But Janette was keeping up such a pleasant conversation it was hard, as Hector sat back down on the bed by Andi. "So
what did we miss?"
Andi gave him a smile.
"Mark and Robert were talking about whose mother made better chocolate chip cookies. Jet swore off asparagus along
with the story that went with it. There was a rumor circulating about a pudding fight in the mess hall last year?" She
looked over at Hector with raised eyebrows. "And Robert was telling mum why they're call 'fatigues'."
"So not much really." Swanson supplied.
"Well, BDUs was self explanatory once she knew what it stood for." Swanson said with a shrug. BDUs was another
name for fatigues, short for battle dress uniform. "Then it was just some alphabet soup explaining. And my mother
makes the best chocolate chip cookies."
"Uh...no way." Mark challenged as Jet rolled his eyes again.
"I can't take this." The black SEAL said. "I used to like asparagus."
Hector laughed. "This is why the branches don't mix much." He said.
"Utter chaos." Jet chuckled as he straightened up. Too bad too but his ride would be by for him and the rest of the
loaned American SEALs shortly. He liked these Delta. And now that Hector was himself, or close to it, he could see why
he had Mike's loyalty so hard. He offered firm hand clasps all around for the men and gentler ones for the ladies.
"Hate to eat and run but chopper's coming for us pretty soon. Time to get back where there's some water, you know. It
was good getting to know you. Take it easy."
"God speed." Sean offered and Andi whispered her 'thank you' with enough soft emotion that it made the entire thing
worth while. Jet gave a casual salute at the tent opening. Knowing he'd have to hunt Mike down before he left or he'd
never hear the end of it.
"You take care of her." He instructed Hector with a crooked smile. "Next time I see you two I want it to be at a barbecue
somewhere nice."
"Take care." Hector said to Jet. "And thanks. A lot." He said. For Jet had been an integral part in retrieving Andi from
the warlord. Hector would freely admit he didn't do it on his own.
"Now that's really why it was rigged." Mark said. "To make sure the dishes would be taken care of. He loved to eat and
run." Hector laughed and finished his coffee, hoping whoever brewed it left the recipe with the Red Cross.
"So when do you guys have to go back?" He asked Swanson and Mark.
"Couple of hours. It’s been reported that everything was a success and our services are no longer required." Swanson
said. "You're not coming back?"
"Not just yet. I'm on leave." He'd been granted leave when he first took off for this whole thing, after all.
Leave. It actually meant he got to stay. Andi had no idea how long he was allowed. She hoped it was quite a while. But
she didn't ask. Sometimes it was better to not know the answers and right now 'just now' was fine for her. She could
handle thinking about 'just now'. 'Just now' she was content to sit and listen to the world going on around her.
"Come on, Janey." Her father stood up again, offering his wife a large hand. "I remember you promised the children in
the clinic more stories about Bill the Clever and his pal Bun the Brave."
Andi looked up at her father as she choked a quiet laugh and knew that neither she nor her mother believed that was
why he was clearing the tent. It might have something to do with whatever Hector had wanted to talk to her Da about.
She knew she knew what her mum thought it was. And she didn't think that was it at all.
"You boys take good care of yourselves." Janette went anyway, as moved by her trust in her husband as in curiosity
about his motives. Both Mark and Swanson got a kiss on the tops of their heads. Andi and Hector did too. "God bless
you and keep you."
"I meant the invitation. We're not hard to find. You and yours stop by anytime. You're always welcome and you know it."
Sean added. Tossed his daughter a wink to let her know everything was all right. And then both her parents
disappeared out the door as well. Andi shifted so she was tucked up against Hector's side again. Knowing something
was going on. Da was lousy at keeping secrets. At least it didn't seem to be anything she should be worrying about.
"Yeah I can see that." Swanson said, about Hector being on leave. "They've been telling you to take some leave since
you were shot."
"Didn't need to then. Do now." Hector said, simply.
"So where you off to?" Mark asked, as he finished eating.
"The States."
"Louisiana or Texas?" Swanson asked, knowing that Hector had family in both states.
"Louisiana. That's where my grandparents' house is. Texas can fend for itself." That's where his father was. Swanson
nodded, knowing at least part of that story. Hector looked at Andi. "Your dad was surprisingly cool with it too."
She listened to the conversation curiously. Remembering they'd talked about his evil neighbor last night. Funny, she
hadn't thought to ask which state he was thinking about. And then she blinked and her eyes went wider.
