AN: If you've seen S06E08 and are devastated as me, here is a little something to make you feel better. And if you haven't seen it, you can read it just as it is.
They packed the last box. Clay never had many things and Stella was rather a minimalist too but since Brian was born they bought so much stuff. Some was needed and some things they just wanted. How could you leave the shop without a cute plushy baby shark?
"Last box packed," Jason announced and knocked on the box.
Everyone from Bravo helped them pack. Now it was time to say goodbye.
"I see you are fully equipped for California already," Ray smiled and pointed at Clay wearing shorts.
"Always ready," Clay smiled in return and clinked the beer bottle with Ray's.
x-x-x
"Just don't forget you have brothers in VA beach, Blondie," Sonny said.
"Never, brother."
"How could we, Sonny," Stella hugged him.
"Besides it's just for a year. We rented a flat there for a year and then we'll see. Stella will write her novel, I'll be poking the Navy about TBI… And yeah, we'll see."
"Hmm, good ETA, I read that it usually takes a year to write a book," Sonny pondered.
"Wow, Sonny boy, have you been reading Cosmopolitan again," Clay winked.
"Don't you dare to trash my sources!" Sonny shoved him good-naturedly.
Clay interlaced his hands with Stella's, Brian peacefully sleeping in the baby carrier on him.
"You and your walks on the beach in the sunset," he murmured and looked at Stella. She was glowing.
"I'm enjoying the warmth of the sand," she said, holding her flipflops in her hand. She put her head on Clay's shoulder.
Clay bent down to scoop up a handful of the warm sand. "Nice."
Stella lightly kicked the sand.
"Maybe you could too-" Stella said and pointed at Clay's left foot in a sneaker.
All the fine parts and screws in his prosthetic leg didn't like sand and dust so he always wore shoes on the beach.
"That would look weird to have just one shoe on," he said uncertainly. "It's enough how some people look at the leg…"
"Babe, the most badass pipe-kicker-"
"Pipe-hitter. It's door-kicker," he automatically corrected her. This had been their inside joke for years.
"Yeah, thank you. For the most badass pipe-kicker a few look wouldn't matter. And besides, they don't look at the leg. All the mothers here look at you and think you are such an awesome father. All the girls look at you and think you are the most handsome man on the beach and all the man look at you and dream about having your muscles."
"That was some serious flattering, Professor," he leant down and kissed her. "What do you need?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe you could read my first chapter of the novel and tell me what you think."
Brian woke up and they both began cuddling and kissing him.