Maureen arrived just as Reid declared that the baby was starting to crown. "Looks like I arrived just in the nick of time," she declared cheerfully. "These second babies always seem to arrive faster than the first."
"Maureen Lufkin, Midwife," she introduced herself to Reid who had positioned himself so he could see the baby as it emerged.
"Dr. Spencer Reid," Reid replied. "Although I'm not a medical doctor, but I have had some experience, and I have delivered a baby before and – "
"Well, Dr. Reid," Maureen interrupted him. "It appears that you are going to be assisting me today. So, while I get my gown and gloves on, why don't you tell me how things stand?"
"And, Aaron," she looked over at the soon-to-be-father. "Why don't you go down to the other room, get the supplies from there, and bring them in here? If this is where you wife wants to have her baby, this is where she's going to have it."
A white-faced Hotch just nodded and hurried off to do as he had been told.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Dave, when did you get here?" After moving the necessary supplies into the master bedroom, Hotch had decided to make a quick trip down to the kitchen to check on Jack and Jacob. When he got there, he found Rossi sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch with the boys.
"A little while ago," the Italian smiled. "I understood that you and Reid are rather busy upstairs so I decided to make myself useful down here. Would you like some lunch? There's plenty. And, how are things going up there?"
"I let him in, Dad," Jack spoke up. "I know I'm not supposed to let strangers into the house, but Uncle Dave isn't a stranger."
"That's just fine, Son," Hotch replied. "You did the right thing. And, now that I'm sure everything is under control down here, I need to get back upstairs. The baby is going to be here any minute now."
"Dad – About Aunt Jessica - ," Jack began.
"Aunt Jessica is going to have to wait," Hotch interrupted. "This is a little bit more urgent. I'll deal with her later." As he hurried from the kitchen, he could hear Rossi murmur, "Go get 'em Tiger!"
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Rossi and the boys had finished eating lunch and were busy cleaning up the kitchen when Hotch reappeared.
"Hey Guys, do you and Dave want to come upstairs?" he asked. "I have someone I want you to meet."
"The baby's here?" Jacob asked curiously. "Can I see it?"
"Of course," Hotch replied with a huge grin. "Now, if everyone will come upstairs with me – Quietly, please?"
As everyone tiptoed up the stairs, Rossi looked at Hotch. "How is she?" he asked, concerned.
"Tired," Hotch replied thoughtfully. "But, other than that, she's just fine. She did, however, throw a bit of a fit about where she was going to have the baby. She ended up giving birth in our bed." He sighed.
"I knew that the Lynn I met on the island would come back eventually," Rossi grinned. "And it sounds like she has finally arrived."
"Shh – h – h," Reid was standing outside the bedroom door as the boys trooped down the hallway. "The baby is sleeping and we don't want to wake her up."
"HER?" Rossi looked at Hotch, who grinned back at him.
"Yes, Her," Hotch confirmed proudly as everyone walked into the bedroom to see Lynn sitting up in bed holding the sleeping baby. "Boys, and Dave, I would like you to meet your new sister and niece."
"She's so tiny!" Jack exclaimed. He was standing just inside the bedroom door, uncertain of what to do.
"You were that size once yourself," Hotch told him with a smile.
"Are you alright?" Jacob asked his mother as he started to climb onto the foot of the bed. "You don't look alright."
"I am a little tired," Lynn admitted as she cuddled the baby girl. But, I'll be okay in a little while."
"Maybe you had better not climb on the bed right now," Hotch suggested, pulling Jacob back onto the floor. "Why don't you go around to the side? You can see the baby better from there."
"You, too, Jack," he added as he noticed his son standing and staring. "She's your sister, too."
"What do you think?" Lynn asked when the two boys and Rossi had moved closer.
"I think she's beautiful," Rossi replied. "Just like her mother."
"Is she always going to be this small?" Jacob worried.
"A newborn baby grows approximately 1/2 to 1 inch a month, and gains 5 to 7 ounces a week for the first six months," Reid began. "That means they should double their birth weight by about age 5 months. After that – "
"Thank you Dr. Reid," Maureen's voice interrupted him as she walked into the room from the hallway.
"And you can be sure I will be checking up on that when I come back for the post-natal visits," she assured Hotch as she joined the group standing around the bed. He noticed that she had changed back into her street clothes and appeared to be ready to leave.
"And, now, for a name?" Rossi prompted.
"Well," Lynn looked over at Hotch. "Aaron told me that people sometimes name their children after flowers and I have always liked lilies. So, her first name is Lilly."
"And her second name?" Reid asked.
"My mother always said that she thought her name before coming to the island was Ann," Lynn continued. "So, her second name is Ann – After my mother."
"Lilly Ann Hutchens Hotchner," Hotch announced proudly.
"It has a nice ring to it," Rossi agreed. "Boys?"
"Can I touch her?" Jacob asked hesitantly.
"Do you want to hold her?" Lynn offered. "Why don't you go sit down in the rocking chair and Aaron can hand her to you to hold."
"Okay," an excited Jacob ran over to the chair and plopped down into it.
"Here you go," Hotch took the baby from Lynn and carried it over to Jacob. "Gently now," he warned as he laid the sleeping baby in his cradled arms.
He looked over at Jack. "Do you want a turn, too?" he asked his son.
Jack looked troubled and Hotch thought he could detect the beginnings of tears in his eyes.
"Jack, is something wrong?" he asked. "If there is, you can tell me. You do know that, don't you?"
"It's Aunt Jessica," Jack blurted out. "She said that I should hope the baby was a girl because that would mean that I was still your only son. And, she also said that I shouldn't be nice to the baby or show any interest in it or anything because that would only encourage you to use me as a free babysitter. And then she said - "
"Enough!" Hotch stopped him. "Jack, you are and always will be my first born – Nothing is ever going to change that. And, I remember what it is like to have a little brother so I am not about to make the same mistakes my parents made in that respect. Finally, I am going to have a talk with your Aunt Jessica and let her know that if she doesn't stop talking like that then I am going to insist that you move in with us permanently."
"Now," Hotch's voice softened, "Do you want a turn holding your new sister?"