Jessica's contractions worsened on their way to the hospital, and she squirmed and moaned all the way there.

When they finally got there, Sam helped her change, while the boys waited outside.

Sam called his mom, then called Dorothy and Albert.

"Hello, Sam!" Dorothy answers the phone.

"Ready to be a grandma again?!"

"What?!  Oh my goodness, are you serious?!"

"Yep!  Jessie's water broke, and we're at the hospital now! The doctor hasn't come in to check her, but her contractions are pretty close together, so hopefully he'll be here soon!  Hopefully after midnight!" He chuckles.

"Awe!  Samuel, that would be so wonderful if he was born on your birthday!"

"I know, it would be!"

***

"How ya doing, honey?" Sam holds Jessica's hand.

"Well I've been better!"

Sam chuckles.

"Jessie. 

I think you look beautiful." Sam smiles.

"Oh stop it, Sam!" Jessica looks away.

"Jessica, I'm serious. 

You're so beautiful."

Jessica looks at him and smiles.

"Thank you, Samuel."

Sam smiles cutely at her, then kisses her lips.

"I can't believe you're on your way, Grayson!" He grabs her belly in his hands.

Jessica giggles and looks down at her stomach in Sam's hands.

He kisses the center of her belly over and over again, then lays his cheek on it.

"Grayson.. I promise to be the best father to you..

We're gonna have so much fun!

I'm so excited to meet you, baby boy."

Jessica tears up, and runs her hands through his hair.

***

"Well baby.. It's after midnight, you can have Grayson now."

Jessica gives him a look and Sam laughs.

"I'm dilated fucking three centimeters!  I'm lucky if he'll even be born today!"

"Oh baby, he'll be out soon!

He just wants to stay all warm and cozy just a little while longer." Sam rubs his hand back and forth on her stomach.

"Well I'll wrap him up in a blanket!  Just tell him to get out!" She whines.

Sam chuckles and says, "Baby.. I'm so proud of you."

Jessica smiles softly at him.

"I really am.. What you're doing is amazing.

Bringing a new life into this world... That's so cool!" He smiles and Jessica laughs at him.

The boys walk in and Sam says, "You gave me these goons too!

I was just as proud then as well.

You're an incredible human being, Jessica."

"Awe, Samuel!" Jessica touches her chest.

Sam smiles and rubs her leg.

"Mom, when do you think you'll have him, I'm exhausted!" Samuel yawns.

Jessica rolls her eyes and Sam says, "Samuel, cut that out!  You are gonna stay here as long as it takes for your brother to come into this world!"

"Of course I am, I was just saying I'm tired!"

"Well how do you think your mother feels?"

"Mom, I didn't mean it l like that, I swear!  I'm sorry.  Sometimes I get mean when I'm tired."

Jessica chuckles and says, "It's okay.  You've always turned into a crabby butt when you didn't get your rest."

Samuel laughs and James looks at the contraction monitor.

"Woah!  Mom, this ones gonna be a big one!"

"Eh!  Ow!" Jessica grabs the bedsheets in her fists and arches her back.

"You're okay, Jessie." Sam places his hand on her arm.

Jessica moans and starts to cry.

Sam's heart breaks for his wife.

He hated seeing her in pain.

"Sam, I can't do this anymore. I wanna go home!" She cries to him.

"Oh baby, it's okay!" Sam sits beside her and holds her in his arms.

"I know you're in so much pain right now, and I wish I could do something to take it away.

But baby girl, you are so strong.. I know you can do this. Just think.. Soon our little Grayson will be in our arms."

Jessica holds him and lays on his chest.

"I bet he's cute." Jessica sniffles, then chuckles.

"Of course he's cute! He's ours!" Sam kisses her head and rubs her back.

"I bet he'll have your smile."

"Maybe!" He smiles.

"I'm getting another one, Sam." Jessica closes her eyes and buries her face in him.

Sam continues holding her, and lays his head on hers.

Little muffled moans came from her as her contraction reached it's most painful point.

Jessica squeezed Sam and whined into him.

"Good girl..

That was a big one!"

"Yeah.."

Sam looks down at her.

"Jessie, look at me."

She looks up into his eyes and he smiles.

"I love you."

"I love you more, my Sammy Wammy."

"Heh! Not possible, pretty girl." He bends down and kisses her.

***

6:00 a.m.

"Ahh!" Jessica leans forward on the bed and Sam applies pressure to her lower back.

The boys, Sarah and Dorothy were all in the room.

"I feel so bad for my mom.. She has to almost be done, right?" Michael asks Sarah.

"I don't know, I hope so."

"She was at six centimeters about an hour ago, so she's progressing at least." Dorothy says.

