A/N: The first grandchild for Jim and Melinda, and let's just say they are overjoyed with love for Katie and Ned :) Enjoy xx Mariah

Ages:

Delia - 54
Jim - 54
Melinda - 50
Ned - 28
Katie - 25
Hannah - 25
Mackenzie - 15

The local hospital offered classes on labor, delivery, and newborn child care, and Melinda signed Katie and Ned up for it without even telling them first. "It will be good for both of you. Your father and I insist," her mom said to her at the store, in front of a whole boatload of people.

Of course, Melinda would choose to tell her about this in public so she couldn't react as badly.

Katie kept her cool and told her it was too early and just to cancel, but that she'd talk to Ned about it. She'd hoped he would side with her and while he was annoyed, he admitted that he'd still like to go.

"It couldn't hurt, right?" he suggested, and she reluctantly agreed.

They'd rescheduled to a date when she was further along and Katie was nearly seven months when the class finally came up. It was held in a large room in the OB department, and there were half a dozen other couples in attendance, all at various stages of pregnancy.

Ned was running late because of work and she hated being in places like this all alone. She wasn't the most introverted person, but that didn't make her the most outgoing one either.

"Are you here all alone?" The tall, redhead standing next to her was already eyeing her belly, trying to guess when she was due for herself instead of asking.

"For now, but my husband should be here soon," she said, hoping that her obvious fatigue would deter the woman from any more inquisition.

"Oh good. I was just making sure since this is a couple's class," the woman said. "You should come to sit by me."

That response made Katie want to walk in the other direction. This was a birthing class. A partner wasn't needed. "I'm going to wait for my husband to arrive before finding a spot. Thanks," she muttered.

"So, when are you due?" The redhead extended her hand to touch her stomach, just as her son kicked back. The woman had pressed a little too hard, and he didn't like it when people did that. "Looks like you've got a kicker."

Katie hated this dance that all pregnant women seemed to do with each other. She was so sick of questions from everyone and you'd think pregnant women would feel the same instead of always asking each other questions too. "He should be here in March. So not too far off," she answered, taking a second glance around the room just in time to see Ned walk inside and waved him over to where she was standing. "Hi, honey."

"Hi, sorry I'm late. Making friends?" He asked, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

She wanted to punch him.

"Oh, hello! I suppose we are," the woman said, rubbing her perfectly round belly. "I'm Claudia by the way."

Katie wanted to get as far away as possible, but the woman was blinking expectantly waiting for her reply. Ned's hand met the small of her back and he nudged a smile onto her face. "I'm Katherine and this is my husband Ned. Nice to meet you." She said, praying that the nurse would start the class soon.

As much as she'd love to make some other new mom friends, she wasn't in the mood to talk. She had woken up on the wrong side of the bed today and not only was she in a sour mood, but her back was killing her. Her son jabbed her ribs and she cursed under her breath.

Thankfully the nurse called for everyone's attention just then and after she introduced herself, she instructed all the couples to take seats on the floor, with the partner sitting as a cushion behind the woman, who would sit in a birthing formation.

"I always forget you're Katherine to the people you don't like," Ned whispered in her ear and then helped her sit down.

"Don't test me or you'll regret it," she sighed, but rather than argue she let it roll off her back. Katie knew he was tired after a long day at work, but he still took his time to her down on the floor, positioning her against him so she was as comfortable as possible. He had always been mindful of her sore muscles and had become quite attentive to her everyday wants and needs.

"I like this position," he whispered as she relaxed into him. His hands rubbed against her thighs, smoothing around to squeeze one. "A lot."

"Me too. I missed you," she said, kissing his throat and rubbing up against his side. "How was your day?"

"Busy," he sighed, kissing her cheek. "A lot of tickets." He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at her. "I was patrolling mostly, but after that, I had a boatload of paperwork. Sorry for being late."

"That sucks. It's no biggie. You can make it up to me at home," she hummed, patting his face.

Katie looked over at Claudia, who she'd been speaking with earlier and she frowned when she saw that she was trying to sit on her own. She was struggling to get down gracefully with her large belly. The dark-haired man who she assumed was her partner seemed oblivious to her struggle and he remained standing, his focus solely on his smartphone.

