Purrcy scowled. It wasn't her sort of place to scowl in, and it felt like they'd rather reversed places. Michael was the calm one this time to be facing the publicity and press. "I'm not sure you want to get out of the car until that's fixed," he suggested to her mildly, holding her hand in his, fingers interlaced.
"You know I hate random accolades. I'm fine if they want to wave their own flags around, but to have to drag us along and wave us, too..."
Michael raised an eyebrow at her. "You went along with it fine at Iwakuni on the Fourth of July."
"That was to be on display, a momentary flash forgotten by the next week," Purrcy whined. "This is for a big shot to get his personal strokes putting on airs. I'm not interested."
Michael sighed. "No, really, it's not just that. You did work very hard, along with the rest of us. Those Adventurers who are glad to be home will be happy to see you rewarded, just like the military wants to see it. I would think you could put up with the brief ceremony it will be. I expect it will be even smaller than the parade."
Purrcy folded her arms and pouted. "Really," he wheedled, "it shouldn't be so hard to understand. Or were you faking being proud of me when I finally had to admit I'd received the Medal of Honor?" He'd not have done it - knowing full well how she felt about "titles and accolades of men" - except that he'd had to put it on before they'd been brought here for her own decorating and she'd demanded to know what it was.
Purrcy's eyes went back to the medal hanging from the light blue ribbon around his neck. "No," she said quietly, "you do deserve it."
"And you deserve the Presidential Medal of Freedom for the same reason." Michael paused, then raised a questioning eyebrow at her, "Unless you'd like to become a military officer in retro before that and receive the Medal of Honor instead?"
Purrcy snorted at him, knowing full well that wasn't going to happen, nor did she want it, as he full well knew. If she had been military, she would be getting one, though. He wouldn't be surprised if the military pulled the strings to make it happen if anyone suggested it since they would love to be able to claim she was black ops and truly military. That would give them a press field-day for sure.
It was certainly still running around the military rumor mills, particularly now that she'd participated in so many of said operations on the other side of the world. She didn't have the prior training, though, so it wouldn't sit right with anyone in the end. He'd really just said it to pull her chain and get her to see straight the next thing they had to get through.
Purrcy closed her eyes, then slumped against the back of the car seat and sighed. "It's hard to accept it when we just took out the east coast experimental facility and have more to go. It's so hypocritical. The President knows about them and is making us take them out. How can I accept it from him?"
"Because he knows and is having us take them out," Michael said soberly. "Remember, the U.S. is made up of a lot of faces and factions. He can't direct the military branches to take them out, because that's federal against states, which is still illegal in the U.S. He has to walk as fine a line as Shiroe, if not finer, to stay legal and safe in his position."
Purrcy considered that, then had to agree. "Which is why it's just us for the next while," she sort of asked it, sort of said it.
Michael nodded. "Not my favorite pick, either, since more to watch your back is better than less, but yes." He rubbed a hand down her arm, the navy blue suit on her so far his favorite for her to wear. It was just shy of the Navy uniform for female officers.
That had been on purpose, too. She'd not particularly noticed when she'd been given it to wear for the day, but then there hadn't been very many female officers on the USS Ronald Reagan for her to know. It matched his own suit, and the pilots got to be official for the day as well.
Purrcy sat quietly, putting herself together until her face was as close to court neutral as she could get it. Then she sighed one more time and waved her hand at the door. Gareth opened it and climbed out of the car. He held the door open and Purrcy slid out of the car.
Michael followed her out. She was quick to take his arm, and held on firmly. That told him all he needed to know. He kept their walking pace to the slightly slower side to give her time to assimilate the press that lined their walk from the car into the low grey building that had been selected for the presentation.
It was close to the military docks at Virginia, and to the White House to be a central point for the President to meet them at. Purrcy took one more deep breath as they neared the door, her eyes looking at everyone standing near or around it. Michael slowed down just enough to let Bowie pass them, letting him know silently what Purrcy needed.
Purrcy was able to breathe a little easier having Bowie where she could see him, needing the visual reminder that he still knew if there was anyone in the crowd that was going to harm her. Michael felt the small tremor that still went through her as they reached the door. She didn't want to go inside into a possible trap.
Michael paused as Bowie gestured to Gareth to open the door. No one else but them would know that they were playing out their standard security sweep before letting the Princess of Log Horizon enter a new and unfamiliar location.
