A/N: Countrygirl09, and shiney1983 (again! rockin!) - as well as paceysmermaid, Helen, and smokeydog - thank you. Comments mean so many things, and you have no idea how much I needed these!!! Joey stalling is based on my own experience of heading off to the hospital when I went into labor. Afterwards, I found out it was pretty common! The next chapter is coming pretty quickly, it just got so long I had to split it, so please don't miss Andie too much!

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"How you doing?" Pacey asked, leaning in the doorway to their bedroom.

Joey waggled her hand.

"That good?" he smiled and moved into the room. "I take it we're not doing the comedy skit of racing out the door to the hospital higgledy-piggledly?"

"What gave it away?"

"The lack of shoes and outerwear. The distinct nesting appearance under the comforter. Call me prescient, but it seems you may not have grasped the fine nuances on the situation."

"Which are, pray tell?"

"The baby on your inside is working her-"

"Orhis-"

"Way to the outside. Which I think we agreed would best occur in the clinical excellence that is Capeside Hospital."

"We've got time. First babies can take forever."

"OK, Jo." Pacey was not about to cause his magnificent wife a moment of stress. Instead, he reached down and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "By the way, all your orders have been carried out: the floor is mopped, the dishwasher is running, the thermostat is pre-set, the plants watered, and the bags are in the car."

Joey nodded, which turned into a grimace.

"Contraction?" Pacey sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his wife worriedly.

"Probably just gas," she tried to joke.

"Seconds ago you were saying this could take forever. This isn't looking like forever," he whispered, holding her as she fought through the spasm.

She exhaled long and loud as the squeezing inside faded. "They're not regular yet. And it's like 15 minutes in between."

Seeing her relax, he pulled himself up beside her. Leaned against the headboard and made sure she had all the pillows where she wanted them. "All the time in the world, then."

Joey looked into his eyes. "After this, Pace, we're not just a couple anymore. We're a family. Is it wrong to just want to take a moment?"

"Jo?" He took her free hand in his. "Here's the thing, you've always been my family. Even when you thought I was crazy and had cooties."

"You DID," she announced smugly.

"I feel it, too, darlin'. Like we're falling into something amazing and insane. Some life-sized roller coaster."

"Yeah," she agreed. A small wave a doubt washed over her. "But you're happy about the baby?"

He placed his palm on her belly, his fingers wide. "I love you. I love this baby. I am honored beyond words to be the father of your child. Shocked, amazed, humbled, and honored. You two are my life. So yes,happy would apply."

"You're going to be a great dad," she traced his hand with her finger.

"Right back 'atcha, Mom."

"Mom…" Joey breathed.

"I know," he cupped her cheek. "And really, really soon." Let's go! Let's go! was humming in Pacey's head but he forced himself to remain calm. This was Joey's moment more than his, and he was determined to support however she needed to get there.

"You want me to get in the car already," she accused with a twinkle in her eye.

"Mmm hmm. But I'm practicing my patience."

"Not well. You may need special tutoring."

"You. Are. In Labor." He kissed her quickly. "Something that women may have done naturally in fields and whatnot for millennia. But, Yes, I am ready the very nanosecond you are to get 'in that car already'."

"Did you grab the iPod, and the speakers?"

"I did. I even loaded the CD's we got the other day."

"Which ones?"

"Uh…Buble, Coldplay, Mozart for Babies…and, uh, Def Leppard."

"Def Leppard? For giving birth?"

"Hey,Rock of Ages is a classic. Appropriate for almost any occasion!"

"Pace," she kissed him back. Leaned her forehead on his cheek. "You're nuts."

"Everything is going to be ok, Jo," he promised, his hand in her hair and his eyes closed. "But we do need to get going here."

Joey sat up and nodded. "All right, let's go."

He slid off the bed and raced around to help her up. "Thank GOD!"

She winced as she swung her legs to the floor, huffing and bending over.

"Hey, that wasn't 15 minutes!" He put an arm around her and helped her stand.

"Yeah, well, I was never good with time." Looking at the floor, trying not to tense into the cramping feeling.

"No,I was never good with time. YOU are practically a Rolex." He rubbed the small of her back carefully. Held his other arm out in front of her in case she wanted to lean into it.

After a moment, she straightened. He immediately began leading her towards the door and down the stairs.

As they exited into the garage, he hit the switch on the wall to roll up the door as he helped her to the car.

"Uh, Pace?"

Pacey looked at her, then followed her eyes. The lit driveway beyond the opening of the garage was a wall of thick flurrying snow. "Shit," he swore. Then reaching past her, he grabbed the bag and the duffel and transferred it to the back of Cherokee. "We're taking the Jeep," he told her, steering her across the floor.

