How Jim gets along with Ceci's fam... this chapter says it all. posting this one today because... I messed up and put to chapter 16 up... I didn't mean to post twice yesterday, but I have the wiggle room and I am a benevolent overlord. I know weird logic, but hey...

Eighteen

The hands on her shoulders surprised her, but Ceci recognized the touch before she had a chance to jump. She turned her head from where she'd been gazing out the front window, and regarded her husband quietly. "I really enjoyed today." She commented, unable to keep herself from leaning back a little against him. They'd gone into town that morning, just walking quietly around the quaint, small shops, then she'd taken him through the countryside, through the rolling hills and dew soaked fields that surrounded the area she lived in.

Just talking, a little.

Or, mostly, she talked, and Jim listened, about what she'd been doing, her art, the shows… being with her family again after so long. How they'd been more than glad to accept her back into their casually sophisticated circle, and she'd let them, returning to a world she'd willingly left so many years before. It was the world she lived in now, centered around the art gallery, and her small studio, where she sat alone and painted, surrounded by tubes and pallets of dreams she resisted experiencing.

Jim told her a tiny bit about what he'd been doing since his return. How he'd spent his days doing volunteer work at the VA, and his nights in the local library, indulging in a lifelong passion for reading that had always surprised her.

And how he'd been out walking on the beach one night, very late, looking out at the stars when he'd come upon a lone figure sitting in the sand, whose profile had shocked him with familiarity.

He hadn't intended on seeking Jade out, he'd told her. But God had up and decided the matter for him, and once he'd seen his beloved child, it had only been a matter of time before he'd been drawn back into her life.

Which, in a very real sense, had drawn him back into Ceci's, because, Jim had told her, Jade had nudging him in that direction the whole dang time.

She'd had mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, of course, she was grateful to her daughter. On the other hand, she hurt inside knowing her cold rejection of her child had been repaid with mature compassion. She suspected, deep in her heart, that the relationship between her and Jade had been fractured beyond repair, and there was a part of her that regretted that.

"Yeap." Jim agreed. "Some pretty trees up here."

Cecilia turned all the way around and put her hands against his chest. "You know what I miss, though?"

His head inclined a bit in question.

"The sea."

He laced his fingers behind her head, and nodded.

"That beautiful light in the mornings… and the sunsets after the storms in summer." She murmured wistfully, then smiled. "Wild parrots."

That got a short, unexpected laugh. "Damn things… you never did let me chase their feathered butts outta that mango tree outside." He paused, "Not too bad a place here, though.. if you'd rather stay by your folks.. I kin live with it."

Ceci exhaled, surprised by the offer. Born and raised in the far South, a beach rat by nature and by inclination, she knew Jim would be totally miserable in Connecticut, away from his beloved ocean, and far from his equally beloved daughter. Guilt, she knew, was making him offer, but she wouldn't have accepted even if she'd had even a tiny inclination to stick around the place. "No way." A smile. "Take me a few days to arrange things with the gallery, pack things up here… and we can go find that little beach house of yours." She flexed her fingers, scratching him gently. "Maybe some place close to Jade's?"

He liked the idea. She could tell. His eyes brightened perceptibly, and a slow, half grin appeared. "See what I can do." They found themselves gazing into each other's eyes, and Jim lifted a hand to brush her cheek, the rough texture of his skin raising goosebumps on hers. "You gonna be able to stand me being round all the time?"

"Does that mean you're really retiring?" Ceci asked, on an uneven breath.

"Yeap.. that's what it does surely mean." He replied. "They been keeping me on the books just for…" He hesitated. "They made sure I had a roof, that kinda thing… least until I met up with Jade again."

Of course. She exhaled. I had his benefits. "You let her take care of you?" Ceci winced at the perceptible, to her, touch of jealousy in her tone.

But Jim snorted. "Let er? Yer joking, aren't ya? Damn kid's like a force of nature….jest rams right over every damn thing like a runaway Amram." He shook his head. "Kept things damn quiet where I was staying by, but the next thing I know, stuffs getting dropped off there, Lord knows how she found the damn address out."

"She knew you'd never take it otherwise." Ceci smiled thinly. "Or.. maybe she just didn't want to risk being turned away." Her eyes dropped. "Especially by you."

