Six weeks later

Cady and Vic were at their wits end with Cole. He had cried and fussed for hours. He wasn't hungry, his diaper was dry, he had no fever, he wasn't clammy, or off in color; except for the redness in his little face from crying so often. They tried bathing him, changing him, singing, dancing, walking, bouncing, everything they could think of and nothing served to sooth him. By the time Walt got home they were out of ideas and nearly out of patience. Walt could hear the crying as soon as he opened the Bronco door. One thing about it his son had a fine set of lungs. That boy could call the coyotes home when he got himself into a state of unhappiness. He climbed out of the truck and walked into the cabin. A single glance told him Cole was not the only one unhappy. Vic and Cady both looked frazzled and Cole had hit high gear.

He asked no one in particular, "What seems to be the problem?"

Cady sighed, "I don't know dad we've tried everything."

Vic snarked, obviously exhausted and frustrated at not being able to figure out what her son needed, "If we knew that, there wouldn't be a problem."

Walt calmly stepped over to her and held out his hands, she handed him the baby and dropped her shoulders in defeat. Walt tucked the baby in one arm and wrapped the other around his wife, giving her a hug and a gentle kiss. "Let me see if us fellas can come to an agreement, huh?" Vic nodded and stepped from his embrace. He nodded at Cady to follow Vic as she headed into the kitchen. Vic dropped into a chair and sighed in to her hands, "Just give me a minute and I'll get dinner started."

Cady looked at her and her heart almost broke, Vic was so worn out from today and she knew the new mom was doubting her ability to be a good mom. Stepping over to the table Cady softly offered, "Why don't you got take a nice long shower and relax. I'll fix dinner and help Dad with Cole."

Vic looked up at her and started to say something and then stopped, sighed heavily and started over, "You know what? I'm too tired to even argue with you. I'm gonna go take a shower."

Cady smiled as she watched Vic exit the kitchen. A few minutes later she had some left overs reheating in the oven and she realized the house was quiet; except for the sound of Vic's shower running. She made her way quietly into the living room and found Walt in the rocking chair with Cole sound asleep on his chest. He barely moved the chair and he looked like he was about to follow the baby into sleep.

She spoke softly so she wouldn't startle him or wake Cole, "Dad how did you do that? He's cried and fussed for hours. What is it, your heartbeat or something?"

Walt opened his eyes and smiled up at her, "Nope, he's just like his sister that's all."

"Daddy's boy?"

"Nuh uh. He likes to be bundled really snug, just like you used to."

"That's it?!"

"That's it. Seems to be a big deal for little people." He absently rubbed his son's back and smiled warmly at his daughter.

"I can't believe it. We tried everything today, and I mean everything."

Walt glanced down at the sleeping baby and back up at her, but said nothing.

"Okay, so we missed one. We didn't know about the Walt Longmire secret weapon."

He chuckled at her. "Just remembered it from when you were this size. And by the way, he's got nothing on you when it comes to full volume crying."

"Dad."

"I'm serious. I didn't hear him until I shut the truck off and opened the door. You I heard outside, across the street, in a running truck, with the stereo on."

"You're exaggerating."

"I am not. Ask Lucian he was there."

She chuckled at him, still not believing him, as she went to check of dinner.

Vic finished with her shower and was half way dressed when she noticed there was no crying. She threw on the rest of her clothes and dashed out into the living room only to stop dead in her tracks. Walt half sat half laid in the rocking chair, his legs stretched out in a wide V in front of him. He had braced his elbows in the rungs of the arms of the chair so he would not drop his arms away from the baby. He cradled Cole under his large hands securely against his chest; both sound asleep. Vic started for the kitchen but stopped to take a quick pic of her boys with both the camera and her phone. That was going to be her new background. She crept into the kitchen and whispered barely loud enough for Cady to hear, "How did he do that?!"

Cady smiled and relayed the information she had received from her dad. And ended with a shrug,

"Apparently like sister, like brother."

"Gee thanks." Vic said a hint of humor returning to her voice, "I thought you were going to say it was male bonding or some other shit."

