Kelly grabbed Harry's coat, pulling him closer to her. She burrowed herself into him. The warm summer weather was ending in D.C., bringing with it the cool breeze of fall. Kelly always seemed to be cold even in the summer, and Harry was a human radiator.

"Please don't go," she begged, looking up at him with big doe eyes.

Harry grinned at her. "You're just afraid you'll be cold when I leave," he teased.

Kelly nodded exaggeratedly. "Stay and warm me up, Lieutenant?" she offered coyly.

Harry sighed, brushing a piece of her hair out of her face. "I would if I could, love, but duty calls."

Kelly gave him a sad smile. "I know," she replied. The airport was packed, everyone in constant motion. If Harry didn't get in line for security soon, he'd never get on his plane. Still, she stalled the goodbye for just a moment. "Just promise me something?"

"Anything," Harry answered, kissing her hands.

"Don't try to be a hero," she said. "No more bullets or anything else lethal. Promise?"

"I promise I'll do my best," he swore. "Promise me something then?" Kelly nodded. "Don't let any other bloke whisk you off your feet while I'm gone."

"Unlikely," Kelly whispered, passionately kissing her boyfriend. They could've stayed like that forever, but Kelly saw the time. "You need to go, or you'll never get on that plane."

"Might not be such a bad thing," he said, kissing her yet again.

"Harry," Kelly warned.

Harry groaned, pulling away. He picked up his bag and made sure he had his boarding passes. He looked back at Kelly. "See you soon then?"

She smiled. "See you soon then." After one last kiss, Harry got in line for security. Kelly waited until she couldn't see him anymore to leave the airport. She headed towards her car, convinced that if she could just get home everything would be okay. She never liked it when Harry was deployed and didn't think she ever would, but this felt different somehow. Some would call it coincidence, but as a Gibbs she had been raised to trust her gut, and her gut felt off this time.

Once safety in her car, Kelly pulled her phone out and flipped through her pictures. On Tuesday, she had taken Harry to all her favorite touristy sights of D.C. He was like a little boy at the Smithsonian, and his face after seeing all the old military equipment was priceless. On Wednesday, Harry went to work with her dad. He got the full tour of NCIS, and Kelly received a picture from Abby every other minute of Harry hanging out with the team in the squad room, exploring Abby's lab, and practicing at the shooting range with her dad and Ziva. Kelly managed to leave work early enough to have dinner with Harry and the team. It was official: her entire family loved Harry. Everyone drank and laughed, and her dad even complimented Harry on his shooting. (There was obviously more of a story to their time at the shooting range as Harry paled a little bit when he looked at Ziva, but Kelly hadn't managed to wrangle the tale out of her boyfriend.) Since Kelly managed to get Thursday and Friday off, the couple spent both days at a bed and breakfast on the coast. They enjoyed the still warm weather and the nearly empty beaches.

She stopped at a picture of Harry smiling at her, the sun in the background. God, she prayed fiercely in her head, please bring him home because I love him, and I haven't told him yet. Please keep him safe. Completing her prayer, Kelly started up her car and drove home, her thoughts never leaving the man who was currently getting on a plane.

Dear Kelly,

I can't tell you where I am or what I'm doing, but I can tell you that I am being safe and that I miss you more than ever. During the day, the air around here is like soup, but the nights are so bitterly cold I feel like I'm right at home.

The guys in my unit have been teasing me about you lately, especially Eli, but it doesn't bug me too much. They're just jealous. I showed your picture around the other day, and I was afraid I wasn't going to get it back. Even the Captain said you were a looker and told me not to be a dumbass and mess it up. From him that's practically heartfelt advice.

The days here are long and hard, and we all sleep soundly through the night whenever we're given the chance. Sometimes, though, I can't get the idea of home and my family and you out of my head, and then I pull out all my letters and read until the sun comes up.

I miss you, Kelly Ann Gibbs. I miss your freezing hands and your complete lack of culinary skills and the way you wake up every morning like a cat. I hope you miss me too. If I come home to find that some male nurse or God forbid a doctor has stolen your heart, I'm not responsible for what happens to him.

See you soon then,

Harry

Dear Dad,

Happy birthday old man! I'm sure Padfoot has been cracking jokes all day, which makes no sense since his birthday is in three months. I'd recommend telling him his hairline is receding, but that's just a suggestion from the student to the master. I'm sure you'll come up with a superior way of humiliating him. I'm sorry I won't be there for your party. Tell Aunt Minnie and Uncle Al I said hi, and give a kiss to Belle for me.

I know you get the Muggle newspapers now, and so you know things here are bad. I don't want you to worry about me, Dad. I trust these blokes with my life, and they trust me with theirs. They're all good men. Our captain is demanding and strict, but his first priority is always getting us home safe. I'm good at this, and I love it. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Tell Mum thank you for the care package. The food was gone almost instantly. Everything here tastes the same, like dust, so it was like a holiday for us. It made me look forward to Christmas even more.