"But…"

"Screw the environment, Jo. We're taking the damn Jeep."

"No, the Jeep is good. I was just gonna say don't forget my purse."

"Right!" he saluted, dashing back for it.

"And, Pacey?" she called.

"Yeah, Princess," he shouted back, snagging her handbag from the front seat of the Hybrid.

"Hurry!" she bent into the dashboard of the Cherokee, another contraction gripping her.

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"I want you to find something with your eyes and focus on it. Look right at it and breathe as normally as you can. In through your nose and long, slow exhalations through your mouth…"

"What's going on?" Dawson demanded, his knuckles white as he gripped the rail of Gretchen's gurney. There was a doctor whose name he couldn't read sitting between Gretchen's legs and a nurse telling her how to breathe.

All this because of swollen ankles?

Gretchen grunted with discomfort. After a moment, the doctor stood and pulled off her gloves. "OK, Gretchen, everything looks like it should. And the labs are clear. Your blood pressure is slightly elevated, but just slightly."

"What were you looking for?" Dawson asked, still feeling confused.

"Severe edema can indicate preeclampsia," the doctor explained. She looked at Gretchen and gave her a comforting smile. "I'm going to take a quick look, just to be sure, but I think we're ok here."

Gretchen nodded and relaxed. She reached out her hand. Dawson took it.

The nurse rearranged Gretchen's gown carefully, pulling the sheet up to respect her privacy. The doctor pulled up a stool and squirted green goo.

"Take a look? A sonogram?" Dawson leaned over to look at the monitor.

"Yep," the doctor took a moment to rub the wand over Gretchen's abdomen. "Do you know the sex?" she asked.

"Uh, no."

"Do you want to?"

A soft 'squish-squish' sound echoed out the speakers. The doctor looked up at the clock and then at the screen.

"What's that?"

"The soft one is Gretchen's heartbeat. The louder one is your baby's. Very strong."

"That's the heartbeat?" Dawson stared at the screen. At the white and dark designs shifting back and forth. And listened.

"Oh, this one is very active this evening. So what's the verdict, folks?"

"Can you tell?" Dawson asked, stunned.

"Oh, yes." The doctor smiled.

Gretchen looked up at him and he tore his eyes away from the screen to look into hers.

"Well?" she asked him.

"It's up to you."

"No, I'm… good either way. I am. What do you want, Dawson?"

He thought a moment. Looked over at the doctor. "I want to know."

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"Daddy! Daddy!" Amy screamed.

Doug jumped from bed and raced into her room, flipping the light. "What is it honey?"

He headed to her bedside and searched her face. "What's wrong?"

"Bad witches in my room!"

He sighed. Pushed the golden hair from her face. "No, no witches, just a bad dream."

"Where's Daddy? I want Daddy!"

"Daddy had to go help Aunt Joey and Uncle Pacey. They're having a baby, remember?"

"In her tummy?"

"It's coming out, now. And Daddy is going to the hospital to help."

"Is he gonna push on her tummy?"

Doug swallowed a laugh. "No, just make sure they have what they need."

"I want Daddy. I'm thirsty."

"Well I can get you something," Doug stood up to head out to the kitchen.

"NOOOO!" Amy screamed.

"What is it, Amy?" Doug dragged a hand through his hair, exhausted and beginning to feel a little impatient.

"I want Daddy," she sobbed. "It's scary!"

"Scary?" Doug looked around at the soft pink room, and the princess toddler bed, and the rainbow tapestry, and the leaning pile of stuffed animals, and small table completely covered in Polly Pockets, and the fluffy white curtains on the windows. "What is there to be scared about, Amy?"

She didn't answer, just looked up at him with watery, panicked eyes.

Something in Doug Witter broke. He headed back to the bed and held out his arms. It went against everything he'd decided was good parenting, but... screw it.

She stood on her bed and jumped, her purple princess gown pajamas swirling. He caught her and settled Amy on a hip. "Let's get you a sippy cup of water."

"Appa," she corrected, her pet name for Apple Juice.

"Water," he argued, carrying her to the kitchen and one handedly digging out the cup and its screw top. Giving in, he filled it with a very watered down apple juice, imagining rotting teeth as he did so. He screwed on the top and handed it to her, carrying her back to bed.

"Sleep in your bed?" she asked.

Doug went still. He'd never allowed Amy to sleep in their bed, saying he was afraid to crush her. It had been a sore point between he and Jack. Looking at her big Cindy-Lou Who eyes, so recently filled with the abject terror of a nightmare, he now wondered how Jack had ever said no to her.

"Um, uh…"