A small Miracle

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*A Small Miracle*
*By Leslie*
*Lyrics: I Believe In You by Joe f/ N Sync*

Justin ran through the hospital hallway frantically as the elevator doors closed behind him slowly. Thoughts of losing the baby or losing her ran through his mind causing his heart to lurch from his chest into his throat. He couldn't believe this was happening; it was too soon for it to be happening.

It had only been a week over six months; she had only been pregnant for one week over six months, twenty- five weeks. Now, she was in the hospital about to go into labor. The baby's bedroom in the newly purchased ranch house was only half- painted, and the house wasn't even fully furnished. The couple wasn't fully prepared to bring the baby home.

We're not even married yet, Justin thought to himself as he put his hand into one of the coat pockets and wrapped it around the blue velvet box that held a diamond engagement ring in it. He swallowed back the fear that he felt rising up into his throat and focused his eyes in an attempt to find a familiar face.

He spotted JC pacing back and forth with his head in his hands while Chris was supporting his body weight by holding himself up with his arm. He was hitting his head on the wall repeatedly. Tami, Sarah, and Jayla were huddled around Ric while Lance was off in a corner praying. Joey was sitting by himself obviously trying to keep his thoughts away from the hospital.

Justin took in a deep breath before walking towards the group. He wanted to know why JC wasn't with his younger sister and where Jo was. All of the sounds in the busy hospital faded away as Justin took more steps towards his friends. Memories that he had made with Leslie fluttered through his mind helping him to gain strength.

He sighed rather loudly as he ceased walking and stood in front of the group. Everyone turned their heads to look at him; they all wore the same expression. Their faces had been drained of color and were now pale while their eyes were full of pain and worry.

"How is she?" Justin's dry and slightly cracked voice asked. His heartbeat quickened and his throat constricted making it hard to breathe.

Lance swallowed back a wave of emotion and clasped his hands together before bringing his head up. "There are some complications, Justin. Jo is in there with her right now." He wiped away a few tears from his sea- green, sometime yellow, eyes. He re- bowed his head and went back to praying.

Justin nodded thankful that his best friend, next to Leslie, was with her. Jo had always had a special relationship with Leslie. She had always been able to give Leslie her strength back when all she wanted to do was throw the towel in. Jo was a part of Leslie's support system that she couldn't function without, and Justin was relieved that Jo was able to be there for her now because he knew Leslie would need all the strength she could muster and then some.

"Can I see her?" Justin asked hoping he would be able to. He wanted to hold her hand and tell her everything would turn out to be all right.

JC shook his head no and sat down in a gray- green, plastic hospital chair. He leaned his head back against a white wall. "Jo is the only one allowed in there right now because she brought Les to the hospital. I think the doctors said we could visit Les sometime soon." He clenched his hands into tight balls and closed his eyes in an attempt to make the anger in his soul disappear. He wanted to be there for his younger sister; he wanted to kiss her forehead and make everything okay like he had when they were younger and growing up in Maryland.

Tami left the circle of girls and sat down on JC's lap. She ran her hands down his face and held it in her hands in an effort to comfort him. She ran her fingertips along his lips and tickled his nose with hers until he collapsed his head against her shoulder and let tears of frustration and fear fall. Tami ran her hands through his hair and down his back until she was holding him like he was a small child.

Justin turned his back on Tami and JC. Tears took over his eyes and ran down his cheeks. He was simply terrified of losing Leslie because he couldn't imagine functioning without her in his life.

She had been there for him ever since she was eleven and he was twelve. Leslie had been the one to help him heal from his continuous break- ups with Britney. She had been his best friend until her nineteenth birthday, the day Justin saw her in a new light.

When she had turned eighteen, Leslie had moved up to Michigan for her college years. She and Justin had lost contact except for the occasional e- mail or phone call. With Justin being busy with touring and Leslie off enjoying the college life, the two no longer had time to hang out, and Justin was scared to be around her, well intimidated rather. From what JC had told him, Leslie had become a complete knock- out on the outside and her soul had flourished on the inside. In JC's words, she shone like a diamond whenever she walked into the room. In Justin's eyes, he could never compete or live up to Leslie any longer so he didn't try to, but when her nineteenth birthday would come about, he would have to.

JC and Lance had combined forces for a huge blow- out birthday party. They had invited some of Leslie's favorite stars from both the music and theatrical industry. Leslie had been told to invite as many friends as she wanted to.

Justin had to smile at the memory of the party. Leslie's reaction had been to begin crying causing her to spend the first ten minutes of the party in the bathroom fixing her make- up. Jo had stayed out in the party with Justin who was about to cry himself. He was unable to remember Leslie as being as beautiful or breathtaking as she had been that day.

When she had emerged from the bathroom, Justin had instantly fallen in- love with her. Her personality had grown to the point that she seized the whole entire room with a single smile. She had gotten stronger and become a beautiful young woman; she was so much more than a childhood, best friend.

Not only had Leslie stolen his heart but her friends had stolen all of his best friends' hearts also. Tami had captivated JC while Lance was amazed by everything Jayla did. Joey had fallen for Sarah harder than anyone had imagined possible, and Ric had sent Chris' head spinning. All five men had unconciously given their hearts away.

Justin jumped causing the happy memory to fade away as he felt a strong yet soft and gentle hand fall onto his shoulder. He turned around to find Jo standing in front of him like an angel of grace.

"She wants to see you," Jo told him quietly. Justin slowly nodded his head before the two began walking towards the hospital room where Leslie was. Justin wanted to thank Jo for being there whenever Leslie needed her, but the words were unable to form.

Jo opened the hospital door a crack before looking back at Justin. She smiled faintly. "Justin, I want to warn you before you go in there that Les might not make it out of the hospital alive because she wants to have a natural childbirth. When her water broke, it wasn't clear. She is at six centimeters right now and has been for two hours. They have to get the baby out as soon as possible." Jo took in a deep breath of air before continuing. "She's going to lose a lot of blood. If she survives, she may be unable to have anymore children. Prepare for the worst; hope for the best."

