Archive of Our Own ^beta

Gabe was a year old when he got to go to the police station with Brenden for the first time. Brenden watched as his wife packed her day bag, panic ran through him. He loved taking care of his son and was very hands-on, but he wasn’t sure what to do with a toddler at a police station.

“Baby, you know I spent much of my childhood in a firehouse and police station, right?” Kai said, turning to look at her husband.

“I remember. I’ve just… I don’t know what to do with myself at the station.” He replied, leaning against the counter. “I don’t want him to get hurt or lost.”

“Well,” She said, turning to look at him, “if you need help, Papi knows a thing or two about toddlers and stations. You can ask Mitchell as well, he was very good at distracting me and my siblings when we needed to be there.”

Brenden nodded. Kai picked her bag up and walked over to him. He smiled and pulled her into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She looked up at him and stood on her toes to press a kiss to his lips.

“I love you,” He whispered.

“I love you too. You’ve got this and he will be magnificent,” Kai assured him.

He pressed another kiss to her forehead. She squeezed him before stepping away. He watched as she leaned over to press a kiss to Gabe’s head before walking out the door.

“Just you and me, little man. Whatever are we going to do?” He said, taking a seat next to the highchair.

Gabe’s only response was to giggle and grab a piece of his banana.

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“Oh, my god. Is it 2021 again?” One of the officers said as Brenden entered the bullpen with Gabe on his hip.

“Can’t be, that little red-head is much smaller than our Kai ever was. Hello, Gabe, are you working with Daddy today?” Mitchell asked, walking over to Brenden.

Gabe giggled, laying his head on Brenden’s shoulder.

“Kai had an emergency session and she insisted she wouldn’t be long, so there was no point in putting him in daycare or leaving him with someone else. Any ideas on how to occupy him while I work?” Brenden asked, putting the diaper bag beside his desk.

“Hide and seek, going to see the puppies, and hanging out with me or Carlos. Those were our tried and true methods to occupy Kai. Don’t worry, no one is going to let him get hurt while he is here,” Mitchell said, clapping the other man on the shoulder before walking over to his desk.

Brenden sighed and decided to start with Carlos. He had some paperwork that needed to be finished before the rush of the day and he couldn’t do that with his son on his lap. He knocked on the door, listening for the assent to enter.

“Ah, my favorite son-in-law and little foot,” Carlos said, smiling brightly.

“Do you mind keeping him for an hour? I need to finish the paperwork for the Byran case,” Brenden asked, even as Gabe struggled to get down and get to Carlos.

“Of course, I can. Just come and get him when you are done, he might be with me or Mitchell at that point. Come here, mi pequeño amor.” (my littlest love)

Brenden happily handed over the toddler, who sighed and buried his face in Carlos’ neck. Carlos waved Brenden out of his office, turning his complete attention to Gabe. Brenden went to his desk and started on the paperwork. He didn’t feel bad about giving his son to Carlos, he knew that he would have gotten into hell if he had brought the toddler to the station and not taken him to his father-in-law.

An hour later, he finally got the paperwork finished and turned it in. He rubbed a hand over his face and made his way to Carlos’ office. He had heard Mitchell take Gabe to see the dogs earlier, so he was pretty sure that he would find his son with his Abuelo. He opened the door and saw Carlos leaning over, whispering under the desk.

“Hey, get your paperwork done?” The older man asked when he saw him standing in the doorway.

“I did. Have you seen my wayward toddler?”

He smiled softly at the giggle that came from under the desk but pretended like he didn’t hear anything.

“I don’t know. Mitchell took him to see the puppies and I’ve just been working,” Carlos said, smiling as he glanced under the desk again.

Brenden made his way around the desk as quietly as he could. When he peeked under the desk, he was met with his son’s smiling face and glittering green-blue eyes. As soon as Gabe saw him, he let out a cackle and crawled out from under the desk, grabbing ahold of his pant leg.

“Hello, little foot. Were you playing hide and seek with me?” He asked, picking him up and blowing a raspberry on Gabe’s cheek.

Gabe giggled and patted his cheeks. Carlos smiled brightly, meeting Brenden’s eyes over Gabe’s head.

“Thank you,” He mouthed.

“Anytime,” Carlos mouthed back.

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Kai smiled brightly as she walked into the bullpen. Brenden was sitting at his desk with a sleeping Gabe strapped to his chest, working on some paperwork. She felt a little bad that her session had run over but it was a cute picture to walk in on.

“Hey there, little Reyes. I thought I saw your mini-me running around. Could have sworn it was 20 years ago,” One of the older officers said when he spotted her.

“You probably did. Papi says that Gabe is my mirror. Speaking of my little monster, I am going to get him from Brenden and head home with him. I will bring you some cannolis,” Kai smiled.

“That sounds amazing. Just don’t tell my wife.”

Kai laughed and walked over to her husband. Brenden looked up and smiled as she got closer, closing the folder that he was working on.

“Hey, baby. I’m sorry I’m late,” She whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of his head before looking down at their sleeping son.

“It’s okay, you were needed. We had a good day and little foot got tuckered out chasing after the puppies,” Brenden said, carefully removing Gabe from the wrap and lifting him into Kai’s arms. He watched as she smiled and pressed a kiss to the toddler’s forehead, running a finger down his nose.

“Not as bad as you thought it was going to be?” She asked, looking at him as he stood up.

“Not even close. I think this station just reverted back to having a red-haired toddler running around. I swear, it’s like they have a toddler here every day.”

Brenden pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Sounds about right. I’m going to see Papi and Mitchy, and leave you to your work. You are an amazing dad, Brenden Hale,” Kai whispered, resting her forehead against his chest.

Brenden smiled in response, burying his face in her hair.