All is Fair in Love and War

by mistakesinmagic

Spencer never thought she would end up with someone like Hanna, but life took it's turns, and that's exactly what happened. They were happy together, the perfect couple. Until tragedy struck. Now, one half of the perfect couple can't even remember the other one's name. Will they come out okay in the end, or will they lose their hard fought battle?

Hey, guys! I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages. I've been super busy, and I had pretty severe writer's block for a while. But luckily, it's back now, and I'm working on some new stuff for you all! To hold you over until then, here's something I wrote for my friend a few months ago. I hope you enjoy it! :) Spanna, ftw.

"Jesus fucking Christ! Why won't this thing FIT?!" Spencer pounded on the olive-green satchel again with her fist, trying to shove it into the small carry-on space above her head. "I barely have anything in here!"

"You shouldn't use the Lord's name in vain," a small voice piped up behind her, making Spencer jump. Great, there was some preteen Christian pip-squeak telling her, the adult, what to do.

Spencer snorted, punching her bag again. It moved maybe a centimeter into the grey-colored area, and then popped right back out again. "The Lord doesn't exist," she snapped, spinning around.

She was immediately taken aback by what she saw. The girl standing in front of her wasn't a tiny twelve-year-old, but a young woman, probably only a few years younger than Spencer herself. She was wearing the same green camouflage jacket and pants Spencer was, as well as a matching cap. Spencer couldn't fully see her feet from where she was standing, but she could see the tops of large black boots and thick black shoelaces. Slung over her left shoulder was a dark green, lumpy bag that looked a lot like Spencer's own satchel. The girl's bright blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, but Spencer didn't feel like telling her that she should've had it in a bun like her own.

"Well, I'm glad you think the same way I do. I just said that because you look like someone who'd believe in God, I guess. But I'm happy to meet another atheist." The girl's cotton candy-colored lips were spread into a sly smirk. Her sky blue eyes were wide and unblinking as she looked up at Spencer and pointed to the seat in front of her. "May I sit?"

"No," Spencer said sternly, turning back around to try fitting her bag into the carry-on space again. She heard the girl sit down anyway, and Spencer let out an irritated sigh. "And I'm not an atheist. I'm nothing. Religion is fucking stupid, if you ask me."

"I wish you wouldn't use that word," the blonde girl said softly, and as Spencer yanked her bag out of the carry-on space and spun around with it in her arms, she saw the young woman visibly wince.

"What word?" Spencer threw her bag onto the floor in front of her seat and then used the front of her hard combat boot to kick it under the seat in front of her. Then she plopped down into the empty seat next to the girl's.

"You know, that word." The blonde was playing with her petite fingers, twisting them around in her lap. Her own bag was also on the floor, jammed between her and Spencer's feet. "The one you just used."

"Oh! You mean fuck?" Spencer chuckled, her chapped red lips curled into a smug grin when the girl flinched again. "What's wrong with the word fuck? Damn, girl, you can't be such a pussy! How'd you even get into the military, anyway? Last time I checked, wimps like you don't even pass the first test."

"Hey!" the blonde girl cried, stiffening in her chair. A voice came over the loud speaker that said the plane was going to lift off soon, and everyone was instructed to put on their seat-belts. "Just because I don't like that word doesn't mean I'm not tough! I'm here to fight for my country, same as you are. And I may have a pussy, but I'm sure as hell not one."

Spencer snickered, leaning back in her chair. Maybe this girl wasn't as much of a coward as she thought she was. "Alright, alright, calm down, pitbull! No need to get worked up and bark at me." She shot the smaller girl a snarky smile. "Besides, after you've been in the military as long as I have, it gets more about how many people you kill and less about serving your country."

The blonde girl looked absolutely terrified, and Spencer burst into amused laughter. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" She gave the other girl's shoulder a friendly punch before taking off her own cap to adjust her dark brown hair. "I guess I was right about you being a private, then. Geez, you rookies will believe anything. This is your first time out, right?"

Blondie nodded meekly, her cheeks tinted an even brighter pink than when she had first approached Spencer. "How'd you guess?" she chuckled, shrugging with embarrassment and pushing a lock of loose blonde hair behind her ear.

Spencer shook her head, pointing a long finger at the other girl's bare lapel on her jacket. "Maybe it would be the fact that privates don't get badges?" She snickered, chocolate-colored eyes sparkling with amusement. "Or maybe because you're absolutely horrified of going into battle? There are way too many tell-tale signs, dear. How old are you, anyway? You almost look too young to be in that uniform."

"I'm twenty-two," the blonde girl huffed, sitting up straighter in her seat. She crossed her frail arms over her chest, blue eyes narrowed at Spencer, who still sat leaned back comfortably in her seat.

Spencer let out a snort, arching a dark brown eyebrow high up on her forehead. "You sure don't seem it," she sniggered. "You look more like nineteen."

"Well, I'm not." Blondie looked even more annoyed, making Spencer want to laugh even more. She crossed her legs over each other, resting her feet against the seat in front of her. "And I bet you're not that much older, so stop acting like I'm just some kid who doesn't know what she's doing."

This time, Spencer did laugh, a short but loud guffaw that scared the elderly man sitting in front of the two women. "For your information, maggot, I'm twenty-six, a whole four years older than you are. And not only am I older and wiser, but I've also been serving in the military for seven years straight. You're just a private, so don't be acting all high and mighty."

Blondie winced, but remained sitting up straight, glaring at Spencer with piercing blue eyes. "And who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? Four years isn't that big of a deal, you know. It's not like I'm a child."

"You sure act like one," Spencer muttered, rolling her dark eyes and tapping her fingers against the armrest in irritation. "And I'm Spencer Hastings, daughter of General Peter Hastings Jr. and Dr. Veronica Hastings. But that's Staff Sergeant Spencer Hastings to you."

"Well, Spencer," Blondie purred, smirking when she'd seen she'd hit a nerve in Spencer. "Nice to see you're just as superior as you seem to be. But unlike you, I actually like to be friendly to people, and am not going to go shoving titles down your throat. I'm Hanna Marin, but you may call me Hanna."

Spencer couldn't help but smile. As annoying as this girl was, she had a certain spunk to her, and the name Hanna fit her perfectly. "Well, Private Marin, I couldn't say I'm pleased to meet you, for I'm most certainly not, but seeing as this plane is about to lift off, I guess I'll have to deal with you until we get to the base in Georgia."

Hanna shot Spencer a smug yet satisfied grin, sitting back in her seat and crossing her arms behind her head. "I guess you're stuck with me, then, Spence."

Spencer just let out an agitated grunt.

"They say I don't have to go back." Spencer rubbed Hanna's palm with her thumb, careful to make sure not to disturb the clear tube attached to the needle that was stuck in the blonde's wrist. "Because I've served seven years, they say it's enough. They say because you're hurt I can stay with you."

Spencer let out a loud sigh, hunching forward in the plastic chair she'd set up on the side of Hanna's hospital bed. Her hair was a mess, she could feel it. She'd tried to keep it down, the way Hanna liked it, but considering she hadn't showered in three days, it had to be put up in the all-so-familiar bun. She had refused to take off her cargo pants, for they showed who she was. On her torso she was wearing the white t-shirt with the words, ARMY GIRLFRIEND, written in large pink print across the front of it. Hanna had bought it for her when they were on leave for a week the past April, at a little shop in San Francisco. Spencer's combat boots were shoved under the bed, and on her feet were a pair of dirty gray socks.

"Doctor Crenshaw says you'll be alright," she murmured, lifting Hanna's hand up gently and kissing her bruised, scabbed-over fingers. "He says you'll wake up. Did you hear that, baby? You're going to be okay!"

Hanna didn't respond, of course. She hadn't responded to Spencer, let alone anyone, for a week now. She'd been in a coma since the blast, and Spencer had been by her side the whole time, even on the helicopter ride from Afghanistan to New York. And now she was here in the hospital, holding Hanna's hand as she lay unconscious in the bed, seemingly sleeping peacefully.

"Y-You're going to be okay, princess," Spencer whispered in a quivering voice, unsure whether or not she actually believed what she was saying. She bit down on her bottom lip, trying to stop the tears she could feel welling in the corners of her eyes. "You have to be okay. I-I won't be able to handle it if you don't wake up. I can't live without you, baby girl."

Spencer let out a choked sob, leaning towards the bed a little more and letting her chest rest against the bumpy side of Hanna's bed. She reached out with the hand that wasn't holding her girlfriend's to stroke the blonde's bruised cheek. She would play with her hair if she could, but Hanna's head was wrapped in bandages, her normally silky hair was matted and tucked behind her head so it didn't get caught on anything when the nurses were checking on her. Spencer couldn't even see her beautiful blue eyes, for they were closed, her eyelids purple and sunken-in like those of a dead person.

