a/n Thanks to everyone who has come to read more of my stories on my blog! http[slash slash]:mercenaryranger[dot]blogspot[dot]com

I posted a new story there earlier, pls come and read! enjoy...

And thanks to everyone who read /bookmarked/ reviewed Mercenaries R Us.

Standard fanfic disclaimers apply.

Shelter from the Storm

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Chapter 33 ~ Career Day

My daughter Zoë trooped into my Rangeman office with what appeared to be an entourage. The child can definitely make an entrance, I thought as I scooped up the energetic little pink imp who was shrieking, "Daddydaddydaddydaddy!" like she hadn't seen me in months, as if we hadn't had breakfast together just a few hours ago.

"Hey baby, shush, okay?" I kissed her bright pink cheek and looked over her dark head at the rest of the group. I nodded.

"Morelli."

"Ranger."

Tank had called me with a heads up a couple minutes earlier. I guess whoever is on the door downstairs was too scared to call me directly and tell me that Joe Morelli had arrived with his son Joseph Junior and that they had run into Zoë and Ella in the lobby, and the entire group wanted to see me. Even I am not great at saying no to little kids so here they all were. I set Zoë down and shook Joe's hand, then the little boy's. He looked me in the eye—hey, lotta adult men can't do that!— and said, "Hello, Mr. Manoso, sir." Nice Burg manners.

His big brown eyes tracked from my face to my shoulder holster, a crossdraw rig with a black Glock 9mm under each arm. Morelli's wife probably insisted he keep his service gun out of sight of the kids and truth is, I kept my weapons securely locked up at home also. But just now they had invaded my working space and I was, as usual, armed and dangerous. The child finished inspecting my black Rangeman SWAT fatigues and met my eyes again.

I said, "You can call me Ranger, Joey."

"Mr. Ranger?"

"No, just Ranger, it's a—nickname, like when your dad calls you Joey or Zoë calls you JJ."

The kid looked up at his dad for permission. Morelli smirked and said, "Maybe Uncle Ranger?"

"Uh—let's try Uncle Carlos," I said.

I thought I managed to hide my eye roll at Uncle Ranger but Morelli grinned and said, "You're gettin' good at that."

I said, "What can I do for you today, Morelli?"

Ella, sensing that my time was limited as was my patience, intervened and said, "Zoë, Joey—um, JJ—I just made cookies! Why don't we have some with a glass of milk while your dads talk?"

Morelli said, "Actually it is Joey who needs to speak to Ranger."

I said to Ella, "Take a few minutes, Ella. I'll send the kids up when we're done." My eye caught Zoë's trembling lip—like her mom, she hates to miss out on cookies!—and I added, "The cookies can wait, chica. Your friend and I have business. Let's sit down."

She smiled and nodded and we all sat down on my big leather sofas. Silence.

"So—Joey…?" I asked.

Zoë jumped up and said, "Daddy Daddy! JJ's is in the first grade! And his class is having Career Day and he wants you to talk to the class because his daddy will be out of town."

I looked at Morelli who was staring at Zoë. Zoë just turned four but she is a trifle precocious and she is a very good talker. Morelli isn't that familiar with Zoë because we really don't socialize much. Surprisingly it is not me or Stephanie or Morelli who prefers a good distance socially; it is Joe's wife Elisa. I don't think she is comfortable with our income disparities and she definitely doesn't like Joe to spend a lot of time with Steph. It's kinda sad, because Stephanie and Joe became good friends finally, when Steph and I got together. And besides Elisa is a perfect Burg wife and a good mother, not to mention Morelli is crazy about her.

Morelli was still watching Zoë who was still talking and who had also picked up my iPhone off the coffee table and was dialing up a game or placing a bet on tonight's hockey game or phoning the White House or something. Like me, she is good at multitasking.

I said, "Zoë, let's let Joey—um, JJ—tell us what he has in mind."

The little boy said, "What she said."

"Go on."

He blushed a little and said, "My dad can't come to Career Day and my mom said I could ask someone else that I admire. So I am asking you."

