Chris has returned to Santa Monica again three years after the first time and still with lots of surprises in stall for her. This time however, she has a surprise of her own.





From Italy to Eternity - Chris's return

By Christy Maguire





Cory McNamara was relaxing on her living room couch on a Tuesday afternoon after spending the morning tidying her ever-messy home. She could see her old apartment through the polished glass of her windowpane. Gosh that place brought back memories. Like the time her best friend Chris Kelly had moved in during renovations to her own place. She'd realized then how easy her life was with her only real responsibility to protect and serve her country. Now, however, it seemed she never had a moment to herself.

She showered quickly leaving the door open to listen for any sound in the adjoining bedroom as Julia was due to wake up at any moment.

The noise she did here was slightly different. Cory leaped out of the shower and dragged clothes on her still slightly damp body before running through the house to answer the door. She was surprised the ringing of the doorbell hadn't woken Julia. Still, there was any chance that the visitor would. Julia loved to be admired, which happened often.

Cory looked through the eyepiece and gasped. It couldn't be! She flung the door open. 'CHRIS!' She screeched, forgetting Julia and embraced her friend.

'Cory, nice to see you too.' She said, stepping into Cory's house and shoving a carefully wrapped gift into her hands.

'What's this?' Cory asked and unwrapped the white tissue paper.

'Oh, just something I picked up,' Chris said with a devilish grin, 'in Italy.'

'They're gorgeous!' Cory breathed and removed the leather sandals from the box. 'They must have cost a fortune.'

'Oh well. The hardest part was finding a pair that would fit someone that wasn't there to try them on.'

'Well you could have taken me with you.' Cory said and the girls laughed, embracing again. 'Gosh it's good to see you Chris. I've missed you so much.'

'I've missed you too. We have got so much to catch up on.' Chris said, almost drowned out by the sound of a wailing toddler.

Cory carefully placed the sandals in the box and put the box on the table. 'Excuse me for a moment.' She said and returned to her room.

Julia was sitting up on the bed with her arms outstretched and tears running down her face. 'Mumma!' She wailed.

Cory scooped up the youngster, did an about-face and almost ran straight into Chris.

'Cory, she's so cute.' Chris said and held her arms out to take the child.

Julia's tears stopped as she prepared to soak up every ounce of attention she could get.

'She is.' Agreed Cory who was standing back admiring her child. Julia, named after Cory's deceased mother, was a handful at times but an absolute darling at others. She had her father's sandy blonde hair, tanned skin and infectious smile.

'Is she yours?' Chris asked.

Cory knew exactly what was on her friend's mind. Is she yours and TC's?

'Yes,' Cory said before adding, 'And TC's.'

Chris smiled at Julie who returned it with one of her own. 'Well, you are going to turn out beautiful. Aren't you?' She said to Julia who was now attempting to try on Chris's sunglasses. Chris gave her a hand. The glasses were way to big for Julia but she didn't seem to mind. She loved the idea of having grown-ups glasses on.

Chris carried Julia into the living room so Julia could show off the numerous toys scattered across the floor.

'So, I guess the blood test came back with TC's name on it?' Chris said returning to the paternity side of Julia.

Cory nodded.

'And what does the father think of it?' Chris asked dangling a stuffed lion by the tail in front of Julia's nose and pulled it back just before she grabbed it, making the toddler giggle.

'He was a bit shocked at first but now they get along really well.' TC was still upset that Chris had left for a second time when he was informed of Cory's pregnancy to his baby. Even still, he helped her throughout the pregnancy and was present for the delivery.

'It was his turn last weekend and when I went to pick her up she didn't want to leave.' In fact, she refused to leave. She'd grabbed a hold of TC's ankle and screamed if Cory came anywhere near her.

'I always wondered what TC would be like with a baby of his own.' Chris said, almost sadly, then sparked up. 'Maybe we could ride up to see him.'

'Sure. I'll just have to get a few things first.' Cory raced into her room and tossed spare nappies and clothes, a few toys and a blanket into the bag before going to the kitchen to fill some bottles with Julia's favourite juice.

'You sure look organized.' Chris commented, watching her best friend race around collecting items for the trip. 'I would be so disorganized if I was a mother.'

'You get used to it, believe me.' Cory said before grabbing the keys and slipping some sneakers on quickly. 'Do you need some better shoes?' She asked.

Chris looked down at the heels she was wearing. 'I think so.'

'I think you need some better clothes too. I think we are still the same size.' Cory said, conscious about the kilos she'd put on since giving birth to Julia.

Chris picked up Julia and the three went back into Cory's room to dress both Chris and Julia for the trip to the firehouse.



'It's going to be so weird to see TC again after all this time.' Chris yelled over the rushing wind and the sound of Julia happy cries and they peddled along the path. Cory had invested in a carriage to attach to the back of her bike when Julia was troubled by the lack of speed of her stroller.

'Three years isn't that long Chris. Plus, you have seen him since then for the divorce arrangements.'

'Which is going to make it even harder.' Chris said with a grim look on her face.

Cory laughed. 'Come on Chris. Telling him you are pregnant to him and giving birth in front of him is worse than just saying hi. You'll be fine.'

'I suppose.' Chris said and turned her attention to the track.

Cory glanced sideways at her friend. 'What?' She asked.

'What do you mean 'what'? I didn't say anything.'

'That's exactly what I mean. What are you thinking about?'

'I guess I'm just wondering why he didn't ask you to marry him. He asked me when we thought I was pregnant.'

'I don't know. I think he was still hoping you'd come back. Then I think he was too embarrassed to ask after that.'

