The following morning, James just waits for Renee to wake up on her own. Since her suicide attempt, Renee has settled down into a comfortable routine.
Every morning, She and James would have breakfast at home. Then they would gather up their surfboards and head to Renee's favorite surf spot. After about three hours, they would go home. Renee would then take a nap on James's chest.
When she wakes from her hour-long cat nap, they would go downstairs into Renee's indoor shooting range and have some fun with her firearms.
James still wanted to tell Renee something, so he pulls her to the side in the shooting range.
"You don't owe me a plus one. You don't have to come with me. I was invited to attend the Marine Ball on November 10. It is only the beginning of October, so you do have time to decide. I have to fly to Camp Lejeune the day before to get some paperwork done. I will be turning in my retirement papers into HQ. I would love for you to come. It's just that since I am the higher ranking of us, I will need to go in my dress uniform. If you come, you need to wear a dress. The last time you wore a dress didn't quite work out."
Renee's response was surprising to James. I would love to go. I always keep my promises if I can help it. Besides, I really doubt anyone would be stupid enough to attack a building full to the
rafters with U.S. Marines. We all know that once you are a Marine, you will always be a Marine," was how Renee responded to James' question.
"You don't have to, baby," James wanted to make sure that Renee was sure about it.
"No, Honey, I want to go. You have done more for me than anyone has ever done. This is the least that I can do," Renee makes sure that James knew that this is what she wants.
"I'll just take Charlie as my PTSD service dog," Renee tells James when she sees the concern in her boyfriend's eyes.
"Ok, I will make the flight arrangements right away. He secretly was hoping that Renee would say yes. He had something that he wanted to ask her. He was planning it for months. He was not sure that it would work since he was not sure that she would survive her bacterial infection that she had months before. He really did lose her for a while.
The morning of their departure came up very quickly. Flying into Albert J. Ellis Airport, James whisked Renee off to their hotel. He had managed to get reservations at a very fancy hotel for the Marine Ball. Walking into the hotel, Charlie walked right at Renee's right hip.
That dog would follow Renee to hell and back. Both Renee and James knew that Charlie would lay down her life in an instant to protect Renee. James was very thankful for the canine. Charlie had managed to sense more than a dozen impending PTSD episodes.
Successfully redirecting Renee's attention onto the canine and off of the triggering incident.
James was walking on Renee's left side, and Charlie was on her right. James knew that Renee was safe as long as Charlie was with her.
Renee had been working on retraining Echo to sense the impending PTSD episodes. So far, her canine partner is alerting to about half of them.
When James called the base to make an appointment to drop off his papers, he told the CO that he needs to be home for his girlfriend, who was also a Marine. She was suffering from PTSD.
Once at the appointment, James casually mentioned that his girlfriend was, "Renee Hope Kerrigan." When the CO heard that, he told James to bring Renee in.
The CO had some paperwork for her. He needed to give Staff Sergeant Kerrigan an envelope. Quietly James walks out into the hall and motions to Renee to come in. Renee walks up to the door with Charlie by her side.
"Staff Sergeant Kerrigan, I have been authorized to give you this envelope. We do hope that you will take us up on the offer. It is complete with a promotion and retroactive payment," The CO then hands Renee a large manilla envelope.
Quickly Renee opens the envelope. What she read brought her close to tears. Inside was a military contract offer.
The Marines wanted her to train their dogs but will not ever send her overseas. They were even offering her a promotion to the rank that she would be if she didn't have that price on her head. She would be the same rank as James. As of now, Renee was a retired Master Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps.
They would even pay her everything she would have got if she stayed the whole time. They really wanted her back since she was the best dog trainer that they had in decades.
The offer even included training their Marine Color Guard Horses. This was an offer that Renee couldn't say no to. Now she would be able to be in charge of the dogs. I will tell the military where to send the dogs. As well as who my canines would work with and what would happen to the dogs upon retirement.
Renee was now free to use whatever breed of dog she wanted, and whatever breed of horse she wanted too. She was always partial to going to the animal shelter and adopting dogs that have the makings of a working dog. Renee is able to bring out the best in any dog. This offer would bring Renee back into the world of BLM horse auctions since her preferred breed of horse was the
American Mustang. She could go to the horse auctions and purchase yearlings or two-year-olds and train them for military work or law enforcement work.
Leaving the meeting, both Marines had what they really wanted. Well, actually, James was with who he really wanted to be with.
Over the last eighteen months, Renee had become one of the most important people in James's life. Renee and Piper were his world. Luckily Piper adores Renee and the other way around. He was planning a surprise for Renee at the Marine Birthday Ball. James had finally worked up enough courage to ask her when Piper told him something.
"I want Renee and her dogs to be family. I really love her, and I know she loves me very much." James took that as permission. He already knew that he loves Renee and needs her in his life.
Later that night was the ball. Back at the hotel, Renee was busy getting ready. She never wears makeup, so she gets ready faster than James was expecting. Renee walks out of the bathroom in a floor-length Royal Blue Chiffon dress. It looked like it was made for her. Renee was very proud of her black high heels, so she points them out to James. The three of them walk to the elevator.
Getting out at the lobby, James leads Renee and Charlie out to a waiting taxi. They were headed back to the base that they were at earlier in the day. Walking into the ballroom, James grabs the announcer's attention.
"How should I introduce you two, I mean three." He changed what he said when he saw Charlie.
"Master Sergeant James O'Shea with retired Master Sergeant Renee Hope Kerrigan and her retired military canine Charlie," James says, winking at Renee.