"If I would've known this was going to happen, if I knew that bomb was going to go off with you right there, I would've done anything," Spencer whispered shakily, letting Hanna's hand drop onto the soft white bed sheets. "I would've jumped in front of you, even taken the bullet for you. My baby, if only I knew you were going to get hurt."

She sniffled quietly as hot tears began to roll down her cheeks and off her chin. She could see the small puddle beginning to form on Hanna's blanket below her, but she made nothing of it. It would be dried up and forgotten by the time the nurses and doctor came in later.

"Spencer Hastings, are you crying?"

Spencer nearly jumped out of her skin, her head snapping towards the doorway, where a girl with tan skin and long black hair stood cautiously. Beside her, practically hiding behind her, was another girl, much smaller and more timid than the other one. Both girls looked worried and exhausted, which was explainable, for it was almost three in the morning.

"Aria! Emily!" Spencer frantically wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, sniffling loudly at the same time in an attempt to stop her nose from running. She sat up straighter, twisting in her chair so she could glance at her friends on the other side of the room. "W-What? No, I wasn't crying," she murmured unconvincingly, and then more stern, "Soldiers don't cry."

Emily sighed, taking Aria's petite hand and pulling her over to where Spencer sat feebly in her chair. "Spence, calm down," she said softly, laying a hand down on the thin girl's shoulder. Aria leaned against her quietly, her eyelids half-closed with fatigue. "It's alright to cry. You're upset, it happens. You don't have to be ashamed of something that's natural for human beings to do."

"I just want her to wake up," Spencer whispered, her dark brown eyes wide and pleading. "I can't bear to see my baby like this. She's so...helpless. So fragile. I want her to open her eyes and tell me she's alright and let me kiss her over and over again."

Aria nodded, standing up a little straighter now, but still firmly grasping Emily's hand for support. "I know you do, honey," she said softly, reaching out to stroke the side of Spencer's head. "I know you do. And she will. We probably have to wait a little while, but she'll wake up eventually. I know she will."

Spencer licked her cracked, chapped lips, still staring up at her friends as if she depended on them for everything. "Do you promise?"

"I promise," Aria murmured quietly, even though she had no idea whether or not Hanna was going to wake up, and quite frankly, it looked like she had a huge chance of not making it. Aria planted a soft, reassuring kiss on the side of Spencer's head before retreating back into Emily's embrace. "She'll be okay, Spence. She'll be okay."

Maybe if they all went on repeating that and believing it, it would actually happen.

"I seriously can't believe I got stuck with you as a roommate. This is just my fucking luck."

Spencer threw her satchel and large, navy-colored duffel bag onto the spic-and-span twin bed beside her before sitting down on the edge of the mattress. She was glaring at Hanna, though she didn't seem to notice, for she was staring at the only other bed in the tiny room with shock.

"Is this seriously where I have to sleep? This thing is the size of a loaf of bread!" the blonde exclaimed, her green satchel and other, bigger bag dropping to the ground beside her. "My bed at home is three times this size!"

Spencer groaned loudly, rolling her dark brown eyes as she covered her face with her hands and mumbled into her palms, "My point exactly." She then looked back up at Hanna, staring at her with a blank, annoyed expression. "Private, this is the army you're enrolled in, not Miss Rosie's boarding school. Yes, you do have to sleep there, and no, you can't sleep anywhere else. It's not like you'll be here for long, anyway. Once you're trained, you'll be sent to Afghanistan, where you'll have to share a room with a bunch of other people. If you're not out fighting, that is."

Hanna looked absolutely terrified. She was gaping at Spencer, her pink lips wide open in horror and her bright blue eyes as round as saucers. "You're shitting me," she gasped. "You have to be shitting me. That's what you're doing, right?"

Spencer smacked the palm of her hand to her forehead, making a loud slapping noise as skin collided with skin. "I'm being completely serious, actually." She brushed a loose strand of auburn hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. "I repeat, this is the military. I don't know what exactly you were expecting, but this is it. Soldiers are trained to be tough, because they have to be so in order to endure what they do. And if they're not tough, they either end up, A. being deployed back home, B. as a nurse or busgirl, or C. dead. So shape up or you're done, Private."

Hanna's face fell, and she shyly kicked her bags out of the way before slumping down on her own bed. She pulled her hair tie out of her messy blonde hair, twisting it around in her fingers and staring down at the concrete ground of the room.

Spencer sighed heavily. She grabbed her satchel off from beside her pillow and began rifling through it, pretending to be searching for her cell phone even though she knew exactly where it was. She didn't feel like having to look at Hanna's disappointed face. Her gorgeous features were so sad and drooping, it hurt Spencer to know she had been the one to cause it. "Listen, I don't mean to be a jerk. I'm just not used to having to deal with such..optimistic people. Or privates, for that matter. Like I said, I've been in the military for seven years now. I've learned the hard truth about being in the military; here it's go hard or go home. That's what you have to learn to deal with, and if you can't, then the results usually aren't that pleasant."

Hanna looked up at Spencer, her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Her blue eyes were wide, a small amount of tears rimming their edges. "I-I lied to you," she whispered, still playing with the thin black hair tie. "When I said I was just here to fight for my country, that wasn't exactly the truth. I was forced to join. My parents thought I needed shaping up, so instead of being threatened to be sent to military school, like other kids are, I was actually sent to be in the military. I agreed to letting them still have complete control over me until I was done with college, and so I couldn't fight against this. Stupid, I know. I didn't know they'd ship me off to the fucking military when I made the agreement."

Spencer's head snapped up, her brown eyes suddenly soft and caring. "Oh my God," she said quietly, abandoning her satchel beside her on the mattress. "That's horrible! I'm so sorry, your parents don't sound very nice."

Hanna chuckled solemnly, flicking the end of the hair tie against her palm. "They really aren't," she murmured in a slightly more cheerful voice. "At all. But it's not like I can get out of it now. I'm stuck here, and I have to do what's right and learn to be a good soldier."

Spencer's lips curled into a gentle smile, and she nodded, laughing softly. "Well, you've got an excellent soldier right here to help you do that." She scratched an itch on her temple with a small fingernail. "I guess we're stuck with each other now, Private."

A tiny smile ghosted across Hanna's face, and as she threaded her fingers through her hair, Spencer noticed that her little fingernails were painted hot pink. Her hair looked so pretty down, the almost bleached-blonde silk cascading down the sides of her face in waves. "I guess so," she murmured, and the warm feeling in Spencer's stomach grew stronger.

"So." Spencer pushed her bags aside so she could turn on the little lamp standing on the little table between their beds. It let off a soft orange glow that added light to the darkening room. "Everyone else is at dinner right now, but I'm assuming you're not hungry, considering you ate an enormous amount of Chinese food at the airport... Normally, you as a private would be housing with a bunch of other girls, but I guess they put me to look after you." She paused before muttering, "Hooray for me."

Hanna pursed her pink, bow-shaped lips. The black hair tie was around her wrist now, forgotten by its owner. "I'm not hungry," she said simply, confirming Spencer's suspicions. She sat quietly for a second, crossing and uncrossing her legs before asking shyly, "What do we do now?"

Spencer shrugged, leaning down so she could remove her boots. "Whatever you want." She undid the laces neatly before taking off her socks, folding them up and sliding them into the boots, and putting the shoes by the side of her bed. "It's almost nineteen o'clock, so it'll be lights-out soon. Read, listen to music, write. I don't know about you, but I'm going to sleep. You're going to learn very soon that sleep is very valuable; you'll definitely want to get some when you can."

Hanna opened her mouth slightly but then quickly shut it, a look of realization crossing her doll-like face. Spencer figured she'd be confused about military time. "Oh," the younger girl sighed, moving to grab her bag from the floor. "Well, I guess I'll go to sleep too. I've got nothing better to do."

Spencer nodded and picked up both of her bags so she could shove them under her bed. She peeled off her camouflage jacket and hung it on one of the bedposts attached to the headboard of the bed. Hanna watched her with wide blue eyes as she curled her thin fingers under the edge of her plain white t-shirt, removing it to reveal a dark grey sports bra. Spencer smirked as she unzipped and then took off her camouflage pants; Hanna was staring at her long legs with a certain fascination Spencer knew all too well.

"Aren't you going to wear pajamas?"

"No." Spencer pushed her blue and white polka-dotted boxers down her hips a little before pulling back the cream-colored sheets on her bed. She could feel Hanna's eyes on her as she crawled under them, leaving them loosely wrapped around her waist as she laid on her side and propped her body up with her elbow. "I'll have to get dressed in five minutes tomorrow. I'm not going to bother putting on something that I'll just have to take off. I won't be ready on time."

"Well, I'm going to wear pajamas." Hanna had taken off her own jacket and shirt and was pulling a light blue Hollister sweatshirt over top her lacy red bra. Spencer couldn't help but stare at how flat her stomach was, and how her breasts swelled over the tops of her bra as she shimmied her arms into the sweatshirt. When she took off her pants, Spencer noticed that her legs were thick but smooth, and she covered them up way too soon with a pair of black sweatpants. "I'll have time to change in the morning."

