A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I was pretty busy last week and this past weekend, especially with trying to get my college applications out. I couldn't wait to get this chapter out, because now I can get to the better part of this fic. :o) Thanks for all the reviews so far, you all are so wonderful! Hope you enjoy this, even if it is a bit repetitive. The next chapter (and following ones) will be a major change of pace, I promise!

5. A Hero's Return

Christmas Morning, 1965

JJ shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun in the doorway of the transport plane, taking his time as he slowly descended the metal stairs onto the tarmac. The first thing that took him by surprise was the drastic drop in the air temperature. Gone was the heat and thick humidity of Vietnam he had grown so accustomed to. He had almost forgotten how cold Philadelphia winters could get, and shivered slightly underneath his light marine jacket.

After several minutes, JJ had made his way into the airport, along with a handful of other soldiers who were returning home for the holidays. He glanced around almost shyly. Had his family gotten the phone call that he was coming home?

Just as he was starting to worry that he'd have to hail a cab to get home, he spotted his father and uncle positioned near the baggage claim area. They appeared to be deep in conversation, but about halfway to them, Jack glanced up and waved his arm in the air.

"Hey, JJ!" he shouted with a wide grin. Both men approached him quickly, and soon enough the gap was closed between them.

JJ gripped his cane tightly in his hand and dropped his canvas bag at his side. "Hey, Dad."

Pete cuffed JJ on the shoulder and smiled, hands shoved in his pockets soon after. "Hey kiddo. Glad to have you back." He picked up JJ's bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Uncle Pete."

Jack engulfed his son in a hug tightly without hesitation. "Welcome home, son." He pulled away slightly, looking over him as if he hadn't seen him in years. "Welcome home."

-xxx-

"Mom, I can't find the tape!"

"Where's my sweater?"

Beth smoothed a hand over the bottom of her dress as she entered the living room with John. "The tape's on the counter, Will."

He grinned and ran off into the kitchen. "Thanks Beth!"

She nodded with a laugh. The Pryor household had been transformed into chaos on Christmas morning, more so than usual. Will was the first to wake up at five thirty, running up and down the hall waking everyone else up. By the time Meg and Patty grumpily yelled at him and managed to fall back asleep, Beth had already gotten up with John at six and fed him his first bottle. Helen had awoken for a few minutes to scold Will, and he had ended up falling asleep in his parent's bed until eight.

By ten thirty, everyone for the most part was awake and downstairs eating breakfast—French toast, eggs, and sausage, as requested by Patty and Will. Beth had managed to put John down for a nap, shower, get dressed, and help Helen out with breakfast all in the time span of a half hour, a record for her as a new mother. Uncle Pete arrived around eleven, and by noon, he and Jack had set out for the airport to collect JJ.

The presents under the tree had been almost forgotten about, until Patty mentioned something to Helen while she and Will had gone upstairs to work on the banner that would be hung over the fireplace for JJ. In good measure, everyone in the family had agreed to open presents after Christmas dinner, when JJ could be there to celebrate.

The chaos in the household seemed to be never ending, and as Patty and Will stormed back into the living room with the banner, Beth barely had time to take a seat on the couch with John cradled in her lap before almost getting knocked over.

Meg smoothed her hair and took a seat on the couch next to Beth. "I'm so nervous. What if he's different, Beth?"

Beth bit her lip and kissed the top of John's head. Truthfully, Meg had a point. She had been thinking the very same thing. What if JJ returned, and he was different? What if he had experienced something in Vietnam that was so horrifying and terrible that he would return as almost a completely different person? She quickly pushed that thought out of her head and managed to give Meg a reassuring smile. "Let's try not to think about that right now."

Meg nodded and tickled John underneath his chin. "You're right. I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

Beth squeezed her hand. "You didn't. Believe me, we're all just as nervous as you are." She bounced John lightly against her chest, wondering if she looked alright in her dress. In the three weeks since John had been born, she had managed to lose most of the weight she had gained with her pregnancy, especially since she wasn't breastfeeding him. But still, in some places she wasn't as happy with her appearance and wished that she was slightly thinner in the dress, even though she was glad that it actually fit. Beth just hoped that JJ wouldn't be too turned off by her weight gain. Nervously she ran a hand over her stomach and dress for the umpteenth time that afternoon. She hated being so self conscious.

"Move it to the right, Will," Patty demanded with a sigh. "It's crooked."

"It's not my fault you can't hang a banner right!" he argued back. "You're taller, anyway!"

Helen had just walked into the living room and taken a seat in the plush chair near the window. "Will…"

"Mom, I didn't even do anything this time! It's all Patty!"

Patty sighed again and tried to straighten the banner. "Will, I need the tape!"

Before Helen could intervene, the front door opened and Jack walked in, holding JJ's canvas bag. The banner dropped, crooked from being taped only on one side. Helen and Meg jumped to their feet anxiously while Patty and Will stared at the open door. Beth remained seated on the couch, her chin nestled on top of John's head while Jack raised a hand, instructing them understandably to give JJ his space once he came in the door.

