It was sometime after eight a.m. when all hell broke loose again. Bristol had called her mom and sister to give them the heads up on what had happened with Roan, and she was waiting with Micah in the waiting room when her water broke.

“Oh, my God,” she cried out, grabbing her belly.

Micah jumped to his feet. “No, you said this wasn’t going to happen. Stop it, right now.”

“And how exactly would you like me to do that?”

“I don’t fucking know,” he shook his head, “lock your legs, breathe deep, focus on keeping things where they are.”

“That’s not how this works,” she told him. “Could you please go get a nurse?” Her body was wracked with the most intense pain she had ever felt in her life, and she cried out again.

Micah had just left when Olive walked in. It only took her a moment to guess the situation.

“So, we’re doing this, huh?” Olive asked. “Without Roan?”

“No, I can’t do this without him. I need him,” Bristol whined, knowing how ridiculous she sounded.

“Well, he’s not available, but I am,” Olive told her. “And I’m the one who sat in on birthing class, so you should feel lucky to have me.”

Micah and the nurse appeared with a wheelchair.

“I’m so sorry, I made such a mess on the chair,” Bristol whimpered as she moved into the towel covered wheelchair.

“Don’t you worry about it sweetie, that happens. I’ll call maintenance, and they’ll come take care of it. You just stay relaxed, and we’ll get you up to labor and delivery.”

“My…. fiancé… is on the second floor, I can’t have this baby without him,” she protested.

The nurse just kept pushing her down the hallway with Micah and Olive trailing behind. “I understand you want him there, but honey, he’s where he needs to be right now. You wouldn’t want him to get worse because he’s trying to be by your side.”

“He has to know. Micah, you have to tell him Junior is coming.”

“He’s unconscious, Bristol,” Micah protested.

“I don’t care. Go tell him. He has to know.” She inhaled deeply through her nose as pain lanced through her body again. “Oh my God, I think I’m dying.”

“You’re not dying,” the nurse told her. “Just the opposite, we’re bringing life into the world today.”

“What do you mean we? Do you hurt as much as I do?” Bristol snapped.

The nurse just gave her an amused smile and hit the elevator button. If she kept it up, Bristol was likely to go postal on her before they even made it to the laboring room.

“I can’t do this alone,” she told Olive. “Will you call mom?”

Olive hesitated, then nodded. “You won’t be alone, because you’ll have me, but I’ll call her.”

“I love you Liv, but you’ve never—Ow ow ow!”

The nurse sped up as they got off the elevator. “Coming pretty fast. Is this your first baby?”

Bristol nodded, “And I’m not due for two more weeks.”

“Thirty-eight weeks is full-term sweetie. We’re going to be meeting your little one soon if I were hedging bets,” the nurse told her. “Just try to relax and breathe through the pains.”

* * *

Roan could hear Micah talking, but his eyes felt like lead weights were sitting on them. It was nearly impossible to open them to see him. When he did, he realized immediately there was something heavy on his neck, and… shit… he couldn’t even move his head. What the hell was happening?

Micah was standing under bright lights, bright lights that were on a commercial ceiling, and he looked concerned. It all rushed back in, and Roan remembered the accident. He’d been bleeding. Bennett had been trying to stop the bleeding. What happened after that? He must be in the hospital, and it had to be serious or Micah wouldn’t be here hovering. Where was Bristol?

“She asked me to tell you, but I’m not sure,” Micah paused, and their eyes met. “You’re awake! Thank you, God!”

Roan felt his impatience with his circumstances growing. He hated the feeling of being trapped.

“Okay, so let me start over. You were in an accident, glass cut your throat, but you’re okay. They did surgery to fix it because it was close to the artery in there, and now, you have to heal up,” Micah told him. “But Bristol is in labor upstairs. She’s having the baby, and they can’t stop her labor to wait for you because her water broke. It was a mess, man. All over the waiting room chair she was sitting in. She was frantic about it, but the nurse just whisked her away and told her it would be fine.”

Roan blinked hard as panic set in. Bristol was having their baby, and he was stuck here in a hospital bed, several floors beneath her.

