Disclaimer: I do not own Lester (the character) or the Stephanie Plum series. This short-story is only inspired by the Plum world, out of canon. Please note I do not have a beta reader (I would love to have one).

My apologies for not posting a chapter last week. My father's family came to visit from Spain, and then I got sick. Please note, I do not have a beta reader, but I hope you enjoy this chapter nonetheless. Also, I am not a lawyer or have any experience in law. All law related mistakes are my own and reflective of my poor research skills. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy it. Happy Day!

Love

Lester and I woke up to find a life-sized teddy bear smiling at us in our living room. The teddy sported a black t-shirt, a bulletproof vest, military boots, a Ranger's beret, and no pants. The bulletproof vest was left opened to reveal the words "RangeBear" on the toy's chest. It was the color of honey and sat staring at us with bright brown eyes.

"Did you hear them come in?" I had come to learn that pregnancy could also cause insomnia, and it was hard getting comfortable enough to sleep. But, by some miracle, I had slept like a baby.

"I didn't." My husband limped closer to the giant teddy, which was taller and bigger than him in dimension. "First, I'll check if it's armed and then lock it in our guest room."

"Babe, be careful." I didn't have the heart to tell him that he lacked the balance to handle the giant toy. It was hard enough for him being forced to remain sedentary for the last eight weeks. "I'm going to visit Tank to discuss the need for a daycare center in the building."

"Go for it." Lester's words were muffled by the teddy bear he was trying to lift off the floor. He picked up the toy for a brief moment, lost his balance, and fell straight into its belly. "I'm okay."

"Babe," I said.

Our RangeMan friends had a sense of humor. Matching slippers on, I wobbled out the door and left my husband latching onto the bear and looking defeated. Tank's door, only ten steps away from ours, stood out in a dark red color that marked him as Ranger's second in command.

"Good morning sweetheart," Tank greeted me, already showered and dressed to face the day. I pressed a kiss on his chubby cheek and walked past him into his open concept apartment in search of the fridge.

"You are the only person in this building who buys ice cream," I said. He also owned a jar of pickles and honey mustard. Tank walked over to his kitchen's island, where I prepared a quick concoction of pickles, ice cream, and mustard.

"Doll-baby, I don't think you should eat that." Tank grabbed the bowl out of my hands and started for the sink. "You and the baby could get food poisoning."

"Do you know what happens to people who deny food to pregnant ladies?" I demanded, blocking his path and making a show of rubbing my growing belly. The burly man eyed me suspiciously, glancing between the bowl in his hands and me. "You could get styes all over your eyes. Do you want that?"

"Fine," he said with a huff and returned the bowl. I scooped a spoonful of the mixture into my mouth and sighed in contentment at the combination of flavors.

"Yum," I said. Tank's face contorted when I licked the spoon, but he seemed to recover quickly. I took two more spoonfuls before returning my attention to him. "We need an employee daycare in this building."

"Did you talk to Ranger about this idea?" he asked, taking a seat across from me. Tank, unlike Ranger, was always direct and honest with me. He also took my side on matters more often than not.

"He'll come around." I swallowed another spoonful of ice cream and staggered back to the door. "Thanks for the food."

"Did you just come visit me for my food?" He turned around in his seat, crossed his arms, and watched me expectantly.

"Yes?" I said, offering a smile. He sighed.

"Emma, Liam Robinson came by last night." Tank's tone changed with his body language, and he looked at me with the gaze of a concerned parent. "He wanted to see you, but he met with Ranger instead."

"Did they fight?" My heart quickened, and my lungs began to beg for a bit more air. The baby inside kick boxed with the wall of my stomach in response.

"No, Liam didn't come to pick a fight with Ranger." Tank rose and walked around his kitchen island to his living room, where he picked up a package on the coffee table. "He left this for you. We ran some tests on it just in case."

"Thank you," I said, rolling my eyes at the men's illogical concern for me. Tank plucked the ice cream and pickles off my arms and replaced them with the box, which was the size of a small shoebox. "Did Ranger tell you what they spoke about?"

"No, but it's my job to take care of everyone working for this company," Tank said, his eyes piercing. He caressed my cheek before gingerly touching my belly. "I'm afraid this case might bring back some bad memories for you, sweetheart."

"I can handle it." It has been about ten years since the attack, and I had become a different person. "I am stronger now."

"No offense, my dear, but you're pregnant and hormonal. You're eating pickles with ice cream bathed in mustard." Tank leaned against the door, blocking my exit, and enthusiastically shaking his head.

"Do you remember what I said about pregnant women and food?" Tank bestowed a knowing smile, one hand flying to his chest.

"I'm offended." He removed his weight from the door and opened it for me. "Please tell Lester the physical therapist is coming in today to evaluate him, and I also approved your doctors' home visit."

"What are you talking about?" I had yet to send Ranger or Tank my calendar, which was riddled with medical appointments, because I didn't want to give them a reason to keep me off from work. It meant Lester and I had to take time off to travel to appointments.

"Lester limped his way to my office and demanded that I rearrange all of your appointments," Tank grunted, lowering his voice to match Lester's register. The expression on his face changed to match the tone. "He comes here and tells me: there's no reason my wife should be running back and forth worried about making time for her appointments or mine."

"And you just granted his request?"

"Of course not, but he went ahead and made all the calls, scheduled the infirmary room, and ordered the necessary equipment," Tank shook his head, irritated by my husband's antics. Lester's plans meant that Tank had to personally complete the background check of all the medical personnel my husband hired. "Are you crying?"

"Never! I'm just leaking." I wiped off the lonesome tear running down my cheek and pressing the box against my chest. "Tank, I just happy and in love with my husband."

-rs-

Babes, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I would love to hear what you think.