Army!Niff with surprise homecoming Nick surprising Jeff and their kids. For Heather's birthday, which was two months ago.
"Duval!"
"Yes sir?"
"Change of plans. You're approved."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, sir!"
"The twins' 6th birthday," Sebastian said as he and Jeff walked through the aisles at iParty.
"They decided on a theme together, though," Jeff said, stopping next to the camo stuff and starting to throw everything into the cart.
"Did Nick get the leave?" Sebastian asked. Jeff shook his head. "Did you tell the kids yet?" Jeff shook his head again. "…You're going to have to."
"I know that," Jeff said. "What I don't know is how to tell two six year olds that their Daddy won't be home for their birthday."
"It's hard," Sebastian said, nodding. "But Annie and I will be there. Us army husbands have to stick together."
"Thanks, Bas," Jeff said. Sebastian put his arm around Jeff's shoulder briefly in a gesture of solidarity. It was hard with Nick being halfway around the world, especially with two kids, but at the very least, Sebastian was in the same boat as him. Annie was four, and Jeff bet she couldn't even remember her father. The twins were turning six, and they could remember Nick, of course they could, he hadn't shipped out until last year, before that he'd been stateside. He had tried and tried to get leave to come home for the twins' birthday but he just couldn't.
Ben woke up first on Saturday, jumped out of bed eagerly, and scaled the ladder to the top bunk, then proceeded to pounce on his sister to wake her up. Lindsey's eyes opened immediately and she grinned.
"It's Saturday!" she exclaimed. Lindsey and Ben raced downstairs to the kitchen and started making themselves cereal, when Jeff sleepily walked into the kitchen.
"Daddy!" Ben exclaimed.
"Hey kids, listen, I have to tell you something. Sit down," Jeff said. Ben pushed Lindsey's chair into the table then climbed into his own. "Your father isn't going to make it for your party."
"Yes he is," Lindsey said. Ben nodded.
"No, hunney, he isn't," Jeff said.
"He promised and he'll be here," Lindsey continued, completely unfazed by this turn of events, and shoveling cocoa puffs into her mouth.
"No, Lindsey, look, I know he's your father and he promised, but sometimes people, through no fault of their own, break their promises. He's very sorry, sweetie, but he isn't going to make it."
"Yes he is," Lindsey insisted. Jeff sighed and left the kitchen. He still had a few things to put together before the party at 11. Sebastian and Annie showed up at 9:30. Annie, Ben, and Lindsey played in the backyard while Sebastian and Jeff decorated and got food ready. By 11 o'clock, everyone had shown up. Everyone except for Nick. Ben and Lindsey's friends had gotten them all kinds of gifts. Jeff had gotten the twins new bicycles. Annie had made them lopsided bracelets made from string and she was clearly very proud of them.
After all the guests had gone, Sebastian yawned nonchalantly and kicked back into the couch, content with lying there and watching Jeff pick up. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"Who could that be?" Jeff wondered, standing up from the floor and looking towards the front door as the kids raced to see who it was.
"You know, that's probably Hunter's present. He said he was having it delivered here and that it might be late for the party," Sebastian said.
"Hunter got the kids a present?" Jeff asked, as he and Sebastian made their way to the door. Upon inspecting the porch, they found an enormous gift wrapped box.
"It's probably too big to get through the door without unwrapping it," Sebastian said.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Jeff asked Sebastian. Sebastian almost choked trying to laugh.
"Yes, Jeffrey, I know exactly what it is, it's something they both really wanted for their birthday, and it is 100 percent safe, I promise," Sebastian said.
"Alright, kids, go ahead and open your gift from your Uncle Hunter," Jeff said. The kids eagerly tore into the wrapping paper, and as soon as they had the box unwrapped, the top of the box burst open of its own accord, and there was Nick, still in his army uniform, hopping out of the box.
