By the time he arrived, Tasha was also being ushered in by his other team members. They all saluted her like they'd do to grey. His family was their family, so they gave his wife the same respect.

She came to see where her husband worked. She wanted to go to places he had spent most of his time other than their home. She craved to be closer to him, his memories.

The brothers entertained her and answered all of her questions. Grey really was a lovely guy. His wife was lovely too. Their son was already 5 months old. She showed his pictures. Carl grey was his father's carbon copy.

They all went around sharing their experiences with him. The times they laughed, cried, fought, battled, sang, and danced together were moments they would always treasure.

Tasha shared lunch with them before taking her leave. Justin escorted her out with a curious expression on his face.

"Is there something you'd like to ask?" She asked with a smile.

Justin hesitated for a while before answering, "yes."

"Let's talk in the car."

They both entered the military vehicle that was to take her out of the base to where she was parked.

"You can talk now."

"Do you regret marrying grey?"

Her smile got brighter as she recalled her beloved man.

"It was the best decision of my life. How can I regret that?"

"Despite knowing how dangerous his job was? His departure put you in pain. I watched you breakdown on the day he was buried."

Tasha answered him calmly. "His job made me love him more. I knew how dangerous it was. It had always been in my heart that there might come a time when I won't see him anymore. The only thing I could do was pray, but alas, G.o.d had a different plan."

Justin still wasn't convinced.

"Did you ever think that if you weren't with grey, you'd be living happily with your chosen partner with no fear of ever losing him?"

Tasha laughed at how naive Justin was.

"It seems like every unmarried military man has this issue. Before grey and I got together, he had this worry too. He had wanted to break up, but I wouldn't allow it."

She paused for a while, then continued.

"What if it was my fate to be a widow? What if I had married another man? Wouldn't grey be alive right now and my chosen partner dead? But there aren't any 'what ifs' in this life."

"If I did marry another man and Gary still died, I would have been more hurt then. Why? I wouldn't have the right to mourn him. I wouldn't have the right to cry for him. I wouldn't have the right to raise his future legacy. I wouldn't be his family."

"It is my greatest honor in this life to be Mrs. Grey, the mother of his only son. I'm glad I held on to him because the times we had spent together have now become treasured memories. No time was wasted."

Justin finally understood. A woman's heart that loved a man was willing to go through anything for her man. The time he spent away from Claudia was time wasted. He hadn't died yet, Claudia wasn't in pain yet, why was he hurting her by pus.h.i.+ng her away?

Protecting her heart? That was just bulls.h.i.+t he made up. He loved her. He had loved her for years now. He needed to make things right.

Tasha watched the complicated look on Justin's face melt away, and she knew that he understood what she said.

"Thank you so much Tasha," he said with a grateful smile.

"I'm glad I could help."

He returned to the base and worked on some files. When evening came, he calculated his travel time and made sure to arrive at Claudia's salon when the last employee left.

He saw her sitting alone on the couch. His heart felt guilty. He had put her through so much without understanding her. He selfishly made his decision without considering that the pain she felt at that moment might be greater than the one she'd feel if he was dead one day.

He walked up and stood in front of her.

He was back to claim his girl.