Through The Ups & Downs
Couple; HarrisonXAddilyn
Rating; Mature
Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD or any songs I might use! Also, from this point in the story and in future chapters, I do not own the character; Ella(Eira) Solveig. She belongs to my good friend, ShadowSpirit020.
11) Go Through With It
The Haddock Household living room was quiet after Harrison asked them if they wanted the good or bad news about why he and the others were home on leave. Harrison had yet to reveal that they were leaving on Saturday, which was six days away. All of the information would come out when Harrison told his family and few friends that were there about his six-month deployment to Kuwait but then also, let them know that when the tour ended, he had to return to the US for an unknown amount of time still. Harrison tried to ask Glenn about the matter, but he didn't have an answer for the curious soldiers other than it was due to the fact when Wind Rider arrived there, they were temporarily joining up with an American company to help them out at Camp Arifjan.
The Haddocks, Addilyn, Frankie, Regina, and TJ were all becoming worried about Harrison's choice of words. Why would there be bad news about why the soldiers were home? Hailey was sitting next to Dexter, equally as curious and concerned, wanting to know what was going on.
"I'm afraid I don't understand, Harrison. What do you mean by that?" Spencer spoke first to break the silence.
"Yes, we're home but only for a short time before we ship off to our next location. Harrison wants to know which information you want first," Dexter informed.
"Well, if you have to leave again then I'm assuming all the news is bad," Viviana mentioned with a sigh. "However, I still want to know what is happening so just tell us, Harrison," she added.
Harrison gave a drawn out sigh. "We're only home until Saturday afternoon," he began.
"B-But that's six days away!" Nate pointed out quickly.
"I know. Me, Dexter, and the rest of the Wind Rider Platoon are getting deployed overseas," Harrison said as the room of people gasped in shock. Addilyn and Viviana covered their mouths, fear rising to their eyes as they shook their heads and didn't want to believe it could be true.
"Where to, son? And for how long?" Spencer inquired while attempting to stay calm about the newly arisen situation.
"Camp Arifjan in Kuwait and for six months," Dexter replied as Hailey grabbed onto her brother's arm tightly.
"No! No, please don't go there. It's so dangerous!" Hailey whimpered.
"You know I don't have a choice," Dexter responded gently as he pulled his arm from her and wrapped it around Hailey's waist, then hugged her tightly.
"And after this, will you be home when six months are up?" Frankie wondered. Harrison shook his head.
"That's the bad news. When the tour ends, we're returning to the US, and unfortunately, I do not know for how long this time," Harrison admitted. "I tried to as Glenn about it, and he didn't have an answer either, but he's trying to find out. All we know for now is that only Wind Rider Platoon is being deployed and we're joining with one of the American companies that are already deployed there," he added.
Camp Arifjan is an American military base; it's about a forty-minute drive from Kuwait International Airport which is where we're flying into on Sunday," Dexter enlightened.
"Wait, you just said you were leaving on Saturday, now it's Sunday?" Nate questioned.
"We leave Saturday but won't arrive in Kuwait until Sunday night. It's due to all the layovers. The flight is complicated," Dexter sighed with his eyes closed.
"How so? Do you know the itinerary yet?" Spencer inquired.
"Yeah, we know it. We leave Arc Isle at 2 pm on Saturday and fly to Copenhagen on a two hour and ten-minute flight; we should land there around 4:10 pm," Dexter started.
"And is this all our time zone?" Addilyn interjected.
"Kuwait is two hours ahead of Arc Isle, so the times on our ticket are for the time here in this zone. Be patient, and you'll know what time it will be when we land in Kuwait, okay?" Harrison answered. Addy nodded now and stayed quiet. "The longest portion of this trip is the layover in Copenhagen; we're going to be there overnight until 6:10 am the next morning. From there; it's a one hour and fifty-minute flight into Vienna, then a one hour and twenty-minute layover,"
"So you'll be leaving Vienna at 9:20 am on the twelfth of April, right?" Frankie asked as Harrison and Dexter nodded.
"That's correct. We fly Vienna to Cairo on a three hour and thirty-minute ride, plus the one hour and ten-minute layover. It will be 2 pm that we leave Cairo and fly into Kuwait International on a two hour and thirty-minute flight. After landing there, we'll be taking a bus forty minutes to Camp Arifjan," Dexter stated calmly.
"All that and the two-hour ahead jump, you'll get to the base around 7:15 pm on Sunday?" Spencer looked at the boys now.
"You got it," Dexter nodded to confirm.
"What I don't understand is why you have to join the Americans, and go back with them to the US when the six months are up?" Regina questioned.
"I think it has something to do that a company got deployed there in at the start of December before we got the orders to go and teach the Drill Sergeants about dragons. Their tour ends in October this year-so does ours, but we're going for the last six months of it to help out because they asked if we wouldn't mind sending in some dragon support. Since Wind Rider Platoon has twelve dragon riders and we've seen how the Americans do things, they requested we get sent and assist," Harrison explained.
"Hence why we're going to an American military base overseas," Dexter added. "As for why we have to go there when it's over, no clue. I assume it shouldn't be too long, but we're going to the USA because it will be easier to fly a company out rather than just one platoon," he shrugged.
"But then you'll get to return, right?" Vivian asked.