"Daddy!" Ben exclaimed, and he and Lindsey latched onto his legs, but Jeff was the first one to fall into Nick's arms.
"Told you so," Lindsey told Jeff.
"How did you–" Jeff began.
"Hunter pulled some strings and got me home," Nick said.
"I don't believe it," Jeff said. "I just don't believe it. You're here."
"Yeah, I am, but I only have until Monday," Nick said.
"No amount of time with you could be long enough, but–" Jeff began, choking back a sob, and turning to Sebastian. "Thank Hunter for me. Thank him so much."
"He knows," Sebastian said. "I think Annie and I are going to go home and leave you four alone."
"I still can't believe you managed to keep this a secret from me," Jeff said, later that night. Nick and Jeff were sitting on the couch, Lindsey was on Nick's lap, and Ben was climbing over the back of the couch.
"I didn't find out until yesterday, and I've been travelling ever since," Nick said. "There's nowhere I'd rather be than here with the three of you."
"Daddy, do you have to go away again?" Lindsey asked, pouting.
"Sorry, sweetie, it's my job," Nick said.
"Will you ever come home?" Ben asked.
"Of course I will!" Nick said. "I made it home for your birthday, didn't I?"
"No, coming home forever!" Ben said.
"We went through this before I left!" Nick said, giving a look in Jeff's direction for some support, but Jeff didn't say anything. "Remember, I'm out there getting the bad guys. Keeping America safe."
"What if they get you first?" Lindsey asked.
"They won't," Nick said. "Bad guys have terrible aim and the good guy always wins."
"What about Vietnam?" Jeff asked quietly. Nick frowned at him.
"Kids, how about you go get ready for bed and I'll be there in a few minutes to play a little and read you a story," Nick said. Both kids scattered immediately.
"Remember to brush your teeth!" Jeff yelled after them.
"Thanks for all the help, dear," Nick said sarcastically.
"Look, I realize you're out there getting shot at, but taking care of two kids by myself isn't exactly a picnic," Jeff said.
"Whoa, whoa," Nick said, standing up. "You – you – Jeff!"
"I'm sorry!" Jeff said.
"You absolutely cannot compare raising two children while your husband is in Afghanistan with actually being in Afghanistan," Nick said.
"I know that, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Jeff said.
"We talked about this before I joined up, we talked about this before I shipped out," Nick said. "It's not forever, Jeffrey."
"It will be if you die," Jeff blurted.
"While that is a true statement, I'm doing my best not to die, dear," Nick said. He was getting very annoyed. It was the first time he'd been home since he shipped out and he was quite frankly expecting a better welcome. "You have the kids, you have Sebastian, I have no one. Do you know how hard it is to get leave from an active war zone? Damn near impossible. I don't know how Hunter got me here, even for two days, and now you're practically saying if I'm not going to come home and stay home, then I may as well have not come at all."
"I didn't say that," Jeff said.
"You were thinking it," Nick said.
"No, I was not. I love you, I've always loved you, I don't want to spend our two days together fighting," Jeff said.
"I don't want to fight with you either," Nick said, gingerly sitting back down next to his husband. "I hate fighting."
"We do fight a lot, though," Jeff said.
"Then let's stop," Nick said.
"It's not that simple."
"Yes it is," Nick protested, kissing Jeff on the lips.
"No, it isn't," Jeff tried to say, but he gave up. Kissing was more important. They had refrained from PDA in front of their children for the most part, and Jeff had to admit he really, really had missed Nick. They fought a lot, but they always fought a lot. Two days together wasn't going to solve any of their problems, so they may as well just forget them for the time being.
"Daddy!" Lindsey yelled from upstairs.
