Kelly’s phone rang while she was walking to the locker room after her shift at the hospital  was almost over. She slid it out of her pocket, expecting to see Jenna’s number. She was supposed to pick her and JC up from the airport after their trip to San Francisco to Pop 2000.

JC’s number stared back at her. She put her stuff into her locker and locked it back. Grabbing her keys out of her purse, she answered his call.

"Hey," she said walking down the hall to the elevator bay. "Is everything ok? I figured it would be Jenna calling me from the airport. “

"No."

"What's going on?"

“Jenna started to get a headache earlier this morning, and it kept getting worse.  Not even halfway through our flight she started throwing up from the pain she was in.  I tried to do what I could to keep her hydrated, but she kept throwing up.  She took Tylenol and Advil, nothing out of the ordinary for a headache that won’t go away, even timed them out to not overlap too much.  We just landed and we’re going by ambulance to the hospital.”

“I’m here, just finished my shift.  I’ll meet you in the ER. I’m calling Dr. Black’s office as soon as I get off the phone.  This is not normal,” Kelly said.

“Tell me about it.  See you in a few.”  He looked over at Jenna’s tear stained face. She had an airsick bag firmly gripped in her hand, the slightest movement made her vomit. 

Thankfully once the plane taxied to the gate, he was able to get her off the plane, an ambulance waiting on the tarmac.  They secured Jenna onto a gurney and JC buckled into the back before they sped off towards the hospital.

The paramedics asked her questions, Jenna doing her best to answer, JC answering when she couldn’t.  Her eyes were squeezed shut, the pain was so blinding and intense.  Before they knew it, the doors to the ambulance opened and they wheeled her into the ER, Kelly waiting for them.

Kelly sucked in a deep breath upon seeing her best friend in the current state she was in. 

“ Hey, how are you?” Kelly asked Jenna, looking up at JC with a look of dread in her eyes. 

Jenna opened her eyes and could barely make out Kelly’s face.  “My head feels like it’s going to explode, and if I move too much I puke,” she said, closing her eyes against the light. “I can’t see out of my left eye at all. Something is wrong, Kel.”

“Honey, you’re at the hospital. I called Dr. Black’s office, and they said that someone will be here soon. So it shouldn’t take too long to get her back.” Kelly said the last part to JC, not liking the way she looked at all. 

The nursing staff did a set of vitals, and a lab blood draw, JC looking away as they went to put the needle in. Kelly helped Jenna into a gown and into the bathroom for a urine sample. After that, they put her in bed and turned down the lights in the exam room she had been assigned. A nurse came in and gave her pain and nausea medication in the IV that she had started.  The pain had finally eased a little and Jenna had fallen asleep. Not too long after, they came and got her and took her to radiology for another set of scans on her head.

Once the scans were done, she was placed in the Neuro stepdown unit. There Jenna slept for the next several hours. 

“I’m glad she’s sleeping, she needed the rest after all of this.  We joked about needing sleep on the plane, but with everything that happened…”

“Long night last night?” Kelly asked, raising her eyebrows.

“You could say that.”

“I’m not an idiot, JC.  You're adults, if you had sex all night, then good for you.  Even if you stayed up all night binge watching garbage TV, that’s your business.”

“Definitely not up watching TV,” JC smiled. 

“You should sleep, too, JC. Not sure how long she’ll be asleep, but once they run the tests and get the results, we’ll see how long we’re here tonight.”

“We?”

“Yes. Jenna needs you, and you need someone. She’s my best friend, I can’t just leave her or her boyfriend right now.  Get some rest while you can, even if it’s just 10 minutes…”

She looked over at him, his eyes closed and his fingers dangling over the edge of the chair in a way she knew was in sleep. Sleep while you can, we might be in for a bumpy ride…

...

There was a light tap on the door, and Dr. Black stuck his head in the door. 

JC woke up with a start as the door squeaked open.  Kelly stirred on the cot next to the window. 

“I have the test results,” Dr . Black said, closing the door behind him. The look on his face was grim at best. 

Jenna stirred in the bed, and opened her eyes. The world swam around her, she closed her eyes again. She tried to smile, but even her face hurt. 

