Chapter 55

"Hi Hannah!" Jun called out to the young petite blond girl who was busy looking at paperwork. She looked up sharply at the sound of her name.

"Jun…" She said in a hurried tone and scurried across the huge open space to stand next to her new boss.

"A lady dropped by an hour ago and she wants to know if your going to see the rights to name "Snack J"?" Hannah asked. "She says her name is Casey, she was with her young daughter Jill…she wanted to name her Diner in Ameris after her and when she looked up the name she discovered the rights to it belong to you."

Jun thought about it for a minute. She figured the name "Snack J" didn't really suit the style of her new restaurant. And she had begun to think up new ones in the past few weeks. A new beginning means a new name, she had decided.

"Tell her I'm willing to negotiate a price for it…" Jun said enabling Hannah to tick the task off her long list.

Hannah kept talking, filling Jun in on the day's events." Okay…onto the next…the builder you selected called back and he able to start work this Friday…and the bar area design will have to be looked at again. The cream coloured granite bench top has come back over budget…so you might have to review it…Oh and the flooring too…The soft tiles and carpet are pricey…and are you sure you want a real wood fire in the bar area?"

Jun bit her bottom lip, she really loved the look of the black granite against the white counter…

"And here is the resume of your first interview…it was a last minute application." Hannah said handing her the file.

"Thanks." Jun said and she walked over to her 'office' a small desk set up close to the windows with a full view of the bay.

She did a double take when she began reading the resume…

Name; Ken Washio

Address; For now, G-Town, moving out soon.

Education; Secret Ninja business, and flying school.

Work experience and employment; saving the world working for the ISO as Fighter pilot Leader of the Science Ninja Team.

I also help out with cooking at the Snack J volunteer work to pay off a tab.

Last position; Gatchaman, retired.

I have had lots of leadership experience and would love to become a chief. I've signed up for classes at the local college and I'm eager to take on an apprenticeship…

The sound of the front door on the other side of the room made her look up sharply. Standing in the door was Ken. Dressed in casual clothing he walked towards her. Hannah caught her eye but Jun indicated she wanted time alone.

"Ken…what are you doing here?" She asked still trying comprehend he had sent in his resume. "I thought you signed up to go into space?"

"What made you think I'd go? Just because I would have without a thought a few years ago. I've changed Jun ,and so have my priories…"He grinned." I'm your first interview." He said smiling and then his face became apologetic. "I'm not that good at things like resumes…My hand writing is shocking and so is my grammar."

"What about the offer…the income alone would have set you up for life." Jun heart began to race. He turned them down! Her mind began to race…

Ken picked up her hands in his…and looked deeply into her eyes. "I want to be set up for life with you… no amount of money could ever compensate for not being by your side." Ken moved in closer to her. "I never knew what unconditional love was until I met you and it took me a long time to see what was right before me…all this time you loved me even when I let you down…hurt you…you never forced me to chose between my duty and being with you… instead you chose to give me your heart and let me make my own decisions in life and do what I had to do even if you cost you what was most precious to you…this time I want to get it right…"

"What about your duty to the world?" She quizzed a half smile came to her lips. "I'm sure they didn't let you go easily."

"No they didn't, I had to write three resignations and a back up one…cause they kept tearing them up." He signed heavily. "I knew it had to do something to convince you that I wouldn't be going…so if you look on the next page you'll see the fifth copy of my resignation to the ISO."

She flicked over the page, and warmth filled her soul at the words on the page before her…

To anyone who cares in the ISO and new Federation.

"I'm officially resigning from the ISO to be with my Swan and spend the rest of my life with her, get married we'll have some babies soon I hope. I love her to much to be taken away from her again by duty- Jun is my purpose and reason for fighting Galactor all those years. Did you know she's my hero, she saved my life when all was lost with the Gatchasparten, never left my side and I won't let you force me to leave her again… without her near me, I'm useless to you…

Yours truly,

Ken Washio

Former Gatchaman.

"I love you Jun…from now on you're my world…wherever you are I'm there with you…I'll fight for you and die for you…give everything I have to you…" Ken circled her in his arms. "Does that sound cheesy…if so I'll try and say it again? I'm not all that good with romantic words." Jun could see his devotion and deep love for her depths of his eyes.

"I like your version of cheesy…" she grinned." I love you too Ken…it's been a long journey hasn't it." Jun knew her voice was heavy with emotion, but she didn't care, and his moist lips found hers.

"You got the job Washio." She said when the kiss finally ended.

"When do I start?" He asked raising a playful eyebrow.

"Yesterday," Jun grinned kissing him again more wildly than she ever had before.

He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket it was a cheque. "I think you can have your new bench top…and anything else you need. How about we start looking at places to live maybe an apartment close by with water views, you know I did get a fantastic payout when they finally accepted my resignation…since I'm homeless…I have however a bag of a few items just outside the door that I brought from G-Town…"

"You bet!" She agreed. "How about I show you around our new restaurant…I think we can put some sleeping bags in the corner until we find a home together…that's what I planned to do since I lost my security pass when I resigned." Taking his hand in hers she began to tell him about a dream that once belonged only to her had now become theirs.

"A mattress with you beside me and a view of the ocean at night…I could handle that for a few weeks…years…forever." Ken's talk of a future warmed her heart.

In that moment a weight lifted of her shoulders and his warm lips covered hers in a tender yet deeper kiss. In that moment she knew they were starting a new beginning together. Stronger and deeper and more meaningful than anything they had ever had before.

For the first time in years Jun looked confidently into her future and embraced it as she walked confidently beside the man she knew she would be spending the rest of her life with…