Family and friends. Just family and friends. Leave it to me to trust JC with inviting a few of them. There had to be like, two hundred people here, if not more. The entire hall that he had rented out was decked out in my favorite color (God bless him), pink and there were pink and white lilies everywhere. The music was loud, everyone was either smiling and talking or laughing and having a good time. It seemed, no one was in a bad mood.

Except me.

"Happy Birthday, baby girl!"

I turned, seeing my mom and dad coming at me, both looking as if they were already drunk. I accepted their dual hug, forcing a smile as they rambled on and on about how old they felt and how they couldn't wait to see me have their grandbabies. "Thank you," I said, trying to sound as sincere as possible as I eyed the alcohol going past me. Oh, alcohol ... "but not yet. No grandbabies yet."

They both mumbled protests as their attentions were brought to my sisters drunkenly calling them to the karaoke bar. I watched them stumble towards my sisters, thankful that they were away. Why I was in a bad mood, I don't know. Well, I did know. I was horrible at keeping secrets, and here I was, keeping one and it was eating me up. JC had been at the door, greeting people, but from the looks of it, he was now inside, the cheers for him roaring over everyone else. The party may as well have been about him. God, where was Charlotte when I needed her?

I sat down at the bar, putting my head in my hands as the man approached me. "What do you wanna drink, birthday girl?"

Holding my hand up and shaking my head, I waved him off, staring down at the swirls in the marble of the counter. God, this sucks.

"Hey, birthday girl," a voice behind me said softly into my ear, his arms sliding down my sides and clasping at my belly, he kissing my cheek. "You okay?"

I removed my face from my hands, giving him a weak smile, "Yeah, I'm okay. Headache is all."

"You sure?" He looked at me, concern written all over his face. "You've been quiet the last few days."

"I'm all right."

"You've also been short with me," he added, eyes studying mine as I looked away, ignoring the look that I knew all too well as he tried to read me like an open book. "Lily -"

"Jace, I'm fine, okay?!" I pulled myself from his grasp, getting up off of the stool and walking away. I looked down, the flowy material of the dress still not masking my mood. I put a hand to my face, trying to keep the tears at bay as JC approached me. "I'm fine."

"Baby," he said softly, reaching up and taking my hand away from my face, worry etched in his eyes as his forehead creased, "tell me what's the matter."

I shook my head as the tears won the battle, slowly falling down my face as he tugged on my hand, leading me outside as people looked on, confused. "All right," he said watching me as I leaned against the wall, arms crossed and looking down to the ground, "tell me what's going on."

"I can't," I said, the tears falling even quicker now. "I can't ..."

"What is it, Lily? Are you hurt? Mad? Do you not love me anymore? Is that it? You want to leave?"

"What?! God, no," I looked at him, dropping my hands and looking away, catching glimpse of photographers near the cars. Great. "I love you, I want to be with you ..."

"Then what is it? Did someone threaten you? Because if that's it, I'll kill them ..."

"No, no harm in the way," I sighed. "Not that at all ..."

"Then what is it? What are you so bitchy about lately? Why aren't you talking to me?"

"I'm pr-" I stopped, voice too loud for my liking as his eyes widened, putting the ending to the sentence I had not finished. But I said it again anyway: "I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant," he said softly, face unreadable. "Pregnant?"

"That's what I said ..." I trailed off, watching him as he leaned into me, nuzzling his face against my cheek. "And this was bothering you so badly?"

I nodded against his face as he laughed slightly, closing my eyes as he placed a warm kiss to my temple, placing another to my cheek as he pulled away, face just inches away from mine. "Then you have no reason to worry, baby. Don't let it bother you, because you know why?"

I brought my eyes up to his, the baby blues bright and twinkling, even in the dusk. "Why?"

"Because you're giving me the greatest gift I could ever imagine," he said softly, voice warm as I fought back more tears. "You're carrying my baby. What more can a man ask for, huh? A beautiful woman on his arm and a baby in her belly. Yeah, I don't think it could get much better than this."

"So you're not mad?" I gripped his button-up, he shaking his head as he kissed me. "Not mad I thought you'd act the complete opposite?"

"Lily, I told you I want to make babies with you. And it looks as if we had already made it before that was even stated," he laughed, hand settling between us as he gently caressed my stomach through the light fabric. "How had I not noticed it before? How had you not noticed?" He looked down, laughing. "That's a baby curve, that's not your little excuse of eating more. That's a baby in there. That's my baby in there."

