Names and Patience

Mentions from "Caged" episode, tweaked to fit my imagination.

Though she had previously thought the name was for a dog. But she was thinking that just maybe she wanted to name the baby Riley if she gave birth to a boy. She absolutely hated the notation of a "junior' but did want a name similar to her husband's for the new arrival. She too, doubted that they would be able to wait till the baby's birth to find out the sex. Every bit of excitement was still there even though it was her second pregnancy. What was absent was the anxiety of what to expect during pregnancy and labor. This took much stress off of Emily; the energy that was wasted on worrying in her first pregnancy was now used on keeping up with an active nineteen-month-old toddler.

And she wouldn't have had it any other way, even on a day like today.

Bella was being very challenging from the time she woke up. The "terrible twos" were fast approaching. Emily lost count at the number of times she said "Bella no!" by ten in the morning. She felt horrible however when she scolded her child when Bella tried to remove the top of her sippy cup.

Bella's eyes got big and her lower lip started to quiver. Then Emily realized what the toddler had been trying to do. She wanted dip her oreo in her milk like mom just had.

"Oh mommy's so sorry, sweetheart!" Emily said, going over and giving Bella a hug. "Here, let mama help you. There, try it now," she said taking the top off of the cup.

Bella seemed to forget that her mom had yelled at her. She smiled and giggled dipping the cookie into the liquid.

"Good girl! Yummy, huh?" Emily said.

Bella nodded.

I so deserve a time-out, Emily thought of her outburst. Even though she knew she were only human. That didn't stop her from feeling bad for losing her temper with her daughter for only to be like mommy. Ordinarily she didn't feel bad when she scolded Bella and Bella seemed to know when she misbehaved and it didn't upset her. But she wasn't being "bad" a moment ago and mommy yelled. That was what upset her but it was over now.

Bella forget about the incident must quicker than mom.

Ryan called to check in with his family at lunchtime. He could tell Emily having a tough morning. He was glad his mother-in-law were going over to take Bella to her toddler group today. Emily needed a break. It may have been early in her pregnancy, but his wife was still pregnant and hormones were a part of it. Hormones were the reason her eyes got wet after yelling at Bella and when she told Vanessa about it.

Vanessa gave her daughter a hug. "That's okay, baby," she said. "She still loves her mom. C'mere, Bella. Your mommy needs a big hug."

Bella ran over to Emily and Emily scooped her up. Bella put her chubby hands on her mom's cheeks, giving a wet kiss on the mouth

Bella wanted to stay at her grandparents' house after her toddler group and Ryan was going to get home early today.

"Enjoy some time with your man," Vanessa said.

Emily took the time to take a stroll and drop in to the local deli, picking up several packs of turkey breast and some cucumber and baby carrots. These were really the only vegetables she liked. She planned to make herself a sandwich for lunch with a few vegetables on the side.

He loved his little girl but Ryan was pleasantly surprised to have some time with his wife when he got home. He wasn't injured but was sent home early because the suspect he had been trying to arrest had punched him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground as well as knocking the air out of him. Alexx had checked him and confirmed he didn't need treatment but she sent him to the hospital for an x-ray to make sure.

"You might want to have the lil' one go easy on you for a few days," she smiled, knowing Bella's habit to jump on Ryan's stomach during playtime.

"Noted," Ryan smiled.

Bella appeared to understand she had to "be gentle" with daddy for a few days when they were playing that evening.

"Dada owy? 'Ella 'urt?" She asked, pointing at Ryan's abdomen.

"Yes, daddy's got an owy. But Bella didn't hurt daddy. Don't worry," he said, kissing her on the side of his child's head.

Trained fighter or not, Emily wanted to hit this guy.

"Are you okay, hon?" Ryan asked softly, noticing a certain look in his wife's eyes. Their daughter was absorbed in the tv, she didn't notice. Ryan embraced his wife. Emily began to cry softly, the anxiety of her husband being hurt leaving her body. "Shh. I'm right here, babe. I'm all right. Shh." He rocked his wife back and forth for a few moments.

"I love you," Emily whispered, looking up at Ryan, tears still streaming down her face.

"I know. And I love you. Everything's okay, sweetheart, I promise," Ryan replied, placing a series of soft kisses on his wife's face. He wiped away her tears with a tissue.

Emily fell asleep wrapped in Ryan's arms on the couch.

It was decided.

The two wanted to find the sex of the baby the next time Emily visited the doctor. They had picked out a name for a baby boy.

Riley Jonathan Wolfe.

A girl would be named Faith, they weren't sure on a middle name yet. Vanessa thought the expectant couple should wait this time. Ryan told her they thought it would be good for Bella to know if she was going to have a brother or sister. Even if the baby's name would be a secret till the arrival.

That would again be to avoid getting things with names on it.

"Did Emily get upset yesterday?" Eric asked Ryan the next morning. He knew his question didn't really need an answer. If she hadn't been, he would be very surprised.

"Yeah," Ryan said. "If she wasn't pregnant I think I would have had a much harder time trying to convince her she didn't want to go after Kroll. On the funnier side, Bella told me at bedtime she thought my "belly was broken." And that's why she can't jump on me for a few days."

"That's cute," Eric laughed.