Stiletto was already in his proper place a little closer to Michael and Purrcy's back than usual. It was so Purrcy could feel his warmth and presence a little more than usual. She needed her back covered just as much at times like this.
Bowie's pause at the open door to scan the interior wasn't overly long, to be noticeable to the general person standing around, but it was enough that when he walked through the door and motioned for Michael and Purrcy, Purrcy was able to walk with Michael through the door without holding on even tighter to his arm. She was still immediately looking around again until Stiletto arrived in front, Gareth taking up the rear.
"Take one deep breath," Michael said. Purrcy did, trying to calm down and relax a little. There wasn't a hurry. They were here first - other than the guests who had come to watch, what few there were. These weren't attended massively since most people didn't know they were happening beforehand, unless they were friends and family.
That meant most everyone present was military, actually. It had gone viral on the military social and text lines early as military press wanted it known about. Michael and Purrcy were still their golden couple until they were finally back in Japan again and everyone could go back to normal life.
Michael had to make his own little sigh. Then he pasted on his smile. He was happy to be here with his wife to see her properly recognized, so it wasn't too hard to bring it up. He made sure she had at least the pasted-on smile going then walked them up the stairs onto the stand where they would meet the President of the United States.
They were met at the top of the stairs by the master of ceremonies for the event and escorted to chairs. The Eagles got told where they were allowed to stand. They would have stood at the foot of the stairs on either side of the platform, but Secret Servicemen were already standing there. Purrcy looked at them suspiciously, but let it slide and eventually relaxed being reminded that the President would be even more protected than she would be on any given day.
They in turn looked at her suspiciously. Michael figured that was because they wanted to be sure she wasn't going to kill the President as the only resident slightly-acknowledged magician on Earth. He was a little surprised the President was trusting her this much, honestly, to put his person at potential risk. He could have waited until they didn't have the magic anymore, after all.
The Press Secretary arrived in front of them. "We'll be wanting to make sure that you're both in one of the pictures with the President," he said with the busy brusqueness of any busy press-type person. "We'll be shipping that one out internationally."
Ah. That's what it was. Protection for the President from other governments upset with Shiroe and Purrcy backing up the U.S. in taking down the magic experimental facilities. If it looked like Purrcy was in his back pocket, they'd think twice about sending more assassins, then. Michael sighed, but couldn't protest. It only made sense from that perspective.
While the Secret Service were keeping most guests at a distance from the stand, a small group of military in uniform were allowed to pass through the gap around the stand and approach the stand. Stiletto intercepted them at the edge of the stand to hear what they had to say.
Smiling, he turned back to Purrcy and Michael. "Come say a brief hello."
They walked over to the edge of the stand, curious. The Navy men saluted Michael. "It's good to see you again, Sir."
Michael blinked, then said in surprise, "I'm surprised you heard of this to come, although we're grateful." He turned to Purrcy. "These are Ironside and the members of the Swordsmen Navy squadron, the ones who managed to keep our lines uncut long enough we could show up to rescue them."
Purrcy gave them a nod and a smile. "Thank you for your hard work and efforts. I'm glad you've also made it home well enough. I hope you're recovering?"
They reassured both Michael and Purrcy they were, as well as could be expected. They talked with Michael a bit longer, then Ironside turned to Purrcy.
"I've been wanting to ask you, particularly since seeing the film...," his eyes narrowed at her just a little. Purrcy indicated that she'd hear the question. "We were in that room for a long time, but somehow it didn't feel like we were. Did you have something to do with that? Or was it the AIs?"
Purrcy took in a breath and looked almost scolded. "You were indeed placed into a separate space-time, so that the arrival of the Eagles would save all of the east coast. It was the second lesson the AIs put me to in order to learn how to create them. It wasn't often that I created a space that moved much slower inside than the outside world."
She turned to Michael apologetically. "Inari had me walk back in time to when the ikiryō Navigators entered the east coast Maze of Eternity, then turn the whole dungeon into an increasing time space, with the slowest speed being at the center room.
"Even still you almost didn't make it in time. We couldn't know how long it would take you to get there. I was tweaking the time differential up until the last moment. It was probably the most suspenseful game play I had to run, from my point of view."
