Five years later

"Go ahead, Houston," Faith said into her comms.

She was in the shuttle Discovery prepping for their departure from the International Space Station. This was her first mission since the 'Fight for Earth' almost five years ago. Unlike that one, this mission was eighteen days long and the world wasn't in danger.

"Hey, sweetheart," a familiar voice said in her ear. Of all the things she expected, that was pretty low on the list.

She smiled, like she always does when she hears his voice. "Hey, yourself."

"How you doing up there?" Will asked.

"I love it but I'm ready to go home. Cuddle with my husband. Steal all the covers. You know how it is," she joked.

"I can't wait," he said. Listening to him, he was happy but he also sounded tired.

"So, what happened that has you calling me at, what, one in the morning? You should be in bed."

"I would be, except your sister went into labor early. You have a very niece named Harriet."

A lot of people expected a baby sooner from AJ and Grace but Faith knew her sister wanted to get settled in her new position running Stamper Oil before she added a kid to the mix.

"I missed it. Gracie's gonna kill me." Faith chuckled. "How are they doin'?"

"They're good. I got to hold the baby before I left. She is definitely a Stamper, looks like you and her mama."

"That's probably a good thing that she doesn't look like A.J."

She heard him chuckle. "Probably. Too bad the baby didn't wait a few more days. They're gonna miss you getting back."

"I'll see 'em when I get back to Texas. You and the girls will be there, right?"

"We're already in Florida."

"See, I'll be fine," Faith said. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, sweetheart. I gotta go, CAPCOM is glaring at me. Remind me to thank Clarke for letting me jack the radio for a few minutes." She heard the flight director tell Will that he was welcome and to get some sleep.

"You better listen to him, Colonel."

"Yes, ma'am," her husband said. "Telling me what to do from space. Kinda hot."

She laughed. "Shut up and go to bed, William. Kiss the girls for me."

"Will do, my love. See you tomorrow."

"A little girl, huh?" Watts asked as she floated over. "Karma is biting Frost in the ass."

"You ain't never lied. I warned him," Faith said. "Hell, everybody warned him that he'd get a girl as God's way of punishing him."

"You know…" Watts started.

"Don't even."

"I'm just saying. Everyone's waiting for a baby Sharp."

Faith looked at her friend. "Will already has kids."

"You don't have kids," the pilot pointed out.

"Neither do you."

"I have a dog, I'm good and you're dodging."

"I'm not dodging. I'd just prefer to land safely before I plan out the next twenty years of my life."

Watts chuckled. "Yeah, yeah."

"Look what the cat dragged in," A.J. said as soon as he opened the door. She didn't get a chance to reply before he brother-in-law pulled her into a big hug. "Welcome home, astronaut. Hey, Willie. Clare and Ella, sup girls?"

"Hey, A.J.," her step-daughters said in unison with a giggle before they each gave him a high-five.

"So," Faith said, "where's the baby?"

He rolled his eyes and pointed behind him. "You'd think nobody liked me anymore."

"It's normal," Will said with a laugh. "You get used to it."

Faith didn't hear the rest of their conversation as she took in her sister sitting next to Denise with a tiny bundle in her arms. "Hey, sis."

Grace's face lit up. "Hey. I saw your landing on the news. I'm sorry we missed it but your niece was done waiting for you."

"That just means she's as stubborn as we are. Can I hold her?" she asked. Grace nodded before motioning to the spot next to her. "She's tiny," Faith whispered to no one in particular as soon as Harriet was settled in her arms. "Hey, little one. I'm your Aunt Faith." The little girl looked at her, like she was doing an assessment to see if Faith was worthy. Harriet must have approved because she snuggled against Faith's chest and went back to sleep. "Guess she likes me."

"What's not to like?" Will asked. She rolled her eyes, the retort on the tip of her tongue died when she looked up at her husband. She couldn't place the look he was sending her way but it was mesmerizing.

"Do you know what today is?" Will asked, his lips pressing soft kisses against her neck.

"I don't know," Faith said with a sigh. "Did something special happen? Something life changing, perhaps?"

"You honestly don't remember?"

"'Good morning, I'm Colonel Willie Sharp. In addition to flying one of the X-71 teams to that rock, my job is to train you how to deal with the mental and physical riggers of working in space so you don't freak out on the asteroid. United States astronauts train for years. You have twelve days.' Like I could ever forget the day I met that hot pilot with the blue eyes."