"Cec.." He tweaked one of her ears, an old habit of his.

"I know." A sigh. "One step at a time." She leaned forward and closed her eyes, abandoning the bad memories up to the peace of just being there with him. They'd work things out, she was sure of it.

The phone warbled, surprising her. She picked it up without looking, still keeping her body pressed against James's. "Hello?"

"Ceci?" Elli's voice sounded a touch hesitant. "Are you feeling better today, my dear?"

"I feel wonderful." She mumbled. "Why?"

A definite pause. "Well, you sounded so strange the other day.. I wasn't sure.. I thought perhaps you had one of your migraines." Elli told her. "I was just wondering if you wanted to pick up something for dinner, before the gallery party tonight."

Oh… rats. "I'd forgotten completely about that." Cecilia admitted. "What time is it again?"

"Cecilia… " Elli sounded concerned. "What is going on? You've been acting so odd since the funeral… I'm quite concerned for you. I mentioned it to Charles just yesterday.. he said he was going to stop by to see if something was the matter."

"Nothing 's wrong." Ceci answered. "As a matter of fact… everything' right, for a change." She looked up, to see Jim looking back down at her, a wry expression on his scarred face. "Jimmy came home."

It didn't really matter that there was now total silence at the other end of the phone. It was much more peaceful that way.

"Wh… Ceci, what did you say?" Elli spluttered. "I'm sure you just said… "

"That Jimmy came home. I did." She traced a line up his sweatshirt.

"Jim?"

"Mmhmm.. my husband. You remember him, don't you, Elli? Tall, dark hair.. beautiful blue eyes?" She gave up a little impish grin as he blushed visibly.

"He's there?" Elli sounded completely shocked.

"Right here… you want to talk to him?" She held the phone up. "Say hello to Elli."

"'Lo, Elli." James drawled obligingly. Of all his wife's relatives, he'd liked Elli the best, though that hadn't been saying much. At least she'd been the least outwardly nasty to him.

"There… heard that?" It was strange, in a way. Telling other people suddenly made it real, in a way it hadn't been before. "So.. I've been a little distracted, El… I'm sorry. I did forget completely about the party tonight"

"Ceci." Elli was audibly collecting her wits. "My god… I have no idea what to say."

"Congratulations is a good start."

"Well, of course, my dear, of course..that goes without saying, but I mean…I don't' understand… I thought…"

"They made a mistake." Ceci told her quietly. "What every serviceman's widow in the history of the world wanted to have happen to them, just happened to me." She looked up and searched Jim's somber face. "I'm not sure why I lucked out, but I'm not complaining."

Elli sighed. "I'm glad for you, Ceci..I truly am… it's quite remarkable…I'm sure we'd all love to know what happened. Shall I tell Evan you won't be at the party tonight, or… I mean, it is in your honor.. the new exhibit and all."

"Hold on." She pressed the mute button on the phone. "I was supposed to do a party tonight."

"Mm?" James looked noncommittal.

"At the gallery… they put up a new exhibit of mine. I'm not really fond of it, but… they paid for it, so there you are."

"Don't let me stop you.. .g'wan." Jim told her.

"I don't want you to stop me.. I want you to go with me." Ceci replied. "Please?"

Son of a biscuit. Jim was caught between a boat and a dock and he knew it. "Honey… teacup parties and me don't mix."

"I know." Ceci agreed. "But my whole family'll be there."

"They will, huh?"

"Mm."

Well. Jim felt that bitty little rebel inside him come climbing out. "Kin I go like this?" He plucked his sweatshirt, a really soft, comfortable one Tori had sent. "Don't got much else."

Ceci smiled, and let her held breath out. "I've got something else you can wear." She whispered, then unmuted the phone. "Elli? No… tell him I'll be there."

"You will? Oh.. all right… I'll tell him. Listen, Ceci, maybe we can come over, say tomorrow? I know I'd love to see Jim, and hear what happened."

"We'll arrange something."

"All right.. I'll see you later, dear."

She hung up the phone and put it on the counter, then looked up for those vivid blue eyes. "Thank you."

"You sure you want me to do this?" Jim asked, quizzically. "Gonna stir them up like a bear in a honeybee nest."

