hey guys. i am so very sorry that it has taken me for like ever to update this. just been really busy lately...promise you i have good reasons, wouldn't leave u guys hanging if i didn't. i made this one a little longer as well since you were all so patient, thanks! hopefully too many people haven't forgotten about my story. anyway, i hope you like it. enjoy!

(Maureen's POV)

I went running after Joanne. Mark is going to be a dad, wow. That's somewhat unbelievable…not to mention scary. One of us were having a baby, it is really hard to believe. Roger and Mimi used to talk about it, but for obvious reasons never did…I miss them so much. But Mark, I always knew he couldn't wait to be father, even though he never talked about it much, you could always see it in his eyes when Roger and Mimi talked about it or he saw some dad playing ball with his son…or daughter…in the park. I'm so happy for him and Cara; they deserve this more than anyone else I know.

The entire ride to the hospital in the cab I must have had the cheesiest grin on my face because Joanne kept looking at me and laughing. But I just couldn't help it; for once in quite a long time something good was happening, I was going to be the coolest aunt ever…cool Aunt Maureen. What a lucky kid!

As Joanne and I walked into the hospital, Joanne of course was being her usual calm, cool, and collected self finding out where we needed to be and Cara's status at the moment. Myself on the other hand couldn't contain my excitement; constantly pacing, still that cheesy grin on my face, I was ready to burst.

"Maureen, let's go. This way," Joanne hollered at me from the elevator door she was holding open for me. I rushed inside the elevator, anticipation building inside of me. "Maureen," Joanne laughed, "calm down. It still may be a while before Cara gives birth. Chill out."

"Joanne I can't help it, aren't you excited about this? Mark is going to be a dad! There is going to be this little thing joining our family, we are going to be aunts." My cheesy grin turned into this huge smile, my eyes lighting up even more; Joanne's face on the other hand dropped, her eyes starring at the ground. "Joanne," I reached over lifting her face so that she looked into my eyes, "you are still part of this family." I knew Joanne and I knew some part of her felt she didn't have much of a right to consider herself this baby's aunt or even part of this family any longer, but she'll always be our family even if she doesn't come back to me. "We all love you Joanne."

"Thank you," she quietly responded, pulling me into her tight embrace. The elevator door dinged and opened onto the maternity ward.

"Come on," the cheesy grin on both of our faces now.

We walked down the hall hearing all these poor women screaming in pain and a dozen of worried and happy faces racing up and down the hallways. On our way to Cara's room we walked pass the nursery, tons of people crowding around the glass windows everyone pointing to different babies talking about how that one was the most gorgeous baby that they had ever seen…and somehow every person saying that was right.

"Hey guys," Mark said turning from his seat; Cara's hand still clutched to his. "Have a seat," he said pointing over to the empty chairs on the other side of the bed.

"Hi sweetie, how are you doing?" Joanne asked walking up to Cara giving her a hug.

"Ummm, ok I suppose. Not too bad right now; still no drugs, so I guess I could be better," she began laughing as another contraction came on, "Mark," she screamed. He immediately let go of me and sat back down in his chair, grabbing hold of her telling her to breathe, that he loved her, and everything was going to be ok. This was way too cute.

"Does that hurt?" I asked as her contraction subsided.

"Doesn't tickle," she laughed. "They are getting worse…and coming more often. But that's to be expected I suppose. The nurse told me it shouldn't be too much longer."

And she was right. Within the next hour, Joanne and I were kicked out as Mark and Cara prepared to welcome their son into the world.

(Joanne's POV)

As Maureen and I sat in the waiting room, I couldn't help but laugh at how funny Maureen was being right now. She was constantly pacing the floor and quietly talking out loud. She was being so funny. I wonder if this is how she would be if she ever decided to have a child with someone…obviously if she wasn't the one having the kid, couldn't see Maureen wanting to go through what Cara was right now.

"What are you thinking?" she curiously asked as she bought me out of my thoughts. She sat in the seat across from me, leaning forward, as if this was some secret between the two of us.

"Oh nothing," I chuckled.

"Come on Joanne tell me," she reached over slapping my knee. "Please," she pouted.

"Just at how funny…yet cute you were being," she winked, I laughed. "Do you think you ever want to be a mom?" I was being more serious now.

"Yeah, someday. I would like to think I would be good at it…"

"You would a great mom Maureen."

"You would too."

"Yeah maybe," I replied, "I can tend to be a little work obsessed though, which tends to make me worry. Because I know what it's like to have a mother who is so work obsessed that she doesn't pay attention to you."

"You're not your mother," she commanded as she moved over beside me, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "You'll be a great mom Joanne and you know it."

