Wolves of the Pacific

by greenpeach20

In 1902, Renesmee Cullen grew tired of the tedious life of moving around with her family and decided to make the journey west as a mail order bride. Yet a chance encounter with a reddish brown wolf would change her life forever.

123. Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Just days after Salem had enlisted in the Navy, he had to get on a train to Chicago where he'd meet many others that had joined. He had to take the early train but family made a point to join him and wish him farewell. Even though this time wasn't nearly so trying as when JJ joined the army, it was still tough for Natalie when it was about time for Salem to get on that train. She hadn't started crying until they actually got to the train station.

"Come on, mom, don't cry," Salem said to Natalie and hugged her. "It's just basic training. Worst case scenario, I drown during swim training or something."

"That's not funny!" Natalie said against Salem's shoulder. He smiled but made sure he wasn't laughing and instead rubbed Natalie's back.

"It's okay, mom. The instant I can call I will. Even if it's just to let you know I got there safe."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, mom, I promise," Salem said and kissed her head. "I promise, mom, you have nothing to worry about. I'll be fine."

"You take care of yourself, okay Salem? You have a new niece or nephew on the way," JJ said and he hugged his little brother. "We'll all see you in Chicago in two months."

"I can't wait," Salem said.

After hugging everyone goodbye and getting on the train, Salem continued to wave at them until they were out of sight. He felt the strangest combination of excitement and fear. He really was going into this nearly blind. He'd bought and read most of the books the recruit had told him to and he would be reading them up until they reached Chicago so he knew a lot of the things he'd be taught and tested on, but he knew nothing of what kind of environment he could expect. He would be the only one not to have joined the army and he had nothing of reference to keep in mind nor did he know what common mistakes to avoid courtesy of his uncles' and brother's experiences. He'd be shooting from the hip and learning as he went. He had a good feeling about the navy and hoped that instinct was right. So he went back into the books he'd bought and kept reading away.

After days and days of riding the train and reading, and re-reading and trying his best to be as ready as he possibly could be, the train finally reached Chicago. He'd been to Seattle, so it wasn't the first time he'd seen a city before, but something about Chicago just seemed larger than life to him. He'd seen New York through Kevin's eyes and felt much the same way, but this was a city he was seeing in a completely fresh light. He looked around until he saw a man in uniform and asked where he needed to go to meet the other recruits. He was given directions and reminded to get there quick since the bus up to the Great Lakes would be leaving ASAP.

He eventually found the group he was looking for and instantly he felt slightly overwhelmed. There were so many people there. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but he hadn't been expecting this many people. All the same, he got himself into the group – all his things in tow – and looked around though he wasn't really sure for what. A commanding officer maybe? He noticed immediately he was definitely one of the tannest ones there save for a few that appeared Italian by heritage. At lease he was guessing they were Italian. It was later in the night so a bunch of the men there were barely staying awake, so he didn't bother them.

"Gentlemen!" a booming voice came from a man in black pants and a tan shirt with very small silver plates on his collar. "Attention everyone! If you're here because you've enlisted in the Navy, I need your full and undivided attention!" Those that had been napping against a wall were awoken by the voice and the man continued once he was sure he had everyone's attention. "I am Petty Officer Collins! I will be escorting you to the buses, but before I do, there are a few ground rules you will need to be made aware of! First of all, if you see someone that is dressed as I am with silver pins like you see here, you are to address him as Petty Officer. If their pins are gold, you are to call them Chief. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the men answered.

"What did you just call me?" Petty Officer Collins barked.

"Yes, Petty Officer Collins!" every man in the group corrected themselves and spoke louder. Salem included.

"Good! That's what I thought you said," Petty Officer Collins said. "Moving on. Once you arrive there will be a processing time in which any personal items you have that are not approved to stay can either be donated to charity or can be sent home! You will be responsible for arranging what you prefer to do."

"Are we allowed to keep any books we got for studying?" Salem blurted out and the Petty Officer looked right at him. Truthfully, he realized the error too late and now he felt rather embarrassed.

"Another thing, men!" Petty Officer Collin seemed to move on, completely ignoring Salem. "When you are in the presence of your commanding officers, you do not speak unless spoken to! As to any study materials you brought, they will need to be reviewed by the Petty Officer once you arrive! Now, once you have been checked in, you will be given your uniforms and any other necessities. If there are any other you require, you will be responsible for obtaining them, but they need to be within the Navy dress code! You will also be allowed one call home when you arrive. It will be the only call you'll get to make for a while so make it count! Now!" he looked right at Salem again, "Are there any questions?" One man rose his hand a little timidly. He was in a pair of glasses and looked barely out of his teens. "Well, speak up man! I've given you permission!"

"Will we be allowed to wear our glasses, Petty Officer Collins?"

"You will be issued special glasses that you're to wear during basic training! After which, assuming your current glasses are in keeping with dress code you may return to using them. Otherwise you will be expected to replace them. Any other questions?" There was silence. "If there are no more questions, get your things and let's move out!"

Everyone followed the Petty Officer outside where the street was lined with several large buses. They all got in and the Petty Officer boarded the first bus after he was sure everyone had boarded. Salem boarded the second bus and saw the kid with glasses from earlier. Initially he didn't bother the kid and took a seat on the other side of the buss from him. Salem was lucky enough to get a window seat and wanted to look out onto Chicago while he could. He was staring out the window until he felt someone sitting next to him and he glanced over to see the kid with glasses.

"They're going to give us books and materials on base, so you'll have to send those home," the boy said.

"Oh," Salem answered. "Well shit. I paid $25 for all this. Even with the discount."

"It'll be money well spent regardless; trust me," he said and then extended his hand. "Aleksander Wojzyk."

"Salem Dauer," Salem accepted his hand.

"German?"

"Native American," Salem smiled, "but my father took the surname of a German that became a very close family friend. His family came to America in….. the late 1880's I think. Somewhere in there. You?"

"Polish," he chuckled. "And I mean Chicago Polish. So it's a special kind of Polish."

"Is that so?" Salem chuckled and Aleksander nodded.

"So you're Indian?"

"Native American," Salem smiled. "Indians are from Southern most Asia. Fun fact: Native Americans are called Indians because Christopher Columbus was convinced to his dying day that he'd found India. Really he just found the Bahamas."

"You don't say?" Aleksander said. "So are you Algonquin or something?"

"Quileute," JJ said. "I'm from Washington State. Although I'll give you points for knowing about a tribe other than the Navajo or the Sioux. Usually those are the only tribes people know about."

"It's because they're the largest isn't it?"

"The Sioux were a big tribe. The Navajo I'm not sure. My tribe was always a rather small tribe so the only ones that usually know about us are people in Washington. Forks specifically."

"Where is that in relation to Seattle?"

"Due west right by the coast. I believe Uncle Hailey, the guy I get my last name from, calls it East-Jesus Nowhere."

"Shouldn't it be West-Jesus Nowhere?" Aleksander suggested and they laughed.

"You'll be the one to correct him," Salem said. "I'm not so stupid as to correct old Uncle Hailey."

"Unless he's like my grandpa, I can't say he scares me," Aleksander said. "My grandpa, God rest his soul, was the type of man that wanted us to achieve the American Dream and he wasn't always sure how to steer us towards that goal and it resulted in a lot of tough love let's say."

"Are you the first of your family to join the Navy?"

"The Navy, yes. My dad served in the Army. He was killed during the Invasion of Normandy. I was a little boy when it happened and I never really knew my father but I promised my grandpa that as soon as I was 18, I'd join the armed forces. Make my dad proud, you know?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean. My dad was killed during the Liberation of Paris. My mom wasn't the same after dad died. It really crushed us; especially my brother. He joined the Army and fought in Korea. So what made you choose the Navy?"

"I researched all the branches of the military and decided I would be most useful to the Navy. You?"

"Everyone in my family that served in the Military joined the Army and I knew that wasn't for me. I wanted something different. The Navy seemed like a good fit. Sounds like you weren't the only one told to do your homework."

"I'd researched all the branches thoroughly before I signed up, but I asked the recruiter a few questions my research didn't answer. He didn't know about glasses hence why I asked. I really need them for reading more than anything."

"Ah, so you're far-sighted?"

"Best one to be I guess," Aleksander joked. "So how old are you?"

"24," Salem said. "I assume you're 18?"

"Turned 18 this past January," Aleksander answered. "What made you decide to join the Navy now? Instead of when you were 18 I mean."

"I was waiting for my brother to retire," Salem said. "JJ's his name. JJ joined the army under the worst of circumstances. He was devastated when our dad died. We all were, but JJ and my mom really didn't handle it well. My little sister and I did our best to move on and our family helped a lot. We still miss dad, but he wouldn't have wanted us miserable. My mom and JJ didn't accept help, though. JJ took over everything after dad died and went so far as to beg Uncle Hailey for dad's job so he could support us. He never really mourned dad properly because he was more concerned with making sure he took care of us."

"How old were you all when your dad died?"

"JJ was 15 and I was 12," Salem said. "It was a lot to take on but no matter what, JJ wouldn't accept help. Before dad left, he told JJ that he's in charge and to take care of us until he got home. I'm sure dad never meant for JJ to take it as far as he did, but that's what happened. Then mom finally met someone. It was great! She was finally starting to be herself again. She was happy again; Nesia and I were just relieved mom wasn't miserable anymore. Sure, Suerro wasn't our dad, but he made mom happy and that was good enough for us. JJ didn't feel that way. He never warmed up to Suerro and the two fought constantly. One night, they got into a really bad, full blown fight and we had to force the two of them apart. Then JJ went missing for two days and came back saying he'd joined the army since he wasn't needed anymore."

"Jesus," Aleksander said.

"Mom was so upset," Salem recounted. "We were there for JJ when he got on the train but he basically left the house with all his things after he'd told us because Suerro was furious with him and mom was inconsolable. After all that, I'd not really considered joining the armed forces, but after JJ left, I took over his job at the General Store and….I don't know. I felt unfulfilled. I started putting my feelers out for something else but I wasn't qualified for anything. Not anything worthwhile anyway. All my uncles were able to make something better of themselves and it all started with the Army and their experiences. I started to realize I wanted that for myself. So after giving it a lot of thought, I told my mom I wanted to join the Navy. She wasn't real keen on it at first, but she made me promise not to join until my brother retired, so that's what I did."

"At least you talked to her about it first," Aleksander attempted to joke and Salem smiled.

"That's what I said. She still cried when everyone saw me off," Salem said.

"Moms are allowed to cry," one guy that was sitting in front of them answered and got on his knee on the seat so he could face them. "Sorry, I couldn't help overhearing. I'm Michael. Michael Martellaro." Salem immediately heard the man's thick accent.

"Spanish?" Salem asked.

"Sicilian," Michael chuckled. "My parents came to America just as the Fascists were taking over Italy."

"Were you born in Sicily?"

"No, I was born in Manhattan. That's what my accent is in case that's throwing you off. My mom was pregnant when we crossed the pond. I was a pleasant surprise."

"I bet," Salem smiled. "So how old are you?"

"18," Michael answered. "And Italian is Italian no matter where you go in America."

"And what made you decide to join the Navy?" Aleksander asked.

"A judge told me I had two choices: prison or the Navy. Naturally, I chose the Navy."

"You were court ordered to join the military?" Salem asked.

"Not necessarily," Michael said. "I got involved with a bad crowd back home. I didn't always do well in school and when I got arrested for stealing a TV, the judge took pity on me and gave me my options and I'm hoping I picked wisely. I figure if I'm going to be bossed around I might as well get paid for it."

"That's one way to look at it," Salem said. "I don't suppose you did your homework?"

"Didn't do it in school and didn't do it now," Michael joked. "I'm sure I'll figure it out."

"If you're sure," Salem chuckled. "Are you the first in your family to joined the military?"

"Yeah," Michael said. "My dad works for a Dry Cleaner on Chelsea and mom works for a grocery store. And I know what you mean about the Immigrant style of parent 'tough love', let me tell you. One time, I got in so much trouble my mom broke a pizza paddle on my ass."

"My mom used a wooden spoon," Aleksander chuckled. "My grandpa used his bare hand, but then, he had really big hands. You wouldn't think it if were to have seen him, but my grandpa was strong even in his elderly years."

"That's nothing," Michael said. "One time when I came home from school, one of my teachers had called and told my parents I had gotten a really bad grade on a test and dad threw a fit! See, if my dad got his belt that's when I knew I was in deep shit."

"Well now I feel bad," Salem chuckled awkwardly. "I can count the number of times my parents hit me on one hand. More often, I was made to sit in a corner and was sent to my room without dinner."

"You had your own room?" Michael and Aleksander asked in unison.

"Well, no. I shared it with my brother."

"I always shared a room with my grandpa and my mom," Aleksander said.

"I shared a room with my four brothers. We have two bunk beds and the oldest gets the top bunks. So I got the top bunk and so did my brother Don. The two youngest, Eddie and Sunny both sleep on the bottom bunks."

