DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB

Credits: A story of THIS type is something that I've ALWAYS, ALWAYS wanted to do. But...I end up crying while writing because I'm a very deep and emotional person. But the author ALivingDream inspired me to write my own story. Feel free to check out the author's stories, especially if you're a Totally Spies fan, because they're amazing!

Moving on, I'm usually hyped at every new story I post, but...not this one.

This particular one is really sentimental to me and made me so emotional at heart. I genuinely cried while writing this even though I didn't relate to any of this personally. Nothing like this happened to me in real life. I hope that none of you experience something like this, but if, God forbid, you did, I offer you my sincerest condolences and I pray that you find the strength to heal from the loss.

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In the honor of not only Veteran's Day/Remembrance Day of November 11th but also each and every day of every year, I salute and bow down to all the soldiers who risked and exchanged their lives for us and our freedom, safety, and happiness.

This short one-shot is written in honor for every soldier out there who risks and gives up his life for his motherland and for every soldier out there who continues to do so, despite the harsh adversities and looming life-changing dangers.

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-:-:-:- A Soldier's Tears -:-:-:-

~ World War II - September 10, 1943 ~

March 10, 1943

Sector Seven, 2040 hours

To my dearest and beautiful Stella,

Hey, baby. I have no idea why I'm writing this letter because I hope that it never, ever reaches you, Sunshine. If you're reading this, then it means that I'm no longer fortunate to see you again. Words can't express my agony for making you go through this. I'm so, so, so sorry, sweetheart, for leaving you all alone in this cruel world, especially when we've just gotten married.

When I wrote this letter, it was just a few days after the recent battle at Stalingrad. I swear, Sunshine, this was probably the bloodiest battle I've ever seen in all my time here. We lost so many people, Stel.

General Saladin is a complete mess. He's been weeping all night. It breaks my heart to see him like that. He lost his grandson and I lost one of my best friends that night. We weren't the only ones who suffered, Stel...

There's so much destruction here. This battle claimed so many lives from both sides of the war.

I swear to God, Stel, when we were informed that the battle was at end and that our enemies are retreating, every single man on the battlefield looked up to the sky and cried with relief.

While I sat among my fallen comrades, I could only think of you. I wish I could tell you how much I missed you then, Stel. I wish I could hug you tightly and tell you just how much I love you. I wish I could hold you and never let you go. I wish I could hold you and see you, but at the same time, I would never let you anywhere near this insane part of the world.

Six more months, Sunshine, and I can't wait to be in your arms again. I keep envying about those lucky bastards who got to go home because they weren't physically fit enough for the war anymore. They'll never had to visit this bloody madness ever again.

I can't believe it's been one year of our marriage already, Stel. It hardly feels real and just like yesterday that I kissed and made love to you as my wife. You were gorgeous beyond words as you smiled happily in my arms on that beautiful night. I miss you so, so, so much, Sunshine. Your laugh, your smile, your voice, your memories, and you yourself are what I miss the most.

I was the happiest man alive when you told me that you're pregnant with our daughter and finally sent the pictures of her birth. I was so overwhelmed with joy when you told me that it was a baby girl. Had it been a son, I would've been just as happy, of course, but my heart would've been broken at the mere though that this might be his future one day...writing to his wife and children a goodbye letter, hoping against hope that it never reaches them.

Remember that I'll never stop loving you or Amelia, Sunshine. It may seem like my life is cut short, but remember that I'll forever live in your heart and memories, my dearest, beautiful princess. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know that you'll be a great mother to our daughter. Raise her like you and keep her away from this bloody madness. I'll always watch over you, our daughter, and our friends and family.

I don't know what the officers told you but know that I did NOT die a painful death, baby. I was thinking of you and only you till the time I died. You and your love have the power to heal anything and I died painlessly on the battlefield.

The only regret I have is that I just wanted to be able to hold you and our daughter one last time, Stel...I want to watch my girls sleep in peace. I want to kiss my daughter's forehead and show her how much her daddy loves her. I want to hug my wife and tell her how deeply sorry her husband is.