"No, you won't." Spencer had to suppress a smile at how Hanna had been wearing tiny, red and white striped socks under her boots, and how she kept them on now as she slipped under her sheets. Hanna tossed around a bit before getting comfortable and lying down on her side in her bed. Her blonde curls framed her head like a halo as she buried the side of her face in her pillow.

"You don't know that," Hanna murmured, wrapping the sheets tightly around her small body. She yawned widely, her mouth stretching into a small O. Spencer thought she'd be tired after their long day; they had been on the plane for almost seven hours. Plus, Hanna had to crash sometime from her excessive amount of energy. "I'll get up, just you wait."

Spencer just smiled to herself, leaning over to switch off the lamp on the nightstand. The darkness was welcoming, and Spencer let out a comforted sigh as she sunk onto the mattress. She could hear Hanna's quiet breathing across from her, and a couple moments later it became slower and calmer. As Spencer's eyes adjusted to the light, she saw Hanna curled up in her bed, eyes peacefully closed and lips in a tiny pink bow. The moon was shining down on her, and the last thing Spencer remembered before she fell asleep was her roommate's gorgeous, angel-like face.

"You said she would definitely wake up."

"That was two weeks ago, Spencer. She hadn't been in a coma for three weeks then."

"But you said she would wake up." Spencer crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the doctor from her seat beside Hanna's bed. The blonde was still sleeping peacefully, her scars just thin red lines now instead of deep, purplish gashes. The bandages around her head were less plentiful, only wrapped around the top of her blonde locks instead of almost covering her closed eyes. Spencer had just finished eating her lunch, and as usual, had brought Hanna some, just in case she woke up in time to eat. But she hadn't, unfortunately.

"Spencer," Doctor Crenshaw sighed, tucking his clipboard under his arm so he could run his hands through his shaggy black hair. "Miss Hastings, I said maybe she would wake up. Two weeks ago. Your, uh, partner is in a very fragile state. She could never wake up, and you're going to have to prepare for that. She's been unconscious for three weeks now, by this time, it's almost a guarantee that she's not going to wake up. And if she does, she could have serious brain damage. She could be mentally disabled for the rest of her life. She could wake up and not even know your name. I'm sorry, but I know as much as you do. We'll just have to wait and see."

"She has to wake up," Spencer whispered, her voice suddenly hoarse and choked. Two weeks ago she could've been considered calm and collected, but now she was just a mess. Her hair wasn't even in a bun anymore, it was just in a loose ponytail. She was wearing a pair of Hanna's purple sweatpants and one of her t-shirts, which had a large pink heart on it. On her feet were bright green tie-dyed socks. She used to joke with Hanna, telling her she looked like a highlighter, and now she was wearing all her clothes. "She can't die. I can't live without her. She's my everything, Doc."

"I'm very sorry," the doctor sighed, reaching out to pat Spencer on the shoulder. She flinched at his touch, curling up and wrapping her arms around herself. He crossed his arms back over his chest, sensing her discomfort, and she leaned against the railing of Hanna's bed. "There's nothing we can do to change what's going to happen to her. Either she'll wake up, or she won't."

Spencer wanted to protest, jump out of her seat and yell at the doctor and shake him until he revealed the secret that Hanna was going to be fine, and she had nothing to worry about. But she stayed where she was, staring down at the blue and grey linoleum tiles on the floor of Hanna's hospital room.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice wavering. She had said before that soldiers don't cry, but that's all she had been doing since Hanna's accident. "I understand."

Doctor Crenshaw nodded solemnly, his watery brown eyes gazing down at Spencer with concern. He scribbled a few more notes on his clipboard before turning and slipping out of the room. Once he was gone, Spencer looked up, glancing at the bulletin board that was on the wall in front of her. It was full of cards and drawings she and her friends had made over the past few weeks. A small smile ghosted across Spencer's lips as her eyes drifted over the piece of paper in the upper right corner. Aria and Emily had gone to high school with Spencer; they had all been in the same grade. Aria and Emily had gone to Temple University together, while Spencer had only gone for one year, before joining the military. Her friends told her that she hadn't even needed to go to college in the first place, she was smart enough. A year after graduating, when they were all twenty-three, Aria and Emily had decided that after being married for a year, they were ready for a baby. In June of that year, Aria had given birth to their daughter, Sammi, who was three now. She had drawn the picture Spencer was smiling at. To the un-knowing eye, it just looked like a bunch of random squiggles and blobs, but Sammi had carefully explained that it was Hanna when she "got all better." Spencer thought it was the sweetest thing. At the bottom was a note that supposedly was for Sammi's baby brother or sister, whom Aria had just announced she was pregnant with that morning.

Spencer glanced at Hanna, and immediately, her sorrow came flooding back. Even though the doctors had told her not to, she crawled into bed next to the blonde girl, careful not to disturb the various wires and tubes she was attached to. Spencer laid her head down on Hanna's chest, listening to her calm breathing in an attempt to soothe herself.

"We're going to have our own babies someday, you know," Spencer whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her girlfriend's shoulder. "We're going to be our own family, you and me. We'll get married and have our own house. You're mine forever, okay? You can't give up on me, Han. You can't do this to me. You have to wake up so we can have our future together."

Hanna didn't say anything in response, of course. But as Spencer continued to gaze down at her, she noticed the blonde's eyelids flutter slightly. The doctors had said that was a good sign; it meant she was alive enough to be dreaming, to be thinking. She could wake up soon, and everything would be normal again. Spencer would get the love of her life back, and everything would be okay.

"I love you so much," Spencer whispered, stroking Hanna's limp hair. She pressed kisses along her scarred jaw line, murmuring quiet confessions of love into her skin. "I know you can hear me. I know you know I'm here. You just have to wake up now. Just wake up, baby. I know you can do it."

But Hanna did nothing, continuing to lie there, lifeless on the mattress. The only things about her that signaled that she was still alive were the slow rising and falling of her chest, and the occasional flitter of her eyelids. Spencer closed her own eyes, warm tears trickling out of them and landing in the fabric of Hanna's hospital gown as her lover drifted off to sleep on top of her.

On the fifteenth of July, a trumpet was blown at the women's military base in Atlanta, Georgia to wake all the women up. Spencer sprung out of bed immediately, throwing on her pants, white t-shirt, and jacket. She yanked on her boots and readjusted her bun before moving to head out the door.

Hanna woke up just as Spencer's hand hit the doorknob. She sat up in her bed, blonde hair askew and sweat-clothes wrinkled. "What the fuck?" she snapped. "It's the middle of the night! Why are you up?"

Spencer groaned, rolling her dark brown eyes for what must've been the fiftieth time since she had met Hanna. "You obviously know nothing about the military," she sighed, turning to face the other girl. "It'll be 5am in two minutes. You have to get up. Everyone has to get up. We have to start training."

Hanna's bright blue eyes grew round, and she peeled back the covers as slow as humanly possible. "Damn, last night, when you said we had to get up, I didn't realize you meant this!"

She climbed out of bed, moving as slowly as a sloth. She obviously didn't realize that she had to hurry, and was going to get in serious trouble if she didn't. Spencer stood beside her for a few minutes before marching over to the door, yanking it open and going to stand on the small front stoop in front of their tiny building. She slammed the door behind herself and then stood as rigid as a board on the slab of concrete, one hand positioned on her forehead in a salute. She could hear the lead sergeant in charge of their base, Allison Mackenzie, going from building to building to make sure all the soldiers were awake and ready for the day. When she reached Spencer and Hanna's building, she stood before the stoop, muscular hands on her waist as she stared at Spencer.

"Staff Sergeant Spencer Hastings, reporting for duty!" Spencer barked, saluting Allison and staring back at her with serious dark brown eyes.

"Where is Private Hanna Marin, Sergeant?" Allison commanded, her eyes flitting to the door behind Spencer for a moment before turning back to the girl standing on the stoop.

"Getting ready, ma'am!" Spencer replied harshly. She really hoped she wasn't going to get in trouble for this; Hanna was on her nerves already, she would kill her if she got yelled at because of her.

"She was supposed to be out here, Sergeant!" Allison glared at Spencer, her metallic blue eyes cold and suspicious.

"I told her to do so, ma'am." Spencer's hands were on her own waist, mimicking Allison's stance. "She did not listen."

Allison opened her mouth to reply, when Hanna came stumbling out of the building and onto the stoop where Spencer already stood. Her clothes were messily thrown on, wrinkled everywhere. Her t-shirt was hanging out of the back of her jacket, creating a little white tail. Her hair was thrown into a messy blonde bun, and only one of her boots was tied. But surprisingly, Hanna's makeup was perfect, like she'd just come from getting it professionally done.

"Private Marin, you were supposed to be out here eight minutes ago!" Allison yelled, leaning in to glare at Hanna sharply.

