"Wait, hold the elevator!"

A hand shot out and pushed the doors back open.

"Than— Daddy!" Anna hugged Tim and smiled as Becca tugged her on her jeans. "Hey shorty."

She lifted her up into her arms and kissed her cheek.

"So?" she asked.

"You'll have to just wait and see." Tim grinned. Anna looked at Becca but she pressed a finger against her lips.

"It's a secret."

"Oh you two are no fun." Anna pouted. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's fine. Tired."

"Where's Maggie and Danny?"

"Up in her room already. Someone was hungry." Tim reached out and tickled Becca. She squealed and buried herself further in Anna's arms. "So I took her down to the cafeteria."

The elevator stopped and they exited on the maternity floor.

"Hi Tim." one of the nurses smiled. "This another one of yours?"

"Yeah. This is Anna."

"How many do you have?"

"5." Tim grinned, clearly very happy about all his kids.

"I thank God I only have one." the nurse smiled. "Denise just took the baby down to Calleigh's room."

"Okay." Tim grabbed Anna's free hand and pulled her down the hallway. He pushed a door open and entered the room. "I found a stray roaming the halls. Can we take her home?"

Calleigh smiled, seeing Anna appear behind her husband.

"Hi. You got out of class?"

"Well... I fought with the professor and I told him there was no way in Hell I was gonna sit in his boring class while my brother and sisters got to play with our new sibling. He told me I could either walk out or he'd throw me out."

"Which one happened?"

"I walked out and told him I was never coming back. The class was just an extra anyway. I don't need it for a credit. So?" Anna asked, setting Becca on the floor.

"Well come here and you'll see." Calleigh smiled. Anna smiled back and sat next to her on the bed.

"Oh my lord... she... he... it..."

Tim chuckled and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You had it right the first time. It's a she."

"What's her name?"

"Samantha or Sammy."

"I like that. It's pretty." Anna cooed over her little sister and Calleigh handed the baby over. Sammy yawned and opened her brown eyes. "Well hello."

Sammy studied Anna for a minute, wondering whether she could trust her or she should cry.

"You're so pretty." Anna smiled. "I'm Anna, your big sister. Your really big sister."

They all laughed and Anna handed Sammy back to Calleigh as she began to cry.

"I only like happy babies." she informed. "None that cry."

----------S/C---------

The Speedle family was sitting comfortably in the hospital room when Anna's cell phone rang.

"Hello? Hi. Yeah. I have another sister, Samantha. Yeah. I'm sure they don't mind. Okay. I'll be down in a minute to get you. Bye." Anna snapped her phone shut and looked at her parents. "Do you guys care if I bring someone up?"

"Is it Jess?" Tim asked. "We don't need any klutzy people in here."

"No. Someone else. Do you mind?"

"No." Calleigh shook her head.

"Okay. I'll be right back." Anna smiled and ran from the room.

"Anna's got a boyfriend." Becca giggled.

"No she doesn't." Tim said.

"Yes she does. She was all smiley."

"So?"

"Stop fighting with our five-year-old." Calleigh laughed. Maggie and Danny played tic-tac-toe in a corner, fighting over M&Ms. Anna came back a few minutes later... with a dark haired guy.

"Told ya!" Becca said.

"Shh!" Tim hissed. "You want to introduce us Anna?"

"Yes." she smiled. "This is Josh Evans. Josh, this is my father Tim, my mom Calleigh, my sister Becca, my sister Maggie, my brother Danny, and my newest sister, Sammy."

"Nice to meet you." was mumbled all around the room and Tim eyed the young man warily. After Richie was put in jail four months ago, Tim was reluctant to let Anna be with any guy. She had moved back into the house and the Speedles went through endless hours of fighting about rooms. In the end, Tim gave up his office and the computer was moved into the living room. The office became Maggie's room and Anna moved back in with Becca. But Anna hadn't gotten a boyfriend. One night she told Tim that she was scared to trust a guy again, in fear of getting hurt and Tim told her that she could do whatever she want. Obviously she did such.

"What do you do Josh?" Tim asked.

"I go to the University of Miami. I'm studying to get into business. I work at the coffee house on campus in my free time though. Well when I'm not with Anna." he replied. "Congratulations by the way, on the baby."

