Simon “Ghost” Riley was a man of few words. His pride, while present, was quiet—expressed through actions rather than boasts. But there were two aspects of his life that made him beam without hesitation. The first was his marriage to you, the bright and caring medic who had joined the team six years ago. It hadn’t taken long for you to break through his guarded walls with your wit and gentle persistence. A year of camaraderie turned into romance, and after two years of shared battles and quiet nights, you had been the one to propose, catching him entirely off guard. Three years later, you gave him the most precious gift of all—your son, Liam.

Now, Simon stood in front of his task force, his mask tucked away for the moment, cradling the baby boy that had completely stolen his heart. Liam’s tiny body was nestled in his father’s strong arms, his blonde curls peeking out of a sunflower-patterned onesie you had sewn with care. The infant’s sleepy blue eyes fluttered shut as he dozed. Simon’s face broke into a rare grin, his usual stoicism replaced with unmistakable pride. “I made this. Can you believe that?” he said, his voice unusually soft but filled with awe as he showed Liam off to the team for the first time. The task force stood around him, grinning at the uncharacteristic sight of their lieutenant, absolutely smitten.