The shocked look on Honey and Brian’s faces were almost comical for the observers.

Honey burst into tears and flew into her brother’s arms. She sobbed into his shoulder while Brian stood in shocked disbelief.

Shaking himself slightly, he looked with amazement at Jim.

“H-how? I am so glad to see you! I-I’ve missed you!” Brian said walking to Jim’s side. Jim extended his hand and they shook hands looking at each other grinning.

Honey raised her head and sniffed.

“Oh my god! What did Mother and Dad say about you coming home? They were bad off when we- we thought you were..” Honey paused, not even wanting to say the word.

Jim brushed her long hair from her face and smiled.

“I know, Honey. But they don’t know yet. Dan called you first. I think they were afraid I was going to collapse on them.” He turned so he could grab Rachel’s hand again.

She had backed off when Brian and Honey came in to give them time with Jim, but she didn’t go far. Truth be told, she was afraid to let him out of her sight.

“We need to tell them and the rest of the Bob Whites! Oh Jim, they need to know too!”

“Would you mind manning the phone for me? Have them all come over here if they want.” Jim said.

Honey jumped up and ran to the phone. Her excited chatter could be heard a moment later. Along with the repeated hanging up of the phone.

Rachel looked closely at Jim. He was no longer shivering, but he looked so tired.

“Brian, would you mind checking Jim over? I want to make sure he is ok.”

Jim’s head snapped up.

“I’m really ok.”

“Maybe you are, but I want to make sure. Humor me?” Rachel asked squeezing his hand.

“You might as well do it, Brian. She won’t rest until I am given a clean bill of health.” Jim shook his head.

“Of course. Let’s go into the guest room.” Brian picked up his medical bag from the table where he had set it when he saw Jim.

Brian had brought it with him in case something was wrong with Rachel or Jamie. Dan had been very vague on the phone.

He helped Jim stand, and then walked with him into the bedroom, closing the door after them.

Honey came back into the room, breathless from her phone calls.

“They should be here soon! I told them so they wouldn’t be worried. I think I heard my mother scream from across the preserve.” Honey grinned.

Rachel smiled, and then her eyes darted back to the closed door of the guest room.

Honey frowned, “Is he ok? Where has he been? Why did it take so long to come back to us?”

Rachel shook her head and shrugged.

“We haven’t talked about that yet. I don’t know. I think he is ok, he has a terrible looking scar on his leg and that leg seems to be slowing him down a great deal.”

“Well, Brian will make sure he gets taken care of and he will soon be good as new.”

“I hope so.” Rachel looked up when the door bell rang.

Dan motioned for her to sit and he answered the door again.

“We won’t wake Jamie, will we?” Honey asked concerned when the entire Belden family poured into the room, followed closely by the Wheeler’s.

Rachel didn’t have a chance to answer as everyone was talking at once. Rachel and Honey explained that Brian was checking Jim over and they would be out soon.

Matt and Maddie paced in front of the guest room door until it finally opened.

Jim was engulfed in the embrace of his parents. As soon as they let him breathe, he was embraced by the entire Belden family, Miss Trask and Regan.

Everyone began to talk at once.

“Oh Jim, I have never been so glad to see you!” Trixie gushed, her blue eyes twinkling in her happiness.

“It’s good to be seen.” Jim grinned and tugged on one of her curls.

He slowly made his way back to the couch and sat down heavily. The questions began again until Jim held his hand up for silence.

“Please everyone, sit. I’ll tell you the story. I haven’t had a chance to tell Rachel yet, and I know she is anxious to hear it.” Jim said tightening his grip on her hand.

He tugged on her hand until she sat next to him on the couch and his parents sat on the other side of him, while the rest of the group took up the love seat, chairs and finally the floor.

Once everyone was settled into their space, Jim began to talk about the night of the accident.

“I don’t remember everything of that night. I can tell you that it was a very foggy night. If you remember, we had that rain earlier in the evening, then the fog rolled in. I was on my way home from a meeting in the city. The meeting had taken longer than I had expected.”

Jim remembered that part just fine. His hand still gripped Rachel’s tightly.

“I had been talking on my cell phone to Rachel.” He said glancing at her.

Rachel bit her lower lip between her teeth, remembering too.

That phone call had haunted her as the last time she had spoken to him.

“I had just finished the call with her, when I was approaching the bridge. I remember turning the phone off, and it slipped from my hand. My attention was diverted for just an instant. I saw something jump into my lane and I swerved around it. I think it was a dog or a small deer. But the bridge still had standing water on it from the rain and when I swerved, I hydroplaned enough to pull my car into the railing of the bridge. I struggled to pull it back, but I was out of control. I was at the end of the bridge then and the car went through the smaller railing with those wooden posts.”

