Colby was practically buzzing with excitement because today was the day he would be driving home to get his new dog, a German shepherd puppy he had named Riley. He had already bought everything he needed for Riley; he was just waiting to bring Riley home.
Also two weeks ago he had gone to a movie and dinner with Liz finally acting on his feelings as David had put it. It had gone really well and in the past two weeks they had gone out five times, Colby had even invited her to come on the two day stay in Winchester with him and Liz had said yes. Colby had a hard time hiding his excitement; he didn't know why Liz coming on the seventeen and a half hour each way trip made him so happy, he also knew that his mom was looking forward to meeting Liz as she had more or less hinted at when he last went home after being injured in a warehouse collapse.
Colby was jolted out of his thoughts by a knock at his door, he got up and looking through the peephole saw it was Liz. He opened the door beaming, he gestured Liz through the door. She put her travel bag down and turned around to face Colby.
"Looking forward to picking up Riley I take it" she smiled,
"Yeah!" replied Colby "just let me get my bag and then we can go unless you want anything to eat?"
"No I'm fine, grab your bag and then we can go as I'm sure you are dying to hit the road to get Riley" said Liz giving Colby a knowing look.
"You know me so well" chuckled Colby as he went to his bedroom to collect his bag.
He heard Liz call "that comes from working with you every day for the past two years and being an Agent myself"
Colby walked back to the hallway "you're an Agent really?" he asked sarcastically,
"Oh very funny" sniggered Liz,
"I thought so" smiled Colby as he wrapped his arms around Liz. She also wrapped her arms around Colby and leaned her head against his chest comforted by his steady heartbeat. She hadn't told anyone this, but when the warehouse had collapsed trapping Colby inside even though she had been back at the office, she had been scared that she would never have the opportunity to tell Colby how she really felt about him. She had been so relieved when he had been rescued relatively unharmed; when she had had time to talk to him he had already left with David to go home for three weeks. Then it took a month before he asked her out on a date she had been overjoyed because when he had returned to the office she hadn't known if he felt the same as she did.
"As much as I like this I don't think we'd get to Idaho and pick up your Riley" said Liz,
"Yeah you're right. Come on I think you'll like my family's farm" said Colby as he retrieved their bags and led Liz out to his car.
"I'm looking forward to it. David said there were lots of photos of you when you were growing up" Liz commented,
Colby paused in locking his front door, "are you just coming so you can see photos of me when I was younger to tease me like David has done?"
"What would you do if I said yes?" Liz teased,
"Use my amazing skills as an FBI Agent and look into your past until I find something about you I can tease you about" Colby replied guiding Liz down the stairs to where his car was parked. Liz just laughed.
It had been decided that they would take turns driving five hours each and Colby said he'd do the first five hours. They stopped halfway at an overnight motel getting separate rooms and agreed to start driving again early.
The next day when it came for Liz to do her second five hour drive which would get them to Winchester she turned briefly to see Colby looking out the window.
"What's up?" asked Liz,
"It's weird coming home so soon again. I mean before I came home last month it had been a year since I came home"
Liz gave him a sympathetic look; she had grown up just outside of L.A and so could see her family whenever she had the chance. But Colby could only visit his family if they had more than two days off work, and that didn't happen very often.
"It must be hard living so far away from your family" commented Liz,
"Yeah, but at least L.A. is closer than Afghanistan. And sometimes we can get more than two days off so I can visit home, but over there you were stuck there until your tour was finished or you were injured or if there was a death in your family. So I prefer being in L.A."
Liz nodded in agreement. They passed a sign telling them they had arrived in Winchester and Liz smiled fondly when she saw Colby sit up straighter and look out the window only speaking to tell her how to reach the farm.
They were driving along a dirt track and Liz was awed by the wide open space, "this must have been a great place to grow up"
"It was" smiled Colby, "lots of places to run about and climb trees"
Five minutes later they pulled up outside the farm house, Colby noticed that Nat's and Ryan's cars weren't there so figured it was only his parents and grandparents that were home. They got out the car and Colby collected their bags, as he walked towards the front porch steps he noticed Liz slightly hesitating.
