It was the best part of being home.
He missed his little girls and his baby son like crazy when he and Rafe were away. But what Danny missed the most was waking up next to his wife, especially after they had spent the night before making love. It wasn't possible before he and Rafe were sent out on their last mission because Sandra was recovering from having Thomas and as it was with Annie and Shelby, the doctor told them they'd have to wait.
But as he helped her clean up the supper dishes a few nights after he returned, she told him that she'd asked the doctor about it and he'd given her the all clear when he got home. And as it had been after the births of his two girls, he waited for Sandra to let him know what she was ready for. And she always surprised him.
He wasn't sure how early it was, but he was suddenly awake.
Maybe it was the fact that Sandra was curled up against his back and he could feel her breath against his neck. It sent goose pimples down his arms and he wanted nothing more than to wake her up and show her again how much he missed her. But she was up with Thomas every couple of hours throughout the night to feed him after she insisted that he get his sleep. It always took Danny a couple of days to readjust to sleeping in his own bed and Sandra always did what she could to help.
But before he went to sleep he told her he would take Thomas the following night. And as much as she tried to get him to let her take the baby, he insisted.
"Are you awake already? The sun's barely up." He heard the sleepy voice of his wife behind him.
"I thought I was dreamin' that I was makin' love to my wife and when I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn't." He answered with a grin before he turned over and what he saw made him flush. "Mrs. Walker, you ain't dressed." And he kissed her before he pulled her to him.
She laughed softly in return as he loosened his hold and he saw her flush. "Neither are you. Besides, you wouldn't let me go long enough for me to find my nightgown."
"Kind of like our honeymoon." And he laughed in return.
She nodded. "It seems like a dream sometimes. We spent that wonderful week together and started our married life."
"And it's only gotten better, wouldn't you say?" He asked.
"I would." And she sighed.
Danny brushed a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "What was that for?"
"Ev was over a couple of days before you got home so we could finish with the rice for the wedding. She told me that she was a little jealous of us because we had a honeymoon and she and Rafe never did."
He thought about it and realized that she was right. "I have to admit it honey. I never really gave it much thought but you're right. They didn't even get their engagement dinner until after we had ours."
Sandra laughed again. "Are you talking about the night you gave me the ring at the Black Cat, or when we made it official at the Royal Hawaiian?"
He grinned. "If I'd known I would end up married to such a smart aleck, I might have reconsidered proposin'."
She tightened her hold around his waist. "No you wouldn't have because you knew that you couldn't live without me."
He pulled her close to him. "I think you've got that wrong Sandra. It's you who couldn't live without me." And he kissed her.
Danny surprised himself with his own passion and chalked it up to the fact that he hadn't seen her for the last six weeks. But she answered his passion with an intensity of her own and in the end he woke her the way he'd wanted to in the first place and show her how much he'd missed her.
He never understood what it meant for time to stand still until he married Sandra. Their honeymoon was at once too short and an eternity and he felt that he'd really begun to know her because of that private time together.
And that morning they ended up where they began, their arms around each other.
"You surprised me." Sandra told him, her head resting on his shoulder as she entwined her fingers with his.
"How did I do that?" He asked as he lay their hands on his chest.
"I can't remember the last time you kissed me like that."
Danny smiled at her. "I can't remember the last time you kissed me back like that."
"I think maybe it's because we've gotten so used to being Ann and Shelby and Thomas' parents that we forget about that young couple that waited through a war to get married."
He nodded. "That was a long wait, but it sure was worth it."
"It was." And Sandra sighed again. "It's always a wonderful weekend and I'm glad to have those two days to spend with you."
He could sense that something was coming. "But."
"But it's something that Ev and Rafe have never had."
Danny suddenly understood where she was headed. "And you're suggestin' that we give Rafe and Evelyn our weekend this year."
"It's just a suggestion."
"And if we do that, what do you suggest we do?" He smiled at her because she flushed again.
"I suggest that we wake up early before the kids are awake and take advantage of it." She smiled back and kissed him. "I'm so glad you're home."
"I am too honey." And it was his turn to sigh. "This is somethin' you've been really thinkin' about, ain't it?"
She snuggled up next to him. "We've been so lucky Danny. We decided to wait for so many things that we wanted and for the first four years of our marriage we didn't have a war hanging over us. We were able to have our girls without the worry that you would have to go away and not come back because you came home to us every night. Ev and Rafe didn't have that for the first three years of their marriage and she worried every time you boys would fly out. Rafe didn't have the chance to propose the way he wanted to until they'd been married for three years and they never had the chance for any kind of a honeymoon."
"And you think it's time they had one."
"It's a shame it couldn't be more than two days, but it's something I'd really like to do for them."
He nodded. "The only catch is that they'd have to go in June. They got married in May."
"If they'll even let us do this for them." She conceded and was quiet for a moment. "It's hard to believe that another one of our friends is finally getting married."
"Ain't it the truth. I always thought Barbara was a swell girl but she was the kind who had a mind of her own. There are an awful lot of fellows who don't cotton to that."
"But Dennis saw through her brashness and saw what a sweet girl she really is. I remember when she and Martha and I were still sharing the house and they were so good to me. They helped me to not miss you so much when you were gone. Barbara was especially good because she wouldn't let me spend too much time by myself. It didn't matter if it was playing a game of gin rummy or going to the movies. She was very sweet."
"And I'll always be grateful to them for that because I always worried about you while I was gone. You weren't real close to Evelyn and the time you did spent with her it was always the four of us."
"It just amazes me how much has changed in just a few short years. Think of it Danny, we've lived here for eleven years and in that time we saw Ev and Rafe get married and have their kids. We got married and had ours and Red finally got married to a sweet girl and has a baby of his own. Now Barbara is about to marry a wonderful man and I couldn't be happier."
He laughed. "Couldn't be happier? Well then I didn't do somethin' right this mornin'." And he tightened his hold on her again.
"Oh honestly Danny, you know that isn't what I meant." She smiled as he kissed her. "But I certainly wouldn't object if you wanted to try again."
She surprised him sometimes and this was one of those times. "In case I haven't told you lately, I love you."
"I know you do Danny. But in case I haven't told you recently either, I love you too."
"And we've got three kids to prove it." He told her as he pulled her against him and kissed her and again showed her how much he loved her.