Boyd missed Des Moines sometimes. Chicago was always cold, rainy and boring. His wife told him about their new home the day he came back from Europe, actually. She had found a new job in a newspaper office in the heart of the city at the beginning of the year, and was happier than ever with her decision. The kids seemed to like the new place too, so Bible couldn't really complain. He was happy for Ruby; he just wasn't sure if he would adapt to Chicago as well as his family. The man started working at the local church like he used to do back home, making use of the nickname his crewmates had given him, all those years ago. The only good thing he found in this new city was Gordo and Grady. The pair was living only twenty minutes or so from the Swan's little suburban house. Apparently Coon-Ass had grown tired of the Arkansas countryside and decided to try himself in a real town for a couple of months. The man was now working with Gordo in the same local garage and they seemed to have plenty of fun together. They all met for diner quite often. Ruby and Gordo's fiancée Alicia were getting along pretty well and both Lizz and Noah were obsessed with ''Uncle Grady''. It was good to have everybody finally reunited once again.

Well, almost everybody.

Boyd couldn't stop thinking about the missing two. Norman sent him letters almost every month and he was grateful for it, but he still felt terrible whenever he pictured the kid alone in his empty house, so far away from them. Even though the young man was quite optimistic in his letters, Bible could tell he only wrote about the best. He invited him to come see them a couple of weeks ago, but the boy never answered, nor did he show up on their doorstep. It bothered Boyd; he knew it was not his type to do that.

Don, on another hand – well, it was another story. After three years spent by his side, he thought he knew the man. But now that the war was over and they were back to their normal lives, Bible started to realize how wrong he was. Not a single phone call nor even a simple letter. It sounded absurd that somebody could take care of a bunch of strangers for years just to abandon them the moment they didn't need to be protected anymore. It bothered Boyd; since day one he knew that man wasn't alright. He was hurt somewhere, probably more badly than any of them, but he couldn't tell why. One thing he was certain of though was that Don would never tell anyone about his troubles, even in his worst times. As much as Bible wanted to believe, he had the sour feeling that Don was gone, not to be seen again.

On Thursday evening, Grady and Gordo came back for dinner. Ruby made her delicious cinnamon beef stew and Gordo brought some fine wine. The man had already sobered up a little. Not entirely, but Alicia was carefully watching over him and Boyd knew that with her by his side, he would be fine. They were halfway through their meal when a knock at the door interrupted their discussion. Ruby finished her glass of wine before getting up to go answer. Nobody paid much attention. Between some neighbor looking for their favorite preacher's advices and the kids' friends staying over, it wasn't rare for the Swan to have surprise guests. Bible's ears tickled though when he heard the voice of a young man. It was too quiet for him to recognize it, but he still felt something twitch inside his chest. The boys must had felt the same, judging by the way they shot their heads up, sharing a glare in silence.

''Darling, there's someone at the door for you!'' Ruby called out from the lobby. Boyd went to the door, fixing his tie and scrubbing a tiny spot of gravy off his white shirt. His heart stuttered when he finally saw who was standing on his doorstep.

''Well… long time no see.'' Norman said, only managing to keep on a straight face for a moment before cracking a smile.

Bible pulled the kid into a tight hug, laughing like a mad man. Oh, how he'd missed that boy. Still, something in this perfect picture bothered him. Norman had lost weight; not that he had the habit of carrying the kid around (this was Grady's specialty), but he could tell he wasn't that skinny the last time he was him.

Norman pulled himself out of his friend's embrace and reached behind him, all excited. ''And look what I found on the way…''

Someone else appeared in the doorway, and Boyd had to blink more than twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Norman closed his book and put it down on the small table. He looked at the landscape behind the train's window with a quiet sigh. What was he getting into? He could have stayed home, gave himself a kick in the butt to get some studies done and found himself a job, then raised children in a pretty suburban house and grew old looking at all the money he'd made in his life. Just like his parents wanted him to do. Then again, it wasn't the craziest and most impulsive thing he had ever done. Enlisting for the army, for example, was probably in first place of his top five. Norman knew only too well that he would never forget all the things he had done back in Germany. He could still hear the shrilling sound of the bombshells in a silent room, see the faces of the dying soldiers writhing in agony whenever he closed his eyes. But what he hated the most was the panic attacks. At least, he guessed it was panic attacks. Sometimes he would simply be pouring himself a glass of water and his breath would start hitching, his ribcage feeling too tight and painful and hands shaking so much he couldn't hold anything. For a moment the whole world would disappear around him, leaving him alone with this horrible and visceral fear attacking his guts as memories and nightmares rushed through his brain. And he couldn't do anything to get out of it. It would eventually fade after a while, leaving him blubbering and miserable. He had only been lucky that none of this happened while Don was around. Not yet at least.

The train finally reached Chicago's train station. It had been a long trip. They pretty much spent the whole day in that wagon. Norman had a good stretch before leaning over the table and lay a hand on Don's arm. The man, always spending time wisely, had been asleep for at least half of the trip.

''Rise and shine, sir.'' Don probably heard Norman's smirk in his voice, as he woke up with a confused frown and asked with a slightly croaky voice:

''Did you just…''

''No, sir.''

Don repressed a yawn and rubbed the sleep off his eyes with a sigh. ''C'mon, I thought we were past this.''

Norman chuckled and grabbed his duffel bag. ''Alright, alright. Get up, we have a preacher to find.''

