She was home alone, as she usually was these days. With her due day rapidly approaching her husband forced her to take an early maternity leave. She told him she could still do her desk job, that didn't require too much, but he insisted saying it was better for all of them if she stayed home and relaxed. Most days she wouldn't admit he was right, but today she was glad she could be lying on the couch and not sitting in an office chair. The Braxton Hicks contractions wouldn't stop making her feel uncomfortable and in a constant state of pain.

She heard the beep of her text tone and assumed it was her husband checking up on her, like he always did, but was surprised to see that it was her sister-in-law. She sent a quick reply back explaining about how she was feeling today and complaining about the pain. She was even more surprised when her phone started ringing only a few minutes after the text was sent.

"Hello." She spoke into the phone.

"How long have you been having contractions for?" Her sister-in-law asked without a greeting.

"Um..." She thought back, "since I woke up."

"Have you been timing them?"

"No why would I do that?"

"Because Sarah I think you're in labor."

She sat up just as another contraction hit her, "but they're just Braxton Hicks." She explained once the pain subsided.

"Braxton hicks wouldn't be going on for this long and I'm sure if you think back you'll notice a time pattern between them."

Now that she thought about it, the pain was coming timely increments.

"But I can't be in labor, my due date isn't for another week! My water didn't even break yet!" She cried.

"Those are just an estimate a week is totally fine. And a lot of women's waters don't break."

"But I'm not ready, we're not ready for her to come yet!"

"Yes you are! Now listen carefully Sarah I'm going to hang up soon and I need you to call Chuck and tell him to come home."

"Hang up? Why are you hanging up?"

"Because I just booked the first flight out to Burbank and I need to get to the airport."

"Ellie you don't need to fly out here today."

"Yes I do Sarah, there is no way I am missing my baby brother become a father for the first time and I want to be there for you as well."

"Thank you."

"Of course, it's what sisters do. Now what are you going to do when I hang up?"

"Call Chuck."

"Good, I'll see you very soon. And Sarah, remember to breath."

"Breath, got it."

And with that she hung up the phone. Listening to her sister-in-law's words, she took a it breath before calling her husband.

"Hey Sarah, what's up?" He asked sounding like his usual happy self.

"Ellie thinks I'm in labor." She explained.

"What?"

"I don't know I've been in pain all day and I thought it was just Braxton Hicks, but they're been pretty consistent and not random so I think your sister is right."

"But your due date isn't for another week."

"I know, but Ellie said that's fine too."

"Alright Sarah I'll be home soon. I love you."

"I love you too and please hurry."

She hung up her cell phone and started pacing around the room. She couldn't believe this was happening. Yes she knew it was going to happen, but she didn't expect to go into labor early. Another contraction hit her, more painful than before. She breathed through it just like she was taught to and wished more than anything her husband was there. Once it was over she knew she had to come up with a plan of action. Pacing around the apartment was only going to make things worse.

Her bag, she hadn't packed her hospital bag yet! That was the perfect thing to do while she waited. She waddled into the bedroom and pulled out her over night duffle bag, which had been empty for years. At one point spy clothes, guns, and knives filled this bag and now she was going to place tiny baby clothes in, she had come far.

She didn't know what to pack though, which was weird because she uses to always know what to throw in. She knew she needed a pair of clothes for when she left, and something loose fitting. She reached into the closet and pulled out the first shirt and leggings she grabbed. Next pajamas, not that she was sure about that but it was better to be safe. The problem here was she didn't have any good post baby ones. She had started wearing only her underwear to bed as soon as she got too big for her little nightgowns and too hot for real clothes. Her husbands clothes would have to do for now, she knew he wouldn't mind. So in went a t-shirt and boxer shorts followed by her robe and a pair of slippers.

Finally she took the bag into the nursery. She stood in the doorway and looked around, next time she stepped foot in here she would have a baby in her arms and not in her stomach. She shook her head and made herself focus, she had to finish packing this bag. She walked to her daughters dresser and pulled out the outfit they had picked to bring their daughter home in. She was folding it up when she heard the front door slam.

"Sarah!" Her husband called out.

"In the nursery." She shouted back.

"Hey, I got here as fast as I could. How are you?"

"Not too bad, I just finished packing the bag." She held it up to show him, but was hit by another contraction.

In an instant he was by her side and coaching her through the pain.

"Wow this...this is really happening. You're really in labor."

"Looks that way."

"Come on we need to get you to the hospital."

"Wait, I didn't pack anything for you."

"Don't worry about me, I'll have someone swing by later. Let's focus on you and getting little Elle into the world safely."

"Chuck we're going to have a baby." She gasped the realization finally hitting her.

"Yes we are, now let's go before you give birth right here."

"I'm sure the intersect has something about birth." She joked as they got into the car.

"It probably does, that doesn't mean I want to test it out."

"I haven't told anyone I'm in labor." She gasped as they drove off towards the hospital.

"To be fair you haven't known for very long. And Sarah don't worry we'll call and text everyone as soon as we get you checked into a room. I don't think she is going to come out that quickly."

She nodded her head and took a big breath in leaving back against the head rest.

"Another contraction?" He asked risking to glance over at her.

"No just nerves. I've put my life on the lines and have been tortured more time than I can count, but the thought of having to push a baby out of me is terrifying."

He put his hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze, "it's going to be okay Sarah, actually more than okay because I'll be with you the entire time and when it's all over you'll get to meet our daughter."

