This did start out with the intention of being a quick, short fic. It escalated thanks to encouragement from iEvenstarEstel ;) A little bit of tongue in cheek humour mixed with some angst... hope you enjoy! (and don't forget to review)

The newest addition to the ARC team blinked and tried to take in her new surroundings. She really wasn't sure what to make of it. It was very different to what she was used to. There were three men staring at her as if she was some kind of alien or something. Who were they? One thing she was certain of – they weren't her daddy. Come to think of it, where was her daddy? And her mummy? Nicola Temple expressed her confusion in the only way she knew how. She cried.

"Aw what's the matter, Princess?" one of the men asked. "Come and tell your Uncle Danny all about it." Nicola found herself suddenly being scooped up into the arms of this man and for a moment she stopped crying. Uncle Danny? She remembered him. He'd lived with them for a while when she was a newborn. He'd been away on a very long trip – somewhere where they didn't have baths if she remembered correctly. He'd smelt worse than one of her nappies when she'd first started on solid foods. He'd also been very sad about something; he spent a lot of time talking in a low voice to daddy, and mummy would sit and put her arms around him when he cried. It was thinking about mummy comforting people that made her cry again. She wanted mummy.

"She's just wondering where her mummy and daddy are, aren't you sweetheart," one of the other men said, coming closer and pulling her cheek. Nicola stopped crying to get a better look. Oh yes, she remembered this one as well. Uncle Matt. "Yes, you are, you're missing your mummy and daddy." Why did people have to talk to her in that silly voice and repeat everything? Did they think she was still four months old or something? She pouted, which earned her an "Aww you poor wee girl!" and another tug on her cheek. Seriously, what was that about? How did he like it, eh? Nicola reached out to grab Uncle Matt's cheek and he laughed, moving his head back a little so that she grasped his chin instead. It was stubbly, like daddy's face, and the thought made her giggle. Sometimes daddy would tickle her with his stubble when he kissed her goodnight, it was a nice feeling. Mummy seemed to like it too because she kissed daddy a lot when he had a stubbly chin. Come to think of it, she also kissed daddy a lot when he didn't have a stubbly chin. Daddy must be really good at kissing.

Suddenly, Nicola felt something very familiar down below and Uncle Matt wrinkled his nose. "I think this is a job for Uncle Becker," he said, holding her out at arm's length and then passing her over to the third man. What was this all about? How was changing her nappy Uncle Becker's job? These men were clearly amateurs when it came to looking after babies, surely everyone knows the rule that the person holding her when she filled her nappy was the one who was supposed to change her? At least, that's what mummy and daddy always told visitors.

"Why me?" Uncle Becker protested. Nicola couldn't help but agree. She made her feelings on the situation very clear by letting out a very loud cry. She was not impressed at all and how dare mummy and daddy leave her with three men who couldn't handle something as simple as this!

"Because you're military," Uncle Danny grinned. "And I'm sure it says something in your CV about dealing with chemical weapons whilst you were in service, therefore you are best qualified for the job."

To give him credit, Uncle Becker did seem willing to make a decent attempt. He laid her down on the nearby desk and pulled off her leggings and began to unfasten her soiled nappy. The look on his face was priceless though, and Nicola stopped crying so that she could get a better view. Not even daddy had pulled faces that bad when he first started doing this.

"Ugh!" Uncle Becker exclaimed, practically gagging. "How can something this small produce so much..."

Uncle Danny and Uncle Matt were keeping their distance but making encouraging noises. "Stop laughing you two and do something useful like finding some wipes and a clean nappy in that bag Abby left." Was that an air of panic in Uncle Becker's voice? This was fun.

Moments later, mummy's familiar bag was placed on the desk next to her and Nicola knew all would be well. Mummy seemed to always be able to pull something out of there that made the situation better, whether it was a clean nappy, cream for her sore bottom, a drink or her favourite teddy. When Uncle Becker pulled out the packet of wipes, Nicola was hopeful and treated him to one of her smiles as a reward. She believed in giving her adults a little encouragement occasionally if they were doing well. But then it all went pear shaped. Uncle Becker was staring at her and seemed almost embarrassed.