"Could you please go help her?" she whispered to Ned, and he was up in an instant and at the woman's side.

Once Claudia was comfortably on the floor, she thanked him and then smiled sweetly at Katie, and even though her back was aching now more than ever, the smile she returned was a genuine one.

"What a jerk," he muttered, sliding back in behind her. His hands lingered at her waist before sliding down her legs. "He nearly stepped on me when he tried to sit down. I mean he obviously isn't very attentive."

"Seems like it. He hardly noticed she came to talk to me for like ten minutes," she explained to him as the nurse set up different diagrams of positions to help release pain during labor. "Did you bring anything to write on? I should probably write these down so I remember them." She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Pregnancy brain."

Ned checked his pockets, pulled out his crime scene notepad, and searched for a blank page. "Don't flip through. Top secret cop business," he joked and gave her a pen too.

"Aye aye captain," she laughed and rolled her eyes, writing down the different positions and breathing techniques.

Katie's phone buzzed with a new email alert, and she pushed her shopping cart off to the side so she could check it, worried it was one of her students asking a question before the final.

The end of a unit was coming up and she was hoping to get through it before the sub came in and she went on maternity leave. She was out for the last three months of school and then came summer, so she luckily had a whole six months to be at home with her son.

She hadn't even planned it, but when she saw the timeline laid out she had inwardly rejoiced.

Her phone glanced to the alert from the BabyCenter app she'd downloaded. Your baby is the size of watermelon this week - came across her screen as she looked over the pasta sauces in front of her and groaned. She needed to unsubscribe from those stupid updates.

It made her feel like a cow sometimes. Like she didn't know her son was huge at this point. He was going to be a ten-pounder. Just like her husband was. She was going to kill Ned when she got home.

She reached for alfredo sauce on the middle shelf as her back spasmed, a pain spreading through her entire back. They had been on and off all day, and she knew what that meant and she didn't like it. She wasn't ready to have her son yet.

She was still so scared. What if she lost him too? Like she did Charlie?

"Katie? Are you okay?"

She followed the sound of her name, and there standing next to the sweet potatoes was the woman from her birthing class, Claudia… something.

The redheaded woman looked as gorgeous as ever, not a hair out of place. She even had on some makeup, or at least Katie thought she did. It looked like someone yanked the basketball out from under her shirt, because her body was on point, too. Much better than she'd picture herself after having a baby.

"Oh yeah. I'm fine," she grabbed the two glass jars she needed and put them in the cart. "Just some back pain. It's nice to see you." She waddled over to her, seeing the car seat and grinning. "You had your daughter!" She glimpsed at the sleeping infant, who was a beautiful baby girl. "Oh, she's a sweetheart."

"Well of course I did, silly! I was almost a week overdue before they induced, but she's beautiful and a heavy sleeper. I've never been more grateful." Claudia laughed, and even that sounded proper and perfect. She reached into the baby carrier and unfastened the buckles, then gently lifted the infant from the seat. "I'd like you to meet my daughter, Sasha Rose." She pulled back the corner of the light purple blanket to reveal a tiny cherub face, fast asleep. She must have been at least a few weeks old because she no longer had that pinkish new look that she associated with most newborns. "Isn't she just the sweetest?"

"She's truly beautiful," she said, awed, her finger rubbing her cheek and smiling at her. "And such a little sweetie. So cute and little. I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you," Claudia whispered, rocking her back and forth. "It's a lot of hard work, but it's worth it. Would you like to hold her?"

Katie held up her hands in protest, she did have to get home soon. Ned was getting off work at seven and she hadn't even started dinner. He'd packed a lighter lunch and she knew he'd be starving by the time he got home. But the baby was being placed in her arms before she could speak a word against it. She held her carefully, snug to her chest just as content with her as she had been with her mother.

Katie loved babies. There was just a warmth to her, like her mother and she had always been good with children. She'd had a lot of practice when Mackenzie was born. She was finally old enough and loved to babysit her so her parents could have time alone together.