She gave him a smile and grabbed onto his hand for extra comfort.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot not long after and checked in at the front desk. True to his word as soon as she was being settled into a room he started to call everyone who needed to know about the delivery.

"Do you know who you want in the room with us?" He asked trying to keep her clam after another contraction hit her.

"My mom and Ellie." She answered after a few deep breaths.

"Ellie?"

"Sorry I forgot to tell you, but Ellie is on her way right now."

"All the way from Chicago? Why?"

"Because she wanted to be here for us and our daughter. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"No it's fine, we were a little distracted about getting you here. I guess I didn't need to leave that message about you being in labor huh?"

"Oh Gd here comes another one." She cried out and clutched her husbands hand.

"Breath Sarah, all the way in and then out." He tried to coach her.

"This is worse than being tortured." She groaned once it was over.

"At least this is a happy reason to be in pain." He offered, but she only shot him daggers. "never mind."

He sat down on the chair beside her bed, never letting go of her hand. All that was really left now was to wait until she was fully dilated and for the actual birth to happen. The doctor had told them in could be awhile and suggested to rest up as best as they could before it was time for the main event.

Both their heads perked up when they heard a knock on the door.

"Hello."

"Mom you made it." She sighed and held out her arms for a hug.

"Of course I did, I wasn't going to miss the birth of my first granddaughter." She explained and eagerly gave her daughter a hug and kiss.

"Where's Molly?"

"In the waiting room with Morgan, Alex, and Mary. They send their love and wanted me to tell you that Casey is on his way."

"Casey is coming?" He said mildly surprised.

His mother-in-law nodded her head, "that's what they told me."

The couple shared a smile. It had been a while since they had seen their old partner and it was good to know that he was going to be here for their daughter's birth.

The nurses came in and out of the hospital room checking on her progress, but things really began to move when they broke her water. The contractions came more often and were a lot more painful. Her husband never left her side and held her hand through every painful contraction, and even after they were finished he didn't let go.

"Did I miss it?" his sister asked barging into the room.

"No, you've only missed hours of very very painful contractions." she explained a huge smile on her face at the sight of her sister-in-law.

"Ellie you made it!" he got up from his spot to gave his sister a proper hug. "Where's your baby?"

"Mom has him." she walked over to her sister-in-law and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling Sarah?"

"Like I'm ready to get this baby out of me." she groaned as another contraction hit her.

Her husband was by her side in a second taking his spot again to help her get through the pain.

"It might not be too much longer." a nurse said walking into the room.

She did another check on the soon to be mother, "Dilated to 10, I think it's time for me to bring the doctor in."

"Looks like I came at just the right time!" his sister commented. "I'm going to head out..."

"Don't go Ellie, please stay I want you here." She begged.

"You do?"

"Yes we really do."

"Thank you!"

The doctor and nurse came in and got everyone and everything into position. Her husband and his sister each stood by her side holding her legs in place and her mother was at her head.

"Are you ready?" he whispered into her ear.

"No, but there is no turning back now."

"No there isn't, but just think after this out daughter will be here."

"I love you Chuck."

"I love you too and I have never been more proud of you." He gave her one final kiss before the doctor told her to push.

"I see the head." the doctor said. "I see a lot of hair."

He snuck a look down to see a head crowing, and true to the doctor's words filled with blonde hair.

"You're doing great Sarah." he said looking back at his wife.

A few more pushes later the doctor was telling them both to look down as their daughter entered the world.

"You did it!" he gasped, tears forming in his eyes. "We have a daughter."

The nurse wrapped their baby up in a towel and placed her on her mother's chest, continuing to clean her off. A cry pierced the room.

"Oh my gosh Chuck." she cried never taking her eyes off the new life that laid on her chest.

"Sarah you are amazing!"

She finally broke away from their daughter to look up at her husband. He gave her a kiss on the lips before they both turned back to look at the baby. Once he deemed her clean enough he kissed his daughter for the first time.

"Thank you guys fore being here." he said looking at his sister and mother-in-law.

"Thank you for letting us be here." his sister replied. "She's so beautiful."

She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes before walking over to her brother to give him a proper hug.

"I'm going to go tell everyone, okay?"

The new parents nodded their heads in agreement.

"Let me come with you." the new grandmother added. She gave her daughter a kiss on the head, "Congratulations Sarah, she's perfect."

The pair walked out of the room leaving the parents alone with the doctor and nurse as they continued to take care of mom and baby. Once the baby was fully cleaned, weighed, and measured he got the chance to hold his daughter for the first time.

"Sarah she's incredible." he cooed and sat down on the bed next to her. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked, her hand resting on their baby.

"For her. For trusting me back on the beach and not giving up on us. I love you two so much."

"We love you too." she leaned up to give him a proper kiss.

They broke away when they heard a knock on the door and saw his sister pop her head in.

"How are you guys doing in here?" she asked walking all the way in.

"We're great." he sighed and looked down at the baby in his arms once more.

"Everyone is getting antsy out there, are you up for some visitors?"

"Bring them in." she laughed speaking for the whole family.

Her sister-in-law smiled and walked out of the hospital room to go tell their extended family it was time to meet the newest member. The large group came in soon after and immediately started cooing over the new baby. They passed her around giving everyone a chance to hold her.

"Do you guys have a name picked out?" his best friend asked after passing the baby back to her dad.

"We do. Sarah would you like to do the honors?"

"Sure. I would like you all to meet Eloise Jane Bartowski."