Category: SG-1, General Hammond, gen
Rating/warnings, etc: PG, Heroes spoilers, angst, severe shortage of proper nouns. ~300 words.
Disclaimer: Still not mine
Prompt: "In war, there are no unwounded soldiers." - José Narosky
A/N: Written for the quote challenge at ostrich_2008. Thanks to colej55 and havocthecat for the quick beta jobs.
xxxxxx
Through the tinted windows, the general watches the bitter wind blowing the leaves across the schoolyard. He feels just as withered, just as faded. A fatigue that has nothing to do with lack of sleep shifts under his skin.
Beside him sits his best friend's daughter. Together they wait for her best friend's daughter to arrive. Daughter by adoption - as if that's going to make the news any easier.
At the top of the flight of stairs, a door opens. A tall figure in a suit ushers the girl outside - no, she's a young woman now - and gestures towards their vehicle. She hesitates and the suit places a hand on her shoulder.
His fellow passenger takes an audibly deep breath and climbs out of the sedan. A gust of frigid air reaches him through the briefly opened door as he watches the teenager, watches the fearful realisation drop across her face. Something inside of him resumes withering. He nods at the waiting driver to open the car door.
Someday this war will be over and he hopes to God he's around to see it. Maybe he won't have withered to nothing by then.
xxxxxx
In a house in the suburbs, an expectant mother feels the restless stirrings of her child.
"Hold on, baby. Daddy's coming home soon."
It's a minor miracle she hasn't gone into labour already with all the worrying of the past days. Not to mention the overwhelming relief, hearing her husband's voice at the end of the line after the doctors informed her that he was going to be okay.
She hasn't told him yet: the latest ultrasound shows they're having a girl, not a boy. They haven't been thinking of girls' names; she's going to let him choose.
xxxxxx
And in Kentucky, a woman opens her front door to three military men in dress blues. Her slight stature belies the strength in her eyes.
"Mrs. Fraiser?"
A nod, lips compressed.
"Ma'am, we regret to inform you…"
There is nothing more, then, beyond the hands she clamps over her ears. Only the pounding of her heart. No no no no...