A Ramirez Baby pt. 1:

AN: There's going to be some time jumping in this, just be aware.

"Doo, dee, doo-doo-doo," Soos hummed to himself as he worked in the Mystery Shack. Halloween was over, which meant so was the yearly party at the Shack, so it was clean up time. He didn't mind, though. Niether did Melody who was on a ladder taking down the faux spiderwbes (and maybe some real ones.) It was a good disrtaction for-

The phone rang. Both he and Melody perked up at the sound as Soos picked it up.

"Hello?" he asked. "Oh, hey Doc. You got the results back?"

Soos listened, excitedly, then his face grew somber. "Oh...okay. So...what does that mean?"

Melody's breath hitched as she watched her husband, one hand held to her chest.

"Um...okay," Soos nodded slowly. "Is there anything we can do?...Okay. Alright. Yeah, yeah, thank you. Okay, bye."

He slowly hung up the phone and put it back on the hook.

"So…" Melody asked in a scared voice. "Is there a problem?"

Soos nodded. "Yeah, there's a problem hon."

Melody's breath hitched. "Is...is it you? Is it me?"

"It's...It's both of us," Soos explained in a sad voice. "Apparently I have a low sperm count and you have trouble relasing eggs."

Melody slowly nodded. "So, what's that mean?"

Soos sighed. "It means we can keep trying. But chances are this isn't going to happen for us."

Melody felt her throat growing tight as tears began stinging her eyes. "Oh my...I'm...I'm so sorry!"

Soos nodded his head. "Yeah, me too."

He pulled her into a tight and close hug as the two cried softly against each others shoulders.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Melody tried to keep a stiff upper lip. It was Thanksgiving, afterall. She shouldn't be downing everyone else. After all it had been a month since she'd found out that...that...well.

Yeah, she should have had time to get a grasp on it. But sitting here now, watching Wendy bounce Logan on her knee. Watching Dipper feed Persia mashed up sweet potatoes as Pacifica held her. This was all making it so much harder for her. It didn't help when the family started going around and listing things they were thankful for. Of course Wendy said:

"My little man, Logan."

And Dipper and Pacifica answered:

"Our little girl."

That was it for Melody. She couldn't take it anymore. She excused herself, ran into the bathroom of Dipper and Pacifica's place, where the meal was being held, and broke down sobbing. Soos slipped into the bathroom and hugged her.

"It's okay, hon-"

"No it's not!" Melody cried. "I can't have a baby. I can't give you any kids!"

"We'll figure it out, hon. We'll figure it out."

"I just wanted a baby," Melody sobs. "I just wanted us to have a family."

"I know, hon."

"It's not fair! It's just not fair!" Melody clung to Soos, her body shaking with sobs. Niether of them noticed the rest of the crew listening outside.

"Did you know about this?" Mabel turned to Wendy.

"No. No idea," Wendy answered.

"What exactly happened?" Dipper asked.

"I'm not sure," Mabel shrugged. "I just...geez. I had no idea that they were struggling to get pregnant."

"Is there anything we can do?" Pacifica asked.

"I don't know," Dipper replied.

"I know someone who can figure it out," Stan gave Ford a sideways glance.

"Stanley, do you honestly expect me to hack into private medical files just to see if there's any way we can help with Soos and Melody's infertility problem?"

A short silence fell over the hallway before Ford nodded. "Well, you are absolutely right. Give me until tomorrow…"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Dipper finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on. It was late at night, everyone had left. Pacifica and Persia were upstairs, asleep he assumed. He yawned, stretched his arms and back, and walked up to his bedroom. Pacifica was seated on the side of their bed, watching Persia sleep in her bassinet, running a hand over the baby's hair. Dipper sat down next to her and slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"I...I can't imagine…" Pacifica finally whispered a long time.

"I know," Dipper nodded.

"I mean, even though she was a surprise, I can't even imagine not being able to have children."

Dipper held her closer with one arm, and set his other hand on Persia's stomach, rubbing tiny circles as he felt her breathe.

"Really makes you appreciate what we have."

Pacifica nodded in agreement. "I just hope there's something we can do."

"We'll see what Ford finds," Dipper said as he kissed Pacifica on the forehead.

"It's not fair, though," Pacifica crossed her arms. "Soos and Melody would be awesome parents! Why is it that people like them have to struggle with infertility while people like my parents are able to breed like rabbits!"

"I don't know," Dipper sighed before pulling Pacifica into his lap. "I mean, I'm personally glad that your parents were able to concieve you, my beautiful Princess. But I know what you mean."

Pacifica sighes as she leaned in closer against Dipper, turning to press her head on his chest and listen to his heart beat. After a while both of their phones buzzed. It was a group message, started by Ford, that was called "Operation Ramirez Baby."

Before either could reply, a message from Stan popped up. "Judging by the title, I'd say you found good news?"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Merry Christmas!" Soos called as he opened the door for Stan and Ford, who were the last of the group to arrive at the Mystery Shack for their patchwork family's yearly Christmas gathering.

"Ho, ho, ho!" Stan called as he stomped into the house in a full Santa outfit. "Now where are those children? And where's Rudolph? Rudolph, get in here."

"I am so getting you back for this," Ford grumbled as he stepped into the livingroom dressed in a reindeer onsie and bright red clown nose. Everyone guffawed and laughed, except for Persia, who just stared at the two wide-eyed from her spot in her mother's lap.

