TITLE: Show & Tell
PROMPT: 18 - Cherish
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: "It's never too early for show and tell, Sofia!" set some months after "A Reason for Love".
WARNINGS: Fluff. Fluffy fluff.

Sofia walked slowly into the diner. It was hard to believe you could get that tired from sitting at a desk all day, but then again, she had her reasons.

It was easy to spot the group – they had crowded into a corner booth, pulling up an extra table and chairs for the later arrivals. Greg was in the booth, sandwiched between Catherine and Nick, and talking a mile a minute. He's hands were moving animatedly as Nick studied a picture Greg had handed him. Catherine just watched the younger man, a bemused smile on her lips. As Sofia drew nearer, drawing nods and waves from some, Greg voice rose above the din " . . . the fingernail, toenails and things like that are already formed. The doctor already detected brain activity last month and now muscles and organs are developing more. And Sofia is at seventeen weeks, so we should start feeling the baby moving any day now."

Shaking her head, the blonde stepped up to the group. "Most people wait 'til after the baby's born for stories, Greg . . . and pictures," she added, noticing the "photo" Nick held was the sonogram she had a few weeks prior.

"It's never too early for show and tell, Sofia!" Greg proclaimed. He clamored out of his seat, practically shoving Nick onto the floor, and wrapped her in a hug. "Any baby movement?"

Sofia placed a hand on her growing bump and shook her head. "Not yet."

"Okay. Well, you sit down and I'll go order you something to eat. Is the smell of eggs still bothering you? The doctor said you need to get more calcium and iron and-"

"Eggs are fine," she replied with a smile.

"One order of eggs, coming up." He placed a quick kiss on her cheek before winding his way up to the counter. Sofia slid into booth beside Catherine, followed closely Nick.

"G's certainly researchin' this whole baby thing, isn't he?" Nick asked as he dug into his omelet.

Across the table, Sara nodded in agreement. "Last night, I found in Bobby's lab asking him all about his daughter. He was hanging on every word."

"One of favorite things right now is to google pregnancy," Sofia said with a smile. The rest of the table laughed.

"How's the pregnancy for you?" Catherine asked. "Don't get to see you much now that you're on desk duty."

"It's . . . scary. But great at the same time." Catherine nodded in understanding. "Greg's been wonderful. He's enthusiasm is more than I ever expected. He was really hesitant about it at first; he wouldn't really talk about it."

"And then?"

"Then he heard the heartbeat at my ultrasound."

Catherine smiled. "Greggo's going to make a great daddy. The two of you are all he talks about nowadays."

Sofia was about to answer, but a plate of eggs, toast, and fresh fruit was placed in front of her. "Breakfast for the mother-to-be." Greg said with a flourish. Yes, she thought as she dug in, Greg settling in the seat beside her, he was going to make a fine daddy.

Conversation continued around the table for awhile until Sofia suddenly dropped her fork. Before Greg could begin to panic, she grabbed his hand and placed her stomach. As his eyes widened in awe, she knew. Be prepared, little one. You're going to be the center of Daddy's world.

NOTE: Written with a comment I once read in mind. To paraphrase it, Greg could never have the clichéd secret child – he'd be too proud and excited about him/her, sharing every little detail.