Author Note: The response I've gotten to this story has been incredible. Thank you all for reading and sharing this Rare Pair with me. Your enthusiasm means I'll definitely be coming back to revisit this AU in the future. Make sure you check out the first one-shot in this universe under the Story "Take A Shot".

It's well into morning when the Reds and Blues start staggering home from the bar, Freelancers in various states of intoxication accompanying them on their meandering journey. By some miracle, Caboose had been prevented from consuming any kind of alcoholic beverage and was now supporting both Carolina and Sarge, each of them tucked against his side under the pretext of helping him back to base.

Tucker and Wash were leaning against each other, talking in a soft, easy banter broken up by an occasional fit of giggling. Donut, meanwhile, was guiding Simmons along the path, having spent the night proving himself to have a remarkably high tolerance for alcohol. The maroon soldier, by contrast, found himself challenged by the concept of vertical and forward momentum.

Bringing up the rear, Grif and North watched in amusement as the group straggled on, got distracted, lost members to various bushes and animal trails, then rediscovered them further down the path. North had an arm slung across Grif's broad shoulders, fairly far gone with drink. Grif, meanwhile, had a very pleasant buzz going. Enough to feel warm and relaxed and floaty but not enough to be impaired on the two kilometer hike back. Goodness knows, he'd done it enough to know when to stop drinking.

When the watch post finally came into view, North stumbled to a stop, holding Grif back while the others continued on. Donut glanced back briefly and gave them a cheerful wave.

Turning to his lover, North reached out with surprisingly steady hands and tugged Grif's helmet off, then his own, dropping the pieces of armor to the ground. Reaching up, he cradled the shorter man's face for a moment then wrapped him up in a tight hug.

"Before we get back," North started, talking directly into his ear, "and we're surrounded by all the New Republic babies, I wanted to say thank you. You- you put me back together, Grif. I was broken, all broken and stuck. But you came to the bar and you weren't a jerk and-" he pulled back, letting his hands linger on Grif's shoulders while he gave him a steady look. "You listened to me and you didn't judge me or try to make me change. You saw all the pieces I was in and you didn't get scared away. I still hear Theta screaming but it's not all the time anymore. It's not every time I close my eyes or if I stop thinking. It's, it's better. Better than it was. You did that. Thank you."

Stomach twisting with embarrassment (but also happiness. In fact, primarily happiness), Grif smiled and shook his head. "You are totally wasted, man. Look at you, you can hardly string two sentences together."

North gave him a huffy sniff. "Ask me about this in the morning. Or- whenever I'm sober again. I'll say the same thing. I realized when I thought you were dead-" his voice broke softly at that word, "I realized how much you'd put me back together. And I knew, without you, I wouldn't- I can't keep getting better without you."

Grif laughed softly. He'd heard North deliver drunken monologues before but this had to take the cake. "What, so I can't get rid of you now, is that it?" he teased.

"Nuh-uh," North replied. He smiled, happy to hear Grif laugh. "I love you. And you love me. You said so in your letter. So we're going to be together forever."

Stooping down, North kissed him, long and deep. They both tasted like beer but that was unimportant next to the simple embrace.

When North finally pulled away, he looped his arms around Grif's neck. "I'm glad I have Carolina and Wash again. The others- I like the others. But you're the important one, Grif. I'm here for you. Whatever you decide, I'm with you. If you want to leave, I'll go with you. If you fight, I'll be by your side. Wherever you are, for whatever reason, I'll be with you."

The declaration was simple and to the point. On some level, Grif imagined that a sober North Dakota wouldn't be so willing to gush over him. But he had. And the words- they were wonderful and exciting and terrifying. All his life, Grif had fought to protect his sister, to protect the Reds and later the Blues. He'd always fought for others but he'd never felt like he could be sure someone would do the same for him. At most, he was only ever going to be second-best.

North, though- North was happily casting his lot all-in with Grif, proclaiming once and for all that to him, Grif was the most important person in the universe.

The little voice in his mind whimpered: I'm not worth it.

With a deep breath, Grif forced the voice away. It wasn't always right. And if he'd listened to it when he first went to the bar, he'd never have gone back to sit with North, to get to know him and fall in love with him.