Will smiled. "I did not sound like that."

"Yes, you did. You were sitting on that table, looking down at all of us and I could swear you were trying to scare us. If only a little," she said.

"Well, it worked on some of you." He smirked. "Not you, obviously."

She smiled against his chest. "Course not, I'm awesome."

"You most certainly are, Missus Sharp."

Five years. Faith ran her fingers along his jaw and smiled. They got married a few months after Grace and A.J. in a far smaller –like Grace, AJ, Grandpa Hank, Clare, Ella, Will's parents and Chick were the only people there- ceremony. Neither of them cared much for the attention.

"I think it's worth celebrating," Will said.

She knew that tone. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I think we're gonna go out tonight. Then, when we get home, I'm gonna kiss, touch and lick every inch of your beautiful body."

"Who am I to argue with that?"

She threw the pillow across the room, at least, she tried to throw it that far. "Go away, A.J."

"No, can do, Faith. You need to go see a doctor," he told her.

"Don't you have a life? Like a beautiful wife and an adorable kid and company to take care of? Go worry about… any of that." Faith pulled the blanket over her head with a groan.

"You're cute." A.J. chuckled. "Do you know what your sister will do to me if I go home and leave you like this? She'll murder me."

"I'll murder you."

"You don't have the strength," he pointed out. "Look, Grace is just as worried about you as I am. She'd be here herself but she doesn't want Harriet to get sick. I'll probably have to go through decon before she lets me near her."

"A.J…"

He looked at her. "Somebody has to keep an eye on you while Willie is at Kennedy."

"He's at Canaveral, not Kennedy."

A.J. raised an eyebrow. "Same difference."

"It's not and you know it's not," she said. Kennedy was the space center and Cape Canaveral is the Air Force station.

"Doesn't matter. You can't keep water down and you look like death. If you're not gonna listen to me, I'm gonna have to call him."

"Fine. Can I at least take a shower, first?" she asked.

Much as it annoyed her, she knew that he wouldn't let it go until she did what he wanted. Faith didn't have the energy to fight, she felt like she was run over by a truck. They warned her that she could get sick after coming home, but she's been back for two months.

"Come on, I'll help ya," A.J. offered. She was gonna tell him to fuck off but she realized that she needed his help to stand.

"That sucks," she groaned.

"Well, look on the bright side, at least Rock's not here."

He had a good point. Rockhound was all over the place these days and the last thing she needed was one of the many cameras following him to follow her.

"It's cold," she mumbled. Faith heard some shifting, then she felt someone drape something over her. Something that smelled like Will.

"That better, sweetheart?" her husband asked.

"Mm hmm." It took a second but her brain eventually caught up with her. She cracked an eye open. "Where am I and when did you get here?"

"You're in the hospital. You passed out in the car on the way here. Scared the shit outta A.J. How you feel?"

She didn't really know and told him as much. She must have been out for a while if Will was here. "They know anything yet?"

"I don't know, I just got here a few minutes ago," he told her. "A.J. has been trying to get some answers before Grace shows up."

Grace was the sweetest person in the world… until something happened to one of them and then she went full mama bear and became protective as hell. They all had copies of her body slamming Truman when they were on the asteroid. Faith knew she shouldn't be but she was so proud.

"Sorry you had to leave Florida early," Faith said, taking in the bright blue NASA jumpsuit.

"Don't be. I'd rather be here with you. Besides, I was bored out of my mind."

"You should've taken that promotion."

"And give up flying? No thanks."

Faith chuckled. "You do get pretty grumpy when they do don't let you fly something."

He pressed a kiss to her temple. "It's what I do."

"Can I come in?" A.J. said from the door, Faith nodded. "Doc's coming."

"Heard I had you worried. Sorry," she said.

"You can bake me some of those snickerdoodles and we'll call it even." He smiled.

"Deal," Faith said before taking a deep breath. She felt like she was going to throw up but there was nothing left.

"I should've stayed," Will muttered.

"And you would've gotten sick too," she said, squeezing his hand.

"Not likely, Misses Sharp," the doctor said as he walked into the room. He looked at her and Will before pointing at A.J. "Friend?"

