Part of the series 'Neal and Sara's Wonderful Adventure' which includes (if you want to read in order) 'Coloring outside the lines' 'Stolen art, stolen kisses' 'Sweet, salty or sour' 'A rose by any other name' 'Alfredo sauce and bowling balls' and 'Fortune cookie, anyone?'

A rose by any other name...

(Week 23)

It had been a particularly quiet week at the Bureau and Neal didn't do quiet – at least not graciously. At the moment, he was blowing spit balls across his desk trying to hit his Socrates bust – two points for the forehead, three for the nose.

Peter glanced down from his office and gave him a disapproving look before turning back to his computer screen.

His phone buzzed:

Neal: Anything good happening up there?

Peter: About the same as down there. Get back to your case files

Neal: I've already solved them

Peter: All six?

Neal: Yeah

Peter: OK, Columbo – lunch?

Neal looked up and gave him the thumbs up. Peter sauntered down the stairs a few minutes later and stopped in front of Neal's desk.

'So, Mexican or Italian?'

'Seriously Peter? Can we not diversify from time to time?' Neal whined.

'Mexican it is' Peter answered.

They walked out, chatting about the resolution of all six cases Neal claimed to have solved and Peter was pleased albeit not surprised to learn that Neal had indeed cracked all six. Sometimes keeping Neal occupied was a make-work project.

'So, how's Sara?'

'You really asking? 'Cause you may not like the answer' said Neal

'Oh yeah?'

'Itchy belly, swollen ankles, weight gain, peeing three to four times a night –

'Okay, okay enough' said Peter 'Forget I asked'

'Oh and then there's the good stuff' continued Neal as if he hadn't been interrupted 'Sara's still constantly horny and the baby is kicking up a storm'

'Oh yeah? Not the horny part but the kicking; that sounds cool' chimed in Peter

'It is, sometimes at night, when Sara is spooning me, I can actually feel the baby kicking me in the ribs. It's incredible.'

'She's definitely going to be into sports' said Peter, suddenly proud his goddaughter was going to be an athlete.

'Or a dancer' added Neal

'Oh yeah' conceded Peter

WCWCWCWCWCWC

Neal made it home before Sara. Where was she anyways? He spotted a note on the kitchen table.

Mani-pedi at four. See you soon!

S xx

Sara always enjoyed her creature comforts, thought Neal. He glanced at some papers on the table by her note. It was the list of baby names that they had been toying with. Now that they knew they were having a little girl, they had begun to seriously think about names they both liked and that would not sound weird with 'Ellis-Caffrey' (like Ella Ellis-Caffrey!)

He looked around the apartment and decided to get a start on dinner. Sara needed to eat well and have lots of protein, he thought. She was eating all the time and twice in the past week, he had woken up in the middle of the night to the light from the refrigerator as Sara foraged for leftovers. He decided on chicken and pasta – that should keep her going. He opened a bottle of wine and took a sip as he started clearing the table. There was another sheet of paper that he hadn't noticed before underneath the list of baby names. He picked it up and glanced at Sara's handwriting.

My darling baby girl,

I am sitting around waiting patiently for the moment I will finally see your beautiful face. You have been moving so much today – maybe you're practicing to be a soccer player or a dancer – I'm not sure which...

Yesterday, your daddy and I went shopping for furniture for your room. We got you a beautiful bed and dresser and change table all in white. Grandma June has renovated part of our apartment so you'll have a nursery and your daddy is working on a mural. He doesn't want me to see it until it is finished but he works on it every night.

Your daddy is amazing. He loves you so much and has loved you from the moment he found out about you. He has kept me going through the rough patches and I know he will do the same for you once you're here. I don't know if we will always live together but I can promise you that we will both be there for you for the rest of your life.

Daddy talks to you every night before we fall asleep and sometimes, he sings to you. He puts his face right up against my tummy and hums and rubs my belly and sometimes I can feel you falling asleep listening to his soothing voice. Daddy does research about how you are developing every day and at night he whispers to me about what you are doing in there. I don't tell him, but I read all the time too and I always act surprised when he tells me some new information he thinks I know nothing about. I read that you react to movement and dance now. I was dancing earlier and held on to you and we swayed together – the song was 'It had to be you' and you seemed to like it.

Now, you seem to have calmed down. Sleep well my angel.

Mommy

xx

Neal was moved by what he had just read and wiped a tear while he continued to straighten up in preparation for dinner. Sara and the baby meant everything to him and he couldn't remember what his life was like before this adventure began.

Sara trudged up the stairs, taking a little longer than the week before. She was having trouble seeing her feet but at least, now she knew her toenails looked good to others...

She could hear music coming from the apartment as she got closer and wondered what was going on. Neal didn't usually play music while making dinner. As she approached the door, she recognized the song – it was the same one she had been dancing to with the baby earlier today. She hesitated at the door then opened it slowly; Neal was at the counter preparing dinner and he had candles lit all over the apartment. He was humming along to the song and suddenly looked up, surprised as he heard the door opening.

'Hi' he said smiling 'Surprise!'

'What's all this, then' said Sara

'I just thought we should try to make dinner extra special tonight' said Neal as he walked over to Sara taking her bag and setting it down on the floor by the door. 'Would you like to dance?'

Sara smiled and put her arms around Neal and he did the same settling the baby in between them.

'Do you know' he began, as he always did when he was about to share a new discovery 'that the baby reacts to music and movement now'

'Really?' she said, feigning ignorance

'Yes, and if we move to the music she will feel it and be comforted'

'Neal, you are veritable cornucopia of information' she said as she continued to sway.

Later, as they lay in bed, curled up, the topic of baby names came up again. Neal was partial to Hope and Sara liked Emily (which had been her sister's name). They also both liked Grace, Lily and Amelia. They wanted to include Elizabeth's name as well since she was the baby's godmother but this was a surprise they hoped to keep until after the baby was born. This, they decided was the fun part of the exercise – no matter what name they gave the baby, she would always be loved and cherished by her mom and her dad.

Neal leaned over to talk to his daughter and whispered: 'Good night, sweet girl' and came back up to face Sara: 'Good night, mommy' he said

'Is there anything to eat' said Sara

La fin

I know many of you are following this series. I would love to hear your preference for the baby's name before I make a decision. Thanks for the feedback!