Song: Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood

Disclaimer: I don't own the song "Just a Dream" or Storm Hawks.

For all the soldiers that went too soon, and all the lovers separated by war.

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It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen
All dressed in white
Going to the church that night
She had his box of letters in the passenger seat
Sixpence in her shoe, something borrowed, something blue

Piper stared down at a small, crystalline ring that was placed on her left hand. Aerrow had given it to her on the day he professed his love for her. Once they had turned eighteen, of marrying age, he had proposed. She excitedly accepted it, and with that, the two were set to say their vows. Two more weeks and they would've been wed. She felt another tear roll down her cheek from her tangerine eyes.

Why? She asked herself, Why did he have to leave so soon? They had been doing just fine in a battle with a small fleet of Talons. Though they were winning, Piper had felt that something was off, that something wasn't right with the way the Talons were fighting. They weren't as much fighting as they were luring the Storm Hawks in different directions….

Then it had finally hit her. They were splitting them up, trying to get each one alone and away from any of their teammates, so they could finally take them down. So they could finally take him down. By the time she realized this, it was too late. She could only watch in horror as a dark form rose up behind Aerrow, with a blade glowing red.

There was no time for him to react.

Within moments, he was down, never to get back up.

And when the church doors opened up wide
She put her veil down
Trying to hide the tears
Oh she just couldn't believe it
She heard the trumpets from the military band
And the flowers fell out of her hand

Four years. That's how long Piper had known Aerrow. Four years. Four years of friendship, four years of excitement…four years of star-crossed love.

When he got down on one knee, she had felt her heart leap in her throat. Not in a bad way, of course, but out of the fondness she felt for him in return. She had been so delighted afterwards. Even the rest of the guys were exceptionally happy for the pair. The tactician had felt that nothing could have brought her down. Her life had always revolved around him, and his life around hers. Now, they could continue like that forever more.

Well, that was what she had thought. She never had the slightest hint of the tragedy to come. It was like waking up from a dream with a bucket of cold water to the face. No, worse than that. Like waking up from a dream with a dagger through her heart, slowly tearing it apart.


Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe

It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now

Piper looked down at the ring once more. A sob escaped her lips. He wasn't coming back. Ever. He was really gone. This wasn't just another one of his stunts that would make her worry about him, until he returned with all his limbs intact and that lop-sided smile on his face. This time, he wasn't returning.

She looked out the window, an act of habit. Maybe…just maybe, he would return, with that grin, that cocky grin that always melted her heart of any anger or annoyance she may have felt towards him. Maybe, this was just a dream. Just a nightmare. Maybe she could pretend that this wasn't happening.

Who was she kidding.

This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Dressed in dark, the team slowly made their way into a crowd made of both squadrons and citizens. They watched solemnly as a coffin, draped over with the Atmosian flag, was carried through. A small sniffle could be heard, from Junko, no doubt. The gathering of people could be classified as small, as there weren't many people who recognized the Storm Hawks, and even less that knew what had befell their leader. However, they could tell that who had attended the ceremony had truly been saddened by this tragedy. The group's attention turned to the small group at the front, as a preacher laid his hand on the casket. His face was as saddened as theirs were.


The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray
Lord please lift his soul, and heal this hurt
Then the congregation all stood up and sang
The saddest song that she ever heard

Piper closed her eyes as she heard the melancholy song that floated through the air. It only added to the sickening feeling she had in her heart. More tears managed to make their way out and down to her chin, as she could here a group of men slowly move the coffin into the eight-foot hole beside it. She opened her eyes once more, and wished that she hadn't. Out of the corner of her golden orb, she saw her friends' faces. Junko looked like he had just lost everything important to him; much like Piper. Finn looked absolutely miserable. His ocean-blue eyes were turning red, giving his tears away. Stork refused to look up, and just stared at the grass below him. His pointed, green ears were laid back against his head, and his overall expression matched that of the rest. Radarr had cuddled against Piper's leg, and would whimper every now and then.

Then they handed her a folded up flag
And she held on to all she had left of him
Oh, and what could have been
And then the gun's rang one last shot
And it felt like a bullet in her heart

She cradled the blue flag to her heart, and flinched as she heard a twenty-one-gun salute. At least he had gotten a proper funeral. That was all they could ask for now. She watched through her tear-filled vision as they hoisted up a blue flag, their symbol astride it. It snapped in the wind, and the hawk upon it seemed to fly. Maybe that's what his soul was doing right now, maybe that's where it was; in the sky. She watched the dancing symbol for a few moments more before looking away. It reminded her too much of him.


Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
I can't even breathe
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now

Piper began to quietly weep once more as the funeral came to an end. There were no words shared. Not even for Aerrow. The squadron was too saddened to speak; if they had, they most likely would've only managed a few words before choking up once more. The congregation slowly made their leave from the field, but Piper didn't move. The crew began to disperse along with the rest, but stopped as they saw Piper move in the opposite direction. She drew a small red rose from the pocket of her long, black coat, and softly set it down on the newest mound of dirt. She gazed at the small plaque in front of her, and, after a few moments, fell to her knees. Only in a nightmare would this happen. Only in a nightmare could this happen. She desperately wanted to believe that as she delicately traced Aerrow's engraved name with her hand.

This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Oh,
Baby why'd you leave me
Why'd you have to go?
I was counting on forever, now I'll never know
Oh, I'll never know
It's like I'm looking from a distance
Standing in the background
Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now
This can't be happening to me
This is just a dream

Four years. That's how long she'd known him. Four years. Four years of friendship, four years of love….four of the best years of her life.

But then, all good things must end.

Oh, this is just a dream

Just a dream

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