Six Weeks Later

          Carmel, California

          Kate panted heavily as she sat back on her long board, her feet dangling in the ice cold water. She wore an all black wet suit to keep out the cold.

          “There’s one!” Jolie yelled from the front of the board. Her tiny form was sheathed in a pink wet suit and curled so that no part of her touched the water. Kate looked at the horizon and smiled; a large wave was cresting not far away.

          “Oh that’s a good one,” Kate said, lying down on her stomach. “Hold on tight, Jolie.”

          “Okay,” Jolie replied, hanging onto the nose for dear life. Kate quickly paddled through the water, running from the wave until she felt her board began to rise under her. She quickly hopped to her feet then and surfed through the perfect water all the way to the waiting shore as Jolie shrieked with glee. When the board hit land Jolie rolled off and giggled as she was covered in wet sand.

          “Your mom is going to kill me for letting you get so messy, Kid,” Kate laughed.

          “Again!” Jolie yelled, jumping to her feet. Kate groaned. Her wrist was still in a brace and it ached from all of the exertion of the day so far.

          “In a bit, Jolie. Right now we have to go get ready for the party,” Kate said.

          “Okay,” Jolie said, skipping off towards the house. Kate shook her head and hefted her board under her arm. “Mommy!” Jolie yelled as she spotted Kelly midway between the house and Kate. Kate watched with a smile as Kelly scooped up her daughter and kissed her before spinning her around and setting her on the ground.

          “I should’ve known that you were responsible for getting her that messy,” Kelly called. Kate walked up with a slight limp. “How’s the leg?”

          “Still hurts like a mother,” Kate said.

          “Are you supposed to be in the water with your wrist?” Kelly asked.

          “What are you, my mother? The doc said it was fine as long as I kept the brace on,” Kate said.

          “I’m just checking. Everyday I’ve been swamped with calls about when team SOS is going to be green again. The last thing I need is for you to re-injure yourself,” Kelly said, taking the board from Kate.

          “Jeez, I would’ve thrown my phone into the ocean by now,” Kate said.

          “They’d just start calling the house line and the last thing I need is for Jolie to answer a secure call,” Kelly laughed.

          “An in-depth conversation about which Muppet is their favorite may get them to stop calling,” Kate laughed.  

          “Not a bad idea,” Kelly laughed.

          By now the two sisters were walking up the deck of their parent’s home. Sitting at the outdoor picnic table were Iris, Emily and Fran. Kate broke into a wide smile as she wrapped a beach towel around her waist.

          “Ahoy,” Iris said, raising a glass of white wine.

          “Surprised you Brits are out here, with your fair skin I’d be worried about bursting into flame,” Kate laughed, hugging Emily and Iris carefully.

          “Emily already has,” Iris joked, pulling at Emily’s ponytail. Kate chuckled as she entered the house, pulling the zipper on her wet suit down as she walked.

          “Kate!” Kate’s mother, Donna, called out as she headed up the back staircase.

          “Yes?”

          “When are your other friends going to get here?”

          “No idea,” Kate replied, entering her childhood room. She quickly stripped down and dressed in shorts and a button-up shirt. She grimaced at her new scars. She’d have to get several new tattoos to cover them all. Kate hurried back down the stairs and was caught on the arm by her mother. “Yes?”

          Donna said nothing as she embraced her youngest daughter. Kate hugged back; crouching down to rest her chin on her mother’s much lower shoulder. Donna pulled back and cupped Kate’s face.

          “Promise me you won’t go on any more boating trips, Kate. I couldn’t bear to bury one of my children,” Donna said. Kate opened her mouth and stopped.

          “Mom, accidents happen… I can’t live my life in a bubble, I have to be out there living it to be happy,” Kate finally said. As much pain as she had been in over the past month and a half she knew that she would always be a spy, torture and death be damned. Donna nodded, still staring into Kate’s eyes.

          “Fair enough. Just please attempt to be careful, for your poor mother’s sake,” Donna sighed. Kate grinned and kissed her mother on the head.

          “Yes ma’am,” Kate said. Donna swatted Kate on the head.

          “Don’t call me ma’am, it makes me feel old,” Donna said.

          “Granny!” Jolie yelled from the front door of the kitchen. She was stark naked with her pink wetsuit draped over her head like a veil.

          “And that doesn’t make you feel old?” Kate said, pointing to Jolie.

