"Push, baby. Push." Parks leaned over the top of me, his voice loud and commanding.

"Hush for shit's sake!" I barked at him and glanced down to Jena, my gyno at New York's St. Marks hospital. "Make him get out of here."

"He's always this bossy." She smiled up at both of us and gripped my knees. "Alright. Let's try this again, Ansley. The baby's head is pretty big."

"I wonder why." I panted loudly and gripped Parks’ hand with all of my strength. We hadn't had the baby tested for anything because I didn't want to know if he would have anything wrong until we had him in our arms. I didn't need the stress of worrying that I'd been selfish in wanting him. Nolan's words rolled over me as I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed.

"He's going to be perfect," Parks whispered in my ear as he clung to me. It was as if he knew my deepest fears, but then again of course he did. I'd shared them with him. I shared everything with him. He was my best friend, my partner, my lover.

"I hope so." I clenched my teeth and pushed hard as Jena let out a holler.

"That's it, Ansley. One more. Alright. Push hard for me and we'll have a baby."

I ground down and pushed as pain laced through every part of my body. I collapsed against the bed as the sound of crying filled up the air.

"It's a boy." Jena stood up and held up the little guy as he screamed and thrashed.

"Oh my God." Parks leaned over me, his eyes filled with tears. "A son. You gave us a boy, baby." He kissed me softly several times as his tears ran down his face.

The moment was surreal. We both needed each other so damn bad, but we needed a child as well. A new life to replace some of the old ones we'd lost. A new connector to pull our family together and breathe life into us from then on.

"Come cut the cord, Doctor Parks." Jena smiled over at me. "He's beautiful."

"Looks like his daddy?" I asked and turned a little as Parks moved in to cut the cord. His voice was soft, loving. It wormed its way into my heart and stamped the memory deep inside me forever.

"Hey, little guy. It's your daddy." He turned and laughed as tears rolled down his cheeks. "He fucking looks like Aiden, Ans. We're never going to live this down."

Parks leaned over and kissed the baby's head before walking him over to me and handing him to me. The sweet little thing cooed as I held him in my arms and kissed his face a few times. I cried softly at first and then a little harder.

Jena stepped up and took him from us. "Let me get him weighed and measured. We'll bring him into your recovery room. Good job, mom."

"Thanks." I turned my face toward Parks and reached for him as they finished cleaning me up.

"It's okay, baby." He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me tightly against him.

"I never thought this day would come." I cried against the crook of his neck, feeling so far beyond blessed that I was having trouble comprehending that this was my life.

"You deserve this day and a million more like it, Ans." He moved back a little and kissed my cheeks, collecting my tears on his lips. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." I pulled him back down and held on tightly. My life would be forever changed, and it wasn't because of anything I'd done to deserve it.

It was all thanks to the strong man above me that didn't give up.

Didn't give up on hope, or a second chance.

He didn't give up on me.

* * *

"Hey, buddy. Did your momma tell you that we're going to name you after my dad? Hmm?" Parks' voice was soft as he walked around my hospital room with our son tucked against his chest.

I'd been nodding off and on all afternoon, my body sore, my mind tattered from the high emotions.

"That's right," he cooed and kissed the baby a few times. "Dillon Raymond Parker. You look like a Dillon. They're always troublemakers. You gonna give the ladies hell when you get older, little man?"

The baby made a few sounds, and I couldn't help but smile. I turned over on my side, and Parks glanced back at me, a smile lifting his lips.

"Hey, baby. How are you feeling?" He walked over and put Dillon in his bed before moving over to me. "Scoot over."

I smiled and moved back, making room for him. "I'm okay. Just really tired."

"You did so good." He got on the bed and pulled me close to him before wrapping his arm around me and kissing me a few times.

"I look like hell, I'm sure."

"You look like my woman. So hot and sexy that I'm getting a hard-on in the fucking recovery room." He smiled and looked like the devil in disguise. "Don't talk about my girl that way."

"Or I'll get a spanking?" I reached up and ran my fingers down the side of his impossibly handsome face.

"You want one, don't you?" He ran his hand down my side and patted my ass. "There. I'll give you a good one once you're healed and ready to start on the next baby."

"What? No way. One is all I need."

"Alright, but we should practice a lot in case you change your mind." He kissed me again in between my giggles.

"You're corrupted." I rested against him and closed my eyes. "We should have gotten married before having Dillon."

"Naw. Too much to squeeze into our lives, but let's do it now?"

I glanced up at the shift in his tone. He smiled and offered me a ring, the large diamond pinched between his thumb and forefinger.

"Jacob." I sat up, almost knocking him off the bed. "You're asking me to marry you?"

"I'm trying to." He laughed and sat up with me. "I want you beside me for the rest of my life, Ans. You were made for me; we just took a long damn time trying to find each other."

I smiled as tears blurred my vision. "I don't want anyone but you."

"Good, cause you are stuck, lady." He reached for my hand. "That a yes on being my wife?"

"Yes." I glanced down to watch him slide the ring on.

He reached for me, and wrapped me in a tight hug, pulling me down to the bed. I growled in pain, but rolled on top of him and kissed him hard. He was everything I wanted in my life, and finally... he was mine.

The door opened, and we both glanced over to see Gwen, Aiden, and Elizabeth stop short of coming in.

"Really?" Aiden shook his head. "Didn't she just give birth? Good God."

"They don't call me Doctor Feelgood for nothing." Parks laughed alongside all of us. He turned and looked up at me, holding me in place. "I love you, Ansley Crawford, and I will forever."

"Yeah, you will." I leaned down and sealed the deal with a kiss.

I had a family that loved me and would support me, but there were missing pieces in the puzzle, holes that left me questioning everything.

Love had a way of overcoming and forcing me to step out into the unknown. And though it was scary as hell, in that place of insecurity and unsureness, I was made complete.