"Duty calls," Nick said, pulling back from Jeff with a grin. Nick disappeared upstairs and Jeff slumped back on the couch. Nick was always the one who was better with the kids. They always did exactly what he said when he said it, and then he would laugh as Jeff chased them around for hours trying to make them behave. Jeff knew Nick had never done it on purpose, still he could never shake the feeling that the kids resented him (Jeff) for letting Nick leave. Clearly, there was nothing Jeff could have said or done to stop Nick, but still. Jeff finally got up and slunk up the stairs, leaning into the kids' room just enough to see Nick seated on the lower bunk bed, reading them a book. Jeff smiled at them and Nick grinned that grin of his, the one that screamed photogenic with every tooth. Jeff left the kids room and went into his and Nick's room. Nick's side of the room was beginning to collect dust. Jeff quickly dusted off the surfaces, then wiped his dusty hands on his jeans. Sighing, he got undressed, took a shower, and when he emerged into the bedroom again, in his bathrobe, there was Nick, sitting on the bed in his uniform, his boots on the floor near the door.
"Hey," Jeff said quietly, moving to the bed.
"Hey there stranger," Nick replied.
"I love you," Jeff said.
"I love you too, sweetheart," Nick said. "The kids are asleep."
"Goody," Jeff said.
"Yeah," Nick said. "So do you wanna … you know."
"Yeah," Jeff agreed. He dropped his bathrobe and jumped on the bed.
"I'm sorry," Nick said.
"For what?" Jeff asked.
"For getting angry with you."
"You have every right to be angry," Jeff said.
"No, you're right," Nick said. "I shouldn't have left you here with two kids."
"It's your job, Nick," Jeff said.
"But it was my choice to join up," Nick said.
"And I said it was okay."
"Jeff, look, I have another year and then I'm done. Worst case scenario, one more year, at best, the war is over next week."
"But it won't be," Jeff said. "It's not even a war, it's an occupation, and there's no reason for it."
"Um, when did you turn into a pacifist?" Nick asked.
"When did you become so confrontational?" Jeff countered. "I don't remember any of this coming up when we were 16 and deciding to spend our lives together."
"Yeah, and I don't remember any of your objections when I enlisted either," Nick said.
"I don't want to fight with you, Nicky," Jeff said.
"I don't want to fight with you either," Nick replied. "Let's just forget about it all for tonight."
"It will all still be there tomorrow," Jeff reminded him.
"And we'll deal with it all tomorrow," Nick said. "Okay?" Nick reached out his hand to Jeff in a truce. Jeff looked at Nick, then took his hand.
"Okay," Jeff agreed, taking Nick's hand in his own and lacing their fingers. Nick smiled and kissed Jeff on the lips.
Then they made love.
And just like Jeff had said, their problems were still there in the morning. They managed to make it until after lunch without an argument. Nick had grilled hamburgers in the crisp October air and the kids had gone to play outside.
"You should go play with the kids. I'll clean up," Jeff said.
"I'd rather spend time with you," Nick said. "You're my husband and I love you."
"They're your children and you've been absent, albeit on and off, for almost half of their lives," Jeff said.
"Jeff–" Nick began.
"Just go, Nick," Jeff said shortly. Nick reluctantly went outside to join the kids. Nick didn't know what he'd done to get on Jeff's bad side, didn't know what he could have possibly done. He never would have enlisted without Jeff's permission and now Jeff seemed sore on the whole idea. Nick would be back in a year – less, then he'd be back to the base in the states.
Things only seemed to escalate from bad to worse as the day turned to night. The children took their baths and went to bed. Nick would be taking them to school in the morning before he left again.
"What's your problem?" Nick finally burst out. Jeff was being much too quiet in the driver's seat as he drove to the airport. "What the hell is your problem? Why won't you talk to me, why are you so angry with me?"
"I think we should get a divorce," Jeff said quietly. Time and Nick's heart stopped.
"You… what?" Nick finally sputtered.
"It's not working, Nick, it hasn't worked for years," Jeff said. "Who were we kidding? How could we have possibly seen at 16 what we'd be like in 10 years?"
