Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.

- H. L. Mencken

UNSC Red Badge of Courage.

Boston, Massachusetts. Earth.

[June 15th, 2550.- 08:25:56]

2nd Lieutenant Elizabeth Farrington- D Company, 47th Regiment, 11th Infantry Battalion, 124th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. UNSC Army.

Elizabeth was sitting in the debriefing room of the 47th Regiment, 11th Infantry Battalion, 124th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Bored with herself. She couldn't think of anything except for Nathan but all of a sudden the bell rang.

The debrief is now finally over! Liz left and walked down the halls to her locker. When she opened it a piece of paper fell out.


Dear Liz,

How I wish words could express the thoughts that I have towards you. If I should say I love you then the greater percent of my words are still unexpressed. But of course, I must say something ... my heart beats for you, and my heart longs for you.

I cannot put into words how I feel about you when I see you walk by. These intense feelings will never go away until I can have you in my arms, and that you realize that there is only one man for you and it is me. I had always hoped that you will come into my life and tell me how you feel because what I feel for you exists only inside my heart. You are the only woman that can understand me, and you can only reach it; I give you the key, please unlock what you know can be the love you can only dream of. You are beautiful and I can't help but fall for you deeper every day. I can only hope once again that the day will arrive when you look deep into my eyes and you tell me what I have been waiting to hear: that you love me the same way I'm thinking of you always.

The Lover of Your Life, Forever.

Nate.


Lizzie held the note close to her heart. For once she had been loved. Nathan… This has happened for the past two weeks. She took all the love letters and took a quick notice at them. She smiled and wrote a letter back to the person she loves. She grabbed her things and ran down the hall. She slipped the note into the locker and ran into the auditorium.

While she waited she took a quick glance at herself. She made a face in disgust. Black shirt with black leggings and a light grey dress and grey ballet flats. Her messed up blonde hair full o' lugs. She quickly ran back to the locker and grabbed a dress that she barely wears. It was the dress from her last time on leave. The last time she saw her bessie before she was killed back on Arcadia.

When she came back out she looked at herself once more. Her hair was in a ponytail clipped in the back with a butterfly pin. Her baby blue shirt with her gray dress was a perfect match with her leggings and gray flats.

She sat down again looking at her watch. The bus was running late. So she wouldn't be at the hotel for a while. She then heard someone read her letter from behind her.


Dear Nathan,

My darling, sweet prince... where do I begin? I've written you a million of these letters that you have hidden in a drawer somewhere. For I was too afraid too that my heart would be broken. I'm sure this will make a great addition...

As always, I want to start by saying thank you. I tell you a million times a day, each day, that I love you and that you mean the world to me. Although you reciprocate these feelings, I'm sure you have no inkling of the magnitude of exactly what they mean to me.

You walked into my life a stranger a mere eight months ago and my life hasn't been the same since. You are TRULY my gift from a higher power. LOVE is such a miniscule word for what we share. You are SO amazing. You appeared when I was at such a low point in my existence. A time when I thought that the physical and emotional pain brought on by another would never end and would wear away at every fiber of my being until it consumed me and I was no more. During the moments I tried to turn away for fear of the unknown, you planted your funny hats and looked deep into my soul and stayed. You compromised your life and your goals to help me survive... and I am eternally indebted to you. Without you... I would not be.

You have become a lighthouse to me. Whenever I feel as though I've drifted too far into the disparity that clouds my life, I can look up to find you guiding me to safety. I stay here not because this place is home... but because YOU are home. And your light will always shine bright for me.

After all, that's happened to me in the past three years, I swore to God, and the moon, and to you that I would never settle again and that I would never give my heart and my life completely to another. With great content and zero disparity... I take it back.

Most people will spend their entire lives searching for a perfection that almost never exists. Most people will spend their days looking at each person they encountered with question as to whether or not they have found a reason, a season or a lifetime. With you, Loverboy *wink*, I have found an eternity. You... this... here is where I am meant to be. You are what my entire life has led up to. You are my very best friend, my lover, my protector, my teacher and my absolute soul mate.

I give my life to you: mind, body, and soul. I will want you to hold me for the rest of my life as you do each and every day and night.

I hope to belong to you now.

Because without you, I am lost in America...

Lizzie.


"So, do you think my ending is better than yours?" The off duty Marine Private asked.

