Phoenix always knew she was a little different when it came to relationships. She had the odd crush or two in high school, but was never preoccupied by the giggles and blushes of romance. She was more practical, calculated. Sex was more functional for her than anything, and even then, with the number of aids to choose from on the market now, she didn't see another person being necessary to get off. This was validated when she joined up. Privacy was a luxury she rarely had once she started training and the idea of trying to find, not only a private place, but a person whose schedule matched with hers, was next to impossible.

It might never have come to her attention, this lack of romance in her life, if not for an off-handed comment made by Rooster at a barbecue hosted by Maverick and Penny. Everybody was there from the uranium mission, still a close group. They got together a number of times a year. The only difference was this included their families. Rooster had gotten married nine months after the mission and his wife, Rachel, was wandering around the backyard with a toddling, fifteen-month old girl. At one point Phoenix gave Rachel a break and let the toddler hold her fingers in a death grip as they made laps of the yard. And Rooster had looked over at her and she had met his eyes and her heart broke a little before he even said anything. Because she saw pity in his eyes.

"Just walking now, Phoenix. Rachel doesn't want her airborne for another few months." He winked and everyone chuckled. Phoenix beamed down at the girl attached to her fingers.

"And Anna just fits her so well," Fanboy's girlfriend cooed. "Simple and elegant."

"I wanted Doris after the plane pinups, but Rachel vetoed that," Rooster replied.

"You and I had 'Anna' picked out for a while, you big goof." Rachel popped a watermelon cube into her mouth with a smile on her face.

"Hey, well if Phoenix had had the choice she would've picked 'Gloria'." Phoenix's head snapped up. "Isn't that what you told me a few years ago?" It had been years ago. Years and years ago in a long-forgotten conversation about a future she hadn't been concerned with. Neither of them had. Kids, spouses, what curtains to get for the living room, those things were for after the missions were over. Her flying days were far from over. But that had been forever ago when she'd mentioned to Rooster that 'Gloria' had been her grandmother's name and if she had a girl, that was what she wanted to name her daughter.

"Doesn't seem like the kind of thing Phoenix would have thought about," Hangman spoke up as he shut the grill. Of course he had commandeered the grilling, thinking he knew best. But when Phoenix looked over to him, there was very little jesting in his eyes.

"Oh, I love that name! I had a friend in high school with that name and…" The conversation faded off to new topics thanks to Payback's wife, Tammi. Phoenix looked down at the little girl at her feet. Daughter. She had forgotten she had wanted one. And now all of a sudden, because of some random comment, she was realizing that time was passing her by and she might have some things left to do. The others all sat down to eat or by the fire, Anna was returned to Rachel's lap, and Phoenix finally made her way over to the food.

"Burger or dog?" Hangman was waiting for her order, staring at her empty plate.

"Burger, medium," she ordered. He smiled and waited. She rolled her eyes. "Please." He smirked and turned back to the grill. She almost didn't hear him when he added,

"Gloria's a good name. I like that." She looked up and met his gaze. She thought he might say something else but he just turned back to the grill, picked up a patty that was warming at the back, and slapped it on her plate. The toothpick in his mouth twisted as he smiled. "Compliments of the chef."

Two months later she sat on her bunk in the room she shared with Omaha on a carrier. She was training some fresh aviators and had been sent out on the carrier for a week. But night had fallen and it was time to sleep and all she could do was sit on her bunk and think about Anna's little hands wrapped around her fingers, and then Hangman. The first part she had accepted: she had baby fever. The second part was much harder to figure out. But she thought she might be beginning to understand. Hangman was still single, like her. He didn't get attached, wasn't needy. He was cool and collected. And he had liked her choice of baby name, the first thing they had maybe every agreed on. Cherry on top. She couldn't believe what she was deciding on, but she also knew that she was no coward. And that Hangman wasn't either.

"You…wait…what?" Hangman was stuttering, wide-eyed, across the table from her. She had invited him to lunch at the Hard Deck and the whole thing was almost worth it to see him speechless for once.

"Keep your voice down," she shushed. He frowned, then rolled his eyes. Then went back to looking confused. Very confused. Phoenix tried not to sound too defensive as she explained herself. "I want a kid. I want a kid soon. And I want my kid to grow up knowing who their father is. Being able to be proud of them, look up to them. But I don't have the time to go looking for a partner right now. I'm not sure I'm even capable of being with someone anymore. And you're single and…" She trailed off, hoping he would say something.

"You…me?" He pointed to himself in shock. She actually chuckled.

"You could be involved as much or little as you wanted of course. I just want to be able to tell my kid who their father is. And that he's a good man." His eyes softened at that.

"Phoenix," he looked like he might take her hand, then thought better of it, "people don't just ask someone to give them kids."

"I'm not people. I'm me. And I'm one of the very few women in the military that no longer lead lives that are conducive to having the American dream. I want my little slice of normal. I want a baby. And I'll have one, with or without you. But I'd really appreciate it if you'd consider it."

