Here Comes The Rain Again (Old Title "If I Fall")

Chapter Two

Downtown Fort Myers is beautiful, especially at night when it was all lit up from the lively bars and restaurants. I had only come into town a few times since returning to the states as I wasn’t much of a partier. But once in a while the guys would drag me out for some type of celebration.

So I wasn’t unfamiliar or surprised by the bar that they had picked to take me out on my last night. Joe’s Bar was one of the most happening places on the main strip with no fussy drinks, good home cooked food and your typical southern belles serving them both up - and then some if you where looking for it, especially for us guys in uniform. I never did, but I knew those that had from the talks back at the barracks after their nights out.

As soon as we walked in Joe the owner came over to greet us. It was obvious that Mike had called a head to make sure we had a table and that it was both close to the pool tables and dance floor. This would allow the guys clear view of the ladies so they could easy pick out there pursuits for the night.

After the third round of beers a group of us headed to start a game of pool. The first two games went by fast but as we started the third game the number of beers we consumed started kicking in and knew it was time to get some food in our stomachs or it was going to turn into an early night for all of us.

We placed our order and then I excused myself to use the john. There was only one way to reach it and that was by cut straight through the dance floor. Just as I made it to the other side I heard a young woman ask for someone to take their hands off of her. I turned to see a petite blond trying to pull loose from a guy twice her size, and from the look of him he was quiet intoxicated. ‘Asshole’. Just then a girl with long wavy brown hair past in front of me and was heading straight for the couple. It was clear that she was a friend of the blonds as she also told the guy to get his hands off of her, but he still didn’t loosen his hold as he threw his head back just laughing at the brunette’s demand.

And that was when I saw it, the brunette pulled her right arm back and just as the guy lowered his head she brought her fist up cracking him in the jaw. But due to the guy’s size all it did was cause his laugher to stop and replace it with shear anger. He tossed the blond to the side like a rag doll and grabbed the brunette instead. That was when I had enough and jumped into action.

I placed a hand on one of the guy’s shoulder not looking at the girl. “Hey buddy, how about you let the lady go before you do something really stupid and get yourself arrested.”

Asshole turned his attention to me but still held tight on the girl’s arms. “This doesn’t concern you buddy, so why don’t you run back and play with your little soldiers.”

I was shaking my head just as I heard a voice I had not heard in years. “Josh?” I turned to look at the brunette and my heart stopped.

“Em?” My brief distraction allowed Asshole to push Emily to the floor causing her to land hard as he started to take a swing at me, but after being in the Army for the past four years, I saw it coming before he had time to make contact. Ducking so he would miss, I came up with my own upper cut knocking him into the crowd that was now surrounding us.

Thankfully the noise and talk of a fight had brought my troop over to see what was going on and as the guy got back to his feet a few of my guys blocked his way back towards us as I helped Emily up off the floor.

“Josh, you alright man?” Mike asked with both surprise and alarm. He knew me well enough, that except out in the field, I never got into an altercations, especially in a bar over a girl. So this was a new side of me he was seeing for the very first time.

Once I had Emily up on her feet her blond girlfriend was at her side as I addressed my friend. “Yeah I am okay. Thanks Mike.”

“Hi, I’m Megan and this is my best friend Emily?” the blond asked with her hand extended out towards me. That was when I realized I was still holding Emily’s hand and had to release it to except Megan’s. “Thanks for helping us out. I guess there are still a lot of guys who can’t take “no” for an answer.” I just nodded as I shook her hand and then turned my attention back to Emily.