𝙷𝙱𝙾 𝚆𝚊𝚛 𝙸𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜

You Are My Sunshine | Joe Liebgott

I don't like writing angst. But I will write it if I get an idea or if I have to. This idea waltzed into my head and I couldn't let it go to waste. Who am I to deny an idea when writer's block is a thing?

Strap in, folks, we're taking a ride on the angst train today, despite what the title may insinuate. Mentions of blood and death. Also, I'm no expert in Jewish weddings so I stuck to keeping it to what I've experienced in weddings because I don't want to disrespect any Jewish customs by writing them wrong.

~~~

You are my sunshine...

Joe watched as you joked and laughed with the men, telling tales of your childhood adventures. He couldn't help but smile; your happiness was contagious. He wondered how you managed to stay happy in a war-torn world.

Joe was glad he met someone as brave and fearless as you. Sure, he knew he could put up a fight if necessary. He knew he could stand his ground when the time came. But how you managed to keep a smile on your face and spread it around....that was the bravest thing he had ever seen.

My only sunshine...

"Joey!" you called cheerfully.

"Are you out of your mind? You're being shot at! How are you laughing?!"

"Because I got extra rounds!" You held up two belts of bullets with a grin.

"Oh, you're amazing, did I ever tell you?"

You pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You could stand to mention it more."

You and Joe hurriedly reloaded and continued firing.

"Y'know, you make this war half as gloomy as it is. You're like a beam of light in a sea of darkness."

"Aww, Joe, you've gone all soft." you laughed. "Hey, have we gone mad? We're talking about random stuff while firing at Krauts."

"I'm serious, (Y/N). You're like....a ray of sunshine. I can't help but be happy around you."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm. And, when we go home, I'm gonna ask you to marry me."

You make me happy, when skies are gray...

"Joe! Hey, Joe! Wake up! You're okay!"

Faint voices rang out around him, voices he couldn't place.

No, no, no, he wasn't okay.

Where were you?

"Joe. Joe, sweetie, look at me."

(Y/N)!

"(Y/N)? (Y/N)?"

"Yes, Joe, I'm here. No one is dying. Just breathe."

You held his hand, rubbing the back of it reassuringly.

"I'm right here, Joe. I'm right here. You're okay. You're okay."

Your heart broke as Joe pulled you closer and hugged you tightly. He shook as he cried, his sniffles unsuccessfully muffled.

"Shhhh, it's okay, Joe. You're going to be okay."

You pulled away from him, cupping his face and looking him in the eye.

"I'm always going to be by your side."

You'll never know dear, how much I love you...

"(Y/N), STAY WITH ME! DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES!" Joe cried as he gently shook you.

You weren't smiling. It had disappeared, any traces of happiness gone. Your blood seeped into the snow, turning it red. So red.

"Joe? Is that you?" Your vision was blurry. You couldn't see anything. You couldn't see Joe. You. Couldn't. See.

"(Y/N), I need you to to stay still. Focus on Joe talking. Focus on his voice."

He stopped his shaking, grasping your hand. "Yeah, it's me. I'm here. Gene's working on patching you up."

You sighed as you felt Joe's hand around yours. Your smile returned as you turned towards Joe's voice.

"Joe? Is that you?"

Your vision was clear! You could see again!

"You have such beautiful eyes, Joe. Did I ever tell you?"

"You could stand to mention it more." he joked back through tears. He didn't try to mask the shakiness in his voice.

You smiled as you mustered your strength to cradle his face.

"You have a cute nose, too. But you want to know what I love the most about you, Joe?"

"What?"

"You."

"Me?"

"You. You are my sunshine. My beam of light in a sea of darkness. You were always there, always constant. I love you, because you're you."

You felt so tired. So exhausted.

You stroked his cheek, wiping the tears from his face.

So tired.

"Smile, Joe. You have such beautiful...eyes..."

"I love you, too, (Y/N). I love you so much, so much that it makes me so happy you're in my life."

You didn't hear his words.

Please don't take my sunshine away...

Joe grinned at you as you stood side by side. You looked so radiant in your wedding dress.

His grin only grew as the priest said those words, the words that finalized the marriage.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Joe cupped your face and pressed his lips to yours, the cheers of the friends and family gathered echoing throughout the venue.

Suddenly their shouts of joy began fading into silence, one by one.

"No, no, no! No! What's happening?" He reached for them, but why, he didn't know. "Why are you leaving? Where are you going?"

He reached down for your hand, but his hand closed around empty space. He whirled away from the crowd to see you had faded away with everyone else. No trace of you left behind, no smile, no beam of light.

Joe's eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright, disoriented. What just happened? He could've sworn the wedding was real.

He reached out for you, just to feel you were still there with him. His hand closed on empty space again, and the memories of you flooded his mind. Tears sprung to his eyes again, and he dabbed them away with the blanket.

No, no, no, no.

You were gone. Just like Hoobler. Julian. Muck. Penkala. All those men, lost in the woods of Bastogne. You, lost in the woods of Bastogne.

No, no, no, no.

He laid back down and let the tears fall. There was no use in trying to make them stop. He had tried, in Foy, in Haguenau, throughout Bavaria and Austria. It had been a futile effort.

"I love you, (Y/N)." he whispered into the darkness and laughing that he was talking to no one but himself. "I love you, so much."

Please don't take my sunshine away.