"What's wrong, Becker?" Uncle Matt asked. "Don't tell me you don't know what to do?"

"It's not that," Uncle Becker hissed. "Its just that... well, she's a girl and it doesn't seem right for me to... you know..."

"Oh for goodness sake!" Uncle Danny practically pushed Uncle Becker over and grabbed the packet of wipes. "She's a baby, she can't clean herself up, and I don't see anyone else around here."

"Jess," Uncle Matt said brightly. "I could find..."

"She's on leave today, remember?" Uncle Becker replied. "That's why we got lumbered with babysitting duties in the first place."

Jess? Auntie Jess? They were actually considering getting her to take over? So much for modern man and equality. Nicola let out a cry to let them know she was displeased with them, and Uncle Danny gave her a look of mock sadness. Picking up the packet of wipes in one hand and grabbing her ankles with the other, he lifted her up and inspected the mess.

"You know what?" he said. "I reckon it'll be easier to just stick her in one of the sinks in the toilets and clean her up that way." Nicola found herself being lifted by Uncle Danny's strong hands under each arm and carried with her legs dangling free across the room. It was actually quite a nice feeling and she kicked her little legs in excitement, rewarding Uncle Danny with a giggle.

Closing the door behind him, Uncle Danny plonked Nicola down onto the surface next to the three sinks and began to run some water into one of them. It appeared he was going to give her a bath, even though it was nowhere near her bedtime. If he thought he was going to trick her into going to sleep early just so that the three uncles could have some peace, he had another thing coming.

She watched, slightly bemused, as Uncle Danny dipped his elbow into the water and pulled it out quickly. His cry of "Ow!" made her giggle. "Oh, you think it's funny do you?" he pouted, but then smiled at her and turned on another tap to put more water in the sink. After testing the water with his elbow again, Uncle Danny seemed satisfied it was ready and pulled the rest of her clothes off before lifting her again and sitting her in the sink.

Well, this was a new experience. A Nicola sized bath. She kicked her legs, making a splash and she squealed delightedly. It was nice, and for a moment she almost forgot that she missing her mummy and daddy. Uncle Danny was smiling as he watched her playing but something wasn't quite right. His eyes weren't smiling, and that made Nicola worried. Why wasn't he as happy as his mouth was pretending to be? With a questioning look, she gazed at him, wanting to ask him what was wrong.

"Oh, don't mind me," Uncle Danny said. "I'm just being silly."

Silly? There wasn't anything silly about Uncle Danny. Nicola didn't like him being like this at all and gave him one of her cute smiles, hoping it would make him feel better.

"You know. You look just like your daddy when you do that," he laughed, and then his smile faded as well. "When I first joined the ARC, Connor was the last person I'd have thought would be happily married with a kid. Look at him now, eh. All grown up with the woman he loves and the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen." He sniffed and splashed some water on Nicola's back. "Never thought I'd say this out loud, but I'm actually jealous of him. He's got everything I wish I could have, but who's gonna have me after what I did?"

Nicola was even more confused. Whatever Uncle Danny had done, it couldn't be that bad if her mummy and daddy had let him stay with them. Mummy was an excellent judge of character and there was no way she'd have let anyone bad into their home.

"I had to do it of course. It was him or me, and if I hadn't killed him, he'd have gone off and murdered even more people than he already had. But that doesn't make me feel any better. My entire adult life has revolved around my missing brother, and even though he's dead he'll still be ruining everything for me as long as I live."

Nicola recognised the look in Uncle Danny's eyes. Daddy sometimes had the same look when he was trying not to cry. She had to do something. A cuddle was in order. Cuddles made everyone feel better. When she wanted to give mummy or daddy a cuddle, all she had to do was hold both her arms out and say either "mum mum mum," or "da da da," and she would be in their arms before she knew it. With a hope that Uncle Danny would understand the command, she lifted her arms and said "Dan Dan Dan,"

"What was that, sweetheart?"

"Dan Dan Dan!" Nicola watched as the smile reappeared on Uncle Danny's face, and not just a smile with his mouth either. His eyes lit up as he bent down and scooped her up into his arms, kissing the top of her head whilst holding her against his chest.

