I'm Coming Home

by X-Addict-Lover

Selena was scared, terrified even, but knew it was time to come home, and finally, stay home. She just didn't expect all the suprises that came along with coming home. Demi/Selena. Femslash.

I'm Coming Home

Letter #56

Dear Selena...

It's seems to rain a lot more since you've been gone, which is exactly 3 dreadful years, 7 terrible months, 2 miserable weeks, and 5 painful days. The grass seems darker, the sky seems cloudier, even the birds around my house don't chirp the same since you've disappeared; nothing seems right anymore. I haven't seemed right. My heart still aches at night when I touch the cold side of my bed, where you were supposed to be for all this time. I hate waking up to an empty bed. I hate having to go to sleep without the warmth of your body beside me. I especially loath that my lips are frozen, frozen with the loss of the passion and heat from your lips. Come home.

I haven't recieved a letter from you. I'm starting to wonder if you've stopped sending them... or loving me. You shouldn't have left; you were blinded by anger when you enlisted. The fight was my fault, all of it was my fault, and now i'm afraid i've lost you forever.

Please, Selena, send a letter, just let me know you're okay, and that you're alive and well and that you are coming home on the 3 year and eight month mark. I know you know that's when they send you home. I just wanted to remind you. I just wanted you to know that even if it's against your wished, i'm going to pick you up at the airport, no matter what.

Selena, please don't forget that I love you. Hopefully, i'll see you soon.

Love Demi.

Selena pushed the letter aside with a wince. She should have responded to all of Demi's desperate cries and plea's. But no, she wasn't that weak. She wasn't about to give into her that easily; not after what she did.

"Sergeant?" A man's voice rang out, and she stood up quickly and precisely.

"Specialist." She responded as a brawny, white man entered.

"Your team needs you." Selena's adreline started to rush immediatly.

"Yes sir." She picked up her military helmet and rushed outside the beige tent, but she wasn't greeted with her team, armed and ready. The young sergeant was greeted by her team standing still, blank faces.

"What's this about?" She questioned and pulled her helmet off her head. The sergeant placed a sweaty hand on her shoulder. It weighed her down; it felt as heavy as the world.

"Sergeant Briggs was killed today in a roadside bombing." Selena felt like she had been shot. Briggs had been the first woman soldier that she had met, and befriended. They had shared the barracks together, gone on their first mission together, even been shot at together! They had been two peas in a pod for over three years now.

"Tell me this is a joke." She whispered hoarsely. Briggs had been as tough as nails! She couldn't have been taken down so easily! "You have to be joking!"

"Sel, we're not." The specialist reached into his pocket, pulled out an object, and held it in front of her eyes. Her dog tags, and attatched to that, was her engagement ring. Selena's throat started to tighten, and her nose started tingling, indicating tears. The tough warrior refused to cry. Sel took the tags, and promised to herself she would return them to Briggs fiance. "She's dead." He added, finallizing it.

She just nodded, and with a last fleeting glance to the soldiers, she retired to her tent for the night, too weary and heartbroken. Her best friend was gone. But this was war, what did she expect? This was their job, and she knew either of them would have gotten hurt at some point. Briggs had been so close to going home. The team only had about two weeks left until their rotation, and they would have been going home to their families, friends, and the life's they had left behind.

So that night as she lay, sleep could not come to her. It wouldn't for a while, she assumed. Her mind kept running through the first time they disarmed a bomb...

The heat was sweltering, and the seventy pounds of armor on their back wasn't helping. The air was dry, as was everything else around them; it was a desert after all. The Foxtrot Company team had been called out to a remote area on the outside of the Iraq town; reports of wire's leading under the dirt to certain piles of rocks in the district.

"Ya'll ready?" Briggs questioned as they rounded the corner in their Humvee.

"Always cowgirl." Selena replied as they stopped and jumped out, rifle's at the ready. Many spectators stood around, watching from the building's above, some reaking havoc on the U.S. Soldiers.

"What's the situation?" Selena asked a soldier whom was already at the scene.

"Wires, tons of wires under the dirt. We've found one bomb, but Sergeant Wheaton over their reported seeing a bomb big enough to send us all up in flames, and enough wire to wrap around the earth, twice."

"Okay, then. Let's put a one-hundred metre perimeter around the area. No one goes in it, except for my team, got it?" He nodded immediatly, and went straight to clearing out the area.

"Is it gunna be easy?" Briggs asked with her southern drawl. She put down her weapon, threw her bomb kit over her shoulders and strapped it on.

"Nope, possibly multiple bombs, tons of wiring, and maybe pressure detonations in the ground." They were walking towards the bomb, just talking casually.

"Darling, that ain't nothing. One time I had to disarm a bomb in a minute flat, and it had six red and six blue wires."

"What did you do?" Selena asked as they finally reached the reported bomb area.

"Now if I told ya that, i'd ruin all my trade secrets. I'd be out of a job." Selena scoffed as she bent down to brush the dirt away off a red wire.

"Got one." She announced and adjusted her rifle so it was behind her on her back. She followed the wire until she was met with a pile of garbage, and very slowly she pulled away the rubbish. Sat there was a foot long shell, ready to detonate.

"Oh boy would ya look at that honker?" Briggs examined it. "Pull out the detonator, as slowly as you can. Don't let it touch the sides for god's sake, or we'll all die."

Selena pushed her helmet slightly out of her face and took off her gloves.

"We shoulda brought the suit." Selena realized as she started to remove the thin detonator from the bomb. She heard a mumble of agreement.

"Now, snip the yellow wire, then the green one." Briggs ordered, and so Selena did. She passed the object to her partner.

"All done." Selena celebrated, yet when she stood up, Briggs pushed her back down.

"Oh no, we ain't." The southener ruffled her hand over some dirt by the dormant bomb. "Well look what we have here." She grabbed hold of the red wire and pulled it. The two followed it to the middle of the street, and when they pulled up, a cluster of seven or eight wires appeared. Yet when they wrenched even harder on the wire, seven or eight bombs stirred in the dirt. "Well darling, get comfy, we got our work cut out for us."

Selena nodded and took off her helmet once again. It was gunna be a long day...

And now, like an enternal countdown, she suddenly remembered the amount of days before she got shipped home to the life she had abandoned so quickly and recklessly. She had almost been looking forward to them. Almost. And now that she had to go home, and tell her dead bestfriends fiance that she had been killed, it was even more unappealing.

...xXx...

Selena was a wreck. She hadn't slept for days, and the dog tags that rested in her chest pocket seemed to get heavier and heavier each minute they were there. And even now, as she sat in the back of the Aircraft Carrier, she was concocting a plan to get back to Iraq as soon as possible.

And there there was Demi. She would be at the airport waiting for her apparantly. But the other funny thing was, even though Selena wanted little to do with her, she had still tried her best to look good. Her shaggy 4 inch hair had been washed, brushed, and gelled neatly; spiked up, but to the right side, a little draped down her face aswell. Her uniform had been ironed twice today to the best she could, and her beige work boots had been spit washed over four times.

She felt sick, and it wasn't from the rocky landing they had, or the excessive amounts of turbulance. To see Demi after all of these years apart, she just wondered how different it would be between them? And would Demi look the same? Same height? Same hair? Would she even have the same style of clothes? Would she even be the same Demi?

"I'll see you later Sergeant." A officer shook her hand and she graciously accepted. They walked down the runway and into the building, their bags already in their hands. She carried a midsize duffle bag, and her military issue backpack. She checked that her barret was on right, and when they entered the greeting area, she coughed and straigtened up, her back like a pin. Demi was seconds away from being in her arms, not that she wanted that of course. But that's just what she was convincing herself to think. The soldier wanted nothing more than to have Demi wrapped up in her strong embrace.

"Gate nine is now open." The voice came over the P.A. and finally, those huge bay doors were opened. Everyone rushed through to greet their family and friends. Selena laughed as she watched a wife run and jump at her husband, taking him down to the ground in the process as he was showered with passionate kisses. She loved this part of it; the reunion. But she held back, waiting for most of the crowd to die down and leave before she walked through.

Demi had gotten their early, and now she anxiously waited and watched as everyone greeted their loved ones, yet Sel was still missing. The younger girl started to fear the worst. Had she died in battle, and no one thought to tell her? No, they would have told Selena's parents, who would have informed her.

"God, where are you?" She whined out. But she wasn't alone waiting. Another woman paced desperately aswell, her head stretched out, searching for her fiance.

And then, in the crowd of some of the last people to enter the gates, she saw her. Selena hadn't seen her yet, and she took that moment to observe the weary soldier. Her jaw was tight and chiseled. Her eyes dark and serious. Body bigger, musceled, more toned. The swell of her breasts had gotten bigger since she had last seen her. She had even gotten taller. And in that uniform, oh boy did she ever look strong and determined.

Suddenly she couldn't handle the distance between them either, and rushed over.

And then Selena noticed Demi, a young woman now, not just a teenager, pushing through the crowd.

Her hair was much darker, coal almost, and longer. Her body petite and thin, just the way she had always been, though she did look a little undernourished. Those ruby red lips had stayed the same also. Her breasts aswell had gotten considerably larger. Selena's heartbeat increased an incredible amount.

