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Doctor's orders: Go home, get some sleep and come back in the morning.

That's what we did, sort of.

I was lying on the medium sized queen bed near the wall, staring up at the ceiling with my thoughts running a million miles a minute, my heart going along with it. The cream colored sheets rested at my waist, the room warm enough fro my bare chest to be exposed. The bed indented slightly and I didn't bother to look over.

"What about Bobby?" I asked. Evie took a deep breath.

"He's not himself," I frowned.

"It's the baby right?" I asked. Evie turned her head simultaneously when I turned mine to look at her back. She shrugged.

"I guess," Her hand trailed down to her stomach for a moment before she took a deep breath.

"Is it really that different?" I asked, turning slightly so that I could lean back against the wall. Evie nodded.

"You would know if..." she stopped and shook her head. "Never mind," I frowned deeply before bringing one of her stuffed cows close to my chest and closing my eyes.

"I'd like to stay here," I mumbled.

I didn't hear any protest, just the shuffling of blankets as she climbed in and pulled the comforter high above her shoulders. I smiled, reopening my eyes.

I knew how she slept.

Her knees always curled up slightly, her ankles brushing against each other and her arms curled around another pillow. She had once told me it was her security, her way of knowing she was grounded to the bed.

Sometimes sheets just didn't do the trick.

And I always had the 'hand of permission', the whole, touching her side to she if she was willing to let me hold her in sleep.

Tonight this entire scenario happened, and the moment her back met my chest, I took a deep breath and spread my fingers across her stomach, kissing her temple.

"I missed you,"

----------

If I had remembered correctly, this was the first full nights of sleep I ever got with Ev, and actually waking up with her still there. I smiled at her as her arms stayed curled around my torso, my lips stretching into a large yawn.

I looked at the nightstand to see her phone having a slight seizure. It vibrating and blinking at the same time. I quickly moved her so she was where I used to be, reaching my arm out to grip the device. My eyes ran over the digits. I gulped before lightly shaking Evie awake.

"Sugar,"

Ok, where did that come from?

She knitted her eyebrows together as she yawned and opened her eyes.

"Sugar?" she asked back. "That's new," she whispered. The phone stopped buzzing. Her eyes glanced down at my hand that held the phone.

"Who was that?" she asked. I gulped.

"I'm not sure," I whispered.

Evie gulped and flipped open the screen. I felt my lips curling into a smile. She was adorable with a sidekick.

"I don't recognize the phone number," she mumbled before glancing up at me. "I don't think it's anybody important," I pursed my lips together.

"Should we get ready to go?" I asked. Evie shook her head.

"It's only 5am. We've been asleep for like, six hours," I lightly smirked.

"You and your sleep," She smiled shyly.

"Three things you don't keep from me," she paused. "Food, bathroom and a bed," I laughed faintly.

"What about..." I paused and she opened her mouth, offended.

"Perv," she whispered. We locked eyes and her cheeks flared with embarrassment. "Shut up," she mumbled.

I brought her closer again.

"I didn't say anything," She always blushed when I whispered.

It was crazy how much I was remembering. All the little things I noticed early on in our friendship. Just how she got slightly annoyed when boys whispered to her because it always made her blush, mad.

"Stop," she whispered back.

I stared down at her again. I don't know how long we kept the eye lock but with each passing second, I felt braver and braver. I was myself again and it couldn't have been any better.

"Marry me,"

The words left my lips like water, and with the softness of my voice I could have given her a heart attack. Her eyes grew slightly wider and her hands tensed where they were resting on my waist. Her lips parted but instead of words, came a buzz from beneath the pillow.

If it was Joe...

Evie's hand curled around the phone and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Hello?" she breathed. I sighed as her lips curled into a breathless smile.

"Damnit Evie, I've been trying to reach you all morning!" Evie pulled the phone away from her ear and blushed.

"Sorry Izzy," she paused and raised her hand up my side and to the thorns around my neck.

Her eyes held this unknown look, one that terrified me. It was then that I wished I knew how to read eyes. Her fingertips brushed against the tattoo, lightly tracing it as Izzy rambled on and on about a flight and some other mumbled words that I couldn't catch. Evie smiled as she realized she had not heard a word and snapped her hand away from my chest and to her head.

"I'm so sorry Iz," she muttered. "I'm...kind of tied up right now," I heard Izzy yell.

