Notes: I am not now nor have I ever been pregnant. I did a little google-research, but really if you are reading fic for the medical details you might want to rethink that. I do have 30 years or so of watching soap operas to rely on

***555***

"So how pregnant do you think you are?" Dr. Fuller asked as she continued her general exam of Annie.

The blood had already been drawn, but the results would take 48 hours to come back from the lab.

"If my math is right I am somewhere between 4 and a half and 5 and a half weeks. I had been doing a good job of charting my period and then I got busy so it is a little murky for the past couple cycles. I didn't expect there to be a quiz," Annie laughed.

"It is probably too early for a traditional ultrasound to pick anything up, but we could do a trans-vaginal if you like?" the doctor offered.

"I am starting to regret not staying in the waiting room," Auggie blanched.

"My big brave soldier is afraid of lady parts?" Annie smirked.

"Auggie, the difference is a traditional ultrasound is performed from the outside and what I am suggesting is…."

"I get it," Auggie cringed, "is it dangerous to do it this early?"

"No, both ultrasounds are quite safe, we will just get better results with the internal," Dr. Fuller explained and Auggie appreciated her moderating the terminology for his benefit.

"It's your body Annie, I can wait 2 more days," Auggie squeezed her hand.

"I want to know," Annie said decidedly.

"OK, give me a few minutes to set up," Dr. Fuller stood and started moving machinery around the room.

Annie was not distracted though, instead she focused all her attention on Auggie who looked like every emotion on the planet mixed together in what could best be described as awe.

"You alright?" she asked quietly.

"I am," he promised.

"Annie have you ever had an internal ultrasound?" Dr. Fuller was back.

"Once in college, I had a cyst," she replied.

"OK, so you understand how it will work, this is the wand," she showed off the seemingly too large to fit where it was being put wand.

"Yep," Annie gulped and was really glad Auggie couldn't see it, luckily he didn't ask to touch it.

"OK, just lay back and relax, the more relaxed you are the more pleasant this will be."

"I feel like I've heard that before," Annie snarked and reached out to ruffle Auggie's hair.

"Har," he volleyed back.

"OK, we're in, let's see what we can find."

"I lost an earring last week, if you see it let me know," Annie joked.

"So you might want to take a look on the screen there Annie, and you also might want to get used to the idea of being called Mommy," Dr. Fuller smiled.

"Yeah?" Annie breathed out the word.

"This here is what we call the gestational sac," she pointed to a jellyfish like object on the screen.

"I can make out a fetal pole as well, but no sign of an embryo just yet, but with your symptoms and the positive drug store test, this is very good evidence. You guys are having a baby."

"Huh," Auggie declared as if it finally hit him.

"This is terrifyingly wonderful," Annie said a little more coherently.

"That is the perfect description of parenthood," Dr. Fuller agreed.

"What now?" Annie asked.

"We get your HCG levels from the blood test and try to do a better job figuring your due date. Based on this you are probably 5 weeks pregnant. From that we'll set up a schedule of visits, we'll get you some prenatal vitamins and keep an eye on things. You are under 35 and healthy Annie, your vitals were good, I see no cause for concern at this point."

"At this point?" Auggie repeated.

"Pregnancy has its risks Auggie, that is why regular checkups are important, we will keep an eye on Annie's blood pressure, her sugar levels, we'll watch placental development. I am saying at this point she is not at risk for anything, but sometimes the healthiest women develop complications. It is a balancing act between not wanting to scare you and not being cavalier."

"I read the book," Annie said and Dr. Fuller knew she meant What to Expect When You're Expecting.

"What kind of lifestyle changes should we be making, outside of the obvious ones?" Auggie asked.

"The dietary restrictions might be the most difficult as some of them seem rather arbitrary, there is a full list of and some meal plans in the paper work I'll give you. For everything else: exercise, household chores, sex and what not you should be comfortable doing anything you normally do, while avoiding lifting really heavy things and any exercise that results in direct blows to the abdomen, martial arts or such. "

"OK," Annie nodded expecting that answer.

"As you progress you may modify your activities based on how you feel. Some women are running 5 Ks in their third trimester and some are on bed rest, again it is a bit of a waiting game. Consider it a journey, and we'll all take it together. I often think that the human gestation period is not just about preparing the baby for life outside the womb, but also for preparing the parents for his or her arrival. Obviously not every baby has 2 parents, but in this case this time is as much for you two as it is for the fetus," Dr. Fuller said with a smile, "Congratulations."

***555***

Danielle Brooks' phone chimed the receipt of a new text message. At first she thought the attached picture from her sister was some sort of technology fail. It took her a second to actually figure out what she was looking at, but eventually she realized it was Auggie's left hand, wedding ring and all, spread out on Annie's bare stomach. Before she had time to hit the speed dial button for her sister her eyes were flooded with tears, these two had been through a lot to get to this, she was overcome with joy.

"Hey," she said a watery greeting when Annie answered on the first ring, clearly waiting for a response to her photo.

"Hi there Auntie Danielle," Annie returned.

"I can't believe it," Danielle gulped back a sob.

"I know, it is kind of unbelievable," Annie agreed.

"How's Auggie?"

"A little preoccupied with my belly button suddenly," she said as she reached down and stroked his hair.

"It all seems a little magical at first," Danielle said nostalgically.

"I was thinking the girls and I should come out to visit soon, maybe in a couple months, we could do some nursery planning?"

"I'd love that. We haven't told anyone except you, Auggie's mom and a sister-in-law who we needed to tell while I was there and our boss, I'm just barely pregnant, so maybe once things are a little more certain," she said delicately not wanting to freak Auggie out any.

"Give Auggie a big kiss for me."

"Will do, bye Danielle," Annie ended the call.

"She was happy I presume?" Auggie asked from his spot at her abdomen where he had been lounging all evening.

"She was," she encouraged him close enough to plant a big wet sloppy kiss on his forehead, "that's from her."

"You're happy," he said it as a statement, not a question.

"So happy," she confirmed and kissed him slowly and deeply, pulled him further still.

"Let's go to bed," Auggie went to stand.

"You go ahead, I have to do some laundry, I'll be right up."

"Annie, you can't do laundry," Auggie protested.

"What do you mean, the doctor said…."

"She said you could continue any activities that you do regularly, so laundry is definitely out," he smirked.

"Funny, you are funny. You had to dry off with a bed sheet once, once," she laughed.

"Come to bed, the laundry can wait," he held out his hand and wiggled his fingers in the most adorable way.

"I love you so much," she took his hand and laced their fingers together.

"When the doctor was talking about this journey, the one we have ahead over the next few months, I kept thinking about all the ways in which we are already prepared, about the ways we are so intrinsically linked to one another, the way we communicate and support one another," Auggie held her body close, stroked her back.

"We've come a long way Auggie, we used to deny all this, we used to shut each other out, hell you almost shut me out of your father's death. We can't do that anymore, there is a bigger picture now. "

He didn't say anything just nodded solemnly, a world of affection in his eyes.

"We're having a baby," he grinned.

The End of Part 2…. Keep an eye out for Part 3 soon!