Returning Home: Intro

A.N. Please assume all characters depicted have passed their 18th birthday.

Short Intro To Characters (rough draft).

*****

By the time Liam climbed onto the greyhound that would take him the last leg of his journey home he had grown accustomed to the nervous and curios looks garnered by his UCP fatigues. It was more than a little odd to him, did people not know their country was at war? And was it really so shocking to see a soldier, there were quite a few of them after all.

When the bus finally came to a stop at the Concord Oregon station Liam had been ogled by every passenger one the bus, at least twice, and if he didn't get out of the confined space soon he knew he'd go ballistic one someone.

The cool Oregon air hit Liam like a brick wall as he stepped down and out of the bus, it's sweet smell came close to bringing tears to his eyes. After four years the smell of his home cracked Liam's prematurely hardened face into a gleeful grin.

Liam barley managed two steps away from the bus after shouldering his rucksack when he heard a shriek and something plowed into him at high speed.

Stumbling back Liam was forced to drop his rucksack to keep from falling over, but looking down in confusion he didn't mind the flying tackle/hug one bit. Even though her face was buried in his chest Liam would recognize his mothers mop of curly red hair anywhere. He did begin to mind when her arms squeezed him so tight it was getting hard to breath, damn the woman was like a boa constrictor.

"Hay ma." Liam rasped through a suddenly tight throat.

Releasing her son Shanna Ward looked up at her son with tear filled eyes and reached up to cup his face in her hands. Liam felt his heart sink when he saw the look of confusion as his mom examined his face and noticed the long scars that pattered the left side of his face, of course they disturbed her.

Even as Liam watched the expression on his mother's face changed, it didn't loose any of the love or happiness but a veil seemed to fall, like she was looking at a stranger. He'd seen that expression before on the faces of his buddies families when they picked them up at the airport, and heard other friends describe it. Someone though he'd hoped that he would be the exception, that his family would be able to see through the hard mask he couldn't seem to take off.

"Liam?" At first she said his name like a question as if unsure if it was really him, then after a strangled heartbeat she seemed to push through some mental barrier "Welcome home Liam!"

Those three words warmed Liam's worried heart and eased his fearful apprehension, the past days of worrying over and over this moment seemed suddenly silly as they looked back on them. Why in the world would he expect anything less than a warm welcome?

"Hurry up lets get you things so we can get home everyone's waiting for you." Shanna said, taking charge as only the mother of five can.

Smiling at the tone and look that had ruled his childhood Liam bent over and snagged his duffle bag before gesturing to it "This is all I've got"

"Hmm..." Was all Liam's mother said, her tone full of clear disapproval that drew a chuckle from Liam as they walked to his mothers SUV.

The drive from the bus station to Liam's family home only took twenty minutes and even though his mother tried to fill the silence with questions; how was his flight, did he get any sleep, had he eaten... Liam only answered with short responses, to distracted by the familiar signs, shops, and other locations in town as they drove by to give her his full attention.

All Liam's wandering thoughts suddenly snapped into focus when the pulled up to his childhood home. The three story colonial style house had been in the family for a century and had been rebuilt more than once; each time more rooms had been added, a bedroom here, a study there until it turned into a maze worthy of the ancient greeks.

As always the lawn was freshly cut and the white walls and fence seemed to have just gotten a fresh coat of paint within the last month, what gave Liam pause was the fleet a vehicles parked up and down the curb. It was then that his mothers comment came back to him "Everyone's waiting for you."

"Um... Mom?"

"Yes Dear." Liam's mom said as she climbed out of the suv and headed for the front door.

"Just how many people are waiting in there to ambush me." asked Liam.

"Oh just family you know your uncles, aunts, and cousins, oh and a few family friends from the street- were just all so happy to have you back." Shanna answered, completely unaware of just how horrific that sounded to Liam at the moment.

"You always knew how to throw a party mum."

***

All the hugs, hellos, and 'friendly' questions had taken over an hour but Liam finally managed to push through the crowed and into the kitchen where he quickly snagged a beer from the fridge, then thinking better of it elected to pour a whisky instead.

He was halfway through his second glass having drained the first on in one go when his uncle Jason let out a low whistle and threw his arm round Liam's shoulders "Looks like you learned a lot more than how to soldier over there- at least the army does something right."

"You've got no idea gunny." Liam said as he rolled his eyes at the retired marine.

Of all the other family there Jason was the only other veteran and the only one not walking on eggshells, in fact his antics had earned him icy glares from Liam's mother, this made Liam think he'd probably earning a few of those in the near future.

"Oh I might-." Liam's uncle was saying whey they were interrupted by a sharp "And where have you been young lady?."

Leaning around the wall that separated the kitchen form the entryway Liam caught sight of is mom and a second red haired woman dressed in jeans and a white turtleneck sweater. The younger woman was looking around the room clearly embraced by Liam's mother's outburst. For a long moment Liam was confused, why the hell was his mom snapping at this woman? Then the puzzle pieces snapped into place and it his him, that you lady was his sister!