Cecilia nodded firmly. "They've been telling me for seven years I should put my past behind me, and move on. I never could. Maybe part of me knew…certainly, a big part of me never stopped watching that front walk, expecting you to come up it one day." She stroked his face very gently, brushing back the soft, salt and pepper locks. "I want them to see what I was waiting for." She was a little surprised to find her breathing irregular as she traced the faint smile on his face.

"All right." Jim drawled, returning the touch, and sending a definite tingle down her spine. "Glad you waited." He inclined his head and found her lips, kissing her with an almost bashful gentleness.

Ceci slid both arms around his neck and pulled herself up and closer, craving the contact as though she were thirsting after water. She felt his hands slip around her waist after a moment of surprise, then she was lifted up into a much more comfortable position, and snugged tight in a powerful grip. "Mmm." She explored delicately, finding an unmistakable response that started a welcome fire deep in her guts.

Ceci let her eyes drift open for a moment, finding darkened, almost periwinkle ones watching her.

They both smiled.

Charles Bannersley cast a critical eye over the room, reluctantly approving the starched servers who stood patiently behind the buffet, and the newly buffed hardwood floors that gleamed under the soft, carefully calibrated light of the gallery.

"They did a nice job." His twin sister Carolyn eased up next to him, her ginger colored hair reflecting the light. "The exhibit looks good, too."

"Mmhmm." He nodded. "Not bad.. not bad… press got some good shots, and Edgar Evans was making billing and cooing noises over Ceci's last piece down there.. I'd say we've got a budding success on our hands."

"Speaking of.. where is she?" Carolyn asked, glancing around. "Don't tell me she isn't here yet."

Charles shrugged. "You know her. I was going to stop by there this afternoon, but I got tied up in a meeting. Elli was whining at me the other day over Ceci acting strange."

They exchanged sibling glances. "When doesn't she?" Carolyn inquired, arching a brow. "Did you find her a date for tonight, Chucky? I'm so tired of seeing her wafting around alone like some kind of tumbleweed."

He sighed. "Hey, I do my part, Cary… she just doesn't cooperate. Apparently I can't find the right kind of guy to interest her."

His sister put an errant bit of hair behind one ear. "Have you tried the local trucker bars?" She sniped. "Maybe you're just looking in the wrong places."

They both laughed wryly. "Listen, I feel bad for the poor thing." Carolyn shook her head. "She's never going to leave that nightmare behind her until we can prod her back into some kind of social life.. and you know it."

"I know.. I know… I'll keep try…ah, there she is." Charles turned as he spotted their younger sister entering, dressed in a plain, but classic dress, in a dark aqua color that complimented her fair hair and pale eyes. "Well… she made an effort.. what do you know?"

"Mm… " Carolyn leaned towards him to watch. "Hey… she looks good… got a little color to her cheeks for a change."

"Yeah.. too bad I didn't ask Bob to come tonight.. I've been trying to get them hooked up for mo….oh my god."

Cecilia had glanced behind her, and held a hand out, and tall figure had entered, ducking slightly to clear the low doorframe. Their hands met and she drew her companion forward, turning to greet the tuxedo clad man who hurried forward.

Carolyn clutched her brother's arm. "Chuck.. "

"I see." His voice was flat with shock.

"That can't be James."

His nostrils twitched as he studied the man towering over his sister. Dressed in pristine Navy whites, despite the dark hair more sprinkled with grays than he remembered, and a new set of ugly scars, he surprisingly didn't look too different. "Apparently it is." His voice hardened

"I can't believe it. After all this time? The Navy said he was dead.. where in the hell has he been?" Carolyn hissed.

"I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. But if he thinks he's just going to walk back into Ceci's life like this.. he's got another thing coming." Charles twitched his jacket straight and headed towards the door.

"Cecilia, darling.. so glad I caught you coming in."

Ceci held a hand out. "Hello, Edgar… thanks for being here. It's nice to see you."

The art critic preened a little. "My privelge, as always.. I wanted to tell you how much I love your work in acrylic in there.. the seascape one, you know?'

