We're Still Standing...Book 5

The Beginning To An End

This chapter has major time jumps, it's the last chapter and is the epilogue, it's been such a journey writing this book.

Sebastian in all his fine glory up top!

Julian POV 

"Are you ready Captain?" I looked at the pilot and nodded, I'm ready to go the hell home. It's been a year total since I have been deployed and even with the two weeks of a break I got, I was just happy to finally go home to my family. 

"Yes, let's go home." I said and he smiled and after everyone was settled in their seats, the jet took off and I sighed. It's been one hell of a year and this deployment was harder than any other's i have been on but that’s because of my family. I didn't want to leave them but we made it and now we are stronger than ever. 

20 hours later.

"Sir, we're about to land." I heard someone say and I opened my eyes. 

"Ok, thanks." I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I looked out of the window and saw the city of San Diego and sighed happily. My men chuckled and I smiled. 

"It's good to be home." I said and they agreed. 

We landed and got our bags, heading to the vehicles that were waiting on us to take us to base to debrief and all that. I haven’t told my family my date changed to a week early to come home so they think I'll be back in a week and a half, the few days added because I have to stay on base to get checked and talk to someone about my time there, to make sure I'm fit to return home or get checked into the hospital for observation and therapy. 

Three days go by in the blink of an eye, I checked out just fine from the docs check ups and I knew I would, it's just precaution on their part in case I eat my gun they won't be held accountable for my death. 

I rented a car and said goodbye to my men and drove the ten hour drive home, to my family. I left at seven am so by the time I got home, it was five on a Saturday evening and not a soul was in sight. I knew they had games to go to today so I went into my house and stopped, just looking at the mess of toys by the kids in the living room and I smiled, I sure did miss home. It also smelt of cinnamon and spice, there were cookies on the counter in the kitchen and stuff for dinner. Pictures on the fridge and hanging on the walls, and drawings. My letters I sent home were on a board in the kitchen next to the pantry with little notes and small drawings with a 22 of October circled, my return date. I ran up to our room and put my stuff down, showered and got dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt with my boots. 

I grabbed my truck keys that I missed driving and locked the door behind me and ran to my truck, noticing the yellow ribbon was still tied to the tree in the front yard. It's Saturday so today would be football, homecoming game actually which I thought was perfect. I made it to the school and I could hear the loud cheering and announcer. I got out of the truck and went to buy a ticket, making my way in without much trouble or anyone seeing me with their focus being on the field. I spotted a player for our team tying his cleats and he looked up at me. I motioned him over and he came over to me.

"Hey I'm Julian, Dakota, Dustin's, and Dillon's dad, can you get the coach for me? I just returned home from a deployment and I want to surprise my boys and family since no one knows I'm back."

"Sure, I heard a lot about you from the triplets, it's good to have you home sir. I'll go tell the coach you need to speak with him." He said and I smiled. 

"Thank you." He nodded and ran to the coach and pulled him aside. A minute later he came over to me, I'm glad I was beside the bleachers out of eye shot from anyone on the field or in the stands.