Brothers

Taylor sat propped up against some pillows, nursing her new-born son. Eric pulled a blanket over Ezra who had fallen asleep on the couch in the room. Then he settled on the bed with Taylor, one arm around her shoulders as the other held the new-born's hand between his thumb and finger.

'Was Ezra this tiny too?'

'Tinier, he's a pound heavier than Ezra was,' Taylor smiled.

'You sure he's mine, though?' Eric teased.

Taylor laughed and stroked the blonde tuff of hair on their son's head. 'I don't see how he couldn't be. He's definitely not Wes's.'

'He'd better not be,' Eric growled. 'Wes would be over the moon if he was. You should've seen his face when I told him we were having another boy.'

'Girls can play little league too,' Taylor pointed out.

'Just not Iris and Brooke,' Eric laughed. 'They've been begging about a pony and riding lessons. I can't see them playing little league. And they're both so opposite of Wes and Jen. If I didn't know better, I'd think they were adopted.'

'True, but they love their girls.'

'They've got Wes wrapped around their little fingers,' Eric agreed. 'But how much you wanna bet he's trying to convince Jen to have another one just to try for a boy?'

'I'm not taking that bet,' Taylor sniggered, shifting her son so she could burp him. Then she handed him to Eric and fixed her clothes, before nuzzling into his side. 'You were secretly jealous of Wes for so long and now he's actually jealous of you. You have your phone?'

'Yeah, it's in my pocked,' Eric muttered, barely hearing her as he was staring down as his now sleeping son.

Taylor dug out his phone and dialled Alan's number.

'Eric,' Alan's voice greeted happily. 'Has labour started?'

'Taylor, actually,' she replied with a grin. 'Do you want to come meet your new grandson?'

'Of course,' Alan answered excitedly. 'Congratulations. Where are Eric and Ezra?'

'Right here. Ezra's napping on the couch and Eric has got his hands full making sure the baby is really his. We're kinda thrown off by the blonde hair.'

'You took Ezra to hospital with you?'

'Why not? He was quietly playing with his Duplos in a corner of the room. Didn't look up until he heard the baby crying and stayed there until Eric went to ask if he wanted to meet his baby brother.'

'You were always going to be unconventional parents from the moment you decided you wanted kids,' Alan laughed. 'Well, if Ezra is napping. How about I stop by in an hour or so?'

'Yeah, that's fine,' Taylor agreed.

'Want me to take Ezra with me for the night?'

'Nah, we'll be fine. But his pyjamas would be great,' Eric answered, having been able to follow the entire conversation.

'I'll pick it up on the way,' Alan promised. 'I'll see you all soon.'

After cutting the connection, Taylor glanced at the clock and dialled Alyssa's number. It took a few rings before she answered. Taylor happily greeted her friend before announcing the birth of her second son. Alyssa squealed and offered to come over with Cole and Holly immediately. Taylor quickly turned her down, asking her to come over tomorrow instead.

If they came now, then Wes and his brood would come over too. Those three girls together were too excitable, especially if there was a baby involved. Neither of the boys, or their parents, were going to survive that.

Once they agreed on a time to visit, Alyssa had to go. School had just let out for the weekend and she still needed to tidy her classroom.

Taylor cut the connection again. Eric got up to place the baby in the basinet and settled back on the bed, holding Taylor close. He accepted his phone back and had a quick conversation with Wes. Like Alyssa, he wanted to collect his family and come straight over. It took some effort, but Eric dissuaded him, smiling as Taylor yawned. He told Wes when Cole and Alyssa would be visiting the next day and they'd be welcome to stop by then. Wes finally agreed to wait until tomorrow before visiting. They said goodbye and Eric texted Danny and Max before tossing the phone to the end of the bed.

'You can't answer it when it's over there,' Taylor muttered, cracking open an eye.

'Exactly,' Eric agreed, wrapping both his arms around her.

'It'll wake up the boys,' Taylor complained.

'It's my day off and the phone is set to vibrate only,' Eric assured and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'Right now the rest of the world can go to hell for all I care, they're not getting into our bubble.'

Taylor snorted. 'Coming from the guy who didn't want a family.'

'Oh, I wanted a family,' Eric corrected. 'You were just family enough for me once upon a time. Thank you for proving me wrong.'

'Once upon a time, you were all the family I needed too. And now it's grown big enough,' Taylor smiled, nuzzling closer.

'Yeah? You don't want to try for a little league playing girl? Us guys got you a bit outnumbered.'

'And have us be outnumbered by our kids? No way. I can take the three of you any day. Plus, I like you having an office at home where you work on your on-duty weekends. That would have to become a bedroom at some point if we had another kid. And I don't see us moving either. So no, I don't want to try for a girl. In fact, I'll be asking the doctor when I can set up an appointment to get my tubes tied.'

'Without discussing it with me?' Eric gently poked her side.

Taylor slapped his knee before settling back against him. 'I just figured you'd agree. Two kids we can handle, if they get too much we can each put one in a headlock. And we're discussing it now, aren't we?'

'Great parenting skills,' Eric chuckled. 'If you're done, I'm done. And if you want to pretty much rule out any chances of an accidental pregnancy, sure, I agree. But isn't it easier and much less invasive if we fix it on my end?'

'I didn't think you'd let anyone come near there with any kinds of sharp object,' Taylor shrugged.

