Work Text:
February
-
“How are my girls?”
Dee smiled despite knowing Bradley couldn’t see her, glancing down at their sleeping daughter against her chest.
“We’re okay, the colic seems to be settling. The doctor just said to keep an eye on her for now.”
“I’m glad.”
He yawned, and Dee heard him adjust wherever he was.
“Long day, baby?”
“It’s been non-stop. I feel like I come down long enough to eat and use the bathroom then they’re calling me back out again.”
“Did they say how long this deployment is going to be?”
“You know I can’t guarantee that date, Dee, especially not over the phone.”
Dee sighed, rubbing her thumb softly over her daughter’s face.
“Say her name again. I wanna hear you say it,” Bradley requested. Dee cradled the phone with her shoulder, rubbing over her baby’s cheek.
“Breanna Carole Bradshaw.”
Dee listened to Bradley chuckle and tried to stop the tears threatening to fall.
“Babe?”
“I miss you,” she admitted.
“I know, Dee, and I miss both of you all the fuckin’ time. I have a photo of you two in the cockpit, telling me who I’m fighting for; who I’m comin’ home to.”
Dee could hear he was struggling too, but she couldn’t help the sob that erupted.
“Honey...”
“I’m sorry, Roos, I just wasn’t expecting it to be this hard.”
He hummed.
“Do you want me to come home?”
“Of course I do,” Dee replied, “but that’s not what we agreed. I knew what I signed up for when I fell in love with you and I knew this was what was going to happen when I found out I was pregnant. You need to be out there, baby, that’s what is important to you.”
“You and Bree are important to me. More important than whatever the Navy thinks I can do. If you need me to come home I’ll be on the next flight out, Dee, just say the word.”
Bree, responding to her mom’s emotions, grizzled and stretched her little arms out, yawning. Dee glanced down and watched her get ready to start crying.
“Fuck, I have to go; I woke the baby. Bradley, I... be safe, okay? I love you.”
“I love you too, babe. Tell Bree I love her.”
“I will.”
Dee tossed her cell to the nightstand, holding Bree close to her.
“It’s okay, I’m here,” she whispered, wishing she had Bradley’s hand on her shoulder as it had been every time she’d beaten him to the baby when he was home.
There was a knock at the door, and Dee frowned as she sat up in bed, Bree still in her arms. It was almost nine pm, and the only person who would knock at this time was on deployment with her boyfriend. Dee kicked off the blankets, cradling Bree to her chest as she made her way down the hallway into the living area. The knocking persisted.
“Dee, I know you’re awake! Open the door.”
Dee’s brows shot up and she flicked the lock.
“Jade? What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you,” Jade panted.
“Now?”
“Yeah, now. Can I come in?”
Dee slowly stepped back, letting Jade into the house. She immediately went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water, sitting at the island. Dee turned on the lights under the rangehood only, keeping it relatively dark so Bree would hopefully go back to sleep in her arms.
“Jade, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
She was silent for a moment, and Dee was expecting a Bradley-sized meltdown, but she slowly lifted her head.
“How did you know you were pregnant?” She asked hoarsely.
“I- uh. My boobs hurt, I guess, and then one morning I was making eggs and it made me want to hurl.”
“Oh, shit,” Jade said, burying her head in her hands. Dee watched her for a minute, then her eyes widened.
“You didn’t.”
“I mean, yeah, I did-“
“-who? When?”
Internally Dee tried to count backwards. Jade cleared her throat.
“You- um. You know how I stayed here when you went into labour, got everything ready for when you got home with Bree?”
Dee slowly nodded.
“Well, uh, Jake showed up. He said he wanted to help and I wasn’t about to turn him away.”
“Oh, Jade, please tell me you didn’t.”
“I- well, if we’re specific- yeah. I did.”
“Jade,” Dee snorted.
“It all happened so fast! One minute we’re grabbing shit from the nursery and the next I’m having my world rocked.”
“Was that the only time you two have- where would you- my couch! Jade, we put Bree down there! Was that the only time you two...?"
“Dee, if I said yes, I’d be lying.”
Dee cleared her throat, waving her free hand, “I’m putting Bree in her crib and then we’re talking about this. Go grab a test from the bathroom.”
With Bree in her crib, asleep like the angel baby she was a majority of the time, Dee made her way back down the hallway with the baby monitor in hand. Jade was now at the dining table, head in her hands.
“I can’t look.”
“Jade, hey; whatever it is, whatever you choose to do... I’ve got your back.”
“Can you look at it?”
Dee joined her at the table and checked the test, eyebrows raising.
