Dr McHot

Memorial Day

It was warm outside. Hanna stood in her uniform near the front of the church nervously waiting to make her speech. This speech meant looking back at a time that caused her so much pain. A time that she would both love and hate to forget. As she stood there contemplating the man at the front said her name which caused her to snap back into focus. Slowly, she took gentle steps up to the podium and set the piece of paper down on it.

"Today we stand here to honour those who lost their live fighting for this country," she said looking across at the crowd and seeing Teddy and Owen standing close to the front and Arizona and her parents standing in the front row, "Today I want to speak about something that I think as soldiers we can all relate to. When we first arrive at the army, we're runts we know nothing and we are scared of everything."

This got a chuckle and a few nods from the crowd.

"But there is always that one person who takes us under their wing and helps us find our feet," she said getting looks of agreement from the soldiers in the crowd, "my guy, he was all that and more, now I'm saying that my guy was better than yours but that is what I'm saying because I'm biased. He held my hand every time I was too scared to run into gun fire. He would talk to me all night because I was too afraid of my nightmares. My guys name was Timothy Robins, and the day I lost him was one of the worst days of my life. I remember how I had to be dragged away from him in the middle of a war zone because I wouldn't leave his body. I wrecked my hands in the process, there's a lot of sharp rocks on the desert floor. I also remember how guilty I felt afterwards both for leaving him and trying to stay because every time we were sent anywhere he would always say to me, don't you die out their Goldson, I'm gonna marry you one day. Because he was more than my guy, he was my best friend and the man I was going to spent the rest of my life with. So, today I stand her proud to say that I knew him, that he was my brother, best friend and fiance all rolled up into one. I loved him in every way, today I honour him. Today I remember the man that made me a soldier."

The crowded clapped as they stood tears falling from some and looks of sympathy from others, she met eyes with Teddy who nodded to tell her that she had done well, then her eyes fell on Arizona who's eyes were swimming in tears and shock. Even when they were together, Hanna had never told her about her relationship with her brother. Feeling panicked, Hanna didn't stay in the church. She fled out the door and down the road.

"Hanna!" a man called from behind her, "Goldson! Look at me!"

She turned to see a man who had fought with her and Tim in the army. When he caught up to her he gave her a hug.

"I heard you had some trouble earlier on this year, are you okay?" he asked looking down at her as he let go.

"Yeah I'm fine, stuff happens," she said looking down at the floor.

"I was talking with some of the boys and the people around you at the moment," he told her, "and we think you should come back to the army. Fight with us again, it seems to me after what I've been told has gone on that you need sometime to find yourself again."

"Listen I'm fine okay," she snapped storming off further down the road.

"You're a soldier Hanna!" he called after her, "and you always will be!"