"I want him out now!" Jessica sighs as she stands up and lays back on Sam.

"My baby's doing so well, isn't she?" He smiles and holds her stomach.

"She's doing very well!!

Samuel, she's so lucky to have such a great supporter."

"Awe, thank you, Dorothy!"

Sam's mother pokes her head in and Sam smiles, "Come in, mama!"

"I just wanted to see how Jessie was doing."

"She's hangin in there, aren't you baby?"

Jessica smiles softly and nods her head.

"Isn't she gorgeous?" Sam smiles to his mom like he was just mesmerized by Jessica's beauty.

"She's very beautiful, son."

Sam kisses her head as they slowly sway from side to side.

***

Jessica and Sam were now the only two in the room.

Jessica faced him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, as Sam held his hands on the top of her butt.

"Sammy, I don't think I can do it anymore.

It hurts so bad and I'm so exhausted!"

"Aw baby, I'm sorry." He kisses her head.

"Why won't he come out?" She whines.

"He's on his way, Princess.  Don't worry, he'll be here soon."

Jessica lays on him and gets another contraction.

"Ah!  Fuck!"

At this time Jessica's Doctor comes in to check her.

"Oh that sounds like a bad one!"

"They're all bad!" Jessica yells.

"Shh, shh, it's okay honey.  Just stay calm."

Sam helps her into the bed and Jessica spreads her legs for the doctor to check her.

"If I'm still at six, I'll slap her Sam, I swear I will!"

Sam laughs and holds her hand.

"Shh baby, don't say that!"

Jessica sighs and lays her head back, with her hand on her forehead.

"Ready to have a baby, Mrs. Shepard?" Her doctor smiles.

"What?" She lifts her head and looks at her.

"Don't lie to me!"

She laughs and says, "I'm not!  You're ready to go to the delivery room."

"Ah!  You hear that baby?  Grayson's ready!  He's coming!" Sam smiles.

"Yeah!

Sam, I'm scared!"

"Oh baby, don't be!"

"It's just that it's been so long since I've have a baby."

"I know it has, but your body never forgets how to give birth.

You're okay, Princess." He smiles and gives her a kiss.

Jessica smiles and nods her head.

"Our baby's almost here."

"Yes he is, pretty girl." Sam smiles and holds her cheek in his palm.

***

After forty five minutes of pushing.

"Good, right there. Keep it up Jessica."

Jessica throws her head back and sighs loudly.

"I can't do it!"

"Stop saying you can't do it! You can. You can do anything, Jessica! You have to remember that." Sam looks at her.

Jessica looks into his eyes with tears.

"You're doing so good! I can see the top of his little head!"

"Heh! It doesn't feel little."

"I'm sure it doesn't." Sam chuckles.

"But you've got this baby!"

"Oh Sam.. What would I do without you?"

"Baby, you don't need me.

You're strong enough to live without me."

"Why would you say that?" She looks at him with a concerned expression.

"I'm just saying... You are, so don't think that you couldn't do it, because you can do anything. Remember that, baby."

Jessica nods her head and Sam grabs her leg and hand for support.

"Now let's meet our boy."

"Yeah." Jessica smiles and he kisses her lips.

***

"Ahh!"

"Good Jessie! Oh baby, he's right there! You're doing so well!"

"OW!" Jessica yells as the last of her baby boy made his way through her pelvis.

They lay him on her chest and she and Sam cry tears of happiness.

"Oh look at him!" Jessica giggles.

"He's a big boy!" Sam smiles and wipes his tears away.

"Oh he's here.. He's finally here!"

"He's here." Sam smiles and moves a straggle piece of hair out of her face.

"You were amazing, Jessica."

"Thank you Sam.. For everything."

"You're welcome, baby girl." He smiles and kisses her lips.

"Oh and Happy Birthday, Sam." She giggles.

"Thank you!" He smiles.

"And Happy Birthday to you too, little guy!" Jessica looks down and kisses the baby.

***

After Jessica got cleaned up, the boys came in to meet their new little brother.

"This is Grayson, guys.

My birthday buddy!" Sam smiles at the baby and kisses him.

"Happy Birthday, little guy!"

"Oh my gosh, he's so cute!" James smiles.

"Yeah!" Samuel smiles at the baby in awe.

"I'm so happy he's out! I felt so bad for you, mom." Michael hugs Jessica.

"Aw baby, you're so sweet."

Jessica looked around the room and smiled.

Her boys were there. All four of them, and she couldn't be happier.

She looked over at Sam holding their new baby, and had the happiest feeling. She was happier than she's been in a very long time.

Sam walks over to her and sits beside her.

Suddenly it was just Jessica, Sam and Grayson in the room.