“Goddamn Seresin,” she snapped, “that fuckin’ tracks.”
Jade turned to Dee, eyes wide.
“I fucked up.”
“No, Jade, it’s going to be okay.”
“This is all my fault.”
“It takes two to tango, honey.”
Dee pulled Jade into a hug. Jade shuddered.
“Do you think I should tell him?”
“Only if you want to. Jake would want you to do what you feel is right.”
“He’s from Texas; god knows what he thinks. Oh, fuck- is he going to propose? Even fuckin’ Bradshaw didn’t propose when you found out you were pregnant and he’s like a lost puppy.”
“Stay here tonight; I’m worried about you,” Dee requested.
“Yeah... yeah; okay. That would be nice.”
-
Meanwhile, on the carrier...
“Bradshaw, can I ask you a personal question?”
“Is that a smart idea, Bagman?”
“You’re the only one in a healthy long-term relationship on this ship, man.”
Rooster put down his pen, standing from the desk in his quarters.
“Better ask quick, dude, I’m back on duty in a half hour.”
Hangman strode into the room and shut the door. His eyes remained firmly on the ground and Rooster was immediately suspicious.
“What’s up, dude?”
“I slept with Jade... have been sleeping with Jade.”
“We don’t need to have this conversation; for the sake of my sleep, please don’t continue that sentence.”
“No, wait. Rooster, seriously.”
Another first; Rooster couldn’t remember the last time Hangman had been humble... or serious, for that matter, outside of their occupation. He quietly kicked at the ground, and Rooster frowned.
“Okay, fine, I’ll bite; what’s on your mind?”
“Man, I dunno, I... how did you know you wanted to be with Dee?”
Rooster smiled, leaning against the wall by his bed.
“Well, uh, there were a couple hints. I think the first one was the night we met, and she kicked me off the piano in a bar. I was playin’ Great Balls of Fire and she told me to play something a little more recent. Uh... the next was a little later. I tried to dump her because she confronted me about something I didn’t want to talk about but she told me I had two options; let her in or fuck off... I guess I only really had one option.”
“Yeah, that sounds like Dee.”
“She’s kind of incredible. What about Jade; surely there's something there that triggered it for you. You... you do, right?”
“I don’t know that I do.”
Rooster shook his head.
“Dude, Jade is such an amazing woman, and she has a heart of gold. Don’t fuck her over.”
“I’m not trying to, Rooster, I just- I don’t know that I’d be in it for the long haul.”
Rooster stood, using that extra couple inches to tower over Hangman.
“If I were you, I would tell her straight up. God knows she doesn’t deserve a broken heart because you wanted to get your dick wet but couldn’t handle commitment.”
He opened his door, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t come cryin’ to me when she realises who you are.”
“Rooster-“
“-no, man, you made your decision. You’re clearly not ready to get tied down; that’s your problem.”
Hangman left and Rooster shook his head. If he’d been allowed to, he would have texted Dee and given her a heads up. At that moment, he wanted to check on Jade too.
-
March
Dee frantically packed her work bag, checking her watch once again as she tried to calculate if she could beat the traffic rush home.
“Deanne- oh, you’re going home?”
“I have to go pick up my daughter, it’s getting late.”
Dee’s boss leaned on the edge of her cubicle wall, frowning slightly.
“A little warning would have been nice, but make sure you get in early to pick up what you’re missing tonight.”
“I’m going to work at home when I get her down tonight, I’ll have everything ready tomorrow.”
“Good.”
Dee finished packing, grabbing everything she needed and moving to the door. Her phone buzzed as she went down the stairs and she checked it, pausing mid-step.
-
Jade: I tried to call him but he’s not answering
Jade: are you home yet?
Dee: he's on the carrier with B it's hard to get calls through
Dee: going to get Bree now
Dee: I’ll call you later
Jade: kk
Dee: okay?
Jade: yeah
-
Bree squealed, splashing her hands in the bath water as Dee kept one hand on her and the other running through the soft hair on her head. As she worked on the bath she quietly sang to her, smiling as she thought of Bradley doing the same thing in the baby bath before he left and Bree, in retaliation, had spat up on him. She was already growing so fast, and whenever Dee spoke to Bradley he always said that considering all he was able to get were pictures. Dee had been trying to keep up with taking photos every time Dee did something cute but everything Bree did was cute- being a mom is hard. Her phone began ringing in the bedroom and Dee grimaced, grabbing a towel and lifting Bree out of the tub.
“Alright, let’s go see what’s going on,” she said, bouncing Bree gently. Lying her on the bed she grabbed her cell, barely catching the call.
“Hello?”
“Is Bree in bed, babe?”