Jim looked around the group who were sitting so still listening to his story.

“I saw the water rushing up to me, and I tried to be smart and open the window to be able to easily climb out when the car hit the water. The impact made me hit my head on the steering wheel. I remember feeling dazed. The car sunk fast. I managed to get the window opened and climbed out. The metal from the railing was wrapped around the front of the car and somehow I must have gotten myself caught up in it.” Jim unconsciously rubbed his leg.

“I don’t remember much after that. Just that the water was cold. So cold I thought I was going to freeze to death before I got out. And the current was so strong. I started out relatively close to the shore, but with the current, I kept getting further away rather than closer. I think I was losing a lot of blood at that point, because I found myself gripping a piece of wood floating in the river. And I just clung to it, feeling weaker by the minute.”

Rachel rubbed his hand between the two of hers, tears glistening on her lashes.

“I don’t remember getting out of the water, or getting to the little cabin. I didn’t even realize how far I must have crawled to get to it until I was moving around more this week. But I went to this cabin that was nestled in the trees on the shore of the Hudson. I didn’t learn until I awoke days later that the cabin was occupied by a woman. Her name is Jean and she would be in her late 40’s I’d say.”

“Is she the one who took care of you?” Trixie asked, unable to stay quiet anymore.

Jim nodded. “Yeah, she did. She lived all alone in that cabin and was really a hermit. She had no contact with the outside world at all. She lived off the land, and had no need for any other people or things.”

“Oh my goodness, Jim. Thank god she was there, you might have died without someone to care for you.” Maddie added.

Jim smiled at his mother.

“I have no doubt I would have. I was unconscious for days and when I did finally come out of it, the wound in my leg had a raging infection. That infection left me in and out of consciousness for about another week. But Jean got me through it. I remember begging her to go into a town and call you.” Jim said looking at Rachel.

“But she said she couldn’t do that. But she’d doctor me until I was strong enough to do that on my own. I didn’t think for one minute that it would take me so long to get enough strength built up in that leg again for me to walk across the room, much less leave the cabin.”

“But you did.” Brian said quietly. Then added, “I think with some intensive physical therapy, the leg will regain most of its former strength.”

“Do you think I’ll be able to walk without the limp?” Jim asked.

Brian nodded, “I think we can greatly reduce that and you should be able to walk with a minimal limp. It will probably not be able to be noticed by someone who knows you have the injury. The metal from the railing, tore into some muscle and tendons, and that is why it has taken so long to heal.”

“Thank god, you had Jean.” Rachel said.

“Yeah, thank god!”

“So, did you just walk out of there when you were well enough?” Mart asked.

Jim shook his head.

“I had a lot of work to do, like I said to be able to walk across the room. I tried to work my hardest. The initial concussion I had and being so ill from the infection, I was so weak. I had to build my whole body’s strength.”

Dan, who had been very quiet, asked “Where was the cabin?”

“Actually not too far. Jean's cabin was on the shores of the Hudson west of Yonkers. Jean did have supplies delivered as a standing order every six months. Thankfully, the delivery man came early this morning and gave me a ride. I had to get another ride into Town and then I walked out here.”

“Why didn’t you call us? We would have picked you up.” Honey asked her brother.

“I didn’t want to frighten you. Can you imagine getting that call? You’d have thought I was a ghost. I knew everyone thought I was dead. I talked to the driver a bit when he drove me to town.”

Rachel swiped a tear that had trickled down her cheek and gave Jim a reassuring smile when she felt his eyes on her.

“Thank god! I am so glad that delivery was now and not another 3-4 months away!” Peter Belden added.

“It killed me to know I had been gone this long and that you all thought I was dead. I wouldn’t have made you live through that for anything.” Jim looked at each of his family and friends in turn.

Tears were wiped away and smiles took their place. The group as a whole was relieved to have Jim back into the fold.

“I think we should head out of here. Jim still needs to rest. His leg will need a lot of hard work. Besides, I think he’d like some quiet time with his wife and son.” Brian’s voice of reason was heard.

Reluctantly, the group rose as one mass and each took a moment to hug Jim again and voice their relief at having him home safe and sound.

The Wheelers were the last to leave, and with a final hug to their son and daughter in law, they left.

Rachel looked at Jim after the door closed.

“Do you need anything? Can I get you anything at all?”

Jim looked at her long and hard.

“I want nothing more than to go to sleep holding you tonight.”

Rachel gasped and felt the tears prick her eyes again. She smiled and nodded.

