Operation: thieving Thunder

One wrong step

Kye's POV
I was on patrol with my squad not expecting anything important to happen, it was a typical day. The weather was nice, a bit too hot but not oppressive like Afghanistan, I played with my wedding ring absentmindedly as I daydreamed of going home to Poland and spending some time with Zofia and Amelia and our newborn until a single round rang out and the gunner on our humvee slumped into the car, bleeding profusely from his neck as I yelled "Get on that gun, get us out of here!" The sergeant, Rich, in the backseat moved the dead man into the back of the humvee before replacing him on the gun while the driver, Connor, sped up trying to get out of the killzone.
I made sure the rest of the patrol stayed with us as we tore down the highway, until the car behind us flipped as an IED detonated directly below them. I faced a difficult decision, 2 precious seconds later I yelled into the radio "set up a perimeter around that truck, evac wounded and for the maker's sake call some fucking air support" the driver did a 180 and we drove back into the kill zone to defend our wounded brothers. The last two trucks took positions at 3 and 7 using their trucks to block some of the rounds as we fired over the hoods and on the turrets.
I dragged a wounded woman, who I saw was Jennifer, out of the back seat before loading her into the back of my humvee, I fired some rounds at the muzzle flashes as another team member went to drag a wounded officer out of the humvee only to get shredded by a PKM. I sighed before yelling to my radio man, Kyle, "ETA on that Air support?!" He called back "They can't spare any" I yelled back as I fired another burst "Bullshit! Call broken arrow, do whatever you have to to get some fucking air" he nodded as the gunner on a humvee got hit 4 times and disappeared into the truck.
I slung my M4 and climbed into the humvee before moving the body and getting on the gun. I fired the entire box before the private inside the truck handed me another box "Longer bursts! Longer bursts we've got the ammo!" I yelled back "Rog!" As I finished loading the belt before slamming the cover down and yanking the priming handle before unloading more hate down range. I faintly heard Kyle "we've got air support in 2 minutes!" I nodded as I continued firing.
The enemy fire seemed unending as we traded fire, one of my soldiers, I couldn't see who it was, tried pushing into the enemies only to receive 2 rounds to the leg. I sighed as I made a stupid decision and climbed out of the gun and ran towards the wounded man who cried out for his mother, I realized how stupid my decision was when I heard a familiar click and suddenly my world turned upside down. I felt my body impact and I felt the dirt rain down on me but I didn't feel any pain, I figured that Christian took the blast only to look down and see that I had no legs below my knees.
I heard one of the corporals, Ryan, call "Cap is down! Cap is down!" And one of the guys, Jenson, called "I'm gonna get him!" I yelled back "Vtla!(No!)" but the volume of fire increased from my convoy as Jenson ran out and grabbed me dragging me back to our defensive circle before he ran and grabbed the first guy who got wounded. I stared at the sky as the pain set in and tears entered my eyes "Sgi-dolige Zofia, Sgi-dolige. Gvgeyui(I'm sorry Zofia, I'm sorry. I love you)"
I heard the chopping of helicopter blades as I saw a Blackhawk pass overhead, spewing fire towards the insurgents as my team moved me to a stretcher as I saw another Blackhawk coming to land. I screamed in pain as the resident medic strapped on two tourniquets, the most excruciating pain I've ever felt ran through my body like lava in my veins. The medic, Mark, appeared in my vision as he gripped my face "I know it hurts but I had to do it to get you home to your mrs" I could only get out a "Fuck you" as they chuckled and gripped the handles of the stretcher before lifting me and running towards the growing sound of helicopter blades.
I saw one of the PJs lean over me "Don't worry sir, we'll get you home" I groaned as my eyelids started to get heavier until I felt my motion stop and one of the medics patted my face "come on, stay awake" I saw Zofia next to them causing me to groan out "zofia" as I reached for nothing. One of the medics spoke "putting in an IV drip, he's losing consciousness. We need to hurry" as my eyelids shut and everything faded to black.
Zofia's POV
I heard a knock at my door causing me to look at Amelia "Keep stirring this, don't stop. I'll be right back" she nodded happily "Okay mama" I walked through the house as my eyes lingered on a picture Kye and I on our wedding day, I smiled despite myself he should be home soon. I opened the door and saw two men in dress blues, I realized what had happened as my hand snapped to my mouth in an attempt to stifle my scream.
Amelia heard my crying and came running seeing me on my knees in the door way, she crouched next to me "what happened mama?" The older of the two men spoke "Im so sorry ma'am, he didn't make it." I looked up as a torrent of tears streamed down my cheeks "How'd he die?" The younger one spoke "He ran into enemy fire trying to retrieve a wounded team member, he stepped on a mine" I voice a watery mess as I whispered "You dumbass"
The older of the two spoke as the reality set in on Amelia "his body should be here in a days time, we've already arranged everything he outlined in his will" Amelia was balling by this point until she asked "Mama, Daddy's coming home right?" I shook my head no "I'm sorry little one, daddy's gone. He's not coming home" she burrowed into my neck balling her eyes out while sniffling every couple of seconds.
The older man crouched and extended his hand showing Kye's dog tags, wedding rings, and tattered feathers "His will asked that these be returned to you, I wish we could do more" I looked up and growled out "You could've brought my fucking husband home! Not these stupid fucking trinkets!" The mans mouth opened and closed as he searched for the words before he sighed "I served with him, he was a great man. I heard you two have a new born, I'm sorry we couldn't safe him in time" I growled "Just go, leave my home" he stood before speaking "I'm sorry"
2 days later
I stood next to Amelia holding Athena as I looked into the coffin, he looked so peaceful. My heart fractured with every beat as I stared at the porcelain skin of his body, I heard Amelia crying as she gripped my black dress tightly crying into it while I rubbed circles into her back. I looked away from his body and saw his mother looking just as shell shocked as I was, she looked up and gave me a nod of acknowledgement. The ceremony continued slowly until it was time to bury him, I took a step back and allowed everyone to pay their respects before I crouched and pressed my forehead against the laminated wood of his coffin "you betrayed us, you betrayed your family, you betrayed our future, you betrayed me. I loved you more than anyone, but it made no difference, you had to be a hero. You just had.... to be.... selfless" I gritted my teeth as I spoke water flooding my tone "I hate you Kye Onacona, and I love you with all my heart. Why do you have to tear me apart? Why couldn't you come back to me? To our future? To our family?"
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back seeing his tear stained mother "Come my daughter, let him pass to the maker's court so he can tell all of his beautiful family." I choked on my tears "I don't want to let him go..." she nodded lovingly "I know my child, I don't either but his time has come and gone. He will watch over you from the court, forever in love" I slowly stood and looked at Athena with tears streaming down my face "I'm sorry you will not even know your father personally, but I will make sure you know how much he loves you, and how proud he was" his mother guided me over to his father as we watched his coffin slowly descend into the depths of his final resting place.