After weeks of anxieties, things start to turn around a bit with the appearance of Sofia. She soothes their nerves, she feeds them better than they've been fed a long time, she smiles over the dogs' rambuctious play, and most importantly, she grounds Alicia in ways that Ricardo feels like he's been failing at during the worst of her anxiety. He smiles, watching them, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as Alicia catches his eye and smiles back.

Sofia gets up after a few more moments spent rubbing Alicia's back, joining him at the kitchen table. "She's going to be ok," she says with confidence.

"I know," Ricardo says softly. "Part of me's glad she has an OBGYN appointment finally, and part of me is scared to death." Sofia reaches over and takes his hand, gently massaging his knuckles. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

"No worries," she chirps cheerfully. "You both are stuck with me for the foreseeable."

He chuckles. "I'm thankful beyond words for it, honestly."

She winks at him and then shifts his mostly ignored mug of tea closer. "Drink up, mi hijo. Everything's going to be just fine."

Alicia has to go to the appointment alone, but Ricardo sits in the parking lot and waits, hands flexing around the steering wheel as worst case scenarios cross his mind, again and again. He bites his lip and people watch the few patients going back and forth from the building to the cars, closing his eyes and reclining his head back against the headrest of the driver's seat, listening to the muted sounds of nature around him.

He's just about to doze off in the hot glow of the sun upon the roof of the car when he hears a quiet knock at the passenger door and glances over to find Alicia standing there. Unlocking it quickly, he awakens quickly and watches as she slides into her seat, pulling her mask off and turning to look at him with a small smile on her face. "So?" he asks, feeling breathless and a little dizzy. "What'd they say?"

She takes his hand and lightly rests it over her stomach, allowing him to feel once more the evidence of their child. He closes his eyes and just marvels at it for a moment before her next words causes his eyes to snap open. "We're about four months along," she says softly.

"Whoa," he says, mind struggling to make sense of that. "I... I didn't expect that..."

"Neither did I," she says with a soft frown, looking down at their interlaced fingers. "I wasn't sure if I was just one of those who carry more weight earlier in the pregnancy, or what, I never imagined we conceived so early."

He stares at her, already making a list of the things that they now only have about five months to accomplish, and feels even more relieved that they have Sofia to assist with things now. Shaking off all of the worries and stress, he sprawls his hand out over her stomach and closes his eyes, allowing himself a few moments just to feel where his child is slowly fluttering around, growing the physical characteristics that have been determined by his and Alicia's DNA. "I love you so much," he tells her, watching as some of the tension eases from her face and she leans closer to him.

"I love you," she breathes out against his lips before kissing him softly. "So very much that it hurts sometimes. In a good way." She grins at him and nuzzles against his jaw. "Let's go home."

He nods. "Sounds great to me."

There's an ultrasound picture and Alicia shows it to him once they're all together in the kitchen, Sofia still digesting the news of Alicia's due date being sooner than they realized. "A November baby," she breathes out, eyes locked on the still image. "Ay." She hugs Alicia and Alicia laughs, squeezing her back before turning her gaze onto Ricardo, a heat there that he hasn't seen in awhile.

"Hey, Sofia," he says, hoping that she'd figure out what he's getting at here. "Sorry to do this to you, but the dogs have been begging for a walk for awhile now. Would you mind...?"

Sofia looks over to Alicia for only a split second, realization crossing her face almost immediately. "Of course," she says, already going for the leashes. "Come, come, puppies, it's time to go for a walk. And no bullying me this time, I'm immune to your begging." She's really not, but it's cute she thinks so.

Ricardo laughs as soon as she's gone, the dogs eagerly racing out of the door as soon as it's opened. He turns his attention to his wife and breathes out, "So we're gonna be parents in less than five months."

Alicia's eyes gleam as she smiles at him and nods. "Yes, yes we are."

He pulls away from where he's leaning against the cupboards and takes her hand to walk them over to the couch in the living room, sighing as she settles carefully in his lap. Her skin is glistening in the sunlight shining in through the drapes behind them, and her eyes are fixated on him like he's the only thing in the world that's relevant to her, and for the first time in he's not sure how long, there feels like there's more to life than constant dread and worry about what could possibly be next. He tilts his face forward and kisses lightly at just below her collarbone, feeling her exhale slowly.

"Ricardo," she breathes out and he smirks against her skin, licking his lips and feeling her shudder.

"So sensitive," he teases her and she pouts.

"It's been awhile, not fair to tease-" Her words die away into a sharp gasp as his hands lightly curl around her thighs and adjusts her in his lap, careful not to leave her completely off-balanced as the soft fabric of her skirt brushes against his arms.

"I'm so glad you wore this today," he says, fingertips trailing up her legs. He enjoys the feel of her shivering against his touch, and bites his lower lip. "Oh, Alicia..."

She hums his name, eyes fluttering, and when they kiss, it's slow and sensual and perfect, Alicia gasping as his touch stirs something deep within her and she clings to him tighter. He's warm and gentle and she feels like she could cry, she loves him so much right now. "Please," she murmurs, hovering just inches away from his lips. "Please-"

He devours her with his eyes as her voice cuts off once more, leaning in to swallow her shallow gasps and whimpers. His fingers start dancing in sign language against her flushed skin and she moans out his name, shaky and drawn out, before slumping against his chest as he cradles her tenderly. Her eyes open slowly as he kisses her temple. "I hope that was worth the wait."

She leans back just far enough to look him in the eye once she feels like she can move again. "Everything always is when it's with you, Ricardo."

He looks surprised for a moment, and then smooths his hands through her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiles at him before settling back in against his chest.

He gives her a few moments before getting his legs under him and hoisting her up, carrying her quietly to their bedroom. He tucks her in and then reconsiders, kicking his jeans and shoes off before sliding in next to her and wrapping his arms around her, kissing her between the shoulderblades.

It's here, with his arms wrapped snug around her, that they feel their child kick for the first time.