Bud and Marie were relaxing together on their couch. They’d both had a busy day. Marie shopped and lunched with Ashley and Jessica. Bud had surrogate fathered/babysat Katie Marie with Lachlan and Egan.

While both were tired the day had obviously taken more of a toll on Marie than on Bud. She was voicing a series of oohs and aahs as Bud rubbed her tired foot.

"That feels wonderful, Bud. Don’t stop."

She leaned her head back on a pillow and closed her eyes.

"I’m not stopping, Hon."

He smiled at her. A small nagging look of concern crossed his face as he carefully inspected her. He could see how fatigued she was. Bud put renewed vigor into his massaging of her foot which was propped up on his leg. Her casted foot was perched on a pillow on top of his legs. She wiggled her toes with delight and sighed again. Her eyes remained closed.

Her fingers strayed to her small swelled belly and stayed there. Marie got one of those secret smiles Bud saw cross her face a lot lately.

"Okay, Hon?" Bud smiled at the sight of her turquoise blue enameled toenails.

"Very okay, Bud. The baby just moved. It was almost like a little flutter inside. She’s still so tiny."

Her eyes opened and she smiled a big happy grin at Bud. Marie’s eyes sparkled with moisture.

Bud’s fingers froze on her foot as he considered their baby moving inside her. That was a good thing. He didn’t look happy. Just before her eyes closed again he saw her disappointment. He heard the catch in her voice.

"Just a little more, Bud, please." She wiggled her toes.

He fucking hated disappointing her. But that was nothing compared to the day that baby stopped moving inside her and then tried to kill her when it came out dead. He started rubbing her foot again with a little too much strength.

Marie’s eyes flew open and she pushed her foot against his hands. She could tell by the intent look on his face that he had no idea how strong he was squeezing. He was too wrapped up in the demons of the past.

"Ouch! Too strong, Bud."

His fingers froze as he looked at her with a shocked expression on his face. He pulled his fingers away from her foot as though he’d just gotten burned.

"Sorry, Hon." He mumbled.

Bud wouldn’t look her in the eyes. She knew he was ashamed. Marie playfully pressed her toes against his thick bicep.

"Hey, you." She tapped her toes against him again. "You squeezed my foot too hard. It wasn’t assault with a deadly weapon, Mister." Marie winked at him when he finally looked at her. "You could make it up to me." She waggled her eyebrows comically as she walked her toes down his arm.

Bud shook his head. What the fuck was she doing with him? She could do a helluva lot better than his sad sorry ass. But here she was. He leaned down and gently kissed the top of her foot. It smelled good like the rest of her skin did. She’d showered before sitting down to relax.

"How?"

Marie shivered from the touch of his lips on the tender skin on the top of her foot. It was so…sexy when he did it.

She sighed. "How what?"

"How can I make it up to you?" A small smile finally flitted across his lips.

"Oh," She giggled. "I was going to ask you to kiss it and make it better. You just did."

His lips brushed her skin again. "Mmm, Bud." The tip of his tongue brushed like a feather caressing her foot and moved up her leg.

"Take me to bed, Detective White."

"Yes, Ma’am." Bud carefully scooped her up in his arms and carried Marie into their bedroom. She’d turned down the bed already. He arranged her with a pillow beneath her injured leg and fluffed the pillow behind her head.

"You are so caring, Bud. Maybe that’s why I love you so much. One of the many reasons anyway." She smiled at him and patted the bed aside of her.

"I’ll be back in a minute, Hon." Bud sprinted to the bathroom, threw off his clothes and showered as quickly as he could. He stood at the sink and brushed his teeth at a lightening pace.

He walked back out into their bedroom in less than 5 minutes. And Marie was sound asleep. Bud watched her as he whipped the towel from around his waist and dried off more. He threw the towel over a chair and eased himself down onto their bed beside her. She stirred as he settled in.

"Sorry to wake you, Hon." He whispered in her ear and kissed her earlobe.

"No problem, Honey. It’s still early. I guess I’m just a bit sleepy." She slipped her arms around his neck, kissed his cheek and then Marie snuggled against him.

Bud held her close wishing he could protect her from any harm now or ever in the future. He wanted to forbid her from doing anything that made her this tired while she was injured and pregnant. Bud knew how ultimatums worked with Marie…or rather didn’t work. He cradled her head to his chest and stroked her hair.

He heard her muffled giggle and looked down at her. Bud held her fiercely. He might be able to live without her, but he didn’t want to.

