This is Prompt No. 98-Days

Over the relatively uneventful month that stretched ahead of them on the ship, Mitchie and Shane found different ways to occupy themselves during the day. Some days, they would just sit out on the deck, the captain having designated a spot where they might sit and relax without getting in the way, and they would talk to each other for hours, not minding the cool, post-winter breeze that blew on them occasionally. Other days, Shane would help the crew with a few odd jobs that needed doing, and Mitchie offered to help some of the lower-ranked men swab the deck.

Day morphed into day as the ship slid across the Atlantic Ocean, having to brave only a couple of nasty storms. Mitchie stood on the deck of the ship one day, watching as the sun sunk over the horizon lazily, as though it really didn't want to give the moon precedence to rise over its domain. In some ways, she felt like the sun. She felt lethargic, but happy. Her one hand moved from the railing to her stomach hesitantly, smiling widely at the ocean. It appeared that in eight more months, there would be another little Grey to welcome into the family.

"Are you alright?" she heard someone ask.

She turned slowly, no longer fearful that anyone was going to hurt her. There stood Shane, his hair slightly messy, yet still adorable, watching her intently. "Of course," she said happily, turning around and leaning back against the railing. "How could I not be?" she wondered, and she was suddenly seized by the desire to tell Shane that he was going to be a father again, but she held her tongue. "It's too soon," she told herself. You don't even know for sure, and you don't want to get his hopes up, or your own." That thought momentarily made her happiness dim slightly. She had been afraid that the beatings she had gone through might have rendered her incapable of having anymore children, but it seemed as though she might have been wrong! "Was there something wrong?" Mitchie asked, worried that something had happened.

Shane shook his head. "No," he said. "I was just checking on you. I woke up from our nap and couldn't find you." He grinned at Mitchie and she blushed. Some nap it had been.

"No," she quickly covered, "I just wanted to get some fresh air." In truth, she had felt a little bit sick, and she wondered if she might be getting "afternoon sickness" instead of morning sickness.

"Is this an alone time, or are husbands welcome?" Shane asked teasingly, his tone indicating that he didn't mind either way.

Mitchie felt her heart swell with love for this man in front of her. He had been so patient since he had rescued her…again, taking his time and never forcing her to do more than she thought she could. He had even tried to mask the hurt on his face each time she had unintentionally flinched from a hasty action, but he had not managed very well.

"My husband is always welcome," she assured him, beckoning for him to come stand with her at the railing. When he did, she edged away from him playfully. "You're not going to toss me over again, are you?" she teased, reminding him of the morning he had dropped her.

He glared playfully at her. "Very funny," he told her dryly. He grabbed her wrist and tugged her towards him slowly so that he wouldn't jar her wrist, which had just healed fully from its dislocation, and pulled her into his arms. "For that, I just might throw you over," he said, picking her up.

She squealed as her hoisted her into the air, pounding playfully on his back and demanding that he put her down immediately. He did put her down, laughing as he did so, but pulled her in for a long kiss instead. "There," he said when he pulled away from her. "My payment is complete."

Mitchie's mouth twitched into a smile. "You should come collecting more often," she said softly, making them both laugh. They turned toward the ocean and stood there silently on deck, hand in hand, each deep in their own thoughts.

Finally, Mitchie asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Shane slowly turned his head from the ocean to look once more at her. "I'm thinking about going home," he told her, squeezing her hand. "I miss everyone back at the base."

"Me too," Mitchie said softly. "I miss our daughter."

Shane nodded. "She's in very capable hands, though."

Mitchie nodded. "But I missed her first two birthdays, and it's almost her third."

Shane nodded. "Good point," he conceded. He smiled thoughtfully. "She's beautiful," he promised Mitchie. "So like her mother."

Mitchie smiled and leaned against Shane, wishing with all her heart that she could tell him her secret. "It's too soon," she reminded herself. To take her mind off of the secret she could not share, she asked, "When will we get home?"

Shane was quiet for a moment, calculating, and then he answered, "The captain says that we should reach land in two days, and then it's about a day and a half's journey to the base, so in about four days, we should be home."

"Four days," Mitchie murmured, scarcely able to contain her excitement. "I can't wait," she told him.

Shane grinned at her. "We could always try and swim. We might cut a day out of the journey." He frowned and said, as though muttering to himself, "If we don't get eaten by sharks, that is."

Mitchie smacked his arm playfully. "Don't be silly!" she laughed. "I can wait long enough for the ship to reach land at least."

They both laughed and Shane pulled Mitchie towards him once more, resting his chin on her head. "We're finally going home," he whispered, as though he really couldn't believe it. Mitchie, on the other hand, couldn't wait.

A/N: Hope you liked it!! :D Thank you all SO much for the reviews. Today's been a hard day, and when I saw all the reviews, it made me feel so much better! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Please keep it up! wink wink! ;)