"You're just a perfect little angel aren't you?" he gushed. For a moment, he held her tightly without a word. Nicola could feel the tension slipping from him and she knew her cuddle was working. Surely he had to realise now that someone did want him, and that one day he would find someone who loved him and he wouldn't have to be jealous of daddy any more.

"You're also a wet angel," Uncle Danny finally said, lifting her away from his chest. There was a huge wet patch on his shirt where Nicola had cuddled him, but he didn't seem to mind too much. He just reached for the hand towel that was hanging on the rail next to the sinks and wrapped it around her, patting her dry. "C'mon. We'd better get back in there before Uncle Becker thinks I've kidnapped you and sends out half of the ARCs soldiers to look for us." He slipped her little dress and cardigan back on then carried her back through to the main hub room.

"All clean again!" Uncle Danny declared, placing her back on desk next to mummy's bag and skilfully putting a new nappy on, followed finally by her leggings. He blew a raspberry on the sole of her foot and looked up, feeling the amused stares of the other two men. What?"

"Nothing, mate." Uncle Matt smiled.

"You have to do things like that with babies. They like it. Better than having her screaming the place down eh?"

"Heaven forbid!" Uncle Becker muttered under his breath. "How long before Abby and Connor get back?"

"They didn't say how long they'd be, just that they would need the afternoon off."

Nicola glanced over at mummy's bag hopefully. Uncle Danny was looking for something inside and she hoped it was her dinner. Her stomach was beginning to growl since it had been all of two hours since daddy had given her a bottle. Almost as if reading her mind, Uncle Danny fished out a small tupperware container. Nicola gave a squeal and began to smack her lips. That container was what mummy used for her mashed banana. The very thought of it made her incredibly happy.

"Here, she wants her dinner," Uncle Danny said, passing the container to Uncle Becker. "Since you wussed out of the nappy change, you can feed her."

Uncle Becker seemed much more confident about this task. He took the lid off and scooped a spoonful of the banana mash up. Without a word, he placed the spoon at Nicola's lips and she instinctively opened her mouth so that he could put it in. Banana mash was her favourite treat, and normally she'd be clapping her hands and waiting for more, but something wasn't right. As Uncle Becker placed another spoonful at her lips, she worked out what was wrong. He wasn't making noises, and he was supposed to be telling her to 'open wide for the aeroplane', that was how mummy and daddy did it. She was going to have to let him know, for his own sake of course, that he wasn't doing it right. She shook her head and refused to open her mouth.

"Oh come on, Nicola," Uncle Becker sighed. "Please? Just a few mouthfuls for your Uncle Becker eh?" He tried again, but this time Nicola spat out the mash and it began to dribble down her chin. Nicola saw the annoyed look in his eyes. This was a good game and she was going to play it for a bit longer. Each time the spoon came close her mouth, she turned her head.

There was a snort of laughter from Uncle Matt and Uncle Danny, and Nicola knew she had an audience. She actually felt sorry for Uncle Becker, but if he wasn't going to do the job properly then she wasn't going to co-operate. Another spoonful was practically shoved into her mouth, which she promptly spat out again with enough force for it to land on Uncle Becker's t-shirt. He went so red she thought he was going to explode. Perhaps she was being a little harsh on him. After all, he was only a beginner at this.

Suddenly there was a sound Nicola recognised; a camera click. Uncle Becker recognised it too, but instead of the happy, smiley face people usually pulled when they were with her and a camera, he frowned.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Matt?"

"For Facebook, mate. And you shouldn't be using bad language in front of the baby, Abby'd have a fit if she heard you."

"Facebook?"

"Yes," Uncle Danny grinned. "We'll have the caption 'Becker getting some practise in' and we'll tag Jess so that it shows on her profile."

"Idiots!" Uncle Becker snapped the lid back on the container and picked Nicola up, turning away from Uncle Matt and Uncle Danny and marched off.

"Where are you going, Becker?" Uncle Danny called. "You cant take a baby into the armoury, especially not Abby's baby."

