In last chapter, Bass went through a bad discovery and Bass and Charlie found each other on a porch. Together. Making life and love, on a dark summer night with th airs of small town live and each other's arms close, his arms, her eyes. By her side.

Part of you melts into me

It is two weeks, and two days since Charlie has walked into Emma's kitchen, when there is a knock on the door.

Bass swallows as Charlie holds his upper arm with her slender warm hand.

Another conversation at Emma's house, not too long ago. He sees her again. Miles there. Hours of talking. Understanding how one fucked up mess decision set his whole life of course. He missed so much, forgiveness needs to be found for that one day. Today it not about that. But he knows, he knows, the carefree thing he once shared with Emma is now over.

'I did love you Bass.' She tries, as the blow of anger and disappointment and so much hurt are already there.

'And you are telling me this now?' Tears fill his eyes as he looks at her. He wants to move over to her, but that is the old Bass. The new Bass has lost his mum and dad and Claire and Angela, but still has family, brotherhood, the people in town. And most of all, the love of a brother, Miles. A fantastic woman. Charlie.

He had stepped away from Emma as Pete, her dad, had nodded for him to better go. He would see his son, and he would find it in himself to have some kind of relation with Emma, because they were parents, and that meant the other personal shit came second, the being there for a child came first.

It is two weeks, and two days since Charlie has walked into Emma's kitchen. Bass listens. Waits. Feels in the room that is the living room of his mum and dad and Claire and Angela. He wants to meet Connor here for the first time, where the warmth and love and cheers and giggles of the people that are with him are still there, as a generation pass. Takes a deep breath.

Miles opens the door. He hears tiny feet shovel in the hallway.

Brown curls, his unruly maddening in the morning curls, walk in. They fall with lightness around his face. A green shirt, big eyes that look up at him.

He draws in a big shaky breath.

Connor.

Emma is standing close. Miles is in the corner of the room.

Bass looks with his mouth open to his son.

You won't be anyone's kid anymore.

You won't ever be a big brother.

But then the kid's dark eyes look up at him.

But you will be a father.

His voice is unsteady and warm and roughly with a warm note as he walks over to the kid. His kid. His son.

Connor.

'Hey buddy,' he crouches down before him. He has wondered what it would be like. Seeing his kid. What it would be like. And the recognition, the ultimate love, the feeling of there is nothing he would not do is there. Immediately. Unconditionally. Strangely there, but still there.

Connor looks up at Emma. Then looks at his dad and gives him a grin.

'You are my daddy.' His tone is sweet and his lift of his chin is impressive for a four year old. He is sweet but strong. Bass can sense it.

'Yes, I am little man.' Connor nods. Later, they will have to explain, and fight, and deal with how a decision will affect this little child's live. But not today. Bass will be there for him.

But now a new father and a new son walk to the couch together.

As it is Charlie who gives Bass two glasses of juice for Connor and Bass to share on that couch.

As it is Miles who stands in the corner, grinning but at the same time tears are glistening in his eyes. He remembers, the hours of talking with Emma's dad, with Emma. How slowly the decision unravelled in talking. Emma got pregnant, one fast night Bass, and Bass went to basic. Emma had found out. Emma told her parents. Who were furious, at Emma's direction in parenthood instead of choosing to end the pregnancy or go for adoption. Emma refused to send her child away. But also refused to go to college. And the anger of that decision, and the torn anger of parents, made her walk away from telling Bass, to keep it indoors, a land away from the love she did feel for him. The lie became a truth, where people around town believed Connor's father was a mechanic from a couple of towns away. The lie ended here today. As Miles sees Emma giving Bass some space, but he can also see that Bass has stepped away from Emma, emotionally. Charlie stands next to him as Miles feels her warm hand on his back.

He grins, presses his tears away as they move to the kitchen.

'Let's give Mini Bass and Bass some room,' Miles says. As Connor shows Bass a toy he had brought with him and Bass lets the toy go through his hand when he asks Connor what the name of the toy is.

'Batman,' Connor answers slowly. He looks from the action figure back to Bass. 'You have big shoulders like batman.' Connor points at Bass' shoulders as Bass rumbles with laughter.

'I do huh?'

Connor nods eagerly.

Bass looks up for a split second, and meets Charlie's eyes. She smiles. She is there.

Charlie nods, her heart swelling at the natural protectiveness and hesitant but determined with love to be there for his kid from Bass.

A little less than a year later

Touchdown.

He walks down the stairs of the plane. His boots hitting the steps. Miles' eyes suddenly falling over his shoulder as he gives him that shit eating grin of his.

Miles nods, that nod of him with that smile he knows, that warm giving grin. He follows his nod.

And then, she sees them. At the gate of the base. Charlie next to another smaller figure. His smaller hand in his. His heart jumps with the feeling of home. As he can almost see the smile of his mom and appreciate stern steady nod of his dad with love in his eyes, and Angela with carrying love in her eyes and Claire with her hair blowing in the wind. A five year old boy. Dark curls, smiling with Charlie, both of them friends already. Charlie has been great with him. he owes her for that, for her kind unconditional love. And then she smiles.

He can feel it the moment she notices him. It hits him. She smiles. This time at him. A little girl on her hip, as she points from the baby girl Rose, Rose after the rose in the garden of his mom and dad, where they made love and life, by her side, on that night on the porch, who is wearing a white yellow sand colour sunhat, to him. His girls, his son. The swelling of her belly promising so much more.

His brother walking next to him as the walk down the stairs. Leaving the plane behind as he moves to his family. Connor rushing towards him, ignoring any kind of protocol. That's my kid, he smirks inside.

He gets down to his level.

'I missed you, kid.' He looks at Connor, goes through his hair in a playful way.

'Look Daddy,' the boy is a bit shy, 'I got a new truck.' Connor shows him the little truck in his hands. 'And later I will have a brother or sister.' He smiles at Bass.

'That's right, kid.' Bass grabs Connor and holds him with stretched arms high in the air, making Connor laugh.

And then he turns to her. To Charlie. Kissing his daughter on her little hairs, the little warm sounds and smell of his daughter in her arms.

And then he looks at her.

'You came back.'

Looks at her with dark deep blue ever so meaningful eyes that belong to her.

His hand is on her cheek now. And then he pulls her in for a long smothering kiss.

'You're home baby.'

'You're mine baby.' She kisses him, 'Welcome home, Bass, we've missed you.' She looks at him, with that trusting look. He looks back. Miles comes in between, demanding a kiss from his niece too as he goes over the heads of the children in loving playful embrace with his hand.

Bass looks at the way Miles nods to Charlie. This was his last tour. He does not want to go. Not anymore.

He moves his arm around his family as Miles walks with them. After making some comments about all this mooshy gooshy shit of course. That's him. That's his brother. He feels Charlie hair blow against his scruff in the wind. As he walks his family towards Base.

He is home.

He is home. As time compresses, life, love, grieve, lost, gain. All of it, that makes life this bitter sweet ride.

He is home, with them.

The End

Authors Note One more chapter to go after this one everyone! The epiloque! The scene at base was actually the first scene I had in my mind for this story. I loved writing this chapter! Hope to meet you in the next chapter,

Love from Love