A/N: Sorry for the long delay, work and life have kept us from updating our pieces but thankfully not from writing them. We will strive to be more diligent in the future in our updating or this piece and our Army Wives/JAG crossover, United They Stand.
Back at the house Molly was getting the children dressed for greet their grandparents. "Now what are we going to give Grandpa and Grandma when they come in?" she asked for the tenth time. She knew how much they were both hurting.
"Hugs and kisses! " chimed in Teela and JJ.
"Mommy why did Unca Michael go to heaven?"
Molly knelt down at eye level, "JJ I guess God needed him."
"He won't call grandpa will he?" Molly hugged both kids "I hope not." Teela looked out the window "They're here I see them."
"Okay, go get the pictures and cards you made and stand right by grandpa's chair, hurry up!" Molly hoped this helped them feel better.
When Frank opened the door with the bags the children descended on them both hugging them and attaching themselves to their legs wanting picked up and snuggled.
"Well what's this?"
"We missed you ,you and grandma.I'm glad you aren't dead."
Frank started to laugh "Me too." He picked up the kids wincing as he did. Denise saw this and said nothing but hugged Molly instead.
"How's he doing?" she whisered in her mother's ear. "He doesn't look good."
"Your father is always the same. He says nothing until he drops. We had a fight last nite. The one time that we should have bonded he pulled away."
Molly saw the hurt in her mother's eyes but knew her father was in pain too and not just emotional .She saw him wince as well.
"Let me have a go at him, he's not going to be happy with what I found out at the doctor yesterday. I'm pregnant."
Denise pulled back and stared at her daughter. "What Laureen is still under a year. How far along?"
"Three months," she replied. "Joe likes to be intimate...as soon as I'm cleared he has me stop breastfeeding and we start...Daddy's not going to be happy."
Denise pulled her into the kitchen, "No he won't especially now with Joe still in classes. You aren't letting him back home yet are you?"
"No, not yet. He has a few more weeks before we'll even spend the night together, we're seeing a marriage counselor too," she told her mother. "I didn't tell hiim about the baby yet."
Denise agreed that was for the best, "Let's not say anything to Dad either, let's let him adjust to Michael's being gone first."
They got lemonade and cookies ready for a snack and Frank brought the kids into the kitchen. "Look Dee the kids drew pictures for us," handing the papers to her.
"Oh my goodness look at these you guys are so talented."
"That's you and that's grandpa," Teela said. "Causeyou are always curled up like that."
Denise teared up, "Yeah we usually are, aren't we. We have snacks, Frank I want you to sit down and eat something, you hardly ate breakfast."
"I want to sit next to grandpa " said JJ as he raced to sit in the chair next to Frank's. As they ate Frank watched Teela she seemed more at ease these days especially since Joe wasn't at held onto that thought and looked at Denise How the hell was he going to make this up to her?
He was just playing with his food again, Molly called his attention it. "Dad, did I make it wrong?" she asked. He shook his head, "No, I'm just not hungry honey."
Denise looked at frank "Is it your stomach do you need your medicine?" "No Dee I'm fine just not hungry maybe at luch I'll eat more I promise."
"Dad, I want you to go lie down and have your medicine, right now," MOlly said getting up. "Right now, come on, I'll take you." She got up and pulled on his arm.
Denise sat with the child Farren as Molly escorted her dad to the bedroom. Molly carried the bags and put them on the floor near the wall. She handed her dad his medicine and got him a glass of water from the bathroom. As he sat on the bed she stood over him as he swallowed the pills. He handed the glass to her and she put it on night stand . She sat next to him and held his hand. "Dad what's going on between you and mom? You both look like hell and very unhappy. What happened at Aunt Claudia Joy's?"
"Mom...I hurt Mom's feelings, I haven't felt well lately and now...it's worse. I miss your brother and now Michael. I just haven't felt well and it'll upset her. I don't feel like I have energy...and she wanted something from me I couldn't give her."
"Dad, do you need to go to the doctor for a check up?"
"Probably," he admitted. "But I'm not going so forget it."
He laid back and covered his eyes,"Wake me up in an hour. I have to take Mom out and try to get her to forgive me."
"Dad what if you and I go out tomorrow and mom stays with the kids? You can see the doctor and mom won't know unless you tell her?" Frank sighed but agreed, "Molls call make the appointment let me nap so I can take mom out later. Don't forget to wake me its important Molly I'm serious."
"Okay, Dad I love you," she bent and kissed his cheek and walked out.
Frank got up as soon as Molly shook him, "Is Mom in a better mood yet?" he asked. "I was thinking we could go to the docks, seafood meal and a walk in the sunset."
"She seems to be .She spent the time with the kids out back. I made an appointment for you tomorrow at 1100. I'll tell Mom I want to talk to you over daughter time. She'll understand. I think the seafood and walk at sunset is a great idea."
