This is Prompt No. 49-Coffee

Mitchie was sound asleep with Shania cradled in her arms when a pleasant aroma began to drift through the room. Mitchie's head twisted to the side and her eyes opened slightly at the fragrant smell. "Mmm," she whispered, shifting her body and the baby in her arms.

Footsteps could be heard in the kitchen, and Caitlyn peeked her head into the bedroom. When she saw that Mitchie was awake, she smiled widely. "How're you feeling?" she whispered, trying not to wake Shania.

Mitchie nodded, afraid that if she spoke too loud she might wake the baby. "I'm okay," she responded, trying not to shift too much. "What's that smell?"

Caitlyn grinned. "Does it smell good?" she asked, smirking.

Mitchie nodded and whispered, "Yes."

Caitlyn held up her finger. "Hold on," she instructed Mitchie. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a steaming cup.

Mitchie's eyes widened and lit up at the same time. "Coffee?" she whispered excitedly.

Caitlyn laughed at her friend's excitement. "Yes, coffee. Are you thirsty?"

"I am now," Mitchie told her, shifting Shania so that she could hold out her hand eagerly. With the motion, Shania awoke, waving her little fists in the air.

Caitlyn laughed at the little girl's antics. "Here you go," she said, handing the cup to Mitchie, being careful not to let the warm ceramic touch Shania's skin.

Mitchie sniffed the coffee for a moment, testing to make sure that the smell would not make her sick like it had when she had been pregnant, but she found that it smelled wonderful. With a slight amount of glee, she took a deep sip of the liquid, a huge grin stretching across her face. "This is amazing!" she exulted.

Caitlyn chuckled. "It's the little things in life," she teased.

Shania waved her fists again, opening and closing her tiny hands in the coffee cup's direction. A gurgling cry issued from her, but she didn't continue, so Mitchie smiled, stroking her daughter's little, downy head. "Sorry, my darling," she crooned, planting a kiss on the baby's cheek. "You'll have to wait a few years before you can drink coffee, but I think there's something you'll like better."

Caitlyn helped Mitchie set her cup on the side table and smiled. "I'll give you two some privacy." With that, she stepped out into the kitchen, closing the door softly behind her.

Mitchie began to nurse her daughter, stroking Shania's little head softly. "You remind me so much of your father," she told her daughter. "I miss him so much, but you are a little piece of him." She held Shania closer and whispered, "I love you so much, my darling."

Mitchie finished nursing Shania and began to rock her just as she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" she called.

Caitlyn peeked her head in the door and asked, "Are you up for some company?" she asked with a grin.

Mitchie smiled back, knowing who would be on the other side of the door. "Sure," she said. "We've had a few hours to ourselves and now it's time to meet the family," she whispered to Shania, whose eyelids were beginning to drift closed again.

Sure enough, in tiptoed Nate, Jason, the general, and Brown. By the looks on their faces when Mitchie turned the blanket down so that they could see the baby's face, Mitchie knew that her daughter had already twisted four men around her tiny little fingers. "She's so tiny!" Jason exclaimed, eyeing her fingers, with their perfect little nails.

Nate rolled his eyes and elbowed his friend teasingly. "She's a baby," he told Jason.

"Yeah, well-" Jason began in defense, but the general interrupted their argument.

"How are you feeling, Mitchie?" he asked sincerely.

Mitchie knew that he wanted a truthful answer, not the usual, "I'm fine," so she said, "Slightly tired, rather sore, outrageously happy."

Nate and Jason both grinned while Caitlyn refilled Mitchie's coffee cup in the corner. "Now that you've seen the baby," Caitlyn informed them, "you should be heading along. Mitchie needs to rest up."

Nate stepped forward and kissed Mitchie's forehead. "Shane would be so proud," he told her softly, looking down at his niece. "She's beautiful."

"Thank you," Mitchie said sincerely.

Jason was the next one to step forward. "Congratulations," he told her, kissing her forehead as well. "She's perfect."

Mitchie laughed and nodded at his comment. "Wait until she's two," she warned. "We'll see how perfect she is then."

Jason chuckled. "Guess we will," he said as he turned to leave the room.

Brown, who had been staring at his great-niece in awe, stepped forward and kissed Mitchie's cheeks. "At least your organs can return to their normal places," he said, with his face alight.

Mitchie worked hard to keep the laughter from bubbling over as she nodded and said, "So true. I feel better already."

Brown nodded, convinced. "I knew you would," he told her and took his leave.

Mitchie glanced at Caitlyn, who was also trying not to laugh, and couldn't hold it back any longer. She let out a laugh that made Shania fuss until she drew the baby close to her chest. The general, the only other well-wisher in the room, laughed as well, right along with Caitlyn.

"Congratulations, Mitchie," he told her. "Like Nate said, Shane would be so proud if he could be here."

Mitchie tipped her head in acknowledgement. "Thank you," she said.

"How soon do you think you'll be able to get up and move around easily?" the general asked.

The question startled Mitchie, and she had to look to Caitlyn for help after stuttering for a while. "She should be able to move easily in three weeks," Caitlyn said confidently.

The general seemed to be tallying something in his head, for his face took on a thoughtful look that only appeared when he was deep in thought. "I suppose that that will work," he muttered to himself.

"What will work?" Mitchie asked, confused.

The general turned to look at her and said, "The time schedule. Yes, it'll work nicely."

"Schedule for what?" Mitchie pressed, feeling a sinking feeling in her stomach.

The general eyed Shania before he said, "We have a new mission for you. We can give you three weeks time, and then it's time for you to go."

"What about Shania?" Mitchie asked, fearing the answer, but needing to know.

The general glanced back at Shania and said, "Shania stays here. You can't take her with you."

Mitchie unconsciously held her baby tighter. "Okay," she said, her voice shaking although she was trying to be brave. "Where am I going?"

The general looked grave as he said, "You, Mitchie Torres, are going back home, to the Torres plantation in Virginia."

A/N: Uh oh! :D Comments? Please review, and thank you guys so much! Over 300 reviews! You guys are amazing!