A/N: Two little snippets about Emily Irene Banks after the last three sad Katie and Ned chapters I wrote for Like You Do :) Thought it would be fitting to be it in the OG story with all of the characters included. Enjoy xx Mariah

Delia - 64
Jim - 64
Melinda - 60
Ned - 38
Katie - 35
Aaron - 31
Michele - 30
Scott - 30
Mackenzie - 25
Lana - 17
Emma - 14
Asher - 10
Willow - 6
Leo - 7
Damon - 2


Katie examined her daughter's tiny body for what seems like hours, counting fingers and toes, feeling her dark curls, memorizing the way her skin felt at this very moment.

It was just the two of them after her mother had left to go tell the family in the waiting room, and Ned would go meet them when they were ready for visitors. They had yet to name her yet, still in awe of the fact that she was real. That their daughter was real and here, and squirming on Katie's chest.

The tiny baby sighed contentedly and she smiled into blue eyes that were exactly like her father's.

Tears trailed freely down their cheeks as they took turns holding her tiny body against their chests. "I don't think I've ever been this happy in a long time," she admitted, looking over at him with a smile.

Ned sat beside her on the hospital bed, tucked as close to her as he could as they gazed at their child. "Even after twenty-eight hours of natural labor?" He asked, even though he was only joking. They both knew how much it meant to hold a baby in their arms again.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice tight with emotion. "It might be the last time."

"I know," he whispered against her cheek as he kissed it, "but you know what I don't know? What we should name her."

That was a good enough distraction to avoid further sadness and continue on with their happy, good news of the day. After she pondered on this for a moment she looked up at him. "Okay... I have a suggestion."

"What?" He asked, smiling at her even wider.

"I want to name her something strong after everything we had to go through to have her. We had to stay strong throughout that, and my favorite poet is Emily Dickenson, who embodies that very much so," she explained softly. "And my mom's middle name is Irene. She is the strongest person I know, and I think it would go well together. Unless you have anything particular in mind."

"No. It's perfect. Emily Irene," he said with a smile on his lips before gazing down at their girl. "Your mom is so gonna cry when you tell her."

"I know," she laughed, looking down at their daughter too. "Just like your mom did when they put her name in with Lana's. But it makes me feel happy that she has a part of my mother in her name… she means so much to me and so does our baby..." Her face heated up as the last word left her lips.

They had finally had their third child.

Happiness seemed like an absurd emotion after the long journey they've had, and after all the tragedies they've suffered together. She looked up to Ned and suddenly was aware of being kissed.

Before she could return the favor, he pulled back, suppressing a wide smile as he cupped her face in his hands, and his voice cracked as he said, "She's perfect, Katie. I love you," then he leaned down and gently kissed the brown curls on top of their daughter's head. "I love you too, Emily. So much."


After texting Jim to bring the first crew of selected people up, Ned waited outside Katie's hospital room for everyone to arrive.

"DADDY!" Willow said as soon as she came running around the corner.

Ned turned around to see both Willow and Asher barreling towards him, each of them with arms full of stuff. Emma and Lana followed closely behind, each of them carrying a balloon and stuffed animal, with Melinda, Jim, Delia, Mackenzie, and Scott right after.

"Hey, guys," he smiled, bending down to catch his speeding kids. "I missed you both so much these past two days. How's nana and papa's been?"

"So much fun!" Willow squealed, squeezing him tightly. "But I miss mommy... is she feeling better now?"

He nodded, pressing a kiss to his daughter's cheek as he stood and glanced over his large family. "Yes, sweetheart. Don't worry." He said as he looked to Asher, who knew better than to go off that. "Your mom is just fine."

"She had the baby, right?" Asher asked.

"You wouldn't be here if your mom didn't." He said, "Trust me, you wouldn't want to hear that."

"I know. I remember. So how's mom?" Asher asked again.

"Yeah, Nana said she had the baby!" Willow gasped with her eyebrows raised. "So she said we could only get some stuff. Was it a boy or a girl?"