"Come on, it's just my parents and grandparents and they don't bite, in fact it's probably better if you meet them first before my brothers" smiled Colby holding out his hand for Liz.
Liz returned his smiled and took his offered hand, she followed him up the steps and watched as he just opened the door.
"Don't you need to knock?" she asked,
"What? No! They knew we were coming and anyway no one knocks as the door is always unlocked" at Liz's surprised look he added "well it's always unlocked when someone is home during the day"
They walked into the house and Colby called out "Mom! Dad!"
Liz quietly chuckled as almost immediately a woman, who she assumed was Colby's mom Anne, came bustling into the hall and embraced Colby.
"Oh I'm so glad to see you Colby!" cooed Anne hugging Colby tight,
"Mom! I've only been gone a month!" exclaimed Colby,
"Well to a parent Colby a month feels much longer" commented Liz understanding what Anne was really saying 'I'm glad to see you when you aren't recovering from getting hurt doing your job'
Anne looked over at Liz and smiled, "an intelligent woman Colby, however did you find her?"
"Funny" grouched Colby,
Liz laughed, she already liked Anne, and she could see where Colby got his sense of humour from.
"Anne don't insult the boy so soon after he's arrived" commented Jack as he walked into the room.
"Thank you dad!" Colby said,
"You insult him after he's been here five minutes not thirty seconds" continued Jack,
"Not so thanks dad" replied Colby dryly,
Jack just laughed and walked over to Liz, "I'm Jack, don't call me 'sir' like your friend David tried. Also just call my parents Jordan and Ellie"
"You got it Jack" smiled Liz,
"So is Colby a pain to work with?" asked Jack,
"Dad! Is that really necessary?!" complained Colby,
"Oh stop whining like the teenager you're not son" commented Jack,
Liz sniggered behind her hand catching Colby's gaze she knew he was only pretending to look annoyed.
"Right so I'm just gonna go see Mrs Hollis" said Colby as he moved towards the front door when a new voice said,
"Hold it right there Colby! I think you should show your guest to her room and then we can eat dinner and then you can go to Mrs Hollis and get your puppy"
"Yes Grandma" replied Colby turning back around and then hugging the older woman,
"Well it is good to see you standing up without crutches Colby" said Ellie as she stood back a little to look Colby up and down to check for any injuries.
"I'm ok Grandma honestly" smiled Colby,
"Let your Grandma check for herself lad, you know what you were like growing up and most likely still like" said Jordan as he came over to hug Colby. Liz was touched seeing the open affection in Colby's family.
Colby then came over and stood next to Liz, "Grandma, Grandpa, this is Liz. We work together"
"And dating?" asked Ellie eagerly,
"What is it with this family and being obsessed with me dating someone?!"
Liz looked up at Colby and then back at his family, "we've been dating for two weeks"
Anne and Ellie "awed" while Jack and Jordan were grinning broadly,
"You have no idea what you've just started" whispered Colby,
"Awww you scared of your family Colby?" asked Liz,
"If you had lived with them for as long as I have you would be to" commented Colby with mock terror.
Liz had been put in the guest room which happened to be directly opposite to Colby's room. She had knocked and entered into Colby's room and had spotted some photos of him when he was younger. She laughed when Colby braced himself to be teased, but Liz had just commented that they were nice photos and had left the room. Leaving Colby very confused, which was what Liz had been going for.
Dinner had been entertaining with Jack and Jordan squabbling over who would have the last beer, the squabble ended when Ellie gave Colby the beer. Colby smirked at his dad and Grandpa as he drank the beer slowly.
It was then time to go see Mrs Hollis and collect Riley. Liz was constantly smiling as Colby drove them to Mrs Hollis' house; soon Colby had pulled up outside the house and basically leapt out of the car.
Before Colby could knock on the front door it opened and Mrs Hollis greeted Colby with a warm smile, "so you've come to collect Riley then"
"Yeah" replied Colby,
Mrs Hollis turned to Liz and said "he was just like this when he came to get Levi"
Liz smiled and saw Colby practically bouncing on his feet. Mrs Hollis led them into a room where there were excited barks from small puppies. Colby remembering what Riley looked like slowly walked towards a puppy that was watching him with curiosity.