Jo opened the door the rest of the way and walked back towards the waiting room while Justin walked inside the small, private room. Fear seized his throat as he caught sight of her. Her skin looked extremely pale and her eyes were closed shut. She had tubes running from her body in every which way.

Justin closed his eyes and prayed silently before walking towards her bed. He sat down in a chair and raised her hand to his lips. He smiled with tears in his eyes as she opened her eyes revealing the pain that hid behind them. She was going through so much to have a natural childbirth, but he knew she was strong enough to survive. She had always been the strong one.

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I never believed in dreaming it never got me very far.
I never believed that love could find me, like an arrow through the heart.
I never believed in miracles, or building castles in the air.
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JC paced in front of the nurses' station impatiently. He wanted to see his baby sister so he could get her through this just like she had gotten him through everything. Even though there was a five- year age difference between the two siblings, she had been the person he most often turned to for advice; she had never let him down.There had been a time, when Leslie was fourteen and JC was nineteen, where she had refused to be a part of the Chasez family because she had been told that she was adopted. According to Mr. and Mrs. Chasez, Leslie's parents had been killed in a car accident when she was barely over a year old. Since her parents were close to the Chasez family, they had left Leslie in their custody. When Leslie found out, she began to despise her adoptive family, especially JC because he had never told her the truth about her past. Her anger subsided a few months later allowing the relationship she had once had with her family to grow ever closer.

JC knew that he and she could make it through this, but he needed to be by her side. He ran his hands across his face roughly. He knew what was wrong, but he could hardly believe it. It all seemed so surreal. Leslie had done everything the doctors told her to do. She had been cautious about everything. It wasn't fair for her to be going through this. She didn't deserve what was happening to her; someone else did.

JC stopped pacing when he caught sight of Justin walking towards them with tear- stained cheeks and red eyes. Panic fluttered through JC's head as his heartbeat quickened it's pace. His stomach began doing flips as he walked towards Justin.

"She wants to see you," Justin informed JC as he walked to a hospital chair and collapsed into it. JC watched as Justin's head fell into his hands. This will either bring us all closer together or it will break us, JC thought to himself silently before turning and walking towards the room Leslie was staying in.

He tried to remember all of the things he and Leslie had gone through together, but all he could think of was the day she had told him that she as pregnant.

She had a glow about her, and she had been unable to stop smiling. Leslie has been twenty- one then. It had been her senior year in college, and she was excited about having a baby. JC, on the other hand, was slightly angry and scared out of his mind. He had been unable to think of anything to say to her.

JC had always admired her for going to college instead of going through with her dream of becoming a star right away. He had hoped she would be married to and settled down with Justin before the two had a child together. The whole conversation she and JC had carried that day had seemed like a bad dream that JC wanted to wake up from.

In time, JC began to share the happiness with his sister. He took her to the doctor when Justin was unable to. He had gone shopping with her for a baby crib and had been there for her whenever she needed someone to talk to over a cup of tea. In the past months, he had been blown away and amazed by the amount of strength she possessed and had admired her more than he thought possible.

JC sighed as he rested his hand on the doorknob. She was strong enough to make it so he would be strong with her also. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open before walking inside to find Leslie lying on her side with her eyes on the door. When he caught sight of her, it took all the strength he had ever possessed to not cry.Leslie rolled onto her back and scooted over to make room for JC on the uncomfortable, twin- size hospital bed. She motioned with her hand for him to come and join her on the bed. When he sat down, she wrapped one of her hands around his. "I've done everything the doctors told me to, JC. I've taken every precaution possible, but I'm not going to this time. I know you, Jo, and Justin want me to have a sea- section. I know that Tami, Sarah, Jayla, Ric, Joey, Lance and Chris would want me to have the sea- section also if they knew my options, but I can not do that. I want to have this child naturally no matter what the cost is, and I want both you and Justin present when the baby enters the world. I need you both there, okay?"

JC nodded and squeezed Leslie's hand trying to reassure her that he would be there for her until the end of time. He closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to stop the tears from forming in his eyes, but when Leslie's hand touched his face, he couldn't help but let the tears fall. "I don't want to lose you, Tinkerbell," JC confided in his younger sister in a soft whisper.

Leslie smiled sadly when she heard him use a nickname she thought had been long forgotten by him. "You are not going to lose me, Peter Pan. I'll be here after the baby is born. I promise." She wove her fingers through his as his lips touched her forehead softly. He was scared for her because he knew she wouldn't admit her fear. Since Leslie was ten, she had been an extremely stubborn person when it came to getting her way. She never let anyone know what she was truly feeling if it conflicted with what she had decided to do.

JC brought his head back up as he heard the hospital room door open. He motioned for Justin to come into the room. Justin did as he was told after closing the door behind him. He smiled sadly at the brother and sister pair. He stuck his hands deep into his coat pockets and wrapped his hands around the velvet box once more. He wanted to give Leslie the ring right then, but he knew now wasn't the time. He let his eyes fall to the floor and pretended to study the pattern of the tile as he walked to the bed. "The doctor says we have five more minutes."

JC nodded as he squeezed Leslie's hand once more before unraveling his fingers from her grasp. He stood up off of the bed and patted Justin on the back before walking out of the hospital room and closing the heavy door behind him in an attempt to give Leslie and Justin a small amount of privacy.

Leslie held her hand out until she felt Justin's strong hand wrap around hers. She pulled him over to the bed and kissed the soft skin on his hand as soon as she felt him sit down on the bed. She closed her eyes for a moment as she felt his fingertips run through her hair.

Justin drew in a rigid breath. "Baby, I am so scared. I don't want to lose you. It's only been twenty- five weeks since the baby was conceived, and with your water not breaking clearly."

Leslie opened her eyes and lifted her other hand up before wiping away small tears that had fallen from Justin's eyes and onto his cheeks. She moved her fingertips down to his lips and let them linger there as she spoke. "I know what I am doing, Justin. I will make it out of this alive, promise. We are going to raise this baby and two more together. You and I will grow old together. We are going to get married about a year from now, promise."

