A/N: Yes, I'm back. I'm sorry, Guys. I got so burned out, I had to pause a little. I took some time off from writing and went on a cruise vacation. I feel better now so here's the next chapter and to make up for the long wait, it's an extra long chapter.

I'm also putting a trigger warning on this for memories and pain around Chloe's miscarriage.

Beca felt like a new woman... or maybe part new woman... but she was smiling broadly as she strode confidently across the prosthetic fitting room, balance practically perfect.

"I can't believe this," she exclaimed. "They've come so far since I got mine." Her new knee gave her perfect control over the limb and helped with her balance, and she marveled at the perfect fit of the socket. "It's so comfortable. I don't think I realized how crappy the original one had gotten."

The prosthetist nodded and watched carefully as she walked, analyzing her gait, and making sure her hips were level. "Looking pretty good, Beca," he replied.

"Uh huh," Chloe agreed, grinning with a blatant wink. She was sitting on a chair by an open window, sunlight reflecting in her blue eyes. "You look really hot, Becs."

"Chlo," Beca whined, looking around in embarrassment as a couple of soldiers walking around her, gave her shit-eating grins, but she was secretly pleased with the compliment all the same.

"Any pain in either hip?" the prosthetist asked, crouching to check the fit one more time.

"None at all," the veteran confirmed. "It feels really great."

"Ok, if you're happy, I think we're done here. Congratulations on your new limb, Beca."

"Thanks," Beca replied gratefully. "I appreciate your taking the time and care with it."

Chloe got up and went to her lover, lacing their fingers together briefly before releasing Beca to let her change from her shorts back into her pants. Then they strolled along the corridors of the clinic and out into the parking lot. The redhead called an Uber and then spent a leisurely few moments kissing her girlfriend in a secluded spot behind a tree. "You really do look hot with this new leg," she whispered.

Beca laughed and Chloe pulled back to look at her with raised eyebrows. "You're weird, Chlo," the brunette teased. "You're talking about it like it's new pants or shoes or something."

But the redhead just smiled in return. "It's not the actual leg," she replied gently. "It's the confidence wearing it is giving you. You've got this new little sexy swagger. THAT'S what's hot, Becs."

The veteran's smile broadened, and she blushed a little. "Oh. Thanks."

Their taxi arrived, and Chloe snuggled against her girlfriend in the back seat, thinking to herself how she was so happy, she felt like she might explode from it. Then, her phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket to answer it.

"Hi, this is Chloe Beale," she said cheerfully.

"Chloe, Rick Steele!"

"Rick!" Chloe exclaimed. "Good to hear from you."

Beca stiffened a little and Chloe smiled, rubbing her thigh gently.

"I'm in Manhattan, Chloe, can you see me this afternoon?"

"Of course, Rick, I'm on my way back to the office from a meeting as we speak. What time will you be there?"

"I'll see you at four, Darlin'."

Chloe looked at her watch. It was two-fifteen. "Four it is. Bye, Rick."

They hung up and Chloe swallowed. "Well, I guess we're going to find out today, one way or another." Beca nodded as the redhead began making calls.

Xx

Chloe had changed for the meeting with Rick Steele and she was standing now in her private bathroom, straightening her navy vest and tie as she gave herself a silent pep talk. Chloe had always been good at giving herself pep talks, her natural optimism prodding at her until a smile was back on her face.

"You look happy," Joan said softly from the doorway.

"I am," the redhead smiled again. She smoothed down her navy slacks and slipped into her jacket, giving herself a last once over in the mirror.

The assistant grinned then. "And you look exceptionally sexy in the power suit, Boss, so you'd better give Beca some time to ogle you and get over it, before you expect her to say anything."

Chloe laughed and shook her head. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Only when you undress each other with your eyes," Joan deadpanned, and Chloe swatted her shoulder playfully. The older woman had been with her since the inception of the company, and she felt like an old friend to the redhead.

"Do not!"

"Do too!" Joan laughed. "Seriously though, Chloe, I've never seen you as happy."

The redhead nodded, unable to keep the grin off her face. "That's because I've never been in love like this before..." She looked down. "Not even with Jackie."

