Disclaimer(s): All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. TY lovely Twilight ladies for the great sample, this disclaimer is also not mine.


Previously

"No, baby," I said as I held her face in my hands. "This is only the beginning."

"I'll see you soon," she said with a sniffle.

"See you soon, baby," I kissed her one more time before I turned around and walked through security. I turned around once I was on the other side, but she was gone. I was glad, because as I sat down on the plane I knew that if I had seen her again I may not have gotten on the plane.

Tapping the pocket of my army jacket, I felt the weight of the letter resting over my heart.

Even though I wanted to read it as soon as I boarded the plane, I waited until we were in the air.

I pulled the letter out as the plane took off and traced my name in her elegant script. I sniffed the letter and let her scent wash over me as I glanced through the open window and saw the waters of the Gulf.

Six months. I could handle this for six months.

EPOV

July 1, 2001

Dear Edward,

I miss you. You're still here, sleeping just a few feet away from me, and I miss you. The last two weeks have been the best of my life, and I can't imagine what our life will be like in six months when you come back to me. As cliché as it sounds, I know that we are meant to be together.

I have a feeling these next six months will be the longest of my life. Know that every night as I fall asleep, I'll wake up to dreams of you. I wish I were with you now, your arms wrapped around me as you hold me close. I'll never forget the way it feels when I'm with you.

I miss the feel of your lips on mine as we kiss. I miss the way you run your fingers lightly across my skin as you suck on that spot behind my ear that you know drives me wild. Your gentle touch and soft caress are what will carry me through these next several months.

I love you, Edward. Come back to me.

Love,

Bella

I reread the letter several times throughout the endless plane ride and put it away just before we were landing in Germany. A few nights later, I was reading it again while I lay in my bunk as I thought back on our time together. Being with Bella had changed me, and I couldn't wait to hear her voice again. I pulled out my notebook to write the words I longed to say to her.

July 5, 2001

My Dearest Bella,

It's been eighteen days since I first held you in my arms, and that's all I can think about. You're all I can think about. You're all I care or want to think about. The days have a way of droning on and I find that when I do let my mind flourish with the memories of our time together, it moves at a different pace. Not necessarily faster or slower, but just differently.

I miss you every day. There's an internal clock inside of me and it knows I will be coming home to you soon. I can't wait to see your beautiful face, it's what keeps me going each and every day. I can't wait to come home to you and kiss you anytime I want. I miss having you in my arms, baby. I miss the flush of your body after we've spent the night making love. I miss everything about you, baby.

I find myself constantly imagining what it will be like in just a few months when I come home to you and we can start our life, together. I'm just thankful that I met you so close to the end of my contract. I don't think there is a chance in hell I would have been able to be away from youfor much longer. I love you, Isabella Cullen. You are the best thing that could have happened to me, and I will always be thankful to you for showing me that happiness isn't just a dream, but a reality.

I'm pretty sure my buddies will either become suspicious if they aren't already, or they will get tired of me constantly reading over your words. Everything you say is pure poetry to me; everything with you is more than I could have hoped for. My life has more meaning when I can look forward to a life with you in it. Take care, my sweet, I'll be home soon.

Yours,

Edward

I sat there for what felt like hours as I tried to make sure I had said everything in that letter, and yet I knew no words would ever fully express my feelings. Still, I folded up the letter and addressed it to her parents' house, hoping that she would still be there.

My first opportunity for a phone call out came a few days later. It had been ten days since I had heard the sound of her voice, and when she answered on the third ring, sleepy and breathless, I was speechless.

"Hello?" she repeated herself.

"Bella," I sighed. I could hear the springs of her mattress as she rearranged herself and then the sound of the sheets rustling as she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I just couldn't wait another second to hear the sound of your voice," I apologized.

"Don't be, I'm glad you did."

"Me, too, baby," we both sat there silently, taking in the sounds around us. "Listen, Bella, I wish I had more than a few minutes, but I'm going to have to get off soon."

"I know, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just don't know what to say besides I love you and I miss you."

"Tell me everything that's been going on with you, I want to hear everything, every detail."