Justin kissed her fingertips softly before slowly nodding his head. "I love you so much, baby. I don't know what I would do without you." Leslie smiled sadly as she fought back the tears. She still couldn't understand how he could love her so much.

"I love you too, Justin. I love you too."

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Not until that day I found you, turned around and you were there.
From the day you came, you gave me, a whole new point of view.
I've been touched by an angel; it's impossible, but true.
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Sarah buried her head into Joey's neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist in an attempt to comfort her. An uncomfortable silence had fallen on the waiting room as soon as Leslie had gone into the critical part of her labor. Everything was out of the doctors' hands now. All everyone could do was wait for someone to report good news to him or her. They could only wait and hope for the best. It was all in Gods' hands.

Tami was curled up into a ball in one of the plastic chairs. She had her chin resting on her knees that were pulled close to her chest and was nibbling on her thumbnail nervously. She couldn't stand not knowing what was going or how Leslie was doing. Leslie was the reason Tami had found the love of her life in Leslie's older brother.

The two had immediately become close friends when they roomed together at the University of Michigan. They had spent numerous nights with their three fellow suite mates, Jayla, Sarah and Ric, sharing secrets, pigging out on junk food, and watching movies that were classified as chick flicks. All five girls had attended the N Sync concerts when the group came to town because they all shared a common love for the musical group; Leslie never let on that she knew the members of the boy- band better than most people could hope to. Her life before and outside of the college remained a secret and partial lie.

All the girls were aware that Leslie had an older brother, but they all thought that he was away in the air force. Leslie had used her birth- parents' last name instead of Chasez; no one had even thought to question her about her past either. They had all accepted the fact that she told people only what they needed to know and nothing else.

"Do you guys remember when we all went and stayed at the dude ranch in Mississippi for a mini- vacation and decided to go horseback riding? Lance had to push Les onto the horse because when she tried to climb on she ended up flinging herself over the horse like a dead body. Justin was so angry because Lance got to touch Leslie's butt before he did," Jayla said reminiscing some of the happy times the group had experienced together in an attempt to make everyone smile.

They all needed to stick together if they were to get through this. They all needed one another more than they ever had before. Ever since they had all met, there had never been a time when they weren't there for one another; this time wouldn't and couldn't be any different.

"What about the time Leslie wanted to something special for Justin's twenty-first birthday?" Jo asked as Tami laughed at the memory.

"God, I swear that girl dragged both Ric and I into every store in Orlando twice. Y'all were smart enough to say you were busy; we, on the other hand, gave in to her continuos begging." Tami was going to continue with the memory when she spotted JC walking towards them. She stood up from her uncomfortable seat and ran towards JC with open arms.

He lifted her up off of the ground and held her close as he spun her around while tears of joy fell onto her shoulder. "She made it, Tami," JC whispered into Tami's ear as he set her onto the ground. "The baby is so tiny though. He barely weighs five pounds, and he was so blue when he popped out. You should have seen Les' face, Tami. She was so scared; I was so scared. The baby didn't even cry, but the doctor got the baby to cry. They are both going to make it, Tami."

Tami pulled away from his embrace and wiped his tears away from the strong, defined cheekbones he had that made his face seem like a piece of artwork. She pulled his head down and pressed her lips onto his. JC rested his forehead against hers for a moment after their kiss. When he raised his head, he found Jo, Sarah, Joey, Jayla, Lance, Ric and Chris crowded around himself and Tami.

"Well?" Joey asked expectantly. He reached his hand behind him and took a hold of Sarah's hand. The two intertwined their fingers together, and Joey gave her had a small squeeze.

JC kissed Tami's cheek and spun her around so that she was resting her back against his front- side. He crossed his arms across her stomach and pulled her closer to him as he smile widely at the group. JC's eyes fell onto Ric and Chris.

Ric was nervously nibbling on her thumbnail while Chris was tugging at her hand in an attempt to bring it away from her mouth. They complemented one another perfectly, and JC couldn't help but smile even wider. He was so thankful that everyone had stayed at the hospital for the past eight and a half hours; he knew Leslie never would have been able to make it through the birth without knowing that her friends were there supporting her.

"She made it as did a brand- new, five- pound baby boy," JC told the group. Everything was going to be okay now that the baby was born. The doctor had said that there was no chance of losing Leslie once the baby was out of the womb. She had not lost too much blood even though she had lost a lot. He had prescribed three days of bed rest in the hospital for her and depending on how well the baby did, he might even be able to go home with her.

"Does Les have a name picked out yet?" Ric asked aiming the question in JC's direction. Chris rested his head on her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her middle and held onto her hands. She leaned her head to the side and onto his as he kissed her cheek softly. JC shook his head no as he smiled softly while remembering the picture Justin and Leslie had made together when he left them alone in the hospital room.

Justin had climbed into the bed next to Leslie. He had kissed her hands, eyelids and then lips before the two had fallen asleep together. They would be able to make it through anything together now.

"Where is Justin?" Lance asked cocking an eyebrow suggestively. Jayla hit him in the ribs with her elbow and rolled her eyes. Lance wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"Right here," Justin responded to Lance's question. He yawned and sat down in a chair with a large pout on his face. "The nurse kicked me out of the room."

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I believe in you.
I swear that forever from today, no one will ever take your place.
I believe in you.
And I believe our love will last always.
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Leslie tickled her baby boys' stomach lightly. Her face broke into a smile as he kicked his legs in response to her touch. She brought her arm out of the hole in the plastic case that encased and protected the pre- mature baby.

She sighed. She was happy that both the baby and herself had made it through childbirth, but she was also scared out of her mind for him. There were so many frightening horror stories concerning pre- mature babies that she couldn't help but worry.

Justin pushed the wheelchair Leslie was sitting in towards the door. He turned his head around and took one final look in the baby's direction before opening the door and pushing Leslie out of the room. He couldn't help but smile to himself. It was a true miracle in his eyes that Leslie and the baby were going to make it out of the hospital alive.

Justin turned the wheelchair in the direction of the room Leslie had been staying in for the past few days. He could hardly wait for the next day to come because it meant that he would be able to take Leslie home with him. The baby would have to stay at the hospital because according to the doctor, he was too weak to leave and still needed professional care.

