The quotes at both the beginning and end of this story are the sole property of the author and they have been checked for originality. Please ask permission before using them and give credit where credit is due. This story is very limited on dialog and I would like to apologize for that before hand.

Those who fight for freedom, fight for the ones they love and that's what keeps them going.

~Diamond Willis, age 22

June 24th 2007

Conner Fernandez-McKnight stood in the doorway of his infant son's bedroom as his husband laid the baby in the crib after kissing his forehead. Trent turned to face him and he smiled as Trent wrapped him in his arms. It would be their last night together as Trent would be leaving for his second tour overseas as part of the army. He didn't want him to leave but understood why he had to do so. Trent scooped Conner into his arms before making his way back to their bedroom. Conner giggled as Trent tossed him on the bed and they quickly removed all their clothing. The moment Trent was on top of him, Conner pulled him down into a deep kiss and moaned as Trent pushed into him. They made love well into the morning, knowing it would be a long time before they would be able to do it again.

Finally they fell asleep in each other's arms only to be awakened four hours later by their son and alarm clock. While Conner took care of the baby, Trent checked his bags and after he was certain he had everything he headed to the shower. Fifteen minutes later Trent was seated at the kitchen table eating the last home cooked breakfast he would have until he returned home. Conner sat next to him in silence and not long after they loaded Trent's bags into the truck.

They reached the drop off two hours later and as Trent kissed his son's forehead, Conner pulled his bags from the truck. Trent ran a hand down the side of the baby's face and whispered, "I'll miss you, TJ. Papa loves you." He turned away to face his husband and pulled him in close for a kiss. He pulled back and seeing the tears rolling down his cheeks he wiped them away with his thumbs.

"It'll be okay." He whispered.

"I don't want you to go back." Conner choked out before burying his face in Trent's neck.

"I don't want to go either. But it's my duty to go."

"I know but it hurts knowing that everyday is a chance that you won't make it back home."

"I know and it's futile to promise anything but I will try my best to make it home to you and TJ next July. Okay?"

"Okay. And I'll make sure to send letters and packages this time as well."

"I'll look forward to them." Trent smiled before looking over his shoulder when his name was called.

His Sergeant was signalling that it was time to go and with a nod Trent turned back to his husband. With one more kiss, he picked up his bags and smiled sadly.

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Trent." Conner whispered.

With one more quick peck to his husband's lips, Trent made his way over to his unit and had to keep himself from looking back behind him at his husband. Conner watched as his husband boarded the plane and with a sob he got in the truck before making his way home with the hope that he would see his husband home safely.

July 12th 2008

Conner was looking out his front window, bouncing TJ in one arm while holding the phone to his ear with the other. Trent would be returning in a week and he was trying to plan a welcome home barbecue when there was a knock on the front door. He placed TJ in his playpen, then opened it to find two military officers in uniform and his heart stopped. The words of the officers would forever haunt him.

"We regretfully inform you that your husband Sergeant Fernandez-McKnight was killed in the line of duty along with half of his unit when they were ambushed."

His knees gave way and he felt the tears fall as the phone fell from his hand. A heart-wrenching scream tore from his throat and all he could do was cry as the officers offered their condolences. They gave him the details of when the bodies would arrive and left.

Three days later Conner found himself waiting along with the other families for the caskets to be removed from the cargo plane. He held TJ in his arms and kept kissing his head as he fought back the tears. A hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to find Kira, Ethan and Tommy standing there. Kira had tears streaming down her face and he could see that Ethan and Tommy weren't far from crying themselves. He turned back just as the first casket was brought out and Conner knew that it wouldn't be long before all twenty caskets would be lined up.

Each casket was covered in an American flag and a picture of who was inside of it. Conner made his way among the caskets until he found the one bearing Trent's picture and he dropped to his knees next to it, mirroring many grieving widows and widowers. Conner leaned his head against the rough wood and placed his right hand on top of it.

One week later the Town of Reefside shut down as the funeral for Trent was held. Conner stood at the front of the church, his head bowed as he stood next to the polished casket that contained his husband's body. The preacher was talking about Trent and how his sacrifice wouldn't be forgotten.

Conner watched as six of Trent's friends carried the casket out to the waiting hearse and with pain in his heart, Conner got in the backseat of the Cadillac that would lead the procession to the cemetery. The police sirens blared as they escorted the funeral procession and traffic stopped as they watched the hearse drive by.

At the gravesite Conner stood with TJ in his arms and watched as the Armed Forces servicemen and women saluted the casket. As the Twenty-One Gun Salute commenced Conner stared straight at the casket wishing that it was all a sick joke. But when the TAPS began and the folded flag was handed to him the harsh reality kicked in. It wasn't a joke and he would never see his husband again. The weight of Trent's dog tags around his neck caused the tears to stream down as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. Soon after Conner and TJ were the only two at the grave site and kneeling briefly Conner laid a dark red rose down as he kissed TJ's forehead.

Three days later Conner returned to the cemetery alone and knelt in front of the freshly placed headstone. He placed a bouquet of roses down in front of him and leaned forward to lay his head against the cool marble stone. He kissed it softly and wiped away the tears before speaking.

"I miss you. I wish you had come home to me alive. But I know you had no choice in how you came home. I will make sure TJ grows up knowing all about you and why you couldn't be here to watch him grow up. He will know that you loved us and that you died fighting to keep us safe. I am proud of you. And I know he will be proud of you as well. We'll be okay." Conner whispered and he could almost hear Trent's voice as he laid one of his hands flat against the stone.

I love you and TJ. Stay happy and never forget that I did this for both of you. But Conner knew the words were a figment of his imagination and he lowered his head as he began to cry.

He knelt there crying for several minutes before he wiped the tears away again and looked at the words engraved on the stone.

Trent Fernandez-McKnight

Beloved Son, Husband and Father

March 29th, 1986

July 4th, 2008

Gone…. Never Forgotten

The One Who Didn't Make It Back Home

Semper Fi

Sacrifice is giving up your life for the ones you love even if it means leaving them behind in the end.

~Diamond Willis, age 22