For Auld Lang Syne (Navy Book 1)

Chapter 19

"Yes, he even found the time to kiss me too." Devon smiled at the memory, looking over at the Christmas tree where her present for Josh was because now she couldn't wait to give it to him. It was amazing what a life and death situation could do to change one's perspective on the impossible. "Where is it?" She jumped up moving towards the tree that was bare underneath.

James came up behind her. "Hush, Josh has them."

The panic that had filled her eased, she knew it was more than the present.  She needed to see Josh and know that he was O.K., that they were O.K.

"Is something missing?" the officer asked her, suddenly alert.

"No, everything's fine," Devon assured him as she returned to her seat. If Josh had the present, would he open it without her? She wanted to be there when he opened it, to see his reaction, to see if he got the meaning behind the gift.

The officer continued with his ridiculous questions and Devon did her best to remain calm. He was in the middle of making her re-tell exactly what had happened in the library when there was a commotion in the hall prior to Commander Bricks walked into the room with Will and Lee behind him.

"Dr. Tatum, officer, I'm looking for my men." He was an imposing-looking man, standing tall and straight in his uniform with Will and Lee behind him. Will and Lee's faces were impassive as they stood behind Bricks.

The officer jumped up and asked the Commander to follow him, and they all disappeared down the hall together. Devon was almost to her breaking point as she slumped into her chair, staring unseeingly into the fire while listening to Jenny and Pamela question James about the Josh.

"How did you know he was in the Navy, Devon?" Pamela asked her.

"We work together," she softly said.

"You're in the Navy?" Her mother sounded so shocked that Devon couldn't help the laugh that came out, she also couldn't help that it sounded a bit hysterical either.

After a moment she regained control and cleared her throat. "No, I'm a civilian contractor with the Navy, I told you and father after I took the job." She missed the embarrassed look on her mother's face that let everyone in the room know she didn't remember the fact.

They waited in silence, and Kellan was the first to return to them. Devon remained in her chair, holding back the tears as he spoke softly to her parents while shaking their hands. After a few minutes, he came over to the chair where Devon sat and knelt in front of her.

"I'll take you with me into a fight any day," he said, placing his finger under her chin and forcing her to look at him. She knew it was the highest compliment he could pay her, so when Kellan took her hands in his and squeezed, she squeezed back.

"Where is Josh?" she asked.

"He'll be along in a minute. We have to go back to the base and debrief, and there will be an investigation." He stood up and walked over to the chair next to her, reaching down to pick up the book she had given him.

"Kellan?" Devon reached for him and drew him down to her level again, looking into his eyes.

"Who did it?" She had to know, it was the only way she would able to move forward. She needed all of the facts.

"I did." He patted her hand. "I'm a sniper, and Josh didn't want to risk a miss."

"Josh is always the one with the plan," Devon nodded, "he would have wanted the best."

"Yes, he's gotten us all out of many tight spots, in both the battlefield and the bars." Kellan grinned at her, and she knew it was going to be alright if he could joke about it.

Suddenly, the book was taken from Kellan's hand and they both turned to see Josh opening it to its cover page.

"It's been driving you nuts, hasn't it?" Kellan laughed.

Devon had written: 'To Kellan, The second best guy I know. Love Devon'

"A doctor wrote that, so it must be true." He slammed the book into Kellan's chest and he reached up to grab it. "I suggest you don't forget it." This was the Josh that she knew.

Devon couldn't stop the tears any longer as Josh turned to her parents and then his, agreeing that they all needed to have a talk but that it would have to wait. He then turned to Devon and held his hand out to her. She remembered when he had done the same thing in September, and how it had felt intimate and odd then. Now it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Josh took her hand and walked her towards the front door with Kellan following them, but when they reached the door Josh stopped and Kellan kept going.

"I have to go," Josh said as he looked down into her eyes.

"Kellan told me." Devon swallowed back tears. She wasn't sure why she felt like crying. Maybe it was because he was leaving, or the stress of the situation, or perhaps it was pure relief that they were all alive.

Josh looked over his shoulder at the people waiting in the cars below.

"The presents?" Devon asked.

"How like a woman." Josh looked back at her with a smile as she slapped his arm. "I'll try to make it back for the wedding and bring them with me. We'll open them together, I promise." He took a deep and shaky breath. "Why do you keep that photo Firefly?"

Devon licked her lips as she looked at his before she let her gaze travel up to his beautiful grey eyes. She knew the answer had mattered to him the first time he had asked the question, and it obviously still did if he was asking the question now, and she didn't understand why it was important, but after all they had just been through, she owed him the truth.

"Because it was the first time you called me Firefly, and the moment I realized I love you." Her voice broke as she said the words.

"I want to kiss you right now, but you realize if I do so in front of the Commander you'll probably lose your job." His eyes searched hers.

"I don't care Josh." She went up on tiptoe and kissed him hard. He pulled her to him with a groan, kissing her back. After a few moments, he broke away from her brushing the tears she didn't realize she was crying away from her face.

"I'm proud of you Firefly, you are an amazing woman, and I don't know why you've picked me to love, but I'm honored. You do still love me?" Josh asked, suddenly unsure.

Devon smiled at his sudden lack of confidence that was so much like a young boy. He was showing her a chink in his armor, and it told her more than any words ever could how he felt about her.

"I'll think about it and let you know." She kissed him hard one more then pulled away as someone called his name. "But I'll keep waiting for you just in case."

Josh pulled her to him once more, and she could feel a shudder as it ran through his body. "Thank God that you did." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and then was gone.