Chapter 25

Just some short pieces grouped together, time skipping ahead,

"Dive Timmy dive" Nick screamed, sliding down the slope, "Were taking fire, where's Zona?" he screamed, ducked from the hail of bullets that were hitting inches from his head.

"Zona's hit, she is out, it's just the two of us now" Nick reported. "We need to do something big or we'll both be killed,"

"You flank left, I'll flank right, we'll box them in" Timmy plotted, Nick nodded crawling off on his stomach like they did on TV watching his friend do the same on the other side, Timmy's head popped up the gunfire went that way. Taking his chance Nick ran getting into a better position, he peeked over the top and could see the 3 members of the other team, grinning he lined up his shot

*pop* *pop* *pop* he fired hitting all 3 players which meant one more left, a sharp pain hit his left shoulder, he looked to see green paint, sighing Nick put his hand up. Timmy was alone, it was one on one.

Timmy edged forwards, he was so close to the flag, there had to be a trap. Captain told him all about traps and the Vietcong. Scanning the area carefully, Timmy saw a flash of red, there! Carefully he aimed missing by a mile, still Captain told him never to give up, he tried again, watching a hand go up, he grinned, no mercy. Victorious, he shot forwards capturing the flag holding it proudly above his head. This was the best birthday ever.

After 2 games of paintball they paused for cake, all 10 children sang happy birthday, before comparing bruises. For Timmy and Zona it was strange, the others wanted bruises they could show off, while they had always been told never to let anyone see any bruises.

Still, they joined in, showing their circular bullseyes too before diving into the cake. Once the cake and party food was eaten they returned for one more game. This time it was Tim and Zona on one side, Nick and Emily the other, Zona got out first, being 6 years old she just wasn't as agile as the others, Emily was next, not that she was upset, she'd rather not get dirty, so she refused to duck or dive on the floor.

With everyone else out it was Timmy vs Nick, 2 best friends, each vying for victory. Timmy was under cover, he knew he needed to find Nick's position, without giving himself away.

He tried to remember the films he'd watch about being a solider with Captain, next to him was a stone, a distraction, he picked it up throwing it as hard as he could into the bush 10 metres away, paintballs began flying. Timmy aimed in the direction of the fire, he pressed and held on the trigger, watching as his paintballs flew, he stopped noticing he was down to the last 2. Carefully he looked through the viewpoint, there, he pressed his trigger missing by mere inches, one bullet left, one more chance, he aimed again, pressing it, the bullet flew, hitting Nick on the left shoulder. A hand went up, Timmy grinned, he was the winner, Captain would be really proud.

A whistle sounded and all the players emerged, patting Timmy on the back. Zona ran up hugging him,

"Well done, Timmy" Barbara said patting him on the back. Timmy grinned this was the best birthday he could remember. The only thing that could make it better was if Captain dad was home.

…..

"Thanks giving is a time you say thank you to all the people in your life that help you and make you safe" Mrs Roberts Zona's teacher said, "so today we are going to make Turkey hand prints you can decorate and give to those people. If you all pick the coloured card, and come to the front, we can dip your hand in the coloured paints, then after recess we can decorate them."

One by one the class came up, some kids had one piece of card others 2, then there was Zona,

"That's a lot of cards Arizona" Mrs Roberts commented,

"Uh huh, one for Mommy, one for Captain daddy, they rescued me, one for Timmy for looking after me, one for Doctor Mabel, one for Doctor Edna, they made me better" Zona listed,

"Well, that's a lot to be thankful for, what colours do you want?" Mrs Roberts asked,

"Blue for Mommy and Dr Edna, green like solider for Captain daddy and Timmy and pink for Doctor Mabel"

"Okay, let's go green with your left" She helped Zona dip her hand into the paint placing a handprint on each card, then did the same with her right, before washing her hands and returning to do the same with the pink paint.

"Okay now go enjoy recess" She grinned as the little girl ran outside, setting the handprints to dry with the others.

After recess they all came in going to their tables where their handprints were waiting, she began painstakingly decorating each one as the bell rang,

"I haven't finished" she pouted

"It's okay Arizona go and eat lunch you can spend your break finishing off and again tomorrow and even the day after if you need to" Mrs Roberts offered. She spent her lunch break in her classroom anyway so having company wouldn't be a hardship.

It was the 4th day Zona finally finished the handprints, making them perfect carefully placing them in the envelope to take home. Each labelled with the recipient's name.

"Wow, someone has been busy" Barbara noticed, "Who are those for?"

