<<FLASHBACK>>

"Uncle Ezra, look what I found outside," yelled JD, carrying something behind his back, while he walked towards ATF Team 7's undercover agent.

Vin and JD had stayed overnight at Ezra's house, after he had taken them to the movies and for hamburgers and fries following that. Vin was still sleeping in, whilst JD had been the first to rise in the household.

When JD nearly dropped the bassinet which he brought out from behind his back, Ezra quickly grabbed it from him; "Be careful, JD," said Ezra, not wanting the boy to damage something which wasn't his.

"Uncle Ezra, there's a note I found on top of it. Says that this basket is yours and to keep it safe," said JD.

Ezra grabbed the note off JD and read it. The 7-year-old had read it wrong surely. Ezra didn't own anything like this.

A small cry startled the two and JD peered into the basket.

"UNCLE EZRA - there's a baby in this basket!" shouted JD, startled.

Ezra looked and indeed there was. Shockingly, it had hair and eyes just like Ezra's and the man stepped back, trying to catch his breath. He felt himself turning pale in shock.

JD, noticing the man in pain, helped his uncle to sit in the nearest chair. The two were interrupted when a Texan voice called downstairs, "What's all that noise?"

"Ezra's got a baby," shouted back JD, excitedly.

Loud footsteps were heard then 11-year-old Vin Tanner joined the two. He took the baby out of the bassinet and started singing to it, then the crying stopped.

JD and Ezra looked at Vin in shock.

Vin smiled back; "I remember that's what my mama did to stop me crying sometimes. I think he's hungry - is there a bottle somewhere?"

JD looked at the basket and found a bottle tucked away in a pocket. Ezra took it off him and went to fill it with milk and then warm it up.

Vin took the note off JD.

"It's Ezra's baby. We've got a cousin at last," said JD, while Vin was trying to read the note.

"I can read, you know. How could Ezra have a baby? He never has any girlfriends. I've kissed more girls than him."

JD frowned at Vin; "I don't know. Maybe the stork brought it for him."

"Don't be silly JD!"

The baby started crying again and Vin picked it up and gently rocked it in his arms.

Ezra came back with the milk bottle and held the bottle, while Vin held the baby. The baby started feeding.

"Who's it's mama?" asked JD.

"I don't know JD."

"Who did you go out with about 15 months ago?" asked Vin.

"Fifteen months ago, Vin?" asked Ezra, surprised at this fast calculation.

"I reckon this baby is about 6 months old, which means his mama was first expecting him about 15 months ago," explained Vin.

"Vin, he's a she," said JD, who had unstuck the baby's diaper to check.

"I think she needs her diaper changed - were there any provisions with the basket?" asked Ezra.

"There was a big plastic bag next to the basket. There's all sortsa stuff in there," said JD, opening the plastic bag, which he had put on the floor and almost forgotten.

Ezra changed the baby's diaper, while the two boys looked away in disgust, whilst holding their noses.

@}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~

A while later, Ezra sat in an armchair with the baby asleep in his arms, while the other members of Team 7 sat talking to him.

"Ezra, I can't believe you got a woman pregnant before Buck," said Nathan.

"That's never going to happen, Nate!" said Buck, in anger.

"I await the day when you have to eat your words, Mister Wilmington. I believe that I have been blessed with this bundle of joy," said Ezra, smiling down at the sleeping baby girl in his arms.

"Any idea who the mother is?" asked Chris.

"I have a few names in mind," answered Ezra.

"You don't know who the mama is?" asked JD, coming into the room and sitting on Buck's lap.

"Little Bit, I told you to tidy your room," said Buck, not wanting the children involved in their conversation.

"My room IS tidy, dad," announced JD, who had started calling Buck his dad ever since the man had adopted him.

Vin came into the room and walked over to Ezra. He looked at the baby, smiling. "Can I hold her?" he asked Ezra.

"Moving her might awaken her, Vin," explained Ezra, softly.

Vin went over to Chris sulkily. Chris reached out and pulled Vin onto his lap. "You can hold her later, pard," said Chris, smiling at his adopted son, who was getting too big to sit on his lap.

"As soon as Miss Emerald wakes up, I have to make some phonecalls," said Ezra.

"Emerald?" asked Buck, raising an eyebrow at Ezra.

"She has green eyes like me - the colour of emeralds," explained Ezra.

"That's a nice name, Ez," said Nathan.

@}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~ @}~~

Later that day...

Chris held Emerald in his arms, while Vin helped feed her. Ezra was making some phonecalls. He needed to know who the mother was, so he could get hold of her and return the baby - he couldn't imagine himself raising a child.

JD and Buck went to make sure the boy's room passed his father's inspection, while Nathan phoned Rain and told her what had happened, as Rain had been working at the hospital when Nathan had left the house. Then Nathan joined Chris and Vin, hoping for a chance to hold the baby.

Josiah had gone to fetch some more supplies for the baby - he hoped that Ezra would be able to keep the baby, as he was growing quite attached to the child and would love to baby-sit for Ezra in the future.

Ezra went into the living room, where Vin was feeding the baby.

"Miss Honoria definitely isn't the baby's mother, as she left the country shortly after leaving me and hasn't returned since. When I phoned her she was in Tokyo enjoying a vacation. Which only leaves Miss Eleanor. I have been unable to reach her, as it seems both the numbers I had for her have been disconnected."

"We'll help you track her down, she can't just get away with dumping a baby," said Chris.

"If she is the mother," said Nathan.

"Those are the only two women who are candidates," replied Ezra.

"You mean you had two girlfriends, Uncle Ezra?" asked Vin.

"Not at the same time, Vin," explained Ezra.

"Why don't you go and find Buck and JD, Vin?" asked Chris.

"I don't want to," answered Vin.

"It was a request, not a question, son," said Chris, a bit sternly.

Vin ran to join his younger friend and Buck.

"Mister Larabee, could I make a request?" asked Ezra.

"What is it Ezra?" asked Chris.

"If I am to look after this child tonight, would you permit me to reside here for the time being and assist me with this child?"

"Of course Ezra, we all want to help you," smiled Chris, handing the now fed baby to Ezra.

The baby started hiccuping so Ezra held the baby up, rubbing its back to wind it.

"You know, you're pretty good with that baby," commented Chris.

"Only out of necessity, Mister Larabee," answered Ezra, trying not to show how much he was really enjoying looking after the baby.

"Admit it, Ez, you're having a ball with that child," said Buck, walking in the door from the hallway.

Ezra smiled slightly, before walking out of the room carrying the little girl.

"Isn't it making a commitment when you name a child?" asked Buck.

"I think so," replied Chris, smiling.

<<END OF FLASHBACK>>

Ezra finished feeding Emerald and held her, rocking her to sleep. While he was rocking her, Chris came into the room.

"Everything okay?" whispered Chris.

"Everything is serene, Mister Larabee. She was just hungry," answered Ezra, looking at the sleeping baby, wondering if he could really keep her.