And then out of sheer instinct, she dropped her bags and rushed towards her. Demi's body slammed into her, but she just held her tighter and spun her around. She smelt the same, luscious like mint and fresh spring time apples.

"Selena!" Demi screamed, overjoyous, and proceeded to wrap her legs around that musceled waist of her.

"Demi." Selena whispered into her hair as she reached to grab handfuls of her dark mane. Softly Demi's feet found the ground, Selena had removed her from her waist, and she didn't like it at all. But Selena had different intentions; she wrapped her arms around Demi's petite body, forcing her in closer.

Her eyes dropped to the lips that were so inviting. Yes, she knew she should stop this, she knew she should walk away. But she couldn't deny herself the pleasure.

Selena felt Demi pull her towards her again and she went willingly. When Selena's hand touched her face to guide her, she closed her eyes and waited for Selena's lips to touch hers.

"Demi," Selena whispered again and Demi felt her breath, warm on her face. She turned towards her lips. A soft exploration began. Sticky lips tenderly touched each other. Selena's mouth opened under Demi's and she whimpered softly when their tongues touched briefly for the first time in almost four years. It was magic.

"Demi-" Selena whispered when she pulled back and released the grip she had on the girl. "We can't." She wasn't near to being ready to jump back into the arms of the one that had broke her heart.

"No, we can." Demi pulled her face to closer to her's. "We're doing it right now, and it's never felt better."

"I can't do this." Selena emphasized the I. "I won't let this happen again." She added.

"There's nothing wrong with us being together, we're meant for each other." Demi argued. "And you know that."

Selena was listening intently, but the sight of a lonely woman, madly searching for her soldier to come, caught her.

"Demi... we'll talk later. Now would you excuse me?" She didn't wait for the answer, just pushed past her, and marched straight up to the woman. "Are you looking for Sergeant Briggs?" Sel questioned cautiously.

"Yes! She's my fiance, where is she? She was supposed to be coming home today!" The woman cried desperately. Selena held out a firm hand, and she accepted.

"My name is Sergeant Gomez, I was positioned with Sergeant Briggs in Iraq. I have something, though I regret having to do this, to tell you."

"-well what is it? Is she staying longer?" The woman started to shake.

"No, i'm afraid it is something else." With a big gulp, she reached into her front chest pocket, and pulled something out. With a heartbroken sob, the lady caught sight of what the soldier had.

"NO!... NO THIS CAN'T BE!" Selena placed the dog tags and engagement ring into her hand.

"I'm so so sorry for your loss. Sergeant Briggs was certainly one of the most amazing soldiers I have ever met, in the field, and in her heart." She tried to explain over the loud crying. When the lady burst out into heart wrenching tears, she took her in her arms, and soothed her to the best of her ability.

"What am I gunna do without her?" She sobbed out in Selena's tight grasp.

"Take it day by day, and i'll be there for you."

"Why? Why would you?" Came a croaky voice.

"Cause I promised Julie I would." The woman peered into her eyes for a few moments longer before once again strapping her arms in a relentless grip. "Let's get you home."

...xXx...

After taking Julie's fiance home, Demi had insisted that Selena stay at their old place, but Selena refused. The absolute last thing she needed to see was Demi, scantily clad, walking about the apartment. She barely wanted a friendship with her, let alone a relationship.

"I'll stay at a hotel, it's no problem." The soldier insisted, almost desperate to get out of the car. The atmosphere was suffocating her. She pulled at the collar of her uniform, letting a breeze cool her down and stop the sweat that was rapidly soaking her suit; it didn't help at all.

"Are you sure?" By now, Selena was longingly looking out the window, grasping for freedom.

"Yes, i'm sure." She nearly hit Demi when she pulled out her bags as fast as she could.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, twelve o'clock." Demi added as she walked over to her car. Selena stopped in her tracks. More Demi? No.

"What do you mean?"

"You're having lunch with your parents, but they invited me along, and so I accepted." She was already in her car as Selena ran up to the window.

"You told them I was back?" Demi slowly started to drive, causing Selena to follow her along beside the car.

"Of course! They had a right to know where you are."

"You shouldn't have told them!" Selena raged.

"Okay, well i'll see you tomorrow, at twelve, your parent's house." Demi smiled one more time before speeding away, leaving a very shocked and angry Selena.

...xXx...

Selena stood at the doorway to her parent's house, for at least a half hour. She went to knock countless times. She went to enter countless times. But she just couldn't do it. She could fight on the front lines of war for her country, but she couldn't face her family. Typical.

"Buck up soldier." She heard, and there stood Demi, hands on her hips. "It's only your parents."

"Only my parents?" She snorted out. "You do remember them don't you?"

"Of course I do Selena, I visit them every week." She squeezed her shoulder before knocking on the door. "You look nice." She added before the door opened and an old, frail looking man exited. Selena was dressed in her official, casual uniform. It was a soft blue suit with all her achievements pinned to the side, with a white shirt and a black tie.

"Is that my girl?" He screamed when he caught sight of the muscled girl down the few steps.

"Yes daddy, it's your girl." She trudged up the stairs and hugged him. He was a lot smaller than she remembered. His muscle mass was gone, and so now he was rimmed with a thick tire of fat and cholesterol. He had deep sinking wrinkles, and finally, the rest of his hair had vanished; to which he had been desperately trying to hang on to.

"It has been too long Selena!" She swallowed a lump filled with distaste, and moved on to hug her mother.

It wasn't long enough... She recorrected. It had been much longer before her Iraq departation that she had visited them. It must have been four years since she saw their faces.

"Hello mother." She hugged her, and once again, felt the missing softness and embraced pure boney body. She too had aged terribly, deep set wrinkles with greying hair.

"Selena, you are in so much trouble." Her mother cackled out, but she knew they would slap her on the hand seriously for not visiting. "It's about time you visited."

"I'm sorry you guys." She apologized weakly. She wasn't sorry, infact, she missed Iraq already. "Well should we sit down?" She noticed the way her father's knees were beginning to tremble, and so she helped him to the table. Selena then noticed how much effort they had put into her visit. There was plates full of food, and all her favorite treats on all the good china. The soldier was now disgusted at the thought that she was gunna skip her visit. She sat up, her back pin straight, legs perfectly placed apart, and it didn't go unnoticed. "So how have you been?"

"Well, your father had to have a triple bi-pass surgery a year ago." Her mother answered.

"Oh, well how are you now?"

"I'm alive aren't I?" He gave a small smile, and so Selena just went on with her lunch.

"If he had even died, you wouldn't have even known." Her mother cut in. Demi looked up from her plate, fork in her mouth, shocked by Mandy's words.

Selena just kept her head down; she knew it was the truth.

"Oh now look who's silent?" Her mother slammed her utensils down and it stirred Selena. "You left us, all of us, when the family needed you, especially Demi. And I still don't support you two dating, I still think you'll snap out of this 'phase' and find yourself a nice man to settle down with, but I will admit, she is a nice girl, and you didn't do her right." Selena just keep cutting up the food on her plate, too ashamed to look up. Though she was cringing the whole time her mother spoke. "And just look at your hair! You look like a dyke!"

"We're not dating." Was the only thing Selena could think of saying. A look of sadness flickered across Demi's face, and the recently returned soldier caught it.

"So your finally straight?" Her mother snapped.

"I never said that." She could hear her mother's breathing getting heavier and more tedious. Before she started again she jumped up. "Um, thank you, for lunch, but i'll be going now. I have many things to attend to." She threw down her napkin, and strode over to the door.

"Selena!" Demi chased after her. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know she was gunna be like that!" Demi finally reached Selena's Jeep and stood in front of it to stop her from moving. "We need to talk!" The brown eyed girl shouted over the revving engine.

"About?" Selena screamed over the engine noise. The moments of silence were deafening between the two, and Demi had to contemplate losing her ex-girlfriend one more. So, she told her the one thing she knew would make her stay...

"Your daughter!"

...xXx...

"You told me you had a miscarriage." Selena muttered dryly as they sat in their old apartment.

Demi managed to croak out, "I thought I did."

"You thought you did? That's not good enough! You didn't tell me, and now i've missed out on about three whole years of my daughters life!" Selena raved on, while Demi sat their crying. "Where is she?"

"At Dallas's house."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Selena was now more hurt than furious, and she just wanted to see this beautiful creation.

"I-I don't know!" Demi sobbed out. "You had left before I figured out I hadn't lost her!"

"And why the fuck would you think that I didn't want to know that we had a daughter?"

"You were in Iraq!"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Selena's fist flew into the wall and she actually, physically broke through the drywall. "She's half mine, and you know that. I want custody, starting next week. I will not lose anymore time with my daughter!" And it was true. The daughter was both half of them. It had been Demi's egg, and Selena's stem cells turned sperm cells that created the beautiful girl they had made.

"You can't just take her from me! She doesn't even know you! How do you think she's gunna feel when she's taken from her mother, into a unfamiliar place with someone she doesn't know?"

"Well, I guess we'll find out next week, won't we?" Selena went to leave, but Demi jumped in front of her.

"Don't you dare take the one thing I have left! I love her more than life!" Demi begged.

"It's too late." But as Selena went to leave, the front door was already opening.

