" I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but if every single one had to happen to make sure I was right here, right now, to meet you, then I forgive myself for all of them."

- K. Towne Jr.

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" It smells delicious, Mom." Hazel said with tired eyes as her and Joe entered the warm, glowing home again. Joe briefly glanced towards the fireplace mantle and saw a picture of a young, toothy grinning Hazel on it. Joe grinned as he followed Hazel to the table.

" This looks amazing, Lena." Joe said and Lena smiled at the two.

" I try," she said and the trio chuckled. Hazel and Joe sat side by side across from Lena, who pulled the food open in front of her.

" It took a bit longer if you couldn't tell, I haven't cooked for three people in a long time." Lena said, " Of course, I had the Willis' over sometimes and then Harry, then the Johnsons' and a few others, but never every night."

" It's Pierogis," Hazel said, " Mom has them homemade, filled with a bunch of fillings, bunch of toppings. They were my favorite as a kid - and of course with cheese."

" Well count me in," Joe said and both Lena and Hazel grinned looking at Joe.

Scooping Pierogis out to everyone, Hazel decided to tell one of the funnier, more light-hearted stories from their time in Aldbourne, when both her and Joe almost missed PT because of something HE supposedly did, even though Joe swore it was Hazel's fault.

And that got Lena laughing, her booming, jolly laugh.

And then there was a Bill Guanrnere story or two as well as a Lewis Nixon one and of course a George Luz one. And then a Lizzie and Tab rendition and then a Smokey Gordon one.

And each time Lena saw the light glowing in both Joe and Hazel's eyes as they couldn't help but talk excitedly over one another, telling the story with more and more excitement each time, and then proceeding to laugh together, nearly wheezing, gripping onto each other, before Hazel let her cheeks turn pink. Lena thought it was hilarious and completely adorable.

" You know," Hazel said leaning forward, her arms crossed on the table curled up into her burning red face," one day, I was able to wake up Joe as if I were jump starting a car?" Joe let out a chuckle, squeezing his eyes shut as Lena laughed clapping her hands together.

" Jump start? Is that what were going to call it?" Joe asked Hazel as Hazel snickered shaking her head.

" What else would you call it?" Hazel asked through a gasping laugh.

" Not jump starting," Joe said before him and Hazel burst into laughs, " more like scaring me awake." Hazel giggled.

" It was funny, Mom, I promise and even Wild Bill got a picking or two in on the conversation." Hazel said and her mother chuckled.

" So what's the story exactly?" Lena asked, sipping her wine with a curious smirk. Joe and Hazel looked at each other and then broke down in chuckles.

" I, of course, had woken up early and Joe and I always bunked side by side, and I saw Joe peacefully lying there," Hazel said.

" Of course," Joe muttered and Hazel giggled.

" And I went to mess and came back and saw he was in fact still peacefully lying there and was like, why not get him back for all the times he pulled at my braids, or kicked my feet and messed up our notes?" Hazel said and Lena chuckled.

" Precisely." Lena said with a chuckle.

" And so, I jumped him - jump start if you will - and scared him awake. Why I call it jump starting." Hazel said and Lena let out another bellowing laugh which sent Joe chuckling.

" Even through a war and you kept up the childish antics," Lena said, " it's adorable." And she watched Joe proudly wrap his arm over Hazel's shoulder as she giggled and blushed madly.

That night, Joe offered to do the dishes, and of course, slide a few leftovers to Daisy who sat patiently by his side - she already loved him.

Lena and Hazel retreated outside to look towards the stars.

And Hazel finally got to talk to her mother - about Joe and San Fransisco.

Hazel knew she couldn't stay here - too much of her past remained in this home, so much that burdened her. Joe Liebgott and San Fransisco signaled a new start, a new life that wasn't war or her childhood, even if she loved her mother. It signaled a new beginning - something Hazel had wished for from the start.

" Mom?" Hazel asked her mother in the moonlight.