"Aw, see, you're a natural," Claudia told her. "Good thing, too. You'll have your own before you know it."

She took the compliment with a grain of salt. Everyone told her that and they always have. She never understood why though. She'd just had too much experience not to be good with kids.

"I have way too many siblings to not know how to hold a baby. Plus I'm the oldest," she chuckled and looked down at her, and then she passed the little girl back.

"How much longer?" Claudia asked, carefully securing her daughter back into her seat.

"I'm not due for another five days," Katie said happily. "But any day now. This is my rainbow baby so it's a little frightening but I can't wait."

"It flies by doesn't it?" Claudia sighed. "I wish the best delivery for you. You deserve it."

Katie smiled, looking over the sweet baby. "Thank you." She shrugged, turning to her cart. Another small one burned in the lower side of her belly. "It was nice talking to you but I need to get home. My feet are killing me."

"I won't keep you any longer," Claudia chuckled and squeezed her again. "It was great to see you. I'll shoot you a text in a few weeks once you're settled when the baby is born."

"Thank you," Katie nodded and smiled at her. "It was so nice to see you."

Melinda came around from the meat section with hamburgers and steaks. "Who was that?"

"Just a friend from that birthing class," she said, turning to look at the vegetables. "She had her daughter. She was just so cute."

"See, I told you that class would be helpful." Melinda retorted.

"Oh, hush mom. I never said it wouldn't be." She muttered.

Labor should be more like how the television shows and movies depict it; fast-paced with high drama, but ultimately simple and relatively painless.

But Katie wasn't even sure she was in labor. There was no sudden gushing of water to signal its start, she didn't have contractions that she was timing perfectly, and she didn't scream, "It's time!" while Ned ran around frantically.

"Are you okay?" he asked for the second time, watching her with concern as she rubbed her back again.

"Yeah, I'm fine… just a little back pain," she said, wincing again as it ached. Her husband was currently trying to distract her with a movie, but she felt too huge and swollen to relax on the couch. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Do you think we should go to the hospital?" He suggested, his hand resting on her stomach.

"No, it's okay," she insisted. "It's probably nothing. I'm not due for another five days."

"Katie, you may be in labor." He said, moving toward the foyer closet and grabbing the hospital bag they had packed together a few weeks before. "Come on, let's go."

She sighed and looked over at him. "Ned, I'm fine!"

"Katie, I think we should just go to the hospital now. Your dad is working and if you aren't in labor he will send us home." He sat beside her and took her hand, pressing a kiss to it. "I know you're scared. I get it and I am too, but we should go."

She looked away from him and shook her head firmly as another contraction bubbled in her lower back and she sunk into the couch. "Okay," her teeth were gritted together and she grabbed his hand. "We can go."

He helped her up then and led her to the car, promising that it would be okay, and twenty minutes later, she was in a hospital bed, a nurse telling her to relax as she checked her cervix.

Katie glared at Ned from across the room, wincing as the woman probed her painfully.

"Well, you're almost four centimeters dilated!" she said, smiling broadly. "Congratulations, you're going to have your baby today."

She nodded and laid back, grabbing her phone and texting Hannah. She wanted her best friend right now and she wanted her here before her mom for once.

"This is all your fault," she said to Ned as soon as they were alone again.

"Yeah, you're definitely in labor if you're saying that to me," he smiled, pulling a chair over.

"I'm serious! I just needed a few more days. Nothing's ready at home!"

"What are you talking about? Everything's ready baby," he smiled at her. "I know exactly why you don't want to be here. I don't blame you." He stood, kissing the side of her head. He leaned onto the bed. "But it's not like labor would have stopped if we didn't come here. Did you want to have our son in the kitchen?"

There was a knock on the door, and Jim entered once Ned gave him the all-clear. "How are you feeling, Bug?" he asked, massaging her shoulder. "Mom's just finishing up dinner with kids and Aaron is babysitting since Mackenzie is out with that boy."

"Ooh I know all about it," she laughed, rubbing her stomach. "I'm surprised you let her go out with him again. I remember when you made Ned and I sleep in separate places for weeks over my summer home because we were caught making out in his car, and I was an adult then. You caught Mack with her pants off with a boy in high school and still let him take her to the movies?"