I hope Charlie gets that promotion. Tell Remus to just ask Meda to the dance. It's about bloody time! And don't let the twins help pack up my stuff. I know that if they do I'll open a box and a dung bomb will go off in my face.

I'll try to write again soon. See you at Christmas.

Love,

Harry

Dear Shelia,

Congratulations! You are officially a certified Healer. Two years of slaving away in Healer's training has finally paid off. May you have a long and prosperous career of mending broken Quidditch bones and reassuring parents that their kids do not have the dragon pox. May the staff room never run out of tea or chocolate. Seriously, though, good job. (Don't let Sirius or Padfoot read this letter. That joke has gotten old.) It doesn't surprise me that Remus didn't ask Meda to the dance. Maybe when I get back home I'll teach him how to woo the ladies. (Don't laugh too hard, Lia. I do have a girlfriend.) I can't believe Neville actually had the guts to propose to Susan. Good for him! Of course, he'll need to have the Potter talk, but I promise I'll go easy on him. Maybe…

Lia, I have to tell you something, but you can't tell Mum or Dad or anyone else. My tour is up after the New Year, but I think I'm going to extend it. Most of unity is extending, Eli included, and I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't join them. It's only two more years, and then maybe I'll reconsider. A friend of mine got out and started a private security consulting firm, and he has a pretty good job waiting for me when I want it. I'm just not done here yet.

I'm almost positive I'll be home for Christmas, but don't eat all of Minnie's Christmas cookies before I get there.

Love,

Harry

The Potters, the Blacks, and the Lupins were gathered at the Potter's house for dinner. The room, usually busting with energy and conversation when the three families got together, was quiet and subdued. No one seemed to be interested in their food much to the dismay of the Potter's house elves. Even Belle, the baby of her family, sensed something was wrong.

Harry's family didn't usually think too hard about his job. They knew it was dangerous, but they never wondered what he did or what happened to him there. Since Harry's last letter, it was all they could think about. Harry had written them saying that he wouldn't be able to send any letters for a few weeks. His unit was being sent on a mission that he couldn't discuss, and no communication would be allowed during it. That was a month ago, in September, and they had expected to hear from him by now.

"I should've never let him do this," James said, running his hands through his hair.

Maria laughed. "Daddy, he didn't exactly ask your permission." It was true. Harry came home one day after his graduation and told his family that he had enlisted and was leaving for boot camp in two weeks. Father and son didn't speak until the day Harry was to leave. "He's stubborn just like Mama was." Amelia had become Mum over the years, but Lily would always be Mama to her kids, particularly the older ones.

"That he is," James agreed. "Unfortunately, it seems that I will never have quiet docile children."

"Never," Amelia said with a grin.

Shelia played with the lettuce on her plate. "He told me he's going to sign up for another tour," she said quietly. Her brother could be dead because of his job so she didn't feel much guilt over spilling that secret.

"Harry's going to get himself killed," Charlie stated, his jaw clenched. When Harry was little, Charlie was his watchdog, making sure the toddler didn't run into any sharp corners. The behavior hadn't gotten any better as Harry grew up. Charlie fussed over Harry's injuries almost as bad as Maria did. He had a fit one Christmas when he came home from Hogwarts and Harry had a broken arm no one told him about. He didn't talk to Harry for two months after he joined the Marines.

Gabrielle, who was sitting next to her niece, shook her head. "He's in good hands," she insisted. "Harry takes risk, but Eli and the other guys in his units always have his back. It may not be their motto, but those guys live and breathe semper fi."

There was a knock on the door, interrupting the conversation. Amelia got up to answer the door, her heart rate speeding up. Wizards usually prefer the Floo, and so it had to be about Harry. She opened the door to see a young Marine standing in complete dress uniform on her porch. "Hello," she greeted the officer politely. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Mrs. Potter, ma'am?" the Marine questioned seriously.

"Yes, I am," Amelia responded, gripping the side of the door for support. "Could you please tell me what this is about? My son isn't dead, is he?"

The Marine looked alarmed. "No, ma'am," he answered quickly. "I sincerely apologize for giving you that impression. Lt. Potter was seriously injured on his squad's latest assignment. He was shot twice in the shoulder and once dangerously close to his ribcage. He'll need some physical therapy, but he'll be just fine." He looked at her pride. "From what I've heard, ma'am, your son is a hero. Took the bullets in his shoulder and still managed to carry one of the men in his unit to safety. He got shot in the stomach saving another Marine."

Amelia blinked, trying to process all this new information. "What hospital is he in?"

"University College Hospital, ma'am," replied the Marine.