The assistant didn't comment on that. Instead, she re-straightened Chloe's tie with a little tug and then patted her cheek softly. "Go get 'em, Boss."

The executive nodded, squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and then headed for the conference room.

Xx

Beca tried so hard to not let her mind derail but, when Chloe stepped into the conference room in a power suit and heels, she almost choked on her own drool and had to take a couple of swallows of water from the glass sitting on the table in front of her. The redhead had one hand in her pants pocket and her blue eyes were twinkling with anticipation. It was after four and Rick Steele hadn't arrived yet, but Chloe had a good feeling, and she just took a seat at the head of the table, fingers steepled in front of her face. Then she spoke, voice steady and tone even as her eyes moved from Jesse to Brett and finally to Beca.

"I want you all to know," she said. "Even if we don't win this bid, I'm so, so proud of you all. You've gone above and beyond and busted your asses to get this done."

"You too, Chlo," Jesse replied, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand.

Then Joan was knocking at the door. "Chloe, Mr. Steele to see you." She stepped back and Rick ambled into the room, taking the time to shake each person's hand and exchange pleasantries before taking a seat next to Beca.

"So," he began as he took his Cattleman hat off, set it on the table and smoothed down his salt and pepper hair. He looked at Beca. "Young Lady, I did some research of my own and discovered that what you said about Franklin not making their deadlines was in fact true."

Beca nodded impassively. "Yes, Sir."

"So, I looked over your bid from mouth to tail and I must tell you, Chloe. It's not cheap."

"I didn't promise cheap," Chloe replied amiably. "I promised one hundred percent on-time delivery that would keep you on budget with no subsequent surprise losses or costs."

Steele reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a rolled-up wad of paper. Then he tossed it onto the table. "I like this contract," he said. "Cut the price by ten thousand and we have a deal."

Jesse was shocked. Chloe took a breath and thought about it for a moment, but Beca was the one to lean forward and push the contract back toward him. "We've given you every saving we could, Sir," she said respectfully. "Let me ask you, Rick, would you ever sign a contract where you'd take a loss?" She didn't mention that they were already taking a loss.

The Texan chuckled softly. "No, Young Lady, I rightly would not," he replied. Then he looked at Chloe. "She's a smart one."

"Yes, she is," the executive replied, sitting back in her chair, and crossing her legs. Her eyes went to Jesse who was wearing his most serious poker face.

Then Steele laughed and slapped his hand down on the contract. "Man's gotta try," he exclaimed. "I already signed the damn thing."

Chloe got to her feet and held out her hand. "Well then," she said calmly. "Beale Advertising is honored to be doing business with you, Sir."

Rick grabbed her hand and almost shook her shoulder right out of its socket. "Good deal, Chloe Beale. Good deal." He looked at his watch. "I have to get going now. Have to let Franklin down easy. He ain't goin' t'be pleased!"

"No, Sir," Jesse chuckled. They all shook hands and then Chloe asked Joan to see Steele out. When he was gone, she dropped into her chair, legs unable to hold her upright anymore.

"Holy shit," she murmured shakily. "We did it. We beat Franklin."

"We did!" Jesse exclaimed, then dropped onto his knees next to her to hug her hard "This is so awesome!

Beca was watching them, smiling affectionately as tears welled in the redhead's eyes. She wanted to go to Chloe, to hold her and kiss her tears away, but this was Jesse's time with his best friend so, instead, she and Brett just gave them the room.

Xx

"There you are," Chloe smiled as she sat in Beca's guest chair and yawned a little. It had been an exciting evening of planning and getting the Steele Ironworks project officially set up. Her tie was loose, and the top button of her shirt was open. She ran her hand through her hair and then slouched a bit, kicking her legs out. "A few of us are going out for drinks tonight to celebrate. Coming?" Chloe was mindful of Beca's dislike of crowds and wanted to make sure she was comfortable.

"Sure," the veteran nodded. "Home to change first?"

"Yeah," the redhead nodded. "I'd like to get into something more comfortable." Jesse ambled to them. "Hey! Good, you're here," Chloe grinned, then waved a hand at him. "Go on."

"Hey, Beca. So," the man began. "Chloe and I are very, very grateful for everything you've done for Beale Advertising, and we believe in rewarding exceptional performance so... here you go."