A bit of pain came over her face. "It was very hard to only be Administrator for that one. I so wanted to help them even more, but wasn't allowed to." She looked back at the Swordsmen. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the more I really wanted to."
Ironside slumped, then waved a hand. "It was enough. Thank you for even that much help." Purrcy gave a humble nod and they said their goodbyes as a member of the Secret Service motioned that their time was up.
They had to wait for about another ten minutes before there was a busy sound from a different location than they'd entered. From a back door came people surrounding one man who was walking with long strides for the presentation stand.
The President was of average height and build, but his confidence was written all over his face and in his stride. It wasn't long before he was up on the stand with them. The Press Secretary urged both Purrcy and Michael to meet the President in the middle of the stage, so they were in place by the time he arrived there.
There was only one small microphone set up at the edge of the stage, but there were plenty of press microphones in the audience. The crowd hushed as the President held out his hand to Purrcy. "Mrs. Burnham, I'm grateful to be able to meet you in person today."
Purrcy allowed her hand to become engulfed in that of the President. "Likewise," Purrcy answered humbly. "It's a rare honor for a citizen."
The President paused slightly and his eyes took on a glint of a real smile. He launched into his prepared-on-the-way-over-in-the-car speech, but likely he'd thought some about it since he'd had plenty of time. Purrcy answered back just as politely at the end, having had just as much practice now, and about the same amount of time.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was brought to them by one of the President's staff. The President picked up the ribbon and placed it over Purrcy's head and around her neck. The staff member gave the remaining smaller accouterments to Gareth, who tucked them away safely. Purrcy was then presented to the audience for her to receive her cheers and clapped congratulations.
The President said a few words to Michael, shaking his hand and thanking him one more time for his own service. He took Purrcy's hand one more time to shake it again. Before the President let go of her hand, he very quietly said, "Thank you so much for continuing to protect the citizens of Earth under difficult circumstances once again." Purrcy dipped her head and then the President was raising a hand to wave at the audience and was leaving the stand, needing to hurry to his next appointment.
Michael took Purrcy's hand into his elbow and led her off the stand once the President's security was willing to allow them off. There were many on their pathway out of the large room who wanted to congratulate Purrcy and speak with them briefly, but Michael didn't stop their walk any more than the President had stopped his.
Once they were in the car again, and it was safely pulling away from the building, then they both breathed again. Purrcy looked down at her newest reward, hanging from its blue ribbon, pondering it for a moment. "Well, I guess only getting one here is more meaningful than the pile I received on Theldesia."
Michael smiled to himself and let her look out the window in silence. It was that, but really it was because it was her own home that had acknowledged her efforts on Theldesia for the world's sake, as well as her efforts now on Earth.
In his opinion, it helped that it was in the middle of the depressing further efforts to bring those Adventurers back home that had been taken and harmed by the same. He hoped it brought her some renewed strength and energy to continue on until their task was finished.
-:-:-:-:-
Their car took them to the military airport next. Their bags - left behind when they'd escaped Iwakuni - had been waiting for them in the cabin on the USS Ronald Reagan. They were on the airplane waiting for them before they were released from the award ceremony. They merely had to strap in and the takeoff procedures were begun.
"I hope they continue to treat Mi Lin's brother right," Purrcy murmured, as the plane taxied out to the runway. They were leaving him behind here in Virginia to begin his new life. Michael patted her knee. He didn't really have an answer for her. He hoped the same. He knew she had a history attached to the man, but he wasn't sure how long she would be able to watch over him given distance was often a limiter to the histories working.
As soon as they were in the air properly, they were approached by the stewardess. She handed over a manila folder to Purrcy and took drink orders. Purrcy ordered a cranberry juice, then opened the folder. Michael ordered a soft drink and read over Purrcy's shoulder.
It was the legal documents for the divorce under the newest circumstances. Technically, Purrcy and her ex weren't divorced yet. Purrcy had never signed the original divorce papers. There was a letter attached to the divorce papers waiting for her signature. It was dated retroactively to the date of the catastrophe, and stated specifically that Purrcy agreed to accept that as the official divorce date.
She frowned at that letter, put it in her lap, and moved to the official document. When she was done reading all the fine print, she held it in her lap and sighed. "That's rather harsh. I'm quite sure he's pushed for that because of both the movie and our marriage. I can't say as I blame the lawyers for giving it to him, though. It makes everything that happened after that less complicated, and all legal."
