Chapter 80: Finally
'It's not exactly love at first sight. It is more like soul recognition.'
-Lynette Simone
Author Notes: I feel like after everything Becca and Joel has been through they deserve a chapter solely to themselves.
Joel made sure all the preparations were made. He checked with Maria and set up a time for her to come and watch Mateo for the weekend. Ellie was in her second week of being grounded for a month. She woke up in the early morning hours to do her chores and spent the rest of the day cleaning the stables and feeding the animals.
When he got back to the house after working in town he found Becca and Ellie working with sheep. Ellie was cleaning out their terrain while Becca was tending to the littler ones.
He smiled to himself when he saw Mateo perched on Betsy's lap. He was smiling and clapping away as she bounced him in her lap, singing a silly song.
All seemed to be quiet on the home front. Ellie was talking to them here and there, but she was sulking. He figured it had to do with her waking up at the ass crack of dawn to help him with the morning chores. She's never been much of a morning person.
He wouldn't apologize for anything he said to her that day. She frightened him when she ran off like that. Becca was right. They didn't ask much of her. Only that she followed simple rules while living under their roof.
She staved off talking to them about her father. They didn't want her to stop searching for him. All they asked is that she don't go try and do things her own way. It's how you end up getting killed.
He walked up onto the porch and smiled as Mateo started clapping happily when he saw him. It always made him happy to see his son. To know he could see his family every day when he came home after a long day made it all worth it.
Betsy looked up at him and laughed,'Someone's happy to see his daddy.'
He leaned over and kissed Betsy's cheek,'Evenin', Betsy.' He crouched down in front of Mateo and squeezed his chubby cheek. He was getting bigger by the day,'Heya, kiddo.' He carefully picked him up and bounced him, kissing all over his face,'You been a good man for your mama and Miss Betsy.'
The baby gave him a gummy grin and squealed, making Joel laugh,'Yeah, I figured as much.'
Betsy smiled when she looked up at them. She always liked to watch a father and son together. Joel was a good of a father as came. He didn't talk to his son like baby, but clear and concise so he would understand. Becca held him in the same regard. They were good parents because they didn't coddle their child, but encouraged him to flourish and learn from his mistakes.
Betsy looked out and smirked as Becca came walking out from the fields,'You tell her yet?'
'Hell no.' He glanced back at his wife as she walked alongside of Ellie,'El knows though. Luckily, she didn't tell her for trying to get back at us for grounding her.'
Betsy snorted and crossed her arms over her chest,'She'll have to answer to me. Maria should be coming in a couple hours.' She smiled knowingly,'Plenty of time for you to prepare.'
He took a deep breath and cradled the back of Mateo's head,'I sure hope so.' He sighed,'I think this'll be good for us. For us.'
Betsy nodded and smiled softly,'I think so too.'
Becca and Ellie came onto the porch. Becca averted her eyes between her husband and Betsy,'Oh no. What's going on? You two have trouble written all over your faces.'
Joel's eyes widened in mock horror. He feigned a look of ignorance and shook his head,'Who me? Trouble? Never.' He snorted and stared at Mateo,'See? I told ya women gang up on ya.'
Betsy laughed and got up from the chair, slapping his arm,'You feed him lies. Women are here to fix men's mistakes.' She winked at Becca,'I gotta go and make sure Am shined the kitchen floor just the way I like it.' She grinned,'I quite enjoy when he gets into trouble. My house gets a thorough cleaning. It's such a shame it's so few and far between.'
Joel snorted and handed Ellie her brother,'Please change him and bring him down for dinner.'
Ellie sighed and took the baby from him. She looked at Mateo and frowned,'Come with me, kid. I'll teach ya how not to get grounded around here.'
Becca and Joel smirked as Ellie walked into the house with Mateo. They never questioned her being alone with the baby. Even though she was mad at them she would never take it out on the baby. She took a very good job of taking care of him.