There was also the very slim chance that the baby wouldn't make it no matter how much medical attention the hospital gave him, but Justin refused to believe that his son would be unable to come home. Leslie was in the clear luckily and had nothing to worry about. The doctors said that she had enough strength to make it. Justin had always admired her strength and the amount that she possessed along with the way that she was always there for all of her close friends.

Justin and Leslie had always had their share of problems as a couple resulting in numerous break- ups, most of them occurring while he was on the road. But through it all, Leslie had never left his side, and he planned on remaining by her side for the rest of his life. "Les, I don't know how or why you have stood by me even though I have taken advantage of you, and I am well aware that I will never be able to re- pay you for everything you have done and continue to do for me. But I am going to try because I love you, baby." He stopped the wheelchair and walked in front of her. He took a hold of her of her hands and pressed his lips to
them. He held her hands for a few minutes while he got lost in his eyes.

"I love you too, Justin," Leslie whispered with tears brimming her eyes and threatening to fall onto her cheeks. She closed her eyes and smiled when she felt his strong hands drop hers and wipes all of the tears away. She knew in her heart that they would be together forever.

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I never believed in fairy tales, though sometimes I wish I could,
I never believed that golden slippers could ever find the perfect foot.
I never believed in magic, or that wishes could come true.
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"Justin Scott Timberlake?" Leslie nodded as she watched the nurse write the name down on the birth certificate. She rested her back against Justin and clasped her hands around his. She was lit up in a smile; everything seemed to be going her way. She was finally going home, and her beautiful baby boy, Justin Scott Timberlake, would be joining the couple at the newly purchased house in two days time. The waiting period of two days would give Justin and Leslie, along with the help of their friends, just enough time to finish painting Justin Scott's bedroom.

Justin tugged on Leslie's hands pulling her away from her thoughts and the nurse's station. He dropped one hand and took the birth certificate a nurse was holding out into the air away from her. He grinned as soon as he felt the paper in his hand. He wrapped Leslie into his arms and kissed her cheek softly. He twirled her away from his body and then twirled her back. When she was back in his arms, their lips met for a brief moment, and when he pulled away, there was a cheesy grin on his face.

Leslie rolled her eyes. "Come on you dork; let's go home." She intertwined their fingers and pulled him towards the door. She was trying to remain happy and upbeat in order to hide her true feelings.

In reality, she was absolutely terrified of going home. She knew that everything would work itself out, but she couldn't help the fact that she was afraid that something might happen to Justin Scott. If anything did happen, she wanted to be there to make it all better. She didn't want a nurse taking care of her baby; she wanted to take care of him.

Leslie closed her eyes as she pushed the hospital door open. She quickened her pace as she walked outside into the warm sun still holding onto Justin's hand. She opened her eyes that were full of tears and blinked them back as she and Justin walked to his car in complete silence. There weren't any words that could fill the space between them at that moment. He didn't know what she was thinking so he couldn't comfort her, and she couldn't talk because she would start crying if she did.

Justin opened the passenger door for her and closed it once she was sitting in the car before walking around the back of the car and climbing into the drivers' seat. He started the engine and backed out of the parking space. He was going to turn left so they could make their way home, but Leslie touched his hand gently.

"Can we not go home right now? I wanna go somewhere and think, okay?" Justin nodded and turned to the right not quite sure where he was going but knowing he would get to the right place somehow.

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But your very kiss changed all this, something only you could do.
You made me a believer; you made me trust again,
You showed me there's a pot of gold, at every rainbow's end
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Leslie took in a deep breath of the fresh air as the ocean water lapped at her swollen heels. She ran her hands through her hair and let a few tears fall down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and extended her arms from her sides as the wind blew around her. Even though her feet were planted firmly on the ground, she felt like she was flying high above the clouds and away from everything that plagued her in the world.

She had always dreamed of sprouting wings and flying away from the world and worldly problems. In time, her dream had vanished as things with Justin had become more and more serious, but in the back of her mind, she always wondered what it would be like to fly high into the sky. She had always dreamed of being a fairy who could grant wishes and fly like Tinkerbell had with Peter Pan.

She had so many dreams and so much to think about now with a baby and a man who she had to provide love for along with a home to come back to after tiring business hours. She knew that she would be able to do it, but it was going to be so hard to balance everything. She had to keep herself happy and busy. Like one of her closest friends from high school stated it, she had to stay busy in order to be happy. She wasn't cut out to be a housewife; she was meant to be a star. She was destined to shine.

Leslie opened her eyes and stared out into the ocean. The water seemed to sparkle in what little amount of sunlight there was. The air smelled of salt and storm with dark, fluffy clouds looming above in the sky and blocking the sun. She loved the way the sky looked and the air smelled. It made her smile because of happy memories, and it made her feel artistic.

She had always been the artist of the family. JC was the famous musician; Heather was the brain; Tyler was the athlete; and Leslie was the artist. She had always carried a camera around with her as a teenager and spent her days- snapping black and white photographs of the clouds and the scenery around her. It had been a dream of Leslie's to become a famous photographer, writer, singer, and actress. All she had wanted to do was become the perfect daughter, sister, friend, and lover. She wanted to make everyone proud. Now, she only wanted to care for her son.

She still wanted to make everyone proud and become a star, but Justin Scott was her top priority. She was more than determined to make the family work; she was going to be a perfect mother to the tiny baby. When she and Justin would marry, she would be the perfect wife. She was not going to let her family fall apart.

Deep down inside she knew that she wouldn't be able to do it all on her own, but she was determined to remain as independent as possible. She was going to do everything everyone expected her to with a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye. Nothing was going to hold her back from making the world a better place.

"Come on sweetie; let's go home. It's going to storm soon, and I don't want you to get sick." Justin tugged on Leslie's hand and pulled her towards the car. He opened the door for her and closed it after she had climbed in. He climbed in on the other side and started the engine. The car drove off the sand and onto the road before he headed towards the ranch house the two had purchased.

