"False labor," Elizabeth grumbled as she and Jack walked out of the hospital. "Those contractions certainly felt real."

"But you heard the doctor. It could be any day now."

"I just feel so stupid. Shouldn't I be able to tell when I'm in labor and when I'm not?"

Jack shrugged. "You're definitely not the first woman to confuse Braxton Hicks contractions with the real thing."

She stopped next to the car. "I just," she sighed, cradling her stomach, "I know I was panicking this morning, but I was starting to get really excited about meeting her today."

"Hey." He put his hands on her waist. "It won't be long. One month is nothing compared to the eight months we've already been waiting for her."

"I guess."

He moved one hand up to her cheek. "I love you, Beth."

She finally cracked a smile. "I love you. Let's go get Harrison and break the news that he doesn't have a baby sister yet."

"I know we already have a bunch of Christmas gifts waiting for him, but maybe we should stop at the store and get him a present, so we don't show up to mom's house empty handed."

"You spoil him."

"So do you!" he countered.

She chuckled. "I know. He's just such a good kid, and I love him so much."

He kissed her softly. "He and Salem are so lucky to have you."

"I could say the same about you, Doc."

He gave her a dimpled grin. "Let's go get our boy."

...

"Nana!" Harrison called out. "It's daddy."

"Are you sure that's who it is?" she asked, confused as to why Jack would be back so soon.

"Yes! It's my daddy! I promise!"

"Okay, you can answer the door."

"Hi, daddy!" He threw the door open. "Where's my baby sister?"

Jack crouched down. "She's not here yet."

He furrowed his brow. "But mommy said it was time for her to come."

"Sometimes, when it gets this close to when the baby is supposed to be born, it's hard to tell if she's coming now or not."

His face fell. "Oh. She's still in mommy's belly?"

Jack nodded. "For another few weeks, probably. It's looking like she won't come until after Christmas, like we told you before."

"I wanted her to come today."

He pulled his son into a hug. "I know you did, bud. Mommy and I were excited, too. We just have to be patient a little while longer."

"False labor?" Charlotte asked, joining her son and grandson at the door.

"Yeah. She's dilated one centimeter, but the doctor said she could stay there for a few more weeks."

"Maybe you'll have a Christmas baby."

Jack shrugged. "Maybe. Thanks for keeping an eye on Harrison for us." He picked up his son.

"You know I'm happy to watch him anytime. We have fun. Don't we, Sonny boy?" She gave him a pat on his back.

"Yeah. We did a puzzle!"

"That sounds fun."

"Is mommy at home?"

"No, she's in the car. We should probably get going so she doesn't have to sit out there forever."

"I'll see you boys soon." Charlotte squeezed Jack's shoulder. "And whenever it's actually time for that sweet baby to arrive, I'll be ready."

"Thanks, ma."

...

"Daddy?" Harrison leaned back against Jack. "Tell me about when I was born."

"Well, let's see." He sighed, settling back into the sofa.

Elizabeth sat back, gently petting Simba as she also listened to Jack speak, having never heard the full story of Harrison's birth before.

"Your mommy and I were so nervous when we realized it was time to meet you. It was the middle of the night, and she woke me up to tell me it was time to go to the hospital. I was so anxious that I almost forgot to put on shoes."

Harrison laughed. "That's silly, daddy."

Jack chuckled. "I know. Your mommy had to remind me to go back and get some on when we were walking out the door. But we finally got to the hospital, and they took us up to our room. I sat with mommy all day long. Around dinner time, the doctor said it was time for you to be born."

"How did I get out of mommy's belly?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, but she pushed you out. It took a little while, but finally the doctor held you up so we could see you." He smiled, tightening his arms around his son. "You were crying so loud, and then mommy and I cried because we were so happy to meet you. As soon as the doctor put you on mommy, you stopped crying."

"Was I cute?"

Jack had to stifle a laugh at that question as he thought back to his newborn son, all wrinkled and swollen for the first few hours after his birth. "Mommy and I thought so. You hardly had any hair, so you looked kind of bald, and you were covered in blood and goo, but you were the most beautiful baby we'd ever seen."

"I was bleeding? Did I get hurt?"

"No, you weren't bleeding. Babies kind of float around when they're in their mommy's belly, so they still have some of that stuck to them when they're born. They cleaned you off pretty quickly, though."

Harrison gave him a wary look. "Salem will be covered in blood and goo?"

He chuckled. "Yes. It's just a part of being born. But don't worry, they'll have her cleaned up before you come meet her."

"Good."

Jack glanced over at Elizabeth, who was wiping tears from her cheeks.

"Beth. What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

"Harrison, why don't you go take Simba outside?" He nudged his son off of his lap.

"Okay, daddy. Come on, Simba!" He ran to the back door, following the dog outside.

