A/N I want to say thank you to everyone who has followed and reviewed this story, it has made me feel so good. I was so nervous to post this but seeing so many start to follow it just based on the first chapter has been so amazing. This story is already written in its entirety so I'm planning to post 1 chapter every Monday. You're getting 2 chapters this week to kick it off and the response has to it has been so wonderful.

I also want to thank my beautiful and talented friend Positivelythatredheadgirl aka Scarlette Ash for all your help and support. Your edits helped make this story better, and if not for your encouragement, I never would have written it. You've allowed me to go on and on about this story and bounce ideas off of you and you've given me wonderful suggestions and advice, so thank you!

Chapter 2: Airport thoughts

The airport is busy today, people coming and people going. The noise was almost deafening. She sits alone waiting for the boarding call as Mark went to grab them something small to eat and drink.

As she sits there, she looks around and sees a couple with three children, all under the age of ten she notices. All three of the children are screaming and the parents look stressed out. Onica once again felt grateful that she talked Mark into leaving their two children at home with a trusted friend. Sam is going to be upset, but with what all is probably going to happen this weekend, Onica is sure Sam will understand. Laughing sarcastically to herself, she realizes that Sam will most likely forget all about the kids not being there. She continues her silent perusal and sees a group of twenty somethings, college students she reckons. They're just laughing and carrying on, it looks like they are having a really good time. Probably going on one last summer vacation before school starts back in the fall. She watches them with envy as she wishes, not for the first time, that she felt that light and jovial.

Onica suddenly realized that for the past few months, since this trip got planned, that she hasn't had a genuine smile. Mark hasn't seemed to notice, as he's been preoccupied with work and now with the fact that his little sister is dating her boss. Which she thinks would be none of his business, if not for the fact of just who it is that Sam is dating, but Mark doesn't know that yet. He's going to find out, they all are, and then Mark will know the truth. A part of her is relieved that this will finally come out, it's been a tough burden to bear. She's not sure why she didn't just tell him the truth from the beginning, she's had so many opportunities, and let them all slip by. Mark isn't a fool, he knows she was in a relationship before they met, she had told him that much. She had also told him that things had ended badly, though she didn't say exactly what had happened. When Mark assumed her ex was to blame, she just stayed quiet and let him. At the time she figured it didn't matter so she never bothered to correct him, but now she's wishing she had.

She's always had a good relationship with Sam, they had hit it off instantly. Onica was aware of the issues that Sam and Mark have, and so she was the one who talked with Sam the most. Onica remembers when Sam got reassigned to Colorado Springs, she thought it was wonderful that she would be living so much closer to Calafornia, that it might help bridge the gap between Sam and her brother. And it did, for the most part, except when the Air Force came up in conversation, that always ended in an argument.

Onica thought it was a little funny at the time, even joked with them that they were at least talking. Even still, it was Onica who made more of an effort to talk with Sam, they would talk at length at least two or three times a month. She remembers how excited Sam was with her transfer to Colorado, though she didn't really understand what was so exciting about working underground in a mountain everyday, but Sam was excited and so Onica was excited for her.

She also remembers Sam talking about her team. She never really said anything too personal about them, but she could tell that Sam really liked working with them, especially 'The Colonel,' as Sam called him. Onica could tell that Sam was a little enamored by this Colonel, she noted how Sam's voice would change every time she would talk about him, and how Sam would go quiet for a moment whenever Onica would ask about him. Onica thought it was cute at first, she even teased Sam about it. She found it especially funny when Sam would adamantly deny having a crush on 'The Colonel.'

And then it happened, one day Sam actually said the colonel's name, and Onica felt as though her world had stopped. How had this happened? What was she going to do? And a million other questions started floating through her mind. Since that day, Onica tried to subtly dissuade Sam from forming any real feelings for Him, but it was too late. The next thing Onica knew, Sam is telling Mark that she's now dating this colonel. And now here she is, on her way to see Him, with no logical reason to get out of it.

She must have gotten lost in her recollections because the next thing she knows Mark is waving his hand in front of her face saying "Yoohoo."

She shakes the thoughts away for now and says "Oh, Mark, sorry."

"Are you ok? You seem distracted." He says as he hands her the cup and a small bag.

She fakes a smile and says, "I'm fine, I guess my mind wandered a bit."

"I'd say, I was calling your name for a good 30 seconds." He replied.

She should just tell him the truth right now she thinks. It's a good opportunity, the kids aren't here so she has his full attention, the airport is busy so he won't flip out, he'll save that for when they are totally alone, but she just can't bring herself to do it. Maybe it's guilt, maybe it's cowardice, maybe it's both, or maybe it's something else entirely, she's not sure, so instead settles for, "Sorry honey, thanks for the pastry," and gives him a small smile.