'Coward.'

'I know.' Cory said and the two of them laughed.



Cory barely had time to get off the bike before Julie was asking for 'dink'.

'Hang on sweetie.' She said as she riffled through the bag frowning because she couldn't find the juice bottles she'd packed.

'Here.' Chris said and pulled a bottle from one of the side pockets and handed it to Julia.

'Thanks Chris. I guess I'm not as organized as you first thought.'

'No, just tired.' She said as she traced the dark patches under her friend's eyes. 'You need more sleep Cory.'

'It's a bit hard with a two-year-old.'

'What about a nanny?'

'Can't afford it.'

'What about a husband?'

Cory rolled her eyes. 'You know how hard it is to find a guy when you're a cop.'

'Well, here comes a really good guy who will understand your position.' Chris said directing her eyes at TC who was coming through the front door.

'Look at that Julia.' Cory said. 'We've been spotted.'

TC Callaway bounded down the steps and straight up to the carriage. 'Julia.' He called to her.

The toddler held out her arms to her father and was scooped up. 'Daddy.' She said before returning to her juice.

Cory grinned at the sight. If only TC was there all the time to help her.

Chris noticed Cory staring at the father/daughter pair and elbowed her friend in the ribs making Cory blush.

TC grinned and then looked shocked as if it only just registered to him that Chris was standing there. 'Hello Chris. What a surprise.' He stammered.

'Hello to you TC. It seems like you have quite a family going here.' Chris said.

TC grinned again. 'Looks can be deceiving.'

'I know.' Chris said disappointed. 'Cory filled me in on what I'd missed.'

Julia took that moment to act cute and play with TC's hair, distracting him from his ex-wife and the mother of his child.

'Bring your bikes in. You won't believe who else is here.' He said tossing his daughter up and catching her again.

Chris and Cory wheeled their bikes up the ramp.

'I've done this so often,' said Chris, 'but now it feels so strange.'

'I know. It was the same with me after coming back from maternity leave.' Cory replied leaning her bike against one of the cupboards. She then happened to glance at Chris's face. She had a big smile on her face. Cory followed Chris's gaze and almost fainted.

'Oh my gosh, Tony!' She said, running up to her former commanding officer and wrapping her arms around him. 'We haven't seen you in years!'

Anthony Palermo returned Cory's hug. 'And I haven't seen you in years. How have you been?'

'A mother.' Chris answered for her friend.

'Yes,' he said, 'so I've been told.'

Julia used that moment to reach for Cory so she had to let go of Tony.

Chris side stepped mother and daughter and stood beside Tony who automatically slipped a hand around her waist, then realized what he'd done after Cory and TC's jaws dropped.

Chris grinned and cuddled up to Tony. 'I…We have a surprise for you.' Chris said and held up her hand. There was a wedding band on her finger.

'Chris, oh my gosh. I had no idea!' Cory said and hugged Chris still keeping a hold of her daughter. 'When did this happen?'

'About six months after I went back to Virginia. I got an assignment to accompany and protect an official United Nations member going to Italy and I found that Tony had joined the FBI over there and was working with me. I loved Italy so much I asked to be transferred and was partnered him.' Chris gave Tony a squeeze around the waist. 'Then he turned on the charm and I just couldn't resist.' Chris smiled up at her husband. 'We dated for a year and a half and have come here for our first year anniversary which is tomorrow.'

'Is that why you wanted to get a divorce so quickly two years ago.' TC said scornfully.

'Actually, no. I wanted to cut you free so that you could find someone who could treat you as you deserve and give you eternal happiness like what I was experiencing.' Chris said and with a sly smile added. 'Like a certain mother here.'

TC looked at Cory briefly and smiled before getting down on one knee. 'I know that I should have done this long ago, Cory, and I hope you can forgive me. Cory McNamara, will you do me the honor of giving me your hand in marriage?'

'Silly daddy.' Julia gurgled, at the worst possible time.

Chris took her from Cory who pulled TC up by the shoulder's of his shirt and kissed him deeply.

'Um mar.' Julia said but was grinning.

'I take it that is a yes.' TC said a while later.

Cory nodded and wiped away tears from her face. 'I love you so much.'

'And I love you.' TC said and kissed her again.

That night all five were down at the beach with Cory still admiring the ring TC had divulged from his desk draws earlier that day and the sandals that were a present from her best friend.

'I really think this worked out well.' Chris said. She was sitting between Tony's legs. Cory was sitting next to them with Julia on her lap and TC's arm around her shoulders.

'So do I.' Said Cory. 'You two seem happy, I'm happy and so is Julia.'

'TC is ecstatic.' Tony said causing laughter from the group and making TC turn a shade of pink.

'And,' added TC, 'don't forget Victor. He's with Linda now.'

'Who's dat daddy?' Julia asked.

'Your guardian angel.' He said and kissed his daughter's sandy coloured hair.

'All I want to know,' Cory said, 'is when you two are going to have a baby.'

Chris blushed and Tony patted Chris's barely swollen stomach. 'Sooner than you think.' He said.

'Um mar.' Julia asked for the second time that day.

'You'll have a god-sister.' Cory said to her daughter, looking at Chris and Tony who were still delighted by being appointed Julia's god-parents.

'And by the time this one is born,' Chris said patting her stomach, 'you might have a sister of your own.'

'Now, there's a thought.' TC said. 'We might have to work on that. What do you think Cory?'

'I think it's a good idea.' She said and pressed herself closer to her fiancé. 'Victor and Linda will have a big job to do from now on.' And they all agreed.