A/N: I don't own what you recognize.

Although she had previously spent time around Will, Gina, and Kathy before, that dinner in early July was the first time that Eliza had ever really spent time around Richard Darcy, Will's father. And she quickly realized two things about him. Firstly, he was where Gina's quiet, mild nature came from, and second, while she loved her own father, she really wished that she could have grown up around a family more like the Darcy family. Richard and Kathy were warm, friendly people. Eliza's own father, Joseph Bennett, was a kind person himself, but he had long ago decided that he didn't know much about raising girls and so he handed those responsibilities off to his wife. Richard, on the other hand, had taught himself about the things he didn't know about.

"We knew nothing about baseball until Will came along," Richard told Eliza. "We aren't like Eric's parents who had grown up around sports. We weren't sports people. And then we had this son who was amazingly gifted athletically, and we didn't know what to do. We knew nothing about sports."

"So what did you do?" Eliza asked.

Will chuckled with a flash of his eyebrows. "You're going to like their answer, Eliza."

"We got a book out of the library about how to play baseball," Richard said.

Eliza laughed. "Are you serious?"

Kathy nodded. "We didn't know what else to do. And it seems to have worked pretty well for us."

"Cy Young, MVP, I think we're doing all right with this one as far as baseball goes," Richard added, patting his son's hand. "But there's always room to grow and develop as a human being, William."

Will smiled and squeezed his dad's hand. "I know. And I'm trying."

George Knightley was the starting pitcher for the Tigers' first game after the All-Star break. They were playing the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Everything was going well until the bottom of the sixth inning. Asdrubal Cabrera was at the plate with two men out, and Knightley had logged two strikes against Cabrera already. On Knightley's third pitch, Cabrera made contact with the pitch and the ball flew back to the mound where it hit the pitcher in the head. Knightley was pulled from the game to be assessed for a concussion, and reliever Drew Smyly took over the rest of the game. The Tigers won the game 4-3.

The Tigers' trainers as well as an emergency room doctor determined that Knightley did in fact have a concussion, and he was put on the disabled list. He ultimately missed three weeks of the season due to that one fluke hit. To his credit, Asdrubal Cabrera apologized profusely to George. For the three weeks that George was on the disabled list, the Tigers brought up prospect, Henry Tilney, from the Toledo Mud Hens to replace Knightley on the roster.

Coincidentally, work obligations forced Emma to return to Arizona in mid-July, right after the All-Star Break. She would be there until at least the middle of September. Anne was very polite and tried to seem like she would miss Emma. And Eliza felt that she would miss Emma at certain times. But while they would miss George, none of the guys were really sad to see his wife leave.

Henry Tilney was twenty-four when he joined the Tigers in the summer of 2012. The Tigers had drafted him two years earlier after he graduated from the University of Michigan. His father, Dr. Oliver Tilney, was not pleased with his son's decision to become a professional baseball player. Baseball had been fine as a source of exercise and entertainment in high school, and it had paid for most of Henry's college expenses, which was grand in Dr. Tilney's eyes. But it was a young boy's game. Now, his son was an adult with a degree in exercise physiology from the University of Michigan. Now, according to the doctor, his son ought to be doing something useful and practical to make his way in the world. But instead, Henry was defying his father by pursuing a career in professional baseball.

A year earlier, Henry Tilney had married his high school girlfriend, Catherine Morland. Catherine was a nurse at the University of Michigan hospital. At one level, Dr. Tilney approved of her career, but he did not approve of the fact that her career was more stable than her husband's. And he decidedly did not approve of the fact that as things currently stood Catherine intended to keep working even after she and Henry had children.

Doctor Tilney went to none of the three baseball games in which his son played during July. And when his son told him that the Tigers would probably be calling him back up to the majors in late September to create the 40-man roster for the playoffs, the father told the son to grow up and get a real job.

After the impromptu dinner with his parents in early July, Will and Eliza began to form a tentative friendship. It started as a simple willingness to be in the same places at the same times, and it gradually evolved into something more. By the middle of August, they were actually meeting up together of their own volition and hanging out without any of their other friends.

"So, have you started cross country practices yet?" Will asked Eliza on a Sunday evening in mid-August. He was driving her to Eric and Anne's house after a game. Anne had driven her to the game, but now Eric was driving Anne home, so Will offered Eliza a ride to keep her from being the third wheel. She accepted the ride not just to avoid being the third wheel but also because she enjoyed Will's company.

"Last week," she replied as she stretched out her legs.

"So when does school start?"

"The day after Labor Day, but the girls have their first meet the Saturday before Labor Day."

He nodded. "Eric and I were talking about possibly coming to one of your meets this fall."

Eric and Annie had come to two of her team's meets the previous year and would have come to states if it hadn't been so close to their wedding. "The girls would love that."

"And how would their coach feel about that?"

Eliza laughed. "She'd like it, but she would hope that it wouldn't distract the girls too much from their running."