"I've just been doing what you and I did for the past two weeks, but it doesn't mean anything without you here with me. I miss you so much. I don't know what else to say, Edward."

"I miss you, too, baby," I assured her quickly. "Tell me what you're wearing. Tell me what you did today. What did you have for lunch? I want it all, Bella."

"You really want to know what I'm wearing?" she asked with a shy giggle that brought a smile to my face.

"Well now, with a response like that, you're either wearing something I would love to see you in or nothing at all. Now that's what I'm talking about."

She told me about how she'd been cleaning her room the other day and came across a couple of my shirts. I listened to her voice as she told me how they smelled like me and that she didn't ever plan to wash them. I couldn't stop thinking about how good it would feel to be laying in bed with her, listening to the sounds of the gulf. I made sure that she knew I was thinking about her every minute of every damn day. How I longed to kiss her and touch her. I could have listened to her talk for hours, but I was running out of time. Just hearing her talk about the simple things at home made me feel better, even for just a few minutes.

"Time's up, baby. I'll call you again as soon as I can. I can't wait to see you."

"Okay," she said with a slight sniffle. "I'll see you soon."

With a heavy heart I disconnected the call. I couldn't bear to think about her crying half a world away when there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. I turned away from the wall I'd been facing and saw the other members of my team.

"It'll be alright, man," Paul assured me.

"If you, uh, ever need to talk about it… I know what it's like to live without your girl, man," Jake piped in. "It's hard as hell on you here, but it's twice as hard for her. She has no way of knowing what things are like for you over here."

"Thanks, guys."

I walked away from Jake and Paul, feeing a little better that I wasn't alone. The last part of their conversation had done something for me, though. It had helped to take my mind off of Bella. It was amazing the way she had come into my life when I'd least expected it, and yet it had been the perfect time. The only way it could have been better is if I had met her immediately after coming home from serving my time and never had to leave her.

***

The next few weeks went by in much the same fashion. We'd get a call in after we had exchanged a few letters; it was hard to decide if I liked hearing her voice or reading her words the most. Every time I would get off the phone with her, my heart would hurt a little more, but I wouldn't give up hearing her voice for anything.

I remember the letter I got that only had three words written on it over and over again.

July 23, 2001

Dear Edward,

I love you.
I love you.
I love you.

Love, Bella

The entire page was filled with those three wonderful words, and it had quickly become one of my favorite letters. She had also included a photograph that showcased her beautiful smile, her playfulness, and so many other little things I loved about her. She was standing in the ocean with her friend Rosalie in a white oxford shirt she'd apparently found that day she cleaned. She was happy in this picture and that was something I prayed for every day, because I knew I was miserable without her.

We had spent more time apart than we had together, but it didn't make it any less real. It was hard to define what had developed between Bella and me over my two week leave, and the intense feelings that we still had for each other.

July 27, 2001

My Bella,

Those three words get me through the nights without you. In just a few days, it will be one month since I've held you in my arms, and yet that feels like a lifetime ago. A couple of the guys have been more helpful than I expected. It turns out that some of my buddies have a girl they're missing like crazy, too.

At night, when I find it hard to sleep, I pull out your picture and stare at your beautiful face. I'm glad to hear about the job offer, can't wait to hear if something comes of it. I hate to be selfish, but to have you in the place I was planning on coming home to is a huge bonus. Not that I wouldn't have followed you anywhere. After I get back, I don't want to be without you ever again.

I love you, I miss you.

Yours,

Edward

"Hey, Edward," Jake said, nudging me awake with his boot. "Dude, the phone's free if you wanted to call your girl."

September finally rolled around, and we both couldn't wait to find out exactly when I would be coming home. Bella had been as patient as she could be since I explained that the Army would delay letting me know until the very last second. We were both anxious to start our lives together, and knowing that I would be going home to her, allowed me to keep my spirits up.

"Hello?" Bella answered after the first ring. She sounded more alert than any of the other times I had spoken to her when it was late at night in the States.

"Hey, beautiful," I chuckled, imagining the smile on her face when she realized it was me.

