Okay... Welcome to my happy delusional bubble where world order has been restored. LOL - Enjoy! XO, Reddixon - Only 22 more days until our faves return to us!

"So..." Andy said as she leaned back into her husband's chest. The warm bubble bath water hovering up around her shoulders. "How does it feel to be back?" She asked curiously.

"I should be asking you that." Robert replied as he relaxed deeper into the oversized sunken tub and leaned his head back gingerly.

"I'll answer," Andy said easily, "But you go first." She turned just slightly to see her husband with his eyes closed and head resting on the edge of the bathtub.

Taking a moment to think, Robert finally answered. "Bittersweet, I guess."

It had been the strangest turn of events that allowed both Andy to be promoted and him to get his old job back as Battalion Chief. If he were being honest the whole thing still made his head spin and he wondered if somehow it might all get undone. After 19 and 23 were merged together due to budget cuts and Captain Beckett came in to oversee things, Robert felt pretty certain he was going to have to consider leaving SFD. Maybe look at applying to Bellevue FD or Central Pierce. Anything to put some distance between him and what looked to be a lot of competition in the SFD. Quitting wasn't in his nature, but when he looked at his chances of rising through the ranks, continuing to potentially be pit against his wife for promotion opportunities and not to mention the two other Lieutenants 19 had with Ruiz joining. It was just a lot to contend with.

Just as he had made up his mind to talk with Andy and start applying elsewhere they responded to a call that changed everything. With Captain Beckett at the helm, they responded to a three-alarm structure fire that quickly escalated out of control and grew to a five-alarm. When they arrived on scene Chief McCallister had command of the scene since no replacement had ever been installed after Gregory's untimely death. 19 was quickly dispatched onto search and rescue since the building had tons of offices and there was a big concern about civilian casualties. As he and Warren were conducting their search, Captain Beckett came in over comms letting them know McCallister had just been transported to Grey Sloane with signs of what appeared to be a cardiac event. Beckett didn't have nearly the amount of experience under his belt that Robert did, but he was a good Captain and the most experienced leader with a title on scene.

As the fire raged on, Robert got more and more uncomfortable with how slow the fire was being put out, how resources were being used and the operational calls being made. Beckett seemed a bit out of his depth and unable to manage the full scope of the fire. When he and Warren dropped a victim off to the aid car, Robert approached the Captain and offered his assistance despite knowing he could be benched for insubordination or speaking out of turn. He gave Captain Beckett his operational plan and made recommendations on how to readjust the plan of attack and when the call was over Beckett thanked him and he thought that was the end of it.

A few weeks later, after talking with Andy and convincing her that moving to a different FD was his best option, Robert got called to the Chief's Office. Beckett had included his operational adjustments in the after action report and Chief McCallister had been impressed. And as if the stars were finally aligned in he and Andy's favor, after more than a year of challenges, Robert was reinstated as Battalion Chief, Beckett and his family were forced to move back to the midwest to take care of his wife's ailing parents and he was able to promote Andy to Captain of 19. The whirlwind of events had been mind boggling to say the least, but there they were relaxing in their weekly bubble bath after both finishing the first few days in their new/old positions. Andy officially as Captain of 19 and him back to his position as Battalion Chief.

As she rested comfortably against her husband, Andy was a little surprised by Robert's response. She thought he'd be thrilled. Next to her and the relationships he'd built over the past year, the most important thing to him was work and he was finally back on track. To hear him say it was bittersweet was not what she expected at all. "What do you mean?" She asked with confusion in her voice.

With one arm wrapped around his wife, Robert took a moment to find his words. "I don't know exactly. I mean don't get me wrong, I am happy, but also I just wonder... I wonder if my mistakes will always follow me. Be with me in every meeting, on every call, each time I give a command, you know. Will people ever not see the guy who messed up? Will I never not feel this insane amount of pressure to prove myself?" His questions at the end were largely rhetorical, he didn't really think there was an answer to them. And NA had taught him to focus on the present and not worry so much about the future. It would take care of itself, but he was hard pressed not to feel that way now.

