Disclaimers: None of this is mine
References to episode 5.4 On Behalf of a Grateful Nation

Emmalin Holden stared at the coffin, feeling empty inside. Inside that pine box was the body of her best friend. No, that wasn't quite true. If she was honest with herself he was more than that. He was the boy she'd been in love with since she was six years old.

Emmalin glanced over at Specialist Tanya Gabriel, Jeremy's fiancee. The other woman was barely keeping it together and Emmalin knew exactly how she felt. A part of her wanted to be jealous of the other woman for wearing Jeremy's ring on her finger, but in the end she just couldn't. It wasn't like it could bring Jeremy back to either one of them.

The rest of the funeral went by in a haze. It was like this was happening to someone else and she was just watching from somewhere outside of her body. The sound of the guns being fired brought her back to herself. Each volley feeling like it was tearing into her heart...

Emmalin sat up in bed, breathing heavily, as the intensity of her nightmare slowly faded. In the darkness, a hand reached out to her. Startled at first, she relaxed and welcomed the contact.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "Just a bad dream."

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Emmalin sighed and snuggled deeper into her husband's embrace. He pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I was at a funeral." She turned her head to look at him even though she couldn't make out much more than his profile in the darkness. "Your funeral Jeremy. I dreamed you had been killed during your first tour in Afghanistan."

"And you were engaged to an Army medic." She added, almost as an afterthought.

"Engaged to a medic? That brings to mind several 'naughty nurse' fantasies I've been surppressing" Jeremy said chuckling, trying to ease her fears with the teasing.

Emmalin didn't say anything though, and he could feel how tense she still was. He sighed and pressed another kiss to her shoulder.

"I didn't die over there Em. I came back. And it wasn't very long after that that I asked you out on our first date." He paused, smiling at the memory. "I was so nervous. I still can't believe you said yes."

Emmalin chuckled, feeling her tension finally starting to slip away. "Neither could my parents."

"Hey!" Jeremy said in mock surprise. "I thought your parents loved me."

"They do. They came around as soon as they saw how happy you made me."

Jeremy laid back down, gently tugging Emmalin down with him.

"Try to go back to sleep Em." His hand drifted down to her slightly swollen belly, joined a moment later by hers. Once again he marveled at the idea of their child growing inside of her. "The doctor said it's important that you get plenty of rest. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know. I love you Jeremy. I always have."

"And I love you Em."

Emmalin snuggled deeper into her husband's arms and within minutes was sound asleep again, safe in his protective embrace.