AN: This is my first Patriot story, so please be kind. This was just an idea that popped in my head and wouldn't stop bugging me until it was written down. Anyway, on to chapter one!
The timer rang for several seconds before finally being shut off with a hard smack. The smell of noodles and melted cheese permeated the air as its chef removed the dish from the oven and set it on the stove top to cool down.
"Jason, dinner's ready," she called up to her husband.
"I'll be down in just a minute, Sara," he replied, his voice echoing down the stairs.
Sara simply shook her head. It was the same old reply every night. He was never down in just a minute's time. Jason was busy fighting Russians on his Xbox. It was one of his many war games. Jason called it his hobby. Sara saw it as a waste of time.
Knowing she wouldn't see him for quite a while longer, Sara went about setting the table. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a couple serving plates. She then quickly maneuvered towards the first drawer, just right of the sink, and grabbed the utensils. Forks on the left, knives on the right…or was it the other way around?
Jason finally emerged from his alcove that was supposed to be his office. He came up behind her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Well, Mrs. Kingsly," he began, "if I may say so myself, dinner smells incredible. What are we having?"
Sara was startled for moment, but quickly regained her composure. She placed the knives and forks next to the plates and made her way over to the fridge. She picked up two sodas quickly, and went back to place them on the table.
"I already told you we are having chicken tetrazzini. But that must have slipped your mind, what with shooting Nazis or whoever," she replied sarcastically. She never paid any attentions to his games. They all seemed to be the same thing.
"You did? I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to forget. I wasn't supposed to help was I?" he asked innocently.
"If you were I would have already yelled at you," she replied rather coldly.
"Sara," he whined, wrapping his burly arms around her waist. "I'm sorry I forgot."
"You always forget," she added quickly.
"I'll tell you what. How about tomorrow I cook up a nice steak dinner. You can sit back, relax, and leave everything to me," he said placing several kisses on her neck.
"If I leave you to your own devices, you might burn the house down," she teased as she put her hands over his.
"Am I forgiven this time? Or do you plan to torture me," he asked playfully.
"I think I might have to torture you just a little, but it won't be too bad. You just won't get a kiss the rest of the night."
"That's what you call a little torture? That's terrible torture. I don't know how I'll ever be able to survive without just one little-"
"Oh save it," she interrupted with a light smack to his shoulder. "Your groveling will not change my mind."
Sara wiggled out of his grasp and went about serving the food. The baked pasta smelled even more divine once the spoon broke the golden brown crust.
"Now, sit down and eat before it gets cold."
Jason pouted with his baby blue eyes, probably hoping she was only teasing. When she gave no signs of budging he did as told. Sara had the urge to laugh every time he made that face. He looked so… she wasn't sure if cute was the right word, but it would have to do. It was hard to stay mad at him for a long time. He was too good at apologizing, and she knew he truly meant it whenever he did.
"How was work today? Did you help a lot of people? Save any lives," he asked, before taking in a mouthful of noodles.
"Honey, I'm a nurse that works triage. We don't normally get life threatening case at the front desk. The most severe thing we had was a boy with bronchitis that kept puking up snot every time he coughed. Not a pretty sight." She looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"
"Can't a husband take a healthy interest in his wife's work?"
She laughed. "The last time you asked how my day went was when you bought the flat screen TV. You remember the one that cost an arm and a leg. What's up?"
He was quiet for a moment fiddling nervously with his food before meeting her gaze. "I…uh…I enlisted in the reserves."
"What," she nearly exclaimed.
"Boot camp starts tomorrow," he finished.
"We talked about this," she started, placing her fork as gently as she could on the table. She had the sudden urge to stab him with it. "We both agreed that you weren't going to do this."
"It was now or never-"
"How could you do this behind my back," she yelled at him.
"My family has been in the military since my great great grandfather," he replied, "and it's about time I joined up too."
"But we already discussed this nonsense! Why are you trying to follow in their footsteps!"
"It's just the reserves, honey. Nothing bad is going to happen," he said as calmly as possible.
"You don't know that! You could be called and sent a thousand miles away! You could be shot…or killed! Is that what you want, Jason," she fumed.
