*****~*****

--Richard stood in shock for a moment before acknowledging the man at the door… "Dad?"

"Ah, good, you remember." He exclaimed, then turned his attention to everyone else in the room… "His year on an island wasn't the first separation of Father and son…"

Richard ignored the comment… "You missed Mother."

"I know. I was waiting outside till she left." Ben, Richard's father laughed, then reached for Caroline's hand… "You must be Caroline…"

"How did you know that?" Richard asked, surprised…

"I saw her picture in the paper. When they were looking for you her picture was all over the news…"

"Just my picture? Not Richard's?" Caroline asked…

"Well, he isn't a 'somebody'..."

Richard scoffed… "Yeah, thanks Dad."

"That's not what I meant! You're so testy!" Ben lightly scolded him… "He's so testy! Always has been…" he turned his attention back to Caroline… "So, Caroline… may I call you Caroline?"

She nodded… "Just as long as you don't call me 'darling' or 'dear'…"

Ben chuckled… "So, Natalie really was here!"

Everyone laughed or chuckled but Richard, and Ben could tell his son was on edge…

"Well, look, I won't stay long… embarrass Richard any further by my presence…" his voice showed a touch of sadness, but he kept on a happy face… "When they pronounced you dead all I could think about was how we never really spent time together. Now that you're here and not dead… well, I wanted to see you…" He hugged Richard, then pulled away, tears in his eyes refusing to fall… "Try not to be a stranger, ok?"

Richard cared about his Dad. He blamed him at first for leaving when he was younger, but as he grew older he realized he needed to escape Mother. Still, he kept his emotional distance from his Father, just like he tried to do with all people. But something urged him…

"Dad, wait. There's something I need to tell you…"

Ben stopped his exit short and turned around… "Yeah?"

"Caroline and I are married. She's my wife."

A large smile spread across his face, and he walked over and hugged his son, then he turned to Caroline, holding out his arms… "May I?" He asked permission to hug her and she smiled, nodding her consent.

"There's more Dad…"

Ben faced his son… "Ok…"

"We're pregnant."

Ben's eyes grew wide… "Well, I assume SHE'S carrying the baby…" he joked…

Richard rolled his eyes, a slight smile on his face…

"Wow. I'm gonna be a grandpop!" He hugged Caroline again, then patted Richard on the shoulder… "When did all this happen? Marriage, baby…"

"On the island."

"Oh, so, a clergyman of some kind was stranded there with you?"

Caroline shook her head… "No, sir, actually--"

"Sir? Please… I hear 'sir' and I look around for my father! Please, call me Ben. Or Dad!"

"Oh. Alright…" Caroline agreed… and before she could open her mouth to finish her explanation about the clergyman, Ben interrupted again…

"And I was kidding." He told her… "I know you two were alone on the island.

She smiled at his happy, quirky behavior.

"So, any plans to do a ceremony for family and friends?"

"Well, actually… we were kinda thinking…" Caroline started to say, then realized she hadn't introduced her friends and family to Richard's Dad. "Oh, geez, ummm… you wanna join us?"

Ben looked to his son and saw a slight smile there, giving him his consent… "Sure. I would love that."

"Here, Dad, let me take your coat."

--After introductions they ordered dinner… Chinese food. And over dinner they chatted… about the island, the pregnancy, the 'Caroline' strip, Richard's paintings Natalie sold… multiple topics. But it was getting late, and Richard and Caroline were getting tired, so friends and family took that as their cue to leave.

Ben put on his coat, then handed Richard a business card… "Here's the number to the shoe store. Use it…"

"I will Dad." Richard replied.

Ben hugged his son, then Caroline, then left.

"Here sweetie…" Margaret sung in a soft cheery voice… "Your Dad and I are staying in town for a while. That's the number of the hotel."

"Thanks Mom…"

"And if you need anything… anything at all… call--"

"I will Mom."

Margaret hugged her daughter, then turned to Richard, hugging him. He tensed up…

"You're so tense!" Margaret announced… "You need to lighten up!" she informed him… "I'm a hugger!"

Richard smiled an awkward smile… "I'll keep that in mind…"

Next Fred stepped up, hugging Caroline… "Goodnight Pudd."

"G'night Dad."

He then extended his hand towards Richard… "Goodnight Richard."

"Goodnight."

Fred patted him on the shoulder, then turned to leave. Then Annie stepped up…

"It is so good to have you home…" she said with teary eyes…

"It's good to be home." Caroline replied, also with tears in her eyes…

"If you need anything…" Annie told her… "We'll be right across the hall…"

Caroline looked confused… "But… you said… you live… here? Then… why--?"

"Oh, God, I'm sorry… I guess I forgot to mention… when I moved in here, Del rented my old place. To be closer to me…"

"Ooohhh… ok." Caroline smiled as everything clicked…

"The phone numbers are changed though." Annie handed her a piece of paper with the new phone numbers on it. "If you need anything, call. Or come over."

"I will Annie, thanks."

Annie then turned to Richard… "Well, Richie…"

Richard rolled his eyes, he didn't bother to correct her.

"Looks like I'll be seeing you tomorrow…"

"Lucky me." Richard replied sarcastically, and Annie smiled…

"Feisty. I like him."

She walked a step closer to the door and Del approached Caroline…

"Duff…" he whispered… "I can't tell you how glad I am you're home safe…" He kissed her forehead while he grasped her shoulders, holding her close, but not too close. Del could sense Richard fidgeting, so he released his grip on Caroline and extended his hand towards Richard. Richard took his hand, shaking it politely. "I'll see you tomorrow I guess…"

Richard just nodded.