Beca blinked as Jesse held out a set of keys and she took them automatically from him. "What's this?" she asked, examining them.

"Those are the keys to your new office. It's the free one next door to Chloe's."

"But that's the…" The veteran's mouth closed abruptly as her eyes widened incredulously.

"Correct." Jesse grinned widely. "We've been recruiting for the Chief Sales and Marketing Officer role for a while, but we think we've finally found the perfect candidate. And let's face it, Becs, you'll do just as good a job as Chloe, or I could. You have the same qualifications as we do."

Beca looked at Chloe, who shrugged and held up her hands. "Don't look at me. It's all Jesse's idea..." She let a little grin loose. "But I do concur."

"I don't know what to say," the brunette said as she got her voice back. "Except, thank you!"

"You've earned it," Chloe said. "But I want you to keep reporting to Jesse rather than me because… I know we've talked about this, and I had my reasons for wanting to keep our relationship on the down low but now... I think we're in a better situation to..." She took a breath and met Beca's eyes solidly. "I'd like our relationship to be fully public, Becs. Would that be ok with you?"

"Of course," the veteran replied with a pleased smile. "I'd love that."

"Then tonight, let's come out?"

Beca couldn't have felt happier. "Perfect."

Xx

"You know," Beca said huskily as she pushed her girlfriend roughly against the door of their bedroom. "I was uncomfortably wet and turned on during the meeting with Steele."

"Oh?" Chloe chuckled, eyebrows raised.

"Mmmhmmm..." the veteran nodded as she tugged on the redhead's tie to rock her forward for a lingering kiss. "I mean... this outfit, Chlo. So sexy."

Chloe's hand was on her cheek now and her lips explored softly down the younger woman's neck to nip at her pulse point. "Why don't you take it off me?" she whispered.

Beca slowly popped the button of her girlfriend's pants open, then pushed the zip down. "How about I save time and just fuck you in it?"

The redhead groaned and nodded. "That would be acceptable too," she gasped as the veteran's hand slipped into her underwear. She quickly stepped out of her heels and Beca suddenly had a much better angle for her fingertips to explore. Chloe kissed her deeply and slid her hands under Beca's shirt and into her bra to touch her breasts. She could already feel how wet she was getting and Beca moaned softly as she rubbed her fingertips gently against the redhead's clit, slipping easily over it.

"God, Chloe," she murmured, then pressed her face against her lover's cheek. "You feel so good."

Chloe nodded with a smile, eyes closed. "You too, Becs." Then she gasped as two fingers entered her without warning. "Oh... God..." she choked out. The fingers retreated and then speared sharply into her again, making her groan erotically. "Again..." she begged, then moaned as her lover obliged. "Harder," she whispered. This time Beca groaned. "Harder, Beca." Chloe's hands left Beca's breasts and she wrapped her arms around her instead. "Harder. Fuck me harder."

Beca was thrusting so hard now, she was almost lifting Chloe off her feet with each one. The redhead's breathing was coming as ragged panting now. "Chloe..." the brunette groaned against her cheek. "I love you. I love you so much." Chloe was out of her mind with pleasure and her arms tightened around Beca as her head tipped back against the door. She was so close, she could feel herself clenching around Beca's fingers, but she remained there, gasping and teetering on the edge. The younger woman eased back a tad. "Look at me," she urged. "Chloe, look at me."

Blue eyes appeared, dilated and half-lidded. "Beca..." she whined. "I... I can't..."

"Yes, you can...," the brunette replied with a smile as she moved her thumb to press the redhead's clit. "You're so beautiful, Baby. Let go."

Chloe's hips bucked as her orgasm suddenly crashed over her and her voice rose in a delirious cry of pleasure. Her knees buckled and Beca caught her, holding her firmly against the door as she peppered little kisses across her cheeks and nose, until she could stand again. Then Chloe was kissing her passionately and deeply. "God, Becs," she laughed then as she broke the kiss to drag some air into her lungs.

"That was cool," the veteran grinned. "Sooo hot, Chlo."

"I... um... might not be able to walk later," Chloe sniggered. "But, God, it was worth it."

