Author's Note: Here is the sequel of"Together Again" ten years in the making, eight in mothballs as other original work...two published novels claimed the muse and took precedence. I was so happy to see FanFiction has created a story category for Mod Squad, allowing for "Together Again" and "The Date" to come out of the obscurity of the Miscellaneous category to a wider audience. And, because of that I was able to see more readers for both stories so I took the sequel out of the depths of my files and began to work on it. Also, now that the entire series finally has been released on DVD in individual box sets, I have been referring to specific episodes to examine the characters carefully… Their attitudes, mind sets, and relationships,to draw upon for inspiration. Also, two writers in this universe...Minnarett and HazardHusker have contributed exceptional stories to help fire up my creative juices :-)

This sequel will cover the inevitable criminal trial of David Slade, the effect and toll it takes on Julie and Melissa, and of course, Julie's burgeoning rekindled romance with Pete...with some surprises and the involvement of many...including Linc, Chief Adam Greer, Pete's mother and his ex-wife. Those reading this first, I suggest you read "Together Again" which I have edited for flow and continuity to this. The usual disclaimer applies with the exception of my OC secondary characters and plot, I do not own this. Enjoy :-)

A LONG JOURNEY'S END

Part 1 - Single Steps

It was a chilly Sunday afternoon a little over two weeks before Christmas 1980. Preparations for Christmas were subdued but in full swing at the Bennett ranch. Dan Bennett's untimely and tragic death in October was acutely felt by Dan's widow Julie and daughter Melissa but Julie decided to try to deaden the pain of his absence by throwing herself full force into Christmas. Melissa at six years old was too young to be denied the excitement of the Season but with the strong family atmosphere that traditionally accompanied the holiday, the loss of her father was uppermost in her young mind. Since the tragedy Julie did everything she could to shield Melissa from the void Dan's passing had caused but even with her best efforts she knew that her little girl was missing her daddy.

There was also the additional residual trauma caused by the ordeal of the kidnapping that they had suffered under the hands of David Slade. In that case, it was strange for Melissa had actually done everything she could to comfort Julie. The roles between them had been reversed...yet, when Julie would try to get Melissa to talk to her about how she was feeling and the kidnapping, her little girl would say nothing and quickly change the subject. However, on the nights when Melissa would have terrible nightmares, screaming and running into Julie's room and into her bed it was evident that she had some deep unresolved terror still locked inside connected to that ordeal. On those nights sleep would be elusive for Julie as well, as memories of them being David's captives in that dilapidated cabin came back fresh, as if it had happened that very day. However, both she and Melissa kept these episodes between them...she said nothing to anyone.

So to quash those she responded by presenting a façade of joy to create a place of festive beauty. The parlor was decorated with pine garlands and red velvet bows; the door was festooned with a large pine wreath adorned with satin bows and gold glass ornaments. Christmas cards had begun arriving in the mail so they were placed on the mantle of the fireplace.

Julie, Melissa, Hank, Hannah Travis were riding in the jeep out to the eastern section of the forty-acre property. At the edge of the property there was a field of Scotch pine trees, all in a row. It was here that the Bennett's would select their tree and here that the family Christmas tree was chosen each year, from the time Dan was a toddler and the tradition had continued when he married and had his own family. They would then return in April to plant a sapling to replenish the field in order to assure that there would always be family Christmas trees. Julie insisted that the tradition continued even with Dan being gone.

Hank pulled the jeep over to an opening in the brush that led to the tree-covered field. He cut the motor and everyone jumped out as Hank pulled an axe from the back of the jeep.

"Well, let's go," he said as he led the group into the field.

Julie sighed as she followed him into the field. She was remembering the spring day when she, Dan, and Melissa all came here to plant the replacement for last year's tree. They had made the task into another family event, bringing a picnic basket to enjoy after the planting.

Melissa clung to her mother's hand as they all made their way into the rows of pines standing sentinel as if they were in marching formation. She pulled Julie by the hand to a seven-foot pine almost perfectly shaped.

"That's the one," she said excitedly. "That one Daddy and me picked out when we came here before."

Hannah was amazed. "Melissa, how did you remember just which tree you and your Daddy picked out?"

Melissa grinned, "See the two holly bushes?" She pointed at the two bushes that were situated to the right of the tree. "Daddy said that this tree would be the perfect tree for Christmas 'cause it was near the holly bushes."

Julie smiled lovingly at her daughter. "That's a beautiful tree you picked for us, darling. Hank, can you cut this one down for us?"

Hank nodded, "Sure thing Miss Julie."

He took the axe and chopped at the base of the tree. In a few moments the tree was severed from the ground and its stump was all that remained. Hank and his sons hoisted the pine onto the roof rack of the jeep and tied it down, securing it for the ride back to the house. Everyone headed back to the jeep but Julie hung back, lost in her thoughts...

