A/N: Thank you all for your awesome reviews! I am sorry I'm taking such a long time in updating my fics, I'm working crazy hours and I just can't seem to get to the writing. Which sucks because then I end up forgetting. Anyway, hope you'll like this chapter as well! Comments are my sunshine!

He waited.

He was sitting by the window as he saw her detail pulling up the drive way. He jumped, calling "She's here" to his children. He was so thankful at that moment that he knew she was sitting, alive, in one of those cars; That no one was going to knock on his door with a sad face, giving him horrible news, trying but failing to console him.

He was on his way to the door when she came in. The first thing he noticed was how pale she was, and that made her look weak and small. He wondered how it was possible that she changed so much in such a short time. The second thing he noticed was that each step involved great pain. It was beginning to sink- the understanding she was like a wounded solider returning from war, and unseen injuries will unfold in time. The third thing he noticed was how she barely blinked, as if afraid to close her eyes for one second because all the memories came floating. The forth thing he noticed, when she was already in his arms, was how stiff her body was, how she was unable to relax, even with him wrapping her. The fifth thing he noticed was that she didn't move her right arm. He didn't know if she was paralyzed or just in too much pain. He was still trying to assess the damages when their children came rushing down the stairs, throwing themselves at her, hugging and kissing her. And then he noticed the sixth thing- she was thrilled to see them, she was. He could see on her face that she really thought she wouldn't live the day to watch them grow older. But she was also terrified, of the world perhaps. She was trying to hold on to them, as if they were fading away.

"Are you hungry? I'll make you dinner, whatever you choose".

"No, thanks Noodle, but I'm not really hungry".

Henry took one more glance at his wife to see she was exhausted. He gave Stevie a look and she understood his unspoken request – don't push her, she wasn't the same person who left just a few days ago. Putting an arm on Alison's shoulder she said "Come on you dorks, let's watch a movie".

Henry smiled at his daughter, mouthing thank you to her as they faded into the living room. He rested his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back and she flinched, moving from his touch. That was the seventh thing he noticed- she was probably standing with her back to the window when the explosion happened, and she must have cuts all over her back. "I'm sorry" he whispered.

Elizabeth smiled, resting her hand on his chest, right where his heart was beating. She needed so badly to feel the beating of his heart, to know it wasn't a dream, that she really came home, and was really standing with him at that moment.

"How about a glass of wine, a bath and then sleep? Sounds like a plan to you?" he asked, taking her hand in his, needing desperately to feel the warmth of her skin.

"Yes. But…" she started, not quite finding the words.

Henry understood – she was probably unable to undress alone. "Do you want me to get Stevie?"

"No. God no. I don't mind you seeing me naked" she smiled. "I just, it looks pretty bad Henry".

"Babe, I've seen people without arms and legs, I'm pretty sure I can survive your injuries" That was a blunt lie. He have seen injuries by far worse than hers, that part was true. But none of those people were his wife, and the thought of her hurt, even if it was just a small scratch, hurt him deeply, a pain he never thought he could actually feel.

She bought his lie, because at that moment she was too tired to think. All she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep, hoping to silence the ringing in her ears.

As they stood in the bathroom he tugged her hair behind her ear, smiling at her. "Where does it hurt? So I'll be careful".

"It hurts pretty much everywhere, but I've got about 20 stiches on my back, and some pretty bad cuts on my arm. Also, I dislocated my shoulder so it hurts to even move it".

Henry nodded. He carefully tugged the end of her sweater and she lifted her left arm. Slowly and carefully he removed the sweater, unveiling scars and bruises that covered her body. She let out a sigh when the sweater was off and gave him a light smile.

"You need a minute babe?"

"Yeah, it really hurts".

Henry caressed her cheek carefully and she closed her eyes leaning into his hand, falling into his touch. "Will it hurt if I kiss you?" He asked.

"Never" she said, moving closer to him.

His lips only brushed hers at first, but then he deepened the kiss, his tongue swirling in her mouth, lips covering hers completely. It was desperate, yet gentle. It was loving and caring. It was saying I missed you and don't ever leave me.

When they broke the kiss his hands gently reached to the clasp of her bra, unhooking it and removing it slowly. He then bent down, removing her pants and panties slowly. He had to swallow hard at the sight of the bruises that covered her legs. He refused to believe that one of his worst nightmares might become a reality. He always feared she would be sexually assaulted in one way or another- she was sexy and beautiful and he heard too many horror stories when he was at the army. And then she was recruited to the CIA and was starting to run ops at the field and the fear just grew bigger. He always packed her bag with pepper spray and he once even taught her some defense moves, but she found it funny and told him he worries too much and that everything will be alright. And then she went to Iran and he couldn't stop thinking of the stories he heard about women who have been kidnapped and raped just because the troops were bored and lonely. Traveling to a country that never even banned rape was certainly not reassuring.

He peppered kisses on her stomach to distract himself from that sight and she laughed because it tickled.