The ride home was silent as they were both still lost in their own worlds. Justin was worried about her. She hadn't seemed the same girl he had fallen in- love with three years ago since Justin Scott had born; she had seemed stressed. He knew she was trying to make everyone see she was doing perfectly well. Leslie had a tendency of bottling everything up inside until everything let loose like a large hurricane of emotions. He had never been able to comfort her when it happened. He didn't know how too. Justin looked over in her direction to be saddened with what he saw.

She was staring out the window with a look of confusion on her face. She didn't smile, but she wasn't frowning. He couldn't read her face or see her eyes. He reached his hand out and wrapped it around hers instinctively hoping that he was doing the right thing and comforting her enough.She turned her head around and smiled at him. Her eyes looked lost and empty. He could tell that she had no energy left in her. All she needed to do was sleep and never wake up. She was going to need as much rest as possible for the next few weeks or else she had a chance of collapsing. Justin could also tell that she would need support. Her eyes said that the birth had been harder on her emotionally than it had been physically.

"It's not your fault, Les. God has a plan, and it wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything to intentionally harm the baby. There is a reason; it's not your fault." Justin turned the car into the long gravel driveway that led up to the three- car garage that was attached to the two- story ranch house. He stopped the car and turned Leslie's head to his.

She sighed and let her eyes fall to their hands. Her smaller hands fit into his large ones perfectly as if they were missing pieces to a jig- saw puzzle. "It is my fault, Justin. I must have done something wrong. There is no other explanation. There may be a reason, but it was still my fault." She kept her eyes locked on their hands as a few salty tears fell off her chin. "It's always my fault."

Justin stood in the doorway with his body leaning against the doorframe and a hot cup of tea held in his cupped hands. His eyes were watching Leslie's sleeping form carefully. She looked so peaceful and rested when she slept. She looked innocent and clean. The bedroom that she had put together for the two to share fit her perfectly when she slept.

There was a large bay window on the west wall that was always kept open allowing the wind to flow through the room and bring in the smell of clean, recently cut grass. The wind caused the sheer bed curtains that fluttered around the king- size bed and hung from the ceiling to blow back and forth. The comforter that covered the bed and Leslie's sleeping form was a cream color and matched the cream- colored walls perfect. There was a white lace, flower pattern covering the comforter and making it seem elegant yet simple. The sheets were white, as were the pillowcases. The whole room brought about a peaceful and tranquil feeling. He loved the way she slept. It always made him feel loved.

She rested one hand behind the pillow that she laid her head on and the other hand on his stomach. She would wrap one leg around his and snuggle close to him. She snored lightly at night as if she were singing while she slept. Her side rose and fell with every breath she took. When she closed her eyes, she had a habit of scrunching her nose up slightly and opening her lips so they formed a small oval shape. When the sunlight hit the highlighted strands of hair she worse in a ponytail, Justin could practically see a halo take shape.

He took a sip of the cinnamon- apple tea he had brewed for himself early that morning before turning and walking away from the bedroom. He made his way down a narrow, wooden floored hallway before entering the brightly, sunlit kitchen. He blinked to keep himself from going blind from the sunlight that streamed in through the glass windows from every wall. He made his way outside and onto the back porch where a pine rocker sat. He eased himself into the chair and took another sip of his hot drink as he watched the ranch begin to stir in the morning.

Leslie had always had a dream of living on a ranch so Justin had searched for a spacious, nine- acre ranch to buy her where they could raise a family. The house had fit them perfectly as it contained all the aspects Leslie had wanted including a wrap- around porch, white picket fence, bay windows, and other odds and ends. They had bought three horses, two rabbits, and five goats to accompany them on the homestead along with the three- month old golden retriever that Justin had given to Leslie as a birthday present a month ago when she turned twenty- two. She had fallen in- love with the pup immediately and named her Eve because she said she reminded her of the comforting night- time.

"Come here, Eve," Justin called as he watched the young puppy run across the yard barking at the birds that were flying over her head. He waited for a moment hoping the pup would follow his orders but gave up when he heard the phone ring. He placed the cup of tea down on the porch and stood up from the rocking chair before walking inside the house.

He grabbed the cordless phone off of the counter and pressed the TALK button before putting it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Justy, what's up?" Jo asked her voice coming in through the telephone clearly. He smiled and walked back outside and to his unfinished cup of tea when he heard who it was. He was glad she had called because he needed someone to talk to.

"So much, Jo; so much. Les is blaming herself for everything Justin Scott is going through. She doesn't see how it can not be her fault. And god, Jo, she is so exhausted emotionally and physically. I don't know how to comfort her. I can practically see her losing hope and falling Jo, but I can't stop her. I don't know how to catch her." He ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes in an attempt to make his feeling of helplessness go away. He was losing control of the situation, and he hated losing control.

"Calm down, Justin; just calm down. She is going to blame herself; it's a part of the healing process. I mean.put yourself in her shoes. She is an unmarried, young woman with a son now who was born pre- maturely. She doesn't understand what she did to deserve this. She wants to make you proud, take care of Justin Scott, and make JC proud all at once. She can't do it all though."

Justin nodded. Jo was right; she was always right. She always knew exactly what to say to him in order to calm him down so he could fix whatever was going wrong. She was the reason he never gave up hope. She was the one who took care of him when Leslie and he were having problems. She had always been there to mend his heart after he would break Leslie's. She was the one who made everything right in the world when everything seemed to be going wrong. Leslie was the love of his life and his soul mate, but Jo was his best friend. "Oh crap. Jo, I gotta go. Eve is harassing the ducks again."

Jo laughed into the phone at the thought of the small dog terrorizing the yellow, baby ducks. "Alright, I'll let you go then. Good luck with saving the ducks." She disconnected the conversation at the same time that Justin did.

He set the phone down in an upright position next tot he cup of tea and walked down the three steps that led to a grassy pasture. He quickened his pace as he walked towards the hill where a small pond lay. Eve was splashing around in the water and barking up a storm while the ducks were trying their best to get away from what they saw as a ferocious predator. White feathers were flying and falling into the water.

