"Soo Ah is at his place right now. He's going to ask her to move in with him, so he can take care of her, and he isn't letting her give the baby up, he's going to keep it. He's not doing great, knowing he's going to lose her, but he's handling it better than I expected. I'm sure it'll get harder for him as time passes. That's why I wanted you to know, before tomorrow. We have to be there for him, Kook. He'll need us, to help him hold it together the closer it gets to the baby being born, and Soo Ah's final days."

•°•♡•°•

"Wow. I...just, wow. Why can't Taehyung ever just be happy? Why does he keep losing people? What the fuck has he ever done to deserve this? He's a great guy, an amazing friend, and he has the biggest heart of anyone I know. Why does life keep throwing shit in front of him? It's fucking not right."

He was angry. I didn't blame him.

He was right about Tae, even though he'd gone through what he had, and he had turned into the cold person he appeared to be on the outside, he would still do anything for anyone.

"I don't know Kookie. It isn't fair that he's had to go through so much, and lose so many people. He doesn't deserve it. Even though I give him shit for being such an asshole, he has every right to be angry at the world."

"I can't imagine what he's feeling right now. How is he even handling it?"

I wasn't sure myself. I knew he was probably still a bit numb, and eventually it would hit him that he didn't have much time left with Soo Ah, not when you think about it.

"I don't really know, honestly. I think it hasn't fully sunk in yet, and when it does, I'm not sure what it'll do to him. We need to keep an eye on him, for sure."

Jungkook nodded. We sat there, neither of us saying anything for a good few minutes, both of us lost in our own thoughts.

"I can't believe Tae is going to be a dad."

I turned to look at him, chuckling at the fact that I had been thinking exactly the same thing.

"We're gonna have to help him out, you know that, right?"

His eyes went wide.

"I have no idea about babies, I can't help."

I shook my head, expecting nothing less from Jungkook.

"None of us do, Kook, the three of us are going to have to learn together. We're going to be uncles, but we are going to have to act like dads for a little while, until Tae gets the hang of everything. It's going to take all three of us to figure everything out."

"Great...I can't wait."

☆~☆~☆

Soo Ah slept peacefully in my arms, curled up against me like a small child. I slept for an hour or two, but I'd woken up, and hadn't been able to go back to sleep.

I was going to lose this. This feeling of holding everything in my arms, of my entire world being right here next to me. I was going to lose it.

I tilted my head, pressing my lips to her head, smelling the scent of her shampoo.

This was so unfair.

I wanted to be with her every second, because so much time had passed that I hadn't been able to spend with her. But I had to work.

I actually considered going into work now, filling the cookie jar and display case, and completing all my orders, while she was asleep, so that I could be back here when she woke up.

It was a very tempting thought, and one I hadn't completely pushed aside yet. It was a tough decision. Stay here and hold her while she slept, or go in now and be back when she wakes up.

I didn't know what time it was, my clock being behind me on the nightstand, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was around 1am. If I went in now, depending how many orders I had, I could possibly be done by 8am. Earlier if I didn't have as many orders.

I eased my arm from under her, and rolled away, tucking the blankets snugly around her, hoping she stayed asleep. I turned and sat up, seeing that it was just before 1am. I hadn't looked at the orders for today before I'd left yesterday, so I really didn't know what I had to do.

I got up, quietly looking for clothes to put on, grabbing what I hoped was a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I dug for clean boxers, and a pair of socks, and quietly left the room, going into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Once dressed, I went downstairs, thinking I should leave her a note, in case she wakes up before I get back, and ask her to please let Yoshi out. I went into the kitchen, using the nightlight from the stove to see, jotting down that I went into work, and that I hadn't let the dog out at all before I left. I really didn't think I had to say too much, she took care of him for a whole month, it wasn't like she didn't know what to do.

I put the note on the table anyway, and tiptoed by Yoshi, leaving the house quietly.

I got to the shop, letting myself in and locking the door. Normally, I would head right for the kitchen, not paying much attention to anything, but this morning, I stopped, and looked around me. The only light was from the lighted menu hanging on the wall, but it was bright enough to make out most of the room. This place had been my life for the past 5 years, every day.

Did I enjoy it? Honestly, yes. I liked baking. It gave me a certain feeling of peace. It helped me feel connected to my grandmother, in a small way. If she hadn't taught me to bake, and put that love of mixing several ingredients together, watching them meld and become something different, taking on a flavor that could be well known, or something entirely new and delicious, what would I be doing right now? Possibly something I didn't enjoy as much. I was grateful, and I realized I needed to show it more.