"I'm not going to complain," Michael said coolly. He still didn't think it was worth it for her to have been married to her ex at all in the first place, nor did he want his marriage to her to be considered the illegal one it would be if the actual divorce date was today's date.
"At least they did fight for me to have proper rights as far as the things I hadn't liked before." They'd both had to forward what they wanted to see before they'd left the European shore. That didn't guarantee they would get it, it just meant the lawyers knew what to fight for out of the many possibilities.
Purrcy sighed at the papers again. "And so much time has passed since then I can hardly say my concerns at the time about how the kids would manage has any bearing." Purrcy closed her eyes and leaned her head back against her seat. Michael slipped his hand into her closer one, letting touch comfort her, but not interrupting her need to think about what was in the documents and what she really wanted.
Michael himself had been okay with the child support cost stated in the document. She did have four children, so of course it was going to cost more than his own. His main concern that they'd properly converted her yen salary to dollars before deciding on the amount she would owe.
At the back of the agreement were several worksheets that spelled out that calculation and then listed how to make the payments directly to the court, to be forwarded from there to the father of the children.
Michael preferred that method, himself. It made it so the courts could look at their own records to confirm that the payments were happening the way they should, and it made for less fights between the parents about if a check was sent or deposited correctly (or lost). He hadn't seen anything else egregious in the agreement.
He squeezed Purrcy's hand lightly. "I know it's hard to give them up at all," he said quietly, "but the legal document can't dictate the love you have for them and they have for you.
"Time passes and things change constantly. One or more might want to come live with us later, we might get thrown out of Japan for good some year," she gave him a completely withering look at that, he didn't let that phase him, "and they all eventually grow up. You'll still get to grow up with them, even if it is from a distance for now."
Purrcy paused, then took her hand back to slip the papers back into the envelope. It stayed on her lap until they arrived at the Ohio airport, and she clutched it tightly in her hand as they left the airplane for another military chauffeured car.
They had a bit of a wait for their bags to be pulled from the plane and closed up in the trunk of the car, then the five of them were on the road again, headed for their next appointment in the city courthouse.
-:-:-:-:-
"Was this your hometown?" Michael asked Purrcy as they waited for her ex to bring her children for their visit beginning that evening.
They were sitting at a small round outdoor table of a downtown cafe. The three Eagles were at another one behind them. Afternoon foot traffic passed by them on the sidewalk. People in vehicles were already headed home as they passed by on the street which was lined with parked cars.
The court visit with Purrcy's ex had been hard on Michael. He'd had to hold himself from interrupting several times. He would have been in contempt of court if he'd done that, so he'd worked hard.
Purrcy had asked a few questions for clarification and held her ground until she was clear that everyone was on the same page. That had set off her ex's impatience, which had set Michael to grinding his teeth. He was glad Bowie was there to sigh at him and keep him in his seat with a firm hand on his shoulder.
Purrcy had held her own very well, her practice on Theldesia helping her stay calm. When her ex would push too hard, she would take pauses to recover and think about how to say what she wanted to say without seeming insecure. Michael was proud of her all over again each time she'd won the quiet point.
She'd signed everything in the end, not against it really. She'd just wanted to know what had gone into the decisions.
"No," Purrcy answered Michael's question, looking around the sidewalk. "If it was, I'd take you around to old haunts. We're already going to see the kids and my favorites, so there's no sense doing that. I'm sorry I can't entertain you until then."
"No troubles," Michael answered. "San Diego's not my hometown either. We lived up in Washington state when I was growing up."
Purrcy smiled. "I'd like to see it some time."
They'd already gone to visit with Purrcy's mother, since they'd had most of the afternoon to kill before the kids got off school for the weekend. Purrcy had asked if her mother wanted to move to Japan. That had received a firm, "no thank you".
Purrcy's mother was an introvert, too. Leaving the country of her native birth was something to do only as a brief travel vacation. They'd talked some about the possibility of having her come do that in another half-year to year for a few weeks to a month.
They'd talked more about the passing of Purrcy's father, since her mother really did need to grieve it properly with Purrcy. Michael was sad to have missed meeting the man. It sounded like he'd been a good father who'd tried hard.
