The news that Denise was expecting again was quickly shared with their loved ones. They thought about keeping it a secret until the famed twelve week mark, but decided against it as they were incapable of containing their excitement and happiness. Dodger was the first being the couple told when he climbed into bed with them the morning after Valentine's Day. He'd quietly slipped out of Jack's bedroom, through the gap in the door that Chris and Denise had left for him to walk in and out freely. The same way Dodger had sensed Jack's presence in Denise's belly, he could sense the presence of the new baby. They didn't have to utter the words to inform him she was expecting again, he already knew and they could tell from his actions. He was so gentle as he nudged his nose into Denise's thigh, awaking her from her sleep just to rest his head on her belly. As tired as she was, she couldn't help but smile at his intrusion. Her hand smoothed over his head and scratched him behind the ear.

The second person the couple told was Jack, when they woke him up for breakfast. Denise sat on the edge of his bed and Chris' knelt on the floor with Dodger standing behind him, tail wagging excitedly. Denise gently roused the toddler with a few light shakes, smiling at his bleary face. "Good morning, sweetheart," she whispered, taking one of his hands in hers. "Daddy and I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant," she answered. The smile she had on her face, the one Chris had on his widened upon hearing those two words again. "Do you know what that means, baby?" She quizzed as Jack sat up, tilting his head. "It means you're going to be a big-"

"Brother!" Jack tackled her before she could finish her sentence.

"Ouf." They quickly fell backwards together, Denise encircling her arms tight around her child's body as he clung onto her like a koala bear. Chris' quick reflexes had him catching the metal railing of Jack's bed frame, providing some cushion before Denise's head hit the cool metal. "Thank you," she mouthed at Chris, who nodded, releasing a quiet breath of relief. The morning would've taken a quick turn for the worst if she'd spilt her head open. "Yes, Jack," she sat up, hugging her son tightly. "You're going to be a big brother, are you excited?"

"So excited!"

At breakfast, the couple continued sharing the news through text messages, phone calls, and video chats. Everyone displayed the same amount of joy and excitement as they had upon seeing the little blue lines. Both moms immediately started crying when they'd heard, relieved that things had finally worked out after several failed attempts. They'd clearly been affected by Chris and Denise's irrational impatience.

Despite knowing what news of this pregnancy meant for them- Donovan and Erica sent all their love, along with a hint that a certain 'Save the Date' card was in the works and on its way. Denise wasn't sure if it had been her not-so-subtle push, or hearing that she and Chris were pregnant with baby number two that brought forth their wedding. Whatever it was, she was just glad with the results. She wanted them married as soon as possible so she and Chris could be the couple to receive some life changing news from them for a change.

Sebastian and Luca were incredibly happy as well, relieved too, if they were being honest. Denise kept Luca up to date with everything, including all the negative test sticks. With each text informing her that she was still not pregnant, Luca grew increasingly worried. Until that morning when she received a photo of the positive pregnancy test, captioned "guess who finally passed the test?" With their second child said to be arriving in July, they were glad Chris and Denise weren't too far behind with theirs. They wanted their second child with the same privilege as their first; the privilege of having a best friend for life by default.

"We're hoping it's a girl, yes." Denise looked over at Chris as he continued to talk into his phone. "So I've heard." He chuckled when he met Denise's curious gaze. "What can I say? I like a challenge. It's Downey," he mouthed to her when she raised a brow. "Oh, no. I appreciate the call, you know I love sharing good news with you. Yes, we will be sure to let you know as soon as we find out so you can prepare appropriate gifts. You got it, Downey. Love you too," he replied with a smile then hung up, setting his phone down on the marble island. "Downey sends his love," he informed Denise and she smiled. "Says he can't wait to meet the newest addition."

"What else did he say?"

"Well," Chris chuckled. "I told him we're hoping for a girl, and he said a daughter is going to only end in heartbreak for me. Especially if she's anything like her mother, marrying an older man at twenty-two." He answered and Denise laughed. "Not that I'd mind if she did. If she's anything like her mother," Chris caught Denise's wrist in his hand and pulled her towards him. "She'll have great taste in men."

"That sounds like a praise directed at yourself."

"Am I wrong?" He placed both hands on her waist, swaying, as he smirked.

"No," she answered. The smug look on his face grew increasingly smug, he shrugged nonchalantly with a look that easily said "of course I'm not." He leaned in to kiss her, only to have her pull back to dodge his attempt. "But we both know I'm incredibly biased when it comes to you." She reminded him and he chuckled. "Why don't we call my father and see what he thinks of my taste in men?" She suggested. This time it was her turn to be smug as he rolled his eyes and pulled away from her.

