Fat raindrops collided into the car window and rolled down the glass like salty tears. Staring out between the drops, Dallin could make out the blurry shapes of houses, all lined up in a neat and straight row. Toye lived right in the middle, a small house but big enough for his family. It only had one floor, a hard reminder for Dallin that her best friend had lost his leg.

Winters cut his car engine, the heating and the radio turned off. They had sat inside the car for five minutes, neither of them moving. Toye didn't know they were stopping by at six in the morning, but Dallin knew the man would be up, it was Sunday, Toye would be going to church in a few hours. Winters checked his watch again. With a tiny smile, he reminded her;

"we won't see him from in here, Dill".

Sighing, Dallin nodded;

"yes…I – um – I just…what do I say?"

"Hello's usually the best thing to start with". Winters suggested lightly, "Dill, it's Joe. It's not some blind date you're meeting up with".

Her nose twitched;

"blind date?" Dallin questioned, "is that…dates for those who cannot see?"

He chuckled and shook his head;

"I'll explain it later…but right now, you're going to see your best buddy".

Biting down on her bottom lip, Dallin's hand grabbed the handle. Opening the car door, she stepped out into the rain with Winters seconds behind her. He locked his car up and Dallin waited, as her hair started to grow wet from the pouring rain. She was thinking back to when she first met Toye in Toccoa and how he gave her no reason to be scared of him. Toye was a brave and stern man, who would knock out just about anyone who threatened his friends. But he was also kind-hearted, funny and patient. Toye did a lot of worrying for Dallin out in combat. And she returned that favour by caring for him.

Winters took a step back and watched, as Dallin walked up to the door and knocked three times. She wasn't aware that her old commanding officer was no longer by her side. Dallin didn't feel weird by knocking on her friend's door. And she was no longer scared or nervous. But when Toye opened his door, Dallin hadn't realised just how much she had missed him. It was like a wave of overpowering emotions, all hitting her at once. She acted on impulse. After staring up at his shocked face for a few moments, Dallin wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest. One arm went around her, holding her tightly back.

Eyes closing tightly, tears still managed to sneak their way down her cheeks.

There was Toye, wearing his civilian clothes, with a wife standing behind him, probably confused by the strange girl hugging her husband. And in her arms, was a one-year-old baby girl, Anita. Dallin could smell Toye's cigarettes and freshly brewed coffee. He was strong and he looked healthy and happy. His face was shaven, dark circles were no longer under his eyes and he wasn't shaking from the cold.

Toye was perfect.

Pulling back from the embrace, Toye smiled down at her;

"the fuck you doing out in the rain, huh? You 'gonna let Winters stand out there too. Did I teach you nothing, kid?"

A tearful grin met her lips;

"okay, Joe".

Sitting inside a cosy living room, they met Toye's wife, Eleanor. Baby Anita was placed down on the rug, where she babbled to the room and chewed on wooden toys. She had huge brown eyes and dark hair, just like Toye. Dallin had a lot of questions for her friend. Number one being;

"were you inside room when Eleanor births Anita?"

Toye chuckled;

"no…I ain't as brave as Jim, Jackson or Buck's old man, kid".

Nodding, she reminded him;

"Jim and Gene were forced to help".

"Hell, I'll always remember the conversation I had with Jim the very next day". Toye grinned, "boy was scarred".

"You've got a beautiful family, Joe". Winters complimented.

"Thank you, Dick". Toye smiled, "I do like this family life".

"Well, it suits you". Winters said, "when's the next baby due?"

"Doc says four to six months". Toye replied, "he ain't so sure".

Dallin looked at Anita and smiled;

"she is very pretty, Joe…Anita is very nice name".

"Thanks, kid". Toye smiled, "wait 'till you meet Bill's kid…boys a screamer".

She frowned;

"Wild Bill has kids?"

He chuckled;

"you'd bet".

Dallin looked at Winters;

"you…do not have children?"

He smirked;

"not to my knowledge".

"Come on, Dill". Toye joked, "our old Platoon Leader? He's 'gotta find the right girl first. Sure she's out there someplace, Dick".

Winters cleared his throat;

"I've been on a few dates but…nothing yet".

Toye and Dallin both grinned at each other.

Winters sighed;

"I've not come here, for you two to make fun of me".

Toye chuckled;

"we ain't, sir…hell, once you get settled, she'll sure be something".

Dallin nodded;

"yes…she will be very lucky".

"I wonder if Bill's wife knows about all those English chippies?" Winters said, with a tiny smirk.

Trying to hide a smile, Dallin asked;

"when the girl's legs fell through ceiling in Aldbourne, sir?"

Winters chuckled;

"the very same".

Toye laughed;

"you tried to chase 'em out with your rifle, kid".

Winters looked surprised;

"you did?"

Dallin nodded;

"yes…Peacock was coming. He is not man to mess with".

Toye rolled his eyes;

"what's that joker up to these days?"

"I haven't really spoken to him". Winters said.

"I do not like him". Dallin muttered, "he was…very unfair and annoying".

"He doesn't like you either". Winters smirked, "you and Webster were both on the top of his list".