A car pulled up into a parking space not far from where they were sitting and out spilled four very excited children, the youngest of whom ran over to them. "Hey, Teddy," Purrcy gave her youngest son the hug he was demanding to have. "It's so good to see you again."
"I've missed you a lot, Mom," Teddy said into her shoulder.
"Me, too," Purrcy answered. "That was a long time, wasn't it?" He nodded, still not letting go. She waited patiently for him to be ready to let go, although the other children weren't quite so patient. Michael smiled at them and welcomed them to distract them, noting the backpacks they were all carrying.
Their father walked up behind them and waited until he had Purrcy's attention. "The Navy shippers are going to arrive at my house tomorrow. Most of your effects are already packed. The kids asked for some of the things. Do you want those back?"
Purrcy shook her head before the question was done being asked. "No. I'd rather they kept them if they find comfort in having them. Thank you for not just throwing everything away."
He looked away and shrugged uncomfortably. "And the furniture?" he asked.
Purrcy looked at him like he was a child. "It was all covered earlier today. I'll expect to see what was agreed to. We'll meet you back here this time tomorrow."
He shrugged. "Okay. Be good, now," he addressed the kids generally. He got answers and waves from them and he was headed back to his car.
Michael got Teddy's attention distracted so that the other children could properly greet Purrcy. When they were settled, Michael rose to his feet and helped Purrcy up from her chair. She took Teddy's hand almost automatically, and he seemed content with that.
"Okay, here's the rules," Michael said as they got walking. "From now until you're eighty-five, you're going to have people following you around to take your pictures. Even nosier people are going to ask you personal questions, and then they'll make your Mom or Dad out to be terrible parents, and eventually you all to be delinquents."
He got some confused looks, but he kept going. "Have you seen the movie about the Adventurers on Theldesia?"
They all nodded. "We watched it when Dad was out of the house one night," Hannah said. "It was after you first came to sit with Mom. That was the first we knew she was one of the Adventurers, when you said it."
Michael wasn't surprised their father hadn't told them before then. "So then do you understand that makes her famous?" He got nods that said they might be able to understand that.
"Why?" asked Ericka. "She was just an Adventurer. There were lots of those."
"Because she isn't just one of them," Michael said as if conspiring with them. "I'm not, either, I'm afraid, but I don't know if you know who I really am either."
"Oh, yeah, we saw you on the news," Samuel said. "We know you were the guy who helped out the most over here on this side."
Michael nodded. "So just hanging around me is going to bring nosy reporters, but it's worse than that. Your mom's even more famous. She's the one who was the main person behind us all getting home. She's Purrcy, the felinoid." The kids mostly froze and stared at them in disbelief. "Remember, I told you back then that she was a cat-person who loved to be pet?" They nodded automatically.
"Because that's her, right now all the press wants to know everything about her they can dig up. When they learn you're her kids, they'll want to ask you all sorts of questions. The rule is you don't talk to anyone, you don't answer any questions, and you stay as boring as possible so they leave you alone faster."
"We don't have much choice today," Purrcy smiled at them. "Today and tomorrow we want to spend the time with you having fun, so they might catch us at it. That's fine. The more fun anyone has to share around the better. The rules are for after we're gone again. If you stay boring they'll go away. They only like to report bad news, anyway.
"Since you don't go shopping you don't have to worry about what they'll say. You can pretend to your friends at school like they're crazy and you have no idea what they're talking about if they bring it up." Purrcy looked thoughtful, then said just as thoughtfully, "I don't recommend you proudly let anyone know your mom's the crazy cat of Theldesia. They'll either not believe you or tease you for years. It's not worth it."
She shrugged at them with a smile. "You can say that I woke up and moved to Japan and you miss me. Things like that are okay to say, but only to your friends if they really want to know. The rule of don't talk to strangers isn't new, we're just reminding you now that it's a little more important to your own sanity."
She got rolls of eyes. "Like anyone would believe us anyway," Samuel grumbled. "I'm not sure I do."
Purrcy smiled. "You don't have to. That's fine, too. But it will help you understand why I want to introduce you to my guards."
She got surprised blinks again. She waved to indicate behind the children and they all turned to look. "Hey," Stiletto gave a wave and a grin.
Gareth raised his hand. "Me, too."
