Here's another Songfic. This one was suggested by Heather (txbabefan).
The Good Ones - Gabby Barrett
Steph POV:
I watched as Carlos picked up our daughter and swung her around in his arms. She squealed and laughed, clutching him. I smiled softly as I watched them. CJ toddled up to him, tugging on his shirt. Carlos smiled, picked him up, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and placed him on his hip.
Carlos locked eyes with me and smiled. His face was so open; you could see the love, the tenderness, and the passion in his eyes. He walked over to me, a kid on each of hip. He set them both down before leaning down to kiss me.
"Hi," I whispered against his lips.
"Babe." He grinned.
Both Sophia and CJ went off to play as he sat down next to me. He pulled me into him, and I rested my head on his shoulder. "How was your day?" I asked him.
"Paperwork. Stacks and Stacks of paperwork." He groaned.
I laughed softly. "Poor baby."
He pinched my thigh and I laughed again. "Dinner needs five more minutes to be finished."
"You cooked?" he asked.
I gave him a look. "Ella dropped off lasagna."
He chuckled and helped me up. "Sophia, CJ let's get inside and wash up." He called.
Sophia helped CJ up and together they joined us. Carlos picked up CJ and took Sophia's hand. CJ was a mini-Carlos; he had his black hair, high cheekbones, sharp nose, and skin tone, but the eyes were all mine. Sophia had her father's chocolate brown eyes and high cheekbones, my nose, and curly black.. There was no doubt that both of our kids would be heart stoppers when they grew up.
Carlos took the kids into the bathroom off the foyer as I went into the kitchen and started tossing the salad. I watched as CJ and Sophie went into the living room. Ranger sat on the floor in the center of the room; Sophie grabbed the blocks as CJ claimed his box of cars. He started to build a track as Sophie started to build a castle.
I grinned, watching them talk animatedly and play. I couldn't believe after all this time, that we were here, together and we had two kids. He was home every night at six unless there was an emergency, but he always called to talk to the kids before they went to bed.
He helped me see them off to school, give baths, dress, and clean them. Even though Carlos was sure he wasn't, he is a good man. He does so much for our family, so much for the men that worked for him. He denied the fact that he was a good one.
"Dinner's ready." I called Carlos to help the kids pick up their toys and put them away before bringing them to the table and helping me make their plates.
A few hours later, CJ and Sophia were in bed. Carlos and I were relaxing on the couch; we were fresh from a shower after getting soaked giving the kids a bath. Carlos's short hair was slicked back, he wore a pair of joggers, and his chest was bare as he lounged on the couch. I wore a pair of thin sleep shorts and matching tank top, my hair braided as it dried.
His head laid in my lap, my fingers running through his hair. "Really, how was your day?"
"A disaster. We had six break ins, three at major clients. Cops hassled the bonds team and gave them shit when the brought in some skips." He sighed as I ran my nails over his scalp. "How did Sophie do at school?"
"She was perfect, like always. Another letter from her teacher saying that we should allow her to skip first grade."
He smiled up at me. "She's such a smart girl."
"She's got the brains and the looks," I acknowledged.
"I wonder if that left anything for CJ?" He chuckled.
I slapped his shoulder. "Carlos!"
"I'm kidding Babe! Our little Carlito is very handsome," he said.
I rolled my eyes at him.
I leaned down and placed an upside-down kiss on his lips, cupping his cheeks in my hand. My thumbs rubbed over the stubble on his jaw line. I pulled back to look at him.
"You're such a good man."
His hands rested on mine. "It doesn't feel like it sometimes," he said.
"You're one of the good ones Carlos. If you weren't, do you think we would be together?"
"I account us being together to you being overcome with lust every time you look at me." He grinned.
I laughed at him. Carlos pulled me down to lay with him, maneuvering me to lay on top of him.
"I love you, Babe."
"I love you, too, Carlos." I told him as he leaned down to kiss me.
XXXXXX
I sat on the couch, clutching the phone in my hands. He had called, telling me he would be home in an hour. That call had come fifty-five minutes ago. I heard his car in the driveway, the lights off to not shine through the kids' windows. I walked over to the door and opened it; Carlos walked up the path and I threw myself into his arms.
Carlos caught me, tucking his face into my neck as I wrapped my arms around his neck and legs around his waist. "Babe." He breathed.
"You made me so scared," I said softly.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"When it came over the radio..."
"I know Babe, I know," he said. "Let's get inside. I need to lay down and hold you. I want to check in on the kids and make sure they're okay."
I nodded, taking his hand. I led him inside, and he locked the door and turned on the system behind us. We walked down the hall and he poked his head in both rooms before we made our way upstairs to the master suite.
He stripped off his clothes as he pushed me back to the bed. I fell backwards and he came with me, wrapping us both up under the duvet. My head came to rest on his chest over his heart, letting me hear it beat in his chest.
"When they called it, I thought it was you. The description matched you and my heart stopped..."
"I know Babe," he said softly, running a hand down my side in a reassuring manner. I let out a shuddering breath.
"Tell me what happened?"
"You know most of it, you were monitoring comms," he said. "When we went into the building, we were ambushed by more men than we expected. Sanchez and I were together, and he stepped in front of the bullet. When I asked him why the hell he did that, he told me it was because I had a family to go home too."
I sat up and looked at him.
"He's going to be okay," I reassured him.
He nodded. "I know."
"You did everything you had to, to keep everyone safe and finish the assignment."
"The comm room is destroyed," he said, raising an eyebrow.
"There might have been an incident," I said.
"An incident that required Bones to sedate you and remove you from Rangeman?"
I shot him a glare and he smiled softly. "Come here, Babe."
I laid back down with him, resuming the same position. "I'm taking the day off tomorrow to be with you and the kids," he said.
I nodded. "Thank you."
XXXXXX
My eyes followed Carlos across the yard. All of our friends are sitting around the pool. "You can tell he's in love with you," Mellisa said next to me.
I turned to look at her with my eyebrows raised.
"Come on. You can tell just by looking at the both of you. Your eyes never leave each other for more than a few seconds."
I smiled at her. "You can tell all of that by just looking at us?"
"It's as plain as day on both of your faces," she smiled sadly. "I wish I could find a guy that looks at me like that."
"You will. Carlos is one of the good ones and there's more out there. You just have to find him."
Carlos smiled at me from across the pool, CJ in his arms and they both waved at me. Mellissa cooed and I rolled my eyes at her.
"You're a lucky bitch," she said,
I grinned. "I know."