I know it doesn't seem that I did very much, but this is just the first chapter. I have the chapters from the original version pretty much done but I'm going to post them weekly so I can work on the new chapters while still making sure there isn't a huge gap of time in between updates. I will also be leaving my original story up until I finish this one.

Thank you for everyone being so kind during my huge hiatus and I will try my very best not to let it happen again.

Goodnight girl," Tully murmured to a cow as he left the barn. He closed the doors securely and did a quick check to make sure everything was locked up well and tight. A series of robberies had steadily been coming closer to his farm, and he didn't want to take any chances. Satisfied that everything was secure, he headed to the farmhouse.

He limped to the kitchen table and fell wearily onto a chair while he tried to even out his breaths. Even after all these years, he still found it hard to do a full day's work. He shook his head wondering what would've been different had he never joined the army. He grew somber as memories flashed through his mind. Particularly the incident that had injured his leg and right lung. If it hadn't been for the strong support and tough love from his friends, he wasn't sure he'd have even attempted to get well.

He exhaled and closed his eyes; he didn't feel like dwelling on the past and all the things that could have been. He ran his hand through his hair before going into the next room. The telephone on the wall caught his eye, and he briefly entertained the thought of calling his friends. They'd kept in touch with letters and phone calls after the war, but they'd been so caught up in their personal lives and trying to get back into the normal swing, they hadn't found the time to see one another. And truthfully, they'd drifted apart even more so in the last couple of months. They hadn't meant to, but things had come up and before they knew it, they hardly ever saw each other.

Troy had married his old girlfriend from college and had a child on the way, Moffitt, as far as he knew, was still single and had a job as a foreign language teacher, and Hitch, well Hitch had gotten married to a nurse he'd wooed one time while in a field hospital.

A familiar longing tugged at Tully's heart, he wished that he'd found someone to share his joys and burdens with. But he knew he couldn't make a good husband while he was still plagued with horrible nightmares and moments when he thought he was back on the battlefield. He grinned as he recalled his grandmother's words, "If'n you're patient, and don't lose your head lookin' at all the women, I reckon the Lord'll bring you your special someone."

He sighed, maybe someday.

He glanced at the phone once more and shook his head; they were probably asleep anyway.

He went through the house turning off the lights and went upstairs to bed. As he pulled off his boots he heard a sound downstairs; he stopped and listened again. Someone or something was definitely in his house.

Partially from of old habits and from instinct, he silently stole over to his dresser and pulled out his gun. Flipping off the light and opening his door, he crept to the edge of the railing and looked downstairs. Moonlight streamed through the two living room windows illuminating the downstairs and two figures below. Both had large bags and were quietly walking about taking anything they saw or that had monetary value. Keeping his eyes pinned on the intruders, he crept down the stairs until he reached the bottom and then paused to assess the situation.

Neither had noticed him yet so he was hoping to keep the element of surprise.

One mans elbow grazed a vase sitting on a small table and it fell to the floor with a loud crash. Tully's eyes widened, and he stumbled back dropping his gun. He suddenly found himself back in the desert, and he looked around to see where he was. His eyes widened as he spotted two Germans in front of him. They'd spotted him and one was brandishing a gun while the other had pulled a large knife. He looked around for his gun but couldn't find it and his knife wasn't in its sheath.

He glanced back at the germans and realized he had but one chance. Without a moment's hesitation, he sprang at the closest man. They grappled over the ground each trying to gain a foothold over the other until Tully managed to wrench the knife from the man's hand. He scrambled back and turned just as the man jumped on top of him.

Everything happened in a blur; he heard the man gasp as the knife went through his rib cage and the sound of a gunshot that threw both of them onto the ground.

Tully shook his head trying to clear the cobwebs, and froze as the German approach cautiously. Slowly, he pulled the knife from the dead man's chest and gripped it in his hand. The German hovered over them and then slowly used his foot to poke them. Tully suddenly pushed the dead man at the German's legs, causing him to stumble, and jumped up throwing the knife at him. The man grabbed his middle as the knife embedded itself in his stomach and pitched forward, managing to squeeze the trigger as he fell.

Tully jerked back as the bullet hit his shoulder, and he crashed into the table behind him. Pain exploded in the back of his head and then nothing.