The year 2007 had arrived, and with it came many changes. Addison was going through nesting syndrome; an uncontrollable need to clean, organize, decorate, and prepare the baby's room and the rest of the house. In the first days of the month, they had finally bought the furniture and the rest of the necessary things.

Derek personally took care of assembling all the furniture in the baby's room. He had also insisted on painting the room light pink. Addison found it ridiculous at first, since she had always been against gender-specific colors, but once she saw it finished, she ended up liking it.

The crib was in their room, as they had decided previously. It had white wooden bars, with some drawers with pink handles, also painted by her father. Cream-colored sheets and a well-padded baby-patterned quilt. And on top, several stuffed animals, gifts from her many aunts and pseudo-aunts.

Addison was about to reach 40 weeks and there were still no signs that the baby would arrive. They had a little scare on January 13, on Derek's birthday. Perhaps it was the anxiety or the fear that the baby would be born on that day that had made her nervous. In the end, it was just a false alarm that almost took them to the hospital. After that, nothing.

She knew it was normal for first-time mothers to take a little longer, so she had to accept, despite her will, that this process might stretch a few more days. Derek had gotten her a pilates ball to practice dilation exercises, but they didn't seem to be working either.

"She's Derek's daughter, of course, she's going to make us wait," Addison thought.

"Ready to go to the last ultrasound?" Derek asked, entering the room.

"You don't know if it will be the last, maybe it will make us wait another week."

"In two days is the estimated due date. Maybe we'll have her here before tomorrow. Maybe we'll have her here in three hours."

"Derek, those things only happen in movies. Labor lasts many more hours. Especially for first-time mothers," she said, stretching out a leg for him to tie the boots' laces.

"But still, she could be born today," he tied one foot and then the other.

"Could..."

"Shall we go?" he said, offering her his hand to help her up.

"Let's go."

~•~

"About last week, the baby has gained 4.23 ounces, weighing almost 7.700 pounds. A very good weight."

"Oh my God, how am I supposed to deliver such a big baby down there?" Addison said, squeezing her eyes just at the thought of it.

"Relax, the body is wise. You will be able to handle it."

"If my body were wise, it would never have allowed me to get to this point."

"You're almost at the due date. From there, what we can do is either wait for it to happen naturally until week 42, or induce labor at week 40."

"I don't want to induce unless it's necessary. I know from my patients that it hurts horribly."

"The other option is to schedule a C-section."

"It sounds tempting."

"Addie, it's major surgery..."

"I know, Derek. I've done thousands of cesarean sections throughout my life and I know that... Ouch!"

"You're having a contraction," Sophia said, looking at the monitor.

"Yes... they last a few seconds and... it's gone. It's over."

"In these 10 minutes, you've had only one. We could monitor you for another 5 minutes, but I don't think another one will appear very soon."

"No, I don't feel it either."

Sophia handed her some paper napkins to wipe off the excess conductive gel on her belly.

"If you allow me, I'm going to do an internal examination to see if there's cervical dilation."

"Okay."

Sophia positioned herself between Addison's legs and performed the procedure.

"There's no dilation at the moment."

"Then won't she be born today?" Derek asked, somewhat disappointed.

"I'm afraid not. Probably not tomorrow either. It's a slow process for first-time mothers."

"Then...?" Addison said, getting off the examination table with Derek's help.

"I'm going to send you to do exercises to help with dilation and to trigger labor."

"I already have the ball, I don't feel like it really helps."

"It's more effective in active labor."

"Mmm..."

"You'll go for a walk around the neighborhood, walk around the block. If you have stairs in your home, go up and down a few times. Stay active and in constant motion, without getting tired or overwhelmed. Doing squats also helps."

"No, I can't do squats, I can barely get up with my husband's help."

"Okay, then you'll continue with the exercises you were already doing on the ball. You'll make gentle movements, rocking your pelvis forward and backward or to the sides, and pelvic floor contractions when you're sitting on the ball."

"Okay."

"I don't know how you are dealing with back pain, but sexual intercourse is also recommended."

"Really?" Derek asked, surprised. "You didn't tell me that, Addie."

"Because I don't feel like it. I feel huge and heavy. Not at all sexy."

"Sex can stimulate the production of oxytocin, which is the hormone for contractions and this can increase the frequency of contractions," Sophia continued.

Derek looked at Addison but she still had a poker face. He didn't even dare to make a joke.

"All the check-ups are fine and your daughter is healthy and developing perfectly. If we don't see each other before, I'll see you next Friday for another check-up. Here are the printed ultrasounds, and remember, it's just a matter of being patient, she'll arrive when she decides."

~•~

"It's a beautiful day to go for a walk," Derek said, opening the curtains in the room and bothering Addison.

"The light!" she complained, squinting her eyes.

"The idea is for you to wake up, come on."

