On My Way Home (Scömìche)

28~ News

I don't remember the drive home. I just remember feeling relieved and angry. The weight from my old job taken off of my chest but the thought of Scott added a new weight. I pull into the drive way, the clock in my car reading Nine Fifty, before I turn it off. I run into the house, quickly, tears in my eyes and nervous anticipation in my head. When I come through the door Scott is sitting at the table with his head in his hands and his phone resting beside him. "Scott," I sob. He looks up. He didn't see me come in. He jumps out of his chair and runs to me, taking me into his arms. "Oh, Mitch. What happened?" He asks, holding me close to him. I breathe in his aroma and listen to his steady heartbeat. "Alexander-" I begin. "What did the fucker do to you?!" He barks, releasing me, holding me at arms length away. He looks angry and worried. "He said he hired me because he 'wanted me' and then he started kissing me and touching me," I whisper as I retell the events. "I hit him though. He fired me but I hit him. Please don't be angry Scotty," I whimper. If Scott gets angry, with me or about everything else, I think it will kill me. Everything was finally falling into place and I don't think I'll survive if it falls apart now. I look up at him with pleading eyes. He leans down and brings his lips to mine. The soft nature of his lips calming my heart rate. I hold onto his arms and return his kiss, thirsty for more He pulls back. "Do you love me?" He whispers. I furrow my eyebrows. "Of course I do!" I exclaim. "Then I'll never be angry at you. You were honest about it and you hit him, there isn't more you could've done to make me happier." He says, with a light smile. I take his chin between my fingers and turn his head. A red handprint is still plastered on his cheek from yesterday. I did hit him, hard. I rise on my tip toes and place a gentle kiss, where the palm would be, on his cheek. "I really love you," I whisper, lowering to the flat of my foot. He looks down at me with a smile but then a conflicted look crosses his face, again, the same way it did when he was going to announce his deployment the first time. My smile falls from my face. "Scott, what is it?" I ask, my hands still clutching his arms. He looks as if he were considering if he should tell me or not. "Tell me," I whisper. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opens his eyes he releases his breath and frowns. "The leader of my squadron called," He begins. No.

A sharp pain shoots through me. I try to think of another way his statement is going to end, if maybe the news he is about to tell me could possibly be exchanged for something good. "They want me to return tomorrow," He says, quickly, without a breath in between. My intuition was correct. I feel my knees get weak and I nearly fall. He catches me, holding me tight. "But you said two weeks," I whisper. He nods. "I know but they could call me back at any time and I have to obey," He says, softly. "You left for the military the first time so you wouldn't fall in love with me but now that you love me, and I love you, why are you going back?" I whisper. He clutches my arms and pulls me closer to him. "I can't just back out," He whispers. I don't want to fight with him but the thought of him going back hurts. Tears well up in my eyes again and I bury my head in his chest. I can't speak, I can't feel. After all that has happened this past week, I can't come to terms with him going back.

It seems like I spend an eternity in his arms but when we pull apart I feel that even an eternity was too short. It is Ten Twenty and Scott begins packing his things. I stand in the dark laundry room listening to the rumbling of the machine as I wait for his clothes to be dried. Soon the bowling ball will be used by another, the sand on the beach will be taken away with the waves, and the sheets he laid on will be washed and used again. Everything he touched will disappear and be forgotten as if had never come back. But he did! He returned to me, he said he loves me, all of this actually happened. Yet I fear that I'll wake up one morning and believe it was all just a dream because he won't be there. I wish I could stop thinking for a few seconds but it seems, even in the loudest setting, my thoughts are working overtime. The machine beeps and I remove the bundle of his warm clothes out of the dryer, hugging them to my chest.

When I walk into the bedroom Scott sits on my bed with his back leaning against the headboard and a laptop in his lap. He looks up at me with a sad smile. I carry the basket to my bedside and begin to fold the clothes into his awaiting bag. "Whatcha up to?" I ask, softly, trying to disguise my sadness. He quickly replies "Plane tickets" and then presses his lips together. I nod and continue packing his bag as a funny memory crosses my mind. "Do you remember when we'd always do this the night before we were supposed to leave on tour?" I ask, smiling down at his bag, as I try to lighten the mood and loosen the pain in my heart. I hear him let out a breathless chuckle. "Yes! Oh my goodness. We'd wait until the last minute and then we'd be up until Three in the morning just trying to get our outfits together and packed," He says, continuing to laugh. I look up at him, nodding eagerly, and laugh at the memory of the piles of clothes laid out on my bed as we stuffed them into suitcases. "And Esther would be our wake-up call in the morning just so we wouldn't miss our flight!" I add. We both laugh aloud as we relive the memories of the earlier times. Scott's return, to the Army tomorrow, nearly forgotten. We remain quiet after that and I finish packing his clothes. I grab the strap of the second, and final, bag and heave it onto the floor. When I glance over at the clock it reads Twelve Thirty-Three. Scott continues typing away at his laptop. "Any luck?" I ask as I clamber onto the bed and crawl up to him to lay at his side. He sighs and opens his arm for me. "Not really. All flight tickets for-" He pauses and looks to the clock. "Today are hard to find, especially at this hour," He concludes wrapping his arm around me, as I press against him, tenderly. "Aren't you supposed to have guaranteed tickets for your arrival and returning flights?" I ask, laying my head on his shoulder as he holds me closer. "I think, since this is so sudden, they don't really have any plans set in place," He answers through a yawn.

He types with his free hand and strokes my shoulder with the other. I remain quiet. I could say I'm sad but that would be an understatement. I'm just trying to refrain from crying or acting up because it might upset Scott and that is the last thing I'd ever want to do. He glances down at me as I watch him work. I look up at his beautiful eyes and he gives me a small smile. "You're extremely brave," He whispers in, almost, awe. Tears fill my eyes. That's all I needed to break the dams holding everything back. All of my emotions, the pain, the tears... The charade working so well until he looks at me with those remarkable eyes, that dazzling smile, and whispers to me the sweetest nothings. "Shut up," I sob. He looks at me, worry in his steady gaze. "The only thing different from all of those other times is that you're leaving without me and, until you return, I am not sure if you will come back." I say through the tears. He pulls me closer to him and I lay my head on his shoulder, again, as he places his head on top of mine. "As long as you love me, I'll always return," He whispers. He is brave and that is one of the things I love most about him. He is my rock and he always will be.

By One Nineteen Scott finished packing and booked his plane ticket, all the while, comforting me. He closes the laptop and wipes his eyes with his free hand. I look up at him. "You tired baby?" I rasp. He looks down at me and nods. I sit up and bring my lips to his cheek, gently, and lay my head on his shoulder. He chuckles. We remain still for a few minutes and then Scott begins speaking again. "You're half asleep already Mitch, go to sleep." I open my eyes which slowly rolled to the back of my head. "N-no," I groan. I feel him smile against the top of my head. "If I fall asleep, morning comes sooner. I don't want to fall asleep," I rasp through a yawn. I feel him shift and then the lamp on the bedside table turns off. "I don't want my Mitchy cranky," He says, fixing himself under me. "You don't want your Mitchy bitchy?" I whisper as a funny thought crosses my mind. He laughs and places a kiss on the top of my head. "I love you no matter what," He replies softly and slowly my eyes shut as sleep consumes me.

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A/N: I am terribly sorry I haven't updated in so long. I had a lot of exams lately and I was sick... yay (sarcasm intended). There are only a few chapters left but I will probably post one tomorrow or Friday to make up for the missed Monday update. Thank you for reading, as always. I really appreciate all of the comments and votes; it motivates me to write a lot more. Please leave any comments, suggestions, or reviews. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading. <3