. You'll never know," he finally says, elbowing me gently on the arm.

"I gotta go out in a few minutes, me and Emma are meeting at 10," I say.

Michael nods in understanding. "Oh, I know. I'm going out to see the Jax boys."

I hear Ryder cry in the next room.

"Oh, Michael? Could you go see to Ryder, please? I need to get ready to see Emma," I exhale, before leaving the room to get my coat.

"Anything for you, Princess," I hear Michael sigh, before I hear footsteps going into another room.

I put my shoes on, and walk into the living room, where Michael is sitting, cradling Ryder.

"Y'know, you guys looked so cute last night, sleeping on the sofa together," I say with a warm smile.

Michael looks up at me, and an embarrassed smile forms on his face.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't that I was tired. I fell asleep because.. because Ryder wanted me to," he says.

I roll my eyes and chuckle. "Of course he did, I didn't doubt that for a second."

"Oh, mommy, he wants you!" Michael holds Ryder up, like Raffiki holding Simba in Lion King, and he waves Ryder's hand to make it appear that he's waving.

"Woah, be careful there, sweetheart. We don't want you hurting yourself, do we?" I chuckle, and take Ryder out of Michael's hands.

"He isn't that heavy, I doubt he could hurt me," Michael jokes.

I slap his arm and join him on the sofa.

"I was talking about you holding Ryder so high, silly."

"I knew that. I was just messin', so is Emma coming here, or are you meeting at this wedding dress place?" Michael asks.

"Oh, maybe she's coming here, maybe she isn't. You'll never know," I mock his previous words, but then see the genuine curiosity on his face, and I give up. "She's coming here. But I wanted to be ready early, as she wants to meet Ryder, and she loves babies, so we may be here a while. We'll probably be out of here by.. well, it's 9:36am now, so we'll probably leave this place at... 2:00pm. That's how much she loves babies. She'd stay with them all day, if she could."

Michael chuckles. "Well, I love them too, but I don't think I'd spend 5 hours with one."

"Oh, I beg to differ," I retort playfully.

Michael nods. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

The doorbell goes.

"Oh, I'll get it," I say, handing Ryder back to Michael.

I walk to the door, and open it.

"Cozzy!" Emma squeals, and leaps into my arms for a hug. "I missed you!"

"I missed you! You wanna meet Ryder?" I ask.

Emma nods. "Let me meet him now, otherwise I might die from excitement!"

I lead her into the living room, where Michael and Ryder are. As soon as Emma's eyes focus on Ryder, she runs over to him and lifts him out of Michael's arms.

"Oh, gosh! He's beautiful, Becky. I'm so happy for you! Oh, hello baby! Hello Ryder!" she starts to coo in Ryder's ear, and Ryder, despite only being four days old, starts to giggle softly.

"So you went into labour on your wedding day?" Emma asks.

I nod. "Sure did. And me and Michael got stuck in the bathroom, with nothing but a doctor for the first, like, ages! God, it was so.. eventful!"

"But hey, isn't having a child well worth it? Oh, I can't wait to have one of my own! That reminds me! Becky, I have a lot of important stuff to tell you."

The doorbell goes again.

"Oh, that'll be Mark. I told him to come here after he'd gone to the corner shop. I'll get it," Emma says, walking to the door, still holding Ryder.

"Told you, it's like an obsession! Mind you, I can't wait to hear what stuff she has to tell us," I chuckle.

Michael nods. "Yeah, I can see her obsession. Let's just see what she has to say, shall we?"

Emma comes into the room, with Ryder and Mark.

"Hey Mike, what's up?" Mark asks, fist bumping Michael.

"Hey, long time no see!" Michael replies.

I sit down next to Michael, and he places his arm around me. Emma and Mark stay standing, and Emma hands Ryder back to me, before standing back next to Mark, who places his arm around her.

"So, what did you wanna say?" I ask, with a smile, but feeling a little impatient.

Emma looks at Mark, and they smile at one another, before looking back at me and Michael.

"Well, we only found out the day before your wedding was meant to happen. I was gonna tell you then, but then you had Ryder, so I couldn't tell you. But now I can," Emma starts.

"And you can tell us what, now?" Michael asks.

"Becky.. me and Mark are expecting our first child together!"

The words hit me like.. woah.

"Oh, Emma! I'm so happy for you! Oh, come here!"

I hand Ryder to Michael, and give Emma a hug, a tight hug.

"How far along are you?" Michael asks.

"Only 2 months.. but gosh, Becky's pregnancy went like lightning, I hope mine does the same!" Emma replies.