"Oh for god's sake, please don't tell me Pete's there," I smirked slightly and rubbed my hand at her lower back.

Evie smiled.

"When do you land?" her voice slightly trailed and I heard another curse of fowl language emit from her phone.

"I'VE ALREADY LANDED!" Evie's eyes widened and she jerked up, her arm extending to keep herself up.

I frowned as our moment was broken and sat up with her.

"I'm so sorry, Iz..." she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'll be there as soon as possible and we can head over to the hospital so you can see the baby," I smiled again and I heard Izzy's voice soften.

Soon Evie let the phone fall from her hands and she sighed, moving the sheets slightly before standing and stretching. I stared at her as she crossed the room, lazily pulling on jeans while flinging things into her purse.

"I'm sorry Pete," she mumbled. I shrugged.

"The guys will be here soon to keep me company," she smiled lightly as she leaned against the door frame.

"I'll call you when I pick Izzy up, just ask my dad for the keys and he'll let you go,"

I nodded and watched her go. Shifting my body down and back into the covers, I snuggled up with the cow again and fell into a deep sleep.

-----------

My phone fell from the nightstand and hit the floor. I widened my eyes, scared of the sound and leaned over the edge to see Evie's name flashing across the screen. I couldn't reach fast enough and saw that there were already ten missed calls.

I then looked at the clock and noticed I had been asleep for fifteen minutes. My phone started to buzz again and I picked it up.

"Ev?" I asked. I heard her let out a rather large breath of relief.

"Oh my god," she breathed. "Pete," I climbed out of bed and started to pull up my pants that were thrown on a chair in her room.

"What?" I asked.

She was crying.

I heard it in her shaky breath.

"I don't know what's going on yet, but I'm doing 90 on the freeway trying to get down to the hospital," she mumbled. My throat immediately tightened up.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

I pulled on a hoodie without bothering for a shirt. The minute I reached down stairs I noticed the guys in the kitchen, Ryan and David included all in the foyer.

"Hi Pete!" Patrick greeted. I heard Evie gasp.

"Send Patrick to pick up Izzy," I knitted my eyebrows together.

"But she's..." I paused as the gang came up. Patrick raised an eyebrow. Evie sighed and I heard her voice lower.

"Please Pete, I need you at the hospital," I closed my eyes and gulped.

"I'm going to be there," I whispered. There was a pause for only a moment.

"Yes," low voice, high chirp.

I was about to speak when my phone beeped, signaling the phone call had ended. I pulled it away and glanced up at Patrick.

"You...airport...Izzy," I looked at everyone else. "Bye,"

I breathed and ran out.

Keys.

I looked around and shook my head once before seeing traffic backed up on the street, a taxi about to do a u-turn in the direction I was heading. I ran for it. Landing in the back the guy stared at me like I was some kind of lunatic.

"St. Johns..." I took a deep breath. "And step on it,"

----------

Bobby.

He glared at me as I ran down the hall I remembered from last night. It was already close to seven and I felt my day already being crumpled.

"You can go home now," he hissed.

I stepped back slightly as my eyes caught Evie's back facing the glass window.

I didn't understand.

"What..." Bobby cut me off.

"Premature babies don't stay alive often, Pete,"

I felt my jaw drop.

"What?" I asked in a whisper.

Bobby's face lightened as Evie turned to look at us.

"You don't have to be in her life anymore, there's nothing here for you," My face contorted into anger and Evie looked confused. I then realized what Bobby was doing.

He wanted to look good.

Compared to me, he probably looked like a saint.

"I love her," I whispered.

Bobby shook his slowly and I glanced up at Evie. She was shaking her head in the same way, her back turning and hands darting up to her face. I moved to reach for the door handle but Bobby stopped me.

"You step one foot in Arizona ever again and I'll make sure you never live to see another day,"

I risked it.

I thought about it.

My heart stopped and I let my eyes drop before I started to back away. When my back turned, I could literally feel the smirk Bobby had on his lips. I started to yell at myself as I walked all the way back to her house.

David, Andy, Joe, Patrick and Izzy all watched me walk into the house. I paused and glanced up to see Izzy glowing, Patrick abundantly happy.

He probably knew.

Joe and Andy looked confused as they saw my bloodshot eyes. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and closed my eyes.

"It's time to go home," I mumbled. "And never come back,"