I Got A Story Book Of My Own • Tank Dempsey

5

With their mission completed they were now able to go back home and have a celebration, what better way to celebrate than to get drop dead drunk? The celebration was enjoyable, where the group sat around the kitchen table drinking vodka and eating leftover bacon soup from the night before.

Like always, Nikolai was the first one to fall asleep. His head resting over the kitchen table with his face drenched in vodka he spilled when he crashed down.

Richtofen was the second to fall asleep, though he crashed on the couch sleeping so soundly and peaceful. His hands crossed over his chest with his head leaned against the couch cushions.

Takeo lightly shoved his empty bowl away before he leaned back stuffed and so tired. Looking over at his American friend he sighed of satisfaction. "I'm so full Dempsey.." he mutters patting his stomach. Dempsey digging into his pocket for one of his cigars, he chuckles.

"We all are Tak" he smirked standing up holding a lighter in his other hand. "We are all also so exhausted, Richtofen is wearing us out"

"Go to sleep then, Tank" Takeo said standing up "I'm going to sleep in a comfortable spot, and not just like Nikolai." They both turned their head and stared at their Russian friend black out snore into spilled vodka.

"He's going to be in a lot pain in the morning" Dempsey quietly chuckled "I'm going to hit the hay after I smoke. Good night, Tak."

"Good night to you, Dempsey...and Love..where ever she is" Takeo nods with a yawn turning his head he started to head out the room.

"She's probably asleep as well, she wouldn't leave four guys alone in her house." Dempsey assures, he was correct. Takeo laughed as he couldn't agree more with his friends statement. He also laughed in exhaustion and needed to get sleep as soon as possible. He made his way to the same room he slept in the first night he stayed in this home. As soon as he rested his head on his pillow, he was out like a light.

Standing in the kitchen alone Dempsey decided to walk outside to smoke, also to get fresh air. He was surprised to see that he was not the only one awake, but Love was as well. She came outside sitting on her balcony leaning on the fence pole letting her legs dangle off watching lighting flash from a storm miles away.

She heard him from behind her when he flicked the lighter "I hope you're sharing that cigar, soldier boy" she said casually, though like a sarcastic joke.

"I can" Dempsey replies sitting beside her yet the same position against another pole. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking" she shrugged "what else is there to do" Dempsey puffed smoke out of his mouth handing her his cigar, she took it with a small grin on her lips before she took a puff. "So soldier boy, what's your story?" She handed him his cigar

"My story?"

"Yeah, your life before...all this"

"Well..." he looked up watching the lightning flash purple across the sky "I was a corporal in the Marines. Corporal Thomas "Tank" Dempsey" he replied giving her his cigar, "the most I remember is that myself and other marine soldiers were sent to a asylum to rescue some guy during the outbreak...but the person we went to save was gone. Two of the other soldiers died while one escaped and I was left to be captured by some organization and I was sent to Siberia. I don't remember much after that."

"That's...wow.. at least you're okay now" she said handing his cigar back.

"Yeah...what about you?" He asked "what was your life before this?"

She looked down pressing her hand on the stone pole "I don't know" she whispered "I can't remember" she let out a sigh "all I remember is...Andy...his friends...the other women"

"Where they your family?" He asked seeing her energy drop, he watched her hand slide down the pole. She had a lot on her mind.

"Never." She whispered "that man...those people...were never and will never be family. My family's dead"

"I understand...and I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright" she interrupted him, she didn't want him to finish his sentence. "Promise, all there's left to do is stay alive..and daydream of what you wanted your life to be."

"That's a nice thought I guess" Dempsey said "I know we just met but...Nik,Tak, Doc, and myself..we are as Nik says it, comrades and we are like family. You're apart of that since you joined our group, just join along our hectic ride and we can protect you until Richtofen can get us out of this. Though it's not like you need protection with what I've seen in France, it was good to see someone else able to fend for themselves."

"Thank you." She muttered "say soldier boy...did you have dreams for your future?"

"Of course, I wanted to be a DI, and train the next generations of soldiers. Teach them everything I know"

"You sound like you have your life planned then" she hummed "must be nice"

"Surely you had something planned?"

"Not really" she shrugged "I just wanted to be in a house with either a German Shepherd or a Husky...I like big dogs" she looked down at her feet smiling just thinking of herself sleeping in bed using a sleeping German Shepherd as a pillow. So comfortable and drained, sleeping so soundly. "They're the best teddy bears.."

"I agree on that.." Dempsey chuckled a quiet chuckle. He looked down at the burned out cigar, letting out a sign he smashed the cancer stick against the stone and threw the cancer stick out towards the water.

Once he done that he got up sticking his hands in his pockets "Nikolai is black out drunk at your kitchen table, he's going to be in pain in the morning. At least Doc and Tak are sleeping comfortably I guess. You should go to bed as well, Love, you look tired."

"I'll be fine" she muttered "you can sleep tho." Not long after she said that the two started to feel raindrops hit their heads. "Son of a bitch" she sighed

"Heh heh, common you should get rest. You worked hard on that mission, I think you became Richtofen's new favorite. Though before he couldn't decide between me, Nik or Tak." He held his hand out to her "common Love"

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand so he pulled her up "good night then, soldier boy"

"It's Dempsey you know"

"I know" she shrugged walking away, her sarcasm made him blush. He watched her walk away to her room before he turned walking towards the living room where he could hear Richtofen's snores in unison with Nikolai's all the way in the kitchen.

"Don't those idiots ever shut the fuck— ugh whatever" he rolled his eyes heading off to bed.