"Sleep well guys…" Del said, then he and Annie walked across the hall.

Caroline turned to Richard and smiled… "The bedroom's upstairs."

"Ok." he smiled, then followed her up.

--She looked in the closets for something to wear to bed, but all of Annie's nightclothes were more sexy than comfortable. Finally, she settled on a pair of sweats.

"I'm sorry there's nothing in here for you…"

"It's ok, Caroline, I'll just sleep in my boxers…"

They climbed into bed and snuggled up together, the feel of a bed very different than what they were used to…

"I'd forgotten what it's like to sleep in a bed…" Caroline chuckled softly…

"There are a lot of things we're going to have to get used to again…"

"Yeah…"

It wasn't long before they fell fast asleep, exhausted from the events of the last 2 days.

*****~*****

--Caroline woke in the morning to an empty bed. She sat up and stretched, looking around, trying to get her bearings straight…

"Richard?"

No answer. She stood up and headed downstairs… to the smell of coffee. Richard was standing at the window, staring out at the busy street below, sipping his coffee…

"Good morning." Caroline greeted him softly…

"Good morning."

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Nothing really. Sleep well?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

Caroline went to pour herself some coffee, but Richard cleared his throat, catching her attention… "Coffee is bad for the baby. Go easy…"

She smiled… "I will." She joined him at the window and wrapped her arm around his waist. "So…"

"So?" Richard asked, smiling…

"What did you think of my family and friends?"

"They seem great. Just like you described them…"

"Yeah. Your Mom too! Just like you described her!"

"Unfortunately."

"I really like your Dad."

"Yeah. He's a good man."

"He really loves you…"

"I know."

"I think everyone really likes you." Caroline informed him, squeezing his waist gently.

"I feel out of place. Like I don't belong."

"You belong. You belong with me."

He smiled and kissed her lips softly…

Just then Annie came bouncing through the door…

"Morning! Coffee! Excellent!"

Richard looked at her with surprise, then looked at Caroline. Caroline just shrugged with a smile and walked towards Annie…

"Good morning, Annie."

"Good morning! How'd you sleep?"

"Good. You?"

"Good."

"Too much goodness…" Richard grumbled, heading for the stairs…

"Good morning, Richie!"

"Mmmm-hmmm…" was his reply as he disappeared into the bedroom.

"He hates me." Annie told Caroline…

"He doesn't hate you, he's used to being alone. Even before the island he was mostly alone."

"He seems… anti-social…"

Caroline could hear the concern in her friend's voice… "Not with me. And not once he gets to know you…"

Annie nodded, smiling. "Hey! You wanna go shopping?"

"Well, I could use some new clothes…"

"Bring Richie! I'm sure he could use some new clothes too!"

*****~*****

--They bought new clothes, and struggled with all the paperwork necessary to bring them back into the world of the living. Annie let them have the loft, and moved in permanently with Del across the hall. Caroline started up 'Caroline in the City' again, and Richard made money by selling his art, helping to color Caroline's comic strip when he wasn't busy creating a new masterpiece. They had a small ceremony, making their marriage official, and prepared for the birth of their baby.

--When she was born, she was in perfect health… they named her Ilane, which is Irish for island. When Ilane was 5 months old, Richard and Caroline went back to the island that had been their home for over a year. Annie and Del accompanied them, but Richard and Caroline went ashore alone.

--They approached the tiny shelter with mixed emotions… sadness, nostalgia, anxiety… just to name a few. The shelter looked warn without the every day constant maintenance it saw while they lived there, but it was still standing. Richard pushed the door open and they walked inside, Ilane in Caroline's arms.

"It's hard to believe we ever lived here…" Caroline whispered, and Richard just nodded as he looked around.

He touched the stones that made up the fireplace, running his hand across the width…

"So many nights here, warmed by the fire, wrapped in each other's arms…"

Caroline could hear the tiny sob in his voice and went to him, running her fingers across his shoulder. "I would've died here without you…"

"I would've died here without YOU. I would've had no reason to live. No reason to go to this effort. I would have just slowly allowed myself to die. I stayed alive for you." He knelt down and brushed the sand off the deer pelt blanket, chuckling slightly… "This was hard to make. And killing that animal, so that you could have warmth… was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Fish were easier… don't ask me why… but the deer, and the rabbits…"

"I had no idea it bothered you."

"Yeah, well, it didn't matter. It had to be done…"

"Did you ever resent me? Wish that I wasn't here so you could've just given up?"

"In the very beginning. I didn't resent you, but I did wish that I could've just died. I knew you couldn't survive alone, so I fought those feelings. Later, I was glad for your presence. You gave me a joy I'd never known… and I was grateful to be here with you."

She knelt beside him, tears in her eyes, and he turned and looked at her…

"If I had been given the choice… get rescued but live without you, or stay on the island forever with you… I would've chosen to be here forever. Just so long as you are with me, it doesn't matter where I am…"

She leaned forward and kissed him… "Ditto…" she whispered, so strongly overcome with emotions that she could barely speak.

Caroline stood as Richard stood, and they took one last look around before heading for the door. Caroline stepped out, but Richard turned around one last time, something catching his eye. He walked back in and leaned over, picking something up, then turned to Caroline…

"It's the Mancala game…"

She smiled and nodded, and he brushed off the sand as he walked towards her…

"I'd like to bring this home with us." He told her quietly, as if asking permission…

"Then you should."

--They walked back to the small boat that would be taking them back to the larger yacht, leaving that part of their life behind them forever. Sure, the memories would never completely go away, but they didn't exactly want them to either. After all, that's where they first fell in love. First vowed to be together… forever…