Okay, so here we go!
I'm sorry, but I forgot to upload my one-shot before taking off Saturday and I've just returned to my dear computer today. I'll take another look-through and then publish!
Until then...
Here's chapter 5 of this one!

She woke up to a sneeze and the voice of her beloved.

"Hold on there, little fella," Sam whispered as he with grabbed a tissue from a table beside.
She opened her eyes to see how he carefully removed what must have been snot from Grace's face.

"There ya go," he smiled and so did she.

He hadn't noticed that Diane had awakened. He was too busy watching his little beauty. Finally he looked up from Grace and saw Diane lying in the bed with open eyes and a smile on her lips, admiring her two loves.

"God morning, sunshine. Or well, I don't know if you can call it 'morning' anymore," he laughed.

"How long have I been asleep," she yawned as she sat up.

"Oh, not long. We've just celebrated her 1 year's birthday," he smirked.

"Good one," she smirked.

He rose from the chair he was currently sitting on, keeping a straight eye on Grace the whole time, and walked to the bed.

"Do wanna hold her?" he asked.

"No, no, she looks so safe and comfortable in your arms. I wouldn't ruin your little moment," she admired.

"I don't think she'd mind," he said, and carefully handed her over to Diane.

She gloved as soon as Grace was in her arms. And so did little Grace, who made funny noises and pouted.

"Now, there," he said.

"Come here," she whispered to Sam.

He leaned in closer and received a kiss.

"That's lovely," he chuckled.

"Oh, Sam," she smiled "I can't wait to take her home."

"Neither can I, but just take it easy. We don't need to rush things. You need your rest."

"Yes, I guess," she sighed.

"And I think that our little sweetheart would like something to eat," he said and nodded toward Grace who still pouted.

"I believe your right," Diane said and stroked her on the cheek.

"By the way...I spoke to the guys again this morning. I told them they could come by tonight if you could manage."

"Sure, Sam. I'd love that."

"And uhm- after they had taken Grace yesterday, I went to call you mother. I promised you'd call as soon as possible."

"Thank you very much, Sam. What did she say?"

"She was thrilled. And proud," he smiled.

This brought tears to her eyes. Clearly it meant a lot to Diane that her mother was proud of her. Sam knew exactly how she felt.

"Have you called your parents?" Diane asked.

"I have," he nodded. "My dad."

"How did he react?"

"He was very happy for us. He wanted to let me know that he had never been prouder of me."

She smiled and put a hand on his thigh.

He wouldn't have dreamt of the day his father would tell him that. And he never would have gotten it if it hadn't been for her. If she hadn't told him to give the old man a second chance in his life.
It had been a dull day at the bar-

-Nothing much happened. Diane was in her 27th week at the time. They had a great day though. He and Diane. Talking, laughing…even singing. They were in the backroom, cleaning, and on their way out to the bar, when Sam pulled her back.

"I can't believe this," he mumbled with a straight look out in the bar, pulling her back.

"What? What's wrong?" she asked confused.

"See that man who just walked in? That's my dad."

"Seriously? Well, what is he doing here?"

"I have no idea. He shouldn't have come at least. He's not welcome here."

"Are you going to throw him out?"

"No, I don't want to speak with him either. I won't let him know that I'm here."

"How are you going to do- Oh I see."

"Please, will you just tell him that I'm not here? Come up with an excuse of some sort. You're great at that."

"Sam, are you sure? I mean, maybe there's a reason why he's here? Or perhaps he just wants to see you. There's nothing wrong with that."

"No, but you see, Diane- I'm not exactly on good terms with my father, and you know that. I'd rather avoid this meeting. Just get him out, that's all I'm asking you to do."

"Alright, I will then."

"Thank you. Keep it short.

"I'll try," she said and walked out in the bar to see Sam's father approach the bar.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hello, sir. What can I do for you?" Woody asked.

"Is Sam here? Sam Malone?"

"Oh yeah! He's in the-"

"No, he's not, Woody," Diane interrupted.

"I just saw him-"

"Walk out. He left a few minutes ago. He has stuff to do at home."

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice that mrs-"

"That's alright, Woody!" she nearly yelled.

The elder man looked confused.

"Hello, I'm Diane M…Chambers. I'm a friend of Sam's. I'm sorry to say that Sam has already left for today and I can't say when he's coming in again."

"Oh, well I didn't need to hear that," the man said.

"I was hoping to get him to talk with me. You see, I'm his father."

"I see."

"I have some things to tell him in person."

"I can take a message if you want me-"

"No. It's uhm- it's personal stuff. I'd like to tell him myself. But if he isn't here then—"

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Malone. But I'm afraid Sam won't be around for the now. He is uhm- he's spending a lot of time with his wife."

"Wife? Sam's…Married?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"For how long?"

"Nearly a year."

"Wow. Who would have thought…How is she? Is she a nice lady?"

"She's a lovely woman," Diane agreed.

"I'm happy for him. Seems he has done something right this time."

"For your information, Mr. Malone, Sam is doing very well."

"How lovely," he sighed and sat down on a bar chair.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Malone?"

"It's nothing, I can discuss really. I'd just wished Sam would be here. But if he won't face me, I can't force him to."

"Oh, I'm sure that isn't-"

"I'm no fool. I get it, Ms. Chambers. Or should I said, Mrs?" he said as he glanced at her ring and belly.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," she smiled "so you were saying?"