"You talked to Da?" Somehow it seemed more important than the fact that there had apparently been a decision made
somewhere along the way about where she was going to go. She was fairly sure she hadn't given any definite answer
last night, even as muddy as her mind made her memory of it. But - "He was kosher with it?"
"Well, I figured if you ever gave me a definitive answer and it was yes, would be nice to have the approval of the
parents and all." Hector said with a shrug and a bit of a smile. "Besides, I was afraid if I didn't, he'd beat the crap out of
me."
"And we'd stand back and watch with popcorn." Swanson said.
That's what they'd gone outside for?!
"Da actually approved?" She asked. Finding it a foreign concept entirely. Not that she minded but - and then she
covered her mouth with a hand and her eyes managed to somehow go even wider. "Have you told Mum yet?"
"Okay, approval...maybe a strong word. But okay with it in any case." Hector said with a flash of a grin. "Your mom....
well....he told me to wait for a sign. I don't know...crop circles or something. You have any clue what to look for when it’s
the 'right time' or whatever?"
And suddenly she was laughing. Honest to God, not stifled, stuttering or choking laughter. It was quiet but it was there
and as real as the sunshine outside as she threw her arms around him and pressed a kiss to his jaw. Little knots of
worry inside her unraveled and it was easier to breath. And she hadn't know she hadn't been able to before.
"Angels descending from on high might be appropriate." She managed before pressing another kiss to his cheek. "I
love you. I do."
For once, Swanson found himself grinning like an idiot too.
Hector balled up one of his dirty socks and threw it at Swanson. "Love you." He said to Andi and kissed her fully on the
mouth. "Don't worry, it'll work out fine. She likes me. And besides that I've got Southern charm to fall back on if I need it."
Something in her heart seemed to crumble when he kissed her lips and her smile went just a bit watery for a moment.
She hadn't been sure he'd want to kiss her again. Other than friendly. What she'd said happened and what he might
think had really happened when she was - in that place - ... She'd heard Wekesa's words. What he'd said - about her -
that night... Worse things happened to women all the time - there was no reason for Hector to not believe him...
Hector was her friend. And he would always love her. She just - deep down where she'd tried to bury it - she'd been
afraid. That he might not want her that way anymore.
Her arms around him tightened and she rested her cheek against his shoulder so she could look up at him.
"Mum adores you." She answered with a soft smile. Brushing her fingers very lightly down the side of his cheek to see if
he minded. "She's probably already trying to figure out ways to legally adopt you. If you've got Da on your side, and
that vaulted Southern charm, I think she doesn't stand much of a chance. She's a weakness for seeing people happy."
"Yeah, we'll see how much she adores me." Hector said with a chuckle, liking how she touched his face.
"You two make me sick." Swanson said, throwing the sock back at Hector. "I'm going to go pick a fight with Suzette, get
my masculinity back. Mark, let's go."
"Wimp." Hector said, laughing as Swanson and Mark left. "Ooh. Unchaperoned again."
Her lips flickered upward in a smile. Eyes vulnerable. Gentle she curved her hand against his cheek. She thought she
could live with everything else that had happened. Anything else but losing him.
"Oh horrors." She agreed softly. Edges of her lips curving as she gently teased: "Whatever shall we do?"
"Not a whole lot you can do for the exactly thirty seconds before someone else comes barrelling through the door.
That's our usual time limit." He said with a chuckle. "But I think we can make due." He said as he kissed her again,
before, in fact, someone did come through. Because someone always did in places where doors didn't lock.
The soft, welcoming sound escaped her as his mouth closed over hers and she melted into him. Eyes closing,
surrendering. Safe again. Her hands slipped down to curl in his dark hair, curve against the fabric of his shirt where
she could feel the beat of his heart. Her lips parted for his, answered his. And he brought her that last step. Safely
home again. Held in his arms with his kisses melting into hers. Home...
He held her and kissed her, feeling so much more at peace than he had just a few days ago. Was it really only a few
days ago when he thought his life had been turned upside down and ripped apart? Mike wasn't kidding, what he told
Jet. He really would have torn apart Africa to get her back.
There was so much love in his touch. For her. It made her heart break. Made her feel like laughing. And crying.
