"Everyone got a ride, Petey?" I asked as we sat in the mess tent for the last time. Several MPs were taking apart the camp but Petey stared them down until they left one table bench for us.

"Yup, 'cept you."

"Jolly Rancher is taking me to the airport thanks." I was slightly offended at Petey's remark, but then I remembered it was Petey, so forgive and forget. "What are you going home to?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."

"You don't know?"

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Well, where's the homestead?"

"Haven't picked one yet."

"What do you mean you haven't picked one yet? Where did you live before you came here?"

And Petey said sheepishly, "Baxter High School."

"What?" I asked unbelievingly.

"I used to live in the boys locker room."

"Why?"

"My step dad ran me out after my mom died. But thats okay, I enlisted straight out of school, and I think I did better alone than I ever did with my parents."

I hit my leg with my hand. "Well that settles it."

"What settles what?"

"You my friend are coming back to Maine with me. You are going to go to college, and you are going to be that someone great that I know you are."

"Cal, I'm a Company Clerk. That's what I am, it's what I'm good at."

"Peter Wilson Norris, how could you say that about yourself? You are the smartest kid I've ever met, you think eight steps ahead of everyone. Any college anywhere would be more than glad to accept you, probably with a very nice scholarship."

"Cal, look I appreciate everything you're trying to do for me, but I can't take that offer. You've done so much for me already, you don't need to do anymore."

I sighed, Peter knew better than this. "Petey, did I teach you nothing in the three years we've worked together?"

"You've taught me plenty, Boss."

"Yes, and one thing you've learned is not to argue with me. You are coming back to Maine with me, and that's an order. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Yes what?"

He sighed and looked me in the eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you. Now go get packed, our plane leaves at five." He got up and went towards what was left standing of the office. "You guys can take this now." I stood up and two MPs picked it up and took it out of the tent.

"Ma'am, we're taking down the tent. You need to vacate."

"I'm going." I stepped out the door and watched the roof cave in and the walls fall. I never realized exactly how many memories just died with that tent's collapse.

"You alright Cal?" PJ's voice came out of nowhere.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I turned away from what used to be the mess tent and looked at the rest of the camp. There were only one or two tents still standing. "So what are you doing when you get back?"

"I got accepted into the Culinary Institute of America so I'll be in New York. After that, I think I'll start my restaurant."

"That sounds nice."

"What about you?"

"Back to Maine to beg for my job back." I crossed my arms over my chest. A cold wind had blown in this morning and it hadn't left.

"What about you and Greg? What's going to happen to that?"

"I don't know. I expect we'll see each other again. But if we don't, then I hope he'll live a happy life." It tore me up inside to even think about never seeing Greg again.

"But then you won't be happy."

"If he's happy, then I'm happy. End of story. If you'll excuse me, I have to get another plane ticket." He nodded at me, and I went towards the office.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Thanks for the ride Mitch." Petey, Archer, and I got off of the helicopter.

"You're welcome Cal."

"Look me up when you get home, alright?"

"Got it Boss."

"Be safe, and that's an order."

"Aye aye Captain." We shook hands, and he took off.

"We ready Cal?" Petey asked as I watched the helicopter left.

"Yeah, we're ready." I was ready to say goodbye to Iraq. After three years in this hell hole, you actually start to like it, if only a little bit. Truth be told, I loved this place. I had a steady job here, I met the love of my life here, I got my first dog here. Irbil had been great to me no matter how terrible I thought it was. "Come on Petey, let's go home."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Twenty-Four Hours Later

"You sure you'll be okay?" I asked Petey as I stood in front of terminal forty-seven which was going to take me home.

"Don't worry Cal, I'll be fine. Philadelphia is pretty cool. I'll be okay." I still wasn't sure. "Look if I get into trouble, you'll be the first one I call, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll catch you later."

"See ya Pete." I wasn't going to stop him. I just wanted to get him back to the states safely.

"Flight Forty-Seven to Auburn, Maine is now boarding. Flight Forty-Seven to Auburn, Maine is now boarding."

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

"Is that an order?"

"You know it is." Pete smiled and I gave him a hug. After, I took a step back and gave him a salute. He smiled again, straightened up and saluted back. "Dismissed."

"Thank you Captain Pierce."

"You're very welcome Corporal Norris." I turned away from him and went through the metal detector.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Captain Pierce?" A flight attendant came up to my seat before the plane took off.

"Yes?"

"You're not really allowed to have dogs up here."

"He's my service dog."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm actually epileptic and he notifies me about ten minutes before I have a seizure."

"Oh-"

"He's really kind of important to me."

"Well then, would you mind moving to the back of this particular section? Just in case anyone is allergic."

"Not at all. Come on Archer." She led us to an empty row of seats.

I sat down at the window and Archer laid down in the seat next to me with his head on my lap and I just smiled. "Thank you Campbell Alexander."