" Yes, love?" her mother asked her, turning to look towards her daughter who's shining eyes gazed up towards the stars above.

" Joe and I, back in Austria, we talked a lot about a life together after this war. Living in San Fransisco, getting married..." Hazel whispered, looking towards her mother, " it's a life I want." Lena softly met her daughter's eyes.

" And I know you just got me back, but the war changed me in more ways than I can imagine, too many ways and my past, it just, I know if I start fresh, real fresh, with no war, no dad, nothing, that maybe I can make a life for myself worth living." Hazel said softly. Lena softly smiled at her daughter and took her hand in her own, gently holding it there.

" You sound as if I would be mad." Lena said with a chuckle and Hazel managed a small smile on her lips as she looked at her mother.

" The minute you began talking about Joe Liebgott, I knew it was game over. I know you two are so in love, I know you are. No one looks at each other like that and simply calls each other best friends." Lena said and Hazel let out a soft giggle shaking her head.

" I just thought, since we literally just came back, that you'd be upset." Hazel said softly. Lena gave a familiar wise smile and squeezed Hazel's hand gently.

" Hazel you're my daughter, and I love you, I always have and always will, but you're 21! My baby girl is 21 and I know I can't keep you physically here forever," Lena said softly," but I'm also your mother and will always be there in your heart for you, you know this." Hazel felt tears well in her eyes. great, here she goes again.

" You and Joe, I know you love each other, you really, really do. I see it by just that look in both your eyes, the laughs, the hugs, I know you do, and I want you to be happy, both of you, it's all I ever wanted, especially after you've gone through a war, it's...you both deserve it, to be together, to be happy, to find peace." Lena said, " It's what makes me happy as a mother to see." Hazel let a small smile bubble to her lips and Lena smiled at her.

" C'mere, honey," Lena said and Hazel couldn't help but crawl into her mother's warm embrace, nuzzling her head against her mother's chest and letting out a soft sigh.

" Promise to tell me when you're expecting the first kid?" her mother said in that jolly joking tone.

" Mom!" squealed Hazel sitting up and looking at her, a blush spreading on her cheeks, scorching hot.

" I'm just kidding honey, you know I love you, just a joke or two," Lena said and Hazel giggled, " But I'm serious though." And Hazel just laughed hugging her mother closer.

" You two would make the cutest kids," Lena said and Hazel giggled again, looking past her mother's shoulder into the home to see Joe cleaning up the dishes. Her heart skipped a beat at his soft peace behind the sink at the kitchen counter. A shy smile formed on her lips.

" Mom, I love him." Hazel whispered. And Lena could only squeezed her daughter tighter in the hug.

" I know you do," Lena whispered and Hazel's heart broke. Pulling back, she knew her mother was close to tears.

" Mom..." Hazel whispered, softly putting her hand on her mother's cheek to wipe away her tears. Lena just shook her head with a smile.

" I've already told Joe this, but to see you so happy, it's all I've ever wanted for you," Lena whispered, " after everything for a man like Joe to love you, the love you have for one another, it's all a mother could want. It just makes me happy to know." Hazel softly smiled and let a tear trail down her cheek.

" Thank you, Mom." Hazel whispered and Lena smiled softly.

" I'll always love you, but you're old enough now that this life is more than just our nights alone in the mountains. You and Joe deserve one another, I know it and I see it, and you going to San Fransisco, makes me the happiest mom in the world." Lena whispered, " I've always wanted happiness for you." And Hazel smiled, letting more tears trail down her cheeks.

" Thank you, Mom, truly, I love you." Hazel said and encircled her mother in another hug, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to bubble past her eyes and trembling lips.

" I always will," Hazel whispered and Lena closed her eyes to steady the wave of tears that wanted to explode.

A mother's love meant more than anything in this world to Hazel - it always would.

And Hazel would always love her mother - who never failed to provide for Hazel through all the hardship, feeding her when she couldn't feed herself, giving her clothes when she couldn't afford water, anything a mother would do for her child.

