AN-This is it, the final chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 7.

When Brody woke to the sound of her alarm she reached across expecting to feel Pride next to her but the bed was empty and cold. Sitting up she reached over and knocked the alarm off before getting out of bed. Picking up the shirt she had now decided she would wash and make Pride wear again as it was starting to lose his smell. Putting it one she looked out the window and was relieved to see Prides car still parked up, at least he hadn't left. As she left the bedroom she was on her way downstairs when she was greeted with an amazing smell coming from the kitchen. Entering the kitchen she found Pride standing in boxers and an apron cooking breakfast.

"Good morning, hope you hungry. I went and bought breakfast since you had nothing but coffee in" as he placed some bacon on to a plate.

"For once I actually am, must have been the extra activity I have been doing," as she came to stand next to him.

"Need a hand with anything?" As she looked around.

"You can finish the coffee off," nodding to the coffee cups.

Walking over to the coffee maker she poured out the coffee and placed the cups on the table. Hearing the toast pop up she took it out and put it on a plate before transferring it to the table as well. She turned to see if there was anything else she could do but was stopped by Pride standing in front of her with two plates of food. After he placed them on the table he gathered her in his arms.

"Good morning again" Kissing her as he made sure to tease her lips with his tongue making her part them so he could deepen the kiss.

"I thought you cooked breakfast, didn't realise you wanted me for breakfast." Pulling back a little laughing as he pouted at being stopped.

"Well eat then I can have you for second breakfast if we have time before work." Sitting at the table and making a start on breakfast.

Sitting down she ate her breakfast, enjoying every bite as she didn't do breakfast normally. When they were both finished they fought for the shower but they both won as they shared and managed to make love before they got out. As they rushed around getting ready Pride got a call saying they had a case so they had an even big rush on getting ready. Finally, they were both ready to leave and head out the door. Grabbing bags from behind the door they set off to meet LaSalle at the scene.

After processing the scene they headed back to the office and set about sifting through evidence and crime scene photos. Loretta was doing the autopsy so everything was covered. After looking through photos and getting the results back from Loretta it turned out they had a suicide on their hands. They shifted through events and after a round or rock, paper, scissors at who got to tell the wife that the reason was an affair gone bad that he didn't want her knowing about.

When Brody and LaSalle got back from telling the wife after Brody lost and ended up telling her they found lunch ready in the kitchen.

"So you both sorted out what you want to do now?" LaSalle asked as they all sat eating lunch.

Pride and Brody looked at each other and then at LaSalle before one of them answered.

"Yes Christopher we have and it seems that the thing we both want is each other. We have no idea if it will work but it's worth a try" as he finished his meal and picked his coffee cup.

"Am happy for you both, does that mean I need a new drinking buddy or can we share her?" LaSalle asked seeing Brody laugh.

"Well as long as it's just drinking you want her for then am sure I can manage that. As long as I get to tag along, don't forget I seen the state you get into when you both start" as he looked at them both.

"The state we get into! Someone seems to have forgotten how drunk he was the other night" LaSalle said to Brody.

"Good point. So that means we have to take Loretta to keep you sober then since as soon as she left you joined in the fun" Brody pointed out to Pride.

"I am not getting into this, just eat up and drink your coffee," Pride told the two agents as they tried to stop laughing.

"Brody before I forget there's a form on your desk I need you to sign asap so I can send it off," Pride told her as he looked at her.

"Sure, I will do it after this" as she gave him a quizzical look.

When she finished her lunch Brody went and checked her desk to find a holiday form filled in just waiting for her signature. Picking the form up she went out to the courtyard to find Pride.

"What's this?" As she waved the form at Pride.

"It's a holiday form, though that was obvious" as Pride looked between the form and Brody.

"Why, where am I going?" Brody asked.

"Home" Pride replied.

"Home! No, no way. I am not going home" Brody shot back.

"Yes, we are going home. You need time to sort through things and that's a good place to start" Pride told Brody.

"We? What do you mean we?" As she came to stand right in front of Pride.

"We as in us, have a few days booked off to go home and settle a few issues," as Pride stood from the table so he came toe to toe with Brody.

"You want to come home with me! Why? There is nothing there for you." Brody asked Pride as she now looked at him trying to work out what the hell he was playing at.

"You are there and your sister is there, so I need to be there" Pride responded.

At the mention of her sister, Brody felt like she had been winded. She staggered a little and grabbed the chair to keep herself upright. Pride saw her move and was at her side with his arm around her waist.

"I got you, I won't let you fall. You need to do this to move on from the past. You can't do it on your own so we will do it together. You won't have to do anything like this again on your own. I am here and I will always be here." As he pulled her into his arms.

They stood like that till a Brody pulled away. She pulled a pen out her pocket and signed the form before she passed it to Pride.

"When we due to leave?" As Brody looked at the form in Prides hand.

"Tomorrow. Booked on a flight first thing in the morning" Pride replied as he watched Brody to make sure she was okay.

"We better hurry and wrap up here so we can pack" as Brody moved away back into the office.

Following her inside he went to his desk and finished the report he had before shutting everything down and heading upstairs to pack. Brody finished her report and packed her files away before shutting her computer down. Once she was done she sat back down at her desk and let herself get lost in thought. She knew doing this was for the best but it didn't make it any easier to do. Going home to face her past would be tough but she wanted, no needed to move on and this was the way to do it.