"Yes, I know the one." Ceci smiled at him. "Would you like to meet the inspiration for that one? She turned and held a hand out towards a diffidently waiting James, who was still standing just outside the door. He entered and took it, and came up beside her. "This is my husband, James."

Edgar tilted his head back and gazed up. "A pleasure sir.. a pleasure… ah.. Commander, is it?"

"That's right." Jim shifted a little inside the dress whites, a bunch looser than they had been, but all in all not too damn bad, considering. Ceci had even given him a trim, though his hair was far from it's usual regulation crew cut. He took the critics hand and returned his tentative grip with a solid one.

"Goodness.. I had no idea you were married, my dear… but I'm so glad to meet someone who can inspire such wonderful art. " Edgar beamed at James, who gave him a dourly reserved smile in return. "Congratulations sir.. congratulations.. on such a lovely, and talented wife."

James decided he liked the little penguin. "Thanks." A motion caught his eye, and he focused his peripheral vision that way. Well well. Cecilia's older brother Charles was headed in their direction, and he didn't look happy. Charles was tall, almost as tall as Jim was, and had red hair liberally peppered with gray, and thinning badly on top. He was about six or seven years Ceci's senior, and had always taken great pleasure in presenting himself as the head of the family, after their father had died some fifteen years back.

He was, in Jim's estimation, a half assed jerkwad with more breeding than sense, and they'd never gotten along. He poked Ceci gently, and jerked his chin towards her brother. "Here comes a man with a bee in his britches." He muttered.

Ceci watched Charles approach, and a tiny, vindictive grin briefly creased her face. "Hope it stings him right in the ass."

"Wall… I kin think of some better places... but he ain't got none." James drawled, as Charles reached them, his twin right behind him. "Lo, Charles, Carolyn."

Charles stopped, and inhaled, his lips twisting grimly. "James. This is quite a surprise."

"Ah bet."

Ceci eased between them. "Sorry, Chucky.. I didn't really have time to prepare you.. things have been happening pretty quickly. " She glanced behind him. "Hi, Cary."

"Cec." Her sister murmured. "Hello, James." She gave her brother in law a guarded look.

"Ms. West.." A gallery aide came up, looking a little agitated. "Could you come into the display room, please.. the press would like to speak with you."

Ceci hesitated. "I.."

"G'wan." James gave her a little nudge. "Give me a chance to catch your kin up here."

Cecilia gave him a look, recognizing the deliberate, slight exaggeration of his usual drawl for what it was. "I'll be right back." She curled a hand briefly around his wrist, and squeezed it, then followed the aide out, leaving him with her brother and sister in a silent tableau.

James resisted the impulse to put his hands in his pockets and merely clasped them in front of him as he returned the veiled, hostile stares from Ceci's siblings. "Nice weather." He drawled, deliberately drawing out the words and injecting as much Southern as he possibly could into his voice and still get the words out round his tongue.

"And here I thought we were rid of you." Charles stated. "But just like a bad Rembrandt, here you are."

"Naice t'see you too, Chuckie… that a new suit?" James let the hostility roll off him without any trouble, having spent far too much time in his life facing people trying to kill him.

Charles glanced around, then indicated a small door. "I've got something to say to you." He turned and walked towards the side room, fully expecting James to follow. With a sigh, and a small shake of his head, the navy officer did.

Charles closed the door behind them and walked across the tiny room, which featured a table, a chair and a lamp set over the table, clearing a space for examining art, or other objects. "I'm not going to waste any time."

"Good t'hear." James settled against the wall.

"If you think you're going to just waltz back into my sister's life, you've got another thing coming." Charles turned, and folded his arms. "I'm not going to allow that."

"And jest what are you gonna do to stop me?" Jim inquired mildly. "Seven years and you still ain't got the sense God gave a groundhog, do ya? It ain't your choice, Chuck.. never was, never will be.. it's hers, and she's done made it." He paused. "Again."

"You going to take and drag her out into the streets again?" The man taunted. "Can't you see she's better off here?"

Jim studied him. "Nope."

"You always were a selfish pig."

"If'n you think she is better off, then you've got a set of twisted ideas, cause what I see, is a lonely woman half crazed needing someone ta care for her."

"She's perfectly happy here." Charles shot back. "She's got family, and friends, and a decent place to live for a change."