"It's getting late," Beca murmured as she pressed more kisses to Chloe's neck. "Why don't we take this conversation into the shower."

"Oh God yes..." Chloe replied. "It's my turn."

Beca just grinned.

Xx

Dressed casually in jeans and sweaters, Beca and Chloe strolled together into the bar where they were meeting the other Beale Advertising staff for drinks. When Beca saw all the eyes on them, she reflexively tried to drop the redhead's hand, but Chloe just held on and tugged her into the mix of her staff as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. Nothing to see here, Folks. The boss had a huge beaming smile on her face as she exchanged one-armed hugs with her team, not letting go of Beca's hand for one second.

Joan was the first one to address the elephant in the room. "I see you two finally got your shit together," she said and Beca swallowed hard, but the rest of the staff just laughed.

"Yeah," Brett commented. "The heart eyes between you were ridiculous. How on Earth did either of you think we didn't know?"

Chloe laughed a little. "Beca and I have actually been together a while," she said.

"We were just trying to not make things weird at the office," Beca added with a sheepish grin.

"And on that note," the redhead added. "Drinks are on me." She finally let go of Beca's hand as she went for her wallet to get out her credit card and cheers sounded around her. "Back in a sec. Just gonna open a tab."

Jesse suddenly appeared next to Beca, and he tugged her to a seat at a table he was sharing with Joan. They were also officially dating now. "How do you feel?" he asked.

The veteran looked down as unexpected tears welled in her eyes. "Happy," she replied simply as Chloe's assistant leaned closer and rubbed her shoulder gently. A moment later, Chloe was taking the seat next to her.

"Hey, you ok?" she asked in concern when she saw her lover try to surreptitiously wipe a tear from her cheek. "Did someone say something to upset..."

"No!" Beca exclaimed. "No... I'm just." She laughed a little. "Being ridiculously sappy."

"Oh." Chloe's eyes twinkled. She leaned in and kissed her lover chastely. "Good, 'cos I'm feeling that way too."

"CHLOE BEALE!"

Chloe jumped and looked toward the booming voice, then laughed. "And by the way, I invited Rick since he's in town 'til tomorrow." She got up to retrieve the man and bring him to their table. "Rick, you know Jesse and my girlfriend, Beca... and this is Joan, Jesse's girlfriend, and my assistant. Beca's just been promoted to Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, reporting into Jesse, so you'll have the absolute best team possible working on your project."

Rick blinked for a moment and then a broad smile spread across his face as he leaned into Beca. "Your girl's protective of you," he winked. "This explains why she told me in the nicest possible way to go to hell when I asked about how you lost your leg."

Chloe blushed a little but nodded.

Beca shrugged. "I'll tell you, if you want to know," she said, noting the US Marines tattoo on his forearm now that he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

"IED?" the Texan asked.

"Yeah, stepped right on it."

Rick winced. "Shit."

Beca shrugged. "Yeah. Had to have my knee amputated afterwards." Chloe's hand moved unconsciously to the thigh of her lover's residual limb to caress it. Beca's hand covered it, letting her fingers slip between her girlfriend's. "Came back to the States a mess of PTSD and, after being fired a few times, ended up on the street. Until Chloe found me."

Rick's eyes were gentle as he looked at Chloe and nodded his understanding. "You're lucky to have each other. Cherish every moment together. My wife died of cancer a year back. I miss her so much and wish I'd taken more time to just enjoy the important moments, you know?"

"I know," the veteran replied with a warm smile. "And believe me, Rick, I intend to cherish every moment with Chloe." She smiled as the redhead leaned close and nuzzled her temple. "If she doesn't annoy me too much," she added with a teasing grin, making Chloe scoff and roll her eyes.

"Wow... so romantic, Becs." She scowled playfully as she looked at Rick and her friends. "See what I have to put up with?"

Beca just kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand.

Rick cleared his throat then as a server delivered him a glass of bourbon. "Thanks, Honey." Then he leaned back in his chair and took a swallow. "So... if Beca was on the street, how did you meet?"

"Now THAT'S a funny story," Chloe replied as she accepted a beer for herself and Beca, placing one in front of her lover. "Unless... do you want to tell it, Honey?"

Beca shook her head. "Nope. This is allll you, Babe."

