Line of Duty Love

Epilogue

Six years later Bianca pulled up to the graveyard for their monthly visit as a family, she parked her little car, letting it run for a little while. She visits the grave more than once a month but she doesn't like to take the kids every time. She looked at the ring on her finger that had no man behind it anymore. She smiled turning the car off, "Come on you two. Time to see his grave."

12-year-old Bailey got out of the front holding a bouquet of flowers, her Aunt's favorite flowers, and the same kind that were on his casket the day of the funeral. Bianca and Bailey stood beside each other and looked at the car, then smiled at each other as 6-year-old Eli Jr hopped out and ran over to them.

"Can I give him flowers too Momma?"

Bianca laughed while nodding, she handed him her bouquet of flowers then they walked to the top of the hill the cemetery was on. The day of his funeral the guys didn't say anything about it being so high up, even though she expected them too. The three of them walked up the hill Eli holding his mother's hand.

She was surprised the day she found out she was pregnant with him. It was a few days after his father died and before the funeral, where she announced that she was expecting. She was sad for a while then it didn't matter after Jace read the letter to her. She knew it would be alright. When she found out that he was a boy, that made it all the better. She named him Eli Jr the day he was born and he's been her little angel ever since.

When they got to the top of the hill Bailey did what she did every time she saw the stone, she caught her breath in her throat. Seeing it in stone for her made it all the more real. She got her breath back when she realized that someone was standing by his headstone.

Eli made a run for him, "Uncle Jace!" He yelled and jumped into his arms. Jace wrapped his arms around him and held him tight. He had a special bond with Eli Jr, just like he had with the original, but stronger.

"Hey there bud, how are you doing? Are you being good for your momma?" Eli nodded and smiled back at Bianca.

Bianca laughed and looked at Jace, "Hey Jace." He put Eli down, who ran off to his father's grave, and hugged Bianca. "How you been? How's Cara?"

Jace smiled at her, "She's good, still pregnant." Ever since Eli died Jace put his life into a better direction. He found the girl that he liked in high school and married her. At the moment they were having their first child.

Bianca nodded and watched Bailey and Eli at the grave talking to it like the always do. "This time of the year is hard for me and Bailey." She looked at him, "Eli just doesn't know yet."

Jace nodded, "I know what you mean. I've tried to tell Cara why I come here all the time when I get upset about something, or I went on a disturbing call." He shrugged, "She just doesn't get it."

Bianca glanced at him as he talked, He was watching little Eli too, "He is a lot like his father, already. When we're at the firehouse he tries telling everyone to come back safe."

Jace laughed, "Yeah, that's our Eli." He looked at Bianca, "I have to go. Bring the kids by and see Cara and me before the baby comes." Bianca nodded then he walked away to his car.

Bianca watched him drive away then looked at the kids, "Alright, my turn to talk to him, you two go to the car. Please Bailey don't let him have any of the chocolate. That's for dessert tonight."

Bailey nodded and took Eli's hand and walked with him to the car. Bianca watched them go then went to the grave and kneeled infront of it. "I miss you Eli. Our son is just like you. He wants to be a firefighter and work on his great grand pappy's farm. Bailey still talked about the time you saved her from time to time. She doesn't say as much about it as she used to, I guess that's because she's getting older. I just hope she doesn't forget about you. I know with out monthly trips it'll be hard for her to but you never know.

She paused and pulled something out of her pocket, the notes that Jace read to her from him at the funeral, "I read these a lot. They remind me about you. About the time we spent in the hospital with Bailey." She smiled and looked at the grave. "That one time I actually stayed the night at your place, and the countless others at mine. I'm glad that all happened. I just wish you didn't have to leave so soon. I wish you could see the way our son plays, hear his laugh. I just wish you didn't have to leave so soon. I wish you could watch movies with him and help him with his homework. You're missing so much. I'm missing so much. I know you said to move on, but it's hard. I can't."

Bianca put a hand on his grave and took a deep breath. When she did a breeze gently blew against her skin and blew her hair to the side. She smiled, hoping it was him, hoping that he heard everything she and the kids had said. She got up and looked down at the grave, "I love you Eli." Then she started to walk to the car.

She was going down the hill when she looked back and looked at the grave one last time this month. She read the grave again for the millionth time.'Eli Lee Young. A brother, Son, Boyfriend, and Father. A great chief who left before his time. "Everybody goes home after every fire." -Eli'