Joel crossed his arms over his chest and frowned,'Ya think she'll ever forgive me?'
Becca rolled her eyes and laughed.'She's a teenage girl, Joel. In a few days she'll be mad at something else.'
He nodded and placed his hand on her back,'You're right.' He chewed on his bottom lip as he looked over her face,'Ya look like you need a weekend off. Just some rest and relaxation.'
She laughed as she looked up at him, placing her hands on his chest,'What did ya have in mind?'
He sighed and rubbed her arms,'I was thinking we head out to arrowhead until Sunday night. Just you and me. Mateo is bottle feeding now and sleeping through the night. I asked Maria to come stay with him tonight and Betsy's coming tomorrow.' He leaned in close to her and rested his forehead against hers, whispering,'I need ya, baby. I ain't just talking about the sex. Cause that's without a doubt.' He stroked her cheeks and took a deep breath,'I just want to be alone with ya. No one else just me and you. I think we deserve that after everything that's happened. We should get that honeymoon we deserved. I know it ain't nowhere special.'
'Doesn't matter.' She cupped the back of his neck and ran her fingers through the nape of his hair,'Anywhere with you is special.' She smiled softly,'Of course I'll go with you. It'll be hard leaving Mateo, but it's not for that long. Let's do it. I think we deserve it too.'
Joel closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure if she would agree to it or not. He thought it was a long shot. A lot of new mothers don't want to leave their babies, but they couldn't be good parents if they weren't good partners as well.
'You won't regret this, darlin.' He kissed her lips and moaned softly, whispering,'I can't wait to get ya alone.'
Her eyes widened and she felt the heat blood throughout her entire body at his words. She heard the promise in his heated tone. She felt the excitement. The thrill.
She looked over his face as her eyes met his,'I should pack light then seeing as I'm not gonna be wearing much clothing, I see.'
He smirked and slapped her ass,'Now we're talking, baby.'
She smirked as she walked into the house and upstairs to their bedroom. Luckily, she had enough time to get a shower and changed. She packed a few nightgowns and some clothes, but not much considering they wouldn't be staying long anyway. Besides, she didn't think they would be seeing much of the outdoors anyway.
She brought her bag downstairs and Maria was in the living room. Mateo and Seb were on the floor. Mateo was on his stomach while Seb was trying to play with him. It made her smile to herself. She loved the fact they were friends and enjoyed hanging out together. They were going to be close when they grew up, which is a good thing. Family needed to stick together now more than ever.
Joel grinned when he took the bag from her hand,'I'll go and get the horse ready.'
She looked up at him and smiled softly,'Thank you.'
Joel walked out of the living room, leaving Maria and Becca alone.
Becca looked around the room and frowned,'Where's El?'
'She said she was going outside to draw.' She sighed,'How's everything on the home front? El still not talking to you guys?'
'She's getting there.' She shook her head and sighed,'I think she's more angry at the fact she's grounded.'
Maria snorted and nodded,'I'm sure. She'll come around though. Think about how we were at her age.'
The two women looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Joel walked back into the house and placed his hand on Becca's lower back,'The horse is all set to go. Ya ready?'
She nodded and frowned when she got down on her knees. She kissed all over Mateo's face as he giggled,'I'll see you Sunday night. Be good for Aunt Maria. I love you.'
She got up from the floor and sighed. She hated leaving him, but she knew it wouldn't be very long. They would be back before they even had a chance to miss him. They needed to get away a bit and reacquaint themselves with each other.
Joel kissed Mateo go by and thanked Maria for watching the baby.
He was sitting on his horse, impatiently waiting for Becca to come out. He wanted to get out on the trails before the sun set.
Becca walked out of the house and smirked when she saw the look on his face,'What?' She shook her head confusingly,'What's that look for?'
'Nothin.' He shrugged,'I was just wondering if you would come out before it was Sunday night and time to come back home.
She rolled her eyes as he laughed,'I just wanted to make sure Maria would be alright with Mateo and Ellie.'
