Sorry for not updating in a loooong time. I'm doing my best. The same goes for "Had our paths crossed before". I'm working on it sooo.

They entered into clear darkness and quickly Sam found a light switch and pushed it.
Smirking at Sam and with Grace in her arms, Diane walked inside.

"Home sweet home," Sam said after taking a deep breath and took a few steps forward.

"Nothing compares," Diane said as she with a bounce in her step steeped down in the living room.

"Why don't you sit down?" I'll make us some coffee in the meantime."

"That'd be lovely. Thank you, Sam," she said beaming at him.

He returned the beam with a chuckle.

"Yeah, you're welcome."

He also felt a little bounce in his steps as he approached the kitchen. It was so wonderful to be back home. He had really missed sitting in his leather chair, enjoying a cup of coffee, watching a game on the telly while Diane would sit in the couch, reading a book. Now everything would go back to being normal again. Or well, normal in a whole different, new way. They had their little Grace which had finally come home with them. Home where she belonged. It was like a new life. It was a new life. There was a new person in their life who was going to play a big part of their life. One they had both been looking forward to. The moment had arrived. Now it was only about doing it right. Parenthood. It wasn't said to be easy. And at times it should be a pain in the ass. But he didn't care. All he could think of was all the enjoyable moments waiting ahead. Her first words, her first steps…Her first baseball game. He would put all his energy in making her love the greatest sport of them all. He'd teach her how to throw, hoping she'd have some kind of talent or just enjoy it at least. It would be their activity. Then when they'd be exhausted, they could go inside, enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate and she could join her mother in the reading. Boy, that girl would grow up with a lot of tales in her memory! He had went with Diane, when she bought all those children books in the store. They had trouble fitting into to the bookshelves already. He imagined Diane, with little toddler Grace on her lap, reading one of the many enchanting tales to her at bedtime. She would become sleepy, and Diane would carefully adjust her from her lap down to her bed where she'd peacefully fall asleep with her mother's voice in mind.
It seemed too good to be true. That this was waiting just around the corner. He could barely wait. But then again…He couldn't bear the thought of Grace growing up too fast either. He had to enjoy every single moment with her. Even the less enjoyable. Such as changing diapers and being woken up in the middle of the night of her crying.

He poured the coffee in two mugs and brought them into the living room. Grace fought to stay awake, reaching for Diane with her tiny, wrinkled hands. Diane let her grab her left little finger. And with that in her tiny hand, she relaxed in the comfort of her mother and let herself close her eyes for a time.

"She sure is something," Sam murmured from behind.

Diane turned her head, watching him walk up to her and putting a mug in front of her on the table.

"She is," Diane said "She's ours," she continued with a tear in her eye and a glove in her look.

Sam joined her on the couch and put an arm around her shoulder.

"I think she likes it."

"What?"

"The house. She seems comfortable in this environment."

"She sure does," he said smiling at her, stroking her apple cheeks.

"And she hasn't even been properly introduced to it 'yet," he continued.

"Should we start out with her room? Seems like that would be appropriate for now," Diane said looking at her sleepy girl.

"Yeah, you're right," Sam chuckled and helped Diane up from the coach.

"Let's go."

They entered what was now Grace's room. He couldn't count how many hours spent on decorating that room. Painting, filling in furniture, toys, books and whatever a child could find useable.
It had been tough and sweaty, but it had also turned out really nice. So maybe- just maybe- it had been worth all the trouble.

"Isn't it lovely, Grace?" Diane whispered.

Grace remained calm as she was turned around so that she could get a better look at the room.
Then she responded with a yawn.

"I believe that means she'd like to check out her crib," Sam chuckled.

"I believe so, too," Diane smiled, holding Grace up and kissing her on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my sweet, little darling," Diane whispered.

She barely had to look at Sam before he was there to take Grace in his arms.

"Nighty-night, beauty," Sam said before kissing her on the forehead too.

"Then you must be the beast," Diane giggled.

"Hey, behave!" Sam said in a serious tone. Sadly he couldn't keep his facade though, and Diane smiled at herself.

