A short one, but hopefully it's better than nothing. Just fluff really.

Chapter 31

Aly and I get on like wildfire, and I know Ric absolutely loves it. Truth is, I'm going to really miss that girl when she goes back - I only get to keep her for a couple more days. It seems so unfair that Ric only gets to see his daughter once in a while, but I know he doesn't really have any other choice. Although he's still friendly with his ex-wife, I know she must want to build a stable environment for her daughter, not surround her by big ex-soldiers.

Still, Ric's working a re-decorating job tonight so Aly and I figured we'd watch movies and eat popcorn. But we're torn; what film should we watch? Eventually we decided, and I couldn't help but laugh at her choice. It was so…perfect.

At eight we settled down in the games room and snuggled on the couch with a warm fleecy blanket over us, hot popcorn in front of us, as well as a diet coke each. The credits rolled up and in huge letters across the screen it read 'Batman Forever'. Damn straight.

After the movie was over, neither of us were tired, and I knew it was going to be hours before Ric returned to my bed, so we decided to watch another movie. Hey, it's the holidays!

Half way through Bambi (I cried when Bambi's mom died, but it's ok because Aly did too) Aly turned to me.

'Stephie?'

'Yeah sweetheart?'

'Remember when I said that Mommy is Mommy, and Daddy is Daddy, and Dad is Dad, and that if you married Daddy you'd be Mom?'

'I remember Kitten.'

'Well, I was wondering…if I could…maybe, if you wouldn't mind…maybe-I-could-call-you-Mom-now?'

I felt my eyes fill up with tears and my throat had a lump in it the size of Kansas. I nodded then I finally managed to say, 'I'd be honoured if you called me Mom, kitten.'

She gave a squeal of delight and shortened the small gap between us, hugging me tightly.

'Maybe you should check with your Daddy that it's ok first? And you should probably check with your Mommy too.'

'I've talked to Mommy about it before, she said that if Daddy was with a woman I liked then I could call her mom if I wanted too, but that I didn't ever have to call her Mom if I didn't want to either! So it's fine! And Daddy will be happy, but maybe we should keep it a secret until dinner tomorrow?'

'Why?'

'Cos that'd be so much funner!'

'You love your secrets, don't you kitten?' I said, amused.

'Not as much as I love you Mom.'

Hearing her say that pushed me over the edge and I started bawling. This child had only spent 10 days with me and yet she could love so easily, and so deeply. I hugged her to me, and managed to say between happy tears, 'I love you too Kitten. My daughter.' And then she burst into tears too and held me just as strongly.

Eventually, movie forgotten, we calmed down and lay on the couch, blanket pulled up to our chins, and we hopped and skipped happily off to la la land.

Ranger's POV

Where's my Babe? It's one in the morning, but she's not in bed. I showered and pulled on some clean pants and went to hunt for my Babe.

I went to the games room first, and there they were; Aly and Steph, curled up together on the couch. Alysha's head was resting on Steph's chest, and Steph had her arms wrapped protectively around Aly.

I felt my eyes water.

Must be something in my eye.

Click.

What?

It was Tank, doing his thing with the camera. 'It's a beautiful picture.' Tank said, his voice a little gruffer than normal.

'Yeah.' I said, in a similar voice.

Tank's eyes were watering.

He saw me glance in his direction, 'Something in my eye.' He said.

'Me too.' I replied.

'Must be dust in the air.'

'Yeah. Dust.'

'Want a hand with them?'

'Nah. I can deal. Thanks.'

Tank nodded and clapped me on the back, 'night man.'

'Night.'

I crouched down in front of my women and watched them sleep. I frowned, why was Steph's mascara smudged? I checked the film they'd been watching. Bambi. That must be it, my sister bawled like a baby when Bambi's mom died.

After a few minutes I decided that they'd get neck cricks if they slept like that, so I lifted the both of them into my arms and carried them up to my bed.

No mean feat.

I laid them down on my bed, and snuck in the other side. Steph on the left, me on the right, and Aly in the middle. Surrounded by the women I love, it didn't take long for me to get to sleep.