It was months now after they learned of their baby's gender, and a lot of time spent at home was time spent on coming up with names. They had gone through a whole process of steering away from names that ended it 'y' - with their last name already Riley and their middle name having been chosen to be 'Sidney' in honor of her surrogate - and names that didn't sound similar to the people who lost their lives in Ghostface attacks and names that were far removed from Ghostface killers - no Billie, Michaela, and certainly not Charlotte - just to name a few.

He returned home early that day - a perk of being Sheriff he hadn't used up until recently - determined to spend as much time as he could coming up with names. He hung his cap at the door and slid out of his boots, forgetting for the umpteenth time to put his shoes on the rack. He approached Gale's office and peeked around the doorframe, curious to see if she was busy and/or surprised to see him home early for the third time this week. "Hey, it's me again," he joked, rounding the corner and moving beside her, placing a kiss to her lips.

Sidney was now in the second trimester of her pregnancy and visibly showing, a milestone that was a relief to Gale. She may or may not have spent a considerable amount of time researching the survival rates of every single week of pregnancy, should Sidney go into premature labor, and every additional week gave her just a little more security that their daughter really was going to make it. Tatum had arranged for a baby shower for Gale and Dewey coming up in the next few weeks and had told Gale she was planning a post labor day for Sidney after the baby's arrival that would involve a professional massage, food and drinks she couldn't have while pregnant, and a new clothes shopping spree that sounded to Gale like a treat more for the fashion focused Tatum than practical Sidney.

Regardless, Sidney was having an uncomplicated pregnancy and was always calm and patient with the multitude of questions and reminders Gale had for her that would have driven Gale nuts if she was the one pregnant. Maybe it was for the best that she wasn't- she knew she was hard enough to live with, without pregnancy hormones added in.

Sidney and Tatum had already found and moved into their new home closer to Woodsboro, and Gale had made certain when she and Dewey helped them move that Sidney didn't lift anything heavier than a milk jug. There had been a lot more "moving things" done by hired men than any of the four of them. With Sidney pregnant, Dewey's back injuries, Tatum's recent spine injury and limited left arm mobility, and Gale and Tatum's not so distant stab injuries, they were pretty useless when it came to a day of heavy lifting. It came in handy to have money considering.

She, Dewey, and the other two had made up a room for the nursery last week, themed with stars and moons. Gale hadn't liked the idea of pink and frills, even if they were having a daughter, nor anything too overly cutsey like Winnie the Pooh. This had seemed like a good calming theme that wasn't too anything.

She was preparing an episode for production for the following week, sending some final notes to Tatum through email when Dewey came home. Looking up as Dewey entered her office, she returned the kiss and stood, stretching.

"Why are you here already? You still had time left on shift."

"By, like, thirty minutes," he contested. "As Sheriff and certified first-time father, I believe going home a little early to come up with his child's name is completely justified."

When she finished stretching, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. He basked in the warmth and comfort of the hug momentarily before swiftly releasing her and sweeping her off her feet, carrying her to the living room. He set her down on the couch, back lying flat on the cushions, and hovered over her before peppering kisses across her face.

"*And* I wanted to see my wife and soon-to-be mother a little earlier than usual today. Is that something you have a problem with, Mrs. Riley?"

Gale just rolled her eyes at him but had to concede the point. She had been especially picky about the name, not wanting something too frilly or too cutesy, something that would suit a woman of all ages but had meaning. She didn't want a name that had multiple spellings, like hers, or one that was too out of style, like Dewey or Dwight. She also didn't want a name that was too tied to a character or celebrity. Adding to it that it has to flow with Sidney Riley made it even harder.

She smiled when Dewey

hugged her, reaching to wrap her arms around his neck. As he lifted her, she laughed in surprise, momentarily worried about his back, but was quickly distracted by his kissing. She reached up, lying on her back, and cupped his face, holding it in her hands.

"No problem here. Happy to tempt you away from Jolly on the Job Judy."

He paused the onslaught of kisses when she held his face in her hands and chuckled lightly. "I don't need to be tempted away if I'm too busy thinking of you all day," he flirted, a cocky smirk on his lips. He leaned back down to her face and kissed her, however he connected it to her lips.

"Plus everyone in town practically knows their Sheriff and his wife are *finally* having a baby, so she won't be your problem anymore," he commented, moving his kisses down to her neck. "Unless your rivalry is sacred to you; I *do* find it irresistible just how protective you get."

