Hello WSS fandom! Haven't seen you in awhile! Anyways, this story was inspired by a letter Major Sullivan Ballou wrote to his wife, Sarah, before he was killed in the Battle of Bull Run during the Civil war in 1861. The letter is absolutley beautiful and part of it is on my profile if you care to read it. Shoutouts to lovelylittleflowerchild just because she's awesome! Thank you all!

I do not own West Side Story.

My Anita-

I left you tonight feeling like I was dancing twelve feet in the air; higher than ever. I came here with my men, my boys, ready to fight a war that I should have known can never be won. Wars are never won, Anita, there are too many lives taken away for any war to be won. I know that now.

But, it's too late now.

I had come here tonight to finish this, finish everything. I had come here tonight to make this place a safer place.

All for you.

You must understand that. This, by no means was a battle fought for myself or for anyone else but you.

I pray that this is over and done with. I pray that my final task has not gone undone. I pray that now, you can walk around unafraid of being taunted by those white boys.

I pray that God is gracious and I pray he will grant me this one last prayer.

I owe it to you, to my sister, my boys, to any other Latino who has ever been spat on by an Americano. I owe it to all of you.

Anita, I know I promised you over and over again that I would be careful. I know I told you over and over again not to worry; that I would be fine. But here, I see in my final moments, the thing that I feel I have not told you enough; I love you.

Anita, I love you.

More than anything else in this godforsaken world.

Lying here, dying, I can hear people screaming around me. I can hear chains and whips and fists colliding with flesh and I do not want to hear it anymore.

All I want, Anita, is to hear your voice, feel your warm hand in mine, see your beautiful face, just one more time.

It is the one thing I cannot have.

My beautiful Anita, please do not mourn me. Do not cry for me. Do not hate those who did this to me. Hate gets you nowhere. It is God's will that what happened happened. And, as much as I wish it does not happen. It is God's will.

But please, Always love me. Because I know as I am watching you from heaven, I will always remember how much I love you. Do not forget that.

And please Anita, never forget me. Because, I will always be with you.

I will hold your hand when you are scared. I will wipe your tears when you are sad. I will smile when you when you are happy. I will hold you up when you are weak.

If there ever is a soft breeze caressing your cheek, it will be my spirit passing by.

If there ever is a ray of golden sunshine warming your face, it will be my essence there with you.

Anita, I know you are sad I am gone. I am devastated. But please Anita, mi amor, once again, remember that I love you more that words can express it, and my soul has and always will live for you.

We will meet again.

-Bernardo