Justin shook his head to himself at the scene laid out in front of him. He had never thought that he would be living on a ranch with ducks, horses, goats and a small puppy. He had always been a city person, but he did admit that the ranch had its good qualities. It provided him a place to relax and be himself. He could sit alone and write music or listen to music, and it would prove to be a wonderful home to raise a family in.

"Eve! Bad girl!" His shouts caused the dog to retreat away from the ducks and the pond before beginning to walk home with her tail in between her legs. Her floppy ears were pressed against her head tightly, and her head hung down. Justin walked behind her trying his best not to laugh. Eve knew just how to make him feel guilty for yelling at her; he hated her for it.

"How long have you been standing there?" Justin asked as he climbed the stairs that led up to the porch. His eyes remained locked on Leslie who was standing in the doorway wrapped up in the comforter that had covered her when she slept. She shrugged and let a yawn escape her lips.

"Long enough to see you play with Eve and the ducks." She tilted her head to the side and smiled at Justin while she squinted her eyes to keep the sun from shining directly into them. She rested her head on his chest as she felt his arms wrap around her waist. She inhaled deeply in an attempt to memorize the way he smelled and pushed herself closer to him just to feel his arms around her.

Justin kissed the top of her head and pulled away. "Come on, I have something I want to show you." He took her hand and led her back inside and smiled as he heard Eve's toenails clinking against the floor as she followed the couple through the large, spacious house.

Justin led Leslie into their bedroom and sat her down on the bed before walking over to a desk that was in the room. He had draped his coat over the chair the night before and pulled out the velvet box now. He kissed the box for good luck before turning around and going back to the bed.

He knelt down on one knee in front of Leslie and pulled her left hand out from underneath the comforter as he opened the box to reveal a 2.02 ct. heart- cut diamond sitting on a platinum band. "You make me complete, Leslie Anne; you amaze me everyday. I know I'm not perfect, and I know I can't always be there for you how I need to be. I know I am still learning about you, myself and love everyday. I don't have all the answers. I'm not a prince; I'm not the perfect man. But I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Leslie looked into his eyes and nodded as she felt him slip the ring on her ring finger. She couldn't find any words to say. No sounds would come out of her mouth. All she could do was wrap her arms around his neck and hug him so she did.

Justin pulled her off of the bed and sat down on the floor in an Indian- style position with her in his lap. Her snaked his arms around her waist and rocked her back and forth as she held onto his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. How he knew what she was feeling at that exact moment, she was unsure of, but she could feel him comforting her so she knew that he was try and that was all that mattered to her.

"I love you, Justin," She whispered into his ear as hot tears fell from her eyes. He pulled her closer to him and rested his head on her shoulder. He closed his eyes tightly to stop any tears from escaping and sighed.

"I love you too, Leslie."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Only love, sets you free,
And if you serve to fate, then you're my destiny.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Justin squeezed Leslie's hand gently as they walked through the long, empty hospital hallway. The sounds of babies crying echoed through the walls as they walked growing closer to their son and their new destiny. Both were nervous on bringing the baby home; it felt surreal to know that the baby, their baby, would soon be home in their arms and custody. It was a wonderful feeling, but it was scary to know that they would be starting a new life together and raising a child.

Leslie looked down at the ring on her finger and smiled. Everything was ready; they were ready to have Justin Scott home with them. The name Justin Scott brought a smile to Leslie's face. It was true that she had always planned on naming her baby boy Cody Randall, but Justin Scott seemed for appropriate. He was named for his father, by his first name, and for his uncle using JC's middle name as his own.

The house was all set for the baby's arrival home. His bedroom was fully painted and all of his furniture was in place. The bedroom walls had been painted a light baby- blue that resembled the color of the sky the day after a fresh spring rain. There was a pine crib near a wall that was adjacent to the wall with two windows and a rocking chair separating the two windows. There was a pine- changing table close to the closet as well.

Leslie's heart lurched into her throat as she watched the doctor push the door open. The sounds of babies crying rang in her ears as she followed the doctor to where her baby was being held by a nurse. She dropped Justin's hand and held her arms out as the nurse placed Justin Scott, who was wrapped, in a blue blanket, into her arms. Leslie hugged him close to her chest and supported his head like any mother would do.

She smiled down at the beautiful baby. It felt so natural to hold him for the first time. She wasn't scared of dropping him, and she didn't feel out of place in his present. She felt a strong connection with the child who was of her own flesh and blood. She held out her index finger and smiled while tears of joy filled her eyes as the baby wrapped its tiny hand around the finger. She bounced the finger up and down as Justin rested a hand on her shoulder.

Leslie turned her head and smiled at him before turning her whole body around. She smiled down at the baby and then showed him to Justin. "Baby, I want you to meet our son. This is Justin Scott."

Justin smiled and took the baby into his arms. "He's so small, Les. He's so tiny.Welcome to the world, Justin Scott." Leslie smiled over Justin's shoulder and brought the blanket up more so that it fully covered Justin Scott.

"Come on baby; let's go home," Leslie whispered into Justin's ear before turning to the doctor. She shook her head and smiled genuinely. "Thank you, from both of us, for everything. You have been a life saver." The doctor nodded and smiled before Justin and Leslie walked out of the hospital with Justin Scott still resting in his father's arms.

The walk to the car was silent as Justin Scott was asleep, and all Leslie and Justin could do was admire the baby that was of their flesh and blood. Leslie took Justin Scott away from Justin's arms when they reached the car. She kissed the baby's forehead before wrapping the blanket around his chin a bit more tightly. She climbed into the car and held Justin Scott in her arms as Justin climbed in on the drivers' side and started the car.

The drive home was filled with only the soft sounds of Justin Scott cooing and the music playing at a low volume from a CD. Justin was focused on the road and driving at a slower speed. He knew he would have to be extremely careful now with a son. Leslie was singing the child to sleep in a whisper of a voice.

"We're home," Justin whispered as he turned the car's engine off. Leslie smiled down at the sleeping child and then nodded before adverting her gaze to Justin. He touched her face softly and brushed a piece of loose hair away from her face. He let his hand linger on her face. Her eyes sparkled with true happiness; he knew things could only get better.