Bowie more soberly looked the children over, then gave a nod of his head. "Yeah, it's all real, and we've been following her since she got back properly, and for far too long on Theldesia, too."
"You're still following her around?" Samuel asked cynically.
They all three slumped a little. "Yeah," Gareth nodded. "But just us and only until she thinks she's safe here on Earth again."
"At least it's not the whole sub-guild," Hannah said sympathetically, and with some relief. All three, and Purrcy, nodded in agreement.
"Well, that's better, to know there's guards, then," Samuel finally decided and turned back to his mother. "Where are we going first?"
Purrcy smiled as all of the children looked at her expectantly. "I want to go to our favorite places. It's been a long time for me to take you there." They all perked up.
She looked down the street and pointed. "We're going to start there, and then we'll have a fun new treat." They were already getting excited. "We're going to stay the night in a hotel here in town. We're going to get a real stay-cation of the sort we've always wanted."
Ericka jumped up and down a little. "I've been wanting to actually stay overnight at the Steampunk Hotel for ages."
Purrcy grinned. "I know. How about tonight?" They had a very happy group of children chatting at them for the rest of the short walk to the chosen restaurant for dinner.
Purrcy had told Michael about the hotel. There was an old-time theater organ in it that was played each weekend night as the entertainment. They always showed at least one silent film from the "ancient days" of the early silver-screen, when the organs had been the sound effects and background music to the films. The one that would begin shortly after they arrived was the one for children - one of Disney's early ones. He was looking forward to the show and the evening himself.
-:-:-:-:-
They all had fun exploring the Steampunk Hotel once they were checked in and the movie over. It had been decorated in the style of it's name, with gears, robotic style statues, and hidden industrial-age factory style rooms and details. They were a few too many in number for them all to be in one room, so a suite was rented.
As Michael and Purrcy set their bags down in the room they wanted, Teddy jumped up on the second bed in the room. "Can I have this one, Mom?" he asked. "Mike and I can share."
Michael and Purrcy both smiled at him. "You can have that bed, but I'm not sure I'm going to share Michael with you," Purrcy teased Teddy gently. Teddy blinked at her, trying to understand.
Hannah had come to the door to the bedroom. She folded her arms and scowled slightly at the two adults. "That's going to be strange, you know."
Purrcy nodded a little sadly. "I understand." She ruffled the top of Teddy's head and headed for the door, giving Hannah a squeeze around the shoulders on her way through it. Her eyes looked for her older son. "Samuel, will you be okay with the couch out here?"
Samuel went to a bit of a pout and his eyes slid to Michael, at the doorway between the bedroom and common area. "I'd rather he took it," Samuel muttered.
Erika was arriving back in the common room from the other bedroom where she and Hannah would each take a bed. Erika was also not looking terribly happy. "Do I have to share a room with Hannah?" she whined.
Purrcy sighed a bit. "I know it's different this time, and it will be from here on when we can come visit. I'd rather we just did it right the first time and got used to it."
She put her eyes on her children, making sure they were paying attention to her. "I know it's odd enough to have me married to someone not your Dad. I think you'll get used to that soon enough. You've seen Michael around enough from before and it looked to me like you all had fun with him today?"
Michael got glances and she received nods, some easily given, some reluctantly according to the personalities of her children. "So I sleep with him now because we're married, but perhaps you should tell us what's uncomfortable other than that new detail."
"I want to sleep with you like usual," Erika continued her whine from before.
"I don't wanna sleep by myself if Mike's here, too," Teddy complained. Michael's eyebrows went up in surprise.
Purrcy looked at the other two. Samuel looked away, not willing to be courageous enough to open his mouth any more than he had. Hannah blinked and looked around the space of the suite, not quite able to look at Michael either.
Finally Hannah shrugged, and in some embarrassment said, "Dad never came with us before. It's hard to know how to fit Mike in. It was okay at dinner, but this is different."
Michael double-blinked this time. Purrcy turned to him and smiled a little sadly. "Whenever we were climbing the walls and I just had to get us all out of the house, we'd escape to someplace local. He never came with us, so it's a bit of a sleeping rearrangement and adjustment.
"Usually Teddy slept with me. Hannah and Erika shared the second bed. I'm quite sure Samuel's tired of being the one to not get a bed, since we could only afford a single room before. He either got the hide-a-bed, or whatever couch or fold-out-chair was available."
