Strength of the World

"Jordan? Are you alright?" I whimpered and sunk down to the floor. "Jordan!"

"I'm stuck!" I whimpered lightly.

"You're what?" She asked, apparently she didn't hear me. I knew that only Brian and Zacky knew about how I was like this.

"Put Brian on the phone quickly." I said urgently. I felt my heart beating faster as the walls seemed to be getting tighter.

"Jordan, where are you?" Brian's voice glided over the phone. I started crying as I curled up in the fetal position. "Jordan! What's wrong?!"

"I'm stuck in the elevator!" I screamed as I cried hysterically. I heard Brian talking urgently to someone, hopefully Zacky.

"Baby, I'm on my way and I'm gonna bring Raychel with me." I shook my head no frantically.

"No! I don't want to have Raychel seeing me like this!" He sighed and spoke to her, telling her not to come. "Brian hurry!" I sobbed.

"I'm coming. I'll be there as soon as I can. I want you to keep talking to me. All of this is in your mind. You have to keep your mind off it alright?" I nodded lightly. "Alright Jordan?"

"Yeah." I whispered.

"Talk to me. Tell me about anything you want." I wracked my brain for anything; but all that came to mind was the ceiling crushing down on me. I decided on confessing things to him.

"I want to have kids." He laughed lightly, probably thinking I wasn't serious.

"We can have lots of kids whenever you want." I shook my head no.

"No, we can't." I sobbed more.

"What are you talking about? Of course we can." Brian argued. I wasn't going to let him win this fight.

"No we can't! You're going to war on Friday. I'll never have the kids I want." I cried harder.

"Jordan, I'll be back though. We can have our kids when I get back." I got brave now. I've been wanting to demand this for a long time. I finally felt that I had his full attention.

"Take me to vegas Brian." I said sincerely.

"I've taken you to vegas lots of times." I sighed and placed my head on my knees.

"I want to marry you Brian. I always have." He was silent for a few minutes. My mind started to wonder back to the elevator closing around me. "Brian?" I asked frantically.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I was just thinking. You really want to go get married in vegas?" He asked, a sound of happiness in his voice.

"Yes. I really do." He laughed lightly. It wasn't a taunting laugh though. It was an approving laugh. I smiled happily. As soon as I smiled, the elevator sprang back to life and started moving. "The elevator is moving!" I cheered.

"I'm right outside in the lobby babe. I'll see you when you get down here." He then hung up the phone. I placed the phone back in the pocket and gathered all my stuff that I had dropped on the floor. I placed the pictures in my messenger bag along with my camera then lobbed it over my shoulder. The doors finally opened and a bunch of people crowded around the doors, clapping. I don't see how it was a heroic experience, but as I looked through the crowd; I saw my night in shining armour. He stood away from the crowd, arms crossed over his chest and smiling a relieved smile. I pushed through the people and ran to Brian quickly. I dropped my bag by his feet and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. He kissed me neck lightly and held me closer to him. "You're alright now. I'm here baby." I nodded as more tears of joy slipped down my cheeks.

"So does this mean we're engaged now?" I mumbled into his neck. He laughed and nodded against my neck, kissing it lightly. He then pulled away and dug around for something in his pocket. My eyes went wide when he pulled out a small velvet box and got down on one knee.

"I was gonna wait until you birthday, but you beat me to the punch." He opened the box to see the most gorgeous, simple ring in my life. "Lets go to Vegas baby." I smiled and nodded. He put the ring on my finger, stood up and kissed me passionately. We pulled away, smiling like fools. "I love you." I smiled wider as my heart did a big flip.

"I love you too." I then looked around and saw lots of cameras flashing and reporters jolting down in their notepads. "I think my editor will love this story." I laughed. He shook his head and kissed me again. Our hands found our way to each other, holding on tight. I pulled away from the kiss, pulling him out the door. "We've given them enough material for a long editorial." He laughed.