She nodded. "Thank you," she said. "Have a nice day."

"You, too, ma'am," the Marine responded, heading back to his car.

Amelia closed the door and walked back to the dining room. The family stared, waiting for her to say something. "Harry's at University College Hospital downtown."

Shelia wished yet again that Harry had magic so that she could keep track of his treatment. "What happened?"

"He was shot twice in the shoulder and once in the stomach." Seeing the worry on all of her children's faces, she added, "He's going to be fine."

Maria was the first one to stand up. "Than what are we waiting for?"

"Someone needs to stay with the kids," Sirius pointed out. After twenty minutes of debating and arguing, it was decided that Fleur and Gabrielle would stay behind with Remus, the twins, and Belle. Padfoot and Moony took their families home but made James promise to Floo them when he had news.

Maria, Sirius, Charlie, and Shelia piled into their parents' car. James drove, clutching the wheel tightly. Amelia rubbed her husband's arm soothingly. It was James's worst nightmare to lose any of his kids, but these days losing Harry was a pretty real fear. She knew James wondered if Harry would be different if he had magic, and sometimes she did too, but Amelia had a feeling that if he did he'd be giving them just as much grey hair as an Auror or a Hitwizard. It was a good thing the rest of their children had relatively safe jobs. Maria was a Herbologist, Sirius worked as a Gringotts curse breaker, Charlie was moving his way up the Department of Mysteries, and Shelia was a Healer.

It didn't take long to get to the hospital. The nurse at the directory checked Harry's status, telling them his room number and the floor he was on. She said that Harry had just gotten out of surgery and wouldn't be coherent for quite a while yet. They were welcomed to wait in his room, though, but only the parents for now as to not overwhelm him. James and Amelia headed into Harry's room while their children took up chairs in the waiting area.

When they walked in, a nurse was adjusting his bandages. James couldn't help but stare in horror. His son's entire left shoulder was covered in white bandages as was most his stomach. Harry was paler than usual, and there were a couple of healing cuts on his face. This was his little boy, his bright beautiful boy, lying broken in a hospital room. Amelia let out a sharp gasp, and he knew it pained her to see Harry like this just as much as it did him. The nurse turned around and smiled at him.

"Hi, I'm Ellen. I'll be Harry's night nurse," she introduced herself. "Your boy is doing well. He's a fighter, I can tell."

"Yes, he is," James agreed dully, feeling like his mouth was full of lead. What had happened? How could he let this happen? What kind of parent was he? What would Lily say if she were here.

"Well, I'll leave you with him then. If he wakes up or is in pain, just press the button next to his bed, and I'll be here in a jiff."

"Thank you," Amelia said, her eyes never leaving her son. James just nodded his thanks to the nurse as she left, sliding down into a nearby chair. He held his son's hand gentle. He had never been afraid of breaking him, not even when he was a baby, but he was afraid right now.

"Harry is going to be okay," Amelia reassured him, sitting in the chair next to him. "He's going to be okay," she repeated as if she was reassuring herself.

"He's going to be okay this time," James said. "What about next time?" He was always afraid of losing his son, his too brave for his own good son, to war. He had buried a wife and enough friends to know how that loss felt. It would be a special kind of hell, however, to bury his own son because of it.

Amelia didn't answer, just taking her husband's free hand and squeezing it. There was nothing she could say. She could just be there and comfort and believe everything would turn out fine in the end.

The Potters ended up sleeping in those very uncomfortable hospital chairs. They sent their children home, promising that they could come and see their brother first thing tomorrow. Even Sirius, a married man with a daughter, didn't argue with Amelia on that. You just didn't try to fight with Mum. She always won. Maria promised to bring by some new clothes and food for them in the morning, for which they were grateful.

Harry woke up a few times throughout the night and muttered a few nonsensical things, but he didn't seem to be in pain. Amelia would just run her hands through his hair like she had done when he was a little kid to lull him back to sleep. He wasn't fully coherent and awake until the next morning…

Harry blinked a little bit, freshly awakened from what felt like the longest sleep of his life. He groaned as he jostled his shoulder a bit, remembering now where he was and what had happened. He traced the bandages with his hands, inspecting the damage. It would be one of his worst injuries to date and evidently one of the more painful ones.

An older nurse with a huge smile walked into his room. "Good morning! Glad to have you back with us! I'm Daisy, I'll be your daytime nurse." She unwrapped his wounds and cleaned them before wrapping them again in fresh bandages. "If you want to take a shower in a bit, just let me know and I'll help you. It's okay for those bandages to get wet."

Harry smiled tiredly. "Thank you, ma'am."

"No problem, sweetheart. Breakfast will be here soon." She paused, looking back at him. "Your family is all waiting outside. Is it alright if I send them in?"

"How long have they been waiting?" Harry asked, trying to figure out how long he had been asleep.