Dee swallowed, glancing over her shoulder.
“Please tell me this call isn’t recorded.”
“Nope.”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I’m thinking that I miss you-“
“-give me... ten, maybe fifteen.”
“Guess I’ll get started myself.”
Dee laughed, putting her phone down to pick up Bree and get her ready for bed. In minutes her baby was ready for bed. Now that the colic was settling Bree was becoming an easy baby, asleep by the time Dee was putting her into her crib and turning on the baby monitor. By the time she got back to bed she was giddy, ready to get comfortable and maybe get off-
Only to hear snoring coming from her phone.
Typical.
-
June
Rooster grabbed his duffel bag and swung it over his shoulder, barely able to contain his excitement as he left his tiny room and headed up to the deck to get off the carrier. Hangman glanced at him and went to make a comment but Rooster shook his head. They disembarked from the carrier to solid ground and Rooster pulled his aviators from his hair, covering his eyes. He surveyed the crowd of waiting family and other loved ones, eyebrows raising when he spotted his daughter being held in the air. His focus narrowed and he gently pushed through to find Dee and Bree, sweeping his daughter into his arms first then pulling Dee into his chest.
“Hi,” Dee murmured. He could feel her about to do the thing where she put her hand underneath his shirt but she stopped at the last second, remembering where they were.
“Honey, I’m home,” Rooster teased. Dee glanced up at him, pulling off his sunglasses to give him a kiss. They separated and Dee squeezed his arm, smiling at their daughter who could only be described as confused and scared, reaching out to her mom. Dee took her back, brushing her fingers through Bree’s dark hair.
“Just like her daddy, huh? Confused as all hell.”
Rooster jumped only to find Jade standing beside Dee, and his throat went dry as he tried not to react to the woman in front of him.
“Jade, hey. Uh, you...?“
“-I know, I’m pregnant, big whoop. You seen Jake around?”
“Uh- yep, here he comes. Hold on.”
As Hangman approached their group Dee wrapped her hand around Rooster’s arm but he stopped her, pausing to square up Hangman.
“You and me, we’re cool, but if you hurt Jade? It won’t be me you have to look out for. Do the right thing.”
Jake swallowed, nodding slowly.
“Gotcha, Rooster. Thanks.”
With that Rooster took Dee’s hand and led the way through the crowd toward the parking lot, pausing at her car to kiss her again. Bree squealed, hands flapping as she got caught between her parents. Rooster took a deep breath, smiling at his daughter.
“Let’s get you home, huh? Does that sound good?”
“I think that sounds like a great idea,” Dee winked. Once Bree was in her carseat Rooster turned, catching Dee by the arm.
“Baby; I just want you to know how grateful I am.”
“Grateful?”
“You’re amazing, Dee, and you’re a great mom-“
The couple paused, glancing around when they heard people approaching.
“Oh, hell,” Rooster muttered, grimacing when he realised who it was and what they were doing.
“Please tell me they’re leaving base before they do something stupid,” Dee murmured as she pressed her face to his chest. Rooster chuckled.
“He’s stupid, but they’re not that stupid. C’mon, let’s go home.”
Dee ran her hand down Bree’s back as she sucked down the last of her bottle in her dad’s arms, her tired eyes trying to stay awake but it was clear she was struggling. Bradley wasn’t much better, wincing as he tried to make sure Bree was burped. Her arm struck out and he caught it, her fingers winding around one of his.
“Hey, what are you doing, huh?”
Dee came back into the living room after rinsing out the bottle, eyebrows raising in amusement as she watched father and daughter have a very sleepy conversation.
“You look exhausted, Roos,” Dee said softly. Bradley shook his head, scrubbing at his eyes while Bree yawned on his chest.
“Sorry, Dee, I want to hear what you’ve been up to but...”
He stifled a yawn and Dee smiled. She stepped around the baby mess on the floor, reaching down to press a kiss to her boyfriend’s lips and then her daughter’s forehead.
“She’s nearly out; why don’t you put her down and then shower?”
“Then what?”
“Then we’re going to bed.”
Dee glanced down, completely unsurprised to find Bree asleep. The adults shared a look.
“That was quick.”
“She gets it from her dad.”
Bradley raised an eyebrow at Dee, who shrugged.
Dee pressed a kiss to Bradley’s forehead, sighing as she quietly went to sneak out of the bedroom with her shoes in hand. It reminded her of before they became official, sneaking out of his apartment before he woke up so as not to start an awkward conversation. Right as she got to the door, the baby monitor echoed Bree’s cries into the room and Bradley was moving, pausing in confusion when he spotted Dee, fully dressed, at the door.