"Well," the redhead chuckled. "It all started with the morning from hell..."

Xx

"That was fun!" Beca exclaimed as she dropped unceremoniously onto the bed on her back. "But I think I might be a little drunk, Chlo."

"No shit, Baby," Chloe chuckled as she began shucking her clothes. "I think the karaoke singing gave it away."

"Oh. I did that, didn't I?" the brunette giggled.

"You sure did," the redhead smiled. "And you were amazing."

"Meh," Beca shrugged then struggled to get out of her shirt, an unachievable feat of dexterity considering she was still lying down and had about eight beers in her.

Chloe took pity on her and climbed onto the bed to straddle her hips and help her get the article off over her head, freeing her dark locks. Unfocused, dark blue eyes looked up at her then as Beca ran her hand up the redhead's bare abs. "You're really beautiful," she breathed, fingertips moving back down to tug on the waistband of her underwear. "Can I make love to you again?"

Chloe smiled sheepishly. "I'd love nothing more but... Sweetheart… I'm... um... kinda sore from earlier."

Beca's face dropped into the picture of dismay. "Oh my God, did I really hurt you, Chloe?" She struggled to sit up, but the redhead put a hand against her chest, then leaned down to kiss her gently.

"Only in the best way," she whispered. "I like it a little rough sometimes, so don't worry." She got back up and headed into the bathroom, returning a moment later with some painkillers and water. "Let's get some sleep now and you can ravish me tomorrow, ok, Baby?"

"Ok," Beca replied, pouting a little still. She didn't like the idea that she might have hurt the love of her life. But then Chloe was naked, helping her get undressed and curling around her under clean, fragrant sheets... and things were suddenly right with the world again.

Xx

Two months passed in a haze of work and love and contentment. Beca had been seeing her therapist religiously and she was feeling like she was making a lot of progress with her PTSD. Then it was getting close to Christmas and Chloe was planning what she wanted to pack for their visit to her parents. Beca was leaning against the bedroom doorjamb watching her as she bit her bottom lip and muttered under her breath. Her girlfriend was always so organized, yet she'd been so busy lately that they were going tomorrow, and she wasn't at all prepared. Beca had been packed for a couple of days now. Although, having a prosthetic leg meant a little more preparation in general.

Chloe didn't know Beca was there yet, and she stopped what she was doing and put everything down, just sitting back on her heels and breathing deeply. The brunette began to feel a little uneasy and she moved across the room to sit opposite her lover and take her hand. "What's wrong, Chlo?"

Blue eyes opened and Chloe sighed softly. "I'm... not sure. I just have this weird feeling."

"Do you not want to go?" the veteran asked tentatively.

"No... I do." Chloe sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just feel unsettled for some reason."

"Why don't you go for a run, Baby?" Beca suggested. "It might help clear your head."

"Yeah," the redhead nodded. "That's actually a great idea." She pecked her lover on the lips and got up, pulling her sweater off over her head and grabbing a t-shirt to change into.

"Isn't it a little cold for just a t-shirt?" the brunette said with a grimace.

"Don't worry, I'll wear my windbreaker over it. Thanks, Love." Chloe finished changing and snugged her sneakers onto her feet. Then with one more kiss to Beca's lips, she was gone, sliding her AirPods into her ears.

Xx

Chloe exited their apartment building and took a right turn to head toward Central Park. Her local park was too small for a good run and so, after warming up with the walk, she broke into a slow jog, weaving around tourists, kids and dogs. Her feet pounding the pavement rhythmically, let her mind roam and she tried to figure out why she felt so uneasy about going to Portland. Her relationship with her parents had only improved since her last in-person visit and she wasn't really concerned about how they'd treat Beca.

She took measured breaths as her body responded with the energy she needed to speed up and she upped her pace to settle into a run. She ran until her legs began to ache and she looked at her Apple Watch, blinking in shock when she realized she'd run more than twelve miles. "Shit," she sighed as she slowed to a walk and dialed Beca's number.

"Chloe, are you ok?" her lover asked immediately.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just... I was lost in thought, and I ran twelve damn miles. I'm gonna walk for a bit, then stretch, then get a cab back."

"Ok, Babe. Did the run help?"