"Are you sure you're okay, sweetheart?" Jack scooted toward Elizabeth, putting a hand on her back.

"I'm fine." She wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. "I'm just thinking about how I'm going to feel when we finally get to meet Salem. I can't wait."

Jack smiled. "I can't wait, either. It's such a magical thing, seeing your baby for the first time."

She drew her hands to her stomach. "I hope she doesn't make us wait too much longer."

...

"Good morning, sweetheart."

Elizabeth smiled in the mirror as Jack stepped up behind her. "Good morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired. And tired of being pregnant. I just came in here to brush my hair, and I already feel like I need a nap."

"Well, you're lugging around an entire human all the time. That would be enough to make anyone exhausted." He put his arms around her, moving his hands to support her stomach.

"Oh," she let out a breath, relaxing into him. "That feels amazing."

"Just think, it won't be much longer and I'll actually be able to take her from you when she's feeling too heavy."

She smiled, leaning back slightly. "Part of me was really hoping she'd come early so we'd get to spend Christmas with her."

"Well, maybe we'll have her here for New Year's Eve."

She put her hands on top of his. "Maybe. It's kind of strange to think we don't actually know which year she'll be born in, this year or next."

"Oh. That is weird." He chuckled. "At least we know she'll be here sometime within the next three weeks, though."

"True." She sighed. "We should get moving. Harrison is going to be up any minute."

"I'm surprised he isn't up already, begging to open presents before breakfast."

"Mommy! Daddy!" Harrison's muffled voice came through the bedroom door. "It's Christmas!"

Jack laughed. "Well, I guess I spoke too soon." He kissed Elizabeth's cheek. "Let's go see what Santa brought."

...

"How's mom doing?" Elizabeth asked her father as she glanced into the living room, where Harrison was busy telling Grace all about the presents he had received that morning.

"Much better. The doctor said he's very impressed with her progress. Said it shouldn't be too much longer before her speech is back to where it was before."

She nodded. "Good. It was hard. Seeing her like that."

"I know what you mean. And I could tell she was getting really frustrated, knowing what she wanted to say but not being able to say it."

"She does seem to be doing a lot better," Viola stated as she and Julie joined them. "I'm glad she's able to really enjoy the holiday with the kids."

They all looked into the living room again. Aaron and Willa had joined Harrison and Grace, the children laughing as their dads told them a silly story.

William smiled. "I'm proud of you girls. You've all found some very wonderful men to spend your lives with."

Elizabeth returned his smile, putting an arm around him. "It's because we grew up watching you and mom. We have high standards."

Julie and Viola joined in the hug. William closed his eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the love surrounding him. "I love you girls so much."

"We love you, dad. Merry Christmas."

...

"Beth," Jack whispered, nudging her gently. "We're home."

"Hm?" she mumbled, not opening her eyes.

"Do you need me to carry you inside?"

"No," she sighed. "I'm thirty-eight and a half weeks pregnant. You can't lift me right now."

"Well, if you can make it to bed, I can help you get changed. I just need to get Harrison to his room first."

"Okay."

He helped her out of the car before lifting a sleeping Harrison from his carseat. Walking behind her, he made sure he was safely in their bedroom before taking Harrison across the hall and tucking him in. By the time he settled their son in and let the dog outside, Elizabeth had fallen back to sleep.

He smiled as he stood in the doorway and watched her for a few moments. She had curled up on top of the covers, her shoes and jacket still on. Her arm was draped across her stomach, and he could see some slight movement from Salem. Her lips twitched up into a smile, and he wondered what she was dreaming about, hoping it was him.

Carefully, he slipped off her shoes and removed her jacket before tucking a blanket around her. He changed into his own pajamas and slid into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her.

He pressed his lips to the back of her shoulder. "Merry Christmas, Beth. I love you."

...

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Just tired. I think I need some more sleep if I'm going to make it to midnight tonight."

Jack took a seat on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through her hair. "Well, mom and Tom have Harrison for the day, so you can rest all you want. Do you need anything? Glass of water? Another blanket?"

"I'm okay."

"Okay." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Is there anything you need me to get done in the nursery today?"

"Um," she covered her mouth as she yawned, "I think there's a laundry basket in there with some clothes that need to be put in her closet."

"More clothes?" he teased.

"Hey," she gave him a playful swat. "You've bought her half the clothes in there."

"I know." He put a hand on her stomach. "I'm just so excited to have a daughter."

She grabbed his arm and pulled him down for a kiss. "I'm so excited to see you with our daughter."

"She'll be here so soon."

"I can't wait."

He gave her one more kiss. "Okay. I'm going to let you rest now. I'll work on getting the nursery all ready for her."

"Thank you, Jack."

He fixed the blanket on top of her before heading across the hall to Salem's room. He smiled as he stepped inside. It was nearly complete, with just a few things waiting to be unpacked and put into their places.

