... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Chapter 14 – Homecoming

Four months passed with minimal communication from the Hudsons. Ted Garrett relayed each message to everyone in the unit, but most were still too shocked to follow the string of events. They simply couldn't believe Jack and Sue would willingly put themselves in danger without prior approval. It was so impulsive, so erratic. There wasn't a day that went by without anxious discussion of their welfare.

Of course it was tempting to blame it all on Ted and his statutes. Lucy never did manage to discover what was in the second envelope she delivered. She and the others had all sorts of theories – none of which were close to the truth – that those papers were responsible for the Hudsons' departure.

It wasn't entirely unreasonable for them to think so. Jack and Sue get trapped into marriage, Jack and Sue get trapped into a risky undercover mission in Paki-raq-ighan-wherever. Their location jumped all over the Middle Eastern map each week.

All those on home soil could do was pray, as Sue herself would have advised. They prayed to see their friends return safe and healthy, and if they brought news of Joseph's demise, that would be icing on the cake.

Four months to the day after their disappearance, they returned with that plus a little more.

Ted received a phone call just before five one evening. It was Jack, telling him to inform the others to expect his and Sue's return the following day. That left the office just one night to decorate and arrange appropriate fanfare. Streamers and balloons filled the space like a compact circus, and a huge banner hung with jubilant expressions filling it.

When the pair walked through the door, they were assaulted with hugs. Jack and Sue reacted as gracefully as they could, though Jack vainly tried to keep the men from squeezing Sue too hard.

The flurry of warm welcomes subsided enough to let Jack relay their captivating story. They'd spent the first month shadowing VanderWylen, whom they came to realize was Arif Dessa in disguise. From there they traveled to the Arab Emirates to seek assistance from the US Embassy there. The progress they made was too great to abandon any sooner than they did. In the end, Dessa and a sizeable part of his league were apprehended and sentenced to life imprisonment.

"Working with the Emirates was a fortunate thing," Jack concluded, looking at Sue with a gleam in his eyes. "In more ways than one."

Sue realized that was her cue. Blushing, she began to unbutton the wool coat she hadn't yet taken off. A collective gasp rose from their friends as they saw her stomach, bulging underneath her turtleneck sweater.

"I was glad these two were safe from the action," Jack pulled her closer, smiling like a fool.

All eyes were rounder than the moon. Everyone but Lucy was too stunned to speak.

"How far along…?"

"Eighteen weeks," Sue answered.

Myles instantly started counting in his head, using his fingers as he went along. "Aha! I knew it! I was right!"

"Right about what?" laughed Jack.

"Oh, nothing."

"Myles wanted us to place bets as to when you'd stop fighting Statute 545 and just… go with it," Bobby smirked.

Jack and Sue both turned bright red.

"Ah… well, if you must know," Jack coughed, "there was an affidavit involved."

"Sure. Of course there was," winked Myles.

"Whether it happened because of an affidavit or not, congratulations!" Lucy hugged them both again.

Ted, who'd been hovering behind everyone else, decided he'd speak. "So you two are happy? No more indignant invasions on my office?"

"No," Sue conceded. "Not unless there's a statute about stealing our baby and training him or her as an agent from birth."

Ted rubbed his chin, as if she'd raised a thought-provoking concept. "Hmm… I'll have to check on that and get back to you."

That earned a round of laughter from everyone. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned back to the Hudsons, who were smiling self-consciously from being the center of attention.

"So… I take it you'll be moving out of our place?" Lucy asked the obvious.

"Afraid so," Sue shrugged.

Lucy sighed, crossing her arms in resignation. "I always knew this day would come. I just wasn't expecting it to come under such incredible circumstances!"

"Honestly, neither was I," Sue concurred, then snuggled closer to Jack. "But as crazy as it's been, I wouldn't change any of it."

Jack expressed full agreement by kissing her forehead.

"Do you know what you're having yet?" asked Tara.

The newlyweds shook their heads. "We want it to be a surprise."

There were several bemused snorts from the group.

"Right, because there haven't been enough of those already!" replied Bobby.

Myles nudged him with an elbow and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Tara immediately asked.

All eyes went to Sue, who had to have seen Myles' lips. She blushed fiercely all over again.

"I'd rather not say," she demurred.

"Come on, where's the fun in that?" begged Dimitrius.

"It's… kind of embarrassing."

"All the better! Tell us!" Lucy prodded.

Despite all their badgering, Sue shyly refused to reveal Myles' words. But finally the man in question decided to put them all out of their misery – all except for Bobby, perhaps.

"All right, quiet down!" he waved his hands through the air. "I said, 'Don't be such a grouch just because Jack marked his territory before you could!'"

Bobby came at Myles like a bullet, sending papers and books flying as he chased him down the hall. Hysterical laughter ensued.

"Are we in high school again?" Lucy doubled over, holding her sides.

"Some days I have to wonder," Dimitius shook his head.

Lucy stumbled over to fall into a seat next to Sue. "Well, if things ever get out of hand with those two again, you know all we have to do is start talking about baby showers and they'll go running again!"

"Sounds like a plan Luce," Sue chuckled.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

There's the finale... for now! I won't rule out the possibility of a sequel at some point, I just can't promise when. In the meantime thank you ALL for reading and enjoying this story, I'm glad you found it entertaining. Next time any of my work is posted will be from west Michigan! :D