"Brother," Will said.

"Very worried brother," A.J. added. "Is she okay?"

"Have any of you ever heard of Hyperemesis Gravidarum?" the doctor asked.

Faith shook her head at the same time Will said "No."

"Most people haven't, it's rare. Excessive morning sickness. Starts between four and six weeks and subsides at twenty weeks at the latest. You've probably struggled to keep anything down, even your own saliva. The severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance. It should go away in about nine to twelve weeks. I'll give you something to help and I would suggest taking it easy until the medication does its job. In the…"

"Wait… morning sickness?" Faith asked.

The doctor looked at her. "You didn't know?" She slowly shook her head and he smiled. "About five weeks based on your blood work."

Faith looked at Will. "Babe…"

"A baby." Will smiled and rested hand on her stomach.

"So, she's okay and the only thing wrong is that she has hyperactive morning sickness?" A.J. asked. Leave it to him to sum the whole thing up.

The doctor nodded. "Yes."

Her brother let out the breath he was holding and chuckled. "I owe Watts thirty bucks."

"You bet against me, Frosty? You know better." He kissed her head as the doctor gave them the rest of her info and told her that she was being discharged.

"What I know is that Gracie is gonna lose her mind," A.J. said.

"She's never gonna let me hear the end of it."

"Awe, little blue-eyed babies," Grace said over the phone. Faith just rolled her eyes, not that her sister could see it.

"They could be hazel-eyed, you know, like me."

"Nope, blue," the younger woman said. "It's gonna be a little boy with blue eyes. And he'll look just like his dad."

"A blue-eyed boy? How you figure?" Faith asked. This was her kid too.

"One, the Sharp girls both have blue eyes but their mother has green. And because the universe can't handle anymore Stamper women, it almost has to be a boy."

"Okay, I'll give you that one. Begrudgingly."

As she expected, A.J. didn't give Faith a chance to tell Grace about her impending motherhood, beating her to the punch. Also as she expected, Grace was thrilled. Her sister's happiness about becoming an aunt didn't stop her from teasing Faith mercilessly for being second again, not Faith cared; she has two awesome stepdaughters, after all.

"How's the Colonel doing with this?" Grace asked.

Faith smiled. "He's good. Pretty sure I'm more worried than he is. But, you know, he has done this before."

"He's never done this with you," Grace laughed. "How's he doing?"

The phone was gently pulled from her hand as Will rested his other hand on her still flat, yet internally growing, stomach. "I'm the luckiest man in the known universe. First, this amazing woman marries me. Then, I find out that she's walking around carrying my child. That answer your question?" There was a pause before Will chuckled. "You know her." He paused again. "Will do, Grace." He handed the phone back and gave her a quick kiss.

"See, what I mean," Faith said to her sister.

"I think I'm sending him my dental bill. Who knew that the hard-ass Air Force Colonel could be so sweet?"

"Uh, me." She laughed. "It's why I love him, even when he annoys the hell outta me."

"Guys do that," her sister said. "Oh. I gotta go, your niece just woke up. Love you, mama."

"Love you more."

"Love you most."

"Now, I know you like to keep a low profile…"

"But?" Faith looked up from the schematics she'd been working on.

"But… you're showing and the press got wind of it. Everyone wants to talk to you," Truman said.

"How'd you get saddled with this conversation?" she asked, rolling her eyes as she did.

"HR ain't that brave," he told her. "Even if you just say that you don't have a comment, you have to say something."

"One," Faith said. Much as it pained her, she knew that people would keep asking until the cows come home. "NBC did the last one; they can do this one. I'm only speaking for myself. If Will doesn't want to do an interview, I'm not talking him into it since they're a pain in the ass. And they have to come to us."

"I think I can manage that." Truman sighed. "I already talked to Sharp."

"He said he'd do it but only if I agreed to it."

"That's exactly what he said." He smiled. "You know, I think your dad would be happy."

Apparently, while she and Will were getting close during those first weeks, so were her dad and Truman. With the weight of the world on their shoulders, the two men became really good friends. Even though Harry was gone, Truman made good on the promise that all the guys made to look after Faith and Grace.

"So, any idea of what you're having?" her boss asked.

