The rental car turned into the gravel lane in front of the small blue-grey clapboard Cape Cod-style home. Steve Keller stepped out of the nondescript brown sedan and surveyed the house, a warm smile beneath the dark glasses. Noticing a piece of white paper taped to the front door, he glanced around, his cop's eyes taking everything in before he stepped onto the porch and grabbed the note, which was blowing about in the stiff, chilly fall breeze.

Walk down to the cliff, the note said, with an arrow pointing to the right. Steve chuckled, recognizing the handwriting.

Stuffing the note in his jacket pocket, he crossed back out onto the road and strode in the direction indicated. At the end of the road there was a berm topped with dune grass, whipping back and forth in the bitingly strong wind. His desert boots sank slightly into the soft sand as he climbed to the top of the berm and looked down.

Below him, waves, whipped up by the wind, were breaking noisily on the narrow sandy beach. Whitecaps were visible as far as the eye could see. But the seemingly inclement weather was obviously not a hindrance for the locals. A good number were walking along the shore, just out of reach of the encroaching, foamy waves. Three people were riding horses at the edge of the water, while still others were gamely trying to fish. Two hardy souls, in wetsuits, were sitting on surfboards, patiently waiting, it seemed, for a wave big enough to tackle.

Amid all this activity, Steve saw them. He was wearing a black baseball cap and windbreaker, beige slacks and sneakers. Both hands were in his pockets. She was wearing jeans, a thick burgundy cardigan and sneakers as well. She had both her arms wrapped around his left arm, leaning towards him. Steve smiled; they looked so very much like an older version of the iconic "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album cover.

She leaned into him even closer and he obviously said something funny, for she threw her head back and Steve could see her flashing smile. Fighting the wind, it took several seconds for the peal of her laughter to reach his ears. He fought the sudden tears that sprang to his eyes, blinking rapidly, trying to blame it on the wind and the sand.

Then suddenly the man looked up and stopped quickly. She stopped as well, looking up at him, at his raised eyebrows and stunned expression. She followed his gaze then gasped herself, a grin erupting quickly, and she gripped her companion's arm even tighter. He glanced down at her then with a quick laugh, broke into a slow jog, crossing the beach towards the cliff, she scrambling joyfully to keep up.

Grinning and laughing, Steve made his way down the side of the short cliff toward the beach, opening his arms when Mike got to him, enveloping his old friend in a fierce hug. They rocked each other back and forth, laughing, then Mike pulled back and put his hands on the sides of Steve's face. He didn't say anything, just grinned and stared, as if not believing his eyes.

Trying to blink away the still threatening tears, Steve stared back, almost beside himself with joy, then Mike pulled him into another hug.

Standing a few feet away, Maggie watched them silently, an almost melancholy smile lighting her face. When they eventually broke apart and turned to her, she stepped forward and embraced the younger man as well, kissing his cheek. "It's so, so good to see you, Steve," she said warmly, nodding towards her husband. "Mike's been on pins and needles for days, waiting for you to get here."

Pulling back and grinning at his former partner, Steve said quietly, "Well, I've been a little anxious myself… that is, until about the fourth flight. Then I just started to get tired."

Chuckling, unable to tear his eyes from the younger man, Mike slapped him on the shoulder and pointed up the berm. "So you found the house with no problem?"

"None whatsoever," Steve replied as the three started to make their way back up the cliff. Steve was having a little trouble getting his footing in the shifting sand but Mike and Maggie were ascending like old pros. Halfway up the hill, Mike turned back towards the beach. "Come on, Autumn, get a move on!" he yelled and Steve watched as an old Golden Retriever got up from behind some tall grasses and broke into a slow, stiff-legged jog to catch up to them.

"That's yours?" Steve asked, his eyebrows raised.

"That," said Mike pointedly, "is Autumn and she's a she. And yes, she's ours. Come on, girl!" The old dog made her way up the hill towards them, going directly to Mike, who ruffled the back of her ear before finishing his climb to the road.

"Will wonders never cease," Steve said softly to himself as he fell into step beside the couple on their way to the house.

Mike chuckled again, throwing an arm around the younger man, briefly grabbing the back of Steve's neck before his hand settled on his shoulder. Steve smiled warmly; he'd missed that.

"So, you can stay all week?"

"You bet. The university thinks I'm on a course…I'm totally free and nobody knows where I am." He reached out and took Maggie's hand, and she squeezed his happily. "So, is Jeannie here yet?"

"Yep," Mike nodded, and there was no mistaking the delight in his voice, "she got in yesterday. She's doing some shopping right now, getting all the ingredients we need for our special first dinner tonight."

Steve nodded, smiling. He always loved Jeannie's cooking. He looked sideways at his old partner. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Me? Fabulous," Mike laughed. "I'm completely healed. No pain at all anymore, and I can't even tell I don't have all my right lung."

