She had fallen in love the very first moment she laid eyes on it. It was the home right out of a dream. A tiny little cottage, nestled in the woods, surrounded by the most breathtaking scenery imaginable, it seemed to call her name. An intrinsic sense of peace seemed to flow straight out of it, into her heart. A quiet place, safely tucked into the woods, but not so far away that she couldn't taste the cold, salty air. She had been wandering for so long, was so tired of not having a place to call her own, that the simple cottage seemed to be the perfect place for her to begin.

Begin to build a home. Begin to build a future. Begin to rebuild her life.

* * * *

"You, sir, are a miracle worker!" Lacey whispered into her husband's ear. Brian turned to her, smiling slightly.

"I'd like to think that's why you married me," he drawled, kissing her neck.

"It was an added bonus. How on earth did you convince him to come?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

"I didn't have to convince him. It's the first time we've really spent time together since the last tour ended, and Jamie was born, he wasn't willing to pass it up. I think he misses the old days, you know?" Brian explained.

"Well, I don't. I like having my husband around a lot more, thank you very much."

"I know you do, but, well, Nick doesn't really have incentive to keep him off the road. I think he'd be out there in a second, given the option."

"I know it. I think it was all that was really keeping him going that year or so after the accident," Lacey said sadly. Brian looked away from her. It was still a painful moment to recall, for him, for her, for all of them.

"Let's not talk about that tonight, honey, let's just have a good time," he asked. She wanted to beat herself. How could she have been so stupid? She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Come on, let's go find our godson," he said. The happy couple quickly made for the center gathering of people in the room, all crowded around the happy four year old.

Nick sighed as he watched them walk away. He had heard every word that they had said. He had become the invisible person. They were always talking about him when they thought he wasn't around. They were all so concerned, so wrapped up with what they thought he 'needed' at the moment. He needed to get out, he needed to get back to work, he needed to talk to someone, he needed to move on with his life.

Not bloody likely.

He looked around the room. It had been two years. Two full years had passed by, and he still found himself searching a room every time, hoping that by some miracle she'd be there. But it never happened, and it was always another harsh blow. Two years of constant heart ache. Two years of being the invisible person. He was so tired of it all.

And for once, their advice seemed to strike a cord with him. It was time to move on with his life. Time for him to start living again.

He just wasn't sure how to do that without Cairo.