Tucker sighed as he watched the last of his stuff get boarded onto the plane. He turned around to see his group of friends, until he noticed someone was missing.
"Grif, where's Kai?"
"Hell if I know." Grif shrugged.
"I can't leave without saying..." Tucker began to say, feeling the words stop in his throat.
"Sir, the flight departs in 5 minutes." Announced the pilot from the ramp.
"Shiiiit." Tucker groaned. "Grif, please find her!" Grif groaned and walked off, yelling 'fine' as he tried to find his sister.
"I'll go look, too." Virginia said and walked off to a different part of the airport. Tucker sighed, shifting nervously from foot to foot.
"You know, you have come a long way, Tucker." Wash said. "You should be proud of yourself." Wash reached out and put an arm on Tucker's upper arm. "I know I am."
"Heh. Thanks, man. I guess...," Tucker rubbed the back of his neck. "I should be thanking you. If you weren't there, pushing me and helping me to achieve my... I don't know. Achieve my potential?"
"You're welcome. I knew pushing you would lead to that outcome." Wash smiled. "You were just a stubborn jackass in the beginning."
"Tucker, I know we had our differences..." Caboose began to say. "But, I like to think, we became friends." Tucker nodded and gave a chuckle.
"Yeah, we're friends." Tucker went up to Caboose and gave a friendly pat on his arm. Caboose startled him by suddenly hugging him.

Grif found Kaikaina sitting at the airport bar, throwing back a shot. He sighed and approached her from behind.
"Avoiding?" Grif asked as he leaned on the bar next to his sister.
"What the hell do you want?" Kaikaina asked.
"Well, a certain teal asshole wants to see you before he leaves and I think it just might be important for you to go talk to him before he goes." Grif said, looking at his sister. He could see she had been crying.
"Fuck. I know you're right... but how can I?" She looked at him, her eyes watery.
"Look, I don't know... but I don't want to listen to you bitch for months when we get back about how you missed your opportunity." Grif patted Kaikaina on the shoulder, and then leaned in to whisper to her. "Time's a wasting."
Grif turned to walk away, and Kaikaina drummed her fingertips on the empty glass in her hand.

"Sir, we are boarding. We need you to get on."The pilot announced again, hollering to Tucker.
"Hold on!" Tucker whined, throwing his hands up at the pilot. "Dammit." He looked around and sighed. "I guess... this is it."
"Keep in touch, Tucker." Wash asked.
"It's been a pleasure." Sarge gave a nod. Tucker returned the nod.
"Later, everyone." Tucker said sadly as he turned around to walk towards the ship.
"TUCKER!" A familiar scream came from behind him. Tucker turned around and saw Kaikaina running at him.
"Kai!" He reached out to her and took her into his arms. She hugged him tightly, fighting the sniffles.
"Tucker, I don't want you to go." Kai cried.
"Kaikaina...," Tucker slowly pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. "I hope you know how I feel about you."
"I know..." Kai lowered her head; her lips pouting.
"I fucking love you." Tucker said as he put his forehead to hers.
"SIR! YOU NEED TO BOARD!" The pilot screamed.
"FUCK OFF!" screamed Kaikaina. Tucker chuckled.
"That's my girl."
"Call me when you land?" Kaikaina asked as Tucker began to step away from her.
"Of course I will. And I'll plan a visit to come see you right away." Tucker's fingers slid out of her hand and he waved to the group. He climbed up the ramp and disappeared into the belly of the plane.
Grif came up behind his sister and hugged her as she began to cry. The group huddled around and went to the windows and watched as Tucker's plane began to roll away from the port.

Simmons, Grif, Kaikaina and Virginia went to Simmons and Grif's condo. Sarge could be heard hustling around across the hallway in his own condo.
Virginia and Kai sat on the couch, passing back and forth a bottle of wine.
"How you holding up?" Virginia asked Kai after she handed her a bottle of wine. Kai rubbed one of her eyes before putting the bottle to her lips and taking a chug.
"I'm... feeling emotional. I hate this. My heart feels like it's breaking." Kaikaina admitted. "It's bullshit."
"But, you know how Tucker feels about you. I don't think that was the last time you've seen him." Virginia admitted as the bottle was handed back to her.