"You hate me."

"Correct. Thank you for bringing that up. Yes I do. You're annoying, headstrong, and don't know when to stop. But you're not stupid, rarely mean, and I doubt your propensity to enrage people will travel through sperm. I'm hoping."

"You're not joking." He was just seeming to realize.

"I'm not." She sat back and crossed her arms. "I wouldn't pay you, but you wouldn't be responsible for any bills or even child support if you didn't-"

"There is no way I would ever NOT pay child support. If this happened."

"Well, that's it then."

"Classic Phoenix. Sees what she wants, goes after it." He gave a Cheshire grin.

"You better be talking about the baby," she warned. He chuckled. "Think about it. Let me know." She stood up and left the tip. "I have to be on base in twenty."

"Phoenix," he reached out and stopped her by the arm, "who…how would you…if I didn't…"

"I don't know. But that doesn't matter. You're right. I want something, I get it. So no pressure."

He felt intense pressure. He had always found Phoenix extremely attractive, fun to tease, admired her work ethic. But this? This was entering the land of the unreal. She always had been very forward, most of them were, but still. A kid. A baby. His baby. The baby would be his as much as hers. Even if he was off the hook. He would still have a kid. But he knew. He knew even before they had finished their conversation at lunch. He didn't know details, he didn't feel confident, but he knew he'd do it. Because he had seen the look on her face when Rooster had brought up 'Gloria' at the barbecue. Like she had just woken up and realized she'd missed something she'd been waiting for. He knew that down the road a child would be more baggage to explain to a potential partner. But in this moment, thinking of her face, her eyes…would the kid have her eyes…he was going to say yes.

"Enjoy it while you can." Hangman snuck up behind Phoenix as she was sipping her whiskey sour. She turned around, eyebrow raised.

"You wanted to meet?" She turned back to the bar and he waved the bartender down to order.

"Yeah." He sat down next to her. "I have some questions."

"Figured you would."

"Tell me why you're single." He accepted his drink and then faced her. She was shocked. This had not been what she was expecting.

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?" The Cheshire smile again. "Tell me why you're single. Please."

"What does that have to do with-"

"With what you're asking, I think I have the right to ask whatever I damn well please. But it is relative."

"I don't have the time for a relationship," she shrugged.

"Bullshit," he retorted immediately.

"How can you-"

"But you have time to have a kid? I don't think so. Try again."

"You are so-"

"Phoenix." He stopped her, got her to look in his eyes. "There's a difference between honesty, and openness. I need some of the second right now." She frowned, then dropped her gaze.

"I have priorities. They just are always in the back of my mind. When I was growing up, my world was never set. We moved a lot, we couldn't afford a steady babysitter, all our clothes were someone else's. The military, flying, that's the one stable thing I had. I always knew I wanted it. I knew it wouldn't change. And it didn't. And by the time other milestones were making their way up the priority list, I was still clinging to the one thing I knew I wanted. The one thing that wouldn't change."

"You're scared you're going to change your mind about kids?"

"No. Not now. I know what I want now." She stuck her chin out a little, daring him to argue. He admired her face structure and soft skin. Not for the first time, he wondered what their kid could look like. "What?" Her face softened.

"I hope they have your eyes." He took a long drink so he didn't have to see her reaction. When he turned back he saw she had regained some composure.

"So, my turn." She spoke up.

"Oh? I didn't realize you got to ask too."

"I do. Shut up." He laughed. "What was your childhood like?"

And so their conversation continued into the late hours of the night, more drinks ordered, less secrets kept. And that's how crashing through her front door at one in the morning wrapped in each other's arms.

"Door, door!" She whined frantically as he kicked it shut behind them, not removing his lips from her neck. She walked backward, dragging him toward the bedroom. As they tumbled back onto her bed she moaned, feeling how hard he was against her hip. Toys? Toys couldn't do this. Even if her toys didn't have the most annoying smirk on the planet.

"Is this how you wanted to do it," he asked as he yanked her top off. Somehow she knew exactly what he meant.

"I don't CARE how it happens, just shut up and MAKE it happen." So it was really her fault that within the next few moments he was inside her and she was making noises she didn't know existed and his brows were furrowed in concentration. She hadn't really thought about HOW they would get the baby inside her. But at this moment, this seemed like the ideal option.

"You're so tight," he groaned, dropping his head to her collarbone. "The number of times I thought about this…" he stopped himself as she stiffened.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him, confused.

"Nothing," he gritted his teeth and looked away. She rolled her eyes, then snapped her hips up into his. He cursed.

"You thought about this before?"

"Will you make me stop if I said yes?" He looked like he was joking, but she knew.

"If you stop now I will kill you."

"Then yes." He resumed his thrusting. She let her head fall back and her eyes close, savoring the feeling.

"Me too." It slipped out before she could stop it. Probably because of the alcohol.

"Don't lie to me, Phoenix," he teased, panting.

"Shut the fuck up and just fuck me." His eyes darkened.