"So, not mad?"

"Mad? No," he gripped my hand as I reached for his, he bringing it up to his mouth and kissing it gently. "Maybe a little scared, but who isn't when they find out they're going to be a parent for the first time, right? We'll get through this just like we have with everything else. And in the end, we'll have a beautiful baby as a result."

"Okay," I nodded, he tugging me away from the wall and kissing me deeply. "Then it's settled: we're having a baby."

His smile stretched from ear to ear as he pulled me into the hall once more. "Let's dance."

I nodded, both of my hands holding his as we made it to the dance floor, just as a ballad began. It was then that I realized that he and I never really danced like this before; it was always a fast, in your face song. This time, we got to enjoy the moment. He pulled me close, holding one hand while resting his other at the small of my back singing softly to the music. "Wait," he said, pulling away from me. "Just wait here."

I nodded, watching as he disappeared into the crowd, he suddenly appearing at the DJ booth, talking to the guy over the music as the man nodded, looking through his collection as JC jumped down off of the little platform, walking back towards me with a wide grin on his face. "What was that about?"

"Just a request," he said, shrugging as the song continued. "You'll see in about ... 2.5 seconds."

I laughed, burying my face into his chest and inhaling his scent. How had I gotten here? Not even five months ago, I was worried I'd never find someone and never be able to have a family. Now, here I was, legally married to someone, though remarrying him to make it official for the two of us and having a baby. Life had a funny way of working out - not that I was complaining.

"This song goes out to the birthday girl, dedicated to her by JC who says that he loves her more than anything and he knows she loves this song almost as much as she loves him ..."

I heard the familiar drum beats, looking up at him and grinning widely as he looked to the side, shrugging. "I can't believe you remembered."

"You know what else I remember?" He asked softly as I shook my head, he dipping his head low so only I could hear, "how you wanted me to sing this to you at your wedding. It may be a little hard now since it's me you're marrying."

I laughed, he pulling away and tugging at my hand as I followed, confused. I watched as he took the microphone the DJ had extended out for him, he holding it at his side as he held me, swaying with the music. "What are you doing?" I asked as he leaned down, kissing me and then bringing the mic up to his mouth, just as his verse was beginning.

I've loved you forever
In lifetimes before
And I promise you never
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow
Forever has now begun

I wiped the tears from my eyes as I stood, listening to him sing the rest of the song, the entire party frozen in their spots, some with tears in their eyes, some just smiling, watching him perform as if he were on stage doing the song once more, his entire heart pouring out as the music flowed through his veins. He reached forward, hand resting on my belly, my hand going to his as he opened his eyes, catching my gaze and grinned. I placed my hand on top of his, watching him continue to belt the song out.

The music ended shortly after, he letting his hand drop to his side as he gave me a bashful smile and yet another shrug as I lunged at him, wrapping my arms tightly around him. "Thank you."

He grinned into my skin, holding onto me tightly as people applauded him. "Can we tell them," he asked softly as I looked at him, curious. "Can we tell them I'm going to be a daddy? They'll most likely shit their pants."

I laughed, hugging him tightly as I held onto him, burying my face into his neck as he spoke into the microphone once more. "Speaking for both Lily and I, we want to thank you guys for coming. There could not be a more amazing group of people here than there are now. My old bandmates, our families, our friends ... it's been a particularly emotional day for Lily and a particularly mind boggling one for me. And since the entire world usually knows stuff before we do, I want to announce to you before everyone finds out from elsewhere, that you all are going to be honorary or actual aunts, uncles and grandparents sometime next year. Lily and I are going to be parents!"

I pulled away from him, watching as the realization washed over everyone's faces. The one person I looked to most for the reaction was Charlotte, who had a wide grin on her face, she the first person to nearly tackle me with a hug. "You were right," I whsipered as she began to jump up and down excitedly with me, "you were right."

"I'm gonna be an aunt again!" She held onto me tightly, kissing my cheek. "You're going to be an amazing mommy, Lily. It's about damn time there is another girl in this family."

"There are enough girls. And how do you know girl?"

"Just a hunch. I'm a Hennessy, I know all." She released the hug as my other three sisters hounded me in hugs, my eyes meeting JC's over the shoulders of family and friends. He winked at me, mouthing 'I love you' as I smiled, mouthing it back to him and letting my eyes fall closed as I hugged my family.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad at all. Maybe this whole parent thing wouldn't scare me shitless like I imagined it doing so.