Going Back

The long road home

I feel Lindsay moving beside me, her soft tender lips pressing against mine,

"Good Morning baby." Linds buries her face into my neck and sighs contently.

"Good morning, my love. Do i really have to leave today? I just want to stay in bed with you." Lindsay laughs and kisses me.

"Meh, i know. I wish you didn't have to but the sooner you leave, the sooner you can come home."

I sigh and get up, laying out my uniform and boots and walk towards the shower. After a night like that, I need a nice hot shower. Lindsay stays in bed and waits for me until i get out to shower herself.

An hour later we're waiting at my terminal for my flight, Lindsay sitting beside me crying silently as I rub her back and reassure her that I'll be okay. I have a flight from here to a base camp in the Carolinas then another flight in the morning to a undisclosed area in the Middle East.

"Now boarding flight 529 to Charleston, South Carolina at Gate 7." I stand up, pulling Lindsay into a tight hug; this will be the last time i get to hug her for another 18 months.

"I love you so much; Please stay strong, for me." She nods.

I kiss her forehead, than her lips. I close my eyes, pressing my forehead to hers and taking a final deep breath before collecting my things and boarding the plane.

The last thing before i walk down the hall is Lindsay falling to the floor in tears and I feel my heart break for her; I bow my head and board my flight, praying I make it safely back home to her.

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Four hours later my plane finally lands in Charleston after having to make a detour around a massive storm just outside of Charlotte, NC. I retrieve my luggage and search for a taxi for a ride to base.

Upon arrival, I am greeted by an old friend; A man named Robert Steele. Steele and I always had a bond that no one else could understand, not even Ryan. He was our squad leader on every mission since our rookie year. If only I knew that this would be his last.

That night I drank and laughed until I passed out, waiting for the following day to come.

I wake up, hungover and a pounding headache. My flight leaves at 12 out of the airbase, it'll give me time to sober up and call Linds.

I shower and eat a hearty breakfast and make my way towards the phones. I dial my mom first and let her know that i've arrived safely and i'm awaiting my next flight. I constantly remind her that I love her until she announces that Lindsay has just pulled in her drive way. Without hesitation I beg my mother to put her on the phone.

"Baby?" Lindsay asks.

"Oh thank god babe, god damn I miss you so much. It felt so strange to sleep alone."

"I know what you mean baby. What time is your flight?"

"12." I hear Lindsay sigh and sniffle. "I'll write you as soon as we settle in, I promise and i'll be home soon. It'll be like I never left. I have to go baby but you'll hear from me soon. I love you."

"I love you Jennifer. Be safe. I'll see you soon." I hear the soft click indicating she had hung up.

I hung up the phone and slump back in my seat. It's hard to hear the pain in her voice and know I cant do anything about it.

I grab my bag and make my way to runway where i wait for my flight to hell.

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As soon as we land, we make our way to our tents and set up. It's so strange to be here without the boys but I know that they are watching over me. As I slide my bag under my cot I hear the alarm sound and snatch it back out and take off towards the vehicles, grabbing a m16 and my standard 9mm as I hang on for the ride.

As we approach the abandon building and nearby ghost town stores, a few hop off and scout ahead for an ambush, a few of those including Steele and myself both just ahead of the vehicle. I stop, scouting to the side and above me for the source of the noise I heard. I make the signals for possible sniper and ambush. But it's too late, shoot ring out all around me. I watch as a few of my men fall to the ground, dead. I run underneath the cover of an old pharmacy, keeping watch on all sides of me for enemy activity. As I scout the rooftops I take a shot at a peculiar dark spot, it drops, not knowing if it was a hit or miss, I search for Steele.

Steele is laying off to the side of a building, just under an overhang, giving him some protection. My one mission at that moment was to get the remaining men out of here alive. I notice a few men dragging our wounded to safe areas but Steele and I are just too far from them to take the risky attempt. The only way to know he has a chance of survival is if I dart across the street to him and pull him to safety until reinforcements arrive. I see an opportunity and I take it, running as fast as i can across the deserted street to Steele's limp body. I check for a pulse, none. Damn it.

Running over his body with my hands in search of blood i feel it oozing from a bullet wound to the bottom of his spine and the top. I take a deep breath and say a short prayer before moving his body out of the direct light.

I have to get back to my squad, without me there they won't know what to do. Yes, there are snipers watching my every move at the moment but they need me.

I muster up the only courage i have left, hoist Steele's body over my shoulders and make a break for behind the truck. Just as i take the dive behind it, i feel an extremely sharp pain slam my side. Steele slides across the ground as i bring my hands to my side and scream out in pain; it's like fire spreading throughout my side, consuming me. I try to stand but I fall, soon the world around me starts to spin and my eyes begin to close. I feel myself losing consciousness, i let the fire consume me. I couldn't hold on any longer.

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