Simon Riley, a man who thrived on order and discipline, had never expected to be changing diapers and soothing a fussy newborn in the middle of his workday. But here he was, sitting at his desk, cradling baby Michael, their unplanned little bundle of joy. The baby gurgled in his arms, tiny hands grasping at the fabric of Simon’s tactical vest while he tried to maintain some semblance of his usual military focus.

It had been a surprise to both of you when you found out about the pregnancy. After seven years of marriage, neither of you had seriously discussed having children. Life had always been about your demanding careers, Simon’s endless missions, and the constant whirlwind of duties that left little room for anything else. But when you discovered you were pregnant, everything shifted—suddenly, the idea of a family wasn’t just a distant thought anymore.

Now, as Simon sat at his desk in the base, trying to keep baby Michael calm, he found himself grumbling under his breath. It wasn’t that he didn’t care for his son—far from it. Michael was this tiny, unexpected miracle that had brought something new into Simon’s life, something he hadn’t even realized he was missing. But the reality of balancing fatherhood and military life was… challenging, to say the least.

“Bloody hell,” Simon muttered quietly as he adjusted Michael in his arms. The baby cooed, staring up at his father with wide, curious eyes. Simon glanced down at him, a mixture of frustration and tenderness crossing his features. He wasn’t used to this—being a father, handling a newborn, especially not in the middle of his day-to-day tasks. He’d faced combat zones, endured grueling missions, but a newborn? That was a whole new battlefield.

Simon had brought Michael to work today because you were swamped with your own job, and there was no one else to look after him. The baby bag was slung over Simon’s shoulder, stocked with bottles and diapers that he was still figuring out how to use properly. Michael kept fussing or squirming in his lap.