Mark looks at her and thinks he understands, " You're thinking about the kids aren't you?" He said it as a question but means it more like a statement.

She takes a sip of her drink, a double chocolaty chip from Starbucks, and says, "I checked in with Tiffany, the kids are fine. Luke has been watching TV since we left and Aubry is playing with Madaline."

Mark smiles, "Sounds like they're having a good time."

"Yeah." She says as she opens the pastry bag and sees that it's the raspberry swirl cake that she loves.

"Are you worried that Sam will be upset that we didn't bring them?" he asks.

"I think she'll be disappointed, she was really looking forward to seeing them. I also think she'll get over it," Onica says matter of factly.

"Yeah, she will, maybe it'll help her rethink some of her decisions too." He says with a smug look before adding, "Besides, she's not setting a very good example for them, I don't want them growing up thinking that it's okay to date their boss. Even if it's not strictly against the rules, it's just not a good idea."

"Mark, you shouldn't punish the kids because you don't agree with Sam's decisions." Onica reprimands.

"I'm not punishing them, besides, it was your idea to leave them at home." He reminds her.

"I know, and I stand by that decision, but it had nothing to do with whether or not I agree with Sam's choices. I just thought that given how you feel about it, it was better for them to not see that." Onica says gently.

"Well, if not getting to see the kids does help Sam reconsider some things, I say we use that to our advantage." Mark replies.

Onica feels herself starting to get upset, but is she upset by what her husband is saying, or by her own actions - or inactions, she corrects herself. Either way she takes it out on Mark by saying, "How could you say something like that? She's your sister for goodness sake, and she's an adult. We are not, under any circumstances, using OUR children to control and manipulate her. So get that thought out of your mind right now Mark Allen Carter." She fires back at him. She feels like getting up and stomping off, but she's in the middle of a busy airport and doesn't want to make a scene.

"I wasn't suggesting we use the kids to manipulate her, I was just saying that if we say she can't see them until she makes better choices, it might help her. That's all I'm trying to do...help my sister." Mark says defensively.

"And you don't see that as manipulation? No, we're not going to threaten to keep the kids away from her. You might not agree with some of her choices, but I will not let you drag my kids into this." Onica says forcibly, as she folds her arms across her body and turns away from her husband. A moment later, she hears him say a faint, 'Okay' and then they sit there in silence.

How could Mark possibly suggest such a thing? Onica also wonders if she could have overreacted, she knows her emotions are on high, and with every second that passes she's closer to confronting her past.

She's halfway through her cake when she hears the boarding call for their flight and says to her husband of 12 years, "That's us."

He stands up and hands her his drink and pastry bag "Here, you carry this and I'll get the luggage."

She nods in response and they make their way over to the ticket line. She feels her heart rate increase with each step and is sure that Mark can hear it too, despite the noise all around.

They finally get up to the woman scanning tickets, and she bids them a safe flight as they make their way through the tunnel and onto the plane. They easily find their seats towards the front, hers a window and his on the aisle. She slides into the cramped space and takes her seat as Mark stows the carry ons in the compartment above them. He squeezes himself in next to her and says, "I swear these rows get smaller and smaller every time I get on one of these things."

"I'm pretty sure it's not the rows that have changed sizes, dear." She says teasingly, hoping to lighten the mood after their earlier argument. It seems to have worked as Mark smiles a little before responding.

"Hrmph." He knows he's gained some weight over the years, and his stomach isn't as hard as it used to be in his teens and early 20's but he's not what he would call fat. Though he has noticed that his loving wife has been making more salads lately.

The plane has a full complement of 175 passengers plus various flight attendants. The flight time is just under two hours, but to Onica, it feels like mere minutes. Most likely because she's anxious about how things will go once they get to their destination. She looks over at Mark and sees that he's nodded off, but is starting to rouse as they make their descent.

The plane lands without incident and when they are given the all clear, Mark makes a move to get up. Onica lays her hand on his arm and says, "May as well wait a few minutes, let some of these people clear out." Though she knows she is simply delaying the inevitable by a small fraction of time, she just cannot help herself.

Not really understanding her logic, seeing as though they are sitting in the front, nonetheless, he does as she asks and waits. When there are only a few people left he says, "I think we've waited long enough."

She nods and moves to stand. At 5'3' and 120 pounds she doesn't really have the kind of trouble that Mark, who stands 5'10" and 210 pounds does. As Mark gets the luggage down, she moves past him and leads the way through the tunnel and into the airport. With each step she's feeling more and more anxious. She knows that Sam is there waiting to pick them up. As she steps off the tunnel and into the airport, she thinks sarcastically to herself 'and now the fun begins.'