"So you're used to no privacy then?" Salem joked.

"Privacy is a luxury, my friend. A luxury I hope to have someday," Michael smiled. "Won't happen in New York, that's for God damned sure. You want your own place in New York, you'd better be rolling in the money. Otherwise your ass is sharing a tiny little house with your whole family and everyone works."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Salem said. "My Uncle Kevin owns a law firm in Washington and in New York."

"Which one? I might know it."

"Heidelberg and Black," Salem answered.

"Oh, yeah, I heard of them! They've got their office near Central Park. A lot of Fat Cats go to them. I take it your Uncle's pretty well off?"

"That's an understatement," Salem chuckled. "It's amazing what saving a man's life will get you. My Uncle Kevin had served in the Army when he was just fifteen. That was back during the first world war no less. He saved two men from No Man's Land after they'd been shot and one of them happened to be the son of a Dean from Yale."

"No shit!" Michael said.

"No shit," Salem said. "As a thank you, that guy got my Uncle a spot at the school and life's basically been coming up roses for him ever since."

"Jesus, your uncle must be sixty by now," Aleksander said.

"He's fifty three," Salem said. "His wife's thirty eight."

Michael whistled, "He likes them young I see."

"It's not that," Salem defended. "He found her when she was a little girl when the Germans got past the front into Chateau Thierry. He kept in touch with her and years later they just fell in love."

"That's sweet," Aleksander said.

"They just had their son this past year, too," Salem said. "If you want the true representation of achieving the American Dream, that's who you'd look at."

"I'll keep that in mind," Michael smiled.

The three of them wound up talking to one another most of the drive to the base. Once they arrived, the buses drove through an entrance with Great Lakes on a sign out front until they made it to a large building on base that was meant for accepting new recruits. Everyone got off the bus and the first thing Salem was the big sign at the entrance welcoming him and all the others into the American Navy. The all stepped inside and there was a large wire basket where they had to neatly stack up all their paperwork including their enlistment papers, checking account and any other information that they needed to fill out on the paperwork for processing. Then they were all ordered to stand against the wall shoulder to shoulder. Once they were shoulder to shoulder, a man started walking down the line wearing the same uniform as the man they'd seen at the station.

"Gentlemen! Welcome to the United States Navy! You are all to address me as Petty Officer Arthur. Is that clear?!"

"Yes, Petty Officer!" they all yelled in unison.

"You do not move until I give you instruction to! When I give you the word to proceed, you will remove all forms of jewelry except wedding bands! You have one minute from when I saw move!" After finishing walking down the line, the Petty Officer announced, "Move!" and those wearing jewelry removed it with the exception of their wedding rings.

They were then ushered in a line to a door further into the building where they were made aware they could place a call to home but they only had two minutes before they would need to get moving again. There were only a few phones, though, so they needed to take turns calling home. Finally it came to be Salem's turn and when it was, he called the house.

"This is Suerro," Suerro's voice came.

"Hey, it's Salem. Is mom available?"

"One second; I'll get her," Suerro said and then he heard Suerro call her name. Seconds later Natalie was on the line.

"Salem, honey?"

"Hey mom," Salem smiled. "I don't have very long; just two minutes. So I'll be quick. I made it to base and there's going to be a bit of a processing faze initially, but once that's done we'll really get into the basic training."

"How is it so far? Have you had a chance to talk to anyone or make any friends?"

"I spoke with two guys on the bus here. One is a Chicagoan and the other's from Manhattan. I haven't spoken to them since we arrived, but this is really the first time since getting here I've been able to speak freely," Salem chuckled a little.

"Is it too soon to ask if you like it so far?"

"So far, it's more or less what I expected, but I'd argue it is a little soon to judge. You're all coming to the graduation right? They'll mail invites out once it's closer to the date. I know that."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Natalie said and he heard the gentle smile in her voice. Then he glanced at the stop watch. He only had a few seconds.

"Listen, mom, I need to get off the phone, but I wanted to let you know I got here and I'm okay. I miss you all already. I love you, mom."

"I love you too," Natalie answered and Salem managed to disconnect just as his final second left the stop watch. He stepped away from the booth without needing to be reminded which he hoped would only mean points in his favor and the next guy in line took his spot to make his call home.

They were then given a box that they were instructed to put their civilian items it and were given a list of things they were and were not allowed to keep during basic training. Thankfully, Salem had kept his personal items to a minimum and didn't have much to send back home. He got the box labeled accordingly so his things would be sent home and the next order of business was to get everyone their uniforms which consisted of sweatpants and sweatshirts that were labeled with the Navy's logo. They were given some clean underwear, shower shoes and all manner of things for their use but it was apparent Salem would need to be buy more as soon as he had the chance.

Once they had their clothes, the men for whom it applied had to get themselves clean shaven. One man that had a pretty sizable beard had to use scissors to cut off the access hair before he could start shaving. Those that didn't have facial hair to contend with or that had already shaven before arriving were sent straight to the barber where their heads were shaved. Salem had shorter hair anyway since it made the wolf's fur easier to manage, but it wasn't short enough for military standard and what hair he had was buzzed off until he had what could only be described as stubble on his head. It took some getting used to, but even so it was rather refreshing feeling.

They were up for hours being introduced to their commanding officers, finally getting to sit down and eat something but in a timely manner so there wasn't very much time to talk amongst themselves, getting their bed assignments, learning the rules and rotations they would be assigned during their training and so on. When they were finally permitted to sleep, Salem had practically moaned from relief and fell asleep near instantly. He missed home but he still felt an excitement of what was to come. Days later, Salem's things arrived back home going straight to the General Store where their mail was typically sent. JJ accepted the package but it was labeled as being for Natalie, so he didn't open it.

"Who's that from?" Hailey asked.

"It's from Salem," JJ said. "It's probably his civilian things he wasn't allowed to keep during basic training."

"Ah," Hailey said, sitting in his chair at the front of the shop. The man insisted he wasn't, but truthfully he was getting old and it showed. His hair was stark white by now compared to its brunette from his youth. Leah still had some black in her hair but it was mostly grey and white by now too. Truly the two of them had grown old together and Leah lovingly called Hailey her 'Curmudgeon Old Man'. Sadly, as much as Hailey denied it, he had a hard time walking and standing and needed a chair so he could relax throughout the day. Were it not for the fact that the man was in his eighties and doing pretty well considering his age, it would leave JJ disheartened. Of course, Hailey was defiant to the core and never let his age inconvenience him. "You are planning to go to his graduation?"

"I wanted to," JJ said. "I can stay here if you would rather."

"I can manage without you a few days," Hailey said, waving his hand dismissively. "Take a picture so Leah and I can have it on the wall with the others. All the pictures we have of you squirts, you'd think I was a God damned family man."

JJ chuckled a little, "I can't imagine what would give anyone that impression."

"Speaking of squirts: how's yours doing?"

"He's doing great," JJ said. "He's growing like a weed."

"Just like his daddy and hid granddaddy before him," Hailey said.

"He's excited about the new baby. It's nice being here while she's pregnant instead of having to be at the parallel the whole time. I get to experience it."

"Can't say as I see the appeal in what little of that 'experience' you get, but whatever," Hailey said. "How's Eun Mi feeling?"

"Achy and a little nauseated but otherwise she's fine. She's already showing but she can't be more than a few weeks along."

"For her sake, I hope you don't plan on too many kids."

"We've never stipulated a particular number," JJ smiled. "I guess we'll just have as many as we have."

"How specific," Hailey said sarcastically, making JJ laugh. "Assuming she's up to it, you and Eun Mi could come over later this week for a poker night."

"So eager to lose are you Uncle Hailey?"

"I wouldn't get too confident, boy," Hailey said.

After work, JJ brought Salem's things to Natalie reassuring her that it really was probably things he wasn't allowed to keep with him on base during basic training. He sent back a few clothing items and the books he'd brought with him for studying. Natalie was sad he didn't send a letter but figured he might not have been able to at the time of putting his things together.

"Do you think he'll be able to be stationed at one of the bases in Seattle?" Natalie asked.

"He might since there's not currently a war we're involved in, but it's more likely they'll choose an assignment for him and he'll have to go from there. I'm not familiar with how the Navy works compared to the Army so I couldn't tell you for sure," JJ said.

"I guess we'll have to wait until his graduation," Natalie said.

"He'll be alright, Natalie," Suerro reassured. "The way I understand it, the Navy is a lot more specialized than the Army, so he'll have to find his niche and go from there. He's a smart kid, so he'll find something he excels at."

"I know," Natalie said but she sighed a little. "I miss him. I get one son home only for another to run off on me."

"Oh, don't be that way mom," JJ said and hugged Natalie. "Salem didn't 'run off' on you. At least he warned you he was planning to join the Navy."

"Indeed," Suerro said, raising a brow at JJ.

"Oh, blow it out your ass, Suerro," JJ said and Natalie slapped him, but it was halfheartedly.

"You know better than to speak to him that way," Natalie said.

"Sorry, mom," JJ said and hugged Natalie a little tighter. About that time, Blu Jae came inside from playing in the snow and went straight to JJ.

"Hi JJ," Blu Jae said and hugged him.

"Hey to you, Birdie. Have you been causing mischief?"

"No!" Blu Jae rejected.

JJ chuckled, "If you say so. Try to slow down on growing up a bit. Mom's sad about Salem being at boot camp."

"Don't be sad, mom," Blu Jae said and hugged her. "I'm still here."

"That's true," Natalie smiled gently and patted Blu Jae's head. "So what were you up to while you were outside?"

"I hunted!" Blu Jae said.

"Did you, now?" Suerro said. "I remember telling you not to do that unless I was with you."

"You said you weren't thirsty," Blu Jae said. "I caught a mountain lion!"

"And here you were saying you didn't get into mischief," JJ said and ruffled the boy's hair. "You shouldn't lie to mom like that, Birdie."

"I'm not lying!" Blu Jae said.

"We'll forgive it just this once," Suerro said. "Don't go hunting without me again. That mountain lion could've gotten the better of you and then your mother and I would have to make a new Birdie."

"Don't joke like that," Natalie sighed.

"That mountain lion was nothing!" Blu Jae announced proudly and then seemed to remember something. "Dad! Come outside! I want to show you something! Mom, come outside!" Blu Jae grabbed Suerro's hand and led him outside. Natalie and JJ followed where Blu Jae led Suerro and they ended up in the woods until they found a rabbit. "Do you want to see me make the bunny come over?"

"Is that how you bested the mountain lion?" Suerro joked.

"Sure is!" Blu Jae answered. They all stared at Blu Jae who was smiling at them eagerly, but then his eyes went into the back of his head, his face went blank and he fell over like a sack of potatoes.

"Blu Jae!" Natalie screamed in horror and Suerro went to Blu Jae, but everything else was normal. His heart was beating, he was the right temperature, and he just wasn't moving anymore.

"Blu Jae!" Suerro yelled but then he heard something approach them. It was the rabbit. A little brown and pale brown wild rabbit hopped over without a care in the world and went straight to Suerro. Once at Suerro's feet, the rabbit hopped onto Suerro's kneeling leg. "Wait," Suerro mumbled while looking at the rabbit. Then he looked at Blu Jae when something occurred to him. "Birdie?" Suerro said The rabbit clapped its front paws together like a human would.

"Suerro, what's going on?" Natalie said.

"I think Blu Jae inherited our ancestors' power. Before Taha Aki became a wolf." Once again, the rabbit clapped together his front paws and hopped off Suerro's leg. Once on the ground, the rabbit bolted away like a normal rabbit would and when Suerro got up to chair the rabbit, he was interrupted.

"Dad!" Blu Jae said and everyone was looking at the boy, looking completely normal. He got to his feet extremely proud of himself. "Did you see?"

"I think so," Suerro said. "How did you…"

"I practiced!" Blu Jae said as if the answer were obvious. "I noticed a long time ago that I could remove myself from my body at will. I don't know if mom ever noticed before. My eyes were closed and she was always doing something. When you told me the old stories, I wondered if I could do the same. And I can!"

"So it would seem," Suerro answered still a little dumbfounded.

"You could have warned that's what you were doing," Natalie mumbled. "You scared me."

"That's pretty neat, kid," JJ said. "So are you saying you possessed a mountain lion or something?"

"I possessed a buck to act as a distraction so the lion wouldn't know I was approaching," Blu Jae said. "When that buck was in position, I went back to my own body and waited for the lion to make an appearance."

"Pretty sneaky, kid," JJ praised. "You'll have to show that trick off to Grandpa Jacob. I'll bet he'll get a kick out of that."

"Can we?!" Blu Jae asked Suerro.

"Natalie?" Suerro looked at Natalie, asking if she was alright with it.

"He's bound to find out. May as well tell him now," Natalie said and Blu Jae cheered before getting a head start running for Jacob and Renesmee's house with Natalie and Suerro close behind. JJ, on the other hand, made his way back home where Eun Mi already had dinner on the table.

