#mini-metal

You stood at the kitchen sink, looking out the window. Only you weren't really looking. Not anymore at least. You had zoned out, thinking about the up and coming week. It was Sunday. Which you normally spent the day lazing about, along with incorporating self-care tasks. But today you were fretting about the week. 

Doctor appointments, car repairs, and visiting with your financial advisor were among things that needed to be taken care of. 

Unbeknownst to you, your husband had found you staring out the window. He studied you a moment before walking up behind you. Since you were oblivious to your surroundings, you didn't see him walking up behind you. 

He wrapped his arms around you then began to pepper your face with kisses. His beard tickles you as he did so. It was quite the shift change as you were immediately brought back to reality. Bubbles of laughter falling from your lips. You leaned your head back against his shoulder, him taking that as an invitation to kiss the expanse of your neck. 

“Y’know, I was a bit upset when I rolled over to cuddle my wife and instead, was met with the coldness of your empty side of the bed. Care to tell me why you're up and about on Sunday?” He asked, his voice raspy from sleep still. 

You turned your head to look at him before leaning in for a kiss. He hummed in response. 

“Just had a lot on my mind for the upcoming week. Need to get it on the calendar and take time off for it all,” you answer, after breaking away from the kiss. 

He rested his chin on your shoulder as he thought. You closed your eyes, reveling in the simple intimacy that you two were sharing. It wasn't always like this. Your husband was normally off saving the world, taking out one bad guy at a time. However, he was on extended medical leave at the moment. 

“Let's focus on all of that tonight instead of right now. Let me take care of my best girl. You go and sit down while I make breakfast, hmm,” he suggested. 

You sighed softly before turning around in his arms. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you studied his face. 

“John Price, you are too good to me. Some days I can't believe I got so lucky to marry you,” you told him. 

He smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling as he did so, before leaning in to press a kiss on your lips. 

“I should be the one saying that to you, love. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen, fell in love with an old and grumpy of a bear like me,” he retorted. 

“You're not old or grumpy. But you are my bear. My Big Bear. I'm honored to be your wife,” you cooed before placing a kiss on the tip of his nose. 

“I love you, Mrs. Price.” 

“And I love you, Mr. Price.” 

You pulled away from his arms, giving his bicep a loving squeeze before going over to the breakfast nook. He had watched you go before turning back around to get started on breakfast. 

From that moment on, you looked at your husband with love and adoration. You never thought you'd find someone like him until you did. It almost felt like it was too good to be true. But he proved himself worthy, time and time again. 

All throughout the day, he doted on you hand and foot. He didn't need to but he just huffed a laugh then kissed you every time you tried to get him to stop. 

Evening rolled around, and there was a resounding knock on your front door. Your husband smiled, a mischief glint in his eyes, as he told you to stay out. You raised an eyebrow at him, hearing the captain tone in his voice. 

You tried to listen to the conversation at the front door, but it was hard to do when it was done in hushed voices. Then the door was closed. He hadn't turned around yet, clearly holding something in his hands. 

“Do me a favor, love. And close your eyes,” he asked casually. 

That caused you to narrow your eyes at him, not that he'd be able to see it. 

“And stop narrowing your eyes at me. Humor me love,” he added, chuckling.

You heaved a dramatic sigh before obliging your husband. 

“No peeking, yeah?” 

“‘m not peeking John,” you huffed another laugh.

He turned around to see that you indeed were not peeking. He slowly made his way over to you. He stood before you, a gift in hand, taking in your beauty once more. 

“Hold out your hands, love,” he instructed.

You did as you were told and without a fuss. He carefully placed your gift in your hands. Your eyes flew open as you felt the texture in your hands. You were face to face with a Corgi pup. A red headed tricolor one at that. 

Your bottom lip began to quiver as you looked from your husband to the puppy. Your eyes watered as well.

“J-John! What…?” You started off before trailing off. 

“Happy birthday, my love,” he stated simply. 

That was when the gears kicked on in your head. You had completely forgotten what today was. So focused on the future instead of living for today. Now it made sense for his actions for today. You cuddled the puppy under your chin, the puppy lifted its head up to lick you on the chin. 

Tears fell but you knew they were happy tears. John sat down beside you and wrapped an arm around your shoulders. You looked over at him, giving him a wet smile. 

“Thank you oh so much, my Big Bear. I absolutely love them,” you said softly. 