When the announcer hears that he comments, "I thought that you looked familiar," as he gives the canine a nose scratch.
"I was one of the sleeping soldiers in the barracks when the suicide bomber attacked the base. You two are the reason I am here." The announcer says to a slightly confused Renee.
When the announcer introduced them, the three of them make their way down the receiving line to met the people who were there to greet everyone. Charlie was a perfect canine, quietly lying down under the table and not moving the whole night.
It was a very serious event, with a moment of silence for the Marines that never made it home. There was even a table that was set, but no one sat at. It was for the missing soldiers.
The cake ceremony was Renee's favorite part. Everyone got a slice of the delicious chocolate cake with white frosting. When the dinner was offered, they even brought Charlie a small piece of steak. Renee and James enjoyed the food very much.
Before they danced and after dinner, James led Renee to a side room. With her back to him, she never saw him kneel down. Not until she heard a quiet gasp of people who saw it. They knew what was happening before Renee did.
Turning around, Renee was greeted with her boyfriend down on one knee. Seeing James like that, she knew what was happening before he asked.
"These last eighteen months have been a roller coaster of emotions. I nearly lost you more than once. Fearing I would lose you, made me realize that I can't live without you. You showed me that the parts of me I thought died when Mac did, was alive and well. You make me happy in ways that I thought only she ever could. Will you make me the happiest man in the world? Will you marry me?"
With tears in her eyes, Renee answers his question.
"Yes, I'll marry you. How long have you planned this?" She asks the last part when she hugged him tightly. She whispers the last question in his ears.
"Since you were willing to sacrifice your life to save mine. When we were carjacked, I realized that you had done that for me a lot. Every time you earned a medal for courage and bravery, I would have been among the body count if you didn't. You resisted torture when you didn't give me up."
They then walk back into the party. Walking back in, they were greeted by a large group of people who had seen it all. There were lots of congratulations around. Renee was able to show off a beautiful engagement ring. It was beautiful, yet simple. James knew the kinds of jewelry that Renee likes to wear. It was a flat surface emerald cut diamond ring. There was nothing sticking out since Renee was very active, and James didn't want it to get snagged somewhere.
After the ball, in the taxi back to the hotel, James makes a confession to his new fiancé. "I took one of your old rings to get the size right.
The three Marines fly home the next day. Two of them were now recognized as military equals. James already thought of Renee as an equal, since they would have already been if she was not so damn good at her job. The Taliban had put a price on her head. Renee and her dogs always thwarted their attempts to hurt the base, and it's personnel.
"I'm glad I came, Baby," Renee tells James as she leans against his shoulder.
"Me too. I would have hated to be at the ball alone. Besides, I had planned on proposing to you for months. My proposal would have to be replanned if you didn't come with me. I'm glad Charlie was there. I owe you both my life on more than one occasion."
When they arrived at the Miami-Dade International Airport, they were greeted by Piper, Horatio, and Echo. The police canine was obviously excited to be reunited with both Charlie and Renee.
As the dog jumped around them, Piper ran up to her dad and threw her arms around his neck. She kissed him on the cheek.
Piper then turns her attention to Renee. While giving Renee a tight hug, she whispered something in Renee's ears. So quietly that only Renee could hear.
"I already know that dad proposed to you. I saw the ring months ago. He thought that he hid it so well, but he didn't. I am more than happy with it. You have always treated me like a daughter. You never pushed yourself on me, and for that, I am grateful. Horatio is simply clueless since I never told him."
Renee just grins at the girl as Piper lets go of Renee's neck. Piper then hugs her buddy Charlie around her neck. Piper and Charlie had become inseparable by this time. Having Piper around has given the old dog a new lease on life. A new reason to live.
The retired Marine canine would follow Piper wherever she would go like a shadow. The dog only left the girl when she sensed an impending PTSD episode from Renee. Nothing would stop Charlie from redirecting Renee's attention off of a triggering event and back onto the dog, effectively stopping every possible event when she was around. Echo was still learning how to do it.
Renee and James wanted to tell everyone at one time. She asked her brother to bring the team to an interview room at the lab.
Renee was eager to tell them, so they went straight to the lab with their bags.
"We are sure that you all are wondering why exactly we had you all come in this room. Well, we have an announcement to make."
Now that they had everyone's attention, the pair tell the team the good news.
"Well, James proposed to me at the Marine Ball. I, of course, said yes," Renee was barely able to tell the team.
"I also got some surprising news while I was there. The Marine's offered me a military contract. They want me to train their canines. I will tell them where the dogs go, who works with them. As well as what happens to the dogs upon retirement."
"I can even choose the breed of dog I use. The offer includes training their mounted color guard horse of a breed of my choice."
"That's not even the best news. I was given a promotion to the rank I would be at if I never left with a pay bump and retroactive payment. I am now a retired Master Sergeant with the United States Marines."
Renee was very excited to tell the others about the news of her promotion. Looking over at her brother, Renee could tell that he already knew about the engagement. She instantly knew that James had asked for Horatio's blessing.
Now Renee and James have a wedding to plan for. They have to work hard if they want a military wedding. Since both Renee and James are Marines, they wanted a military wedding. Renee had a lot to figure out.
Pulling Calleigh to the side, Renee asks the CSI team member a question.
"Calleigh, will you be my maid of honor. You are the closest friend I have?"
"Of course, this is going to be fun," Calleigh never hesitated when she answered Renee's question.