Pride watched her from the top of the stairs before he came down with his bags. He could see her thinking of the trip home and facing the demons that were there waiting for her. He knew she could never do this trip alone and that was why he needed to go. He needed to be there for the highs and the lows that would come from facing her past.

Walking down and up to her desk, he stopped just inside her field of vision. She looked up when she saw him and smiled. Yes, she could do this, with him by her side she could do anything. Bidding farewell to Chris they left the office and headed to her house so she could pack. Once packed the bags were put in the car ready to leave next morning.

The rest of the night was spent with Brody finally telling Pride about her parents and her family. Finally opening up and let someone in to see the real Meredith Brody underneath. When they headed to bed for an early night Pride made sure everything was ready for the early departure.

As they made love Pride made sure he showed Brody what a long-term commitment meant when he knew just where to touch her to get a response and how to get her to scream his name as she hit her peak.

As they lay together Brody finally realised that what she had been running away from all these years was the one thing she was looking for. She wanted to be loved by someone who knew her and would help her move past her sister's death. She wanted to sleep and wake in the same strong pair of arms that protected her. She wanted what she had now but she wanted more. She wanted the happy ever after and she wasn't sure if she would get it. As well as the dress and the ring she wanted the children too. She knew it was another thing to add to the list of questions that needed answering. As she fell asleep she wondered if them leaving as a couple would mean they came back as a couple if she asked him what she wanted to ask. Only time would tell.

After an early start they made good time and as the plane touched down in Brody's hometown she looked at Pride and held his hand tight like he was a lifeline. She didn't let go as they got off the pane or when they picked their bags up or even on the cab ride to Brody's parent's house. After the introductions where done Brody took Pride to her old room which they were stopping in while they stayed. Once they were in the room and they had shut the door and put their bags down she barreled into him as she wrapped herself so tightly around him he could hardly breathe.

"Hey it's okay, I still got you." Feeling her crumble in his arms.

He stood for a minute or so before working his way to the bed and lying down with her letting her yet again wrap herself so tight around him he couldn't move. He stroked her hair and placed kisses on her face as she cried into his shoulder. When she finally cried herself to sleep he held her against him just as tight until he fell asleep.

When they woke a few hours later then got up and freshened up before heading downstairs for dinner. Brody brought the subject up off Emily and her behaviour afterwards and apologised to her parents for her actions. Her parents spoke of their dismay at the time about the way she went on and how she pushed them away. How she always seemed to run away instead of facing her problems. It was a very emotionally charged evening for Brody and her parents as they all dealt with the past and how it affected the present. After lots of tears shed by Brody's parents and quite a few from Brody they bid each other goodnight and Brody's parents went to bed.

Brody wanted to sit for a bit with Pride as he held her against his side till he felt her fall asleep. Standing up he lifted her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Before tucking her into bed he removed as much of her clothes as he could without waking her too much before taking his clothes off and joining her in bed. As if some magic power was pulling her Brody moved to Pride when he got into bed and buried herself in his embrace. She slept like that all night, never moving from his arms where she felt safe.

When morning arrived she told her parent they were going to Emily grave and her parent nodded their agreement asking if she wanted them to go with her. She told them it was something she had to do on her own with Pride, explaining she needed her future with her to deal with her past. Her parents understood but gave Pride a contact number just in case they were needed. On the drive to the cemetery, Pride noticed the closer they got the quieter Brody became. When they finally arrived they sat parked for nearly fifteen minutes before she even opened the car door to get out.

As they walked towards Emily grave Pride watched out the corner of his eye to make sure Brody actually made it to the grave as they stopped several times before getting there. When they finally arrived Pride stepped back and let Brody approached on her own but stayed close enough for when the time came to catch her as she fell. Sure enough, after laying her hand on the headstone and in a whispered voice speaking to her sister her legs started to give way as the enormity of her grief hit her and she collapsed. Pride caught her and he lowered them both to the floor as the years of grief and anguish finally came pouring out. She clung to him as she let her Heart finally begin the process of letting go of the guilt and the pain she had felt since her sister's death.

What neither Pride nor Brody knew was the fact Brody's parents followed them to the cemetery to make sure their daughter was okay. When they saw her collapse they were about to intervene when they saw how quick Pride reacted and caught her. How he held her as she finally started to comes to terms with what had happened eight years ago. They came away from the cemetery knowing that their daughter was in safe hands and the man who was introduced to them as her boss was a whole lot more than that. The could see in the way he caught her and the way he held her not to mention the way he looked at her. This man if they were not mistaken would become family one day and they could live with that.

As he sat with her in the cemetery Pride wished he could take her pain away but he knew it would take time. He knew there would be days when she was her normal chipper self but there would be days when all she did was cry. He would be there for both as best as she could be. He also knew what she wanted for the future and he had to admit it was a scary prospect but as things stood what Meredith Brody wanted Meredith Brody got if he could do it. It would be on top of the bucket list of to do's when they got home. For now though, he was content to sit like this and let her grieve for her sister and the let lost years ease their way out of her system.

He knew when they left they would leave as a couple and stay as a couple. They had seen and done too much in these past few days to have it any other way.