"JJ?" Eun Mi said.

"Sorry I'm late," JJ said. "We got a package from Salem with some of his things he can't keep during basic training. I was bringing them to mom's house and Birdie chose then to announce he discovered he has a little gift."

"A gift?" Eun Mi asked, preparing JJ's bowl of rice first.

"Yeah," JJ said. "I've told you the story of how Chief Taha Aki got his power right? And what power our people had before that?"

"I believe so," Eun Mi said. "You mean where people could take their souls from their own bodies?"

"Exactly," JJ said. "Turns out Birdie can do that."

"That's impressive," Eun Mi said with a gentle smile. "I'll bet he's proud of himself. Jae Sun!" Eun Mi looked at Jae Sun as he'd gotten a clump of rice on his chopsticks. "You wait until everyone's food is plated," she scolded. Jae Sun put his chopsticks back into his rice and waited.

"Dinner smells amazing," JJ said.

"I hoped you would be alright with kimchi stew," Eun Mi said.

"I love your kimchi stew," JJ said. "Oh, while I'm thinking of it. Would you be up for going to Uncle Hailey's house sometime this week for a game of poker?"

"I'd love to," Eun Mi said. She finished getting her bowl of rice, took her seat across from JJ at the table and looked at Jae Sun. "Now you may start eating."

Eagerly, Jae Sun dug into his rice and Eun Mi would often stop him to correct any poor habits like eating too fast or biting his silver chopsticks, correcting him if he was slouching while on his booster seat and any manner of things. JJ just smiled and let her work. As soon as Jae Sun was big enough to have his own seat at the dinner table rather than sitting either on hers or JJ's lap, she'd grown rather strict with his etiquette.

"Are you training the boy for being a Prince or something?" JJ teased.

"You are never too poor for proper behavior," Eun Mi said.

"Is that a quote from your grandpa or mom?"

"Both," Eun Mi said. "If you want the truth, I'm quite lenient with Jae Sun compared to how strict grandpa was."

"Is that so?" JJ chuckled. "How'd your grandpa learn to be so proper?"

"He just kept a mental note of the way wealthier villagers behaved is all," Eun Mi said. "For that matter, JJ, we need to lead by example."

JJ just sighed a little as he smiled at her before copying everything she'd just made Jae Sun do, sitting up straighter, being more mindful not to bite his chopsticks and eating more slowly. He knew he was doing it correctly when she smiled at him. After dinner, JJ made Jae Sun help clean the dishes while Eun Mi relaxed in the living room. Soon they joined her and Jae Sun played with his toys on the floor while I Love Lucy played on their TV. Popo eventually turned up presumably waking up from a nap and started playing on the floor with Jae Sun. As predicted, Jacob was rather intrigued with Blu Jae's new found power and was eager to explore what all that power could do. He really only knew what old stories told of it and to see it in action was fascinating. With his power, Blu Jae could either influence animals to do his bidding or he could take over their bodies. The praise he was given for his power had Blu Jae on cloud nine and he was extremely excited. He found that night he couldn't really sleep from being too excited and when he saw a familiar blue bird fly past his window, he couldn't resist chasing after it. But he didn't get far. He was stopped as soon as he left his room.

"And what do you think you're doing up at this hour?" Suerro's voice came from behind him and Blu Jae jumped as he turned around.

"Nothing," Blu Jae finally answered.

"If it's nothing, than you can go back to bed," Suerro said.

"But I want to go outside," Blu Jae said.

"You can go outside in the morning," Suerro answered and picked up Blu Jae to carry him back to his room.

"But that blue bird might not be there in the morning," Blu Jae reasoned.

"I can tell you with confidence that he will be," Suerro said. "That bird's a neighbor so he's not going anywhere."

"The way you talk about it, I thought it might be worth trying to possess it," Blu Jae said.

"It wouldn't work, Birdie. Blu is too smart for that."

"It's a bird," Blu Jae said.

"Indeed," Suerro said and got Blu Jae back into bed.

"Dad," Blu Jae said as Suerro put the covers back over him, "Who is that guy in mom's pictures? The one that looks like JJ but isn't."

"That's JJ's father Jae," Suerro said. "You're named after him actually."

"And the bird," Blu Jae pointed out. "Is that bird Jae or something?"

"I don't know absolutely, but it wouldn't surprise me," Suerro said.

"Does it upset you?"

"Does what upset me?"

"That mom was married to someone else?"

"No," Suerro said. "Your mother knew Jae long before we ever met and Jae was a good man. His loss was a tragedy. Your mother and I met about six or seven years after he died."

"Does mom love him more than you?"

"That's a rather unfair question," Suerro said. "Honestly, if your mother hadn't imprinted on me, I doubt either of us would have given each other the time of day. Jae was the one that brought us together in the first place. I used to stay on the east coast. I avoided coming back here unless it was to visit my sister's grave. But then I started getting these visions and hallucinations of a man telling me I needed to go home and just saying 'Natalie' over and over. When I finally heeded that hallucination, I met your mother and I loved her instantly. I think she loved me too, but she wasn't ready. She didn't want to accept that she'd imprinted on me at first, but we took it slow. That's when I found out the man I'd been seeing was Jae."

"Is Jae a trickster now?"

"I don't know if that's an accurate description, but who knows," Suerro said. "Point is if there's anything that man wanted above all else, it was for your mother to be happy and since he couldn't give her happiness anymore, he sought out her imprint: me. So I can promise you that your mother and I love one another very much regardless of each other's previous marital status."

"Were you married before?"

"No. Before your mother, I'd never married."

"Why?"

"I had more important things to concern myself with," Suerro answered bluntly. "Now go to sleep. It's late."

"I'm not tired," Blu Jae said.

"I can see that," Suerro said.

"Dad," Blu Jae said, "Why do you and JJ not get along?"

"We get along better than we used to," Suerro said. "We have an understanding with each other."

"Does he not like you?"

"Not particularly, no," Suerro said. "I don't know if he ever will, but that's alright. We're on more or less cordial terms despite our occasional bickering."

"Why doesn't he like you?"

"I'm not his father," Suerro said. "It's a pretty simple reason and there's nothing I can do to change that. He wouldn't even give your mother and I his blessing to get married when we first met. He didn't give his blessing until after he met Eun Mi. She even convinced him to apologize to me. I think he realized how much I love your mother by experiencing it first hand, but that doesn't change that he misses his father and to him it feels like I'm taking his place. Deep down he knows that's not true, but it still hurts him. At this point, we're better off being cordial."

"Hm," Blu Jae hummed. "But Salem and Nesia like you."

"Salem and Nesia handled their father's death in a healthier way," Suerro said. "I dare say they actually dealt with it. When their father died, JJ basically took the whole world on his shoulders and he wouldn't let anyone tell him to do otherwise. He took over his father's role without really accepting that Jae was gone. And that's a lot to shove between your toes and leave untreated."

"He seems better now," Blu Jae said.

"Eun Mi did that boy wonders, frankly. Your mother tells Eun Mi that she gave her son back to her. I agree whole heartedly. He still might not like me, but at least we're on good terms. Sometimes that's all you can ask for. Any other questions?"

"I'm trying to think of some," Blu Jae answered and Suerro chuckled.

"Sleep," Suerro ordered and patted Blu Jae's head before leaving the room and returning to his and Natalie's.

Rosalie continued to be a much needed asset to Kevin and Amber. Heather would be starting kindergarten that August and Rosalie was keeping Heather entertained while getting some schooling snuck into their play. Having Evalynn over as a frequent guest only helped the two girls learn more effectively since they could bounce ideas off each other and had more enjoyment out of learning. She planned on having Heather ahead of her class by several grades if she had anything to say about it and Amber was not about to complain about that. One afternoon, Embry was in Seattle during the week for a contracting job, so once he was done for the day, he stopped by the house before Amber and Kevin had gotten home. He had a key and let himself in. When he came in, Heather's face lit up.

"Embry!" Heather cheered and went to him. He picked her up and hugged her, but Heather started shaking her head. "Why do you smell?!"

"I just got back from remodeling someone's kitchen, kid," Embry laughed. "Have some mercy why don't you?"

"Did you want a shower?" "Rosalie asked. "You have fresh clothes here, right?"

"Yeah, I might just take you up on that offer. I still have another day on that kitchen remodel, so I might be asking Kevin to let me spend the night."

"Really?" Heather smiled. "We can all play Chutes and Ladders!"

"I'm not sure I'm familiar with that game," Embry said.

"I'll teach you; don't worry," Heather said and patted Embry's shoulder, but his shirt was wet under his coat. "After you take a bath," Heather stipulated.

"Okay, I see how it is," Embry said and put Heather down. "I know when I'm not wanted."

"I didn't say that!" Heather protested and ran up to Embry hitting his hip. "I just said you're smelly!"

"If you're intent is to hurt my feelings, Heather, consider the task a resounding success," Embry feigned hurt trying not to smile as he continued towards the stairs.

"Just let him take a shower and get into some fresh clothes and he'll be good as new," Rosalie said. "He'll still smell like wet dog, but that can't be helped."

"Embry doesn't smell like a dog," Heather said. "Except when he is a dog."

"A wolf, Heather. Why must you hurt me so?" Embry teased.

"I'm sorry, Embry! Don't cry!" Heather protested.

"Let him take a shower, dear," Rosalie said and waived for Heather to come over but just as she came over, Rosalie sighed. "I may have to insist you take a bath now. He got his stink all over you."

"I just can't get any sympathy can I?" Embry sighed and started the trek upstairs.

He got his clean clothes from the guest bedroom he used and went to Kevin's and Amber's shower since Rosalie was insisting on giving Heather a bath now. Once they were all clean, Embry and Heather went back downstairs and he, Evalynn and Heather played Chutes and Ladders together while Rosalie read. Thankfully, Kevin and Amber didn't mind Embry staying the night and after Heather and Evalynn were put to bed for their sleepover, Amber returned downstairs and worked on a few candles in the candle room while Kevin and Embry talked.

"I've been thinking," Kevin said. "Why don't you get yourself a place here in the city?"

"It's expensive," Embry said.

"It's not like you don't have the money for it squirreled away. Hell, you could probably afford a pretty decent down payment on something nice."

"I already have a house back at the tribe," Embry said.

"And yet you spend more time here at my house than at yours," Kevin smiled. "At this point it's Travis's house. I'm shocked you haven't just signed it over to him. Not that you really need to quite frankly."

"I'm not 'signing it over'. That's my house. I built that house with my own two hands."

"Yes, I know," Kevin said. "You have a talent for that."

"It's one of the few talents I have," Embry said.

"All I'm saying is most of the business you do is here in the city. Maybe some jobs off in Olympia here and there now that it's a growing city and not just a big town surrounded by farms, but most of the work you do is here. It just seems practical for you to live her more often than not."

"Are you kicking me out or something?" Embry joked.

"You know what? Yes, I'm kicking you out. You're a grown man and you can afford to live on your own. You've got a big boy job."

"Oh, shut up," Embry said and the two of them laughed. "Maybe I'll look into some small place. I really don't need much."

"Not now anyway," Kevin said.

Embry chuckled again, "Oh, I see how it is. Expects only the best for his little girl."

"When the time comes, naturally I'll expect a hell of a lot," Kevin smiled and gently nudged Embry's shoulder. "It's not just that, though. You worked really hard to start your own contracting business. You deserve making it a little easier on yourself. We both came a long way since the days of being bright eyed little kids that joined the army without a plan and just a dream keeping us going."

"You had a dream keeping you going," Embry said. "I was just following you to hell and back."

"And I appreciate that," Kevin said. "I just think you deserve to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You've sure as shit earned it."

"Thanks, Kevin. That means a lot," Embry said. "I'll see what I can find. I really don't need or want much. When the time comes, I can get a bigger place, but in the meantime, it's just me."

"That's the spirit," Kevin sand and the two tapped their beer bottles together.

For Salem, basic training really flew by. He became good friends with Aleksander and Michael and made friends with several others in the program from all over the country. It was a camaraderie he never thought he'd feel outside the pack and he loved it. It was a combination of hands on training and schooling that struck him as a college experience with restrictions. The only thing he hated was Snow Watch. He'd been condemned to it twice during basic training by sheer random chance and when he was picked, he and a few other recruits would be made to get up in the middle of the night and plow the snow off the boats if it had started snowing. Which it did a lot of is Chicago. Then it would be warmer. And then it would get cold again. He'd spent his whole life thinking Washington had gloomy weather, but he was beginning to see the upside of consistent gloom over weather that couldn't make up its mind whether it was still winter or turning to spring. But determined to do well, he never uttered a single complaint, though neither did anyone else. They knew better than to complain.

