Allison was hanging her legs out of the car window. She had started doing that soon after she started dating Tucker. It was fun. The feeling of the air moving so quickly between them was nice. It reminded her of the good sex. Of the light touches.

"I'm lost."

"No you're not. Just take a right up here."

Allison smiled. Her man had come a very long way. He had grown up. When they first met he would never have said something like that. Never would have admitted he didn't remember where he was going.

As the car tuned, Allison sighed content. It had taken her seventeen years but she was happy now. She had put Blood Gulch behind her. She had put the Military behind her. After the War was over she took a few other jobs but soon after the third one, she stopped. Once she stopped her Mercenary profession, life welcome her with open arms. Colors seemed to be brighter and richer. It was wonderful. It was fun to be unemployed. Over the years she had become less dominant and more kind. She cared about people now. She hadn't care about people since before the War started. Before she had started dating—

"This is the place?"

Allison looked around. They were on a small street with neat houses on each side.

"Yep. It's the white one."

Tucker pulled up and killed the engine. He looked out of the window at the house and shook his head.

"What?"

"I just have a hard time believing that Caboose lives in a little white house."

"Little? It's three stories."

"You know what I mean."

Allison did know. They all had changed since their time in Blood Gulch. Some more than others.

They got out of the car and made their way up the drive. Once they reached the porch Allison knocked.

"Relax."

Before Tucker could answer, like he had an answer, the door opened.

Allison smiled and hugger her old team mate. "It's good to see you again."

Caboose let her go and smiled weakly. "It's good to see you too. Come in. Hey, Tucker."

Tucker nodded and followed his girlfriend inside. It had been two years since he had last seen Caboose and five years since he had last seen the inside of this house. White walls were trimmed with dark oak. It didn't feel like Caboose. Neither did the oriental rugs that covered the wall-to-wall carpet. It all felt stiff. Caboose, at least the Caboose Tucker used to know, was alive, animated. What had changed?

The answer came down the stairs at that moment.

Holy crap!

"James, you remember these two, right?"

James smiled. "Course I do!"

Allison stepped forward and they embraced.

Tucker found he couldn't move.

"Let me get this straight... you're telling me that the guy that showed up here, scared the living shit out of us, shot at Caboose and beat the hell out of the reds wasn't a guy at all? That he was a chick? And on top of that, she was your ex-girlfriend?"

"In a nutshell, yes. That's an excellent summary."

The irony was that she was now his girlfriend.

With a fair amount of strength, he shook himself form the flashback. Tucker fallowed Caboose into the living room. They sat down and Caboose sighed. Allison had fallowed James upstairs; they had always gotten along.

"Tucker?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you see it?"

Tucker didn't need to ask. It was blindingly obvious what he was talking about.

"Yeah."

"It hurts."

"Yeah… I don't know how Allison deals with it. Each time you sent pictures… It opened the wound again."

"It's about to get worse." Caboose fished around in his pocked before pulling out a piece of paper. It had been read many times. Had been folded and unfolded over and over again. Caboose handed it to Tucker who read it.

"Dear Mr. Caboose.

I have been informed that you know what happened to my son. I was never told why he did not come back when the War ended. After almost eighteen years of writing letters, I was told you would be able to tell me how he died. I will meet you at your home at eleven in the morning on March the fifth. Please be there.

Scott."

"Who's this Scott?"

"His father. James' Grandfather."

Tucker's eyes became wide. "The fifth is in…" It's hard to add two numbers when you don't remember what two numbers you were adding.

"It's in one week." Caboose took the letter back. "James will be home. They will meet. Scott will know."

"Is this a bad thing?"

"Did Allison ever tell you why she dated…" Still couldn't say his name.

Tucker paused. "No."

"It was because his dad didn't like the fact he was gay. What do you think will happen when this guy finds out that his son had a child with another man?" Caboose closed his eyes. "James has anger issues."

"Just like…"

"It runs in their family. Scott's going to flip."

Upstairs James was talking to Allison while they sat on his bed.

"It's hard because I know she likes me but I'm not sure if I like her anymore. Not sure if I ever did."

Allison nodded. The last time she and James had talked they talked about this girl that James had started dating. That had been almost two years ago.

"Well, how far have you gone with her?"

James shook his head. "We used to kiss but now I feel weird holding her hand." He got up and opened a dower. He pulled out a bottle and took out two pills.

"Still on those?"

James nodded and swallowed the pills. "Forgot to take them when I got up." He sat back down.

"What about when she touches you?"

"I don't like it."

"Have you two fought?"

"No."

Allison watched as James fingered a hole in his pants.

"Do you still like girls other than Jessy?"

James stopped his movement and frowned at Allison. "What?"

"Do you still find yourself attracted to members of the opposite sex?"

His frown deepened. "…I'm not sure I ever did."

"And there is your problem with Jessy. You're not attracted to her on principle."

"What principle?"

"She's a girl and you like boys." She tilled her head. "Or is there something else?"

"No.. I just… I just never thought… I."

"You'll get used to it."

He looked out the window. "My dad wont like it."

"What makes you say that?"

"He set me up with Jessy remember? He's done everything short of telling me I have to be straight."

Mentally, Allison was laughing. Caboose had no business telling his son not to be gay.

"He'll get used to it too."

"Can you tell me something?"

Allison nodded. "Anything."

"My mom…" He watched her before going on. "Who was she? Dad never talks about her. I don't even have a name."

"James, I can't tell you that."

"You said—"

"The topic is still very delicate with your dad and I have promised I would not tell you."

She paused. Footsteps on the stairs. Caboose opened the door and said, "Tucker and I are going to have lunch out. We'll be back in a few hours."

"Where are you going?"

"Vinnie's."

James nodded and Caboose left.

"Tucker promise too?"

"Yeah."

"Will I ever know?"

"Yes."