"I'm taking her somewhere where she can enjoy her dinner in peace without you two buffoons taking photos of her."

If Nicola was honest, she was actually quite relieved. She couldn't quite understand why the grown ups constantly took photos of her – daddy was the worst one for it. There'd she'd be, minding her own business, maybe playing with her toes or something, and daddy would push a camera or his iphone in her face and tell her to "Smile for daddy, that's a good girl!". Then he'd get all excited, show it to mummy and then spend the next ten minutes putting the photo onto this mysterious place he called Facebook. If Uncle Matt and Uncle Danny were going to start doing the same, then she was going to stay with Uncle Becker, even if he was taking her to a place that he shouldn't be. It actually felt quite exciting to be doing something bad, and Nicola began to think of the possibilities for getting into places she shouldn't be once she'd mastered how to get up onto her feet all by herself.

Uncle Becker sat her on an office chair that was a bit like the one daddy had in his study at home. Sometimes he'd spin her around in it really fast and make her feel dizzy. Nicola had a feeling that Uncle Becker wouldn't play the same game. He looked far too serious, and was muttering something about Uncle Danny and Uncle Matt under his breath. Nicola gave him a little squeal to remind him what he was supposed to be feeding her the banana mash. He gave her an apologetic smile and began to push the spoonful into her mouth.

"Sorry," he said. "Having those two putting more ideas into Jess's head is the last thing I need right now." Poor Uncle Becker looked so sad, Nicola decided to co-operate and eat her food properly, even though he was still doing it all wrong.

"Don't get me wrong," he continued. "Jess and I are having a great time. We go to the cinema, eat out, dance, go shopping... but she's constantly going on about taking things further." He glanced around him to see if anyone else was listening, then leaned in closer to Nicola and lowered his voice. "She thinks I haven't seen the stack of bridal magazines she keeps hidden under her coffee table. The thought of getting married scares the bloody life out of me, and now if she latches onto the baby thing as well because of those two..." He sighed.

Nicola was confused. Didn't Uncle Becker want to get married then? That didn't make sense to her since her daddy was always saying that getting married was the best thing he had ever done. She gave Uncle Becker one of her looks. To her surprise he shook his head and laughed.

"You know what? You're definitely your mother's daughter! Abby gives me that look all of the time. I bet she didn't give your dad a hard time about moving the relationship along!" He pushed another spoonful into Nicola's mouth then sat down and leaned back, deep in thought. "Although, if I remember it correctly, it was your mum that proposed to your dad. I think for those two, it was just inevitable that they'd end up married. We all saw it long before they'd even admit to themselves how much in love they were."

Nicola certainly wasn't going to argue with that one. Even she could tell how much her mummy and daddy loved each other, though sometimes their kissing and cuddling did get a little embarrassing. There were certain things a daughter shouldn't have to witness. She could also see how fond Uncle Becker was of Auntie Jess, and how much she adored him in return. They were just unsure of themselves, that's all.

"Mind you, they did it in gradual steps. Maybe that's the secret? Live together for a while as mates, get to know each other's bad and good habits and if you can put up with them then..." Uncle Becker smiled and Nicola clapped her hands. It seemed that maybe he was warming to the idea without needing much convincing. "Do you think I should ask your Auntie Jess if I can move into her flat?"

Nicola very much approved of this idea and she was certain Auntie Jess would too. She could almost hear the squeaks of joy right now. Uncle Becker scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close to his chest, laughing. He suddenly seemed like a different person, as if a huge weight had lifted from his mind. It was nice for a brief moment, but then Nicola felt her stomach churn. The sudden movement combined with the fact her delicate little stomach was only really just getting adjusted to solid foods made her feel queasy. She tried to stop herself, she really did, but the next moment the banana mash made a reappearance and ended up all down Uncle Becker's shoulder.

Her bottom lip began to wobble. Mummy always said that Uncle Becker was extremely proud of his uniform and insisted on looking smart at all times. He would not like having baby sick all over him one bit, and Nicola was afraid that he'd shout at her. She held her breath for a moment, ready to cry, when she noticed that Uncle Becker was far from angry at her. He wiped her mouth with his thumb and gave her a concerned look.

