Chapter 1

Stephanie POV

I picked up my son and suitcase and started running down the escalator at Penn Station. We were running late after the subway stopped for an hour due to some kind of power failure. The train had already started boarding and would be leaving in 10 minutes. We rushed down the escalator for track 15 and reached the train door just as the conductor was getting in to close it. He turned around and smiled as we climbed up on the train before checking our tickets and helping me get my bag in the luggage secured in the tower.

We were walking down the aisle finding no seats next to each other open as most of the riders were sitting by themselves in a row. The conductor yelled from the front that we need to take a seat as we would be moving very soon. Not seeing anything further back I set my son down in a seat across from me. He looked down for a minute before looking back up at me with sadness in eyes that's normally a precursor to a crying fit. I got out of my seat and kneeled in the aisle next to him.

"Henry it's going to be okay I'm sitting right next to you just across the aisle you will be okay. Once we start moving you can come sit on my lap." I was brushing the tears dripping from his little eyes hoping he would stop soon.

"Ma'am you have to take your seat and keep the aisle clear." The conductor tapped me on the shoulder as he was doing his responsibility of walking through the train before we pushed off.

"I'm sorry sir my son doesn't like to be far away from me he's only three and I couldn't find any seats together"

"Ma'am you must sit down. I will let you know if I find an empty row on my walk back."

"I understand" I stood up to take my seat as my son started to really cry making me nervous that he would disturb the other passengers around us. Although it wasn't lost on me that none of them offered to move to let us sit together so maybe I didn't care that much. I was about to sit when another man walked up to us.

"Ma'am I moved my items up a row so my old row is now empty if you'd like it." The man was massive, well over 6 feet with broad shoulders and large defined muscles. He was wearing a baseball cap, jeans, and a jacket. I smiled up at him and nodded before picking up my purse and my son and following him towards the back of the cart.

We settled into the new seats with my son by the window now smiling that he could hold my hand and look out the window. The train started moving and I was about to open my book when my son let go of my hand and stood up to reach over the seats to tap on the head of the man who had moved for us. I tried to stop him but he was just too quick.

The man's hat got knocked when he tried to turn his head to look at my son. He quickly pulled it off to readjust it but not without us noticing his flaming skull tattoo. Both me and my son gasped at the sight of it but my son wasn't deterred by what he saw. "Sir, are you an army man?" Henry asked.

He seemed surprised by the question but smiled before answering "No, I am a navy man but army is cool too."

"That's cool my daddy was in the army!" Henry said smiling. "We love him very much but he's not coming back, that's why we're on this train" he told the tall stranger. I could feel my eyes get watery at the mention of him not coming back. It has been almost a year since Charlie died in combat in the middle east and it's taking my son a long time to learn he wasn't coming back that now he tells almost everyone he speaks too. The only reason all of New York doesn't know he is gone is that my son is normally very shy.

"I'm sorry to hear that." The man sad giving me a solemn nod but I could tell he was uncomfortable with the conversation.

Lucky for both of us my son couldn't read social cues yet. "He used to play trains and army men with me. This was his favorite man." He held up the green army man to show the stranger.

"That's a cool toy little man. I have one of those too but mine's blue." He reached into his duffle and handed him a small blue army figurine.

"Wow, this is cool mister! I've never seen a blue one before." Henry was holding the green man in one hand and blue one in the other and clashing them together like they were fighting.

"I think so too. You can keep that one." The man said.

"Wow thanks mister I promise to take really good care of it for you. Thanks!" Henry said, returning to sitting down in his seat. The man smiled at him before turning around and relaxing back into his seat.

The train reached the trenton station quicker than I thought it would but I should've expected it to be quick with it only being a little more of an hour long trip. I put the book I was reading back in my purse and grabbed my son's hand and we walked down the aisle to retrieve our bag. The conductor helped my son down as I got the suitcase off the train. We walked down the platform through the transit center to look for my dad who was picking us up.

His cab pulled up to the curb and he got out to hug us and get the bag loaded. After getting my boy secured in his carseat my dad had installed I stood up and noticed the large man getting into a large black suv. We exchanged a wave and I mouthed thanks before both ducking into our respective passenger seats.