Tell Amy that I'm deeply sorry that I couldn't raise her with you. The next letter is for her when you believe that she's old enough to understand and...hopefully, one day, forgive me as well. Tell her that although I was sorry that I couldn't raise her with you, I didn't regret going to war because...it kept my girls safe and sound. I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country and for my girls.

When I kissed you a goodbye eight months ago, I had no idea that it would be a permanent one. Whenever you feel lonely, just close your eyes and you'll see me, baby. I'll always be right by your side.

And Stel...although your love is the best thing I've ever experienced, I want you to be happy, baby. Move on, sweetheart, and in time, I hope you find someone who loves you more than I do. I highly doubt that's possible, but then again, who can ever resist falling in love with you? You made love at first sight possible for me. I wish with all of my heart that you find someone who loves and treats you better than I ever could. You deserve the world and you deserve everything your heart desires.

I love you, Sunshine.

Yours forever and for all eternity,

Your Brandon

"HELIA!" Brandon cried out while kneeling over at his fallen friend. "C'mon, buddy! Hang on!" he yelled in panic while lifting Helia's body in his arms. "You're gonna be fine, buddy. You're gonna be fine!" Brandon's body shook with tears at the three bullet wounds that had lodged themselves into Helia's chest.

Brandon wildly looked around for any signs of life. But all he saw was himself surrounded by masses of young soldiers cruelly slaughtered in their own blood.

"B-Brandon..." Helia breathed in agony while straining his hands to move shakily towards his jacket pocket. His bloody fingers pulled out two photographs and a letter. "Tell my wife and daughter that I love them," he choked out while coughing up blood.

Brandon cried as tears spilled from his cheeks. "Tell Flora and Lilly yourself," he sniffled while clutching Helia's body in a desperation to save his friend. "You're gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine!" he yelled out of desperation to save his friend.

Helia choked out in a hoarse, haggard whisper before stretching his hand out shakily. "Promise m-"

His voice suddenly fell as Helia's eyes lost their light before his hand limply dropped onto his chest. His body grew relaxed and hobbled as his face held a blank stare.

"No! No, no, no!" Brandon's eyes let go of the tears as they freely fell down his face. He hunched over Helia's body and started to cry while hugging his eternally fallen friend to his chest. His hand tightly gripped Helia's bloody hand. "I promise you, buddy. I promise," he cried while looking around the deadly battlefield, covered with the fresh copper scent of hot blood.

War is not caused by people.

What did they do to deserve this?!

War is caused by those FEW individuals from different countries, who can't stand each other.

Brandon's eyes dimmed as he hollowly stared into Helia's dark teal eyes. They appeared so full of life before. But now...he appeared hollow and...dead.

War is caused by racists who think their country is the best in the world.

With tears in his eyes, Brandon reached over with shaking fingers before shutting Helia's eyes close. "Goodbye, man," he whispered to his best friend.

War is caused by old politicians, but executed by young soldiers, who have families waiting for them at homes with bated breaths.

Brandon's eyes slipped more tears as he struggled not to break down. His friend wouldn't even be able to get a proper burial. So many soldiers...

Every soldier's death equals one orphaned, heartbroken family.

So many soldiers...so many lives...

Not hundreds, not thousands...

BUT MILLIONS...lay dead in one of the deadliest battles they've ever faced.

"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." - Douglas MacArthur

March 10, 1943

Sector Seven, 2040 hours

My dearest and precious Amelia,

If you're reading this, then it means that your mother finally decided that you are old enough to understand my apologies for not being there for you. Maybe it will be years before you will be able to read this letter but when you can, you'll know at least how much your mom and I love you and how much you mean to us.

I pray with all of my heart that this letter never reaches you, sweetheart, but now that it did, words can't express my agony for not being able to watch my baby girl grow up.

I truly hope and pray that as you continue to grow each and every day, our home is no longer endangered by the perilous times of our country.

While I couldn't meet you and hold you in my arms for the very first time, my life felt complete when I saw your first pictures. I couldn't believe that I received such a miraculous blessing from God. Your mom and I love you very much, sweetheart. Help your mother as much as you can, sweetie, because she will need you.

Always be caring and nice to others and you'll find the entire world being nice to you. Learn as much as you can about this world. Grow hungry for knowledge. Grow love for courage and justice but hatred for lies and deception.