"Are you OK, sweetheart? I guess I should've winded you or something before I started throwing you around. Nevermind. Let's take you back to Uncle Matt and Uncle Danny and they'll look after you whilst I go and find a clean shirt."

Nicola let out a sigh of relief and immediately felt better. Uncle Becker wasn't half as bad as mummy said he was really. She snuggled into him as he walked slowly back into the main hub where Uncle Danny was sat at Auntie Jess's computer console and Uncle Matt was reading out some numbers from a piece of paper. They both looked up when Uncle Becker and Nicola arrived.

"Becker, mate. Look, I'm sorry. I've deleted the photo." Uncle Matt approached, holding up his phone to show Uncle Becker that the offending photo had been removed. Then he spotted the sick on his shoulder and stifled a laugh. "Had an accident?"

"Yeah, poor Nicola. I jiggled her about a bit too much I think. Here, take her whilst I go and change." Uncle Becker passed Nicola to Uncle Matt, stroked her hair and then strode off back towards the armoury where they'd just left.

"Nice one, Nicola!" Uncle Matt laughed once he'd made sure Uncle Becker was out of earshot. He fluffed her hair and then held her out, facing him. Nicola smiled, hoping Uncle Matt would smile back but he had the same concerned expression on his face that Uncle Becker had had. "Do you think she looks pale, Danny?"

Uncle Danny stood up and looked. "Maybe. She has just thrown up half the contents of her stomach all over soldier boy. She should probably have a nap or something before Abby and Connor come back."

Uncle Matt nodded. "You're right. I can put her down on the sofa in my office and put a bunch of cushions around her to stop her from rolling off."

Before Nicola could protest, she found herself being carried away towards a door at the far end of the hub which she assumed must lead to Uncle Matt's office. She didn't like the sound of what they'd suggested. Having a nap was the last thing she needed when there were so many things around her she wanted a better look at. Uncle Danny had been trying to trick her after all. She wriggled in Uncle Matt's arms, but he tightened his grip and whispered that it was OK. Nicola began to cry. It was far from OK.

"Hey hey, Princess. I know you're probably feeling a wee bit sick right now, but once you've closed your eyes and had a bit of a snooze you'll be much better."

Uncle Matt laid her on her back and propped several large cushions around her to make a sort of cocoon. She wasn't going anywhere by the looks of it; stuck here and forced to do nothing but sleep. She watched as Uncle Matt placed a radio receiver like the ones mummy and daddy used next to her and then began to creep away. Quite why he thought she'd need a radio when she couldn't talk yet was beyond her. The door was closed and Nicola was alone. She didn't like it. Uncle Matt's office didn't smell right, she didn't have her mobile hanging above her and where was Noodle, her teddy bear that she always slept with?

She was not happy at all and began to cry. Moments later, the door opened and Uncle Matt was at her side again. Now she knew what the radio was for, it was like the baby monitor she had in her room at home so that mummy and daddy could hear if she needed them in the night. Clever Uncle Matt.

"You should be trying to sleep," Uncle Matt said quietly. "What's the matter?"

Nicola stopped crying and she began to make babbling noises. Uncle Matt shook his head and smiled. "Wish I could understand what you're trying to tell me. I'm not very good at this baby thing." She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers so that Uncle Matt would grasp it. Gripping onto his finger, she babbled again. Uncle Matt wasn't that bad at taking care of her, he just needed to understand that she didn't need a nap right now and it would be fine.

"I've not had much experience with babies," he continued. "Where I came from, no-one had babies. They either couldn't, or didn't want to because things were so bad."

Nicola thought for a moment. It must have been an awful place that Uncle Matt had lived in if they didn't have babies. She remembered mummy saying how difficult things had been for him, and that he'd come to the ARC looking for help to change things. She hadn't really understood when mummy said that daddy had been partly to blame, but he'd also been the one that sorted it out once he realised what was happening. Sometimes it seemed like her parents spoke a foreign language.

Uncle Matt stroked her cheek and spoke softly. "Your mummy and daddy are so lucky to have such a precious gift as you. The people I grew up with, people I cared about, they would have given anything to have the same. We always said that babies and children were the future, so without them, we had no hope."