"Hey Demi, i've got the monster here!" Dallas was shell shocked to see the 'monsters' other mother stood there, just staring, waiting to see her daughter. "Hello Selena." Monotone. Selena replied with a nod.

"Mummy!" Came the high pitched squeal, as a black haired bundle entered the house. Selena stood and watched as this perfect little replica of her and Demi bolt past her with a gentle 'hello'. "Who is she?" She asked and gave the small flowers she had in her hands to Demi.

"A friend of your mother's." Selena answered quietly. She watched how the first thing her daughter did was jump over to Demi, wrap her arms around her neck, nuzzle in close, and whisper an 'I love you mum'. No, she couldn't take that away from Demi, no matter how badly she wanted to. Nobody could ever be that mean to seperate a child from their loving parent. "I should get going."

"Selena, i'm going to tell her." Demi responded. "Hayley needs to know who her other mother is."

Tears started to brim at her eyes. "I'm so, so sorry Demi."

And with that, she passed her ex-lover, her daughter, her old friend, and opened the door. Without another sound, she closed it, and walked to her car.

...xXx...

A few hours later Demi heard the phone ringing, and rushed to it.

"Hello." She greeted.

"Hi, it's me." Selena was almost as quiet as a whisper, pretty much inaudible.

"Hey Lena." Dallas's head popped around the corner at the sound of that name, and watched as that love-sick grin appeared on Demi's face.

"I um, talked to my lawyer, and I got him a case for joint custody. I won't be taking Hayley from you, just filing for a case so that I can spend time with her." Relief crashed over Demi like waves.

"Oh thank god." Demi cried out as she placed a hand to her forehead to wipe that clammy sweat off. "Thank you Selena, so much." She kept thanking her, till Selena burst in.

"What was her first words?" Demi smiled. She thought she'd never ask.

"Demi. She said my name." Demi was so proud of the girl she had raised. The little petite girl with chubby cheeks and a butt chin was her pride and joy. Nobody in the entire world would ever be able to change that. She had been born from her womb, raised by her hand, and loved by her heart. And now, with Selena back, she didn't fear anything, just hoped the girl would be able to break down those walls the young Sergeant had up. And as she saw that sweet smile across Hayley's lips, she knew that everything could change, with just one bat of her lashes.

...xXx...

"Someone's at the door!" Demi was in the kitchen, preparing lunch, too busy to answer.

"I'm not your maid!" Dallas reminded as she answered the door. "Oh, Selena, hi." Demi stopped moving when she heard Selena's name. "What are you doing here?" Dallas tried to ask as politely as she could.

"I thought i'd just stop by, since I need to talk to Demi." Dallas moved over to Selena could enter, and muttered a cold 'she's in the kitchen'.

"When are you gunna start wearing casual clothes again?" Demi leaned against the counter, watching as the woman entered wearing a black uniform.

"I'm here to talk about Hayley Demi." Demi went straight back to peeling carrots.

"What about her?" She asked sharply.

"Have you told her that i'm also her mother?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Are you even prepared to take on the responsibilty of a child?" Demi whipped around and then shut the glass doors, sealing of the sound to anywhere else. "She's not some kind of challenge you have to beat me at. She's a human being, and my daughter, and i'm not going to leave her in your hands, just so you can win this pride problem you have."

"She's my daughter aswell and you know that! And i've had to miss out on so many memories, just could you didn't want to tell me you didn't have a miscarriage! I would have came straight back from Iraq as soon as possible, and been the mother I should have been. But you didn't let me, and that's why I will forever hate a part of you."

Now Demi realized just how bad of a person she had really been, and started to rush past Selena in tears. Selena hated her! How could they ever be a couple again, if Selena loathed her person. She went to grab the door but a robust hand stopped her.

"Demi-" Selena started. The tears streamed down the smaller girls cheeks, and she desperately tried to brush them away. "I didn't mean-"

"I'm so sorry." Demi repeated over and over until Selena pulled her into an embrace, quieting the woman.

"I don't hate you." Selena reassured. "I could never hate you."

"Why don't you just leave Selena?" Dallas interrupted when she saw her sister was crying, again. "She's been hurt enough."

Demi kept sniffling. She didn't want Selena to go, but the look on Dallas's face was too scary to go against.

"I'll be here next Saturday. I'd like to go out with Hayley and you." Demi nodded. "And i'll wear casual clothes." Selena added with a tiny smile. She placed her Sergeants cap under her arm, and gave a nod to both the girls before exiting.

"No." Was the first thing Dallas said. "Absolutely not. She is not coming back into your life and ruining it." Demi just went back to stirring the veggies in the pan.

"Oh my gosh, Demi, you can't be serious." The silence told her everything she needed to know. "You're an idiot!" Dallas couldn't believe that Demi was even contemplating the idea of being with Selena again. She was mad! "She's nothing but a fucken bitch!"

"Dallas, shut up! You don't know anything about our relationship!"

"Okay then, do what you want, just don't come to me when she breaks your heart again." The older sister just grabbed her bag and coat, and left Demi alone in the big apartment.

"Stupid sisters." Demi was interrupted by the sound of the fire alarm, and quickly rushed to the oven where all her vegetables were burnt to a crisp and making an abundance of smoke. "Fuck."

...xXx...

Knock Knock Knock

Selena waited patiently at the condo house. She thought she should at least honor Julie's wishes when she told her to take care of her wife, if she ever died that was.

"Sergeant Gomez? What are you doing here?" Francine sniffled out.

"I'm here to see if you would like to get some coffee, and talk or something." Francine wouldn't have gone out today, except for the fact that Sergeant Gomez was looking sincerely worried.

"Um, can I just clean up first?" She pushed her hands through her stringy hair and noted how greasy it had actually became.

"Of course."

"Okay, just come in and wait then, i'll be like ten minutes. Just have a seat." She waved her off and with a big push of effort, she went to get ready.

Selena didn't wanna sit, so quietly, she walked around the room, noting all the pictures of the couple. They had some in beach locations, some just lying on the grass, and others taken at a proffesional studio. They looked so happy... Why couldn't you have saved her?

Cause you're weak, that's why. You're nothing. You might as well be lying, face down, in your own blood. That's all your good for, hurting people.

Selena shook her head. The voice in head seemed to be picking up with it's self loathing lately; it had increased at least ten manifolds since she got home.

"Um, where do ya have in mind?" Francine came down the stairs in some clean clothes with bushy, towel dried hair. She looked plain, yet femine and beautiful Selena noted. Although she did have gaping dark circles under her eyes.

"Howabout a diner of some sort? I'm famished." Selena held open the door of her Jeep for Francine to hop in, and they started to chug along down the street.

"Burt's diner is good." Selena started to pull into the parking lot when she mentioned it. "Me and Julie used to come here every Sunday, before she left that is."

"We can go somewhere else if you want." She offered.

"No, we're here now." Francine and Selena sat in a secluded booth, and when the waitress asked, Sel ordered coffee, and Francine ordered just a water.

"Here's your drinks guys." She placed them down on the table before pulling out her notepad. "So what food can I get you guys?"

"I'll just have the mexican wrap with coleslaw." Selena passed her the menu and sat back comfortably.

"I'll have the same." Francine ordered aswell. Before the waitress had left, Selena took a gulp of her coffee, but when she tasted it, her eyes went wide. She waited until the waitress walked away to spit the brew back into the cup. Francine started chuckling at the look of distaste of the soldiers face.

"I thought you said it was good here." Selena whispered and pushed the cup away from her.

"I never said the coffee was." She snorted out quietly.

"It tastes like dirt." She argued and she tried to just swallow the rest of the flavor that remained on her tongue.

"You know what dirt tastes like Sergeant?" Francine teased.

"Yes, I do, and none of them have tasted as bad as that." She kept laughing at the soldier's reaction.

"That's the first time i've laughed in two weeks Sergeant."

Selena sat up properly to look over the worn out woman. She had lost weight since she had seen her at the airport, her hair was flatter, her eyes were almost like a haze, and her skin seemed to have paled.

"I should have checked up on you earlier, I just thought you needed time to mourn."

"It's not your responsibility to look after me Sergeant."

"Call me Selena."

"Look, Selena, you don't have to watch over me. I am a grown woman, I can take care of myself."

"I just want to help."

"And I think that's very honorable of you, but you don't have to be here." She went to leave, but Selena took her hand and brought her back down to sit.

"I want to be here." Francine got resituated in her seat and looked at how their hands were still connected. "There's no place i'd rather be." Tears started to fall from the womans eyes.

"How do you do it? How do you get over all the people you killed in Iraq? I can't stop seeing her face in my dreams- How long will it take to forget her Sergeant?" Sel reached over and took Francine's other hand.

"You'll never forget her... you'll just learn to live with it... the pain and the loss never leave... but in time, it doesn't hurt as much."

...xXx...

Selena walked her up to her door after their lunch, and went to bid her adieu.

"You're far too beautiful to let your hair cover your face." Francine pushed the hair out of Selena's eyes, and the gelled hair molded away from her face; she kept moving her hair out of the way till she could completely see all of the young soldiers features. Selena just stayed quiet and let this woman's tender fingers brush away all the strands of her hair; she enjoyed the contact. It felt sweet.

You're so gorgeous... Francine thought.

