Mother nature dumped 6 inches of snow on me this morning, so I'm a wee bit late posting.

Sammy & Ilna- Happy April! YOu make every season more fun. Love you guys.

REALMcRollers & Readers, thank you for the love and support, always.


Understood Just Fine

"Happy Easter, Angie!" Both parents announced as they entered the nursery with Cammie close behind.

Wide awake, bright eyed and sitting up, Angie greeted them with "ahhhh baaa ma ma mama!"

Steve lifted her and kissed both cheeks. "Everyone's coming later, but I don't think Mommy and I can wait that long to give you your present …"

Catherine laughed. "Your Daddy was listening for the monitor an hour ago." Her smile encompassed them both. She took their daughter and snuggled her before laying her on the changing table. "Go ahead," she told Steve, "before you explode." She indicated the brightly wrapped package on the dresser.

"Da da da da da!" Angie said, and flung both arms in his direction.

"Daddy's coming right back, let's get you a clean diaper and …" she fastened it and put a yellow and green flowered top with a bunny and My First Easter on the front over the baby's head. "Into the first of your grandma's Easter ensembles." She pulled matching jelly bean patterned leggings on and lifted her up. "Beautiful! And wait til you see your outfit for dinner."

"Your cousin Joanie may burst," Steve said with a grin as he placed the gift bag on the playmat where Cammie had already taken up guard duty.

"That's right. Grandma bought you a dress to match Joan's." Catherine said of the pink and green Easter dress their niece had picked out.

When Joan excitedly showed it to her Aunt Elizabeth and Grandma Ang on Skype, she'd sparked an idea. Elizabeth called Catherine to ask if she minded the girls matching, and of course she was delighted at the thought knowing how happy it would make Joan. She'd met up with her mom that day after work and they'd picked out an adorable dress from the same manufacturer in the same pattern. And since Angie was being especially cooperative, Elizabeth suggested an after dinner play outfit for both girls, 'you know, so they can have fun in less fussy clothes.' Unable to resist the look of absolute joy on her mom's face, Catherine had simply chuckled and agreed with a hug.

"Okay, baby girl, let's see what the Easter Bunny left you," Catherine sat cross legged on the mat with Angie in her lap.

The baby immediately reached for the colorful bag with both hands and yanked at the tissue paper. "EEEEEEE!"

"Go ahead," Steve helped her extract a stuffed bunny and she clutched it to her chest before holding it out to him. "ahaaa ahhh Dada."

Steve beamed. "Yes, that's a very special bunny. He turned it and passed it back. Look what she's wearing."

The fuzzy white bunny was wearing a naval officer's dress uniform of trousers, belt, and coat with brass buttons. A USA bar, insignia patches and gold stripes on the sleeves completed the look. A cover with cut outs for the ears sat on the bunny's head. "A uniform just like Mommy's."

"Mama!" Angie turned in her lap and looked up at Catherine who was smiling broadly.

"That's a navy bunny," she bent to kiss her head. "Isn't she nice? Daddy ... influenced the Easter Bunny because he saw that and he's …" she paused and poked Steve gently on the bicep. "Adorable."

He snorted and shook his head. "It's wearing a lieutenant's uniform, how could Angie not have it?"

"Awww, because Commander Steve McGarrett buying a stuffed bunny… will never not be adorable."

"A navy lieutenant bunny." He struggled to keep a straight face.

Catherine shook her head and leaned over to kiss him. "Angie, here, sweetie, let's give Cammie her present." She took a huge bone from a second bag and passed it to the patient dog, who took it gently and sat back down to nosh.

"Caaaa," Angie said, causing her parents to exchange a look and the dog's head to tilt. "Caaa eeee."

"Did she?"

"Was that…?"

Angie, sweetie, did you say Cammie, baby?" Catherine stood her daughter on her lap. "Can you say it again?" She pointed. "Who's that, Angie?"

"Baaa ahhh."

Steve tried, "Can you call Cammie? Cammmmmie." He drew the word out and petted the dog's shoulders. She'd gone back to her bone and was munching contentedly as the humans worked out their language. She always knew perfectly well when the little one wanted her attention, whether Angie articulated her name yet or not.

"Cammie's a good girl. Say Cammie," Steve repeated.

"Baaa. Caaaa eeee." The tiny hands reached for him and he took her, sitting her on his lap as she leaned over to babble at the dog. "Caaaaa eeee ba ba ahhh."

"You did it! You said Cammie!" Steve lifted her above his head and Angie giggled. "Who's Daddy's smart girl? Did you get that?" He asked Catherine.

Her phone was at her side to capture the Easter Bunny present and she'd snatched it up and hit record after the first utterance that sounded like their dog's name. "Got it!" She nodded and kneeled up, reaching for Cammie. "She loves you as much as we do, pretty girl." She kissed the furry head and was rewarded with a huff and nuzzle.

Cammie regarded her humans curiously because, well, she knew that.

She'd loved the tiny one they called Angie from before her humans even knew she was on the way. She was part of Catherine. Part of Cammie's humans. That's all there was to it. Cammie diligently kept and extra close eye on Catherine from day one. From the minute she sensed a litter was coming.

When they'd been away to sleep and returned home Catherine's scent had changed again. She'd seemed even happier than usual to be home and Cammie realized she'd whelped her litter while away. She'd gotten lots of extra hugs and kisses from Catherine and then Steve was showing her their tiny litter of only one little human.

They included her in their nesting. Even if they hadn't, she was absolutely sure of her job. To protect the littlest member of their pack just like she always protected Steve and Catherine. And Cammie took ker job very seriously.

"Ahhh," Angie murmured. She'd gone back to snuggling her new bunny, but decided it was time to remove her sock and toss it in her mommy's direction with a laugh. "Gaa!" She said before putting her fingers in her mouth and smiling around them.

Catherine re-seated the tiny sock, stood and held her hands out. "Somebody looks hungry. C'mon, let's get some breakfast." She settled Angie on her hip and grinned at Steve. "Let's you and I use up some of those colored eggs. I'll take Cammie outside if you start breakfast."

Patting the dog's shoulder as he stood, Steve nodded. "Sounds good, right, Cammie?"

To her parents' delight, Angie flung an arm out and echoed, "Caaa eeee."

"Angie's saying c'mon, Cammie, 'cause she loves you." Catherine smiled happily. "Because you're the best dog ever, right, my pretty girl?"

As the family exited the nursery, Cammie exchanged a look with her littlest human. She always loved Catherine's sweet tone and soft words, but didn't need a translation. She and Angie already understood each other just fine.

# End. Thanks for reading!


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