Hanna winced, shrinking back away from Allison slightly. She shot Spencer a quick, panicked, help me look, but Spencer continued to stare straight ahead as if she didn't even notice her.

"I-I," Hanna stammered, practically shaking in front of Allison. Her sapphire-colored eyes were wide, round and frightened like those of a deer stuck in the headlights of a car. "I'm sorry. I didn't know we were supposed to get up so early."

Allison glared at Spencer, the bill of her camouflage cap almost brushing against the staff sergeant's forehead. "Did you not tell her, Hastings?" she barked.

Spencer nodded stiffly, her dark chocolate eyes fixed, wide open, on Allison's pale, freckled face. "Yes, ma'am, I did. I already told you so." She pursed her lips together, hoping Allison didn't yell at her for that. "She did not believe me."

Allison's lips twisted into a scowl, which she aimed at Hanna. "Why did you not listen to Staff Sergeant Hastings, Private?" she shouted harshly.

"I just didn't think she was being serious," Hanna whimpered, her face falling like that of a hurt kitten. "She's kind of gruff, you know."

Spencer stiffened, wanting to smack Hanna. She couldn't believe she had to be stuck with this girl until they were deployed. She had known her for less than 24 hours and she already wanted to strangle her.

Allison opened her pink lips in surprise, her mouth forming a small O. "Gruff?" she gasped. "Gruff?! Private Marin, this is the military! You have to learn to be gruff."

"I tried to tell her," Spencer muttered under her breath, ignoring the irritated glare Allison shot her for a millisecond before turning back to Hanna's shaking form.

"As much as I would like to reprimand you two even more, we need to get a move on," the fiery-haired sergeant sighed. "Training starts in less than twenty minutes. Hastings, take her to the mess hall. Now, get a move on it!"

Spencer grabbed Hanna's hand, almost oblivious to the spark of electricity that flew between their fingers. But she felt it, and she couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Come on," she urged Hanna, pulling her across the sun-bleached grass covering the ground of the military base. "We only have a few minutes to eat. You're definitely going to need food to get through training today."

She pulled the smaller blonde girl across the grounds towards the large brick building with the words MESS HALL in dirty yellow lettering on the side of it. They rushed into the building, immediately being surrounded by a bunch of other women in camouflage outfits. Spencer yanked a bewildered Hanna through the tangle of green and brown, dragging her over to the line by the large, shiny metal ovens with lunch-ladies standing behind them.

"God, I feel like I'm back in high school," Hanna said to Spencer as they passed through the line. "I haven't been in a lunch line like this since 12th grade."

Spencer rolled her eyes, reaching for a bottle of water from the bunch on top of a little glass shelf. "Like that was so long ago," she mumbled, ignoring when Hanna wrinkled her small nose. "Anyway, I was wondering, if you're twenty-two, than how did your parents send you here? They can't control you anymore, you're an adult. Barely an adult, but still."

Hanna sighed, picking at the lumpy apple on the tray in her hands. "I still live with them," she said quietly. "I didn't have enough money to pay for my own apartment or dorm, and since I live with my parents, they somehow have the idea that they can still boss me around. I am still their kid, after all."

Spencer bit her bottom lip, handing her bowl to one of the women behind the clear barriers so she could fill it with soup. "Well, I'm sorry," she said, refusing to look at Hanna as she advanced down the line. "That really sucks."

"It does." Hanna swallowed in a moment of uneasiness as she and Spencer reached the end of the line. "A lot. Uh, where are we going to sit?"

"Over here." Spencer pushed Hanna towards an almost empty table, occupied only by two other women. She sat down next to the one on the left, a young-looking girl with skin the color of coffee and curly auburn hair. "Sit."

Hanna sat down next to Spencer, setting her tray on the table before kind of curling into herself meekly. She picked up her fork and began poking at her salad, making a face of disgust as she dangled a piece of damp lettuce in front of her.

"Ew," she complained, mouth twisted into a disgusted scowl. "This is gross. I can't eat this."

Spencer rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to reply when she was cut off by a laugh from across the table.

"All the food here is gross," said the woman Spencer wasn't sitting next to. She was tiny, with skin the color of porcelain and huge turquoise eyes. Her hair hung in white-blonde curls, framing her pixie-like face. Her lips were a little pink bow, and her face was sprinkled with freckles that looked like cinnamon. Spencer always teased her, saying she was too pretty to be a soldier. "I've been here for three years and I still want to throw up whenever I eat it. You've got to eat, though. Training will kill you before you even get into combat if you don't."

The woman next to Spencer poked her in the shoulder, smirking when the taller girl jumped in surprise, for she'd been staring off into space, or more distinctly, at Hanna.

"Who's this?" the woman asked, pointing past Spencer at Hanna, who looked even more uncomfortable than before. "She's the Private you're training, right?"

Spencer nodded, eating a bite of what was supposed to be mashed potatoes, but looked more like a pile of lumpy grey snot. "Yeah, her name's Hanna." She shot her roommate a small, almost forced smile. "Private, meet my friend Staff Sergeant Shiloh Mayberry." She pointed to the other woman sitting next to Shiloh. "This is her girlfriend, Staff Sergeant Audrey Wheeler."

Hanna waved shyly at Spencer's friends, her pink lips curled into a slightly relieved smile. "Nice to meet you gals," she said sweetly. "You guys are a really cute couple, if you don't mind me saying that. You look so nice together."

Audrey smiled gratefully, reaching over to take Shiloh's hand and entwine their fingers on top of the table. "Thank you!" she cooed, her face lit up happily. "I love my Shiloh a lot. We can't wait until we get out of here so we can get married and spend forever together."

Spencer chuckled, taking a swig from her water bottle. "They're kind of a bunch of annoying hopeless romantics," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "But I love them all the same."

Hanna laughed lightly, pushing a fluffy strand of blonde hair that was hanging from her bun out of her shining blue eyes. "They're adorable," she complimented. "They remind me of my friends back home, Heather and Anna. They're getting married next March."

Shiloh giggled, licking a little bit of salt off of her bubblegum-colored lips. "They sound really cute!" she chirped. "Aud and I can't wait to get married. She's my favorite person in the whole wide world."

"So," Audrey poked a smiling Spencer in the forearm as she blew a dark curl out of her even darker eyes. "When are you going to tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Spencer cocked her head to the side in confusion, her dark eyebrows furrowed together. "Tell who what?"

Audrey snickered, her eyes flashing in Hanna's direction for a moment before focusing back on Spencer. "You know," she urged, her lips spreading into a knowing grin. "Tell her what you need to tell her."

Spencer chewed on her bottom lip, trying to figure out what Audrey meant. Or if Audrey meant what she thought she meant. She was just about to grab her friend's arm and pull her away so they could talk when a loud bell rang, alarming the whole cafeteria.

"Alright, training time." Spencer rose from her feet, grabbing her tray from the table. She tapped Hanna on the shoulder roughly, glaring down at her. "Come on, Private. I don't need to get in trouble again."

Hanna sprung to her feet, clumsily picking up her tray and following Spencer over to one of the black trash cans. They threw away the remainders of their food and then placed their trays on top of the rectangular trash can. Spencer then grabbed Hanna's hand again, pulling her towards the double doors they had come in through before.

As soon as they reached outside, Hanna froze, her blue eyes as wide as saucers. The two were standing under the little alcove outside the Mess Hall, the only place not being drenched by sheets of pouring rain.

"Holy shit!" Hanna screeched, flailing her arms about wildly. "I can't go out in this! I can't train in this! My hair will be ruined!"

Spencer let out a loud, irritated groan. "Oh my God," she moaned over-exaggeratedly. "It's just a bit of water, not a big deal. Your hair is already a mess, the rain will probably help it."

Another shriek escaped Hanna's mouth, her pale hands flying to her messy blonde bun. "MY HAIR CAN NOT BE A MESS!" she screamed in horror. "And the rain will just make it even messier, I know it! There's rain where I come from, you know. And I've been out in it before. It destroys my hair. It makes it all gross and stringy, and then it dries and turns into a ball of fluff, and then I have to take a shower and shampoo it and condition it and moisturize it and -"

And then Spencer's lips were on Hanna's, her hands slamming her into the brick wall behind her roughly. Hanna's mouth was still open as Spencer's pressed against it, her pastel blue eyes wide open in shock. Spencer was about to pull away when Hanna began to kiss back suddenly. She wrapped her arms around Spencer's neck, hands groping at the collar of her jacket. She squirmed as Spencer's hands roamed her waist, trying to keep their bodies pushed together. Hanna slipped her tongue into Spencer's mouth, shocks rippling down her spine when the older girl emitted a soft moan. And then, as quickly as the kiss had happened, it was over.

Spencer and Hanna stood there, board-stiff, staring at each other with wide eyes. Hanna's hands were shaking, but she didn't notice it. All she could seem to focus on was the little mole on Spencer's cheek and her heavy panting.