"I'd like to do this again, will you let me?" Selena questioned when she noticed Francine was looking kind of hazy.

"Of course. I enjoyed talking to you... Are you available next week?" She tried to shake her head from the thoughts of the brown eyed beauty.

"I'm available whenever you need me." Selena smiled and noticed how she could see easier now, instead of having to peer around chunks of her hair.

"Okay." Francine smiled. "Same time next week then?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Okay." Selena started to walk down the steps of the condo house with a tiny grin on her face. "Bye!" She heard the greeting and she turned around to wave before she hopped in her Jeep, and then started to drive away.

...xXx...

Ring Ring Ring!

"Hello." Demi answered the phone and continued to pick up after Hayley and her mess.

"Demi, you will not believe what I just saw." Dallas shouted through the phone.

"What was it Dallas?" Demi sighed out. Her stupid sister. Why she left her daughter alone with this complete retard, was a mystery to her.

"Selena was holding hands with some other woman at some freaken diner!" Demi just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah? And?"

"Well so I followed her for a while," Dallas explained. Demi just laughed at the typical Dallas. "And then she dropped her off at her house, and the girl was ALL over her!"

"Mhm, yeah, and how was she ALL over her Dallas? She give her a hug?"

"Demi, stopping mocking me! And jeez she was like rubbing her hands all over Selena's hair!"

"Yup, wow, so sexual Dallas." Demi was near to dropping her phone in the boiling saucepan.

"God Demi! Don't you just hate being the other woman?" At the sentence Demi nearly choked on the air she was breathing in.

"Dall, me and Selena aren't dating! I'm not the other woman! She can date as many women as she likes for all I care!"

"Yuh uh, okay, like I believe that. You are her are the perfect couple, like, you two belong together and the whole family knows it."

"Look, Dall, i've got to go, i'm cooking okay? I'll talk later." As Demi went to hang up she heard her sister shout out a last 'She still loves you!'. She leaned against the counter, taking deep breaths. That damn sister of hers.

"Mummy?" Hayley walked towards her stressed mother and tugged on her pant legs. "Mummy what's wrong?" Demi took another breath before bending down and hiking her daughter up to one of the high chairs.

"Hayley, mummy needs to explain something okay?"

"Okay." Hayley smiled sweetly and so innocently. Demi's heart soared at the little masterpiece she had brought up. She was such a wonder to Demi.

"You remember that woman that was here a few days ago?"

"Of course!" Hayley squealed out.

"Well, she is, well your other mother." Demi tried to explain.

"Another one?" Hayley gaped. "Is there a third?" She quizzed curiously.

Demi chuckled. "No Hayl's, but I just wanted to know that you might be getting to know her every once and a while. She would like to see you."

"Good! She can buy me a pony!" Hayley hopped down off the seat and started ranting on about what her 'second mother' would be able to buy her.

"Hayley, remember what I told you?" Demi sternly asked.

"Yes mummy! Always be nice to new people!" The little girl replied beamingly.

"No, the other one deary."

"Always wash my hands?" She unsurely asked.

"No. Love your mother, and in this case, mothers." A faint 'Gotcha' was heard and so Demi tapped her bum as she ran away and went back to cooking dinner.

There was nothing that was ever gunna stop the nervousness she felt when she look at Hayley these days. She knew that her and Selena were going to have an instaneous connection, just cause Hayley was so much like her. She was more daring than ever; facing off bees nests and boys that dared tried to pull her hair in the park. More than once Demi had to go down to daycare and pick up Hayley since she had hit one or more boys. The thought of losing Hayley cause she learned to love Selena more was the most terrible feat she would have to overcome. Her daughter wouldn't abandon her that quickly, would she? She at least hoped that Selena wouldn't buy her a shiny new barbie-doll, and Hayley would be lost in Selena land for the rest of her child-hood. And so she continued stirring the pot of pasta, worrying over every single detail, just stressing her out that much more.

...xXx...

"Hey." Selena whispered when Demi answered the door to her a few days later.

"Hiya." Demi opened the door wide and Selena slipped inside.

"I just umm, I wanted to know if I could spend the day here, y'know, with Hayley. I want to get to know her better."

"Of course. I completely understand." Demi took Selena's hoodie and hung it on the rack before leading her into the living room area. "And there's ma girl!" Demi shouted and Hayley started to giggle as she ran to her legs and buried herself in her mother's embrace. "Hayl's, this is Selena, your mum." Demi introduced and immediatly, Selena started to sweat. She hadn't even known that her daughter knew about her. "Be polite, go say hi." Demi pushed the young girl forward, but Hayley stopped; she motioned for her to bend down, and so Selena did.

"Hello mummy." Hayley whispered as she gave a tiny peck on her cheek to the soldier. She left Selena with tears in her eyes.

"She's wonderful." Selena commented happily.

"Yup." Demi smiled proudly. "She's the best daughter anyone could have."

"You've brought her up well." She noted.

Demi just nodded and watched how the tiny version of themselves jumped around happily.

"I like your hair today." Demi could finally see her face today, and boy did she ever love it.

"Thanks." Selena remember how Francine had slid the hair from her face so tenderly. The poor woman, losing her fiance. That could have been Selena, dead, if she weren't so lucky.

"Sel, I want you to do something okay?" And Selena just nodded her reply. "Don't get to know her, and become someone special in her life, and then leave back to Iraq, and break the poor girl's heart."

Now, that was something Selena didn't know what possible. She had already thought about relisting for another few years. It seemed like the only thing she could do. She was staying in a hotel till she could find a small apartment, she didn't have anything to do during the days, and she was just so bored all the time. Well, except when she was hanging out with Demi or Hayley... or Francine.

"Are you going back to Iraq?" Demi asked sharply, and even Hayley turned around at her mother's tone.

"Demi-" Selena started, but immediatly Demi cut her off.

"Upstairs Selena." Demi commanded, and Selena was powerless to walk out the room and follow her ex up the stairs. "I don't want you to be part of this family if you're just gunna go back and leave us all again."

"Demi, I think you're being kind of unfair."

"No Selena, i'm being reasonable. You're just gunna hurt her and me again."

"You can't stop me from spending time with my daughter."

"Watch me." Demi challenged.

"I will start a custody battle. Do you think Hayley would like to go through that?"

"Stop threatening that! I know you wouldn't ever hurt me like that!"

"Wanna bet?" Selena growled.

"Y'know what? You're a fucking jerk! No wonder I never told Hayley about you!"

"Stop it." Sel warned before her the anger in her started to boil.

"You would be a terrible mother! You're nothing but a fucken coward-"

Neither knew how it had happened, but in a flash of an eye, Selena slammed Demi up against the wall as hard as she could, and held her there. Demi started to tear in pain from how hard her back had hit the wall. The sound was even loud enough to stir Hayley from her games and make her start wandering the house in search of them.

"Sel-" Demi choaked out from behind Selena's arm; where it was pressed against her throat. "Please." Selena's eyes were firey angry, but at the sound of Demi's plea's, they softened.

"I didn't mean to." She whispered. "I'm so sorry, please, i'm sorry." Selena walked back from Demi, eyeing the bruises she had produced. "Demi, i'm-"

"Mummy?" Hayley asked out. Demi was still against the wall, holding her throat, covering the rising purple mark. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing babydolls, go and play with your toys." Demi watched as the little girl eyed her for a moment longer and slowly walked away. "Fuck you." The hurt woman spat. Selena stood with her head down, hands drooped by her side. Demi stomped forward and slapped her ex with all her might. Yes, she flinched, but it didn't do much to her. "I don't want you anywhere near her!"

Demi was so close to Selena; their bodies were brushing against one another as she shouted in her face furiously. Selena examined the way Demi's face was getting redder and hotter with each spiteful word. She watched the way Demi's lips were rushing to get their words out and stopped every once and a while to catch their breath. And through hooded eyes, she saw how Demi's chest was moving rapidly, and how her stance had change drastically. She couldn't stop thinking about how sexy she looked while she was so angry.

"Are you listening to me?" Demi shouted, and that was about as much as Selena could take, before once again she was pushing her up against the wall again... with her lips. Immediatly Selena noted how hot they were, probably from all her screaming and raging, but also noted the slick moisture on them. Demi, although shocked, couldn't deny this was what she wanted from the beginning, and so she wrapped her arms around Selena's neck. They parted lips yet when they pulled back Selena went straight for another scorching kiss. This time Demi's lips were partly opened, and so Selena slid her bumpy tongue into her awaiting mouth. Demi's hands nestled their way into the soldier's hair and pulled on tightly when her lover's hands desperately pulled them closer together. Demi's knees were on the edge of teetering.

Demi started to walk backward, pushing Selena along, and groping for the door handle. When she found it, she closed it with a click; and with that tiny sound, ripples of shivers fell down both their necks. They had now kissed so much their lips were sticky and dry. Selena's hands were still resting in the small of her back, yet slowly they creeped up and down her back, caressing the flesh. But Demi had bigger idea's. And so with slow hands she undid the buttons on her blouse, careful not to alert Selena, and with a daring move, undid the clasp on the front of her bra, and pushed the fabric off her body.

