"Your WHAT?" Nick screamed. "Oh God... not this, not now" he thought. "But it's too early! You're only 7 months along, aren't you?" he yelled in panic.

"Nick... please... b-beep... a n-n-nurse" Destiny whispered, while breathing heavily. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was sitting on the bathroom floor; her back leaned up against the wall.

Nick looked around.

"Where? What? How?"

"Beside the bed... a little... red b-button".

Nick hated to leave her, but knew he had to. He ran to the bedroom and fumbled for the red emergency button. He pushed it, and a buzzing sound was heard. He ran as fast as he could back to the bathroom, and his beloved girlfriend. The sight before him, wasn't at all what he had expected. Her face was pale. White as a sheet, but her eyes was puffy red, from crying. A pool of red liquid was forming in between her legs. He fell to his knees beside her, and took her in his arms. Her body was limp, and she didn't seem to be aware of her surroundings, nor that Nick was there. He held her, close to his body, and he could feel her weak heart beat. He slowly began to realize what was happening to her. What he feared the most. The door to her apartment flying open interrupted his thoughts and a nurse followed by some paramedics rushed in. They carefully lifted Destiny and put her on a stretcher.

"Are you coming, son?" one of the paramedics asked Nick. All he could do was nod slowly.

"Then we'd better move fast, 'cause this baby isn't going to wait much longer".

They rushed her out of the apartment and down the hall to the elevator. They went down to the maternity ward, and quickly wheeled her over to the emergency room. Nick tried to follow them, but a nurse stopped him.

"You need to stay here, and fill in some papers. We'll take you back there, when she's ready."

"But..." he said but was interrupted by the nurse.

"It's important! The sooner you get that paper signed, the sooner you can come back and see her, alright?" she said, trying to calm him down. Nick nodded, and looked around to find some information desk or similar. He spotted a reception desk and walked up to it.

"Excuse me, um... I'm supposed to fill in some paper stuff... my girlfriend is having a baby...?" Nick said to the young woman behind the counter.

He looked so lost to her, that she couldn't help laughing slightly at his innocence. "Man... He can't be more than 18! 19 at the most! Poor fellow" she thought.

She smiled at him and gave him a paper form. He took it, and went over to sit in the waiting room.

After he was done, he decided to call Brian. As he had promised. He pulled out his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Brian's number.

"Heeellooo?"

"Hey B" Nick said.

"Nick? How's it going?"

Nick sighed. "Not too good."

"You found her?"

"Yeah I did"

"And...? What did she say?"

"She... she's in labor, Bri"

"Oh my god" Brian whispered. "Um... where are you guys?"

"Manchester, New Hampshire. I dunno what this place is called though. It's a home for single mothers. Uhh... 11734 North Mountain Drive" Nick said suddenly remembering what he had told the taxi driver.

"Ok. I'm going to catch a flight as soon as possible. I'll bring Leigh with me. Hang in there"

"Thanks man. I'll see ya"

"Bye Nick" Brian said and hung up.

Nick put his cell back in his pocket. He looked around the room, which was almost empty except for a nurse watching a little blonde girl of 3 or 4 years, playing on the floor. He smiled and walked over to her. He bent down on his knees.

"Hi" he said.

She looked up at him and grinned.

"Hi!"

"What's your name?"

"Nikki. What your name?" she asked.

"I'm Nicky" he said sitting down next to her.

Her eyes lit up. "Like me" she giggled.

"Yeah, like you" he said smiling. "How old are you?"

She held up 3 fingers. "I dis many."

Nick chuckled. "Wow, you're a big girl!"

She nodded smiling.

"What are you doing?" Nick said looking down on her collection of dolls lying on the floor.

"Pwaying wid my dollies. You wanna pway?"

He laughed at her cuteness. "Yeah sure" he said. She handed him one of her Barbie’s.

"Where's your mommy?" Nick asked her.

She shrugged her little shoulders. "I dunno" she said looking around the room.

"Where's your daddy then?”

She looked up at the ceiling.

"My daddy in heaven pwaying wid my bwoder. Mommy said so."

Nick's heart sank at the little girl's words. He couldn't think of anything to say. Luckily he didn't have to. A doctor walked into the waiting room.

"Mr. Carter?" he asked. Nick arose from the floor.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Would you like to follow me, please? Miss Parker is ready!"

"This is it!" he thought. He nodded his head and slowly followed the doctor down the hallway to the delivery room. As he entered, he felt his knees go weak, and had to gain every inch of strength in him, to not pass out. It was all real. Too real. He walked up to the bed. She slowly turned her head. Her eyes were filled with fear and sadness.

Nick sat down on an empty chair. He took her small hand into his and squeezed it gently.

"Hey baby" he said smiling. "How are you doing?"

"Oh Nick, I'm so scared. I'm not ready for this. And it hurts. It hurts so badly. It's like thousands of knives stabbing me all over.,” she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry baby that you're hurting. I'd do anything to make it stop, but I can't. I'm scared too. But everything will be all right. Ok? We're gonna be fine!"

Destiny nodded. Another contraction was coming, and she cried out in pain.

