Everyone and anything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine.

On the way back to Trenton, Stephanie had her head resting against the Cayenne's window and her eyes closed, but I know she isn't sleeping. I'd like to ask her what she's thinking about, but I always prefer for her to share her thoughts with me all on her own, no longer needing to be prompted.

Which she did moments later. Her blue eyes opened as she lifted her curly head and turned it my way.

"Thank you for being such a great guy," she told me.

"Should I ask why you think so? Or just accept the compliment?"

"You should accept the fact that more people than just your wife and daughters think that you're an amazing man. I was just going over how many men I know who would've hung around a hospital waiting for a baby to be born that isn't even their own. And guess what? I couldn't think of one outside the Rangeman building. My dad, Eddie, Lenny, and Albert, had to be guilted, ordered, or driven by someone else, to the hospital for at least one of their many kids' births. Yet you not only immediately dropped everything and flew to my side for our daughter's birth ... you rushed out to support Kane and stayed to celebrate their Angel with both of her parents. You may not think it's a big deal, but in the Burg ... you're 'not normal' in the best possible way."

"Thank you. I think."

She smiled sleepily at me but stayed awake and kept a hand on my thigh for the rest of the ride home. It seems everyone has decided to start the day without letting the previous one come to a definite end first. The overhead lights were out in our apartment, but a lamp in the foyer and another in the living room are on. Of course, walking through the door and almost into my mother holding Olivia, gave it away that everyone is awake here in Trenton too.

Our daughter's head turned at the sound of the front door closing, and the smile she gave us had me forgetting that we haven't yet been to sleep.

"Maaaadaaaa! Muuuuumba! Daba!" She happily squealed.

"How is Mama's big girl doing?" Steph asked, reaching for her. "And what're you doing up? On a good night, you should still be sleeping for at least three more hours."

"I believe I'd seen the most determined child there is with you, Carlos, but our Olivia was not in the mood to stay asleep. As you can see, Gunner and Mo decided to keep her company once we all came to the conclusion that she was just 'napping' rather than conking out for the entire night."

"It was as if Olivia was only teasing her grandmother with the possibility of sleep just to get her Abuela to walk her around so she'd be able to keep those big brown eyes on the door in case the two of you were going to walk back through it," my father added.

"We should've warned you that Olive's quirky that way. If her Daddy and I are gone and she senses something's up, she wants to stay up to be part of it in some way. I was hoping by mentioning Uncle Kane and Angel before we left, her Spidey Sense would chill out a little."

"She's your daughter, Babe, did you really think she'd be happy sitting out an adventure?"

"Nope. You're one of us, Olive. Sorry about that. And sorry that you guys weren't given an opportunity to sleep," she said, turning to my parents.

My father laughed. "Stephanie, we've raised six children ... do you think we're strangers to a sleepless night?"

"No. But your kids are all adults now. You've earned the right to have a solid eight hours."

Now my mother's amusement became apparent. "I don't want to be the one to have to tell you this, Dear, but in some cases ... sleeping gets even more difficult the older your children get. As just one example ... have you seen who my eldest son is? Carlos' life hasn't been a stress-free one for him or the family who loves him."

"Not only did I see Ranger ... I married him the second I came to my senses and realized what a marriage between us could be."

"And we're so glad you did. We took turns napping whenever Olivia chose to, so you both can rest for a few hours while we're here."

Steph hugged our daughter to her, rocking the warm-weight in her arms. "That's alright. You have a long drive back to Newark ahead of you. You should get some quality sleep before you attempt that. Honestly, I'm not tired yet. Plus, I have a call to make to my dad when the sun's up, so Olive and I can tire each other out in the meantime." She glanced at me. "You can rest up too after you give our baby her good morning kiss."

"I'm not interested in sleep, but I will take that kiss," I said, taking possession of my daughter.

I was immediately treated a full-body hug that was so strong, it felt like the little bears on Olive's ironically-stated 'Bearly Awake' pjs were being stamped into my skin.

"Do you want Mama and I to sit with you so you can sleep? Or do you need to stay up for a little while?"

"Babada maaaba," she spoke into my neck.

"I'm not sure what that means, but I can interpret that big yawn of yours pretty accurately," Steph told her, ceasing her petting of the hounds to gesture them towards Olivia's room. "Daddy can be your chair while I read you your sleepy-time book." She turned back to my parents. "Thank you for coming over to watch her for us. If you promise to stick around for breakfast, possibly even lunch too, we'll fill you in on how Kane's holding up now that he's on active-Daddy duty."

