A Second Chance novel Chapter 2

"Okay sir, calm down," the lady came around the desk getting a wheelchair and began to get all the info needed.

Another nurse came up and got her back to a room, "Are you the daddy? Bet you're very proud."

"Um no I'm the uncle but I'm still very proud." Gabe held Paige's hand tightly. "Isn't it too early?"

"Well she looks pretty big, she just probably doesn't have much more room in there for the baby, it'll be okay though, will the daddy be here soon?" the blonde nurse smiled as she helped Paige into the bed and began to hook things up.

"No, he won't." Gabe's jaw clenched in a hard line and left it at that as Paige squeezed his hand tightly.

"I want him, Gabe, I need him." She cried out.

"I know Honey, I know." He kissed her hand softly. "But I'm here and I'm not leaving."

"Marge and Tucker don't know." She sat up quickly but pain ripped through her again.

"I text them, they'll be here soon," Gabe reassured her as they locked eyes and he rubbed her round belly.

"The doc will be here soon." The nurse rushed out the curtain covered door feeling awkward about being in there.

The loud knock fell on the door frame and in walked Dr. Sanchez, "I hear our little girl is ready to come into the world, come on we're going to check things out."

Paige scooted down and placed her feet in the stirrups. She squeezed Gabe's hand as the doctor checked her out.

"Halfway there, five more to go and we'll welcome this princess into the world." Dr. Sanchez headed out of the room as Gabe helped Paige get comfortable again.

Paige was still in tears when Mr. and Mrs. Cummings rushed into the room.

"Oh my sweet girl, how you doing?" Marge asked rushing to the other side of the bed.

"I'm, ouch, okay, I can't wait to be done with this though." She grimaced in pain again.

"Can't be too much longer, we can do this." Marge grabbed a wet washcloth and placed it on Paige's forehead. "We'll get through this," she squeezed Paige's other hand as she looked over at her oldest son. "Thank you, Gabe, for getting her here when you did."

"Of course Mom, I'd do anything for Paige." He tried to smile but it was so sad. "I'm ready to meet my baby niece."

Dr. Sanchez came back into the room. "Let's take another peek shall we?"

"That's our sign to go!" Tucker rushed out of the room.

Marge looked at Gabe expecting him to leave also. But he stayed planted in the seat as he helped Paige get into position.

"Time for that baby." Dr. Sanchez smiled her big smile as she threw her wild curly black hair into a ponytail. She sanitized her hands, gloved up, and gowned up.

"Gabe," Marge stared at her son. "I can take it from here you can go wait with your father."

Gabe's gaze moved like lightning from his mom's green gaze to Paige's doe brown one, "No I'm okay, I'll stay with her."

They both coached Paige through the whole delivery until the piercing cry came from the little girl. They got her cleaned up and a pink knitted cap on her tiny head, in Paige's arms, "Six pounds, eight ounces," the doctor smiled. "Twenty-five inches long, I'll send in Grandpa."

Gabe moved on to the bed beside Paige and stared at his baby niece, "She's beautiful Paige, you did so well." He brushed her blonde hair out of her face gently.

He shivered and jerked awake quickly. Darkness still swam around him, when would this nightmare end? He just wanted to go home to his baby girl, he was so close, so close, he needed to be with her. She needed him in her delicate stage, how the hell did this even happen? He struggled against the bonds again but he slipped away again. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't exert himself too much at the moment, he was barely given enough food to live off of let alone having any strength to fight and break his bonds.

"Coloring and waiting for Uncle Gabe." Her soft little pink lips curved up into a smile.

"Oh really, and what are you doing with Uncle Gabe today?" Faye asked as her heart did the flutter it always did when Gabe came into the conversation.

"I don't know, Momma said it was a 'prise."

"He gives you a lot of surprises doesn't he?" Faye smiled loving this little joy in life.

"Yeah, he sure does, I love him so much, even if he didn't give me 'prises." Aurora continued to color.

The bells jingled above the door and Faye's dark green eyes flew to the door but sadness filled her when it wasn't Gabe. Kurt Bower, great, she thought as Kurt slithered up to the counter right up to Paige.

"When you going to give up and accept he's dead?" she heard Kurt demand as he grabbed Paige's arm to turn her towards him.

Faye stood up quickly ready to intervene.

"He's not dead, I'd feel it if he was, if it weren't for your cowardly ass he'd be home right now, you ran like a dog with its tails between its legs, I'd never choose a cowardly bastard like you if I ever did give up hope." Paige yanked her arm away, anger flashing through her brown eyes, she heard the bells jingle again.

Gabe glanced from Paige to Kurt. Her small pretty face was scrunched up into a scowl that would kill if it could.

"You are a pansy Kurt, a bully, liar, and a dick head, now leave."

Kurt clutched her wrist hard, "You are a foolish woman if you think your knight and shining armor is going to ride back into White Star profess his undying love for you and to think I wanted to try to take care of you and his bastard kid."

Gabe let out a loud yell as he made a move towards Kurt, "Let her go!" His huge fist made contact with Kurt's scruffy cheek as he turned around. He knocked Kurt to the ground with ease. "Get the hell out of here now, come near her and my niece again I'll make you wish it was you Spencer left behind and not you leaving him behind." Gabe yanked him hard and threw him out of the diner onto his face.