"What’re you laughing about, Hon?"

"You were in a hurry to get back to bed we’re you?"

"I ain’t gonna deny it." He chuckled. "How’d you know?"

"You’re still rather, um, damp and naked. Was somebody hoping to get lucky?" She grinned and kissed his chest.

Bud slipped his hand beneath her nightgown and pushed it up and out of his way so he could rub her shapely bottom. He kissed her hair with a grin on his lips.

"Maybe. I could get you naked and you could help get me dry, Hon."

"Detective White, you certainly are the helpful sort. What a generous offer." She considered his offer for all of about two seconds. "Help me off with my nightgown to continue that helpfulness you’re renowned for far and wide." She stifled a chuckle.

"Renowned? I can live with that." Bud already had her nightgown off and tossed to the floor.

She smiled and kissed him again. "That was helpful," she murmured as her fingers caressed his broad strong back.

"I thought so." Conversation was cut off by busy lips, hands and bodies coming together with sounds of pleasure.

Later Bud cradled her in his arms. His hand had strayed absently to her belly and cupped it. He didn’t speak out loud, but his fingers willed that being in there to stay safe and protect her. It was the first time Bud had talked to it or acknowledged it physically.

Marie snuggled closer to him when his hand moved to wrap around her and stroked the soft silky skin of her back. He whispered in her ear…just so she knew.

She smiled against him and whispered back to him. Bud heard what she said, but it was muffled against his skin.

"What was that, Hon?" He played like he didn’t hear her.

Marie looked up at him and kissed his chin. "You heard me, but I’d be glad to repeat it. Or sing it from the window. I love you Bud White." This time said very clearly.

Bud kissed the tip of her nose. "That was good, but I am considering the singing it from the window version. It might be interesting. Especially if you did it naked while perched on the swing." He chuckled.

Marie snorted lightly. "I’ve heard people accuse you of having no imagination. I just don’t see that, Bud. Be careful what you wish for or you just might get it. Remember my singing is not like Ashley’s."

He laughed. "You could croak for all I cared if you were naked swinging back and forth I wouldn’t hear anything anyhow."

She slapped him lightly on the arm. "I’m not that bad. I don’t croak. But I am glad you’d be happy just looking." She grinned and kissed his chest as her head settled on her favorite muscled pillow.

"I never said I’d just be looking." His voice rumbled low and seductively. His hands slipped down to cup her bottom and stroke it.

"True." Marie found herself drifting to sleep against him as his hands moved lazily over her warm flesh. "Mmm, Bud." She yawned softly.

"Hmm?" He kissed her hair and breathed in her scent deeply. Sleep was going to claim them both soon.

"I almost forgot. I promised a favor for Ashley and Lachlan from us." Her voice drifted off.

Bud tensed. He wasn’t sure where this one was going. The last favor almost had him up to his elbows in baby shit if it weren’t for he won the bet. That was thanks to Marie. He was awake now.

"What favor?"

"Mmm, sleepy. Babysit."

"Babysit what?" He shook her slightly and then regretted it. She needed to get some sleep.

Marie giggled sleepily. "Katie Marie, silly. Who else would we be babysitting?"

"We did that today." Favor done already as far as Bud was concerned.

"Lachlan and Ashley need a date night with no baby. They’ve been unable to be together for two months. They deserve a little dinner, dancing…and of course romance."

Bud knew what the randy airman needed and it wasn’t dinner and dancing. He needed some alone time with his wife. He’d heard his bellyaching about no sex. Evidently so had Marie from the little one.

"I suppose we could watch her for a couple of hours as long you’re here all the time. We could get Varner to come over and change her diaper." Bud chuckled like he’d just told the best joke.

"You’re really pleased with yourself about that win aren’t you? Ashley wasn’t so thrilled you all bet against her." Marie grinned and kissed his chest. "I can change her diaper just fine myself. Or maybe you could."

Bud was still focused on beating Varner and Curry until the last part of what Marie said sunk in. Shit. Was this one of those tests again?

"That’s okay. You can do it, Hon." That had sounded lame and evasive even to Bud.

"No problem. You can observe the first time and help the second. Is Friday night okay?"

Bud noticed he was already helping change diapers. How the hell did she do that? Marie yawned again. He kissed her hair again.

"Friday’s fine, Hon. Go to sleep." He stroked her back.

She nodded. "Thank you, Bud. They’ll do the same for us in the future."

Marie fell asleep in his arms as Bud help a little bit tighter. He was wide awake.