I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.

Leanna's Point of View-

After we all had finished eating our lunch, Joseph had climbed off John's lap allowing John to get up and I was already standing with the backpack on my back as John got to his feet reaching for my son's hand as we headed out going to the spots we hadn't seen yet on the flightline.

"You didn't lie when you said it was an all day thing." John said yawning.

"Yeah…you need another coffee?" I asked.

"Nah, I'll be fine now that we are moving." John said, John let go of Joseph's hand letting him run between his grandma and us as John held onto my hand freely as we watched and over looked things that we passed by or we would stop in front of the plaques reading the information yet again as John stood behind me with his arms wrapped around me knowing that the backpack was pressing against his hard framed body. "You probably already know this information." John said.

"More than you know, but it is always nice to stop and re-read it again." I said looking over my shoulder at him smirking.

"It never hurts to re-read things and to really know the information." John said as I nodded as he kissed at my neck before we moved onto the next displayed item that my son was most excited about, I don't know why but he was obsessed with this one particular tank.

"Joseph loves this tank, don't know why but he is obsessed with it." I said shrugging.

"He is going to be like his mom and work with tanks." John said as I glanced to him smirking as I looked back to the tank when it hit me, I looked at it closer and it had hit me that this was the same particular tank that Crystal and I were specially trained on and always worked with while at war.

"Maybe…" I said nodding as I looked up at the sky smiling a little as I tried to hold back tears hoping that it was just a coincidence.

"You okay?" John whispered as I nodded as John gave me this look as he knew something was wrong.

"Its fine."

"We'll talk later?" John asked as he pushed his hand through my hair until the tip twirling it between his fingers.

"Maybe." I said as I smirked as I turned back to the tank smiling as we made our way along rest of the displayed things before we headed back finding the proper bus to take home and walked the distance back to our house. "I'm thinking pizza for dinner, I'm too tired to cook." I said truthfully.

"I'm okay with pizza." John said.

"I love pizza." Joseph said as we picked him up and swung him a couple of steps ahead of us due to him holding onto both of our hands.

"I know you do, it was my favorite food as a kid too." John said.

"It was?" Joseph asked looking up at the taller man.

"Yep, still is." John said smirking.

"Anyone can say that pizza is the most delicious." My mom said joining in the conversation.

"Unless if you are lactose intolerant." I said.

"What's that?" Joseph asked.

"When you are allergic to dairy products like cheese and milk." I explained.

"I'm not that, I love cheese." Joseph said.

"Very few people are." John said as we walked up the patch of grass in my front yard to step onto the cement walkway that we could have walked on that was attached to the driveway but like anyone else we took the shortcut.

"Joseph, why don't you go shower to get the sun block and sweat off?" I asked.

"Do I have to?" Joseph asked.

"No, you can wait until later…" I said as I ran a hand through my hair as I took the backpack into the kitchen, "I hope the crew members found their way back." I said as I looked up seeing John slide onto a barstool on the other side of the breakfast bar that looked into the kitchen.

"I'm sure if they didn't they would be calling one of us to come get them." John said.

"I would hope so, don't need them wandering around the base aimlessly." I said as I unzipped the bag pulling out the empty bottles tossing them into the recycle bin.

"How'd you enjoy that?" My mom asked leaning against the end of the breakfast bar and corner of the kitchen.

"It was awesome, never been to one and it was pretty amazing…this seems like an awesome place…" John said nodding.

"You had fun though, right?"

"Of course, I got to spend my day with my girl and my bud and my mom plus learn things I never got to learn about the military…" John said smirking.

"Are you going to come to the air show next year?" Joseph asked, I'm sure he was on the other side of the half breakfast bar and I couldn't see him as I headed to the fridge putting up snacks we hadn't gotten the chance to eat and we could use it later on or tomorrow.

"I don't know…" I said.

"Yes." John answered confidently.

"You seem confident about that." I said as I turned around shutting the fridge and headed back to the counter that faced him.

"Why wouldn't I want to come back and do the air show with you guys?" John asked.

"What if we…" I began to say and trailed off, "What kind of pizza do you guys want?" I asked as I ran a hand through my hair before I pulled the empty backpack off the counter zipping it up.

"Pepperoni and sausage!" Joseph exclaimed excitedly, he certainly was Crystal's son because that was always her go to for her pizza.

"Domino's or Pizza Hut?" I asked.

"Don't matter." Joseph said as I glanced to John as I pulled open the closet door tossing the bag in.

