Notes: Mari and Sammy – Rockin' and McRollin' closer, ladies!

Readers and REAL McRollers – We promise there will soon be a baby in this Baby Marathon! I just can't give you the definition of "soon" :-).

Thank you for your absolutely amazing support!

Hope you enjoy!

Waiting Game (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

Steve set down his water after lifting the glass and not actually taking a drink … again. Leg bouncing beneath the table, he looked at his phone next to the glass, its screen dark, and pressed the button to wake it up.

No missed calls or messages.

"You know I hear the screens on those new fangled contraptions actually light up when someone calls, and it makes all this noise and everything."

Steve looked across the table at his partner, then around the restaurant/bar. He straightened, making to slide out of the booth. "This is pointless, I should be at home."

"No, this is not pointless, and no, you should not be at home," Danny retorted. "At least for an hour or so. I had to get you out of there, you were driving Catherine crazy."

"I wasn't driving Catherine crazy," Steve denied, his tone defensive.

"Well, that's only because it's impossible to drive Catherine crazy. You were coming as close as humanly possible."

Steve sighed. His leg resumed its bouncing and his index finger tapped rapidly on the surface of the table. Truth be told, he had been hovering around Catherine a little more than usual that day, and he knew it. Even so, when Danny and Carrie had showed up unannounced at the beach house and Danny had tried to herd him out the door, he hadn't budged until Catherine had brightened at the suggestion of wings from Side Street. He'd been planning to wait for the order and take it right home, but then a text came from Carrie that Catherine had changed her mind and the guys had might as well eat the wings there, leading him to wonder if that had been Danny and Carrie's plan all along.

He glanced at his phone again.

"It's just a waiting game, now, babe," Danny said sympathetically. He took a drink of his beer and forced a broad smile. "Come on, you love games."

"I love games I can actually participate in. I can't do anything about this. This isn't a game, this is … waiting. And it's starting to …" He let his voice trail off, dropping his gaze and swallowing hard.

"There's nothing wrong, Steve."

Steve paused, clearly forcing himself not to react.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong," Danny repeated, leaning forward. "Sometimes the doc's off on the initial due date. It's always just an educated guess." He shrugged. "Sometimes babies just aren't ready yet. But it's okay. You've got a good doctor, if something needs to be done, he'll do it. But you saw him today, he said everything's fine. Cath's healthy, the baby's healthy … she's just ramping up the excitement out here for her big arrival."

Steve sighed finally and nodded. "Right."

Danny grinned, sensing an opportunity. "And you know what I think …"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know what you think."

"Little Danielle is waiting to share her namesake's birthday."

"That's three more days," Steve stated impatiently, and Danny knew how frazzled his partner was under the surface by the fact that he didn't even blink at 'Little Danielle' or the suggestion she'd share Danny's birthday.

"Well, two and a quarter," Danny corrected.

Steve glared at him, and Danny held up his hand in surrender.

"Not what you want to hear, I know." He took another drink as Steve looked down at his phone and decided to try another tack. "You know what you should be doing is sleeping, 'cause you're not gonna get much the next few weeks."

"I'll be fine."

"You think that, but just you wait, my friend. I know you're the big bad SuperSEAL who's probably gone for weeks without sleep, but this is a whole different kind of tired. And you won't have the adrenaline kick of a mission to keep you going."

Steve smiled slowly. "No, I'll have something better."

Danny exhaled, pleased at the subtle change in his partner's mood.

"Here you go, guys, one plate of buffalo wings," their server said as he slid a platter on the table between them.

"Thanks," Danny said.

"Anything else I can get you?"

"Not at the moment, thanks."

"All right, enjoy."

As the young man walked away, Steve eyed the plate and said, "Okay, those actually look pretty good right now."

"I told you."

"I'm gonna go wash my hands," Steve said, sliding out of the booth and standing, though not before slipping his phone into his pocket. "Don't eat 'em all before I get back."

