Andy heard her stepdaughter's soft cries and turned around in bed. When she noticed the alarm clock, she scolded herself. The plan had been to get out of bed and go to the store before Sam would wake up, but obviously that was too late now.
She heard Sam groan beside her as he flipped over to his back. ''Time is it?'' he wondered.
''Eight,'' Andy answered.
Sam sat up and stretched his arms. ''I guess we shouldn't complain. She only woke once this night.''
With a nod, Andy sat up too. Together they made their way to the small nursery Sam had set up. It was the first time that his daughter was staying the night at their place. Marlo wasn't breastfeeding anymore, so Sam could finally have some quality time with his daughter.
''Hey princess,'' Sam said as he bended down to get his daughter from her crib. ''You're hungry?''
Andy lovingly ran her finger over the baby's cheek. ''I'll make a bottle,'' Andy said. ''You get her ready.'' She knew how much Sam enjoyed having his daughter at his place. Andy was happy about the change as well. She really did love that child like she was her own.
After five minutes Sam walked down with Maya in his arms. ''Yeah, yeah,'' he whispered. ''Andy is making your bottle.''
''Here you go,'' Andy said as she handed Sam the bottle. ''It's the right temperature.''
Andy watched as Sam sat down and cradled Maya in his arms. She watched father and daughter for a few minutes and then went upstairs. She quickly got ready and then went to the living room again.
Sam was still on the couch while Maya was lying on his thighs. Nerves filled Andy's body as she watched the pair interact. Maya was only two months old, but already Andy couldn't imagine her life without her. She was a part of Sam and that made her a part of Andy as well.
''I'm going to run to the store real quick,'' Andy said as she grabbed the keys to the truck. ''I'll be back in ten minutes.''
Sam frowned as he watched his wife. ''What do you need?'' he wondered. He had done groceries the night before and thought he brought more than they needed. Andy even made him a list and he didn't forget anything.
''Just some stuff,'' Andy vaguely said. ''I'll be right back.''
''What stuff?'' Sam asked again. He had noticed Andy's strange behaviour the day before and wondered what was going on. He didn't talk to her yet, because he wanted to give her some space to work out whatever was going on in her head.
''Just juice,'' Andy lied.
''I brought you two bottles of orange juice yesterday,'' Sam replied. ''What's going on?''
Andy looked at her husband and nervously played with the keys in her hand. ''I just..'' Andy took a deep breath and shifted her eyes to the floor. ''I think I messed something up..''
''What happened?'' Sam asked as he stood up. He carefully laid Maya down in the play pen he had bought the week before. ''Hey,'' he gently said as he watched Andy fidget. ''Talk to me.''
''I think I messed up with my pills during the wedding planning or honeymoon,'' Andy admitted.
There was only one pill Andy used, so Sam didn't have to wonder what she was talking about. ''You're pregnant?'' he asked.
''I don't know,'' Andy answered. ''I think I am.. I just want to buy a test to be sure.'' She looked at Maya and bit her bottom lip. ''I didn't want to say anything until I was sure.. I mean, I don't want you to stress over nothing.''
Sam's eyes shot up to Andy's. He took her hands and put the car keys away. ''Stress?'' he asked. ''Sweetheart, if you're pregnant it's nothing to stress about.''
''Maya is just two months old,'' Andy said. ''And we haven't talked about this.''
''We have,'' Sam stopped her. ''I told you that I want to have more kids with you. We haven't made a time line, but as far as I'm concerned, the sooner the better.''
Andy looked up as tears filled her eyes. ''Yes?'' she asked.
''Yes,'' Sam answered without missing a beat. He leaned down and captured Andy's lips with his. ''We're not exactly a traditional family, but I love our family.''
''So do I,'' Andy answered. She whipped away a tear that made its way down her cheek. ''God we've only been married for three weeks,'' she said. ''It really would be soon.''
Sam cupped her face in his hands and gently kissed her forehead. ''Not too soon,'' he promised. ''Let me go to the store, okay? You stay here with Maya.''
''Sure?'' Andy asked. ''I mean, I could get it.''
''I got it,'' Sam replied. ''You worked late last night. Take some rest.''
Andy smiled and quickly kissed Sam again. ''If I am pregnant then I'm just a few weeks along,'' she said. ''Don't need to take rest already.''
''Just let me get it,'' Sam said again. ''I'm going to put on some clothes and I'll go, okay?''
''Alright,'' Andy answered.
She sat down on the floor and pressed a kiss to Maya's cheek. ''You having fun at daddy's place?'' she asked the baby. ''You are, aren't you. You've got the best daddy in the world.''
It only took Sam a minute to change, then he was out of the door. Within ten minutes he was back, with a bag in his hand.
''Thank God,'' Andy said when he walked in. ''I need to pee so bad.'' She got up from the couch and placed Maya in her father's hands.
Sam took care of Maya, while Andy quickly read how to use the test. As soon as she was done, she found Sam in the living room.
''Will take five minutes,'' Andy said when she saw Sam's questioning eyes. ''I don't know yet.''
Sam nodded and let out a deep breath. ''Whatever it says, it's fine, okay?'' He placed May in her play pen again and took Andy's hands in his. ''If you're pregnant, that's great. If you're not it will happen sometime soon.''