“Don’t freak out, you’re okay, and she’s okay. Olive is with her now. The rest of the family went home when they told us it could be hours before you woke up. I’ll call them in a second, but I should probably get a nurse since you’re awake.” He grabbed Roan’s hand and squeezed. “It’s damn good to see your eyes again, Five.”

He left the room, and Roan felt tears slip from his eyes. After fighting so hard to get back to her safe and sound, he’d managed to end up getting hurt at home, and he was still going to miss the birth of his son. Talk about hell on earth.

* * *

Bristol’s labor intensified quickly and at seven centimeters dilated, her mom knocked on the labor door. It was the first time she’d seen her in almost nine months, and her emotions were already discombobulated. Bursting into tears, she clutched her belly in the bed and sobbed.

“Oh, sweet girl,” her mom said softly as she came to her side and wrapped her arms around her awkwardly. Laying in a hospital bed, nine months pregnant and in the worst pain of her life didn’t make for a comfortable reunion, but Bristol was relieved anyway.

“Thank you for coming. Owrrrggggg!” she forced out a breath through the next pain, trying hard to stay focused and slow her emotional turmoil.

“I’m so sorry I haven’t been there for you. I’m such an ass.”

“It’s okay, you’re here now,” Bristol panted. “I’m so scared, Mama.”

“I know honey, but you can do this. This baby boy will have the best mother in the whole world, but he has to get here first which means you have to stay focused,” her mom told her. “I will apologize again later and explain myself, but for now, let’s just get this boy here.”

Bristol nodded, tears still running down her cheeks, “I. Need. Roan.”

Her mom had tears in her eyes now, “I know, but he’s—”

“I’m right here, baby,” a hoarse voice said.

Looking up to find him being wheeled into the room on a hospital bed was a moment Bristol would never forget. He had a huge bandage around his neck, but his eyes were open, and he was half smiling at her.

“I couldn’t let you have all the fun with this pregnancy,” he joked.

“Are you okay? Are you in pain—arggggg!” she fought to stay relaxed when every part of her body was in agony.

“Breathe through it, Bristol. We’re almost there,” the nurse told her calmly. “Your man has to stay in his bed, but we can get him close enough to hold your hand through this. I’m going to check you again.”

Bristol felt her cheeks turn red as the nurse questioned whether she needed privacy. There really wasn’t a point to privacy now. She was about to give birth and a half-dozen people would see everything. Plus, she was in major pain now, and all she wanted was to get this over with.

“You’re at a ten and nearly there. I’m going to call in some backup, you get ready to push, Bristol,” the nurse told her.

Panic set in, and she started to freak out.

“No, no, no. I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough. He’s going to tear me apart, Roan.”

Roan’s face was the picture of calm as he said, “There’s no other woman in the world I would trust to bring my son into the world. You’re so much stronger than you know, baby. You’ve got this.”

On her left, Roan reclined in a hospital bed holding her hand for dear life, and on her right, her mom supported her back as she began the fight of her life, pushing to bring her son into the world.

* * *

Roan was losing his mind as he watched Bristol struggle to deliver his son. She was in agony, and there was nothing he could do to help her. It was incredible and horrifying to watch. Thank God for pain medication, or he’d probably have passed out watching. Nothing in his entire Marine Corps career had scared him so much as when they pulled that baby free and held it in the air.

His son.

His future.

His life.

Everything he was, was in that tiny body, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to protect and care for it.

“Congratulations, Dad, do you want to cut the cord?” the doctor asked as Bristol held their son for the first time.

Roan waited while the nurse moved his bed forward a couple of feet, so he could reach, then he clipped the cord, separating his child from his woman. While it was an important moment, it was bittersweet. Now, he faced the daunting task of protecting them both in separate bodies.

“I can’t believe how perfect he is,” she murmured, staring down at the infant in awe.

“Let’s clean him up a bit, then you can both hold him before Dad has to get back downstairs,” the nurse told them as she scooped up the baby for weighing, measuring, and cleaning.

A perfect seven pounds four ounces, twenty inches long. He was incredible, and Roan couldn’t figure out how to express his gratitude to Bristol. Turning to her, he took her hand again and brought it to his lips.

“Thank you. You did an amazing job, my love.”