"Ah, I get it," Michael leaned against the door frame and casually crossed his arms. He looked around the room and took his time to consider the situation. "Well, I'm not willing to take the couch, sorry. I'm the step-dad, which means I'm a parent for you now, too. That also means I sleep with my wife." He was getting a few frowns, but he kept going, "That doesn't mean we can't find a solution that helps everyone out. I've got some possibilities in mind, if you'll hear them?" He got shrugs and a little interest.
"Okay, then," he took it as a "yes" and went with it. "Erika, it seems to me like you'd like to be a little more independent now, right?" Erika shrugged, but it was a "yes", too. "How about you take the couch? It will feel like your own space out here during the time we're all sleeping." She looked rather interested in that idea.
Michael looked at Teddy next. "Teddy, you are most definitely old enough to not be sleeping with your Mom any more. I know you sleep in your own bed at home." Teddy nodded reluctantly. "But you like to know someone's in the room with you. You're used to sleeping in the same room with Sam already." Teddy wrinkled up his nose, not really wanting to sleep with Samuel even more when they were on vacation.
Michael nodded and left it there for now. He looked between Samuel, who was a lot more intrigued now that he didn't have to have the couch, and Hannah, who wasn't sure this was going to work out. "I think the two of you can have a choice of options. I know it's not usual and customary for siblings of opposite sexes to sleep in the same room, but perhaps for a single night in a hotel that could be okay anyway. You can change in the bathroom to keep things private." They weren't looking too thrilled with that idea.
"Or Hannah can sleep in the second bed in our room and the boys can have the other bedroom," Michael gave the next offer. Sam waffled, also not really wanting to sleep with his little brother again, but not so committed against it as Teddy was since he would at least have a bed. Hannah gave it some thought, but her eyes were on Teddy.
Michael rubbed his chin. "We do have one other option this time. We won't have it when we come back again, so one of those two will have to work from then on, but...," his eyes looked at the three still waiting to hear and they were interested enough. Purrcy smiled, guessing at what Michael was considering.
Michael shrugged the shoulder not leaning on the door frame. "We've also got the guards with us this time. That means more rooms than just these. Sam could sleep over there, or Teddy. If Sam wants to, then Hannah could share the second bedroom with Teddy this time. Maybe next time Hannah and Teddy could share the room and Sam could be in with us."
He and Purrcy watched the children process the possibilities. "Who's got the extra bed," Samuel finally asked, tentative.
"Gareth," Michael answered. "Bowie and Stiletto are partners. Gareth doesn't particularly like to be alone, but there aren't any three-bed rooms in the hotel. Like you, he hates to be the one on the uncomfortable cot, so he picked alone this time instead." Gareth could have had a single room, but they'd wanted rooms next to the suite and only doubles were available for that. They actually had the extra bed available this time.
Samuel pondered it a little longer, then said, "I think if Teddy and Hannah were okay with sharing a room, I could sleep with Mister Gareth. He seems okay."
Purrcy had already seen that Samuel liked Gareth. They weren't all that different in personalities. The fact that Gareth liked to complain about the adults around him just as much as Samuel did had caught Samuel's attention. The fact Gareth was only resigned in his complaints and not actually bitter or spiteful had calmed Samuel's worries. They'd shared a few comments during dinner - a rather large step for Samuel who generally was distrustful of anyone over his own age.
"I'd sleep with Mister Stiletto!" Teddy said enthusiastically.
They chuckled. Stiletto had kept Teddy's attention quite nicely. He'd caught on quite quickly as to which of Purrcy's children was like him. "I'm not sure either of you would ever go to sleep," Purrcy scolded with a smile. Teddy just grinned back at her.
"If Sam wants to do that, I'd be okay with sharing with Teddy," Hannah said with a little shrug. Teddy gave a nod to that. It would be different and he was young enough that sharing the room wasn't as uncomfortable for them as for Samuel and Hannah who were too close in age for that.
"Will Mister Gareth be okay with it?" Samuel asked.
Michael walked over to the main door into the suite and opened it. The children blinked to see Gareth standing guard duty on the door. "Will you go to bed if we send Sam over to keep you company?" Michael asked Gareth. "He's tired of being the one to sleep on the couch all the time."
