Chapter 59 - Going Home
Leonard just listened to Bernadette's whimpers, he could tell she was crying, so he just waited till she was able to ask him questions, that he knew she had. While he waited he held Penny who's head was on his shoulder again, nuzzling her face against his neck as her arms also surrounded his neck, her hand running gently through his hair. He also heard her whisper several times while she nuzzled him that she loved him, and he knew he could never risk what he now had with her ever again. He couldn't resist and he turned his head to her and their lips met, it sent the same chills through him as the first time he really kissed her after the Halloween Party so many years before, and he started to loose himself in the feeling of her lips on his. "Leonard?" Bernadette's voice brought him back.
He opened his eyes to look at his wife's eyes, they were full of love and it was hard to tear his eyes away but Bernadette's second time saying, 'Leonard' made him finally acknowledge her. "I'm here, Bernadette. Believe me Howard is safe."
"Where was he Leonard?"
"He was doing some testing, classified stuff, so he couldn't have his phone with him and when he did get it, it was dead and he didn't have a charger on him." Leonard lied, while looking at Penny with a little bit of shame, he could tell she knew he was lying by just looking at him.
"Why is he taking so long to get home?"
"That is why he didn't have his charger, he was sent someplace else to do the testing, and he left some of his stuff back at his first location. Bernadette I wish I could give you details, but you know why I can't." Leonard looked at Penny, who gave him a little nod, letting him know his lie was getting more believable.
"Okay." Bernadette sighed, she knew why there was all this secrecy, she didn't like it, but she knew why, and she knew Leonard couldn't talk about it. "But you promise he is okay?"
"Promise Bernadette." Leonard hadn't left the command post till he heard that Howard was out of that country and back at the staging base in a friendly country, with what was left of Tin Man. "I honestly talked to him, he told you he was really sorry and would call you as soon as he could." Leonard was actually telling the truth now, then he remembered, "Bernadette he also told me to make sure I tell you he loves you both more than anything."
"Thank You Leonard." Bernadette's voice cracking again as new tears fell, happy tears, as she hung up.
As Leonard closed the phone and put it down he saw Penny staring at him, a curious look on her face. "What?"
A small smile formed on her face, "I have never seen you lie so convincingly. Am I going have to be worried about you being able to lie to me with a straight face now?" she giggled.
Leonard looked at his hands, which made Penny get serious and extremely nervous. "You have been lying to me about this Army thing, you are going to be in danger again!" Penny looked at him in shock, almost starting to cry.
"No, nothing about the Army, I promise." Now Leonard was trapped if he didn't tell her she would worry it was about the Army. "I was just thinking that when we were first friends, years ago, I lied about going to a conference, so I didn't have to hear you sing in that Rent Play."
"I thought you and Sheldon had to do an intervention with his cousin?" Penny looked at him confused.
"Sheldon, blew the lie out of proportion and kept making it bigger and bigger. You know how it is." Leonard confessed
"So you lied to me so you wouldn't have to hear me sign. Hmmmm." Penny glared at him.
"I'm really sorry, would it help that I hated myself for doing it." Leonard begged.
Penny glared at him until she couldn't hold the glare anymore and started to giggle, surprising Leonard. "Sweetie, if that is the worse thing you do, after all this, I think I can forgive you and live with it." Penny then scooted herself close to him and kissed him.
Leonard smiled after they broke for air, "Tired?"
Penny nodded, "As your punishment for lying to me, you have to hold me tight all night and snuggle me and tell me how much you love me and will never leave me, Dr Hofstadter."
Leonard nodded and continued smiling, "That I can do and enjoy doing, Mrs Hofstadter." Leonard quickly got back on his pajamas and got in bed with her, pulling her close and tight as he gave her kisses on her neck and told her how much he loved her. Penny fell asleep with a big smile on her face.
Howard and his technicians were rushed out of the staging base with their equipment, by order of the SECDEF. The SECDEF wanted all evidence of the suit and the people back in the United States as soon as possible to keep everything secret. Everyone who saw it was sworn to secrecy, signing paperwork to that effect. However, just before Howard boarded the C-17, that was to take him nonstop back to America, he had to pass the SEALs who all saluted him as he got close to the plane. Lieutenant Parsons walking up to him to say something from them all. "Sir it was a pleasure serving with you and if you ever want to rock-and-roll with us again, you are always welcome and I am speaking for all the men."
Howard nodded, "Thank You, it has been my honor to serve with you."
Parsons then handed a golden trident pin, the one SEALs wore on their dress uniforms. "Sir we want you to have this, you are sort of honorary one of us now."
Howard took the pin, and looked at Parsons, trying not to get emotional, "Thank you again, it means a lot."
