4 years later.

Emily looked out the window from where she sat on the airplane. She had the window seat, and nowadays flying made her nervous so she kept the window cover over the window for the whole journey. Her stomach leapt in excitement and nerves as the plane pulled into the airport.

She smoothed out her uniform, the same one she wore all the time. The camo print made her stand out like it did during every plane ride she took. Her carry on of the same pattern as her outfit was stuffed under the seat in front of her, and although she was exhausted, she perked up upon the realization that she was finally home.

When it was her turn to get off the plane, Emily rose from her seat and pulled her bag out from under the seat in front of her and put it on. She walked down the aisle of the plane and left the plane, her stomach jumping to her throat. It had been four years since she got off the plane and needed assistance with a wheelchair, and she eyed the wheelchair waiting for someone resentfully as she walked passed. She was glad that she wouldn't be sitting in one this time.

Her phone's notifications were erupting as usual in her pocket, as it always did when she returned home from Afghanistan, and Emily was thankful that she didn't need to rely on letters as means of communication anymore. She missed hearing everyone's voice.

She took out her phone and looked at the notifications. Her most recent one was a text from the exact person she was expecting to get a text from. Alison.

We're waiting for you right outside the security check :) xx

Emily smiled widely, as her stomach flipped some more. She was especially excited to see who else was accompanying her to pick Emily up, and was becoming increasingly nervous and antsy as she walked through the airport.

As she walked towards the exit, she twisted the rings on her finger, a constant reminder of what she was going home to while away at war. The engagement ring and her wedding band rested comfortably on her ring finger, as it had been for three years.

She still remembers vividly the day the ring was presented to her, when Alison got on one knee after dinner one night at her house and asked her to be in her life for the rest of her life. It was unexpected, since Emily had just gotten home and was on leave for a month. But of course she accepted, and the next year that she was on leave they got married during a small ceremony that only their close friends and family attended.

Everyday with Alison in the official sense had been better than the previous one, Emily was in bliss despite the circumstances of her only being in Rosewood for a month every year. She thought it would be a definite strain in her relationship, and it was. But Alison stuck around, and she sent her letters all the time to keep her updated. This last year, she had received many more photographs from Alison, which elated Emily due to what the photographs were of.

Emily made it to the security check, and towards where people were meeting up with people who had been flying. Emily smiled widely as she spotted the faces she recognized in the crowd of other people.

At first, she saw blonde hair. People cleared as she made it past the security check, and the head of blonde hair was running at her at full speed as she had been for the last three years. Emily opened her arms widely, and caught Alison in her arms. She lifted her and put her hands on Alison's backside to support her weight as Alison wrapped her legs around her. Her wife pulled her in for a deep kiss, lips that Emily missed for eleven months a year. But this time it was different.

After kissing for what seemed like hours, Alison hugged her tightly as Emily held her in their bear hug. She eventually set Alison down, who turned on her heels and walked towards Emily's parents.

"Close your eyes Emily," Alison called, and Emily quickly obliged. Her heart was pounding in her chest in anticipation.

She waited until she heard Alison come back, and had to force herself to keep her eyes closed.

"Open," Alison said, and Emily could hear that Alison was smiling.

When Emily opened her eyes, she looked down at what Alison was cradling in her arms. Emily's mouth fell open slightly, as she looked down at the baby in Alison's arms, it was the first time she had ever seen their three month old daughter. Right around this time last year, they were trying for a baby. Emily was concerned, since she would be away for the vast majority of Alison's pregnancy, the birth of her child, and the first three months of their daughter's life.

"She's beautiful," Emily said, lightly stroking the pad of her thumb on their daughter's head. She already had thick black hair on the top of her head, similar to Emily's. Her skin was the same tan color as Emily's too, though it was a bit lighter since they used a donor with Alison's characteristics. She was sleeping peacefully in Alison's arms, clinging onto the fabric of her blouse with her small hand.

Emily held her arms out, and Alison transferred their daughter into Emily's arms. She held her delicately, and bounced her slightly in her arms.

"She is," Alison said, looking up at Emily. "She looks just like you. She was the only thing keeping me more sane about you being gone."

"Well, I'm back now. For good," Emily said, tearing her eyes away from their daughter.

"I know. And we're both so happy that you're staying home," Alison said.

Due to Emily's leg impairing her ability to be as active as she used to and her occasional PTSD flashbacks, she had stopped her career as a combat medic. They still sent her to Afghanistan, but she participated in other things that didn't involve being thrust into warfare. But now, she had been reassigned and her return from Afghanistan would be her last one. She now would be positioned right by Rosewood, her commute only being about 45 minutes.

"I love you," Emily said, leaning forward to kiss Alison.

"I love you too," Alison said, smiling slightly. "Now, let's go home. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Are you ready to go home, Miss Rowan?" Emily asked their daughter, who stirred slightly in her arms.

"The two loves of my life," Alison said, looking back at them. "I'm still so glad that you're mine."

fin.