Peter was in his happy place, as content as he could be these days, sprawled out on the couch with a very pregnant Elizabeth laying against him. She didn't start showing for the longest time and now that she was, he loved nothing more than to rub her belly and feel their baby squirm and kick under his hands. That such a gift could be given to them now, especially now, after everything, well it seemed like a miracle, and he wasn't one to throw that word around lightly.
"Hon"? Elizabeth tilted her head up at him.
"Mmm", Peter murmured in response.
"We should give some serious thought to names for this little guy."
Peter kissed the top of her head. "I thought you were high on Jonathan or Kyle." Truth be told, he really didn't have a strong opinion on the matter one way or the other; she was giving him a son, she could name the kid whatever she liked.
She maneuvered herself slowly up from Peter so they could have this conversation face to face. She took his big strong hands in hers. She spoke warmly, gently, "I like those names, they're good names but", she paused, "I've been thinking…how would you feel if we named him after Neal?" This could go either way she thought and held her breath.
This he wasn't expecting. He was worried for a nano-second she was going to throw her father's name at him which may have given him pause. "Neal?" He said his name in a hushed tone. "You mean, Neal, Neal, like, our Neal?"
Elizabeth had to smile and kiss him for that. "Yes hon, our Neal. I just thought, it would be a good way of honouring him you know, plus, I really do like the name.
Peter gripped her hands more tightly. "Hon." His voice faltered. "I love that idea", blinking back tears that were always so quick to fall these days, "but, you don't, I don't want you doing this just for me."
She reached out and stroked his face with the back of her hand. "I wouldn't be doing this just for you", she said softly. "I'd be doing it for us. I loved him too hon."
"I know you did, and he loved you." Peter smiled "Half the time I worried he'd steal you away from me right from under my nose." That got a bark of laughter out of her, something the Burke household was in rather short supply of the past few months. He pulled her in, tucking her head under his chin, and held her. He rolled the name around in his head for a minute then tried it on for size out loud,"Neal Burke – I like it."