He was finally home. It was real.

-xxx-

JJ paused slightly on the porch as his father walked in the front door. He wasn't quite sure why he was hesitating; after all, this was his family he was greeting again after months of being away, not perfect strangers. But still, he couldn't help but to feel awkward as he removed the cap from his head.

Pete chuckled behind him and patted him lightly on his back. "Go on in, kiddo. Everyone's been waiting for you to come home for a long time."

He nodded his head slightly and stepped over the threshold, clutching his wooden cane in his hand. He shifted nervously as everyone's eyes settled on him. He saw Will and Patty anxiously grinning at him from the fireplace; his mother's watery smile; Meg's choked expression; Beth seated on the couch. He felt his father's hand on his shoulder and a lump began to form in his throat. He was home. This was where he was meant to be.

Suddenly, Will broke the silence and made a dash towards JJ, colliding into his side and hugging him tightly around his waist. Taken aback slightly, JJ smiled and embraced his little brother tightly, when suddenly Meg flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed a little bit and hugged her back, his fingers catching in her silky blonde hair. Patty was the last to join, but the one who lingered the longest, not wanting to let go of her older brother.

"I'm glad to see that you all missed me, but are you planning on letting me breathe?" he teased them, ducking out from underneath them all and approaching Helen slowly. He heard his siblings laughing behind them, now sandwiched in between Jack and Pete.

Helen eyed her eldest son cautiously, as if he she couldn't believe that he was standing in front of her just now. The tears sprung to her eyes once again as she embraced him tightly, stroking the back of his head gently. "I missed you, sweetheart."

JJ nestled his chin into her shoulder and blinked, the lump rising in his throat and several tears beginning to slip out of the corners of his eyes. He knew his mother had started to cry over his shoulder, and he began to do the same. "I love you Mom," he choked out. "I missed you so much."

"I'm so glad you're home," Helen whispered as she pulled away, her hand resting momentarily on JJ's cheek.

He nodded, spying Beth seated on the couch, glancing up at him nervously. Their infant son was obviously positioned in her lap, looking at his surrounding curiously. JJ realized then, at that moment, that he had missed so much.

It was as if time had slowed down as JJ approached Beth. She carefully stood up, awkwardly adjusting John in her arms. She had only dreamed about this moment, never thinking that it would come true anytime soon. JJ was finally getting to meet his son. Over the past three and a half weeks, Beth had been so afraid that John would never get to meet his father and that she'd just have to rely on stories and pictures to tell him about the wonderful man that she had once fallen in love with. But now, that fear escaped the moment she held John carefully out to JJ, and he in turn held his infant son in his arms with Helen's slight assistance.

Beth covered her mouth slightly. She desperately didn't want to cry right now, but the scene that was taking place in front of her eyes was overwhelming. JJ was standing in front of the window, holding John with one arm and kissing the baby's head gently. She couldn't hold the tears in any longer. They began to flow down her cheeks as she shakily embraced JJ, kissing his cheek softly.

JJ lightly pressed his hand against Beth's back, trying to maintain his balance on his injured leg. So many emotions were running through his head. He was finally home. His newborn son was perfect. Beth looked beautiful. His mother was crying softly. His father and Uncle Pete were laughing amongst themselves. Meg and Patty were smiling. Will was grinning mischievously. The presents were stacked under the Christmas tree.

"Merry Christmas, JJ," Beth whispered in his ear before pulling away from him cautiously. "I'm so glad you're home."

JJ nodded. "Me too, Beth." He carefully made his way over to the couch and sat down with John on his lap. "He's…god. He's perfect. He's beautiful."

Beth smiled, wiping at her eyes quickly. "He looks just like you." She carefully sat down next to JJ and ran her hand over John's head.

"Trip here's just getting to learn the ropes!" Pete shouted out with a laugh.

"He's going to make a great football player," Jack started. "Someday."

Helen smiled and shushed them both. "Enough of that. Let's wait until he at least starts walking before we have that discussion."

Everyone laughed and watched as John's tiny fist curled around JJ's index finger. "What did you name him? Trip?"

"Hell no," Jack laughed.

"Language," Helen warned, not being able to hold back her laugh.

"Don't call him that," Patty protested. "God."

Meg smiled and waved at John. "Tell him, Beth."

Beth smiled and kissed John's cheek. "John. John Jay Pryor the third."

JJ grinned and shook his head. "Original."

She shrugged. "I wanted him to have a way to remember his father."

Helen nodded and embraced JJ tightly again. "Welcome home."

-xxx-

Christmas had flown by once JJ arrived home. He had settled into his old room and cleaned up, all while Helen and Beth began preparing dinner. Meg and Patty had babysat John, fed him, and put him down for another nap just in time for everyone to sit down for supper. JJ had refrained from eating, and spent part of the time upstairs in his room and the other part wandering around the house until Jack finally managed to pull him outside and talk with him.