She was exhausted but clearly infatuated with their child. Tears filled her eyes,

“I can’t believe I did it. I thought I was going to die, and Roan, you almost died tonight. I just—”

“Hush. Almost only counts in horseshoes. I’m here and so is Junior. We’re all safe and sound.”

“I love you,” she murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

“I love you too, baby,” he replied as the nurse brought the baby over to him.

“Are you ready to hold your son for the first time, Dad?”

He was tiny, and his face was scrunched up like he was going to cry any second, but he was the most beautiful thing in the world, second only to his mother. Roan was in heaven. In his whole life, no moment had been so monumental. He was a father.

* * *

The next morning, Roan was discharged with antibiotics and pain meds and immediately found his way upstairs to be with his family. Bristol was dozing in the bed with their son in a small box-like baby bed next to her. For a moment, he just stood in the doorway and took it in. It was almost like he’d been handed the keys to heaven when Bristol finally admitted she loved him last night, but he wasn’t ready to step out on a limb and risk getting rejected again. He wanted to marry her and start their life together, but he loved her enough to give her more time if that’s what she needed.

Before he had a chance to wake her up, someone was knocking on the hospital room door.

“Bennett,” he said, as the familiar face appeared.

“You remember me?” Bennett asked, grinning ear to ear. He carried a small bouquet of flowers that still had the price tag from the gift shop dangling off them. “I got here to check on you and found out from her sister she’d had the baby.”

“Yeah, it was a bit of a mess,” Roan stood and went to the man to hug him. “I owe you my life. Thank you for what you did for me.”

“You don’t owe me anything. I just did what anyone would do. I’m glad you’re okay, man. How are you feeling?”

“Probably about like I look,” Roan responded with a laugh.

“You look amazing,” Bristol said from her bed. Roan laughed again and went to her side for a kiss.

“Hey, baby, I’m sorry we woke you.”

“No problem,” she smiled. “I wanted to see you. And Bennett, he’s right, we owe you a great debt.”

“Really, you don’t owe me anything,” he said, handing her the flowers. “These are for you. Congratulations, he’s a good looking little guy.”

“Thank you, we think he’s pretty perfect,” Bristol told him before turning to Roan, “Did they discharge you?”

“Yep, I have medicine, and I’m in the clear. I have to go to the tow yard to get our stuff from the car. I’m pretty sure the insurance people will total it,” he explained.

“Can you make sure to get my Support Our Troops magnet off the back?” Bristol asked, reaching for the baby as she did. “I want to put it on the next car.”

“How will you guys get him home?” Bennett asked.

“I have a truck. It’s not ideal, but we’ll get him home at least. We both need a day or two to recover before we go looking for a new car for Bristol,” Roan told him. “One of my brother’s will be here—”

Another knock on the door brought Olive into the room. “I’m not your brother, but I’m here.”

“Liv! Come look, his head isn’t cone shaped anymore,” Bristol told her sister as Olive set down the teddy bear and balloons she’d brought with her.

“Well, I’d better leave you to your family. I just wanted to check in and make sure all of you were okay,” Bennett said, moving toward the door.

“Just a second,” Bristol said, “I wanted to ask if you would mind if we borrowed your name for our little man? I think Bennett Franklin Storm sounds perfect, and if it weren’t for you, he might not have gotten to meet his father at all.”

Bennett’s eyes went wide, and he looked at Roan. “Are you serious?”

Roan nodded his agreement, “I can’t think of a better moniker than that of a hero.”

“Whoa. This is incredible. I’d be honored, but you don’t have to do that. I mean, I’m sure you already had a name picked out for him before—”

“No,” Roan laughed, “actually we hadn’t been able to pick one. It’s kismet.”

“I can’t wait to tell my mom about this,” Bennett grinned. “She’ll be amazed.”

“Your mom? Not your girlfriend?” Olive asked.

“No, I’m divorced,” Bennett told her before saying his goodbyes.

Once he’d left, Bristol smiled at Roan and said, “You ready to hold your son? I don’t figure you remember much from last night.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I remember every detail. It was too important not to remember it all,” he told her, taking his son in his arms. “Hello, Bennett Franklin Storm. Welcome to the world.”