"Oh thank you." Calleigh smiled. She liked this kid. A lot.

-----------S/C----------

"It's only one more day." Anna laughed, seeing her father struggle with Maggie, Danny, and Becca. "She'll be home on Thursday."

"Help me! Help me!" Tim pleaded.

"Just because of you three I'm never having kids." Anna said, giving each of her siblings a pointed stare. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Burgers!" Danny banged on the table with his fists.

"Pizza!" Becca exclaimed.

"Chinese!" Maggie said.

"We had Chinese last night!" Tim exclaimed.

"Eat leftovers." Anna said. Maggie nodded. "Dad, order a pizza."

"What about me!" Danny exclaimed.

"I'll take you to McDonald's."

"Money doesn't grow on trees Anna." Tim said.

"I can afford a Happy Meal." she said.

----------S/C--------

"Thanks for helping me today." Tim said, flopping onto the couch next to Anna.

"No problem. What do you think of Josh?"

"Is it serious?"

"We've been dating for three months." Anna smiled. "What do you think of him?"

"I don't want you getting hurt."

"He'd never hurt me. I told him about Richie. He promised me that he'd never do anything like that."

"He's okay."

"Dad..."

"I have to get to know him."

"Would you let me marry him?"

"I have to get to know him."

"Based on what you saw today."

"Did he ask you to marry him?"

"No but Daddy, I do like him. A lot."

"You know this is all your fault." Tim said suddenly.

"What?" Anna asked.

"Well... remember about thirteen years ago you were just six years old and first met Calleigh?"

Anna giggled and nodded.

"I wanted you to marry her." she said.

"And I did." Tim said. "And now look what came of it?"

"Four chaotic children." Anna laughed. "Well Sammy's isn't chaotic."

"Not yet she isn't. But she is a Speedle." Tim reminded.

"And we're all a little chaotic. Daddy, really would you let me?"

"Let you what?"

"Marry Josh? Well... if we ever get that far?"

---------S/C--------

Four years later...

"Are you going to sleep?" Calleigh asked.

"In a minute." Tim mumbled. Calleigh smiled and slipped out of bed and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"We need to sleep."

"I said in a minute."

"Yes and in Tim time that means a few hours."

"No."

"Yeah. What's wrong?"

"You know what's wrong." Tim muttered. Calleigh giggled and buried her face in his back. "Remember when she was just a kid?"

"Mhmm."

"Remember that day..." Tim sighed and Calleigh hugged him tighter. "Remember that day when we went down to Disney after Maggie was born and she saw that couple?"

"Yeah."

"And she... she told me that she'd never turn into a pile of lovey-dovey goo like those sick people and she'd never get married because she didn't want to leave me."

"You cried to me that night." Calleigh remembered. "And I know you're crying right now. She's getting married tomorrow."

"I know."

"Josh is a good kid."

"I know."

"He treats her good."

"I know."

"We all love him. Even you do, you have to admit it."

"I know. I just... I remember the day after Sammy was born I was sitting with Anna and she asked me if she and Josh ever got this far would I let her marry him..."

"What did you say?"

"I said I had to get to know him."

"What about when he approached you two years ago?"

"I... I wanted to kill him but something told me to tell him yes. And now... tomorrow he is taking her away from me."

"Tim, they're still going to be in Miami."

"I know..."

"Go talk to her."

"I am." Tim pulled away from Calleigh and exited their room. He peeked into Becca's room and saw she was asleep but Anna wasn't there. He smiled and walked downstairs. Anna was sitting at the table, stabbing a bowl of chocolate ice cream with a spoon. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I can't." she said.

"Why?"

"I'm nervous." Anna mumbled. "Daddy, am I doing the right thing?"

Now any father in their right state of mind would say no but being the loving, caring family man that he was and not wanting to break his baby girl's heart, Tim nodded. Besides it was the truth and he swore he'd never lie to her.

"Of course you are sweetheart. You love Josh. He loves you. Everything is good."

"I want to be like you and Mom and being happy. I remember when you and Michelle were together. I don't want to be like that."

"I think your 'Michelle' relationship was with Richie."