Jimin was right. Coming here, baking, it would always make me think of my grandmother. That made me hopeful that there were things that I would do, things that I had probably been doing, that would make me think of all of them. I been so busy trying to make sure that I didn't forget them, that I never stopped to realize all the little things I do on a daily basis that remind me of them.

I smiled, heading for the kitchen. I flipped the lights on and turned the oven on immediately.

Then I checked my orders. I couldn't believe my luck. I only had two orders for today. One was for 4 dozen cookies, the other for an orange creamsicle cake. That wouldn't take me long at all.

I got to work, doing what needed to be done for the shop first. Then I would fill my orders.

Hours passed, I hadn't really been paying attention to the time, but I had the cookie jar filled, the display case full of carrot cake, and I was working on the cake for the order when the kitchen door creaked opened and Jimin stepped into the room.

His brows were drawn together, and he slowly approached me, looking worried.

"Taehyung, what's going on? Is everything okay?"

I lifted my eyes to him, raising a brow.

"Everything's fine. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to come in and get to work. The quicker I get done, the quicker I can get back to Soo Ah, and talk to her about everything."

I could see the relief as he exhaled, the worry slowly dropping from his face.

"Jesus, you scared me. I thought something happened."

I shook my head. "Nope. I slept for an hour or two, and then I couldn't get back to sleep. I figured there was no sense wasting the time. If this works out the way I think it might, it could become a regular thing for me. At least for awhile, so that I can have the daytime with Soo Ah."

I saw concern grow on his face again, and I knew exactly what he was going to say. I looked at him, and waited.

"Tae, you need to sleep. If you keep doing this, you'll end up working, going home and staying awake to be with Soo Ah, and when will you sleep?"

"If Soo Ah and I go to bed by, say, 8:30pm, and I get up at 1:30am to come in and get everything done here, I can be done by 10am at the latest, and spend the rest of the day with her. She'll techically be home for possibly 8 hours alone, but most of those hours will be spent asleep. I can function on 5 hours of sleep a night if I need to."

"For how long? Eventually, that will catch up with you. I have a better idea."

I raised my brows at him, curious as to what his idea was that could be better than coming in early and getting everything done.

"What if, starting next week, we just stop taking orders for awhile. That way, all you'll have to do is make the cookies for the cookie jar, and whatever cake you're making for the day, and be done. You could still come in around the same time, maybe a half hour earlier if you want, and probably be out of here by 9am."

I thought for a minute. It wasn't a bad idea, but I knew those orders I filled helped us out financially, and it would hurt us to stop accepting them.

"Taehyung, it won't be forever, but for now, I think that's how it needs to be. You need to be with Soo Ah as much as you can. There's going to come a point where we won't have cookies or cake either, unless you make them at home and I get them from you every morning, because the time will come when you should't leave her alone at all. You do realize that, right?"

I was trying not to think about it, but I did realize it. I hadn't thought about what I would do when that happened, as far as work went. But making the baked goods at home wasn't a half bad idea either. In fact, I would just let Jimin decide how it would be. I might still be capable of it right now, but I knew, soon enough, I wouldn't be able to think of anything but Soo Ah.

"I think I'll let you make the decisions when it comes to the orders, and what I'm doing. At least for now. I know there will come a time when I won't be able to think straight at all. It's your call, Jimin. How do you want me to do it?"

He gave me an understanding smile.

"I'll post a notice on the website that orders will only be taken for this week, last orders to be picked up Friday, and that starting next week, orders will be on hold until further notice. The rest, we'll figure out as we go. Sound fair?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that'll work. Now leave me alone so I can get done here and go home, will ya."

He smiled at me, and turned, grabbing his apron on the way out the door.

I went back to working on the cake for the order, sticking the orange slices on top, and setting it aside so I could grab a box for it.

I'd taken 2 dozen of the cookies out of the oven earlier, and they'd since cooled, so I boxed them as well, then scooped the other two dozen onto the sheets and stuck them in the oven. I had maybe another hour and a half, and I'd be done for the day here.

As I closed the oven, I turned, seeing Jungkook come thru the door for his apron. He stopped, and looked at me, uncertainty filling his face.

"Hey Taehyung. Looks like you've been here awhile already, huh?"

I gave him a smile. "Yeah, since 2am. That's what happens when I can't sleep, I guess."

His lips curved slightly, a tight smile appearing, and he nodded a little.

"Yeah, uh, well...I, better get out there and get to work."

I nodded. "Sure."

He walked away, pushing through the door without looking back. He'd been so awkward that I knew Jimin must have told him everything that was going on, and he hadn't known what to say. It was okay. I knew it wasn't an easy thing to hear. But I hoped he came around, and stopped feeling so awkward, because I was going to need both him and Jimin. Without them, I didn't think I could hold it together.