See You Again

Chapter 5

"So let me guess your only back for a week and then you have to go again?" How the hell did she know, I just met Amber "how did you know? I haven't told anybody" casey got up and walked towards her room "casey don't be upset I'm-" I was cut off by her shouting "can't you ask for more time!" I hated seeing her upset and it was all my fault which made me feel worse. "I'm only gone for eight months and then I'll be back for a whole month, they need me over there and Ya I hate leaving you but I'm also protecting you when I'm over there and I'm protecting a lot of other people so please don't be mad" she slammed her door then locked it, I stood outside of it, I wasn't going to give up easily "I'm not moving till you open the door and we talk about this!" I shouted through the door.
***Casey's POV***
I stayed in my room for about an hour crying until I got hungry, I texted Amber to bring me food but she sent me a picture of Carter sitting in front of my door just waiting for me like he said, his face looked so upset. I walked over to my door and opened it forcefully, I wasn't going to give up easily even though I know we only have a week together and it's not long till he leaves. He stood up alert but I just brushed past him and went to the kitchen to eat.
***
She just completely ignored me, I know she is upset but fuck I am too and yet here I am trying to wait to talk it out. I just got up and grabbed my bag, I grabbed my blues out of Casey's closet. "Carter what are you doing?" I turned and looked at casey "I can still make it to officer training if I leave now, then I'll deploy earlier and it will be just an extra week of deployment, no one wants me here I just make people upset and cause problems" I bent my head down and kept packing. She lifted my chin up then got on her tippy toes and kissed me, I really needed this kiss. "Have I told you how cute you look in just my hoodie" she shook her head then bit her lip, I kissed her again and again until we struggled to breathe. "I don't want you to go" I laid on my back on her bed then she curled up on my side while I intertwined our fingers. "I don't want to leave you but this is what I signed up for, just like how you signed up to teach annoying high school kids" she let out a laugh and I kissed her forehead. We fell asleep just like that, her curled up in my side, her head on my chest, our fingers intertwined and most importantly I woke up with her by my side.
They way I got woken up how ever they were trying to be nice scared me shitless. So it's about five AM and I was peacefully asleep next to casey when boom people yell "happy birthday!" Casey and the others laughed while I was clueless "it's not even my birthday" I turned back and put the covers and pillows over my head. My first day back and I still couldn't sleep peacefully past five thirty. I felt the dog tags around my neck and remembered I had to do something today that included no one else.
I got dressed in my uniform and got in my truck that Emily brought over, I told Casey I wasn't leaving yet and that I'd be back in a couple hours. I pulled into the cemetery parking lot, I pulled on my hat and walked to my sergeant and captain's graves they were side by side since they were best friends. When I stooped saluting all the memories the three of us had together started cloud
Ding my mind, the endless football talk, poker games, what their faces looked both dead and alive. All in one day I had to step up and try to keep as many guys safe no matter what the costs were. I held out the picture of us three together, after our first mission, I was tempted to leave it on the grave but decided to keep it for memories.
***
So I stopped by the base in Oklahoma to get my new uniform and I turned off my phone because I had a meeting with the guys while I was there too, so let's just say it will be around one in the morning when I get back to Casey's apartment. I know what she might be thinking but I didn't even bring my things with me and I didn't even say goodbye to her.
I ended up getting back to Casey's at around three in the morning because there was a wreck and sense they teach me medical things I had to help assist until paramedics came. I knocked on the door and waited for about ten minutes. When they finally opened the door I got slapped but then I heard Kyle's familiar laugh, I ignored the pissed off Casey and walked in to see Amber on Kyle's lap. "You know Kyle? Wait is that how you knew I was deploying in a week?" They both nodded, "what took you so long to get back I got her around one?" I shook my head and walked towards the kitchen "I had to help assist in a wreck since I have medical experience" kyle just started laughing "damn why you so cranky, you got promoted, you're officially apart of the team and you're mad about something, now come on let's go back on our second tour nice and happy" I grabbed a beer out of the fridge "it's my third tour now just leave me alone please I already have a fiancé that's pissed off at me for some reason that I don't know, I don't need to deal with happy go lucky Kyle" everyone looked at me shocked and I just brushed them off and grabbed about two cases of beer then walked back to Casey's bedroom where I could get peace and quiet. I changed out of my uniform and just sat in the corner with my hoodie on and the beer sitting beside me.
***Casey POV***
So we called Jake over to get him to see what was wrong with Carter but Jake ended up coming out with a black eye. He said Carter was drunk which upset me because I didn't even know why he was drinking, I shouldn't have let him take that much beer.
Now it was my time to try to get Carter to tell me why he was upset, I walked in there and when I didn't see him sitting on the bed I looked on the ground and he was huddled up in a corner crying. I quickly walked over to him and sat in his lap, I stared into his eyes and he looked lost and sad. "Please tell me."
***Carter POV***
"Just leave I don't want to be strong right now" I grabbed another beer and turned away from Casey, all the memories from the six years just kept playing in my head. "You don't have to be strong in front of me, just be here with me that's all I want" I looked her in the eyes but then bent my head down in shame. "I'm sorry, I'll clean up and be hang out with you guys in a few minutes" she nodded then gave me a quick kiss before leaving.
***
"Let's go down to the lake house, like old times" we were all sitting around watching the World Cup game, it was still summer so I was hoping to just do what we normally did during summer. "Okay I'll go tell Emily and we will pack for four days" I nodded then got everything ready, I got all my deployment stuff and put them in the car too, Kyle did the same in Amber's car, she looked so upset and so did Casey.
"Do you really have to wear that?" I finished putting on my blues because I had to go down to the base here in Texas before we left. "I have to go back to base for something then I'll meet you guys there" I grabbed my hat then gave Casey a quick kiss. "I'll be at the lake house maybe an hour after you, if you really want to know maybe Kyle remembers why I'm going down to base" I stormed out angry for some reason.
I arrived just when I was instructed to, I said hi to my uncle then went to carry the casket out to the funeral sight. Garrett was apart of my old platoon and he died the day I left, I told Kyle but no one else. I stood at attention for about an hour, my family tried to tell me to sit but I wasn't going to, I made a promise to do my best to protect him and I wasn't even the same platoon as him anymore.
After about two hours of the ceremony I left for the lake house. I just hope casey will stop being mad at me and just let me enjoy my time with her.