Hey Everyone!

My apologies for the delay in posting.

I had some personal things come up.

My updates will be more frequent now as I try to wrap this one up this week.

Thank you for the reviews! They are always greatly appreciated.

Chapter 27

"Good Morning Grandpa and Grammy," Eliza's voice woke them up from a deep sleep.

Henry had been taking care of Eliza since Stevie went into labor the day before. Her bedtime had not been easy for him the night before while Elizabeth was in the Situation Room.

Elizabeth lifted her head off the pillow to look at Eliza in her pink Disney Princess t-shirt and shorts pajamas. Her long, blonde hair a giant mess. Elizabeth thought to herself that she should have told Henry to do braids as brushing that out would be a nightmare in a few hours.

"Come here Princess, climb in with us." She was secretly praying she would fall back asleep between them as it was only 5am.

"I want my Mommy," she whimpered laying in between her grandparents

"We know, baby. We will go to see her later today," Elizabeth whispered to her, getting her settled under the covers. "Let's try to not wake up Grandpa, okay? It is still early and we all need to sleep."

Elizabeth was turned on her side facing Henry with Eliza tucked into her holding the ears of her bunny that Jason gave her when she was a baby. She was grateful it was a Sunday and hopefully they could sleep in a bit.

A few hours later, Henry woke with Eliza tucked under his arm and Elizabeth with her back to him. He checked the clock, 8:30, then his phone. No word from Stevie or Dmitri. He really needed to go to the bathroom. He tried to side shuffle himself out of the bed when Eliza woke.

"Grandpa, where are you going?" she whispered, rubbing her eyes.

"Just to the bathroom. I'll be right back. Don't wake Grammy," he whispered.

"Why do you two always say that?" she threw her head back down on the pillow.

He came back to find Elizabeth still asleep and Eliza laying down holding his phone up in the air.

"What are you doing?" Henry asked.

"Waiting for my Dad to text me back and watching Peppa Pig on You Tube," she answered without looking at him.

He shook his head while grabbing a shirt out of his dresser thinking she was so much like her grandmother, "Well, come on. Let's get you some breakfast."

When Elizabeth strolled into the kitchen a little while later, she found the two of them seated at the kitchen table with eggs and fruit while half a bagel with cream cheese was stuck in Eliza's mouth.

"Grammy!" Eliza greeted her filled with excitement but also mouth full of food.

"Good Morning, Sweetheart. Are you ready to go meet your brother?" she asked her with a smile as she glanced at Henry and kissed the top of Eliza's head.

"He's here?" Henry asked.

"He is! Stevie just called." She was beaming as she grabbed a cup of coffee.

"Healthy?" Henry asked.

She took a sip of her coffee, "Ten fingers, Ten toes. Came out screaming!"

Henry laughed and got up from the table to hug her.

"What's his name?" Eliza asked.

"Well, your mother says we have to wait until we get there. The motorcade should be ready in about an hour so we need to get moving," she sat down and began to eat some eggs and fruit.

Giggling, Eliza said "I know his name and you don't."

"Well, your mother wants us to see him first so keep that to yourself," Henry warned her.

Elizabeth and Eliza were in their bathroom focusing on the last part of getting ready. Getting through the nest of tangles in Eliza's hair. Elizabeth was spraying in the detangler and brushing through the last tangle when she rolled her eyes at Henry, who walked in to check on them.

"What?" he asked her.

"Mad at myself for not reminding you to do braids last night," she sighed.

"Well, let me remind you. You haven't lost your touch. Looks pretty smooth now," he leaned in as she turned her head back and gave him a kiss.

"I'm here!" Eliza announced not looking away from her iPad.

"Yes, and the motorcade is going to be here in 15 minutes. So let's put that away and get moving," Henry said as he took the device.

Eliza went to jump up when Elizabeth held her down, "No, not yet. Let me finish."

"Can I just wear it down? I don't want braids today," she whined.

Elizabeth used her best negotiating tactics, "How about a compromise? Let me pull the front up off your beautiful face with a barrette, the rest can be down."

"Okay," she answered.

Henry laughed, "She's easier than her mother and auntie."

The motorcade was making its' way to Sibley Hospital. Elizabeth was on the phone with Jay as Henry chatted away with Eliza about being a big sister.

"How are babies made?" Eliza asked stopping all of them from talking.

"Uhhh…" Henry winced and looked to Elizabeth.

"Jay, I gotta go," Elizabeth said into her phone. "Listen, sweetheart, when two adults love each other, that's how babies are made," said without missing a beat.

Henry shot her the "really?" look.

"So, did you and Grandpa make a baby when you kissed this morning?" she asked.

Now, not only Henry was laughing but her agents were trying very hard to hold their laughter in.

"No, we are much too old to have children now," she answered kind of chuckling.

"Why? You are two adults that love each other, aren't you?" she asked not giving up.

Elizabeth almost laughed trying to keep a serious face during this discussion, "Yes, but we have decided to only have adorable grandchildren like yourself for now."

Walking through the hospital hallways, Eliza held both their hands so they could swing her between them. Her blue smocked dress with the garden print on the skirt swung with her as her feet covered in white ankle socks and white shoes kicked out. Hospital staff chuckled at them along the way.

Just before they got to Stevie's room Eliza turned to them, "Well, this is where it ends. We step in there and our days alone are over!"

Elizabeth immediately knelt down to be face to face with her, "Listen sweetheart, we love all our children and grandchildren just the same. We will still make time for you and for your brother to have time with just us. Understood?"

She reached up and hugged her grandmother, took the flowers for her mother from Henry and stepped into the room.

"Mommy! I missed you!" she ran to her mother's bedside.