She sighed when she saw Ellie sitting under a tree out on the field. She had her ever present notebook in her lap as she sketched. She hoped they would be able to figure out who her father is. She needed to know in order for all of them to move on.
She called out Ellie's name and she turned around to look at them,'We're leaving! Please don't go running off again!'
'I second that!' He shook his head and frowned,'Just wait until I get back before ya start running wild!'
Ellie narrowed her eyes and waved them off before turning her attention back to her notebook.
Joel held a hand out for Rebecca as she climbed onto the horse. He looked back at her and sighed,'You really think she's gonna listen to us?'
'I do.' Becca smiled as she wrapped her arms around his midsection,'She's gonna stay and keep an eye on Mattie. She won't let him down. At least she's acknowledging our presence.' She snorted,'She wasn't even looking at us last week.'
He chuckled and rubbed her hands,'Good point. I don't think she's gonna up and run off again either. Not after what happened back at the base.'
Becca looked up at him and frowned as Joel tugged on the reins. She remembered listening in horror as Joel recounted what they had seen. If Joel and Kevin weren't there that day; Ellie and Am would've never made it back alive.
Joel glanced back at her and sighed,'You worried about leaving?'
'No.' She rested her cheek against his back and closed her eyes,'I'm right where I want to be.'
He smiled softly as he turned down another trail leading into town.
Becca looked around as the townsfolk walked around busily doing this and that. Everything was started to get back to normal again. Not that the council was gone, Jackson felt different.
There wasn't anything looming over their shoulder. No one was controlling their every waking moment and keeping a close eye on your every move. Gone was the sense of dread. They finally felt like they had a town they could really enjoy living in.
While it was true a lot of citizens lost loved ones in their war; there was still hope to rebuild. They didn't kill their determination. It was stronger than ever.
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They arrived in Arrowhead just as the sun was setting. Joel helped carry their bags in and brought their horse to the stable while Becca unpacked. She was nervous and excited to be alone with him.
She thought about the last time they were here. The future had been so uncertain back then. She had been banished from Jackson and her life was hanging in the balance. She came here pregnant without a hope in the world. That seemed like such a lifetime ago. So much has happened since then.
Mateo was born. Her worst fears didn't come true. She was so happy they didn't come true.
Joel walked in a few minutes later. He grinned when he saw her taking clothes out of her bag. He walked over to her and stood behind her, placing his hands on her arms,'I hope you're not thinking about changing for bed.' He nuzzled into her neck and hummed softly, whispering,'Cause you're not gonna need it.'
She closed her eyes and smiled softly as she leaned back against him,'You wanna eat? You might need the energy.'
He snorted as he pressed open mouthed kisses up and down her neck, humming softly,'I have all the energy I need right here.' He slid his hands down to her waist and pulled her back closer against him,'Only thing I wanna eat is you.'
Her eyes widened as he slowly turned her around. He held her face in his hands, kissing her hungrily. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kiss with equal fervor.
He moaned softly into her mouth as he started unbuttoning her shirt. He never took his lips off hers as he blindly pulled her flannel off and discarding it onto the floor. He pulled away from her lips and his eyes widened when he saw her black lace bra. Her heavy tits were pushed together by her bra. He couldn't get over how much bigger they've gotten after giving birth.
When he told her they were going away, she had been nervous about showing him her post pregnancy body. She knew her body didn't look as it did before the baby, but the way he was looking at her eradicated any doubts from her. He wholeheartedly wanted her. There was no mistaking the desire in his eyes for her.
She laughed slightly as she saw him staring slacked jaw at her breasts,'I know. They've gotten bigger. I'm not used to these bad boys neither.'
He shook his head in disbelief as his large hands gently squeezed them over her bra, making her gasp,'I can get used to them.' He licked his lips as he looked over her face,'Can I take this off?'
