The Lost Soldier

I Love You

I smiled and let go of Beckett's hand when we got to the airport terminal, he cradled my face in his hands "I love you Areum" he said and he pressed his lips to mine. He pulled away and the way he looked at me made my heart skip a beat, he looked at me like I held the key to his universe. 

"I-I love you too Beckett" I whispered, I looked into his eyes again and his eyes were sparkling with emotion.

"You just said the L word" he said his full lips splitting into a glowing smile.

"I did" I said smiling back, I caught his lips in another sweet kiss. Beckett pulled away as the Intercom called for the last warning. Beckett walked towards the terminal and he turned around and waved, I waved back and then watched the back of your best friend fade into the foreground. Lanie wrapped an arm around my shoulders, even though it was four in the morning (aka the butt crack of dawn) Lanie dragged her ass out of bed to accompany me and Beckett to the airport, mainly for my emotional sanity. I wrapped my arms around her waist as we walked into the crisp morning air, we piled into Edna and I sat in the passenger's seat with a blanket wrapped around myself like a burrito. 

"Is there anything you want before we head back to your house sweetie?" Lanie asked looking concerned. I turned the radio on but automatically shut it back off when Lady GaGa's 'I'll Never Love Again' from 'A Star is Born' crackled through Edna's old speakers. 

"I kind of want 'McDonald's'" I mumbled as I picked at a loose thread on the blanket. 

"Hell yeah bitch, I'm in" She grinned at me and cranked the truck into drive.

***

After Lanie and I got food we went home and watched 'White Chicks' while cuddling with Fenrys, was I still suspended? No, Did I skip school because I wanted to cuddle with my best girl-friend and my puppy? Yes. Fight Me.

The next three weeks went by in a blur, school, home, Fenrys, Beckett if he had time, then sleep. I repeated that pattern again and again, Beckett and I had discussed Skyping while he was in Iran, he would call when he had time, but other than that we had no contact. 

I was sitting in my pajamas with a much bigger Fenrys in my lap when my Mac began bleeping out the Skype call dial tone, I quickly ran my fingers through my unruly hair and fixed my sports bra. I opened my laptop and answered Beck's Skype call, "hi baby!" I squealed waving at the screen.

"Hey angel" he said I pointed the webcam at Fenrys "who's my good boy?" He cooed and Fenrys's head popped up, and his ears twitched "are you taking care of momma?" he asked the pup Fenrys's tail wagged as recognition spread across his features. 

"Hows it going in Iran Becket?" I asked while I stroked Fenrys's Snow White fur.

"Fine, but I miss you Reumi" he said pouting he placed his hand against the screen I placed my hand against the screen as well.

"I miss you too Beck and so does Fenrys" the husky yawned loudly in agreement. 

"Ooooh who's this?" A man asked as he came up behind Beckett, he was tall and had a freckled face, his sandy blonde hair was stubble against his scalp, he had brown eyes that twinkled with mischief and he had broad shoulders. The man slung an arm around Beckett's shoulders.

"Areum this is my friend Petty Officer Third Class Roy Charleston, and Roy this is my girl Areum Xavier" Beckett introduced us.

"Areum means beautiful in Korean if I'm correct, and ma'am your namesake is very true" he winked at me as Beckett shoved him out of the shot. I laughed at their antics "dude you know I swing for the other team! Chill man!" Roy laughed patting Beckett on the shoulder. Roy left when he heard his name being called and Beckett talked about school and my mental heath. 

"I love you Beckett" I said to him

"I love-" he started

"GET DOWN!!!" someone yelled and Beckett was tackled by another soldier as the camera went black. I sat there in shocked silence as I  looked at the screen that read connection lost.

"Beckett" I said typing in a command on my laptop "Beckett!" I called again panicked "THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" I hit my laptop hoping that I would get connection back. But silence came from the severed connection.

***

I dialed the Pentagon, yes the Pentagon. "Hello?" I said into the receiver.

"Hello thank you for calling the United States Department of Defense how may I direct your call?" the robot on the other end said. Archer walked in my room and closed the door behind him, he walked closer to me and looked on my laptop, where I Googled the number to the Pentagon. Archer's eyebrows shot up, 

"You can't call the Pentagon!" He hissed, I put my hand over the receiver,

"Watch and learn" I whispered back. Archer wrestled my phone out of my hand and hung up.

"Reumi you can't just call the Pentagon, they won't tell you anything about Beckett it's probably all classified anyway." Archer soothed smoothing his hand over my hair. "I'm so sorry sissy" he whispered pressing a kiss to my forehead as he rocked me back and fourth. 

"I feel like I have a hole in my heart" I cried, I buried my face into Archer's chest. My door slammed open.

"Where's my girl?" Lanie said, she saw me in Archer's embraced and kneeled by my bed "sweetie I brought all your favorite comfort foods, BTS the Wings Tour Final in Seoul, comedies, and tissues" She said "I know it might not help, but my job as your best friend is to make you smile Areum."

"Thank you" I mumbled Archer released me and clasped Lanie's shoulder.

"Thank you Lanie for having her back" he said,

"Of course, she's my ride or die" she said nodding.

***

The next day I went back to school and heard news about the death of Qasem Soleimani. And then I heard the news of a bomb being set off in a U.S. military base in Iran and my heart sunk. I couldn't stop thinking about Beckett's last Skype call, it haunted me at night. That must've been the explosion the news was reporting, he must be dead he was so close to the heart of the explosion, but something deep down told me to have hope.

I stopped by Beckett's parents house to pick up Fenrys when I saw two military personnel leaving the Stark's home in their dress blues. I rushed inside and my heart broke Mai and Adam Beckett's mom and dad were on their knees in the living room, they were huddled together crying, and in their hands they held two dog tags and a letter. I got closer and one of the dog tags had a little heart cut out of it and I got sick.