Len stepped out of the cab that had picked him up from the airport and gazed at his home; a place he hadn't been in five years. His service was finally up, he'd been fighting for Vocalia for years, and was glad to be done with it. He could see that the house was empty, his wife at work and daughter at school, and walked up onto the front porch. They didn't know he was coming home, he was hoping to surprise them.
Len grabbed the spare key from under the welcome mat and unlocked the door. He walked in, closing and locking the door The only noise throughout the house came from the boots of his uniform on the wooden floor. He looked around, nothing had changed since he left; a day he remembered with pain as the images flashed through his mind.
Him holding his wife, Rin, and his 4 year old daughter Neru. The conductor yelling for everyone to board the train. Rin holding Neru back as he forced himself to board the train. The tears that fell from all of their eyes as the train pulled away from the station, taking him to war.
His feet carried him up into the living room where he glanced at a picture of the three of them during Neru's third birthday. They were in the yard with other parents and kids, Neru trying to blow out the candles on her cake. The memory brought a smile to his face. Len set the picture down and glanced at the others, so many just had Rin and Neru in them.
"Damnit! Why did I get drafted? Why did I have to leave them behind and go into hell!" he cried. The tears streamed down his face as he thought about the five years he had lost with his family, the five years of hell and war he had been through. What if Neru didn't recognize him, what if Rin didn't love him anymore? Len didn't know what he would do, the what ifs continued to pass through his head as he sat there. He never heard the door open.
"Neru, honey, could you help mommy pack in the groceries?" Rin called.
"Ok Mommy!" his daughter called back.
Lens head snapped back up at the sound of Rins voice. He waited for them to get into the kitchen, then walked to the hallway. His boots once again clunked on the wooden floor, giving away his presence.
He watched as Rin looked out the door, "Is someone there, do you need something? Hello?" she asked.
"H-hey, R-rin." he said, almost too quiet to hear. She turned around slowly, the voice she had only heard through phone calls for five years was behind her. Len smiled as his wife stared at him in shock.
"Len!" she screamed, running into his open arms. His arms wrapped around her, he wanted to hold her as closely as possible. He needed to know that this wasn't a cruel dream that he could wake up from at any second; that he wouldn't open his eye's and be back on some hellish battlefield. Len kissed her as tears of joy escaped her eyes.
"Oh god, I'm so glad you're home. Please, oh please, tell me you aren't leaving again." She said as they broke the kiss, still not letting go of him.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna leave. I'm staying home, I got enough points for a discharge. I'm here to stay." Len replied, his voice breaking.
Another scream broke the silence, "Daddy!" His little girl yelled. She ran toward him as Len knelt and scooped her up with one arm. Neru's arms wrapped around his neck in a hug. He couldn't hold it any more, the tears rolled down his cheeks as he held them tighter, overjoyed at finally being home.
"Daddy, don't cry. It's ok." Neru said as she nuzzled into Lens shoulder. Len smiled at his little girl and dried the tears from his eyes. She didn't know that his tears were those of joy, not sorrow.
"Oh goodness, look at you. My little girl's gone and grown up on me." He said.
"I've always been a big girl daddy!" she said, Len smiled at his daughter.
"I know honey, you've protected mommy while I've been gone." He chuckled as she nodded enthusiastically. Rin kissed him again, simply overjoyed with his return.
"Len, why didn't you tell us you were coming home?" Rin asked her husband.
"I wanted to surprise you both. Come on, we'll talk some more in the living room." he smiled and escorted them both into the family room, closing the door as he passed. They sat down on the couch, holding each other and their little girl; happy that their family was finally reunited.