Steve looked at Maggie for confirmation and she nodded with a smile. "He really is a hundred percent. He's not lying."

Steve slapped Mike on the back. "You don't know how relieved I am to hear that, you really don't."

They had reached the house and Mike went ahead to unlock the door as Maggie and Steve followed him up the walk. "This place is beautiful," he said, looking at the porch and small yard. "How did you manage to find this?"

"The Bureau did that for us," Maggie said as she and Steve stepped over the threshold into the small front hall, past Mike who was holding the door open, waiting for Autumn to join them.

As Mike hung the key on a hook on the wall, he said, "Most of our neighbours don't even lock their houses, but we have to be a little more cautious." He nodded at Steve's furrowed brow. "Yeah, it's that kinda town."

"Come on," said Maggie, taking Steve's hand, "I'll give you a tour. Bear, why don't you put the coffeepot on?"

Steve froze, turning slowly and pointedly to both of them. "Bear?" he asked, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

Mike closed his eyes, looking embarrassed, and Maggie snorted, biting her lips.

"It's a long story…" Mike started but Steve's grin cut him off.

"I have lots of time…"

As Maggie tried not to chuckle, Mike took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, it's not really a long story… Okay, Maggie was having trouble at first not calling me Mike when we weren't alone, which wasn't… good, let's put it that way, so she decided she would start calling me Bear instead so she wouldn't slip up. She explained it by saying I was famous for giving bear hugs, so…."

"Bear," Steve said slowly, savouring the word. "I like it." Maggie's chuckles were getting a little louder; Mike stared at Steve, his eyes narrowing.

"Don't you dare…"

"Well, you know, I could slip up too, you know? Call you Mike. Blow your cover…"

Maggie glanced at Mike, her face suddenly serious. "He's right," she said quietly, biting her lips again in a vain attempt to stop her grin.

Mike sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not gonna win this, am I?"

Both Steve and Maggie shook their heads. "Nope."

Shaking his head, a smile emerging, Mike snickered, "You two take your tour. I'll put the coffee on. Come on, Autumn," he called as he turned and started towards the kitchen.

Laughing, Maggie took Steve's hand again. "Come on. I'll show you around and then we'll get your bag from the car."

# # # # #

"Where is he?!" came Jeannie's excited voice from the front hall. "I know he's here, there's a strange car in the driveway!"

"He's in here," Mike laughed as Jeannie came flying into the kitchen, arms outstretched. Steve started to get to his feet.

"Oh my god," she squealed when she saw him, flinging herself into his arms.

He caught her and pulled her close, chuckling. Mike and Maggie looked on, confused. "I thought you two've seen each other a couple of times in the last few months?"

"We have," Jeannie said happily, leaning back and staring at Steve's face, "but it's just so wonderful to see him here with you two, the four of us together." She let Steve go and crossed to her father, slipping her arm through his. "We never got to have this time together, and I want us to savour it, right?"

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Mike smiled almost sadly. "You're absolutely right. And it would have been even more perfect if Dan could've joined us but he just couldn't get away. He's going for his sergeant's exam and I think he's gonna nail it."

Smiling up at her father, Jeannie grinned and nodded then turned to Steve. "Well, don't just sit there, Professor," she said with a laugh, "make yourself useful and come help me bring the groceries in from the car."

"'Make myself useful'?" Steve echoed as he started to follow her. "I thought I was a guest here this week?" he asked petulantly, sounding put upon.

"Just get out here," Jeannie yelled from the hall and Steve shot Mike a happy grin.

Chuckling, Mike slapped him on the back and Steve shook his head, laughing, as he headed towards the hall.

# # # # #

"Alright, everybody out of the kitchen," Mike announced as the bags of groceries were deposited on the table and counters. Steve looked at him in confusion. Mike stared at him. "Out!" he said again, this time pointing towards the living room.

"Ah, isn't Jeannie cooking dinner?" he asked feebly. Jeannie and Maggie looked at Steve and giggled. "What?"

"Ah," Jeannie said with a glance at her father, "Mike's cooking dinner tonight."

Steve froze. "What?" he asked again. "Wait a minute, you're kidding right…?"

"He's really a very good cook," Maggie said softly, putting a hand on Mike's arm.

"Since when?"

"Since I started having time to actually, you know, do something other than police work. Turns out I have an affinity for cooking," he said with a smug grin.

Steve shook his head slowly. "No," he chuckled.

Mike nodded just as slowly. "Yes," he said emphatically. "Now get!"

Maggie leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "I have a bottle of wine and some glasses ready for us in the living room."

Laughing, Steve let Jeannie and Maggie lead him out of the kitchen. "You too!" they heard Mike order, and Autumn scrambled to her feet and followed them into the living room.

Chuckling, Mike turned to the bags on the counter and started to unpack.