'Of course.' She nodded as his hands immediately went to the clasp to on her bra, making her smirk,'Someone's eager.'
He snorted and nodded,'You have no idea.'
He swiftly unhooked her bra and slowly slid the straps off her shoulders, throwing it onto the floor with her flannel. He hurriedly took his t shirt off and discarded it onto the floor. He gently pushed her back onto the middle of the bed, making her squeak in surprise as he gently laid on top of her.
He didn't waste any time as he kissed her again. He pulled her leggings down and she quickly kicked out of them.
Goosebumps fleshed out upon her skin was his heated eyes looked all over her body. He licked his lips as his hands ran over her chest. He gently cupped her tits in his hands, knowing they were still sensitive for her. He pulled his mouth away from hers and trailed his lips down to her neck. He licked a trail down to her tits as he pushed them together.
She tightly closed her eyes and whimpered as he sucked and licked her nipples. She gasped as he gently bit them and swiped his tongue over his nipples to soothe the bite. She's forgotten almost how good he could make her feel. Almost.
She cupped the back of his head and tangled her fingers in his hair as his mouth assaulted her tits. She was soaked through her panties and her pussy was pulsating and throbbing between her legs. She was embarrassingly close to coming already and he barely even touched her. Her nerves were on fire and her entire body was keyed up. She felt as if she were burning from the inside out.
He released his nipples from her mouth with a dirty pop. His mouth and hands kissed his way down her body. She stared down at him dazedly as he pulled her panties down her legs. She kicked them onto the floor and spread her legs for him, anxiously awaiting what was to come next.
She spread her legs wider for him and he looked up at her and grinned. She seemed to want this as much as he did. He looked over her pussy, biting his lip when he saw how wet she was for him. He could practically see her pussy pulsing, which made his cock harden even more. It was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with his jeans on, but he wanted to make sure she felt good too. She deserved that.
His hands seemed to touch her everywhere at once. He kissed every inch of her skin he could reach with his hands, mapping along the contours of her body. He was in absolute awe of her.
He looked over her body and shook his head in disbelief,'You're so goddamned beautiful, baby.'
She felt the heat rising to her cheeks and turned her head to the side, whispering admittedly,'My body looks different.'
'Does it?' He bent his head and kissed and nuzzled into her stomach. The skin was loose, but starting to tighten the more days she worked on the farm. She had stretch marks and he licked the skin, making her tremble,'All I see is a beautiful body that I've been missing to get my hands on.'
She looked up at him and shook her head. Betsy told her a man should always love you. Even if you don't look the same as when you first met. His love for you shouldn't change because you gained a couple pounds. She gained weight for a very important reason. She wouldn't feel ashamed of that. Not anymore. He made her feel loved and appreciated all the time.
He grasped her thighs and placed her legs over his shoulders. She took a deep breath to steady her raging nerves. She didn't know what she had to be nervous about. This was her husband. He's done this for her many times before.
He buried his face in her cunt and deeply smelled her arousal. He licked a line up her slit, tasting her and coated his tongue with her taste. He moaned into her pussy at her taste as he slid his middle and index finger inside her. She whimpered as he started sucking and munching on her cunt.
She tangled her hand on his hair as she pulled his mouth closer to her pussy. She lifted her hips up and ground her pussy against his mouth. His rough facial hair tickled her sensitive skin as he sucked and slurped on her. She was so turned on. She knew it wouldn't take much for her to come.
His free hand roamed all over her body, groping and caressing her skin. His eyes met hers as he stared up at her in reverence. Her body was arched up like a bow. Her legs were wrapped around his head so tightly he could hardly breathe. He was completely surrounded by her taste, smell and the way she felt. This was pure heaven to him.
He kept his eyes locked on hers as she came. He sucked and flicked his tongue against her clit as she came; his fingers curling deep inside her. Her entire body writhed on the bed as her juices gushed out of her. He greedily slurped at her pussy, his nose buried between her folds.