"But there's more," Mark says.

Emma and I release our hug, and I look at Mark. "What?"

"When Emma told me about her pregnancy, I got so excited, that last night.. I proposed to her. We're getting married."

"Oh, guys! You're gonna make me cry with happiness! I could cry right now! Congratulations you guys, Emma, it looks like we're finally getting true happiness back!" I smile.

"We are, Cozzy. We're finally getting there. And I finished college a few months back, did I mention? Now, I'm a free woman!" she replies.

I chuckle. "No more getting Fs in science, huh?"

"Ha, yeah, that's a fact!" Emma smirks.

I check the time. 9:57am.

"Emma, it's nearly 10, do you wanna go now?" I ask.

Emma nods. "Yeah, we can always come back here afterwards."

Emma kisses Mark's lips, and walks towards the door.

I look Michael's way. "We won't be long. I love you."

I kiss his lips, and then I kiss Ryder's forehead.

"I love you too, sweetheart," Michael tells me.

Me and Emma head out the door, with me carrying the dress in a bag.

"I'm so happy for you, Emma," I say as we walk.

"Thank you, Cozzy. Y'know, everything's starting to turn around in our lives now. It's getting better."

"Yeah, the only bad trace in my life is the knowledge of Janine's existance," I joke morbidly.

Emma stifles a giggle. "Yeah, but at least you'll get another kid outta her."

"Yeah, yeah I know, but I can't help but hate her, for what she did to Michael and the Jax boys. The only good part about her is the child she's giving me and Michael, once it's born."

We get to the shop, and enter it. The manageress, Annie, is there, smiling at me.

"Wow, I remember you! You were in here, barely two weeks ago! And you've shrunk, too! Had your child?" she asks.

"It was that obvious I was pregnant?" I try to hide my embarrassment, and Annie smiles sweetly.

"Not to worry, sweetie. I assume you're here to resize the dress, unless you're returning it!" she chuckles.

"Yeah, resizing it. That's all," I reply.

Annie smiles sweetly. "Not a problem."

----

"That's all done for you, alright?" Annie says, handing me back the dress.

"Thank you," I say with a smile, taking it from her hands.

I had to go through so many measurements, this better be right.

Me and Emma walk out the shop, and back to my house.

I open the front door, and it's quiet. Emma follows behind me, until a faint noise is heard.

"Michael?" I call.

I assume he's home from seeing the Jax boys.

"In here," I hear Mark's voice.

I follow the noise of faint crying, to the kitchen. There, I find Ryder in his bouncer, and Michael and Mark at the table, Mark stroking Michael's back, comforting him.

Michael's crying.

"Michael!" I cry in concern, running his way and giving him a hug.

"What's the matter, sweetie?" I ask.

Michael has his head in his hands, and his elbows leaning on the table.

He doesn't respond.

I turn to Mark for an answer. But he doesn't give me one, either.

"Will one of you say something?" I ask sadly.

Michael looks up, his face red from crying, and his eyes blood shot.

"I.. I.. it.." he can barely speak, he's crying so much.

I stroke his back, like Mark is doing.

"Tell me, please Michael," I beg softly.

I place my hand under his chin, and guide his head up, so he can look me in the eye. I use my thumb to dry his tears, but as I finish, new tears replace the old ones.

He's about to answer, but his cries take over, and he buries his head in his arms, leaning his head on the table.

This must be something huge, if he's crying this much.

"Sweetheart, please? Tell me what's wrong! I've never seen you this way before!"

I'm panicking now. I've never seen him this broken before, unless he was this way when I was shot... but I don't know.

He clears his throat, the sound slightly muffled from having buried his head in his arms, and he slowly lifts his head and looks at me, redder than before.

"It.. it's Janine.." he says weakly, almost sounding as if he's in pain.

My eyes widen, half with anger and half in sympathy for Michael. Do I already know what he's gonna say?

"If she's assaulted you again, I swear I'll break her, pregnant or not!" I growl.

Michael shakes his head, and I invite him in for a hug, which he takes with no questions asked. He stands himself up, and we embrace.

I stroke his curls gently, and whisper in his ear. "You can tell me."

I hear Michael sigh, and he's trying to stop himself from crying.

"I.. just.." he starts, forcing himself not to choke on his own tears. "Janine called while you were out, and while I was with the boys.. and she told me..."

"Told you what, Michael?"

He sniffles and another tear falls down his cheek.

"She got rid of our child. She didn't even ask me if I wanted that, I told her specifically I didn't want her to do it before. But she had an abortion, and she killed my child."