Grif and Simmons sat on the dining table, pouring some whiskey into their glasses.
"This stuff is strong." Simmons coughed as he put his glass down after chugging it.
"Puts hair on your chest. Makes you more manly." Grif said as he shook the glass, letting the ice cubes circle around before chugging it.
"Is all your shit packed?" Simmons asked.
"Yep. Moving it all out tomorrow." Grif nodded before grabbing the whiskey bottle and pouring more into his glass. "So, I got a question."
"Hm?"
"Did you mean what you said the other night?"
"What did I say?"
"That I was your best friend?" Grif said, raising his eyebrow. Simmons chuckled and poured himself more whiskey.
"Yeah. I guess I was telling the truth."
"I'm shocked." Grif gave a fake gasp. "After all the arguing and bullshit and threats to kill each other...?"
"Yeah. Even though we have our differences..." Simmons shrugged and sipped.
"You're my best friend, too. Buddy." Grif said and held his glass towards Simmons. Simmons clicked his glass to Grif's. "By the way, I'm happy to see you nabbed yourself a girlfriend. Don't fuck that up. You won't find anyone else." Grif chuckled.
"Thanks, Grif." Simmons smirked.
"She make a man out of you, yet?" Grif asked playfully.
"GRIF!" Simmons yelled, nearly falling out of his chair.
"What? I thought we were best friends? You can tell me anything." Grif grinned. Simmons sighed.
"Yeah, so you can end up blackmailing me." Simmons narrowed his eyes, angrily. "I still haven't forgotten about the U.F.O. footage."
Grif threw back his head and laughed.
"What? It was funny!"
"God, I hate you so much." Simmons grumbled.
"Nah. I'm pretty sure you love me." Grif teased and sipped the rest of his whiskey. "I hope you invite me to the wedding."
"Yeah, yeah." Simmons rubbed his tired eyes. "Someday."

Wash put a blanket over Caboose, who was sleeping on the couch.
"Are you comfy, Caboose?" Wash asked.
"Yes, Agent Washington." Caboose yawned. He squeezed a stuffed bear and rolled over onto his side.
"Good night." Wash said and walked into the bedroom, where Carolina was tucked into bed.
"How is he?" She asked.
"Out like a light." Wash said as he crawled into bed.
"You think he'll be okay?"
"I'm... not sure. He seems down. I haven't heard him this sad since when Church went missing the first time." Wash rubbed his temple.
"I'm gonna miss those idiots." Carolina admitted.
"Yeah... it's definitely weird to think we're not going to be together anymore." Wash rested his head back on the pillow.
"How does that make you feel?"
"You sound like ." Wash warned her.
"I'm just concerned." Carolina said as she rolled onto her side, facing Wash.
"It feels... like losing another family." Wash looked over at Carolina. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't want us to stay together."
"I know... and it's funny..." Carolina began to say.
"What?"
"I feel the same way."

Virginia walked into the dining room, seeing Grif and Simmons chuckling over their glasses of whiskey.
"Sup?" Grif asked.
"Just thought I'd let you know that Sister is out for the count." Virginia explained. "She finished the bottle of wine and passed out on the couch."
"Yeah, sounds like something she'd do." Grif said, unsurprisingly. He sipped his whiskey as Virginia walked over behind Simmons.
She wrapped her arms around Simmons neck and gave a kiss to the side of his cheek.
"I'm going to bed."
"I'll be in shortly." Simmons said. Virginia nodded, then walked over to Grif. Grif accepted her hug and watched as she left the room.
"You got yourself a good woman." Grif said as he looked into his whiskey glass. "I would have thought you would have ended up with Jenkins." Simmons chuckled.
"Gee, thanks." Simmons stretched his arms over his head. "But seriously, Sienna is out of my league. A bad ass, sexy Freelancer who is also intelligent and savvy and likes to read books."
"Yeah, it's... shocking." Grif laughed. "But, at least I know you'll be taken care of when I'm not around."
"Taken care of?" Simmons asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know, have someone watching your back. Protecting you." Grif pointed out.
"What would I do without you?" Simmons laughed.
"Probably be dead a long time ago." The two of them looked at each other before cracking up with laughter.
"This is fucked." Grif admitted.
"Agreed."