Gale kissed him back, open mouthed, letting her tongue stroke against his. She wanted to give him something to think about, a reminder of her desirability compared to Judy Hicks. Okay, maybe she was a little jealous and possessive. Or a lot. Who wouldn't be with a younger blonder suck up after their husband?

She groaned softly as he kissed down her neck, her skin flushing with his attention. "Not sacred. Just...necessary."

He was pleasantly surprised by the soft frenching, and, as she had hoped, certainly gave him something to remember; hell, any moment with her would be forever seared into his memory. "Necessary, huh?" he playfully questioned, halting his kisses at her collarbone. "What? Scared she's going to whisked me away, seducing me with her youth and lemon squares?"

He couldn't help but laugh at his own comment; the lemon squares weren't as bad as Gale had plainly told Judy to her face, but he'd have a death wish if he was going to eat them. He glided a hand down her stomach to her calf, fingers latching softly to the plump flesh before hooking it around his waist; he swiftly did the same with her other leg, using his other hand.

"I'm not really into blondes," he said, a hand fiddling with the edge of her button-up, fingers just barely touching the thin, sensitive skin of her stomach, before moving to unfasten the buttons. "More like dark brunettes, specifically those who are reporters and journalists."

A small thought passed his mind for a moment; did she feel like she *had* to rival Judy to keep him? Did she think...that he liked Judy? Sure, she was a dedicated officer, hell she was given title of 'Sheriff's Deputy', and she was certainly a good person, but he didn't like her romantically and/or sexually; he loved Gale, and she was all he needed - even if he wasn't with Gale, he probably wouldn't be interested in Judy anyways.

"You don't think I like Judy, right?" he asked genuinely, however he tried to pose it as a continuation of their foreplay; he wasn't looking to ruin the moment.

As he kissed her collar bone, his fingers gliding over the skin of her stomach and brushing the edge of her stab wound scar, Gale shivered, but her muscles tensed as well. She didn't like Dewey touching her and talking about Judy even playfully. She avoided his eyes as jokingly asked if she was scared he would be seduced. The truth was that a part of her was.

Judy was just...easier than she was. Young and earnest and never challenging Dewey, and always ready to flatter. What stung most currently was she was young enough to have a child and in fact had a little boy of her own already.

She avoided answering him, instead trying to sit up. "So you want to think of names?"

He felt her tense under his fingers at the mention of Judy and became immediately aware that he had, as he worried, ruined the moment; he became even more aware of that fact when she avoided his gaze. Seeing that she wished to sit up, he moved off and sat on the couch.

He was disappointed, no doubt, but he didn't want to continue if she was uncomfortable; and he'd come down from his high eventually. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he was unsure if she wanted to touched at all at the moment. He nodded in response to her question, his fingers working to loosen his duty belt so he could safely store it away.

"I ruined it, didn't I?" he asked, mumbled, his eyes avoiding hers; it was embarrassing, he should've known at this point that the topic of Judy made Gale uncomfortable. He had tried many times before to get the point across that he had no interest in Judy, and yet it always ended the same - and somehow he couldn't get it through his skull that she wanted to avoid the conversation altogether.

Gale didn't want to outright say to him that yes, he had ruined it; she was sure she would, even if she tried to be careful, sound excruciatingly bitchy or sarcastic. Instead she made a movement that was both a nod and a shrug at the same time. She noticed when Dewey sat beside her without touching and knew that he was probably doing so in deference to her, but it also added to her feeling of insecurity. Did he not want to touch her after talking about Judy?

"I looked through a name website and wrote down some that I liked the meanings of," she said instead. "If we only have the one, might as well make the name special."

"What are they?" he asked, pulling off his duty belt and gently laying it on the coffee table; he'd have to put undressing on hold until he could climb into some comfortable pajama bottoms and a plain tee.

He took notice of her shrug-nod in answer - yeah, he ruined it. He wanted desperately to get her to understand that he had no interest in Judy, or anyone else; he just wanted her. He slowly nudged his hand between them, an incentive for her to take it if she wanted.

Gale saw his subtle move of his hand and reached for it after a beat, entwining their fingers. She squeezed lightly and held on as she drew out her phone, pulling up the list and showing it to him. She had typed out names along with their meanings.

Nadia- hope

Thea- divine gift

Eva- life

Iris- rainbow

Audrina- strength

Alexandra- defender

Ava- life

Abigail- father's joy

Angelina- little angel

Faith

Valerie- strong and healthy

Vivian- life

He was relieved to feel her fingers entwine with his, to which he gently squeezed back. He read the names Gale had compiled and, personally, he thought all of them could fit; of course he had some favoritism for Abigail, not only because of it's meaning but because it ended with 'Gail', another spelling of Gale's name.