"Why are you trying to take your clothes off?" Selena asked huskily when she felt the clothes that had once been on Demi's back disappear. But when she opened her eyes and in front of her was a topless Demi gazing passionately back at her, her mind fell into over-drive. Demi's breasts had increased largely in size, and it only stirred the fire inside Selena's core. Her taut nipples ached to be touched by Selena's calloused hands, and the wet cavern that was her mouth. Selena's eyes flicked back between Demi's eyes and her chest. She knew she shouldn't do it. But she was selfish, and didn't want to deny herself the pleasure. The younger girl still had a firm, tight body, even after her kid, and she was more than happy to be showing it off to the one she loves.

"Selena." Demi whispered as she pulled on Selena's tie, slightly loosening it before moving down to pull Selena's tucked-in shirt out of the refines of her pants. "I love you." She admitted and stopped her ministrations. Demi pressed her body firmly against the soldiers, her breasts pushing onto Selena's as she started to undo the buckle of her pants.

Selena couldn't help herself anymore. She just needed Demi. She smashed their lips together and helped Demi unbuckle her pants. With a lusty need, Selena bent her head down and started to leave her mark all over Demi's neck, staining it with her love. Selena lifted a nervous hand and started to trail all over the sides of her lovers ribs, before cupping her right breast with shaky hands.

"Selena." Demi whispered again in a deep, raspy breath as Sel took her thumb and slid down her erect nipple tenderly. The soldier didn't want to wait any longer. With a desire so unbelievably strong, she couldn't stop herself from dipping her head down to taste the soft sweetness of Demi's nipple. "Oh god." She gasped out, and used to her hands to pull Selena closer to her, keeping her ministrations on her aching breasts. When Selena softly bit the hard peak with in her teeth Demi let out a loud moan. She had waited so long for Selena to do this to her, and she didn't care how loud she was gunna be.

"Mom?" Hayley had intruded on their moment, and was shocked to see Selena, her second mom, touching Demi, her first mom, in her private area's. Demi and Selena seperated instantly and tried to cover up as best as they could. "What was she doing to you?" Hayley was starting to place her teddy bear over her face, nervous about what she saw happening. Demi's face was bright red, not with anger, but frustration. Her whole body was scorching, each inch was on fire, but she couldn't do anything about it.

"Nothing baby, just go downstairs and play with your toys. We'll be down in a little while." Demi answered in a rush as she tried to get her daughter to exit the room as quick as possible.

"No, Demi, it's okay, i'll go." Selena tucked in her pants and found her tie that had been discarded on the floor. "I'll call you later." She added before ducking out the door.

"Are you okay?" Hayley asked softly. Demi wanted to scream 'NO!' but she couldn't of course. And that's right cause she wasn't okay; she had an ache that not even herself could fill right now. There was a pounding in every area of her body that wouldn't decrease for hours and she knew it.

"Of course. Now just go on downstairs, and i'll be down in a few." Hayley nodded and took off, taking the stairs in what seemed like two jumps. Demi had a shirt covering her chest and so after a few final moments of staring into space, and reimaganing the events that just happened, she was clothed and downstairs.

"Mom, what was she doing?" Hayley finally asked.

"Two people, who aren't family, that love each other do things like that." Demi tried to put in the most simplest words.

"So, you wanna do that stuff to her?" Hayley really had an impressive vocabulary and grasp on things, considering she was so young. Although Demi loved that her baby girl was smart, sometimes she knew things that Demi didn't want her to know.

"Yeah, I really do." Demi whispered quietly to herself.

...xXx...

"So you're fucking her?" Dallas quizzed as she drank her coffee.

"Dallas! Language!" Demi scolded and pointed to her daughter.

"What's fucking?" Hayley repeated curiously.

"When ya toss the salad kid." Dallas explained with a roll of her eyes.

"Dallas, seriously?"

"What's tossing the salad?" She asked again.

"When you have tight, hot, squeezing, passionate-"

"DALLAS!" Demi hit her over the back of the head with a growl. "You idiot!"

"It's when you eat pussy kid!" Dallas added before ducking away from Demi's swings.

"You're a dickhead." Demi certified. "A complete dickhead."

"Oh well." She shrugged carelessy.

"I wanna eat pussy!" Hayley started squealing out loud and both the women stopped and gaped at her.

"No! Baby don't ever say those words ever again okay?" Hayley gave her a cautious nod before running away once again. Demi just glared at her older sister. Could you imagine if Hayl's went and said that at her Daycare? She would be reported to Child Services!

"So, how was it? Is she better? Worse? Give me all the dirty details?" Dallas winked out. She loved gossip. It was simply the one thing she adored.

"We didn't have sex Dall."

"Oh please, look at your neck. Plus it's written all over your face. Tell me about it."

"Hayley walked in on us." Dallas just started at her for a while.

"No?"

"Yes. It was awful."

"And? Then what happened?"

"She left me horny, and she hasn't talked about it since." Dallas was still shocked, but she was intensely getting her fill from the gossip.

"How far did you two go?"

"Look, Dall, just don't." Demi pleaded as they walked around Toy's R Us, picking out new toys for the little monster.

"Fine, let's just pick out this toy and get outta here."

...xXx...

The young soldier just stood outside the building, the forms in her hands. She kept asking herself if she should re-enlist, but each time she came up with a blank. She could stay and have a friendship with Demi and see her daughter every once and a while or go back to Iraq and protect the country she loves by fighting evil. She loved Demi, but knew she could never have a romantic relationship with her. Demi lies were just too much for her to handle. She would never be able to get over the fact Demi didn't tell her she had a kid. And so, with that thought in her mind, she stepped into the building, and handed her forms in.

...xXx...

"Hey Hayley Bayley!" Selena shouted as she greeted her daughter. "How ya doing?" She picked up her daughter and held her on her hip.

"Hi mommy." Hayley kissed Selena's cheek and giggled quietly. Selena placed her down and watched as the young girl ran to her toys, hoping to show them off.

"How are you?" Selena asked as she sat down on the floor.

"I missed you." Hayley admitted as she pulled out a Buzz Lightyear Toy and started running around with it.

"Hey, Hayl's, come 'ere." Selena motioned and immediatly the girl sat down between her legs. "I've got to tell you something."

"Mhm." Hayley acknowledged as she played around with her toys.

"I might be going away for a while."

"Where are you going mom?" Selena pulled the toy away from her distracted daughter.

"Far away, but it's only for a little while, I promise."

"How long?"

Well, when you're five, i'll be back to see you." Selena could barely stop herself from crying.

"When i'm five?" Hayley asked. "That's so far away mom!"

"When she's five?" Demi had walked in a few seconds and heard most of the conversation. "Where the hell are you going?" Selena stood up and moved Hayley away from her.

"I'm going back to Iraq."

"You're leaving?" Selena nodded lightly. "You fucking bastard!" Hayley's head shot up in shock and Selena looked between the two. "You can't just leave! You can't just be a mother to her and then leave! And you certainly can't kiss me the way you did a few weeks ago, and then fuck off!"

"That was a huge mistake... I shouldn't have ever done that." Selena admitted sadly.

"You know as well as I do that you enjoyed it." Demi added before walking away upstairs. Selena curiously followed.

"All we seem to do is fight. Ever since I got back, we've never really talked, just screamed at each other."

"I know." Demi huffed. Selena heard their daughter bounding around downstairs, and coming up the stairs.

"Put her to bed, and then we'll talk." Demi nodded and put the little yawning monster away.

...xXx...

"Remember the first night of college?" Demi snorted out.

"Where we paid those girls so that they would trade, and we could room together? Yeah, I remember, cause it cost hundreds of bucks! They swallowed everything in my wallet." Selena reminisced before taking a sip of her wine.

"It was worth it!" Demi shouted. "We had sex for like every night in college." Selena's eyes started to close slightly. Just looking at Demi with her red, alcohol cheeks and her disarray hair made her feel weak. She put her glass down; she couldn't drink anymore. She was sure that she was too dizzy already. "You made me feel so special every single time we made love." Demi was so quiet now, almost inaudible. "I felt like the only girl in the world when you kissed me... kissing you was like a drug to me... it still is." She whispered.

Selena didn't hesitate to push Demi's wine glass from her hand and press her body against her's. She smashed her lips against Demi's passionately. All that was heard was the distant smash of the wine glass, heavy breathing, and Demi's moans as Selena's hands travelled down further...

...xXx...

"You're not actually leaving are you?" Demi whispered against Selena's strong forearm.

"Mmmmmm, don't spoil this moment." Selena kissed the girls bare neck and nipped at the skin. Selena laid on top of Demi with her arms underneath Demi's armpits.

"God your arms are huge." The girl on the bottom noted as she trailed her lips over them.

"Fighting a war takes a lot of work." Selena pulled the hair away from Demi's neck and continued kissing.

"Is it terrible over there?"

"Horrible really."

"Tell me about it."

"You wouldn't wanna know." She whispered and just leaned all her weight onto her lover, pressing her naked bodess into her.

"I do..."

Selena sighed deeply before hugging tight to Demi. "They have bombs all over the place, even in the ground, and our teams had to get them all out. Sometimes, when people died, nobody had any money to bury them so they just wrapped them in a cloth, and placed them on the side of the road."