"I'm already awake. I'm tired."

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Do I look like I want to go for a walk?" she said, annoyed.

"Addie, it's Monday, January 20th. Bella should be born today."

"She won't be born today, Derek. The due date is called that because it's a probability, not a certainty. I've told you a thousand times, Sophia told you yesterday, no matter how much you insist, it's not going to happen when you want it to."

"Anyway, if you stay in bed, you're not contributing."

"I'm tired! Carry a baby of almost eight pounds and then tell me if you want to walk or not."

"We could go to the forest house. Walk through the trails near the lake."

"Brilliant idea, let's get lost in the woods. So she's born surrounded by nature and a beaver is the midwife."

Derek sighed. Addison wasn't in a good mood that day. Well, lately she was never in a good mood. He understood, he knew she slept very little and was very uncomfortable. He didn't want to keep pressuring her to do something that bothered her even more.

"We could go for a ferry ride. We used to like ferries, remember?"

"No, I just remember how you ignored me in one."

"It's been two years, I wouldn't ignore you anymore. Come on, let's go."

~•~

"The water is much bluer than I remembered," Addison said, stirring her strawberry smoothie. They were having breakfast in the ferry cafeteria.

"You see? I knew you would enjoy going out. You need to see something other than the walls of the apartment."

"I suppose," she said, taking a sip. That smoothie was really good.

"Afterwards we can walk on the deck, breathe fresh air."

"Der," she said, her voice slightly broken.

"Hey, what's wrong, Addie?" he took her hand.

"This is our last date before becoming parents. Nothing will be the same as before from now on..."

"I hadn't thought about that. It's true..."

"When I found out I was pregnant, I saw the due date as very distant... as if it was an eternity away."

"I feel like it was an eternity ago. Too many things have happened."

"We were living in the trailer..."

"Do you miss the trailer?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not," she laughed, "what I mean is, it was a different life. We were different people nine months ago. I would have never imagined back then that we would end up like this."

"And are you happy with how it turned out?"

"Very happy," she rested her palm on Derek's chin affectionately. He kissed her hand.

"It was nice to experience this stage with you, Addie."

"Really? I thought I was insufferable."

"Well..." Derek forced a smile.

"I hate you."

"I love you."

Addison smiled with the straw on her lips.

"It's completely contradictory, but despite all the discomfort, symptoms, and pains... I liked being pregnant. I liked the feeling of having our baby inside and carrying her with me wherever I went. I might even miss this feeling when she's outside..."

"Would you be willing to do it again?"

She shook her head, laughing.

"Too soon for that question?" He asked.

"Too much."

Derek smiled at her lovingly. He couldn't believe the stunning beauty of his wife. Since she was pregnant, he could swear she had a different glow in her eyes, her whole aura looked brighter.

"What? Do I have something in my mouth?" she said, bringing her hands to her mouth.

"Just that you're the most beautiful woman in this universe and I'm dying to kiss your lips."

"Oh..." she laughed, blushing.

Derek stood up a little from his seat and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She couldn't stop smiling. It felt like she was living in a fairy tale every day, where she had finally found her happy ending.

~•~

"Hey! Where were you?" said Amelia, somewhat concerned, as soon as she saw them come in through the door that afternoon.

"We went out to enjoy our last date," said Derek as he locked the door.

"Why didn't you let me know you were leaving? So many hours passed that I thought you were in labor, Addie!"

"I'm afraid she's not going to be born today," she said, placing her hand on her large belly.

"Remember, as soon as you feel like she's going to be born, let me know. I won't miss the birth of my goddaughter for anything in the world."

"You're not going into the delivery room, Amy," said Derek.

"What do you mean? I'm a doctor, I've seen that type of thing during my residency rounds. I'm not phased by a newborn baby, in fact, they look better than organs with cancer, not to mention the entire digestive system..."

"What I mean is that we want some privacy."

"Oh... Okay. But I can be near the room and come in once she's born. Right?"

"Amy..."

"OK, I understand. Sorry for invading your space, but sometimes I feel like I'm also expecting a baby. Living with you and seeing all the preparations makes me feel a part of this."

"You are a part of this," said Addison, "and you will always be. You're family."

Amelia smiled at her and Addison gave her a big sister hug. Derek watched the scene with a smile on his face. Perhaps the baby had come not only to unite the two of them as a couple but also as a family.

He could never have imagined living with his younger sister again after so many years apart, let alone expecting the arrival of his daughter with her.

~•~

"Tuesday, January 21st. A day late," said Derek, opening the curtains again like the day before.

"Oh, my God. Are you going to do this every day?" asked Addison in a hoarse voice.

"Well... hopefully not. I hope today is the day."

"It won't be. Your daughter is too comfortable in here," she took a pillow and put it over her face to go back to sleep.

