February 20, 1985

Darry POV

Ring. Ring.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone and sat down in my arm chair while Allie fed Martha her bottle.

"Hey, Darry. We're all coming over in about an hour to meet the newest addition...and to help you guys out." Sodapop finished. I guess that was Jennifer talking to him.

"Sodapop, I don't think we're ready to have anyone over yet..." However, before I could finish my sentence, he hung up the phone.

"Gang's coming over?" Allie asked simply as she burped Martha.

"Yup." I got back up and started picking up the place a bit.

"You don't need to do that darling." She said after Martha spit up on the burp rag. "We aren't having a party."

"I know but if everyone is coming over, we don't need a bigger mess later." I sighed sitting next to Allie, gazing at Martha in her arms. "They're just excited to meet Martha." She passed Martha to me and I cradled her.

"She is worth everything that we've been through." Allie said, laying her head against my arm. Yes she is.

I heard someone rapping at the door, and the sound of my brother and his wife talking to each other. Allie walked over and opened the door, and I saw Jennifer, Sodapop, and three of their kids walk inside. Jennifer was carrying a few casserole dishes and immediately put them in my fridge.

"Mary helped me make a few casseroles. These should cover dinners for a couple weeks." She explained while looking around the kitchen. "Where do you keep your cleaning things?" She opened the broom closet and immediately pulled out a couple rags and cleaning solution.

"Jennifer, you don't have to do that..." Allie trailed off.

"I want to. I remember being a first time mom." Jennifer said simply as she poured some of the solution in a bucket and filled the rest with water. "Mary, so you mind helping me out?" Mary nodded her head and walked over to her mother for further instruction. I walked into the living room as my brother and his younger son and daughter followed me.

"So where's Patrick?"

"Baseball conditioning." Soda answered simply. "For being adopted, she sure looks like you." He commented, peering at my daughter's face. I handed him the baby and he held her gently. "Welcome to the family."

Mary walked in shortly after with a feather duster and began dusting the family room.

"You don't have to do that. I can clean my own house." I smiled. "How about you come over here and meet your new cousin." Mary smiled and sat down on the couch. Sodapop placed Martha into her arms.

"She's so small." Shayne commented before getting up and running outside. Sodapop laughed and shook his head.

"Boys will be boys."

"Ain't that the truth. I wonder how mom and dad put up with all of us sometimes." I looked over at my other niece. "What do you think, Andrea?"

"She's pretty. What's her name again?"

"Martha." As soon as I said that, there was a knock on the door and Martha began crying.

Mary handed her back to me and I rocked her as I walked her around the room. I searched for a pacifier, but couldn't find one. Finally, Martha's cried subsided.

"Hey." Ponyboy said softly, trying not to disturb Martha.

"Hey Ponyboy. Glad you could make it." I replied. "This is Martha." I looked down at my daughter.

"She's so tiny." Ponyboy remarked.

"Still bigger than all of Sodapop's kids though." I replied.

"But she's smaller than Chris was. How big is she anyway?"

"Eight pounds five ounces and twenty two inches at birth." I smiled.

"You have those numbers memorized." Ponyboy laughed.

"Well I'm sure all parents do."

"True."

"Do you want to hold her?" He shook his head.

"I don't want to disturb her."

"Okay. Well, sit down and make yourself at home." I said.

"Darry, this place was my home for twenty something years." Ponyboy laughed, sitting on the floor. He looked over at Rachel and Chris, who were heading toward Allie, and sighed slightly.

"I'm so proud of you." Rachel told Allie as she hugged her. "You're so strong to do this after finding out you couldn't have your own kids." Ain't that the truth. I had trouble even smiling for the gang after we visited the doctors.

"So are you sugar." She responded. "That must have been a lot to handle after having Chris."

"It was, but at least I have him." Rachel rested her hand on her son's shoulder. "And I would go through that whole thing all over again. He was -and is- completely worth it." You can say that again. I looked down at our gift from the tedious adoption process. You were worth every second.

"Can I see?" I looked up to my youngest nephew, Christopher, edging closer to the baby. I bent down so he could see Martha's face. He reached over and touched her small hand.

"She's very pretty."

"Thanks kiddo." I smiled. "Do you want to hold her?" Christopher nodded his head and I sat him down on the couch. Allie showed him how to hold his arms and I gently placed Martha in my nephew's arms. I glanced out the window and noticed Johnny and his family walking up the front walk. He noticed me and waved. The Cades walked into the house and Angelina gave Allie a quick hug before going into the kitchen to deposit her two casseroles and help Jennifer out.

