A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I really do appreciate them!

January 8, 1999

11:30 AM



"Okay. Thanks anyway." Jen set her cell phone on the table and sighed. "No luck. Maureen's doctor isn't on call for another three hours, but the nurse told me that unless the real contractions start up there's nothing they can do for her."

Alison sighed and set fourteen month old Jesse down on the floor. He quickly scampered away and kneeled on the carpet in the middle of Mark and Maureen's living room, occupying himself with his set of blocks Alison had brought with her. "They can't even induce her?"

"They won't until at least next week. She's only six days overdue."

"But she's so uncomfortable." Alison shook her head. "I can't believe they just won't let her get the kid out already."

"The hospital told me to have Maureen call back and set up an induction for the 12th if there's no change."

"Hopefully the laps she's doing with Mark around Central Park right now will help out some. At least it stopped raining and cleared up somewhat, even if it is still cold out," Alison added.

"That's all she's been doing for the past two days. Lap after lap around the park."

Abby walked into the kitchen and immediately rested her head on Jen's chest. "When's Aunt Mo gonna have her baby, Mom?"

Jen loosely wrapped her arm around Abby and kissed the top of her head. "Soon baby. I hope real soon."

Alison got up out of the chair and scooped up Jesse, who surprisingly didn't protest for once. "I'm going to try and get him down for a nap. He's starting to get tired."

"Okay." Jen smiled. "I don't know when Roger's getting back from his mom's with Ryan either. I wish he would call. It drives me crazy when he doesn't."

"Oh, I know! Benny does the same damn thing all the time. Men," Alison scoffed with a smile. "Be back in a bit." She disappeared into the guest bedroom and shut the door gently behind her.

"Can we watch cartoons?" Abby questioned, tugging on Jen's hand. "Please?"

"Sure." Just then, Jen's cell phone began ringing. "Hold on a sec. Go wait for me on the couch."

"Okay." Abby sat down on the couch with the remote patiently.

Jen pressed her cell phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Jen? Hi, it's Mark."

"Hey! Is everything okay? Any change?"

"Yeah, actually I'm getting a cab to take us to the hospital now. Maureen's water just broke."

"Is she having contractions?"

"Sort of. She says they're pretty spaced apart and they just started up about half an hour ago. I'm hoping they can induce her at the hospital if they have to. Can you drop her hospital bag off? It's at the foot of the bed."

"Sure. Let me just call Roger and let him know what's going on. Alison's here, so I'm sure she'll have no problem keeping an eye on Abby for a few. Jesse just went down for a nap."

"Okay. I'll meet you there."

"Mark, good luck. Try not to worry too much."

He laughed. "I'll try, but thanks anyway."

Jen ended the call and immediately dialed Roger's cell phone. It rang three times before he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey. What's up? Sorry I didn't call, I'm stuck in traffic on the parkway. I left my mom's like an hour ago and there was a three car pile up that they're still trying to clean up."

"Where are you?"

Horns were honking in the background. "Right before the exit for Englewood. I should be home in half an hour."

"Maureen and Mark just left for the hospital. Her water broke."

"Damn, finally. You heading over there?"

"Yeah. I'm leaving Abby with Alison. Benny should be here soon anyway."

"Okay. Want me to meet you up there with Ryan?"

"Nah. Keep him at the townhouse. It'll be awhile anyway. I have to drop off her hospital bag."

"Okay. He's asleep anyway, but he's probably gonna be hungry when he wakes up."

"There's two bottles in the fridge here. Give him one and don't forget to burp him."

Roger laughed. "I won't. I got this thing down by now."

"And check his diaper before he tries to fall back asleep."

"Yep. I gotta go, traffic's finally moving. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

Jen tucked her cell phone back into her purse and walked towards the couch. "Aunt Mo's having her baby, sweetie!"

"Oh, cool!" Abby squealed. "Now?"

"She didn't have it yet, but she will soon!"

"Okay," Abby smiled widely. "I can't wait! It's gonna be the cutest thing ever!"
4:30 PM

Benny ran around the living room of Mark and Maureen's place, chasing after Abby and Jesse. "Mwahaha, I've almost got you both! I prevail!"

Alison gave him a blank stare from the couch. "Don't you think that maybe you should play a game that won't scare them?"

"Yeah, maybe." He laughed and grabbed the afghan off of the couch and tucked it into the back of his polo shirt. "Hey babe, hand me those swim goggles on the table. Alison did so and he put them on. He then jumped onto the top of the coffee table and struck a pose, hands on hips. "Super Benny to the rescue! Charge!"

"Charge!" Abby laughed back. She flew at Benny and he jokingly pretended to get knocked over. "C'mon Uncle Benny, get up!"

Jesse ran over and clapped his hands. "Dad up! Dad up!" he repeated.

"If you're Super Benny then you can't fall down," Abby pointed out, hands on hips. "You can't. It's not allowed."

Alison laughed. Sometimes she couldn't believe half of the things that came out of Abby's mouth. "Maybe we should all...tickle Super Benny?"

"Yeah!" Abby began tickling him, and soon Alison crawled onto the floor and joined her.

"Hey! You're not supposed to tickle Benny!" he laughed, trying to get away. "I'm supposed to save the world!"

January 9, 1999

2:02 AM

"You're doing so great, Maureen!"