"Sara, I am twenty two years old. I am an adult. I don't need your permission. My time was running out and if I hadn't done it now, then-"
"I know," she interrupted. "You were never going to do it. I can't believe you did this," she huffed and stood up tossing her napkin on the table.
"Sara," he beckoned, following her.
"No, don't bother. You've already made up your mind. You're right. You're an adult and can make your own decisions. Guess what? I'm an adult, too, and I'm going out for awhile." She grabbed her car keys and uttered a venomous, "Goodbye."
"Sara, don't you think you're overreacting?"
"Overreacting? How would you feel if I went behind your back after agreeing to something?"
"Can we please just sit down and talk about this?"
"We already talked about it, and it obviously meant nothing to you. Just leave me alone. I can't even look at you right now." Without another word, she whipped open her car door and put the keys in the ignition. Sara didn't know where she was going. Anywhere was better than home at the moment.
Sara tried to focus on the road, but it was difficult to concentrate through her frustration. She didn't object to him wanting to join the military, not when he first brought it up at least. It was his reason that she objected to. Jason only wanted to join because his family had done so in the past, a tradition. Trying to please his family was not a good enough reason. To be honest, she didn't know of any good causes to join the military, but she knew there were better reasons than this. There just had to be.
Suddenly her cell phone began to ring. She looked down. The screen read HOME. She instantly began debating whether or not she wanted to answer it.
With a heavy sigh, Sara reached down to pick up the phone. When she came up, returning her attention to road, all she saw was a pair of bright lights coming toward her.
Smoke filled the air as the fires slowly died. The patrol continued through the remnants of the settlement for any survivors. But judging from the destruction and the bodies lying across the ground, it wasn't very likely they'd find anyone. Men, women, and children alike lay dead on the ground, most of bodies mutilated in some form or fashion similar to an Indian attack. Any normal man that came upon such a scene would not have had the stomach to even look at the site. A shame that this was nothing unfamiliar to these soldiers.
"Spread out, search the rubble. Report in ten minutes," the commanding officer ordered and left the men to do just that. Each one dismounted their steeds and began searching what was left of the homes.
"Sir, you don't think there is anyone who could have survived this, do you?" his second in command asked.
He gave a gruff reply. "No, Bordon, but we have our orders."
"Why would the Colonials, or Indians for that matter, do this? It is out of character for simple farmers to kill women and children, and no Indians have made any signs of going to war, sir," Bordon commented.
"I am well aware of this. Even it wasn't local farmers, the militia are not this low, but no one loyal to the King would fire an entire British settlement."
"Yes, but-"
"Bordon, did I give you permission to stand here conversing?" he interrupted curtly.
"No, sir."
"I didn't think so. Now do as you were instructed so we can leave."
"Yes, sir," he replied and dismounted to help the rest of the men.
His superior followed behind him and began to search the bodies for any signs of life. He tired easily of these assignments issued by Lord Cornwallis. The battle field was where he truly wanted to be, fighting for his country. The ten minutes were nearly over with no signs when Bordon called out.
"Colonel! Over here!"
Getting up from his spot near one of the bodies, the colonel walked over to see who or what had been found.
"What is-" he began to say, but stopped short.
A woman badly injured, but still alive, had been found amongst the dead. She appeared to have been shot and her side looked as though it was slashed, perhaps by a bayonet. He couldn't believe she was still alive. A great deal of blood covered the ground around her.
"Is there anyone else?" he asked as he bent down. He placed his hands upon her, applying pressure to the gash on her torso.
"I don't think so, sir. We've scoured the entire settlement. There is no one else."
"Very well. Bordon, you shall accompany me back to the fort. Everyone else, report back until further notice," he ordered.
The men rushed about, following their commanders instructions. Not before she could be moved, the woman let out a groan, her eyes opening. She muttered something unintelligible, but it wasn't hard to guess her confusion.
"I'm Colonel William Tavington, Green Dragoons. What is your name? What happened here?" he asked, not really expecting a decent answer but hopeful all the same.
"Sara," she answered weakly. "Sara Kingsly."
AN: So there's chapter one. R&R so I know whether or not I should continue with this story.