'You gave up flying for two years for us to have this family. And you let your body be hijacked by hormones for thirty-six months. I think I can handle a surgeon taking a knife to my junk to keep from having more kids. It's the least I can do. Plus, if I do it now, we'll both be good to go when the six week rule has passed,' Eric grinned, nuzzling his face into her hair.

'Pig,' Taylor accused sleepily.

'You love me.'

'Can't fathom why.'

'The sex is good.'

'Yeah, that must be why I keep you around,' Taylor muttered.

When Alan peeked into the room half an hour later, Taylor had fallen asleep. Alan smiled and quietly walked entered when Eric waved him in.

'Don't get up. I'd hate to steal Taylor's pillow,' Alan told him, setting down Ezra's dinosaur backpack. 'I put his toothbrush and teddy bears in too.'

Eric nodded and saw Ezra begin to stir on the couch. It took the boy a moment to realize who was in the room when he opened his eyes. Once it did, Ezra was wide awake and jumped up with an excited shout, running to Alan.

'Grandpa! Come see my baby brother!' Ezra caught Alan's hand and started to pull him to the bed before realizing it was just his parents on there now. Eric pointed at the basinet and Ezra changed directions, dragging Alan with him.

Taylor woke up from the noise Ezra was making. With a smile she and Eric watched Ezra proudly show off his brother. Alan looked over at them for permission before picking up his new-born grandson. The baby boy opened his eyes at being shifted, but settled into the arms of his grandfather.

'He's beautiful. You did good, Taylor. But I have to agree with what you said earlier, are you sure he's Eric's?'

'The mailman has blue eyes and no one on the base has that jaw line. Yes, I'm sure he's Eric's,' Taylor laughed.

'We're not going to hear the end of this, are we?' Eric groaned.

'Never,' Alan agreed with a smile. 'What's his name?'

'Ezra, do you want to tell grandpa what your brother is called?' Taylor asked.

'Baydon,' Ezra answered proudly.

Alan considered the name for a little, trying to decide if it needed translation or not. 'Brayden?' he repeated eventually. Ezra nodded enthusiastically and Alan breathed a sigh of relief. 'Well, I brought you and Brayden a present.'

'Really?' Ezra's eyes grew wide. 'Why?'

'Because when a baby is born you give gifts,' Alan explained.

'Oh, okay.'

'They're in your backpack. The squishy one if for Brayden, but maybe mommy and daddy would like to unwrap it for him.'

Ezra spotted his backpack and ran over to it. He pulled out the two packages and his teddy bears. Eric got up for a moment to lift Ezra onto the bed when he ran back to his parents and Alan sat down at the end by Taylor's feet. Ezra handed one package to Taylor before tearing into his own. The three adults watched the young boy until he held up a picture book, eyes shining.

'Read?' he demanded, offering the book to Eric.

'Maybe after grandpa goes home,' Eric shook his head.

Ezra pouted, but then got distracted as Taylor started opening Brayden's gift. Taylor laughed as she pulled out a tiny Silver Guardians uniform, complete with red rope, barrette and Myers embroidered on one of the front pockets.

'Thanks, Alan, this is adorable.'

'Yeah, I love it,' Eric nodded.

Ezra suddenly held out the white teddy bear of his black and white set. 'For Bayden,' he said.

'Are you sure? They're your favourite,' Eric asked. Ezra nodded and Eric accepted the bear from his son with a soft smile.

Taylor suddenly gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, tears shining in her eyes.

'Taylor?' Eric asked gently. 'Everything okay?'

'The bear brothers,' Taylor answered.

Alan looked at her confused and it took Eric a minute to catch on. He laughed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 'Perfect,' he told her. 'Her other two Zords,' Eric explained to Alan and pointed at the toys. 'Black bear and polar bear. Though they appeared to her as twins to acquire the Zords.'

Alan laughed too and looked down at Brayden. 'Now their colouring makes sense,' he commented and spotted Taylor yawn. 'I'll leave so you can rest. This time around you've got an active three-year-old wanting your attention too,' Alan smiled, ruffling Ezra's hair before handing Brayden back to Taylor.

'Not quite three yet,' Eric pulled Ezra into his arms.

Hours later Taylor sat nursing Brayden again while Ezra and Eric slept. A nurse had come in to quietly wake her for it just as Brayden had been waking up. So her other boys had luckily not been disturbed. The hospital had provided a mattress for Eric to sleep on, perks of being a ranger and commander of the Guardians. And though they had tried to settle Ezra on the couch again, he had stubbornly snuggled up next to Eric on the mattress instead.

In the little light there was in the room, Taylor could just about make out Eric's peaceful expression and a forming drool mark on his shirt where Ezra's head was resting. She looked back down at Brayden and stroked his tiny face.

'You may never understand how much I love you. I certainly didn't know I could love anyone this much. Your daddy, brother and you are my world and I would do anything for you three. Our jobs might take us away from you and we will definitely have to miss a few little league games, but I promise we'll make sure there's always one of us there. It's nothing short of a miracle you and your brother are even here. But I'll tell you now, that miracle shows you just how much mommy and daddy love you two,' Taylor watched Brayden's eyes fall shut. 'Oh sure, is my hormonal declaration of love boring you? Well, you can go back to sleep after you've burped for your mommy.'

When Taylor fell back asleep after settling Brayden, a smile was playing on her lips, the soft sounds of her family's breathing provided the best lullaby.