"We're the same people we were at 16, Jeff," Nick said. "You're you and I'm me. The only thing that's different is we're adults with jobs and twin 6-year-olds."
"But we are different, and we fight all the time," Jeff said.
"We've fought two days of the last year," Nick said.
"They're the only two days we've seen each other of the last year," Jeff said. "And don't pretend we never fought before you left either."
"We didn't! Not like this," Nick said. "I don't even know why we're fighting right now, you're being ridiculous."
"No, Nick, I'm being realistic. We were living in fantasy, and it's over. The veil is lifted," Jeff said.
"You're really hurting me," Nick said. "Was it something I did? I can change, Jeff, just tell me what I'm doing wrong."
"If you honestly can't tell that this isn't working–" Jeff began.
"Is there someone else? Did you meet someone while I was gone? It's okay if you did, just please tell me," Nick begged.
"No, there's nobody else," Jeff sighed.
"Then what is the problem?" Nick asked.
"We are two very different people with very different views and goals and … Nicky…" Jeff paused a moment to sigh and turn a corner in the car, "We got married at 18, the day before you went to boot camp. At 20, we adopted the twins."
"I know this, I was there. Those were choices we made as a couple," Nick said. "What's your point?"
"My point is you've been gone for almost 8 years and you've changed," Jeff said.
"Alright, well, I'm glad I'm going back to an active war zone with the knowledge that my husband thinks I've 'changed'," Nick snarked.
"You have!" Jeff shouted. "You've changed, Nicky, and I don't know what to do."
"Well, totally giving up usually is your first choice of things to do when you don't know what to do," Nick said, rolling his eyes, "so clearly you haven't changed at all."
"Wow," Jeff said. "Wow. I am always the one fighting for our relationship, Nick, if I thought there was even a glimmer of a chance that we could make this work, I would be diving for it, but I don't see one."
"Well, I guess that's that," Nick said. "When I get back from Afghanistan, we'll start with the paperwork."
"Okay," Jeff said softly. He pulled the car up to the airport loading zone. "Do you want me to wait with you?"
"No, it's fine," Nick said. "I don't want to make this any more awkward than it has to be."
"I'm sorry," Jeff said.
"No, apparently, it's my fault," Nick said, opening the car door. "But just so you know…" He leaned across the center console to press a kiss to Jeff's lips. "I'm not going down without a fight." He jumped out of the car and was gone.
Jeff drove back to the house in silence. When the twins got home from school, everything was business as usual. That is, until about 3am, when his cell phone rang.
"Hullo?" Jeff asked whoever it was.
"Turn on CNN right now." It was Sebastian. Jeff fumbled for the remote on his nightstand. The screen was blurry, but he could hear the correspondents talking to each other… something about missing people? He reached for his glasses.
38 Missing US Soldiers – Plane Down Over Mediterrean
"Was Nick on that flight?" Jeff asked.
"Hunter said he was, but they're not sure right now," Sebastian said. Jeff was speechless. "Jeff are you okay?"
"No."
"I'll be over in 15 minutes," Sebastian said.
"Don't hang up," Jeff said.
"Alright," Sebastian told him. Jeff sat on his bed, torn between CNN and listening to the muffled sounds of Sebastian getting dressed, getting Annie out of bed, and then driving. Finally… "I'm in your driveway."
"You know where the key is," Jeff said, transfixed by the TV and unable to move. Jeff heard the door open downstairs, then close, then he heard Sebastian take Annie into Ben and Lindsey's room, then Sebastian was in the doorway to Jeff's.
"Are you okay?"
"Still no," Jeff said.
"Can I hang up yet?"
"Yeah, I guess so." Sebastian ended their telephone call and sat down next to Jeff on the bed.
"Let it out, go on," Sebastian said.
"Let what out?" Jeff asked. "I don't… I'm just shocked, I don't even believe it. He was here 24 hours ago, I had him in my arms, then I told him I wanted a divorce and sent him on a plane, and that's the last thing I ever said to him, and now he could be dead or worse, and he thinks I don't love him anymore."
