Here it is! My first actually baby story! And since I love these, this shall not be the last. LOL. I'm also writing a piece inspired by Medal Of Mary, which I hope to post before the next ep, Sacrificial Lam, airs. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. -Rabindranath Tagore.

Marshall Mann always knew he wanted to have kids.

Even after seeing the evils of the world, the inhumanity brought about, he still felt that need, that desire, to create a life with a woman that he loved. And for a very long time, he thought it would never happen.

Then he met Mary Shannon.

With her strange sense of humor, sarcastic remarks, complete lack of social skills, and eyes that were like the sea after a storm, she easily had Marshall wrapped around her finger in no time. And though he tried to date other women, they always fell short. And it wasn't their faults. It was his. He compared them all to Mary, and no one came close to measuring up to her.

It took him a few years, but after countless failed relationships and even a couple of engagements (his to Abigail, hers to Raph), he finally realized that there was no one else for him. He wanted her, and he was tired of fighting the way he felt. She was the one he wanted.

Of course, life couldn't be that simple.

When he finally worked up the nerve to tell her how he felt, she had panicked. That resulted in a three hour search for her which ended in the little diner where they ate lunch at least once a week. And when he found her, he could see that she had been crying. He was at a loss for words, until she got up from the table and kissed him.

He had never been kissed like that before, and he never wanted it to stop.

"Marshall!"

The sound of her voice brought him back to the present. He was standing in the Maternity Ward of St. Matthew's Hospital, and Mary was yelling his name. Quickly he moved to her bed and took her hand.

"What the hell, Marshall?" she snarled, clearly exhausted.

"Shh… Sorry, Mare." He kissed her forehead lovingly.

Her hand came up and grabbed the front of his shirt. "You bastard! You did this to me!"

"I know…" He wasn't about to argue with her. Not while she was trying to deliver their baby.

The doctor at the foot of the bed looked up at them. "I see the head, Mary. Keep pushing."

An overly cheerful nurse bounced on her heels. "Push, Mary! You're doing such a good job! Push!"

Mary looked at Marshall helplessly, and he understood. He glared at the cheery nurse, effectively silencing her. Then he looked back at his wife. "Come on, Mary. Just focus on me. You're almost there." He slid his arm around her shoulders. "You're doing so good."

"Almost there. One more push…" the doctor encouraged.

Mary pushed again, letting out a painful yell.

There was silence, and suddenly the doctor was holding a tiny, messy little person in his hands. Marshall held his breath until the baby let out an angry squeal.

"Congratulations. It's a boy!"

Marshall's knees went weak at that. A boy… He felt a surge of pride, and he watched as their son was placed in Mary's arms.

Though she was not prone to tears, Mary cried as she held her son in her arms. When Norah was born, the experience was full of fear, uncertainty and pain. And though she had changed her mind and kept Norah, it had been one of the most unsettling experiences of her life.

This time around, there was fear, uncertainty and pain, but it was different. Though this baby hadn't been planned, there was no doubt about whether or not he was wanted. She looked up at Marshall, who had tears in his own eyes. Carefully she handed their son to him.

Without hesitation, Marshall took his brand new son into his arms. The boy was dwarfed by his father's arms. "Wow…"

Mary had to smile. "Yeah. Wow."

Freeing a hand, Marshall ran his fingertip lightly along his son's cheek. "Hello, Samuel Marshall Mann," he breathed.

Exhausted, Mary settled back into the pillows and closed her eyes.

Finding a seat by his wife, Marshall sat down and took a closer look at his boy. His tiny head was covered in dark hair, and he had his mother's nose. He was a blend of both of his parents. Marshall snuggled him closer.

"I'm your dad, Sammy," he whispered, his heart swelling when tiny fingers wrapped around his long finger. "That's your mom, and your big sister, Norah, is going to be here soon."

The baby yawned and made tiny noises that Marshall hadn't heard in years.

"I know. You and your mom have had a long day. But don't worry. I'll be here to protect you. You, your mom and your sister are my whole world."

He kissed Sam's forehead lovingly.

"Your mom doesn't believe me, but I think you already know my voice. I've talked to you since the day I found out about you. We had no idea we would have you, but you and Norah are the best surprises I've ever had. Your mom, too."

Marshall leaned back in his chair, settling his brand new son on his chest. Then he closed his eyes.

"How about we let your mom get some sleep, and I'll tell you about how I met her. We were both marshals, but I was a WITSEC marshal, and your mom thought I was wuss." He snickered. "I think that was her way of saying she liked me…"

The End.

A/N: Hehehe, Daddy Marshall. I'm telling ya'll, he's going to wind up being daddy to Norah. I was totally spazzing during the last ep, especially what his dad said about 'who you'll be there for at four a.m.", then the scene cutting to Marshall holding little Norah (and it was a complete stand alone scene, as in nothing else happened, and it quickly cut away). I think they'll get together before the series ends. What do ya'll think? Thanks for reading, and please review!