"Today it's not raining and it's not so cold. It's a wonderful day to bring life into the world. We could go for a walk."

"Der, I'm tired."

"You always say that. Come on, there's no excuse today," he took the pillow off her face.

"The excuse is that I'm too pregnant to move. I don't want to walk, it overwhelms me."

"You said that yesterday, and the day before, and last week...come on, enough with the excuses. If Bella doesn't want to come out on her own, we'll make her come out on our own."

"Derek, it's not like removing a tumor at will, you can't pressure her time. She's not ready yet, with some tumors you have to wait for them to reduce in size and then operate."

"Okay, we'll pretend you didn't just compare our baby to a tumor. Let's go."

~•~

"In hell, they treat you better than here," Addison said, out of breath. They were climbing the thirteen flights of stairs in the building.

"Have you been there before?"

"I'm Satan, remember? That's where I come from," she took her water bottle to take a sip.

"Stop complaining, we've only gone up four flights."

"It's crazy four flights with this belly and not being used to working out. I feel like I'm going to die. I can't breathe properly," she said, putting her hand on her side.

"Come on, let's go back down now."

"Give me a break. If I have a heart attack, I won't make it to the delivery alive."

"The break is going back down."

"I hate you."

~•~

"At 6:42 p.m., there are no significant changes in the progress of the process," Derek said, jotting down in his notebook. "We'll have to go out again for exercise."

"You're crazy, I'm not going out again. I'm exhausted."

"Okay, we won't go out. But you can sit on the ball and do exercises."

"Tomorrow."

"No, if we can try to make it happen today, we will do it today."

"Yeah, whatever," she said, taking the remote control and changing the channel.

Derek went to their room and brought the ball with him.

"You can watch TV while sitting on the ball, it doesn't require too much effort."

Addison was about to protest, but she knew it would be futile. She got up from the couch and sat on the ball.

"Happy?"

"Do the exercises."

"God," she rolled her eyes.

"Addison, you have to cooperate."

"You know, we could have sex. It's more fun, don't you think?"

"Focus on the exercises."

"The only ones I learned in the prenatal class," she made a mischievous smile and bit her lower lip, teasing him.

"Let's go to the bedroom."

~•~

"Is the car seat properly placed? Did you put the bag in the trunk?" Addison asked nervously. She had started having contractions that night.

"Addie, yes. They're intact from the last time. Relax."

"I'm afraid of waking up in the middle of the night and forgetting something."

"You won't forget anything, we checked the bags twenty times, everything is in there and they're already loaded."

"Derek, I'm scared," she said as she held back a new contraction.

"Relax, Addie...," he looked at his wristwatch and noted the time. "Has it passed?"

She nodded.

"That's 3 in 36 minutes. They're starting to become regular."

"I don't know, Der. They're still very isolated. Last time they were like this too."

"Yes, but last time you were only 39 weeks, now it's 402..."

"That doesn't mean anything... ow," she complained again.

"Another one?" he asked, looking at his watch again. She nodded. "2 minutes apart, Addie... Let's go to the hospital."

"Can you tell me the frequency of the last 5?"

"10, 7, 15, 12, 2."

"They're still very irregular. I think I should get some sleep. What time is it?"

"11:44."

"It's late already, Der. Leave it, let's sleep. It won't be tonight."

"It could be in a few hours..."

"It won't be tonight."

"Do you want to have one of those labor-inducing teas?"

"Those are myths. Tea can't induce labor. Derek, we're doctors, not quacks."

"We could try."

"I'm tired, honey. You've had me up and about all day, literally. I want to sleep tonight...," She felt another contraction.

"Another one?" she nodded and Derek noted in his notebook, "3 minutes. Addie, they're becoming regular."

"Of course, they're not. Look, if you want to stay awake, go ahead. But I'm tired, this baby won't be born tonight. It would be ridiculous to go to the hospital for a few isolated contractions. Goodnight," she said, turning around and facing away from him.

Both turned off their lamps. Derek stayed silent for a while. He knew she wasn't sleeping, he could tell from her breathing pattern. She probably was having more contractions, but stubbornness made her deny it. Addison was always like that. She could be the best doctor in the field, but the worst patient at the same time.

"If you don't tell me when you have a new contraction, I won't be able to note it. We'll lose track. And we won't know when they're really becoming regular."

She didn't respond.

"Addison, respond. Do you have another one?" He turned on his nightstand light and turned to look at her.

She was squeezing her eyes shut and pressing her lips tightly. Derek sighed and took his notebook again.

"Wednesday, January 22... Time 00:21 a.m...," he said as he wrote, "I don't have a record of the last ones, because I know you had more, I can hear how your breathing changes, but we could put about 3 or 4. Between the last one recorded at 11:48 p.m. and the..."

"My water broke."

"What?"