"Destiny, we need you to push now!" the midwife said.

She felt as if her inside was being ripped out of her, as she was pushing.

"That's it baby! You're doing great!" Nick said.

"Come on Destiny! I can see the head,” the midwife said.

"No.. no I-I c-c-can't..." Destiny said crying.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" she cried out as an other wave of pain rushed through her body.

"You're doing wonderful Destiny. Push once again, honey!" the midwife said.

"YOU DID THIS TO ME CARTER! I HATE YOOOUUUUUAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" she yelled, as she was pushing.

He looked nervously over at the nurses. They just laughed.

"It's normal to act this way, when you're in labor. Nothing to worry about!" one of them said.

Nick kissed her sweaty forehead.

"I love you baby" he said. "I'll always love you" and kissed her forehead once again.

"Destiny, listen to me! I need you to do just one more strong push, Ok?"

Destiny shook her head.

"Yes baby. Please? Just one more." Nick said, squeezing her hand.

"I can't..." she whimpered.

"Yes you can girl!" the midwife said.

Destiny took a deep breath. Nick dried her tears away. She prepared herself for an other push. Her last one. It felt like fire burning inside of her, and she thought it was never going to stop, until everything went black.

Nick had been concentrating on Destiny during the whole delivery. His thoughts were interrupted by a small cry, and he looked up. His eyes met the sight of the most beautiful and tiny baby he had ever seen in his whole life.

"Oh my God" he whispered. Tears poured from his eyes, but he didn't even notice. He just sat there his mouth hanging open.

"Would you like to cut the chord Daddy?" the midwife asked smiling.

Nick just nodded, and grabbed the scissors and released the small infant from its mother.

"Now, would you like to hold your DAUGHTER Nick?" the midwife announced.

"D-daughter? I have a daughter?" Nick asked stunned.

"Yes" the midwife said, carrying his little baby over to him. She carefully placed the baby in Nick's arms.

"Oh my God" Nick whispered again. He was amazed at how small his little daughter was. And how little she weighed. He held her in the safe cradle of his arms, close to his chest. His hand touched her little cheek, and she slowly opened up her eyes. Nick couldn't believe that he was holding his daughter. He felt fresh tears against his cheek.

All the commotion around him suddenly jerked him back to reality.

"Move fast, we're losing her!" he heard a nurse yell.

Doctors came running into the room. A nurse took the baby out of Nick's arms.

"We need to get her cleaned up! Please wait outside!"

"NOO! I have to stay with my girlfriend!" Nick yelled.

A doctor grabbed Nick's arm. "Son, you need to get out of here! We'll keep you updated!"

Nick tried to break lose. He wasn't going to leave her.

"NO! DESTINY!" he cried as he was shoved out of the delivery room. He didn't know what to do. He knew that there was no use in trying to get in there.

He spotted a bench a few feet away, and walked over to sit down. He put his head in his hands. He couldn't take it anymore. He let all the emotions, that had been running through him all day, come out. He just sat there alone, crying his heart out. Everything had happened way too fast for him to comprehend. Here he was already a father of a beautiful little baby girl, at the age of 19. And his girlfriend, the mother of his daughter, was lying in there alone dying. He should be there with her. The more he thought about today's event, the more tears streamed down his cheeks. How much hadn't he cried these past hours?

Nick felt someone slightly pat his shoulder. He looked up, and saw Brian standing there with Leighanne. He arose and fell into Brian's arms, like a little child.

Brian did his best to comfort his younger friend. He rubbed Nick's back gently.

"Hey buddy. What happened? Is everything Ok?" Brian asked.

Nick let go of Brian, and shook his head.

"No... Destiny is in there, maybe DYING and they won't let me stay with her" he said looking confused, lost and in despair, at the same time.

Neither Brian nor Leighanne knew what to say. Nothing they could say would comfort Nick in that moment. And they knew that.

Finally Leighanne dared to ask.

"What about the baby?"

"She's fine... premature though."

"You have a daughter?" Brian asked amazed.

"Yeah..." Nick said, with a tiny sparkle in his eyes.

"Wow. Congratulations man! How does it feel?" Brian asked, trying to get Nick's mind off Destiny for awhile.

"Great... I guess. I'm just so fucking lost Brian. Don't know whether to laugh or cry. But seriously, she's beautiful. When I held her for the first time… it was the most amazing feeling in the world. I can't describe it."

"I know the feeling" Brian said grinning, thinking about his own son. "What are you going to name the little angel?"

Nick thought for a second. They hadn't had time to discuss any names at all, but suddenly a light bulb lit inside of his head.

"Morgan Destiny Amanda Carter" he said smiling proudly.

"That's such a cute name! Congrats kiddo" Leighanne said enveloping Nick in a hug.

Suddenly the door to the delivery room flew open, and a doctor stepped out.

"Mr. Carter?" he asked.

Nick felt a lump in his chest. "Yes? Is Destiny Ok?" he asked nervously.

The doctor decided to be straightforward. "It's easier that way" he thought.

"I'm afraid Ms. Parker didn't make it."