Hey!

First of all, thank you for all your comments and patience. I know it's been very long and I'm really sorry! But I'm finished with my exams now so I will try to upload more often! Please enjoy this chapter :)

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Jo leaned back into the seat as the doctor applied the cold gel to her stomach. She was now eighteen weeks pregnant and at the doctor's office for a regular check-up. She had had an extra check-up two weeks ago to make sure what happened had no further consequences, and although everything looked good, her doctor had asked Jo to come back in today and in two weeks again to monitor everything closely. As the doctor was preparing the ultrasound machine, Jo closed her eyes briefly. She hadn't mind at all to come back in more often. The event had scared her more than she wanted to admit, and when Chief Sinclair had suggested she'd stay mostly at the lab for the remaining of her pregnancy, she had gladly accepted. It had surprised the rest of the team, but she did not want to take any risks regarding her baby. She opened her eyes just as her doctor moved over to her belly.

'Maybe today we'll be able to see what gender your baby is, that is if you want to know. '

'I do, actually.' Jo smiled excitedly.

'Plus, I don't think my daughter would ever forgive me if she's going to have to wait until the baby's born.' she laughed. The doctor laughed too and slowly moved over Jo's belly until she found the baby. After a bit of prodding, the doctor turned to face Jo.

'Everything looks good.' she said with a reassuring smile. Jo released a breath she didn't know she was holding. With her age, and especially after what had happened last month, she was always worried something was wrong.

'The heartbeat sounds very strong, the baby seems to be growing perfectly according to schedule, and it seems your baby did not suffer any negative consequences from your incident four weeks ago.' the doctor continued. Jo sighed a small sigh of relief.

'I'm very glad.' she said.

'Now, for your baby's sex, are you sure you want to know?' Jo nodded.

'Definitely.'

'Okay, well, it looks like you're having a baby girl.' Jo's doctor said smiling. Jo smiled. A little girl. Ellie was going to be ecstatic. And she herself was too. Even though she already had an incredible daughter, she had never been pregnant with a baby girl. She couldn't help but wonder how different this pregnancy would be from when she was pregnant with Tyler. Things that did not have to do with her being twenty years older, of course. But besides the morning sickness, which she had barely had the last time, she couldn't really think of something.

The doctor handed her a piece of paper to wipe of her stomach and told Jo to call her if she had any questions whatsoever. Jo nodded and shook her doctor's hand after wiping off the excess gel.

/

Jo was on her way home after her appointment. She had decided not to go back to work as it was already almost five and the team wasn't working on any case at the moment. She was looking forward to spending some time alone. Ellie was at a birthday sleepover party, which was also why she hadn't come with Jo to the appointment. Ellie herself had been a little disappointed, but Jo had managed to convince her to go to the party and have a good time. Ellie had only given in after Jo had promised to give her a full update after she'd come back, ultrasound pictures and all. Plus, this gave Jo the opportunity to tell both her kids they were having a little sister at the same time, as Tyler was joining the girls for dinner tomorrow night.

Jo decided to stop by a little bakery to buy two cupcakes for tomorrow night, asking the baker to stuff them with a pink filling. She found it a little cliché herself, but she knew her kids, especially Ellie, would find it adorable. And, as she had been picturing how her new baby girl would look like all the way from her doctor's office to the bakery, she was in a little adorable-mood herself.

Upon returning home, Jo placed the cupcakes in the refrigerator and ordered herself some Chinese food. Waiting for it to arrive, she quickly changed into a pair of yoga pants and a loose sweater and curled up in the corner of her couch. Resting one hand loosely over her stomach, she started daydreaming about what her daughter would look like again. She probably wouldn't look much like her brother, for Tyler was the spitting image of his father, and obviously also not much like her older sister. Maybe she'd look like Mac, Jo wondered. His dark hair with his blue eyes, his wit, his strength, his big heart under that tough guy exterior. That would make a pretty good cocktail. Jo had decided to tell him he was having a daughter tomorrow morning. She could already see him with a daughter. His little princess. She'd have him wrapped around her little finger within no time. Jo smiled at the thought. She briefly wondered if she should call him now but decided against it. Christine would probably be there if she called now. She would tell him tomorrow in his office. Where she could actually see his face. And where Christine wouldn't be.

The doorbell took her out of her musings and she quickly got up to retrieve her food. While setting it out on the table, her phone rang. She briefly wondered if it was Mac. But it couldn't be, he didn't even know she'd had an appointment today. She just hoped it wasn't a case. But when she looked at her phone her caller ID showed it was her mother. Jo smiled. Her mother was one of the few people she wanted to talk to right now. Her mother knew the whole story. She had asked about the father when Jo had told her about the pregnancy, and Jo had never been able to lie to her mother. Her mother had been surprisingly okay with the whole situation and had actually been a great support for Jo over the past few months.

'Hey momma.' Jo said as she answered the call.

'Hello Josie.' her mother replied.

'How'd the appointment today go? Is the baby doing okay?' Jo smiled at her mother's southern drawl, making her feel homey almost immediately.

'The baby's doing great momma. The doctor said everything is going as it is supposed to be going.' she said. Jo could hear the relief in her mother's voice as she answered.

'I'm really happy about that honey.' Jo knew her mother was worried to. It had taken Jo a lot of negotiating to make sure her mother didn't fly over to New York when Jo was in the hospital.