"What one do you like most?" he asked. He was certain of Abigail, but he wanted to hear her opinion first; this was her daughter just as much as his.

Gale studied the list again, although she already knew the answer. She tapped her finger against Abigail.

"It sounds good with Sidney Riley, and she could go by Abby if she wanted to or just when she's little," she said. "And I like that it sort of has us both. The meaning includes you, and the Gail part has me. Since she has Sidney's name it would be sort of cool to have us in there too. Or is that too conceited to name her after us?"

"You're not gonna believe this," he said, chuckling at the coincidence. "But I had thought the same thing about the name."

He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I don't think it's conceited; she *is* a half and half of us after all," he explained. He wanted desperately to be close to her, and not even sexually at this point; he felt the moment that they chose their daughter's name was so monumental that he wanted to hold her unbelievably close.

He gently pulled her to his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Is it agreed then? Abigail?"

Gale gave a small smile at Dewey's agreement, relieved that he didn't think it was arrogant or strange to choose a name including them both. She had never understood the appeal of men having Juniors, but then this wasn't quite the same. Abigail's name would still be her own.

As Dewey pulled her into his lap, Gale let him, resting her head against his shoulder. She still felt subdued after the Judy turn of conversation , but she curled in close to him and nodded.

"Abigail. Abigail Sidney Riley."

After some weeks of discussion, today was the day that their daughter got her name; Abigail. "I don't think there could've been an even more fitting name," he said, a smile pressing his lips.

Somehow giving her a name made him even *more* excited for his child, and it almost made him get swept up in the emotion of it all before he remembered that he had dampened any possible libido prior when he mentioned Judy. It was refreshing to see that Gale didn't want to distance herself from him after he made the moment awkward, but he wanted to fix it up somehow; he kissed her temple and rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Want me to make you dinner?" he asked. "Consider it my apology minus the million *I'm sorry*'s that are soon to come your way."

Gale smiled a little more. She did like hearing their daughter's name. It felt right, somehow, and fitting, just as finding a name for Rowan had felt fitting.

She soaked up Dewey's affection as he rubbed her back, letting herself relax against him further. She hesitated, not sure if he would take this as a rejection, but what she wanted had actually come to mind quickly as she said the baby's name.

"Can we see if Sid and Tatum want to come for dinner? I want to tell them the name. And I want to say it to the baby. It sounds dumb, but I want to see if she'll kick or move if she hears us say it."

"Of course, whatever you want!" he said, not at all subtle in his attempt to make it up to her. "They'll be thrilled; and I'm sure Abigail will be too.

"And I don't think it's dumb," he added. "I've heard that baby's are able to hear outside the womb, and even recognize voices, so she'll be even more close with you outside of you just being her mother."

He pulled out his cell phone and sifted through his contacts to Sidney's number. He pressed to call and listened to the rings until Sid's voice came over the phone. "Hey Sid," he greeted. "How're things doing? Tatum doing alright? How about our little girl?"

He was close to slipping and calling their 'little girl' by her name before Gale and himself even got the chance to reveal it, but he kept himself composed despite his excitement and chatted as if all was normal. "Gale and I wanted to know if you and Tate would like to come over for dinner. That sound possible?"

Gale stayed pressed into Dewey's side as he called Sidney, recognizing that he's trying to give her anything and everything she wants but not exactly opposed. She slid her hand into his free one as she listened to the conversation.

"Hey, Dewey," Sidney greeted , "we're both good. Tatum went back to chiropractor today, they said her arm mobility is starting to make some progress forward again." After being stabbed several months ago, Tatum's already restricted use of her left arm had decreased further, so this was very encouraging news for her.

"Baby seems to be in a great move, she's doing back flips off my bladder," Sidney laughed. "She's also making me hungry all the time. Dinner would be great, we were just trying to figure out what to eat. Want us to bring anything?"

"Nope, just come when you're ready," Gale spoke up loud enough for her to hear. "Tell Tatum that's great and I'll test her out by having her carry all the hard copy files we have. Kidding, that would be a whole file cabinet, She's never going to be that strong."

As they hung up she tugged at Dewey's arm, excited. "She says the baby's moving, maybe she will for us."

He was relieved to hear that Tatum's already difficult movement in her arm was making positive progress rather than regressing further. And he was even happier to hear that their baby was well in good health, having enough strength to move around inside her enclosed space. Before he got the chance to answer Sidney, Gale did for him, clearly excited for them to just come over rather than having any concern for dinner.

