October 11th 2018

Aaron laid in bed, her eyes on the clock. It was going on nine o'clock in the morning while Harley slept next to her unmoving. She had been up all night, watching as the time ticked by and the day became the eleventh of October in two thousand eighteen. Today would mark two years since she saved Soap's life in Prague. The day that would forever change her life. Her saving Soap would lead him to saving hers and then her being brought onto the one-four-one where he'd pull her behind a building and kiss her, a kiss that she'd never forget.

It's been eleven days since he left her crying at Ben and Holly's wedding, but she knew there was more reason behind why he did what he did. He didn't leave without punching her father across the face. The thought made her smile. He still cared deeply for her, that much was evident. However, there was nothing she could do. She knew better than to call or write. If he was really set on ending the relationship, then nothing that could change his mind. Despite this, she needed closure on the matter. They were together for over a year and what he said wasn't enough for her. However, right now, all she wanted to do was lay in bed unmoving with her cat since Ben had returned to Hereford on duty and not there to be with her.

Then a knock sounded on the door.

Groaning, Aaron pressed her face into her soft pillow that still had the faint smell of Soap on it. She really didn't want to get up and deal with anyone. Since Isaac and Holly took Beckam on a family trip to the Bahamas for two weeks, Aaron decided not to tell the newlyweds about her and Soap's breakup. She didn't want them to worry about her.

The knock sounded again, but Aaron didn't budge.

"Aaron I know you're in there now don't make me break down the door!"

The voice Aaron recognized instantly caused her to jump out of her bed, scaring Harley in the process, and sprinting downstairs to the door. She threw the lock open and pulled the door open, revealing a smiling Jamie in her doorway with a suitcase by her feet. "Jamie?" Aaron managed to say.

"Hey best friend it's been a while." Jamie replied.

Her hair had grown out and was now past her collarbones and she was dressed in skinny jeans and a dark red sweater that matched her dark eyes and hair. Aaron was in such shock to see her that it wasn't until her friend's arm were around her that she managed to return the gesture. She squeezed Jamie as tight as her arms could manage and felt herself begin to cry in happiness. She could feel wetness on her shoulder, signaling Jamie was crying as well. But they were the happiest tears ever shed.

OOOOO

After all the hugs and tears were out, the two friends set up in Aaron's bed with cups of tea and Harley between them. Jamie had caught Aaron up in everything in her life since the girls lost contact for a while. She and her long term boyfriend Conner had broken up a few months ago that led Jamie to moving in permanently at Hereford, only flying home to Norway to visit her dad when time allowed. Aaron told Jamie some of the recent turn of events in her own life, but Jamie stopped her.

"Ben filled me in before I came." she told Aaron. "I'm so glad you're alright after everything that had happened. Quite frankly after you left the hospital after Russia, I didn't think you'd survive something else that traumatic with all the damage done. But you just have so much fight in you."

"Well I'd prefer to keep my heart beating." Aaron replied.

"Speaking of hearts, how's yours now? Ben also told me about you and Soap."

Aaron took a long pause before replying. "I don't know." she answered truthfully. "I feel like there's something else Soap didn't tell me and it's eating at me, but I'm trying not to dwell on it. Guess it'll just take some time."

Jamie looked down at her mug and Aaron noticed the stare she held at the hot liquid in her mug. "What?" Aaron asked. "There's something else you aren't telling or asking me."

Jamie placed her mug on the bedside table and then turned her whole body towards Aaron. "MacMillan told me you officially resigned. You're no longer in the SAS as anything. Not on duty, not an inactive soldier, not even a consultant. I just wanted to ask why."

It was her turn to look down at her mug of tea. She made the call two weeks after Soap left. Of all the decisions she made in her life, it was by far one of the hardest. Nothing about her decision had to do with Soap, but rather what he said. For a while there was a part of her that missed being all over the globe, going on missions or being a part of them. Knowing she was making a difference on an international scale filled her with such an immense form of proud. But that was before she watched Holly walk down the aisle to Isaac where they sealed their marriage with a kiss. It was before she danced with her brother at his wedding and then with her little nephew who adored and look to her like a second mother. She had a family again. She had a home again.