With a shaky breath (and a quick scrub at watering eyes), Grif pulled North in for another kiss. "You better believe I'm asking you about this tomorrow," he said once they parted. "If for no other reason than to see you embarrassed for once."

North let out a happy hum. "I'll tell you the same thing tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. However many times you want to hear it," he promised. He kissed him again. And this time, North's hands started to wander, reaching down to pull Grif's hips close to his.

Laughing again, Grif untangled himself and took hold of North's arm, tugging him back down the path towards the watch station. "Come on, we should go before you start stripping again and it's some of the New Republic kids we traumatize instead of Carolina."

It took another half hour to make it to through the checkpoint and to the New Republic base. Just as Grif was getting ready to steer North towards the private quarters they'd been granted (it had only taken one lowly private walking in on them mid-coitus for Kimball to decide they really shouldn't be in the regular barracks) when an anguished cry pierced the air and a blur of yellow slammed into him, sending North tumbling to the ground.

"I thought you were de-ea-aa-ad," the blur wailed into his neck. "All I had left of you was a stupid letter!"

"K- Kai?" Grif grappled with the blur, yanking and prying at the arms locked like steel around his chest. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded when he finally pried his sister off him.

Kaikaina glared, the heat in her eyes easily burning through the visor of her helmet. "I got your stupid letter and a message from some dude called East or some shit like that saying you were dead! And that's bullshit so I stole another ship to come and find you!"

"Well, I'm not dead so go back to your ship and get out of here!" Grif yelled. "This planet is a wreck! It's not safe for you to be here!"

"Like hell!" Kaikaina yelled back. "I let you go off on that stupid reassignment and it almost got you killed! Over and over again!"

Just as the siblings started gearing up for a proper trashy Grif family fight, North reached up and tugged at Grif's elbow. "Is this your sister?" he asked, sounding utterly unfazed by the sudden interpersonal drama. "I like her, she has good priorities."

"Who the fuck is that?" Kai demanded, glancing down at the fallen Freelancer. "He sounds kinda h-" she paused, then suddenly straightened. "You know what, I don't care if he's hot. I'm not going anywhere because you keep almost dying whenever I'm not around. I'm staying! Deal with it!"

"I really like her."

"You stay out of this!" Letting out a soft, wordless scream, Grif sucked in a deep breath. Then he glared at the crowd of onlookers that had gathered. Spotting familiar maroon stripes, Grif jabbed a finger at Jensen. "You! This is my sister." Grabbing Kai's arm, he dragged her over to the female soldier. "Find her a place to sleep, I'm not dealing with this right now. And if anyone tries to sleep with her," he added in a louder voice, turning his head to glare at the crowd, "you're going to WISH you were still at war with the Feds when I'm done with you! Is that clear?"

Something in his tone must have been convincing. There was an immediate chorus of terrified "Yes, sir!"

Growling, Grif shoved Kai at Jensen. "Bed, now!" he barked, automatically putting on his Big Brother voice, the one that snapped and roared like gunfire. "All of you!"

The crowd scattered. In moments, the area was clear once more. Jensen hastily dragged his sister into the female barracks and slammed the door closed behind her. Turning, Grif froze when he found Kimball helping North to his feet.

The General stood still for a moment, studying him from behind the blue sheen of her helmet visor. "We'll talk about this tomorrow," she said, sounded amused. "Good night, Captain Grif."

"General," Grif said through gritted teeth. His happy buzz was gone, wiped out by the thermonuclear explosion that was his sister.

North walked up and wrapped his arm around Grif's shoulders. "Worry about it in the morning," he urged. "For now, let's go to bed."

A little while later, Grif and North were wrapped up together in bed. Tomorrow would be busy. The army was scheduled to start the move to the Capital and now they had to cram Kaikaina Grif into their plans. But for now, North kept Grif distracted with large, clever hands and teasing kisses. With soft words of love and devotion. And Grif couldn't help but respond, eagerly wrapping North up in his powerful form and the wit and cleverness that made him laugh and eased his battered soul. Tomorrow, they would be back at war and swept up in family drama.