"Hey, smile guys. It's not like I'm dying," Finn teased, trying to lighten the mood a little bit as he tugged at the cuff of his army fatigues nervously.
"Don't you dare joke about that, Finn Hudson," Kurt snapped, turning his back on Finn and burying his head into Blaine's shoulder. Blaine shot an apologetic look at Finn while rubbing his hands up and down Kurt's spine.
Finn understood though, at least as far as Rachel had explained it to him. Kurt was worried about him and showed his concern by being snappy and irritable. The last week had been nearly unbearable, with Kurt harping on him at every turn. Blaine tried to rein him in when he was around, but then Blaine got yelled at because he didn't have a 'big idiot brother who is going off to get himself killed'.
"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just… I'm just going to miss you so much." It broke Finn's heart to look at his mom, her eyes red and shiny, trying to hold back her tears and put on a brave face for him. Carole's lips were pulled into a trembling smile as she tried to humour her son and her fingers fidgeted with the tissue she was holding. The Hudson men were brave, she'd give them that, but Carole already lost one man to the ravages of war; she did not want to lose another. But she could see in her son the same trait that made her fall in love with his father; his need to be a part of something bigger than himself to make the world a better place.
"I'll be back in six months, mom." Nobody voiced the fact that not every person leaving on that plane would be coming back alive.
"I know. I'm just so proud of you." The dam broke, and salty tears streaked down Carole's face. "Your… your father would be proud of you too."
"Mom..." Finn's voice cracked, and he wrapped his long arms around her, pressing a kiss into her forehead. "I love you." Burt came up beside them and Finn held out one arm, drawing him into the hug as well.
"You're a good man, Finn, and I feel honoured that I can call you my son."
"Thanks, Burt."
When they pulled away, Rachel moved up to Finn, tears already making silent tracks down her face. Finn leaned down and she threw her arms around his neck, bringing their lips together for a desperate kiss. She moved her lips to his ear, laying a kiss just in front of it. "Come back to me," she said, her normally verbose manner lost in the depths of her breaking heart. "Swear you'll come back to me."
"I swear. I love you, Rachel."
"I love you, Finn."
Puck came up behind Finn, looking for all the world like he had been born to wear army fatigues and carry a gun. "Quit being such a big baby, Finnessa." While his words were harsh, even Puck's eyes were a little misty, although he would vehemently deny it. Finn pulled back from his embrace with Rachel, to stand beside Puck, and Rachel moved to stand beside Carole.
Out of nowhere, a red-eyed Kurt whirled around, detaching himself from Blaine, who was now sporting a large wet spot on the shoulder of his shirt. "Noah Puckerman, I am holding you personally responsible for this idiot's safety. If anything happens to him, I promise I will hunt you down."
"Don't you worry your sweet little head, Princess. Lucky for you I own at COD, so this'll be a piece of cake. I'll take care of my boy."
"Don't worry? That's easy for you to say. This isn't some stupid video game with save points where you can just re-spawn if you get shot. This is real life and—"
"Kurt." Kurt stopped talking, if only due to the shock factor of hearing Puck say his first name. "I know. I swear to you, I will bring the doofus back in one piece." In a move that shocked everyone, Puck wrapped his arms around Kurt's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. Bringing his mouth close to Kurt's ear, he whispered low enough for only Kurt to hear. "I'll miss you all too, but if you tell anyone I said that, I'll hunt you down."
Kurt wrapped his arms around Puck's waist and squeezed back. "You should probably try to keep yourself alive too," he mumbled, then pulled away and looked down at his feet until Puck gently shoved him towards his brother.
"Kurt, look, I know you're mad at me—"
"I'm not mad at you. I'm not." He took a deep breath and met Finn's eyes. "I just don't want to lose you Finn. You… you're a really great brother and I can't… I just can't lose someone I love again. There. I said it. I love you Finn."
"I love you too, buddy." The boys embraced, and Carole and Burt held each other as their boys said their goodbyes.
Puck walked over to where Blaine was standing and threw an arm over his shoulder. "I know I don't have to tell you this, but take care of them, okay? Not just Kurt," he said, nodding towards Burt, Carole, and Rachel, "all of them."
"Of course."
"And as far as Kurt goes," Puck grinned, "I find the best way to get someone's mind off of something is sex. Lots of it."
"Yet another gem of wisdom from the brilliant Puckzilla." They laughed, and Blaine slapped Puck on the back. "Take care, Noah."
"I will. See you, dude."
Over Kurt's head, still pressed into Finn's chest, Blaine and Finn made eye contact, and the taller teen held his fist out. Blaine pressed his knuckles into Finn's, and no words needed to be said. They said it all in their look; Blaine promised to take care of Kurt, and Finn promised to come back alive. Blaine wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist as Finn pulled away, and they watched as Rachel went in for one more desperate kiss before the two army men turned and walked away.
Kurt looked around the room, at the last of the family member saying goodbye to their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. An army woman holding a little girl in her arms with a slightly older boy clinging to her leg and a man touching both children's heads, all with tears in their eyes. A mother waving goodbye to three similar looking young men. One man in fatigues kneeling at his wife's feet, pressing a kiss into her very pregnant belly. The sadness and fear in the room was palpable, and Kurt wondered, with a heavy heart, when they could stop sending their loved ones off to die for peace. When people would learn how to get along. When would it all end?
oOo
So, my dad is in the Canadian military, so I've been in this situation before. It's not fun. The title is stolen from the Dixie Chicks song, which made me cry every time I heard it while my dad was in Afghanistan. This story is dedicated to all of the brave soldiers who fight for peace, and their families. If you are not willing to stand behind our soldiers, feel free to stand in front of them. *climbs down from soap box*
oOo