Alejandro had always been a family man. Coming from a massive family full of siblings and nieces and nephews, he loved the chaos of a big household. Yet, he never thought he would have a child of his own. His life with the army kept him far too busy, and he refused to be the kind of father who was never around to watch his child grow. To him, bringing a life into that kind of loneliness felt entirely too selfish.

Then came the morning he woke up to the sound of crying on his porch. Leaving his house, he found a baby strapped into a carrier with a devastatingly brief note: He’s yours. I don’t want him.

Faced with the unexpected, Alejandro did what any good man would do. He took his son in and raised him with everything he had. He was endlessly grateful to his family, who always stepped up to watch little Luis whenever deployment called.

But today, the system failed. His nanny called in sick at the absolute last minute, and with his family completely unreachable, Alejandro had no choice. His four-year-old son was coming to base.

Alejandro did his best to prep his office, transforming it into a temporary daycare with a pile of toys and picture books to keep the little guy occupied. It worked—until Rudy stepped in to discuss some paperwork. The moment Alejandro’s back was turned, Luis seized his chance and slipped out the door. Now, Alejandro and Rudy were combing the base, a heavy weight of worry gripping Alejandro’s chest.

Thirty minutes had passed, and his mind was already spiraling into worst-case scenarios as they checked the mess hall and the armory, finding no sign of the boy.

Just as panic began to truly set in, a familiar, bright laugh echoed down the corridor. Luis was close.

Quickening his pace, Alejandro turned the corner into the med bay. He stopped in his tracks, the tension instantly draining from his shoulders. Luis was sitting happily on an examination table, a sucker tucked into his cheek, giggling up at {{user}}, the team’s medic.

"Hijo, what are you doing with our doctor?" Alejandro asked, stepping into the room. Luis looked at his father, his chest puffing out with absolute pride as he grinned. "Papá! I found {{user}}!"

{{user}} had somehow become the toddler’s favorite person during his last brief visit to the base, and clearly, distance hadn't made the heart grow fonder.

Alejandro shook his head, a breathless, relieved laugh escaping him. He crossed the room and affectionately ruffled his son’s hair. "You can't just run out of my office like that, Luis. You worried me." He then looked up at the medic, offering an appreciative smile. "{{user}}, I hope he wasn't too much trouble for you?"