JE owns the rights to anything familiar - all mistakes are mine

More Hector and Zip - It's all my brain wants to write so I'm going with it. Thanks for all the reviews for this story, they are keeping the Hector and Zip love story going!


"How did you get Hector to agree to it?" Stephanie wanted to know as she lowered herself into the chair beside me after handing over the bottle of water I'd requested. "I've been bugging him for weeks. Well, years actually, but this is the first time he's conceded."

My husband had an intense dislike for parties or for any gathering larger than about six people at a time so he'd been resolutely against any kind of celebration for our daughter. "At least until she's old enough to remember it," he'd said repeatedly. Apparently this year she was old enough.

"It wasn't me. Gracie asked if she could have a party and you know he won't say no to her...not for something like that anyway." He did deny some of her requests when he figured out she was testing his limits.

"I don't know how either one of you say no to that face. I'd give her my car if she asked for it," Bobby admitted with a shake of his head.

"And that's why I'm glad we had a boy," Camille chimed in. "Can you imagine if Ethan was a girl? We'd probably have a pony in the back yard right now." Bobby did not even attempt to disagree with his wife.

"Well I don't know how either of you understand her enough to say yes or no. Yesterday she told me I was being acrimonious...I had to look it up." Lester's face held a hint of embarrassment at the confession, which made me smile, but I knew what he meant. I had to look up words she said sometimes too.

"First you had to figure out how to spell it and then you looked it up," Melanie, his ever helpful wife included, making all of us laugh.

"You are a cruel woman, Mrs. Santos," he told her but leaned over and kissed her anyway.

"Eww, Dad! Stop being gross!" A filled to capacity water balloon was hurled after that announcement and broke over Lester's head, just as intended. We all turned to the Santos twins who were apparently fed up with being subjected to their parent's public displays of affection on a regular basis.

"And that's why I sometimes wish we had girls," Melanie sighed as Lester tore after his sons for a bit of revenge.

"Some girls I know from school think it's gross too." The beautiful birthday girl appeared in front of the semi-circle of chairs we'd placed around the fire pit and where most of the adults had gathered while the kids were having a water war. Only twenty minutes ago Gracie had been drenched to the bone after her cousins emptied an entire super soaker at her but now she was completely dry with her long black hair twisted up into a perfect bun and she was dressed in the black leotard and matching tutu, trimmed with purple satin, which Ella made for her. She climbed onto my lap, and having no aversion to public affection, planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Daddy is being anti-social," she pouted and settled on my thighs as I wrapped my arms around her.

"Where is he?" Stephanie inquired, cutting her eyes to the house where he was probably hiding.

"In the kitchen," she replied and added with an eye roll, "As usual."

"The food excuse?" I asked. Hector always said he needed to check on the food when being around everyone became too much.

"What else? I think he's missing Uncle Michael and is being sulky about it. I told him he'd be back today because he wouldn't miss my dance...he won't, will he?" She asked, suddenly not so confident.

As usual, Gracie's intuition was spot on. Hector had been distant and moody since Michael and Gabe disappeared nearly three weeks ago and it didn't escape her attention...or mine. We obviously didn't tell her the real reason they'd been gone for so long and we couldn't promise they'd be back at all so we'd made up a vague excuse about where they were and now it just might bite us in the ass.

"I'm sure he'll try his best to be here," I said, hoping it was the truth and met Ranger's all-seeing eyes. He was watching and listening to our discussion intently and when he gave a minuscule shake of his head, letting me know he had no news on the brothers, my heart sank a little for Gracie. She would be very disappointed if they missed her birthday dance. With the help of Camille, she'd planned and choreographed the entire routine and was really excited to christen her new dance studio.

She must have sensed something in my tone or saw it in my eyes because she narrowed hers at me suspiciously and said, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Hey Gracie, come here and show Ranger your new tutu," Steph jumped in, instinctively rescuing me. "And who helped you with your hair? It looks great!" Easily distracted, my daughter beamed a smile at her and hopped off my lap, running over to Ranger and if he hadn't been sitting right next to his wife I would have kissed her on the mouth in gratitude. Ranger swept Grace into his arms and patiently listened to her babble about her tutu...maybe Steph and Ranger deserved a kiss.

It was almost time for lunch and I was just about to use Hector's excuse of checking on the food so I could try and coax him out of hiding but was derailed by the arrival of Tank, carrying my one-year-old nephew, Zaydon. I still got a great deal of satisfaction out of teasing my sister for using one of the Z names our Mother had suggested for her first born.

Tank looked distressed, and I couldn't really blame him as being covered in vomit was never pleasant. He was holding Zaydon by the armpits, his little body extended straight out from Tank's chest, and eyeing him warily, afraid he might throw up again. "Uh-oh," my sister said from my other side. "What happened?"

