Here's the next part of the continuing story of Mal and Natara, as well as their family (and friends). This one takes place approximately four months after Consideration, and five years before A Stormy Night. Mal and Natara have been married for about two years.

Again, thank you to everyone who Reviewed. I love hearing your thoughts.

Disclaimer - Do you really need to know this? No, I don't own the rights to Cause of Death. Never have.

For Tori, who suggested the full name of Mal and Natara's first-born daughter.

Mal stared down at the new-born girl in his arms, marvelling at how perfect his daughter was. Her entire body, wrapped in the soft white of a hospital blanket was tiny enough to fit into his arms without taking up very much room at all, though still big enough to be perfectly healthy, and her tiny chest rose and fell with every breath that she took. Her bright eyes, a shade of blue almost exactly like his own, flickered open, fixing themselves on his face, and her mouth split open in a toothless grin. Mal couldn't help but smile back at her. When he spoke next, his voice was gentle, almost soft. "Hey, kiddo"

He tickled his daughter's stomach with one finger, and a sound that, to Mal, sounded like something between a gurgle and a giggle escaped the new-born's lips. And the SFPD Detective was certain that it was the most perfect sound that he had ever heard. "Isn't she the most beautiful, perfect, thing you've ever seen?"

Mal glanced up as the woman lying in the hospital bed next to him spoke, her voice just as quiet as his own, and the cobalt-blue of his eyes met the soft grey of his wife's. He smiled softly at her. "She certainly is. It's almost hard to believe that this is really happening, that we're actually parents now. This little life is depending on us for nourishment, security, and unconditional love, and we're actually ready to do this".

Natara laughed softly, her voice melodious as it filled the air of the quiet hospital room. Their daughter shifted slightly in Mal's arms, as if she sensed her mother's presence nearby. "Oh, this is really happening alright, Mal. The exhaustion I feel right now will attest to that".

Mal stood from the chair beside his wife's bed, instead sitting down beside her, and together they stared down at their daughter. "God, Mal, she's so beautiful".

"With a mother like you, how could she be anything but?" her husband replied.

Natara blushed. It had always been rare that someone could make her feel as confident about herself as she did at that point, or at least it had been until she had met Mal for the first time only a couple of years earlier. Ever since their first meeting during the Maskmaker case, she had always been sure that there was something about the older detective's personality that had, quite honestly, intrigued her. She was a little surprised by how long it had taken her to realize that she had fallen for the man who was now her husband, but she knew that, if she had the chance, she wouldn't have changed a thing. Her husband's gentle voice broke her from her thoughts. "Nat? Nat, honey, the doctor's here".

She looked up, surprised. A tall, blonde-haired, man stood patiently at the foot of the bed. "Dr. Baxter. What can we do for you?" she queried.

"Do you have a name for her yet?" the doctor queried, hopeful. "We really do need something to put on her birth certificate".

Mal and Natara glanced at each other. In the four months that had passed since they had purchased their new house, the subject of names had come up almost too many times to mention. It had always been their plan to name their first child Victoria, if the child in question turned out to be a girl, and the last name was always, naturally, going to be Fallon, so the focal point of their discussions for most of those four months were middle names. And eventually, they had settled on one that they liked more than any other. As soon as Mal had spoken the name a week before the due date, they had both known. Mal nodded. "Her name is Victoria. Victoria Eliza Fallon".

"A beautiful name"

~Ten minutes later~

A black-haired young woman poked her head into the room. "Hey guys".

Mal smiled at her. "Hi Amy"

The data analyst crossed to stand beside the bed. "Have you thought of a name yet?"

Natara smiled warmly, her eyes never leaving the sleeping form of her daughter. "Amy, we'd like you to meet Victoria Eliza Fallon"

Amy smiled. "It's a perfect name. She's beautiful, you two. She really is"

"Would you like to hold her?" Natara queried.

Amy's eyes widened. "Can I?"

Mal nodded, slipping his hands gently under the blanket-wrapped form of his daughter and lifting her before passing her to Amy. Amy took her carefully into her arms, tickling the new-born's chest gently with one finger as Mal himself had done only minutes before. After this had gone on for a couple of minutes without anyone speaking, Natara and Mal glanced at each other, Mal nodding. "Amy, Mal and I have been thinking a lot about this, and there's something the two of us would like to ask you".

Their friend glanced up, confused. "What is it?"

"We were wondering whether you'd do us the honour of being her godmother"

Amy blinked back tears at the unexpected offer. "Do you… Do you guys really mean that?"

"Of course we mean it. You're one of our best friends, Amy, I can't imagine anyone we'd rather have be Victoria's godmother" Natara confirmed softly.

Mal nodded. "So, what do you say? Will you?"

"Of course. I'd be delighted to".

I've been waiting to find a good place to get Amy in, and this seemed like the perfect time to do so. Enjoy!