"Jessie." Sam's face becomes serious.

"What is it Sammy?"

"I have to go now."

"What? Go? What do you mean, Sam?"

"I came here to show you that no matter what I'm always here."

"Sam, I don't understand."

"This was all a dream, baby."

"What? No!" Jessica's face becomes sad.

"Jessie, I am always with you. Okay? You're gonna have Grayson and it'll be different.. But please know that I won't leave you." Sam's voice became shaky and his eyes filled with tears.

"No.. You can't leave me again!"

"I never did, pretty girl." He places his palm on her cheek.

"But I wanna touch you.. And talk to you. Sam, I don't wanna wake up!"

"You have to.. Grayson's coming soon.

You're gonna love him, Jessie." Sam smiles.

"He has a cute little birth mark on his tushy!" He chuckles.

"Sam please don't go!" Jessica cries.

"Don't cry, Princess." He wipes her tears.

They went from being in a hospital bed, to being in the bed they once shared.

Sam places his hand on Jessica's stomach and kissed her belly.

"Take care of our boys.

I'll see you in your dreams." Sam looks at her with his irresistible smile, before he kisses her lips.

***

Jessica wakes up and looks around the room.

Sam was gone.

Jessica started to cry loudly.

The boys heard her, so they ran in.

"Mom, what's wrong?!"

"Your dad!" She sobs.

"What about him?" Sam asks.

"I just had a dream! Oh God, it was so real! It was so real!" She cries harder and harder.

"Mom, you're gonna upset the baby." James rubs her back and he holds her.

"I just miss him so much! I thought.. Oh God!" She cries.

The boys break and cry with their mother.

Jessica gets out of the bed and grabs her clothes.

"I have to go. I have to see him."

"Where are you going, ma?" Michael asks.

"To see your father."

***

The boys drove Jessica to the cemetery.

"Do you guys mind giving me a few minutes?"

"Sure mom, no problem."

She walked over to Sam's grave and sat down.

"Sammy..

Thank you visiting me in my dream.. I miss you so much. I just wish you could stay.

I can't believe I'm going to have a baby soon and you won't be here.

I don't know how I'll do it.. But I know that I can.. And I know that you'll be with me.

I'll forever remember the little conversations we had in that dream, because I know that it's not just a dream.. That was really you coming to see me, and I want to thank you for that.

I can't wait to see him, baby." Jessica wipes her tears, and lays her body on the cold ground.

***

"I'm sorry I haven't visited you Sam. I just couldn't.

It was too hard.

But after seeing you.. I had to come by."

Jessica gets a sharp pain in her stomach, so she curls onto her side.

"Ah! Ow!"

She heard Sam's voice in her ear, telling her that everything was gong to be okay.

She breathes through the pain, and finally relaxed her body, when it calmed down.

"I think our little boy is coming soon, Sammy." She looks down at her belly and rubs it.

***

A while passes, and the boys come to check on her.

"Mom.. You okay?"

"Yeah.. Just talking to daddy."

She struggles to sit up, so Sam grabs her arm and helps her.

"Thank you, baby."

"No problem.

... You okay?" He asks because Jessica closes her eyes and lowers her head, as she holds her bulging belly in her hands.

Jessica nods and breathes in and out.

***

Jessica and the boys sit there for a long time, just talking and sharing old memories of Sam.

"Haha! I remember one time, when your father and I were in college, we tried to be normal twenty year olds, and go out with our friends, but I hadn't pumped in a while, and I was wearing this light skin tight top.. You know, to show off my huge boobs that I had because I was still nursing Michael."

"Barf." Sam says.

"Stop it!" Jessica laughs and hits him, before she continues.

"And right in the middle of everyone! My boobs started leaking! It was so embarrassing!" Jessica cracks up.

"Oh mom, that's horrible!"

"I know! Thankfully, your father took off his shirt and gave it to me!" She laughs.

All of a sudden Jessica takes a sharp breath in and her eyes widen.

"Uh.. It's okay, mom.." Sam says looking down.

"Yeah ma.. A lot of pregnant women pee when they laugh." James adds.

"Boys, that's not pee."

"What is it?" Michael asks.

"My water just broke!"

"All over dad!" Michael's jaw drops.

Jessica can't help but laugh.

"Just like in my dream!"

"Your water broke on dad?" Sam asks.

"Yeah, we were.. Uh, nothing, it doesn't matter. " Jessica brushes it off.

"I can't believe I just watered your fathers grass!  Heh!  My Sammy could always make me laugh or smile, no matter what... Nothing's changed." Her eyes tear up.

"I guess Grayson's coming!

Just like you told me, Sammy." Jessica smiles softly at Sam's grave.