She was thinking of last year's excursion to pick the tree, Dan and Melissa had chosen a beauty and the three of them were laughing at the comedy of errors that carrying the almost eight foot monster to the waiting jeep presented. When they finally got the tree atop the roof rack and began driving back to the house, they made the surprising discovery that the tree was not tied securely when they heard a WHOOSH then a THUMP. Dan glanced into the rearview mirror, screeched the jeep to a halt, and jumped out to retrieve the wayward tree while his wife and daughter giggled incessantly. Dan pretended to be annoyed but in the end couldn't help joining in their glee. Julie brushed away a stray tear as the memory came back vividly.

Hannah called out, "Miss Julie, are you coming?" Everyone at the jeep had turned and looked at her.

Julie hurriedly wiped her eyes, "Yeah, I'll be right there." She quickened her pace to join those waiting for her.

When they got back to the ranch, Hank and the boys took the tree down and stored it in the barn. This Saturday, the tree would be set up in the parlor by the fireplace and decorated. Julie asked Hank if he would take out the boxes of Christmas decorations and test the strings of lights to make sure they were in working order. He agreed to do that and then Julie took Melissa and headed into the house. She was climbing the stairs when out of the blue a feeling of lightheadedness overtook her. She grasped the banister for support as everything began spinning.

Melissa spotted her mother's spell and became worried. "Mommy are you okay?"

Julie shook her head to clear it. "Yeah, sunshine, I'm fine. Don't you worry about me," Julie brushed the spell aside and took Melissa's hand. "Come on, let's have a snack." They continued in the house.

Inside as Melissa ate her cookies and milk and chattered about how they would decorate the tree, Julie pondered on the dizzy spell she experienced. She tried to figure out why she would feel faint and chalked it up to the problems she had sleeping recently and nervousness about tomorrow. Tomorrow was the court date of the arraignment of David Slade and she had agreed to attend as per subpoena of the district attorney's office. She was glad that she wouldn't be alone because in addition to the district attorney being with her, Pete had promised that he would be there as well, anticipating that he would be served a subpoena by the District Attorney's Office anyway.

Since he returned to Los Angeles almost two weeks ago, Pete had been in touch with her daily, calling her at various times of the day to make sure she and Melissa were all right. But he also called to just talk to her and hearing his voice...warm and affectionate flowing over her senses like bath water never failed to make her feel comforted and protected. However, she opted to not reveal to him the problems she and Melissa were having.

At the same time she had felt guilty...she knew deep inside that he should be told; would want to be told. She decided after he had left when everything was over that she would not burden him any more than he already was. She knew as a chief witness in the upcoming trial he would have to be in a position to make himself available for court; as a matter of fact she knew even if he wasn't going to be subpoenaed as a witness that he would insist on being here. But she also knew that he had a responsibility to his family's business in Los Angeles and could not neglect that...she would never allow that to happen. Knowing how Pete had always protected her she knew he would move heaven and earth, trying to be two places at the same time to make sure that she was safe and drive himself to exhaustion...she didn't want that on her conscience.

Julie had taken the roses he sent her and pressed them lovingly in a book to preserve them as a treasured memory. The expensive vase was placed on her dining room table so she could look at it as it sparkled in the sunlight that came through the window and think of him. She was doing just that as the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Melissa said as she hopped off the chair and scampered to the phone. She picked up the receiver and answered breathlessly. "Hello?"

"Hi Melissa, how you doing?" Pete said.

"I'm good. Do you want to talk to Mommy?" Melissa replied. "She's right here."

"Okay, honey. But I want to talk to you too. How's everything in school, huh?"

Melissa smiled, "Good. I got an A on my alphabet test and a B on my reading test."

Pete said encouragingly, "That's terrific, Melissa. Keep up the good work."

"Are you coming back again?" Melissa asked bluntly. Julie looked at Melissa with raised eyebrows.

Pete laughed out loud. He replied easily, "As a matter of fact, I'm coming there tonight."

"Oh boy! You can see our Christmas tree. We just cut it down and brought it to the barn. We're gonna put it up next Saturday, maybe you can help us decorate it." Melissa gushed.

"We'll see. Okay honey, put Mommy on," Pete requested.

Melissa handed the phone to Julie. "Pete wants to talk to you." She then scooted upstairs.

Julie shook her head and spoke into the phone. "Hi, Pete."

"Hi, sweetheart. How's things?"

"Okay. We were just having a snack after chopping down our Christmas tree," Julie informed him.

"You chopped down a tree?" Pete was incredulous, teasing her. "You're stronger than you look."