It was Spencer who spoke first, shattering the thick glass of silence. "I-I just wanted to shut you up," she sputtered, brown orbs flicking around, looking everywhere but at Hanna. "You wouldn't stop talking, and I just...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

A look of relief and pleasantness slowly spread over Hanna's face, the right side of her mouth curling up into a sly smile. "You don't have to apologize," she whispered. "I haven't been kissed like that in a long time. I didn't mind it at all."

Spencer grinned, carefully reaching down to grab Hanna's empty belt loops. She had left her belt on her bed earlier, in her rush to get ready. She pulled the blonde close to her again, pressing their foreheads together.

"So do you mind if I do it again?" Spencer's voice was barely a whisper, Hanna only hearing it partially because she could see her lips moving and feel her warm breath on her face.

But before Hanna could even answer, their lips were together again, and the two girls were completely happy with each other for the first time since they'd met.

Spencer didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until the alarmingly loud beeping noise woke her up. Her eyes shot open, and she practically fell off the little stool she was sitting on from dizziness and blurry vision. The book she had been reading Hanna had fallen off her lap onto the floor, its light purple cover facing upwards.

Hanna.

The blonde was thrashing around wildly on her bed, pale limbs flailing about. Panicked, strangled sounds were coming out of her mouth, her throat constricting as she tried to breath around the tube that had been slid down into her stomach. The beeping sound was her monitor, alerting Spencer to the fact that all things that hadn't been working before were working now.

"Hanna!" Spencer cried, springing off of the stool and knocking it to the ground. She rushed to her girlfriend's bedside and began pushing the button that would call the nurses repeatedly. Hanna was still flopping around on the mattress, her eyes wide open and frightened.

Seconds later, a bunch of nurses came rushing into the room, jostling Spencer and shoving her out of their way. They held Hanna down and removed the tube from her throat as gently as they could. They unhooked a few wires from her body that had been giving her things she couldn't get while conscious and then covered up the puncture holes with bandages.

After the nurses had calmed Hanna down, Spencer rushed over to her, even though everyone was still trying to push her away. Doctor Crenshaw was in the room now, furiously making notes on the paper on his clipboard as most of the nurses grabbed the equipment they had taken from Hanna and hurried away.

"Oh, Hanna," Spencer sobbed, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She had never been one to cry, but ever since the accident, it seemed like that was all she did. "You're awake! I knew you'd be okay, I just knew it."

"Spencer," the doctor warned, setting a hand on the staff sergeant's shoulder as she tried to reach out to Hanna. "She just woke up. I know you want to talk to her, but she's going to be very overwhelmed right now."

Hanna still looked terrified, even more helpless and little in her hospital bed than she did when she was in a coma. She was looking around the room frantically, eyes wide open and pupils dilated. She kept opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Spencer soon realized that Hanna's pale hands were shaking, and she tried to gently hold them, but the blonde flinched and pulled away.

"Now, Spencer," Doctor Crenshaw said again, looking up from his clipboard at the worried brunette. "Please don't try to frighten her. She most likely has no idea what is going on right now."

"Who's Spencer?" Hanna murmured, confirming the doctor's suspicions. Her blonde eyebrows were furrowed together, finally free of the bandages that had been wrapped around her head; the last ones had been taken off just that morning. "Where am I?"

Spencer grabbed Hanna's hand again, relieved when she didn't pull away this time. "You're in the hospital, baby," she cooed, rubbing her palm with the pad of her thumb. "I'm Spencer. Don't you remember? I'm right here for you, Hanna. I've got you, don't worry."

"I-I'm in the hospital?" Hanna whispered through dry, cracked pink lips. "Why?" She gestured to Doctor Crenshaw with a trembling hand, the IV tube still stuck in her thin wrist. "You're the doctor, right? So I'm guessing this Spencer is the nurse?"

Spencer stood still for a second, her coffee-colored eyes frozen, stuck staring at Hanna. Did her own girlfriend not know who she was? She couldn't, that would be impossible! She had to know who she was, she just had to. She was probably just being Hanna, joking around to make Spencer laugh. Any minute now she'd start giggling and making fun of Spencer for falling for her prank. But...she didn't. She just laid there in her bed, gazing up at the doctor and Spencer expectedly.

"Miss Hastings, I think it's time for you to go now." Doctor Crenshaw pushed his small, wire-framed glasses higher up on his nose before tucking the pen he had been writing with behind his left ear. "Hanna needs to rest. She's very confused and tired right now. Why don't you come back in a little while, when we're done running tests and Hanna's done with her nap?"

Spencer wanted to scream at him, tell him that Hanna had been sleeping for a month and she didn't need any more rest right now. She needed to talk to her girlfriend, that was what she needed. Spencer herself needed to know why Hanna was pretending not to know who she was. She wanted to push Doctor Crenshaw out of the room, lock the door and just hold Hanna in her arms and tell her how much she missed her and how glad she was to have her back. But instead she obeyed, nodding and letting out a small sigh as she sauntered out of the room. As soon as she was in the hallway, she burst into tears again, sinking down onto the floor and resting her back against the bright white wall. She couldn't believe this. Hanna had woken up, it was practically a miracle. But the girl was at risk for not being able to remember a thing.

What was she going to do?

"I so need a nap," Hanna groaned as she pushed open the door to her and Spencer's shared room. It was about nine o' clock that night, and Spencer and Hanna had just finished dinner in the Mess Hall. They had been working hard all day, and just about every girl at the base was exhausted.

"You complain too much." Spencer plopped down on her bed, trying not to whine as pain rocketed through her nerves. She'd been doing this for seven years and it was still a workout. Training Hanna by herself would be a workout, but with all the extra things she had to learn or relearn, it was sheer torture.

Hanna rolled her baby blue eyes, sitting down on the edge of her bed so she could untie her boots. She pulled them off immediately after and then fell back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"My whole body is sore," Hanna moaned, deliberately ignoring what Spencer had just said. She crossed her arms over her face, shutting her eyes and just lying there on the mattress. "I feel like absolute shit."

"That's life in the military for you," Spencer chuckled as she removed her own shoes. She pushed them under her bed before moving to sit cross-legged on top of her sheets. "It's tough, babe. You'll get used to it eventually, don't worry."

"That doesn't mean I'll like it," Hanna grumbled, taking her arms off from over her face and sitting up so she could shoot Spencer a sly smile. "But at least I've got a certain someone to keep me happy while I'm here."

Spencer chuckled, grinning as she rose from her bed and sauntered over to where Hanna sat. "Oh, really?" She smirked, raising a dark eyebrow. "And who would that certain someone be?"

"Mm, I don't know." Hanna grabbed Spencer's hands and swung them back and forth, beaming up at the taller girl. "Her namemight be Spencer, but I'm not entirely sure."

Spencer giggled, dropping her jaw in mock surprise. "Is that true?" she gasped, brown orbs sparkling with delight. "Well, my name is Spencer, too!"

Hanna snickered, pulling Spencer down into her lap and wrapping her arms around her waist to keep her supported there. "Hm, that's fantastic," she purred, pressing her lips to Spencer's neck. "I kind of have a thing for girls named Spencer."

Spencer sighed softly, tilting her head to the side to allow Hanna to kiss up and down the length of her neck. The two had been a couple ever since their kiss outside the Mess Hall a month ago. They had been inseparable, even after Hanna had figured out her way around on her own. Audrey and Shiloh had been delighted when they told them, squealing about how they knew since the second they first saw Hanna and Spencer together.

"You know what?" Hanna asked, pulling away from Spencer slightly and gazing up at her with watery blue eyes. "I'm in love with a girl named Spencer, too."

Spencer swallowed, her eyes trained on Hanna's, which were wider than ever and so blue Spencer felt like she could dive straight into them. "Y-You're in love with me?" she whispered. "You're in love...with me?"

Hanna nodded, her lips curled into a nervous half-smile. "I'm in love with you, Staff Sergeant Spencer Jill Hastings." She chuckled anxiously, reaching up with a shaky hand to brush a lock of loose hair out of Spencer's eyes. "I've been in love with you ever since I sat down next to you on that plane. I think that's why I sat down next to you, actually."

Spencer kissed the back of Hanna's hand affectionately before placing it own hand over it, Hanna's cool skin against her cheek. "I've loved you ever since you first got on my nerves," she chuckled. "And I love you so very much right now."

Hanna grinned, practically leaping at Spencer. She grabbed the other girl's face, crushing their lips together. Spencer kissed back immediately, pushing Hanna onto her back on the bed and then repositioning them so they could both fit on the mattress. She straddled Hanna's waist, her hands going up to tug Hanna's blonde hair out of its bun. Her own hair was already down; Hanna had been playing with her hair tie at dinner, and it had snapped while she was trying to fling it at Shiloh.

"I love you more than anything," Hanna breathed against Spencer's lips, her voice hoarse and ragged with need. "I adore you, Spencer. You're absolutely everything to me."