Gareth blinked at Michael and gave the same scowl Samuel had just had on. Michael just raised an eyebrow at him, moving out of the way so that Gareth could see everyone else in the room looking at him. "I've pushed everyone down, apparently, just like on the ships," Michael explained. "We're trying to reconfigure so no one has to get snippy."
Gareth looked at the faces in the room, then gave a cynical grin to Michael. "Yeah, you tend to do that wherever you show up." Gareth considered Samuel. "Well, if you'd like the extra bed, you're welcome to it. Mike won't come sleep in it anymore now that he's finally won the right to the place next to Purrcy."
The children blinked at Gareth and Michael and a few mouths dropped open. "You mean," Samuel frowned, trying to get it sorted out, "you two were partners before?"
"Yup," Michael nodded. "He's not as nice to sleep with as your mother, but he's always been my best wingman."
Samuel finally lit up. "Okay, if it's okay with you, Mister Gareth? I think I'd really prefer that to the couch." His nose wrinkled up.
"I get it," Gareth nodded. "I really do." There were smiles around the room and everyone relaxed and moved to rearrange where bags were. Gareth really did get off the door watch he didn't really need to be on and helped Samuel settle into bed, helping him feel just a little more adult, which Samuel also really needed.
"Thank you," Purrcy said to Michael with a kiss to go along with it as she passed him in their room on the way to the bathroom.
He quickly caught her with an arm around her waist to kiss her back. "Of course. Getting to have you to myself was what I really wanted anyway."
Purrcy chuckled. "I rather thought so. And honestly, it's what they need, too. None of them are really ready to be in the same room with the two of us in the same bed. Maybe by next time they will be."
"I rather thought so, too," Michael agreed. "This way if they want they can imagine we're in separate beds...which we won't be."
"Of course not," she answered back. "Even if it is terribly odd for me to be sharing my vacation with my kids with my husband."
"Get used to it," he teased her as he kissed her ear. "I'm having so much fun I plan on going with you to all of them. I can't wait to see them all with all of you."
Purrcy swallowed and let him hold her until she'd recovered from the sudden overwhelming feeling of loneliness that hit her from all the times before that her ex-husband had found excuse after excuse to not participate with them in just having fun as a family. When she could finally sigh around the lump in the back of her throat and relax, she pulled away from him to look into his face. "Thanks, Michael," she said quietly. "I'll try to get used to it faster, then."
Michael wiped the corner of her eye with his thumb and kissed her tenderly. "Keep walking with me, Purrcy. I will show you even more what it is to be loved by a husband. I want you to learn it because I do love you, and I love your kids.
"They're great kids. You've done a good job with them. I can see they love you very much because you care about them and know them so well. No parent is a perfect parent, but I can see you try hard to love them the best you can. They'll be fine because they have you in their lives." She looked down, knowing how hard that was going to be from now on.
Michael put his forehead on hers, looking at her eyes. "I'll help you keep in contact with them, so they don't have to feel like you've walked out of their lives again. Remember, Navy men and women have to learn how to do it, and do it well - keep a family going from a distance more often than not.
"It will be okay. You've already got the basics set in stone. They know you love them and are committed to them, and they love you just as much in return." His thumb rubbed against her temple again as Purrcy nodded. She'd trust him in this, too. Michael gave her one more kiss, then let her go so she could finish her bathroom routine in preparation for going to bed.
When she traded with him, he'd turned down the bed covers again. She smiled. She didn't know where that little habit of his came from, but it always felt like an invitation to her, like he was welcoming her to the bed and the night's sleep together. It gave her a warm feeling to know she wasn't going to be sleeping in a cold bed alone again on a family night out.
This is a good place to remind you/let you know, dear readers, that I have a poll up on my Profile page. Now that you've seen into this level this far, this is a good time for you to perhaps ponder on that question and answer it. At the very least pondering it now would be good, since you may want to hold off on answering it until you've read what happens once they're all able to finally just live life again. However, every character's opinions and emotions are now fully out in the open so you can judge perhaps just a little better. I would be very interested in hearing your opinions and guesses on what finally happens at the end.
We are only two months out now from the final chapter being posted in May of this year. I am looking forward to being able to also post the PostScripts of the story, finding those just as exciting as this last level. As always, thank you for walking with me. Please continue to enjoy to the end!