This is the very first story I wrote as a 'Father's Day' challenge on a Yahoo! Plum Group over 7 years ago. The characters created by JE are hers, but I added my own brand of crazy and happy.

Welcome Home, Daddy!

Tank sat quietly in his office looking over some reports. "When Ranger returns from his mission, he's going to owe me big time for the endless reports I've worked," he thought. "What reports? Stephanie has been helping with the paperwork." He was being cranky because he missed his best friend and there had not been any word from him in these last several months. Ranger had been gone almost 11 months.

He put down his pen and considered how Ranger would react to the changes. Wrong word, not changes, but addition. He chuckled to himself. Cameron Ricardo Manoso. Ranger and Stephanie's son.

As he remembered the past year and half. Stephanie and Ranger finally gave into their feelings about 6 months before he left. Everything was happy in the Rangeman world. You couldn't keep the smiles off their faces. Or away from each other. Love filled the air. Then, Ranger got the sudden call. He was needed for a mission. He tried to get out of it, but he was the best. Hopefully, if everything went as planned maybe Ranger would be gone a short 3-4 months.

Before he had to leave, no one saw him and Stephanie for few days. They locked themselves away in their own world. How Bombshell did it I can only imagine, but Ranger agreed let her go to the airport to see him off. Ranger hated goodbyes. At the airport, there was the kiss to end all kisses, all the love that passed over their lips was to hold them until they were together again.

"I love you, Ranger".

"I love you, Babe".

Tears streaked her cheeks as Stephanie watched him disappear past the security point of the airport. Ranger was off to parts unknown.

After Ranger left, Stephanie was sleeping a lot and had trouble keeping food down. Lester, Bobby, and I started to really worry. If anything happened to Bombshell, we wouldn't be lucky enough to get a new home in a third-world destination. Ella figured it out, maybe she was pregnant. Almost 2 months, Stephanie's doctor determined. She was carrying their child before Ranger left.

Over the passing months, she continued to live in his 7th floor apartment where we were close by. The Boss wanted us to keep her safe. Bobby, Lester, and I settled into a routine of surrogate fathers-to-be, accompanying her to doctor appointments, baby shopping at the mall, and unfortunately, dinners with her family.

Stephanie's mother took the pregnancy news relatively calmly. Grandma Mazur was tickled pink down to her tight, pink curls. During a sonogram, the doctor informed Stephanie he could determine the baby's sex. She was having a son. Their son.

When Stephanie announced during a Sunday dinner it was a boy, I never knew her father to get so excited.

"Finally, another male in the family to counteract the Hungarian hormones!" he gleamed.

The Merrymen, as Stephanie affectionately calls us, have invaded third world countries, but do you think we could easily put together a baby crib! NO!

As Stephanie's belly grew so did the anticipation for Ranger's return. There a few relayed messages that he was safe, but those were few and far between. Waiting. We all have been waiting.

Bobby, Lester, and I planned out the routes to the hospital. Each had specific jobs to do to get her to the hospital when the contractions began. We did trial runs so we were prepared. Mary Lou was her birthing coach and did the Lamaze classes with Stephanie.

The evening she went into labor, Bobby, Lester, and I became the bumbling idiots. We argued who was driving. Who had the keys? What vehicle were we driving? It was the return of the Three Stooges.

When Bombshell's contractions were about 15 minutes apart, she calmly called her father on the 'Q-T' and he drove all of us to the hospital. A Burg girl in labor with Ranger's child toppled the plans of three big ex-army guys. If Ranger knew of our stupidity, no third-world country for us. It would be a slow sinking ship in the middle of the ocean for us!

At 2:32 AM, Cameron Ricardo Manoso entered the world almost 7 months after his father left. A healthy 7 pounds 8 ounces.

So here I am, four months later. Bobby, Lester, and I have helped with night feedings, learned to change a diaper, and constantly cooing at the bundle of black curls and big, brown eyes. Stephanie has described Ranger's Cuban skin tone as "mocha latte", but Cameron's is a light "mocha latte".

If he knew of his son's existence, the Boss would be proud.

Still no word from him over these last months . Stephanie waits as patiently as she can for Ranger to walk thru the door to complete their little family.

The ringing of my cell phone broke up my thoughts. "Talk" I said.

A voice replied, "I'm coming home."

"What?"

"I'm coming home, Tank".

"Ranger, you in one piece?" I questioned.

"Yeah," and there as a pause. "Is my Babe OK? Is she still there?". His voice cracked a little wondering if "His Woman' was still at Rangeman.

I almost blurted out "They" but caught myself, "She's been waiting for you since the moment you left. Bombshell's OK.''

Ranger doesn't sigh but let out a long breath that he had been holding in I hear over the connection. "I'm finishing up my debriefings. My plane should arrive about 10 tonight."