"How could you even go there?" Demi rolled over. They were nestled into the plush rug with an oversized blanket keeping them warm.

"I wanted to. I wanted to go there and help our country win this war. I wanted to do something better with my life." Demi felt for her. Selena had been a mess before the military; just a naughty mischavious girl who could not stop getting in trouble. Now she was an orderly, clean young woman, but Demi wasn't sure if she liked it so much. She was so reserved, it was like she couldn't physically show her emotions.

"Well, now you have me and Hayley, are you still going back?" Demi rubbed up Selena's muscled arms and then went to play with the hair on her head. She wasn't sure if she liked it short, but it did look kind of cute.

"I might have no choice. I filed the forms a couple of weeks ago, and if they register me, i'm going." Selena sometimes hated how large her body actually was these days. Her arms were so big, they must have been at least twice as thick as Demi's; she even had a bit of trouble wrapping them around her lover. "I don't really want to go back now."

"Now what?"

"Now that i've got you in my arms." Selena admitted as she rolled them over so Demi was ontop of her. She leaned them up so Demi was sitting upon her waist while Selena lovingly placed kisses on her top half.

"Don't leave me Selly, i've just go you back after all of these years." Demi's eyes started stinging. "Please don't." Clawing desperately, she pulled her lover closer that ever before. "I love you so much." She sobbed out.

"I'm not leaving Demi, not anymore." Her lover's body seemed to have gotten colder all of a sudden so she rewrapped her in the blankets and rolled her back into the carpet. "We'll figure this out."

"But how?" Demi asked from behind all the blankets covering her mouth.

...xXx...

"Okay, only come in if I call you. I'll be a few minutes." Selena promised as she jumped out the car. Proceeding, she snuck up to the dark building she had entered the forms into. She scoped out the area and when she realized she had to break in, she smashed a window with her forearm. Demi watched in terror as her soldier entered the building; her heart would smash out her chest soon. Every second seemed like an eternity to both of them. Selena rushed around, searching for the papers as she tried to avoid tripping the alarm system. Demi was still sat in the car chanting 'Selena, hurry up, please'.

Selena looked over some files, but it was apparant her's was gone. She had already been registed.

"Fuck!" In her anger she kicked over a garbage can. And in that second, a large red light starting flashing.

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!" A voice repeated and she started to panic. Demi jumped out the car and rushed to the building in pure fright. Selena burst through the closed door and grabbed a hold of Demi's hand.

"RUN!" Demi screeched as they booked it to Selena's jeep. "FUCK!" The tumbled in and Sel started to drive away. Their hearts were racing, pounding almost as they drove away in silence, only heaving breathing was heard. Suddenly they burst out laughing.

"I can't believe that just happened!" Demi chuckled out.

"Me too! That was so funny!" Selena turned the corner to a local diner spot they had been to as teenagers.

"I thought we were so screwed when that alarm when off!" They hopped out the car and held hands all the way to the door. When they had got comfy and ordered Selena felt like sharing her feelings. They just had to talk, they HAD to. There was so many things they had to clear up.

"I feel like a teenager again, being with you I mean. And I know that it may sound childish, or at least cheesy, but being with you makes me happier than i've been since I came back."

"I've never felt happier aswell." Demi acknowledged before leaning over and stealing a kiss from her lips. "Let's run away." She pleaded against Selena's lips. "We can take our daughter and get away from all of this."

"What do you mean?" Her girlfriend asked as she played with the hair at the nape of her neck.

"Before they call you back to the army we can be gone, and be together forever somewhere, with Hayley. It'll be great Sel just think about it! We could go to Europe, or oh what about Canada?"

"Demi..." Selena was only purely confused. "What are you thinking?"

"I was thinking that we could spend the rest of our lives together..." Demi watched how Selena sat further and further away from her, crouching away almost. "What are you thinking?"

"Maybe I should just go back for a while..."

Demi was left speechless, staring straight at her face. Finally, after so much, they had got together, and now it was over again. The sight of Selena was once again making her sick to her stomach. Not only did she feel physically ill, but she had a tightness in her chest she knew to be her heartbreaking once again. She started to chew on the inside of her top lip as she took in the news. Her jaw clenched and kept shaking as she cracked her knuckles.

"Well?" Selena questioned as she looked at the seriously angry woman in front of her.

"I should have expected this." Demi's chest broke and it nearly collapsed. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the table and stood up.

"Demi, it'll only be for a short while." She tried to explain as she pulled her lover back.

"Y'know what? Go back Selena, go back to Iraq and fucking die there!" Demi ripped her arm away from Selena's and trudged out the door, a sharp pain grasped at her chest as she picked up the pace. Soon she was running, just plain running from her past, or rather Selena and their history. She didn't stop when people looked at her, or attempted to talk to her, she couldn't stop. And even when she had reached her house, she didn't even slow. Sure, her daughter was inside, all alone, probably crying out for her missing mother, but that was how it was going to be, just for now at least. Her body ached for her just to rest and catch her breath but she knew if she did Selena would catch up to her. Little did she know, Selena wasn't chasing her. In fact Selena was still standing in the same spot Demi had left her in; shocked and hurt.

Dallas had rushed to the door of Demi's house and used her key to get in. Hayley had called her up crying that Demi was once again missing in action. The almost four year old was hid under a blanket in the corner of the living room, wailing and shaking. Immediatly Dallas threw her arms around the young toddler and embraced her lovingly. As the young one kept sniffling into her hair she took in the scene of the empty wine bottles, broken glasses, and the disarrayed couch.

Selena must have been here... she figured.

"Let's go to my place okay? Aunt Dallas will take care of you." She jotted down a quick note before leaving with the crying girl in her arms.

...xXx...

Selena waited patiently as Francine's door. This was just one of the errands she had to run today. Last night was the stupidest thing she had ever done. Demi was missing, Hayley was scared for hours, and Dallas, well she was fuming. After a few more knocks Francine finally answer, and straight away smiled brightly at the soldier.

"Oh Selena, please come in." Francine started grooming herself, pulling her hair out of the ponytail and began shooshing her hair up, trying to look more attractive. Truth be told Francine had seen Selena outside and in the quickest time possible, pulled on some more flattering clothes. She liked Selena, probably alot more than she should for someone who had just lost their fiance, but it was hard not to like the caring, sensitive, and extremely attractive woman. "Can I get you some coffee?" She noted how abnormally quiet Sel was today; something was up.

"Um, sure, why not." Selena nodded. In her mind she knew she shouldn't have looked at Francine's backside as she walked away, but it was hard not to; she felt dirty after she had done it. It just hit Selena what Francine had been wearing; a thin, flimsy robe that wasn't exactly thick enough to cover anything. Selena peeked her head around the corner to see Francine. There was no bra, and it was so obvious since her nipples were poking at the fabric, and down below...

Nope, no underwear... Selena realized as she turned away as quick as she could and leaned against the wall. I have to leave...

Francine was in nerves. She planned to seduce Selena, and was rapidly realizing it wasn't going to work. So now, she just looked ridicolous in nothing but a flimsy robe at three o'clock in the afternoon.

I should at least try... Francine figured and so slowly she pulled open the top of the robe a little bit to show more delectable skin. She's worth it...

Turning the corner to the living room with the cups of the coffee, she didn't notice Selena stood right behind the wall.

"Shit!" She shouted as the coffee poured over the floor and splashed onto her shirt. Luckily, it wasn't that hot. "What are you doing there?" Francine asked as she looked at the ruined carpet.

"I don't really know... I'm so sorry, let me clean this up." Selena insisted as she looked at the soiled carpet, but was stopped as she looked at the robe Francine was wearing, and how see-through it suddenly seemed from becoming drenched. Her breath caught in her throat and she started coughing, choking more like, on nothing but thin air. When she finally caught her breath once again Francine was looking at her weirdly, wondering what had just happened, and what caused her random coughing fit.

"You okay?" She quizzed and placed the empty coffee cup down on the table.

"Perfectly fine." Selena squeaked and tried to avoid the image of Francine's firm, round breasts that was scorched into her skull. She took deep breaths to calm her aching limbs. "Peachy actually." Selena admitted untruthfully as she made her way to the opposite side of the table; desperately needing space between her and the semi-naked woman in the room. Her throat was extremely tight and pulsing right about now, as was her-

"Can I get you another coffee? I'm sorry about the last one." Francine asked kindly.

"Um, no, I think I should be going actually." Selena headed straight for the door but a nimble hand stopped her on her way out.

"One cup?" Francine begged.

"One cup." Selena agreed, and cursed herself when Francine skipped away in her skimpy little outfit.

...xXx...

"We should stop." Selena mumbled through her out of breath voice. Francine was sitting upon the table, nightgown pushed aside so Selena could rest in between her bare legs. Francine was completely naked, and open in front of Selena; her most private area's on show for the soldier. Her knees were resting on the dining room table, her core exposed to Selena's hungry eyes. Selena was rubbing herself onto Francine's open core which caused her moan exceptionally loud.

"No, please don't." Francine begged and completely shrugged off the nightgown. Her slim legs circled around Selena's waist and pulled her in, core to core.

"It's not right." Selena noted as she tried to pry away from the naked woman.