"Well Nathan," Liz said. "I am lost in America. I mean, I still don't get why you all call these," She took out a French Fry. "French Fries. They're not even made in France."

"Well why do you call an ocean a pond?" Nate asked.

"It's because we British are betta then you Americans." She answered sweetly as he sat next to her. "So, isn't this like breaking the Fraternization Code, about dating a subordinate?"

Nate thought for a moment. After a while he shook his head. "No, I never heard of that rule." A smiled formed on his face. "Hopefully it's not. Or else Sarge will beat me up."

Elizabeth was laughing. "Paul Jackson is like...Leanashe. In a vampire way that will suck your blood!"

"Phhss right. I can kick his Leanashe ass." Nate said. He then looked at Liz. They both looked at each other's eyes until they both let their lips touch. The power of love felt good.


Five hours later, the two blonde people were in Liz's hotel room breathing hardly. Liz cuddled close to him and kissed his cheek.

"I love you. And your accent." Elizabeth said.

"I love you too," Nathan kissed her head. "And your accent. Thanks for calling Sarge saying you let me sleep here."

Liz kissed him as she fell asleep on him.


(Playlist: "Country Boy and City Girl" by Clay Walker)

St. Petersburg Florida, United States of America, United Republic of North America. July 12th, 2550. A month later.

"Nathan!" Liz called, running down the porch steps to the tall, dark blond-haired man standing at the bottom of them.

"What is it?" Nate asked her, smiling as she stopped in front of him.

"How would you like to have dinner with me and my family tonight? They're visiting from Manchester." Liz smiled, throwing her arms around him.

"I'd love to." Nate laughed, hugging her back.

"Yay!" She exclaimed, looking up at him.

He looked back down at her, then softly kissed her. His kissed was powerful, it totally swept her off her feet.

"I'll put on my best clothes." Nate said, when he pulled back.

"You'll look cute in anything." Liz smiled, resting one of her hands on his chest, the other was wrapped around his neck.

Nathan smiled really wide, before kissing her one last time and making his way over to his old beat-up Chevy truck he drove down from his home back in Indiana. The two off duty military personnel were sharing a condo and enjoying the beaches together.

"See you tonight!" Liz called after him, waving.

He waved back, getting into his truck and driving off.


Elizabeth was sitting on the red leather couch in the living room, absolutely lost in the book she was reading, when the door bell rang. She set down her book and walked over to the door, opening it.

"Hey, Nate." She smiled, looking at the man who stood before her. "You look great."

Nathan was wearing a black suit, and his ash-blonde hair had actually been properly brushed for once.

"And you look beautiful." He smiled, kissing her cheek.

She blushed slightly, moving out of the way so Nate could come in. She closed the front door behind him. He looked around their massive summer house, astonished.

"Woah.." He commented, his eyes taking in every inch of the Farrington's vacation house. "Nice place."

"Thanks. We're renting it out for-" Liz started but she was cut off by the thick Mancunian drawl of her mother.

"So, you must be Nathan?" She smiled, coming out of the kitchen. "Nice to meet you."

"It's lovely to meet you too, Mrs. Farrington." Nate said, shaking her hand. Liz giggled at Nathan's attempt of being posh.

"Where's Papa?" Lizzie asked her mother, through her giggles. Nate was silently laughing back at her, she could see it in his beautiful grey - blue eyes.

"Papa's here, princess." Her dad smiled, walking down the stairs. "Ah, you must be Nathaniel?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." Nate shook Elizabeth 's father's hand.

"The feeling's mutual." Her father smiled. "Anything for the one who makes my daughter happy."

"Uh, alright. Shall we go eat supper now?" Elizabeth said, obviously embarrassed.

"Yes, we shall." Lord Farrington smiled, leading the way into the kitchen.


"That was a lovely dinner you prepared, Mrs. Farrington." Nate smiled, after the dinner was over.

"Well, thank you Nate." Lady Farrington smiled back, taking everyone's plates and putting them in the sink.

"So, what do you do, lad?" Lord Farrington asked him, taking a sip of his water.

"Before the Corps, I work most days on my family's farm." Nathan told him, he knew Liz's father was rich and posh and a baron but Nate wasn't ashamed of his own background.

"Oh, well, How much do you make?" Liz's father asked him, losing interest in the boy that his daughter loved, very quickly.

"On the farm. About ten credits an hour." Nathan smiled, but his smiled quickly faded when he saw the disgusted looks on both of Elizabeth 's parent's faces.

