"When do we get to go and see Mommy?" Robin asked Eversman or Uncle Matty as all four kids called him. She stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed, not wanting to watch the TV.

At her side stood Alexandria.

Both girls were within a year of age, both had brown eyes and hair, but Alexandria's was much darker then Robins, Robin was also paler skinned then Alexandria. But both had hair down to their bottoms. Both of them had let Jamie braid their hair.

Eversman looked down at the girls, peeking into the living room where his wife sat on the couch and braided Rachael's hair, at her side sat Jordan. He then looked down at the two girls, "Look, I would love to take you down and visit your mom in the hospital, but you girls aren't going to be allowed in the delivery room. Plus we don't know how long she'll be in labor, she could be in labor all day long."

Robin narrowed her eyes, Alexandria looked to the two year old in the high chair then asked, "How long did you stay at home until you went to the hospital?"

Eversman looked to his daughter, then back at Robin and Alexandria, "Go get something to do, we'll go to the hospital."

The two girls ran from the kitchen, Eversman lifted his daughter out of the highchair, her face covered in bananas and peaches, she clapped and wiped her face on his sleeve. He walked into the living room and up behind his wife, he gave her a kiss, "I'm taking the girls to the hospital. Jordan, you wanna come along?"

Jordan looked to his beloved Aunt Jamie, then got up, "Yeah."

Jamie looked up and kissed Eversman cheek, she took their daughter from him, "I'll be by the hospital once Lily gets finished at her piano lesson." At Jamie's feet Rachael stood and quickly decided that she didn't need the rest of her hair braided. She ran through the toy filled living room after Jordan.

Around Noon…..

Eversman checked his watch, then looked up at the TV.

Beside him Jordan complained, "I'm hungry."

Beside Jordan in one chair were Robin and Alexandria reading a Cosmo, and on the other side of Eversman Rachael was curled up in a ball asleep. They'd been in the waiting room for three hours.

He leaned forward on his knees, peering down the hall, a break room with soda and candy machine lay inside. He pulled out his wallet and asked, "Is anyone else hungry?"

Both Robin and Alexandria dropped their magazine, "Yes," they both chirped. Eversman dug through his wallet and gave Jordan a handful of ones, everything in his wallet, and then added, "Bring me back a Snickers bar."

The three kids ran from the waiting room and down the hall.

Eversman looked around the room.

Three-month-old magazines, toys, a TV nailed to the wall, pink wallpaper and matching carpet. Now and then a nurse would come in and tell them that Diana was still in labor, but that was all. He glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping girl on his arm. Then he sat back and rubbed her back, looking up at the ceiling tiles.

A couple hours later…..

The soft beeping noise helped wake Diana up, she moved her hand to hit the snooze button, but a sharp pain in her wrist woke her up completely. She lifted her hand and saw a butterfly needle in her arm. Her eyes followed the plastic tube up to the IV stand at her bed.

Without a second thought she began to pull at the tape that held the needle in her arm.

A hand gently fell over her own, Sanderson's soft voice whispered, "Leave it in."

Diana looked over to the side of the bed where he was seated in a chair, with a sleeping baby on his chest. Diana blinked and looked at her sleeping son. Wrapped in a white hospital blanket with a knitted cap upon his little head.

She pushed herself into a sitting position, finding herself very sore, "How long was I asleep?"

In a whisper he answered her question, "Right after he came out you fell asleep."

Diana nodded, her brown hair pulled up in a bun.

Very slowly Sanderson sat up, "You want to hold your son?" She nodded and watched as he stood up without waking her newborn son. Something that took years of practice, as a father he had mastered it. Sanderson lifted the tiny infant from his chest. Still red skinned, the movement made the baby open it's eyes and mouth.

Sanderson laid the baby down on Diana's chest, she placed her hand on the baby's bottom and looked into its brown eyes.

"Hi," she softly whispered, then kissed it's tiny forehead.

Sanderson pulled the chair he had been seated upon closer so her could put his elbows on the bed and stare at the baby with Diana.

The baby was back asleep after a few seconds.

Softly she asked, "Did he behave?"

Sanderson nodded, "He should be hungry soon, I changed one diaper already. The Doctor has already checked in on him."

Diana looked up at him, only inches away, "Thank you."

He smiled and nodded, then leaned over and kissed her forehead. Then looked down at the sleeping baby, "He has Hoot's eyes."

Diana nodded, "I saw that….what color hair does he have?"

"None. The baby is bald. I'm sorry."

With a look back to her child she muttered, "Your one to criticize."

Her sharp remark made him smile. He watched her admire her child, softly touch it's soft skin, even place soft kisses on it. When she spoke he was surprised, "What did those men want?"

He was surprised at her question, but neither of them took their eyes off the baby. Not even Sanderson, "My Captain….he offered me a job."

Quietly she asked, "A third tour?"

"No. They want to move me to a base over in Europe."

Diana finally looked up at him.

Sanderson continued, "I am not going to take the job unless you will come with me. I need your help. So if you don't want to move your children, I'll understand. It's not a big deal."

She listened, knowing he needed help with his children as much as she needed his help. Knowing that if they were to separate the children it would probably lead to trouble in the future.

Diana felt her son's hand curl into a small fist, she rubbed his back and asked, "What will you be doing?"

Sanderson held her gaze and she smiled, "You can't tell me?" He shook his head in response, "No. But it would mean a slightly bigger paycheck. A bigger house on base….if that is even possible. Less time in the field, but when I go it'll be off the record you could say."

Diana closed her eyes and fell back in the bed, careful not to wake the baby, she took a breath then told him, "So if you get killed you don't get brought home. You were never there. Your children just get a really big paycheck."

"Yeah," he answered. Hearing her tell him what he already knew brought it closer to heart. It also made it even more clearer why Hoot had loved her so much, how understanding she was of things his wife couldn't and wouldn't even consider, things he kept hidden from her.

Diana finally opened her eyes and looked down at him, "If you want to do it, we'll come along with you. But don't do it for the money."

With a nod he stood up, "Ok. I have to go phone in my demands."

A smile crossed her face, she looked down at her son and thought about what she would name him.