"It feels perfectly right." Francine replied as she unbuttoned Selena's pants and shrugged them down. "You know it does." She whispered and Selena couldn't help herself. Selena let Francine get off the table and kneel in front of her.

She knew it wasn't right. She just knew it in every part of her aching body that she shouldn't be doing what they were doing. But her animalistic side took over when she felt pleasure ripple through her and suddenly instead of pushing herself away, she was pushing forward. Her hands grasped Francine's hair and held her close, deseperate for the dire release she needed craved for.

Selena let out a loud moan that startled Francine. Selena was enjoying something she was the cause of. She smirked largely as she continued swirling her tongue around and around Selena's bodice. Francine paid attention to how loud Selena was getting, and how much tighter she kept pulling them together, until she knew the woman was about to climax. That's when she stopped.

"No, don't stop." Selena gasped out, sweat dripping from her forehead.

"Come with me." Francine whispered and guided the soldier up the stairs and into her bedroom. Sel followed blindly, led by the pure pulse in her core. Francine pushed her on the bed and followed closely behind. "I'll make you feel like you've never felt before." Francine teased before continuing her ministrations below. Selena started moaning again as she was pushed further and further over the edge, time and time again...

...xXx...

Selena nearly ran onto the military plane when the gates had opened. She had called up her previous officer and did everything but beg for him to come and pick her up. She needed nothing except for to get away. Her life had always consisted of this; getting attatched and then running away. So now she sat in the rumbling airplane as it droned through the air, taking her once again to her disaterous destination.

...xXx...

Demi had somewhat been a zombie after Selena left once again. She was just going through her daily motions without actually feeling anything, and she had been that way for months. Hayley wanted to know what was up with her mum, and why she wasn't like normal, why she wasn't as playful or loving as normal, but she didn't ask. She felt like she knew not to. Dallas even took her four out of the seven days of the week just so Hayley was having play time, and so Demi could be in peace for a little while each day.

"Where's Selena?" Hayley quizzed her mother one day. "I miss my second mummy." She admitted as she played with her toy truck, pushing it back and forth along the floor. Demi was left to stare wide eyed at the floor in pain, her lip quivering in agony. She left calmly and grabbed the phone.

"Dallas, she said her name." Demi reported before she backed into the corner of the room and slid down onto the floor. A huge sigh was heard before her reply.

"I'll be right there sis." Dallas was near to combustion with all of Selena's shananigans and how they left her baby sister. Demi was not an eighth of the girl she used to be since Selena. So now she drove recklessly fast to get to Demi's apartment, desperately trying to reach out to her. It was time for her to move on before something bad happened.

...xXx...

Selena stealth-walked around the corner, her gun raised to her eye-level, her finger on the trigger of the assualt rifle. She had been back for six months now, and although she was extremely lonely, she felt fine. The soldier just diverged herself so much into work that she was too busy to even be thinking about Selena or Francine. And so now she worked her way through another mission. She had been called out after a gun disturbance had been reported in one of their stations neighborhood; her and her crew were split up and ordered to clear the building and secure it for reinspection.

"I'll give you the go-ahead." Mathews acknowledged and turned the corner as he continued to scope out the area. Selena waited and kept fanning out the area. Something just didn't seem right.

"Mathews, state your location." Selena ordered into her radio. Only fuzz was replied. She held her gun tighter to her body as she tried her reciever again. "Mathews, god damnit where are you?" She whisper shouted. In the far background she heard the omninous popping of gunfire and explosions. "Oh for fucks sake." Her heart was in overdrive. She started to continue along the wall as quietly as she could before she heard another gun shot, this time louder, obviously closer, and immediatly she was panicking. She took deeper breaths to calm herself, but it only ended up making her dizzy. Everything she saw now was different, like it all had changed from practice to the real life thing in a heartbeat.

"Gomez... requesting... backup... shots... fired... people... down..." Selena heard heavily through the static on her radio. She started to rush through the building now, her team members were more important that anything. The sergeant bolted across the empty barracks and kept running through the empty parking lot before something hit her like a wall.

It made her stagger back, her legs like solid rock and her lungs felt like two heavy weights crammed down her chest. Selena's hand wasn't as strong as it was a few seconds ago, and so it let go of the overbearing gun it held. Oddly, her mind felt strangely clear. The sky was just a clear royal blue, and the clouds shapeless yet creamy. She thought it was beautiful. A light breeze travelled around her face and cooled the dirty sweat painting her visage.

A plume of red mist clouded her vision when she tried to speak. It made her stomach churn as she tried to cry desperately for help; yet no words escaped her bloodened lips. Her legs gave out, she rested on her knees staring at the ground, laboring breaths and gaspy spurts were heard. She felt tired, her eyes drooping like she was about to fall asleep. She rolled over and let herself fall onto her back as she gazed up into the sky; the sun nearly blinding her it shone so magnificently. There was only two things on her mind... a set of cherry red, plump lips... and a pair of alluring brown eyes...

...xXx...

The chopper was called. It thundered away into the sunset as the soldiers all hoped and prayed for the young woman inside. They had found Selena a few minutes after she was shot down and immediatly rushed to her aid. One gun shot to her leg and another to her mid gut. The medics rushed, pushing fluids in, and others out. They had her hooked up within minutes, and now all they could do was hope that the helicopter got to a hospital in time.

"She'll make it." Mathews commented as they all stood around drearily. "She has too." He added, remembering how Selena had told him she had a kid back home.

Selena lay unconscious in the medi-vac, the motion of the flight shaking her from side to side as they all held the soldiers hand.

"I hope she makes it." One of them commented as he squeezed her hand tighter. "I really really do."

"Why do you care so much?" Another one asked.

"She's got a kid." The first one explained as he pulled out the picture of her and a little girl sitting happily at the park, both girls eyes twinkling in the sun as they rolled in the grass.

...xXx...

Selena lay in the white hospital bed, in a white room, with all white appliances. Francine swore that if she woke up right now, Selena would think she's in heaven. Francine had sat by Selena night and day for a week now, awaiting the moment where the injured woman would open her eyes and tell her she loves her; it didn't happen. Selena hadn't even fluttered her eyelids, nor even twitched her hand. There was no sign of life, and it didn't seem like it was going to change anytime soon either. Her stringy hair cascaded around her face and her skin seemed to have started to sweat and oil. In other words, she was starting to look awful. Francine kissed her hand as she got up to leave as visiting hours were now over, but came to a halt as she saw another black haired woman staring through the door window. This woman quickly dodged away and was out of sight before Francine could even walk towards the door. Francine started running after the woman, chasing the dark haired flash.

"Hey! Hey stop!" She protested. The nursed watched the scene, but didn't even bother to do anything; they had seen worse. She followed her until they collided outside, tumbling straight down onto the ground covered in fresh snow.

"Get off of me!" Demi snapped as Francine held her down. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Who are you?" Francine scrambled to keep her hold on the older woman in the icy snow, her fingers already red and weak. "How do you know Selena?"

"Stop it!" Demi wrestled her way out and sat back in exhaustion.

"Who are you?" Francine asked. Their clothes were wet with the snow and so was their hair.

"I'm Selena's ex." Demi admitted as she got up and pulled open a car door to where Hayley was resting, the teddy bear Sel gave her in her lap. "And that's her daughter, Hayley." Demi started to pull off her jacket to find new dry clothes. "And you are?" Demi growled.

"You met me at the airport..." Francine tried wiping the wet snow from her clothes. "Selena was helping me get through the loss of my fiance."

"Helping you how?" Demi's eyes narrowed. Francine just gave a guilty look and Demi scoffed.

"Great." Demi picked up her sleeping daughter and trudged back into the hospital. Just hearing that Selena was sleeping with someone else angered her. In fact, she wanted to go back and hit that woman with a brick. She didn't even wanna be here anymore. This would be the first time Demi was going to go see her since she had been relocated to the hospital. She had known about it for a while now, just didn't feel like going to see her. But Demi had only heard that Selena had been injured and was recovering at the St. Marks Infermery. She wasn't informed that Selena had been unconcious since the shooting. She didn't know how awful the situation was and how much Selena had truly lost in the shooting. No, she didn't expect how broken the young woman looked in her hospital bed, how lost, how miserable, how heartbroken.

...xXx...

Demi had been stood in the same spot for a long few moments. Her lips quivered and her eyes shook with distain. How could she even be thinking about hurting this already shattered woman? Demi shook her head as she crossed the room and pulled over a chair, letting an already sleeping Hayley lie on top of her. She wiped off the oily sweat that had broke across her face; she felt how rough the texture of her skin was lately. As she brought her hand up to Selena's she also realized how many cuts and bruises were covering her own hand; she was clumsy, she couldn't focus on anything other than Selena. Demi kissed Selena's hand, the wet moisture clinging to her skin. She let out a sigh and placed Sel's hand back onto her lap.

The dair haired girl noted that Sel wasn't gunna be waking up anytime soon, so she leaned her head against the wall, and shifted around, trying to get comfortable with her ponytail in the way. Her back was aching in her current position, but Hayley was a light sleeper, so she just leaned back further and tried to get comfy...

...xXx...

"Excuse me?" Demi started to wake, stirring to the nurses voice. "I'm sorry miss, but who are you?"