"Uh, did you know that Nate is a great carpenter?" Elizabeth broke the awkward silence. "He could quite easily make it in the construction business."

"Construction business, eh?" Lord Farrington looked a little more interested now, but still not interested enough.

"No, no." Nate looked at Liz. "I could never make it in the construction business."

"Yes, you could." Liz corrected him.

"I don't want to." Nathan said, looking back at the two dis-interested parents sitting in front of him. "I enjoy farming too much."

There was a long, awkward silence, lasting a few minutes. Nobody spoke at all, everyone in the room knew that this dinner wasn't a great idea


"It has got to stop, Elizabeth." The voice of Liz's mother came from above her.

"What has got to stop?" Lizzie asked, looking up from her book.

"You and that Hoosier farmboy." Her mother complained. "He's not for you."

"Nathan and I are perfect for each other, mum."

"No you are not. He's a nice boy-"

"MUM!"

"Listen to me, He's a sound lad but he's not for you. He's not of Noble birth and he's definitely not English."

"Nathan and I are made for each other, mum!" Elizabeth stood up, the tears were filling up her eyes.

"What's going on in here?" Lord Farrington asked, entering the room.

"I'm telling Elizabeth that this Nathaniel is no good for her!" Lady Farrington exclaimed.

"And who are you to tell me who I will and will not love!?" Liz yelled, a tear escaped her eyes, and ran down her cheek.

"Love?" Her father asked, astonished.

"Yes, papa." Liz tearfully sighed, hugging her father. "I love him, papa."

"You are eighteen years old, Elizabeth." Lady Farrington glared at her daughter. "You don't know anything about love!"

"No, mum!" Liz defended herself. "You don't know anything about love! You never look at papa the way I look at Nathan! You don't know anything about love!"

Liz stormed out, slamming the living room door shut. She ran down the hall and out the door, to Nate who had been sitting on the porch.

"Nate?" She sniffled, wiping her eyes.

"Elizabeth.." He sighed, taking her face in his hands. He wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead. "What happened?"

"They..they.." She stuttered, blinking back tears.

"They hate me, don't they?" Nate sighed, pushing a loose strand of hair out of her beautiful face.

"But I don't, Nathan." She hugged him. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He said, hugging back. "But I need to go have a chat with your father."

"No, don't…"

"Liz, I need to… I think we need to sort this out."

She pulled back from the hug. "Are you going to hurt him?"

"Of course not. You know that I won't hurt him." Elizabeth smiled at him, watching Nate as he walked back inside before turning back to look up at the stars.


Fifteen minutes later…

WHY YOU STUCK UP, ARROGANT LIMEY BASTARD! I came here to show you how much I cared for Elizabeth and you have the audacity to think that because I was born and raised on a farm that I'm not good enough for her! I stood up for her when she was almost raped by her own commanding officer! I even took a sniper round meant for her! And where were you while I was busy getting my ass blown up by genocidal aliens who want to wipe out humanity? You were here back on Earth in jolly ole England drinking your precious tea and eating crumpets! HAVE A NICE NIGHT LORD FARRINGTON!

Nate slammed the door shut after arguing with Liz's father. He went back outside to the porch to see her. Liz's arms were crossed and she was upset.

"Did you really have to yell at him like that?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Liz…I'm sorry that I yelled at your father. He was being an asshole."

"Yes. My father can be a little… snobbish at times wasn't how supper was supposed to be."

"Liz… Please…Don't cry…" Nate begged, knowing the look in her eyes.

"It's just that I want my parents to accept you. To know that you're a gentleman and that you cared." She sniveled. "I just wished they were a little more open minded. You see, they still believe in arranged marriages."

"Arranged marriages? It's the fucking 26th Century!?" Nate questioned.

She was fully crying now. "They thought that you aren't good enough for me… That you're just a worthless American chav that doesn't deserve to breathe…. This supper was supposed to prove them wrong."

"Liz…" Nathan drew her into a tight hug, letting her head be against his chest. "It's going to be okay Lizzie. It's going to be okay. We'll prove them wrong together."

"Thank you Yank."

"Anytime angel. Anytime."

"I love you my Yankee farmboy from Indiana."

"And I love you my sweet little, stuck-up British princess."

They watched the stars together, unaware of the future. But willing to fight for it and the human race.