"Sam and I haven't had the greatest father-and-son relationship. I haven't always been easy on the kid. I always tried to make him improve his skills and he always got mad at me for not appreciating what he already could."

"Listen, Mr-"

"Please call me Fergus."

"Alright, Fergus. I have a close connection to Sam. Closer than you might think. And I would love to see Sam reconnect with his father. But I assume you know Sam well enough to know that he's a tough nut to crack sometimes. Perhaps this information, or talk you want to give him, will make him ease up. But we need an icebreaker. So if you'd allow me to pass on just the slightest bit of information that you'd believe could change his mind, then please do that. It may be the only way right now."

He sighed.

"I guess you're right. And I see you as fine woman, Mrs. Chambers. Please tell Sam, that his mother's ill and that she'd like to see him. We'd like to see him."

She swallowed hard but then nodded.

"Alright, I'll pass that on. Thank you, Fergus. And, I'm terribly sorry for your wife. I hope she recovers."

"Thank you, Mrs. I hope so too."

He rose from the chair and they shook hands. He turned and walked out, leaving everyone who had been listening, staring at Diane.

"That was Sam's father?" Carla asked.

"Yes, and I sorry, but I can't share any more information than that. I have to get Sam," she said and headed straight to the back room, still with everyone's gaze on her.

"Sam?" she said as she entered the back room.

"Is he gone?" he asked nervous and put the pool ball he was holding back where it belonged.

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"He wants to talk to you, Sam. Very badly."

"Well, tough, because I won't talk with him."

"Your mother's ill. She wants see you. So does he."

This caught his full attention.

"What do you mean 'ill'?"

"I don't know precisely. But it sounded serious, Sam."

"It must be. Why else would he come here?"

"Now, Sam, he seemed very upset."

"I don't care. It's his damn own fault that I want nothing to do with him."

"Sam, if you could just-"

"Please, Diane-"

"SAM! The man doesn't even know that you're married!"

"I guess he does know…"

"Sam!"

"Listen, Diane, there's a reason why I haven't told him about you. And that's because I don't wanna involve you in this mess. I don't want him to be a part of our lives."

"I understand how you feel, Sam. I do. But he really needs you right now. I'm sure, he's not proud of how he treated you. He wants to make it up. Right now, you need to be the upper man. You need to let go of this anger you feel toward him so that you can be there for your mother. At least for some time."

"I can't, Diane. I'm sorry."

"No, Sam," she sighed "I am."

The rest of the day had been rough and he felt awful. There was the thing about letting his parents down. That sure made him feel awful. But what was the worst to him was that he felt like he disappointed Diane. She had expected him to be mature enough, strong enough, to put the past behind. But the minute he told her that he couldn't, he spotted that disappointment in her eyes he had seen so often. She didn't need to tell him what would make that disappear. He already knew. He had to speak with his dad.

So he looked him up, found the phone number in an old phone book of his and called. He told him to step by tomorrow. They could talk there.

So he came, looking surprised and nervous at the same time, as he for the first time in years, shook hands with his youngest son. Sam stayed positive, keeping Diane in mind. She was the reason he went through with this.

So they talked. He apologized for earlier behavior towards Sam and how he never really had appreciated the things Sam had achieved. It developed into a nice and smooth talk. Sam got to know that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer but she was doing well in treatment, but the doctors couldn't promise anything due to her age. Sam was told about what had been going on in their lives since they had last seen each other. And then they came to Sam. He wanted to know more about Sam and what was going on currently. He had been told about a wife. How was she, and where had he met her? All this talk while Diane was ears dropping from one of her reading corners. Sometimes Sam caught her smiling when he praised her- or just for that matter- talked about her.

"I'd really like to meet her, Sam. She sounds like the perfect girl."

"She is, she is."

He caught her looking out of the corner of his eye.

"Why don't you meet her now?"

He looked astonished as Sam rose from the chair to get Diane. Sam approached her stool with a smile. She smiled back, took his arm and stepped down and held on to him as they walked back to the table."

"Dad, I'd like you to meet my wife."

"Diane is your-"

"I am," she smiled "Mrs. Sam Malone."

"But you're-"he said and pointed at her belly.

"Pregnant," Sam finished.

There was a pause where no words were said. Only looks were exchanged.

"Who would have thought," the elder man laughed "I'm so happy for you. Both of you."

"Thank you," they said.

"Do you know what the sex is?"

"We have decided to keep it a secret."

"I see. Well, I'm sure this will cheer your mother up."

And it did. They visited the hospital she was hospitalized on later that day, and wow, did that make a weak but strong willed woman smile wide. She absolutely loved Diane, and she kept admiring Sam and apologizing for not being able to see her son marry such a wonderful woman. What made her even more joyful was the pregnancy which brought tears to her eyes. She wasn't holding back on which gender she preferred. A baby girl.

And that's what she got.

A baby girl.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" she giggled.

"For everything," he said and embraced her hand. She glanced at his hand upon hers and then at him. A tear dropped from her eye.

"Thank you."

He leaned in and their foreheads touched. It was like nothing on the earth could go wrong now. Everything was beautiful and as it should be.

Note: I chose the name "Fergus" for Sam's dad due to the name's meaning in Irish which is derived from fear "man"and gus "strength and signifies "a strong warrior, virile" etc.
I found it appropriate for the man Sam's father appears to be. That leader type.
I also found out that Derek perhaps should've been named "Sean" instead because of the meaning "God's gracious gift." (Just kidding).

More soon hopefully!