Before the sun had even begun to rise, an alarm clock rang through out the room and McKayla reached over to turn it off before it could disturb Justin any further than it already had. She glanced back at him and she slowly slid from the bed and noticed his eyelids fluttering alittle. When he finally did roll over to look at the clock, she'd already waddled half way to the bathroom.

"Baby, it's 4:30, are you sure you wanna go?" his voice was low and raspy.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine," she glanced back at him before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind herself.

While he went back to sleep she started the long process of getting ready to leave for the tv set. She was scheduled to do a few morning talk shows downtown, which was why she had to get up so early.

As she stood in front of the mirror another one of those stupid pains went down her back. It kinda felt like something was sticking into her spine. She'd been having them since the night before and she didn't mention it to Justin because it would only freak him out. He'd start worrying and he'd go with her to the TV shows or make her go to the doctor or something as equally unnessecary. Instead she figured it was just her back finally saying 'I've had enough.' Luckily the baby was to be born in two days and she could work on getting her joints back to normal.

A blacked out SUV pulled into her driveway a quarter before six and she climbed into the backseat.

"Hey Mama."

"What's up Eric?" she smiled at her bodyguard who occupied the front seat.

"Not much, how have you been?"

"Good. Long time no see right?"

The two talked as the car made it's way towards the first TV studio. It'd been a long time since they'd seen each other. McKayla had been opting to stay home out of the public eye and letting Justin handle all the iterviews for them. Because she was at home, Eric wasn't needed as often and had taken another security job until she decided to get back into the swing of things.

It was a half an hour ride to the lot where all of the studios were located. Her first few shows were all via satelite so she would have to worry too much about her appearance and what she did while on camera. Regardless she was still whisked away to hair and make-up in studio C8. When she walked in, Shannon was there with her clothes, and two people she didn't recognise where waiting by a chair.

"Hi soon-to-be Mommy," Shannon smiled

McKayla smiled and made her way over to her friend.

"My name is McKayla but Mommy works too I guess."

"Mommy is going to have to work, for the rest of your life."

"Don't I know it," she moved away from her friend and introduced herself to the two men standing by the chair.

They introduced themselves as Mark and Kyle and immediately sat her down to begin working. As Mark started wrapping her hair around curling irons and Kyle was putting foundation on her face, the two girls listened to the radio and made fun of celebrity's who did something they thought was completely stupid, although Shannon was quick to remind her that she wasn't exactly lacking in the 'Stupid Move' department either.

It was after 7:30 when McKayla finally exited the room, completely primped to perfection. She and Shannon climbed back into the car and headed farther into the lot. First off was The Today Show. Then came Good Morning America, and The Early Show. They were all relatively painless, pretty much asking the same questions. When is the baby due? Is it a boy or a girl? How's your marriage? When's an album coming out?

After awhile she was just on auto-pilot with a smile. However, when it came time to go on The View the pains in her back had increased to the point where she was groaning out loud.

"Are you okay?" Shannon wrapped an arm around hers and helped her over to the make-up chair so Kyle could touch up her face.

"Yeah, it's just my back is really killing me."

"Are you gonna be okay? Do you want to go?"

"No, no, I'm fine. I'll be fine."

She wasn't fine. Her day was over, but she was far from okay. The pain had intensified to feel more like something was cutting into her back, splitting it open. When she'd stopped to take a 'pregnant woman' break in the restroom she'd noticed an unusual, well, leakage. She couldn't remember reading anything in her pregnancy books that this at 9 months along was normal.

"You're going to the hospital," Shannon pulled her seatbelt across her and tucked it under her belly.

"No I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Eric," she looked to him for back up.

"You're going, so sit back and relax," he nodded his head firmly before looking to the driver, who started the engine.

"Do you want to call Justin, or do I have too?"

"I can do it," she snatched the phone with annoyance, the pain having temporarily subsided.

It did that, moved in and out almost like ocean waves. McKayla dialed in the number to her home, assuming her husband was there and not out carousing with his friends. whne it rang for the 5th time she started to get alittle discouraged.

"Hello?" he was still groggy.

"Hey. It's me."

"Hey. What's going on?"

"Shannon and Eric are taking me to the hospital."

"What?" he sat up in bed, "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing major, I've just been having back aches and stuff all day so they want me to go get checked out. That's all."