While his graduation would still keep him as a Seaman to start, he'd displayed some promising skills that would allow him a foot into any specialty he wanted. The newly established Nuclear academy, sadly, was not a possible choice at that time however. He needed college level schooling in Calculus and his math skills were not quite to that level, but he was certainly willing to get to it assuming he decided he wanted to pursue that field. In the meantime, he wasn't sure what he wanted to specialize in, so his best bet was to learn as much as he could from A-School and find a specialty that he fit into. His Petty Officers and Chiefs suggested he get himself into the technical aspects of Submarine operations. His hope was from there he could get a post in Washington State following A-School. Of course, whether that would happen or not was up in the air.

Nearly everyone came to Salem's graduation. Embry Sr. and Jr. came, Caevia was there, all his aunts and uncles – especially Aidetzi and Marcus Sr. – his cousins, his mother, Suerro, JJ and Eun Mi were there with Jae Sun in tow, Blu Jae and Nesia were there, Jacob and Renesmee were there – it seemed like the whole tribe was in Chicago to see Salem's graduation. They had to get there extremely early to ensure there would be enough seats for everyone.

"We never did this shit when we joined the army," Embry chuckled.

"I guess the Navy's smarter than we were," Kevin joked along with him. "In the army, they just beat you up for a few weeks and throw you into the field. This looks like a University by comparison."

"I think it is," Kyle joked and looked at Natalie. "I overheard some of Salem's commanding officers. It sounds like he did really well. They convinced him to pursue a field in Submarine operations. So he'd be a technician."

"Is that good?" Natalie asked.

"Well, from what I can tell that could get him into engineering, diving, sonar or any number of fields. So yeah, that's a good thing. His officers assigned him to an A-School in Connecticut so that he can pursue one of those specialties."

"Connecticut?" Natalie lamented.

"Don't worry, Natalie. This is a good thing," Kyle said. "A very good thing. I think Salem made a very smart decision joining the Navy. This will open a lot of doors for him."

"I know," Natalie said. "I still wish he could come home."

"He might get to be stationed in Seattle, so you never know," Kyle said and patted Natalie's shoulder.

Elsewhere on base, Salem and the others were waiting to be able to start the graduation ceremony. They weren't ordered to attention yet, so they were all talking to one another. Aleksander's mother would be in the audience during the ceremony as would Michael's parents and siblings. But they had plans to do their own celebrating once they'd had their fun with their families.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" Salem asked Michael and Aleksander.

"I'm sure," Michael said eagerly. Given that the whole thing was his idea, he'd better be gung-ho for the whole thing.

"I'm not," Aleksander said. "If my mother finds out, she'd kill me."

"How in the hell is your mother going to find out about this?" Michael asked. "Unless your mother still dresses and cleans you, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I'll do it if the three of you are doing it, but the two of you had better not get cold feet on me," Salem said.

"I'll be there," Michael promised and they looked at Aleksander who sighed heavily and nodded.

"I'll be there too," he said. "Can I get it really, really small?"

"You can get whatever size you want," Salem said, "it just needs to be the same thing in the same spot."

"Okay, okay," Aleksander agreed and then started rubbing his head mumbling something in Polish. They agreed again on the time and location and another hour later they were called to attention to start the graduation.

The ceremony was around 2 hours. There was a band that played that belonged to the Navy and a flag show where each state's flag was held and announced by someone in the procession and finally the graduating class was announced and they could come out. Salem noticed his family right away but he stayed in formation and didn't acknowledge them outside of glancing their way and smiling. He noticed Natalie getting a little teary eyed but was happy to see she looked extremely proud. Only after the ceremony was completed were the men given permission to break and rejoin their families. They would have the weekend to spend with their families and do whatever before they were either shipped off to A-school or their first sub. Salem, Michael and Aleksander agreed again on the time and place they would meet and then left another one another to go to their families. Salem went straight to Natalie first and gave her a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Salem," Natalie said.

"You look like a sailor," JJ teased and took Salem in a hug once Natalie had her turn. "Do you know where you're off to after this? Connecticut."

"Yes, that's where the A-School is," Salem said. "I'm thinking about specializing in Sonar."

"And what about your friends?"

"Aleksander's staying in Chicago and going to the A-School here and I think Michael's just going straight for the submarine for his first orders. He doesn't really know what he wants to do."

"I wish I could've gotten paid to go to college," Kevin teased and hugged Salem.

"You got to go to college for free," Salem said.

"That is true, but that was after I served," Kevin said and patted Salem's back after they parted ways. "So, what's this thing you and those two were agreeing to exactly?"

"You overheard that?"

"Of course we did," Kevin chuckled and looked at Kyle. "So what are they up to?"

"They're getting tattoos," Kyle said. He did not specify what which Salem was abundantly grateful for.

"If there's room for one more, I think I'll join you," JJ said.

"Really?" Salem asked with a small laugh.

"Sure, why not," JJ said. "I'll think of something. Uncle Nathan, how about you come with."

"Nah," Nathan chuckled, "The one on my back's all I need. I'll save it for when Ada and I have another kid."

"Whenever that may be," JJ said.

"What are you planning to get exactly?" Natalie asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Salem lied. He noticed Kyle role his eyes a little but he still said nothing. "It might just be an anchor or something. Just celebrate graduating from boot camp and all."

"I suppose that's innocent enough," Natalie said.

"So how early did all of you get here?" Salem asked.

"Too early," Blu Jae grumbled. "We had to get up at dawn so we could get seats."

"I've been waking up before dawn for two months, so you'll hear no sympathy from me," Salem teased. "We're all up at 6 in the morning and don't go to bed until 10."

"Well, well, well, 8 full hours of sleep?" Kevin said and looked at Embry. "Did you hear that? They get a full night's sleep."

"Sounds to me like the Navy's been downright cushy to you, boy," Embry joked along with Kevin.

"I assure you it hasn't been," Salem chuckled. "It's been the roughest 2 months of my life, but I loved it. I'm starting to think I should have done this sooner. Besides, I rarely got to have a full night's sleep. Sometimes I'd have to be on Night Patrol which sucked. I mean, honestly. Who's going to steal a submarine from the Great Lakes harbor? Chicago hooligans?"

"The Russians?" Embry offered.

"They could try I guess, but good luck getting that damn boat out of the Great Lakes," Salem laughed.

"Salem," Aleksander's voice came from behind him and he looked back to see him with an older woman. "If you guys are hurting for a place to get lunch, mom and I can show you somewhere."

"That sounds great, actually. Let's try to find somewhere we can grab something and leave. I've easily got thirty or more people here for me."

"Jeez, did you invite your whole tribe or something?" Aleksander joked.

"Just my immediate family," Salem said. "Mom, this is Aleksander Wojzyk. He's one of the guys I met on the bus when I first got here."

"Hello," Natalie smiled.

"This is your mom?" Aleksander asked with disbelief.

"Yeah, this poor woman had to raise me," Salem joked.

"You couldn't have been that difficult," Aleksander mumbled. "So which one's JJ?"

"That would be me," JJ said and came over to shake his hand. "I take it Salem's been talking about me behind my back?"

"A little, yes," Aleksander said. "He said you served in the Korean War?"

"Yes, I did," JJ said. "I can't say as I liked it as much as Salem seems to like the Navy, but I met my wife so I can't complain too much."

"You must be Mrs. Dauer then?" Aleksander asked Eun Mi.

"Yes, Eun Mi Dauer," she answered and bowed a little.

"So how'd you two meet?"

"At the M.A.S.H. where she worked as a cook," JJ was quick to answer, avoiding any mention of how they actually met. "This is our son Jae Sun. We're expecting another in…Kyle, when do you think the baby's due?"

"I would guess closer to October," Kyle said.

"Maybe he or she will be born on Halloween," Salem joked and everyone had a good laugh but Salem noticed Aleksander wasn't laughing. "My nephew was born on Christmas Day."

"Oh, God, you're kidding," Aleksander said, finally laughing. "That poor kid. Even if your next kid is born on Halloween, that's not nearly so bad as being born on Christmas."

"What's wrong with being born on Christmas?" Jae Sun spoke up from his mother's arms.

"Well, it's a national holiday," Aleksander said. "It's a little difficult to celebrate a birthday when you have a national holiday to contend with."

"It's alright," JJ said. "We manage. In the morning, it's Christmas and in the afternoon, it's his birthday."

"It's my birthday all day," Jae Sun said and crossed his arms.

"Technically your birthday's not until Christmas evening," JJ said. "But you're always asleep by then."

"Because mommy says so," Jae Sun grumbled.

"Exactly, because mommy says so," JJ said holding back a laugh.

"If Salem's stories about you are to be believed, I can guess who he gets that attitude from," Aleksander said and Suerro burst into laughter. "I take it that's your mom's husband?" Aleksander asked Salem.

"Yes, that's Suerro," Salem said. "Did you happen to invite Michael?"

"He said he and his family already had other plans," Aleksander said. "So it's just us. Not that there's a shortage from it."

"You can retract the invitation if we're too much for you," Salem joked.

"No, no, we'll think of something," Aleksander said. He turned to his mother and the two of them spoke in Polish for a moment before he looked back at Salem and the group. "Mom knows a good place we can go. Once we have our food, we'll see if we can go to Navy Pier. It's a little cold, but it's somewhere we can eat and take in the view. Do you guys have a mode of transportation?"

"We do," JJ said. "Just let us know where to go and we'll meet you there."

They agreed where to meet and they all met there about an hour later. It ended taken about an hour for everyone to get their food. Thankfully, Natalie had her own food as did JJ and they followed Aleksander to Navy Pier. Since the Pier wasn't a staple of Chicago when Renesmee lived in Illinois, it was a pleasant new site for her and the view was indeed spectacular. And windy. Very, very windy. They found a spot on the pier where the wind wasn't so bad and sat around eating their lunch. Suerro had a coat on with a hood that kept him out of any direct sunlight and they found a place where there was shade.

Salem avoided any specification as to how he was related to everyone in the group. Given how surprised Aleksander seemed just at how young Natalie looked, there was no telling what he'd say if he said who everyone else was. They stayed on that pier for hours talking about their boot camp experiences and what their plans were for A-School. Natalie expressed her envy that Aleksander would remain in Chicago and be able to go home on weekends while he was in A-School especially given that Salem would be going on the other side of the country from home. Hoping to make her feel better, Salem made JJ and Eun Mi talk about the future baby and that turned into the family taking bets on whether or not the baby would actually be born on Halloween despite Kyle's insistence that, given when Eun Mi likely conceived, was highly unlikely. According to him, it would be closer to the beginning of October.

"You stay in there until Halloween," Salem said to Eun Mi's belly. "When you're born, we'll put you in your first Halloween costume."

"We can make him a cabbage!" Jae Sun offered.

"I like the way you think, kid," Salem laughed.

"And if you have a little sister?" Eun Mi asked.

"A cabbage," Jae Sun repeated.

"So what is the baby's name? Boy or girl?" Aleksander asked.

"Mae Sun if it's a boy, Eun Mae if it's a girl," Eun Mi said.

"So are they all going to have Korean names?" Aleksander asked.

"Yes," Eun Mi answered.

They were interrupted from Heather and Evalynn getting bored and wanting to play. Jae Sun agreed he wanted to play too. As did Jaedynn and Lulu, so Gabriel and Ariel took over the task of keeping an eye on the younger kids while they played tag. The kids quite literally ran circles around Gabriel and Ariel, but they kept an eye on the kids regardless. When it was creeping into evening, they parted ways and Salem and Aleksander agreed, again, on the date and time they'd be meeting next and informing him that JJ would be joining them but he would be getting something different. The next day, Salem and the family toured around Chicago mostly for Renesmee's benefit. She was surprised how well Chicago had cleaned up since the 1900s and joked they must be in the wrong city. Sunday was used to relax, but Salem and JJ went to the shop he, Michael and Aleksander all agreed on and within twenty minutes of Salem arriving, Michael and Aleksander had gotten there.

"You guys ready?" Salem asked.

"Let's just get this over with," Aleksander sighed.

"Don't be so sour, Alex," Michael teased. "We might not get to see each other again for a long time if at all. Let's have this memory between the three of us."

"You never did tell me what you're planning to get," JJ said. "I assume seeing as you didn't want to tell mom that it's something dumb?"

"We're all getting 'Welcome Aboard' tattooed above our crotch," Michael said.

"Are you serious?" JJ asked with a laugh. "No wonder you didn't want to tell mom. She'd be furious."

"Not as furious as my mom would be if she ever found out," Aleksander said.

"Honestly, Alex, unless you tell her or the woman sees you naked on a regular basis, I think you'll be fine," Michael said.

"Can we just do this before I change my mind?" Aleksander asked and they finally went inside. They spoke with the artist at the front and explained what they wanted. He got a good laugh out of it as Salem hoped.

"I'm getting something different," JJ said. "I didn't graduate from the Navy academy. I'm here for moral support."

"And what is it you're looking for?" the artist asked.

"I'm not positive actually," JJ said. "Maybe you can help me come up with something. My wife is Korean and we met when I was serving in the Army during the Korean War. We have a son together and another baby on the way and she loves gardenias."

"How open are you to flags?"