"I was hoping it was you," she giggled.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" I asked as I could hear her shuffling papers on the other end of the line.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" she asked, her voice full of so much hope that I hated having to tell her I didn't have any news yet.

"Not yet, baby. You'll be the first person I tell when I know something, I promise."

I heard her sigh and waited to see if she would say anything. After a minute passed, I knew I didn't want this to be another phone call where we barely said anything, so I brought up the first thing that I could think of.

"What do you have planned this week?" I asked, always curious to see what my life would be like in a few months. A few months, I was struggling to make it through each day, let alone a few months. But this was what I had signed up for, so there wasn't another option.

"Well...I have a second interview with the school that offered me that position, and then on Wednesday I have a doctor's appointment-"

"Wait, what? Why do you have a doctor's appointment? Is something wrong? You don't sound sick," I said, not able to get the words out fast enough.

"Nothing's wrong," she giggled, and that was enough to make up for my brief, yet embarrassing, freak out. "It's just my quarterly birth control shot. I do this every three months, it's a piece of cake."

"So you do that every three months?" I asked. I'd just assumed she was on the pill when she'd said she was on birth control. Bella was the only girl I'd ever been with where I hadn't kept it wrapped up.

I had never really thought about having children until I heard Bella talk about them. The image of having my own kids didn't provoke the same negative thoughts that it used to.

"It's all routine, Edward," Bella interrupted my thoughts of her one day being round with my child. "Nothing to worry about. Besides, if something did come up, I'd just deal with it."

I groaned, trying to assure her that whatever affected one of us affected the other, as well. We were two pieces of the whole. "We would handle it together, baby, no matter what. It's you and me - together, always. So, you nervous about the interview?"

"A little, but if this isn't what I'm supposed to do, then I won't get the job and I'll have to make a decision. When will you know where you're going to school? You heard anything?"

"Not yet, but I probably won't hear anything until around Christmas. I thought I'd take a semester off and just work for a bit. My dad sent me a letter the other day and he mentioned seeing you around the house. He wants me to come and work for him while I figure out which school to go to. Plus, I think he's ready to have a life outside of work now that I'm coming home."

"Edward," one of the guys hollered at me. "Get off the phone, man!"

"Listen, baby, I have to go. The guys are yelling at me, but I'll talk to you soon and I'll call you when I hear something, okay?"

"Okay. I love you, Edward."

"Love you, too, beautiful."

We hung up the phone and I missed her instantly. It wasn't the longest phone call I had ever been on, but it was just enough to get me through another few days without her.

***

A few days later I had a note in my locker that our discharge dates would be given in the middle of next week. Six more days and I would find out the exact date I would be seeing Bella again. It was Tuesday before I knew it and I was headed in the direction of my commander's office when I heard a commotion from the TV room.

"Turn it up!" someone shouted.

"Shut up, you fuckers, I can't hear a damn thing."

I saw several guys from my squad standing just inside the door. I squeezed through and went to stand by Jake.

"What's going on?" I whispered as James turned around to glare at me.

"The Twin Towers, man," Paul said as he peered over Jake's shoulder.

We continued to watch as they showed the same footage over and over again. The line for the phones was several feet long as soldiers called their families. Our sergeant pulled us out of the room and into a corner.

"Change of plans, guys."


So yay, the second chapter is finally here! This was so much harder to write than I imagined it would be. I had so much feedback and questions from my initial contest piece that turned into the first chapter I've started a blog (like everybody and their mother) and posted a FAQ section as well as other Schtuff! Go there if you're interested in knowing about how this does have similarities to Dear John(book was HF, movie was better) but will NOT be the same story, as you'll see in just a few chapters.

Thank you to everybody that read, reviewed and even voted this first chapter during the contest. If you're a new reader, welcome! I hope to be finishing up my other fic by March 5th *crosses fingers* so I can focus solely on this one!

Thank you so much to my Beta Jessica1971 for going through this and catching key points. She's fantastic at what she does...and I can't thank her enough. To MY GIRLS that help me fill in the blanks where I fall short and get me through the nights of crazy, I puffy pink heart you.