Chloe took a moment to listen to her body and mind. She felt less restless, but she still had that uneasy feeling. "I don't know yet," she finally replied. "But I do feel a bit better."

"Alright, well see you soon. I love you," the brunette replied, a smile in her voice.

"Love you too," the executive replied. Then she slipped her phone back into her pocket and continued walking. It took another thirty minutes, but she finally got home to find that Beca had folded and laid out her clothes on the bed for her to choose from, and it only took her thirty minutes to finish packing.

Then Chloe wandered out into the living room to find her girlfriend finishing up some last-minute work before vacation. There were two glasses of red wine on the coffee table and Chloe grabbed one to take a long swallow as she leaned against Beca who smiled at her. "All packed?"

"Yeah," the redhead confirmed. "Ready to go."

"Any more insight into your weird feeling?"

"Truth is... I don't know what the hell is wrong with me," Chloe said, slightly frustrated.

"Maybe it's not related to going to Portland at all. Is it because it's Christmas?"

"Oh... Oh my God..." the executive suddenly exclaimed. "Is tomorrow December twenty-first?" Beca nodded and was about to ask what the date meant when Chloe got up and went into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

The veteran blinked and slowly set her MacBook aside. She got up then and went to the bedroom door, pressing her ear against it to hear sobbing coming from the other side. She didn't hesitate to go in. Chloe was sitting on the floor, her back against the wall with her knees pulled up and her face pressed into them, but when Beca sat next to her, she turned into her, pulling her close and sobbing into her chest.

The brunette didn't say anything, just held her, rubbing her back gently until she was calm enough to talk. "Better?" she asked very softly.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah," she whispered, sniffling unhappily. "I can't... I can't believe I forgot."

"Forgot what, Love?" Beca asked softly.

The redhead cleared the tears from her cheeks and sniffled again. "Tomorrow is Zoe's due date. If she'd survived to full term, it would have probably been her birthday. She would have been twelve."

Beca's head tipped back, and she looked at the ceiling. "Oh Chlo..." she whispered. "Baby, I'm sorry." She pulled her lover even closer, kissing the top of her head. "What can I do? Tell me what I can do."

"There's nothing you can do, Becs," Chloe replied quietly. "But please... be patient with me, ok? The next couple of days are going to be hard."

Xx

The next day, Chloe was quiet and withdrawn; quieter than Beca had ever seen her before. They got ready in mostly quiet. They rode to the airport in mostly silence. Their flight to Portland was quiet too, but it didn't matter. Beca held her partner's hand through it all, never letting her go. She made sure that Chloe ate the awful airplane food and stayed hydrated, and she cherished the grateful smiles she received in return.

"I'm ok," Chloe said as they made the drive from the airport to her childhood home. "Just very sad. My grief counselor said it'd get easier over the years but... it hasn't really."

"I know," the veteran replied, covering her lover's hand on the gear shift with her own. "I can tell by the pain in your eyes."

The redhead took in a shuddering breath and tears spilled down her cheeks. "I think about her a lot. I'm so mad at myself for forgetting."

Beca nodded. "But you didn't actually forget, Honey. You just didn't realize the date. It doesn't mean you love her any less."

Chloe bit her bottom lip as her rational brain recognized the truth to her lover's words. There was no way she could ever forget her daughter's due date. Never. Then she just nodded, and they rode the rest of the way with the radio on low.

"Holy shit, it's a fucking mansion!" Beca exclaimed as Chloe pulled up to the main gate of her parents' driveway. The redhead chuckled softly as she keyed in her gate code and waited for the iron monstrosities to swing open. Then she slowly guided the car up the drive to park outside the huge garage.

"Did you miss the part where I said I have a trust fund?" she teased gently.

"Holy shit," the veteran said again as they got out of the car and grabbed their bags from the trunk. "That fountain."

"I almost drowned it that once when I was a kid," Chloe shrugged. "Fell over the family dog and went in headfirst. I thought my mother was..." She stopped then and looked down. "Anyway, I learned to stay away from it, the hard way."

Beca was turning around slowly, taking the grounds in with wide eyes. "Wow," she whispered.