“So, what’s the verdict?” JC asked, taking Jenna’s hand in his. 

“The tumor is twice the size that it was on the original scans. Which is causing your brain to swell and press into your skull. This is what is causing the pain and the neurological symptoms you have had over the last several hours. “ 

“It's grown that much over a six week period? That can’t be good,” Kelly said out loud. 

We know what the cause of the growth is. I don’t normally get to tell my patients things like this. Jenna, you’re pregnant. That is why the tumor has grown as much as it has.”

“The hormones?” Kelly asked the doctor, still floored by his revelation of the baby.

Jenna opened her eyes back up, and stared blankly at Dr. Black. “ I’m pregnant? “ She repeated. “ But, how? The tests I took were negative. “

“When was that?” Dr. Black responded, surprised. 

“ About two weeks ago.” JC answered, looking shell shocked as well. “ She got sick that day. We got the MRI results back and were at your office. We did a test the next day and they both came back negative. “

“It was more than likely too early to test. But, you are definitely pregnant. The blood and urine don’t lie,” Dr. Black said with a smile. “I am having an OB consultation ordered right now to come in and talk to you about the risks involved with this pregnancy and the surgery . But, this tumor needs to come out, sooner than later. I’d like to go ahead with the surgery, as soon as possible. The seizures that could happen because of the tumor could kill you, because we would not be able to treat you with the medications that you need because of the pregnancy. “

Jenna’s hand went down to her belly, JC resting his hand on top of hers. 

“Baby, are you OK?”

She shook her head slowly yes. “ They aren’t gonna ask me to terminate, are they?”

“That is an option. But, not the only one,” Dr. Black said, trying to reassure her.

“No. I refuse to terminate this pregnancy," Jenna said sitting up in the bed, almost immediately sorry she did. JC got her basin and she dry heaved into it. Once she was done, she laid back into the pillows. “No.  I don’t care what happens to me, Josh. Don’t let them abort this baby. Our son. Please,”  she begged JC once Dr. Black had left the room.

"Jenna, no one is gonna make you do anything you don’t want to do," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed.  

“If this surgery goes bad and I’m gorked, don’t let them take our baby away. Promise me Joshua, Promise me." She pleaded with him, tears running down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, the pain in her head reaching an epic peak. 

“I promise,”  he whispered, his own tears managing to escape his eyes. “No one's gonna take this baby from you.  Liam is coming. You dreamed of this.  We will see our little boy in a few months.”  He pulled her into his arms. After a few minutes, she relaxed against him and went back into a drug induced sleep. He put her back against the pillows.  He looked over at Kelly, not sure what to do next. 

“She was so devastated over the last few weeks," he said, looking at Jenna's sleeping form on the bed. "I think that it made her realize how much she really wanted a baby. I know it did for me.”

“And now it’s real. You are getting your Liam. The baby you both wanted,”  Kelly smiled at him.

“Now I am even more terrified." he said, trying to curb his emotions. 

“But, you aren’t gonna run. “

“No. Never. I’m terrified she might lose it, or I might lose both of them.”

“No way, Josh.  She dreamed it, and knew it was happening. It may not be the way that you envisioned it, but he is on his way. “

Kelly was right. This baby was definitely a shock . But, he was an answer to his mama’s prayers and, truth be told, he was an answer to his dad’s prayers too. 

 He settled back down and fell asleep in the chair again. There was a tap on the door. Kelly opened the door to find an ultrasound tech on the other side with her machine. 

Kelly walked over to the bed and touched JCs shoulder. He sat up with a start. 

"Josh, they are here to do an ultrasound  of the baby," Kelly said, and he sat up and squeezed Jenna’s hand. “ Baby, they want to do an ultrasound. “

“MMMM” Jenna mumbled, and opened her eyes. She saw the outline of the ultrasound machine. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Will we get to see him?” she asked the tech.