He placed a firm hand on her stomach and gently pushed her back against the bed. His entire mouth covered her pussy as he licked her clean. He couldn't get enough of her.
She swallowed harshly as she came down from an intense orgasm. One of the most intense she's ever had. Her entire body was covered in a sheen of sweat and her body was violently trembling.
She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her go. His hand was planted firmly on her stomach as he continued to eat her out throughout her orgasm.
She weakly pushed at his forehead, whispering raggedly,'I can't take anymore. Please.'
He smirked as he heard the desperation in her voice. He finally let go of her. He slowly eased his long fingers out of her, making her gasp. He licked his fingers clean, moaning at the exquisite taste of her. He eased her legs off his shoulders.
He licked a line up her slit and shook his head, whispering,'So fuckin good. How do ya taste better each and every time?'
She moaned at his words and held his face in her hands,'Get inside me. I need to feel it.'
His eyes widened and he nodded. He quickly climbed off the bed and unbuckled his belt. She leaned up on her elbows and watched him. She grinned at his eagerness as he quickly divested himself of his jeans. He almost tripped as he stepped out of his jeans and kicked them onto the floor with the rest of their clothes.
His eyes locked on hers as he pulled down his boxers. He climbed onto the bed and hovered over her. She cupped the back of his neck and brought his head down to rest against hers. She kissed him hungrily as she sucked his tongue into her mouth, whimpering when she tasted herself on him.
He gripped his cock and positioned his tip at her entrance. She spread her legs, opening herself up to as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He entered her in one full stroke, making them both moan and gasp.
He pressed his forehead against hers and clenched his eyes shut. He needed a moment. She felt so good. Better than he remembered.
His eyes searched her face and he stroked her hair,'You okay?'
'Yes.' She nodded and laughed gaspingly,'I'm more than okay.'
He smirked as he took a deep breath and started moving. He slowly slid out of her leaving only the tip as he gently thrust back inside her. He grunted as he felt her pussy tightening around his. He repeated the same motions until their bodies trembled with desire.
She looked up at his saw and saw him gritting his teeth. His jaw was locked and she could see the passion in eyes as he stared down at her. She could tell he was holding himself back.
She gripped his biceps and squeezed them as she arched up into him,'Faster. Please.'
His eyes widened slightly as he angled his hips lower. His mouth gaped open as he ground his hips against hers, making them both moan in unison. He quickened his pace and held tightly onto her hips.
He sat up on his knees as he looked over her body. His eyes were fixated on her heavy tits bouncing with his thrusts. The rise and fall of her chest as she breathed raggedly.
He could already see love bites forming on her chest and neck. He smirked to himself. He loved knowing she would walk around in town with bite marks on her skin. The old biddies would clutch their pearls and run home to read their bibles.
He ran his hands over her chest, pulling and tweaking her nipples. She whimpered and brought her hips up to meet his thrusts. He stayed still for a moment as he let her move up and down on his cock. He bit his bottom lip as he watched her cunt sliding up and down on his cock. She was stretched tightly around him. The skin around her pussy was red and irritated from his mouth and cock.
He could feel the pressure already starting to build up in his balls. He knew he was close to coming, but he couldn't help it. For almost the last two months, he's had nothing but his hand to keep him company. He understood the reasoning. It's why he was patient with her. He never wanted to force her. It needed to be hers. He knew without a doubt she wanted this.
He gently laid down on top of her. His large hands slid up her arms. With one hand he gripped her arms above her hand, pinning them down against the pillow. He watched with half hooded eyes hazy with lust as she turned her head, moaning into her arm.
He snaked his other hand between their connected bodies and started rubbing her clit. She stared up at him in awe. His hair was curly from sweating and the heat they were creating with their bodies. His curls were sticking to the nape of his neck.
A few tendril of curls framed his face. He was chewing on his bottom lip, his face contorted with pleasure. He was moaning lowly under his breath. The salt and pepper of his beard glistened with sweat and her juices.