"Mom I was just out-." Liam's not so little sister began to say but their mom cut her off with a scowl and vicious snarl.

"Cathrin Shay Ward don't you dare say you were out with Irene- you were out with that boy again even after I forbid it and on the day your brother got home no less."

'Cat' went pale as she took in her mother's words and began looking around, it only took her a moment to notice Liam who was now leaning against the half wall in plane sight. he knew his eyes gleamed with amusement probably making him look like he was taking pleasure in her getting in trouble but the truth was he just thought it was funny as hell, five years earlier he'd been the one on the receiving end of the motherships death ray.

"Hay Cat." Liam said with a smile.

Cat was looking Liam up and down when he spoke, realizing she's been caught standing she blushed even harder and squeaked out a little "Hi" before scurrying past him and up the stairs to her room.

Moving to stand next to her son Shanna sighed and ran her fingers through her hair "I swear that girl will be the death of me- you wouldn't know it after that performance but she's been taking about seeing you again non stop for the past week."

"Don't give her too hard a time." Liam said, putting a supportive hand on his mom's shoulder "I was a dozen times worse and you survived me."

"I suppose so- but I didn't have to worry about you getting pregnant." Shanna said, nearly wringing her hands.

Grinning evilly Liam shrugged and said "Give me a few minutes with this boy thats causing trouble and you wont have to worry about that any more."

"Liam your terrible." his mother shrieked and giggled.

You have no idea mama.

When his mom moved off to play host to her siblings Liam snagged another glass and the bottle of Bushmills and quickly moved up the stairs before anyone noticed his leaving. Once he found himself in the upstairs hallway Liam had to take a moment as a wave of memories washed over him, after that it took another minute to remember where his sisters room was.

Tucking the whisky beneath on arm to free up his had Liam knocked softly on the door and waited for his sister to open up.

It took her a minute to answer and when she did he noticed she had changed from her milky sweater and jeans to a pair of workout shorts and baggy Joan Jett t-shirt that he distinctly remembered her getting him on his sixteenth birthday.

"Hi again- it looked like you needed a drink back there." Liam said, motioning to the bottle under his arm.

Cat squinted her eyes at her brother for a moment before pushing her head out and looking up and down the hall as if looking for an ambush before saying "I don't drink," in the most unconvincing tone Liam had ever heard.

Rolling his eyes at that pile of utter bullshit Liam pushed passed his admirably suspicious sibling and flopped down in a chair and set the glassed down on her desk. As he uncorked the bottle and poured them bother a generous three fingers he admonished her "While I dig your suspicious nature you should never pass up a free drink you know isn't roofied." with that he handed her the glass and waited.

After making a sound of protest over his unsolicited entrance into her room and shooting him a icy glare Cat finally caved and took a sip of the whisky.

Liam chuckled as Cat winced when the alcohol seared its way down her throat before settling in like a warm ball of fire in her stomach.

"Better?" Liam asked as Cat sat opposite him on the edge of her bed.

Sighing in resignation she nodded "Yep."

In an effort to distract himself from the pair of bare perfectly sculpted legs crossed in front of him Liam asked "So how was your date?"

Man you need to get your shit together she's your sister damn it. Liam would have been more disturbed with himself but he knew his creepy thoughts were only due to his extremely sex deprived state.

"I wasn't on a date." Cat snapped way to defensively to be believed.

Liam found himself rolling his eyes at his younger sister again as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees while adopting a stern look "Listen sis you need to learn how to lie convincingly- but also be a little smarter because unless your making out with your friends your boy toy gave you quite the hickey."

Cat immediately went scarlet and her free had shot to her throat to where the purplish red mark stood out evocatively against her creamy skin "Oh my god mom had to have seen this." was all she had to say.

Liam just shrugged "Yup- pretty sure everyone saw it." he paused to take another drink and watch her turn if it was possible even redder and take a massive gulp of the whisky "Not the most skilled boy though- you might want to consider trading him in for a better model."

Cat who was halfway through taking another sip of her drink was so shocked by this comment she snorted a sizable about of whisky and began spluttering spastically which in turn made Liam degrade into a fit of alcohol fueled giggles.

Once she recovered enough to talk Cat gasped "Why would you say something like that?"

Biting back more giggle Liam managed to speak semi coherently "Judging by the evidence he so indelicately left behind its the truth."

Thanks to the alcohol Cat continued the conversation instead of freaking out or getting embarrassed like she normally would have and blurted out "Well hickeys happen if you want it to feel good."

Shrugging Liam nodded in agreement "Sure they do but a smart guy knows not to leave them there."

"Then where?" Cat began before trailing off as her brain caught up to her mouth.

Grinning mischievously Liam winked and answered "Believe me little sister there's much better places to kiss- places no mother would ever see."