Written for the 1_million_words weekend challenge on livejournal. We were given the first line of the story to use as inspiration. My line was: It shouldn't be this hard.


It shouldn't be this hard.

The thought kept repeating itself in Steve's head as he drove to Pearl Harbor. He'd been deployed more times than he could count; spent more nights on foreign soil fighting terrorism and other evils than he had sleeping safely and soundly at home in his own bed but this time was different. This time, for the first time, he had a family at home; two people who loved and cared about him and were scared to death that he wasn't going to make it home again.

He'd said a proper goodbye to Danny the night before. He'd quieted the man's rants and raves, all born out of fear, with kisses. The kisses had led to desperate embraces and before long their bodies were joined and moving in a slow, familiar rhythm, creating memories that would have to hold them for as long as he'd be gone… and who knew how long that would be?

Gracie had taken his departure even harder. The eight year old was wise beyond her years and determined to be brave but the tears had come as soon as she was wrapped in her Uncle Steve's loving embrace and she'd cried even harder when the strong arms lifted her tall, lanky frame and cuddled her like she was half her age. No amount of hugs and kisses could help her understand why he had to leave.

Now it was Steve's turn to tear up as he made his way through the heavy downtown Honolulu traffic, before he reached the military base where he'd meet up with his buddies. He now had a deeper respect for what his SEAL brothers with families went through each deployment and Freddie Hart's death and the family he'd left behind weighed even heavier on him—something he didn't think was possible.

Steve allowed himself a moment of sadness before blinking away the unshed tears and focusing on the task that lay ahead. They would make it through this deployment, his little ohana, because they were strong and they had each other and he would come home to them. There was no other option.

End.