I sat in the living room with Lee Anne as she watched Invader Zim. I was reading a random magazine I found on the table. I smiled and put the magazine down when Lee Anne put her hand over my stomach. "Daddy, I think I found a good name for the baby."

I messed with her hair. "Really princess? What would you name him?" I smiled when she kissed my stomach.

"Well, I kinda like the name Lucien daddy. Can we name him Lucien?" I thought it over for a minute before nodding. "Yay! I got to name the baby." She put her head close to my stomach. "Hi Lucien, I'm your big sister Lee Anne. Daddy just let me name you. Daddy says we still have to wait another 4 months before you're born. I want you to be born before that but daddy say's it's better to wait until you're ready."

"That is right Lee Anne he needs to wait." Lee Anne looked at me with her but why face. "Lee Anne did I ever tell you about when you were born?" she shook her head and her hair flew around her. "Well, when you were born it was hard for us both. You were 1 ½ months premature. They told me there was a 40% chance that you would not make it through the night. An hour after you were delivered they took me to see you in the NICU where you were staying. The NICU is a place they keep really sick babies. 

They had you in an incubator to keep you warm. They were helping you breathe. I had to fight just to get them to let me hold you. But they finally agreed and I held you in my arms. I had only held you for a few minutes when the alarms connected to you started to go off. They took you from me and wheeled me back to my room. I laid on my hospital bed crying cause I was sure you were dead." 

~5 years before~

I laid on my bed in ball with my hand over my stomach. Something told me that my baby was dead. Something in my heart told me that I would never see my daughter again. My poor little Lee Anne would never know the wonders of running through the grass on a warm spring day. She would never know how it feels to get a present from Santa Clause. I didn't even look up when the doctor walked into my room. "Mr. Erickson. I came to inform you that your baby is alive." 

I didn't even listen to him cause I thought he brought news of my daughters death. "She is holding on. She is really fighting to stay here with you." Then it hit me, he said my baby is alive. My Lee Anne is alive. I sat up and looked at him, waiting for him to continue. "She is stable and we were able to get her heart rate back to normal and she is sleeping peacefully. It seems that seeing you really raised her spirits. Truthfully, she hasn't stopped crying since you were wheeled out of the room. If you want to see her again in a few hours ring for a nurse and someone will come get you."

I thanked the doctor and he walked out. I couldn't believe it, my daughter is alive. She is really alive. I laid on my back as I thought about my baby girl lying in the incubator crying for me. "Soon Lee Anne." I promised her. "Soon we will be together forever."

~Present~

"So do you understand Lee Anne? Do you understand why it is better for him to wait?" She nodded and laid her head back on my belly. I began to play with her hair again until I heard the light snores that signaled she had fallen asleep. I laid back more into the cushions of the couch and I must admit I fell asleep myself.

When I woke, again I found Lee laying on her side on the couch with her thumb in her mouth. I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was noon. I stood to make lunch when I felt my son kicking. I put a hand over my stomach and smiled. "You're hungry too aren't you Lucien?" He kicked in response and I laughed. "Well Lucien, what shall we have today?" I kept my hand over my stomach as I opened the fridge and looked into it for something that me and Lee Anne would actually eat. When nothing called out to me, I went to the cabinets. 

I sighed when nothing answered the call of my growling stomach. "Well Lucien it seems that we're going out for lunch." I walked back to the living room to wake Lee Anne. I sat by her and shook her gently. "Lee Anne, wake up baby girl." She mumbled something I couldn't hear. "Come on Lee Anne, you need to wake up princess." She sat up and leaned against me before going back to sleep. "Come on Lee Anne. Wake up or no burger king for lunch."

She bolted up immediately and looked at me. "Do you mean it daddy?" I nodded. "We're really going to burger king?" I nodded again and smiled when she went to get her shoes on. I slipped on my flip-flops and waited for her. She ran out a few minutes later with her sneakers on. "Ok daddy, I'm ready." I laughed and we headed on our way. 

~2 Months Later~

I know I haven't written about anything in a while, but I was busy with Lee Anne. She had a severe cold so I had to take care of her. So I am now 7 months pregnant with Lucien. He moves so much now. Barely a minute goes by that he doesn't kick or spin or something. My back has been hurting a lot lately too. The doctor says already that right now Lucien is bigger than Lee Anne was when she was born. I guess that is a good thing but I hope I don't have a premature baby again. I don't need the fear of losing a baby all over again. 