He got up and stepped into the yard. Denise was on their deck. He slid his arms around her from behind, "Hello beauty. They running their little legs off, hmm? I made reservataion at Louis' for two." He kissed her cheek.
"Why?"
"Because I want to spend time with my special girl and you love Louis', and I love you."
She settled back in his arms, "I just want to feel beautiful to you again." That said so much about Denise's mindset lately Frank was shocked.
"Dee? Baby, you are always beautiful to me. You are always beautiful...and I promise you'll feel it from now on." He nibbled her ear even with the kids watching.
JJ laughed pointing at Frank, "Look at grandpa, he's eatin grandma's ear hahaha." Teela laughed and rolled on the stood behind her parents holding the baby smiling. Her parents were still so much in love after all these years. She and Joe didn't have that and she knew it; it hurt. In the beginning he was loving but it changed drastically when they went to Germany.
"He's out like a light," Molly said looking down at their son. "I'm sorry Mom and Dad are so far away, they won't get to spend time with him like they did with Teela."
"We'll be home in less than 18 months then JJ can see them." Molly put her hands around Joe's body "I miss you . You've been pulling alot of hours."
Joe unhooked her hands, "I'm tired Molly don't be so selfish."
She stepped back and walked away. He wasn't the Joe she knew anymore. When they were together he wasn't sweet, loving or gentle. He was rough fast and uncaring if it also spent alot of time on the computer. She walked into the kitchen for some juice but looked longingly at the bottle of bourbon. No the juice.
She gave in though and took the drink quickly before pouring a drink of juice. She had to see what was going on in that computer room. She started to plan when Teela started crying and ran down to her Mommy.
Molly lifted her up into arms, "Mommy's here, ssh. Ssh," she sothed. "Ssh, baby. Whta happened honey?"
Molly picked her up"What's wrong baby."
"I scared of the man."
Molly brushed her hair back "What man? Where was he?"
"My room." Teela held on tight as Molly carried her upstairs and looked around her room. "Nobody is here see."Just then Joe came out of their bedroom fresh from a shower, "What's up?"
"Teela is afraid of the man," Molly replied. "Daddy will check your room and make him leave okay?" Molly said to soothe her baby girl. "Let's go have juice, Daddy will fix it."
Joe watched them go back down stairs then peeked in her room and turned to walk back in their bedroom drying his hair with the towel.
Things only got worse, Molly only felt worse, part of her was happy when her mother called to say her father was ill...she had a reason to escape.
Frank's voice and touch broke into her thoughts, "Molly? Earth to molly?"
"You okay?" he asked concerned.
She smiled "Yeah just thinking about Germany no big deal. Looks like you and mom are back on track."
He smiled that million watt smile "I hope so she told me yes to tonight. Will you be ok?"
"Sure the kids and I will be fine. Let's get everybody in for lunch."
Frank kept his promise to eat his lunch then rested a little more to be prepared for that night. He was ready exactly at 6 PM with a bouquet of lilies and roses. He even snuck out of the house to ring the bell.
DEnise was in the bedroom getting ready and was getting annoyed by the ringing bell. "FRank can you get the door... Frank. UGH!" As she walked down the hall she yelled "Coming." She yanked the door open and was surprised. There stood Frank holding the flowers and a big smile on his face, "Hi baby are you ready?"
"If I can get this dress zipped yes," she laughed. "What did you do? You didnt have to do this."
As he stepped inside he handed her the flowers and closed the door. He motioned for her to turn around and zipped up her dress,"Yes I did this is a date. Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady." He then kissed her neck.
Molly held Teela back, she wanted to run and hug her grandpa. "Grandpa and Grandma are going out. Ou have to stay here." She managed to hold her back until her parents were out the door.
Their meal was perfect, the weather was perfect, if not a little chilly. Denise faked a chill just like she did on their first date. Frank still had that same tan windbreaker.
They walked arm in arm along the dock looking at the laid her head on his shoulder and remembered how much he loved wasn't thrilled with them so Frank never bought the boat he wanted."You ok De?" She smiled at him and nodded.
"You're cold," he said softly and wrapped her in his jacket. "Can't have my best girl getting a chill. I have more plans for you."
Denise laughed and snuggled him, "Frank, I'm sorry about last night. I just needed to feel you alive and well and...I'm sorry I wasn't more sensitive to your feelings."
"I understand Dee , I was just upset and didn't realize that you needed me, but I'm here now and we are going to have a great evening and night." He waggled his eyebrows and made her laugh. He steered them towards the car.
The house was dark when they got home. Frank smiled, his daughter knew their plans. He carried his wife over the threshold not stopping until he got to their bedroom. His back throbbed from the bruising, it didn't matter, all that mattered was Denise, that's all that was going to matter from the moment on.
This night Denise realized how much Frank loved her and he showed her. She held onto him like a life raft because to her he was. Denise smiled as she slept on Franks chest and he fell into an exhausted sleep. His last thought before falling asleep was "good thing I made that doctors appointment."