Finally it came time for Howie and Zack to leave the house that they had
both fallen in love with. While neither vocalized their intention, they
both knew that they would be moving in as soon as possible.
"So what did you think of the house?" Zack asked as he drove them
towards his apartment; he would be glad when Howie's casts came off his legs, so
he wouldn't have to drive anywhere anymore unless absolutely necessary.

"I loved it and can see us living there for many years to come." Howie
said as he looked at the profile of his lover. "So what's the plan for the
rest of the day?"
"Well, I thought we could just spend it together and then later maybe go
out for dinner" Zack replied as he pulled into the drive way of the apartment
over Hodgins' garage. He never really thought of this place as home; he always felt something was missing and now he knew what it was,
a soon to be retired RAF officer. He didn't know what Howie was going to be now he had retired,
but whatever the love of his life wanted to do, it was fine with him.

"Baby, I love that plan I really do… but I don't know how I'm going
to get up the stairs with these casts on, which by the way are due off on
Tuesday" Howie said as he looked at Zack hoping that he didn't ask how
he got them in the first place. He knew he would have to tell
Zack how he got two broken legs eventually, but he didn't want to relive it
just yet.

"But I thought you had broken legs" Zack asked confused over the fact
that the casts were being taken off already.
"Well… I did…a month ago…" Howie hesitated. He hated lying to
Zack, but he wasn't allowed to talk about what happened when he went back to England and Iraq.

Zack looked at Howie and saw that he was lying, so he started the car and
headed towards the hotel that Howie was staying at, intending to leave him
there. But when they got there, Howie didn't get out of the car and he refused to do so until they talked. "Zack, I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to tell you. I would love to tell you, but the brass has ordered me not too. It's a condition of my
discharge" Howie said as he wiped Zack's newly formed tears from his
cheek. Zack turned to face him.

"I understand that, but if you've had them for a month, why didn't you
come home then?" Zack said as he looked in too Howie's eyes looking for
the truth, well hoping for the truth.

"Because… I've just woken up from the coma"