Maureen winced slightly at the doctor's encouragement. All she wanted was this baby out of her and now. Lying flat on her back exposed to the world wasn't exactly all that appealing anymore. "I totally regret all the times I begged this kid to come out of me! How many more?"

"Give me one more good one!"

"Come on, you can do it," Mark encouraged, wiping a stray piece of hair off of her forehead.

"Shut up, Mark!"

"Push, Maureen!"

"No!" she bellowed through gritted teeth, but pushed anyway. "That better have done it, because I can't do anymore."

"That's it!" The doctor held up a very pink baby as she began to suction. "Congratulations, it's a girl!" The baby began to cry just then, and Mark cut the cord.

Maureen took one look at the baby and started to cry. "I can't believe this!"

Mark laughed and kissed her forehead. "Can't believe what? You did great."

"I can't believe I did that! We made that, Mark. Look at her. We made her." She watched as the nurses took the baby's Apgar and proper measurements.

"I know we made her." The nurse finally handed over the baby and placed her in Mark's arm. She was wrapped tightly in a pink blanket and had a matching pink cap on her forehead. She let out a tiny yawn and clutched onto Mark's finger tightly. "And she's amazing." He set her in Maureen's arms and watched as she cradled the infant.

"And it only took me fifteen hours, but who's complaining," Maureen smiled, kissing the baby's forehead. "Hello, I'm your Mommy, and that crazy man over there is your Daddy and we love you very much. You'll meet your even crazier Uncle Roger later, but not too soon, because he might influence you and we don't want that just yet."

Mark laughed. "Okay, save the dramatics for the stage."

A nurse walked over with a clipboard. "Have we decided on a name?"

Mark glanced at Maureen, who nodded. All along her pregnancy they had decided on not finding out the sex of the baby so they would be surprised when he or she was born. But they had picked up a male and female name beforehand. He looked back at his baby daughter and Maureen. "Yeah, we have."

2:45 AM

Roger squinted and blindly reached for his ringing cell phone with one hand. His other arm was pinned under Abby, who was sound asleep next to him.

Mark and Maureen had been at the hospital for going on sixteen hours now, and with the occasional call from Mark and Jen, they were all pretty well informed about what was going on. Benny and Alison had crashed for the night in Mark and Maureen's bedroom, while Jesse slept between them. Abby had whined about hating the dark until Roger allowed her to sleep with him for the night in the guest bedroom. Collins and Logan had arrived after seven and taken the pullout couch. All in all, it was a packed house.

Jen had stayed at the hospital for moral support and just to make sure Maureen wouldn't kill Mark, but it was late and Roger just wished she would come home already.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me again."

"Hey. Did she have the baby?" He yawned and managed to pull his arm out from under Abby's head.

"Yeah. It's a girl. Thalia Madeleine Cohen. Eight pounds, three ounces."

"Thalia?" Roger knew that Mark and Maureen had picked out original names, but didn't exactly know how original they were shooting for.

"It means Joy. At least that's what the baby book says. It's a pretty name."

"Yeah. So you coming home soon?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna get a cab in a few after I say goodbye to everyone. Mark's parents are here, and Maureen's are flying in from Chicago at ten."

"Okay. I'll take Abby to gymnastics in the morning because I have practice anyway."

"Okay. I'm leaving now. See you in twenty minutes."

"Tell Mark and Maureen I said congratulations."

"I will."

He yawned and hung up the phone. Now that he was wide awake, Roger quietly reached for the remote and turned on the small television. He started channel surfing and finally settled on the travel channel, which was currently hosting a show on southern California.

A while back, after he and Jen had another blowout fight, she had admitted to him that she had contemplated taking Abby away from the city and to California, where her grandparents had a large, two story vacation home in Santa Monica, right near the ocean. Jen had explained to Roger that it was a better community to raise children in, and also had a good job opportunity for Jen herself, who was now debating on whether or not to fill the role of senior fashion editor for the magazine she worked for.

Roger had talked things over with Joey, who pointed out that not only was a good community to raise kids in, but that it also had a good music scene and would help the Well Hungarians get some West Coast exposure. Since the beach would be only minutes away, Roger knew he could even take surf lessons like he always wanted to, since he had discovered how much he enjoyed it when he had to go out to California for rehab. And naturally, his little brother would tag along. Joey's girlfriend Alicia was from the Malibu area, and since they would both be graduating from Boston University in May, Roger knew they had plans to get a condo or apartment and move in together somewhere in that area. If the Hungarians ever decided to move to the West Coast, Roger and Joey, who had replaced Travis as guitarist in March of '98, would be right there already.

It was something to think about, at least. Abby would be starting kindergarten in the fall and Roger wanted to make a decision by then. They'd also need to find a good gymnastics school for Abby to continue her lessons at.

Roger watched Abby stir next to him and yawn. "Daddy, when's Mommy getting home?"

"Soon baby. Soon."
Things will sort of be speeding up after this chapter. Not too much, but we'll be moving along a little bit. The plot will develop even more.

NEXT UP: How will parenthood affect Mark and Maureen's relationship now that Mark's 'secret' comes out? Will Roger and Jen decide to move to California? Will the Well Hungarians break up or become bicoastal? What's going on with Travis?

Hah, look for the next chapter soon!