“Baby, what time is it?”
“Nearly seven; I have to get to work. Please make sure you feed her before anything else, she inherited the hangry gene from me, and there’s laundry to-“
“-it’s nearly seven and you’re going to work.”
“Yes, Bradley, that’s what I said. I have to go-“
“-it’s nearly seven, you’re going to work and our daughter is screaming her head off.”
Dee squirmed.
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be. I really do need to go. If you want to go for a run you can strap her into the baby thingy and she will pass out on your chest, trust me.”
Bradley kicked off the blankets, sighing.
“I know, baby, I’m sorry. Have a good day, kick some ass. I’ll call you if Bree does anything cute.”
“I love you.”
“Love you.”
Dee let the door quietly close behind her and Bradley grimaced, scratching at his face for a moment before he got up to get to Bree.
“I’m here, kiddo, I’m here. Are you hungry, Bree? Did mommy leave you breakfast? Let’s hope she did, because I am unprepared... hey, Bree, are you eating solids yet? How about some eggs?”
Bree, apparently distracted from her crying by her dad’s dumbass attitude, clapped her hands and put his shirt in her mouth. Rooster grimaced but he couldn’t help the fond warmth in his heart as she looked up at him, giving him the hurry up look he knew all too well.
“Alright, let’s get you some breakfast and daddy some coffee.”
Bree squealed against his chest and Bradley figured that was a good call.
“What about going to see uncle Bagman? Do you think that’s a good idea?”
He paused.
“We’re gonna need a new nickname; you’re gonna ask way too many questions when you get older.”
-
“Hand her over, man, lemme see her.”
“Hello to you too, Jake.”
“I gotta get my practice in somehow.”
Bradley handed over Bree, watching as Jake easily got the right hold on her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Bree looked back to her dad, stretching her arms out and Bradley snorted when she started to cry.
“Bree, honey, it’s okay, he only bites sometimes.”
Jake handed his daughter back and Bradley smiled when she immediately settled down again.
“Your daughter is just like you, Roos.”
“Adorable, right?”
“You better come in, it’s too warm for her to be outside like this.”
Jake let Bradley and Bree in, Bree’s hand on her dad’s moustache despite his attempts to avoid it.
“So, how have you and Jade been going?”
Bradley put Bree on the floor, giving her a couple of toys before taking a seat on the couch. Jake shrugged.
“Good, I guess. It’s all just so... I had to call my mom yesterday, tell her what’s goin’ on, and I don’t think she’s ever screamed at me so much because I told her I wasn’t goin’ to propose just because Jade’s pregnant. You know how it is.”
“I mean, I don’t, but that’s... you’re seriously still having cold feet?”
“I wouldn’t call it cold feet, and I love kids, but- being a dad, with our careers? I don’t know if I’m cut out for that.”
“Dude you weren’t cut out for being official with her, let alone marrying her.”
“Aah!” Bree exclaimed, holding a toy out to Bradley.
“Thanks, baby,” he said, handing it back to her within seconds. Bree seemed to have no problem with that, rolling on to her back to play with it. Jake ran his hand through his hair, standing to pace and it was already driving Rooster nuts.
“She’s great, but uh...”
“-ba!”
“Exactly, miss Bree!” Jake exclaimed, cutting the conversation short as he knelt on the rug to see what she was doing. He turned his head, wincing as he tried to compartmentalise.
“I think I really fucked up.”
“Uh!”
Rooster reached for Bree, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
“Let’s not repeat that one to mommy, yeah? Daddy’ll have to sleep on the couch for a month.”
-
December
“Do you think it’s dumb to have a birthday party for a one year old who’s not even gonna remember it?”
Dee glanced down at her chest, unsurprised to find her boyfriend’s head there, his legs between hers. It was where he’d fallen asleep post-sex, both parents exhausted. He frowned, still trying to figure out exactly what Dee was asking.
“Why are you asking that the day before our daughter’s birthday party?”
“Tasha said her parents didn’t throw a big first birthday party, but they did a really big fourth birthday party and all her siblings remember them.”
Rooster sighed, carefully pulling himself up and out of Dee’s arms to lay beside her.
“Alright, I really don’t think it’s that deep baby. It’s supposed to be fun, she’ll get a sugar high on cake and then projectile on Hangman, it’s gonna be great.”
Dee propped herself on to her side, raising an eyebrow.
“How can you be so confident? I’ve never seen you this relaxed.”
“Hm, well, let me think... I have my girlfriend next to me, I’m not due to deploy probably until January, and my little girl is upstairs asleep in her crib without a care in the world because she’s got both of us looking out for her.”
