The following day, Gretchen's parents had called and asked to do a lunch with the younger couple; as they Will had been unexpectedly called out of town, which made them unable to keep the following weeks appointment. Ferb and Gretchen sat on the couch in the Wiess living room.

"Mom, Dad..." Gretchen began worried, she looked to Ferb for reassurance, "We... I..."

"You're expecting," Will cut in gently.

Ferb's eyes went wide.

"We were waiting for you to say something, we knew you would eventually," Trudy explained.

"I heard a rumor a few months ago at work. It was quashed fairly quickly," Will said.

Ferb took a deep breath, "One shouldn't believe everything they hear."

"I learned that lesson a few years ago," Will said knowingly.

"What rumor? Ferb, did you know anything about this?" Gretchen asked.

"Yes," Ferb replied then added quickly, "I didn't want you stressing over it. It was no big deal."

"What was the rumor?" Gretchen inquired.

Ferb was hesitant, "Well..."

"Yes?" Gretchen prodded.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Will interjected.

"Tell me," Gretchen demanded.

"You're working yourself up over nothing. There's no truth to it," Trudy attempted to sooth her, quickly growing upset, daughter.

"You know too? How is it I don't know, and it's apparently about me?" Gretchen's tone became increasingly upset.

"Actually it was about me," Ferb said gently, taking her hands in his.

Gretchen's lip quivered.

"Please don't cry," Ferb pleaded.

"Ferb, we promised each other 'no secrets,'" Gretchen reminded him.

"It was a stupid notion to begin with," Ferb said.

Gretchen started tearing, "Ferb."

"Two of my co-workers thought I was cheating on you," Ferb said.

"You wouldn't," Gretchen remarked.

"It was the day after you told me you were pregnant," Ferb admitted.

"You wouldn't though... would you?" Gretchen asked.

Ferb took her left hand in his, "I married you," he then kissed her hand, "I love you, Gretchen."

"Gretchen, dear, you've got a loving husband. How many of your friends can say the same?" Trudy asked of her daughter.

"Almost none of our friends are married. Adyson got a divorce and Milly's separated," Gretchen replied.

"You two have had your ups and downs, that's to be expected," Will remarked.

"I guess so," Gretchen mumbled.

"Last I checked, most couples your age haven't had to deal with half the stuff you two have been through. I know your mother and I didn't," Will pointed out.

"Didn't you have Greg by the time you were our age?" Gretchen inquired.

"Yes. But we didn't have as many trials," Trudy replied.

"They can make you a stronger person or they can break you. It seems to me that the trials you two have gone through have made you both stronger people," Will added.

"You were free to pursue other men. You chose to stay with me," Ferb directed at Gretchen.

"You needed me," was her simple reply.

Ferb shook his head, "I would have managed."

"Gretchen, it was obvious that you loved Ferb no matter what," Trudy said.

"I knew Ferb was a fine young man when he decided to re-build his relationship with me," Will remarked.

Gretchen looked between her parents, then to Ferb, "I've always needed you. You understood, and made me see clearly."

"You two complement each other. It's unfortunate that Ferb has residual side effects, but that hasn't stopped either of you from pursuing your dreams. You're obviously making one of your dreams come true. I must say that I'm glad you waited, instead of coming home from school to make the announcement that you're going to be a mother," Will stated.

Gretchen flushed a bright red, "Dad!"

"Well that's kind of what I was half expecting you to say when you two got off that plane," Will admitted.

"Surprised you with a completely different thing didn't we?" Gretchen asked.

"Yes, yes you did," Will answered.

"Your father and I were hesitant to let you marry so young, but you were determined," Trudy commented

Will looked at Ferb, "You even said you were willing to wait until I gave my blessing."

Ferb nodded, "That I did, Sir."

"I wasn't sure what you meant when you said 'Gretchen's chances of becoming pregnant will increase as things get better,'" Will said.

"I'd rather not go into detail," Ferb replied.

"Ferb, you have to feel this," Gretchen said suddenly, as she placed his hand on her abdomen.

"What am I-" Ferb started but stopped as he felt a kick.

Gretchen smiled at him, "Isn't that amazing?"

Ferb smiled softly as the child kicked again, "Yeah, it is."

"Is the baby kicking?" Trudy inquired.

"Yes," Gretchen replied, unable to hide a contented smile.

"It's a wonderful feeling isn't it?" Trudy asked, knowing from her own experience.

"Yes," her daughter replied softly.

Will turned to Ferb, "Now you've done it."

Ferb's eyebrows shot up, his father-in-law's tone sounded like he was vexed.

"You've made my daughter happy," Will continued, as he gave the green hair man a warm smile.

The following week the young couple went in for the ultrasound, to hopefully find out what their child's gender was, as Gretchen wasn't exactly fond of surprises. Ferb was waiting for Gretchen just outside the doors.

"You ready?" Ferb inquired.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Gretchen returned.

The appointment went as scheduled, and then the couple was informed that Dr. Manson wanted to see them. Upon entering the Doctor's office, Dr. Manson looked up and smiled at the pair of them.

"Is something wrong Er- Dr. Manson?" Gretchen inquired.

"Nothing's wrong. Let's see, you've just come to the end of your second trimester?" Dr. Manson said as he looked over the charts.

"Six months today….Why?" Gretchen returned.

"I'm going to put a note in for you to be put on Day Shift for the remainder," Dr. Manson said.

Ferb glanced at Gretchen, "That'll make things easier."

Gretchen gave a nod then looked at the Doctor, "The tech didn't say anything. Do you know what it is?"

Dr. Manson smiled at her, "Of course.. You're having a boy."

