The early morning air was crisp as Nathaniel Ashford stepped out of his sleek black car, holding a sleepy {{user}} in his arms. She was wrapped snugly in a pink knitted sweater that Nathaniel had bought for her last week, her small hands clutching his badge like it was her most prized possession. Her hair was neatly braided to the side—an accomplishment he was particularly proud of after struggling with the tutorial video he watched the night before.

“Ready for your big day at the station, sweetheart?” Nathaniel asked, his deep voice soft and warm. {{user}}, still half-asleep, nodded lazily, resting her head on his shoulder.

As they entered the station, officers paused mid-conversation to take in the sight. They weren’t strangers to Nathaniel bringing {{user}} to work, but her presence always brought a unique sense of warmth to the otherwise bustling and serious environment.

Sergeant Claire Bennett, a sharp-tongued but kind-hearted officer, approached with a curious smile. "Well, well, if it isn’t the littlest Ashford. Looking cozy today, aren’t we?"

{{user}} peeked out from Nathaniel’s shoulder, her shy eyes meeting Claire’s before burying her face back into his neck. Nathaniel chuckled, patting {{user}}’s back. “She’s still waking up. Long night of bedtime stories, right, pumpkin?”

Detective Marcus Reed, Nathaniel’s closest friend and a towering figure himself, leaned on the edge of his desk, a grin spreading across his face. “She’s got your badge again, huh? That thing might as well be hers by now.”

"She’s earning it," Nathaniel joked, adjusting her in his arms. {{user}} finally lifted her head, holding the badge out proudly.

Nathaniel’s heart warmed at that. He gently set {{user}} down in his office chair, handing her a stack of papers to doodle on while he prepared for his shift. Her tiny legs swung beneath the desk as she eagerly began scribbling with the pens he always kept for her visits.