Uncle Matt looked sad for a moment, like he was thinking about being back in that terrible place with no babies. Then he seemed to visibly shake himself back to where he should be. "No point dwelling on things that won't happen now. You have a future, one that will be full of many wonderful things." He scooped her up and kissed her cheek and swung her around. "Who knows, maybe you'll be the clever scientist that will finally solve the mystery of the anomalies?"

Nicola wasn't entirely sure she knew what Uncle Matt meant, but at least he'd stopped trying to make her go to sleep and that was what mattered. She giggled her appreciation and patted his face, liking the feel of his whiskers on her fingers again. "Come on, Princess. Since it's obvious you're staying wide awake, you may as well come and watch us work."

Nicola felt very pleased with herself. Uncle Matt was learning very quickly. She would have him properly trained before long. In fact, it had been a very satisfactory couple of hours on the whole. She'd made Uncle Danny happy again, she'd sorted out Uncle Becker's relationship worries and now she had Uncle Matt well on the way to being an expert with babies. As she was carried back in the main hub, she heard a voice that she instantly recognised. Daddy.

"There she is!" daddy gushed, coming straight over. As much as she liked the newly trained Uncle Matt, he was no substitute for daddy and she turned herself to smile at him, lifting her arms for him to cuddle her. As soon as she back in daddy's arms, she snuggled into him. She'd missed him so much, and although she was cross with him, and mummy, for leaving her, he was forgiven because he gave the best cuddles.

"Has my little pumpkin been a good girl?" he asked. What a silly question to ask. Nicola was always a good girl.

"Was she OK? Not too much trouble?" mummy said. She was talking to Uncle Matt, Uncle Danny and Uncle Becker.

"No bother at all," Uncle Danny said. "I even changed her nappy for her."

"And I gave her some of that banana stuff that was in the bag," Uncle Becker added.

"Sadly, I think I failed. I tried to get her to have a nap, but she was having none of it," Uncle Matt pulled Nicola's cheek and she frowned. He had to stop doing that, Nicola decided. That would be his next lesson.

"Oh that's OK, Matt. She likes her routine, and she doesn't normally go down until about 4ish. Gives us time to get dinner prepared without worrying what she's getting into," mummy smiled.

There was an awkward pause, and Nicola sensed there was something hanging in the air. Daddy was shifting from one foot to the other, something he did when he wanted to say something but was nervous. He cleared his throat, and everyone looked at him.

"So, it was all fine then?" The uncles all nodded. "Good, because Abs and I are going to need a bit more help in the near future and we need babysitters we can rely on."

"Oh? Is everything alright, Connor?" Uncle Matt asked, looking a little worried.

"It's great," mummy said. "Absolutely wonderful. You see, our appointment this afternoon... it was for my 12 week scan."

"You're pregnant?" Uncle Danny beamed. "That's brilliant news!"

Everyone crowded around and started hugging mummy and congratulating daddy. Nicola didn't understand - What did pregnant mean and why were they all so happy? She let out a screech to remind them that she was still there and everyone stopped to look at her. It was mummy that spoke, taking her from daddy's arms and holding her against her own chest.

"What do you think, Nicola? You're going to have a baby brother or sister soon."

Ah, that's why they were all happy. Babies were a precious gift according to Uncle Matt. If mummy and daddy were having another baby then that must be a good thing. She clapped her hands and looked around at the five adults who were all watching her.

"Baby," she said, nice and clearly. There was more hugging, this time it was Nicola getting the hugs. It was very nice and Nicola couldn't help wondering what sort of reaction she'd get when this baby actually arrived. It sounded like Uncle Matt, Uncle Becker and Uncle Danny were going to be looking after her a lot more from now on too.

There would be some fun times ahead once she had them all trained properly.

(and now that you've read (and reviewed) this, please go and read the awesome "A Temple Out of Time", by iEvenstarEstel, currently residing at the top of the M section. Connor and Abby stranded in Victorian London - romance, intrigue and twisty turny plot... what more could you want?)