"I make no promises," Danny said, already picking up a wing.

After Steve had walked away, Danny glanced quickly behind him then set down the wing, licking the sauce from his fingers. He took out his own phone and sent a quick text to Carrie.

Mission accomplished

"Did you two plan this?" Catherine asked Carrie after Danny had finally gotten Steve out the door.

"Yes," her best friend stated unapologetically. "Your texts were starting to sound a little … not like you, and Danny said if Steve's were anything to go by he was nearing the end of his rope which I figured might be getting on your nerves."

"He wasn't getting on my nerves," Catherine protested, groaning softly from her spot on the sofa as she flexed her feet back slowly on the pillows underneath them on the coffee table.

"Okay?" Carrie asked.

"Leg cramps," Catherine said simply. She continued her attempts to relieve the pain as she went on, "He's just anxious that Niblet hasn't arrived yet, and so am I."

"But the doc said everything is fine?" Carrie asked, though she knew the answer from their texts earlier in the day.

Catherine nodded. "Nothing abnormal. But I'm only dilated to about 3 cm." She sighed. "Not quite 3 cm. So … she's coming, just not quite yet."

Carrie clapped her hands decisively and rubbed them together. "Okay, so what can I get you?"

"You know what I'd really like? There's a little bit of eggplant parm still in the fridge …"

"What about the wings?"

Catherine sighed. "They sound delicious, but they'll probably just give me heartburn and I've already sucked down enough Tums to last a lifetime."

"Okay, I'll let the guys know," Carrie said on her way to the kitchen.

Catherine smiled at Cammie who was sitting next to the sofa, her head on the cushion next to Catherine. She rubbed the dog's ears affectionately.

"Thanks for sticking close, pretty girl."

"I still can't believe you made all that food last week," Carrie's voice came from the kitchen.

Catherine sighed, chuckling. "And now that feels like a lifetime ago and I don't want to move even to heat up my own eggplant parm."

"No need, you've got me."

"Thanks, Care."

"You can thank me by not sharing symptoms in any more detail than 'leg cramps.' "

Catherine laughed, rubbing at her belly. "I'm too tired to go into detail, so you're safe for now." She groaned. "How can I have so much energy one day, and none the next?" She shook her head, thinking back to last week. "You would've cracked up. I was actually cleaning out the inside of the washing machine and wondering if there was a way to get the drapes down without getting on a step ladder …"

Carrie came into the doorway of the kitchen. "And if given a little more time I have no doubt you would have rigged up some kind of contraption."

Catherine sighed. "I got to this point of being so, so ready and now …" she waved a hand over her belly, "still waiting."

"I know," Carrie said with a sympathetic smile. "And I'm sure it doesn't help that everyone's staring at you like any moment a baby is about to drop out of your–"

Catherine snorted, shaking her head. "It hasn't been that bad. Honestly, everyone's been so wonderful. I'm so glad my parents and Gram are here, and Mary and Aaron and Joan. Plus everyone on the island," she continued. "You and John, Danny and Grace, Chin and Kono, Jenna and the kids … did I tell you they all brought over special books for Niblet? It was the sweetest thing."

"I'm not surprised, they're a special family."

"Yes, they are."

The microwave beeped, and Carrie disappeared back into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, she reappeared with a plate and a fresh bottle of water.

"There you are, one reheated eggplant parm," she said, handing Catherine the plate.

"Thanks." Catherine settled it on her belly, causing Carrie to snort.

"Convenient, that."

"Yeah, I might actually miss being able to balance things there."

"Really?"
"Not really. Anytime, now, Niblet!" she called exaggeratedly in Niblet's general direction. "Well, anytime after your daddy gets home."

"So, at least another half hour," Carrie said, smiling at a message she'd just received on her phone.

"A half an hour?"

"Uh huh. The guys have settled in at Side Street."

Catherine looked confused. "I thought you were going to let them know they didn't have to get the wings?"