"Congrats Darry." Johnny said as he gazed at Martha in Christopher's arms. "You must be proud." I smiled a little and watched Matthew sit next to Christopher.

"What do you think?" Johnny asked his son.

"She looks a little like Aunt Allie." Angelina returned from the kitchen with Jennifer in tow.

"How are you doing?" She asked me and Allie.

"Thankfully, not too tired. Martha's just been an angel." Allie gushed as she took our daughter from Christopher's arms.

"That's a beautiful name." Angelina smiled.

"It was my mother's name." Allie explained. "We named her Martha Mary after our mothers."

"I'm sure they're both looking down on you, prouder than ever."

"I hope so." I smiled, glancing up as if I would see my mother's face on the ceiling. Rebecca stood by her mother and stood on her tiptoes, trying to see the baby.

"Here darlin'. Sit down in the armchair and you can hold her." Allie said as she led Becca over. She showed her how to hold her arms and then gently placed Martha in Rebecca's arms.

"She's so small." Rebecca commented.

"Someday she'll be as big as you." Rebecca smiled and I let her hold the new baby for a little while longer before I took Martha into my arms and cradled her. I looked over to find Jennifer leading Steve into the living room.

"Look baby girl. It's your Uncle Steve." Steve walked over and gently rubbed the top of her head. Martha's face scrunched up slightly as she cried. Steve immediately took a few steps back. "It's nothing you did. She's just overwhelmed and tired." I explained quickly. Steve nodded and sat next to Sodapop on the couch.

"Hey everyone!" Keith called as he walked in the house alone, causing Martha to whimper. I talked lightly to Martha so she could calm down.

"Hey Keith, where's Emma?" Jennifer asked as she hugged him.

"She isn't feeling well, so Emma is at home snuggling with our fur-kids. But more importantly, Superman has a little baby." I rolled my eyes as Keith nearly bounced over to see Martha. "Hello there little one. I'm your Uncle Keith." Martha looked up curiously and he started making his signature baby faces. She began to whimper again, and he backed off. Allie must have gotten ears like a hawk after we got Martha because she quickly came over to check on us.

"She's just had a long day." I assured, bouncing her slightly.

"Well I know how this much attention can wear you out." He joked, slicking back his hair like a movie star. Allie smiled slightly but Steve lightly punched him. He sat down just as Dally open the door.

"Uncle Dal!" Matthew yelled excitedly as he walked in.

"Hey, kid." Dally spoke, ruffling Matthews hair as he ran back to his parents. "Ang, you and your family are looking well."

"And you're looking well yourself. Managing to stay out of trouble?" She responded, smiling as usual. Dally and I caught eyes and he started over toward me and Allie, her glowing as she looked at Martha.

"So Darry finally got around to having a kid." He said standing in front of us.

"Her name's Martha." Allie gushed.

"Martha. I knew a Martha back in New York. Remarkable lady."

"Do you want to hold her?" I asked Dally.

"Me? The only baby I've ever held was Becca." He dismissed, backing up slightly.

"You've held Matthew, and I'm sure you've held all of Soda's kids at one time or another." Johnny said. I got up and motioned for Dally to sit in the chair. He sat down and I placed Martha in his arms.

"She's beautiful Darry." He said as she yawned and stretched. "You're going to be busy chasing guys away from her when she gets older." Dally gave the baby back to me and smiled.

Allie POV

I touched Darry's shoulder and he passed of Martha to me.

"I think it's time for a nap." I whispered as I took her upstairs. The door swung open quietly and I rocked Martha slightly as she yawned again. "You've had a long day baby cakes." I hummed my mother's favorite lullaby as I set her in her new crib. Once she fell asleep I lightly pecked her forehead and turned on the baby monitor.

"There you are." Darry said, coming up the steps. "Rachel just asked where you disappeared to. Asleep?" He asked, noticing the closed door

"Yeah. And I think that means the party's over." I replied heading back downstairs. "All right everyone. Thank you for the visit but the fun's all done. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here." Everyone looked over at me, confused, until Jennifer spoke up.

"Don't you need any more help?"

"No. The best help you can give is letting us have some peace and quiet. Thanks for coming gang." Darry said, shaking goodbye to Steve who already got up.

"All right. You three have a good evening." Ponyboy said, gesturing for Chris it was time to go. As everyone left, the house was silent, the only buzz coming from the monitor.

"So, what do you want to do?" Darry asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"Sleep."

"Good idea." We both went upstairs but before we went to our room, we gave one more kiss to our new pride and joy.