“You're most welcome, my love. I had a feeling you would.” 

“Who do we know that drives a Jeep like that?” Jason asked.

They were walking off the C-17, having got home from a recent spin-up. All eyes shifted to the Jeep in question. It was a Jeep Wrangler with a hardtop. A beautiful turquoise color with black accents.

It was Sonny who noticed that Brock had stopped walking. Instead, his mouth hung open in disbelief.

“You alright there, Mighty Mouse? Don't think I've ever seen ya this speechless before,” the Texan jabbed playfully.

Brock didn't even take the bait. He did, however, drop his duffle bag and run straight towards the woman who now stood by the back of the Jeep.

A pair of Ray-Ban Aviators covered her face. She smiled as she watched him run towards her. A shrill of laughter escaped her lips as soon as he engulfed her in his arms. Her legs instantly wrapped around his torso as he held her.

Now it was all of Bravo’s turn to be speechless. They watched in confusion as Brock held her and she hugged him. Her being his anchor in the here and now.

“Was anyone aware of Brock having a significant other?” Jason asked, finally breaking the silence.

When no one answered, he glanced around him trying to gauge their reactions.

Brock finally placed her back on her feet. She watched him from behind her sunglasses. A small smile on her face.

“I can't believe you're here. Why are you here? I thought…” he trailed off, not sure if he really wanted to talk about her husband.

She lifted her sunglasses off her face and placed them on top of her head.

“My divorce finalized three months ago. Fell out of love almost two years ago. Only stayed with him until recently because I was taking care of his mom while she fought cancer. I wasn't ready to leave her and she begged me to stay so I did. She passed away six months before I filed for divorce. Turns out she rewrote her will and took him out of it and placed me in it instead. I was nice enough to leave him the house. I took everything else she left me,” she said with a shrug.

Brock smiled before placing his hands on either side of her head and pressed his lips against hers. This caused half of the team’s mouths to fall open while the other half was wolf whistling. Cerberus was barking with excitement at this.

“So…are we just going to ignore that or…” Clay asked.

“Leave him alone. Let him enjoy his welcome home party,” Eric finally replied.

He picked up Brock’s bag then carried it over to Brock. Cerberus followed happily beside him. Brock pulled away, much to his dismay, to talk to his Lieutenant Commander. It was a short conversation, with Eric shaking hands with the woman beside Brock before leaving.

She had said something to Brock which then led him to look over at his team. He bobbed his head once before looking back at her. She had a shit-eating grin on her face as she pulled him down for another kiss. He let out a surprise noise as she did so. When she pulled away, she placed a hand on the side of his face.

“Meet you at your place?” She asked.

“Just follow me from here,” he replied, leaning into her touch.

A moment later, both of them were in their respective vehicles, Cerberus leaning out the window behind Brock. He pulled out of his parking spot before moving out of the way so she could pull out too.

************

They had gone out to Bulkhead, because Brock knew the others would be itching to know who she was. She also knew he wanted to be anywhere but there.

Introductions were made. Some teasing had been made from Sonny and Jason. She and Lisa had hit it off well and already had plans to have a girls day soon.

It was made known that she and Brock had known each other in their teen years. They had been inseparable in high school. Then they graduated. She was off to college while he had enlisted in the Navy. Both of them were oblivious that they both had feelings for the other but denied the possibility of them being together.

Then she got married. He attended the wedding, still unable to confess his feelings to her then. It wasn't until a few years later that he finally confessed. She didn't know how to process that information. And for the longest time, Brock thought he had screwed up. A couple of weeks went by before she had confessed her own feelings to him. Life wasn't a Hallmark movie; she didn't want to divorce her husband just so she could marry her best friend. She did love her husband at the time. Just towards the end, everything changed and she was done.

Now here she was, starting a new life near her best friend. Ready to take the next step in their relationship. Everyone could see how in love Brock was with her. And vice versa. Brock was also happy with how well she got along with everyone in Bravo.

It was coming up on hour two since they arrived when she excused the both of them, wanting to get back home to check on her furry companion. She had rescued a speckled dachshund three weeks after moving here. She had a picture of it on her lock screen.

“She doesn't do well by herself for very long, so I usually take her with me,” she had explained.

There were a few “aww’s” with how cute the tiny dog was. A collective “goodbye's” was said before the couple walked away.