"No preference here." John said.

"Don't look at me." My mom said as she turned heading around the couch sitting down and my son had joined her as I headed to the menus I kept from either place looking over the most recent deals and coupons I had. I decided it will be best to do Domino's, I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket responding to the texts from my boss about the air show and updating him about what we have completed with John. I called Domino's ordering the food and had it for delivery so I didn't have to leave because I was exhausted.

"Anyone want something to drink?" I asked as I leant forward against the kitchen counter that I found myself standing in front of.

"May I have some Sunny D?" Joseph asked as I knew that would come as I nodded.

"Coffee please." John said.

"No thanks sweetie." My mom said as I started the coffee pot as I poured the glass of Sunny D taking that to my son before I went back into the kitchen making the two glasses of coffee for John and I to enjoy. I sipped at my coffee recollecting today's events and how oddly every year when an air show comes and goes I always remember Crystal more than the year before.

"You okay?" John whispered as I looked over seeing him leant over slightly to be closer to my ear.

"Yeah, just thinking." I said nodding as he nodded as well feeling his hand that was resting on my shoulder squeeze at my shoulder in a comfort manner before it slowly let it go. We watched an episode of SpongeBob before hearing the door bell chime causing me to jump in my spot on the couch beside John. I got up setting my coffee onto the coffee table before I went and grabbed my wallet before I went to the door opening it to make the exchange with the delivery driver before I carried the pizza into the house and into the kitchen where I began to pull down a stack of paper plates that I kept stock in for nights like this when the train of people joined me in the kitchen to make their plates. "We can each have two slices…." I said as I pulled the two smallest pieces onto a plate for Joseph since he doesn't need nor does he eat that much. "Here you go Joseph, do you need more juice?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'll go get my cup." He said as I nodded as Joseph took his plate to the dining room table before he went to catch his cup that was in the living room as John and my mom were making their plates leaving two slices for me.

"You want more coffee?" John asked as he rested his hand on the arch of my back as I looked up into his blue eyes smirking.

"No thanks, if I have another glass, I may not be able to go to bed tonight." I said realizing it was eight already and needed to get Joseph ready to go to bed and this dinner was already later than usual.

"True….do you have soda?" John asked.

"I may have a two liter." I said shrugging.

"We do." My mom said as I glanced over seeing my mom already pouring herself some chuckling as I looked to John.

"We apparently have soda." I said as we both laughed as he took our plates to the table as I focused on pouring Joseph more juice and handing it back to him so he could go start eating and get ready for bed. We sat at the table, it has been the quietest meal we have had since John has arrived but I think we were all tired from the day's events. After Joseph had finished, he went to shower for me and I'm surprised he didn't fall asleep in the process and I had put him to bed again tonight, I'm surprised I didn't fall asleep while reading him the book he had chose. "I'm going to bed…" I said as I went into the living room from the hall I had walked down from Joseph's room not seeing my mom, "Did my mom go to bed?" I asked.

"Yeah, I was waiting for you to get done so I could say good-night properly before going off to my room…" John said as I nodded as he stood up from the couch and I nervously slid my hands into my pocket as John walked up to me wrapping his arms around me pulling me into his embrace inhaling his scent, I could smell the soft scent of his cologne but the smells of sun block was hard to overpower but he was so hard with muscles but soft at the same time, I didn't want him to let me go feeling him press his lips to the top of my head before feeling him slide his arms back from around my body. "Night sweetie…I'll see you in the morning…." He said as he leant forward pressing his lips to mine for a good-night kiss as I smirked after the kiss as he slid past me to head down the hall that I just walked down when I reached out grasping his arm.

"Wait…." I said as I looked over my shoulder at John who turned around seeing him smile, "Will you come lay with me?" I asked, I didn't want to be alone with these thoughts and memories of Crystal running through my mind today, it happens every year and maybe John will calm me or help me, at least I won't be alone in times like this. He smirked as he nodded as he took the step back closer to me as I led him back to my room, "Did you want to go change?" I asked as we approached my door realizing he didn't change into his pajamas.

"I'll be fine sleeping in my jean shorts, if you don't mind me stripping of my shirt." John said as I shook my head no as I led him into my room.

