I open my eyes slowly and look over at Sarah who is still asleep, our faces inches apart, her hand resting on mine. My heart flutters. She looks so peaceful. She tells me that I give her a sense of comfort all the time. He background on her phone is a picture of me, she looks at it when she's having an Anxiety Attack. I'm grlad I bring her that sense of comfort. I nudge her shoulder and she wakes up. She's always been a light sleeper. She smiles at me.
"What time is it?" She asks in a tired, slightly raspy voice.
I open my phone and look at the time.
"Eleven... ELEVEN!" I squeal and sit bolt upright "HOLY SHIT WE SKIPPED SCHOOL!"
Her eyes grow big and I throw her a pair of leggings and a blue
t-shirt. Yes, we share clothes. I grab a pair of jeans and my signature black and white wolf hoodie. We throw on our new clothes, run a brush through our hair and run downstairs. Daddy and Signe are sitting at the dinner table, they turn to see us and smile.
"Oh, the Sleepy Squad finally woke up!" Signe laughs.
"Don't worry, we called you both in sick." Daddy assures us, we both breathe a sigh of relief.
"Séan is going to Starbucks if you want to go with?" Signe offers, a smile creeps up my lips and I nod. I know Sarah is doing the same thing. We pull on our shoes and follow Daddy to the car.
Once at Starbucks, Sarah orders her usual, Cotton Candy Frappachino, and I get the Vanilla Creme Mocha (I don't know if that even exists but it sounds good!) And Daddy, as always, gets his black coffee. We sit on one of the outdoor benches and sip our drinks. Sarah became part of our family in 5th grade. We joke that we're sisters, because we look so similar and she already spends so much time with us it feels like she is. We take her to Starbucks with us pretty often.
After we finish our drinks and throw away our cups we head back to the car. Daddy seems more energetic and cheerful than usual. In fact, he seems restless. We finally pull into the garage and he lets me open the door and enter the house first. I see Signe sitting with a large box on her lap. It's Gift Wrapped.
"I won't be here for Christmas, so I thought I would give you your present early. I hope it makes up for me being gone." Daddy announces. Signe beams and sets the box in front if me.
"What? No!" I exclaim "Don't say that!"
I slowly pull off the ribbon and unwrap the paper.
two pairs of chocolate brown eyes look up at me.
"OH MY GOD!" I pull out two small puppies from the box.
Sarah goes nuts and we start to stroke her white and golden fur.
"They are King Charles Cavaleir Spaniels." Daddy says.
I jump up and give him a hug. He holds on tightly as if I am his life force.
"I love you, Green Bean..." He whispers.
"I love you too." I hold back tears.
"I'm going to name them Bean and Bambi." I announce.
Jack tears up that I'm using my nickname for one of the puppies and the Main Character of the movie we used to love to watch together when I was a young child. He hugs Signe from behind as he watches Sarah and I play with Bean and Bambi.
"Okay, we need to go to the pet shop to get some stuff." Signe says.
Sarah scoops up Bambi and I pick up Bean and we go to the shop.
Sarah and I pick out a soft blue dog bed, pink and purple food and water bowls, plenty of food, treats, toys, puppy pads, a travel crate and custom dog tags to go with the Collars and Leashes we already have.
When we get back home Sarah hugs everyone, hugs the pups and then leaves for home. I bring the dogs outside and play tug of war with Bean while Bambi chases her tail. Both pups go to the bathroom and then I lure them into my room with treats where Daddy and Signe already set up the dog bed under my desk and put both dog's food and water bowls down and filled them with food and water. I give Signe a hug and then Daddy joins me in my room with the puppies. He gives me a hug and I break down.
T
hese puppies can't replace you, you know that?" I choke out "Please don't go... please don't go, I need you, Daddy!"
"I'm sorry, Claire, I can't back out. I get to save so many innocent lives even if it means losing mine." He says, almost in tears.
"But what about me? What about Signe? Don't you love us too?"
"Of course I do, more than you know, more than you could ever know, I love you so much I could explode. I don't want to leave you, I hope you know that." His voice cracks at the end.
We just sit there for a long time, crying into each other's shoulders until we both fall asleep on my bed, with Bean and Bambi laying on their dog bed snuggled against each other as well.
I wake to Daddy's breathing on my neck. I smile knowing he is safe and still here. I nuzzle into him, my body begging for the sound of his heartbeat.
He stirs and wakes up, I groan as he pulls his chest away from his face and he chuckles, giving me a hug.
Don't leave me.
-Timeskip to The Day he Leaves-
Sarah clutches my hand as we make our way through the airport.
After an excruciating few minutes we make it to the gate.
Signe basically throws herself at him and Daddy has to catch her so she doesn't fall. She sobs and holds him for a while before kissing his lips. Daddy smooths her hair and connects his forehead to hers.
"I'm sorry, Signe. I love you." He mumbles.
"I love you too, Sèan. I'm going to miss you." She grabs his hand as she steps back, letting her hand linger on his.
Daddy moves over to me and kneels so that I'm just a little taller than him. He hugs me and I clutch him tightly.
"Please don't go! Please don't go! Please don't go! You can't leave me! Daddy, don't go!" I sob.
He hugs me tighter and rubs my back.
I grab at his shirt and hold him.
He pulls back so he can see my eyes.
"I love you, Claire, so much. You'll never know. I'll come home. I promise I'll be home before you even know it. I can't get killed out there even if I wanted to, because you're protecting me..." He presses something into my hand and closes my fingers around it.
He hugs Sarah and she gives him something, though I can't see what it is. We exchange one last group hug and he leaves to board his plane.
Sarah holds my hand as Signe clutches me for support and we sob together. Daddy looks back one last time, and I imprint his face into my memory. He waves at us and mouths:
"I love you... goodbye."
I sob and reach my hand out to him.
"DADDY!" I scream.
He smiles just a little and I watch as the best man I ever knew walks away and leaves me behind.
YOU ARE READING
This Too Shall Pass
FanfictionADOPTED BY SEPTIISHU AND AMYPLIER Claire is your Average 7th Grader. Minus the fact that she was adopted by Jacksepticeye and Wiishu. Everything seems perfect for her as 7th Grade begins until Jack tells her that he is being deployed. Claire is sen...