"We'll see the three of you lady's soon," he said, hanging up the phone after their 'goodbye's'.

Gale's excitement was infectious, able to bring a smile to his lips. "I hope she does," he said. "She sounds like a real personality already."

He took to the kitchen and prepared a meal with what he could find in the kitchen; he came to concoct a nice pasta dish with ground beef, tomato sauce, and a delicate layer of white cheddar. "You think this will be okay for Sidney to eat?" he asked. "Then again, Abigail sounds like a true foodie already with how much she demands food."

Gale nodded at Dewey's question about Sidney being able to eat the meal he had made. Sidney had never been picky, nor Tatum; Gale was the one who had rules and strong feelings attached to food. This particular meal was not one she felt comfortable with generally, but the protein and carbs were probably needed for Sidney and the baby. She would do her best to eat "normally" around the other women; she never wanted to make her feelings about food obvious or even known if she could at all help it.

Still, even as she mentally braced herself for carbs, she was excited for the baby's progress. Dewey was right, Abigail already seemed to have a personality. She could only hope it was closer to Dewey's than her own.

The doorbell rang about twenty minutes later, and as Gale checked their security camera footage, she saw Tatum and a very pregnant Sidney standing with her. Going to let them in, she hugged Tatum, noting that her left arm did move to embrace her too, if far more weakly in force and control than her right. She squeezed Tatum's left bicep in silent acknowledging before hugging Sidney.

"Hi, baby mama," she said lightly as Sidney laughed. "Hi, baby break dancer."

"She is!" Tatum laughed. "Sid said she was moving to certain songs in the car."

By the time the doorbell rang, he had prepared the ground beef, cooked the pasta, put all of the ingredients together into a glass pan, and had the dish in the oven for four-five minutes. He left Gale to answer the door, as she clearly was set on doing, and so approached the wine cabinet and brought out a bordeaux wine, for the women minus Sidney, and a cognac brandy, for himself; he'll have to ask what Sidney wanted to drink.

He soon approached the women in the foyer and gently hugged the recovering Tatum and heavily pregnant Sidney. "Hello ladies, and little lady," he greeted, speaking to Sidney's belly to refer to the 'little lady' inside. "Excuse the uniform, I didn't have time to change - got a *bit* distracted."

He kissed Gale's temple and went to rush upstairs for a more comfortable attire before turning around at the stairs. "Before I forget," he abruptly stopped. "Sidney, what do you want to drink? Water, tea, protein shake? I have a cranberry apple juice in the fridge that I usually mix with some brandy, but I'm *more* than willing to share - hell, you can have the whole jug."

"Of course," Sidney assented, turning to smile at her and holding out a hand. "She knows your voice by now, I'm pretty sure she knows who is who already. Come talk to her. Tatum sings to her all the time, this baby is going to be really behind the times musically with her being so stuck in the 90's."

"You mean she's going to have the best taste of anyone in her generation," Tatum stuck out her tongue playfully. "Do you know how many songs have the word baby in them? She thinks they're all for her specifically."

Gale reached out a hesitant hand to take Sidney's, letting Sidney move her hand to find a specific place on her stomach. She felt the clear imprint of something press against Sidney's stomach and gasped.

"Is that a foot?"

"Yeah," Sidney smiled, still holding Gale's hand in place. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"Yes, Mom," he said childishly to Gale - although, technically, the name wasn't inaccurate. He undressed from his uniform and put a simple tee and pants before returning to the kitchen and checking on the dish.

"*Ten more minutes*," he thought, closing the oven door and approaching the dining room where all the women stood, oblivious to the moment Gale was sharing with the life in Sidney's stomach. "Anything I can get you lovely ladies?" he asked.

When he finally noticed the wonderment on Gale's face, that he could tell she was unconsciously hiding, he rounded the dining table and stood behind her, an excited smile on his face.

"Is she moving?" he asked excitedly, placing his hands on Gale's shoulders.

Gale didn't look up as Dewey took her by the shoulders, still marveling how she could feel the hard outline of her daughter's foot against Sidney's stomach. Without shifting her gaze, she reached for his hand with her free hand and brought it down to the same place.

"Talk to her," she urged, not sure what to say herself. "Tatum sings, you can do better than that."

"Hey!" Tatum objected good naturedly. "I'll have you know my niece adores me singing, she gets really chill."

