Time is Fleeting – Chapter 21
(I do not own Glee or any of the characters.)
Anyone who had said that the passing of time is a constant had never been in the Army. Returning soldiers had said that their deployments had passed excruciatingly slow. Even slower for the families that they had left behind. Finn's Christmas Exodus had flown by at the speed of light.
Finn had left Fort Jackson the third week of December with Puck and now it was the third week of January. So much had happened in four weeks. He had gone to New York to see Rachel and Kurt's recital. He had proposed to Rachel at Rockefeller Center by the giant Christmas tree and the ice skating rink. He still laughed at the thought of sneaking into Rachel's high security all girls dorm. High security was a joke! All it took to get by the dim witted security guards was a smile from a pretty girl and some Christmas cookies.
Their quickie wedding on the 23rd of December had been the best moment of his life. He was sure that Hiram and Leroy would have shot him and kicked Rachel out of the house when they told them their big news on Christmas Eve. The two men had been disappointed, but had helped him move some of his belongs over to their house that night. Rachel had a queen size bed, and he still had his twin bed at the Hummel/Hudson home. There was simply more room at the Berry house.
After a Chinese take-out dinner on Christmas Day, the newlyweds spent an awkward evening with Mr. and Mr. Berry before retiring to Rachel's room. Heidi had noticed the tension and had ducked out early with Kurt and Blaine to see the Christmas lights around town.
That night as he and Rachel climbed into her bed, Rachel put the brakes on any monkey business as she like to call it for the second night in a row.
"But why?" Finn whispered. "Everyone knows now that we're married, and monkey business is what newlyweds do. I think they kind of expect it."
"I don't care, my dads are right around the corner, and I can't be comfortable knowing that they can hear every sound. They still think I was a virgin until our wedding night."
"We'll be super quiet," Finn promised.
"You know that we've never been quiet lovers." Rachel retorted as she kissed him on the cheek and rolled over.
The next day Finn was over at the Hummel/Hudson house helping Burt with his outdoor lights again.
"Well if it isn't the married man!" Burt greeted Finn as he drove up in the driveway.
"Hey Burt," Finn said half-heartily.
"What gives? You should be jumping for joy," Burt asked.
"Oh it's nothing. It's just this isn't how I had pictured my honeymoon." Finn grumbled.
"A honeymoon with the in-laws has got to be a bummer," Burt laughed.
"Hiram and Leroy aren't so bad. It's just Rachel refuses to 'you-know' with her dads in the next room."
"Oh, double bummer. Hiram and Leroy are always gone. Do they have any trips coming up?" Burt asked.
"Not anytime soon," Finn groaned while replacing a blown light bulb in Frosty the Snowman.
"Let me talk to your mother, and Hiram, and Leroy. I may have a solution to your problem," Burt smiled slyly at the new bride-groom.
Burt and Carole came over that night and talked to Hiram, Leroy, and their newly married children.
Good ole Burt, he always comes through in a pinch. Congress was in recess and there was an empty Senator Hummel apartment in Washington DC.
It was agreed. The parents would help with the airfare, and Burt would supply the Washington DC apartment.
"I'm sorry that it's not Paris, but Washington is beautiful this time of year. When Carole and I left there was already snow on the ground, and the whole city was decorated for Christmas," Burt reassured them.
"No, it'll be great!" Finn smiled. "I've never been to Washington, and there's a lot there that I would like to see. There shouldn't be a lot of tourist there this time of year."
Rachel and Finn started packing for their snowy honeymoon while everyone else was putting together a last minute reception for the newlyweds.
Every venue in Lima was already booked for New Year's Eve, so a last minute wedding reception was scheduled for December 28th at the Elk's Lodge. The newlyweds would take the red-eye for DC immediately after the reception.
Kurt and Blaine were on the phones, and almost all of their old friends were still in town for the holiday break. A few aunts, uncles, and cousins couldn't get a flight at short notice, but having the old gang together again was all that mattered to them.
Brittany and Santana came as a couple and gave them a generous check.
"I wanted to give you a kitten," Brittany confessed, but Santana talked me out of it. Lord Tubbington snuck out for a smoke a while back and now the neighbors are claiming that he knocked up their white Persian cat Fluffy. They want us to find homes for six grey kittens. Lord Tubbington can't be the father, because I haven't had 'the talk' with him yet. He doesn't know where kittens come from. I'm still working on his meth addiction, and I haven't gotten around to the birds and the bees yet. He would just eat the birds anyway."
"Brittany, I've told you can't take a kitten to Afghanistan. Santana whispered to Brittany while trying to change the subject.
"Congratulations Mrs. Hudson," Santana turned to address Rachel. "Brittany and I wish you every happiness with Mr. Chubs, but Finn has certainly slimmed down since he joined the Army."
"Santana, my husband is in fine shape and always has been," Rachel defended Finn.
