He'd never realised how much he missed them.
As they crush him under the weight of their suits and their bodies, Mark realises how much he's missed these five space nerds. Commander Lewis, in all her stoic glory, was now sobbing covertly with a rather motherly smile on her face - Mark wonders how much she's mothered their trio of Beck, Johannsen and himself, scolding and berating, but also pampering her three temporary children, and how he's never missed his mamma, thanks to her.
Vogel gives him a smile that has a hint of admiration to it, bundled with the respect he always accorded all of them.
Martinez looks at him with all cockiness and confidence gone, an incomprehensible expression on his face, and as the Air Force officer engulfs him in an embrace, he hears him whisper, "Thank God for you, buddy," in a voice that's almost choking, and Mark can't stop the stray tears that escape him.
Beth, with her tiny frame and her personality that's way larger than it, bless her, crushes him in a hug he imagines his little sister would give him, if he had one. She's crying into his suit, and Mark finds himself comforting her, patting her head and back while her body shakes with sobs. She looks up, looking lost and scared and relieved, and he presses a kiss to her forehead to tell her that everything's alright and yes, he's back and no, he won't leave her ever again.
When Beck hugs him, he breaks down, letting go of all his anger and worry and fear. Chris has been his anchor since high school, since the days of getting drunk and crashing cars, of football victories and playing hooky (and acing tests too - Mark and Chris were pretty good at that). The brunette looks at him, and they know neither needs to say anything. Mark can feel the rest of them move away, giving the two their space (he cringes at the mental pun) and after a good one minute, he decides that he's had enough of Beck, and holding on any longer wouldn't be helping Martinez's gaydar.
"So…" he looks at the others - silence ensues.
"Go take a bath," Beth sniffles, tossing a towel and a bottle of what suspiciously looks like unauthorized Loreal shampoo. Under the Commander's stare, the small sysop wilts and looks down, mumbling something like "I knew I'd need it someday".
The crew laughs, and Mark has to force himself to not cry again.
Mindy really needs to stop with that chocolate chip ice cream now.
She's been eating for a non-stop fifteen minutes, crying and laughing and stuffing a spoon with a frequency of a mouthful and two sobs a minute. Mars still looks inviting, but she needs to remind herself that the Hab doesn't have anyone now, and watching it like a stalker fangirl isn't going to help anyone. Heck, her contract was going to expire in a month. Well, it was fun while it lasted.
Chief Buccaneer Venkat- no, Director of Ares Operations Venkat Kapoor walks in and takes a look at the half-empty Ben and Jerry's tub, her splotchy eyes and the TV that's been running CNN for the past six hours.
"You need sleep, food and a direct chat with Watney." She shakes her head vigorously at the last one, hair falling all out of place - I really look like a mess right now, or a bunny that's done cardio, Ben and Jerry's and too much reading. "At least sleep and food?" She has to nod to that one. Venkat smiles and turns around, shaking his head at the disarray, and Mindy makes a mental note to clear the room of all its hidden Hubba Bubba Crush Grape and Green Apple tape rolls. "Oh, by the way, your contract's been renewed for the next five years - you'll be heading the Mars Satellite Division now."
It's a good there's nothing in her hands on within arm's reach, else someone was going to get unintentionally injured.