"No clue," Faith said. "Will knows but I want to be surprised. Nursery is light yellow stars and pale orange spaceships. Since I work here too, I can't be sure if it's a hint or not."

Truman laughed. "You scared?"

"A little but everybody keeps telling me it's normal."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You're gonna be a good mom. I mean, if Frost can take care of a baby…"

"I wanna know," Faith muttered. "I know I said I didn't but I do. I wanna know."

"No, you don't," Will told her. "Besides, you'll find out soon."

"I hate you so much right now," she said with a glare before clenching her teeth.

"You couldn't hate me if you tried." He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "You are doin' great, sweetheart."

"How the hell do you know?"

Much as she loved him, Will was starting to get on her nerves with his handsome face and disarming smile and all that calmness. She knew he was trying to distract her from the doctors and nurses but she was in too much pain to be nice.

"This is your fault," she said.

"Only because I find my wife insanely irresistible. You can't be pissed at me for that," Will said with a chuckle. She took a deep breath as another contraction hit.

"I'd rather blowup another asteroid."

"You want me to hold you?" he asked. She raised an eyebrow as Will smiled and slid onto the bed behind her. Faith couldn't help herself and leaned back into his embrace. "Better?"

Faith nodded. "I don't know if I can do this, Will."

"You're the toughest person I know, sweetheart. You got this." He kissed her behind her ear and held her hands.

"Okay, pay up." Grace held out her hand as Bear, Watts, and Chick reached into pockets and wallets to hand her money.

"What was the bet?" Faith asked.

Grace smiled. "Gender with Chick, eye color with Jen and closeness to your due date with Bear. I won all three."

Will shook his head and he rocked the tiny child in his arms. "They're betting on our kid."

"You're sharing that with us, right, sis?" she asked her sister.

"Sharing, no," Grace said before handing Faith the cash. "Start a college fund."

"Yes, mother," Faith said, rolling her eyes just as there was a knock on the door. Grace opened it to allow A.J., Rockhound, Lev, Truman, Will's parents, Clare, Ella and Jess into the room. "Hey, ya'll."

"Hey," everyone said as they moved to see the baby.

"How do you feel?" Jess asked. Faith let out a sigh. "Oh, I remember that feeling."

The two women couldn't be more different but the current and former Misses Sharps became pretty good friends. It made being a stepmom easy, not having to fight with your husband's ex-wife and not having to force the kids to choose sides.

"Can I hold the baby, daddy?" Ella asked.

"Of course, you can," Will said with a nod. Everyone looked on as Will relinquished his seat to his little girl and placed her brother in her arms.

"So…" Rock said, "what's the baby's name?"

"I have no idea," Faith told them. "I didn't even know he was a boy until they put him in my arms. Will?"

"Henry William Sharp," her husband said. "Harry for short."

Rockhound let out a groan before he handed Grace and Watts a fifty each.

"You should've known better, Rock," Faith said with a laugh. "Let me guess, name?"

"They said you guys would name the kid after your dad. I said Freddy," he told her.

"Almost went with Fred but Stamper had such a good name. This little guy is named after kings and heroes," Will told the room.

Before anyone else could say anything, a nurse pushed her way in. "Alright people, let's let the new mama get some rest."

One by one everyone made their way out of the room. AJ and Grace were last. Her brother kissed her cheek. "I'll stop by tomorrow. Love you, Faithie."

"Love you too, Frosty," she smiled. "Kiss my niece for me."

He nodded as Grace gave her a hug and kissed Harry on his head. "If dad could see us now."

"I like to think he's keepin' an eye on us. Freddy, Oscar and Max too," Faith said.

"Me too." Grace smiled. "You know, you owe me…"

"Grace was right and I was wrong," she said. "I totally came back and had a cute little blue-eyed baby. You called it."

"It's nice hearing you say it. Love you."

"Love you more, sweetie." Grace kissed her head and followed AJ out of the room. For the first time, Faith, Will and baby Harry were alone. "You know… I don't regret any of it. I would do everything again, good and bad, if it meant I ended up here with you."

Will smiled and looked at their son. "Me neither. What do you think, little guy?"

Harry looked at them, he didn't make any expression but she wasn't expecting one. Faith chuckled. "He looks like you."

"I have a feeling that he'll act more like you," Will said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Simply that he'll be smart. And determined. And impossible to ignore."