Cal POV

I was sitting on the train waiting for it to begin its journey to Trenton, New Jersey. I had been in New York visiting my sister and her kids for the weekend. I am now a retired Navy Seal after serving for 10 years since I first enlisted at 18. Now I'm heading back to Trenton for my job at Rangeman Securities who just opened a branch a few months ago in the city.

So far I really liked the job. The other guys were mostly also military guys so we got along well, the job was pretty easy, and I got to stay active and not sit behind a desk for hours. I was lucky enough to be one of their first hires for the branch and secure an apartment in the building so my commute was easy too.

Normally I use the weekends to pick up an extra shift or relax but once my sister found out I was so close to her and her brood she insisted that I come and visit. That's I ended up on this train looking out the window when a young woman holding a boy and her suitcase came rushing down the platform to the train entrance. I checked my watch and they barely made it.

I watched as the woman was assisted by the conductor and then moved to find seats. The train wasn't full so most of the patrons were sitting in a row by themselves. The conductor yelled that she needed to take a seat so she quickly just put her son down across the aisle before sitting herself. Her son started to get fidgety so she got up and kneel by him. I could hear him getting more upset and the conductor heading to them so I got up from my seat and picked up my duffle. There was a businessman sitting in the row in front of me so I asked him if I could sit in the aisle seat.

I then walked up to the woman to offer her the row I just vacated. She looked me over probably needing a moment to take in my size. I knew that I scared most people being so tall and so muscular so I tried to tone down my appearance by wearing jeans and a jacket instead of the normal black fatigues I normally wore. I also wore a baseball cap to cover the flaming skull tattoo on my head.

She wasn't scared though and immediately accepted the offer and followed me back to the row. We were all getting settled back into our seats and the train had made its way out of the station so I was gonna try and close my eyes for the short trip so I leaned my head back but I was too tall so my head wasn't completely supported.

Suddenly I felt a tiny pressure on my head from behind. I turned around but the bill of my cap hit the back of the seat and got knocked askew. I quickly took it off to fix it and turn towards the woman and young boy. Looking at her now, she was beautiful with her curly brown hair tastefully styled and blue eyes like the ocean. The boy was cute, maybe two or three with eyes exactly like his mom but he had straight brown hair.

They both looked somewhat surprised and that's when I remembered they would've seen the tattoo on my head. Fortunately the boy chose to continue with his question. He asked if I was in the army, which surprised me as most people think I'm an athlete of some kind. I told him I was in the navy and he responded by telling me about his dad.

I was shocked and thought it must have been recent given how quickly his mom's face turned sad at his words. I nodded to give her my condolences for their loss. Her son moved on quickly with conversation showing me his toy army man. I had one just like it in my bag leftover from the set that I had given to my nephews. I decided to reach into my bag and give it to the boy. He was so excited and thanked me after promising to keep them safe, making me chuckle on the inside as most people don't promise me anything. He lost interest in our conversation so I turned back around and closed my eyes again until we reached Trenton.

I only had my weekend duffle so it was easy to get off the train before the majority of the people were out of their seats. I stopped in the bathroom in the station before making my way outside and texting Lester, one of my coworkers, that I was ready. Lester pulled up a few minutes later maneuvering around a man in a cab. I was about to get into the passenger seat after placing my bag in the back seat when I made eye contact with the woman getting into the cab before sharing a wave goodbye.

"Who was that? She's Hot!" Lester asked as I slid into my seat.

"I don't know her and her son sat behind me and I gave him one of those army men toys."

"Ah so she's married" Lester said his smile deflating.

"No, she's a widow her husband died" I said as he pulled away from the curb in the Rangeman SUV.

"Oh so we still have a chance!"

"What do you mean we? And even if there was a we there's no chance I don't even know her name.

"So you learned her husband died but not her name?"

"Her son told me she didn't actually speak to me."

"I really need to teach you how to flirt with women. What's the point of talking to them if you don't get their name or number."

"Well lucky for me I'm gay so I don't have to spend time doing that with you. I knew I should've asked Hal to pick me up; he never talks."

"Oh shut up you know you I was the right choice." He joked before telling me all about his weekend looking for ladies at the club the rest of the way back to Rangeman.