Vito went to visit Freddie as soon as he arrived home on leave.

Freddie's husband George, had sacrificed himself, dive bombing an enemy carrier with the stranded squad's last plane, preventing a devastating attack.

They had all volunteered for the probable suicide mission, but it was George who was chosen. He was eager to do it to redeem himself. Eager after abandoning his ideals to work for a crooked politician. He lost his standing, his self respect, and Freddie. It was Vito himself who got George the job. Vito was a little looser with his ideals, but even he didn't know it would go as far as it did, that George would take the fall and lose Freddie.

Vito was in love with Freddie too. He had hired her as his secretary thinking he could sweet talk her into falling for him, but she was already in love with George. Feeling guilty about George's downfall after Vito left him for New York, he helped him and Freddie get back together, before they were shipped out.

Vito wrote Freddie to tell her about George's final days and offered his apologies. He called her as soon as he got a chance. He doubted it was much comfort as she still seemed pretty devastated by it. "I'm so sorry Freddie. He was a good man. He was a hero, you know, he sacrificed himself for the rest of us." He heard a muffled sob, and a hushed "Thank you, Vito," and she hung up.

As the war was nearing its end, he was finally granted a week's leave. All he could think about was her. He just kept thinking, "It was right that she chose George, I was so selfish and arrogant. She saw right through me."

George had bettered him on almost everything. He was the better lawyer and the better pilot, he stayed and fought the fascist politicians at home, he rigged the patched up plane with the bomb and even talked the commander into letting him fly it, when Vito tried to insist that he should be the one to go. On the flight home, he was still battling his guilt, "He was the better man. It should have been me."

Freddie was a strong, intelligent woman and completely noble to her core. His complete opposite back then. He loved their bantering sessions even though she bested him in most of them. She also had an inner compassion and humor he found irresistible. He couldn't bear to think of her suffering. His first stop had to be to see her, even if she didn't feel the same way about him. He wouldn't blame her, but he had to make sure she was ok.

George had left instructions for her to buy back their old house, the house they built together. As he drove up to the house, he saw a moving van and his heart sank a little. He walked up to the open door and saw her going thru some papers. Tapping on the door tentatively, he finally spoke, "Hi Freddie."

She looked up with a sad look, and to his surprise she looked pleased and relieved to see him. "Vito," she said as she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him, "you came home safe."

At first he couldn't say anything and just held her. All his old feelings came rushing back. Closing his eyes, he thought, "this is what I came back for."

"Yeah...I came to see you Freddie. Is there anything I can do for you? Are you doing alright?"

As she stepped back, her sad look returned, "I guess...I'm doing the best I can."

"You're moving then?"

"Yes, I can't stay here anymore. This was our house...now that he's gone...everything reminds me of him."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm renting an apartment in the city, I've gotten a job there. I just need to be alone for a while."

He wondered if this was a hint.

"Do you need help moving?" he asked anyway, just wanting to be near.

"Oh, I'm sure you don't want to waste your leave on this..." she started.

Vito grew serious, "Freddie after everything we've all been through, I just want to be here for you."

"Ok," she conceded, "but I'll owe you dinner after we've finished."

They worked all afternoon. The hardest part for her was going thru George's things. Vito was patient and sat silently as tears would come to her eyes, as she chose what to keep and what to let go. Near the end, she handed Vito his favorite old watch and said, "I think you should have this." Vito tried to object but she waved him off and insisted.

At this point, Vito's eyes welled up too. She got up, crawled into his arms and they sat and cried together. After a good while, she sat up, wiped her face and said, "I guess I still owe you a dinner."

Vito didn't want to be any trouble but she said, "no, it's no trouble, we can go to the diner on the corner."

They sat together, but neither ate much and they hardly spoke. It seemed there was so much to say but no easy ways to say it.

He walked her back to her apartment and they stood in the doorway facing each other.

"Well, the war's over, when do you get to come home for good."

"My discharge comes thru in a couple of months. Do you want me to come back tomorrow to help?" he asked hopefully.

"Vito..." she started, "I just need some time alone, to get settled."

"Oh...of course," he cast his eyes down, not wanting her to see what he felt.

But she did see it and leaned over, wrapping her arms around him again.

"Why don't you write to me, let me know you're still ok...and come and see me after you get out."

"Yeah I can do that." Vito answered softly as he held her one more time.

She leaned back and touched his cheek, "take care of yourself, and come back home."

He smiled, "I will."

She walked thru the door, "Don't forget to write to me."

"I won't."