''You really want this,'' Andy said as she looked at Sam.
''That surprise you?'' Sam wondered. He thought he made it perfectly clear that he wanted a family with Andy.
Andy shrugged and then shook her head. ''I don't know,'' she replied. ''It's just going very fast. I thought that maybe you wanted some time to get used to being a father to one child.''
''If you're pregnant then we still have eight months to figure everything out. It will be perfect.''
Andy nodded and nervously checked the test. There still was just the one line, but she had to wait three minutes for the final result.
Together they sat down on the couch and waited for the minutes to pass.
''I'm pregnant,'' Andy said when she noticed a second line appearing on the white stick. ''You see it?''
''I do,'' Sam grinned. He leaned down and kissed Andy fiercely. Carefully he placed a hand on Andy's stomach as if there was proof there that she was indeed pregnant. ''I love you.''
''I love you too,'' Andy muttered against his lips.
Maya interrupted the moment with soft cries.
''Looks like someone wants some attention,'' Andy said as she stood up and took Maya in her arms. ''You're going to be a big sister already,'' she whispered. ''That's weird, huh?''
Sam joined his wife and daughter and placed a kiss to Maya's chubby cheek. ''I love you,'' he told both of them.
XX
That night Sam and Andy were lying in bed together. Maya was back at Marlo's place. Sam understood that Marlo had trouble leaving her daughter for a whole weekend, so they decided to start with one night apart.
As Maya got older she would spend more time with her father and stepmom.
''You okay?'' Sam asked his wife.
''Yeah,'' Andy whispered. ''It's just quiet without Maya here. Weird how soon you get used to having a baby here. She's only been here for 36 hours.''
''The peace and quiet will stop soon enough,'' Sam chuckled. ''Especially when Maya is here and this one has arrived.'' He placed a hand on Andy's stomach and rubbed his thumb over her skin. ''We're going to talk to Oliver tomorrow, alright?''
''I don't want anyone to know yet,'' Andy protested. ''Especially not until I'm at least twelve weeks along.''
Sam sighed and rolled to his side. He pushed himself up and hovered over Andy. ''We're getting a batch of new rookies,'' he tried. ''I don't want you partnered with one of them. You know what happened last time..''
Andy took a deep breath and shook her head. She knew that she signed up for a lifetime of this, but she really wanted to keep her pregnancy between the two of them for a while. ''I'll be fine,'' she promised. ''Besides, I'm pretty sure they won't let me train a rookie after the last time.''
''That wasn't your fault,'' Sam immediately said. ''Oliver knows that. Please Andy, just Oliver.''
Andy looked Sam in the eye and saw the concern there. ''Alright,'' she agreed. ''But I'm not going to sit behind a desk for the next nine months. I'm not an invalid.''
When Sam opened his mouth, Andy quickly silenced him by kissing him. ''And I promise you that I'll be safe. I already love this baby,'' she said as tears filled her eyes again. ''I'll do everything to protect him or her.''
''I know,'' Sam whispered. He kissed her tears away and nudged her nose with his. ''You're an amazing mom already. Maya loves you.''
''She's two months old,'' Andy protested. ''I'm sure she's fine with everyone that feeds and changes her.''
''Still,'' Sam continued. ''The way you're with her.. It's more than I could have ever asked for. It's more than I deserve probably. Not a lot of people would have stayed.''
Andy shrugged and cupped Sam's cheek. ''I love you,'' she said. ''So I love her. It didn't always seem so easy, but now it just comes naturally.''
''We're lucky to have you.'' Sam captured Andy's lips with his and let his hand wander beneath her shirt. Of course there was no evidence for her pregnancy yet, but just knowing that they had created a life together made him love her even more.
''Just wait until the hormones kick in,'' Andy laughed.
''Pretty sure I can handle it.''
Andy smiled and when Sam rolled to his side, she followed his example. They were lying face to face, both with big smiles on their faces.
''With Maya I missed so much,'' Sam said. ''Only felt her kick once. Wasn't there for the first sonogram. Even missed her birth.''
''Hey,'' Andy stopped him. ''That wasn't your fault. You would have been there for all those things if you were given a choice.''
''This is going to be different,'' Sam continued. ''I'm going to be there for everything, okay? And when this little one is born we'll bring him or her home with us.''
They had never really talked about it much, but Andy knew Sam had trouble with how little he saw Maya. He had been so happy when Marlo asked him if they wanted to take Maya for a full day.
''We should talk to Marlo,'' Andy said. ''Maya should be here more often. You're her dad.''
''Marlo just stopped breastfeeding.''
''Yeah, so now she can be with us more often,'' Andy reasoned. ''You should make a schedule.''
Deep down Sam knew that Andy was right. He wanted to spend more time with his daughter. ''We'll work something out.''
When Andy yawned, Sam turned off the light and put the covers over the two of them. ''You should sleep.''
They both got comfortable and closed their eyes. Sam's hand stayed on his wife's stomach as he thought about the little life growing inside of her.
He couldn't help but smile in the dark when he thought about how his life had changed in the last year. Things had been rocky, but he couldn't be more happy about the outcome.
He was a lucky man.
XX
The end