" You'll always be my baby girl," Lena whispered, " but you'll always be my strong, young woman."

" Thanks, Mom." Hazel said with a soft giggle.

" Now, remember to send me Mrs. Liebgott's address so we can start planning the wedding," Lena said and Hazel shot back from her mother blushing.

" Mom!" Hazel squealed and Lena chuckled again.

" You know I'm kidding!" Lena said, " My, my, you're cheeks are scorching."

" They always do that when I get embarrassed." Hazel said and Lena smiled, " But I will I promise." Lena grinned at her daughter.

A mother's love was boundless.

That night, Hazel lay cuddled into Joe's side in her bedroom, in the soft moonlight that streamed in from the open window, the sweet smell of the night breeze running in, the trees rustling their leaves outside, and the footsteps of her mother in her room, moving around as she did her daily praying ritual before bed.

Hazel had interlaced her tiny fingers with Joe's and now was gently playing with them, a small smile on her face. Joe couldn't keep the soft smirk on his face from disappearing even in the darkness.

To finally be at a place he could consider home, with the love of his life curled into his side, her presence calming enough to keep his emotions at bay, and his heart calm, it was all he could ever want.

" Hey, Joe?" Hazel whispered softly in the darkness, her head cuddled right into his chest, her soft sighs against him.

" Hm?" he said softly, running his hand softly through her hair, moving it from her eyes which now made the effort to look into his own.

" San Fransisco, when can we go?" she asked him and his eyes widened. A smirk grew on his features.

" Whenever you'd like," Joe whispered, " my mom always has the house set nice, and they already know all about you." Hazel blushed and looked up at him.

" Please tell me you told them good things and not that I snore or drool in my sleep." Hazel said with a giggle and Joe snickered.

" They were at the top of the list." Joe said and Hazel giggled, slapping his arm gently, her eyes shining as she watched his.

Even in the moonlight he looked so ungodly handsome, with his messy hair, tired eyes, and soft gaze.

God, he was so handsome and Hazel wondered how she even deserved someone like Joseph David Liebgott in her life.

Hazel softly reached up and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing across his feather light skin. Joe's hand softly came up to hold her hand in his own and she smiled at the warmth. And in that moment, it was just the two of them, watching one another and only each other. She finally didn't feel hopeless, she felt at home, and not just in the house, but with Joe right beside her, gazing at her with those beautiful brown eyes, as if she were the most fragile thing in the whole entire world.

Hazel softly placed a kiss on his lips, and immediately the two melted into each other's embraces, a warm, comforting embrace that Hazel didn't ever want to leave. Joe deepened the kiss further and Hazels' back gently hit the mattress, as her hands moved up towards his hair, pulling him closer and closer to her, like an ache in her chest, yearning for more. Pulling back, Joe looked down at her blushing under the moonlight, her lips slightly swollen by now and her eyes wide staring right up at him.

" I'm still getting used to that." she mumbled out softly, her heart racing as she looked up at Joe. Joe softly pushed the hair from her eyes and behind her ear before grinning at her.

" Even after almost 3 months?" he asked her. Hazel nodded, blushing further.

" Maybe if you kissed me again....I'll get more used to it." Hazel whispered and Joe felt the widest smirk spread on his lips as Hazel only could blush further - even under the moonlight Joe could see her adorable blush.

" I like the way you think, Hazel Parker." Joe whispered as his lips inched closer to hers, " I always have."

And with that, Joe pressed the deepest kiss onto her lips as the moonlight slowly faded.

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AH! i don't know how many times i'll end my chapter with 'AH' but this is one of those cases for this smol lil duo that i adore with all my heart, truly writing these two has been one of the most fun things about this book. AND LENA AHHH i'm so happy to finally be writing her in this element, she is such a strong, independent mother, she's so wonderful <3 thank you all for reading and enjoying postwar!!