'Did the doctor say anything else?' she heard her mother ask. Jo smiled. Her mother was not exactly the most subtle person on the planet when she was excited about something.

'Yes momma, she did.' Jo took a breath and felt the corners of her mouth turning upwards into a big grin as she continued.

'I'm having a girl.' Her grin grew even wider as she realized this was the first time she'd spoken the words out loud. Her mother's reaction did not disappoint.

'Oh Josie, that's wonderful! Ellie is going to be so excited!'

'Yes, she probably is. I'm going to tell her and Tyler tomorrow at dinner.'

'That's great honey, it really is. I'll knit that little girl a little pink hat so she doesn't get cold.' Jo laughed out loud. Her mother had knitted Tyler loads of stuff too when he was a baby, but it had never been used much.

'You don't have to do that mom. Besides, what if she doesn't like pink?'

'Well then I'll make a little hat in every color I can find, so she can decide for herself.' Jo smiled.

She and her mother stayed on the phone a little longer chatting about all sorts of things, while Jo ate her dinner. She took a long shower after they hung up and decided to go to bed early. She wanted to meet Mac first thing in the morning. They had been on better terms lately, but him being with Christine made things complicated. She knew it was unfair because they were together, but the thought that Christine might help raise her child was still difficult for her. She just wasn't sure how to tell Mac that.

/

Jo knocked on the door to Mac's office before entering. Although things were getting better between them, the days she would have barged in without announcement were long gone. Mac looked up at her as she sat down opposite him.

'Everything alright, Jo?' he asked when she didn't say anything.

'Yes, sorry, I'm fine.' She handed him an envelope with the ultrasound picture inside.

'I thought you'd maybe like to have this.' He opened it and a small smile spread over his features.

'Thanks Jo. When did you have your last ultrasound?'

'Yesterday.' she answered.

'Everything is looking good.' she said before he could ask. He nodded and looked back at the picture.

'Your eighteen weeks now, right?' Jo nodded. Mac had been very on track so far.

'I read in this book that the doctor is usually able to tell the sex of the baby around this time. I don't know if you want to know, but I was just wondering.' Jo almost frowned. Mac was reading a book about prenatal development? Or about pregnancy in general? Both confused her greatly, but she decided to let it slide.

'That's actually why I'm here. Do you want to know?' she asked. He just nodded in response, his face expectant.

'It's a girl, Mac.' A full blown smile now spread across his face and he leaned back in his chair.

'That's really great.' he said. Jo smiled and nodded.

'It is.' A silence Jo felt was awkward followed as Mac looked back at the picture with that ridiculous grin on his face.

'Is it okay if I tell Christine?' Jo was a little taken aback by his question. Of course he wanted to tell Christine. She just didn't want him to tell her. She didn't even want him to want to tell her. But she still nodded anyway.

'Sure, but could you keep it from the others for a while? I haven't told my kids yet.' Mac nodded.

'Of course, I will. No problem.' Jo smiled and got up.

'I guess I should go back to work.'

'Okay.' Jo turned and walked towards the door.

'Are you sure things are okay between us?' Mac asked, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. She turned back around so she could face him.

'Six months ago you would have made some sort of comment about me reading a book for expecting parents, but now, not a word. Are we okay?' Jo sighed. It sounded tired.

'I don't know that yet Mac. But I know we will be. We have to be for the sake of this child.' Mac nodded and smiled softly.

'Just don't try to force it, please? I'm going to need a little time and space.'

'I'm sorry Jo. I promise I'll respect your boundaries. But promise me you don't completely shut me out.'

'You've apologized enough by now Mac. I'll promise I'll keep you as updated about the baby as I can.' She smirked before turning around.

'And promise me that book you're reading isn't 'What to expect when you're expecting'. That is so terribly cliché.' She could hear Mac chuckle as she left his office.

/

'Mom, we finished dinner. Can we now please have dessert? I want to know!' Ellie practically begged. Her patience had worn thin over dinner because Jo refused to just tell her kids the gender of the baby.

'Fine.' she laughed. 'There are two cupcakes in the fridge. Take one and give the other to your brother.' Ellie had found the cupcakes quickly and handed Tyler one before sitting down.

'Mom, you didn't get some baker to fill this with either pink or blue for us to find out the sex of our new sibling by taking a bite from a cupcake, did you?' Tyler asked, shaking his head while laughing.

'What? I know you think it's very mushy, but I'm pregnant and therefor feeling very mushy lately. Plus I think your sister likes the idea.' Ellie nodded.

'I think it's very cute.' she said.

'Thank you honey. Okay, take a bite on three.' Jo counted down, and not long after the first bite Ellie screamed with excitement.

'A girl? Is it really a girl?' Ellie's eyes were sparkling. But before she could do anything, Tyler had gotten up and wrapped his mother in a hug. Jo quickly felt another pair of arms around her, meaning her daughter had joined them.

'Is she okay mom?' Tyler asked. Jo nodded in their embrace before releasing them a little.

'The doctor said she's doing great. Everything is going as it should.' Tyler and Ellie both smiled.

'Good.' Tyler said.

'And you're sure it's a girl?' Ellie asked. Jo laughed.

'Well, nothing's a hundred percent, but it looks that way, yes.' Ellie's grin spread even wider.

'You're gonna be outnumbered brother!' She said, pointing at Tyler. He sighed dramatically in response.

'How will I ever survive?'

/

Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you think!