"Good luck getting rid of us now," my father told her. "We'll meet you in the kitchen when the sun decides to come and join us. I'll even make my most-asked-for pancake recipe for everyone."

Although today's nap times will be altered due to an eventful night, we did sit with Olivia, along with Mo and Gunny reclining at our feet, until everyone was asleep. My wife still refused to go to bed herself, but she agreed to curling up on the couch when I urged her to at least sit still. She used my thigh as a pillow while I rubbed her back similarly to the way I got our daughter to sleep. I closed my eyes but stayed alert. I got Kane through the first threshold of fatherhood, but now I'm focused on protecting my wife from Frank's.

I was able to plan my offensive for fifty-seven minutes as Stephanie recharged her battery before she stirred. She pressed a kiss to the fabric covering my thigh and then slid up to kiss my mouth.

"Sorry I monopolized your lap."

"Believe me when I say this, Babe, anytime you want to spend time in my lap ... it and I are all yours."

"Are you really flirting with me while your parents are just feet away from us?"

"Yes. As my father mentioned, they have six kids. I'm sure they're familiar with the act of flirting and what it can lead to."

"I love your parents almost as much as I love you, but I still don't want to think about them doing anything more than having tea and in-depth conversations. It's just as bad as picturing my own parents ... if the Plums actually had sex and didn't have Val and I created in a lab somewhere. That's the bedtime story I told myself for the years between five and nine, in case you're wondering."

"Don't get crazy on me. We both know your father would never have paid for that."

"That's true." She sighed and I suddenly wanted to hit something ... or someone. "I guess I should take a shower and then call him. I can't put this off forever."

"Maybe not forever, but a few hours won't hurt. You haven't had much sleep, do you really want to deal with him when you haven't had much time to regroup? It's been thirty-plus-years since he's said more to you than just 'Make sure you have the oil checked in your car'. He can wait a little longer. I'd prefer it if you would."

That got me another kiss. "I know you would, but I'm a big girl and I've grown up enough to know that avoiding my problems only adds to them. I likely brought this one on myself, just by trying to make a point to my mom."

"What your mother didn't do for you isn't your fault, Steph. Nor is how your dad reacts to being confronted with their neglect - or disinterest if you prefer - decades after the fact."

"So you're going to be watching Olive when I talk to him, right?" She tried. "It may be safer for both of you that way."

"No. I plan to persuade my parents to enjoy Trenton a little longer so I can be there for you."

"That's sweet, but not necessary."

I just stared at her, causing another sigh. "Alright. You want me to save you a seat at the table. Got it. You can even sit at the head of it if you want if you promise not to shoot my dad."

"Go ahead and take your shower. We'll deal with everything else afterwards."

"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't think I didn't notice that you didn't agree to a weapons-free conversation."

And she still won't hear me agree to one.

"Take as long as you need," I said after a beat.

I waited until she disappeared into the bedroom and for the effects of her tired smile to fade before I dug out my cell and placed a call of my own.

"Who died?" Edna asked.

"No one's dead yet," I told her. "What does Frank want with Stephanie?"

"Helen and him really got into it. He wanted to know what Stephanie thinks she needed protection from, and my daughter actually put a sock in it for once and refused to say anything beyond that Stephanie was just trying to goad her again. He's been playing cards, and eating breakfast and dinner, at the lodge every day since."

"So he's planning on making my wife relive childhood traumas just to get back at Helen?"

"No one here is seein' it that way."

"That's the problem. No one cares about what's best for Stephanie. Is he awake?"

"Yeah. He's been up for the last ten minutes grumbling about having to make his own coffee now."

"Put him on," I ordered.

I heard muffled exchange, but wasn't interested in the details of it.

"Ahhh, Frank here," Mr. Plum said, taking possession of Edna's phone.

"What do you want to discuss with Stephanie?"

"Ranger? It's nothing that concerns you."

"Wrong. Whatever makes my wife happy, sad, angry, or indifferent, is very much my concern. If you hurt her further, I'm going to hurt you."

"I've never ..."

"That's right. You've never been more than just a peripheral-figure to your daughters and granddaughters. Make sure that changes today ... or I'm going to step in. You can change the relationship you have with your family if you finally choose to put your children's needs over Helen's 'I wants', but I'm not interested in supporting whatever this is unless it proves to be beneficial to my wife."

"Wait just a seco ..."

The world paused when I heard Olivia's familiar 'I'm awake now. Come free me before I figure out how to free myself chortle. "I'm hanging up now. My daughter needs me. Be sure you 'show up' when your daughter calls you. Stephanie deserves to have you finally be there for her."