In the first installment of my series of one-shots following my Children of Araluen series (the first installment is Revenge) this is the story of how Halt and Pauline came to find Pritchard. I also want to explain how this will work I want to write one-shots that either explore characters (both new and old) or cover events skipped in my new series. One-shots are easier for me to write since they don't need a plot and give me a chance to skip over events and not feel too guilty. If you have any requests let me know and I will see what can be done. The updates on these one-shots may be scattered but the more reviews and more suggestions means quicker updates. I don't own the cover picture for this and it was a picture that pagestravels had up on one of her stories.

Disclaimer: I only own the baby Pritchard all other characters go to John

Halt Becomes a Father

Halt and Pauline sat together in their little apartment. Pauline had her long blond hair pulled back into a braid and her blue eyes scanned the paperwork in front of her. Halt was sipping on a warm cup of coffee.

"Halt have you been thinking about what I asked?" Pauline asked her husband. Halt nodded.

"I have," he said. Pauline raised an eyebrow.

"And?" she asked. Halt sighed.

"I am not good with children you know," Halt complained. Pauline smiled sweetly at him.

"I think it is time you learn. You may be an adoptive grandfather before too long Halt. Don't you think it would be nice if you already had some experience?" Pauline asked.

"Alright," Halt said in his usual gruff tone. Pauline smiled at him happy she got him to agree. After all she thought Halt would make a great father if he put his mind to it.

The next morning Halt and Pauline headed towards the Redmont Ward. Baron Arald had already been informed of Halt and Pauline's request. The couple was heading towards the Baron's office when Arald came out.

"I will feel terrible for whatever poor innocent child ends up under Halt's care," the Baron joked. Halt glared at him and Pauline hid a smile.

"Well Arald you going to help us look?" Pauline asked. Arald nodded.

"Any requirements you two are looking for?" he asked.

"That is the problem. Halt doesn't want a kid to young and I am looking for someone under the age of three," Pauline said. Arald pursed his lips.

"That is a problem. So other then age is there anything else you two are looking for?" he asked.

"Finding someone Halt can get along with may be difficult but Halt is kind of going with the flow," Pauline said.

"Well how about we start with the newborns and work our way up?" Arald suggested. Halt nodded that sounded like a decent compromise.

Arald led them to the newborns dorm of the Ward. Children could enter the Ward any number of ways. Some were simply abounded if their parents couldn't take care of them. Some were just left at the Ward and others had lost their parents and had no other family to care for them. It was sad really but that was the way it was at times.

The doors opened and Halt could hear the loud screaming and wailing of babies. Pauline noticed that Halt was about to refuse at the door. She grabbed his hand and maneuvered him into the room. Arald followed.

In the room there were about seven cribs against the wall but only four were occupied. Pauline knew the Ward could easily hold more but Arald never tried to have too many newborns in one room. Arald had told her that there were only four this year though so this was the only room open. A woman moved around the room trying to calm the crying babies. For the entire ruckus in the room Halt realized one child wasn't wailing.

Halt went straight to the last crib on the end and peered inside. A baby boy looking to be no more than a few days old lay in the crib. He had black hair and when he opened his eyes to look at Halt, the Ranger could see clear blue eyes. He was a mix of him and Pauline and even as Halt watched he could see the interest in the baby's eyes. He wouldn't cry and simply seemed to stare up at Halt as if the Ranger was the most fascinating thing in the world to him.

Pauline moved to Halt's side and looked into the crib as well. She smiled warmly at the baby boy Halt seemed to gravitate to. When Arald walked up she turned to him. "What's his story?" she asked gesturing to the baby. Arald sighed.

"We aren't sure. No one in the village knows who the father is. His mother kept to herself and little was known about her. She died in childbirth and never gave the poor kid a name. The midwife who helped deliver him told me that his mother looked almost relieved to be free of him," Arald said sadly. Pauline looked down at the baby boy.

"Poor thing," she said. Halt's heart went out to the child.

"How old is he?" Halt asked softly.

"A week at the most they are working on a first name for him," Arald replied. Pauline looked at her husband. Halt seemed stuck. She could see the struggle in his eyes. Halt hadn't wanted a child so young to look after but hearing the child's tragic story Halt felt for him. On top of that Halt almost felt a connection with the boy.

"Can we adopt him?" Halt asked after a long pause. Arald looked surprised.

"I thought you didn't want a child this young Halt," Arald said.

"I know but…," Halt trailed off and turned to the little boy. Pauline understood immediately.

"I think this is the child for us," Pauline said. Arald nodded.