"I guess that depends," JJ said. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, if you'd like a way to honor your son and any future kids, you can get a tattoo that would represent all of them," the artist said and then proceeded to make a rough sketch, starting with making the Korean flag but in the center where the blue and red yin and yang sign would be he replaced it with a circular American flag. "As to including your wife in this tattoo," the artist mumbled, mostly thinking to himself rather than talking to JJ, "we can put the gardenia in the center of the whole thing. Maybe even replace one of the stars of the flag with a Gardenia."

"That's not a bad idea actually," JJ said.

"Where would you want to put it?" the artist asked.

"I'd like to put it on my shoulder," JJ said.

"Mind if I see the area?" he asked and JJ removed his coat and lifted his shirt so he could show the artist his shoulder. "Okay, that's what I thought. Just a fair warning, I can get white ink into this skin tone but it's going to take going over the area a few times."

"Unless getting a tattoo hurts as much as getting shot, I'll be fine," JJ joked.

"I can promise it doesn't hurt that bad," the artist chuckled. "Especially not on that part of the shoulder. It really only hurts more when you tattoo against bone. So the hand and feet and hips tend to be painful. Any area that's fleshy and doesn't have direct contact with bone isn't so bad."

"So where we're getting our tattoos won't be so bad?" Aleksander asked.

"It's not the post painful spot you could get a tattoo," the artist said. "We'll have you all here a few hours to be sure but I've got enough people that can get this done for you. Yours will take the longest."

"I figured," JJ said.

"Well, unless you had any questions, I'll work up a quote for all this and we'll get you under a needle as soon as we're set up," the artist said.

Once they had the price, they each paid for their own tattoo and waited a few minutes for the stations to get set up. The whole thing started with getting them shaved in the area where the tattoo would go and getting on the stencils once the area was clean. Aleksander, determined to keep the experience as brief as possible, only had the words 'Welcome Aboard' above his crotch and chose something simple. Michael and Salem, a little more adventurous and willing, got the saying but some rope interloping through the letters tying together two anchors. Aleksander's was done first and he was ready for it to be over seconds after it started.

"That did not feel good," Aleksander said.

"Eh, it's not that bad," Michael said while the artist was working on the anchor.

"Bite me," Aleksander grumbled before listening to the artist about how to care for the tattoo. Salem and Michael were done another hour and a half later and were much more pleased with the result having their good laugh over it while JJ was still getting his done. They all sat around JJ while he was getting his finished.

"I wish I'd known your son was born on Christmas," the artist laughed. "I might have suggested putting mistletoe in place of one of the stars."

"I take it it's too late for that?" JJ chuckled.

"Sorry, the stencil's already on," the artist said. "Next tattoo you get you can be sure to implement that."

"Maybe one day when Eun Mi and I have stopped having kids I'll get their names somewhere. In Hangul no less," JJ said.

"You can read that shit?"

"Yes, sadly, I can," JJ said. "When Eun Mi and I were still dating, she claimed that Hangul was the easiest writing system in the world."

"Bullshit," the artist said.

"Yeah, that's what I said. So she challenged that she could have me reading Hangul in two days. She had me reading it before the end of the afternoon. She said the satisfaction of winning the bet was reward enough."

"You said her name's Eun Mi?" JJ nodded. "Eun Mi sounds like quite a gal. I can see why you married her. You'll have to show me a picture when you get a chance."

"After you're done," JJ said. "Now everyone's betting on whether our next child will be born on Halloween."

"Hell, I'll take that bet," the artist chuckled.

"Our uncle says it's more likely this kid will be born beginning of October," Salem said.

"Eh, what does your uncle know?" the artist said.

"He is a doctor," Salem said.

"Doctor's don't know everything," the artist said. "I'll tell you what: if your next baby is born on Halloween, I'll send you a check refunding you the cost of this tattoo. If you're willing to come all the way here from Washington, I'll even give you a tattoo of a black cat in a Santa hat on me."

"No cats," JJ grumbled.

"Ah, yes, you said you don't like cats," the artist laughed.

"You love that dumb cat," Salem said.

"He's tolerable," JJ said.

"Whatever," Salem chuckled.

"Fucking fleabag purrs like a damn motor and meows louder than a car horn," JJ muttered.

"Sounds like a little shit," the artist smiled.

"Thank you. Someone understands," JJ said.

"So after this next child is born on Halloween, the next kid needs to be born on St. Patties day or something," Michael chuckled.

"Or Valentine's Day," Aleksander suggested. "Maybe that'll be the kid after that."

"Stop dooming my kids," JJ said.

"Oh! He can get a tattoo of a black cat in a Santa hat with a beer in one paw and a teddy bear with a 'Be Mine' heart in the other."

"Oh! Make it a Siamese cat in a Witch's hat eating a Gingerbread man with a beer and a teddy bear. And there has to be kimchi somewhere on that tattoo," Salem said.

"I don't care if all my kids are born on holidays. I'm not getting that," JJ said.

"Honestly, JJ, if those kids are all born on holidays, you have to," Salem laughed.

"I don't have to do a damn thing you brat," JJ said.

"Alright, that's enough bickering or you both go to your room without dinner," the artist said, working on grinding the white of the South Korean flag into JJ's skin. It was late when his tattoo was finally done, but once it was done, he was actually glad he'd gotten it. "So how do you like it Holiday Dad," the artist joked.

"I like it enough that I'm willing to forgive you called me that," JJ smiled. "I can't believe you got all that white in there."

"It sure as shit wasn't easy," the artist said. "I'm sure you felt how hard that was."

"Yes I did, but it was worth it," JJ said. "I think even Eun Mi will like it. I don't know if she'll go for the Siamese cat in a witch's hat, though."

"Run it by her. You never know," the artist laughed. "And if that next baby is born on Halloween, this tattoo's free."

"I'll hold you to that," JJ said.

The artist reviewed the care instructions with JJ and once they all had everything they needed, they left the shop late into the night and parted ways. JJ and Salem walked together back to the hotel where everyone was staying.

"I still can't believe you got 'Welcome Aboard' tattooed on your crotch," JJ said.

"Above my crotch," Salem said. "I'm sure the sentiment will be appreciate for any who see it."

"I can't say any woman worth your time will appreciate that," JJ said.

"I'm sure when I meet the right woman, she'll think it's funny," Salem said. "My imprint will get it."

"I see how it is," JJ said. "Serious question: are you hoping you'll meet your imprint?"

"It's not the reason I joined the Navy, but if I'm lucky enough to find her because of my service I'm certainly not going to complain. If that were my goal, the army would have been a better fit since I'd be on land wouldn't you say?"

"I guess that's true," JJ said. "But then, imprints always show themselves when you least expect them. Never thought I'd meet Eun Mi while I was a POW that's for sure."

"You're not even the only one to meet your imprint in a warzone," Salem smiled. "Any recommendations when I meet her?"

"Don't sleep with her right away," JJ said. "If she sees that tattoo too soon, she's likely to think you're an idiot and want nothing to do with you."

"Even if she's my imprint?" Salem asked.

"Unless your imprint's anything like Aunt Ada, then yes especially if she's your imprint."

"Well if she's anything like Aunt Ada, I wouldn't get away with not sleeping with her on the first date." JJ and Salem both laughed a little and JJ shook his head slightly.

"We're terrible," JJ said.

"It's alright."

"Also, Salem, one last thing," JJ said, stopping Salem in his tracks. JJ reached behind him and then pulled something off his neck, "here. You need this more than I do." JJ put it around Salem's neck and he looked down to see Taha Aki's tooth.

"You're letting me have this?" Salem asked, a little stunned.

"It's gotten me out of more deadly situations than I care to acknowledge," JJ said and patted Salem's shoulder with a gentle smile. "And for the record: I'm only letting you borrow this. I expect to get it back." Salem smiled and chuckled a little, holding the tooth and looking at it again. Somehow just having it on brought him a lot of comfort.

"Don't worry," Salem answered. "I'll make sure you get it back."

"Good," JJ said and gave his little brother a hug.

After dropping JJ off at the hotel, Salem got a taxi back to base. Salem went up to the hotel room he was sharing with Eun Mi and Jae Sun. When he arrived, Jae Sun was in his bed sound asleep and Eun Mi was asleep too in the slightly bigger bed. JJ got undressed and into bed next to Eun Mi. Once he got under the covers, Eun Mi woke and turned to face JJ.

"Did I wake you?" JJ whispered.

"It's alright. I was trying to stay up for you," Eun Mi said.

"You didn't have to do that," JJ said and kissed her.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"It went alright," JJ said. "Salem and the others got 'Welcome Aboard' tattooed above their crotches."

"Please tell me you didn't do that," Eun Mi said.

"Don't worry, I didn't," JJ smiled. "I got something a little more meaningful." JJ reached over to turn on the light so Eun Mi could see the tattoo covered in a clear bandaging taped around it to protect it.

"Is that the South Korean flag?"

"Just with the American flag in the center and one of the stars is replaced with a gardenia."

"Oh, wow," Eun Mi said when she found the tiny gardenia she couldn't believe was so well detailed for how small it was.

"I told him I wanted something that would make me think of you and all our kids. Regardless of how many we have."

"I love it," Eun Mi smiled.

"We were joking that if this baby is born on Halloween that I need to get a tattoo of a Siamese cat in a witch's hat and a gingerbread man cookie in its mouth."

"Now you're just being racist," Eun Mi said.

"I didn't think you'd like that idea," JJ smiled. "That was Salem's idea. Everyone else suggested a black cat in a Santa hat. I wasn't keen on that one either. But then they started saying our next two children would be born on St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day and that cat would need to have a beer in one hand and a 'be mine' teddy bear in the other."

"If that happens, JJ, we need to play the lottery," Eun Mi sighed.

"I just might," JJ said. "Good news is if this baby is born on Halloween then I get reimbursed for the cost of this tattoo."

"There's incentive," Eun Mi smiled. "And you promise you didn't get 'Welcome Aboard' tattooed above your crotch?"

"You're welcome to check," JJ teased and even leaned forward a little as though he would kiss her.

"I'll trust you," Eun Mi said and cuddled up to him.

"Shit, I was hoping you'd take me up on my offer," JJ said.

"When we get home I'll check," Eun Mi said and kissed JJ's chest. JJ smiled and brought a hand down between them so he could touch Eun Mi's belly.

"How are you feeling? This kid's growing really fast."

"I'm alright," Eun Mi said. "It's no faster than when I was pregnant with Jae Sun."

"When do you think the baby will start kicking?"

"Another month or two I think," Eun Mi said. "That's around when I started feeling Jae Sun."

"Does it hurt when the baby kicks?"

"No, it just feels a little strange," Eun Mi said.

"I wish I could have been here for you when you were pregnant with Jae Sun," JJ said.

"You were here when he was born. That was a dream come true."

"Yeah, it certainly was," JJ smiled and kissed her again keeping his hand on Eun Mi's belly for a while rubbing it tenderly and comfortingly.

In the morning JJ was able to show everyone his tattoo and only told Natalie that Salem got some anchors tattooed on him but not where. The next day they all returned to Washington by plane and thankfully, Jae Sun handled the plan much better than when he was a baby. He still didn't like it, but he took it better. Salem, in the meantime, was flown to Connecticut where he would begin A-School. He had three roommates that he already knew from his time in the Great Lakes so he once he'd gotten a few personal things situated he'd feel right at home.

While Salem was off in Connecticut for A-School, life back in Washington went on normally. Embry finally took Kevin's advice and found himself a tiny ranch house. Granted it was in desperate need of repair, but he preferred it that way. It made the place much less expensive. The house on the tribe was still his of course, but Travis pretty much took over the house as his own. Since Embry was making so many repairs and practically rebuilding the house from the ground up, that meant most of his free time was spent working on the house which meant he wasn't coming over to Kevin's house as often. Instead, they would go there and Kevin would help.

"I'll tell you what," Kevin said, "You could probably sell this place for twice its buying price once you're done."

"I might just do that," Embry chuckled. He'd just finished installing a brand new latest model stove, fridge and he'd be installing the sink after his break. "Considering how much money I'm putting into this house, it won't be cheap."

"It has two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, so I'll bet you anything you could find a buyer for a husband and wife with their one kid."

"Embry," Heather said as she ran over to him from the backyard.

"What's on your mind, kid?" Embry asked.

"You need to put a playground outside. Tag isn't as fun without one," Heather said.

"You planning to pay for it, Heather?" Kevin asked.

"Um.." Heather hummed and put her hands in the tiny pockets of her little dress and pulled out a nickel she'd found. "Here you go!"

"What a coincidence. That's exactly how much a playground set costs," Embry chuckled, accepting the nickel. "Once I finish getting things put together inside the house, I'll add a playground just for you."

"Thank you!" Heather said and hugged Embry's arm since it was the only thing she could hug while Embry was sitting in a lawn chair. She ran back to the backyard so she and Evalynn could return to playing together.

