She stands shock still, staring at the paper in her hand. Tears stream down her face as she slides down the door frame. The officer delivered the harsh news as kindly as he could, but nothing could change the harsh reality that is now her world. Gone. Forever. Until death do us part….
"I love you." His lips brush her forehead as he pulls her into his chest. She smiles as she inhales the scent of lingering smoke mixing with his soap.
"I love you too. I'm so glad you're safe." Her heart races every time she hears the sirens, knowing her love races to save someone.
"Of course. Did you think I'd let some silly fire take me away from you?" He fingers a curl as she refuses to meet his eyes. A gentle forefinger lifts her chin and brilliant green eyes meet soothing brown.
"That wasn't just some silly fire. That was a five story building up in flames. If you hadn't gotten out before it collapsed…" Dread overwhelms her, rendering her unable to finish her sentence.
"But I did. I'm safe. It's alright." She doesn't need to know how close he came to being in that building when it collapsed today. He pulls her back into his arms and they stay there, listening to each other's heart beat. He feels her heart beat slow and her breathing normalize. The panic is over.
"Right. You're safe. You're here. It's okay." She steps back out of his arms and takes his hand. They walk together, step for step down street. He fingers her delicate engagement ring as they take in their beautiful city. He looks over at his love, her head tilted back, eyes shut, face lifted towards the sun. His heart tugs at the way she trusts him to guide her, to protect her. They e swallows hard, tugging her to look at him. She stops, staring up at him, her eyes shining with love and contentment. He loves the way they sparkle. He loves bringing the sparkle into her eyes. When they met, her eyes showed brokenness and an attempt at a hardened heart. Over time he watched them soften, showed her love until they began to shine like they do today. He hates to take away that precious sparkle. "Yeah?" He blinks and looks back at her, not realizing he'd zoned out for a few moments. His mouth opens but no words come out. He swallows hard. The words he needs are simply gone. He takes her face in his hands and kisses her with a ferocity and desperation like never before. He draws back abruptly.
"I have to go. They need me overseas." She blinks, slowly comprehending his words. The sparkle fades and fear fills her gorgeous green eyes.
"When?" The word comes out as a whisper. Her hands tighten around his jacket.
"Two weeks." Her hands shakily to hold his around her face. He leans down to kiss her again, this time delicately and gently. "Let's get married."
"Because you're leaving?" She fell in love with his courage, his heart for people, but it comes at cost. A firefighter in the army reserves. When called to the front line, he went. He fought his best. And he protected those who couldn't protect themselves.
"Because I love you." He had made a promise to her, a promise he feared he couldn't keep. But they both knew the risks and dared to love anyways.
"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" She draws a shaky breath in, her eyes never leaving those of the man before her.
"I do." Putting as much passion and love into the two simple words as she can, she commits herself to be with him forever.
"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" He stares at the beautiful woman before him, gowned in white, grasping his hands with desperation and love.
"I do." He smiles at her and squeezes her hands to attempt to take away some of the fear in her eyes, to return some of the sparkle.
"You may exchange your vows." The bored looking makeshift "minister" stands before them, checking his watch as he goes through the motions. The man in army fatigues take a deep breath and steps closer to his love before beginning to speak.
"I take you to be my wife, forever my love. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you for the rest of my life, beyond that here on earth." He hopes the last phrase is unnecessary for many, many years. The slow blink of her beautiful green eyes tells him she feels the same.
"I take you to be my husband, the love of my life, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, never to be parted, even by death." Her quiet, strong voice flows over his ears like music from an angel. Tears gather in his eyes as he once again notes the love and adoration in hers. How he wishes the fear was unnecessary. Truth be told, he's terrified to go off to war, but if anything his fear strengthens his determination to go and fight, to go and save lives.
"You may kiss your bride." The makeshift minister walks off as they capture each other's lips with their own, for the first time as husband and wife. They grasp hands and take off down the street. The wind plays with her veil and raises goosebumps on her delicate arms. She shivers and draws nearer to her husband. He takes off his army jacket and drapes it over her thin shoulders. She's dwarfed by the jacket designed to fit his broad, toned torso. A radiant smile lights up her face as she turns her head to look up at him. He grins and captures her lips in a sweet kiss.
"I love you." She whispers into his chest as she clings to him for dear life, trying to hold onto him forever, wishing she never had to let go. A voice sounds over the PA system of the airport, announcing his flight to leave in ten minutes. He must go, board the plane. Instead he holds her tighter, for just a moment more, treasuring each moment. It's only four months, but fear grasps them both, twisting time.
"I'll be back before you know it. I love you too." He unwraps his arms from around her, brushing her lips with his before turning towards his flight. He walks with purpose and dignity, filled with a mission to save lives and protect the innocent. She stands still, tears streaming down her face as she watches the retreating back of her love.
The empty apartment echoes with the sound of her heart wrenching sobs. The world lost a protector of the innocent, a defender of the weak. And she lost the love of her life.