Stella Grace Prentiss-Mendoza. 5lbs 11oz, 18 inches. She was a beacon of health despite her small size and early arrival, and three days after her birth we were bringing her home. Since Keely had still been recovering from strep, she didn't come visit at the hospital and was beyond excited to finally be meeting her little sister.

As Andrew pulled into our neighborhood, he looked back in the rear-view mirror to where I was sitting. "She asleep?" He asked.

"Nope. Wide awake." I replied, meeting his eyes in the mirror before looking back down at our little girl and smiling.

Seconds later we pulled into the garage. Andrew carried in my hospital bag while I carried Stella in her car seat. We'd barely made it into the living room before Keely was running towards us.

"You're home!" She whisper screamed as she tackled Andrew in a hug.

Andrew laughed. "She's awake, you don't have to whisper." He said in a normal voice. I set the car seat down then, crouching to unbuckle Stella.

Keely awed as I pulled Stella out, passing her gently into Keely's arms. "She's so much smaller in person than over FaceTime." Keely shifted Stella slightly, placing her index finger in one of Stella's hands and smiling as Stella's grasp tightened around it. "You've got a good grip Stella. That'll be really important someday when I teach you how to play tennis. Yeah, are you gonna be a tennis player just like me?"

I leaned back against Andrew who wrapped his arms around me, the both of us smiling at the interaction between Keely and Stella. Suddenly I realized that it seemed like Keely was alone at the house.

"Honey, where is Derek or Savannah?"

"Derek went to pick up lunch about 10 minutes ago. He and Hank should be back pretty soon."

"Oh, bless him. Your little sister came before I had time to stock up the pantry and fridge."

Voices from the entryway alerted us that Derek and Hank were back now. "Pizza's here." Derek called out.

"Pisa here!" Hank mimicked happily, running into the living room and stopping in his tracks when he saw the four of us. "Kee! Baby!" He pointed to Keely before looking to me. "Auntie Em, I hold baby?"

"Sure, sweetie. Come here." I beckoned him over to the couch to sit next to me, Keely taking a seat on the other side of him. We instructed him on how to hold out his arms and then Keely gently transferred Stella over. I placed a hand under Stella's head for extra support.

"Daddy, I want baby." Hank said, looking up at Derek who just laughed.

"Maybe someday, buddy."

"Ok. I all done Auntie Em." Hank said looking back at me. I took Stella from his arms and Derek recommended we eat before the pizza went cold, a suggestion we all agreed to.

####

Andrew and Keely left for the airport shortly after lunch. Andrew's sister Megan had booked an earlier flight for Thanksgiving when she heard about Stella's early arrival. Hank had fallen asleep halfway through his second slice of pizza, so Derek was waiting to go home until he woke up from his nap.

Walking back into the kitchen after nursing Stella, I found Derek cleaning up the kitchen from lunch. "I can't thank you enough for your help the past few days."

"No problem, princess. I may not be your partner anymore, but I'll always be there for you."

I smiled at that. "So, Andrew and I were talking. We'd really like it if you would be Stella's godfather."

"Me? You sure?"

"Absolutely. We haven't talked to JJ yet, but assuming she accepts the role of godmother, it'll be up to you and her to make sure our girl becomes a soccer star at Northwestern should something happen to Andrew and I."

"I'd be honored." Derek embraced me in a tight hug, interrupted by Hank's cries from upstairs. "That's my cue. We'll go ahead and head out now, but we'll see you Thursday and if you need anything before then, I'm just a phone call away."

"Thanks, Derek."

####

The first night home with Stella was amazing. Megan had offered to cook dinner and we needed some staple foods, so Andrew and Keely had stopped by the grocery store on the way home from the airport with Megan. This was only the third time I'd been around Megan, but she was a kind, helpful human being and I adored her.

When Andrew and I retired to our room for the night, we had a hard time putting Stella in her basinet. Both of us just wanted to snuggle her forever, but eventually our own desire for sleep won out. Andrew was an angel the first three times Stella woke up. He'd get up and check her diaper, change it if needed and then bring her over to the bed for a feeding. The fourth time Stella woke up it was nearing 5am. I had heard Stella stirring before she broke out into an actual cry and got up to retrieve her before Andrew woke up.

After feeding Stella, I couldn't quite bring myself to put her back down and was already awake enough that I decided to just get up. I carried Stella out of the room with me and made a cup of tea before settling on the couch with her. Not 10 minutes later I heard footsteps coming down the steps. I expected it to be Megan, figuring she'd be up earlier because of the time difference, but was surprised to see Keely come around the corner into the living room.

"Hey, sweetie. What are you doing up so early?" I asked softly. She slowly padded over to the couch, sitting next to me so that she could look over at Stella.

"Couldn't sleep." She said, taking one of Stella's onesie covered feet in her hand and rubbing the sole with her thumb.

"What's wrong? Are you still feeling sick?" I raised a hand to her forehead instinctively, feeling for a fever.

Keely smiled almost shyly at the action. "No, I feel fine. Everything is ok."

"Keely, if everything was ok you wouldn't be up at 5:10am on a Monday when you don't have school. You're also biting your lips which you only do when you're nervous or stressed."

"You know, sometimes I hate that you used to be a profiler." Keely jokes.

I smile. "It doesn't take a profiler; I've just gotten to know you pretty well the past few months."

"You have, haven't you." Keely looks at me intently and her eyes hold a sadness to them I desperately wanted to understand. She looks back at Stella before speaking again in a quiet voice. "She's lucky."

I tilt my head, unsure of the meaning behind her words. "How so?"

"To have you as a mom. You love her and you'd do anything for her."

Ahh, so this was about Keely's mother. Nodding I confirmed, "I do, and I would. But you know what else?" I waited for her to look at me, and when she didn't, I placed a finger under her chin to shift her gaze towards me. "I love you, too. And I would do anything for you as well." Keely's eyes start to water at my words. "I know I don't say it a lot, but I do love you. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your dad's fiancé. You're a bright, compassionate, witty human being and it is a pleasure to get to know you and be in your life, Keely. I know I'm not your mom, but I promise I will be there for you whenever you want me."

Tears are streaming down Keely's cheeks now and her voice is hoarse. "What if I wanted you to be my mom?"

Now that I didn't expect, and it takes me a second to form a response. "I think that I'd be honored but that we should talk to your dad."

"I did. He's supportive, but said it was a conversation I should have with you."

The knowledge that this is something Keely has been thinking about combined with my emotions are quickly turning me into a teary-eyed mess. I pull Keely into a one-armed hug and she buries her head in my neck. "Then I say, I would love to be your mom."

"What's going on out here?" Andrew's sleep-laden voice has us both looking up to see his concerned face. He comes to sit on the other side of me, one arm reaching behind me to squeeze Keely's shoulder.

"Just girl talk." Keely says, leaning back into my side. "With mom." She adds in a quiet whisper.

I look over at Andrew then, his face displaying a knowing smile that reminds me Keely said she'd spoken to him about this already. I'd be having a talk with him later, a bit vexed he gave me no heads up about the topic, but with the four of us cuddled on the couch together, I couldn't bring myself to care just then.