"Come on Daddy," Leslie whispered teasingly. "Let's go inside."

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Now I know, now I see
Anything can happen, if you just believe.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Leslie climbed out of the car and shut the door while letting out some of the breath she had been holding in for the car ride over to JC's house. She could stand having Justin Scott as a son, but she hated listening to the children's tapes that he loved. She looked down at her left hand and smiled. She had two more weeks until she would be able to wear a wedding band along with her engagement ring making the torture of listening to children's tapes worth it.

She pushed her hair behind her ears and sighed before walking behind the white Toyota 4- Runner JC had bought her for a Christmas present saying she needed a family car. The memory of that Christmas made her glow with pride. Justin Scott had been five months old and in heaven. He had gotten completely spoiled by his four uncles and aunts and grandparents not to mention his parents. For days, his life had revolved around the plush, red Tonka truck JC had given him to go along with the small fireman coat and hat Justin had given him. The two men had been raking in cash since they had joined forces and started up a recording/production and Management Company they called Baby's Back Productions.

The Toyota 4- Runner was supposed to be an out of the blue Christmas present, but Leslie knew JC had given it to her as a graduation present for completing college at the University of Florida where she had transferred to during her senior year.

The past seven months had been some of the best in Leslie's life that she could remember. She and Justin had bonded more than they ever had, and it felt like they were already married. Justin Scott had begun walking at six months, and the doctors said he was doing better than most pre- mature children did while growing up. The entire group had embraced him as their own and often argued over who was going to baby- sit him when Leslie and Justin wanted to go out on a date or just spend time alone together.

Leslie smiled as she opened the passenger door. She unbuckled the seatbelt that strapped over Justin Scott's car- seat. She lifted the arm- type bar that Justin Scott rested his arms and picked him up and out of the car- seat. She grabbed the baby- blue diaper bag out of the car before closing the car door and carrying Justin Scott in one arm and one hip and the diaper bag slung over one shoulder up the gravel walkway to the two- story, red bricked house JC and Tami lived in.
Leslie rang the doorbell and sat the diaper bag down on the front stoop as Justin Scott yawned while rubbing his eyes tiredly. She rubbed her nose against his and smiled as he rested his head on her shoulder tiredly. He encircled his arms around her neck and latched his hands around her shirt collar in fists.

"Hey!" Leslie greeted JC as he opened the door and grabbed the diaper bag off of the stoop. He waited for her to walk into the house. He closed the door once everyone was standing in the front part of the house.

"How are you today, Les?" JC asked as he put the diaper bag down at the foot of the white carpeted staircase. Leslie shrugged as she pried Justin Scott off of her and handed him to JC. She tugged down on her shirt.

"I'm alright, a bit stressed, but I am doing alright." She smiled at him. "Is your wife ready to go yet?"

"Yes, I am!" Tami called running down the staircase with her purse in hand. She kissed Justin Scott on the top of his head and kissed JC on the lips quickly before grabbing Leslie's hand and pulling her out of the house. "Have fun with Justin Scott today, JC!" Tami closed the door behind her and Leslie before letting out a breath of relief.

Leslie shook her head as she laughed at her friend. She smiled at Tami before the two girls climbed into her car for the short ride to the mall where they would be meeting up with the rest of the girls. The ride was full of talking about the wedding and the honeymoon Leslie and Justin would be going on together while Sarah and Joey, newlyweds themselves, took care of Justin Scott.

Everyone, except Leslie and Justin, had gotten married during the past year and a half. Ric and Chris had gotten married while Leslie was pregnant with Justin Scott. Joey and Sarah had tied the knot two months ago while Lance and Jayla had gotten married five weeks ago. JC and Tami had been married for five months.

Leslie parked the car a few minutes later before she and Tami rushed inside the bridal shop where they were supposed to have met Jayla, Ric, Jo, and Sarah ten minutes ago. "Where have you been?" Jo asked impatiently as Leslie and Tami ran into the shop out of breath. She tapped her finger on the face of her watch in time with the tapping of her left foot on the floor. Leslie smiled sheepishly at Jo while Tami covered.

"It was my fault, Jay. I took forever to get ready, and I had to hold baby Justin for a few minutes before I would leave the house. Leslie tried to drag me out of the house, but I wouldn't leave," Tami said quickly and slightly out of breath. She gave a big grin as Jo rolled her eyes.

"Oh, who cares why you're late! Let's just get into the shop so we can all pick our dresses up and try them on one last time," Ric said before walking into the shop with the other four girls following her lead. She went up to the counter where the ladies who ran the shop, Betty's Bridal Boutique, stood chatting. Ric rang the bell on the counter before one of the ladies turned to face her.

She clasped her hands together and smiled brightly. "How may I help you?"

"We're here to pick up bridesmaids dresses and a wedding gown. It should be under the name of Leslie Moorehead," Sarah informed the saleswoman as she leaned forward onto the counter and tapped her fingers on the countertop. The saleswoman nodded before looking down at the date- book. She ran her manicured fingernail down the page searching for the name. When she found it written in cursive in black ink, she smiled and rounded the corner. She beckoned with her hand for the group of girls to follow her and they obliged.

When she stopped, she was standing in front of a zipped up gray bag. She unzipped the bag to expose the wedding gown Leslie had chosen. It was a sleeveless dress that pushed her together and out to expose her cleavage. The gown was made of pure white satin. The dress fanned out at bottom so that when worn it hung down like a bell. The back dipped down in a low V- shape and ended with an ice- blue rose, the coloring matching the bridesmaids' dresses perfectly. "Shall we try it on to make sure it fits?" The saleswoman asked noticing the sweet smile that had captivated Leslie's lips. Leslie nodded and took the dress away from the woman before disappearing into the dressing room. "Doe she have shoes to go with the dress?"

Tami nodded. "Yes, she does. We bought them just the other day. They're clunky white thong sandals with a ice- blue rose that is identical to the one on her dress in the middle of them, very simple, but she wanted simple shoes seeing as how she is getting married in Cancun on the beach."