"Get comfortable, I'm going to change." I said as he nodded as I grabbed my usual pair of pajamas before I went into my bathroom changing quickly before I came out putting that outfit into my hamper before I climbed onto the bed with John after turning the light off along the way. I rolled over onto my side facing my night stand and slid a hand under my pillow when I felt John slide closer to me and his arm slinging over my waist as I smirked as I glanced down at his hand before I scooted back slightly to be further wrapped in his embrace feeling more comfortable and trying to ease my anxieties nor did I want to take my medicine in front of him but I was so tired that I found myself falling asleep easier than I had thought it would have been. I woke up what seemed like hours later, I looked at my alarm clock seeing it was 3 AM hearing the weird noise that must have woke me up again and I looked over my shoulder seeing John still passed out and he was a cute sleeper so I softly and gently slid out from under his arm before I grabbed the bat that I lazily carried at my side and oddly I felt non-threaten by whatever the noise was and didn't put it up into swing mode until I would arrive at a corner. I checked in on my mom and my son and didn't see anything out of the ordinary so I headed back to my room, I walked down the hall and went to go around the corner bumping into John, "Jesus Christ!" I said as I jumped back putting a hand over my chest.

"Sorry….everything okay?" John asked concerned.

"Yeah, I heard a weird noise…" I said as I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"What you doing with that bat? What did I tell you about that?" John said reaching out for the bat and I willingly gave it to him, "Look, I'm here for another week if that and let me take care of things like this….if you hear a weird noise, wake me up and I'll go inspect it…" John said.

"What about when you leave? I've been doing this for years and after you leave, I will continue to do this…" I rhetoric back to him.

"I understand that, but when I'm here, please let me do this and be the man in this relationship." He said resting his hands on my hips as he looked down at me and I looked up at him.

"Like you will come back to take on those responsibilities." I said.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because John, I'm just a nut and you are just trying to make me feel better about my situation." I said.

"That is not the case, I do have feelings for you and I will be back sooner than you will think….I like you Leanna, I adore your son and I'm not saying this because of your situation or trying to give you the sympathy thing, I'm not like that…there is something about you that has drawn me to you since day one….I'm attracted to you, physically and mentally…" John said as he rubbed at my sides as I nodded.

"Sorry, just I haven't dated anyone in a while and for someone like yourself to date me is a reality check within itself and with the circumstance and you know all the shit and it's like…hard…and today just made me miss Crystal a lot, it does every year…" I said trying not to let tears form in my eyes.

"I'm sorry babe." John said as he pulled me into his embrace, my face buried into his chest as he held me there, "Come on, let's go lay down and you can talk to me about Crystal or anything you want…." John said as I nodded as he led me back to my room as he carried the bat in his hand putting it in the safe spot I always keep it in.

"You want to look at some of the stuff I kept of Crystal's?" I asked as I stepped at the foot of the bed.

"You have some of the stuff in here?" John asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I have a memory box in my closet with some of her things, there is more in the attic." I said.

"Of course." John said as I smiled as I went into the closet grabbing the memory box I had created to keep some of Crystals things for me to look over on days like this and I brought it to the bed with me as I climbed onto it sitting Indian style as I opened the box and John slid further onto the bed leaning against the hand he planted behind my body and he was looking on as I pulled an item at a time out of the box laughing and explaining each thing along with flipping through the small stack of photos that were in there as John smiled and was enjoying it as he would grab a couple of the items and looked at them individually before he slid them back into the box, I wiped at my eyes a few times before I put the things back into the box and closed it before climbing off the bed to take the box back to its safe spot. "Do you look through that box often?" John asked as he leant back against the pillows and he looked pitiful as I chuckled at the sight as I slid onto the bed sliding close to him as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Only on days that I miss her and when Joseph reminds me so much of her, that is more times than not but I try not to do it too much because it won't help if I do it too much." I said as John nodded as I felt him play with the tips of my hair. "I'm sorry John for being so unstable." I said.

"You're not unstable…we all have our problems, I have problems of my own too." John said.

"Why don't you tell me your problems?"

"Because you have enough of your own to take care of, you don't need mine." John said as I smirked as I scooted closer to him feeling him press his lips to the top of my head. I laid there with my eyes open thinking about my nightmares, how they were the last thing I had to hold onto of Crystal because that was the last thing that I had shared with her and what if I forget her? But yet I felt normal again, being able to sleep through the night without having to worry about waking up but yet oddly I had found myself waking up at the usual 3 or so in the morning like I would when I had the nightmares, it could be partly due to my body is used to that schedule because I have had done so for years and now all of a sudden it's stopping. I slowly fell back asleep cuddled into John's embrace for a good night sleep, or lack there was of the night.