"Then I'll come to a race some Saturday. Keep me posted on when and where your races are."

"Absolutely," she replied with a shy smile. "Now, on a different note, Anne said that Gina was coming to visit soon?"

"Tomorrow," Will said with a grin. "She'll be here until the following Wednesday."

"Aren't you guys on the road next weekend?"

"In New York," he replied. "She'll probably come with me."

"Are you scheduled to pitch over the weekend?" Eliza still didn't like baseball or even really understand it, but she was starting to pick up a few things. She understood that there were five starting pitchers on every team who worked on a five-game rotation. She knew that the Tigers had Will Darcy, George Knightley, Eric Wentworth, Ed Ferrars, and Anibal Sanchez. Anibal, from her experience, was a really nice guy, but due to various social and cultural differences, he didn't socialize much with the other pitchers. George, Will, and Anibal were the three best starters. Eric and Ed were groundball pitchers, and while Eliz didn't exactly know what that meant, she knew that people preferred strikeout pitchers like Will, George, and Anibal.

"Nope, my next start is Thursday against the Twins, and then I won't pitch again until the following Tuesday."

"So you can just relax and have fun with your sister in New York?"

Will grinned. "Yeah, doesn't that sound like fun?"

Eliza laughed. "I hope you guys have a great time. And I hope I get to see Gina while she's in town."

"I'll make sure of it." Will paused for a moment and then spoke again. "I'm an idiot."

"Bwah?" Eliza turned from looking out the window to look at her companion.

"My parents are coming to town after we get back from New York, and they'll definitely want to see you while they're in town."

Eliza grinned. "Yes please! I love your parents."

"And they love you."

"Do you think they'd consider adopting me?"

Will chuckled. "Knowing my parents, they'd consider it."

She smiled. "You're really lucky, you know."

"In my family?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you know that your parents love you."

Will didn't have an answer for that. He had never met Eliza's parents, but he had heard about them from Eric. He wasn't impressed with what he'd heard about either of them. It was bad enough that her mother played favorites, but her father's refusal to intervene in the situation wasn't any better from his perspective. To be entirely honest, Will actually wanted to meet Joseph and Susan Bennett so as to better understand them.

Ten minutes later, Will pulled into Eric and Anne's driveway. Eric and Anne had bought a new house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms shortly before Christmas. It was fifteen minutes from St. Benedict's, ten minutes from Will's house, and four minutes from Eliza's apartment.

"Ready to go in?" Will asked as he turned off the car.

Eliza nodded. "I can't wait to find out what the big announcement is."

"You don't know what it is?"

Eliza climbed out of the car. "Nope, but I do have an idea."

"What's your idea?"
"Why do you want to know?"

"I was thinking we could place a friendly wager on what it is," Will replied with a smirk.

Eliza snorted. "We probably have the same idea. I mean, there's only so many things that it could be. They're married. They bought a house. He's not getting traded. I mean, what do you think it is?"

"It's something big. I mean, they've only invited you and me."

"So it's something important."

"You know what it is, don't you?"

Eliza shrugged and rang the doorbell. "Wait and see, Will Darcy. But if I'm right, I think that it's news that you'll like."

A moment later, Eric opened the door. "Come on in."

"Are you getting a puppy?" Will asked as they walked in. " I think you're getting a puppy. You need a pet."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Would you completely enter a house before you start making all sorts of ridiculous postulations about our news?"

"He can't help it," Eliza remarked. "He's naturally curious and can't handle suspense. As a child, he found what all of his Christmas presents were a week early."

"Hey now, it was only five days, not a week," Will protested.

Eliza laughed. "I was just making that up."

Will grinned. "But you were right."

"She's a smart one," Anne said as she came into the room. "Now, come and sit down."

"What's the big news?" Will asked.

Eric shook his head. "You are ridiculous. Sometimes, I think you're really about five years old at heart."

Will grinned. "You've got me."

"We will tell you our news at dinner," Anne said. "Now come sit down."

"Does this mean that you're not getting a puppy?"

Anne rolled her eyes. "Do you see the cats adapting well to that situation?"

Will shrugged as Ollivander, one of the Wentworths' cats meandered around his legs. "Probably not, now that you mention it," he admitted. "But if you aren't getting a puppy, what is your big news?"

"Will," Eric sighed. "Sit at the table."

"Fine."

Will Darcy managed to behave himself and carry on a civil conversation throughout dinner without referencing the "surprise" once. So, as soon as the dinner plates were cleared, Eric suggested that they move to the living room.

"Now you two are probably wondering what big news we have to share with you," Anne said as she settled herself next to her husband on the loveseat.

"Well, I still think you should get a puppy. I'm sure that Ollivander, Minerva, and Ginny would love some canine companionship," Will said from his seat on the couch. Minerva, a patched tabby, was curled up next to him on the couch, blissfully getting her head scratched.

"Well, Will, that may be, but Eric and I are expecting some changes in our lives over the next several months," Anne began. "And those changes will be hard enough on the cats without adding a dog into the dynamic."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Eliza asked, leaning forward.