          “No, it makes me feel young,” Donna laughed, scooping up Jolie. “Come on, Jojo, let’s get you dressed.”

          “I like being naked,” Jolie said.

          “So did your Aunt Katie and look how that turned out,” Donna said, walking up the stairs.

          “Hey!” Kate called after her, laughing. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer before heading back to the deck. Fran, Iris and Kelly were all chatting but Emily’s gaze was far off in the distance. Kate turned and looked before turning back with a small smile. She met Emily’s gaze and shook her head. Emily nodded.

          “Who’s jeep is that?” Kelly asked, looking down the beach at a red jeep parked next to Kate’s blue rental car. Kate and Emily shrugged.

          “Appears to be Jack… and Max,” Iris said, grinning. “I wonder where they spent their vacation.”

          “I wonder if they left their hotel room,” Emily muttered. Kate snickered as she watched Jack and Max walk up the beach holding hands. Jack faltered when she saw her three teammates smiling at them knowingly.

          “****,” Jack mumbled as they walked up the deck.

          “Why good afternoon, Jack!” Emily laughed. “Maxwell, you are looking quite dapper.”

          Max glanced down at his khakis and white t-shirt and then glanced over at Jack, confused.

          “They’re **** with you, Max. Just like I said they would be,” Jack sighed, looking over at the team. Kate stood and hugged both of them with a slight face. Her surgical scar still pricked whenever she moved in a certain way. “How are you healing?”

          “Fine, the doc says as long as I keep doing what I’m supposed to that I should be perfect. And I’ll always be able to tell when rain’s coming,” Kate grimaced. “So where have you fools been for the past six weeks?”

          “Monte Carlo with my father,” Iris said.

          “Ireland, visiting some friends,” Emily shrugged. All three glanced at Jack and Max who were looking away from each other.

          “Spill, Ivy League,” Kate said, allowing a touch of authority to enter her tone. Jack blushed before muttering something under her breath. “What was that?”

          “Paris,” Max said, looking up, unashamed.

          “Oh how cliché!” Emily scoffed. “The Air Force let you take six weeks of leave?”

          “Oddly enough, yes,” Max said. “I still haven’t figured that one out; I guess my dad made a call.”

          “He wouldn’t get you out of a court martial but he’ll cover for you so you can screw around in France for six weeks?” Kate laughed. “Shows where his priorities lie.”

          “Indeed,” Max grinned, taking Jack’s hand again.

          “I need to get something from the kitchen,” Emily said, standing. “Jack can you help me?”

          “I don’t know where anything is,” Jack said.

          “Oh, I do, come on,” Kate said tapping Jack on the shoulder. “Iris, care to assist?”

          “Certainly, Kate,” Iris said, standing. The three others playfully dragged Jack inside the house.

          “They’re grilling her for details aren’t they?” Max asked.

          “Oh yes,” Fran laughed.

          “Where is Greg when I need him?” Max sighed.

          “On a phone call, I think,” Fran smiled.

          “Spill,” Kate said after hopping up on the kitchen counter.

          “Spill what?” Jack asked.

          “Oh come on! You spent six weeks in France with a man, you could at least give us some juicy details,” Emily laughed, taking a sip from Kate’s beer.

          “Em, there is more beer in the fridge, get your own,” Kate said. Emily stuck her tongue out at Kate in response.

          “Now, now, there’s no reason to embarrass Jackie,” Iris said.

          “The hell there’s not!” Kate laughed.

          “I did help save your life, you could be nicer,” Jack said.

          “This is me being nice,” Kate grinned. “I could mention the fact that Emily and I just spotted you two steaming up the windows in your rental car.”

          Iris burst out laughing while Jack’s jaw dropped.

          “You two saw…”

          “Snipers!” Kate and Emily yelled back, laughing.

          “Obviously the sex is good, otherwise you wouldn’t be tearing at each other like your life depended on it after six weeks,” Emily said. Jack rolled her eyes.

          “Yes, the sex is good,” Jack sighed as Donna entered the kitchen. Jack’s eyes widened as she blushed bright red.

          “Mom, this is my friend, Jack Teague,” Kate said. “Jack, this is my mom, Donna.”

          “You have a lovely house, ma’am,” Jack managed.

          “Thank you Dear, now let’s hear about this good sex you’re having,” Donna said, leaning against the counter with a wicked smile.

          “Oh shite, that’s where Kate gets it,” Emily mused.