Author's note

My dear readers,

I am sorry I have been this absent. Like I mentioned before I am moving to England in November and it's been a little stressful in the last couple of weeks. I had my last work day last Friday, but since then my primary concern has been finding a job in England.

I promise you that I will finish this story. It may not be before I move, as I originally planned, but I will definably promise you that I will finish this. (I hate nothing more than unfinished stories. It drives me mad.)

So this is a short chapter and I hope I will be able to write the reunion, pretty soon.

Erdi

Charlie's POV

RIIINNNGGGGG

I pry my eyes open and try to locate the offending device, called my cell phone. As I finally find it, I answer it without looking at the caller ID. "This better be good, Nora!" I say annoyed. "Don't say that Newton called in sick again…seriously, your Dad needs to fire him!"

It's been three weeks since the explosion and I went back to work two days ago, because I couldn't handle being at home anymore. And since Miles and Connor are refusing to leave my house, I always have someone willing to baby-sit Alex. Which is great for my son. He gets to spend some quality time with both of his uncles and they are spoiling him rotten, just to keep him occupied.

"Uhmm…It's me Andrew…I have some news for you" the voice on the other end informs me. "We made contact. Bass is coming home!"

"Oh my god…" I breathe out and a few happy tears are running down my face. "When? How? Tell me everything!"

"You know I can't give you specific details, but I can tell you that he will be coming home in a couple of days. I will come by tomorrow and tell you what I know. Okay?" Andrew says.

"Yes…sure. Come by anytime after four." I answer and we both say our goodbyes. He is coming home….He is really coming home.

I can feel the weight and anxiety lifting from my shoulders and a smile spreading across my face. "YES" I yell and pump my fist into the air, sending my phone flying across the room and out my open window. But I couldn't care less about that at the moment. Nothing is more important than the fact that my husband is coming home.

I quickly throw away my covers, jump out of bed with an urgent need to tell the others the news immediately.

I throw open the door, just to find Connor and Miles on the other side. Both have a baseball-bat in their hands. "What are you doing with those?" I ask and laugh out loud. It's good to laugh again. It feels like I haven't done this in ages.

"Are you alright?" Connor questions with a worried look on his face.

"We heard you scream up here" Miles adds and rakes his eyes over me, to make sure I am uninjured.

"I am fine…let's go downstairs. I don't want to wake up Alex" I say quietly, push past them and make my way down the stairs.

"Are you sure you okay?" Miles asks as we reach the kitchen. His voice is laced with worry.

"I am fine…actually I am more than fine. He is coming home" I say and bounce up and down of excitement. "Bass is coming home. Andrew just called. He will be Stateside in a few days."

"No way" Miles exclaims and lets himself fall onto the closest chair. The relief is evident on his face.

"Yes Way" I grin and grab the bottle of Bourbon out of the cupboard above the stove.

"Is he okay?" Connor probes and grabs three glasses from the dripping tray next to the sink.

"I don't know. Andrew couldn't tell me the details. But he will come by tomorrow with more Information…" I inform them and with a glance at the clock I add "Well later on today."

"To Bass" Miles toasts and hands us both a filled glass.

"To Bass" We says in unison with smiles on our faces and clink our glasses together.

An hour later I exhausted back into my bed. I am still worried that he may be severely injured or has suffered more psychological injuries, but I know we can get through this together. No matter how is when he gets home, I won't let him push me away again.

Bass's POV

"We are going home Soldier" Nutter says with a grin as he enters my room with a wheelchair.

"Finally" I retort. Even though I am still a little weak, my wound has been healing nicely and I can walk by myself again, well almost. I manage to walk about a few hundred feet, before I need some assistance.

"What? Am I not a good enough nurse?" My friend questions in a mocking tone.

"No offence, but I can't stand to look at your face anymore." I tell him and add "Plus my wife is way hotter than you."

"You hurt my feelings" Nutter says without missing a beat and places his hand above his heart. "I have you know that I look hot in a nurses uniform."

"And that's not a picture I need in my head" I make a grimace and Nutter laughs.

We arrived at our base yesterday morning, where Reggie and I were immediately put into the infirmary, much to my dislike. It didn't matter how often we told them that we were fine.

"Where is Reggie?" I ask and look around.

"He is packing his stuff." Nutter informs me with a sad look.

"How is he holding up?" I question concerned. The Doctors couldn't repair the damage that the bullet inflicted to Reggie's knee, which means he will be limping for the rest of his life. And it also means that he won't be a front line medic.

"Badly." Nutter tells me and then adds "But there is still a chance that he can keep working for Uncle Sam." Reggie is Army through and through. His Dad is a high ranking Officer, working in Washington and his older brother is an Army Ranger. As he was little they moved around a lot. He doesn't know a world outside of the army.

"How?" I question.

"If I go to medical school and work for an Army hospital." Reggie answers as he enters the tent.

"Uncle Sam will foot the bill?" I ask and pull a face as I try to sit up. That movement still hurts.

"Of course" Reggie answers and shoots me a grin. "But for now I am on sick leave, so I have plenty of time to think about it."

"Thank you for saving my life" I say and look at my friends. I wouldn't have made it without them.

"Don't mention it, besides it was all Amira" Reggie waves off and Nutter nods.

"Okay enough of the emotional talk, we have a plane to catch" Nutter stands and holds out a hand for me to take.

"Yes Sir" I mock salute him, which makes him grin. "But I am not getting into that chair. If he is allowed to walk around on his knee, I can walk too."

"Bass…just sit you ass into the chair" Nutter growls and shakes his head. We had this conversation multiple times in the last 24 hours.

"Make him sit in a wheelchair and I will get in without another word" I tell him, hoping Reggie would refuse. But that Bastard just grins and plants his ass into the other wheelchair that is sitting next to my bed.

"Man am I glad, to be rid of you two by tomorrow!" I mutter.

A couple of hours later we are all strapped into our seats waiting for the plane to take off. My mind wanders to Rick and the other fallen soldiers. Max also didn't make it. They were all killed in the blast.

Reggie, Nutter and I got lucky. And if it wasn't for Abraham and Amira, Reggie and I wouldn't even be going home today.

I don't even want to know what Charlie has been through these past few weeks. She probably lost a few kilos and I can only hope that Miles has kept an eye on her. I will do everything in my power to make it up to her, not just for the last few years but also for these past three weeks.

I still think that she deserves better than me, but if this is what she wants to settle for than I will do my best to make he happy.