GOING HOME
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
A sequel to Another Country.
Ducky finally has his wish.
An established relationship story.
Written: March 2012. Word count: 500.
Travel to the place
Where we can breathe,
Fill our desire,
We wish; we aspire.
I sit sipping my tea, watching Jethro pack our cases for our trip to my beloved homeland.
The day has finally come when Jethro is keeping his promise to me; the promise he made nearly a decade ago that once we both retired from NCIS, we would take an extended trip to Britain; that I would finally get the chance to go home again - if only for a visit.
Jethro is an extremely good packer; it no doubt has much to do with his Marine background. I thought I was capable of getting more than the usual amount of things into a suitcase; I thought I could wad small things into even smaller spaces; I believed I was able to pack to capacity. Indeed I still believe I could out-pack the children, in fact anyone we know, except of course for Jethro.
He takes the ability to cram things into the cases, to wad them into minuscule places, to pack to capacity to a new level, which is why I am more than content to sit here in the comfortable chair we have in our bedroom and watch him. Occasionally he glances up and smiles at me, his special smile, the one he has only ever bestowed on me.
I do love America; I do love Washington DC; I really do. But over the last few months, once we had retired and decided upon our trip, I have been feeling as if I cannot breathe, as if the air is tainted, is pressing down on me. I have found the constant noise more and more oppressive, I have longed for the open spaces, the flowers, the hills, the clean air that allows one to breathe deeply and freely, the silence that is broken not by cars and gunshots and shouting, but by birds and cows and tractors. I long for the place from where I came.
I have never quite severed all my ties with Britain; I could not. No matter how much I love my dear Jethro, I could not bring myself to part with our Scottish home. I wanted somewhere to where I could retreat should the day have come when my beloved left me forever. And that is where we will be going first.
We will travel around Britain; we will visit all the places I knew as a boy and a young man. I can introduce him to the places that had such a large impact on me, that in part made me the man I am now, the man he loves.
He seems happy enough about our trip, indeed it was he who 'reminded' me of his promise - not that I needed reminding. And when he did, I do believe I fell in love with all over again. I do hope he does grow if not to love, then at least to like, my other home. I am going home. Finally, I am going home to where a small piece of my heart still resides.
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