The saleswoman clasped her hands together allowing the silver bracelets she wore to jingle. "That sounds positively lovely." She smiled at the young girls who smiled back unsure of what to say and anxiously waiting to see Leslie in the gown. The only one who had seen it yet was Jo who had originally gone shopping with her.

Leslie pushed the dressing room door open and picked up part of her dress so she could walk to where everyone was standing. When she was two feet in front of them, she dropped the dress and turned around in circles. "Think it will work, y'all?" She asked letting a bit of her southern accent passed down from her birth parents who had lived in Texas slip in. "I'm gonna get my hair all done up with baby's breath and forget- me- knots, also; no veil though."

Jayla nodded slowly. "You look absolutely breathtaking, Les. I've seen you get dressed up for awards' shows, but this is absolutely amazing. Justin is going to about die at the altar." Jayla walked to where her friend was standing and clasped her hands. "I am so happy for you, Les! It's a dream come true, isn't it?" Leslie nodded and hugged Jayla with tears in her eyes.

"I hate to break up the happy party, but we need to try on our dresses," Ric said a slight bit antsy. Leslie couldn't help but laugh as she pulled away from Jayla and ran her fingertips underneath her eyes to rid away the tears that had formed and fallen from her eyes. She took in a deep breath and smiled at her friends before turning to the saleswoman.

"Can you take care of them for me, please? I need to change out of my dress and go pick something up from another store in the mall," Leslie explained with the added help of her motioning hands. The saleswoman nodded and Leslie disappeared into the dressing room. She quickly changed back into a pair of blue jean shorts and a light pink tank top. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and slid her black sandals back on before walking out of the dressing room with the gown draped over her arm. She handed it to the saleswoman and turned to her friends. "I'll be back soon, y'all."

They all watched Leslie leave the store before turning back to the saleswoman. She smiled at them all as she hung Leslie's gown back up and zipped the bag shut to keep out any dust that could possibly blow onto it. "Alright, let's get y'all into your dresses. Follow me, please." She led the five girls towards a different end of the store where they displayed the bridesmaids' dresses that were in stock.

She pulled off four Neve- style, ice- blue dresses and handed them to Tami, Jayla, Ric and Sarah to try on.The dresses were the same color as the flower on Leslie's wedding gown and were also made of pure satin. The straps were roughly an inch think and attached to a square- cut stop half that hung down to just below their hipline and then fanned out every so slightly. The four girls went off into separate dressing rooms while the saleswoman handed Jo her dress. The dress she handed Jo was almost identical to the others except that the top was a form- fitting halter- top styled in crushed ice blue velvet. Jo smiled appreciatively and walked into the last empty dressing room. She quickly threw her street clothes off and slipped into the beautiful dress. When she opened the door, she found all four bridesmaids and the bride standing around and admiring one another.

"You look lovely, Jo," Leslie said smiling warmly. Jo smiled back and twirled around as if she were Cinderella. Leslie hugged the satin boxes she held as she watched her five best friends gossip about the wedding. She cleared her throat to gain their attention. "I got something for y'all." She handed the boxes to all of her friends and kept one for herself also. On her cue, they all opened their gifts.

The boxes held a flattened silver heart with a heart- shaped diamond in the cent of it. The charm hung off of a thin silver chain with the same engraved message on the back of each charm. The message read: A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

The wind whirled around Leslie and Justin as they stared deeply into one another's eyes. Their hands were held together while their hearts were united in love. Jayla, Sarah, Ric, Tami and Jo stood to the side of Leslie with Jo in the front holding her bouquet. JC, Joey, Chris, Lance, and Jonathan, Justin's oldest younger brother, stood to Justin's side with JC in the front as the best man on the wedding.

The wedding was almost done as the couple spoke their vows standing on the clean sand of a beach in Cancun on March 14th. The water lapped against the sand making soft, calming sounds as it did so. Music began playing in the background as Leslie and Justin finished their vows and placing their rings on one another's hands. Leslie took her bouquet of long stemmed white roses from Jo before she and Justin walked down the aisle together with their hands held. They made their way to a tent where the reception was being held with the rest of the wedding party and invited guests following them.

It had been a perfect day for a wedding on the beach. The temperature was in the low 80's with a slight wind that added to the feel of paradise around them. The sun had shone down lightly when it was not covered by white, fluffy clouds. Justin Scott had remained quiet as Lynn held him in her arms throughout the entire ceremony. Justin and Leslie had written their own vows. Justin had written her a song while Leslie had written a piece of prose she entitled a rare rose. The wedding had been lovely and unlike anything anyone invited had attended before in his or her lives.

The reception would be filled of vanilla wedding cake with pink rose trimming, white wine, champagne, a vegetarian menu requested by Leslie, and lots of dancing not to mention toasts made by the friends and family of Leslie and Justin. The tent was set up so that there was a pine wood dance- floor in the middle and surrounded by circular tables. At the head of the dance- floor sat a long table where the wedding party would sit, and at the foot was the DJ's booth. The reception was more than just a party to celebrate the wedding, but it also gave all the friends a chance to reflect on everything that had happened in their lives.

JC hit his wine glass with a silver spoon when the reception was half- way through and stood up from his seat. He lifted his glass and nodded towards Justin and Leslie who were holding hands and sitting at the middle of the table. "I would like to make a toast to the bride and groom." He cleared his throat. "I have known Leslie her entire life, and I have known Justin since he was eleven- years- old. Leslie is my baby sister and best friend, and Justin is like a brother to me and best friend. I knew that one day they would end up together and united in holy matrimony. I could not have created a more perfect man for my sister. I wish them years of happiness."

Everyone at the reception clapped while Justin Scott cooed in Lynn's arms. Jo stood up next as everyone put their glasses down once more. "I would like to make another toast." She smiled over at the newlyweds. "These two are my best friends, and I can not express how much joy I feel in my heart when I see them together. They have been through it all. There have been more bumps than one could imagine, but they made it through everything together and side- by- side. I feel blessed to have known them. I know their lives will be full of happiness and many more children to come, and if they ever need a baby- sitter, they can call on me. Their relationship is more than just a small miracle."

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