Soothed away her fears and made her whole. She'd been good. Tried to be brave and strong and clever. The entire
time she'd been - gone. Because all she'd been able to think about was this. How much she needed to come back to
this. To him.
She'd curled back in his lap again somehow. Entirely surrounded by him. The way she always wanted to be. Bones and
muscle and tension and worry and guilt and fear melting away under his touch with a relieved sigh. Because it was safe
here.
She hadn't lied. She had been waiting for him to come for her. Possibly all her life.
Janette silently let the tent flap settle back into place and stood outside the tent for a moment. Tears in her eyes. Unlike
her husband she didn't think she was losing her daughter. But she knew things were changing. And her little girl would
always look to someone else first now. And for some reason it made her happy enough to feel like crying.
He looked at her, curled up in his lap, clinging to him for him to protect her. And he would, he realized, from whatever
came her way that wasn't safe or decent. "I'm serious." He said. "Come to Louisiana." He hadn't been home in so long,
and for the first time he really wanted to return, if only to show her his safe world, not the world of his she had seen.
She met his eyes. Saw the look in their impossible darkness. And her lips curved softly for him.
"Yes." She answered. Without hesitation or resistance. Completely sure. She rubbed the backs of her fingers against
his jaw and her smile quietly softened and brightened. "Yes, I'd like that."
Outside, Janette absently rubbed a hand over her heart and silently sighed. She'd never heard her daughter sound so
at peace and content before. Shaking her head she left them their privacy. Thinking - so that was what her husband
and Hector had been doing. Thoughtful she rubbed at her heart again. She was going to have to do some thinking.
"Yeah?" He asked, his own smile widening as she nodded, he hadn't heard her wrong. "Then get ready for gumbo and
crawfish and the worst football team you've seen in your entire life." He said, laughing as he hugged her close.
Sean saw Janette by the tent. "Luv?" He asked, having seen the SEALs off with his most heart felt thanks. "Is
everything all right?"
The laughter whispered out of her as well and she twined her own arms around him in answer to his response. Heart
light in her chest. It was all going to be all right. Somehow, everything was.
Janette gave her husband a smile. He knew he was hiding something from her and he was feeling leery about it. Of
course, now she suspected she knew exactly what he was hiding from her. It wasn't the marriage proposal she'd been
hoping for... Still... she gently touched his cheek.
"Everything's fine, Sean." She assured him. The picture of innocence and wifely love. Which, he knew, was enough to
cause concern. "Just glad to have our little girl back." She was patient. The young man would have to end up alone
somewhere with her at some point. If she wasn't very wrong, he might actually be the one seeking her out.
"Just remember, I think we're sharing her nowadays." He said, as if to prepare her. Or soften her up more toward the
young man. Women were strange. He knew God’s ways were mysterious, but even He didn't hold a holy candle to
women and their ways. "Then again, I don't know if she's realized she might have to share him with you also." He was
sure Hector didn't realize that.
"Okay, in a bit, I have to go figure things out." Hector said, in no rush to leave. But a commercial flight would be better
than a military one, which meant there were passport issues for him to be settled, since technically he had never left his
country, according to them anyway. Technical things. Right now, non important things.
Janette gently patted her husband's cheek with a soft smile. She really had married a good man. A very good man. And
so much wiser than any college education could provide. She almost told him not to worry. But she wanted him to
worry. It was the price he paid whenever he was keeping a secret from her. It kept him honest, she thought with a smile.
"He is mine now too." She agreed. Her little boy. Even if he wasn't so little. But she wanted just the two of them dealing
with this. As much as her husband would have done it all himself given the opportunity. So she didn't tell Sean she
already knew.
Or that his new 'son' and his daughter were sharing kisses in the tent just behind them.
"Come along." She took his arm, steering him elsewhere. "I want to find Suzette. We need to talk and you may need to
distract that Robert boy for me while we do."
"We've got some time." Andi agreed softly. Kissing him again. And than giving him a crooked smile. "I still have to figure
out how to break it to Mum." She gently brushed the hair back from his forehead. "But it would be a shame to waste the
longest thirty seconds alone we've ever had." She added with a smile, teasing starting to dance in her eyes.
"Distract or save?" Sean said with a chuckle as his wife lead him away from the tent containing his Dromie and her
Hector. The literary allusions were not lost on him, and he could have almost laughed at the chances of a warrior
named Hector finding his princess, but decided not to, if only because of the ending of that particular story.