"It was a lot more than making out in a car if I remember," Jim muttered, his eyes flicking to Ned then. "I remember very keenly watching him push your bathing suit top off."

"And I was nineteen when that happened, dad. Give me a break," she huffed. "You ruined my sex life that entire summer!"

"You're welcome," he said and rubbed her shoulder. "It's a father's only job and I thought I'd mess with Ned. A buddy of mine told me he'd said something rude and I told him I'd get back at him. I did." His pager beeped and he glanced at it and back at her. "I better go check this, but I heard from one of the nurses that Hannah is on her way up."

"My grandparents are flying in from Florida tonight," Ned added after checking his phone.

"Great," she muttered, thoroughly annoyed. Ned's mother's parents were not the friendliest and she wasn't excited at the thought of entertaining them with a newborn, but Hannah was here and that brought a smile to her face as the door opened again.

Her best friend appeared, with a Walgreens bag and balloons. "Hey!" Hannah came over to her immediately, leaving the balloons on a table by Ned, and engulfed her in a hug. "How are you doing? How far are you?"

"I'm so happy you're here," she sighed and laid her head on her friend's shoulder. "I'm almost four centimeters, so we've still got a ways to go."

"I got here as quick as I could. I want to be here for everything, just like you were for me with Jace. You were a blessing Katie" Hannah pulled back and smiled at her. "Which is why I brought you a present." She pulled out a bag of peanut butter cups. "I thought these would help."

"I love you," she gushed and hugged her again. "They totally will." She took the bag and opened it, unwrapping one quickly and tossing it into her mouth. "What? I wanted one."

"I didn't say anything," Hannah laughed, looking at Ned and smiling. "Hey, Ned. How are you holding up?"

"I'm good. It's been a slow day," Ned had sat back down now, still firmly by Katie's side. He'd taken to flipping through the channel to find something, anything to watch. "It's picking up a bit now."

"I can see that," Hannah said, sitting at the foot of the bed. "I almost brought Jace, but I doubt he'd be much fun once you're in more pain. It was so hard to tell him I was going to see Auntie and that he couldn't come."

"Oh," she pouted and then smiled softly. "I would say he could've if I wasn't in enough pain now." And then her body twisted in pain as another contraction hit. "Owww, dammit."

The door opened again and her mother and Ned's mother came in, just as she yelled out in pain. She had taken a hold of Ned's and squeezed it, so tightly he'd yelled out and yanked his hand back. Delia had smacked him and Hannah had laughed, but all Katie was, was annoyed.

"There are too many people in this tiny room," she muttered as Hannah took her hands.

"Just concentrate on me," Hannah said calmly. "Remember the breathing we worked on last week?" Katie nodded her head profusely as the room silenced and she squeezed her eyes shut. "Alright, in twice, out once."

She did it, regaining her breath and calming herself down. Her body ached and burned, but the breathing helped. Hannah's patience helped too, maybe she'd been wrong before when she told Claudia she needed a friend. It seemed like Hannah was all she'd ever need.

Katie squeezed her hands until they were red and Hannah's eyes shut as another contraction ripped through her right after. She remembered how hard her best friend had squeezed her hand.

God, she couldn't do this. She couldn't push this baby out. Something was going to happen again and she just knew it was going to kill her this time too.

"Hey, mom, maybe you should go to the cafeteria for a little bit? I'll come to get you if anything big happens," Ned said gently, trying to lead his mother out of the room. "It's a little crowded in here."

"You'd think they would have a bigger room in the maternity ward," Delia asked, grabbing a book from her purse. "Would anyone like anything?"

"I'll come with and get some coffee for everyone," Melinda said. "Still a macchiato girl Hannah?"

"Oh, you know it. Thanks, mom," Hannah replied as the contraction subsided and her grip had lessened.

Katie still held her hand firmly, but not as tight. "I just want apple juice and for this goddamn baby to leave my body!" She groaned.

"I know, bug. And Ned?" Melinda said and turned to him.