After Isaac, Holly, and Beckam left, Aaron spent a lot of time thinking about what she wanted to do with her life now that her military career was slowly coming to an end. Aaron was now thirty, her age shifting from her twenties to her thirties the day after the wedding. It was depressing to think how her last birthday she woke up to Soap surprising her with flowers and her favorite dinner in the mess hall in Afghanistan. Isaac and Holly felt bad for leaving her before her birthday, but Aaron assured them it was alright. All the rescheduling of the wedding meant they'd just have to celebrate Aaron's thirtieth when they returned home.

All that aside, she was thirty. And it was time to start another part of her life. What it was, she wasn't sure yet, but that was part of the exciting part. She didn't know what lied ahead, but she was ready to tackle whatever it was.

"I have a life here." Aaron told Jamie. "I have a loving family who need me as much as I need them now. That means I can't risk becoming targets of foreign terrorists or having to travel abroad all the time or all the other things that come with the military. I've done my service and I've done my nation proud. But now it's my turn to have the life I always wanted. I don't know what I'm going to do now, but whatever it is, it'll be here with my family right around the corner."

Jamie broke out into a wide smile and wrapped her arms around her friend. Aaron did her best to return the embrace with a mug in her hand. "I'm so happy for you." she said. "And know that I'm now not too far away either."

Aaron chuckled and hugged her friend back tightly. The part of her life as a soldier was officially over. And the next part of her life awaited her. Although a tad scared, she was anxious to see where she'd end up.

OOOOO

Jamie stayed in town for a few days, she and Aaron spending all the time together. Aaron introduced her to Isaac, Holly, and Beckam when they returned home and the family loved Jamie almost as much as Aaron did. When the time came for Jamie to return to Hereford, she and Aaron promised to stay in touch better for both their sanity. It was a sad goodbye, but the girls knew they'd see each other again soon.

Once Jamie left, Aaron told Isaac and Holly that she and Soap were no more. Isaac was shocked and Holly wanted to kick his ass. But when Aaron told them, she didn't cry. She didn't get the hallow feeling in her stomach that made her want to throw up. Maybe because she knew he still loved her as much she loved him. It took a few minutes for Isaac and Holly to simmer down after Aaron told them, but once they did she told them that she was no longer in the SAS to which they beamed at. Although they both knew how much the military meant to Aaron, they were joyful over the fact that she was home for good. The couple hugged her tightly and as Aaron hugged her brother and sister in law back, she couldn't help to think that her sacrifice was worth it.

When Isaac and Aaron had a moment to just themselves on the deck while Holly tended to Beckam upstairs, Isaac asked his sister if she was really alright.

"We were together for a long time, Isaac." she told him. "And we saved each other. I don't think I'll ever be fully alright because I love him so much and if he walked in that door and asked me to take him back I probably would. But in the meantime it's time to build a life here for myself."

"I'll always be here for you." Isaac told her. "Always. And just so you know, he loves you just as much."

"I know."

"I know you know he loves you, but Aaron, he asked for my permission to propose when I met him that first time. So when you tell me he ended it so you could have a better life, I don't doubt. Sometimes loving someone isn't staying, it's letting them be who they need to be because it's what's best for them, even if you aren't with them. Even though he broke your heart a little, I don't wanna kick his ass like my wife because I can appreciate and respect what he did. He gave my sister a chance at a new life."

Aaron couldn't help but dive into her brother's embrace and cry into his chest. Everything he had said hit her right where it already hurt. Soap was going to propose one minute and the next he was gone. And just like that, for a short moment, she fell apart again. Only this time she had her brother to comfort her.

AN

I know another update gap but I am done with school on June 1st (THANK THE LORD) and that'll mean more time to write and hopefully the story will be wrapped up soon. By soon I mean a couple of months most likely. There are still some developments ahead. I can't thank you enough for your patience with me, you guys are the best readers an author could hope to have. And to the guest reviewer leaving story suggestions, I appreciate them, but I already have the story mapped out from this point on. But thank you for your input and thoughts!