"Maybe, guess we'll see one day hopefully." I rested my head on her shoulder, allowing her to comfort me. Maureen was always so good at this part. She rubbed my shoulder as she rested her head on top of mine.

"Do you think you and Kristin are going to try and have a kid?" she quietly and seemingly nervously asked me.

"I don't think so," I matter of factly responded.

"Why not?" she curiously asked, neither of us moving from our current position.

"Kristin doesn't want kids. Plus we had this huge fight before she left for California so I'm not real sure how our relationship stands at the moment."

"Can I ask why?"

"Well of course," I told her sitting up so that I could now look at her. "It kind of started…"

"Anyone here with the Mark and Cara Cohen family," someone dressed in scrubs yelled as they walked into the waiting room. Neither Maureen nor I moved for a second, we just stared into each other's eyes knowing that yet again that while on the verge of some serious conversation with one another we were being cut off, "Mark and Cara Cohen family," the man yelled again.

"Right here," I yelled as I stood up breaking our trance.

"Follow me please," he said turning and walking quickly down the hall. "In here," he slowly opened the door slightly. Maureen and I looked at each other, both taking a heavy sigh before pushing the door further open and walking inside.

"Hello," Cara said beaming from the hospital bed with this little bundle wrapped in her arms. She looked down to him, this huge smile never leaving her face, "Roger meet your Aunt Maureen and Aunt Joanne," she lifted the baby away from her so that Maureen and I could fully see his face. He was absolutely adorable. He looked like a little Mark. He was so tiny, so cute. "Want to hold him?"

"Yeah," I said reaching out carefully taking him from Cara's arms. "Hi Roger," I cooed as I held him tightly against me. "Hi little guy. You are very lucky little boy you know that?" I looked up at Mark who couldn't have looked more like the proud father. "He's perfect you guys," I told him. Mark sat down on the bed beside Cara, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her close to him.

"Thank you," they both quietly responded. "We think he's pretty great ourselves," Mark laughed.

"Can I hold him?" Maureen excitedly giggled like a little kid. I carefully handed Roger over to her. She bent down kissing his forehead as she pulled him closer to herself.

"Wow you guys. I can't believe he's yours. He's….he's just perfect." Maureen smiled over at the proud parents as a tear escaped from her eye, slowly running down her cheek.

"Yeah me too," Mark quietly responded, "I wish they could see him too."

"They can baby," Cara said reaching up and kissing Mark on the cheek. None of us had to even say who they were, we all knew; and we also all knew that all four of them were there with us, just as excited about this little boy.

(Maureen's POV)

After Joanne and I had been in the room for about an hour, Joanne excused herself saying she needed to make a phone call. As she walked out of the room, I turned back around to see both Mark and Cara staring at me.

"What?"

"Go talk to her," Cara said as if this was obvious.

"She's going to go make a phone call…and probably to Kristin."

"Come on Maureen, don't be dumb," Mark added.

"Excuse me," I half offended responded.

"Maureen, don't be blind. She came back her for you, you have to be able to see that," Cara said.

"She came back because you guys bought her a plane ticket to come see me for my birthday."

Mark looked over at Cara before saying anything.

"What?" I curiously asked.

Mark looked back over to me, "Maureen, we didn't buy that plane ticket. Joanne bought it for herself. She just called and told us to tell you that we had bought it for her."

"Why would she do that?" I was becoming confused.

"Maybe you should ask her," Cara told me. "Even if you can't see it, it's obvious that Joanne still does love you."

"Go talk to her Maureen," Mark added.

I got up from my seat hugged both Mark and Cara, congratulating them again, kissed Roger goodbye and walked out to find Joanne.

(Maureen's POV)

I felt like I walked around that hospital forever with still no sign of Joanne. I had even walked outside with no luck. Finally I figured that I'd just go back to Mark and Cara's room and hopefully she'd show back up there…who knows maybe she is back there by now.

As I was on my way back to the room, I passed the nursery again. This time there was barely anyone staring through the windows at all the new babies. So I decided to go over and have a look for myself. There were so many of them. They all looked so innocent and peaceful…absolutely the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Just standing there staring at all these little things, the world felt right.

I jumped at the sensation of someone's arms slinking around my waist, pulling me tightly against their body. I turned my head realizing it was Joanne; my body relaxed, allowing itself to fall back into hers. I looked back into the nursery, neither of us speaking a word to each other. She rested her chin on my shoulder, leaning her head over against mine. And then after about five minutes of us just standing in silence, holding each other close, Joanne whispered to me…

"I want one of those…with you."

so what do you think? let me know please. and hopefully i'll update the next ch soon. i think i might start ending up my story...i don't know though. let me know what you think, what you want. please review. thanks for reading!