Daniel had just finished up with his weekly phone call with Charlie, and was ready to turn in for the night. He couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted him when he walked into his bedroom. On the bed was Peggy, six month belly and all. She was propped up with plenty of pillows (Daniel recognized one as the couch pillow he had looked for during his phone call), and a baby name book propped up on her belly.

"What did your sister have to say?" Peggy didn't look up from the baby name book, too deeply engrossed to lift her eyes when he came into the room. She took the pencil she had been chewing out of her mouth and crossed out a name.

"Everyone's great at home, but she sounded pretty exhausted. She did mention something about if we wanted a little boy going through his terrible twos. She said she would throw in a crib for free."

Peggy snorted in response and shook her head, crossing out another name in the process.

"We'll have our own trouble maker soon ourselves. Any name suggestions this week?"

"For a boy, John, Elijah or Luca. For a girl, Emily, Rose or Charlene, as always." Daniel smiled as he got comfortable next to Peggy on the bed.

"In her dreams." Peggy rolled her eyes. She and Daniel had decided early on in her pregnancy no family names would be used as first names for the baby.

"She's just teasing," Daniel laughed. "But she agrees with me that you're wrong. The baby is definitely a girl."

"I never said it was a boy," Peggy rolled her eyes. "I just said I wasn't sure it was a girl, that's all."

Daniel just smiled and rubbed her belly with one hand. His smile became broader when his movement was met with a strong kick. Peggy sighed at the familiar uncomfortable feeling, but she couldn't help but smile at her husband's joy in feeling their child. She often had to remind herself she got to be with the baby all day, and that feeling kicks was one of the few ways Daniel could bond with the baby.

"She's a girl."

"And how are you are so certain?"

"She just is." Daniel shrugged.

Daniel had proclaimed their baby was a girl the minute he learned Peggy was pregnant. She found it sweet, really, that he was so enthusiastic about the baby from the beginning, but she was beginning to suspect their was something more to his prediction than just a hunch.

"Will you be disappointed if it's a boy?" Peggy asked softly.

"No Peggy!" Daniel exclaimed, jerking up from his relaxed position. "I'll be happy either way."

"You would just prefer the baby is a girl?"

Daniel thought about it a moment before he answered his wife. He did want a girl, but not because he didn't want a son. He would love a little boy to compliment a daughter. He just wished the baby in Peggy's belly was the daughter.

"I guess I was just thinking… I was thinking I want our son, if we have one after this baby, to have a big sister like I had. It was nice growing up with a big sister around"

"Oh Daniel," Peggy smiled as she stroked her belly, relief that his certainty the baby was a girl was coming for a different place that she had imagined. Of course that's why he wanted a little girl. She wiped away the tears that came from when she thought about how she had grown up with a big brother. That was a little too painful to think of now. "That sounds lovely."

"Bobby and I wouldn't have survived without our big sister to protect us. One time Timmy Florrick was roughing Bobby up for his lunch money. Charlie clocked him."

"And our daughter doesn't need a brother to protect her?" Peggy smirked.

"A daughter who is a half Carter? I don't think that will be necessary," Daniel laughed.

"Hmm," Peggy murmured in in agreement. "But I'm sure if our son is half as strong as his father, he'll be quite fine on his own."

"Either way, if she's older or younger, I have a feeling our girl is going to be protective as her mother about her family," Daniel smiled.

"Really Daniel, let me get through this pregnancy before you start planning another child," Peggy sighed but she couldn't help but smile. As much as she couldn't imagine going through all of this over again, she felt the same way as Daniel. When she imagined their family, she imagined a daughter with her wit and a son with Daniel's kindness.

"This one's a girl," Daniel said again as if it was a guarantee and took the book from Peggy. "Hey, what's wrong with Alice? I thought we agreed that was still on the table."

Heaven help them.