And then they were quiet, the only sounds filling the room being the soft pants and moans coming from the girl's mouths and the thrum of the fan in the corner. They kissed for a while, before Spencer made the bold first move and slid her hands under the bottom of Hanna's jacket and t-shirt. They had been tucked in before, but once training was over, she had let them hang by her waist. Hanna's skin was incredibly soft, and the blonde let out a gasp as Spencer's warm fingers grazed it. She went to unbutton Spencer's jacket, her pale fingers shaking as she undid button after button. She finally let it fall open, and Spencer shrugged it off before reaching up to tangle her fingers in Hanna's golden curls. They added Hanna's jacket to the pile, and then her dirty white t-shirt. Spencer marveled over Hanna's suddenly bare chest with her lips, kissing along her collarbone and the milky skin below it. Hanna was wearing a plain black bra, and as Spencer kissed along the swells of her breasts peeking out from under it, she let out a quiet sigh.

"May I take this off?" Spencer asked softly, running her fingertips along the underside of her girlfriend's bra. Hanna seemed slightly hesitant, and the last thing Spencer wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

Hanna nodded, combing her fingers through Spencer's long hair and shooting her a smile for support. So Spencer continued, pressing her lips to Hanna's pale neck and reaching behind her to unclasp her bra. She slipped the small piece of black clothing off of her and tossed it aside as she suckled on her girlfriend's skin, knowing she would leave a mark.

Hanna moaned with pleasure, her hands tugging desperately at the bottom of Spencer's t-shirt. The taller girl leaned back a little so Hanna could remove it, and then dove right back in, crushing her and Hanna's lips together. Her hands meandered a path up Hanna's smooth stomach and coming to rest on top of her chest, cupping her pale breasts.

"Goddamn," Hanna whispered breathlessly against Spencer's chapped lips. Her pale fingers pulled urgently at the bottom of Spencer's black sports bra, so Spencer helped her take it off, tossing it in the same direction as her shirt had been. Spencer was now suckling on Hanna's collarbone, Hanna's fingers fisted in her auburn waves.

Spencer groaned against Hanna's sin, earning a pleased hum from the blonde girl. Her small hand was shaking as it slid its way down Spencer's toned stomach and to the waistband of her camouflage pants. She kept a strong hold on Spencer's hair as she undid the silver button and zipper with quivering fingers. Spencer raised her hips to allow Hanna to slide the pants off of them and then down her long legs. She pressed her lips to Hanna's forcefully, letting Hanna grab her waist as she undid the button and unzipped the zipper on Hanna's pants.

Spencer pulled away from the kiss, a sly smirk dancing across her thin lips. She reached down, snapping the waistband of Hanna's bright red lace panties. Hanna squealed in response, burying her face in Spencer's chest.

"Nice pantaloons, Private," Spencer chuckled, twirling a piece of Hanna's blonde hair around her pointer finger. "Did someone steal some roses from the Red Queen's garden and make them into lingerie?"

Hanna's face flushed the color of her underwear, and she looked up at Spencer with a sheepish smile. "I didn't think you'd be seeing my panties tonight," she whimpered, embarrassed. "They were the first ones I could find this morning."

Spencer pressed her lips to Hanna's forehead, the hand that had been previously entangled in her hair moving to stroke her cheek. "I think they're cute," she said softly, kissing along Hanna's jaw line now. "Very precious."

Hanna giggled, tilting her head to the side to allow Spencer better access to her skin. "You can take them off, you know," she whispered, sliding her hand down Spencer's bare shoulder. The taller girl shivered beneath her, and Hanna couldn't help but smirk. "But only if you let me take off yours."

Spencer pulled away to look into Hanna's darkened blue orbs, her lips spread into a devilish grin. "Oh, Private Marin," she faux-scolded, hooking her thumbs under the waistband of Hanna's underwear. "What a naughty girl you are."

Hanna blushed light pink as Spencer carefully pulled off her lace panties and discarded them on the floor beside the bed. She did the same to Spencer's grey and white striped boy-shorts, letting her fingers graze over pale skin a little longer than needed as she slid them down her long legs.

As soon as they were both completely nude, they crashed together in a flurry of passion and lust. Skin collided with skin as hands became entwined in silky locks and thighs fought to press a torso onto the mattress. Tongues battled fiercely for dominance. Gasps escaped wet lips as nipples brushed together or teeth sank into vulnerable skin.

Spencer had successfully pinned Hanna down, straddling her waist and cradling the back of her neck with her hand, when Hanna let out a panicked whine and pulled out of the powerful kiss. Her eyes were wide, chest heaving as she caught her breath.

"I...I," she stammered, staring up at Spencer like she couldn't breathe without her. Her eyes had turned darker with lust, and there was a small bead of sweat dribbling down her neck into the crook of her pale shoulder. "I've never done this before."

Spencer paused in her attempt to kiss along Hanna's jaw line, her practically black eyes glancing up to meet Hanna's anxious blue ones. "Of course you haven't," she grumbled, and was going to say more when she saw the hurt look on Hanna's face. "I didn't mean it like that. I promise. I love you so much, Hanna. You're everything to me. It's just...I haven't been a virgin for so long." She chuckled nervously. "I lost my V card when I was, what, fifteen? I've almost forgotten what it's like. We'll go nice and slow, okay? Just tell me if you want me to stop."

Hanna nodded nervously, reaching up to push a dark lock of hair off of Spencer's forehead in an attempt to let her know that she hadn't hurt her feelings. "I've always kind of been a late bloomer," she chuckled softly, shooting her girlfriend a comforting smile. "And I'm not sure whether to be intrigued or just go with the fact that you weren't. But either way, yes, I'll let you know if I want you to stop."

Spencer gave a quick nod and then buried her face in Hanna's neck, dragging her nails down her pale stomach simultaneously. Hanna let out a breathy moan, and Spencer responded with a gentle bite to the soft skin on the side of her neck. When the older girl's thin fingers slipped between Hanna's legs, the blonde jerked, a gasp flying out from between her pink lips.

"You okay?" Spencer was looking up at Hanna with concerned chocolate eyes, her fingers still frozen between her girlfriend's thighs. Hanna was panting, her chest heaving as drops of warm sweat slid over her goosebump-covered flesh.

"F-Fine," Hanna whispered, swallowing so hard Spencer could see it. She nudged her girlfriend's hand with her thigh, urging her to continue her prior task. "I'm fine. More than fine, baby. Please continue."

Spencer's lips stretched into a pleased smile, and she pressed them to Hanna's as she slipped her fingertips between her girlfriend's throbbing folds. Hanna's mouth was open against Spencer's, her breath covering the other girl's lips with a thin sheet of moisture.

"Relax," Spencer purred, combing the fingers of her free hand through Hanna's hair. She spread her legs even more, gently massaging her slippery core. "Just relax. You're going to be alright, I promise."

Hanna bit down on her bottom lip and nodded weakly, her eyelids fluttering shut. Spencer's lips found her collarbone, nibbling and suckling the younger girl's pale skin. She waited until Hanna's thighs stopped twitching before slowly sliding her pointer finger into her.

Hanna gasped, her inner walls clamping around Spencer's finger. She held the back of her girlfriend's neck as Spencer continued to kiss her trembling skin, carefully pushing her finger in and out of her. She added a second finger after a few moments, savoring the way Hanna's hips were beginning to rise and fall in tune with her thrusts. Spencer gently used her thumb to make circles around Hanna's clit as she continued to pump her fingers in and out of her.

"S-Shit," Hanna whispered, her voice thick and wavering with lust. She took deep breaths and leaned back against the mattress, the sounds of Spencer panting above her and her fingers sliding in and out of her filling her ears. "Goddamn, baby. That feels so good. Don't you dare stop."

Spencer smirked, removing her lips from the moist skin on Hanna's chest so she could gaze into the shining blue orbs that were staring up at her. She hadn't even noticed that Hanna's eyes had opened until now, and she reached up to cup her girlfriend's cheek with the hand that wasn't still deep inside of her.

"Is this okay?" Spencer asked quietly, the pad of her thumb rotating around the swollen bundle of nerves between Hanna's legs. The blonde was gasping rhythmically as Spencer massaged her clit, her fingers still pumping in and out of her.

"Perfect," Hanna croaked, the muscles in her neck tensing as she moved her head to look at Spencer. She let out a strangled whine as her girlfriend curled her fingers deep inside of her, her fingertips brushing right up against her g-spot. "It's wonderful, Spence. I-I'm pretty close to coming."

Spencer leaned down, pressing her lips to the inside of Hanna's trembling thigh. She kissed the pale, moist skin there, her fingers still going to work on making her girlfriend feel incredible.

"Good," she murmured, the short hairs on Hanna's skin tickling her lips. The blonde inhaled sharply as she did this, her hips threatening to rise up off the mattress. "I want you to come."