"You gonna take our picture then?" I smiled, shaking my head as we walked. "Why not?" He pouted.

"Cause I have tons of pictures of us together." He nodded. We walked down the sidewalk farther. My head was too clouded with the thought of being brian's wife to notice that we were walking. "You ran all the way from the hospital?" He nodded.

"Yeah, It's not that far a walk." I nodded, leaning closer to him.

"Oh of course, cause we need to be by the hospital when we kill our visitors." Brian laughed, wrapping his arm around my neck as he attempted to give me a noogie. I escaped and jumped up on his back. He held my legs and carried me towards the hospital. "You think our kids would look as cute as you?" I asked as I played with his hair. He shook his head no. "Why not?!"

"Cause they'll be beautiful like you." I rolled my eyes and groaned, laying my head on his shoulders. "What?" He laughed.

"You're so fucking cheesy!" He laughed harder and moved his hands from my legs to my ass. "Whoa there Cowboy, watch the hands."

"I'll be the cowboy if you'll be my cowgirl." I laughed and hopped off his back. I walked backwards in front of him. I took my hair band and tied my hair back into a quick ponytail.

"If you want me to be your cowgirl, you'll have to rope me first." I then took off in a dead sprint towards the hospital. Brian ran after me; but I was way faster. I did track in high school, he knows I'm fast. I ran into the waiting room and looked around for everyone. Raychel sat next to Zacky, flirting up a storm.

"Jordan Lillian Baker, You're gonna pay for running." Brian called after me. I laughed and ran right to Raychel, plopping myself down on her lap.

"whoa! May I help you?" I nodded. Brian walked in out of breath. He pointed to me and glared.

"You. Come here Cowgirl." I shook my head no and kissed Raychel's cheek.

"I'm Raychel's cowgirl now! Yee Haw!" I cheered, twirling an imaginary hat above my head. Raychel scoffed and pushed me off her lap, onto the floor.

"Hey now, You can only be a Cowgirl or a ruler of the world. Not both." I laughed and latched onto Zacky's leg.

"Zacky, don't let me become Brian's cowgirl!" I pleaded. He laughed and patted my head.

"It's a boy?" Jimmy said, shooting up from Judy's lap. We all started laughing at the sleepy Jimmy as he laid back down.

"Sorry, Johnny was over at our place all night talking about Jesi and the whole army thing. He's exhausted." She replied, petting his hair back.

"Well Jesi was over at our house bitching about it. So Jordan and I are tired." I rolled my eyes and stood up.

"You're tired. I want to see the baby." I said, almost bouncing up and down. Brian grabbed me around the waist, pulling me into his arms and gripping them tightly around me. "Lemme go! I wanna see the baby!" Brian shook his head and tightened his arms around me. Johnny then walked out of the big double doors and searched the room. His eyes landed on me and he smiled.

"Jordan! Thank god you're here!" He exclaimed, running towards me. "Jesi has been screaming for you for the past hour and a half." My smile beamed on my face and I tried my hardest to get out of Brian's grip.

"Brian let go! I get to see the baby!" Brian groaned and pushed me off him. I had to be caught by Johnny to keep from falling on my face. I glared back at Brian with my hands on my hips. "What the fuck Brian." He rolled his eyes and looked away from me. Johnny started pulling on my arm away from Brian.

"She needs you." I sighed and walked off towards Jesi's room. I heard Brian whisper something from behind me; but I was too focused on walking to hear him. "She's about 8cm dilated and she won't stop screaming." Johnny said in a worried tone.

"She's gonna be fine Johnny. I promise." We walked down the hallway, hand in hand. I could tell Johnny was scared. He had every reason to be. He was becoming a father, having to take care of another living person. Is that what I really wanted? Did I want Brian to go through what Johnny was going through? I felt so bad for Johnny. He was so young to be married and have a child. Plus, he was going off to war at the end of the week! I could never imagine what he could be going through.

"Jesi!"