*Normal POV*

Since the falling out with Aubrey, Brian recovered his cell phone, which Aubrey had the whole time, and now at least texts Kate every night. Val is now very pregnant and is in the middle of her 8th month. She and Kate now spend a lot of their time shopping for baby things.

“Kateee! I’m hungry!” Val whined from inside a baby store.

Kate rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Val, we just ate 20 minutes ago.” Kate said. Val pouted and picked up a onezie.

“But Kate, I’m eating for two now you know. What we just ate was only for the baby, now I’m hungry for me.” She said. Kate laughed and pushed the buggy.

“Fine, let’s check out and we’ll swing by Uncle Chen’s and grab some Chinese.” Kate told her.

Val grinned and clapped her hands.

“Yum yum. I can hear the egg rolls callin’ my name!” Val said. Kate laughed and then when to check out.

After loading the new baby clothes into the car, Kate climbed in the driver’s side and started up Val’s car. She turned up the radio and heard ‘Nightmare’ playing. Val screamed and started singing along.

“God I love this song! I’m so proud of them.” She said. Kate nodded.

“So am I. This album is really good.” She said. Val agreed and Kate pulled up to a traffic light.

The light had just turned red and Kate and glanced down at her cell phone for a brief moment. When she picked her head up again, she saw Val looking down at her phone and she was smiling. Kate opened her mouth to say something, but the words never came out.

*CRASH!*

A car came speeding through the intersection and slammed into Val and Kate on the passenger side. The girls’ car spun around three times before coming to a stop. For a while, everything on the street was silent. The only thing to be heard was the sound of the vehicles clicking and steaming.

It took a few minutes before Kate came to. She groaned and put her hand on her head. She was bleeding slightly. She opened her eyes and looked around her. The car was a mess. Broken glass was everywhere and the passenger side door was crumpled in and the window was broken.

“Shit.” She said to herself. Kate struggled with her seat belt then leaned over to Val.

“Val? Val honey can you hear me?” She asked softly.

Val was slumped over in the seat. Kate could see that her head, arms and hands were cut up.

“Shit.” She said again.

Kate looked down and saw that Val’s jeans were stained with blood.

“Oh God, Val! Val wake up!” Kate now shouted.

Kate heard some movement from outside and looked out. She saw the driver of the other car getting out and running over.

“Oh God, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t stop, my brakes went out!” He rambled. Kate shook her head.

“Okay whatever. You need to call for help! She’s pregnant!” Kate shouted.

The man shook his head and pulled on his hair.

“I did, they’re on their way.” He said. Kate nodded and picked up Val’s hand.

Her father had taught her how to check for someone’s pulse. She held Val’s wrist and counted the faint beat of blood pumping through her veins.

“They need to hurry.” Kate said. The man nodded.

“Can you get out of the car miss?” He asked Kate. Kate tried to open her door, but it wouldn’t open.

“My door is jammed.” She said.

The man was about to say something, but they both stopped when they heard the sirens coming down the street.

“Thank God.” Kate said.

Val moaned slightly and started moving her head. Kate squeezed her hand.

“Oh baby, are you alright?” Kate asked her. Val slowly opened her eyes and looked around.

“Kate? What happened?” Val asked. Kate could see tears in her eyes and she was holding her stomach.

“We were in an accident honey but it’s gonna be alright. The paramedics are here now.” Kate said. Val started to cry.

“Kate, I’m having contractions.” She said. Kate gasped and looked at Val’s stomach.

“What?” Kate asked. Val nodded.

“Kate, I’m scared.” Val said through her tears.

Kate kissed her bloodied temple and gave her hand another squeeze.

“I know sweetheart, it’ll be okay I promise.” Kate said.

The paramedics were rushing over to the car. They took the driver of the other car and were checking him out.

“I’m John and I’m gonna get you girls outta here alright?” He said.

John was older, probably mid 40’s with graying hair and a gray mustache. He was big and burly and reminded Kate of her father.

“Please hurry. She’s pregnant.” Kate said. John nodded and tried opening the passenger side door.

“Okay we’re gonna have to cut you out.” He said. Val gripped Kate’s hand.

“Here comes another contraction!” She shouted. Kate gulped and held her hand tight.

“Okay baby just remember your breathing. In….and…out. In…and…out.” Kate said.

Val took some deep breathes then calmed down. John came back with an IV kit and some jackets.

“Honey, can you tell me your name?” He asked Val. Val sniffled.

“Val, Val Sanders.” She said. John nodded.

“Val, I’m gonna put this IV in your arm okay?” He said as he started looking for a vein. Val nodded.

Within seconds John had to IV in and handed the bag to Kate.

“Okay honey, I need you to hold this for a minute and put these coats over both of your heads. We’re gonna use the Jaws of Life to cut you out.” He said. Val gripped Kate’s hand again and Kate threw the coats on their heads.

“You’re gonna hear a lot of noise, but you’re not in danger.” John said. Kate held on to Val tightly as the Jaws of Life started hacking away at the car.

Soon, the top of was off and the paramedics removed the coats from the girls. They brought in a backboard and strapped Val to it. Kate stood up and with help, walked away from the car. She ran over to Val and climbed up in the ambulance with her.

“I’m having another contraction.” She told John.

John opened a box with medicine in it and put some in a syringe.

“I’m gonna give you something to slow down your labor for a while, okay?” He asked her. Val nodded and held Kate’s hand.

