Cristina walks by the nursery in progress, and spots Owen inside. She keeps walking, then sharply turns around and looks at him again. "What is that?"

He smiles sheepishly, gesturing to the length of fabric that he's wearing. "It's a wrap."

"I thought we agreed that we aren't doing that attachment parenting stuff. No co-sleeping and no slings." Her hand sub-consciously goes to her swollen stomach.

"We agreed that you aren't doing it," Owen smiles. "I want to wear a sling. But I can't figure out how it works."

He picks up a teddy bear and puts it into the sling. The bear tumbles to the floor. "Well, I have a few months to practice."

"Can't you get one of those baby wearer things?"

Owen shrugs. "A wrap is better for bonding."

"You'll be bonded."

"But you're bonding now," he says in a rush. "You can feel hiccups and I get to feel the occasional kick or flutter. The baby is going to come out and know your heartbeat and isn't going to know who I am at all. You're going to breastfeed and have that extra attachment and I – want to have our baby as close to me as possible."

Cristina quickly crosses the room and hugs him. "You'll be Super Dad. The baby is going to love you and think that I'm totally clueless."

Owen sighs. "I'm impatient. I want to start being a father now, not months into the future. But, I also want the baby to be born full-term." He places his hands on her stomach. "You hear me? Stay in until you're ready."

"I could call Meredith and ask if we can borrow Robbie?" Cristina suggests. "We could rope him to you and you could carry him around."

That elicits a chuckle. "I'll be okay."

oOoOo

When Cristina gets into bed that evening, she settles pillows behind her back and lifts up her shirt. Idly, she starts rubbing cocoa butter onto her belly.

The baby lazily kicks. Cristina chuckles and continues to apply the lotion.

Her smile fades as she thinks about what Owen said earlier. Here she is, forming a bond with their child in ways he can't experience. While he longs to finally hold their baby, she's waiting to see him finally become a father.

Struck by an idea, Cristina puts away the cocoa butter, then grabs her tablet and starts researching.

She's still reading when Owen joins her in the bed. He kisses her cheek and she hands him the cocoa butter. "Would you mind doing my lower belly?"

"Not at all." He deftly starts rubbing the lotion where it's getting difficult for her to reach.

"According to many sources," Cristina says, "The baby has developed enough so that it can hear and respond to sounds outside of the womb."

"Yeah?" Owen smiles. "Is it awake?"

"Yes," she confirms, before putting down her tablet. "Owen ... I think you should start talking to the baby ... if you want to."

He looks at her, questioningly.

"You say you want to be bonded ... you can start by talking, or singing, read some medical journals aloud. So the baby will know your voice."

His eyes grow tender. "Really?"

She smiles and nods. "It can stimulate the brain, although we already know we're going to have the smartest baby ever."

Tentatively, Owen leans his face against her belly. "Hey there now." He pauses. "Hello?"

The baby responds with a swift kick near his face. His eyes widen in delight. "I felt that!"

"Do it again!" Cristina urges.

"I'm your daddy," he says. "I'm so excited that you're in there."

The baby kicks again, and he chuckles. "Will you like soccer? I think you'd be good at it."

"No sports," Cristina hastily says. "Talk all you want to the baby, but I don't want to hear about the Patriots or whoever."

He makes a face. "We support the Mariners and the Seahawks."

"What do you mean 'we'?"

Owen chuckles. "If the baby likes sports, we support our hometown teams." The baby gives another forceful kick. "He or she agrees with me."

Cristina has a sudden mental image, of a pig-tailed little girl cheering at a game with her father. She smiles.

"So ... you don't mind me just hanging out, talking to your stomach?" Owen touches her belly.

"It'd be nice if you rub cocoa butter in while you're down there."

Owen chuckles and makes himself more comfortable. He resumes applying the lotion. "I'm going to tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a terrible ice storm. I was driving my car ..."

To be continued...