"Hell if I know," Tank growled. "One second Zero was holding him and then he thrust him into my arms so he could help Lester keep Cougar and Logan from killing each other and as soon as I touched him he spewed all over me."

"You certainly make me want hurl," Bobby commented.

"Yep," my sister agreed. "Seems like a normal reaction to me." She had pretty big balls, teasing a man of that size, when her kid had just defiled his entire torso. Of course since she was pregnant again, she felt pretty confident he wouldn't shoot her. Tank, showing some excellent restraint, lifted an eyebrow and then without warning, dropped the vomit covered Zaydon into her lap.

"Hey!" She protested, lifting him off her sundress. "That was uncalled for. Why do we all have to be covered in vomit?"

He opened his mouth, I'm sure to say something inappropriate for children's ears when Beth arrived, with Jackson in tow.

"Don't," she warned with a look and he snapped his jaw closed. "There are spare clothes in the car. Take your son with you, he needs a time out."

"Do I want to know why?" Tank asked, peering down at the six-year-old mini version of him.

The kid had the decency to look chagrined, obviously aware he'd done something wrong.

"He'll tell you. Go," she encouraged with a nose wrinkle, "before it starts to cook in the sun."

As a parting gesture, Tank removed his soiled shirt and threw it at Bobby's face, hitting his target with precision.

"Ah fu..dge," Bobby censored himself while gingerly removing the offending item off his head. It was something we'd all had to learn to do, and to no one's surprise, Stephanie had the hardest time with it.

"I'm going inside before someone inadvertently touches me with vomit," I announced so I could go find Hector.

"Oh good," my sister said and I knew what the next sentence would be so I cut her off before she could ask.

"No way. I'm not getting near that kid or you until you're both vomit free."

"But," she tried to protest, holding Zaydon out to me, "his diaper bag is right inside the door by the powder room. You have to walk right by both on your way in..."

"Forget it, and I'm not falling for the "but I'm pregnant" excuse either. You're only four months and barely even showing, I think you can handle it."

I took off before she could say anything else and saw Stephanie kiss Ranger before launching out of her chair to follow me. A second later she looped her arm through mine and we walked to the house. "He's okay," I said before she could ask. Hector had been avoiding everyone lately, even Stephanie and I knew she was worried.

"No he's not," she countered. "He's ditched our breakfast date three times in the past week and he's hiding in the house at his own daughter's birthday party. That is not okay."

"Well, you know how he hates parties and people..."

"Zip," she said, calling me out on the bullshit.

"Yeah, I know. He'll be fine. I'm gonna go talk to him right now."

"Would it do any good for me to come along?" She asked. Normally Steph could always get him out of a funk but this was different and I don't know how much or how little she knew about what was going on so I didn't want to say anything. Knowing Ranger, I would bet he only skimmed over the details and I wasn't gonna be the one to tell her what I knew Hector wouldn't want her to know.

I shook my head and she sighed. "That's what I figured, and I probably don't want to know what this is about and what it has to do with Michael and Gabe either, do I?"

"Probably not," I agreed.

"Okay," she said with a shrug, knowing when she shouldn't push. "But tell him I'm not letting him skip breakfast tomorrow. He owes me about a dozen waffles by now." She kissed me on the cheek before escaping into the house and slipping into the powder room.

I headed toward the smell of carnitas and enchiladas emanating from the kitchen. I knew he wouldn't be in there anymore but I wanted to thank my Mom and Ella again for making all the food for the party.

When I arrived, the two women were busy loading trays they would soon being carrying outside to feed the hungry mob.

"Oh good," my Mother said upon my entrance, "come taste this." She was holding up a spoon overflowing with pork and shoved it in my mouth before I could protest.

I told her it was delicious after I swallowed. "Well I hope so, it's Hector's recipe."

"Of course it is. Listen, I hope you know how much this means to us, you two doing all the cooking today."

"Please," Ella waved me off. "You know we'd do anything for that beautiful little girl, and for you, Mijo." She touched my cheek and then whispered, "He's in the library."

Ella didn't miss much either. I snuck a bite of my Mom's enchiladas too, warned her Zyla would probably try and pawn off her vomit prone kid and then went in search of Hector.

He was indeed in the library and I found him standing in front of the large bay window which had a great view of the back yard. He was watching all the future Rangemen running around like lunatics and I came up behind him and traced my fingers over the new tattoo on the back of his neck. He'd gotten it a month ago, my name interwoven through Gracie's in that wide, cursive script he preferred. I added a kiss to it before sliding my arms around his waist and pulling him against my chest.

"You're missing all the fun," I said and he covered one of my hands with his across his abdomen, lacing our fingers together.

"Since when is projectile vomiting fun?"

He had me there. "Steph told me to tell you that you owe her a dozen waffles."

A small smile tilted his lips which was a good sign. "And my Mother has made carnitas that might be better than yours, just so you know." That got me another tiny smile. Progress.