Know that I'll be watching you from the other side. You have a beautiful and bright future ahead of you. I believe in the strength of my daughter. As you continue to succeed and achieve great things, I'll be here swelling with pride. You're my pride and my joy and I love you, sweetheart. Forever and for all eternity, you are and will always be my baby girl. And no matter what you do and if things are hard, remember that while daddy may not be here with you physically, but he will never leave your side in spirit. Even in our darkest days, never forget that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel.

I deeply love and cherish your mother with all of my heart and our marriage was a true match made in heaven. I pray that she finds the strength to move on and hopefully bless you with another sibling.

Maybe one day...I hope that both she and you can forgive me and in time, I hope you had some sort of a father figure while growing up, even if it isn't me.

With love,

Daddy

"Sun...shine..." he whispered faintly as he clutched his bullet wounds weakly. Blood spurted out into his uniform and slipped beneath him, turning into a vibrant, pulsing red pool of liquid.

His ears barely registered his surroundings as the sounds of gunshots, the cries from his fellow soldiers to continue fighting and die trying rather than give up, and the orders from his commander grew fainter by the second as his body fell to the ground, joining the others never-ending piles of bloodshed and death.

He desperately struggled to fight, to continue, and to hold on somehow. He will NOT lose today! He will NOT die here out of all places! HE WILL NOT! He struggled to breathe as his growing limp body threatened to join the other motionless soldiers on the battlefield.

He sucked in a gasp as his eyes fell on the cloudy skies with no room for any sunlight. "...S-S-Stel..." he tried to breathe as he pictured the beautiful face of his ray of sunshine, his world, his universe, his everything. He struggled to take one more breath to live at least a second longer. He'll consider himself lucky if he died thinking about her. A tear leaked out of his eyes as he realized that there was no way that he'll make it to see her one last time.

The clouds above misted into a dark shade of cocktail blue. He laid there in his own pool of blood as his life flashed before his eyes. His marriage to the most perfect woman ever to exist on this planet, the memories he made with her, all the times he spent by her side whispering nothing but words of adoration and love in her ears, the nights they spent basking in the warmth of each other from making love, and finally...the birth of his beautiful baby. A bitter tear left his eyelids as he finally faced the reality: he'll never see his world again. He'll never be able to hold his beautiful baby and he'll never be able to embrace his gorgeous Sunshine.

With each breath, his chest tightened around him, slowly squeezing the life out of his body. His lips let out one last breath, the last remaining remnant of his life, before he fell still. His face held a blank stare as his eyes remained open, just moments ago flourishing with life. The warmth of life left his body as the cold, icy embrace of death surrounded him while his body fell still and silent forever and for all eternity.

"Soldiers are citizens of death's grey land, drawing no dividend from time's tomorrows." - Siegfried Sassoon

Hi, daddy. It's me...Your Amy.

You have no idea how much I miss you. I know I never met you but I feel like I've known you all of my life.

I have two father figures: grandpas. They're the only father figures I'll ever have. I don't want anyone else. You're my real father and no matter how many years pass, I'll continue loving you and missing you. Just like how mommy is doing. She cries for you everyday. She begs for you to come back. She wears for a smile for me in the morning, but I can tell that she secretly cries at night after I go to sleep.

Mommy always talks about you but she always cries so much at the end, so I never ask her anymore. She tells me that I'm her world. She tells me that I'm the only reason that she's living. She tells me everyday how much she loves me. But...it's getting too hard for her. So, I'm trying to help her. I'm being a good girl to mommy because that's what you told me to! Am I doing a good job?

Please come back to us, daddy. Please? I want my mom and dad to raise me. I want my parents to scold me when I sneak out to play with other kids. I want them to punish me if I misbehave. I want them to give me chocolates when I do good in school.

Please, daddy? For me? Come back to us because we'll always be waiting for you. We hope to see you soon. We can play with my toys when you come! Mommy brought me two new dolls to play with!

Miss you sooooooooo much!

Amy

A tear ran down the young, five-year old girl's cheek, mixing with the droplets of drizzling rain, as she placed the letter on her father's gravestone.