"Just coffee with a couple of sugars," he said, back at her side as the monitor beeped. "Another contraction is coming."

"Don't tell me that like I can't feel it," she muttered and cried out as it hit her. "I can fucking feel it, Ned. I fucking feel it! Not you. Go. Away." Her face twisted in pain as she grabbed onto Hannah's other hand this time.

Melinda just quietly ushered Ned out of the room and it was probably for the best right now.

Hannah laughed, kissing her hand. "In twice, out once. You've got this. Just think about your push present. Have you decided what you want?"

"I don't know if I can handle much longer," she cried, holding onto her hand tighter. "But the idea of some new hardcover books is good motivation."

"Of course, that's what you're getting," Hannah teased. "Brandon got me an iPad."

The pain grew more unbearable as the time ticked by. Melinda returned with their drinks and Ned brought the donuts out just as a nurse came in to check on her again.

"Still at six centimeters," the nurse told her.

Katie had been stuck there for nearly three hours and she'd barely moved anything. She held onto Ned more as the pain became more persistent every couple of minutes.

"I want the epidural. I tried for as long as I could without, but I want them. Now." She grunted, her hair was tied up, her face and neck both damp from her heavy sweating. Ned was sitting behind her now like he did in birthing class, rubbing her sides and kissing her cheek as he held both of her hands. "I don't care what I told you before. I want the damn drugs."

"Okay, I will be right back." The nurse said, sliding out of the room a moment later. "Just try and relax."

It wasn't long before the woman came back, with her dad and a nurse in tow. It was time for her epidural. She held on to Ned as they administered the medicine, and then as soon as she could, Katie slept.

"You're dilated at 10," the nurse announced four hours later after another check. "You'll most likely be pushing in the next twenty minutes."

It was almost three in the morning now.

Delia had gone home to get some rest, thinking that nothing was going to happen until morning and so had her mother, but she'd gone home because Emma was having a fit. Ned was sleeping and so was Hannah, but Mackenzie was keeping her company.

Mackenzie had come in around eleven after her boyfriend Liam had dropped her off. She'd told Katie everything when she finally had the chance to talk to her alone, which had been what they'd been doing for the last hour. She'd told her about dinner, the movie, and the car ride after.

Her sister had done the deed, out on Old Miller Road in the back of her boyfriend's truck.

Katie laughed and shook her head at her fifteen-year-old sister. "I'm disappointed, but happy for you." She muttered. "At least tell me it was worth it."

"I love him, Katie," Mackenzie blushed. "And I'm almost sixteen. It's not like I'm an eighth-grader or something."

"Yeah, I suppose." She muttered. "You should wake Ned. I have to tell him."

"I will, but first I wanna ask you something," Mackenzie muttered.

"Okay, shoot." She said.

The fifteen-year-old fidgeted in her chair and she furrowed her brow. She wasn't sure how she wasn't to word this to her big sister, so she warned her first. "You can't tell anyone and I mean anyone. Like I don't care if you tell Hannah about all of this because I know you'll tell her anyway, but can you keep this part between us?"

"What?" Katie leaned in closer, eyeing her. What was she gonna tell her? "Just spit it out, Mack."

"I'm not sure if I… you know… got there. I mean I kind of did for a second and my mind like fizzed, but then it was gone." She sighed frustratedly.

"Oh, I hate that," she muttered. "Especially when… nevermind… we can't talk about this as open yet because I still feel super awkward, but just know that I know how you feel." She told her. "And you'll know Mack. You'll so know."

"Know what?" Ned rubbed his eyes and Mackenzie's cheek flushed a dark pink. "What's with the blush?"

"Nothing," Mackenzie laughed uneasily.

"I was just telling Mackenzie that if she loves someone," she eyed her little sister then with a wink. "She'll know."

"Yes, I will." Mackenzie chuckled.

Ned stood, shrugging, and kissing Katie's cheek. "Get some sleep?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "I feel much better."

"How's everything?" He asked.

"Good. I am fully dilated, and the nurse said she'd be right back with the doctor." She said excitedly. "I'm so ready for this to be done."