Andy turned in Robert's arms just enough to catch his gaze. "Babe..." She said softly, "You are an incredible leader and you didn't get the job back because they didn't have any other options, you got it because you earned it...because you deserved it. You have two decades of good choices, experience, insights and saves that make you qualified. And yes, maybe some people will think about your mistakes when they see you, but not everyone. And definitely not the people who matter. I also think with time, people will...forget."

As Robert listened to his wife's words, his heart filled with gratitude and he couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his lips. Leaning in, he placed a gentle kiss on Andy's lips. Pulling away he whispered. "Thank you, you always know how to make me feel better."

Turning back around, Andy resumed her spot resting comfortably against Robert's chest. "I'm your wife. I think that's in the job description."

Robert brought the hand he now held up out of the sudsy water to his lips and kissed the back of it. "I still appreciate it though." After a few minutes of silence, Robert asked. "What about you? How does it feel to finally be Captain?"

Andy ran her thumb unconsciously across Robert's fingers that were interlaced with hers. "I guess... bittersweet for me too, you know. On the one hand I am so happy it's hard to put into words. Finally getting to the place I have dreamed about for years. Thinking about the work I did to get there, all the times it was close but just barely out of my reach. It feels so good. But also sad, because my dad isn't here to see it. I wish I could share my good news with him, hear him tell me how proud he is of me. I just..." Her voice faltered a bit. "I just wish I was certain that he trusted me to carry on his legacy." Andy knew that her dad always believed he was making the right calls where she was concerned, but the times he went behind her back and undermined her in her career…it gave her questions she wished she didn't have.

Listening to his wife's words, Robert's heart ached. He wished there was something he could say or do that would make this particular pain go away, but he knew from experience that there wasn't much that could be done. There wasn't a single accomplishment that he had where he didn't wish he could pick up the phone and share the news with his mom or dad. "When your dad came to me and asked me to wait and not promote you, he said I want her to have your job someday... I want her to be fire chief someday...she's a helluva firefighter...she'll get there." Pulling her in closer he added. "He may not have always said it, but I know he was proud of you and he was certain that one day you'd lead 19 and likely go further in your career than he ever did. In his mind...your success was inevitable."

Andy swallowed down the emotion she felt welling up in her throat and nodded her head. What could she even say to that? Robert brushed a kiss to her temple and she breathed deeply to regain her composure. Finally she said, "Ugh...how did a conversation about promotions turn so depressing?" Andy joked a little. "We should talk about something more fun."

Robert chuckled lightly and acknowledged Andy's need to change the subject. "More fun?" He asked.

"Yes," Andy said matter of factly. "Like how we're going to celebrate."

Robert placed a kiss underneath Andy's right ear and replied. "I thought we already celebrated." He briefly thought back to the night after everything had been confirmed.

"Okay, yes... we did have some pretty amazing sex that night, but we should go out...do something outside since the world is opening up." Andy's face lit up in excitement.

Even without Robert seeing it, he knew her mood was turning around. He could hear it in her voice. "Outside, huh." He said with a small smile.

"You in a suit, I'll wear a dress..." Andy said wistfully as she started to plan their night on the town. Fancy dinner, champagne toast, dancing… It would be great. She was already looking forward to it.

"I was thinking we needed a do-over," Robert interrupted. He thought back to the burgundy dress Andy had worn at Maya & Carina's wedding and how incredible she looked that night despite the two of them being at odds.

"A do-over?" Andy questioned, unsure what he was talking about.

"The dress you wore to Maya & Carina's wedding... you looked amazing." Robert flirted. He'd wished that night had played out differently, but in the end they had made up and that fight had been the catalyst for them to start couples therapy and work on their communication.

Andy cringed a bit thinking of her behavior that night and the days surrounding it. "Mmmmm... I spent the whole night mad at you. As gorgeous as that dress is, I don't wanna re-do that. A new dress is definitely in order."

"We made up though, that's the only part of the story that matters." Robert tilted Andy's cheek towards him and kissed her. "But if a new dress makes you happy, buy one. You should have whatever you want."