"And Amber tells me I'm spineless," Kevin chuckled.

"It's not a bad idea if we're assuming this is going to be bought by a small family," Embry said. "It'll increase the property value. You know how many people have been having kids since the end of the 2nd World War. It's insane. There's children everywhere."

"Well then, when you sell this house, you'd better give Heather her cut for that idea," Kevin said.

"I will give her back her nickel plus 10%," Embry joked. "It can go towards her college fund or something."

"That's not a bad idea," Kevin said. "Or her Bot Mitzvah. I recall being told we should give her a trip to Paris as her Bot Mitzvah gift."

"Hopefully Paris will have cleaned up a bit by then," Embry joked and the two laughed a little.

"One can only hope. That was a pretty bad mess we walked into."

"What's the plan for Levi's Bot Mitzvah?"

"Bar Mitzvah."

"Whatever," Embry chuckled. "What's the plan?"

"Hell if I know," Kevin said. "Watch the boy ask for a trip to Germany or something."

"Would Amber ever agree to that?"

"Not in a million years," Kevin said. "Maybe he won't even want a fancy trip. Maybe he'll just want to go to an amusement park with a bunch of friends."

"Well that's a bit ordinary given your resources wouldn't you say?" Kevin looked at Embry with a mean look while Embry smiled back teasingly.

"He'll get the amusement park and he'll like it," Kevin muttered after a moment and Embry laughed.

After finishing his break, Embry and Kevin went back inside to finish installing the sink while Heather and Evalynn came back inside and played with dolls together on the empty living room floor. Embry managed to get the house finished in a few weeks of constant work and changes and, after all the inside was done, Embry got the playground installed just as Heather had so sweetly suggested. Once it was finished, he put the house for sale for twice what he'd originally paid for it. Another three weeks later, he'd sold the house to a husband and wife with a newborn daughter and walked away wealthier for it. Once the house was sold, Embry practically moved back into Kevin and Amber's house.

"Why did you sell the house? You just moved it," Heather asked Embry when he announced he'd sold the house.

"I updated it and was able to sell it for more than what I got it for," Embry said.

"But where are you going to live?" Heather asked.

"Between here and the tribe like before until I find a new place," Embry shrugged. "Also," Embry said and pulled out his wallet and retrieved a nickel and a penny, "the playground addition was your idea, so I owe you that back plus ten percent." Heather accepted the nickel and penny in cupped hands. "You put that in your little piggy bank and save it for later okay?"

"Okay!" Heather said and ran up to her room to do just that. When she was gone, Embry pulled out $120 and held it out to Kevin.

"Now here's the actual cost of that playground set plus 10%," Embry said. "Put that to her Bar Mitzvah or college."

"She's a girl, so she's having a Bot Mitzvah," Amber said.

"Sorry," Embry said much more nicely to Amber.

"I'll get this into savings," Kevin said and got the money in his pocket just in time for Heather not to notice it when she came back downstairs.

"Did you put that in your savings?" Embry asked.

"Yes, sir!" Heather said and even saluted him, making Embry laughed.

"That a' girl," Embry said and patted her back.

It took a few weeks, but Embry did eventually buy another small house that, again, needed a lot of work and spent every spare moment fixing that up. Between that and still doing contracting jobs for people, he was kept pretty busy. But he made himself available for Heather's first day of kindergarten. She was going to a school in the area but only after Amber and Kevin had done thorough research on the school and comparing it to other schools in the area to make sure it was the best one. Amber and Kevin would both be going into work that day, but only after they'd dropped Amber off for her first day. Amber got Heather all dressed up in her finest little dress and shoes and dolled her hair up just right while Levi was playing on the floor. The school was walking distance, so the three of them walked to the school while Kevin and Amber held Heather's hands and Embry held Levi on the way. Once they got to the school, there were so many children already there with their parents. A number of the children were just as dressed up as Heather was.

"Jesus, there's a lot of kids here," Embry mumbled.

"Post war boom will do that," Kevin said. A second later, a young woman with reddish brown hair and a bright smile approached them.

"Good morning, sir," she said. "Might I have your name?"

"Kevin Black," Kevin answered.

"And your daughter's name?" she asked and looked at a list she was holding.

"Anna Heather Black," Kevin said. "She goes by Heather."

"Here she is," the young woman said quietly as she wrote something down. "I'm Miss Garough. I'll be Heather's kindergarten teacher."

"It's a pleasure," Kevin said. "This is my wife, Amber, and this is a friend of mine, Embry."

"Good morning to you both," she said and then she kneeled down to Heather's level. "Are you excited for your first day of school Heather?" Heather nodded but Miss Garough could tell she was nervous. "It's okay, sweetie. We'll have lots of fun together. You'll have so many new friends by the end of the day you won't know what to do with them."

"Really?" Heather asked timidly.

"Absolutely," Miss Garough smiled. "School begins in about five minutes, so when it's time for school, you'll want to come to me okay? When you hear the whistle, you'll have to get in line with your teacher, so you'll come right to me okay?"

"Okay," Heather said. Miss Garough smiled before standing back up. "We're offering to let the parents come in for a bit to watch the children in class. Would you like to join us?"

"We'd love to," Amber said. Miss Garough wrote something down and then excused herself to introduce herself to other students and parents. "She seems nice."

"Did you want to stay in class with her for a bit?" Kevin asked Embry.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Embry said.

"Mommy?" Heather said and Amber looked at her. "Will the other kids like me?"

"They'll love you," Amber said and kneeled down to kiss Heather's cheek. "It's just scary because it's new. Once you're used to it, you won't be scared anymore."

"Okay," Heather said and kiss Amber's cheek back. Kevin got down and lifted Heather in his arms so he could hug her.

"If any of the kids give you a hard time, you tell me about it and I'll make it better," Kevin said.

"Thank you, daddy," Heather said and hugged Kevin around his neck. Heather then asked for Embry to hold her so he took her in his free arm.

"You'll do great, kid," Embry said. "Levi, wish your sister luck."

Levi didn't say anything but Heather leaned over to give her little brother a hug that Levi reciprocated with a big smile and a baby's cheerful cry. Then the whistle blew, so they put Heather down so she could get in line. Miss Garough and all the other teachers stood in the spot and waited for the children and would go down the line making sure all the children were in single file and once the children were situated as they were required, they all went inside and the parents that were staying came inside with them and followed to the classroom. As a means of getting the children introduced, Miss Garough started with getting the children to introduce themselves and say something about themselves. After all the children introduced themselves, Miss Garough got the children started on some basic counting. An hour later, Miss Garough released the parents that had come back and all the parents said goodbye to their children.

"How are you liking it so far, Heather?" Embry asked.

"It's a little boring," Heather said.

"Yeah, sometimes learning can be boring, but hang in there," Embry said.

"Your grandma will pick you up after school today, okay?" Amber said.

"Okay, mommy," Heather said.

"We'll see you tonight, Heather," Kevin said and hugged Heather. "You be good and remember: any of these kids give you a hard time you let me know."

"I will," Heather said. Once they finally left the classroom, Embry got to one of his contracting jobs while Kevin and Amber drove downtown together.

"It's weird. She's already starting school," Kevin said.

"I know," Amber said and gently placed her hand on Kevin's knee. "She'll be okay, Kevin."

"I know she will," Kevin said. He took a hold of Amber's hand with his while keeping his other hand on the wheel. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed them. "I admit I miss her already."

Amber giggled, " You saw more of her this morning than you usually do in the morning."

"I know, but I miss that she's at the house with Rosalie."

"I'm sure Rosalie will happily pick her up from school for us every day once Heather's comfortable."

"Oh, she will," Kevin chuckled.

Kevin dropped Amber and Levi off at the Candle shop before getting to the law firm and within hours of Amber arriving, Anna left the shop so she could pick Amber up from school. She had perked up quite a bit since the morning even bragging to Anna about all the new friends she now had. Rosalie did take over the task of dropping Heather off at school and picking her up and within days, Heather was inviting her new friends to the house so they could play together. The mothers would come with and Rosalie claimed to them to be Heather's aunt. That was enough to defuse any questions they would have. They usually left before Kevin and Amber returned home and Heather would tell them all about what she and her friends did.

By this time, Eun Mi was approximately three months from delivering but appeared ready to pop any moment. Popo would often snuggle up to her belly while she was pregnant and would purr against it. Sometimes the baby would kick where Popo's head was. Popo got used to it eventually but at first he would lift his head and stare at the spot where the kick came from, sniff and lick it, and just put his head back where it had been. She quite literally couldn't support herself without having four phantom hands on the ground at all times just as with her last pregnancy. Having JJ around made it considerably easier as well.

"Are you sure you don't want me to do that?" JJ asked Eun Mi while she was getting a hole dug in their backyard to put one of their giant ongi pots she'd filled with Kimchi. She'd been making that batch for the past two days and it was finally done. She'd reserved a portion for dinner that night and was getting the remainder dug for fermenting.

"It's okay, JJ, I can do it," Eun Mi insisted.

"I feel so bad," JJ said. "You can barely keep balance."

"I have some hands on the ground," Eun Mi reassured. Her attention went suddenly to Jae Sun who was trying to climb a tree. She kept up what she was doing but kept her eyes on Jae Sun with hands out and ready for anything.

"I'll watch Jae Sun," JJ said and went to the boy so Eun Mi's attention wasn't being stretched. She returned her attention to burying the pot once JJ was at the tree with Jae Sun.

Once she had the pot buried in the ground, she turned her attention to harvesting enough veggies from their garden for dinner that night. She wanted to leave as many of them in the ground as long as possible before she harvested everything for pickling. The most recent batch of kimchi she'd made hadn't even made a dent into all the cabbages she had and she was planning to make more kimchi and just using the cabbage for different side dishes. She'd managed to grow some radishes and they'd asked Kai to do them a favor and retrieve Gardenia fruit from Korea so Eun Mi could make pickled radish. But Eun Mi had made another request for something she'd been craving desperately and she wasn't even sure why.

Early in her pregnancy, Jacob had retrieved geoduck and Renesmee had used some of it to make a chowder and when she requested, they let Eun Mi pickle the siphon of the clams. After letting them pickle a few days, she tasted the clams and loved them. Jae Sun enjoyed them quite a bit too as did several other family members. It was a good thing too because if they didn't Eun Mi would have eaten all the pickled clams. Ever since then she'd had a seemingly insatiable desire for seafood. She got to have salmon and loved it, she ate some other fish and loved it, but most of the time she wasn't eating seafood since she had to cook for JJ. So when she'd requested Kai to take a trip to Korea and get her some supplies, she'd made a special request that she'd not told JJ about. Kai ended up taking Scarlet and Lulu with him as a family get away in the meantime.

"Eomma," Jae Sun said and approached Eun Mi while she was extracting a radish for dinner that night. "May I have a radish?"

"Let me get this clean first," Eun Mi said and was about to go inside the house.

"I'll clean it," JJ said and took the radish from her, going inside to their kitchen to clean it. Waiting for the radish, Jae Sun went to the pot that Eun Mi had just buried wanting to grab some, but he stopped when he felt a hand spank him.

"Jae Sun," Eun Mi said firmly, "Leave it to pickle. We have kimchi out for today already."

"But eomma," Jae Sun pleaded but Eun Mi shook her head.

"You can have kimchi when we go back inside," Eun Mi said.

"Okay," Jae Sun pouted but walked over to Eun Mi and hugged her. "What did you ask Mr. Kai to get for you?"

"He's getting gardenia fruit for pickled radish. You'll like it," Eun Mi said. "I also asked him to get a few other things that you and I can enjoy."

"Really?" Jae Sun perked up.

"I asked for seon-ge, and San-nakji," Eun Mi said.

"What are seon-ge and San-nakji?"

"I don't know the English word for them, but it's seafood."

"Really?" Jae Sun smiled. "Is it good?"

"I don't know. I never had it before. My grandpa Chin Mae loved seon-ge but it was so hard to catch and such a rarity for us. San-nakji was also hard to get and it was usually only eaten by the wealthy. Once Kai returns, we're going to have a very big dinner." Jae Sun stared at Eun Mi a moment in awe.

"When is Mr. Kai coming back?"

"Soon hopefully," Eun Mi said. "The seafood aside, these radishes won't pickle themselves."

"Jae Sun," JJ's voice came as he left the house with a radish he'd cleaned and chopped up in a bowl. "I even put a little sesame oil on it for you."

"Yay!" Jae Sun ran to JJ and eagerly awaited his radish.

With Jae Sun distracted, Eun Mi continued with her gardening and they finally went inside once she was done. JJ insisted on carrying all the food for her and helping her clean all the veggies. Once Jae Sun had his fill of the radish, he started helping with the cleaning. As much as she constantly told him he didn't have to, she appreciated all the help JJ was giving her and making a point to have Jae Sun give her. When he was at the General store, he'd always call her when he arrived, during his break and then when he was leaving to come home just to check on her. Everyone was attentive when she'd been pregnant with Jae Sun especially later in her pregnancy, but JJ was downright doting and treated her like a princess.

