All familiar characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine.

Our living room looked as though a chopper exploded and safely blew Soldiers out of it ... the way they were all sprawled out over every available seat. Sampson, Vice, and Torch, were even on the floor, bragging how Olivia will be able to walk before they leave.

"If you guys teach her to walk," Steph warned them, "you'd better be prepared to move to Trenton because you'll have to be nearby to help watch her. I don't know all of Ranger's superpowers, but I'm betting he can make a transfer happen."

"I can," I told her. "All they have to do is ask ... or do something that makes permission no longer theirs to give."

"Nice reminder that even off the battlefield, you're still calling the shots," Snare replied.

"Someone has to babysit your behinds and keep you out of trouble. Anyone assigned to me, gets stuck with me for life."

"He's not kidding," Steph shared. "I'm not most women, so I was fine with us not being married, but Mr. Persistent didn't rest until I was convincing myself that marriage wasn't just the only option, but it's the only one I wanted."

"Damn, Steph," Bobby said, "there you go messing with our image again."

"I said nothing about you, or about how the teeny, tiny little girl Sampson is coaching into the Major Leagues ... freaked you out and then wore you completely out. I was talking specifically about Ranger. And I didn't say anything different than what he just said, I only used different words. If he cares about you, he automatically becomes your guardian angel despite the cost to him."

She still manages to humble me whenever she discusses me with no filter in place. I don't like to advertise my personal life and family, but on occasions like this, it helps my men to know and see that it is possible to have a woman who's devoted to you, will remain with you no matter the circumstances, and who will be the first one jumping up to protect you. If someone like me has someone like Stephanie, it's reasonable to believe they can have a family like mine in the future. It's a subtle leadership move, but it's extremely effective ... otherwise Raphael wouldn't have asked for Aubrey's number and Kenzie wouldn't have asked Steph for Cal's.

"So it ain't Short-Stop here," Sampson said, helping Olivia curl her tiny fingers around the handle of the tea cup from her interactive tea set and aim it now at Snare, instead of taking a pretend sip and a plastic cookie from the toy like a civilized party guest, "we had to be concerned about, it's really the Little Miss' Mama."

"Got it in one," Lester told him. "We went from wondering what vehicle or building Steph was going to blow up that day, to being scared spitless that something would happen to her without one of us around."

"Hah!" Steph said, playfully shoving him. "I knew it! You weren't tailing me, showing up at my apartment with coffee, on Ranger's orders ... you guys were always around because you like me and were worried about me when you knew I wasn't with The Boss."

"God, Steph," Santos said, covering his ears like Olivia does, "stop already. You're gonna make us sound like pu..."

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence. And you're such a baby," she teased. "Uncle Lester is more of a baby than you are. Isn't he, Olive?"

"Bu ... bu ... bu ... bi," she told her Mama.

"Take that, Santos. She's clearly saying 'Bobby' ... her favorite Uncle."

"You'd better check your diaper, Brown, because you're full of it."

"Boys, behave," Steph ordered them.

"Yes, Ma'am," they said in unison.

Their faces didn't change unless you paid close attention to their eyes. Our visiting family are enjoying the play between the one we created here. One of the biggest misconceptions about men like us is that we've seen so much death, we become dead inside ourselves. But in reality, knowing your life can end at any moment gives you the opportunity to fully live in the present one.

"So now that the fun's over, and our 'toys' are getting to know their shower buddies in prison," Vice said to us, "guess it's an early night for the family."

"If you're referring to my family, it will be an early night for Olivia and the dogs, but my wife and I have plans."

"We do?" Steph asked me, her eyebrows rising up in surprise.

"Yes."

"Good to know ... now."

"Steph, the guy has packed up his life in under five minutes before disappearing for months at a time into another one. You think he wouldn't spring a date on you?" Bobby asked her.

"Good point."

"Bet the day of watching his hot wife turn Terminator, didn't hurt his date plans," Snare unwisely said.

"Better watch it," Woody warned. "Both Ranger and Steph try to limit bad language in front of Olive, but they will bust a head or two when hers is turned."

"Relax, Woody," Steph told him. "He was stating that I'm hot, not saying he personally finds me attractive. I think you guys are funny, sweet, and logically I know you're not hard to look at … given how women react to you all, but I don't see you as 'men' compared to Ranger."

"Thanks a lot, Steph," Lester said.

"You know what I mean."

"They do," I told her, pulling her to me. "They also know what I'd do to anyone who may have more than protective feelings towards you."

"Not to mention what our Olive Pit would do," Bobby said, rubbing his jaw where he'd just caught a slice of plastic cake with his face.