Her little shoulders shook as tears erupted in her eyes out of nowhere. She hated this. She envied the other kids who have fathers while she didn't. She envied other fathers pick up their children from schools while she was left to pray for hers. She envied other kids who had both parents, healthy and alive, she had a single mother, who worked day and night to provide for her.

"Daddy..." she craved for fatherly love.

Amy sniffled and stopped for a second when a gust of wind blew through her face all of a sudden. She looked up to check the weather only to gasp later as the dull, stormy skies parted just ever so slightly to reveal a disgruntled crack amidst the misty clouds. The sun showered its energy through the clouds as a thin film of light cast its ray on the damp earth. She looked up and around her to see that it was no longer raining.

Amy whimpered and sniffled when she suddenly felt a warm glow around her, hugging and embracing her small body as she basked in the light. Her innocent eyes looked around curiously before her eyes fell on a picture mantle was embedded into the gravestone. She sniffled and hiccuped as she continued staring at her father's photo. He looked so happy as he smiled faintly. His features were defined but his eyes held warmth, love, and comfort.

A few tears slipped down her cheeks as her hands automatically went to caress the treasured letter that was neatly folded inside the pockets of her dress.

"...if things are hard, remember that while daddy may not be here with you physically, but he will never leave your side in spirit..."

She sniffled while placing the bouquet of flowers she picked out for him. "I hope you like sunflowers. Mommy told me that these were your favorite," she said a little cheerfully before a small, innocent, carefree smile bloomed on her lips.

Stella gasped when she saw her young, five-year old daughter walking slowly up the road to the house. She instantly rushed forward before picking her up in her arms. "Amy!" Stella breathed in relief as she hugged her daughter. "How many times did I tell you not to run off on your own?!" she scolded her child. "And it's raining!"

Stella start to breathe again normally as she held her daughter close to her.

Amy looked up at her mother with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, mommy."

Stella sighed in relief a few more times before gently setting her daughter down on her feet. "Come inside. Let's dry you off. I don't want you to catch a cold."

They both turned to go inside before Amy gasped suddenly. She excitedly started tugging at her mother's long skirt. "Mommy, look! A rainbow!" she pointed out cheerfully with a beaming smile.

Stella looked upwards and smiled faintly. "I guess the rain finally stopped for a while," she smiled to herself before kissing her daughter's forehead lovingly. She went back inside the house and resumed her chores but Amy remained outside, her dark brown eyes, a distinguishing inheritance from her father, fixated on the smiling rainbow.

"See you tomorrow, daddy," the young girl smiled softly as she waved up to the sky. She let out a small sigh of happiness because now she knew that her father is forever by her side.

"AMY!" Stella yelled from inside. "Get inside, honey! You'll catch a cold!"

"Coming, mom!" Amy yelled back before running back inside.

"When you join the army, you are asked to lay down your life for your country. That is a tremendous oath to take. In return, a good country should offer that soldier every possible means it can to allow that soldier to stay alive and, upon return, healthy - both mentally and physically." - Michael Winter

Author's Note:

Of ALL the wars that I've ever studied in school, World War II probably affected me the most. Maybe because it was so recent. But I was disturbed for many days because I couldn't fathom and get over the fact that all these families had to watch their sons, fathers, friends, and brothers go into war without knowing whether or not they'll come back.

I don't know anyone who's ever been in the military. My intention is not to offend anyone at all. My sincerest, deepest apologies if I have done that.

I started this story about a month ago. I had to stop after every 10 sentences because I couldn't imagine myself in their shoes for even ten seconds. I couldn't do it. I've always been able to put myself in someone's shoes, but not this time. I couldn't picture my father or my brother going into battle and never returning. I'll probably lock them up in a basement or something.

So, that's when I decided that I would publish this on November 11th (Veterans Day) of 2018. Truthfully, I hate that only ONE day has been set for something so consequential as this. People need to KNOW and STOP taking things for granted.

I see people disrespecting their parents and acting like total (forgive my language) BRATS. I don't care if your mom slapped you or your father grounded you. Be thankful for what you have because, honestly, you didn't had to witness your father or brother or, in general, any male relative go off into the war and, God forbid, return with missing limbs (and diagnosed with a serious case of PTSD) or, worse, never return at all.

RESPECT. Respect your elders because without them, you're nothing. You're literally worth nothing without them.