"Thanksgiving"

"You have a lot of people to thank" Barbara noticed,

"Uh huh, you, Captain dad, Timmy, Doctor Mabel and Doctor Edna," carefully Barbara placed the envelopes in the car, already planning how to distribute her efforts.

They sent the first envelope that afternoon, it went in the military post over to the middle east. Barbara and Timmy's were kept on the side, she arranged to take Dr Mabel and Dr Edna's in, driving Zona to the hospital after school, luckily meeting them during their coffee break. The little girl skipping up to them hugging them both, handing over their cards.

"Thank you for saving me" she said slightly shyly, holding Timmy's hand tightly,

"You are welcome, Zona, thank you for the card" Mabel said hugging her tightly,

"When I'm old I'm going to be a doctor and save children" Zona promised,

"Great, when you do come back, do your internship with us. Hopkins has a great programme" Mabel offered. "Just remember to work really hard at school and get good grades".

"I will"

"Great, then I will see you in 19 years or so" Mabel promised, "do you think you can go that long without injuring yourself?" she asked, laughing as Zona shrugged.

"We make no promises Dr Mabel" Timmy answered.

"Okay Arizona, you have to write what you want on your Christmas list what you want from Santa," Mrs Thomas said to the little girl. Despite being the head teacher, she'd stepped into the Kindergarten to cover sickness.

"But Santa doesn't come" Zona replied sadly, Santa only ever came to good children, and she'd never been good because Santa had never come. She wasn't sure this time would be different, why would Santa come now? Why get her hopes up,

"Santa will come, of course he will" Mrs Thomas reassured, Zona bit her lip, uncertainly,

"But he never comes" Mrs Thomas hugged her tightly, it was really hard to explain Santa to children who had never had presents, she made a mental note to give Mrs Hughes a heads up for Timmy's class.

"Maybe your daddy stole the presents Santa left, does that sound like something your daddy would do?" Mrs Thomas asked, Zona thought about it, nodding slowly, daddy had stolen things before, he could steal presents. "I think you should try again, write to Santa again and see if he comes"

Zona took the pencil trying to think of what she wanted, previously she wanted a mommy and a nice daddy, but she had that, she wanted to be warm and have food that wasn't sandwiches, she had that too. What more was there to want?

"Arizona, what's wrong?" Mrs Thomas asked, the 6-year-old was deep in thought, frowning as she nibbled her pencil.

"I have food, and warm, and mommy and nice daddy, I don't know what else there is"

"What about any toys?" Mrs Thomas suggested, "Or new crayons, or paints, just right what you enjoy doing" at the suggestion of art supplies Zona nodded,

Crayons,

Paint,

Skates,

Doughnuts,

It wasn't a long list, but it was a start.

After school Zona sat in the back of the car quietly, staring out the window. Barbara watched her for a moment concerned the normally chatty little girl was silent.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she asked, to two confused looks, she sighed, "Its means what's wrong?"

"We had to write a list to Santa, but Santa never comes" Zona explained,

"This year might be different; did you write a list?" Barbara asked

"Crayons, paints, skates and doughnuts" Zona listed,

"Good choices, what about you Timmy?"

"I wrote GI Joe, and transformers" Timmy listed hopefully, 2 things was a lot to ask from Santa, both were lots of money. It would take him weeks to do enough chores to get the money for one, let alone both.

"Wow good choices," Barbara praised them, already planning additional presents to add to their lists. For one new clothes, not second hand, especially for Timmy who was growing like a weed. Whereas she really wanted to get Zona some dress up clothes, the little girl lived in tutus or fairy wings, she loved make believe and play, they both needed new story books. Even though they hadn't requested anything Barbara was sure this would be the best Christmas ever, the only thing that would make it better was if Daniel was home.

"Mommy Santa came, he came" Zona woke up Barbara excitedly jumping on the bed. Barbara groaned it was early, too early.

"Zona" she mumbled feeling her eyes being physically opened,

"Mommy he came, it says Zona on it" Barbara heard rustling, she opened her eyes to see Zona holding a present. She groaned knowing she wasn't going to get anymore sleep,

"Lets go and look then" Barbara sighed, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, taking Zona's hand walking downstairs, finding Timmy under the tree, a huge grin on his face,

"Look mommy presents" he cried joyfully, Barbara nodded

"I'm going to make a coffee then we can see about opening them" she decided walking into the kitchen, she was just pouring the cup when the doorbell sounded, puzzled as to who would be calling on them at 0445 she went to the door, only to find nobody there except a large box wrapped, puzzled Barbara checked the tag,

To Timmy and Zona

Merry Christmas

Love Captain Dad

That was strange Daniel hadn't mentioned sending anything for Christmas, she tried to lift it but was unable to, it must have weighed 100 pounds plus.

"Timmy, Zona, present at the door" she called, maybe once the kids opened it they could break it down into smaller pieces to get it inside.

The two children ran to the door,

"What is it?" Zona asked

"Maybe a camel?" Timmy guessed,

"Maybe a polar bear" Zona guessed,

"You don't get polar bears in the dessert" Timmy corrected her,

"Do too" Zona argued,

"Children, its cold out here let's open it and then go inside I'll even make hot chocolate" Barbara begged shivering. Zona took one part Timmy the other,

"On three" Timmy ordered, "One, two, three"

They pulled the paper

"A box!" Zona exclaimed,

"A box, why did someone send us a box?" Timmy asked,

"Well look inside" Barbara suggested, they got the Sellotape and pulled, undoing the side of the box.

"Captain dad" Zona cried jumping into the box, Timmy following closely,

"Daniel, but you're in Egypt" Barbara exclaimed joining the kids in the family hug holding him tightly, "What, how?"

"I flew home, I had to give a report to General Pike, apparently it was so sensitive it needed a Captain escort, and I am a Captain, I now have 27 hours before I need to report back" Daniel whispered in her ear,

"Did Santa bring you?" Zona asked excitedly,

"He did, he told me that there were two children who requested their dad home for Christmas, so here I am" Daniel told them, "Now I heard I wasn't the only present to be opened this morning" he suggested shivering, it was a lot colder here than in Egypt.

"I'll make the hot drinks, I think we all need to warm up" Barbara suggested, taking her husbands hand leading him inside. "Kids why don't you work out which present to open first"

In the kitchen she closed the door, pushing Daniel against the door, "I missed you so much" she said kissing him,

"I missed you too" He leant in kissing her back. "And I can't wait to give you your present later"

"Yeah" Barbara raised an eyebrow, seductively, it was going to be a long day waiting for the kids to go to bed.

"Mommy, I got 7 presents" Zona shouted "And you got presents too"

"Okay we are coming" Barbara sighed, releasing Daniel, "Let's make these coffees and hot chocolates."

They entered the living room, "Okay let's go youngest to oldest, Zona you go first"

Zona peeled back the paper, "A doctor dress up" she exclaimed, "I can be a real doctor"

Timmy was next, "Wow a solider doll" he cheered, "And it's got a gun, look dad he looks like you" he cheered, Daniel nodded, sipping his coffee.

"I made you this mommy" Zona handed her a wrapped present that she had brought home from school. Barbara opened it to find a photo of Zona inside a frame made of lolly sticks, decorated with drawings, stickers and glitter, with the writing I love you Mommy on it.

"I love it Zona"

Daniel opened his next, finding the same, but I love you Captain dad written on.

After the presents were unwrapped, they ate breakfast, and went for a walk around base, Zona on her new skates dressed in her doctor play outfit, Timmy on his new bike, dressed in his solider play outfit while Daniel and Barbara enjoyed walking hand in hand despite it being Baltimore it was mild, with only a light frost that had melted. On the way they passed the horses, Barbara presenting Zona with a carrot to feed both horses, having obtained permission from Gwen to say it was okay. Timmy joined in feeding them giving each horse a mint afterwards.

"Look Zeus. I'm a skating Doctor" Zona said gleefully

"Doctors don't skate" Timmy sighed,

"They can then they can get to sick people quicker"

"Mom, tell her" Timmy moaned

"Well, most Doctors don't skate but when you are older, if you become a Doctor, I see no reason you couldn't if the chief allows it"

"Yay" Zona cheered, skating faster up and down the lane.

Returning home Barbara prepared the spread, she'd invited some of the others on base, the single wives away from family as a CO's wife it was her duty. In the end there was 10 people sat at the table, 3 children and 7 adults, and more food than any of them could eat in a week.

They pulled crackers and sang Christmas songs, before saying goodbye to their guests. Despite wanting to stay up as long as possible to spend time with Captain dad both children were fighting to keep their eyes open, Daniel carried Timmy while Barbara carried Zona upstairs, they placed both kids into Timmy's bed reading them a story, they got halfway down the first page before both kids were asleep.

"Shall we?" Daniel suggested, Barbara grabbing his hand pulling him into their bedroom was enough of an answer. They had both a homecoming and a goodbye to celebrate.

Hopefully you liked the short pieces, anything else short oneshot like you'd like let me know in the reviews and i will see if i can write it in