Then both of the girls went quiet, Hanna's lips pressed into a thin line as she struggled to try to keep silent and Spencer's painting a picture on the canvas of Hanna's skin. Both of them were breathing heavily, their chests heaving and their flesh twitching with exhilaration. Hanna's hands became entangled in Spencer's hair, yanking and pulling on the auburn strands. The nails of Spencer's free hand were digging into Hanna's thigh, her slim fingers buried deep inside of her warm core. Spencer's mouth reached Hanna's swollen clit, her lips carefully wrapping around the sensitive bundle of her nerves and her teeth nibbling on the bud gently.

And then Hanna was coming, her pale body arching high off of the mattress. Her round breasts were taut, thighs clenched as her orgasm rocketed through her entire body. Spencer's name flew out of the blonde's mouth repeatedly as her toes curled, digging into her lover's back. Spencer's knuckles were white as she gripped Hanna's bucking hips, trying to keep them both from tumbling off the bed. Spencer kept her fingers inside of her girlfriend the entire time, gently stroking the shorter girl's insides to bring her down from her high. When Hanna finally collapsed onto the mattress with a thump, Spencer slid her fingers out of the blonde gently, sticking them directly in her mouth.

"Well, shit," Spencer groaned, flopping onto her stomach on the small portion of the bed next to Hanna. Her eyes were shut as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist, pulling their bodies close together. Hanna immediately buried her face in the slippery crook of Spencer's neck, her breath coming in short pants against her moist flesh. Spencer's nose was nestled in a sea of blonde waves, inhaling a mixture of raspberry shampoo and sweat.

"I-I can't believe I just came that hard," Hanna panted finally, lifting her head to shoot Spencer a weary smile. "Just...wow. I'm honestly surprised I didn't explode."

Spencer chuckled softly, using her thumb to wipe a drop of sweat lingering on the curve of Hanna's chin. "I've never had a girl scream that loud," she murmured as she lovingly kissed along her girlfriend's hairline. "You have some pretty strong lungs, chica."

Hanna blushed scarlet, squirming slightly on the bed so she could be closer to Spencer. "I didn't expect it to feel that fantastic," she giggled nervously, sapphire eyes glittering in the dark room. "It's never felt like that when I, you know, did it alone..."

Spencer laughed quietly, pressing her lips to Hanna's temple and letting them linger there. "You are so cute," she purred happily, nipping at the blonde's earlobe. "Good lord, I am hopelessly in love with you."

Hanna grinned up at her girlfriend, twirling a piece of her soaked, dark chocolate hair around her pointer finger. "And I have finally met the love of my life."

Spencer combed her fingers through Hanna's silky hair, draping an arm around her pale waist. "I knew it'd be you," she said quietly, resting her forehead against the other girl's. "When I first saw you on that plane, I had a feeling you'd end up meaning so much to me. That's why I was so pissed, because I never expected it to be someone like you."

Hanna wrinkled her small nose, squinting up at her lover in the dark. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked cautiously.

Spencer's lips curved into an amused smile, and she leaned down, pressing it to Hanna's slightly swollen mouth. "I never expected to have someone so wonderful love me like you do. I could never deserve someone as gorgeous and caring as my baby girl Hanna."

Hanna rolled her bright blue eyes, giggling as she pecked Spencer on the chin. "Nice save, babe." She sighed tiredly, burying her face in her girlfriend's chest and slumping against her. "I heard we're getting sent out to Afghanistan next week."

Spencer bit down on her bottom lip in concern. "Shh," she whispered, walking her fingers down Hanna's spine in the darkness. "Don't think about that now. Let's just go to bed."

Hanna nodded sleepily, her eyes fluttering shut and her eyelashes tickling Spencer's soft skin. Spencer kissed the blonde's forehead once more before resting her head on her small shoulder and dozing off to sleep.

"Auntie Hanna! Auntie Hanna, you're awake!"

It was early Saturday morning, and visiting hours had just started at the hospital. Aria and Emily had practically been waiting outside the hospital doors to be let in. After they had heard the news of Hanna waking up, they had wanted to come visit her immediately. Now they were just entering their friend's hospital room, little Sammi racing ahead of them.

The little girl bounded over to Hanna's bed, her dark brown pigtails flying behind her head. She was wearing a pair of tiny pink overalls along with a white t-shirt and pink Mary Jane shoes. Aria had tied a pink ribbon around each of her pigtails, creating two little pastel pink bows in contrast to her dark hair. Now the three-year-old was grabbing the side-rail on Hanna's bed, jumping up and down excitedly.

"Sam, don't do that," Emily scolded, laying a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Auntie Hanna is very tired, we don't want to overwhelm her. Why don't you come up here? I'll hold you and you can talk to her that way."

Sammi nodded, allowing Emily to pick her up and rest her on her hip. The little girl curled against her mother's body, resting her head on her shoulder and gazing at Hanna with wide blue eyes.

Spencer rose from the chair beside Hanna's bed, shooting her friends a tight-lipped smile. "Hey, guys," she said tiredly. "You really didn't have to come today. Maybe I shouldn't have told you Hanna woke up…"

Aria frowned, stretching to set her jacket down on the back of another chair in the room. Her baby bump had grown since the last time Spencer had seen her, her stomach bulging out in the slightest bit. "Of course we had to come!" she exclaimed, waddling over to the other girls. "We wanted to meet your lady friend, and help her feel better. You wanted us to meet her so badly before. What's wrong, Spence?"

Spencer bit down on her bottom lip worriedly, her mocha-colored eyes drifting towards a frail, bed-ridden Hanna. She opened her mouth to respond to her friend, when the blonde cut her off sharply.

"Who in God's name are you people?" Hanna shrieked alarmingly, her cerulean eyes wide and frightened. "Why are you here? Spencer, why are these people in here?"

Aria looked up at Spencer, brown orbs swimming in a sea of confusion. Her small mouth was twisted into a perplexed scowl, thick eyebrows threaded together. "What is she talking about?" she asked quietly. "Didn't you tell her about Em and I, Spence?"

Spencer sighed, slowly sinking back into the chair at Hanna's bedside. Her hands gripped the wooden arms on the chair so hard her knuckles were white. "I told her about you guys," she said quietly. "She just doesn't remember."

Emily frowned, scratching Sammi's scalp gently as she turned to face Spencer. The little girl's pink lips were pursed, her brown eyes wide and curious from the chaos going on around her. "What do you mean, she doesn't remember? How can she not remember?"

Spencer curled the fingers of her left hand around the grey plastic bar on the side of Hanna's bed. The blonde lay quietly on the mattress, shining blue eyes ping-ponging between the three other girls in the room. "She doesn't remember a lot of things," she whispered. "We were in combat, and...and something happened. She lost her memory."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Hanna cried suddenly, sitting up in her bed. Her hands were twisted tightly in the sheets and the pink blanket resting on her knees. "I do remember things! I know who I am, and a whole bunch of other stuff."

Spencer tapped her nails against the bar on Hanna's bed, trying her hardest to not just scream. She was so frustrated, she'd been so frustrated since all of this happened, and she felt like she was going to blow up any second. "But you don't remember everything," she hissed though gritted teeth. "You don't remember me."

Hanna crossed her thin arms over her chest, glaring at Spencer with hardened blue eyes. "You know that's not my fault," she growled, her voice full of anger and irritation. "It's not my fault I don't remember you or those two. It's not my fault I don't remember a whole bunch of shit. Stop making it sound like it's all my fault."

Spencer sighed heavily, slumping back in her chair so quickly that the legs tilted backwards, the back of the chair colliding with the wall and making a loud thump. "I'm not doing that! I'm not blaming you for anything, stop putting words into my mouth." She dug her teeth into her bottom lip, staring down at the ground. "I'm just...I'm very overwhelmed."

Aria was standing over near Emily now, her head leaning against the taller girl's shoulder. Emily's hand was on her wife's shoulder, massaging it gently while she bounced Sammi with her other arm. "I'm sorry," the smaller girl said meekly, glancing at her friend with wide brown eyes. "But what exactly happened here? Hanna, why don't you explain this time?"

Hanna leaned back against the pillows in her bed, letting out an exasperated sigh. "I don't want to," she groaned, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "I don't want any of you in here, I've been telling Spencer that all morning. I just want to see my boyfriend."

"What?" Emily set Sammi down on the ground, letting the little girl scamper into Spencer's lap and curl against her thin frame. Emily shot Hanna a confused look, wrapping her arms around Aria's small shoulders. "Boyfriend? But, Spencer said you're..."

"She thinks she's seventeen," Spencer piped up suddenly, cutting Emily off. Sammi was sucking her thumb in her lap, making small suckling sounds. "She doesn't remember the last five years of her life. She thinks she's still in high school. She still thinks she's straight."

"Oh," Aria said softly, her pink lips making a thin line on her face. She was practically shrouded by Emily's arms, her chin resting on the taller girl's muscled forearm. "Why didn't you just say that earlier?"

