Disclaimer: As in ch. 1

0800 Local Time

Okinawa Naval Hospital

Japan

"Trey?" Elaine called softly as she entered the room.

Trey, who was sitting up slightly, turned to great her, only to have her launch herself at him.

"My God, Trey! I can't believe it! You're still alive." Tears streamed freely from her eyes as she clung to the man who had become almost like a brother to her.

"Hey...It's good you see you, too." He said with a slight smile, stroking her hair. "I heard someone tamed Matt. I could have sworn I heard a certain someone say that he was too 'serious for her'." Trey grinned at her slyly.

She pretended to be offended as she lightly punched his shoulder. "You...you...squid!"

"Seriously, how are you doing?"

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to ask you?"

"Well, you can see that answer for yourself. I'm here, weak as a baby, but I've never felt better." He tried to smile again at her, but his eyes betrayed him.

"You'll be just fine, Trey."

"I hope so. Though I suppose I'll have to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I can't feel anything below my waist."

"Oh, Trey...you'll be all right. If anyone can fight something like that off, it's you!"

He smiled sadly at her and changed the subject. "So, how's Matt?"

"Grumpy and grouchy. He tried to persuade the doctor to release him today." Elaine grinned slightly at the memory.

"That sounds like him." Trey chuckled. "Where are the kids? I was told that I have a namesake now."

"Yeah, Little Harm. He and Andrew spent the night with your mom and dad. They should be here in a little while. Oh, and Eliza is with Matt."

"Eliza? I didn't know Matt had another one..."

"She was born seven months after Matt went MIA." She sighed slightly but then smiled genuinely at him. "She had her daddy wrapped around her little finger the moment he saw her."

"Congratulations, Elaine. You have a wonderful family."

She nodded and squeezed his hand slightly. The ever-intuitive Lieutenant recognized that there was something else bothering her. "Ok, you're holding something back. Anything you'd like to share?"

She took a deep breath and nodded again. "Trey, I know it might be too fast for you, but..."

"But...?"

"Are you going to tell Grace you're back?" She blurted out the question, and Trey tensed.

"Grace...It's been twelve long years for both of us. I'm afraid I'm much too late to fix the situation with her." He said wearily, regret evident in her voice. "Where is she now?"

"She's working at the US Embassy in London."

"I hope she can find a place in her heart to forgive me for my stupidity."

"Trey, you don't know what she went through all these years while you were gone. She forgave you for a long time ago."

"I certainly hope so, but now...I'm pretty sure it's way too late." Once again, Elaine heard deep regret in his tone, but Harm entered before she could continue the conversation.

"Good morning, guys."

"Hi, Dad." She smiled at her father-in-law and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Buddy." Harm sat near Trey.

"Dad."

"How are you doing, Trey?"

"Weak as can be, but I've never been better. Where's Mom?"

Harm smirked at that. "Your mother is at the mercy of her grandsons."

"Mommy!" The door flew open as Andrew barreled in, yanking Mac after him.

"Hi, sweetie. You have fun with grandma?" Elaine asked as she planted a kiss on his head.

"Yeah! She let me have a McDonald's breakfast!" Andrew grinned happily. (A/N: I don't know if McDonald is available at Okinawa or not. Let's just pretend that they do have McDonald at Okinawa)

"Mac, you will have his arteries clogged shut before he reaches his teens." Harm said in mock disapproval.

"Oh, come on, Flyboy! He's growing up; he needs all the nutrition he can get."

He immediately opened his mouth to give a quick retort, but the sound of someone chuckling made him pause.

Trey was grinning like a fool. "I'm sorry! Some things never change, eh Mom, Dad? Always the rabbit food versus the meat."

Harm pretended to look sternly at his eldest as Mac put her arm around her son. "Ignore your father. He's just getting grumpier with old age."

"Hey!" Her husband protested, this time not totally faking his offended look.

"It's good to see you smile again, darling." Mac said, kissing her son on his forehead.

"Hey, Mom. It's good to see you."

"You feeling better today, Trey?"

"Yeah, much better." He offered his mother a brief smile.

The room was silent for a moment, and then they all heard an unmistakable voice in the hall. "Come on, Daddy! Come on!" It was Little Harm.

"I'm coming, son! I'm coming! Slow down a little bit."

Everyone in the room smiled a bit, wondering exactly what the boy was up to.

Soon enough, Little Harm charged into the room, one hand holding on to his father, and another holding the all-to-familiar Tomcat model plane.

Matt's face was priceless. He was balancing his daughter on his shoulder, being tugged after his son, and panting slightly as his wound began to flare up from the constant pressure.

Elaine grinned and took pity on him, taking the baby from him as Andrew detached himself from his mother's leg only to grab his father's. Matt smiled at his wife and wrapped his now-free arm around her.

Trey smiled at the happy scene in front of him. His parents couldn't suppress their own smiles watched their children and grandchildren, although his brother was oblivious to them as he enjoyed being with his little family. He had made a right choice to step in front his brother as the bullet raced toward them, even if it cost him the use of his legs.

TBC…..

A/n: I need your feedbacks, folks.