Julie giggled. "No, silly, Hank did. But we went up there to show him which tree to cut down. Dan and Melissa chose it in the spring when we all went to the field to plant a new tree."

"You plant new trees?" Pete wanted to know.

"Uh-huh. Every year, when a tree is cut down for Christmas, the following spring a new tree is planted in its place. It's a tradition that started with Dan's family when they first bought the place." Julie sighed, "It was a bit difficult to be there at the field today. I couldn't help remembering the spring when we all went and picked out this year's tree."

Pete was sympathetic. "I'm sorry, honey. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I had a short spell of lightheadedness but other than that I'm okay."

"Lightheadedness...why? What happened, did you faint?" Pete asked, concerned.

Hearing the anxiousness in his voice Julie lied, "Relax, Pete. I'm fine, really. It's probably just nerves. I'm a bit apprehensive about the arraignment." She didn't want to worry him but it was pointless because she knew he would worry regardless.

"Look, if you'd rather not go tomorrow, I'll tell the D.A. and he'll just have to settle for me being there. I got my subpoena via courier on Friday afternoon," Pete said matter-of-factly.

"I'll be fine, Pete. I'll just take it easy the rest of the day." Seeking to change the subject, Julie asked, "So what time you planning to be here tonight?"

"Oh, about six thirty or seven. I'm at the beach house so I'm gonna drive out in my Woody. So what else did you do today?"

"Well, we went to service this morning. Matt and Debi send their regards. And other than going and getting the tree, nothing. What have you been doing?"

Pete said casually, "Nothing really. Just went for a walk on the beach to think."

"Think, huh? What about?"

"You," Pete replied softly. "I was just thinking how nice it'd be to walk on the beach with you."

Julie smiled, pleased. "It's a little chilly for a walk on the beach. It is December, you know."

"Yeah, I know. But it's the best time to be on the beach. No one else is around and the only thing you hear is the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Besides, I wear a sweater so it's not as cold as you might think," he told her.

"Just the same, you could catch cold. So make sure when you go for walks on the beach you're bundled up," Julie admonished.

"Yes, Mother," Pete responded pseudo-dutifully. "So if I got sick, would you come and take care of me?"

"Didn't I always before?"

"Yeah." He sounded like a little boy.

"Then I think you know if you needed me I would," she said coyly.

"Haven't I made that clear yet?" Pete asked gently.

"Made what clear?"

"That I need you?"

"Yeah, but I still like to hear you say it," Julie answered sweetly

Pete grinned and said, "Yeah, I need you...And I'm not even sick."

Julie smiled again. "I'm very glad to hear that."

Melissa called from upstairs, "Mommy! Are we gonna go riding?"

"Yes, we are Melissa. Just let me finish up on the phone, okay?" Julie called back. She sighed, "I'm gonna have to go, Pete. I promised Melissa I'd take her riding and it's getting late. I don't want to be out on the path when it gets dark."

"I agree. Especially when you had that dizzy spell earlier. So promise me you won't overdo it, okay?" Pete said insistently.

"Okay, I promise. I'll see you soon. Drive carefully," Julie said.

"I will. Bye, bye, sweetheart," Pete said as he hung up.

Julie replaced the receiver on the cradle. She was eagerly looking forward to seeing Pete again. She hadn't seen him since the second day of the month when he left the ranch to return to his office. After all the incidents connected with David Slade and his kidnapping of her and Melissa, Julie came to depend heavily on Pete's freely and generously given time and efforts. And even before the kidnapping took place, Pete had done so much in helping her to release her excruciating pain and grief from losing Dan, he had been a gift from heaven. Since all that, they had been talking on the phone daily, sometimes for hours, just like old times but it wasn't the same as having him here in front of her. She was still grieving and missing Dan but with Pete back in her life, things felt like they did before she came to live at the ranch.

Julie was also anxious about the arraignment tomorrow for she knew that seeing David Slade again would bring back the cold clammy fear she had felt in that ramshackle cabin when David had relayed to her all his plans for her and Melissa. She shuddered as she recalled his sick and twisted descriptions of a life that he had imagined with her and she was grateful that Pete had insisted on being there in court with her.

She was also morbidly curious as to see how David would plea to the charges of kidnapping and murder. The district attorney had told her that his defense attorney planned to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Some top psychiatrists had examined David and they all had arrived at the conclusion that his actions were the result of deep-seated neuroses stemmed from unresolved grief of his father's suicide. Julie was sympathetic but also could not get his savagery toward her and Melissa out of her mind. The memories haunted her nights and those of her child.

The sound of Melissa's footsteps shook Julie out of her reverie. "Mommy, are you ready to go?"

Julie nodded her head. "Sure, sweetie, let's go." Grabbing her jacket, she followed Melissa out to the stables.

Next...Part II - Secrets and Surprises