"She's moving a little," Sidney confirmed. "Not kicking, just shifting around. Go ahead, talk to her.,"

He felt slightly panicked when Gale took his hand, a part of him worried that their daughter wouldn't appreciate his touch, but he allowed her to take his hand nonetheless and place it next to hers. He could only imagine the dumb smile he had on his face when he felt the foot his fingers were pressed against pushed back; it was something he wanted to experience all his life with Gale, to have their own baby, but he gave up on that dream years ago out of respect for Gale, and yet here they were, feeling the life they created inside Sidney's belly.

"Hello, my little joy," he whispered, tears on the verge of spilling. "I'm your dad, and your mama's here too."

The tears that he tried to hold back broke through his resistance, making him catch his breath and his lip quiver; he didn't think for the longest time that he'd get the chance to have his own child, but now he did and he almost couldn't believe he was given that chance.

Gale's features were unusually soft as she looked over at Dewey, silently sharing the miracle of the moment and the pure elation she saw in his gaze. She smiled at him, tender and more in love with him than ever before as she watched the love they already had for their baby. She blinked against tears of her own, keeping her hand with his against their daughter.

"Aw," Tatum whispered loudly. "Stay still."

Fumbling with her good hand, she took out her phone and managed to snap a picture. Sidney looked up, startled, but smiled.

"I bet that one's good."

"We have a name," Gale announced, looking at Dewey to see what he thought of sharing now versus later. "Do you think she'll answer to it?"

He couldn't find himself caring that Tatum had taken a picture of him in tears, more focused on feeling his daughter's foot between Sidney's belly. He nestled his head in the crook of her neck, living in the moment for what felt like ages - a very welcomed feeling.

"There's only one way to find out," he said, nodding to Gale in answer that the name could be shared.

Feeling a little left out of the cluster around Sidney, Tatum stood, coming to stand behind Sidney. She embraced her around the neck with her good arm as Sidney laughed.

" I no longer even have a choice of personal space, do I?"

"Nope. Too bad," Tatum declared. She rested her chin on Sidney's head as Dewey embraced Gale. Gale looked up at him, then at the women before speaking to them and the baby together.

"Her name means Father's joy. So it has Dewey and partly me. Her name is going to be Abigail. Abigail Sidney Riley."

Sidney's eyes widened, and she looked between them, making sure she understood.

"After me? You're giving her my name?"

"Well of course. Who else?" Gale shrugged. Looking down at her stomach again, she tried to speak to the baby directly. "What do you think? Abigail Sidney?"

"You have put just as much time and ten times more energy than us into creating our little Abigail, it's the least we could do," he explained, wiping the tears from his eyes and face. "Sorry Tate."

It took a couple seconds before Abigail responded, Sidney's belly erupting into what looked like tidal waves passing through it. He couldn't help but chuckle, not only at the intense movement but because Gale was right, Abigail was a little break dancer.

"I think she likes it," he said, glancing over at Gale. "And you weren't kidding when you said she did backflips, Sid."

"You have put just as much time and ten times more energy than us into creating our little Abigail, it's the least we could do," he explained, wiping the tears from his eyes and face. "Sorry Tate."

It took a couple seconds before Abigail responded, Sidney's belly erupting into what looked like tidal waves passing through it. He couldn't help but chuckle, not only at the intense movement but because Gale was right, Abigail was a little break dancer.

"I think she likes it," he said, glancing over at Gale. "And you weren't kidding when you said she did backflips, Sid."

He could see Sidney's belly push into Gale's hand and it brought a dumb smile to his face; she was definitely hearing the name, and enthusiastically was agreeing.

"You like that name, huh?" he asked. "Abigail, my little joy. I can't think of a more perfect name. Your mama chose it just for you, you know?"

"It's perfect," Sidney agreed. "It's a beautiful name for her."

"And it's cool that you're all in it. Everyone who created her," Tatum chimed in.

The oven timer dinged, and Gale took her hand from Sidney reluctantly. "That's your cue, hon. Go play chef."

She sat down, with Tatum joining.

"But playing chef isn't as *nearly* as fun as playing Dad," he complained, reluctantly taking his hand away from Sidney's stomach and begrudgingly approaching the kitchen, but not without quickly wrapping his arms around Gale's waist and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

He pulled oven mitts over each hand and removed the dish from the oven, setting it atop the stove to cool. He proceeded to pour himself a glass of brandy, some wine for Gale and Tatum, and a cranberry apple juice for Sidney and brought them to the table, moving back to the kitchen with a parting kiss to Gale's temple and a shoulder squeeze for Sidney and Tatum.

He scooped a bowlful of the mac and cheese into four separate bowls and delivered them to the table, silverware included. "Dinner is served," he commented, sitting in his own seat and taking a bite of the cheesy pasta, subtly taking glances up to see if the women liked it.