She stood there, frozen. She couldn't feel a single thing in her body. She didn't know how to react. Her eyes were dry and her heart was racing. It didn't seem real. It had been three months since she last saw..... her son.

"Sean...." Jessica says softly to herself.

"Jessica, I'm sorry I wasn't here today. I had someone to pick up." Albert says

"It's okay..." she says keeping her eyes on Sean. She slowly walked toward him. He stood stall in his uniform.

"Can I hug you?" She asks

Sean smiles and nods his head. "Yes" when Jessica hears his voice she breaks.

Jessica runs to Sean and gives him a hug. She wraps her arms around him so tight, and so does he. She never thought this would happen. She thought that their relationship was over.

"Mom..." he says softly, relieved that his mother accepted him again.

Jessica detaches from Sean. She takes his arms and looks at him up and down.

He was so different. He was bigger, more muscular, his beautiful blonde hair was almost gone. He looked like a completely different person.

"Mom, I'm sorry." He says

"I'm sorry..." she whispers as she hugs him again.

Then, Jessica looks at her father. She missed him more than anything. She hugs Albert.

"Thank you for brining my baby home." She says

//-//

Albert takes Sean and Jessica home. They didn't talk at all in the car. Jessica did g really know how to feel. She was relieved that Sean was home and safe but then she questioned what next? Will Sean and her relationship ever be the same? When he leave again? How will everyone react when they see him? She didn't know. Today was such an emotional day and Jessica was having a hard enough time. All she really knew was that he was safe.

When they get back to the farm, Albert drops off Sean and Jessica.

The two get out of the car and Sean grabs his bags.

They look at each other and Albert drives off.

"Can we talk?" He says

Jessica nods as they walk over to the porch swing. It was cold outside, but Jessica didn't want him inside yet.

"Mom, I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness or anyone else's but, I'm sorry. How I acted and the way I treated you was wrong on so many levels. I disrespected you and our family. Most importantly I laid a hand on your which I will never forgive myself for." Sean has tears rolling down his eyes. Jessica could see how badly he felt and how genuine his apology was.

She takes his hand and cries. "Thank you, Sean. You know that you mean the world to me. You're my son and.... not being able to see or talk to you broke my heart. It killed me. I said some things on Christmas that I didn't mean and I'm sorry for that too. You know, you hurt me so badly. You broke my heart, Sean. I felt so guilty for so long. Maybe I wasn't a good mom to you." She says

"No, Stop. You are an amazing mother to me. I lost touch of everything in my life. I was in a bad place. I dropped out of school, I was struggling to find myself and I took it out on you. And I come back to find out that you lost the baby..."

Jessica cries harder and bows her head.

"I don't need an apology because you don't owe me one." He says sternly

"I missed you." She cries as she hugs him again.

"I don't deserve to live with you, mom. You did too much for me before and I don't deserve that after what I did to you. I'm going to live with grandma and grandpa until I'm worthy enough."

"Sean. You are worthy enough. I don't want to hear these nonsense, I want you home. I've wanted you home for so long." She begs

"You've been through so much and I'm so sorry about..."

"Iyla." Jessica says

"Iyla... when I was done with boot camp and grandpa came to watch me graduate and take me home, he told me everything. You and Sam didn't deserve this. I feel like a piece of shit for everything I said about the baby."

Jessica didn't know if she could forgive Sean for that just yet. Maybe it was best that he did stay with Albert and Dorthy. Even though Jessica loved her son and was so glad to have him back, every time she looked at him she remembered all the nasty things he said and right now she was too emotional to forgive him.

"Do you forgive me?" He said

"Sean, I can forgive you for a lot of things, but right now is a very hard time and I just can't forgive you for some of the things you said. And they way you hurt Sam and Olivia, it's going to take time for them to forgive you." Jessica says sternly. She stood her ground, Sean did need to learn a lesson and his words and actions have consequences. He needed to realize that.

"I understand completely."

"Now, what next?" Jessica asks

"I'd like to go in and see everybody." He says

"We can do that. But what is next for your future. You're no longer in school." She says

"April twenty first I go back to Georgia. From there I am going to be in Germany for 90 days, then Japan for another sixty days. I've made a commitment to the army. I don't know how I will ever repay grandpa for changing my life. But this is my calling and I'm glad that I have changed. Not only for me, but for the family."

Jessica wanted to scream. She didn't know if she could handle Sean being out of the country for so long. She was scared for his life.

Before she could say another word, she notices Sam out of the corner of her eye. He was standing by the door, in shock to see Sean.

Sean stands up tall and looks at his step father.

"Sean... you're.... you're home." He says

Jessica looks at Sam and couldn't believe the tears in his eyes. Sean was like a son to Sam. He missed him just as much as Jessica but didn't show it.

Sam walks over to Sean and gives him a big hug. Jessica couldn't help but cry a little more.

"Hello, sir." He says

"Sir? Please, call me Sam, bud." Sam smiles

"My dad picked him up last night. He's home." Jessica says

"Sam, I have so much to apologize for..." Sean says

"I know you do, but we will talk later. Come inside."

//-//

When Sean walked in Olivia and Logan were at the kitchen table eating from leftovers.

Jessica and Sam walked in behind Sean.

When Logan saw his big brother his jaw dropped.

"Sean? You're home!" Logan says jumping out of his chair.

Sean lifts up Logan in the air and gives him a hug.

"Wow, you're strong now!"

"I am?" Sean laughs

Olivia sat in the chair with a disgusted look.

"Hey, Liv." He says

"Hi..." she says, trying not to act like she was happy to see him.

"Can I give you a hug?" He asks

"Sure." She says

She gets up from her seat and hugs her brother. She couldn't be mad at him at least not now.

"Logan's right, you aren't a little noodle anymore." She chuckles

"I missed you." He says

"I missed you too, I guess."

"Mommy! Is Sean gonna be home forever now?" Logan asks with big eyes

Sam didn't know what Seans living situation would be, but he stepped in very quickly.

"We will have to see." Sam says

Sean looks at Sam. "Actually, I'm going to be staying and grandma and grandpas. But, we will still see each other." He smiles

"Good." Sam says. Sam was very happy that Sean was back, but he wasn't going to let him off that easy. He was better at standing his ground then Jessica was.

//-//

While Jessica cooked dinner Sean and Sam took a drive to talk. That gave Jessica some time to recuperate and relax a bit. Even though everyone was happy to see Sean, it was still a hard day.

"Mom..." Olivia says walking into the kitchen

"Yes honey?" She says

"How are you?" She asks

"I've been better honey. A lot of emotions going on today. How about you?" Jessica turns to Olivia

"Well, I'm still mad at Sean. I just don't understand how we can all just easily forgive him." She struggles to say

"He is not easily being forgive, trust me. He can't heat off that easy for his actions, but parts of me forgave him for different things. It will take a while, but today was a lot and I wasn't in the mood to argue. He's me son and I love him no matter what."

"Is he going to leave again?"

"Yes." Jessica says tearfully

"Oh..."

"He is glad to be in the army and that's all that matters. He needs something to do if he's not going to college. And not going to college isn't the end of the world. There are many successful people who never went."

"You're right... it's just weird, having everyone back."

"Yet it doesn't feel complete." Jessica says referring to the baby.

"I'm sorry mom." Olivia says hugging her mother

"I love you so much, Liv. I don't know what I'll do without you when you leave for school."

//-//