Rotta Hecks was coming home. She was back from a secret mission that nearly blasted her into oblivion.

She took out her cell phone and quickly dialed Greg's--her husband's--phone number. "I'm back, and starting the approach," she said. "Deactivate the shield blocking our home."

"I need to know your identification."

Rotta sighed and dialed a few numbers on the keypad near her steering wheel.

"You are clear to enter."

Rotta landed and ran over to Greg. "I heard you undertook a deadly mission," said Greg. "I thought you were dead..." He hugged her. That's odd, he thought. Her belly is way bigger than it was when I left her. "For the past few days I've been living in unbearable dread." He clung to her, as if to assure him she was real.

Rotta took hold of his shoulders. "I'm back, and I'm fine."

Greg could feel her hands shaking. "All you all right?"

"I'm fine. Like I've been this whole time." Apparently Greg wasn't buying it. "Something happened. Greg...I'm pregnant."

"That's great!" said Greg. "It'll be wonderful to have our own son."

"Greg, this is serious stuff! I'm glad to have a son too, but it'll be harder than you'd expect. Than I'd expect."

7 months later, Rotta and Greg went to the hospital for a check-up.

"Name?" asked the nurse. She was short and dressed completely in white.

"We've narrowed it to a list...but we haven't decided on a single name."

"Not the baby's name!" the nurse shouted. "Your name!" She paused. "Age?"

"Apparently he'll be zero," said Rotta matter-of-factly. Well, duh.

"No! YOUR freakin' age!"

"I'm twenty-nine, and Greg is thirty-four."

"Job?"

Rotta looked confused. "How can a baby have a job? Is that even possible?"

"OH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!"

"We have different jobs," said Rotta. "I'm a doctor, and Greg's a toymaker."

"Then why aren't you at your own hospital, Rotta?" The nurse was surprised at her own calm voice.

"You could consider me a scientist, then." Rotta looked down at the baby inside her belly, who was kicking below.

Four hours later, at 12:00 sharp, her baby, who she named Peter, was born. His cry quickly joined Rotta's. He was wrinkled and red-faced, his eyes squeezed tightly shut against the light.

Finally, Rotta's voice lowered, and Peter opened his eyes again. The first thing he saw was the doctor holding him, then he saw Greg, then he turned to see Rotta and started to coo. The doctor handed him to his mother.

That night Rotta took Peter home to his brand-new crib and gently laid him down. He was already asleep when they got home.

"Sleep tight, Peter Hecks," said Rotta softly, and tucked him in. She took on last look at her new son and left with Greg.