"Ho, ho, ho! Hello, there, Persia," Stan said, leaning down to her level.

Persia just leaned back and screamed.

"Aw, baby, it's just Santa," Pacifica said, patting the infant on the back. Persia only screamed some more and, when her mother didn't move her, leaned out and reached her hands for Dipper. Dipper took her and held her against his shoulder, where she hid her face in his hoodie.

"Not a fan of Santa, huh, Peanut?" Dipper asked as he patted her on the back.

"Santa! Santa! Santa!" Logan cheered as he jumped up and down for Stan to pick him up, which he did.

"Why, hello there, little boy! I suppose you'd like to hav some presents, wouldn't you?"

"Uh-huh!" Logan nodded.

"Well, let's see what Santa has in this magic bag of his...oh...oh...it's a...FIRE TRUCK!"

"Wow, Mommy, look, a fire truck!"

"Whoa!" Wendy cheered as Logan all but umped into her arms.

"And for Miss Persia, I guess Santa can still let you have your gift...a...bead, maze, thingy like they have in the doctor's offices. I don't even know what they're called, but I saw it and got it-I mean-I had my elves make it special just for you Pumpkin."

"Hey," Dipper said as he took the toy from Stan. "Peanut, look what Santa got you."

Persia looked and her eyes lit up as she eagerly reached for it. Dipper set her in his lap and let her play around with the beads, pushing them around on the wire.

"Well, well, there's somethign you like," Dipper patted his daughter's head.

"Now for Soos and Melody…" Stan pulled out an envelop and passed it to the couple. "So, we overheard a little something over Thanksgiving, and we decided to give you a hand…"

Melody slowly opened the envelope, then burst into flame.

"Hon, you okay?" Soos asked.

"They…" Melody smiled through the tears. "They're going to pay for us to have an IVF treatment."

Soos gasped as he turned to his familia. He and Melody would have to have saved for years and maybe even then still may not have been able to afford this procedure. "Dudes, I don't what to say…"

"Don't worry about it, son," Ford patted him on the shoulder.

"Yeah, just know that's the only gift you're getting from any of us," Stan cut in. "All our gift funds went into that."

"Oh, this is more than enough. Thank you so, so, so much!" Melody cried as she stood to hug everyone.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Novemeber 1st, the day after Halloween. Exactly one year agon today Soos had been told some news that had both shattered his hearts and his hopes of being a father. Now, here he was, holding his hour old daughter in his arms. He smiled down gently at her. She looked a lot like Melody, but with his nose.

"She's beautiful, hon," he whispered to his wife, who was seated next to him on the bed.

"She is," Melody agreed, tears rolling down her face as she stroked their daughter's face. The little girl stuck her thumb in her mouth and suckled, causing both her parents to croon and the cuteness of it all.

A gentle knock came on the hosptial room door.

"Come in," Soos called.

The door opened and Dipper, Pacifica, and 1-year-old Persia stepped in.

"How you feeling?" Pacifica asked Melody.

"Guess," Melody said.

"Tired, sore, life death, but still happier than you've ever been in your life," Pacifica answered.

Melody nodded, "Pretty much."

"Aw, look at that," Dipper said as he leaned over Soos and the baby. Persia was seated on his hip. He gently bounced her and pointed.

"Persia, look at the baby," he said.

"Be-be," Persia smiled as she clapped her hands to her mouth.

"You dudes wanna hold her?" Soos asked.

Pacifica smiled and nodded as she held out her arms and Soos passed her daughter to her.

"Hey there, little one," Pacifica whispered. "Have you guys picked out a name yet?"

"I think we're going to go with Ursala," Melody answered.

"Aw, I love that," Pacifica answered.

"She looks like an Ursala," Dipper agreed.

"Be-be!" Persia pointed at the bundle in Pacifica's arms again.

"Yeah, that's a baby. Baby Ursala. Can you say Ursala."

"Uh-se-babble-bibble-blop!"

All the adults laughed.

"No, Peanut, Ursala."

"Uh-sabble-wabble."

"Ur-"

"Uh."

"Sa-"

"Sah-"

"La-."

"Lah!"

"Ursala."

"Asabababwah!"

"Oh, you goober," Dipper kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"Usawabab!"

"Well, that was closer."

"Fwa-was!" Persia pointed at the blanket.

"Yeah, she's got flowers on her blanket. Look like buttercups."

"Budda-cwuppa!"

"Oh, you can say buttercup but not Ursala."

"Uhswa-butta-cwuppa-la!"

"No, baby, just Ursala."

"Butta-Cwuppa!"

"Well, guess we're going with Buttercup now," Dipper shrugged to the new parents who just laughed.

Melody let out a small yawn.

"Okay, we're going to get out of your hair so you can rest," Pacifica handed the baby back to Soos and hugged Melody. "I'm so happy for both of you."

"Thank you," Melody replied. "For everything. I have a feeling you guys paid the main bulk for the procedure."

"We're just glad Ursala's here and she's healthy," Pacifica answered as she took her husband's hand and they headed out the door.

"About time they got their baby," Dipper smiled.

"Yeah," Pacifica answered. "So…"

"So what?"

"When are we going to tell everyone we're pregnant?"