CHAPTER 1

Adjusting

Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful

United States Marine Corps Motto

Their fingers were interlocked—Alex' on top showing she was the more dominant one in the relationship—as they walked out of the busy bus station to the parking lot filled with cars.

"How was your flight? Marissa asked softly. She couldn't get close enough to the blonde.

Alex smiled lovingly and wrapped her arm around Marissa's waist as they walked across the one-way lane of traffic. "Long, very, very long. I'm exhausted."

Marissa nodded and dug into her pocket for the keys to Alex' Jeep. "Well, everyone was planning a welcome back dinner for you tonight, do you want me to cancel it? It's at Chloe's." She held the keys out to her lover.

Alex unwrapped her arm from around Marissa's waist and took the keys as they came up on the black Jeep. She tossed her jacket and duffel bag in the back then pulled Marissa to her, "I think I can handle a dinner. But tonight…you and me?"

Marissa smiled with a nod of her head, "yeah…you and me."

The blonde leant forward and kissed her partner softly but with equal passion. She took a step back then reached up to cup Marissa's soft, sun kissed cheek, "I missed you so much."

Marissa looked down as Alex' blue orbs seared into her then back up slowly, "I missed you too."

They stood that way for a mere few minutes before Alex dropped her hand and nodded towards the Jeep, "come on, lets go home and get showered up then go eat. It's been too long since I've had a good home cooked meal."

Alex directed the jeep expertly into the entrance parking garage, stopping to get a ticket from the machine that spit one out to her then drove on once the gate lifted. She maneuvered the vehicle gracefully up a couple flights before finding a spot on the designated floor they wanted and pulled into the space. She killed the lights and the engine and retracted the keys from the ignition then looked over at Marissa.

Marissa cocked her head to the side as she looked at her partner, now in civilian clothes, "what?"

Alex shook her head with a small smile, "nothin', I just can't look at you enough to make this feel real…that I'm actually home."

Marissa reached over and placed a hand gently on the muscular leg of the blonde, "well it's real…and I'm not letting you go anywhere anytime soon."

Alex leant over and kissed Marissa softly, "I don't plan on leaving you again for awhile. Come on, lets go eat then we can go home and…do some things we haven't done since the night before my deployment."

Marissa bit her lip with a shy smile and nodded, "sounds like we have the same plan."

Alex chuckled and kissed her one more time before unbuckling her seat belt and climbing out of the Jeep. Marissa followed in suit and joined Alex at the rear of the four by four Wrangler.

They walked in silence, their arms around one another. You'd think they'd be talking, but having the other in one another's presence was enough to fill that void that'd been there for half a year. Their steps echoed on the cement walls as they walked to the steel door. Alex pulled it open, allowing Marissa to go first then entered after her, bracing her hand on the door so it wouldn't slam shut. Marissa watched with a small smile as Alex let the door shut quietly. Alex looked up once the door was shut and smiled as she took Marissa's hand, "I hate when it slams, I've heard enough loudness to last me a lifetime."

Marissa nodded in understanding and let Alex lead her up the small set of steps and into the corridor filled with four different apartment doors.

"Nervous?" Marissa asked as they approached the furthest door from them.

Alex shook her head, "nah, excited."

Marissa smiled, "more excited than when you saw me?"

Alex laughed lightly and shook her head again, "no way."

Marissa smiled and rapped her knuckles on the door. They waited patiently for an answer and smiled as the door opened seconds later.

Chloe grinned widely and held the door open completely for the couple to enter. "Alex and Marissa are here!" She announced.

The guests looked up from their conversations, each with a smile and started to surround the Sergeant Major. They each leaned in, wanting hugs from her.

Marissa watched as Alex held to her hand with one hand and hugged their friends with her other arm. She couldn't help but notice how the dark jeans she wore now were a little loose on the blonde's hips—but they still looked very good on her. She also caught the way the muscles in her back would come out through the thin gray half-sleeve button up sweater she wore—they were defined. And her hair was as blonde as ever as it cascaded like a silk blanket over her shoulders.

"Are you glad to have her back, Coop?" She was knocked out of her reverie when the short brunette popped up next to Marissa. Marissa smiled with nod of her head.

"Yeah…" She continued to watch how the blonde conversed with everyone. The distinct way her nose would wrinkle before she laughed. The way her eyes lit up as she would look at a little girl hiding behind her mother.

Alex looked back over her shoulder, now thoroughly sucked into the crowd of people and out of Marissa's reach. She smiled as she caught sight of the woman, her mouth still moving as she spoke.

Marissa smiled and leaned her head to the side with her arms over her chest.