Almost as if on cue, Bree began crying and Dee shuffled to the end of the bed but Bradley was already up and getting dressed, tossing a shirt on at the last second.
“Hey; let’s get her together.”
Dee got up too, pulling on one of his shirts and a pair of underwear before following him to the nursery. Bree was sitting up in her crib, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?”
“Da!”
Dee’s jaw dropped and Rooster paused, glancing over his shoulder to look at her.
“Did she just-“
“-da!”
Bree reached for Dee and both the adults burst out laughing in the dark room, hushing their daughter when she giggled too.
“Oh, man, this has to be the best thing about having kids. Right?” Rooster said as he picked Bree up, brushing her hair from her face. She leaned into his chest, her own hand scrubbing at her eyes.
“Aren’t you tired, huh? What’s wrong?”
Bree, apparently distracted already from what had startled her, put her head back against her father’s shoulder and slipped back into a doze. Rooster smirked while Dee rolled her eyes.
“Okay, competent hot dad, let’s go back to bed.”
“After you, competent hot mom.”
Dee and Rooster exchanged a look as they headed back down the stairs.
“Man, our kids are gonna hate us when they’re older.”
“Kids? As in you want another?”
That seemed to get Rooster’s interest, following Dee down the hallway into their bedroom.
“Why not? Once Bree got over her colic she has been such an easy baby. Mom always said that going from one to two is hard though, so we’re gonna have to wait.”
“Surely it was the five to six that hurt her the most.”
“Oh, no, she was certain by then me and my brother could take care of the younger three so she got time with the baby.”
-
Holding Jake’s son in one arm and a wriggling Bree in the other, Rooster tried to figure out where he’d gone wrong. The man himself had his daughter- Jade had given birth to twins, to everyone’s surprise- with him while Jade was talking to Dee and Coyote, Dee nodding in completely agreement with whatever she’d just said. Coyote’s brows furrowed and the two women laughed, nudging each other in a way that told Rooster they’d just let out some secret about him and Hangman. Austin was just like his father; loud, constantly demanding attention for no particular reason and mildly obnoxious for a little baby. His twin sister Dallas hadn’t quite grown into her tomboy-ish name quite yet but Rooster had no doubt she would eventually. She was a Seresin, for fuck’s sake. Even Bree had grown into the Bradshaw tendency to make noise everywhere they go.
“Roos, we’re gonna do cake in a minute. Are you ready to go?”
Rooster broke out of his daze when Natasha called for him, handing over Austin to carry Bree to the cake. Dee joined them, blowing raspberries on her daughter’s face while the small group sang happy birthday. Dee’s parents had arrived very early that morning for the party but they were the only family members who could make it; Bree was surrounded by Dee and Bradley’s friends, though, and that was enough for them.
“Alright honey, blow out the candle!”
Bree leaned forward but Bradley caught her at the last second, blowing out the candle for her. The rest of their group laughed, clapping for the little girl who was convinced she’d done it herself.
“Alright, let’s get some cake out. B you want some or do I have to hand feed you too?”
Bradley turned to Dee, suddenly gobsmacked with how beautiful she looked even whilst running around after their daughter and feeding almost fifteen people.
“Babe,” he called, “I have something I need to say.”
“Speech!” Coyote called from somewhere. Bradley turned, handing Bree off to Jade and dropping on one knee.
“Oh, shit,” Dee blurted. She could hear hushed whispers around them but her attention was on Bradley. On one knee, in their backyard. At their daughter’s first birthday party. This man.
“I had a come to Jesus the day Bree was born. Before you came home from the doctor I was cleaning the house and I found this letter you wrote in the third grade.”
Dee’s eyes widened. She knew what letter he was talking about.
“You said you wanted two things; a unicorn, for one... but you also wanted a big family, like your mom and dad. I don’t know about the unicorn, baby, and I don’t have a big family to give you, but what I do have is you and Bree and I think that’s all we’re gonna need. I hope that’s all we’re going to need.”
Dee’s face flushed, the sting in her eyes telling her she was about to cry off her mascara. When she looked down, Bradley’s brown eyes were looking back at her. Confident. Secure. Safe. Loving.
“Dee, will you marry me?”
“Oh, fuck off,” Dee hissed, throwing herself into Bradley’s arms. She felt the tension in his shoulders relax, hands holding her waist as they kissed. When they pulled away Dee gently traced the scars on his face, watching him try to figure out if she was actually going to-
“That’s a yes, right?”
“Yeah, B, that’s a yes.”
“Oh, thank fuck. That could have been real awkward.”
-