Elizabeth and Henry peeked in the bassinette at the sleeping baby. His dark hair peeked out from under his little hat. Elizabeth turned to the sink in the room and washed her hands. She glanced over and noticed Eliza hadn't even as much as peeked at her brother. She was gabbing away trying to keep her parents' attention.

As Elizabeth reached into the bassinette, Dmitri said to her, "Meet Charles Henry. Charlie for short."

She picked him up and whispered back, "Well, welcome to the world, Charlie." She sat down and held him in her arms and he nestled right in making newborn noises. Henry sat beside her looking over him. He looked just like his father.

Dmitri took a photo of them together.

"I heard there was a party in here," Allie's voice rang into the room joyfully.

"Auntie Allie!" Eliza ran to her and jumped into her arms.

Elizabeth put the baby in Henry's arms and went to hug her daughter, "I had no idea you were coming."

"I know. I came down this morning. I couldn't resist meeting my new nephew." Allie jumped over to hug Stevie and then washed her hands to steal the baby out of her father's hands.

"Ohhh…you are beautiful!" she said as the room watched her snuggle him.

One of her agents poked her head in the room, "Ma'am, they are ready for you in the nursery."

Elizabeth turned to the family and said, "I will be right back." She was off to have photos taken with every baby in the nursery something she did when Eliza was born as well.

Her female agent turned to her as they walked over with the White House photographer, "Alison seems well."

"Yeah, she does, doesn't she?" she replied thinking to herself maybe a bit too good. Her breakup with Michael had been all over the tabloids only a month ago. She had broken things off with him shortly after her original due date.

"Can we have a sleepover tonight?" Eliza asked Allie as they rode in the motorcade with Elizabeth and Henry.

"I think your Dad is coming to get you," Allie said back to her with a grin.

Eliza pouted, "Not at the White House, at my house?"

"How about you go home with Daddy tonight and I will come and stay tomorrow night? Maybe tomorrow you and I can go shopping and get cupcakes for Mommy when she comes home. I have some work to do tonight." Allie answered.

Elizabeth had an eyebrow up at Henry. This was the happiest they had seen Allie in a long time.

That evening at dinner, Elizabeth looked across the table at Alison, who had not stopped talking since they sat down. The conversation went from asking Henry and Elizabeth about their work, her own business and the new sketches she was showing them after dinner, Jason and Claudia's upcoming nuptials and everything else under the sun.

Elizabeth couldn't take it any longer, "Okay Noodle, who's the guy?"

Henry sat back and wiped his mouth with the napkin, grinning at his wife.

Allie put her fork down and stared at her father, "Did the detail tell you because I asked them not to?"

He held his hands up, "No, this is the first I am hearing of this. Swear to God."

"Mom, that is so creepy. His name is Liam. He is an artist and works at the Museum of Modern Art. I went there one Sunday morning when I was bored after breaking up with Michael. So, we've really only been dating like two weeks. But, it's been the best two weeks of my life," she smiled at her parents and all Elizabeth saw was six year old Alison.

"Well, this is nice to hear," Elizabeth said putting her fork down.

"We are very happy for you," Henry said.

"Let me tell you it is hard to keep it private with everything going on. We don't go anywhere in public. But, hopefully that will come," she finished her dinner. "I am so full. This is the most I have eaten in a long time."

"We noticed," Elizabeth said. "But, Cindy was able to get some pistachio gelato when she heard you came home."

"Let me grab my sketches and I will be back," she got up and bolted for her bedroom.

Henry smiled at Elizabeth, "Well, there's one worry you can tuck away."

Henry and Elizabeth were snuggled up on the couch together eating their gelato and watching Alison show them her new sketches. There was something different about them. The light and shadows were more defined. Smallest details stood out better.

She pulled out the sketches of Elizabeth's dress for Jason and Claudia's wedding. The first one a soft baby blue dress that fell easily not so tight as her Inaugural gowns. But, came across at the top.

Elizabeth made a face. Henry shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, how about this one?" she asked not surprised they didn't like the first.

The second one was still a deeper blue almost a hint of aqua. It cut low at the top and was A-line at her waist and then flowed evenly down to the bottom with a slit that came up to mid-thigh. It definitely had a summer feel to it.

Henry pointed to the sketch, "I love that. Has just a little bit of a pop of color. That will look great on you."

Elizabeth just stared at him and shook her head laughing, while Allie laughed, "Dad who knew you were so fashion minded?"

"Well, after what happened before the Inauguration. This is the first time Dad has had anything to say about my wardrobe. At least this time, it was positive." Elizabeth joked.

Henry shook his head and sighed, "Never going to live that down." As Elizabeth and Allie laughed at him.

The wedding was to take place on Martha's Vineyard in August. The McCord's rented the estate Claudia and Jason picked out for the month for vacation. Secret Service would have it the first week to prepare it for their time there. A week of vacation and then the wedding and another week of vacation with the girls while Jason was on his honeymoon.

Henry cleared their bowls as Elizabeth and Allie chatted.

"Noodle, it's nice to have you back," she gave her the look that meant not only having her home.

"I know," she looked down as her gaze caught her mother and she smiled. "I didn't know that I was that unhappy with Michael. I could have done without the tabloids but at least that has settled down," she commented.

"That part is hard but you made it through. I am just happy to see you smile again," she said to her. "How's the bride's gown coming?"

"She loves it and I do too. She has one more fitting. Do you think you can come up for it?" she asked. "It's in two weeks."

"I think so. Dad and I have to travel next week but I will talk to Blake and have him schedule it." She smiled at her.

"Good, I would love for you to meet Liam," she said.

"Is he ready for that?" she asked.

"More than ready. He almost came here with me," she said and walked into the kitchen, leaving her mother speechless.