Don looked at the young man for a moment. It was crazy to think about how much their relationship had evolved since they first met in that military camp. The kid had looked almost pitiful, quivering and way too clean for the place they were in. Like a porcelain doll abandoned in the middle of hell. Even though, it didn't last long. At the end of his first week with the crew, Don already noticed how the softness in his eyes was fading. And now it was gone. These hues worth of the Caribbean seas that once colored his irises had frozen in something sharp, probably because of the cold memories of all the death he'd seen that were haunting his mind. It was a sad thing to witness, yet an inevitable one.

They finally got off the train and exited the station. The immensity of the town only really kicked in when they ended up on the crowded sidewalk, completely lost among the buildings and the streets that all look similar. Norman pulled a slightly yellowed piece of paper out of his pants pocket; one of Boyd's letter he had sent him a couple of months back, inviting him for diner. At the time, he didn't find the strength to go. Like what, there was a time for everything. But what really interested him in that letter right now was the address written at the very end of the message.

''He's on Crosby street… any idea where this is?''

Don carded a hand through his thick hair and put his hat back on his head. ''Nope.''

''Anyway,'' Norman sighed. ''That doesn't really matter.''

For a moment, Collier really wondered why the hell Norman was suddenly walking on the side of the street while doing his best impersonation of a drill siren (in other words, a surprisingly loud whistle). He soon got the answer to his question when a yellow car stopped by. The kid waved at him.

''You coming?''

''Sure…''

Norman had a funny look on his face. ''You never took a cab before?''

Indeed he hadn't. ''Where I used to live people are still ridin' horses in the streets. I let you bet.''

The youngest simply shrugged and opened the car's door. ''Après vous.''

Don rolled his eyes, even if the corners of his mouth slightly rolled up in amusement. This kid. ''Danke.''

Norman took the seat next to him and showed the address to the driver. Don looked through the window as they drove around the city. He was getting tensed. He didn't expect to see his men again after the war. He went to look out for Norman because the kid needed help; the others, however, had families and lives of their own. They didn't need their old sergeant to invite himself and stain their happiness with his troubles. It wasn't too late yet to jump off the car and run away. It would probably hurt, but Don had done worse before. An unknown voice suddenly brought him back to reality. He only then noticed the cab wasn't moving anymore.

''There you go sirs.'' The driver said, barely looking at them through his mirror.

''Thank you. Have a nice evening.'' Norman paid the man and exited the vehicle briskly. Collier followed him with less enthusiasm. Boyd's house was pretty, with its red brick walls and large windows. There was a couple of cars parked in front of it. It made Norman slightly hesitate, but he still continued his way to the main door. Once in front of it though, his surprising confidence of the day seemed to suddenly fade away. They could hear laughers and jazz music coming from inside. The kid glanced back at Don with unsure eyes.

''…maybe you should knock.'' He said, refusing to meet the elder's eyes.

''Why me?''

''Because you're his sergeant. Plus, you were his friend before me.'' Norman decidedly didn't want to be the one knocking. Don felt ridiculous to be refusing to socialize like a toddler who did not want say hi to his intrusive aunt, but this kind of situation always made him feel uncomfortable. He wasn't an overly sociable one, to be honest. Or at least he wasn't anymore. And when he used to be, it wasn't for the best. The man wasn't shy; he had just learned early enough that he always caused more harm than good to anyone who'd ever crossed his path. And seriously, he really didn't want his crew to see him in such a state, looking like a total wreck.

Apparently his lack of answer got Norman tired of waiting. The young man inhaled through his nose deeply as if to ground himself and finally knocked at the door. There was beat of silence before the door was opened wide and a woman appeared on the threshold. Her short, chocolate brown hair were tied in a simple but flawless updo and her hazel eyes shined with obvious intelligence. She straightened the polka dots on the skirt of her red dress and looked at the two men with a lovely smile.

''Good evening! Can I help you with something?'' She didn't seem too bothered by the strangers in front of her.

Norman hesitated for a second and took a discreet look inside. ''Yeah, hum… is Boyd Swan living here?''

By the look on the lady's face, she was visibly starting to recognize them. ''Oh, sure, he's right over here.'' She turned around and called out, ''Darling, there's someone at the door for you!''

The conversation going on in the kitchen stopped and footsteps could be heard. A moment later, nobody else than Boyd Swan himself was appearing in the doorway. He looked really different, all groomed and wearing clean clothes. Different in a good way. A soft warmth filled Norman's chest at the sight of his friend. He couldn't contain his smile as all the nervousness flew off his shoulders.

''Well… long time no see.'' The kid hugged Boyd tightly with a giggle of happiness. He had not noticed how much he'd actually missed Bible. He only then remembered Don, who was standing behind him (and probably trying to hide behind the wall or something) and wiggled out of the embrace to reach for him. The man had indeed backed off against the door frame in a subtle but unmissable attempt to make himself invisible.

''And look what I found on the way…'' Machine grabbed his sleeve and dragged him by his side.

Boyd was stunned silent for a moment, eyes fixed on the retired sergeant in confusion. Don just stood there, waiting for him to say something, to slap him or yell at him. He didn't know why he would even react like that, but after vanishing like a ghost for months, Collier could only expect this kind of reaction. To his surprise, a wide smile slowly spread over Bible's face, and Don began to struggle to keep his lips from grinning.

''You son of a –''

Ruby cleared her throat briefly, motioning her chin toward the kids who had come running the moment they heard the door open. Don simply chuckled and let himself being dragged into a fierce embrace.

''Alright… I missed you too.'' He admitted as he pat his friend's back and even without looking, he knew Norman was smiling, all proud of himself.