AN: Well, I've been watching the news lately, and so I've decided to head in a completely different direction with Duncan's deployment. So things are going to get interesting and a little bit worse than normal.

XXX

Chapter Nine-The Change-Up or Goodbye

Duncan's POV

I made my way into the meeting room on Wednesday afternoon. We were being called into a meeting by our Sergeant and stopped training. It was unusual that they made us all gather when we were in the middle of drills. Something had to be wrong.

If we are going to be deployed early then Courtney will be pissed. She's planning the entire wedding within the next four months. Things couldn't get worse if we had to scrap all of these plans.

"We're sorry to have to give you this news men, but your plans have been cancelled." Our Sergeant began.

Wait, how is a cancelled deployment bad? Something else has to be going on. I looked at Jason, and his expression was very worried. It looked like he knew something that I didn't. Then again, all of the guys in my team looked worried.

"…problems in North Korea are only getting much worse. We have no choice men. We have been given new orders and a change of plans. Instead of escorting troops out of the Middle East, we are being stationed in South Korea. War is imminent and protecting the South has become a top priority. Your teams will be shipped out at the end of next week, and it's uncertain when you will be relieved…" I kind of zoned out after that.

I did catch everything though. We had to fill out paperwork and were being given the rest of the time to inform family and friends about the change.

I filled out my paperwork and drove home a few hours later.

XXX

Courtney's POV

I was in the middle of wedding planning when Duncan called and asked that I come over to his house. He wasn't supposed to come home until Friday night. It was the middle of the week.

When I opened the door I could hear Duncan's mom crying in the living room.

"What's wrong?" I asked when I walked in.

Duncan was standing in the middle of the living room while his parent's sat on the couch.

"Why don't we leave you two to talk alone?" his father suggested. His mother nodded and left with Duncan's dad, but I could tell she was inconsolable.

"What's going on? Did someone die?" I asked. Then I noticed something important. "Duncan why are you still wearing your uniform?"

"I had to come home and tell you something important right away." He began.

"I seem to be having déjà vu to the day that you told me about your four year deployment." I joked. He didn't seem to be laughing about my joke.

"I'm not going to be escorting troops anymore," he told me.

"Really? That's great! Why aren't you excited?" I asked.

"I'm being deployed to South Korea next Friday." He said suddenly.

I was speechless…

"What the hell are you talking about? How can be going to South Korea? What's going on?" I asked confused. My voice was starting to crack giving away the fact that I was upset.

"North Korea is starting to get testy. And since they have apparently restarted the war with South Korea, my team and several others are being sent to assist the South Korean's in fighting, should anything happen." He explained.

"When will you be home? In time for the wedding? We had agreed that it would be in three months." I asked.

The look on his face told me that I was going to have to cancel the wedding.

"It's uncertain when we will be home. Until the conflict is resolved or reinforcements arrive, we are under orders to remain there and protect civilian's or fight. Whatever they ask us to do." Duncan explained.

I had stopped listening after "it's uncertain." It had officially hit me that Duncan was going to be fighting in a foreign country. Not just protecting other guys, but fighting people that were also trying to kill him. I was speechless.

"Please say something." He pleaded.

"Will we be able to talk or anything? What's going to happen?" I found my voice again. Barely.

"I don't know right now. But I'm assuming that we will be able to send letters back and forth. I will find a way to talk to you. Don't worry." He promised.

I laughed a small, fake laugh. "So no wedding?" I asked sadly.

XXX

"Are you sure about this?" my mother asked me, five days later.

"I'm scared," I admitted.

"Well, even though you aren't dressed for your wedding, you look beautiful." She complimented.

Where were we? In a courthouse.

"Duncan is being deployed on Friday. We decided to be married before he leaves, and have the real wedding when he comes home." I told her, although I was really reassuring myself.

After talking that night, we had come to an agreement, Duncan and I. The wedding had been called off completely. We weren't going to be able to have the wedding that we had planned. However, we both agreed to having the ceremony before Duncan left. He had told me he wanted to make sure I was covered, financially and otherwise, if anything were to happen. So we decided to get married in the courthouse.

Although he promised me that we would have a real, traditional wedding the second he got home.

"I think it's sweet. You two were apparently meant to be if you're willing to get married while you're still in college and he is going off to a possible war. Your life could be a movie." She said in a dreamy cloud.

I took one last look at myself. I had on a white dress, but not a wedding dress. It was a simple white dress. The dress was tight and fell about mid-thigh, with three quarter length sleeves made of lace. My mother bought it for me for this occasion. My hair was down but my mother had curled it so it looked nice.

"You look beautiful for this first ceremony." She complimented.

"Thanks mom. I guess that we should make our way inside." I said.

XXX

"I'm going to be okay princess, I promise." Duncan assured me.

It was time to say goodbye. We had spent the rest of our days talking on the phone and FaceTiming when Duncan couldn't get off the base to see me.

"I know that you will be. Just don't do anything stupid like trying to be the hero." I said honestly.

"I promise not to get hurt too badly…Mrs. Evans." Duncan said the last part with a smile.

"Please don't go," I said seriously.

As I looked at Duncan, ready to leave to another country thousands of miles away, I realized that I wasn't ready for him to leave.

"I love you," he said simply.

"I love you too." I repeated. It was like when he left for basic training but ten times worse.

He was called to leave, and I watched him walk away and board the plane.

It wasn't until he was on the plane that I collapsed on the ground and cried. Really cried, because my husband was gone.

AN: And just like that things get completely turned around and changed without anyone's choice.

I'll try to update sooner.