Two of the walls had been painted white, the other two sage green. Various framed photos of animals—courtesy of Uncle Tom—hung on the wall above the dresser. The crib was aligned against the adjacent wall, next to a light gray glider.

He took a seat and started to rock, imagining what their lives would be like in just a few more days. For almost four years, it had been just him and Harrison. He loved his son, and he wouldn't change those years for the world. But now, they had Elizabeth, and soon, they would have Salem. He never thought he would experience love again, that his son would grow up with a mother, let alone a sibling.

"Thank you," he whispered a prayer. "Thank you for this life."

...

"Is Lizzy okay?" Charlotte questioned as she looked at the clock. "She's been in the bathroom for quite a while."

Jack glanced at the time, realizing it had indeed been nearly fifteen minutes since Elizabeth had excused herself to go to the bathroom. "I'll go check on her. She's been a little off all day."

He knocked softly at the bathroom door before turning the knob and finding it locked.

"Elizabeth? It's me. Are you okay?"

He pressed his ear to the door, hearing her groan softly.

"Beth, let me in, please."

A moment later, he heard the lock click, and he quickly entered the room. He found Elizabeth leaning against the counter, her knuckles white from gripping the edge.

"Elizabeth, I think I should take you to the hospital now."

"But what if it's just false labor again? I don't want—" she gasped, grabbing at her stomach.

"I'm pretty sure this is the real thing, Beth. That looks like it hurts."

"Okay." She nodded, trying to catch her breath. "Okay, we need to go."

"I'll get you some shoes. You just hang tight for a minute."

A little frazzled, he ran around the house, grabbing shoes for himself and Elizabeth before telling Harrison and his mom and brother that they were headed to the hospital.

Charlotte smiled as she helped Jack get Elizabeth to the car. "Tom and I will stay with Harrison and Simba for as long as you need. You two just go bring that beautiful baby girl into the world."

"Thanks, ma." Jack kissed her cheek. "I'll keep you updated."

Once he was sure Elizabeth was buckled in the passenger seat, he slipped into his own seat behind the wheel.

"Well, Beth. Let's go meet Salem."

...

"Jack, I can't do this," she sobbed. "I can't."

"Hey." He took her hands, looking her in the eye. "I know you're tired, but you can do this. You're so close. We're so close to meeting our daughter. Just think about Salem."

"I can't." She had been pushing for nearly two hours, and she was completely exhausted. "I can't do it anymore."

"Just a few more pushes, Elizabeth," the doctor assured her. "Her head is right there. She'll be out with us soon."

"Squeeze my hands, Beth. I'll help you." Jack moved closer to her. "You can do this. Just a few more."

"Jack."

"For Salem." He wiped the tears from her cheeks and pushed the hair out of her face. "She's almost here."

With Jack's encouragement, Elizabeth mustered up the last of her strength. As the doctor had promised, it only took a few more pushes before Salem Charlotte Thornton came into the world.

The doctor held up the screaming baby. Elizabeth immediately reached out, waiting for the baby to be placed on her chest. A nurse covered the tiny girl with a towel and smiled.

Elizabeth placed her hand on the baby's back. "Hi, sweetheart." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she took in her daughter's face for the first time: her dark eyes, her wisps of curly hair atop her head, her little button nose and round cheeks.

"She's beautiful, Beth." Jack leaned down to get a better look at his brand new baby. "You did such a good job, sweetheart." He kissed her cheek. "She's amazing. You're amazing."

"And look at the time there," a nurse observed. "Two minutes after midnight. You have a New Year's baby there."

Jack smiled at Elizabeth, then turned his attention back to the baby. "Happy birthday, Salem."

...

Elizabeth smiled as she looked over at Jack, who was cradling their tiny daughter against his chest.

"We made her, Elizabeth," he said softly, tears filling his eyes. "We made her, and then you grew her, and now she's here."

"She's perfect."

"She is perfect," he agreed. "Just like her mama."

"I just can't believe she's finally here. It feels like we've been waiting forever for her."

"I know." He slowly took a few steps toward Elizabeth, trying not to jostle the baby in his arms. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"

"Like I just pushed a watermelon out of me," she joked. "Mostly I'm tired. I'm sure I'll be sore once the meds start wearing off."

"Well, she seems to be pretty content right now, so I can keep an eye on her if you want to get some rest."

"I don't want to sleep." She reached out to touch the baby's soft cheek. "I just want to stare at her some more."

Jack chuckled. "I know just what you mean." He sat on the edge of the bed, carefully passing the baby to Elizabeth. "Just a little while longer. Then you need your rest."

"Okay." Her eyes locked on their daughter. "Hi, beautiful girl." She stroked her finger across the baby's temple. "Salem Charlotte, you have no idea how much I love you."