"Eomma, can we have bibimbap?" Jae Sun asked.

"How does that sound?" Eun Mi asked JJ.

"If we can have that rice stuff with the crispy bottom, I'm all for it," JJ said.

"Sure," Eun Mi said and got out the dolsot bowls so she could make dolsot-bibimbap.

It was another two days before Kai, Scarlet and Lulu finally returned. They'd stopped in Hawaii to visit his mother before going to Korea for supplies. Kai had built himself a special carrier for the back of his boat so he could ship everything Eun Mi needed which had included several very, very large bags of rice, chili flakes, chili and soybean paste, the dried gardenia fruit and several other dried goodies for her to use. Once they returned, Kai carried the large travel carrier with him to Eun Mi's and JJ's house. JJ was at work so he wasn't home to see the two carriers filled with water that contained a tiny octopus and three sea urchin.

"Your order, Mrs. Dauer," Kai joked and put the carriers on the kitchen counter so they were on an easy to clean surface. Jae Sun went right to the carriers to see the animals inside.

"What's this, eomma?" Jae Sun asked.

"Those," Eun Mi pointed at the sea urchin, "are seon-ge. And this," Eun Mi pointed at the octopus, "is mun-eo. I need this to make San-nakji."

"And just as a present from me," Kai said before going back to the carrier and pulling out a case filled with salt and with a large tuna, "some fresh caught tuna. I caught it for you before we got back home. It's a shame JJ doesn't eat fish. I've got you three eating like emperors."

"Thank you for everything, Kai," Eun Mi said. Kai started pulling out all the things he'd brought Eun Mi and gave her three pineapples as well.

"So are you planning to eat all this tonight?" Kai joked.

"The seon-ge and mun-eo, yes, but I can fillet the tuna and keep what I'll want and you can take the rest to Jacob or Nathan. I think they'll appreciate this."

"I bet they will," Kai said. "I'll get this butchered for you. You relax. Jae Sun, help your mother put things away."

As instructed, Jae Sun started collecting things and putting them away where Eun Mi directed. He saved the bags of rice for last but when he did get to them, they were too heavy. Eun Mi smiled and used her hands to help Jae Sun carry them to their pantry where she kept the rice. After they were all put away, Jae Sun looked very proud and went to Eun Mi begging for a snack. Sometimes it astonished her that Jae Sun wasn't pudgy for how much he ate, but he just grew taller and taller. He was very tall for his age already beginning to go past her hip. For his hard work and being so helpful, Eun Mi gave him one of the beet candies she'd been keeping in the house at all times. That would at least keep him busy for a while.

"Who would think you can make candy out of beets?" Kai chuckled. "So aside from being comically top heavy, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Eun Mi smiled. "For the way JJ treats me, being top heavy is a small price to pay. With him home, I quite like being pregnant."

"If you say so," Kai chuckled. "Oh, and speaking of being top heavy," Kai said and went back to the carrier and pulled out a little poster. "Jae Sun, get over here. I have a present for you."

"A present?" Jae Sun asked, still sucking on his beet candy, and ran over. "What is it?"

"We landed in Japan to spend the night and I got you a little something I thought you'd appreciate," Kai said. He unrolled the poster to reveal a giant monster with what seemed to be a lazar bursting from its mouth with three actors at the bottom, Tokyo in the background apparently up in flames, and Kanji all over the place. "Do you know what this says?" Kai asked, pointing at the largest katana script in bright red that took up a third of the poster. Jae Sun shook his head and Eun Mi glanced at it.

"Godzira?" Eun Mi asked.

"That's right: Godzilla!" Kai said to Jae Sun. "He's a giant lizard from the sea that wreaked havoc on Tokyo."

"When did this happen?" Eun Mi giggled.

"Around 1954," Kai said.

"Oh, I think I remember now," Eun Mi said. "I never saw the movie, but I heard about it."

"Oh no! Is Tokyo okay?" Jae Sun asked and Kai chuckled.

"Don't worry, kid, Tokyo's fine. Godzilla's a fictional character from a movie."

"You mean he's not real?"

"No, Godzilla's not real. Not that I'm aware of anyway. I would imagine if he were real, I'd have found him by now. It's just a guy in a heavy rubber suit."

"Oh," Jae Sun said, a little disappointed.

"Don't be disappointed. Maybe one day you can see this in theatres or something."

"Eomma, can I put this in my room?"

"Go ahead," Eun Mi said.

"I'll help you hang it," Kai said and followed Jae Sun upstairs to his room to hang the poster.

While they were upstairs, Eun Mi got started with making the pickling brine for the radishes using the gardenia fruit. Kai had brought her enough that she could keep them in the pantry and they'd last her a long time. Once they were back downstairs, Kai butchered the tuna for her and left one large tuna steak for her while taking the remaining fish and his carrier with him wishing Eun Mi a good rest of her day. Eun Mi finished getting the radishes in the pickling brine in another ongi that she put to the side in the pantry to do its thing. She got kimchi to make stew for JJ ensuring that would be on the table by the time JJ got home. She prepared rice, made a cucumber side dish for some crunch and a palette cleanser and she started working on the sea urchin just as she remembered her Grandpa Chin Mae teaching her the few times they'd been lucky enough to catch sea urchin.

"Your great grandpa Chin Mae used to love sea urchin," Eun Mi said. "He thought me how to fish and most times we'd get small fish every other day and sometimes we'd put it into the kimchi for pickling. But on rare occasions, we were lucky enough to catch these little guys. Grandpa and mother loved these. Your great grandpa used to call this sea gold."

"Where are grandpa and grandma now?" Jae Sun asked innocently.

"Grandpa Chin Mae died when I was seven," Eun Mi said. "My mother died after a long illness in 1950. They would have adored you. I wish you could have known them."

"I thought Grandpa Tae Woon and Grandma Yon were my grandparents."

"They're your grandparents too," Eun Mi smiled. "Grandpa Chin Mae and my mother raised me and took me in when no one else would. When your father brought me from North to South Korea, Yon was like a second mother to me so she gets to be your grandma."

"I like Grandma Yon being my grandma," Jae Sun said.

"I know you do," Eun Mi said and started tickling his chin. "She'd let you get away with anything if I let her."

Jae Sun giggled and hugged Eun Mi as best he could and then started hugging Eun Mi's belly. Popo returned inside and when he saw the octopus moving around in the carrier, he tried to play with it by swatting at the glass, but Eun Mi was quick to stop him and kept him off the counters. She saved the octopus for last, wanting to make sure it stayed as fresh as possible. She cooked the tuna the way her mother and grandpa used to but kept the flavor of the broth she cooked the tuna in mild so she wouldn't disrupt the flavor too much. She even put some aside to pan sear. By the time JJ came home from work, the table was filled to the brim with rice, kimchi stew, a few side dishes, half-shells of sea urchin, a tuna soup, pan seared tuna and a tiny tank on the kitchen counter with an octopus in it.

"What's all this?" JJ asked.

"I made you kimchi stew and all the side dishes are good," Eun Mi said. "Kai was kind enough to get me seon-ge, tuna and mun-eo, so Jae Sun and I will be having that with dinner."

"You mean octopus and sea urchin?"

"That's how you say those in English?"

"Yeah," JJ said. "I'll get cleaned up and be downstairs in a minute okay?"

"Dinner's ready for you when you are," Eun Mi said. JJ went upstairs and while he was getting comfortable and in a change of clothes, Eun Mi turned her attention to the octopus. Jae Sun stopped playing with Popo and went to the kitchen wanting to watch. "Wash your hands, Jae Sun," Eun Mi instructed.

Jae Sun did as he was told and then watched as Eun Mi reached into the tiny tank and pulled out the small octopus. She put the crustacean on a cutting board and used a ghostly hand to put the tank in the sink while her visible hands got to work on the octopus. Jae Sun watched as Eun Mi cleaned the octopus thoroughly first and foremost until she was confident it was completely clean. Then she chopped the octopus up and Jae Sun was mesmerized by the tentacles that were still moving even when removed from the body. JJ came downstairs to see Eun Mi chopping up the octopus and putting it straight on a plate. She was cleaning the head more thoroughly since that would be the only part she'd let Jae Sun eat.

"Wait, you're eating it like that?" JJ asked.

"That's how to eat San-nakji," Eun Mi said. "Now, Jae Sun, you eat this part." She showed him the head that she was cleaning. "You're too young for the tentacles."

"What's wrong with the tentacles?" JJ asked hesitantly.

"You have to chew thoroughly. If you don't, the suckers will suction to the throat."

"Wait, what?" JJ said. "Are you sure you can't at least cook the tentacles? Just for the sake of my peace of mind?"

"It'll be okay," Eun Mi promised. "I'm cutting it up small enough that it's easy to chew."

"We have so much food," JJ mumbled. "I feel like we need to invite people over."

"No, JJ. This is enough for tonight and for tomorrow," Eun Mi said.

Eun Mi finished preparing the octopus and put the tentacles on one plate while the head she put on another plate for Jae Sun. She put sesame seeds and sesame oil on it and brought the plates to the table. Jae Sun went straight to the table, excited for dinner and JJ joined them and they both waited while Eun Mi served them rice. JJ stared at the tentacles and shivered a little at the fact that they were still squirming. Eun Mi returned with their bowls of rice and served it. Popo came over to the table and went right to JJ's feet as he always did. Eun Mi got Popo's dinner made and put it on the floor near the table and finally sat down with them.

"Those things are still moving," JJ said.

"They're fresh," Eun Mi said.

"It's still alive," JJ said.

"No, it's not still alive. The tentacles keep moving even after being chopped which is why you have to be careful. At least it's not puffer fish. That fish has a poison that will kill you in minutes if the fish isn't cleaned properly. Yoshiko says the emperor is not allowed to eat it because the risk it will kill him is too great."

"So instead of poisoning you, these things might make you choke to death?"

"Only if you don't chew it properly." Jae Sun was already digging in, going straight for the octopus and ate that on its own. Then he proceeded to chew and chew and chew and chew and chew as if he were chewing on gum flavored like salt water and sesame oil.

"How is it?" JJ asked.

"It's chewy," Jae Sun answered and took a spoonful of the kimchi stew to take it down. He seemed to like that flavor combination and immediately took another piece of octopus and dipped it in his stew and took the piece in his mouth with some of the cooked kimchi. Then he tried the tuna and liked that. Then he had some of the poached tuna and liked that too. "Daddy, have some. It's good!"

"I'll trust your judgment, Jae Sun," JJ said. "I can't remember the last time I ate any meat whatsoever, so if I ate that, it might kill me."

"It wouldn't do more than give you an upset stomach," Eun Mi said. "It just means more for us, Jae Sun." Eun Mi started with the sea urchin. "Have I ever told you? My grandpa loved these. We rarely caught them but when we did, grandpa was thrilled."

"Great grandpa called it bada geum," Jae Sun said.

"What's that?"

"Sea Gold," Eun Mi said. She tasted it and it was very, very fishy, but creamy and melted in her mouth. "I see why. It's very good." Jae Sun tried to get a piece of the urchin but was having trouble, so Eun Mi removed a piece for him and put it on his rice for him. He tried it and squinted his eyes.

"It's so salty," Jae Sun said and ate some rice. "That's better," he said with a full mouth.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, Jae Sun," Eun Mi said. "And sit up straight," she continued, using a hand to gently push him to sit up straight.

"If you're going to eat like an emperor, you're going to sit like an emperor," JJ joked and started eating his rice, kimchi stew and focusing on the side dishes he could eat. Eun Mi took a piece of tentacle and started to chew thoroughly. "How is it?"

"It's like trying to chew and kissing you at the same time."

JJ laughed a little, "Fighting the whole way."

Jae Sun ate as much as he could stand to and by the time he couldn't eat another bite, he was nearly falling asleep at the table. JJ told Eun Mi to finish dinner and he would take Jae Sun upstairs to bed and then worry about the dishes. There were plenty of leftovers some of which Eun Mi packed away for JJ to take with him to work while anything that had fish she kept in the ice box for her to eat the following day. As promised, JJ cleaned everything while Eun Mi sat in the living room listening to the radio.

"So did Kai get Jae Sun that new poster in his room?" JJ asked.

"Yeah," Eun Mi said. "Did you see that movie?"

"No, but I remember a few of the guys had seen it. I don't speak Japanese so it didn't seem worth it to go but I'm told its funny to watch. Poor Jae Sun tried to tell me about it but the kid was too tired."

"He had a good dinner today," Eun Mi said.

Thankfully for JJ, Eun Mi didn't go all out like that again and stuck with their usual fair. By the time it was October, they had so much kimchi, pickled radish and other pickles to last them well through the winter. Eun Mi even made some Makgeolli because JJ wanted some. He insisted on helping her and Natalie helped her as well, wanting to learn how to make the concoction. Jae Sun wanted to help too but he needed to be reprimanded because he kept eating the rice.