“We can stay in the guest room down here so you don’t have to climb the stairs.” She offered.

But, Jim shook his head.

“I need to sleep in our bed, Rachel. And I have a desperate need to see my son. I’ll just peek in on him, I won’t wake him. The morning will be soon enough.”

“Of course!”

They stood up and Rachel put her arm around his waist again to support him as they slowly climbed the stairs.

Rachel eased Jamie’s door open and they stepped into the room. It was illuminated by the soft night light in the corner.

Jim stood next to the crib looking down at his son. A look of undying love and adoration moved across his face. Rachel felt him tremble with the emotion.

“He’s grown so much!” Jim whispered.

Rachel rubbed her cheek on Jim’s chest. Reluctantly, Jim turned to leave the room.

They walked the short distance to their own room. Flipping the light on, Rachel brought him into the room and helped him sit on the bed.

Jim looked around the room, seeing it exactly as it was the day he had left for that meeting.

Rachel noticed his eyes were taking in the room.

“I couldn’t change anything while you were gone. I needed it to be just as it was. It made me feel closer to you.” she explained.

Jim eased the robe off his shoulders and stood to lay it on the chair next to the bed. Rachel excused herself to change into her regular boxers and t shirt ensemble for bed.

Jim was lying in the bed when she came out of the bathroom. He was laying on his back, propped on the pillows, one arm behind his head.

Rachel climbed into their big bed. She was thrilled to know that tonight, she wouldn’t be lying in the cold empty bed all alone.

“Move closer, Rachel.”

Rachel obliged him and snuggled closer, but he snaked an arm out and pulled her even tighter against his body. Her cheek rested on his chest.

“I was afraid I would hurt you.” she said.

His breath tickled her forehead when he leaned down to brush a kiss there.

“Never! I need you close. I have waited too long to hold you again!”

They lay there in the dark, quiet listening to the other breathe.

Rachel felt the familiar tickle of his chest hair on her cheek and she rubbed her cheek against his chest more firmly.

“I didn’t do very well without you.” she confessed quietly.

Rachel felt his fingers fist and relax in her long hair as he listened to her.

“I don’t want to live through that again.” She whispered.

Jim’s arms tightened around her and she felt his lips in her hair.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered back.

“I got all of my hopes, dreams, and wishes for the rest of life when I saw you standing there.”

“Me too.” Jim kissed the top of her head again.

Rachel fell asleep in the loving arms of her husband. Jim laid awake for awhile just enjoying the feeling of holding her again, until he too slept.

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly when Rachel awoke. She rolled over, remembering the miracle of the night before. A hand automatically reached out for Jim but there was nothing there.

With her eyes wide open, she bolted upright in the bed, calling out a frantic, “Jim?!”

For a few agonizing seconds she was afraid it had all been a dream. Then the bathroom door opened and Jim slowly limped out with a towel around his waist.

“I’m here.” He reassured her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke. I took a shower.”

Rachel panted in relief.

“I thought I had a dream that you were here.”

Jim slid back into the bed next to his wife and kissed her tenderly.

“I know, I had the same thought when I woke up. It’s real, it isn’t a dream!”

Rachel started to say something when she heard Jamie cry out.

“He’s awake!” Jim’s eyes shone with excitement.

“I’ll get him up and change his diaper, you’d better get dressed.” Rachel said rolling out of the bed.

When Rachel returned with Jamie, Jim was just finishing dressing in a pair of worn sweat pants and a t shirt. He looked up at his wife and son, all of the love he felt shining through.

Rachel came forward with the baby, and sat on the bed. Jim sat next to her.

“Do you think he remembers me?” Jim asked wistfully.

“I put a picture of you in his room, and he kisses it every morning and talks to you. I never wanted him to forget who you were even if you couldn’t be here with him.”

Tears formed in Jim’s eyes this time as he reached out a hand to smooth Jamie’s hair back.

“Hi Jamie. It’s your Daddy. I love you so much and I missed you desperately.” Jim said.

Jamie in his special way seemed to understand what his father had said to him. He leaned out of his mother’s arms and reached up to signal his wish to be held by his father.

Jim took his son into his arms and hugged him close to his body. Jamie laid his head down onto Jim’s shoulder for an instant then looked up and grinned. Jim returned an identical grin.

“Daddy’s home,” Jim whispered, brushing a soft kiss on the baby’s cheek. With a loving glance at his wife, he whispered to her also, “I’m home.”

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to my sister Jamie for the edit. And the fact that she took 3 chapters this time! I hope I made a few of you happy with the ending.

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