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Anything you recognize belongs to JE


Chapter 12

Carlos POV

I pulled out my phone again and dialed a number I usually dial once a month.

"Hello?" A young girl's voice said questioningly.

"Hey Julie, its Dad," I said smiling. Julie insisted on calling me dad after the incident with Scrogg. We had a long talk and I explained why I signed over my rights as her legal father. She calls me dad but Ron will always be her daddy.

"WHAT!" Julie all but yelled at me. "My dad is dead. Who are you and where did you get my number? I have a whole bunch of Uncles who itch for a fight any chance they get and wouldn't mind tracking you down and do the worst. Now that we are clear who are you?"

I laughed. That's my baby girl alright! "Julie it's really me."

"Dad?" Julie asked confused. "If you are who you say you are then tell me something only my dad would know." I thought about everything I knew about Julie and immediately thought of the most embarrassing things she wouldn't want anyone to know.

"I know that when you were a baby you had a stuffed rabbit that had a rattle in it and you took it everywhere until its stuffing fell out and it was thrown away. You cried for weeks. I know that you had a pacifier you named and when you were too old to have it you were told the Easter bunny took it. I also know that you have a birth mark on your right but cheek. Is that proof enough?" I asked smiling.

"Ok, maybe you are my dad." Julie said laughing. "Well since you're alive and well why don't you tell me how you managed to fake your death and magically appear."

I explained how my dog tags were switched with a fellow soldier's and how he was mistaken for me.

"Wow dad," Julie said sadly. "I'm just glad you're alive and well. How is Stephanie? She and I have been emailing each other since the whole Scrogg thing. She wanted me know my half siblings even if you weren't alive. I'm really happy she let me know about them instead of keeping it a secret."

I was shocked by this new discovery. Steph didn't tell me she kept in touch with Julie too. "Well kiddo she had the twins yesterday and hopefully, with the doctor's permission, she can be released under the care of Bobby, our company medic."

"Oh my god," Julie all but screamed. "How are they? What's their official birth date so I can put it in my phone as a reminder? How much did they weigh?"

"Whoa querida (dear) slow down," I said laughing. "They are actually taking a nap right now. They were born on October 8th. Ricky weighed 8ibs. 2oz. and Carmen weighed 6ibs. 5oz."

"Aw," Julie said happy. "I have to visit during vacation. I wanna meet my new siblings! Well dad I gotta go. I have to go to bed I have school in the morning. Tell Steph I said hi and give those babes a kiss for me. I want pictures! Love you."

I smiled when she said she loved me. It warmed my heart every time. "I love you too mija (my daughter). Be good and get those good grades so I can brag that my daughter is in an ivy league college!"

"I will bye."

"Bye." I hung up and a nurse came in to take babe's vitals.

"Is there any way I can speak with the doctor right quick?" I asked the nurse while sitting down in the chair next to babe's bed.

"Yea sure I'll be right back." The nurse said smiling and walking out. A short while later Dr. Covey came in smiling. She walked over to the babies and looked at each one lovingly.

"Precious aren't they?" She asked walking over to me looking at what had to be babe's chart. "Well I have some good news if I am guessing correctly on what you are about to ask me. Stephanie is free to take her babies home tomorrow."

I smiled and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you."

"No problem. I spoke with your medic and he is going to make sure she has her follow up within at least two weeks."

She said goodbye to the babies one last time before leaving. I pulled my chair really close to babe's bed and fell asleep holding her hand.

RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS~RS

Stephanie POV

I woke up and noticed that my babies were happily cooing at each other. They looked at me and smiled a gum filled smiles.

"Aw, my precious babies are too adorable." I said holding back tears. I looked down into the face of my husband and smiled. He looked so innocent as he slept. All his lines of worry virtually disappeared. I knew my babies had to be hungry and I couldn't get up because of all these stupid monitors and I didn't want to wake Carlos. He has probably, no doubt in my mind, had little to no sleep since he has returned. I found the call button and a nurse came in a short time later. She helped me get situated to nurse Carmen first and pushed Ricky closer to me before walking back out.

I was getting used to the feeling of nursing in front of Carlos. I mean he has seen it all and will for the rest of his life. Nursing brings on a certain bond between mother and child that is hard to create without this closeness. I stroked Ricky cheek as he nursed and heard a low chuckle.

"Is it bad if I say this is turning me on a little bit?" Carlos asked kissing my forehead. I hit him in the arm. He laughed and took Ricky from me. I fixed myself back up and watched father and son bond.

Ricky looked at Carlos with big eyes as Carlos spoke softly in Spanish to him. Carlos started to sing what sounded like a Spanish lullaby and Ricky soon fell asleep.

"Yup, I've got the magic touch." Carlos said putting Ricky back in his plastic bassinet. Carlos frowned at it. "I hate these hard things. How are these comfortable? Even with the blankets underneath it has to be hard."

"Well hopefully we can take our babes home today so they can sleep in their nice new cribs." I said smiling at my sleeping babies.

"Oh that reminds me." Carlos said before he got up and left. I was left stunned. What was my husband up to?

After ten minutes of wondering I couldn't ignore my bladder screaming for relief and got up dragging my IV poll and all into the bathroom. I stopped right before I shut the door and realized that I couldn't leave my babies unattended. I wheeled them in with me and was happy to finally have relief.

I was washing my hands when I heard yelling. I dried my hands and threw open the door only to collide with a black wall. The wall turned around and I realized it was Tank.

"Holy shit Bombshell," Tank said helping me wheel the babies out. "We thought someone kidnapped you and Bossman's precious babies."

Tank pulled out his phone and called someone. "I found her….No, she was in the bathroom with them…yea here." He handed me the phone.

"Carlos?" I asked nervous of being yelled at.