Spencer sighed, combing her fingers through Sammi's silky brown hair. The three-year-old's eyes were closed now, her pale thumb still lodged in her mouth. "I didn't know how to. This is all so scary for me. It's been really hard...dealing with all of this."

Aria nodded, and was about to open her mouth to reply when the door behind her opened. Doctor Crenshaw came strutting in, clipboard tucked under his left arm and stethoscope around his neck. "Girls, who don't you leave Hanna alone for a little while? She needs to rest. Spencer, do you want to show them the cafeteria? You guys can come back in a little bit."

Spencer nodded silently, picking Sammi up and resting her on her hip as she stood up. She made her way towards the door, motioning for Aria and Emily to follow her. The three shuffled out into the hallway quietly, a dark cloud of sorrow and gloom looming over them.

"We've got to move! Come on girls, hustle! This is it!"

Spencer grabbed Hanna's arm, dragging her out from between the flaps of the light tan tent. It was pitch black outside, but both girls were wearing night vision goggles, so they could see just fine. It was just after one in the morning, and the girls had just been woken up and told that they were going out into combat. Not that Hanna had been able to sleep, however. Ever since they had arrived in Afghanistan the morning before, Hanna had sat on her cot in the tent she and five other girls shared, staring at the wall in front of her. Spencer had given her some food and kept her company as the day went by, but she fell asleep eventually, curled up on her cot. Hanna had continued to sit in the dark, playing with her dog tags until her fingers were chapped and raw. The sounds of gunshots and airplanes overhead surrounded her all night, haunting her and keeping her awake.

Now Hanna was running alongside Spencer, her blue eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the small form of Allison in the distance. She was leading a whole group of troops from their tents into the rolling hills all around them. The girls were decked out in dark camouflage outfits, their thick boots surprisingly quiet as the scampered along in the night. Guns and other weapons were strapped tightly to their backs and waists, making it even more important for them to make sure they were quiet. Spencer could hear Hanna panting next to her, her breath coming in short, hard puffs. The blonde was slowing down slightly, her breathing getting even heavier the further they ran.

"We're almost there, Han," Spencer whispered gruffly, reaching out to grab Hanna's thickly padded arm and pulling her forward. "Just a little farther."

Then, all of a sudden, Spencer pulled Hanna down onto the ground, both girls landing behind a small hill in the dark. Hanna let out a high-pitched squeak as her stomach collided with the ground with a soft thump.

"Shut up!" Spencer hissed, glaring at Hanna from beside her. She was on her stomach as well, propped up on her bulky elbows. "You don't want them to hear us, do you?"

Hanna whimpered, shaking her head slowly. She could see Allison's silhouette to the left of them, crouched in a small, grassless ditch. "I'm scared," she blonde whispered, her voice shaking. "I-I'm so scared."

"Shh," Spencer cooed, her harsh mood partially gone. She yanked up her goggles and leaned over, giving Hanna a chaste kiss before pulling them back down over her face. "You can do this. I know you can. You're my beautiful, strong Hanna, isn't that right?"

"Uh-huh." Hanna gulped, her fingers twisted in a clump of dry grass. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, the blood it was pumping pounding loudly in her ears. "I-I'm your Hanna."

"Right." Spencer patted Hanna on the shoulder for reassurance and support. She looked up to see Allison motioning to them frantically from her hidden position. "Alright, it's time to go. Let's do this thing, baby doll."

They took deep breaths, and then both girls stood up. Hanna's legs were shaking as she grabbed Spencer's hand and gave it one last hard squeeze. Then they both took off, charging at the pitch-black, open land in front of them. Spencer was sprinting towards the right, carefully maneuvering around rocks and small holes in the ground, when all of a sudden, she heard a loud click from beside her. A very familiar click. A click that sent her heart leaping into her throat and the blood in her veins running ice-cold.

The last thing Spencer saw before she had to duck and leap as far back as she could was a flash of bright orange and yellow light erupting from the ground, and Hanna's body flying through the air into the dark of the night.

"Spencer. Spencer. Spencer, wake up!"

Spencer jolted awake, practically falling out of her chair as she sprung up into a sitting position. She hadn't even meant to fall asleep; she had been reading last February's issue of People magazine and waiting for the doctor to come in to give Hanna her daily tests. The magazine was now overturned on the floor underneath her chair, having fallen from Spencer's hands as she dozed off.

"Spencer!" came the hiss from the bed again, causing the brunette's head to jerk in her direction. Hanna was sitting up in her bed, blue eyes wide and alert as she stared at Spencer. Her pale hands were folded in her lap, countless wires and tubes sticking out of them and connected to the IV's next to her bed.

"What do you need?" Spencer mumbled tiredly, brushing a lock of flimsy brown hair out of her eyes. She crossed her legs over one another, leaning against the cushion on the back of her chair. "You're obviously not dying, so why did you wake me up?"

"Why am I here?" Hanna asked meekly, running her pink tongue over her lips. The blankets on her bed were a mess for once; the nurses usually straightened them while Hanna was asleep and they mostly stayed that way all day. "Are we back in Georgia?"

Spencer frowned, sitting up straighter in her chair. "What are you talking about?" She narrowed her dark brown eyes at Hanna, her mouth twisting into a perplexed scowl. "We've been talking about this for days! You're in the hospital...in Pennsylvania."

"What?" Hanna moved to lay a hand on Spencer's forearm, and let out a loud groan. "Oh, shit. My thigh is killing me! How hard were we going at it last night?"

Spencer bit down on her bottom lip, still staring at Hanna from her seat in her chair. "We weren't..." She scratched a slight itch on her cheek. "The last time we had sex was months ago, Hanna. You know that. We talked about it. Besides, why would we be having sex last night, anyway? You're not into girls, remember?" She sneered angrily. "Wouldn't your boyfriend have a problem with that?"

"Boyfriend?" Hanna wrinkled her pale nose, leaning back against the bright white pillows on her bed with a sigh. "What boyfriend? I haven't had a boyfriend since I was 17. I'm not into boys anymore, remember? Besides, even if I was, I'd be cheating on my girl." She smiled sweetly at Spencer, her blue eyes a little more teary than usual. "I'd never cheat on my Spencer."

Spencer blinked, surprised and frozen next to Hanna's bedside. Was this really happening? Hanna sounded like she remembered! Was that even possible after such a long time? "Wait," Spencer said cautiously, testing the blonde girl. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-two." Hanna cocked her head to the side, sapphire eyes wide and unblinking. "Since when was I a different age? What is up with you today, Spence? I've been twenty-two since we met. I still am twenty-two."

"No, no!" Spencer cried, her lips stretched into a wide grin. She practically leapt into Hanna's bed, holding her girlfriend tight as tears streamed down her frail cheeks. "You're twenty-two! Twenty-two! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to tell me that."

Hanna squeaked, struggling under Spencer's sudden weight. "Ow!" She pushed Spencer to the side, frowning at her suspiciously. "Ow, Spence, you're hurting me. Why are you acting like a lunatic?"

Spencer brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly as she tried to calm herself down. "You don't remember?" She beamed at Hanna, frantically wiping tears from off her chin. "Of course you don't remember! Han, you lost your memory. Five whole years of it. After you woke up from your coma."

"I was in a coma?" Hanna combed her fingers through her soft blonde curls. She reached out, setting a hand on Spencer's sweatpants-clad knee. "Goddamn. For how long?"

Spencer sniffled, setting her hand on top of Hanna's and giving it a gentle squeeze. "About a month," she hiccupped, leaning against the guardrail on Hanna's bed. "And your memory was lost for a few days. I-I thought I'd never get my Hanna back."

"Oh, honey," Hanna cooed, gathering Spencer into her arms and hugging her comfortingly. She shifted so Spencer wasn't sitting on her sore thigh and then kissed the top of her girlfriend's head. "I'm right here. I'm alright, shh." She scratched Spencer's scalp gently. "I thought soldiers don't cry."

Spencer looked up at Hanna, sniffling loudly. Her eyes were already red and puffy, tears gathered in the corners and spilling down her face. "I'm not a soldier anymore. And neither are you. They let us go because you got hurt, and because I've been serving for so long. We're free."

Hanna grinned down at Spencer, pulling her closer so the brunette could rest her head in the crook of her neck. "Thank God." She ran her fingers down Spencer's long arm soothingly. "What happened, by the way? How did I get hurt?"

Spencer rested her head on Hanna's shoulder, not bothering to wipe away the tears that were collecting on her girlfriend's hospital gown. "There was a landmine," she whimpered softly. "You...You stepped on it. B-But that's not the point. You're okay, and that's all I care about. My baby is okay."

Hanna smiled, nodding as she stroked Spencer's tear-streaked cheek gently. "You bet I am, gorgeous." She took Spencer's chin in her hand, moving her head so she could lean down and kiss her lips softly. "You bet I am."