Chapter 2

"Mamamama" Rebecca sang as she played in her playpen. "Dadadadaaaaaa."

"Does she ever stop?" Mickey whimpered, as she repeated herself, clutching at her teddy by the arm as she dragged him around.

"Oi!" Smithy elbowed him, frowning. "S'my girl, shut it."

Nick chuckled, sipping from his bottle of lager. "My girl." He repeated, smiling. "Never thought I'd see the day you went soft."

"I ain't soft!" Smithy glared across. "Why don't you-"

"Daaaadaaa!" Rebecca waved at Smithy, instantly melting him again as she grinned at him. "Play!" She demanded, Mickey and Nick trying to stifle their laughter as their sergeant stood and walked over to her with no protest, opening the door to her playpen, as he went inside and sat with her.

Mickey cleared his throat, being brave, or stupid enough to talk first. "You alright in there, Smithy?"

Smithy glanced up, narrowing his eyes at Mickey, opening his mouth to say something rude as Rebecca scrambled onto his lap, beaming up at him. "Hiya dada."

Smithy instantly beamed in response, cuddling his daughter tightly, kissing her forehead. "Here." He said, without glancing over at the others.

"Eh?" Nick frowned; unsure of who he was talking to.

"You two." Smithy raised his head. "In here."

"I ain't going in no playpen!" Mickey scoffed, shaking his head. "Don't be stupid!"

"…What am I doing in here?" Mickey scowled, folding his arms as he sulked after having been all but carried into the pen.

"Either shut up and play," Smithy glared across, "Or get out of my house."

"You have widescreen." Mickey pouted, still scowling. "Football!"

"Count yourself lucky," Nick sighed from where he was being force-fed plastic pizza. "Thank you 'Becca." He sighed as another piece was thrust into his hand along side the other three already there.

"Dada 'za?" Rebecca toddled unsteadily towards Smithy, holding a slice out to him.

"Thank you darlin'." Smithy grinned at her; taking the slice and pretending to eat it, arching an eyebrow at Nick as he tried to put the slices he was holding back into the toy box without Rebecca seeing.

"Icky 'za?" Rebecca turned, holding some out to Mickey as he drew his feet back out of the way, catching Rebecca's foot, causing her to fall forward, grazing her chin on his shoe.

Rebecca pulled back, taking a deep breath before screeching as Smithy leapt to his feet, picking her up. "It's ok Becca." He soothed, glaring murderously at Mickey as he protested his innocence.

"I didn't do anything." Mickey held his hands up. "She tripped! It was an accident!"

"Shh…" Smithy bounced Rebecca, pulling his head back to look at her, his glare growing in intensity as he saw the graze and the tiny spots of blood on Rebecca's chin. "Mickey!" He started, as Mickey whimpered, escaping quickly in the direction of the bathroom.

Nick rolled his eyes, standing up. "She ok?" He frowned slightly, taking her hand as she sobbed, wiggling it gently.

"She will be." Smithy carried her through to the kitchen, sitting her on the draining board as he fussed gently with a piece of damp cotton wool, carefully cleaning the graze. "More than I can say for Mickey."

"It was an accident," Nick flicked the kettle on as he watched Smithy, chuckling softly. "You'll make someone a lovely wife, Smithy."

Smithy glanced over his shoulder, shooting Nick a glare, before continuing trying to calm Rebecca down.

"…She shut up yet?" Mickey whispered through the door to Nick as he tried to coax him out.

"Mostly…" Nick admitted, "She's still grumbling." He smiled slightly. "You brave enough to come out?"

"Depends." Mickey slid the lock slowly from the door, peering around it to make sure Smithy was about to pounce, before looking up at Nick, "He still going to kill me?" he asked solemnly.

"Pretty much." Nick chuckled. "Come on mate, the sooner you come out, the sooner it'll all be over."

"No." Mickey shook his head, "She'll glare at me, and Smithy'll kill me…I don't want to die!"

Nick bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. "Come on." He sighed, all but pushing Mickey to the stairs. "Be a man, get it over with!"

Mickey glared and muttered under his breath, before sighing, walking downstairs slowly and reluctantly. "Smit…Sarge." Mickey glanced across as Rebecca turned from where she was resting against Smithy's chest, looking up at Mickey, her bottom lip trembling as she gripped Smithy's thumb.

Smithy glanced across and glared, as he wrapped his other arm around her, glaring.

"See." Mickey whispered as he sat down. "When she's in bed, he's gonna kill me!"

"Da." Rebecca tilted her head, looking up at Smithy, holding a hand to her chin, before holding her hand out to him.

Smithy took her hand and gently kissed it, smiling as Rebecca did. "Better?"

Rebecca grumbled something ending in "…icky," before pulling herself up to a standing position on Smithy's lap, bouncing slightly as she giggled, reaching behind him for her teddy.

"She's harmless enough." Nick chuckled, watching as Smithy teased her gently, the only other person allowed to touch Rebecca's favourite teddy other than Rebecca herself, Charlie often complaining that she wasn't one of the chosen few.

"She's the devil child." Mickey whispered, stopping as Rebecca's head turned in his direction, staring at him for a few seconds, before giggling as Smithy tickled her, pulling the teddy from her grasp.