He moved his focus to Grace again and gently he lowered her down in the crib.

"There ya go," he smiled.

Diane strolled up beside Sam. He put his arm around her as she joined him in viewing Grace's sleepy yet curious expressions.

"I'm gonna stay here 'til she falls asleep. You go on get some sleep," Sam said, turning his look for a sec.

"No. I want to see her fall asleep too. Besides, it won't take too long, if my suspensions are right."

"Yeah, I guess so."

But like every so often, Diane found herself proven wrong. It had been over half an hour, and Grace's eyes were still wide open.

"You think there's something wrong? Maybe it's too cold or-"

"Nothing's wrong, Diane. She just hasn't fallen asleep 'yet, that's all."

"Well, I've read in a book, that if there for some reason should be an accurate amount of-"

"Diane," he said putting a hand on her arm.

"She's fine."

Diane swallowed, but then nodded.

"She just seemed so sleepy. I can't understand why that would change out of the sudden. Perhaps our suspensions about her being comfortable were-"

She interrupted herself by yawning.

"Sweetheart, go get some rest. I'll be here watching over her."

"But, Sam, I can't sleep knowing she's awake," Diane said concerned.

He looked at her, feeling he had to ease her mind or something.

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll make some more coffee then."

"Thank you, Sam."

"If you want to…We can move her crib into our bedroom?"

"Hopefully that won't be necessary," Diane murmured.

"No, but if it's the only way I can't get you to lie down, we'll do it."

"Sam, I'm really not that tired."

"I'm gonna make the coffee, alright?"

"Right," Diane responded, turning her look back to Grace as he left.

He entered the kitchen and put on a new can of coffee. He made sure to make it very light. She had to get some sleep. So did he. But first of all her.
Sighing, he leaned up against the counter, desperately trying to figure out a way to get Grace to fall asleep. Like Diane said; she did seem sleepy. So why couldn't she fall asleep? Maybe it was the new environment and all that. All those new things happening around her could be confusing for a young soul. Now he was thinking like Diane. And he couldn't. He had to be the one to find a solution while taking things calmly. He couldn't worry like her.
In his head he wrote down methods, he remembered his mother had used on him and Derek.
He couldn't remember that many…And most of them were from when they were able to understand, what she was saying.

Once again that evening he poured to new mugs of coffee and carried them out of the kitchen. A part of him feared what was waiting ahead in the other room. It wasn't that he couldn't stand seeing Grace not being able to fall asleep; it was the fact that Diane couldn't. All her worries, well, they worried him.
It was like the fact he couldn't stand her cry. Because that would mean she was hurt or upset about something. And that would upset him. Make him feel miserable and want to do what he could to make things better.
Walking down the small hallway, singing hit his ears. It wasn't just any song. It was a lullaby. One he couldn't seem to recognize. Silently, he neared the dooropening to Grace's room. He was then able to see Diane rocking Grace in her arms, as she sang a lullaby to her. He wondered how long she had been doing it. But if his eyes didn't deceive him, it had the clearly wanted effect; making Grace fall asleep.
She kept singing though. Just until she finished the last stanza of the lullaby. Satisfied and relieved, she carefully bent over to lay Grace back in the crib.

"You did it," he whispered. "You made her fall asleep."

"It was an old trick I was suddenly reminded of," she said as she was standing on the other side of the door, silently closing it.

"It was nice," he said.

She looked down at the mugs in his hands, slightly smiling.

"Yeah, I guess we won't need that after all," he said.

She lightly kissed him on the lips.

"That was a nice lullaby you sang there. What's it called?"

"Night of the wolves."

"I don't think I've heard of it before."

"It's an old lullaby my mother used to sing to me whenever I couldn't fall asleep."

"Well, it seems to have worked its magic."

"Yes, it does," Diane giggled.

"I'll just pour this out in the sink. When I come back perhaps you could sing it to me?" he murmured, leaning closer.

"Not that you'd need it," she smirked and rubbed him on the cheek, referring to his tiredness.

"Nah, but it'd still be lovely to fall asleep to the sound of your singing."

She made a short smile before leaning up to receive a kiss.