"I'm her-" Demi tried to explain groggily. Her eyelids were stuck together and her back panged in agony. Her neck and shoulders didn't feel so good either.

"If you're not family, I have to ask you to leave."

"No, it's okay, i'm her fiance." Demi lied and sat up. She hadn't eaten in ages; she felt like she was gunna puke she was so famished.

"Oh, you must be Demi." The nurse smiled as she started to roll up Selena's blankets, preparing to replace her bandages.

"How do you know that?" Demi lifted her baby girl up and let her snuggle into the chair while she walked over to her lover's body.

"She has a tattoo, well had a tattoo." The nurse lifted up a bandage on Selena's body so Demi leaned over, catching a glimpse of a beautifully cursive name. Her name, with a bloody, sewed up bullet hole slap dap in the middle. "She'll wake up, don't worry."

"How do you know?" Demi cringed away from the injury sight.

"I've seen people in way worse positions wake up. You just have to be patient with this one. It's not just her bullet wound that's healing right now, it's her heart aswell."

"Whats wrong with her heart?"

"Has no one notified you of what happened to her?" Demi hesitantly shook her head. "She was shot out in the field, but when she was being treated, her heart when into shock, it took a lot of damage, it ripped in many places. She was really lucky." The nurse then let herself out, leaving Demi to stare at her lover.

"Why did you do this? Why did you even go back there?" Demi wiped the oil from her face and shook her head once again.

"Did mom wake up?" Hayley sniffled out as she woke from her restless slumber.

"No, honey, but she will soon."

...xXx...

Mandy and Ricardo regretably sat in Selena's hospital room. They twiddled their fingers, played crosswords, anything to keep their eyes away from Selena. They couldn't look at her. They had sat their for days.

"I can't do this anymore." Mandy threw her arms up and she got up from her chair. "She isn't gunna wake up. Just pull the plug!"

"Mandy, how can you even say that? Selena's our daughter!"

"I don't care anymore Rick! She isn't the girl I raised her to be! She isn't gay, she wasn't supposed to go in the Army, and she most definitely wasn't supposed to go run off with that Demi girl and fall in love! They don't belong together, and we can't keep encouraging this type of sin one second longer!"

Selena had been awake for a good five minutes by now, she had heard all what they had to say about her. She never knew it would hurt so much to hear what her parents truly thought about her. They were disgusted by her.

"Mandy, Selena is still the respectable, honorable, caring girl that we raised. She enlisted in the Army to fight for her country, that takes a lot of bravery. And so what if she wants to be with Demi? You know they're meant to be, you can see the way they look at each other, and then Hayley loves both of them! Selena didn't fall in love with Demi to piss you off, she just fell for a woman that made her happier than anyone else ever could. She just followed her heart, something you taught her to do all her life. Now i'm sorry, but i'm gunna sit here, and spend thousands of dollars so I can see that little girl we raised wake up, marry Demi, take care of her kid, have grandkids, and be the amazing person I know she is."

Mandy was slumped into her plastic chair and started to pray...

She prayed that her baby girl would wake up, that she's healthy, and she can live a full, exciting life with the love of her life, Demi.

Little did they know, Selena just closed her eyes, the stress pounding in her heart and head... she passed out and fell into the darkness once again.

...xXx...

"I don't mean to sound evil here Selena, but if you don't wake up in the next five minutes I will get onto your bed and stomp on your heart." Demi threatened to the empty life lying in the bed. "Its been too long, even the doctors don't think your gunna wake up. But, I don't care what they said, I know your gunna wake up for me and Hayley and were gunna kiss and make up and everythings gunna be fine. Or I guess, thats just what i'm hoping. But I mean it, the second you're healed and you're out of the bed i'm gunna kick your ass so hard they're gunna have to reinstate you back into the hospital... How could you leave me like this? Can you just live... for me...? So that I can spend the rest of my life apologizing to you and appreciating you the way I should have?" Demi burst into tears. These past few weeks had been hard. Hayley had been acting up and even Selena's mom had called her up and given her an earfull. Demi rested her head on Selena's arm as she wept from the stress.

Groggily, an impaired Selena stirred, stricken by pain. There was a pressure in her chest, and if she could she would have been grasping at her chest, trying to breathe. But her hands were pinned to her side, one with the weight of her weakness, and one by a clump of hair...

"What the..." Selena mumbled out.

Demi's head shot up, and brown eyes met brown.

"Your awake..." Demi breathed out. "Your... it's you... your you..."

"Demi..." Selena spoke roughly. Demi waited for the words declaring love and passion. They didn't come. "You pulled out my IV." Demi's heart strings pulled, but still she just nodded and tried to hide her gathering tears.

"I'll get the nurse." She reached over to press the red call button, but a pale hand stopped her.

"No...stop." Selena whispered before Demi could push it. They looked at each other, gazes burning through with passion. They both started to fill with butterflies."Demi... you're the only medicine I need."

...xXx...

Selena limped through the hallways of the new house she was about to move into. The Victorian style masterpiece was her dream. Of course, it needed some fixing, but Iraq wasn't going to be in the way. She was stuck here now, she would have time to make it perfect. She slid out the back door and down the small steps to the back yard. It hummed with life, the birds chirped and the bugs buzzed around. The grass was full and lush, it needed a trim. The fence needed some attention, and obviously a new coat of paint. The broken waterfountain centerpiece would need a whole new stone statue in the middle, and it too needed a good sprucing. The patio needed new stones, a new set of lawn chair and a table, the pool needed cleaning, they needed to pull weeds. The list was extensive. It was just what she needed to keep her attention away from the recovery that seemed to never end. She was almost there, seven months later, and she was almost back to her old self.

"Don't even think of starting the back yard just yet honey." Her pregnant fiance called from the back door. "We have to fix the inside first."

Selena smirked and turned to admire her glowing fiance. Radiant as always, and more and more gorgeous each and every day. Demi seemed to shine with her pregnancy. If it was possible, it made Selena love her even more.

"I need a clean and functional backyard." Selena laughed out as she looked at the huge expanse of land they now owned. Ten acres was a start.

"We need a functional bedroom first." The brunette reminded as she rubbed over her swollen belly, calming the butterflies that erupted inside. "Plus you can't start a job as big as this, you're not full-"

"Fully recovered yet I know, you won't let me forget." Selena kissed her cheek and pushed past her lover.

"I only keep reminding you cause you seem to forget." She smugly responded.

"Belive me, I never forget." Selena whispered as she massaged out the cramp in her side, she still ached every day.

"You know what this house needs?" Demi pondered out loud.

"Oh no, what now?" Selena cringed as she flopped onto their new couches. Demi had picked everything for the house. Every single item. Selena just blamed her bossyness of her horomones from her pregnancy, but she knew deep down, Demi needed everything to be perfect for them. This was the starting of the rest of their lives.

"A dog." She laughed as she opened the front door and in came bursting a Great Dane puppy with Dallas. Full of spunk and energy the mini beast catapulted itself around the room, rummaging through everything it could possible explore. Selena welcomed Dallas in and they spent the night in the make shift beds with everyone curled up together. Hayley took an immediate liking to the new pet and harrassed the poor dog for hours. In the middle of the night Selena uncurled herself from Demi's sleeping form and went to the kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge. She opened her painkiller bottle and took out two. No, the pain hadn't fullen gone away. She had recovered, but she would never be deemed fit to fight in Iraq ever again.

"More pain?" Demi asked as she wandered out to Selena.

"Just a little, I lifted a heavy box today and it put my back out."

"Liar." Demi snapped as she pulled the pill bottle from her fiance's pocket.

"I'm fine babe, it happens."

"How fine are you?" Demi whispered and gave her a knowing glance.

"I could run a marathon." Selena answered confusedly.

"Then how about we take our blankets upstairs, and run a marathon together?" Demi teased as she pulled Selena closer. Selena couldn't get past her beauty. Her ruffled hair and her white lacy long shirt that seemed to fall in the right places. The moonlight shone through the kitchen windows and fall upon Demi. It illuminated her pale face and light her up like the moon. A goddess. That's what she was. A goddess. An angel. Her beauty was manifested among the gods. How could she say no to her soulmate?

"I'd love too." Selena smiled. They grabbed their blankets and quietly nestled down in the blankets in their new unfurnished master suite.

"Selena, I love you more than life. If you hadn't of woken up, I don't know what I would have done. I need you to breathe, I need you to survive. Everyday I need to wake and see your beautiful face right beside me for the rest of my life." Demi started to tear.

"Babe, here we are, we made it through everything that was thrown at us. We're about to start a life together, with an amazing daughter, a loving family, and a little baby on the way. I'm not about to leave in any way shape or form. I'm here to stay till death do us part. I promise." Selena vowed to Demi.

And so, they made love and comforted each other until they fell asleep in the comforting eyes of the angels that made them for each other. They were soulmates. They belonged together. Nothing could ever split them up. Nothing could tear them apart. They had found their other half in each other. Every day was brand new but so familiar. Selena would move mountains for Demi, and she knew it was reciprocated. They were in love, and it was gunna stay that way.

So as she lay in the arms of her beautiful and passionate lover, whom was carrying her precious child, she praised herself on the idea she had about five years ago in the sands of the Iraq desert, that it was time to come home, and stay home.

... The End...

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