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The facility's opaque sliding doors whirred open, revealing a waiting crowd and one very excited Belgian Malinois. Axe broke away from Mike’s wife, Ali, and his son and sprinted toward his former handler. Mike grunted as the dog leaped into his arms and licked his chin.

“I think he missed you, bro,” said Rick.

“You think.”

The men reunited with their families as Mike dealt with the affectionate assault. Rick joined his wife, Jenny, a tall, athletic African American with angular features and striking grey eyes. The muscular SEAL wrapped his arms around his wife and hefted her off the ground.

“Gentle sailor, you might break the merchandise.”

“Babe, I’ve missed you so much,” said Rick, before kissing her.

“Hey, lovebirds, let’s keep this PG,” said TJ.

“Leave them alone,” said his wife, Deb, as she grabbed him, grinning. “Take care of your own business.”

Mike and Ernie, the only team members with kids, were quickly overwhelmed by their families. Axe was deposited back on the ground as Ali and Junior came in for a hug. Ernie’s wife and his two boys jumped on their dad. The team had been away for over a month and a half, a long time for young boys to be without their fathers.

Mike swept his boy up into his arms and hugged him. “I’ve missed you, little man. Have you been good to your mom?”

Blue-eyed, blonde-haired, and tall for his age, the four-year-old was a miniature version of his dad.

“He’s been terrific. We’ve been getting things organized. Haven’t we, bud?” said Ali, Mike’s wife.

“Yeah, Dad, we unpacked all the boxes.”

“Really, all of them. Way to go, guys.” Mike put his arm around Ali and snuck her a kiss. “I’m proud of you both. I can’t wait to get home and see what you’ve done.”

“Oh,” said Ali. “That reminds me. We’re hosting the welcome home party.” She turned to the rest of the team. “Everyone’s coming to our place for BBQ?”

“Tell me there won’t be any snags or prawns,” said Rick in a terrible attempt at an Australian accent.

Ali looked confused. “Are steak and ribs OK?”

“Hell yeah,” replied Rick. “We’ll bring drinks.”

“I’ll bring salads and snacks,” said Ernie’s wife, Maria.

“What should we bring?” asked Deb.

“If Maria’s doing salads,” said Ali. “Just a very healthy appetite.” She turned to TJ. “Well, Chief, any chance we can take our men home? Or do you need them today?”

“The strap hangers will drop our gear at the cage,” said the craggy team leader. “You can have your men till Monday. We’ll see you tomorrow for dinner.”

“Go easy on that rope, Junior.” Mike stood at the BBQ on his porch, watching Axe play tug-of-war with his four-year-old son.

Retiring his teammate Axe had been one of the hardest decisions he’d ever made. But after six years running and gunning, the warrior dog had earned his rest. He’d been shot, damaged two of his fangs, been drugged and abducted by cartel hit men, and all while taking down dozens of bad guys. The dog was a hero and a legend. And now, he was Junior’s best friend and permanent guardian.

Mike lit the fire starters, which he’d buried in the charcoal briquets stacked under the grill. Once the fire was underway, he turned his attention back to Junior and Axe.

The dog had released his grip on the short length of rope and was now chasing the boy around the expanse of lawn that rolled off the back of their house. A recent purchase, the three-bedroom Californian bungalow sat on five acres in the suburb of Ramona. Forty minutes from Coronado, it included a barn where Ali had set up her veterinary rehabilitation clinic and enough space for Mike to run a dog training facility when, like Axe, he finally retired from the teams. It also had enough room for Junior and Axe to burn off their energy without destroying the house.

“How’s that grill going, handsome?”

Mike’s wife, Ali, carried a tray of seasoned steaks in her arms as she stepped from the house in a flowing summer dress that accented her curves.

“It’ll be ready in no time,” said Mike, kissing her as he took the tray. He placed it alongside the grill.

A horn tooted, and he turned to see a minivan coming up the drive. Ernie and the clan were always the first to arrive. No sooner had the vehicle pulled to a halt than the door slid open and two boys charged out to join Axe and Junior on the lawn.