"You keep eating like that, Jae Sun, and you'll be bigger than your father in no time," Natalie teased. Jae Sun glanced at JJ and then tried to eat more, but Eun Mi used a ghostly hand to stop him.

"You can stand to slow down a little," Eun Mi said firmly but it was affectionate and she used that same hand to then rub Jae Sun's chin affectionately.

"How about I find out where Birdie is and the two of you can play?" JJ offered and left to get Blu Jae when Jae Sun nodded.

As JJ was on his way to the house, Blu Jae was already on the porch of his house. He was enjoying the cool air after playing in the water. He was ready to fall asleep when a bird perched on the railing. It wasn't just any bird. It was Blu. Blu Jae sat back up and looked at the bird. He'd see the bird less and less since Salem left but would occasionally see him but when others were around. This was the first time he'd been alone with the bird. Blu Jae hopped off the swinging chair and slowly approached the bird. Blu looked in Blu Jae's direction briefly but was focused mostly on cleaning his feathers. Blu Jae got closer and closer until he was standing right in front of Blu's nest being ignored.

"I wonder," Blu Jae mumbled to himself. He stepped away a little and once he was far enough away, Blu Jae lifted himself from his own body. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body plopped to the ground as he was lifting himself away. He saw Blu hop out of his nest as Blu Jae left his body appearing alarmed.

"Birdie!" JJ's voice boomed and Blu Jae rushed back into his body and stood up as JJ was approaching the house. Blu hopped back into his nest and JJ glanced at the bird and then Blu Jae. "You're not bugging Blu are you?"

"No," Blu Jae said.

"Sure you weren't," JJ said. "Are you up for some babysitting? Your nephew keeps eating the rice and we're trying make rice wine so we need someone to keep him busy."

"He's only 'my nephew' when he did something wrong," Blu Jae said.

"That's not true," JJ said. "Come on. Stop pestering Blu and come babysit Jae Sun."

JJ grabbed a hold of Blu Jae's collar and led him back to his house but Blu Jae kept glancing at Blu sitting in his nest on the porch. When they reached JJ's house, Jae Sun went straight to his uncle eager to play, so Blu Jae kept his nephew amused with tree climbing and chasing around the house until it was midday and Jae Sun needed to be put down for a nap. Given how much Blu Jae had tired the boy out, he fell right to sleep despite his previous protests of not wanting to take a nap. He was down long enough for them to finish drying the rice and get it into a large clay pot so it could start fermenting. The hope was it would be ready before Halloween. It was a few days later while Eun Mi was stirring the Makgeolli when she felt a sharp pain, but it wasn't quite a labor pain. It was enough that she stopped what she was doing for a second and JJ noticed.

"Are you okay?" JJ asked.

"I'm alright," Eun Mi said. "It's just some initial pain."

"Do you want me to call Uncle Kyle?" JJ asked.

"Not yet. It's just pre-labor."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Eun Mi said. "I've still got a while before we have to worry."

JJ seemed hesitant but he did finally drop the subject only after insisting she take the rest of the afternoon to relax. He called Natalie and let her know how Eun Mi was feeling and she offered to come over and make them dinner, but Eun Mi found she didn't have much of an appetite. JJ helped her upstairs to their room so she could rest and told her he'd take care of everything downstairs. Eun Mi ended up falling asleep upstairs and didn't wake until the following day to another pre-labor pain. When she woke up, JJ was getting dressed for work about to put on his shirt, but he stopped when he noticed Eun Mi wake up.

"How are you feeling?" JJ asked, putting his shirt on the end of his side of the bed. He got into bed to lay beside her and put his hand on her belly.

"Tired oddly enough," Eun Mi answered. "It's still pre-labor pain."

"Are you sure?" JJ asked and Eun Mi gave him a slightly derided look. "Okay, you know what to expect. Fair enough," he sighed and rubbed her belly. He felt the tiniest little kick and smiled. "You have the number to the store, right?"

"Yes, JJ, I do," Eun Mi said. "If anything changes, you're the first one I'll call."

"Call Uncle Kyle first and then call me," JJ said smiling lovingly and then leaned over to kiss her. "Do you want me to take Jae Sun to work with me? I can probably put him to work."

"Doing what, exactly?"

"I'll figure something out," JJ smiled. "You just relax. I'll stop by mom's house and get something for us to eat."

"I can come downstairs and make you something. That's not an issue," Eun Mi said.

"I'd rather you relax," JJ said. He kissed her again and got up from the bed getting his shirt on. "I'll have the phone by me at all times. If nothing changes, I'll see you tonight okay? Don't worry about dinner. I can always pester mom for the day."

"If you're sure," Eun Mi said.

JJ walked to her side of the bed, kissed her lovingly one more time and left the room to get Jae Sun dressed and ready. Eun Mi stayed in bed and ended up falling back asleep. She woke up that afternoon to another pre-labor pain and finally got out of bed not wanting to stay in bed anymore. She went downstairs to stir the Makgeolli and made herself some rice to have with her kimchi. Sadly, when she took a bite of her food, it reverted to the taste it usually had – that being bitter and unpleasant – and she sighed heavily, putting her bowl down and then staring at her belly.

"I guess you'll be here by tomorrow," Eun Mi said to her belly and started rubbing it. She glanced at the calendar: October 17th. Considerably off from Halloween. "I guess your father won't be getting that tattoo for free." She was still hungry despite the food no longer tasting good, so Eun Mi finished her rice and kimchi and then went outside to check on the garden. The breeze was nice, so she stayed outside and ended up falling asleep on a chair on their patio.

"Eun Mi," she heard her name and woke up to see JJ. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Eun Mi said. "The breeze was nice so I came outside to relax."

"So no changes as far as the pain's concerned?"

"No, not really. I'm just really uncomfortable and the pain comes and goes. Food doesn't taste good anymore, so I think I'll deliver tomorrow or the 19th at latest."

"Do you want me to stay home tomorrow? I can ask someone to go to the shop to help Uncle Hailey for me if you need."

"No, no, I'll be alright," Eun Mi said and got herself out of the chair, needing her ghostly hands to push against the ground to accomplish the task. "Just keep the phone close and I'll call you if anything changes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, JJ, I'm sure," Eun Mi reassured and hugged him. He reciprocated and leaned down to kiss her head. Jae Sun came outside and immediately saw Eun Mi's belly.

"Eomma didn't have the baby yet?" Jae Sun asked a little saddened.

"Not yet," JJ said. "Don't worry, you'll have a little brother or sister soon."

They finally went inside so JJ and Jae Sun could eat dinner that Natalie had given them. Popo came inside the house while they were eating having wandered away for a bit to explore and just fell asleep on a pillow in the living room. That night went the same as the previous night and just as before when they woke the next morning, Eun Mi reassured JJ she'd be fine and call if anything changed. He took Jae Sun with him to work again so Eun Mi could relax. Things did, however, start to change by that afternoon. The contractions changed to something more intense and they were becoming more frequent. She called Kyle first and let him know how she was feeling. He told her to go upstairs and relax and he'd be there as soon as possible. Another two hours later, Kyle and Evalina came by to check on her and she'd progressed considerably by that point.

She finally called JJ to let him know that Kyle confirmed she was officially in active labor and he predicted she'd deliver within the next few hours. JJ returned home in a hurry, closing the store early with a note on the door that said "We're having a baby!" and had Jae Sun under his arm like a piece of wood when he returned. When they got upstairs where Eun Mi was already in bed, Jae Sun was disappointed to see there was still no baby.

"Where's the baby?" Jae Sun asked.

"The baby isn't here yet," Eun Mi said. JJ put Jae sun on the floor so he could get behind Eun Mi to keep her sitting upright on the bed.

"Any guess how long before she'll deliver?" JJ asked Kyle.

"Based on her current labor pattern, I'd give it another hour," Kyle answered. Jae Sun seemed rather displeased with that answer and got onto the bed beside Eun Mi's belly and started patting it with his hand.

"나와, 자기야," (nawa, jagiya/Come out, baby) Jae Sun said and Eun Mi took his hand to stop him.

"날 치지 마," (nal chiji ma/Don't hit me) Eun Mi said and then whimpered when another contraction came.

"Jae Sun, if you want to stay in here, you need to not poke your mother," JJ said.

"Jae Sun, how about I get you one of your toys and we'll play until the baby gets here?" Evalina suggested.

"Okay," Jae Sun finally agreed and went to his room with Evalina following behind him so he could pick what he wanted to play with. Just then, Popo came up the stairs and was making a bee line for their room and JJ was having none of that.

"Jae Sun!" JJ yelled and the boy poked his head out of his room.

"뭐?" (Mwo/What?)

"Go downstairs and play with the cat. I don't want him in the room," JJ said.

Agreeing with the sentiment, Evalina came out of the room and picked up the cat and then guided Jae Sun downstairs so they could play with the cat. Kyle closed the bedroom door just to be sure. JJ grumbled briefly about the cat but was quick to return his full attention to Eun Mi when she cried a little again from another contraction. As predicted, another hour went by before Eun Mi was able to start pushing. Delivering this baby was slightly easier if only for the fact that Jae Sun had widened her hips on his way out when he was born though it still took longer than Kyle's other patients usually did. Once the baby was out, he released a loud cry and Kyle made sure JJ and Eun Mi could see him.

"It's a boy," Kyle said.

"Another boy," JJ chuckled and kissed Eun Mi's cheek. Kyle cut the cord and brought the baby to some water to clean him up and dry off. Once in a fresh blanket, Kyle brought the baby to Eun Mi and she took him in her arms.

"So what's his name?" Evalina asked after coming into the room from downstairs having heard the baby start crying.

"Mae Sun," Eun Mi smiled.

"Spelled weird as apropos I assume?" Kyle teased.

"You got used to Jae Sun's name; you'll all get used to Mae Sun's name," JJ smiled. He gently rubbed the boy's head and Jae Sun finally let himself in the room holding Popo in his arms against his chest like a little rag doll. "Flea bag stays outside," JJ ordered.

Evalina took the cat from Jae Sun and put him outside the bed room. Before Jae Sun could approach, she dragged him to the bathroom to make sure he was washed up before going to meet his little brother. Once he'd washed his hands, Jae Sun went right to the bed and climbed on so he could see the new baby. Mae Sun had full cheeks and Eun Mi's eyes. Just like Jae Sun, he had JJ's nose and his eyes were black when he opened them. He was starting to get a little color to his skin having been cleaned up and adjusting to being out of the womb. Mae Sun was rather still under the blanket and was staring right at Jae Sun.

"그는 개구리처럼 보입니다," (geuneun gaegulicheoleom boibnida/He looks like a frog) Jae Sun proclaimed.

"Jae Sun!" Eun Mi scolded.

"What's wrong?" JJ asked.

"He said Mae Sun looks like a frog," Eun Mi said. JJ looked at the baby and chuckled a little.

"He kind of does, doesn't he? He's a cute little frog at least," JJ said.

"He does not look like a frog!" Eun Mi said. Jae Sun got on his knees so he could see the baby better and tried pinching his cheeks, but Eun Mi stopped him. "그만!" (Geuman! /Stop that!) Eun Mi ordered. Mae Sun started squirming and seemed to start getting fussy.

"Don't be mad at Jae Sun. He didn't hurt him. The boy's just hungry," Kyle said and nodded his head towards Mae Sun.

JJ helped Eun Mi sit up so she was more comfortable so she could start breast feeding Mae Sun. To keep him busy, JJ gave Jae Sun the task of announcing to everyone that he had a little brother named Mae Sun. A few hours later while Eun Mi relaxed, JJ brought Mae Sun to Natalie's house so the family could meet the new baby. As soon as Eun Mi was feeling better, she wrote her letter to Yon to let her know she and JJ had another boy and that she'd be visiting come the summer with both sons in arm. JJ would visit for a bit, but not for every long. It was more so for Eun Mi and Yon to visit. Hoping to reach her, Eun Mi also wrote a letter to Yoshiko with the hope that when they were making the trip to Korea, they could stop in Japan to visit. The follow morning after Mae Sun was born, just as he'd done with Jae Sun, JJ went outside with the baby and his morning coffee to enjoy on the porch. It would be a while before Eun Mi would be up for bringing Mae Sun into town so everyone could meet the new baby, but that was fine. While JJ was enjoying his coffee, Blu landed on the railing of his porch. Then moments later, the bird flew to JJ and landed on the blanket and started staring at the baby.

"His name's Mae Sun," JJ said to the bird. Blu began to tweet and came a little closer. Mae Sun saw the bird and started smiling and squirming making Blu have to flap his wings to keep balanced. "Careful there," JJ said and tightened his hold on Mae Sun. "Sorry. He's excitable." Blu tweeted again and when he had back his balance, he hopped up the blanket so he was closer and gently pecked the baby. Mae Sun squirmed again with a small baby's giggle. Only then did Blu fly away. JJ stared after Blu and couldn't help but smile.