it's been 8 brutal months away from his girls, but today his unit is on the plane home. he looks at the picture tucked into his helmet: a picture of his girls, as he wishes time would go by faster. He talked to his girls last night, and promised he'd be home in less than 2 days, He made sure to read Emma the last bedtime story from an ocean away. The flight home was about 20 hours, they were almost home. He decides to go to sleep, he wakes up during landing. They get off the plane, unload everything. Then go into formation.
Cassie and Emma stand there with the classic welcome home sign. She used to laugh at people who had the welcome home signs, But then she fell in love with her husband and became a proud military wife. She watches the formation, and thinks about how "hurry up and wait" the military is. She daydreams about everything that has happened these last 5 years. She is jolted out of her daydream by the fact that the unit is now out of formation, and her daughter wants to find Dada.
Luke manages to find his wife and daughter between the sea of families and marines. He holds his girls, while his wife tells him ''thanks for making it back home to us." He kisses his wife and daughter. They talk with some of the other families. Then hop in the car; Luke drives, so he can feel the comfort of the rings on Cassie's left ring finger. They pick up peaches real quick and head to the beach. They exchange rings again, this time with Luke Surprising Cassie. He bought both of them matching lockets, with a picture of all four of them. Luke puts Cassie's on, then Cassie puts Luke's on. The family sits on a beach towel, and Luke catches up on everything that's been going on back home. Luke takes Emma for a swim, as Cassie watches along with peaches; wondering how the marine she married for health insurance became the love of her life, and the perfect girl and dog dad.
They decide to go to the same beach-side restaurant they went to all those years ago. They laugh about how much they've both changed. Cassie supports the military, and understands why Luke chose to become a marine, and understands that when Luke deploys. he does it to help protect people living in a war torn country. Luke listens to and tries to understand Cassie's opinion on things like healthcare, black lives matter and LGBTQ issues. Luke is much more liberal. They've learned how to listen to each other. Once the three finished their meal they headed home.
They put on tangled for Emma and cuddled up. Once the movie was over, Luke and Cassie read Emma a bedtime story. Later around 11, as Luke and Cassie were headed to bed, Emma asked if she could sleep in their bed. So they all cuddled up. In the early hours of the morning, Luke got ready for his morning run, he made sure to kiss his girls and tell them he'd be back. Emma woke up, and noticed Luke was gone. She became upset and woke up Cassie who reassured her daughter that Luke would be back. Cassie called Luke, and Luke reassured Emma that he would be home in a few minutes. A few minutes later, he arrived back home and hopped back in bed with his girls. he made sure to apologize to both of his girls, and promised little Emma that he would never leave her. they all fell back asleep, Later Luke, Emma, and Cassie went and got breakfast tacos. Before they get the tacos, Luke gives Emma the dog-tag that Cassie's original wedding ring; that Cassie still wears, was made out of. He explained to Emma that he made mommy's original wedding ring out of the dog-tag. So When she wore the dog-tag she would always have a piece of both Dada and mommy with her at all times.
At this moment Cassie starts sobbing, tears of relief that her husband, her commando, made it back home. Luke tells his daughter that they need to go give mommy hugs. So Luke sits behind her on the couch, like he always does when her sugars are off, or when she's sad. Their daughter sits on Cassie's lap, like she always does when her mommy's sugars are off. peaches sits on the end of the couch carefully watching her humans. Later Luke's family was throwing a welcome home party for Luke. But for right now the family ate breakfast tacos and celebrated that their hero made it home safe.