"Wait, you actually told him you want a divorce?" Sebastian asked.
"Yes, yes, I… It's crossed my mind a lot of times, and I regret bringing it up now," Jeff said. "How could I have not at least told him I love him before he walked away?"
"Why would you tell a man going back to active duty that you want a divorce?" Sebastian asked. "Are you insane?"
"Sebastian, please," Jeff said.
"Do the kids know?" Sebastian asked.
"That I want a divorce or that their dad is missing?"
"Either one."
"No," Jeff said. "I don't want to tell them before anything is official."
The families of those soldiers believed to be missing are being notified shortly, then we will be releasing the names… The reporter said, and Jeff and Sebastian both looked up at the TV.
"Watching this isn't doing you any good," Sebastian said.
"They're notifying the families, if Nick was on that plane, I'm going to get a call," Jeff said. "Right now." Sebastian and Jeff stared at the phone in Jeff's hands for several minutes as the reporters continued to talk.
This just in, reports from the Southwestern Mediterranean, it is possible that survivors of the crash are being received by US Navy emergency respondents as we speak, more on this as we are updated…
"It's going to be okay, Jeff," Sebastian said.
"You don't know that," Jeff said as he started to shake.
"Just as easily could have been one of Hunter's planes that went down," Sebastian said.
"But it wasn't, was it?" Jeff asked. "And you're not stupid enough to try to break up with him before he leaves for a freaking war zone."
"Jeff, come on, he knows you didn't mean it."
"I did mean it!" Jeff said. "I meant everything, I just wish I'd told him I still love him."
Four of the 38 soldiers registered on the plane's roster have not been recovered, it is possible that they– Sebastian turned off the TV before they heard the next words.
"He's one of the 34 that made it," Sebastian said. "I promise." Jeff just cried onto Sebastian's shoulder as they continued to sit there in the dark. The sun was rising when Jeff's cell phone rang. He awoke with a start and fumbled around for it.
"Hello?" he asked, not bothering to see who it was, and praying it was Nick, calling him to tell him he was safe on dry land.
"Is this Jeffrey Sterling-Duval?"
"…Yes?"
"Jeffrey, I have some bad news. Earlier this morning, your husband's plane went down over the Mediterranean. He is yet to be recovered, and he's been declared officially missing."
"… Is that it, then?" Jeff asked whoever it was.
"I'm so sorry, Jeff," the voice said, and it was then that Jeff actually realized it was Hunter, trying to sound much more official than he usually was with Jeff. "I'm going to find him, I don't care what it takes."
"I know you will," Jeff said.
"I wish I had better news," Hunter said solemnly.
"What about the other three they didn't rescue?" Jeff asked.
"Two bodies were recovered from the plane's wreckage, but Nick's wasn't one of them," Hunter said.
"What am I supposed to tell Ben and Lindsey?" Jeff asked.
"I don't know," Hunter said. "I'm so sorry, Jeff."
"It's not your fault," Jeff said.
"Yes it is, I sent him home, if it wasn't for me, he'd still be on base in Afghanistan and he never would have been on that plane," Hunter said.
"Do they know what made the plane go down?" Sebastian asked from next to Jeff.
"No," Hunter said. "It doesn't look like sabotage, but they're still pulling up the wreckage. It crashed right off the border of Libya, so it's… I don't know, I just don't."
"Thanks, Hunter," Jeff said. "You'll keep us updated?"
"Of course," Hunter said. "Tell Sebastian I love him."
"Tell Nick I love him," Jeff countered.
"I'm sorry," Hunter said, then the call was cut off.
"Your husband loves you," Jeff said to Sebastian.
"So does yours," Sebastian replied.
"I know that, I'm the douche that doesn't," Jeff said.
"He'll be okay, Jeff," Sebastian promised.
End of Part One.