Tucker looked out of the window of the plane, feeling like his heart was aching. He began to reminisce about the start of it all: Blood Gulch, the Freelancers, Church, Chorus, Locus and Felix, Charon and the time traveling.
He reached into his pocked, and pulled out the badge that he received from Kimball and sighed. He rubbed his thumb along the star, and the red and blue ribbon.
With a sigh, he dropped his head against the glass of the window.
"Fuck, man."

Grif awoke to a knock on his bedroom door. He groaned and rolled over, allowing himself to fall onto the floor. Slowly, he climbed to his feet and got to the bedroom door and cracked it open.
"Yeah?" He asked, tiredly.
"Sister is gone." Virginia announced.
"Gone?" Grif asked confused. He walked out into the hallway and down to the couch. On the couch was the lone blanket and a letter. Grif walked over and picked up the letter. He rubbed one of his eyes and skimmed through the letter. "Of course, she fucking did." Grif crumbled up the note and tossed it over his shoulder, letting it smack Simmons in the face.
"Hey!" Simmons shook his head; startled from the random paper ball. "What's going on?"
"Sister decided to hop on a plane and go after Tucker." Grif explained.
"She's in love, Grif." Virginia smiled.
"Yeah, I get that. She's a big girl. Let her do what she wants." Grif waved his hand and stumbled back to his room.
"Today's going to be an... interesting... day." Simmons said, looking around the once full condo. The couch was the lone piece of furniture in the living room, and a few boxes were scattered across the floor.
Virginia walked behind Simmons and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her head lean against his back.
"It's going to be okay." Virginia mumbled. Simmons nodded and rubbed his hand along her arm.
"I can't believe this is all real." Simmons said. "We're all... going our own ways."
"Wherever you go, I'll be by your side." Virginia pointed out. Simmons turned around and smiled down at her.
"There is some good to be thankful for." Simmons leaned down to kiss her, only to be interrupted by Grif.
"Aw geez, get a room you two!" Grif was in the hallway, looking at them and covering his eyes.
"You're welcome to join, Grif." Virginia smiled.
"What?"
"What?" Both Grif and Simmons said at the same time.
"I'm kidding! Bow chic a bow wow." Virginia chuckled. Grif and Simmons smirked, recalling Tucker's favorite quote.
"Yeah." Simmons said, casting his eyes downward.
"I'm sorry." Virginia said, seeing the sadness in Simmons' and Grif's eyes.
"It's... it's okay." Grif nodded.
"Reliving the memories is what we've got." Simmons shrugged.
A knock disrupted their train of thoughts, and the three of them looked over at the door.
"Did you hire movers?" Simmons asked as he looked over his shoulder to Grif.
"Hell no. I'm not paying for movers when I got you, Sarge and Lopez right here to help me." Grif admitted.
Virginia walked over the front door and opened it.
"Tucker?" Grif and Simmons did a double-take and rushed to the door, to see their friend standing at the doorstep with a duffel bag over his shoulder.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Simmons asked.
"You were on a plane back to Earth!" Grif exclaimed.
"Yeah, I was but... I got off on the first drop off. I couldn't go. I couldn't bring myself to do it." Tucker admitted as he stepped into the condo.
"Well, shit. We're gonna have to call Kai." Grif said.
"Call her? Where is she?" Tucker asked, starting to sound panicked.
"She left a note saying she was heading to the airport to go after your ass." Grif explained.
"Aw, crap." Tucker dropped his duffel bag on the floor.
"Is that Tucker I hear?!" Sarge popped his head out of the door from across the hall.
"Yeah, it's me." Tucker waved across the hallway to him.
"Heh. I had a feeling you'd be back." Sarge smiled.
"How'd you know?"
"Just a gut feeling." Sarge explained.
"Kai?! Answer me!" Grif could be heard calling his sister from the other room.
"Home isn't where your home is... home is where the people are." Sarge said as he leaned against the door frame. "Welcome home, Tucker."