"Maybe you should ask your mom, JJ. Being a great mom is an important career too. And she is a teacher, too"

JJ nodded. "I did! I asked her! But she said she has to work and then be at home with Nikki and the twins and has no time."

His lip trembled.

Morelli said, "I'm going to be on assignment, Ranger. I can't get away."

I nodded. I'm sure he thought the same thing I was thinking—that his kid's special day should be more important; but tell that to a CO or a client or the Chief of Police and your career goes down the tube. Morelli was still a detective, homicide usually, and on the streets. I had the idea he wasn't ready for a promotion and the desk job that would go with it. He was instead often utilized by TPD to liaise with the DEA and the FBI and so on and if he was involved in a big operation he couldn't blow it off no matter how important his son's school program should be.

I said, "How did you know about me, Joey?"

"I saw you on TV with the President!"

Oh yeah. On TV with a President. Again. "And the TV man said you were very important in the war on terror. The President said you were a hero! "

Geez. "How old are you again, Joey? Six?"

The boy nodded. I looked at Morelli who shrugged. Six years old seemed way too young to know about the so-called war on terror.

"I run a security company, JJ. I guard people and businesses and homes. I keep people safe. That's my job. Is that interesting enough?"

"You aren't a soldier?"

Silence. God, I hate lying to kids.

"You want me to tell your class about being a soldier?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh Daddy you can wear your fancy green ARMY outfit and all your army jewelry and bows and stuff!" I hoped she meant my service medals and I Was There ribbons.

"And your beret!" Shit, I'd have to get my hair cut short again.

" Wow! That would be awesome, Mr. Manoso. I mean Uncle Carlos."

"Oh Daddy, you'll look sooooo beautiful!"

Morelli laughed. I scowled.

Zoë poked me. "No frowning, Daddy! Or you'll need Botox! Say yes, say yes."

"Sure, JJ. I'll be happy to tell you and your class all about the ARMY. It is actually an excellent career."

"And you'll wear your uniform?"

"Absolutely."

"you mean it?

"Sure."

The kid beamed a wide, happy Morelli smile and Zoë looked smitten. I handed him a business card and said, "Just have your teacher call me with the date and time and I'll be there. I promise."

"Awesome. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome, JJ. Now—, cookies? Zoë, please take JJ to find Tank or Uncle Lester and they'll get Ella for you."

"Where's Mommy?"

"Chasing a skip with Auntie Lula, baby."

"Oh okay, Daddy." Zoë grabbed JJ's hand and dragged him out of the room.

Morelli stood up and said, "Thanks, Ranger. I owe you."

"No problem. I'm happy to do it. He seems like a great kid, Joe."

"Yeah, Zoë is adorable too. She's really beautiful, isn't she? Like a little perfect doll….She looks exactly like you—oh. Um. Sorry….But oh man, she talks like she's fifteen!"

"Please don't mention her being fifteen. Seeing Julie go to high school and start dating is hard enough."

Morelli nodded. He wasn't gonna touch that with a ten foot pole; no guy knew better than Joe Morelli what teenage boys can get up to. After a brief silence Morelli said, "So—what'll you tell the kiddies? At Career Day."

"I'll tell them about the ARMY. I know all about the army, man."

"I guess you do—but you'll keep it generic, right? No details?

"What did you think? What am I gonna say? Kids, last week I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork? I don't think so."

Joe laughed. "I guess not." Then, "You didn't really, did you?"

"Not with a fork…."

Morelli was silent. See why I don't talk about the Job—it's a real conversation ender, lemme tell you.

"And not Paraguay," I added.

I offered my hand and we shook again.

Morelli was almost to the door when I added, "Good luck on the op with DEA."

He turned. "You knew about that?"

"Joe. Of course I knew…. Rangeman set it up, we did all the prelim intell."

He stared , then just said. "Thanks again, Ranger."

"De nada, Joe."

"Give my love, I mean my best, to Stephanie."

"And mine to Elisa."

He nodded and was gone.

I sat down at my desk and put my head in my hands. Shit! Elementary school Career Day! At a school—I bet they won't let me bring my weapons in either….

the end...and of course Ms Webster, their teacher, and all the little kids loved him…..

series tbc