"She tell you that?"

"What?"

"She's happy?" Jim pushed off the wall and eased towards him. "Didja ever ask her?"

"She's my sister. I know she is." Was the answer. "That's why I took that notification they sent last year and burned it."

James's dark brows snapped together, and he moved his head forward, his eyes narrowing. "What?"

"Oh.. sure. That notice the damn Navy sent.. that youd been found? I burned it." Charles taunted. "It came to our place, and you bet I grabbed it, and had my self a little party making sure my sister never saw a word of it."

Big hands flexed. "You done that." Jim felt his breathing slow, and deepen. "Here, I was thinking she'd done tossed it away." His voice was almost an offhand murmur.

"I wasn't going to let her fall back in that trap." Charles laughed. "She's better off out of that hell, and out of your life, and away from that perverted kid you forced on her."

"Charles?" Jim spoke slowly. "Y'all better shut up now."

"I've just started." The man shot back. "Disgusting… she shows up for a funeral with her little tart in tow, I about died of …blck." The room whirled as he was picked up and slammed onto his back on the table. "Gchk."

Hands twisted in his shirt collar, and air cut off abruptly. He struggled, looking up into a pair of blue eyes so cold, they were almost colorless. James's face had settled into stillness, save a feral twitch running up and down either side of his nose, matching the flaring nostrils. "Now." The voice was much lower, and deeper. "Y'all are gonna shut up."

His chest hurt and he fought to drag air into his lungs.

"Or I'm going to pull yer haid right off yer body, and stuff it up your rear end." Jim leaned on him, sending shooting pain up and down body. "Do you understand me, boy?"

Hysterical, he nodded, and the grip relaxed, just a little. Just enough for him to suck in a tiny bit of air.

"Ah do not like you." James enunciated very carefully. "Ah have never liked you, but I put up with you cause you just happened to share the same mamma and pappa as my wife." He leaned closer. "But ah will not put up with you bad mouthing mah family. You understand me, boy?" Closer. "Or I will surely kill you."

Charles started shaking.

"If you ever try to get between Ceci and me again, I will rip you apart." A pause. "And if you ever speak about mah daughter like that again, I will make you a eunuch in under five seconds." James physically lifted him up and threw him against the wall, pouncing across the floor and grabbing him again as he rebounded, and shoving him up and holding him. "Are we real straight on that, Mister?"

"You're crazy." Charles croaked.

"No sir." James shook his head. "Ah am a very angry man, who knows how to kill people right well." His eyes bored into the shorter man's. "If you have any smarts at all, you will just say yes sir, and shut up."

Ceci's brother stared at him for a long, hateful moment, then lowered his eyes. "Yes, sir."

James held him a second more then released his grip, and stepped back, standing alert and balanced on the balls of his feet as Charles slowly twitched at his clothing, and gathered the shreds of his composure. "We're done now." Jim turned and walked to the door, putting his hand on the knob before turning and facing his adversary. "Asshole."

And he opened the door, walked through it, and closed it behind him firmly. Ceci was just coming back, and she headed his way, a concerned look on her face. "Ready to see yer pictures?"

"Sure." Cecilia glanced at the door. "Everything okay?"

"Yer brother and I just clear the air a little." Jim reassured her. "C'mon."

She tucked her hand around his arm, and paced lightly at his side, watching the signs of rage slowly fade. "Jimmy?"

"Mm?" His eyes blinked, then met hers.

"You didn't break anything, did you?"

The faintest quirk of his lips. "No, ma'am, I did not."

Ceci exhaled. "All right.. come on. I think they've got those little stuffed chicken things you like on the buffet."

Jim relaxed, releasing the last of his anger out to the ether. No sense in holding it, anyway. He gazed fondly down at his wife. "You looking to spoil me, pretty lady?"

He got an elfin, much missed smile for that. "You betcha." Ceci steered him towards a cluster of people around a large canvas. "See what you think of this one."

Several faces turned as they came up, staring curiously at James. "Cec? Who's your friend?" One of the art gallery's director's called out, too far to read the nameplate on Jim's uniform.

"This is my husband." Cecilia answered, enjoying the surprised looks. "James West." She started introductions as the crowd closed in, chattering in question.