Parsons saluted Howard again, and all the other men followed quickly after with their salutes, Howard giving them his best salute back in return. Howard then moved to the airplane shaking all their hands and wishing them well, the plane then took off 10 minutes later. Howard couldn't believe he was back in the C-17, on his way back to America, it seemed like everything had been a dream except for the bruises on him and as he thought about everything that had happened it made him tremble. He got a couple blankets and laid down lengthwise on the paratroop seats and closed his eyes forcing the previous 12 hours out of his mind to be replaced by thoughts of his wife. He was actually going to see, talk and hold her again, and as those happy thoughts went through his mind, he relaxed drifting off to sleep, his last thoughts about how he could not wait to have Bernadette in his arms again.
Bernadette managed to get some sleep that night, but when morning came around she was wide awake, nervous again about when Howard would come home. Even though Leonard promised her he was okay, and she believed him, she was not going to be able to relax until her Howie was in her arms again. She forced herself to go to work just catch up on some things and give her something to do so she didn't drive herself nuts about Howard coming home when her phone buzzed letting her know she had a call from Howard's phone. "HOWARD!" New tears started to fall from Bernadette's eyes, pregnancy and hormones were a bitch.
"Yeah its me. Hi Honey." It was almost time for Bernadette to leave work, and the C-17 had just crossed from the Atlantic Ocean to over land on the east coast of America.
"Howie, where are you?" Bernadette knew Leonard said it would take a while for Howard to get home, but she still hoped he was back in Pasadena, now.
"I'm in an Air Force airplane going back to the original base I started from, before I went to do the testing." Howard was repeating the cover story him and Leonard agreed upon when he talked to him from the staging base.
"Howie, when are you coming home." Bernadette couldn't help the whining in her voice, she missed him and wanted him so badly.
"Well it is probably going to take 12-24 hours Honey, it depends on what planes I can catch after this one lands." Howard wished this plane would just land at or near Pasadena, but he knew they had to off load their equipment and secure it, before he got to go home.
"Damit Howie, I want you home. I miss you so much and I love you and I need you."
"I know, believe me I feel the same way and I will hurry as much as I can."
"No Howie, don't hurry unless you can do it safely, I want you home safe and sound, okay." Bernadette admitted in defeat.
"I'll be safe, I promise." Howard felt like such an ass, his promises were not worth the air it took to say them anymore. They talked for another half hour, before hanging up, and Howard just sat and stared at his phone for a while, just missing his wife. He just wanted to crawl in bed with her, where it was safe, and stay there till the baby came.
The next few hours seemed to drag on as the plane made its way to the Air Base finally landing about 3 hours after he hung up with Bernadette. Everything happened quickly then, their equipment immediately taken off the plane, with them, and then the next hour was spent securing everything in an Army high security area. Howard was tired after everything was done and just wanted to go home, but that was not to be the case yet and he rode in the car to another appointment, this time at the hospital. Howard had been checked out by a medic, when he returned from the mission, at the staging base. However now that he had arrived at the base, back in the states, he had to go through a full physical by an Army doctor, and although he was given permission to go home, the doctor still wanted to keep him overnight. Howard refused, so was given a mild pain killer to help with his pain from the bruising caused by almost being crushed by the suit during the explosion. Finally after being held there for six hours, Howard was released and it was when he was leaving the medical facility, that he was met by Major Gray. "Sir I'm your ride."
"Oh, Great. Can you take me to the officers quarters to pick up the rest of my stuff, and then to the airport." Howard hoped maybe there was a plane heading to California soon.
"Sir, one of the Lieutenants has already packed you up and there is a plane sitting on the ramp outside Base Operations to take you to Edwards Air Force Base."
"Really!" Howard was really surprised.
"Yes Sir, complements of the Secretary of Defense. I will debrief you on the way to California." Gray explained
Howard smiled. "I'm ready, lets go."
Howard called Bernadette as soon as the pilot told him their estimated time of arrival for Edwards Air Force Base and within an hour Bernadette, with Amy driving, were on the road heading there. It would be a two hour trip, so they would just make it, and Amy tried not to laugh at Bernadette bouncing in the passengers seat the whole way there. They made it to Edwards Base Operations, only 15 minutes after the plane arrived. Bernadette almost flying out of the car when she saw Howard walking down the stairs, out the door carrying his bags, he was back to her, and she was to explode in happiness.
A tear came to Amy's eyes has she watched the couple reunite, as Bernadette practically leaped into his arms. They held each other for several minutes, hugging each other, their heads turned slightly towards each other as they nuzzled each other. They then pulled apart slightly and started to kiss, the passion obvious to Amy as she turned her head and walked back to sit in the car, to not wanting to stare at the in love couple. It was several more minutes before they joined her in the car again to go back home, riding in the back seat wrapped in each others arms the whole time.