"It's obvious that you make each other very happy, and if you're happy then I'm happy for you," Santana confessed.
Quinn had made it to the party, but was with a new guy that she had brought home from Yale. It pissed Puck off, but he made sure to give Heidi a lot of attention when Quinn was watching.
"I told you that Heidi has a boyfriend, a German Army boyfriend," Rachel reminded him.
"I know, you told me. It's just that Heidi doesn't know anyone else here except for Blaine and Kurt and they keep disappearing. I explained it to Heidi and she's cool with it. Who do you think is going to entertain her while you and lover boy are off in DC getting busy?" Puck asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I thought our parents, and Blaine, and Kurt were going to handle that?"
"Your parents have to work, and Blaine and Kurt only have time for each other. Don't worry; I'll handle the fraulein with kid gloves."
"I don't want you handling her at all," Rachel fumed at her Mohawked friend. "She already has one boyfriend in a combat zone, she certainly doesn't need two!"
"Don't get your panties in a wad, Mrs. Hudson. I do know how to treat a lady."
When the reception ended Rachel and Finn thanked their guests and headed for the airport and the midnight departure of their plane to Washington DC.
Rachel slept most of the way on Finn's shoulder, but Finn was too excited to sleep. As the plane approached the nation's capital, Finn was captivated by lights below them.
"Rachel wake up, we're landing soon. Fasten your seat belt."
"Are we here already," Rachel yawned. "The last time that I was in Washington was on an eighth grade school field trip."
"This isn't going to be a school field trip," Finn smiled and flashed his dimples at her wickedly.
Finn collected their luggage at baggage claim and then found a cab. Giving the address to the driver, they were soon on their way to the apartment.
When they finally reached the Hummel apartment it was nearing dawn. There weren't too many people out. A few garbage trucks were making their rounds, and a few people were walking their dogs.
"This is it! Finn grinned as he opened the door to the Hummel Washington, DC apartment. Our honeymoon begins! Wait Rachel, I've got to carry you over the threshold."
"Didn't you do that on our wedding night?" Rachel asked muffling another yawn. I just want to kick off these shoes and go back to sleep."
Inside they found the apartment to be cold and dark. Finn quickly adjusted the heat while Rachel made her way to the guest bedroom.
Over the next two and a half weeks, they spent most of their time in bed. When they did go out it was to walk around the capitol and see the sights. One afternoon they were walking around the Lincoln Memorial when Finn froze in his tracks.
"What it is?" Rachel asked looking up a Finn's stunned expression.
"It's the Viet Nam Memorial," Finn whispered.
Before them stretched a long black granite wall with the names of thousands of fallen servicemen and women engraved in the cold stone. Unlike the other memorials this one felt personal. Each soldier who had been killed in that conflict had their name frozen in time in the black stone. Along the base of the black wall their loved-ones had left messages, flowers, and American Flags.
"Finn is this too much?" Rachel asked.
"No, I want to pay my respects to my fellow servicemen and women." Finn said softly.
Finn removed his gloves and ran his fingers over the engraved names. "Rach, every one of these are names are someone's son, daughter, brother, husband, father. They served their country and died before they ever really had a chance to live."
"That's not going to be you Finn Hudson. You and I are going to get through this deployment to Afghanistan and you're coming back to me safe and sound."
Rachel pulled Finn away from the memorial and headed him in the direction of the apartment.
Finn said nothing all the way back to the apartment, but she could tell that his mind was a million miles away.
At the apartment, Finn didn't even bother to shower. He laid his clothes over a chair and crawled into bed. When Rachel returned from her bath he was wide awake staring at the ceiling.
"Finn, what's wrong?" Rachel asked. "You haven't said a word since we came back.
"Rach, I was thinking about all of the friends and family that the names on the Viet Nam Memorial Wall left behind. Most of them were the same age as me when they told their loved ones good bye."
"Think about all of those who made it back? That war ended forty years ago. Their kids are grown now."
"Rachel, for the first time I'm really scared."
"I am too. Your mom hasn't said it, but we've been on the phone almost every day since you left for Fort Jackson. She's scared too. But we have faith in you. When you're discharged you and I are going to move into that tiny little apartment in New York and start making babies."
"What about Broadway?" Finn asked as he pulled Rachel closer.
"You can hide a baby bump a long time under Glinda, Elphaba, or Nessarose's costumes," Rachel smiled as she engulfed his lips in a slow-burning kiss. For the rest of the night she was all his and he was all hers. The world outside was a million miles away.
The honeymoon wasn't long enough to suit either Finn or Rachel, but she had to be back in New York on January 14 and he had to report for duty at Fort Irwin on January 21.
It was a very sad goodbye at Washington's Dulles airport as Rachel left for New York and Finn flew to Lima for a few more days at home before he headed west for desert combat training.