"Your parents sat with you all night and only left to change clothes in the bathrooms. They sent your siblings home last night, but they were all here first thing this morning," she replied.

"You can send them in," he said, giving his thanks once again to the nurse. He tried to be especially courteous to nurses because his girlfriend was one and nothing pissed him off more than people who were assholes to their nurses.

It didn't take long for Harry's family to pour in the room. Mum and Maria immediately started fussing over him, asking if he was in pain or needed anything. Sirius and Dad stood a bit off to the side, watching him with worry. Shelia immediately gravitated towards the chart hanging from his bed, intent on understanding what exactly had happened. Gabrielle plopped down in the chair next to bed and texted updates to Eli, who Harry assumed was still being debriefed.

Charlie, however, glared at his little brother. "Your face can freeze like that, you know," Harry teased. Charlie's expression didn't change.

"You almost died," Charlie whispered harshly. Just the thought of his little brother dying sent him into a tailspin. Harry wasn't five years old anymore, and Charlie couldn't protect him from the world. That didn't mean he didn't want to.

"That's a bit of an exaggeration, don't you think?"

Shelia raised an eyebrow. She had been reading the chart hooked onto Harry's bed. Some of the Muggle terms were confusing to her, but she was able to understand most of it. "You lost three pints of blood, Harry. The doctors were amazed you even survived long enough to get to the hospital. Said it was like magic."

Harry grinned. "Gabrielle sent me some potions. Sometimes they're useful."

Maria moved to fluff Harry's pillows, causing him to roll his eyes. "Are you in a lot of pain?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "I'll probably be sore for a while, but they have me on pretty good pain meds."

"What happened?" Sirius asked, always the blunt one in the family.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, wincing when the movement agitated his shoulder. "Yeah, that part is a little more complicated and classified."

Sirius narrowed his eyes at his little brother. "You're telling us you got shot but we don't get to know the details."

"I'm saying that I don't know what can be told. I haven't been debriefed yet."

"The man who came to our house said you are a hero," Amelia said. "Why don't you start there?"

"Our mission was compromised. I got shot in the shoulder, but I managed to get the bleeding to stop with one of Gabrielle's potions and patched it up enough to keep going. One of the men in my squad couldn't walk so I threw him over my shoulder and got him to a medic."

"You threw him over your injured shoulder?" Shelia repeated. "Didn't that hurt?"

"Like hell," Harry replied. "But I wasn't about to leave a Marine behind. A little pain wasn't going to kill me."

"And the other shot?"

"Bombs were going off everywhere, and no one could see a fucking thing. Artie didn't see the shot; I did." The look on Harry's face told them that was all that would be said.

"You could've been killed," Amelia stated her voice tight.

"But because of what I did, two men aren't," Harry shot back. "I won't apologize for not letting a man newly engaged and a man with three kids die." His eyes glinted with determination, and for the first time James saw how grown up his son had become. Harry was a good man, he noted with pride, and definitely one Lily would be proud of. "Hey Maria, can you hand me my cell phone? It's in that bag on the table. I have a call long overdue."

Maria dug through the bag and found his iPhone. Harry unlocked the screen and pressed a frequently called number. His family watched in interest. Shelia remembered what Gabrielle had told her about Harry's girlfriend but said nothing.

"Hey love. Uh no, I'm at home actually. No… I'm at University College Hospital in London." Harry blinked as she listened to the person on the other side of the conversation. "Kell, I'm fine. Really. Yes. Yes. Okay, hold on."

He held out the phone to Shelia. "She said she wants to talk to someone who's not going to lie to her. I've told her you're a doctor."

Shelia took the phone and held it gingerly to her ear. "Hello? Well, he was shot in the shoulder and in the abdomen. Surgery went well, and he seems to be doing okay." She glanced at Harry. "No, he didn't tell me that. My brother isn't very forthcoming with information. Yeah, it was nice talking to you too." She handed the phone back to her brother.

"Yes. Yeah, okay. Say hi to your family for me." He smiled. "See you soon then."

As soon as Harry put down the phone, Shelia asked mischievously, "So Kelly's coming for Christmas?"

"Yes," Harry responded warily.

Harry's siblings shared a look before starting to chant, "Harry's in love, Harry's in love!" He swore them all out, his cheeks red. James smiled as his wife lectured Harry on his language. He was eager to meet the girl that captured his son's heart. It certainly wouldn't be a dull holiday, he mused.

ctc: I'm not sure. He doesn't have any (that we know of) so it's not a direct factor in their relationship, but it could come up when she meets his family…

Cateagle: Thanks for the correction! I just wasn't sure. There are some problems that will arise with such a long distance relationship, and they'll definitely come up later. I will probably have a chapter when Harry's family meets Kelly's family later, which should be fairly hilarious.