"Sabé," Ducchi crooned in her ear, holding her up by her hips. She stayed standing only with his help, her body lying limp against his. She soaked in the feeling of his heart beating against her back and his body warm up against hers, holding her close, protecting her. She felt safe there, warm, and protected in his arms. She felt at home, peaceful, relieved, happy. Everything was okay. Everything was going to be just fine. Ducchi's arms drew up her sides, his fingers dancing along their length, coming to wrap around her belly. "Darling, I think it's time to have a little faith."

Joining his hands with her own, Sabé nodded slowly, opened her eyes. Standing before the mirror, her gaze fell to her stomach in the reflection. She stroked her bump lovingly, an odd and overwhelming joy beginning to swallow her. A smile overtook her lips and it lit up her face as the joy consumed her. Sabé wrapped her arms over Ducchi's, their arms, together, caressing her belly with their child. She couldn't help but laugh aloud in her delirium, standing stronger now. She turned in Ducchi's arms and fell into his embrace, on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry," she cried into his shoulder, repeatedly, her tears creating a wet spot on his shirt. "I'm so sorry, Ducchi. You were-"

"Don't say it," he quickly put in, interrupting her. "I don't want to hear an apology. You have nothing to be sorry for." His hands found her belly again and he stroked it with just as much love as she had. He pulled his gaze back up to her, telling her with a broad smile, "But you see, now?" Sabé nodded eagerly, tears running down her face. "It's okay. You've made it this far, darling." He raised a hand to touch her face, stroking the front of his hand along her cheek. "We're going to make it, Sab."

Sabé took his hand in one of hers and pressed it to her cheek. "We're going to be parents!" she cried.

Ducchi's hand returned to her hip with the other and his own excitement came out in a burst of speech and squeals. Sabé laughed at him. "I told you, Sabé! I told you everything would be fine! This is going to be so amazing!"

Sabé kissed him back, then slowly disentangled herself from his arms, switching which arm she had slung over her swelling belly. She crossed the room to the calendar and marked another day off, adding a special note around where her marks crossed. 'One trimester left!' it now read.

"You know what this means," Ducchi said from behind her and Sabé could practically hear his smile. She turned back to see him lounging on their bed, her lips cracking into a smile. "What? What does this mean? What are you thinking about?"

"Well, our baby, of course." When she sat down with him, Ducchi took Sabé back into his arms, snuggling her close. With a slight roll to his eyes, he added, "Naturally."

"Of course," Sabé agreed. "Obviously."

"And I was thinking about everything we have to do to prepare now."

Sabé threw her head back and groaned, but started laughing. "I made this really difficult on both of us, didn't I?"

"Hey!" Ducchi was quick to soothe, smiling with her. Nothing could take away their smiles today. "I have patience. It's fine, Sabé. We'll figure it out. Although, we do have a lot to figure out. We haven't even picked a room to be the nursery, yet."

"So, we need to choose a room, prepare the room, buy everything for the room, for the baby . . ."

"And on the list goes. But you know what part I'm really excited to start thinking about?"

"What part, dear?"

Ducchi pulled Sabé's shirt up just enough so that he could trace a finger along one of her stretch marks. "Picking out a name."

"And do you have any suggestions for a name for our beautiful baby?"

Ducchi held her gaze for a long moment, searching her face, smiling, not responding.

"Are you going to answer me?"

Ducchi jerked. "I'm sorry, but I was just distracted with how beautiful you are looking today."

"Oh, yeah? Now that I have a little faith?"

"Yes, my dear. You look just stunning today."

"Alright, Easy-To-Swoon," Sabé smirked at him. "But I've already got a name."

"Yes, you're so beautiful and perfect, I gave you my name!"

"Oh! Well, would you listen to yourself? Your flirts today are . . . " She touched her thumb and index finger together, holding up the other three fingers on that hand, and winked. "Top notch."

"Why, thank you. Now, I believe we were discussing names for our baby?"

"Um, actually, I think we were discussing everything but."

"Right. Right, now I remember that."

Sabé chuckled. "So? Any ideas?"

Ducchi didn't respond.

"I thought you would been spending the last few months planning this out?"

He shook his head. "I couldn't," he explained. "I was too busy worrying about you."

Sitting in his lap, Sabé ran a hand up his front, then danced her fingers around his neck to settle her hand there. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasted our time, but I'm here now and I'm with you. And we've got a lot to consider."

"You got that right."

"So, help me out. . . . Now, is this a boy or a girl we're having?"

Ducchi chuckled, looking back to her. "Does it really matter?"

Sabé shook her head. "Just wondering."

"Do any of the details matter?"

Again, Sabé shook her head. She took Ducchi's hand and laid it, with hers, over her belly. As she leaned forward to kiss him again, she told him, "Only this matters."