"Be there to pick you up," I stated.

"Tank, I never knew I could miss Stephanie so much" he said quietly. His emotions were evident in my ear. "Tell her I love her. I have to go back now".

There was a click and the line was dead.

As if Stephanie knew, two pairs of eyes peeked around my office door. Blue and brown just like his father's. She must have seen the smile on my face as I closed my cell phone.

"What?" Stephanie asked.

"Bombshell, he's coming home!" I told her. I heard the relief in my voice.

Her eyes grew wide as realization set in. Tears were on her cheeks immediately. "Is...Is he OK?" she stuttered afraid Ranger might be hurt.

"Yeah. His plane will land about 10 PM. He loves you", I almost forgot to add.

She spoke softly touching Cameron's chubby cheek, "It's Father's Day this Sunday. I hope Ranger will like his surprise." A flash of doubt crossed her face I witnessed. Stephanie couldn't hide her emotions.

"He will, Bombshell. Your child will be the best gift. You'll see."

"Tank, I saw him off. I want, no, we want", Stephanie said as she rubbed her cheek against Cameron's curly head, "to be at the airport to welcome him back."

"Bombshell, I don't know" was all I could manage. The security expert in me wanted to put a stop to her plan because this was Stephanie and our 'newest' Rangeman. That Cuban was over-proctective when it came to Stephanie. I could only imagine how over-the-top it would be with his son. Determination was set in her face and her stance. "Ok, I'll drive you" I told her because even I knew there was no stopping the 'Burg' girl.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Word spread faster than the infamous "Burg grapevine" of Ranger's return tonight. By the time Stephanie, Cameron, and I were ready to leave, Bobby and Lester invited themselves along. Now two black Rangeman vehicles are steering towards the airport. I laughed because Stephanie had dressed Cameron in a camouflage outfit with matching booties. The things she finds Internet shopping.

Once we parked, Stephanie and Cameron were off in a determined strut. We could barely keep up with her. She made her way thru the main terminal to the spot she stood all those months ago when Ranger left. Glancing at the arrival and departure screen, his plane would be landing on time. Bobby, Lester, and I stood back watching in bodyguard mode as Stephanie anxiously looked from the screen to the walkway in the secured area of the airport for what seemed to be hours. It was realatively empty at this time of the night in the building. Stephanie's voice carried over to us as she told Cameron, "Daddy's coming". The screen flashed, Ranger's plane had arrived from Washington D.C.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

ON THE RUNWAY:

Ranger shifted impatiently. "Will the flight attendants open up the DAMN doors already. I want to go home", he said to himself. Stephanie would be waiting for him in the 7th floor apartment. It was a long stressful 11 months, but he knew there would never be another mission. That was his last. Now he could think freely about the rest of his life with Stephanie. His Woman. Hopefully, soon to be his wife. Maybe even a child. Their child in the future brought an anxious smile to his face.

Finally, he was off the plane and hastily started towards the main terminal to meet Tank at the pick-up area. He could still feel their last kiss on his lips. A warm sensation came over him as he strode in his 'Ranger' sized steps on the secured walkway. He focused ahead of him and caught his breath. Standing there in the spot he left her eleven months ago, wild curls of brunette hair and glistening blue eyes. Stephanie was dressed in faded jeans and a blue t-shirt. She never looked so beautiful.

"What was the camouflaged thing in her arms," Ranger thought. He could swear it moved. He must be worn out seeing things. He looked again closely, there were blue eyes and brown ones watching him. "There's your Daddy", Ranger heard Stephanie say as he got closer.

Stopping to refocus. "Daddy?" he questioned himself. "Me?" His brain was telling the rest of the tired, muscular body gone for these long months "Stephanie's holding a baby." "OH MY GOD, OUR BABY!" registered in him what his brain was attempting to get across. Ranger ran the remaining distance to them dropping his carry-on. His eyes met hers, the love for him was shining thru her tears. Slowly, his gaze dropped to the baby in her arms.

"Babe" he whispered.

"Ranger, Carlos", she said softly back to him, "meet Cameron Ricardo Manoso. Cameron, here's your Daddy" she whispered lowering her eyes to their son choking on her own emotions and tears.

Gurgling noises were coming from their son. So gingerly, Ranger reached for his son. He was perfect as his mother. Shifting the baby to one arm and the other pulling Stephanie to him, their lips met. The world stopped at this moment. All the love and longing passed between them in that first kiss.

"Welcome home, Daddy" Stephanie murmured into his neck. "Happy Father's Day."

Three big ex-Army men were standing were watching the scene in front of them grinning from ear to ear. Things were going to be good.

Eventually, Ranger, Stephanie, and their son started thru the airport ready to start their forever with Bobby, Lester, and I right behind them.