Cady laughed, "No, but I think it maybe a Longmire thing."

Vic nodded, "I can see that. Your dad tends to wrap himself up in the sheets; especially when he's sleeping really well."

Cady rolled her eyes, "That may be a little TMI."

"What?!" Vic protested the too much information assertion, "I didn't say it was usually after some really incredible hot sex, did I?"

Cady laughed out loud and then immediately clamped her hand over her mouth, fearing she might wake the baby. She rolled her eyes at Vic and shook her head.

A few minutes later Walt walked in with Cole sleeping soundly against his shoulder, tucked up near his neck. Vic looked at them and teased, "Hey that's my spot."

Walt stepped over to her as she stood, "I got two." He stretched his arm out and she stepped into his embrace, "I'm sorry he gave you such a hard time today."

She nuzzled into his shoulder and reached over the stroke the baby's back, "Me too. Ya coulda told me about the bundle business."

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think about it until I walked in saw the three of you. That's when I remembered how Cady liked to be bundled good and snug. Kind of like a well packed burrito."

"You gotta show me later, 'cause I don't think I have it in me for another day like today."

"Done." He kissed the top of her head and moved to sit down.

He ate one handed and Vic marveled at him, "You really are an ol' pro at this baby thing aren't you?"

"Not yet, but it's coming back pretty fast," his smile saying how much his was enjoying the whole process.

Later that night

Vic heard Cole crying and started to move but Walt placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Let's see if ol' dad can solve the little man's problem." His placed a kiss on her temple and whispered, "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you if I get out numbered." She chuckled in to her pillow and gave him a sleepy, "Thanks."

"C'mon Pal, let's let your mommy get some sleep huh?" Walt said as picked up his son and recognized problem one was a serious case of soggy pants. He laid the baby on the changing table and asked very earnestly, "Just what have you been drinkin' boy?" He talked soothingly as he went about cleaning Cole and changing both diaper and sleepwear. He bundled the baby up the way he had learned was most comforting to his son. Walking with a rocking sway he moved toward the kitchen figuring a bottle would be next in order. By the time he reached the kitchen, Cole was sound asleep again. He repositioned the baby on his forearm, tilting him securely into his chest; freeing his hand to help in prepping the bottle. Walt chuckled to himself, 'sure as I don't get this ready you're gonna be howling at the moon'.

Turned out the timing couldn't have been better because as soon as the bottle was ready so was Cole. After feeding and burping the baby Walt sat on the couch awhile and talked to his son. It was a wide range of topics; nothing to heavy duty. It seemed the baby just liked listening to him, so Walt talked to him. As his tiny eyelids started drifting shut, Walt reached over for the digital camera Cady had given him. He idly flipped it on and scrolled through the recent shots. Vic made sure to use the camera often when Walt was at work. There were several pictures he had already seen and only two new ones from the day before. The first was Cole dressed for the morning in the tiniest pair of striped overalls Walt had ever seen. It was a cute picture. Who was he kidding he thought they all were cute pictures. The other new photo was of him sprawled in the rocking chair with Cole on his chest. Vic or Cady must have snapped it when he fell asleep.
Walt looked down at the sleeping baby and said, "You really gave your momma a hard time yesterday didn't you? Two pictures? And one of them was after I got home."

Walt made his way back to the nursery and slipped Cole back into his crib, made sure he was bundled snugly, and then stepped quietly into their bedroom. Vic was curled, facing his side of the bed when he lay down. He started to turn toward her to watch her sleep, but felt her moving. Just as he shifted to see her better she was crawling into his arms; he cradled Vic much the way he had Cole while he sat talking to him on the couch. He pulled her close and stroked her hair. He whispered that she should continue sleeping and said Cole was good for another few hours. When she sighed and nuzzled into him a little more, Walt kept talking to her just as he had Cole. Nothing earth shattering just things he thought about and the happiness he felt; he drifted off in mid-sentence a while later perfectly content and enveloped in a sense of peace he had not felt for a long time.