I went to check Lee Anne and smiled when I saw her sleeping peacefully. I closed her door and went back to my room. I laid on my bed gently and rested a hand over my stomach. Lucien immediately started to kick at my hand; I smiled and rubbed small circles on my stomach. "You know Lucien; your sister really can't wait for you to be born. No matter how many times I tell her that you have to wait, she still complains. Just please wait as long as possible before your born ok?" I laughed when he kicked various places as if he were playing. 

I looked up when my door opened. I saw Lee Anne standing there holding her teddy. "Daddy can I lay in here with you?" I nodded and she laid next to me with teddy in one hand and her head on my stomach. I put my arm around her and she sighed contently. "Daddy why don't I have a mommy like other kids do? I mean all the other kids have a mommy and daddy." Oh boy, it was the dreaded question. 

"Well Lee Anne you don't have a mommy cause I never met her yet. You'll have one once I meet her." She lifted her head and looked at me. "It's complicated Lee Anne, but you know the procedure that helped make Lucien?" she nodded. "Well that same procedure was used to make you. I was only 17 when I had you and there was and still isn't anyone that I really love except you and your brother. Maybe one day I will find someone who I will love like I do you, but until then it is just the three of us ok?" she nodded and laid her head back over my stomach. 

I think we all fell asleep. When I woke a few hours later, Lee Anne was lying next to me cuddled against my stomach. I had my arms around her and we were covered with the blanket. I pulled her as close as possible and hugged her. I smiled when he yawned and shifted into a more comfortable position. I had to go to the bathroom but I knew that if I moved Lee Anne would wake. I decided to try it and moved slowly off the bed. I stood and looked shocked at Lee Anne cause she hadn't even woken. I left her be and went to the bathroom to relieve the pressure on my bladder that Lucien was causing. Once I relieved myself, I went back to my room and laid with Lee Anne. I turned on my TV to watch Charmed. 

So I am now 8 months pregnant. Lately Lucien has been kicking pretty hard. One kick was so hard that I had a foot shaped bruise on my stomach. Lee Anne has been very excited cause it I am getting closer to the birth of her brother. Luckily, I am now farther in my pregnancy then I was when I had Lee Anne. The doctor is definitely happy with how things are going; he saws if I'm lucky I'll make it the full 9 months.

I rubbed my stomach as Lee Anne sat on the floor watching Spongebob Squarepants. She was sitting in front of me leaning against my legs. I played with her hair and smiled. "Lee Anne, can you get off my legs for a minute, I need to walk around some." She obliged and leaned forward. I stood with effort and walked to the kitchen. I wasn't sure yet but I thought I felt a contraction. I don't want to scare Lee Anne if I'm not sure. I walked around the kitchen for a minute before my suspicion was confirmed. 

I pulled my cell out of my pocket and called the doctor. He told me to come to the hospital and he would have a nurse watch Lee Anne if this was the real thing. I hung up and walked back to the living room. "Lee Anne get your shoes on, we need to go to the hospital." She just nodded and went to her room. I cringed as another contraction made my son's head push against my pelvis. The contraction ended as Lee Anne walked back into the room. "Do you have everything?" She nodded and I grabbed my car keys and we headed off. 

I laid in the hospital bed with Lee Anne sitting next to me. I've been in labor for the past 30 minutes. My son is being born a month early. I have no idea why but I keep going into labor prematurely. The doctor says Lucien definitely has a better chance than Lee Anne did when she was born. I cringed, laid back into the pillows, and tried not to scream as a contraction ran through me. I put both hands over my stomach and breathed deep. I didn't want to scream around Lee Anne. I told the staff that I wanted her around me as long as possible. I was surprised when she put her hands over mine and looked me in the eye. "Daddy are you ok?" 

I nodded as I continued to breath deep. Once the contraction ended I pulled her close. "I'm ok Lee Anne. Lucien is just working his way out of my body and it hurts on occasion. I will be fine, but thank you for caring about me." I kissed her brow and she laid her head on my shoulder as she rubbed my belly. I continued to hug my daughter as the doctor came in to check on me and Lucien. I had Lee Anne go to the hall with the nurse when he checked my dilation. He said I was already 5 CM. 

Lee Anne walked back in and sat with me. I kissed her head and looked at her. "Lee Anne we need to talk." She sat up and looked at me. "Lee Anne pretty soon I am gonna give birth. Now I know we have talked about it but I want you to be with a nurse during that time. You don't need to hear me scream or anything ok?" she shook her head. "What?"

"I'm staying in here with you. I won't leave." She laid by me and held tight. "I'm not leaving daddy. I don't want to lose you." 

