A/N not mine, I own nothing but the plot.
I know I'm late, but Happy Birthday Ranger!
A Belated Birthday
He had just walked into his apartment; exhausted was an understatement for how he felt. He had just got back from eight months "in the wind", as Stephanie would say. The debriefing was hell since he refused to sign another contract. They had sent him on a suicide mission and never expected him to return. Hell, he thought he would never returned after the second ambush.
When the third ambush happened he decided that he was done with the military life. He wanted more. He wanted to make a life with Stephanie. They had only just begun when he had gotten the call. He was so proud of how she handled it. She had whispered in his ear that she understood and didn't shed a single tear as she kissed him goodbye. He could still see the worry and fear on her face. She couldn't hide it from him.
He asked her to move into seven while he was gone. When he opened the door he realized that she had gone ahead and done just that. However, something felt off. He couldn't put his finger on it. He just shook the feeling off and dropped his bag. Stripping his clothes he made his way to the bathroom to shower and shave. He need to get the grim and beard off of his body. Taking a page from his Babes book he turned the shower on as hot as he could tolerate it and stepped in the harsh spray.
Once he was clean and shaved, he wrapped a towel around his waist. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed with his Babe and make slow sweet love to the woman who was everything to him.
He made his way to the closed master suite, as he had used the second bathroom so he didn't disturb her too soon. He stopped as he got to the door and heard her speaker softly to someone. He was confused by what he was hearing.
"He will be home soon. I pray that he will be okay and that he won't be mad and resent you..." She trailer off and there was the sound of rustling clothes and bedding.
He closed his eyes and hoped it wasn't that she was involved with one of his men, especially his cousin. He drew in a deep breath and opened the door. The sight before him left him stunned where he stood. She was propped up on a large number of pillows with a baby at her breast. The soft glow of the light from the nightstand had them looking like the Madonna and child.
"Babe?" He queried softly. He didn't want to disturb the moment.
She looked up, startled by the man who Stood before him. Once again he saw a mixture of feelings run the gamut across her face. He slowly walked towards her and knelt down. Peering at the baby he noticed that the child looked like the perfect mixture of him and Stephanie. The skin and hair was all him, but the eyes were his Babes beautiful baby blues. He stroked the babys cheek and kissed Stephanie gently on the lips.
"When?" he asked.
"I found out the day you left."
"I'm sorry I wasn't here, Babe"
"You came back to us. That's all that matters."
He looked down in wonder at what had come from their love. He was having a hard time processing what was right in front of him when Stephanie spoke up again, "He was born August twelveth. Happy Birthday, Carlos. Meet your son. Richardo Carlos Manoso the third. we've been calling him Ric."
Ric finished his meal and Stephanie burped him then handed him to Ranger. He stared at the small being in awe. In that moment he knew that he made the right choice to not sign another contract. He was home for good with his small family. It was the best belated birthday gift he could ask for.
"It will be hard when you go in the wind again, but I'll try to stay strong," she softly stated.
"I didn't sign another contract. I'm home to stay."
The squeal she left out startled the baby in his arms. Little Ric only opened his eyes once again and looked up at his father.
"Happy belated birthday to you, my son," Ranger said as he kissed the downy soft hair upon the babys head.
A/N just a quick little one shot for Rangers birthday. For those of you reading What The Heart Wants, be ready for an update on Friday. I was blown away by 30 reviews on the last chapter.