Later in the shower she turned around so he can soap her back. It was then he saw the cuts and scratches that covered her entire back. He felt sick to his stomach when he saw the size of the cut on the lower part of her back. 20 stitches, he counted.

"Babe..."

"I thought you said you're a tough Marine!" She joked, turning her head to him, smiling.

"I am, it's just... It looks bad honey".

"Imagine how it feels" she smiled again.

"Babe I'm serious, it's infected".

"Yeah I know. The stitched were done by a medical officer at the bunker in Iran, and it wasn't very sterile. They gave me antibiotics in Landstuhl. Don't worry".

"You are going to a follow up right?"

"I will, I will".

Henry nodded and kissed her neck. "God it's good to have you back" he whispered.

He washed the soap from her and helped her out of the shower, wrapping her carefully in the towel. He then helped her to her pajamas, kissing her ever so often, trying to make up for the lost time. He always hated being apart from her, but this time was by far the hardest.

"Come on, let's get some sleep, we both need it" he said after getting into his boxers. She thanked him with another kiss, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her for a hug. He was desperate not to lose contact with her, needing to feel her close to him, as if to reassure him she was breathing, living, not an illusion.

"Do you mind sleeping on my side of the bed?"

"Babe I'd sleep on rocks and nails if you ask me, just as long as you're in my arms".

She smiled and snuggled next to him in bed and they both drifted into sleep, exhausted and overwhelmed.

Hours later he woke up. He had a nightmare that she never returned. He dreamt of burying her, of saying goodbye, of never seeing her again. He was crying in his sleep, mumbling I love you and I can't live without you. She finally woke up when he called out to her, saying "Elizabeth don't leave me, please". Tears were sliding down her cheeks as she realized Iran had affected him just as badly as it had affected her. He was a wreck, and he was trying to hold it together for her. She tried to wake him but he was deep in his sleep, in this nightmare. She got up, leaving his embrace. She couldn't bear the sound of him crying, the pain he was carrying. She realized he will never get over this, he will never be able to be apart from her without constantly worrying she might not return.

She sat on the couch in front of their bed and cried quietly as she watched him tossing and turning, as his mumbles echoed in her ears- My life is worthless without you, how could you leave me like that.

He finally woke up, gasping for air. He looked for her in bed next to him and panicked when he didn't feel her warmth next to him. He had to rub off the sleep to realize it was just a dream. And then he heard her quiet sobs from across the room. He sat up and saw her crawled like a child, sitting in the corner of the couch, crying.

"Hey hey baby!" He called, jumping out of bed and moving quickly to sit next to her. "Why didn't you wake me? You should wake me. Don't deal with this alone".

"I tried." She whispered. "I, you had a nightmare".

He looked down, not meeting her eyes, the sound of her sobs cutting through him. "I'm sorry" he said as he realized he was mumbling in his sleep.

"No, no! I am sorry Henry. I can't believe I put you through this".

"It doesn't matter anymore babe. You're here, you came back".

"It does. You will live with this for a long time now. I'm sorry I did this to you. I hate myself for this".

"No! Don't! Baby you've been through enough, don't put this on yourself as well. It's not your fault that I'm helplessly in love with you. Don't worry about me, I will eventually let you out of my sight without calling you every 5 seconds". He smiled, hoping to cheer her up, to lift this burden from her. "Baby, promise me you're not going to make this your fault, please".

"I promise I'll try. But I am sorry". She said as he wiped the tears from her eyes. "And for the record, I don't mind you calling me every 5 seconds". She smiled softly as he tugged her hair behind her ear.

They were staring at each other for a few minutes, both wondering what the other one was thinking.

"Henry, I wasn't raped" she suddenly said.

His eyes opened wide and he wondered if he said something in his sleep about this, or if he was that see-through that she knew exactly what was on his mind. "What?"

"I saw the way you looked at the wounds on my legs. I wasn't raped".

He stared at her, unable to find the words to the thoughts that ran wildly in his head.

"Henry, they gave me a rape test. I'm not hiding this from you. I… When we arrived to Landstuhl I... My panties were bloody and I had these wounds on my legs. So they did a rape test".

He suddenly felt his head heavy on his shoulders, the room was spinning. He tried to hold on to what she opened with, but he couldn't help but picture her in those bloody panties, not knowing what had happened. "And?" He was finally able to ask.

"And the blood was Fred's. It soaked through my clothes. No one touched me".

"You are not just saying it so I wouldn't worry?"

"Henry, I wouldn't lie to you about it. I swear".

Henry nodded, kissing her softly. "Thanks God" he whispered. "I couldn't live with the thought you went through something so terrible. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you".

"Henry, you can't protect me from everything. Things happen. Terrible things happen. It's just the way life is".

"I know, but still..."

"No, don't carry this weight. It will take its toll if you do. I don't want that for any of us".

He wanted to promise her he will do better, but since the day he met her, he always felt this desperate need to protect her, at all cost, too frightened to lose her. Instead he just pulled her into his arms and kissed her tears, then her eyes and her nose and finally her lips.

"Elizabeth I love you".

"I love you too".