Author: Esentrik

Challenge: #62- Curiosity

Spoiler: Nine-ish

Rating: Pg

Note: This idea had been in my head for a while, and now I'm finally getting it out here. I was going to make it a new story on once I got a few of my other stories done.

I heard a baby crying. Alone in my apartment building, living around old people living off their Social Security checks, there weren't a lot of babies to be crying.

Curiosity got the better of my, and I quietly slid from underneath my sheets and looked out the window. The crying was from outside, and I had my window open to let in the nice Trenton breeze. No wonder I woke up.

Standing in the parking lot was a man, in the darkness I couldn't figure out who it was. I closed my window, figuring a new family had moved in.

But I was wrong. Really wrong.

I fell asleep easier, and the cries subsided. I pulled my comforter over my head. I heard my lock tumble, and my chain swing free. Only one man was capable of doing this: Ranger.

I sat up to wait for him. I usually did this when he stopped by, which was now more frequent since Morelli had gotten tired of waiting and moved to Boston.

Ranger must have just gotten in. He was doing a favor for Vinnie and flew to Phoenix, Arizona to pick up a skip in Rocky Point.

I heard his boots hit the floor, and then the clatter of his gun belt dropping. I swung my feet over the bed and sat up. A moment later, his figure stood in the doorway.

Something was wrong. My room was dark, and he was blocking the little light from the kitchen that kept Rex company. He looked like he was cuddling something, though.

"Hi."

"Hey," He sighed, sounding awfully tired.

"How was the trip?" I asked, and Ranger came closer, letting in some light. He was definably holding something.

"Fine." He sat on the bed, next to me, and I caught a glimpse of a tiny little set of fingers, a tiny whisp of hair. A miniscule nose. OHMIGOD! Ranger had a baby.

I didn't say anything for a while. I was trying to figure things out. Was there someone else in his life, and that was why he didn't do relationships? Was I apart of some sick love triangle?

"Babe." He said softly.

"Huh?" I looked up out of my train of thought.

"Someone left her at the airport in Phoenix." Ranger informed me.

"Oh." I took another peek at the baby in his arms.

Two tiny hands, with ten tiny fingers. A few little baby hairs poked out of the tiny little hat that was covering her head. Her face was blank, like Ranger's was when you asked him something personal.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, tying hard not to reach for her. At times like these, my maternal instincts flew.

"Take care of her until CPS can find a better home. There so flocked this time of year, the lady over the phone told me it could be months until they can find a home for her." I hadn't noticed, but Ranger was looking down at the baby too.

"I'm curious. Does she have a name?" I asked and scooted closer.

"Melanie. It was pinned to the blanket." Ranger played with a little tag that said, MELANIE in scratchy handwriting.

As if on cue, her eyes fluttered open. She didn't fuss, just stared back at Ranger and I. My heart clenched. Someone had left her.

"Are you sure someone left her there? Maybe someone got up to go to the bathroom and forgot the baby?" I said.

Ranger reached into the pocket of his jacket. "Pretty sure someone left her."

He passed me a note, written on an index card with the same scratchy handwriting. It read: "I'm not ready to be a parent yet. I hope you take good care of her. Her name is on the tag."

I looked at Ranger. He looked back. Then the baby burped. And I realized I was in for the ride of my life. Ranger hadn't asked me to be surrogate mom, but I assumed it was coming.

"I'm curious, again."

"Shoot." Ranger said and unwrapped and wrapped the baby again in his black SWAT sweatshirt she'd been wrapped in when he got here.

"How are you going to take care of her? You have a crazy job, and as far as I'm concerned, your life would lend itself to a baby well." I shifted so I could see him better.

"I was planning to ask you... if you'd help. I figured I'd first spend the night. I'm tired. If I blew it, I'd have to drive all the way home."

The baby's face got scrunched up, and she began to cry. It wasn't as loud as in the parking lot, but she was unhappy.

"I can get her." I said. "Go to sleep."

"She wasn't hungry a minute ago, before I came up here. There's a bottle in the bag you can warm up to her." Ranger said and laid back on the bed.

"Ok." I said and left the room.

There was a bottle, just like he said there would be, on top of a stack of diapers. I picked it up and offered it to her. She pushed it back out with her tongue after a second.

I put it in the microwave for only a few seconds, rocking the baby slowly as the microwave heated. It dinged loudly when it was done, which made the baby jump.

I offered her the warm bottle, and she accepted it. I traced my route back to my bedroom where Ranger was tucked into my bed. He pillowed his head under a bent elbow, the other arm loosely at his side. And he was asleep.

I sat on the empty space on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. I laid Melanie on my bent knee and she sucked on the bottle, eventually sucking herself to sleep.

Where was she going to sleep? Between us, I supposed because she didn't have a crib or anything. Nothing but a stuffed toy was left from Valerie's stay. Gently, I lifted the baby, putting her on her back beside Ranger.

His hand moved and covered her tiny body. "Night." He mumbled.

"Night." I said and scooted down under the covers.

They say that curiosity killed the cat. Well, it was about to kill again...