57.

France, 1955

~ Arthur was riding his rebuilt motorcycle slowly over the forgotten roads around the family's weekend house. One of the perks of his job at the American Embassy, he could use the Durand's old home just outside of Paris.

Phillip had returned to his own country a year after the war ended. He longed for his homeland and spent five years restoring his boyhood home to it's former glory.

When Arthur and his young family made the move to France a few years ago, his wife was happy to be so close to her cousin again. Arthur and Ariadne both wanted to return to the city they had found each other in.

The former Army officer was lucky to land such a position with the embassy. His education and war record had impressed all the right people and, with the rebuilding of Europe, there was real work for him to do. His wife, Ariadne, found a position as a doctor in a French hospital. Mostly working with babies and overly protective mothers.

She loved her work as everyday she was surrounded by children who bloomed into life in an endless title wave.

~ Arthur drove carefully as the small boy, no older then four, was holding onto the handle bars of the bike. His thin, little body sitting in front as his father drove them back up the drive and to the barn.

"Daddy, again!" The boy screamed as Arthur easily picked him up and sat him on the ground. No matter how much his mother fed him, he never seemed to gain weight. His body turning long and lean like his father's.

Arthur sighed as he saw his always beautiful wife coming to the barn from inside the big house.

Phillip had lovingly restore the gardens to their per-war magnificence. The young man's attempt to honor his parents by rebuilding their home.

"I don't think so, Colonel." Arthur said knowing what was coming.
"I know you didn't take my son on that death trap." Ariadne said running her hands over a dish towel.

"I was careful. We just went around the driveway and back." Arthur said as the skinny little boy hugged his mother's legs.

"Daddy took me on all the dirt trials." The child said happily.

Arthur sighed as Ariadne looked angry.

"Where's your brother?" She asked. "Why don't you play with Adam?"

"No, he's playing solider in the woods with cousin Tomas." The thin boy said.

"Then go play with Elizabeth. She's inside." Ariadne said her fingers running over the boy's feather like hair.

The child groaned and held onto her tighter. His brother, sister and cousins by Phillip and his wife were too old for him and didn't let him play.

"Nathaniel, I don't care where you go so long as it's not here." Ariadne said sharply.

"Listen to your mother, Colonel." Arthur said using the boy's nickname.

Arthur had named his youngest son after Colonel Burch who had saved him and thought of him like the son he never had. It only seemed right to name the skinny, little boy after him.

Besides, Arthur liked having someone to call 'Colonel' again.

The little boy ran off through the large garden and into the house to find his older sister.

Ariadne turned to her husband.

"I was careful! I drove slowly the whole time. I swear." Arthur said throwing his hands up in surrender. He would rather face a thousand Nazis then see that angry look on his wife's face.

"I don't want Nathaniel anywhere near that stupid thing!" She said giving the motorcycle a dirty look. "You know how he looks up to you. I don't want him thinking it's alright to ride it."

"You weren't complaining last night when I took you on a midnight ride." He said saddling off the bike and pulling her reluctantly to her.

She still looked angry and tried to push him away.

"As I recall you really enjoyed it. We didn't even make it to the bedroom. Thank God for the hay loft." He whispered as he could feel his wife blushing hard under his lips.
"You stop that." She whispered. Her eyes dancing brightly as her husband held her close. "That thing is a menace." She said as Arthur was kissing her and his hands were roaming down her dress front. Quickly undoing the first few buttons.

"And your mother agrees with me." She added.

Arthur sighed. They only thing that cooled him down when he wanted his wife, was mentioning his mother.

"Oh baby, the thrill is gone." He groaned as she was smiling at him.
"Well, she's going to be here this afternoon. Her work with the all the war orphans has kept her so busy. She hasn't seen Nathaniel since his 2nd birthday."

"It's been ten years since the war ended. Are their still war orphans?" Arthur said kissing her neck as she tried, unsuccessfully, to escape his strong arms.

"I think these days, it's for all orphans of all wars." Ariadne said.

The work Lydia did had started when Ariadne told her about the countless children left in Europe who's parents were killed. Leaving them alone, hungry and homeless. Since then, Lydia had thrown herself full speed into a cause that sent them to school, made sure they were fed and had a decent future. The work had eased some of the coldness and pain that had come over Lydia and she seemed much happier and more fulfilled.

"Also, Beth and Eames are coming in tomorrow and I don't want you showing off your death trap to him." Ariadne added nodding to the bike.

Arthur sighed.
"I will never forgive myself for introducing Beth to Eames." Arthur said.
"Eames is a good husband and father." Ariadne scolded.
"I know he is, and he deserves better then Beth!" Arthur said as Ariadne laughed.
"Oh, I think he might keep her." She said as the couple watched Nathaniel race out of the house with one of his sister's dolls. A small, pretty, dark haired little girl was running after him and yelling.

Arthur laughed and Ariadne gasped as Elizabeth tackled her little brother and snatched back her doll.
"That's my girl." Arthur chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Ariadne's mid section.

"I keep trying to get her to act like a lady but it just won't take. This is all your fault." She said to her husband.

Arthur shrugged.

"Well, maybe if this new one's a girl, maybe she'll be the helpless princess you like and not the confident girl I like." he said running a protective hand over the slight swell of their fourth child.

"Are we going to tell Cobb and Mal tonight?" She asked.

Another perk of the country house was living so close to Arthur's old Army buddy. Cobb had accepted a teaching position in France. Each day he spent time with young people and taught them all about art and literature. The pace of France these days seemed to strengthen him. The country's mood was much more energetic now that the war was over.

"I was hoping we could wait till everyone was under one roof to give them the big news." Arthur said as they watched Elizabeth push Nathaniel back down in the grass.
"I don't know how big the news is." Ariadne said. "I'm sure Mal thinks I'm a rabbit." Ariadne sighed.

"She's one to talk. How many kids do they have now?" Arthur asked.
"Five." Ariadne said.

"It's a baby boom. That's what their calling it back in the states." Arthur said holding her closer. Her back to his chest as they watched their oldest come out of the woods with Phillip's son Tomas. Adam was a tall boy even a ten. He was quite and thoughtful as he helped his younger brother out of the grass and brushed off the dirt. Nathaniel looking up at his big brother adoringly.

"I think it's a good thing." Arthur added as they watched the kids. "This world saw too much death and now it's trying to come back."

"Well, were stopping at four." Ariadne said authoritatively.

"Are me now?" Arthur said. His voice mocking.

"Yes we are." Ariadne said pulling away from him.

"Pick you up for another late night ride, nurse?" Arthur called after her as she walked back to the house. Ariadne turned back to him and nodded.

"Sure thing, Captain." She said.

~ END ~

Thank you all so much for reading and following this story. It was a long one I know. The longest I've ever done in fact.

I wanted to emphasize that the Nazis were different from the Germans in the war. Too often we group people together and give them labels they don't deserve.

I'm a 6th generation Texas and proud of it. What I'm not proud of, is our elected officials giving my home state a bad name. These men (Bush II) are not even from Texas. Just because they are the loudest, does not mean they speak for everyone. Hopefully, people in the future won't judge Texas too harshly for the ass holes we have in office right now.

They really do not represent the poor, the working class, women, children or anyone other then their own interests. I've always felt Bush II was another Hitler, and the fact that he slanders my state by pretending to be from it pisses me off.