I tried not to cry as her words hit home. "Lee Anne, you won't lose me. I am just having a baby. I'll be fine, really." she shook her head and held me even tighter. I sighed in defeat. "Alright Lee Anne. You can stay, but if I say leave you leave, understand?" She smiled at me and nodded. "That's my girl." I cringed again as I felt my son descending.

~45 Minutes Later~

The time had come; everything was being set up as they prepared the room for the delivery of my son. They put Lee Anne in a surgical outfit and let her lay beside me. She smiled at me and kissed my brow as they got everything ready. Lee Anne kept looking at me and encouraging me as my feet were put in those damn stirrups I learned to hate when I had Lee Anne. I hugged Lee Anne tight when she cried. "Relax Lee Anne, everything will be ok, don't cry princess." I dried her tears and kissed her cheek. 

I looked at the doctor when he said my name. "It's time to meet your son. When you have your next contraction I want you to push, just like last time." I nodded and looked at Lee Anne one last time. She kissed me and smiled. I kissed her back and rubbed her back. I felt the next contraction starting and nodded to the doctor. I pushed hard and felt my son slowly descend. Once the contraction ended I laid back in he pillows and panted. I smiled at Lee Anne when she put a wet cloth to my head. I am guessing the nurses taught her that trick. 

After 3o minutes of pushing I am now at the critical stage. The doctor says that in roughly 2 more pushes Lucien will be lying on my chest. He encouraged me to push and I obliged. I grunted when I felt his head emerging. Lee Anne still laid next to me putting a wet cloth to my head. The doctor had me stop pushing so they could clean out Lucien's nose and mouth. I just laid there looking at Lee Anne. With one last push Lucien was laid on my chest. Lee Anne looked at her and got a weird look on her face. "He looks like a prune. They left him in the bath for too long daddy." I burst out laughing and pulled her close. I kept one hand around Lucien as I hugged Lee Anne. 

"You looked the same way when you were born Lee Anne. But you were much smaller than he is." She looked at him in wonder. The doctor put the clamps on Lucien's umbilical cord and asked if I wanted to cut it. I was about to agree when Lee Anne asked if she could. "Yeah Lee Anne go ahead." The doctor showed her where to cut and helped her do it. I could swear she was grinning from ear to ear. 

The doctor took Lucien away to clean him and do all the other normal things. After everything was cleaned up and was back to normal Lee Anne laid with me on the bed. The doctor brought in Lucien and she smiled. I held Lucien and the doctor left after telling me he was perfectly healthy. "Lee Anne meet your baby brother Lucien." She looked at him and smiled. 

"Can I hold him daddy?" I nodded and sat up. I set Lucien in her arms and tears came to her eyes. "Hi Lucien, I'm you big sister Lee Anne. Did your plane possibly get lost on the way here? I mean it took 8 months. You should ask for your money back." I couldn't believe it, she just saw how he got here, but she still doesn't get it. Well it is probably better to let her think what she wants. I put my arms around her and rested my hands by Lucien. "Daddy do I have to share my room with him?"

"No Lee Anne, he is gonna sleep in my room with me. And Lee Anne now that he is here he's gonna cry a lot. That means he might wake you up at night." She just nodded and continued to look at him. He started to cry and Lee Anne jumped. "Relax Lee Anne, it's ok." I grabbed a bottle off the table and started to feed Lucien while she held him. 

~1 Year Later~ 

I got Lee Anne ready for her first day of kindergarten while Lucien played with on of his toys in his play pen. I looked at him when I heard him giggle. He held a toy in the air above his head and waved it around. I just smiled and continued to get the rest of Lee Anne's things together. She came into the living room and kissed her brother before coming into the dining room where I was preparing her things. 

"Do you have everything Lee Anne?" she nodded. "Alright, the bus will be here in 10 minutes. You can spend 5 minutes with your brother but then we have to get outside." She nodded and went to play with Lucien. I put the last thing in her book bag and watched them. After a few minutes Lee Anne put on her book bag and I grabbed Lucien. We went outside and awaited the bus. While we waited she continued to play with her brother. The bus came around the corner and stopped. I kissed her and tried not to laugh when Lucien grabbed onto her shirt and refused to let go. Once he released she kissed him and got onto the bus. Lucien and I watched it drive away before I went back into the house. 

~Fin~

Ohhhhh this is so beautiful...
I'm so glad Lee Anne survived..
I really won't be able to handle the heartbreak..

Thanks for the story~~ ^^