"Hey," Chloe said then, getting her attention again. "Listen, my mom and dad are good people, but my mom can be a snob sometimes. Don't let her upset you, ok?"

"Ok," Beca agreed, looking at the house in awe again.

"Hey…" the redhead said again. Dark blue eyes focused on her. "I love you."

A big smile rushed across the veteran's face. "I love you too."

Then the front door was opening and Beca was being pulled into a bear hug, much to Chloe's surprise. "Dad! What…"

"It's ok, Chlo," Beca laughed as she extricated herself from the man who was about a foot taller than she was. "Mr. Beale, I presume?" she said looking up into his face.

"Alfie, call me Alfie, Beca," the man replied. "Welcome to our home."

"Thank you, Sir," the veteran replied. Then she smiled as an older woman stepped out onto the porch.

Chloe stepped forward. "Mom, this is Beca. Becs, Alice Beale, my mom."

"Wonderful to meet you, Dear," Alice smiled. She put her arm around Beca's shoulders to guide her into the house. "Now, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"

"MOM!" Chloe exclaimed, absolutely horrified.

Beca looked back at her girlfriend over her shoulder, slightly slack jawed. "Uh…" She blinked a moment, but then she stopped walking and looked Chloe's mother straight in the eyes. "I intend to love her for the rest of my life," she said. "If she'll have me."

Alfie and his daughter both gasped at the same time and before she even thought about what she was doing, Chloe was kissing her girlfriend gently on the lips. "Of course I'll have you."

"That wasn't a marriage proposal, Chlo," Beca deadpanned, and the three Beale's laughed.

"No, I know," the redhead chuckled as she laced her fingers with her girlfriend's. "But a girl can wish… right?"

The veteran nodded. "Right."

Xx

Beca watched as Chloe laughed with her mother about something or other in the kitchen. She was out on the back deck, helping Alfie with the grilling of steaks while the womenfolk, as Alfie had jokingly called them, were making the sides. The veteran had done a lot of grilling out in Afghanistan and she was surprising Chloe's dad with her skill.

"So…" she said as she flipped a steak, then flipped the lid off a fresh beer and passed it to the man. "Can I talk to you about something, Sir?"

"Of course," Alfie replied, grizzled eyebrows lifting.

Beca took a deep breath and then swallowed hard. "Sir… I know you haven't known me that long but I love Chloe and… I… wanted to… um… ask you if I… I…" Beca rolled her eyes. "Sorry, I'm stupidly nervous."

Alfie smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "Beca Mitchell, are you asking me for my daughter's hand in marriage?"

The brunette nodded. "Yes, Sir, I… love her so much and I want to ask her to marry me. I'm saving for a ring, you see, and it just would mean a lot to me if you would say yes. Chloe and I both would love your blessing."

Alfie's lips lifted into a smile. "Saving for a ring for her?"

"Yeah, I've been saving for a while now; since Chloe and I started dating actually, because I knew I wanted to be with her. She's the love of my life and I don't think I could survive without her."

The man smiled happily and nodded. "You have my blessing, Beca." The brunette almost passed out with relief, but she managed to hold out her hand for him to shake. Instead, Alfie pulled her into a hug. "You make my Chloe happier than I've ever seen her. How could I say no?"

"Thank you, Sir," the veteran replied. They ended the hug a little awkwardly and Beca was about to go back to the steaks when she glanced into the kitchen to find her lover crying in her mother's arms.

"Um… excuse me," she said as she moved from the deck into the kitchen. "Baby," she said worriedly as she put her hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Are you ok?"

"She's ok," Alice said gently as she rubbed her child's back. "There are just a lot of memories here."

"It's ok, Mom," the redhead sniffled as she eased back. "Beca knows everything."

"Good," the older woman replied with a smile, erasing her daughter's running eye makeup with her thumbs. "Why don't you two take some time together and I'll call you when dinner is ready."

"Thanks, Mom," Chloe smiled, rubbing at her cheeks. "God, I feel like I've done nothing but cry the last two days." She offered her hand to her girlfriend. "Take a walk with me? We can go over to the stables, and I can introduce you to the horses."

Beca's mouth dropped open as she took her lover's hand. "Holy shit! You have horses too?"

And Chloe just grinned.