From Lima Finn flew to Los Angeles and then onto Barstow, California where he would be meeting up with Puck. Puck had left a few days earlier to make a detour through Las Vegas.
Finn had an hour lay-over in Los Angles so he found a quiet spot to call Rachel.
"I'm in California Baby," Finn greeted Rachel when she answered the phone.
"Are you at Fort Irwin already?"
"No, I'm in LA; I'll be leaving for Barstow soon so I thought that I would give you a call while I wait. How are your classes going?"
"So far so good. I'm in Vocal Performance 102, and Introduction to Dance which is kicking my ass. But I do get to see Kurt almost every day. It helps having him here since I miss you so much."
"I miss you too. I'll be at Fort Irwin for four weeks and then I'll get a few weeks off before my next assignment. I'll be on the first plane to see you."
"I'm counting the days."
"Me too, but I've got to go. I'm on a puddle jumper to Barstow and they're calling my flight now. I love you."
"I love you too. Call me when you get to Barstow and don't forget to call your mom too."
Finn boarded the small commuter plane to Barstow and noticed that almost everyone on board was dressed either in Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine fatigues.
He took his seat by a fellow Army grunt. "Hi, I'm PFC Finn Hudson. Are you headed for Fort Irwin and desert combat training too?"
"Yeah, I'm PFC Jake Campbell. I don't remember seeing you at Fort Benning."
"That's because I did basic and AIT at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. My MOS is wheeled vehicle mechanic, what's yours?"
"I'm in military transport. I guess I'll be tearing up the equipment that you fix," Jake laughed.
"Just stick to tearing up tanks and half-tracks and we'll be okay," Finn joked back.
Finn's plane landed in Barstow before Puck had arrived. Following orders, Finn called the base to arrange for a van to pick them up. It was going to be a three hour wait for a van so Finn called his mother and then Rachel.
"So what have you heard about desert combat training?" Finn asked Jake after he had made his phone calls.
"I've heard that the second and third weeks will be the hardest. That's when we'll be in the box," Jake answered dryly.
"What have you heard about the box?" Finn asked.
"I've heard that we'll be living in small tents out in a terrain that could pass for Afghanistan. Our convoys will be subject to live fire and we can be hit by surprise attacks from Op-Fors at anytime of the day or night."
"What's Op-Fors?" Finn asked.
"They're former Iraq and Afghanistan citizens that are now living in this country. They dress, speak, and behave like they did in their former countries. The Army has hired them to be the Opposition Forces."
"Kind of like Hollywood actors?" Finn asked.
"No, they're for real Iraqis and Afghans. They're here to familiarize you with their cultural, customs, and language."
Finn was engrossed in what Jake was telling him when someone smacked him on the back of the head.
"Hey lover boy, how was the honeymoon? Did Berry keep your family jewels under lock and key, or did she let you bring them along?"
"Puck, the honeymoon was great, just not long enough. How was Vegas?"
"Let's just say that Vegas is richer and I'm poorer. Who's your friend?"
"This is Jake Campbell; we're just swapping stories about what we've heard about 'the box' and desert combat training. He did basic at Fort Benning."
"Well, I'm just glad that we aren't doing this in the middle of the summer. I've heard that it can get up to 120 degrees there with sand, scorpions, snakes, and spiders," Puck smirked.
"No we're only going to be there in the middle of the winter, and it can get to 8 below at night while we're sleeping in little tents out in the desert. It's in Afghanistan where we'll be this summer with their heat, their scorpions and their snakes," Finn reminded his high school buddy.
"Oh, I hadn't thought about it that way. Tell me about the honeymoon, I want details," Puck asked with a smile that went from ear to ear.
"Puck, it was great. We saw a lot of the Washington sights, but spent most of the time in bed."
"I bet you did," Puck smirked. "Did Berry wear you out?"
"We did more than that. Some afternoons we cuddled in bed and watched old movies or just talked. Why am I telling you this?" Finn suddenly stopped himself.
Puck was laughing when an announcement came over the intercom that several vans from Fort Irwin had arrived. All waiting personnel should report to the van immediately.
The caravan of vans rumbled north-east into the high desert of the Mojave. In those 37 miles their surroundings morphed into what could easily pass for Afghanistan.
Stepping off of the vans they were hit with temperatures that were hot for the middle of January. The air was dry and the sand went on forever. Sergeants and Warrant Officers shouted orders and insults at them as they quickly fell into formation.
Finn and Puck were standing with soldiers from every branch of the service as one particular Sergeant stepped forward. It was hard to determine his age as his skin was baked to what resembled cracked leather. His voice was loud, harsh, and showed no sign of compassion.
"Welcome to the United States National Training Center here at Fort Irwin, California or as I like to call it, Welcome to Hell."
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Until the next chapter, thank you for the reviews and to those of you who have added my story to your favorites list. Sincerely, Whistler Nights