A/N: Alrighty- so I am back. For some strange reason, I can't seem to make chapters as big as I used to make them. Oh well, to make up for it, I'm thinking I'll just publish several chapters at a time!

As well, I'm working on editing my first 50 chapters (fixing grammar, spelling and continuity errors), and condensing it into a nifty little PDF file that you can throw onto your cell phone, iPad or Playbook. I'm hoping I can get this done soon, but it's a lot harder than you think. As well, in this 'nifty little PDF', I'm planning on writing some original essays, explaining key plot points, and other bits of my story and including them. Interested? Good- because when it's ready, it'll only be available to FanFiction members!

"Flowers?"

"What do you mean?"

"Flowers…" Jules started as she stared at the flowers.

My mom had been stuck in the hospital for the past 5 months for medical observation. They had their reasons, as after an emergency C-section was performed, and her baby was born pre-maturely- she slipped into a coma for four days.

After her 5 months in the hospital, the doctors were still baffled by the four day coma. The closest we got for an explanation was 'It was your body's way of dealing with the shock'. They had even flown in a specialist from Calgary who still couldn't give a better explanation.

Meanwhile, my pre-maturely born sister was doing pretty well. The reason why they had performed the emergency C-section was because the baby's lungs were undeveloped which was causing distress, which therefore caused my mom severe pain. For the first few months she needed to be kept in a sterile environment with no possibility of bacterium or viruses getting close to her, so neither me or mom could hold or touch her.

The first few weeks were hell. I'd come in to see mom either before or after work, depending on my shift and Jules would either be crying or yelling- just wanting to see Kristina, my sister. She was named after my dad- Kristopher. He died eight months ago when he was shot.

Finally, the nurses gave in, and allowed the incubator to be brought into her room during the night, so she could at least see her baby. After the second month, Kristina was allowed to stay in the room all the time.

In the 3rd month, we were able to hold her for the first time. I was coming off of a 12 hour shift. When I walked into the room, I saw the incubator open, and mom holding Kristina. I had originally thought that she had stolen some bobby pins and managed to pick the lock.

That was the day I held my baby sister for the first time. I was afraid. I mean, after working a 12 hour shift, I didn't know if I'd be attentive enough to be holding a pre-mature baby.

But it was fine. Kristina slept in my arms. That night, when I slept in the chair I had fondly come to know and love, was the first night in the past 4 months when I didn't need the sleeping pills to get to sleep.

I walked over to the plastic vase where the flowers were and pulled out the card.

"For the love of God, eat a sandwich- Spike."

I laughed, and so did mom. The baby made some sort of halfhearted, high pitched, laughing noise.

"I gotta go." Jules said, as she got out of the bed and passed me Kristina.

Once she was out of bed, she made her way to the restroom in the private hospital room.

I threw the card back down on the table, as I rocked Kristina in my arms.

"You're going to laugh at Uncle Spike when you see him." I muttered to Kristina.

"And I'll just get you to sign here." The nurse asked Jules.

Jules was signing her hospital release form. Meanwhile I was signing Kristina's, since I was designated as her legal guardian.

It was kinda cool. The hospital's lawyer suggested that since Jules was a single parent, that at least one other person be made Kristina's legal guardian. Since I am over the age of majority, mom decided that it should be me. It wasn't so hard to do either. My lawyer helped me through the process, and since I'm almost a law enforcement officer, an exception was made where I wouldn't have to wait the 2 month probationary period.

"Alright, time to go home sis." I said to Kristina, as we walked out of the hospital, with mom behind us.

"Guys- I think they're coming." Spike said gleefully, as he returned to the group, who were hiding behind the couch in the living room.

"Anybody want to tell me why I'm here?"

"It's a team bonding exercise, Brad." Ed responded.

Brad was hired onto Team One as a long term replacement to Jules. As much as Ed didn't want to admit it, Brad was excellent, and he'd be sad to see him go when Jules came back.

But that didn't matter to Ed right now- what mattered the most was unveiling the surprise 'welcome back to your life' bonanza that he and Spike had put together.

Ed, with the help of Clark had come to the house several times over the past five months and had baby-proofed the entire house- it was a big job, but someone had to do it. Spike, on the other hand, had made himself useful and had prepared the baby's room for her arrival. Gone, was the boring paint scheme, and instead it boasted an eggshell yellow color. As well, Spike had assembled most of the furniture by himself, including the crib and changing table. Ed, of course, didn't want to leave anything to chance and tested all the furniture by using his two year old daughter- Isabel, as a crash test dummy, much to his wife's disapproval. Ed's biggest accomplishment however, was doing all of this without Megan knowing, since she was spending most of her nights at the hospital, and only coming home to change or to keep up the general upkeep of the home.

We opened the door. Jules came in, as I held the door, for her, since she was carrying Kristina.

Something seemed off. I couldn't really place it…

Then I realized I could see the top of a bald head from behind the couch, and part of a shoe sticking out from the side that could only belong to the newest Team One recruit, Brad.

"What's going on?" Jules asked me.

"Wait for it…."

Then Greg, Ed, Spike and Brad jumped up from behind the couch and yelled "Surprise!"

Actually they yelled it so loud that Kristina started to cry.

"Oh, jeez guys," Jules said, as she started to rock Kristina back and forth, a move that she had perfected while in the hospital, "She was so calm."

"I'm glad to see you Jules." Greg said, as he leaned in and gave both Kristina and Jules a soft hug. When Kristina's hand had brushed the top of Greg's thinning hair, she stopped crying and stared at him in amazement.

"Someone likes Uncle Greg." Jules said, as she looked at the team "Who's this?"

"Jules, this is Brad." Greg introduced them, "Brad, Jules."

"Glad to finally meet you." Brad said, as he shook Jules' free hand, "Now I see where Megan gets her good looks from."

I looked at Brad like he had two heads, as I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine, and some glasses. "Wow Brad, that was insensitive."

"Sorry, I just…" Brad started.

"She's my step-mom." I explained, as I passed Ed a glass of wine.

"Oh."

After everyone had a drink, except mom and the baby of course, we ventured up the stairs, as Spike was begging everyone to come up and check out the baby's room.

"What's the rush?" I asked, as we got to the stop of the stairs, "The walls are black and grey and…"

Ed opened the doors. The bright colors made me squint my eyes.

I looked over to mom, who was in love with the colors and the furniture.

"Girlish enough?" I muttered to Spike, "I'm going to need sunglasses every time I come in here."

"And what are those things on your chest?" Spike asked defiantly, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Spike-" Jules asked, "Did you do this? This is awesome!"

"Yeah, Spike," I started, "Did you do this?"

"Ed and Clark may have helped, but yes."

Mom put Kristina in the playpen, where she looked up with a babyish smile on her face.

"Thank you Spike." I muttered to him.

"Don't mention it."

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. You can't rush into good things, you have to take it slow, right?

Right.