“Depends on how far along you are,” she smiled, pushing her machine over to the bed. She pulled out the transducer, and explained that she had to do a transvaginal ultrasound because the baby would be small at this point. She got everything ready and had Kelly turn the light off and turned on her monitor. Jenna scrunched her face, as the US tech found the right spot. A smile came over the Tech’s lips as she pointed to the tiny blip on the screen. 

Turning the screen to face JC and Jenna, she said, “ And there is the little guy.” There were flashes of blue and green in the middle of the tiny blip.

“ That’s him, Jenna. That’s Liam,” JC gasped.

She smiled, and looked at JC, whose eyes were brimming with tears. "He’s beautiful,”  She lied, she could not see the screen at all. She closed her eyes and tears slipped down her cheeks. 

She laid her head back into the pillow . Any light at all made her head want to split down the middle. “Is the baby ok?” she heard him ask the tech. 

“Measuring around 4 weeks 5 days.Which puts you right on track. Nice strong heartbeat. 150.”

She heard the tech say back to him.

The tech ran off some pictures for them, cleaned up her equipment,  and handed the pictures off to JC. “Congratulations you two.” 

Jenna was quiet, when Kelly turned on the lights she looked at the bed. Jenna was posturing to the right. The shaking started soon after that.

“Josh, turn on the call light. She is having a seizure,” Kelly said calmly as she turned Jenna on her side. 

Josh did as she asked, staff had already come into the room, and pushed them out of the room. 

“This was bound to happen, because of the size of the tumor. It was only a matter of time. “ Kelly said, trying to calm him down.  He was standing there, trying not to cry or hyperventilate.  She found a bench and sat him down. 

“What if …” he stammered, trying not to lose it.

“No, she is gonna be fine. We are not going there. You have come too  far. This is not it. It’s a setback," Kelly tried her best to not lose it herself, praying that she was right.  

….

Dr. Black came into the waiting area.

"We have the seizure under control.  She is heavily sedated right now. I would like to go on with the surgery in the morning so we can forgo any more chances of seizures like this. I will have the OB come in and talk with you two tonight. Weigh your options. "

"There is no other option. Do it. Do the surgery." JC said. " Do whatever you have to do to save her life."

"I want you to talk to the OB before you make any decisions," Dr. Black said, trying to reassure him.

"She would tell you to do the surgery," JC said again, not changing his mind. 

"Josh. it won't hurt to hear the OB's opinion. Can we talk to them now?" Kelly asked.

"I've already paged her. She should be on her way right now," Dr Black said, and, as if on cue, a woman in gray scrubs came into the waiting area. 

"I'm Dr. Matthews, Dr. Black called me in to examine Jenna. I agree with Dr Black. I believe that Jenna and your baby will  benefit from this surgery. The risks without it are too great. I will be there during the surgery keeping an eye on the baby."

"I don't need to talk , please do what you have to do to save my family," JC said quietly.  

"I want to make sure she is seizure free for at least a few hours before we take her to surgery," Dr. Black said. " We will go from there." 

"Can I see her?" he heard himself ask, in a voice that sounded nothing  like his own.

"Sure.Go ahead." Dr. Black said, and JC moved back to the door and entered Jenna’s  room. 

...

Kelly stood motionless in the hallway, her phone ringing. She looked at the screen. It was Michael.

"Hey. I can't get Jenna or JC on the phone. I was wondering  if you know what's going on? Did they get back from San Francisco ok?"

"Come to the hospital, Michael. I'll explain once you get here. JC is gonna need you both,"  Kelly answered. 

"What's wrong? Is Jenna Ok?" Ha asked, already knowing  the answer.

"No. They want to take her to surgery earlier than expected. The tumor grew. She is in serious condition right now. "  Kelly replied.

"Oh My God. I'll let Lance know. Do you want us to call Justin?" 

"Please," she said as she hung up the call.  

Lance came into the room to find Michael sitting there staring into space. 

"Babe, you get a hold of Jenna? "

"She's back in the hospital. "

"What? "

"The tumor grew, they are doing surgery sooner than expected. " Michael said blankly 

"I'll let Allison know we’re leaving and we will go see what's going on."

"Kelly said we need to let Justin Know. "

" I'll call him from the car," Lance said to his husband, moving him along to their SUV.