Colby knelt down and held out his hand and said "come on Riley come on" Riley barked and rushed towards Colby licking his hand, "good boy Riley!"
Riley then began climbing over Colby trying to lick his face. Soon Liz, Colby and Riley were in the car heading back to the farm. Liz was driving so Colby could keep a hold of Riley who was climbing over his lap looking out the window at the passing buildings. Liz laughed and Colby turned to her and asked.
"What's so funny?"
"Riley is acting just like you looking out of the window" Liz replied as they neared the farm house.
Colby just shook his head but smiled when Riley scrambled up against the window after seeing the wide open space of the farm.
Soon Colby's parents and grandparents had met Riley and had fallen in love with him.
"Are you sure we can't keep him here?" asked Ellie looking at her youngest grandson who was crouched in front of Riley.
"No!" smiled Colby, "Riley is coming home with me. Aren't you boy?" Riley jumped up barking leaning his paws on Colby's legs. Colby threw a ball and Riley ran after it, but when Colby went to take the ball back Riley just ran around him and took off with Colby chasing after him.
Liz and Anne laughed as they watched Colby try to corner Riley, but Riley always managed to escape Colby's grasp.
"I'm happy for Colby" said Anne turning to Liz, "whenever he calls he's always telling me about the team. But he mostly talks to me about you and David; it makes me happy knowing he's found some really good friends who he can trust and not only that. Friends I know he can trust and who I can trust to try their best to bring my son home every day"
Liz smiled "we're more of a family then a team really"
Anne nodded, "it also comforts me knowing that he has found someone to be with that he cares deeply about"
Liz's smile grew and felt that she could tell Anne anything and found herself saying, "You might find this odd, but even though Colby and I have only been dating for two weeks I think that I've fallen in love with him"
Anne leaned over and patted Liz's hand, "that doesn't sound odd at all honey. In fact to me that sounds like you've found 'the one' and I couldn't be happier that you and Colby have chosen to be together. Because to me you two seem to compliment the other".
Liz leaned over and hugged Anne, and then they turned back to watch Colby still try and capture Riley.
The next morning Liz opened her bedroom door to see the door to Colby's bedroom was wide open and knowing Colby always shut his door she went to investigate. She had to cover her mouth so not to laugh loudly. Colby was lying on his side facing the door with Riley (who must have found a way to open Colby's door) lying across him with his head lying next to Colby's.
Liz closed the door quietly to let the two sleep. And engrained the image into her memory never wanting to forget the cutest images she had ever seen.
Colby woke up half an hour later when Riley moved his head on top of Colby's.
"Riley!" complained Colby, Riley looked at him with wide eyes begging Colby to let him stay on the bed. "Riley get off!" admonished Colby gently. Riley sighed, got up and stood up placing his weight on Colby's side for a few moments before he jumped off the bed. Colby watched Riley leave the room and shook his head. He guessed that Riley sleeping on his bed was going to be a regular thing.
Colby then turned over and fell asleep again.
When Colby finally emerged from his room he walked downstairs and for some reason was drawn to looking out the kitchen window and smiled seeing Liz playing catch with Riley and was teaching him to give the ball back.
Colby jumped when he heard his mom speak from next to him, "you've found a good woman Colby, one who returns your feelings"
"What feelings?" asked Colby, he wasn't ready for this conversation so early into the relationship especially with his mom.
Anne smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know you care deeply for Liz, I heard it whenever you would talk about her on the phone. Trust me Colby she's 'the one', whatever happens don't let her go" Anne then turned and left the room, Colby stood there for a moment longer before he walked outside and made his way over to Liz.
He stood next to Liz and sucked in a breath, no time like the present to talk to Liz about what his mom just talked to him about. "Er…Liz"
"Yeah" said Liz looking sideways at Colby.
Colby took another deep breath, "I love you"
Liz smiled broadly, "I love you to"
"Yeah?" asked Colby,
Liz nodded. Colby held out his hand and Liz took it and together they walked with Riley yapping at their heels.
A/N More sequels to follow!