The door suddenly opened, which startled Hannah awake and she was by Katie's side again. Her dad came in with the OB and two nurses and took Mackenzie with him, who hugged Katie tightly before she did.

"We're ready for you to start pushing as soon as you are," the OB said, pulling gloves on.

"I think I'm ready," she said, reaching for Ned's hand again.

At this point, she just wanted it over with. A few pushes and it'd be done, she'd hold her son and she'd finally have a family with Ned. But it wasn't just a few pushes. It took nearly an hour for her to make real progress, and her entire body was in agony, the epidural a distant memory at that point.

"I can't do this anymore," she cried, pained and frustrated.

"Yes, you can," Ned said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You're doing an amazing job. Just a little more."

The doctor and nurses coached her through it, and inch by inch, she was closer to meeting their child. "Another two pushes or so should do it," the OB announced. "Hold for ten!"

She took a deep breath and pushed, waiting as the doctor took his sweet time in counting. "That was at least 15 seconds!" she cried out after.

He ignored her, his focus elsewhere. "A few more pushes, Katie. You can do it!"

She closed her eyes and held his hand, and she thought about her mother. She so wished she was here. Her father and Ned had both called, but it had gone straight to voicemail.

"I can't," she sobbed, her head falling back on ned's shoulder. He was positioned behind her again and he kissed her cheek.

"Just breathe and push," Ned whispered. "And he'll be here before you know it."

"You can do this!" Hannah cheered and squeezed her hand in support.

"You're almost there Katie. I promise." The OB reassured her. "You ready?"

She nodded and gripped Ned's hand, screaming as she pushed with everything she had. Her mind went to her mother.

It was her favorite memory from childhood. She was nine and practicing for her spring recital, and she had kept messing up her turns, and she was yelling for her help, but her mother insisted that she could do it on her own if she just kept practicing.

"Just practice, sweetie!" Melinda had called from the kitchen, where Katie could smell her chocolate chip cookies resting from being taken out of the oven. "And when I come in and see you again I'll bring you a cookie."

She began to practice again, and her spins were still a little too wobbly on her thin legs. Melinda came in with a plate and a cup of mills. Her mother clapped so loudly when she finally succeeded, and she fell on the couch, exhausted.

"My legs are so sore!" She complained, her head in her mother's lap as she ate the cookie.

"But you did it," her mother said, tickling her chin. "Because you can do anything."

The memory had faded from her head as she heard a voice call out to grab a blanket, and she felt something slide from her. She knew it had to be her child, and that meant this pain was almost over. Finally, she could breathe again, too. She was the mother of a living, breathing child at last. Both she and her husband were crying, sobbing messes as the nurse placed the tiny baby boy that was covered in goo on her chest.

"He is beautiful, Katie," Ned said in awe, smiling beautifully as he wiped at his eyes. He ran his hand over the mass of dark hair on top of his head. "Absolutely perfect."

The joy she felt at that moment made everything else worth it, and she rubbed her hands up and down the baby's back, amazed that she was holding her son in her arms. He was alive, screaming and crying, and in her arms. "I didn't know it was possible to love someone so much, so fast," she admitted.

"I did," he said, and her eyes met his over the top of their baby's head. "I love you so much," he told her, kissing the tip of her nose. He leaned down to press a soft kiss to the tip of their son's nose, too, and she beamed back at him.

"Do we have a name picked out?" One of the nurses asked, reaching for the baby to clean him up.

"Asher," they both said with a smile.

"That is a fine name," the OB told them with a smile, writing Asher Banks on the piece of paper. "You did wonderfully Katie. I am sorry it took so long, but sometimes it can be like that."

She barely heard a word that was said, her attention on the two nurses taking care of her son. Ned lifted their joined hands to his mouth for another kiss, pulling her attention back and telling her with an expression she needed to say something to the doctor.

"Thank you," she smiled at the OB, shaking his hand.

The doctor bid them each goodbye and Ned hugged him before coming back to Katie, sitting on the bed with her. She reached out to run her hand through his hair, smiling when she got his attention, which had been rooted solely on the nurses with their son now too.

"Hey," she said, ruffling his blond curls.