Ned chuckled as he looked up at his mother and in-laws who had caught up to the kids and Katie's sisters. He couldn't believe Scott had even stayed this long. He and Mack must've called a babysitter to watch Freya. Aaron had left a little bit earlier to check on his wife and two boys but would be stopping by later.

"Hey, it's nice to see you too." He said, hugging them both.

"They have been chomping at the bit from the moment Melinda came back and could tell them a little bit more information," Jim laughed as he ruffled Asher's hair.

"Well, let's do something about that. But I need you guys to be quiet, okay? The baby might still be asleep and your mommy is tired..." Both kids listened to him as Ned leased them towards the door. "And maybe give us just a couple of minutes?" He opened the door slightly and popped his head in the room, smiling at Katie. "You ready, babe?"

Katie nodded as she held the baby up to her shoulder to burp. "Oh, yeah. Bring it on." She winked at him, their classic line every time they brought their crazy, big family in when they were ever in the hospital.

Their kids who never stayed quiet, instantly did so as they walked in the room, following behind their father as he brought them over to the sink and they washed their hands. Then Ned led them over to the side of the bed they had specifically set up so people could walk up, and sat down on the open mattress beside her as he watched each of his children lay eyes on their little sister for the first time.

"Hi, Mommy," Asher whispered, suddenly sounding much younger than he was. He had pieced things together when he saw the pink cap on the baby's head. "So a girl?"

"Hi, Mommy," Willow repeated and followed his lead, but her childish excitement got the best of her. "A little sister?"

"There are my two favorite people!" Katie said excitedly but in a soft tone as she waved them to come closer. "I missed you both so much." Both of them smiled as the baby cooed in her arms. "And yes, a little sister," she smiled and situated her arms better for them to see the baby's face from where they stood

Ned and Katie both looked at each other, smiling and basking in the moment together. Their other babies were meeting their new baby, and finally, they were together as a family for the first time.

Asher had taken to Willow and did the same with Emily, reaching out to touch her hand that had wiggled free from her blankets. He was already a big brother and this was fairly easy to him, but Willow was shy. She had always been the younger sibling until today, and only met babies through her cousins.

"C'mon, you two can come up," he said and patted a spot on the bed next to where she sat. "Your mom isn't going to break and neither is your sister."

Katie nodded and turned the baby slightly so they could get a better look at her. "It's about time you meet her," she whispered as Asher crawled up and sat next to her, and Willow ran over to climb up on Ned's lap. "Isn't she pretty?"

"She's very little," Asher said, looking at her. "Smaller than Willow was."

"She is. She was the smallest compared to both of you," she said, glancing at both of her kids. "You were quite a big baby, Ash." Her son's cheeks tinged pink at that and he snuggled close to her. A mommy's boy at heart.

"She looks like you, Mommy!" Willow squealed softly, clapping even softer. "That means she'll look like me too, right?"

"You think so?" She giggled, smiling with her little girl in Ned's lap. "I think she looks a lot like you and your brother both did when you two were this small."

"What's her name?" Asher asked as the door began to open. "Have you decided yet?"

"Ready for more visitors?" Melinda asked, peeking her head in the room.

"Just in time to for the best part," Katie exclaimed. "We were just going to tell the kids the name we picked out for the baby."

The door opened wider and Jim, Melinda, Delia, Mackenzie, Lana, Emma, and Scott made their way into the room.

"That always was my favorite part," her father Jim had said, smiling as he bought in a large bouquet of flowers and came over to press a kiss to his oldest daughter's cheek. "Hi, Katiebug. I hope you're feeling good."

"I am feeling great considering, but I won't ever take it for granted. Thanks, dad," she smiled at him and then turned to Ned. "Do you want to tell everyone?"

"Sure. Katie and I decided to name her Emily Irene," he said happily, looking at the crowd of people.

Her mother came over and hugged her the best she could, "Katie, that's beautiful," Melinda's voice was full of emotion and when looking down at her grandchild tears filled her eyes. "It means everything. Thank you."

"Oh, great. Katie really is the favorite daughter now," Mackenzie sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "I guess I can give up on ever winning that title."

"Don't worry, babe. You'll always be my favorite," Scott chuckled and pressed a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead.