Author's Note: I have had some technical difficulties with my computer lately, but I am hopefully back in action. This is my last completed banked chapter, so I don't know when I will be publishing another chapter for this one, but I will keep chugging along with my other stories. Read on and leave me some love at the end:)

Two weeks. Fourteen of the longest days of my life. That is how long is has been since I have gotten a letter from Eric. I understand that he is busy trying to keep our family safe and I send him a letter everyday, but it hurts and worries me not to have heard a peep from him.

There was a part of me that wanted to slip back into the funk that I was in one I first arrived here, but the little that I was getting from our bond, I knew that he was getting my letters and cherishing every word. That brought me a measure of comfort. Also feeling that he's safe helped keep me sane, along with my little Poppit. She was growing and changing everyday and I was capturing as much a I could to share with Eric when he would finally come back to me.

I was also capturing as much of EJ's growth as well. He wasn't growing as fast in my belly as Erin was, but I could still notice the subtle changes and wanted to share them with Eric. I knew that we would have at least one more baby in our future, but this was our first and I wanted to share every moment that I could with him. I was recording as much as I could, but it just wasn't the same as if Eric was here.

I spent my days outside playing with my little Poppit who was loving every second of it. I got lucky with her. She was at the fun stage where she could sit up and play in the sand and she could even swim a little bit. She loved helping me make sand castles and then smashing them down with Uncle Jason's help. It was the cutest thing and Gran got lots of pictures.

I had been afraid that Jason would go off the handle with me taking in an orphan when he had finally decided to come home four days after he'd wandered off. I'd been able to sense that he was nearby enjoying the outdoors, so I hadn't been too worried. Luckily my little Poppit had an aura about her that just made everybody love her. She had everyone wrapped around her little finger, but she was sweet as pie about it. All she really wanted was to play and be cuddled. I could feel an undercurrent fear from her that she was going to be abandoned again, so I did what I could to make her feel safe and love.

Today started off like the past thirteen had, but it seemed like the ache inside of me that was missing Eric seemed not as bad as it had been. I tried checking on the bond to try to find out where Eric was, but he had his side of the bond closed off to me. I didn't like it, but I knew that he did it for my own good.

The day was sunny and warm so Erin and I had made our way out to the beach building and destroying more sand castles with Jason and Gran looking on. Jason was making monster sounds as he destroyed out hard work that made Erin laugh and clap her little hands. I loved that they played so well together, but what I didn't love was that while I dipped inside to pee that he introduced my Poppit to mud pies. She was covered from head to toe in mud and thought it was the greatest thing ever.

I wanted to be mad at Jason, but she was just so cute and having such a good time that I just couldn't. Gran was snapping pictures of the two of them and I couldn't wait to show them to Eric when he came back to me.

After about another twenty minutes of mud play I could see that she was starting to get sleepy and god only knew how long it was going to take me to get all of the mud off of her. "Okay Poppit, enough playing for now. Let's get you cleaned up and we can both take a nap."

"Do you need any help Darlin'?"

"No, I've got this. I'll rinse her off with the garden hose, then take her right up to the tub."

"Okay. I'll come wake you up when dinner is ready."

"Thanks Gran. Come on Sweet Pea, let's get you cleaned up." I took her to the hose, gently rinsed the majority of the mud off of her, then carried her upstairs. I'd moved up to the master bedroom about a week ago. I had decided that the bigger room was better since I was keeping Eric close to me and after Gran and I had gone shopping more room was definitely needed. We had definitely gone overboard on toys and everything that she would need, but with everything she's gone through, I wanted her to have anything and everything that could make her happy.

I set up the little baby tub in the bathtub and turned the water to warm and to slowly fill. I set her in there, then took a fast shower to get the sand off, then got in the tub with her. I gently washed her down with some baby shampoo and just talked quietly to her so that she wouldn't fight going to sleep when we were done.

"I can't wait for you to meet your Daddy Poppit. He is going to love you just as much as Momma and Gran and Uncle Jason do. I miss him so much." I cuddled her for a few minutes in the water after she was all clean and let a few tears fall before I got us out and dried off.

I put Erin in a clean diaper and a thin onesie so she wouldn't get too hot, then I put her in her bassinet. She was fast asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. I pulled on a pink and white tank dress before curling up on the bed and following my Poppit into dream land.

For the first time since we arrived I slept deep and peaceful without any dreams. I felt safe and peaceful and whole. It was nice to feel at peace and rested after so long.

When I started to wake up something felt different. There was something touching my face. I didn't feel any bad feelings and the touch felt so good that I just wanted to keep my eyes closed and revel in this feeling, but my curiosity got the best of me and I opened my eyes.

The most amazing sight was before me. I almost couldn't believe it even as I reached out and touched his face. "Am I dreaming or are you really here?"

"I'm really here Lover."

I couldn't stop myself from launching at him and raining kisses all over his face. "I have missed you so much."

He lifted me so that I was straddling his lap and he returned my kisses and ran his hands all over me. "I've missed you too."

"Promise me that you will never stay away for that long again. I couldn't stand it."

"I promise." His hands slid under my dress and started pulling it over my head, but a noise from nearby forced me to grab his hands to stop him.

"Eric, we can't right now." I quickly scrambled off his lap, went over to the bassinet and scooped up my little Poppit who was now wide awake and brought her over to the bed. "Honey, this is Erin."

She was very excited to see Eric. She reached out her little hand to him as she said her first word. "Dada."