"I will get the paperwork started for you. Why don't you take him with us," the Baron said. Pauline nodded and reached into the crib to pick up the baby. The moment she lifted him up he begin to bawl. It wasn't a frightened sound but an angry sound. The woman who was looking after the children rushed over to them.

"I am sorry my lady he is very feisty," the woman said.

"It's alright Monica," Arald said. The woman nodded and went to try and sooth the other crying children.

"I can take him," Halt said, knowing that Pauline would prefer to sign off for the child herself. The moment Pauline handed the baby to Halt he stopped crying. Arald chuckled and Monica looked amazed.

"I guess he really likes you," Arald said. Pauline smiled.

Halt and Pauline followed Arald up to his office. The Baron pushed a stack of papers to the side and started working on the adaption form. Halt held his new found son in his arms and swung him gently.

"The kid is going to need a name," Arald said looking up.

"I think it is only fair that Halt name him. After all Halt agreed to take on a child under three and I didn't have to do much convincing," Pauline said. The Baron nodded. It made a lot of sense he thought.

"Halt what you going to name him?" Arald asked. Halt jerked up startled. Pauline hid a smile. Halt had been so engrossed in the child he hadn't been paying attention.

"I am sorry what?" Halt said. Arald had to cough to hide his grin.

"The kid needs a name Halt you can hardly call him boy for the rest of his life," Arald said. Halt snorted.

"Sure I can I did it to Will," he said.

"Yes for a few months then you called him by his name," Pauline reminded him.

"Alright give me a sec," Halt said. Pauline saw him bite his lip as he tried to figure out a name for the boy. Halt had never named anything before and wasn't quite sure what to name him. As he looked into the boy's eyes he remembered one person who had become a father figure for him a person who had looked out for him who cared deeply for him. He decided to honor that one person by naming the child after him.

"I want to name him Pritchard," Halt said softly. Pauline smiled. Arald was nodding.

"Well it is a better name then John which is the name most of the Ward staff voted on," Arald said. Halt snorted. Pauline coughed into her hand.

"What's wrong with John?" Pauline asked.

"Nothing except does this kid look like a John to you?" Halt asked. Pauline laughed.

"Halt I have no idea what a John looks like but I like the name Pritchard," she said. Halt nodded satisfied.

Arald finished the paperwork and handed it to Pauline. She dipped her head in thanks and led Halt out of the Baron's office. Pauline was looking forward to looking after the boy and raising him. She knew that the life the boy had now would be better than the life of an unwanted boy at the Ward.

When they opened the door to their apartment they were greeted by Crowley.

"You know Crowley one of these days someone is going to whack you upside the head when they see you," Halt said. The commandant shrugged.

"I have a key," he said. Pauline shook her head and headed inside to the spare bedroom of the apartment to set up a room for little Pritchard. Halt sat down in a chair near the fireplace and held Pritchard in his arms.

Crowley sat down beside him in a chair he had pulled from the table. "Who is this little guy?" Crowley asked. He was well aware of Halt and Pauline's planned adoption and he also knew it was today. That was one of the reasons he had stopped by was so he could see the new child.

"This is Pritchard he is no more than a week old. Arald said he has no father and his mother just sort of gave him up. I just named him less than an hour ago," Halt said softly not wanting to wake his sleeping son.

"That is so sad but on the plus side I have a feeling Pauline is going to spoil him rotten," Crowley said. Halt sighed.

"Probably, Crowley I was thinking would you like to become his Godfather?" Halt asked. Crowley considered the request for a moment or two.

"I would love to be the Godfather of Pritchard….you named him after our mentor didn't you?" Crowley asked. Halt nodded.

"As a matter of fact I did," Halt said. He transferred the sleeping baby to Crowley who took him gently. At that moment Pauline came back into the room.

"I have got the spare room set up for him," she said. Halt nodded.

"I thought about giving the kid a Godfather," Halt said and Pauline raised an eyebrow.

"You already did didn't you and I am willing to bet it is Crowley," Pauline said. Halt nodded.

"Unless you prefer someone else," Halt replied. Pauline shook her head.

"Crowley is fine at least he has a sense of humor," she said hiding a trace of a grin. Halt scowled at her and she simply raised an eyebrow.

"Oh alright I get it," Halt complained. Crowley passed the baby over to Pauline who brought him to the spare room which would now become his own.

Halt and Crowley headed out to look after their horses and Halt was eager to catch up with his friend even though both pretended otherwise.

The first installment is done please review and ideas on things you want to see are welcome. Please enjoy!