August 29th.
24 weeks pregnant.

"All packed up!  Autumn, you're going to have such a fun time in California!"

"I'm so excited!  I wish you were coming too, mommy!"

"Aw baby, I know!  But you, daddy, Megan and Landon are gonna have so much fun!"

"We are!  I've never been to California, I can't wait!"

Jessica smiles then runs her hand over the front of her stomach.

"I'll miss baby sister too!  But I can't wait to see how big she is when I come back!" Autumn hugs her belly.

Jessica smiles and rubs her back.

"While I'm gone will you and Danny decorate her room?  She needs girly things!  It still looks like a boy's room."

"Oh!  Oh, I don't know when we'll get around to that.. I uh.. yeah.." Jessica sighs.

Just then the doorbell rang.

"Oh he's here!" Autumn runs to the door.

"DADDY!"

"Hi princess!  Are you ready for California?"

"YES!" She jumps.

Sam chuckles and walks in to grab Autumn's luggage.

"Hello, Jessie.  Lookin good!" Sam smiles.

"Heh!  Thank you.  Is Landon excited for his first big trip?"

"Oh yeah!  He's ready!" Sam smiles.
"How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good! Thanks for asking."

"Of course! How's Danny?"

"Great! He's working.." Jessica smiles softly then looks down.

"Oh, okay! Well I better put her things in the car."

"Yeah.."

Sam grabbed the bags and put them in the car while Autumn said goodbye to her mother and baby sister.

Once she was in the car Sam walked over to Jessica.
"Hey. Are you sure you're okay? You look a little upset."

"No, I'm fine. Just the same old worries." Jessica chuckles softly.

"I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thank you Sam, but really, I'm fine." Jessica fakes a smile.

"Okay.. well you take care. We'll keep in touch."

"Okay. Have fun!"

Jessica watched as they drove off. She then turned and walked back into the house.

**

Before Danny returned home from work, she cooked him a delicious meal.

"Jess, I'm home!"

"I'm in the kitchen, honey!"

Danny sat his things down and walked to the kitchen.

"Meatloaf again?" He sighed.

"Yeah, sorry.. I thought you liked it." Jessica said with a sadness in her eyes.

"I do, baby. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It smells great!"

Danny then walks over and wraps his arms around her and places his hands on her belly.
He buries his face in her neck and leaves small kisses on her soft skin.

"Danny!" Jessica giggles.

"How was your day?"

"Okay.. I miss Autumn." She pouts.

"Aw.. well she's having fun! She deserves it."

"She does." Jessica smiles softly.

"How's the baby?"

"Great.. squirming around like always.
Sit down, it's ready."

Danny takes a seat and Jessica serves him.

"I've just been so worried lately. More than usual."

"About what?"

"What if she becomes as active as Simba and the same thing happens?  I'm so scared, Danny."

"Baby girl, that's not gonna happen! You need to relax, honey."

"I can't help it! I lost a baby, Danny." Jessica says. Tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Sweet girl.." Danny wipes her tears with his thumb.
"Stop crying, your food won't sit right."

"I'm sorry, I just can't help it. I want her here and healthy. I need to hear her cry and see her move around in my arms!"

"I know.. you will, Boo."

Jessica slowly nods her head and sniffles.

**

After dinner Danny helped Jessica clean up.

"You've had a long day at work, honey. Let me do it." Jessica says.

"No I can help. Plus we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Baby names." Danny smiles.

"Do you think we should?"

"Well why not?" Danny chuckles.

"Maybe we should wait until she's here.
You know.. just in case.."

Danny's smiles fades.
"In case of what, Jessica? We lose her?"

"Danny!" Jessica gasps.

"Well God, Jessica! That's all you talk about! Stop worrying about her dying, you're going to make the both of you sick!"

"Daniel, this is something I can't help!
I won't stop worrying until this baby is out of me and in my arms screaming and crying!"

"I'm sorry, I just hate it when you speak that way!"

Jessica scoffs and walks out of the kitchen.

"Jess-"

"I want to be alone, Daniel! Please!"

Danny sighed and continued the dishes.

**

Jessica was currently up in Simba's room, clutching his toy as she rocked back and forth in her rocking chair.

"I'm missing you so much, handsome.
I wish I were holding you right now.
I wish I were looking into your beautiful eyes and hearing your sweet sweet baby voice.
I wish I could kiss your cute little lips.. and hear you cry for mommy.  I want to nurse you.. I want to hear you babble! I want change your diapers.. I want to stay up all night with you, handsome.  Why did you have to leave me?" Jessica sobs.

After a few minutes Jessica stood up and held the toy to her chest.  She softly bounced up and down, almost like she was trying to calm a small child.
Pacing the room Jessica was trying hard to calm herself down.

Suddenly she heard a voice.
"What are you doing?"

Jessica jumped and turned to the door.

"That's not him.  I bought that for you as a reminder of how much he weighed! I thought it was a sweet thing to do.. That's not him, Jessica!"

Jessica looked to Danny and paused for a moment.

"What?"

"You act like this stuffed animal is our son!  Snap out of it, Jessica, that's not him!" Danny was now screaming.

"I didn't say it was him!  My son is gone and this is the closest I will ever be to him until I leave this earth!  How dare you tell me anything!  He is MY baby!"

"He's mine too but you don't see me talking to dolls like a lunatic!" Danny grabs the stuffed animal and throws it across the room.

"Danny!" Jessica screamed.

"Enough is enough!  I'm off tomorrow, I'm painting this room pink to get ready for the new baby.
This room looking this way isn't easy on either one of us.  Obviously it's getting to you in a whole different way."

"No!  I don't want you touching his room!"

"He's gone, Jessica!  Do you not care about your daughter?  She's coming Jessica, and you have nothing ready for her!"

"Don't even start!  You know I love her!"

"Do you?"

"Get out, Danny! GET OUT OF HERE!" Jessica pushed him. "I want you out of my house!"

"I'm not going anywhere, and don't touch me!" Danny shoved her hands away.

He then slammed the door and walked to their bedroom.

Breathing heavily, Jessica walked over and picked the stuffed animal up from the ground.

She pressed the paw to hear baby Simba's heartbeat, but all that was heard was a muffled static sound.

Jessica fell to her knees in tears.

"NO! NO! This is all I have left!  I need to hear his heartbeat!  Please!  PLEASE!" Jessica sobs.

Suddenly she felt her baby girl kick.
Jessica looked down and held her belly.

"I'm so sorry, baby.. Mommy's okay..
I just don't know what to do.. I can't live like this.
I miss Simba so much.. but I want to meet you too.. I can't wait to meet you, Princess.
I love you so much, baby girl, I love you with all my heart!" Jessica's voice trembled as she rubbed her hand back and forth over her belly. Trying soothe the unborn baby as she held the toy Simba in the other hand.