Will turned to Eliza. "What is she saying? I'm confused."

The brunette turned and looked at him. "Will, think about it. There are big changes coming, and they'll be hard on the dog. They want to see the two of us alone."

Will blinked. "I don't get it."

Eliza smiled. "Okay, Will, look at Annie. Look specifically at her hands and Eric's hands. What do you think they want to tell us?"

As he looked first at Eliza and then back and forth between Eric and Anne, recognition dawned on Will's face. He mouthed a word slowly and then grinned. "Baby!" he said as his smile grew. "Baby, you're having a baby. Eric, you're going to be a dad. And Annie, oh my goodness, congratulations. That's the best news ever."

Eric was beaming, a rare sight from the stoic pitcher, and holding his wife's hand. "Thanks, man."

"Oh, Annie," Eliza said as she hugged her best friend. "I'm so happy for you guys. This is the best news ever."

"When are you due?" Will asked.

"January 29," Eric said.

"Wow, that's only five months away," Eliza said. "You guys waited a long time to say anything."

Eric shrugged. "It was what Annie wanted."

"I wanted to be sure I was well out of the first trimester before I said anything. I didn't want to get everyone all excited and then have everything fall to pieces," Anne explained. "And the team was on the road for most of the past two weeks, which delayed things a little bit since we wanted you two to be the first people outside of our family to know. And we wanted to tell you two together, which wasn't easy to arrange because of your schedules."

"Hey, it's your choice when you make that announcement," Will said. "I'm just amazed you could keep blabbermouth here quiet."

Anne laughed. "He wanted to tell you two months ago, Will. And I already promised him that you could be the first person out side of our families to find out the baby's sex. Eliza, you'll be right after Will."

Will grinned, but before he could say anything, Eric spoke. "And that brings us to the reason that we asked the two of you to be here tonight. You guys are our best friends. You're both basically family to us. And so we want you two to be the baby's godparents."

"Are you serious?" Eliza asked.

"We want you guys to be Auntie Eliza and Uncle Will for the baby," Anne said with a smile.

Will shook Eric's hand. "I'm honored."

Eliza nodded. "Annie, Eric, this means the world to me. Thank you."

"Liza, you've been Annie's best friend since kindergarten and mine since high school," Eric replied, squeezing Eliza's hand. "And Will, you're like a brother to me. You two were the only choice for this"

Eliza hugged Eric. "I'm so happy for you two."

"Thanks, Eliza," he replied. "You know that this means we'll be expecting you to help out with babysitting and decorating and all sorts of things?"

"Naturally," she said. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Annie, are you going to keep teaching after the baby comes?" Will asked.

Eliza was more than a little surprised that she hadn't thought to ask that question herself and was very eager to hear her best friend's answer.

"At least this year, yes," Anne said. "I've already talked to Mr. Shaughnessy, Eliza. I'll take about eight weeks of maternity leave after the baby comes, and then I'll come back to work until the end of the year. And after that, we'll reassess how things go."

"Will the baby go to day care when you're at work and Eric is playing?" Will asked.

Anne nodded. "But if you want to help out where you can, we won't complain."

Eliza was a bit surprised at the grin that lit up Will's face. She had never seen any interest in children in him before, but then, she had never seen him around children before. "I'd be glad to do anything that I can."

"Do you ever feel like you're a fraud?" Will asked Eliza as he drove her home later that evening.

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Sometimes, I feel like I'm a fraud when I say that I'm an adult. I feel like I'm just a kid pretending to be an adult."

"Why do you say that?"

That just elicited another shrug, then a sigh. "Eliza, I'm thirty-one years old. I'm not married, and I'm not any closer to getting married than I was at twenty-nine. I get paid to play baseball. Now yes, I'm doing well financially. Yes, I try to use my money and my time to make the world a better place. But the fact remains that I'm a thirty-one year old grown man who makes his money playing baseball. Meanwhile, my baby sister is working on a degree in international business and has an internship in Brussels at a prestigious bank. Eric is twenty-seven, and he is married with a baby on the way. I don't feel like an adult. I'm an underachiever."

"You're not an underachiever," Eliza said. "You're an incredibly successful athlete, a good friend, a good soon, and a good brother."

"But have I made enough of an impact on the world? Is that enough?"

"Will, I haven't known you for that long and I don't know if I really know you that well yet. But this is what I do know. Your sister adores you. You are her hero."

"But why?" he asked as he pulled into the parking lot at Eliza's apartment building.

"I don't know," she sighed. "And I don't know if it even matters. All that matters to me is that you're a good person. You're a good friend, brother, and son. That's all that matters to me. You're going to be a great uncle to Baby Wentworth when he or she is born this winter."

He smiled at her. "And I can't wait for that. But I want a family of my own too."

"You'll get one in time," Eliza replied, squeezing his hand. "I promise."

A/N: Please review!