Chapter 21

It had been a month and a half since Jessie had given Sands the news that she was going to have his baby...HIS baby. When he'd finally had the chance to wrap his mind around it properly, he still found himself stunned. Jessie looked even more beautiful to him now than she ever had, even more so that she was beginning to show a little. He never thought in a million years that he'd even want to be father, let alone become one, but now that it had happened, he found himself wanting it just as much as she did. He'd had to go away on a few missions, but he never went away long and was usually back in a few days at the most. Jessie took it all in stride though, and stayed there in Arlington, always waiting for him. That was what kept him safe and kept him going, knowing that she was there, waiting for him. That too, was something he'd found that he loved. It was different than having a few random women in a few random towns to drop in on or having women like Dani staying with him when he was home. He found himself not wanting to go to anyone but her. They were together because they wanted to be, not because they had to be.

Sands pulled into the driveway to see that Jessie wasn't at home yet, becuase her small pickup truck wasn't there. When he'd wanted to buy her a car, he'd had to laugh to know that his girl wanted a truck instead...and a truck she got. He went on into the apartment and took a shower and just as he was walking back out into the living room, up the steps she came and a smile lit up her face at the sight of him. Within seconds she was across the living room and in his arms, kissing him..

"Whoa...I think someone may have missed me..." he chuckled as he held her gently against him.

"Shel..I am pregnant..not dying,..hug me for gods sakes!" She said urgently. She was forever having to tell him that she wouldn't break if he held her snugly in those wonderful strong arms of his. She pressed her lips to his again and pressed her body hard to his.

"Well pardon the hell out of me , Miss Jessie..for wanting to be careful..."He chuckled against her lips as he held her tight to him.

"I know...I just missed you and you feel so...good...and smell so good...mmmmm.." she muttered.

It wasn't long before they made their way to the bed and fell together upon it. Slow, sweet lovemaking, but explosive nonetheless. After, Sands held her close against him as they recovered, kissing her neck softly. She turned over in his arms to face him , a small grin on her face...

"I found out something when I went to the doctor today and I have something to show you.."

"Oh do you?" He answered with a curious look.

She nodded and got out of bed and went to get her purse and pull something out of it, then slip back into bed and his arms...

"This... is the second picture of our baby...our...daughter.." she smiled as she showed it to him.

"Daughter?! We're having a girl?" he choked out at he looked at the sonogram photo..."Oh boy..."

Jessie giggled..."You okay?"

"Yeah...but you do know that a girl is going to drive me insane, right?"

"How so?" she looked at him questioningly.

"Becuase when she becomes a teenager, there'll be boys sniffing around the door wanting to date her. Guess I'll have to keep my AK47 on the table by the front door..."

Jessie laughed and slapped him on the arm playfully..."Oh man you are silly... the poor guys will be afraid to even get near her..."

"Silly my ass...I am serious..." He laughed and tickled her, making her yelp.

"So we'll teach her to take care of herself then...I'll teach her how to break noses and jaws and you teach her how to shoot a gun..." She laughed as she got him back in the ribs, making him yell and jump away.

That resulted in an all out tickle war, each tickling the other in the most sensitive places until they were both out of breath and panting, their sides hurting from laughing so hard. Then, he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her, then softly rubbed a hand over the slight bulge in her middle. She put her hand over his and kissed him again.

"She's going to be beautiful..." he whispered against her lips.

"With a gorgeous Daddy like you...of course she will.." Jessie grinned.

"Well I didn't make her all by myself, sweet cheeks, and last time I looked her Mommy was gorgeous too..." he chuckled.

Months later, Sands was on his knees in the middle of the town house's second, smaller bedroom, reading a set of instructions and cussing a blue streak as he fought with crib parts. This brought a grin to Jessie's face as she walked into the room to bring him a beer. Before, the bedroom had primarily been unused and contained only a pull out sofa.. Now, it had been transformed into a baby's room, complete with Disney characters on the walls, which had made Sands roll his eyes. Jessie had giggled and told him that the kid was a bit too young for posters of The Stones and Aerosmith on the walls, which would have been his way. There was already a few stuffed toys in the room and also a rocking chair and Jessie was always seeing something else she just had to have for the baby. Sands kept asking her if they were for her or the kid and she'd laugh at him.

An hour and a whole lot of frustration later, a pretty natural wood colored baby crib stood where a pile of parts had before. It was one that could transform as the baby grew, to eventually become a twin sized bed. Sands moved it into its place just as Jessie walked in to check on the progress...

"Oh, Shel, its beautiful..." she sniffled and buried her face in his shoulder. He held her and kissed the top of her head. He'd gotten used to her mood swings as of late. She could be happy one minute and then cry at the drop of a hat. This was one such time. His job and the fact that he loved her were the only two things that kept it from driving him crazy. Just as he'd feel like it was, they'd send him off on a mission. He really hadn't liked leaving her alone, and had figured he would remedy that soon. He'd done it by way of sneaking down to Texas and getting her dog, Bo in the middle of the night one night while he had been away working. The dog knew Sands well and he had no problem with getting the dog to go with him. He'd parked the car up the road and walked down to where he spied the dog sleeping on the front porch of the cottage. He'd barked, but quieted as soon as he recognised Sands and gotten a hamburger to eat. After that, he'd just led him up the road and on to the car. Jessie had been so happy to see him that she cried and the dog had been just as happy to see her. He followed her every where she went and was here even now, sitting by her feet as she looked at the new baby crib.

"That dog hasn't let you out of his sight since he came here a month ago..." Sands laughed as he looked down at the border collie. The dog just looked back up at him, ears pricked and head tilted as if to say.. 'Yeah, what of it?'

"No, he's been good about not letting me get too far away.. I am so glad you went and got him. I am surprised though, that you weren't caught!"

"Nah...no trouble at all.." He chuckled.

Later that night, they lay in bed holding each other and talking in between kisses and cuddles. Sands had found that Jessie was a lot quicker to arouse due to her horomones , not that she hadn't been before and it made him grin. Even now her hands were moving towards the point of no return as they kissed. He knew it wouldn't be much longer before she'd attack him. He groaned and broke the kiss..

"Tell me something, sweets...have you thought about a name for this little girl?" He asked as he stroked a hand over her bulging middle.

"Yeah, I have actually... what do you think of Dakota Lee?"

"Dakota Lee Sands..." He mused.."You know...I really think I can dig that... good name, babe!"

"You really like it?"

"Yeah, I do..."He smiled and kissed her lips.

The kiss ignited and soon she was moaning into his mouth. His hand found her soaked heat and began to stroke as she parted her legs wider for him and reached for his thick erection, forming a tight fist and stroking. Sands groaned against her lips. Jessie pushed him over onto his back and moved to her knees beside him and flicked her tongue over the taut head, making him hiss and arch his hips. Deft fingers stroked and probed between her thighs as she slowly went down on him, moaning. Their passion rose higher and higher as they pleasured each other so splendidly. She suckled hard, her tongue caressing every inch of him as his fingers pumped gently inside her, thumb rubbing in light, slow circles over her throbbing nub. They worked each other into such a hot frenzy that it wasn't long before waves of pleasure crashed over both of them as they came together. When the last wave crashed, she slowly let him slip from her mouth and kissed his thigh, then moved up to be held close in strong, protective arms.