Two Months Later

"Babe, do you want to come over to my parent's house? We're having a family dinner," Stephanie said, walking into the home gym. I spotted her just wearing a bikini and I realised she must have gone for a swim. I lifted my weights back up and motioned her over to me. She walked over to me and I positioned her in between my legs, her stomach level with my face.

"Do I have to?" I asked, looking at her.

"No, but I'd like it if you did." She replied. I had been home for two months and I still hadn't spoken to Shane. I couldn't, I had too much built up anger.

"All right, I'll come," I said. Stephanie smiled and I pressed my lips against her stomach.

"Hello baby," I said, talking to our unborn child.

"Well, I'm gonna go get in a shower and get ready so finish your workout and then come upstairs all right?" Stephanie said. I nodded my head and then I pulled her closer.

"Sit down, a minute." I said. Stephanie nodded and straddled my lap. I smiled and pressed my lips against hers softly.

"Let me finish my reps while you sit there, then we'll get in a shower together." I said. Stephanie nodded and I lay back down, grabbing the bar and finishing my workout.

"Will I be able to grab a run in at your parent's before dinner?" I asked, as we got changed.

"Yeah Mr I'm-Going-To-Avoid-Everyone, you can go for a run." Stephanie said, sliding her jeans on. I lay back on the bed and she came over and jumped on top of me. As my eyes raked over her body, I noticed she hadn't buttoned her jeans up yet and I could see her black underwear. We had just made love in the shower but I wanted her all over again. I wanted to feel her warm tongue running along my neck. I could still taste her in my mouth. I stared at Stephanie with my eyes full of lust and she smirked cheekily.

"You are not making us late," She whispered.

"Aw, come on," I said, slightly pouting. Stephanie shook her head and sat up. She was still sitting on me and her teasing smirk told me that she could feel my hardness beneath her. She stood up and finished getting dressed.

"Let's go honey," She said. I nodded my head and we left the house.

"Remember; don't tell anyone I'm pregnant." Steph said as she locked the front door. I nodded my head again and smiled softly at her.

When we arrived at her parents, I went out the back to start my run.

"Sergeant," I heard Shane say. My body stiffened and I turned around to face Shane.

"What," I said.

"Can we talk?" Shane replied.

"I'm going for a jog." I answered.

"I'll come with you." He said.

"McMahon, don't you get it! It is because of your stupidity that Orton lost his leg and Wilson and Gabriel were killed. I've got Nattie Wilson calling me up trying to find out where you live so she can kill you herself. You do realise she has five kids she has to raise single-handedly now? The triplets have only just hit six months old." I said. Shane stared at me and his jaw clenched.

"Junior, Stewie, Indiana, Jessica and Laura will never get to know their father Shane and it's because of you! Gabriel will never get to meet his unborn child because of you! And Orton, he will never get to run with Alanna and the rest of his kids again and that is because of you!" I said.

"They went along with it," Shane said softly.

"No, you forced them to." I said angrily. I pulled my shirt off and showed him the scar on my chest.

"I got this trying to get you all to come back. You almost killed me as well Shane! Just leave me alone all right? You have lost all of my respect!" I said. I took off jogging and I jumped the small fence at the back to run around the land behind their house.

After a while, I couldn't run anymore. I walked back to the house and as I made it to the back porch, I realised I was crying. I sat on the steps and cried. Shane had led the boys into a known bomb site and sure enough the bomb went off. Shane was lucky he'd survived it unscathed but it had dwelled a lot of resentment amongst the boys. Gabriel and Wilson were natural-born soldiers and Shane didn't understand the severity of the situation he had put himself in. I heard the back door open and I wiped my eyes.

"Hey," I heard Stephanie say. I heard the emotion in her voice and I wanted to turn around but I couldn't.

"I uh, heard what you said to Shane before." Stephanie said. I nodded and sniffed.

"They were my platoon Steph, like brothers to me." I said. Steph sat next to me and I wrapped my arm around her.

"Do you understand?" I asked, looking at her. Stephanie nodded my head and pressed her lips against mine.

"I understand completely Paul but I don't think my family will be that uh... understanding." Stephanie said. I nodded and stood up.

"Come on honey," I said. Stephanie stood up and I walked inside with her following me.

"Stephanie may I have a word?" Her Dad asked stiffly. Stephanie nodded and followed her Dad out of the room. I spotted Shane and realised that I couldn't stay mad at him anymore, he was a part of my platoon and therefore was like a brother to me. I sat down next to him and held my hand out. He stared at me and grabbed my hand. I held it and looked into his eyes.

"I was out of line," I said. Shane started crying and wiped his eyes.

"I regret every minute of it," He whispered. I nodded and placed my hand on his back. I heard yelling and Shane looked up.

"Dad doesn't like the way you talked to me." Shane sighed. I nodded and stood up. I walked over to where I heard the yelling and opened the door. Stephanie was sitting on a sofa crying and Vince glared at me.

"Get away from her; you are not going to have anything to do with her anymore!" Vince yelled.

"Daddy, please!" Stephanie begged. I stood there and I could feel the whole world come crashing down around me.

"Get out of my house and don't you dare come back." Vince yelled. I looked at Stephanie and she stared at me sadly.

"Just go," She mouthed. I nodded my head and turned to leave the house, leaving my whole life behind me, in tears.

"Steph, you don't have to listen to him," I said, talking to her on the phone that night.

"If I don't, he'll disown me." Steph whispered.

"So you're willing to give away everything just to listen to your Dad?" I asked.

"It's not like that," Stephanie said.

"It seems as though it is Stephanie and I can't believe that you would do that to me." I said. I hung up and threw my phone across the room. I picked my home phone up and dialled in a number.

"Major Reynolds? It's Sergeant Levesque. I want to reenlist and I want to get out of this country as soon as possible." I said.