"How can I be sure though?"

"Because I see the way you two are together and know how you feel about each other. I see how much he loves you. I couldn't have picked a better guy for you to marry." Tim said. "He's a good man."

"He is." Anna smiled. "Promise me you won't cry tomorrow. If you do, then I'm gonna start crying and I don't want my make-up to be ruined."

Tim laughed quietly and nodded.

"I'm scared." Anna said quietly, a few minutes later.

"Why?"

"I don't want to get hurt. I don't want to... come home one day and him break my heart."

"Well if he does that then I'll break his neck."

"Daddy," Anna giggled. "I better get to sleep."

"Yeah. You know your mother is going to be waking you up at the crack of dawn." Tim said. Anna nodded and hugged him tightly.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too Anna."

----------S/C---------

Calleigh watched with tears in her eyes as Tim slowly danced with Anna. She knew this was hard on him. It was hard on her too.

"Mrs. Speedle?"

Calleigh jumped and saw Josh standing next to her.

"I'm sorry!" he laughed. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"No. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything's wonderful. I was just wondering if you'd like to dance."

'How did she get such a gentleman?' Calleigh wondered as her son-in-law pulled her out onto the dance floor.

"Joshua, I don't think I have to tell you this but if you hurt my daughter in anyway..." Calleigh trailed off. Josh nodded, smiling.

"I won't Mrs. Speedle. I love her, a lot."

"Call me Calleigh."

"Yes Mrs. Sp— Calleigh."

Calleigh smiled and glanced over Josh's shoulder at Tim and Anna.

"Daddy..."

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Anna asked, pulling away slightly so she could look at him.

"I'm fine as long as you're fine." Tim said.

"I am Daddy. I'm really, really, really happy."

"That's all I want princess." Tim murmured, kissing her forehead. The song ended and went into another one and Tim sighed inwardly as Calleigh and Josh walked up.

"Can I trade you?" he asked.

"Be my guest." Tim pulled his wife into his arms and held her close, burying his face in her hair.

"Tim, relax." she said soothingly. "We still have four other kids."

"I know." he mumbled, watching Anna happily dance with Josh. He then looked at Maggie, who looked like she wanted to do nothing more than die at that moment as she danced with Josh's very nerdy cousin. Danny was hidden behind Eric, hoping to God that no one would ask him to dance. Becca was playing with her cousin Amy. And Sammy... Tim sighed. Sammy, who had been Anna's flower girl, was slowly inching closer to Josh's nephew, Marky. "Calleigh..."

"Mmm?"

"Can we ship Sammy off to a convent? She's already flirting with the boys."

Calleigh looked at her youngest child and laughed, which was music to Tim's ears.

"She's four Tim."

"That's what scares me."

"Are you at least having a good time?" Calleigh asked.

"I just want her to be happy Calleigh."

"She is honey."

Tim let out a big sigh and his eyes landed on his oldest daughter again.

"You're right." he said. "I should just get over it and let her grow up."

"She did grow up."

"Too fast." Tim mumbled. And that was the truth.

"Think of it this way. Soon we'll have a grandchild." Calleigh smiled into Tim's shoulder and he groaned. She always knew how to irritate him. "Oh it's not that bad."

"Calleigh we have a four year old. We can't have grandchildren yet."

"I'm not saying she's gonna pop one out tomorrow. It'll be a year, two years at the most."

"Please stop."

"She's married Tim. Kids just come naturally after that."

"She doesn't want kids yet."

"Okay. Don't have a heart attack over it."

"Then stop talking."

"Make me." Calleigh taunted. And Tim did just that. He kissed her softly and Calleigh rested her head on his shoulder after they pulled away. "Are you okay with this?"

Tim thought long and hard about his answer. He looked over at Anna and she smiled at him over Josh's shoulder. He smiled back and kissed the side of Calleigh's head.

"Yeah. I am."

Okay so he was lying but Tim was sure that he would slowly succumb to the fact that Anna wasn't his little girl anymore. He didn't want to but from the look on her face it seemed he had no choice.

"Do you want grandkids?" Calleigh asked quietly. Tim groaned and kissed Calleigh again in hopes of shutting her up.

the end