This is my sequel to my story, "The Loss." I always felt bad adding more to the original story, but felt that was what my readers wanted. I decided to make us both happy, and leave the original where I wanted and a sequel where they would like it to continue. Everyone is happy. So, this is a JE, Babe, taking place after the loss. Enjoy!

A/N: Character's internal thoughts are in Italic.

"Wait. How long?" That can't be right.

"A month." Les repeated softly. "You haven't left the apartment in a month."

I looked around at the monitor room at all the men's faces, while my brain tried to understand Les's words. They didn't look like my Merry Men anymore, the family I knew and loved. Anguish twisted some of their faces, causing me to look away quickly before it over took me again. Anger was prevalent in others, but in a few of the men's eyes I saw hope, and a hint of a smile as they looked at me. Hope in me? That's when it hit me. I had left them. Abandoned them. "Too." My mind whispered, and I felt the familiar pain pushing to return to the home it had made in my chest. No. Not now. Not again. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head and fought back this time. "No."

"You okay, Steph? Maybe we should go back..."

"No." I interrupted, looking him straight in the eye. "No."

This brought a small smile to his face, and just for a moment, I caught a glimpse of my old Les. Before I knew it, I felt my cheeks pull up in a smile. The pain in my chest receded, and was replaced with warmth. I thanked Les with a kiss on the cheek, before turning to smile at the men, my family.

One by one, I saw smiles returned to those haggard faces as I scanned the room. The unmistakable expression of relief from Hal's face stopped me. Crossing the room, I wrapped my arms around him.

"I'm sorry." My words muffled as he bear hugged me in return.

"We love you, Steph. You're family. No need to apologize. We understand."

His words brought tears to my eyes. Tears were all too familiar to me lately. This time, instead of the painful sting they usually brought, the warmth in my chest grew. I felt overwhelmed by the love from my friends, my family.

My family. Oh no!

"Oh shit." The realization began to hit me. "Oh shit!" I pushed out of Hal's hug, and began to franticly pace back and forth. "My family!" My voice screeched. "They must be freaking out! I didn't call. Hell, I don't even know where my phone is!" Hector appeared out of no where holding a phone out to me. "Gracias." I starred down at the screen, and saw the phone call and message icons were both showing over a hundred. "I missed all those Sunday dinners!" I was beginning to go into hysterics. My hands tried desperately to push my wild curls from my face. "My mother must have burned up the iron!"

"What?" Woody questioned while he and the others watch me, their heads moving with my pacing.

"What?" I stopped. "Oh. When her nerves are shot, she irons. It's usually me that drives her to iron."

I could picture her ironing away in the kitchen. When she went through all the laundry, she would grab anything she could find. "One time, after I showed up to Sunday dinner with a black eye, complements from a skip, she started ironing the washcloths. I remember Grandma laughing, and bring her the dish towels to do next." I remember giggling at that, too. That got me thinking. "I'm surprised Grandma hasn't come by."

That brought a groan from the men.

"What?" She is a handful, but...

"She has."

Did Tank just roll his eyes when he said that? I blinked. No. I must be seeing things.

"Hal threatened to quit if we let her back into the monitor room." He continued.

I turned to Hal, and gestured at his abundant muscular stature. "Oh come on. You can't handle a little old lady?"

"She sat on my lap." He mumbled.

"Well, that doesn't sound so..."

"And tried to give me a lap dance."

"So bad." I continued. "Yeah. Yeah, that does."

Thanks for reading!