Naima held Noah as Eric and Sonny talked in front of the SUV, they had traded their respective pickup trucks for.
"I can't believe the day has come," said Naima as she looked at Emily.
"I know. It seemed like it was a lifetime away and yet here we are."
"It's going to be different and take time to get used to."
They looked at each other then at Sonny and Ray.
"It will."
"Are you guys going straight to San Diego?"
"No, we're going to stop first in Texas to see Emmett for a couple of days, he hasn't seen Noah yet. Then we'll continue on to Phoenix to see my parents. Eric took a couple of days off and will come up from Guantanamo Bay. That is if Sonny doesn't change his mind and decide to station in Corpus Christi," said Emily as she laughed.
"You know how he feels about Texas," Naima said laughing as well. "When do you start classes?"
"In three months. Noah will be six months by then and there is a great day care on the base. After the courses, I've already got a position lined up at Balboa Naval Hospital. I was a bit worried because of my foot, but I think by then, I'll have recovered fully. They've told me it won't be a problem."
After already quite some months of physical therapy, Emily's foot had slowly regained it's mobility. It hadn't been easy, when more than 25% of your foot was metallic plates, rods, screws, and bolts, but she had pushed through the pain, the challenge and had felt blessed for every single day she'd had since then. There was hardly ever a day when she didn't think about Joey, but the pain of his memory had lessened over time, only bringing the good memories to the surface.
"You'll do great. I want to hear all about it. And if San Diego doesn't work out for you guys, there will always be a place for you here. We're going to miss you."
"We're going to miss you too."
Sonny and Ray walked up to them.
"You ready to go?" asked Sonny.
Emily nodded and smiled. "Yeah.
Sonny went to get Noah from Naima's arms.
"Whoa, wait a minute," said Ray, "I haven't kissed my godson goodbye yet."
He took him from Naima's arms and hugged Noah as he cradled him.
"We'll let you know, as soon as we can, when we set up a christening date with the chaplain," said Emily.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," replied Ray as he kissed Noah on the cheek, before passing him on to Sonny, so he could put him in the baby seat in the backseat of the car.
Once that was done, Sonny hugged Naima and Ray and got inside the car.
Emily hugged Naima then looked at Ray. "I'm going to miss you like hell."
"No matter where you are, I'll always have your six."
"And me yours."
She hugged him, then pulled back and looked at him.
"By the way, I'm not a Pitbull."
He laughed. "Then what are you?"
She thought of the past 20 years. At everything she had lived, they all had lived. What they had survived, how they had all been there for one another. Not many people could understand or have the privilege of such a bond, but they had and still did. No matter how many years they would find themselves down the road, they would always be a family, blood or not.
She looked at him with a determined look and badass smile.
"We are warriors!"
She walked toward the car and let herself in and put the window down as Sonny started the engine.
"You take care of yourself, Bravo 2!"
Ray smiled as Naima joined him and they put their arms around one another.
Sonny drove away and they stood watching the car head down the street then disappear as it turned left onto the main road.
THE END!