Helen witnessed most of the scene through the window as she and Beth began cleaning up, noticing that Jack had finally shown JJ his coming home present; a brand new, olive green '66 Mustang. It seemed that Jack had talked some sense into JJ, and after they had both come back inside, the family gathered in the living room and began opening presents. Various gifts were stacked in piles against all four corners of the room, and shortly before ten, Patty and Will went up to bed. Pete left shortly after, and Meg had fallen asleep on the couch.

Beth had just said goodnight to everyone, minus JJ, who seemed to have holed up in his room again, caught up in his own thoughts. She had to admit it had been a long day, and was looking forward to getting a good night's sleep and starting over new tomorrow morning. Perhaps then she would have a real chance to talk to JJ about some things and clear a few underlying issues up with him. He couldn't hide from her forever, considering they now lived under the same roof.

It wasn't that Beth believed that JJ was trying to avoid her, because it was clear that he wasn't. She knew and understood completely that he was having a hard time adjusting to everything, especially having the added responsibility of John, who was barely a month old. She had expected him to perhaps pay a little more attention then he had to John over the course of the night instead of excusing himself from dinner and not even interacting with him when the Pryor family was opening presents. Still, she brushed it off and went up to bed, ready to deal with that tomorrow morning.

She had just buttoned up her nightgown and brushed out her hair for the night, fully prepared for bed, when John began crying in his bassinet. Beth had hoped that he would sleep through the rest of the night after his last feeding shortly after dinner, but it seemed that wasn't going to be the case tonight.

She sighed and pulled her blue robe on and walked quickly over to the bassinet. "Come on, John. Mommy's tired tonight."

John ignored Beth's pleas and wailed on miserably. She quickly made sure he didn't need a diaper change and balanced him against her hip, carefully supporting his head as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Within minutes, she had single handedly managed to boil water on the stove and heat up a bottle for him, hoping that would solve his irritability for the night. She adjusted it in the pot and kissed his head quickly, rocking him back and forth.

"Go to sleep now John, be a good boy and let your Mommy have some sleep." Beth yawned.

"Is he usually awake this late?"

Beth jumped slightly and turned her head, surprised to find JJ standing in the doorway. How long had he been there? He appeared to be a little nervous and unsure, so she managed a smile to reassure him that he wasn't interrupting anything. "Sometimes. I had him on a schedule but he goes off it." She carefully tested the bottle against her wrist. "I'm not very good at this yet."

There was an awkward pause, and Beth tried to go about finishing John's bottle the best she could, knowing that JJ's eyes were on her the whole time. She half expected him to disappear and retreat back upstairs for the night, but this didn't seem to be the case. Instead, he continued watching her movements, almost in awe.

JJ continued watching Beth, wondering if it would just be best for him to leave her and his son alone for the night. He hadn't meant to startle her, but he had a hard time falling asleep that night and had ended up in the kitchen looking for something to eat. It was strange to come back after months in Vietnam and find his siblings growing up before his eyes; to find Beth and his newborn son already bonding and wishing that he could have been a part of that sooner. He hadn't even been home for twenty-four hours, and it was already too much to take in.

He knew he couldn't just walk away and leave Beth and John alone in the kitchen, so he decided on the next best thing he could thing of. "Can I feed him?"

Beth smiled brightly and nodded, almost surprised that he had asked. She definitely hadn't expected that at least. "Yeah." Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she waited until JJ had set his cane aside before placing John in JJ's arms. He cooed happily and pressed his hand against JJ's chest with a gurgle.

"Go to your Daddy," Beth smiled over him, carefully tucking the blankets around him. "Yeah. It's your Daddy, John." She handed the bottle to JJ, her engagement ring reflecting off of the kitchen light. It was then that she realized JJ had noticed and was now staring at it with a mixed look of confusion, surprise, and slight anger on his face.

Embarrassed, Beth quickly pulled her hand away and looked into his eyes. "I put it on when we heard you were missing. I'll take it off. I know it's not exactly right, since we're not together anymore, but I figured that I needed something of yours to hold on to." She sighed and bit her lip slightly. "I knew you'd come home."

JJ simply found himself staring at her, unsure of what to say. He figured that saying nothing in response was better than saying something wrong.

Beth looked down at John, and then back up at JJ. Before she could stop herself, she kissed his cheek briefly in preparation to leave both of them alone for a little while. However, JJ seemed to have other plans.

Beth was just about to pull away, when JJ leaned forward and kissed her deeply; passionately; willingly. She felt his free hand wrap around her lower back and didn't hesitate on kissing him back. It had been so long since they had kissed each other like that, even before the engagement had been broken off in Hawaii. The kiss reminded her of the days when she and JJ had first started dating; when everything had been sweet and new.

It ended as quickly as it began, and Beth found herself struggling to catch her breath as she walked away, slightly confused. What did that kiss exactly mean? If anything, it only made the situation between herself and JJ even more complicated.

Right now, a complication like that was the last thing they both needed.

-xxx-

Next up: JJ settles in to life at home and has a serious talk with Beth about their future, what they both want, and about John; Meg turns to Beth for advice about Chris; and the Pryor family rings in 1966.