"She looks different," Summer let out.

Marissa looked down briefly then back to Alex and nodded, "yeah, I guess she does. But she's still the Alex I remember."

Summer looked at Marissa with a broad smile. It was amazing the transformation the tall woman made in matter of weeks. If you'd met Marissa Cooper three weeks prior she would have been a pulled back, emotional wreck of a person. And now, she had a glow around her all thanks to the blonde in the room that brought it all out of her.

Marissa excused herself from Summer and started for Alex.

Alex smiled as she felt Marissa's slender hands slip around her side and sidle up to her. She looked to her side and kissed Marissa's forehead. Her arm slid around Marissa's thin waist and rested her hand on Marissa's hip, her thumb hooked in the belt loop of Marissa's jeans.

Jodie leaned her head to the side as she watched the small endearment between the two.

"Hey, Riss," Jodie nodded her head at the taller woman and took a drink of the beer in her hand.

Alex watched Marissa silently as Marissa smiled gently and nodded back at the officer, "hey Jodie. Where's Chanel?" It was amazing how far the two had come, at once hating each other to now being nearly as close as Alex and Jodie were.

Jodie nodded down the hallway, "dinner time. I should probably go check on them, call me tomorrow, Alex. It was good seeing you, Riss." Jodie dismissed herself from the couple, leaving them in a comfortable silence with one another.

Alex squeezed Marissa's hip, "wanna sneak out to the balcony? I could use a cigarette."

Marissa nodded, "yeah, sure, some fresh air sounds good. You can go on out, I'll grab us a couple beers?"

Alex smiled gratefully and pressed her lips gently to Marissa's, "see you out there."

She lay with one arm across her stomach and the other around Marissa, staring at the ceiling. It was four-thirty in the morning and it was quiet, aside from the soft breathing of Marissa cuddled up next to her. A quiet she was not used to. It was habit to wake up so early, no matter how much or how little sleep she got. She and Marissa had fallen asleep two hours earlier, both exhausted from their love making. She'd been awake for thirty minutes now and sleep wouldn't claim her.

With a sigh, Alex gently maneuvered herself from Marissa and sat up on the edge of the bed. Her feet hit the cool hard wood floor of their bedroom as she stood from the bed. She carefully pulled open the drawers of her dresser and pulled out a spaghetti strap camisole and a pair of boy-short panties. Once she had them on, she padded silently out of the large bedroom towards the kitchen of the loft-style apartment.

She sat in the living room five minutes later with a glass of hot tea. She had her feet tucked under her as she cradled the cup in her hands. The street lights outside lit the apartment just enough for her to finally take in the solace of their home. She smiled as she noticed Marissa left everything the way it was when she had left. Her cell phone charger cord still sat idly on the floor next to the shelf that held the stereo. All the DVD's were still lined up neatly in the entertainment center, and the remotes were always where she had left them when she was done watching TV, on the right side of the coffee table. Marissa did a good job of preserving everything so she would feel right at home.

Her tea half gone now, she leant her head back on the dark green suede overstuffed couch and smiled as thoughts of Marissa filled her mind. Her hair was longer now, and it had highlights to tone it up. The curls made her look even more stunning than she was six months ago. Her sea green eyes showed all the love in the world that she held for Alex.

Her body finally started to loosen up but she still held the coffee cup with tea in her hands firmly. Slowly, sleep started to claim her.

Marissa's eyes fluttered open as the space next to her grew cooler. She felt around for Alex, but the blonde wasn't there and her eyes opened fully. She sat up slowly and looked around the room—their clothes were still on the floor so it wasn't a dream that Alex was home. With sleep still weighing on her shoulders, she crawled out of the bed, pulled the blue robe on that hung on the bed post at the foot of the bed and walked quietly out of the room in search of her lover.

She raked a hand tiredly through her hair as she descended the steps. As she reached the floor she stifled a yawn with her hand over her mouth then smiled when she made out the silhouette of Alex asleep on the couch.

Gently, she took the cup of cooled tea and set it on the end table next to the couch and gently placed a hand on the blonde's soft cheek, "baby?" Her voice was quiet.

Alex stirred and her eyes slowly opened. She moaned and sat up straight when she saw Marissa peering at her. "Hey, I couldn't sleep. Are you okay?" Her voice was full of sleep.

Marissa nodded with a tired smile, "yeah, just woke up cause you weren't next to me. Do you wanna come back to bed?"

Alex nodded and let her legs out from under her, "yeah. Only for a couple hours…then I wanna go for a run."

Marissa smiled and led Alex back to their bedroom, stopping in the kitchen to put the cup in the sink.