That evening, when the couple arrived home to start dinner, they had started bantering names back and forth. Several names like Clarence and Donald were thrown out almost immediately.

"What do you think of Carter?" Gretchen asked.

Ferb raised an eyebrow in reply.

"Do you have a suggestion?" She shot at him.

"Wilhelm?" Ferb suggested teasingly, using her father's full name.

"That's not even funny Ferb," Gretchen snapped.

"I don't think we should have an overly unique name," Ferb said seriously.

"Why not?" Gretchen asked.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to go through life with the name 'Ferb'?" Ferb responded.(1)

"You never had a problem," Gretchen pointed out.

"I'd never inflict that on a child," Ferb replied.

They bantered names back and forth for hours. As they got ready for bed, they were running out of name options. They had gone through the list they had previously come up with, Jace and Kale being rejected names alongside Willard, Wilstan, James, Francis, Archibald and Atticus.

"How about something that reflects your British background?" Gretchen suggested, as she pulled on her flannel pajama bottoms.

"Or your German one?" Ferb shot back gently, as he pulled on his night shirt.

"How about both? Whichever the first name doesn't reflect the middle name will," Gretchen said, coming up with a fair solution.

"Sounds good," Ferb said with a nod.

Gretchen gave a low hum.

"What do you think of Alexander?" Ferb suggested.

"It's a good name," Gretchen replied, as she buttoned up her flannel pajama top.

"It's not the most common name anymore," Ferb said, adding appeal to the name suggestion.

"It's Greek in origin," Gretchen replied.

Ferb nodded, "Alexander is prominent in England and Germany as a given name."

Gretchen placed her hand on her abdomen, and a smile crept across her face, "Alexander Fletcher. Has a nice ring to it."

Ferb slipped behind her, "Yes, yes it does."

Gretchen laughed lightly.

Ferb wrapped his arms around her, his hands resting on her abdomen.

"Judging by the way he's moving, I think he likes his name," Gretchen noted.

Ferb kissed her neck, "I think so too."

Gretchen froze briefly, "Ferb, what are you doing?"

Ferb smiled into her neck, "I'm hugging my wife."

"You flirt, you know what I'm talking about," Gretchen remarked.

Ferb kissed behind her ear, "Oh, really?"

Gretchen turned red, "You are really-"

Ferb kissed behind the other ear, effectively cutting her off, "Really what?"

Gretchen turned around and looked up at him, "Now you're just teasing."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Ferb replied nonchalantly.

"Ferb, are you sure?" Gretchen inquired.

Ferb looked lovingly at her, and traced her lips with his finger, before kissing her.

Gretchen melted into him, then said weak and breathy, "If you insist."

Ferb gave her a slight smirk.

The two retreated to their room for the rest of the night.

The next day, work went as usual for the pair. Gretchen worked the Day shift for next short while. Gretchen entered her final trimester without any alarm, another ultrasound showed the unborn Alexander to be small but healthy. The pair had bought light pastel blue and green paint and proceeded to paint the room that was to be the baby's, albeit a very splotchy paint job. In some places it took the wall three days to dry.

One morning, the following month, Ferb got ready for his work day. Gretchen had the day off, and thus had arranged to meet up with her friends at their weekly get together.

"I wish you didn't have to go to work today," Gretchen remarked from her position on the bed.

"I know love, so do I. What are your plans for you day off?" Ferb inquired.

"I'll call Adyson and see what time our old troop is meeting up," Gretchen replied.

"You can't have," Ferb started.

"I know, I was just going to have water," Gretchen cut him off quickly.

"Remember to take your vitamins, and your iron," Ferb started again.

"You're starting to sound like my mother. And you should take your morning meds," Gretchen cut in quickly.

"I always do," Ferb replied before he kissed her.

"If you do that again, I'm not letting you leave," Gretchen warned.

Ferb got out of bed, kissed her and got dressed.

"Ferb Fletcher, you're- Unn," Gretchen began then groaned.

Ferb whirled around, "Is something wrong?"

"The baby moved. I'm just a bit uncomfortable," Gretchen responded, silently hoping that their son would move to a more comfortable position.

"Should I-" Ferb began the third time that morning.

"He'll move in a moment and it'll be fine," Gretchen assured him.

"If you're still uncomfortable by the time I leave, I will take you to the doctor," Ferb said seriously.

"Ferb, he's moving around. I'm going to be uncomfortable at times," Gretchen replied.

"Still I want to make sure my wife and son-to-be, are okay," Ferb returned.

Gretchen tossed the covers off herself and got out of bed, "Look at me Ferb. I'm seven months pregnant and no one can tell."

Ferb raised an eyebrow.

"Because he's not protruding out, he's taking up a lot of space inside. Look at me, there's not a lot of me to begin with," she continued, sounding frustrated and irritated.

"Calm down love," Ferb said trying to get her to settle down.

Gretchen screamed.

Ferb became worried, "Is something wrong love?"

Gretchen started crying.

Ferb hugged her tight, "Gretchen, love," he kissed the top of her head, "Is something wrong?"
he asked as he rubbed her back.

"I'm pregnant and uncomfortable," Gretchen replied, as she calmed down.

Ferb hugged her tighter and placed his hand on her abdomen, "I'm sorry, if you need anything just call."

Gretchen nodded and Ferb gave her a light kiss before picking up his car keys and heading out.

1- Yeah, Ferb's 'full name' is unknown and will probably never be revealed, plus we're sticking with Ferb as his given name. So therefore It's just Ferb Fletcher rather than it being short for something. On a different note, can anyone spot a reference to a book character?