This story idea came to me at choir rehearsal yesterday while I was watching my bestie's reaction to the token baby who has been coming along with his parents his whole life.

Say "Refrigerator"

I stared down at the sleeping form in the crib before me, still so tiny, despite having grown out of the first clothes we bought for her. She was my world. She was amazing. She was, well, all things considered, she was just like her father. Matilda Marie Manoso had Rangers dark brown eyes and straight hair, her complexion was closer to his than mine, and she appeared to have the same sleep disorder. The slightest noise and she was awake, alert and ready for whatever was coming. And sleeping past sunrise? Please. Like that as going to happen.

I shook my head, wondering how much this Mini Ranger was going to rule my life when Ranger Original appeared in the doorway.

Turning away from Tilly, I held a finger to my lips, indicating that if we wanted her to sleep for longer than five minutes we had to be absolutely silent. He nodded his agreement, and wrapped an arm around my waist, leading me through the house to the kitchen, as far away from the nursery as we were able to get without leaving the house.

As soon as we were out of the hallway, he pressed me back until my ass hit the edge of the counter, covering my mouth with his own. A single, desperate moan burbled up from my throat and I was wrapping myself around him, digging my fingers through his hair until the leather tie holding it in place was dislodged and I was free to grab whole handfuls of it in an attempt to drag him closer.

"I've been waiting to do that since I woke up this morning," Ranger informed me, trailing open mouthed kisses down my throat.

"I've been waiting to do that since you left two days ago," I replied, surprised at how steady my voice was.

"That too," he agreed. He pulled back, swept my rampant curls away from my face before shoving his own loose locks away as well. "We should eat while we have the opportunity," he announced, stepping away but keeping one hand on my hip to make sure I didn't slide to the floor as was my custom. "How's Tilly been?"

"I'm worried," I said, not really thinking about what he'd actually asked before I said it, which is probably why he was suddenly back in my personal space, a concerned expression crossing his features as he glanced toward the hall that lead to our daughter's room. I took a moment to process his reaction and replay his question before shaking my head. I raised my hands to frame his face, making sure I had his full attention. "Tilly is fine," I assured him. "I'm worried about Tank."

Confusion passed swiftly across my husband's face. "I asked about our daughter and you tell me you're worried about my second in command?" he asked incredulously. I can't say I blamed him. These last three days had been my first time managing Tilly on my own without him there as a fail safe. I'd grown a lot more adept at identifying and dealing with her needs in the last three months, but I was still apprehensive about going it alone. Ranger had offered to have Ella or his mother stay with me while he was away, but I'd insisted I'd be okay. Hopefully. The sooner I got used to the easier it would be, right? And besides, it wasn't like he would be in the wind, he was just in DC, consulting. If I had any real emergencies I could call him and he would be home in a few hours.

"It's related," I explained.

Ranger raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"Is Tank okay with... The current state of things?" I asked hesitantly. The last thing I wanted was to open up a can that had been dealt with and sealed off without my knowing. Tank had been nothing but supportive for as long as I'd known him, but lately, things had been off. It made me wonder.

"State of what?" Ranger asked, pulling a covered dish from the refrigerator where I'd stashed it after arriving home. Ella still liked to make sure we were fed, even though we weren't living on the seventh floor anymore.

"Us," I said, gesturing between us as he started the reheat process detailed on the lid. "You and me. And Tilly."

Ranger straightened from the oven and just stared at me like I was crazy. "Of course he's fine with it," he assured me. "Why wouldn't he?"

I shrugged. "Just the way he's been acting lately," I said.

"Babe," Ranger breathed, crossing the kitchen so he was once again directly in front of me. "Tank was the one who pushed me to man up and admit my feelings to you," he explained. "He was the best man at our wedding. Where is this coming from?"

I sighed. He was right. Tank had always been supportive of our relationship as much has he had my safety. The problem was, now, it was like he didn't want to be anywhere near me. Or Tilly, for that matter. I said as much to Ranger.

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

Hopping up onto the counter, I explained, " I was at Rangeman today, just checking in and saying hi. Allowing Tilly time with her uncles and vice versa." Even though I didn't work at Rangeman full time anymore, since we wanted Tilly to have as normal a life as possible, and spending her formative years in an office surrounded by men with guns did seem to fit that bill, I dropped by once or twice a week with the Rangebaby, as they had all dubbed her, and let them bond. Usually, these were just social visits. I did work one day a week, but Tilly didn't accompany me. She either went to my parents or Rangers, alternating weeks so no one felt left out.

"Sounds standard," Ranger nodded, encouraging me to continue. He still didn't understand how my concerns over Tank had cropped up.

"Well, I was in the break room, chatting with Bobby, Lester and Tank when Hal came in and asked for my help with a search he was running. I told him I'd be there in a minute-"

"Babe," he admonished, and I knew in an instant that I would be paid for my time this morning.

"And went to hand Tilly to Tank, because he was the only one who hadn't had a hug yet, but Tank just stepped back out of reach, stuffing his hands in his pockets." I shook my head, recalling the moment vividly. "I didn't have much time to think about it at that point, since Lester snatched the child from my grips and shooed me away to help Hal, but once I got home after lunch I started thinking about it. And in all of Tilly's very short life, I couldn't recall Tank ever holding or even touching her. I'd sifted through the myriad of photos we had and not one captured the pair together. In fact, in some of the photos he's almost scowling at her." Lifting my gaze to Rangers once more, I tried to blink away the tears. "Ranger, does Tank had Tilly?"

"Of course not," ranger assured me, stepping between my knees so he could gather me to his chest. "First of all, that scowl is Tanks natural expression. He has a resting bitch face. And second, Tank adores Tilly. He has a recording of her baby babble saved on his phone and has pictures of her on his mantle at home."

"Then why does he avoid her like the plague?" I questioned hopelessly.

Now it was Ranger's turn to sigh. "Tank's a big guy, Babe. He knows how much strength he has, but sometimes he forgets and accidentally hurts someone. He's always been careful around small children and injured people. I thought you would have noticed, since he's the only one that never hugs you to make sure you're all right after an ordeal? He doesn't want to hurt you any worse than you already are."

Well that explained complete lack of physical contact following Tilly's birth. He was afraid I was still sore and didn't want to aggravate any unseen injuries. It wasn't until I'd been cleared for physical activity and returned to the gym twice a week that he'd randomly pulled me into a bear hug as I passed him. I didn't have Tilly with me at the time though.

"So Tank doesn't want to hold Tilly because he's afraid he'll break her?"

Ranger nodded.

"He knows babies are built to withstand new parents, right? They're incredibly resilient." This was exactly what Rang had told me when I'd been having a panic attack a week before my due date, thinking I was going to be the worst mother in the world.

"I've told him, Babe. But he's set in his ways. When Julie was born and I was telling him about this little bundle that looked just like me he just shook his head and informed me that he didn't do children. 'Not until they can say refrigerator', he said."

"Refrigerator?" I questioned, stunned. It seemed a little random.

Ranger shrugged. "I guess he figured if they can say refrigerator they're old enough to tell him if he's hurting them." He eyed me a moment, and I must have had a determined look on my face because he stepped back, his hands on my knees. "You're going to make it your mission to get Tilly to say Refrigerator, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Did you really think this was going to go any other way?"

He chuckled, squeezing my thigh and moving to check on dinner. "Just don't use it so much that she thinks it's her name," he warned.

Stay tuned for a bonus scene!