"Babe you don't know how much you scared me when I opened the room door and didn't see you there. I thought someone had taken you." He said almost in a whisper. Carlos was the opposite of an Italian. He didn't feel the need to exaggerate every with hand motions. He just talked really low and slowly.

"I'm sorry," I said with my eyes filling with tears. I didn't want him mad at me. "When you left I was stunned because I didn't know where you were headed then I had to go pee but I couldn't leave my babies unattended so I brought them in with me I didn't mean to do anything wrong." By then I was sobbing. I guess my hormones were still out of whack. Tank took the phone and slammed it shut. I heard footsteps running in the hallway and the door flung open. I was immediately engulfed in a huge hug and being rocked back and forth.

"It's ok babe," Carlos said kissing my forehead. "I just reacted badly when I found the room empty. I should have checked the bathroom before doing what I did." I looked at him confused.

"What did you do?"

"I may or may not have called in back up from the guys." Carlos said with a smile playing on his lips. "I had Bobby and Lester guarding the door and Tank keeping watch inside while Hector reviewed the security footage. He had just gotten to the part with you walking into the bath room when Tank called. Babe I'm sorry I'm so over protective. I guess being a full time daddy is going to be more challenging than I thought."

I laughed and two things dawned on me. 1) If this room was being monitored then my babies' birth was on video for the taking and of me nursing. 2) Where was my husband going when he left?

"I smell something burning babe what's up?" Carlos asked moving a piece of hair out of my face.

"Is this room really being videotaped? And where were you going when you left?" I asked right as Dr. Covey walked into the room.

"Well Stephanie besides your husband scaring half the maternity ward I would say that today is a good day." Dr. said as she took out my IV. "You are free to take your precious babies home."

I smiled at her and looked at Carlos. "You were discharging me weren't you?" He nodded.

"Babe, don't worry about the cameras. I had Hector set it up so it was recording only to Rangeman facility. The hospital cameras were as of two days ago on an endless loop of an empty room." Carlos helped me up and gave me a hug. God I loved this man.

"I love you too babe."

From there everything happened in a blur. I was pushed into the bathroom by Carlos and he helped me shower. I knew he wanted me but I wasn't clear for sex for another 6 weeks. He brushed my hair as I brushed my teeth. I was handed some yoga pants, one of Carlos' black t-shirts, a bra, underwear and a pair of Uggs to change into. I left the bathroom and found my babies swaddled in blankets and hats in their carriers. I looked around to see who did it and saw Lula.

"Come on white girl. Let's get these batbabies to their batcave!" Lula said lifting Carmen's carrier. Carlos took Ricky's and I groaned when the wheel chair came.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Manoso its hospital policy." The nurse said smiling. She looked over at Santos and winked. He followed her out and I laughed.

We took the elevator down to the main entrance and an SUV was waiting for us. Carlos strapped the babies in the back and I sat between them. He closed the door and sat in the driver's seat. Occasionally he would look back into the mirror and smile at me holding the babies' tiny hands with my index fingers. I had to buy those mirrors that attached to the babies' head rests so Carlos could see their precious faces in the mirror as he drove.

We made it home in record time and I found that Tank and Lula followed us home. They whisked the babies away from me and carried them to the nursery. They watched as I taught Carlos how to change a diaper and I swore I saw longing in Lula's eyes. She smiled at me and walked out of the room.

I placed the babies' in their cribs, turned the lights down low and played some classical music from a CD played that shone blue bubbles on the opposite wall to lull the babies to sleep. I left the guys as they walked into Carlos' office to talk about his time management and went to seek out Lula.

I found her outside on the patio swing with silent tears streaming down her face.

"I see how happy you are with your babies and I don't want to rain on your parade since they were just born but I want one so bad but Tank isn't making a move about making me permanently his." She sobbed into my shoulder as I held her tight. I rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"Lula, I'm pretty sure Tank would give you the world if you asked for it. Just talk it out with him. I know you would do anything for him why can't he return the favor?" I said smiling. "Don't let the confident Lula I grew to love be hidden away by a man."

She sat up and whipped away her tears. "You're right I will talk to him. Thanks Steph I can always count on you to brighten my day." I hugged my best friend and let her go when I heard a single voice.

"Lula, baby? Are you ok?" Tank asked as we stood up to face him.

"I'm gonna let you two talk." I said as I kissed Lula on the cheek and went inside.

I walked into the kitchen and found my husband making dinner and starring out the window at Lula and Tank. I sat at the breakfast bar stool and watched also.

"They are perfect for each other." Carlos said looking at me. "We talked a while upstairs and it seems that our two buddies are thinking of procreating."

I smiled. "I hope it all works out for those two because they need each other. I would hate to see such a good working couple fall apart because the failed to communicate."

Carlos looked at e confused. "What did Lula say to you?"

"She wants Tank to make an honest woman out of her and settle down. She wants the picket fence with all the fixings." I said as Carlos held out a spoon for me to taste the white sauce. It was to die for.

"Well I guess things are going to work out for our two comrades." Carlos said stirring the sauce.

"Why do you say that?" I asked frowning at him. Then I heard what sounded like a thump against glass and couldn't believe my eyes. Lula and Tank were having a heavy make out session against my spotless sliding glass door. "Hey, if you plan on washing the glass I advise you to step away from the door." I yelled towards the door.

Lula pulled away from Tank and held up her left hand. There nestled between her middle and pinky finger was sure enough a diamond ring. Carlos and I watched Tank swing Lula into his arms and carry her through the house and out the front door. They were on their way to celebrate their engagement no doubt.

"Babe these 6 weeks are going to be pure hell." Carlos said with a frown and pouting bottom lip.

I kissed him and sighed. "Don't I know it."


R&R They make me happy :P

Should there be more?

~Chalee21