"No need, I know exactly what your father thinks of your taste in men."

"Aw," she reached for his face, cupping it gently in her hands. "He loves you, and he loves that I married you." Chris pressed his lips together, wincing as he tilted his head left and right. He wanted to believe what Denise said was true, he got along with his father-in-law well enough, but no father truly liked the man their daughter married. "I'll admit that he was a little skeptical of you when we first started dating, and he wasn't all that happy when he first heard I was pregnant, and he didn't like that I got married at twenty-two..."

"Is there a 'but' coming?"

"But," she emphasized, giggling. "We've been together for almost six years now, he has collected a substantial amount of evidence proving what a great man you are. Whatever issues he had- I'm sure he's come to terms with. And if he hasn't, he should realize how happy you make me and remember that he wouldn't have that grandson he adores so much if we didn't get together." She said and he smiled, wrapping his hands around her wrists as he leaned in to kiss her. "We've also got another grandchild on the way, he sounded pretty happy when we called earlier."

"He did, didn't he?"

"Yeah," she smiled, brushing his beard with the pad of her thumbs before dropping her hands to her side. "He loves you, Chris. Trust me," she smiled at him over her shoulder as she walked over to attend to Jack. The toddler was so busy drawing that he hadn't touched his breakfast of whole wheat toast and honey, his glass of milk untouched as well though that was always the first thing he went for when his parents served him breakfast. "Hey, mister," Denise patted his little head with her hand and he looked up from his drawing. "Why aren't you eating your breakfast?"

"I'm drawing something for the baby." He informed his mother and held up the piece of paper that had a drawing of the whole family: Chris, Denise, Dodger, himself, and the unborn baby. "It's a picture of our whole family, Mama. I'm going to stick it somewhere so the baby can see it every day." He announced proudly, drawing smiles from his parents. "Where is the baby going to sleep?"

"There's a bedroom next to yours that Daddy and I are thinking of turning into a nursery," she answered, taking a seat in the chair adjacent to his. "When you're done with your picture, we can frame it and hang it on a wall in there. That way the baby can see it every day, okay?" She quizzed and he nodded eagerly. "Now," she gently pulled the blue color pencil from his grip and slid his picture across the table, away from him. "Please eat your breakfast," she instructed and he nodded, picking a slice of toast off his plate to take a small bite. "We've got errands to run today and I don't want you complaining you're hungry."

"You too," Chris said as he set a plate of bacon and eggs, as well as a mug of decaffeinated green tea in front of Denise. She tilted her head back and smiled when his lips met hers. He grabbed his own plate and mug as he settled in the chair opposite Denise. "What errands are we running today?" He quizzed as he slid a set of cutlery across the table for her, then dug into his breakfast with his own set.

"There are some things we need to get for Jack before he starts preschool, the school emailed me a list the other day. And I thought we could go check out some baby things, get a vibe for the nursery. We can make it gender neutral, until we find out if we're having a boy or a girl."

"Or we can push our luck and prepare for a girl, hoping the universe would be kind enough to give us a girl." Chris said with a cheeky smile and Denise shook her head, laughing. "Fine," he groaned playfully, "we'll make it gender neutral. But just so you know, I have a strong feeling the baby inside you is a girl."

"And how is that?"

"I can feel my heart breaking already."

"God, you are such an idiot," she tittered.

"Language," Jack murmured with his mouth full.

"Table manners," Denise retorted and Jack giggled as he continued to munch on his toast. Denise chuckled, turning to meet Chris' gaze. He pressed his lips together, suppressing his urge to smile. After all, it was he who taught Jack 'language'. He thought it'd be an ingenious way to mess with Denise whenever she slipped, or whenever she insulted him. "That is going to bite you in the butt one day, Chris Evans. You just wait and see, sailor."

"Mama," Jack chided.

"I said 'butt', it's not a bad word."

"You shouldn't be saying 'butt' at the dinner table," Chris egged it on.

"Thank God we're having breakfast then," she quipped and he laughed. Jack turned his attention back to his breakfast, whereas Chris kept his gaze locked with Denise's. There was a challenging smirk on his face, one that made her squint at him. "I cannot wait for us to have a daughter," she whispered in a hush tone and he raised a curious brow. "'Cause I am going to make sure she breaks your heart," she joked and he threw his head back, laughing.