She could hear him russling around as he got up and started getting dressed.

"Okay. I'm leaving right now, I'll be right there okay?"

"Okay," she felt herself turning sentimental. Right now she really rather be holding his hand and leaning against him than talking on the phone.

She heard the click in her ear and handed the phone back to Shannon.

"What'd he say?"

"He said he's leaving in a second, he'll meet us there."

Shannon threw and arm over her shoulders.

"It really is for the best hun. Just to make sure everything is okay."

"I know. I just don't like hospitals is all."

They found a parking spot in front ofthe hospital several minutes later and helped her waddle into the waitingroom where she sat down and Shannon went to the counter. She came back a moment later, telling her they were sending someone down to take her upstairs. she was busy wondering where Justin was. He'd driven her to this hospital dozens of times, he should have been there by now.

As if on cue he came jogging through the door, baseball cap pulled low on his head and dark shades over his eyes. He spotted her immediately, probably because of the soft groan she let out due to the pain rolling through her.

"Baby? What's going on?" he was kneeling in front of her, one of her hands in his and the other stroking her cheek.

"We don't know yet," Eric supplied, "They're sending someone down for her."

"What happened? When did it start?" he moved to sit in the seat next to her and looked up at Shannon and Eric. They both shrugged in responce.

"They started last night."

"Last night? Kayla, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think much of it. I thought they were back pains or those fake labor pain things or something. I assumed they'd go away."

"McKayla?" a man with a wheelchair stopped in front of them and looked at her, "come on, let's take you upstairs."

"So she is in labor?"

"Very much so. I wouldn't be surprised if your baby was here within the next couple hours."

Justin nodded to the nurse, who then excused herself to check on someone else, and gave his wife a look.

"I'm sorry," she offered.

"Well, the important thing is that you got here in time. But next time, if you feel anything at all, you tell me, and we'll get you here earlier alright."

Next time? Right now she was in so much pain she was positive that they were next having sex again, just to insure that they were never having another kid. She couldn't do this again, she wasn't that kind of woman. Justin headed down the hall to spread the news to all of their relatives. His parents would be there within 20 minutes, McKayla's Mom was on a plane, and the guys were on their way over later.

When Justin re-entered the room he found his wife laying in her bed, eyes closed, breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth.

"Another one?"

She nodded her head. He sat down on the bed next to her and took her hand in his, watching the monitor raise and then start to fall. When it disappeared into nothing she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"How you feeling?"

"Never better," her voice was full of sarcasm.

"Mrs. Timberlake," a bubbily nurse, who had introduced herself as Tonya before, came in, "How are you doing?"

McKayla just made a noise in responce. Tonya just laughed and looked at Justin.

"Well, that's not a bad sign. Let me just check you out and make sure you're doing okay."

"I'd be doing better with an epidural," she said.

"We can give you a spinal block, which will help with the pain during delivery, but you're too far along for anything else."

"Spinal block?"

And that was....what exactly?

"It works like an epidural. It's given to you through your spine."

"Any side effects or anything?" Justin, ever the worrier.

"It does decrease oxygen flow to the baby, and she may experience a drop in blood pressure."

Justin looked to his wife. She gave him a look back, knwing he didn't really like the alternative.

"Lemme just check you out and give you a minute to think over it," Tonya sat at the end of the bed.

After examining her, she determined that McKayla was nearly completely dilated, but should consider getting up and moving around in order to ease some of the pains and move the process along.

"No," she shook her head vigerously.

"Well, what about some of your lamase positions? Maybe that would help relax you?" Tonya offered.

"I hated lamase," McKayla was just being difficult.

"It could be awhile before the anestigiologist gets here, so you may want to try it."

After Tonya left the room Justin stood.

"Come on baby, sit up."

"Why?"

"Let's craddle. That was your favorite one," he said it like he was teasing her.

After a moment she gave in and sat up so he could sit behind her, her body between his legs. The physical activity only caused the labors pains to intensify. When he was settled she leaned back against him and his hands moved to her stomach, gently massaging in slow circles.

"Remember your breathing."

She nodded, doing as he said.

"And relax your jaw. A relaxed jaw means an open vagina."

"Randall. Shut up."

He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Baby, just think about this: We're having a baby."