What a healthy marriage looks like

Encore!

Mick woke up the next morning to a knock on the Landrover's door. He didn't know what time it was, but based on the light outside, he assumed it was around noon. He gingerly detangled himself from Caroline and pressed a kiss to her forehead before moving down and opening the door. "Hey Dell.", "I figured." Dell Conagher said before turning to shout, "Miss Pauling! They're down here!" Miss Pauling moved back down the stairs to greet them at the same time Caroline hopped down from the loft. Seeing them, Pauling said, "Great, you're both here. We brought your car, by the way-" Pauling tossed the keys to the Vauxhall at Caroline and she caught them before saying, "Thanks. Remember when you said that if we needed to take a break, you'd be more understanding?" Pauling laughed, "Funny enough, that's what I was here to talk about." Caroline looked at Mick, who shrugged and they stepped back to let them inside. Pauling raised an eyebrow, looking up at where the apartment was before deciding it didn't matter and stepping into the camper. Once they were seated, Pauling started, "So... Um, first off I guess- How are you two doing?" Mick hooked an arm around Caroline's waist and she shrugged, "I've been better." Pauling nodded, "Cool... Uh- Well, I've got good news and bad news. Good news is, the war is over! Yey ! Bad news is, we're all unemployed now!... Yey !" Dell shook his head, "For God's sake, woman, your delivery is awful.", "I'm not trying to beat around the bush here!" Mick blinked, processing what she just said before asking, "Well, what do we do now?" Pauling shrugged, "I don't- I don't know. I'm kinda dealing with my own shit here. This is all I've ever known and now it's over, and now I've also got this- fuckin' kid- Olivia, to deal with and the Administrator is having a crisis and I- I don't know!" Dell cut in to say, "The guys are splittin' ways. Most of them are goin' home. Seein' family and such.", "What about you?" Mick asked him and Dell shrugged, "I'm not really sure. I was thinkin' of trackin' down my father but- I don't know if he'd want to see me these days...", "Wouldn't you rather know?" Caroline asked him and he shrugged standing up, "We were just wantin' to let you know what was goin on, and that y'all can pick up your stuff whenever you'd like. Glad to see y'all are doin alright." He nodded at them, and then he left. Pauling ducked out as well with a quick, "Bye." and the two of them were left alone in the camper. "Well..." Mick started, not really knowing how to finish. Caroline looked at him, "Well, that sounds like as good an excuse as any to go on vacation. What do you think?", "Vacation?" She shrugged, "Might be nice to get away for a bit. I could certainly use a change of scenery...", "But where would we go?", "Somewhere far, far,  f a r , away." Mick thought about that for a moment, then asked, "Somewhere like Australia?" Caroline's eyes widened, "Australia?", "Yeah! Oh! And you'll get to meet my parents! They'll be so excited to hear I'm finally bringin' you down for a visit!", "That sounds- That sounds perfect! Let's go!", "Now?", "Why not?", "I mean... A-alright then. I guess I should call my folks. Give em' a warning." She smiled, "I'll see about tickets, and I guess I gotta find my passport... And pack... And-", "One thing at a time, darlin'.", "Right, thank you." She kissed him on the cheek and stood up, moving out into the parking lot. She looked up at her apartment door as Mick followed her out and he took her hand, "You don't have to go in there. I can take care of everything." She shook her head, "It's okay. I can do this." She took in a deep breath, "It's not the same, and I don't have to worry about you anymore so that helps.", "Are you sure? I really don't mind." She nodded, "I'm sure", "...Alright, but if you need to leave there's no shame in that. You hear me?" She moved her hand up to hold on to his arm and nodded. He nodded too and they walked up the stairs together. He unlocked the door and looked at her. She nodded and at that, he opened the door. The inside was still a mess, but it didn't hit her like it did yesterday, partly because she was expecting it. She walked in, still holding onto Mick's arm and he followed her lead. She flipped on the light, her eyes going straight to the ugly brownish stain on the carpet and she asked, "Where'd they get you?", "I'm not really sure, I must've been blacked out for that part.", "Does anything hurt? I didn't see any cuts or anything." She asked, letting go of his arm to look at him and he shrugged, "You wouldn't after the sandwich." She paused, "What do you mean?", "Eh- Medic has this heal-ly stuff and he lets Heavy use it. Don't ask me why he makes sandwiches with it, I don't know.", "And it just- heals you?" Mick shrugged, "I don't know how it works, it just does." She nodded, her gaze being pulled back to the stain on the floor. It didn't really look like her father's stain... did it? She could look at it and it wasn't that bad, but she was still thinking about him so was it really all that okay? Seeing this, Mick grabbed a towel and placed it over the stain. She tore her gaze away and took a breath. He folded his arms around her and asked, "You okay, darlin'?" She nodded, "Yeah. It's not the same...", "But?", "But... It still reminds me a little bit. Not in a bad way, just in an 'I miss him ' way." Mick nodded and Caroline hugged him back, "But it's okay. I'm okay. I've got you, and Terry and Miss Pauling and everyone else that I'm glad I still have.", "And my parents.", " And your parents. Who you should call ... To let them know we're coming!", "Alright, alright, Mrs. Bossy-bot!" He kissed her and moved over to her touch tone while she went to her bedroom saying, "I'll see if I can find my passport.", "Alright then. Do your service get international, by the way?" Caroline pulled the sheets off the bed and replied, "It does, it's just really expensive, so make it quick.", "Thanks, love." He said as he called his parents and she got snip-bits of their conversation while she cleaned up the evidence of last night, "...Hey dad, it's me... Yeah, I-... Yeah, well-... well just-... dad... dad... dad that's what I'm tryin to tell ya- We're coming down to visit... Both of us, yeah... We're on the next flight over, so tomorrow or the next day, I'll call from the airport and let you know which flight we end up on... I know, I know, I can't talk long though, just wanted to let you know... Okay... See you soon... Love you too, bye." He hung up and looked at Caroline, "Hope that didn't cost you too much." She finished putting in a load of laundry and said, "Only about five bucks.", " Five bucks for a bloody phone call? Fuck, I'm sorry love." She shook her head as she walked over to him, "I knew before you called, it's okay. Now scootch, I have my own call to make..." She hip-checked him playfully and he laughed, pulling her into him by her waist as she tried to make the call. She managed to dial in with him slowly pulling her away and she was giggling as she put the receiver to her ear, "Hello? I need two tickets for the next flight to Australia..."