They were dropping her off soon. Bud had been dreading this evening all week. He figured Marie would be doing most of the work, but he was expected to help. Hell, he needed to help. She shouldn’t be doing it all in her condition. That little redheaded pooping peeing giggling baby would have them both hopping tonight.

He groaned under his breath when he heard the car pull up. The little one swept in looking like a million bucks. Even Curry was in a suit. Ashley was all excited about going out to dinner with Curry. Curry had a smile on his face that wouldn’t quit. Bud swore if you listened you could here him muttering lucky, lucky, lucky under his breath. They could end up with the kid all night.

It seemed to take an hour before Ashley had everything in that they’d need to take care of the baby. How could something so tiny need so much stuff? Finally Curry dragged the little one out the door for their date. Marie stood at the window waving goodbye to Ashley while holding the grinning Katie Marie who had a fist firmly planted in her mouth.

"Oh, the poor dear. She seems to be starting to teethe."

Bud looked at her warily. "What does that mean she’s going to do?"

"Drool and stick anything she can in her mouth to suck on. She has little teeth that are starting to grow and will break through her gums soon.

Bud nodded as he watched Marie holding Katie Marie. The kid sure looked like her. Marie was already really attached to the baby. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a not. Of course it didn’t matter what the hell he thought about it anyway. It was going to happen.

"Now what do we do with her?"

Marie planted a loud kiss on the baby. Katie Marie grinned.

"What did you guys do first after we left to go shopping the other day?"

"We had a beer and I won the bet."

Marie started to laugh. Katie Marie giggled more and reached out to squeeze Marie’s lips. She kissed the baby noisily again until Katie Marie got excited and clapped her tiny hands together.

"What was Katie Marie doing while you boys were drinking and betting?" She gave him an amused look.

"She was sleeping. Will she do that soon?"

"When she gets tired or usually after she eats. She’s bright and awake at the moment. It’s such a nice Spring day. Why don’t we go sit on the porch swing? She’ll enjoy the motion. You can hold her."

Bud suddenly had glue on the bottom of his shoes.

"Uh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Hon. Not on a moving surface." He looked every inch the fierce police detective.

Bud knew Marie pretty damned well. He could tell she wanted to laugh at him by the tug at the edge of her lips. She didn’t. He gave her credit for that if not for what she said.

"I wasn’t suggesting a ride on a rollercoaster, Bud."

He saw that little twitch of her lips. So did Katie Marie who reached out to squeeze her lips again. Bud wouldn’t be adverse to the kid giving her a small pinch at the moment.

Five minutes later Bud was sitting on their porch swing with his girl and a baby in his arms. The kid thankfully wasn’t wiggling too much. She looked at him and slapped him on the cheek with her tiny hand.

Bud couldn’t help himself. He grinned at Marie.

"I seem to get that from women."

"Is that before or after they throw themselves at you?" She grinned back at him.

"You’re the only one who did that."

Bud had a good chuckle over that. He’d definitely been the pursuer early in their relationship. She’d been seeing some other guy. Not seriously though Bud didn’t think that would have stopped him anyway. From the moment he saw her in the hospital he knew he was going to take her out.

She gave him a sideways glance. "I seem to remember it differently, Wendell. You were pretty irresistible when you walked me to my car after work for my protection. It was the same trip I’d made a thousand times before on my own. You were very gallant. You still are." She leaned over to kiss his cheek.

Katie Marie giggled again. She was intently watching the two adults. Suddenly she reached out, grabbed Bud’s lower lip in her baby grip just as he began to talk and squeezed. It distorted his reply.

Marie burst into laughter which caused her to jerk the swing. Katie Marie spit up a little breast milk which splattered onto Bud’s hand. She had the most surprised look on her little face right before it scrunched up and she let out a small cry of displeasure.

"Whoops, Ashley said she fed her right before they dropped her off. Hold her steady and I’ll get one of her wash clothes to wipe you both off."

He scrutinized Katie Marie. "Thanks, kid. You weren’t the only one surprised by that move."

Bud heard Marie snickering as she hobbled into the house on her walking cast. She’d enjoyed that too much.

Katie Marie grinned at him again despite the milk line trailing from her mouth. She looked okay. Bud used his thumb to swipe the milk away from her mouth. He was rewarded with a bubbly grin.

"It don’t take much to make you happy, kid. I’ll try and make sure it stays that way." Bud realized Marie wasn’t the only one invested in this baby already. He wanted to protect her and make sure everything would be okay. She was so vulnerable and she was family.

Marie arrived back to fuss over and clean both of them up. She’d make such a good mother if…he leaned over and kissed her gently. That dimple he loved in her cheek was prominent as she smiled at him.

"What was that for, Bud?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"No, they are welcome and appreciated anytime." She snuggled up against him as they swayed gently on the swing.

Gradually he saw Katie Marie’s and then Marie’s eyes drift shut. He wasn’t sure if he should keep the swing moving but they both seemed to like it so he did. Bud studied the baby’s face.

She was so tiny and yet so perfect in many ways. Her lips pouted as she sighed in her sleep. He inspected her hair. It was so fine. When he touched it lightly it was soft and silky. That’s when it dawned on him that she was so soft because everything was new.

What if the baby Marie had growing inside her was born? Would it be like Katie Marie? They could grow up and play together where Bud would watch over both of them.

Bud shouldn’t be thinking like this. He knew what a minefield this was. The first time Marie was pregnant he’d begun to look forward to their baby. Hell, he’d even been excited before it all turned to shit.

Katie Marie yawned and her eyes fought open for a moment. She focused on Bud before closing her blue eyes and drifting back to sleep. Bud grinned at her. He was completely wrapped around her tiny fingers from that moment forward.

He glanced over at Marie. Her head was resting on his shoulder as she dozed. Bud could sit here for hours like this if they needed the sleep. He smiled and gently moved the swing as a light warm breeze fluttered through the leaves of the tall tree growing next to the porch.

Bud got his first hands on experience feeding a baby and changing her diapers that day. He did okay with Marie’s help. And when Lachlan and Ashley returned all aglow from their date he almost wished the kid had stayed longer.

That evening Bud and Marie became Katie Marie’s godparents. They’d stand up in church with Lachlan and Ashley next month for the baby’s christening.