"Hey," he said. "I love you." His smile right now wasn't the biggest or even the smile he always saved for her. It was completely new, and by far her favorite one yet. "So much Katie. I am in awe of you... and everything you did today. Thank you."

"I love you too," she breathed, laying her head on his shoulder. His arm was wrapped warmly around her back, his lips touched her forehead and his other hand cradled her closer by her hip. "And our son. He's so beautiful Ned."

A nurse in light pink scrubs came back over, a baby snug in her arms. "Here he is. He might be a little hungry soon," the woman whispered. "But he's very calm and sleeping. He's a healthy nine-pound and eight ounces. But a little on the shorter side at sixteen inches."

"I told you he was going to be ten pounds or very close," Katie took him into her arms and eyed her husband. Ned had been almost eleven pounds, just three ounces shy as Delia had told her. Her son was snug in her arms as his face tossed from side to side. He let out a choked cry and Katie kissed his forehead softly. "Hey, there little guy… it's okay. Mama's here... I'm right here." The little boy whimpered, his face scrunching up as he wiggled inside his swaddled blanket. "Mama's here, sweet boy… do you remember my voice?"

"Should I start calling the family?" He whispered as Katie held him in her arms, kissing her cheek. He reached out his finger brushing against Asher's face. "You're so good with him and with almost every baby you hold, but this time is different. I am so happy you are finally holding ours."

"Yeah, me too," she hummed, looking over at him. "You should call Josh. He will probably come over now and that way you can get time off. Well hopefully. I'd rather not have to let you go today... or for another week."

"Yeah, I'll do my best," he admitted, moving off the bed. "I'll be right back. You good here, Han?"

"Yeah," Hannah moved in closer, smiling at the sleepy boy. "Oh, I'm so excited to bring Jace to see him. He's gonna freak. You know how much he loves babies."

"I know," Katie grinned, laughing. "He's gonna be so confused about where my belly went."

Katie looked down in wonder at her son. Up close, she could see that he had long, fine eyelashes that seemed to tangle together. For the first time, she was able to see her son's eyes open, and she noticed they were a light blue very similar to her father's. The edges were hues of green like Ned's. She reached down and removed the blue knit cap, revealing a shock of dark hair that stuck up in every direction. A laugh bubbled up from her throat before she could stop it, disturbing the baby on her chest and causing him to squirm slightly before settling down again.

"I would've never thought my genes would beat out his," she sighed, rubbing her fingers through his dark hair. "I was hoping for him to have blonde curls."

"You never know, maybe it will lighten." Hannah reached out and touched the hairs, whisper-soft as the down on a baby bird. "I was wrong."

Katie looked up to find Hannah staring at Asher, her eyes intense and watery. "What?"

"I was wrong," her friend continued. She looked up at her and smiled, wiping at the corner of her eyes. "I thought being here for you was the most incredible thing I would ever experience in my life because you are more than just my best friend and I love you like your my sister. But this is, seeing you with him is so much better."

"Oh, Han," Katie laughed, her eyes watering as she hugged her. "Being there for you was the most incredible thing too. You're a great mother."

"And you are too already," Hannah smiled, kissing her cheek. "I'll give you a minute. I'm gonna go raid the vending machine and call Brandon to tell him the good news."

"Alright, tell him hi for me." She whispered, adjusting the bed to lie back.

Asher was still tightly secure in her arms and she smiled at him, just looking at him. She had been waiting for this moment her whole life, and it was here. She was a mother, for the second time, but for the first time too.

He was calm and quiet, allowing her to study every inch of him. But eventually, he became restless again and began to whimper. She held him close, talking to him as he wriggled on her chest, nuzzling closer to her breast.

"You must be hungry then," she whispered and kissed his head. She pulled the ties on her hospital gown and nuzzled him close to her breast, where he took a hold of her nipple easily. She relaxed, rubbing her finger up and down his cheek. "Such a good, smart boy." She whispered and settled back into the hospital bed.

Watching her son eat so calmly, Katie felt a warmth in her chest. She loved him so much already and she couldn't wait to introduce him to the rest of her family.