Not long after, they arrived at the hospital and Val was rushed into an exam room. As Kate went to follow, a nurse stood in her away.

“Honey, you need to be examined.” She said. Kate sighed loudly and followed her into a room.

“Look I’m fine. I need to be with Val.” She said. The nurse shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but I need to check you out. You could have a concussion.” She said. Kate rolled her eyes.

“I’m fine. I swear.” Kate said. The nurse chuckled and pressed on Kate’s head. Kate flinched.

“Ouch.” She said. The nurse sighed and wrote something down.

“You need a CT scan.” She said. Kate shook her head.

“No, please. I need to be with Val. She’s scared.” Kate said as she tried to get down off of the table.

When she did, she felt herself spinning and sat back down. The nurse gave her a knowing look and Kate sighed in defeat.

“Fine.” Kate said. The nurse nodded and opened up a wheel chair.

“We can go right now.” She said. Kate eased herself in the chair and the nurse took her to CT.

“You have a slight concussion.” The nurse said. Kate nodded.

“Great, now I need to go.” Kate said as she slowly stood up. The nurse shook her head.

“You need to rest.” She said. Kate shook her head this time.

“Look, I’m not in life threatening danger right?” Kate asked. The nurse shrugged.

“No, I guess not.” She said. Kate nodded.

“Good, then I’m going to be with Val.” She said. The nurse threw up her hands and Kate went to find Val.

Val was in a private room hooked up to two different monitors. One for her and the other for the baby. Kate rushed in and took Val’s hand.

“Oh baby, are you okay?” Kate asked. Val nodded.

“I’m fine. But my baby, it’s too early.” She said. Kate looked down and then back to Val.

“The doctor said that it’s coming now. He wants to give me drugs to stop the labor but he said they might be dangerous.” Val said.

Kate could see the fear and worry in her eyes. She gripped her hand and stroked her hair.

“What are you gonna do?” Kate asked. Val shook her head.

“I don’t know Kate. It’s too early for the baby to come isn’t it? But if I take the medication, it could hurt the baby.” Val said.

Just then, the doctor came in. She was young, probably late 20s. The expression on her face was serious and Kate knew that what she had to say wasn’t going to be good.

“Mrs. Sanders, we believe that the baby might be in distress. If you choose not to take the medication, we’ll have to perform a C-section immediately.” She said.

Val closed her eyes and tears streamed from her eyes.

“What if she takes the meds?” Kate asked. The doctor shrugged.

“That could buy us a little more time. A few hours at the most, but Mrs. Sanders, I need you to understand that your baby is going to be born prematurely.” The doctor said. Her tone was dead. It was like she could care less. Kate grew angry.

“God, you could at least show some compassion.” She said. The doctor stared at her for a moment before regaining her composure.

“I’m sorry. There just isn’t a lot of time left. Either we take the baby now, or in a few hours.” She said.

Val sighed and opened her eyes.

“Which one would you do?” Val asked the doctor. The doctor sighed.

“If it were me, I would have the C-section. The drugs have some serious side effects on the baby.” She said. Val nodded.

“Okay, let’s do it.” She said. Kate squeezed her hand.

“Are you sure Val?” Kate asked. Val nodded. When she did, a tear slid down her cut cheek.

“I don’t wanna hurt my baby.” She said. Kate swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

“Okay, let’s do the surgery.” She said. Val gave her hand a squeeze.

“Kate, could you call Matt?” Val asked. Kate nodded slowly and stood up.

“Mrs. Sanders, we have an OR waiting for you now.” The doctor said.

Kate turned and looked at Val.

“Please Kate, bring him here.” Val said. Kate nodded and watched as a team wheeled Val out of the room.

Kate took a deep breath and put her hands on her pounding head and went in search of a phone. She saw a pay phone on the wall in the hallway. Kate plunged her hands into her pockets and dug around for some change. She came up empty handed.

“Fuck!” She shouted. A nurse walked up to her and handed her a cell phone. Kate smiled gratefully at her and started dialing Matt’s phone number.

“How the hell did you get this number?” He said into the phone. Kate rolled her eyes.

“Matt, it’s Kate.” She said. Her voice was shaking.

“Kate? What’s wrong?” Matt said worriedly. He could tell right away that something wasn’t right.

Kate took a deep breath and sunk into a chair.

“Matt, Val and I were in an accident.” She said. She could hear his breath catch in his throat and someone say something in the background.

“Val, is she? The baby?” He asked. Kate closed her eyes.

“Val’s okay. Matt, they have to do a C-section right now. They said something about the baby’s in distress and they need to deliver it now.” Her words came out too quickly for her to comprehend, but Matt seemed to.

“Right now? Kate, it’s too early.” He said breathlessly. Kate nodded.

“I know I know. The doctor wanted to give her meds but they were dangerous. Matt, you need to get here as soon as you can.” Kate said.

Matt was quiet. A few minutes later he took a breath.

“We’re coming.” He said. His voice was shaky and Kate could tell he was scared to death.

After that, they hung up. Kate wiped her face of the tears that were streaking them and went to find the nurse that gave her the phone. She was sitting behind the desk, reading the news paper. Kate walked up and set the phone on it.

“Thank you.” Kate said. The nurse looked up and smiled sweetly at her.

“No problem honey. Did you get a hold of who you needed to?” She asked. Kate nodded.

“Yes, I did.” The nurse nodded and went back to her paper.

Kate looked around and sunk back into the chair and waited for Matt to get there. She hoped that it would be soon.