She shook her head in disbelief. He was the sexiest man she's ever laid eyes on. It wasn't just his physical appearance, but his overwhelming passion and desire for the woman he loved. He was so unguarded in the bedroom. Or maybe it was just her he trusted enough to be unguarded with.
Her eyes widened as another orgasm ripped through her. He pressed his head against her forehead as his thrusts became jerked and uncoordinated. He whimpered as he felt the tingling in his balls. All it took was for him to feel her cunt spasm around his cock.
His cock stilled as he came. His come spurted into her in thick ropes. He kissed her sloppily as he moaned against her lips, his cock twitching inside her. He was faintly aware of her screaming his name, but all he could hear was his heart thumping wildly in his ears. His ears were ringing. For a second he thought he came so hard he almost passed out.
He gently removed his hand from around her wrists, releasing her arms. He laid his head in between her tits as she ran her hand through his hair. They laid there in the silence, letting the ceiling fan cool off their heated and sweaty bodies.
After a little while, Joel slowly pulled out of her with a wince. She was still so wet and tight from her orgasm. He already felt his cock stirring again and he shook his head in disbelief. He thought this man's stamina was long gone. Becca came along and rejuvenated him. He didn't feel so old around her anymore. She made him feel everything but.
She got off the bed and pulled on his t shirt, putting it on. She used the bathroom while Joel lounged back in bed. She came back from the bathroom and smiled when she saw him standing in front of the coal fire stove. He was only wearing his boxers and his curly hair was messy from their activities. Hers didn't look the best either.
She walked over and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his midsection,'Guess who?'
He smirked and feigned an exasperated sigh,'Let me guess. Could it be a sassy redhead that's a pain in my ass?'
She laughed as she kissed his bare back, whispering.'The only and only.' She peered over his shoulder,'What are you making?'
'Just some stew Betsy made us for when we got up here.' He grinned at her over his shoulder,'She made sure we had enough until we left? To make sure we optimize our time together.'
She snorted and pressed herself against his back,'Betsy's a smart lady. We should have her marry us again.'
He turned back to the stove and smiled. He loved hearing that she would marry him again . He wasn't so sure she would've been up for it the first time around. After everything that's happened; she stuck with him though. Sure they've made a lot of mistakes along the way, but they always found their way back to each other.
'I reckon that's a fine idea.' He nodded as he rubbed her hands,'Maybe will actually invite people from this town this time.' He grinned,'Make it a real party.'
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She was only kidding around. She could tell by the look on his face that he was dead serious.
Tears filled her eyes as she squeezed him and stared up at him hopefully,'Really?'
He saw the tears in her eyes and leaned up to kiss her lips, 'Of course. You didn't deserve getting married in a barn in secret. Now it was beautiful don't get me wrong, but ya shouldn't have had to feel shame on your wedding day. I want to change that.'
She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded,'I think that would be beautiful.' She cleared her throat,'Thank you so much. I love you.'
He shook his head and laughed softly,'Baby girl. I should be thanking you. I love you too though. Course I do.'
She knew he did. There wasn't a doubt in her mind. Even when things were as bad as they could get between them. She always knew he loved her. Even when they weren't talking and 'divorced', he drove miles just to come and get her. He's willingly put her life before his own. He's made amends for his mistakes. Just as she did hers. There was nothing left to forgive anymore.
They spent the rest of the time at Arrowhead holed up in the cabin. They ventured out a time or two to enjoy the weather, but they mostly stayed in bed. Or the shower, kitchen table, dining table and wall…you get the drift.
Now it was time to go back home and face reality. All they hoped for is that Ellie didn't go off again or get in danger.
It's been their looming concern the entire weekend.
They saddled up the horse and made it back to Jackson. They wished they could spend more time here, but work needed to be done back home. They couldn't neglect their duties. They were also eager to get back to their kids.
They just hoped everyone back in Jackson was safe and in one piece.