Walking towards the covered monument that was to unveiled on the last day of the conference she stole a peak underneath the heavy cloth. The tribute to "Gatchaman and the Science Ninja Team." Was a simple oblique stone sculpture with their logo emblazed down the length of it carved out of the stone and filled with bronze to make it glitter in the sunlight- A bronze version of the God Phoenix sat on the tip. Apparently when the sun hits it, the ship would blaze like it had turned into firebird. Effective she thought when she thought. One day she hoped to come back and see it when there wouldn't crowds around gawking.

Dropping the cloth she didn't feel a need to be here any more, she'd heard enough about the direction and potential leadership of the Federation. Looking at the emblem of her past she knew to have a future she too would have to resign from the ISO, up until now it hadn't been necessary. Jun needed to have a fresh start, follow her dream even if Ken did decide to head for the stars, it was a place she knew she couldn't follow him.

"Lucky they didn't make it a sculpture of all of us! How embarrassing would that be." Joe chuckled from behind her, Jun sprung up in surprise.

"Joe you scared me half to death!" She gasped. "But I agree with you, they'd probably do something like a panty flash for me...forever in bronze, and you think the rest of you would have problems with being cast into bronze. At least you wouldn't have that to make you cringe for the rest of your life.

He shook his head and pretended to reprimand her, his rugged features becoming sharper in the silvery moonlight." You're getting rusty Jun. At one time you would have had me in a head lock by now." His face softened into a rare glimpse of something Joe kept hidden inside of him and it left just as quickly. "The world will be forever depraved of your beauty cast in bronze...I was talking about your face by the way...not...well you know..."

She felt her cheeks becoming warmer from a rising blush at his compliment. "Where's Jason?" She observed.

"He's back sleeping in the hotel room, Jinpei and Ryu are looking after him until I get back." The playfulness ran from his face, and his usual shadowing grimace returned.

"Got a minute." He said quietly.

"Yeah," Jun nodded and he guided her over to a park bench near by.

They sat in silence for a long time,  starring at the full moon above them.

"Jun... Did you ever really dream about peace and what your life would be like when it finally did happen?" He asked at last leaning forward and clasping his hands in front of him.

"Yes and no...the truth is sometimes...well...its was always just me and Ken, being able to do what we wanted to do without this wall of duty coming between us."

"I didn't have any plans beyond defeating Galactor." He admitted.

"But now you do, you're a father and a good one." Jun said watching his face.

Joe's rugged features hardened slightly. "A father with no prospects that are useful in the real world, deep down I'm a soldier Jun. I always have been since I was a boy."

"A soldier has to have something to fight for, and Jason's worth it isn't he, be his Hero, surely there's something for you out there." Jun said.

"I need money for schooling him, and a place for us to live other than a trailer." She saw pain filling  his grey eyes. "I'm going into space..." Joe's voice cracked. "I'm taking him to Ameris to live with a foster family for a while, it won't be forever I promise...Dr Anderson said he can help me...he said he can arrange for him to live with a foster family until I get back in two years time."

"No Joe! He needs you, he loves you can't you see that?" Jun forced him to look at her. "It is hard now but it'll improve with time, I see the way he looks at you Joe...he loves his daddy so much... There must be something on Earth that can pay you just as good." She pleaded with him to think harder about his decision.

"I know he loves me Jun...and I love my son with all of my heart. He's a great kid...but Dr Anderson can help him with the implant and his cybernetics while I'm away, he promised me that Jason will be okay." Joe let a tear roll down his cheek and a small sob escaped to show the pain he was feeling inside. "He's a good kid even though he can be a rat bag at times...and I'll miss him. But it's what I have to do and its for him Jun...and its not forever..."

Jun could see his anguish over this. "I know...its doesn't make it any easier does it. Take your time and make sure its what you want to do, don't make any rash decisions based on lack of money."

 "You can't make me change my mind on this Jun...I've accepted a position as Commander of a new military team leaving for one of the planets they plan to begin settling in a few months since they found a few that have similar atmospheres to Earth. I'll be on the first flight from Earth to the new frontier." Joe's eyes filled with tears as he spoke. "We don't know what's up there, its far to dangerous to take him with me...I want to but I can't risk his life like that with no one but me to take care of him. What will a three year old boy do when I'm off on a mission...? Gosh I wish I could bring him with me. But they won't let a child go- even if I hire a nanny that I can't afford...I've gone over the options in my mind a thousand times already..."

"What about me, why didn't you ask me to take care of him, don't you trust me Joe?" She questioned, bombshell just landed on her didn't register yet. Joe was leaving Earth for at least two years. Would Ken be signing his contact as they spoke she wondered.

Joe's stubborn nature had set in she could tell from the way he spoke nothing would sway him. "I do trust you Jun, but you have a life here...I can't ask you to raise my kid for me..."

"Oh Joe..." She said pulling him into her arms to comfort him and it finally it hit her, what he'd said only a few minutes before. Joe was leaving another nail went into the coffin of the old days. "Why are you leaving...I'm missing you already."

"Me too Jun...but I have to go...I'm so nervous at taking on my first command, I've always followed Ken's command...well you know sometimes...and now the pressure will be on my shoulders. What if I stuff it up? You know my impulsive nature and hot temper..."

Jun knew what it was like to have to do what was best for a child even if it torn her apart doing it, she refused to judge him for what he was about to do Joe's pain become more evident from the way he fought back tears. "Its heart wrenching to make these choices isn't it when it comes to our children...what's best for them in the long run."

She tilted his face and stared into his storm cloud grey eyes. "You won't mess up Joe, Ken would be so proud of you."

"So he said when I told him. He thought it was fantastic." Joe looked deflated, yet determined. "Two years and I'll be back for him...I promise...I just hope he forgives me for it. We leave as soon as I go back to Utoland so he can settle in with me around for a as long as I can be."

Joe stood up to go, but Jun grabbed his arm and forced him to turn and face her, without thinking she pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing her face into his shoulder and let her tears flow. "Don't cry Jun, please don't." Joe begged. She could hear the lump forming his throat as he fought back his own tears. "I want to remember you're beautiful smile not your tears."

"I..." She started to say, she felt his warmth against her as they held each other tight, and for a second as they pulled apart he leaned in as if to kiss her on her lips, pulling away at the last second and landing a light kiss on her cheek instead.

"You're an amazing woman Jun, don't ever forget that. He's lucky to have you." He whispered and then he walked away in the direction of a taxi bay.

Watching him walk away she wondered about what she felt in those few seconds in his arms. "You're a wonderful man Joe, with an affectionate side you love to hide for the world...I hope there's a special girl who'll break through that barrier you put up... and I know she's out there and will be very happy to have you hold her like that..." Jun whispered softly...