A/N: Random fact of the day: I am addicted to any kind of HGTV show. Whether it is Tiny House or Property Brothers. I just love house shows haha. And I know this chapter is kind of short compared to usual, but I felt like if it was any longer than it would ruin the purpose of the end :) Enjoy! xx Mariah

Ned wasn't sure at first what had woken him up. It was quiet throughout the house, no one had knocked at the door, the sun wasn't even completely spilling into the room yet, and Katie was still asleep. Until she wasn't. It was minutes before she was rolling over, rubbing her eyes and blinking at him sleepily before a slow smile spread across her face.

"Morning," she said softly.

"Hey," he breathed. He felt himself grinning back. "Morning."

She squinted in the general direction of over his shoulder. "What time is it?"

"I don't know, but I don't think the alarm has gone off yet." He yawned.

Which meant no rush to get out of bed, make coffee and breakfast, and go about their day. No helter skelter of their early mornings. No rush to get Ned off to the recruitment meeting and Katie to her meeting at the high school.

She'd made a few calls over the past few days to several high schools in the area. There was an opening at Grandview High and she'd scheduled a meeting with Principal Sparks, but she'd scoped out a few other high schools in other districts just in case. She was stressed about getting a job for when Ned was gone. He was looking at being gone in the summer so he could be there for the entire school year.

He knew how nervous she could get and he wanted to be there to send her off on her first day as a teacher. Just like she was there for his first day as a police rookie.

They were both happy to have the time to enjoy this moment between just the two of them.

He saw the realization on her face too as she hummed contentedly and sank back into the pillow, toes curling against his leg. Ned loved watching her when she decided to savor a moment, loved the way she smiled so wide it made her eyes crinkle and her face glow.

"What?" She asked with a laugh in her voice that made it obvious she didn't actually mind his staring.

"Oh, nothing." He gave a tiny, overly casual shrug. "Just enjoying the view."

"I see." She whispered, licking her lips. Some mornings, that would be her cue to roll over and wake him up in ways that had nothing to do with their hectic schedule and everything to do with how much they enjoyed they being married. This morning, it was apparently her cue to snuggle into his side and tug on his arm until he wrapped it around her properly. "And what do you see?" she asked, faux-serious.

"Well, I see a woman who's happy and content," he began, equally pretend serious, "and so gorgeous."

"Gorgeous, huh?" She didn't even try to stop the grin spreading across her face.

"Yep. And smart and warm and caring…" His mouth found her neck and moaned, tucking herself farther into his arms. She ground against him and nipped at his ear. "And incredibly sexy…"

"And you see all that right now?" She raised her eyebrows, juxtaposing skepticism with dancing eyes and a crooked grin. "Not my messy hair."

"And the morning breath?" he added.

She giggled, blushing at him.

"Maybe." He kissed the top of her head. "Just a tiny bit."

He'd told her a long time ago, he had no deal breakers. He still didn't. Nothing, not even her morning breath, keeping him from pulling her close and letting her curl up in his arms while humming something contentedly under her breath.

"I love you, you know that, right?" She asked, tilting her head up to look at him directly.

"Yeah," he said softly, feeling full of everything she made him feel. "I love you too."

After her meeting, Katie came out into the hallway with Principal Sparks. The meeting had gone well. He'd been quiet at first, reading over her resume that she brought in.

They talked about her teaching style and what she'd bring to the school. The principal has cut to the chase pretty quickly and offered her the job, saying how lucky they'd be to have Katie work for them. She knew how good her resume was, she'd never been too worried about getting a job. Job searching was just always nerve-wracking.

Thalls were crowded with people and the chaos was perfect, like a movie.

There was a couple that was making out on the left side of the hall, and about ten feet farther down were the cliquey girls. Opposite them, the cliquey jocks, and between them, the parade of band geeks with their huge instrument cases. There were the tech kids who never did anything but make paper airplanes and the drama kids that wheeled props and clothing racks down the halls to the auditorium.

And then there was Katie, standing outside the office with her new boss. She still couldn't believe she'd gotten offered the job. It was such a good feeling to have plans. To have a job secured.

The bell screamed and all of the kids dispersed to their last class of the day.

"I'm so happy to have you signed on. I was worried about figuring out a new English teacher for next year." Principal Sparks said happily shaking Katie's hand. "I always knew you'd do something great. I'm glad it's here. These kids need better teachers."

"I'm glad I could be one of them," she smiled. "Thank you for giving me a chance. Most people wouldn't right now."

"I heard what happened to you and your husband. I'm very sorry." He nodded her way, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thank you," she sighed, smiling softly at him. "I know how busy you are so I'll leave you to your day. I'll see you in August."

She couldn't wait for next school year. She was so excited.

Ned walked out of the informational meeting with a packet of new information applications.

He was going to do this. There was no turning back now.

He'd made a meeting with a local National Guard Recruiter for tomorrow. He wanted to see how he worked out. How he ran, how much he could bench, all of the numbers.

He also needed to bring his birth certificate, social security card, high school diploma, a 10-year history of addresses where he's lived, the name and address of employers for whom he's worked, also three personal references with names, phone numbers, and addresses of people who can verify the three references information.

"So much information to bring," he huffed, rubbing his forehead. He knew the next few weeks we're going to be crazy. There was lots of training that came with basic training and then came the two and a half months where he'd be gone.

He hated being away from his wife, and he couldn't imagine being away from her for that long. He was missing her and that was after not seeing her since this morning.

He drove home quickly, seeing that Katie's care wasn't parked in the driveway. She didn't pull into the garage very often, so he assumed she wasn't home. He came through the front door, pulling off his boots and going upstairs. He set his information on his desk in the office he and Katie had created in one of the three spare bedrooms.

One was still set up as a nursery, but neither of them had gone in there since before Katie lost Charlie. The door had remained closed, but he knew one day he'd have the courage to walk in there again.

He didn't know about Katie though. If she'd ever been ready to go in there. He never thought about asking her. He knew how these topics could go sometimes and he didn't want her to feel pressured to get rid of the nursery. They'd do that when they were ready. He knew that.

He walked toward their bedroom a moment later, pushing the door open, he stepped inside and closed it behind him, nearly dropping his phone when he saw her.

Katie laid upon the small mattress. He gazed upon her perfect, naked form, her skin glistening in the sunlight that came through curtains.

If the gods were real, he told himself, then his wife was their masterpiece.

"Well... hello honey." He muttered and dropped to his knees on the mattress.

"Hi," she smiled. "I thought this would be a nice surprise… and we could celebrate."

"Celebrate?" He asked, pressing his mouth to her neck. "What are we celebrating?"

"I got the job," she said, moaning as his teeth nibbled on her neck. "And I can't wait to see how you up your game."

"You did?" He gasped, hugging her then as he stopped his advances for just a moment. "I'm so proud of you baby. I told you, you would get that job. And just wait for it, Mrs. Banks... I'll get you back." He whispered as his fingers traced up between her thighs.

One touch and it was over, it had always been that way with Katie.

She felt the electricity in her skin, hormones shutting down of her higher brain and the rise of her animal self. From there on in it was all passion, intense, intoxicating. It was her release, her escape, her drug... not that she was easy. She knew well enough how to avoid letting a man lay his hands on her, but with Ned she was helpless. That man knew her inside and out.

He was always there, always met her halfway with a smile and kiss. And with life always bringing so many changes, from youthful teens to newlyweds, from young professionals to grieving parents. There were ups and downs, times of closeness that seared one another forever into each other's souls and times of distance, of near isolation.

Yet they always found a way back to being lovers, to passion's first true kiss, to that moment of the union that made them so special.