"Gracie used a word with Lester he had to look up and I still don't think he knows what it means." A bark of laughter sounded from his throat and I started to relax a little. I was betting if I got out the margarita machine I could get him to rejoin the party. He nuzzled his cheek against mine, let out a small breath and then said something that made me hold mine.

"My brother would have loved this." He gestured to all the kids playing outside. "This was our favorite thing when we were little, before our Father left. We would have water wars in the back yard with him and Elena and a bunch of the kids in the neighborhood would come and play while my Mother made carnitas and beans. The carnitas...it's her recipe." Hector went quiet and I tried not to get emotional. The fact he shared his Mother's recipe with mine did crazy things to my heart. Add in the childhood memory and I was on the verge of losing it. He never brought up his Dad, ever, and he hadn't mentioned his brother more than a handful of times since his death so I was a little floored with the unsolicited information.

"We need to tell her about Emilio," he added before I could get myself together enough to respond. We hadn't talked about that in over a year but I hadn't pushed the subject. It was something he had to decide on his own and apparently he had.

"Okay," I agreed slowly, finally able to reply without my voice breaking. "Today?"

"No," he said with another small smile. "Not today, but soon. I want to tell her before she finds out on her own."

And with Gracie's brain capacity, it was a distinct possibility. "Whenever you're ready you know I'll be there."

"I know," he agreed and turned in my arms, wrapping his own around my neck. He brushed his lips across mine and whispered, "Te amo" before kissing me again. When his tongue sought mine I thought it would be a good time for both of us to hide from our party guests. Really hide, like upstairs, behind our double locked bedroom door.

He pulled me closer and my hopes for a secluded interlude were dashed by a deep clearing of a throat and then our daughter saying, "They do that all the time and you should always knock before going through any closed door in this house."

Hector released me from his grip and took a step back, peering over my shoulder. His face was carefully blank and I turned to see who Gracie had brought into the room.

And there he was, not a golden hair out of place and Gracie cradled in the arms roped with scars.

The two men stared at each other across the room in complete silence but I'd learned most of the time they didn't have to actually speak to have a conversation. I took Gracie from his embrace and we left them alone. They'd eventually say at least a few words and none would be any Gracie should hear so I led her from the room, knowing they'd rejoin the party soon.

"I told you Michael wouldn't miss my dance," she said, gripping my hand as we headed outside. "Gabe's here too...they look tired, Dad. Something bad happened, didn't it?"

Her astute observations would never cease to amaze me. "Yeah, baby, it did. But everything is going to be fine now, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed with a nod. I glanced down at her determined face and nearly lost control again. Gracie looked so much like Hector it was really easy to forget she wasn't biologically his.

"I love you, Munchkin, you know that, right?"

"As much as you love Grandma's enchiladas?" She teased.

"Way more than enchiladas."

"Good to know," she said with a grin. "I love you too. More than tres leches cake."

"Whoa. That's some serious love."

"Yeah. And more than Stephanie loves Ranger."

"Okay, now I know you're lying."

Gracie laughed and tugged on my hand. "C'mon. Grandma Ella said the food's ready."

Michael and Hector joined us shortly after and the rest of Gracie's birthday party went off without a hitch and thankfully, remained vomit free. Her dance was beautiful and had more than one of us pretending we had something in our eyes, but it had been a long day and by the time she blew out the candles on her tres leches cake, I could tell she wouldn't stay awake much longer.

We said goodbye to our guests just as the sun was starting to drop from the late summer night sky and then tucked our daughter into bed, where she'd hopefully stay until morning.

Hector closed Gracie's door and then took my hand. I hoped he would be tucking me into bed too but he surprised me by leading me downstairs and then outside. I followed him across the deck and got another surprise when he rounded the side of the house and started climbing the ladder I swear I put away after we hung the birthday streamers across the back yard.

When we reached the roof, he once again laced his fingers through mine and we stood side by side watching the setting sun turn the sky ten different shades of pink and orange before fading into a dusky purple and dropping completely from the horizon. It was stunning and much like several other things today left me a little breathless with unchecked emotion.

Hector released my fingers but only to slide his hand around my waist and bring me flush against his side.

"She's going to want another party next year, isn't she?" He asked quietly after kissing the sensitive skin just below my earlobe.

"I'm afraid so," I replied gravely. "Probably every year from here on out."

"You couldn't even lie to me about that?" Even in the inky blackness I could see the humor glinting in his eyes.

"That's not the worst part," I said, getting ready to tell him what might give him a stroke.

"How could it be worse?"

"She told me what she wants for her birthday next year."

"Already? What are we going to be building this time?"

I turned into him and he automatically wrapped me in a hug. I held him tight, hopefully to keep him from falling off the roof. "A baby brother."

He was quiet so long I was starting to think maybe he really had a stroke but then he whispered, "Holy fuck..."


AN:Thanks again to LilyGhost for the picture that prompted the rooftop scene. :)