Carrie blinked innocently. "I may have waited until I was sure they'd already placed the order."

Catherine eyed her, but Carrie waved a dismissive hand. "Don't sweat it, they'll eat some wings, Steve'll relax, then he'll be in a better headspace to be there for you."

"His headspace is just fine."

"I'm pretty sure you sent me a text that said Steve was ready to jump into action every time you made a sound."

Catherine sighed. "Even though Dr. Kucher said it was 'unlikely,' he also said it wasn't 'impossible' that I'd go into active labor today or tomorrow so Steve's been watching for any possible hint."

Carrie snorted. "Like you wouldn't tell him the second something felt different." She motioned as if Catherine had proved her point. "So, an hour to relax will be good for you both." She settled down more comfortably on the sofa beside Cath, swiping a bite of the eggplant parm with the second fork she'd brought with her. "Anyway, I need some time with my bestie, and Steve needs a little time with his."

Catherine smiled. "You know we'll still do this after Niblet's born, right? You and me?"

"Are you kidding? Of course we will. In fact, we'll have double the girl time, because we'll also have it with you, me, and …?" She trailed off leadingly.

Catherine chuckled. "I'm not that tired, you're gonna have to wait like everyone else to hear Niblet's name."

"Fine," Carrie said, sighing exaggeratedly. She grinned. "I think I have a pretty good idea what it is anyway."

Catherine smiled. "If anyone does, it's you."

Steve locked the door after Carrie left and joined Catherine on the sofa.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, the eggplant parm hit the spot."

" 'Cause you seemed pretty excited about the wings earlier. I'm sure Danny's not home yet, I can call him–"

"No, no, it's okay. I realized they'd probably just give me heartburn."

"You're probably right about that," he said, rubbing his own chest and wincing a little.

"Ohh, do you want one of my Tums?" She motioned to the end table with a self-deprecating grin. "They're always within arms reach."

He smiled. "I'm okay, thanks." He took her hand, rubbing slow circles on her palm with his thumb. "I'm sorry I was hovering."

She smiled softly. "You weren't that bad. I know you're just anxious for Niblet to come. So am I." She winced, rubbing at her hip and pelvis with her other hand.

He watched her, a pained look on his face. "Is it really bad?"

"It's not … pleasant," she admitted. She sighed, flashing him a small smile. "But intellectually I know why it's all happening, that it has to happen so my body is ready, and that it means any day now … it'll be time."

"If I could make it so you wouldn't have to–"

"I know, but you can't." Releasing his hand, she touched his cheek and smiled. "Still, thank you." She heaved a sigh. "And as for right now, we both just have to accept that she's going to come when she comes. In her own time. And we've gotta trust that that time is right."

He shook his head slowly, gazing at her. "You're amazing, you know that? Four days past the due date and you're saying she's gonna come when she comes." He sighed. "If you can say that and you're the one with all the symptoms and side effects, and you're the one who's going to do all the work bringing our daughter into the world … then I don't have any excuse, do I?"

She smiled, pulling him down for a brief kiss.

He nodded decisively, sitting back. "Okay, she's gonna come when she comes."

"And how long is this going to last?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow and sporting a knowing smile.

He looked at his watch. "Probably about two hours."

She laughed heartily. "That should get me to my next pee break, provided you help me up now." She shifted her feet off the coffee table and he helped her to stand.

Once she was on her feet, she grasped his arms so he'd look into her eyes. "I know the waiting is hard, Steve, but there's no one I'd rather wait with than you." She smiled. "It's gonna be so worth it."

"And there you go again," he said. "Always with the exact right thing to say."

She grinned. "We'll see if we both still feel that way in two hours."

His response was half-laugh, half-groan. "We'll see …"

Hope you enjoyed!

She's coming! We promise!

The REAL World Baby Marathon is in full swing and we are positively GIDDY at how excited you all are!

We'll post a story a day through July 10th, and we promise Niblet will be born before then ;-)

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