Title: Little Miracle
Author: bubbles799
Show: Packed to the Rafters
Characters: Jake/Rachel, with inclusions of other characters.
Summary: They both knew they had their daughter to credit when it came to their relationship. Now to take the next step into their lives.
Disclaimer: I've begged, I've pleaded. But still, PTTR is not mine.

Okay, so I've been writing this and still can't seem to see the point. But I just felt like writing it. Sort of a continuation on from 'What's Keeping Us Together'.

If one were to look back into the lives of Jake Barton and Rachel Rafter a year ago, you couldn't be wrong for believe that they would never have lasted the distance as a couple. From troublesome work colleague and health dramas, they'd been tested to great lengths. In fact, it had nearly gotten the better of them, even deciding to go separate ways at one point. That was until a little miracle named Sienna came along and made herself known.

Both Jake and Rachel knew they had their daughter to credit when it came to their relationship. The time they had been apart had been unbearable, but it was the discovery that Rachel was pregnant that had motivated them to do something about it. Unhappy in her stressful and seemingly toxic workplace, Rachel had quit, realising the important things in life. Mending her burnt bridges, Rachel had kissed and made up with Jake, giving them direction in their lives.

When baby Sienna had made her entrance into the world, almost one month before she was due and via an emergency c-section, both Jake and Rachel couldn't have been more thrilled.

And so had the rest of their lives begun. In the first few months after they'd gotten back on track, their focus had been almost entirely been on their pending arrival.

And now they had their newborn, a little girl they had named Sienna. Jake had been the one to suggest the name, and as soon as Rachel had heard it, she had agreed. They had barely even tossed a few ideas of names around. But it had seemed perfect.

/

It was nearly a week after the birth of baby Sienna, and Rachel was tired and fed up with being in hospital. She wanted nothing more than to go home and take a shower, and to sleep in her own bed.

"You get to go home for the first time today, beautiful," Jake cooed to the little baby he held out in his arms. He had his arms outstretched, Sienna's feet pressed on his chest and her head at arm's length. She had her eyes closed, but it didn't stop him from talking to the baby.

"One of them," Rachel corrected, looking over at the two as she folded her top into the small suitcase on the bed. "She has two."

"Lucky bub," Jake looked over his shoulder at Rachel with a grin. "We're going back to your place?" Rachel nodded.

"Speaking of which..." Rachel paused, flipping over the lid on her suitcase. "What are we going to do about that?"

"About what?" Jake looked back over his shoulder.

"Housing arrangements," Rachel sighed dramatically. "It's one thing us swapping houses, but it's going to be a nightmare with a baby."

"Maybe it's time to find that place," Jake told her, standing up from the end of the bed before walking over to where Rachel was standing on the opposite side. "You know, our place."

"Really?" Rachel half asked, smiling at the suggestion.

"Well, it was always the plan, wasn't it?" was Jake's reply.

"We were going to wait," Rachel told him.

"But now we've got Sienna to motivate us to make it official," Jake replied. "In houses, anyway. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect," Rachel replied, leaning up to kiss him. "We don't have to sort it all out today," Rachel told him. "But it's just something to think about." Rachel looked over Jake at Sienna, still outstretched in her father's arms. "You ready to go home to the crazies, miss?"

"You ready to go?" Jake asked, eyeing her suitcase closed and zipped on the bed.

"You bet. Papers to sign at the front desk on the way out," Rachel said, stroking Sienna's cheek. Rachel moved over as Jake shifted the sleeping baby. She put her arms out awkwardly as Jake unexpectedly went to hand her over to Rachel.

"Right, well you take her and I'll grab your bag," Jake told her, moving to lift the suitcase off the bed. "Let's get you girls home."

They left the room Rachel had occupied for nearly a week, pausing briefly for Rachel to sign out at the front desk. With Sienna in one arm, Rachel leant awkwardly to sign with one hand, before the couple left, headed for home.

Rafter House

Jake had driven Rachel's car to go and pick up the girls. His car wasn't suitable for a baby seat, and although Rachel's Beetle wasn't ideal either, it was the better pick of the two.

"You really need to get a new car," Jake declared as he pulled into the driveway. "It's not practical; it's like something you'd find in a toy box."

"Well, maybe you need to get a new car," Rachel retorted.

"But mine is for work; I need a ute," Jake defended.

"And I've had mine since I got my licence," Rachel said quietly. Their banter was playful, and both moved to get out of the car with a smile.

"Welcome home!" Ben was the loudest to call out as he, along with the rest of the family burst out of the Rafter house. Rachel turned around and smiled, laughing as she saw her family approaching. Turning to see Jake unclipping Sienna's car seat, she stepped up and gave her mother a hug as she approached.

"Welcome home, darling," Julie told her daughter with a smile. Rachel smiled back and gave her dad a hug too.

"So now we're going to have two littlies in the house," Dave told her jokingly. "This should be interesting." Rachel gave her father a playful glare.

"And how is my favourite niece?" Ben asked in a silly tone, bending over the capsule Jake had freed from the car.

"She's your only niece," Rachel laughed.

"Exactly. Still means she's my favourite niece," Ben retorted. Jake extended his arm a bit, edging the capsule towards Ben.

"Here, take your favourite niece inside then." Ben looked like he was about to jump out of his skin as he took Sienna and headed inside, the family following in.

Once inside the house, Rachel followed the others in before moving to the lounge room and plonked herself down on the couch, sighing. The others were looking over Sienna, who Ben had put down on the kitchen table, still in her capsule.

Ted, meanwhile, had noticed his granddaughter sitting down on the lounge by herself, and made his way over to her.

"And how are you feeling, love?" asked Ted, taking a seat next to Rachel. Rachel, with one leg curled up underneath her, turned to face her grandfather.

"I'm tired," Rachel admitted. "But I'm fine."

"I know you've probably already been told this plenty of times, but you do have one beautiful little girl over there," Ted told his granddaughter, who smiled and looked towards the others.

"Yeah, I do, don't I?" Rachel agreed, smiling widely, before leaning over to lean on her grandad's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her warmly as she closed her eyes.

Moments later, Rachel opened up her eyes as someone touched her leg. Jake was sitting on the table in front of her.

"Why don't you go have a lie down?" he suggested thoughtfully.

"No, she'll probably be awake soon," Rachel replied with a sigh, despite the inviting thought.

"Sienna's asleep. And we'll come find you if we need you," Jake encouraged. "Go." Rachel thought for another moment, before allowing him to gently pull her up.

"Hey sorry guys, I'm going to crash for a while," Rachel apologised as she passed her family. Everyone was there; Julie, Dave, Ben, Melissa, Nathan, Ted, Carbo, Chel and Ruby.

"You feeling okay?" asked Dave, a little hint of concern evident in his face. But Julie understood.

"She's got a new baby," Julie said. "It's a good idea darling. I'll bring you a drink later." Rachel smiled as she moved away with Jake towards the bedroom.

"I'm surprised Sienna's stayed asleep this long, with all the commotion out there," Rachel said jokingly as she lay herself down on her bed, relishing in the familiarity of the surroundings.

"She's going to have to get used to the attention," Jake told her, moving for the blankets. "Enough about that, get some rest." He tugged at the blankets, pulling them over her as she closed her eyes. Jake paused to steal another quick glance of Rachel, who was already asleep.

Not sold on this whole idea, but you know how you get an idea in your head and you just can't get rid of it? This falls into that category.

In another note, are we ready to farewell a Rafter tonight? I've had a teary day already, so I'm bound to cry, despite my normal heart of stone!

So read and review if you like. I'd love to hear from you.