Once again, I'm sorry for the delay in putting up a new chapter and sorry this is so short, but I wanted to at least give you the next little bit of the story.

Just to be clear. I don't think that Clay and Brooke should be a couple, nor should Quinn and Jake. I just pick random characters and put them together. I am a fan of Naley and I don't want people to like or dislike a story because I put a major couple like Brucas/Leyton/Jeyton/Brulian anything that someone hates and can't stand to read about, so yes, my couples are generally weird and impossible, but I like it that way and people can't get sidetracked or want more of another couple's story over Naley.

While I was waiting for Jake to show up, Brooke and I watched the news. A second officer is down? How could that be? Jake said that he killed the shooter. Moments later I was greeted with an unexpected site that explained the news story.

"What the hell, Jake?" I screamed as I saw my best friend being rolled in on a stretcher.

"It's just a flesh wound," he told me as he was being rolled closer.

"You're being taken into surgery!" I shouted at him. I was in no mood for games. My boyfriend and the father of my baby was quite possibly on his death bed. And now my best friend is being taken into the same surgery wing.

"Just to get the bullet removed."

"He's on a few drugs," the EMT explained.

"You could have mentioned this on the phone."

"I could have, but then you would have worried. Seeing me let's you know I'm going to be okay. You already have enough to worry about," he said before being shuffled off.

"He's right," Brooke said. "He's an ass for not telling you and Quinn, but he's right. As long as it didn't hit an artery, Jake will be fine. And considering he was up and talking, he didn't hit an artery. Nathan is in a lot more danger with a chest wound. Especially with it being so close to his heart…"

A chest wound? Near his heart? How did I not hear that? How do I block out a chest wound? Oh right, it was when I heard he had died. My heart sank and just as it did I felt our baby kick. I felt powerless. Hell, I was powerless. All I could do was hope and pray that everything would be alright.

"Is your stomach supposed to move like that?"

"Yeah, she's just kicking…" I said without thinking about it.

"SHE?" Brooke screamed.

Great. Nathan was going to be pissed. One secret I'm supposed to keep and I ruin it. Not that everything didn't already seem ruined at the moment. I tried to quiet Brooke but it was too late, Quinn had already overheard everything.

"I already know. You called her your daughter earlier."

I looked at my sister's puffy eyes and realized that she was going through the same thing as me. Well, not the same thing. Supposedly Jake would be fine, but he was in surgery too. I pulled her in for a hug and I think she squeezed tighter than ever before. She pulled away laughing and it made life seem so light. I had no idea why she was laughing, but it reminded me of how happy we were together as kids. I just hoped that my baby would be in a happy home like we were with two loving parents.

"She just kicked me," Quinn giggled. "She's gonna be a feisty one."

It had been six hours since the story first hit the news. Five hours since Clay first went into the operating room. Three hours since Jake had gotten out of surgery. Fifty-eight minutes since Clay last came out. Fifty-nine. What I didn't understand was why Nathan was still in surgery if they weren't even able to remove the bullet.

"What are you thinking?" Jake asked as he opened his eyes to look at me.

"A million different things," I sighed tiredly as I laid my head on his bed. "I'm just confused about a lot of things right now. Who would ever want to hurt you two? You're the best people I know."

"A psycho out for revenge. Don't even worry about that. He's dead. He can't hurt anybody anymore."

"Hales," I heard from the doorway, turning to see Clay. It was good news. It had to be good news. I could tell from his face. "He's out of surgery," Clay smiled.

"Really?" I squealed as I ran and gave him a hug. "Where is he? I want to see him!"

"I figured as much. He's not awake yet though."

"What do you mean he's not awake?" I could feel my nerves returning.

"It's normal Hales. Jake didn't wake up immediately and he wasn't in surgery even half the amount of time Nathan was. As of right now, he's stabilized. And that's what really matters. They don't really want him to have visitors yet, but as soon as he's in his own room there's nothing to keep you from him."

"Not even psycho nurses who think they rule the world?"

"Not even Brooke," Clay joked.

"Hey! I don't even work here!" Brooke laughed, obviously not too offended by her husband's joke.

"Do you mind?" I asked Jake before getting up.

"Are you kidding me, Hales?" Jake smiled incredulously. "Get your fat ass in there!"

"I'm not fat, I'm pregnant, you jerk!" I couldn't help but smile as I left the room. I was finally going to see Nathan.