A/N: I own nothing in this story. This is based on the song Just A Dream by Carrie Underwood. Please review :)
The tears fell as I began my descent down the aisle. The ceremony was exactly the way I had always imagined it would be. My father tightened his grip on my arm as we neared the altar. A smile appeared on my face as I locked eyes with my soon-to-be husband. Daddy kissed my cheek and sat in the chair beside my Dad. I stood in front of Noah and everything disappeared. I couldn't hear the preacher talk, I couldn't see the tears in our guests' eyes. All I saw was the love of my life staring back at me with tears in his big, brown eyes. He smiled as he spoke my name.
"Rachel."
I smiled and tears fell from his eyes.
"Rachel."
"Rachel. Rachel, come on, wake up."
I felt myself being shaken awake by my best friend, Mercedes. She wiped my face as I opened my eyes.
"Same dream?" I nodded. "You have to get ready."
"I don't want to go."
"You have to."
"But I don't think I can do this."
"Yes, you can. I'll be there with you and so will Finn." She smiled reassuringly. "I promise."
I hugged her and she left, leaving me to get ready and to think. Noah Puckerman and I met when he was 11 and I was 10. We weren't friends at first. In fact, I hated him. But I had to deal with him since our parents went to the Jewish Community Center together. Then I became best friends with his best friend, Finn. When I turned 14, I started looking at Noah in a different way. I realized that he was funny, charming, chivalrous, and absolutely gorgeous. After of few months of having these feelings, I decided to do something about it. Before I could, Noah told me that he liked me. I finally learned that the reason he was always mean to me and teased me was because he liked me. I was ecstatic although Finn didn't take well to the idea. It took him a while, but eventually he realized that he would always be my best friend, no matter what happened between Noah and I.
We were inseparable. In high school, we had all the same friends. We both were straight-A students, thanks to me tutoring him, headed toward New York University. At the end of his senior year, Noah made the biggest decision of his life: he enlisted in the army. I knew it was what he always wanted to do. All he would talk about was how it would be a huge honor to defend his country and now, he was finally doing it himself. Throughout boot camp and basic training, I visited him every chance I could. After basic, he was put on active duty. He went to my high school graduation. That was the night he proposed to me in front of all of our family and friends. Of course, I said yes. It was a dream come true and we began planning the wedding immediately. We had to plan it closely since we never knew when he would be called to duty. After a three month engagement, we got married. Four months later, he was shipped to Iraq.
The first month was absolutely horrible. It was hard not being able to call Noah whenever I wanted. Finn spent all his time at our house; he was closest to Noah so this was harder on him. Eventually, we got somewhat used to Noah not being there 24/7. He made sure to call me at least once a week. Whenever he could, he would send his parents emails and call them. After he was there for three months, I told him the news: I was pregnant. It was one of the happiest moments of our lives and we couldn't even be together. I remember hearing him yell to his bunkmates that he was going to be a father. That was the hardest moment I experienced while he was away. It wasn't that long after that our lives changed forever.
Noah's platoon was set to come home two months after I told him about the baby. We were all excited; it's not that often that the soldiers come home so soon after being deployed. I was at Noah's mother's house. Mercedes and Kurt were there for dinner with Finn and I. Noah's mother and I were preparing dinner when she received the call. The phone fell from her hand and she collapsed to the floor. I yelled for Finn as I picked up the phone and asked the person to repeat what they said. Three men and two women from Noah's platoon were killed by a roadside bomb. Noah was one of them. Everything went black as Finn's arms closed around me.
Now here I am, three weeks later. The last time I was at this church I was a vision in white, marrying the man of my dreams. Now, as I walk through the doors, I am saying goodbye to my husband, the father of my unborn child. After the service, we made our way to the cemetery. I sat between Noah's mother and Finn as the preacher bowed his head and prayed. Part of me was angry at Noah. How could he leave me now? We had a little boy on the way, we barely had time to live as husband and wife. Noah and I were supposed to be together forever. What do I do now? My happily ever after has been horrifically cut short. Why did he have to join the army? Why did he have to go active? Why did God take him from me so soon? Why?
The military band began playing. My eyes did not leave the casket as I heard the music. I could feel my heart breaking even more, if that was possible, as I watched people, one by one, go up and place a rose on his casket. My tears fell as I watched his little sister drop to her knees in front of the casket, crying. They handed his mother the folded up American flag. She held it close to her chest and wept into it. Then she looked up and held it out so that I could hold it. We both held onto the flag, one of the last pieces of Noah that we had. I felt Finn squeeze my hand and I looked over. Tears poured down his face. As we locked eyes, the guns went off. My body went rigid and the person behind me, most likely Mercedes, rubbed my shoulder in condolence. I reached over and hugged Finn tightly as the guns went off once more. As Noah's baby kicked, I whispered into Finn's ear, trying to convince myself:
"This is just a dream."