Chapter 1

The breeze blows the sheer curtains as thunder rumbles in the distance. The air is cool, yet warm enough to sleep with just a sheet. As the rain begins softly falling, Lt. Colonel Savannah Taylor turns to her husband, "Is the dog inside?" she asks while slipping into her leggings.

Savannah's husband points to his foot without looking up from his papers. He is dressed in his black combat uniform- black BDU pants, combat boots, and a black t-shirt. His armor is next to the front door. His right foot is sitting on top of his knee; his papers are in his lap. Savannah smiles as she recalls the first time she saw him across the courtyard at the CIC headquarters, or HQ. He was talking with Chairman Prescott and several Gears. She noticed Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago. Damn, those two were the biggest men she had ever seen. Their muscular bodies, their battle-ridden faces, and Marcus' sneer were enough to scare the shit out of any new recruits.

Savannah turned away from her husband, called her dog to the bed, and climbed under the sheet. Her German Shepherd, Noldorin, jumped onto the bed and lay down at her feet. He was beautiful. He had mostly black fur, with bits of tan on his feet and chest. His ears had to be at least five inches tall. They were always straight up- constantly alert to anything out of place. He was extremely large for a German Shepherd- weighing in at 115 pounds, and almost four feet tall. He was also deadly. Savannah had trained him herself after she found him injured and alone. He was a loyal friend and a lethal guardian.

Savannah looked up at her husband. He was so handsome. The graying hair at his temples added to his authoritative appearance. He was tall, muscular, and confident. His 6'4" frame carried a hint of arrogance as well. His dark hair was always cut short, he always had a serious expression on his face, and his intelligence was palpable. Savannah was the only person who knew his softer side.

He was quiet, but constantly taking in everything around him. He was incredibly funny, but no Gear would describe him as humorous. They would probably call him a prick. Sure, he was an honorable man, but he took his job seriously. Joking while in uniform was not his style, and he was always in uniform- unless he was sleeping, showering, or at home. Most of the Gears referred to him as an "uptight asshole", but they respected him and his tactical expertise.

Savannah also knew he was kind, caring, and devoted. His trustworthiness, dedication, and nobility were some of the reasons Savannah had fallen in love with him. The fact that he was a rank above her didn't matter. Emergence Day had nullified any rules against their marrying. For some reason, Chairman Prescott and Colonel Hoffman knew they wouldn't be able to keep the two of them apart anyway, so there was no reason to try and forbid the relationship.

Savannah softly said his name, "Ezra, come to bed." Colonel Ezra Loomis looked up from his papers and smiled at his wife. "You're absolutely stunning. I will never understand why you married me." He stood up from their modest couch, walked over to the bed, and leaned in for a kiss. She stroked the goatee on his chin. "There's nothing to understand. You asked me to marry you, and I said yes." Savannah winked at him as he went around the end of the bed to sit on her opposite side. He removed his boots and uniform. He turned his head toward Savannah, "You're such a smart ass, but I wouldn't trade you for anything; not even peace with the locust."

Savannah smirked at him and said, "I think peace with the locust is the one thing I would demand you trade in exchange for me." Loomis slid under the sheet, scooted next to her, pulled her into his arms and said, "I would never give you up. I don't think I could breathe without you." Savannah put her arm across her husband's stomach, put her head on his chest, and closed her eyes. His scent was intoxicating. He smelled like carbonic soap and Lancer grease. He kissed the top of her head and ran his hand up and down her back. As she drifted off to sleep, he whispered, "I love you so much, Savannah. You will never be able to say you weren't cherished or adored. You're my life. The fact that you fell in love with me is a miracle."

Savannah awoke to the sound of her own scream. Marcus Fenix sat up next to her in the bed, put his hand on her neck and gently massaged the tense muscle. "It's okay, Savannah. It's just a dream. You're alright." Savannah turned to Marcus and threw her arms around his neck, practically climbing into his lap. The demons were out of their cages tonight. She always had the same dream about her husband. The last night he was alive.

The day after Loomis had told her how much he loved her, he was gone. Shot in combat and left to die in Halvo Bay. She could never get the image out of her head. Not only had she lost him in combat, she never got a chance to tell him about their baby.

She went into a locust battle without knowing she was pregnant. The same day Loomis' body was found, Savannah miscarried their unborn child. The hate she harbored toward herself would never diminish. If she had known she was pregnant, she would have asked to transfer to CIC. The injury she sustained during the firefight had killed her baby. A boomer had fired a rocket that landed just past her right side. The shrapnel from that rocket had embedded itself in her abdomen. Doc Hayman said there was nothing she could do to save the child. The last part of her husband was gone.