"You really don't think I'm a screw-up?" Hank searched Gwen's eyes, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Of course I don't, Hank." Gwen fixed her eyes on his. "How on earth could you be a screw-up? You just saved your best friend's life."
"You saved your best friend's life, too." Hank smiled at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Maybe so," Gwen admitted, "but I never would have been brave enough to volunteer to come down here by myself."
Hank cupped her face in his hands. "I think you would have been, Gwen."
Gwen traced a finger around the back of Hank's ear and smiled softly at him. "You make it easy for me to be brave."
Hank swallowed hard, his heart racing. "I know exactly what you mean, Gwen."
Luis grinned as he glanced back at Sheridan. "Do you see that?" he asked, nodding at the couple tangled up in each other a few feet away from Sheridan's hospital cubicle. "I knew Hank wasn't going to give up."
Sheridan peeked around him and smiled, her eyes sparkling. "It's wonderful to see them both so happy—especially after everything Gwen's been through."
Luis pulled the cubicle curtain shut, crossed the floor to Sheridan, and snuggled in next to her on her hospital bed. "I could say the same thing about you."
Sheridan blushed. "I'm just glad we found your father."
"That's all thanks to you, Sheridan."
Sheridan's blush deepened; her eyes fell to the bed. "I just didn't want you to go the rest of your life without him, Luis."
"And I love you for that," Luis said, nudging up her chin. "Our daughter and I are the two luckiest people in the world to have you as our family."
"You seem so sure we're having a girl." Sheridan searched his eyes. "Why is that, Luis?"
"I don't know, Sher," Luis smiled, tracing one finger over her abdomen. "It's just a feeling I have . . . maybe wishful thinking . . ."
"But don't you want a boy?" Sheridan asked, lacing her fingers through his. "Someone to carry on your name?"
Luis chuckled. "I won't deny that that's not partially true. But when I think about our baby, all I can dream about . . ." Luis smiled shyly . . . "is a little version of you."
"Well, I hope that's not true," Sheridan laughed, laying her head against his chest. "One of me is more than enough."
"More than enough? Never." Luis kissed her head.
"You're incorrigible, Luis," Sheridan laughed.
Luis smiled and kissed her cheek. "I just love you, Sher."
Sheridan smiled softly down at her abdomen as she and Luis flattened their palms against her stomach. "I still can't believe our baby is okay."
"I told you," Luis said, "she's a fighter, Sher."
"Do you really think I'm going to be a good mother, Luis?"
"Of course I do," Luis reassured her. "Why would you ever doubt that?"
"I don't know. I'm just afraid I'm going to screw this all up . . . especially if this baby is a girl." Sheridan's voice quieted; a tear slipped from her eye. "What if I make all of the same mistakes that my father made with me? What if she doesn't feel loved?"
"Hey, hey . . ." Luis cupped her face. "I know that you have doubts, but you are not your father, Sheridan. You would never treat anyone the way Alistair treated you."
Sheridan rolled onto her back and spread her fingers across her stomach. "What if I can't help it, Luis?"
"Sheridan, I can't even imagine our child feeling unloved." Luis propped his head up on his hand. "You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met."
Sheridan turned onto her side and curled up into a ball.
"Sheridan . . . Sheridan, please talk to me," Luis pleaded, tucking his chin over her shoulder.
"I . . . I'm just scared, Luis."
"Don't be." Luis wrapped his arms around her. "I'm right here beside you, Sher."
Sheridan hugged his hands to her heart. "Do you promise me that you'll be here for our baby—no matter how bad of a parent I am?"
"Sheridan, that's ridiculo . . ." Luis stopped mid-sentence. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"
Sheridan nodded her head and tucked her chin into her chest.
Luis laid his head on top of hers. "I promise you, Sheridan," he whispered. "No matter what, I will make sure that our child always feels loved."
Sheridan's body settled back into his. Her voice swelled with emotion. "Thank you so much, Luis."