"I will burn his list". She hissed, "and then…feed it to him".

Toye laughed;

"Jesus, kid…you got it in for him, huh?"

Venom leaving her eyes, Dallin smiled at Toye;

"you work here now, Joe?"

He nodded;

"work in the steel mills for Bethlehem Steel".

"That's good, Joe". Winters smiled, "how's that working out for you?"

Toye shrugged;

"can't complain, Dick. Earn enough to feed my family".

Looking at Dallin, her old squad leader asked;

"and you, Dill?"

With a tiny frown, she admitted;

"nothing".

Toye sighed;

"I get it, kid…lucky you got Winters, huh?"

She nodded, with a tiny smile;

"yes…I sleep on his couch inside his apartment".

Toye smiled;

"that's great, kid…you got a roof over your head, huh? That's all you need until you get yourself situated".

"I started doing night classes at Rutgers University last week". Winters said, "Dill, maybe that's something you'd be interested in one day?"

Looking over at Toye, he nodded with a small smile;

"sounds like a good start, kid".

Rubbing her lips together, she looked up at Winters;

"I will…study how to go to the moon?"

Clearing his throat, Winters told her;

"how about something else for now, huh? I don't think we're mechanically there yet, trooper".

"Dicks right, kid". Toye added, "we just don't got the man-power".

The two men gave each other knowing looks.

Hoping they presented a convincing case.

And Dallin bought it;

"they have studies for…gardening?"

"Well, agriculture". Winters suggested, "you know, like farming".

"That's a good idea". Toye approved, "you fucking love flowers, kid".

"Well…it's, more or less farming". Winters corrected quietly, "but – uh – maybe they'll study flowers as well".

Sighing, Dallin mumbled;

"maybe I…don't study".

"You'll find something". Winters assured her, "we'll go through all the courses together, alright? And you can pick the ones that grab your interest".

They sat and talked in Toye's living room until he left for church. Dallin hugged her friend goodbye, while Winters settled for a handshake. Getting back into the car, she relaxed into the passenger's side and rested her head against the cool glass window. Just as she was about to close her eyes, Winters told her;

"we're moving".

A tiny frown met her lips;

"in the car…?"

Shaking his head, he smiled;

"no, we're 'gonna move into a house. I've been eyeing this place in Metuchen for the past two weeks. Nice little suburb, what do you think?"

Dallin shrugged;

"well…yes, Dick because…I have nowhere else to-"

"it's 'gonna be our place, trooper". Winters corrected her softly, "you, me and Felix. Plus, the house will have a garden. Maybe you can sharpen the place up a bit, huh?"

A tiny smile met her lips.

She liked the idea of that.

But then, Winters added;

"oh, and you'll get your own room".

Dallin's smile widened.

Two weeks later and Dallin was settled into her new room inside a lovely two-story house, with a good-sized garden. It was a little late in the season to be planting seeds, but it didn't stop her from planning which flowers she'd have when it came to Spring. They had two bedrooms up the stairs, as well as a family bathroom. On the ground floor, was a large kitchen and a cosy living room. Felix liked the garden and he loved curling up in front of the fireplace.

When Winters came home with a booklet about Rutgers University, Dallin told him;

"before I…apply for anything…I need to see Shifty".

Nodding, he smiled;

"sure thing, Dill…we could go this weekend?"

Her eyes softened;

"you will take me?"

"Of course, trooper…if you want me-"

"yes". Dallin cut him off quietly, "I do not…do this alone".

"You're worried?"

She nodded;

"he might…have another".

Frowning, Winters asked;

"what will you do if he does?"

With a sigh, Dallin sat on the edge of her bed.

Shrugging, she mumbled;

"nothing…I apply to university and I move on".

Sitting down next to her, Winters smiled softly;

"you're very mature".

"Yes. I am twenty-four now". She said, "it is…time to let go of things we can never have".

"Maybe". Winters reminded her gently, "Shifty could be waiting for you".

"I avoid him". Dallin admitted quietly, "because I worry, he has moved on…because I cannot fight for him, Dick…the war is over".

"I understand, trooper". He said, "but this is Shifty Powers. And he's never the enemy. He's your greatest ally".

She looked up at him;

"I should…fight to get him back?"

With a soft smile, Winters told her;

"you won't have to. You're Dallin Gorski. You'll always be his".

With another sigh, she mumbled;

"but…I live here now…with you".

Winters continued to smile at her;

"you'll always have a room here, Dill".

Her eyes filled with tears.

Winters chuckled quietly and wrapped his arm around her;

"trooper, if you're not ready to live with Shifty, then you can stay with me until you are. And he can come down and visit".

Leaning into his side, she nodded.

Rubbing her arm, Winters added;

"we'll spend the weekend there, you can both sort things out. And whatever happens, you'll have a place to call home. Whether it's here in Jersey with me, or in Clinchco with Shifty".

Her face formed into a sad frown;

"but…you will be alone".

He kissed the top of her hair;

"trooper, I'll be fine. And whatever you decide to do, it'll make you happy. And that makes me happy".

Arm going around his waist, Dallin told him;

"you will make great father one day, Dick". She said, "you always have…good words".