"I believe so. I don't think there's a reason to keep us there after the tour except to do some unpacking, taking a little time to adjust being out of the war, then return to our home. We'll try to get more information for you as the tour comes to an end," Harrison assured.
"Well, we don't like it, but understand you boys have a job to do. That being said, son," Spencer paused then gave a smile, "you have your mother's, brother's, and my full support. Just try to stay in contact with us?"
"I should be able to without much difficulty," Harrison nodded to him.
"You have ours," Frankie said motioning to himself and the twins.
"Mine too. Stay safe over there," Addilyn said next.
"I'll always support your choices, big brother," Hailey sighed, "But you better Skype me as much as you can," she demanded.
"I'll do my best, sis," Dexter nodded and hugged her again. "We should be able to stay in contact fairly easily. We checked out Camp Arifjan back in the states, it looks amazing," he smiled.
"Why don't you tell us all about it?" Vivian said with a broad smile.
"Well, it's huge and split up into seven sectors. We'll only be in one, two, or six," Harrison informed as he went to get his laptop from his room. Harrison brought it downstairs with the HDMI cord from his room and hooked it up to the sixty-five-inch flat screen. After logging in, Harrison brought up the web page that he had saved from when they looked in the US.
"So what are these three zones you'll be in?" Spencer asked.
"Well, the first is the post exchange. It's a place to get uniform replacements, clothes, boots, and I think electronics. Area Two is our living quarters," Harrison said while bringing up one of the rooms. "This building is an old warehouse, converted into two person rooms," he went on.
"Think of it as a college dorm. You get a bed, big closet, and desk. There's also a refrigerator and TV too. The walk to the bathrooms and showers is ten minutes though, so that will suck but I'm sure we can deal," Dexter chuckled.
"Zone Six is a work space for those who aren't Infantry. You know, like desk workers and others jobs that don't involve going on missions and patrols," Harrison stated.
"How many of you are infantry?" Addy wondered.
"Just the twelve of us who have dragons. And I think we have two field medics too, but the rest work in an office while monitoring things or radioing other places. Not sure, never paid much attention to it since it's not my job," Harrison shrugged his shoulders.
"Now, you were saying that communication will be easy?" Frankie asked as he remembered what Dexter had said.
"Yeah. Zone One has a bunch of fast food places on top of the general mess hall we can use. Also, there's this place called the MWR. It has gaming systems, TV, and an internet cafe. Oh, and the connection center, a way for us to call home if our cell phones don't work," Dexter replied.
"You don't get wifi in your rooms?" Hailey blinked.
"Well, we do if we pay for it. There are different options; day, week, a month I think. It's $40 per month, and we get a card that will allow us access, it's got a code or something," Harrison answered.
"What kind of fast food places?" Regina wondered.
"Pizza Hut, Charley's Subs, Hardees's Burgers, Subway, Burger King, Pizza Inn, Taco Bell, KFC, Baskin Robbins, Hawaiian Ice, Panda Oriental, Green Beans Coffee, Hole N One Doughnuts, Starbucks, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Cinnamonster. There is also a large Chilli's restaurant," Dexter listed off.
"We also get access to the fitness centers. There's two; Zone One and Zone Six," Harrison smiled.
"Seems like you're gonna have it made there," Addilyn giggled.
"Right? And for us, they've got places we can put our dragons depending on where we are. Oh, and can bring them on some missions. There are dragons in Kuwait, wild ones at that. I guess that might be a reason they need us because they don't know how to handle them," Harrison mentioned as the thought now crossed his mind.
"That will be awesome. How are the dragons getting there?" TJ asked.
"I think they've converted some of the cargo planes to handle dragon transport. I mean, quite a few of the dragons are massive, so I'm not sure. Toothless is about 1,370 pounds, but Hookfang is 6,000. I have no idea how they're gonna do it," Dexter pondered.
"I'm sure Glenn is figuring all that out," Harrison stated.
"Well, it seems you boys and girls will be taken care of while you're there," Viviana mentioned.
"That's what we've been told," Harrison nodded. "And I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm exhausted," he yawned.
"I'm with you on that one, brother," Dexter agreed while stretching. "Calling it an early night," he added.
"Same. See you guys tomorrow after school?" Harrison asked.
"For sure. Syrus coming too?" Regina inquired.
"Not sure, we'll ask him. I know at some point tomorrow, I gotta go see Calvin and the crew," Harrison chuckled.
"I think it's a good time for all you kids to get home so these two can get some sleep," Spencer said as Addy, Frankie, TJ, and Regina got up to say goodbye, then they left the Haddock House. Harrison said good night to Nathaniel, then his mother and father before going upstairs to his room and closing the door. Dexter bid everyone a good night and led Hailey up to her room; then he went to his temporary one. Sure, there would be more to talk about, but it could wait until after some sleep was had.
[Hofferson Residence]
{Addilyn's POV}
Harrison was going to be leaving for a six-month deployment to Kuwait on Saturday afternoon, and this was another chance for me to tell him how I felt, I found myself nervous to do so, though. My fears were the same as before about telling Harrison that I liked him as more than a friend. I could tell Harrison I had feelings for him, but he could say he didn't feel the same. Or, I could let him know, and he might return them. The last thing was Harrison liking me back, but because of the tour, he didn't want to be in a long distance relationship. I could live with either of those two last options, but I knew I wouldn't find out the answer unless I came out and informed him.
I knew Harrison had to be stressed with the deployment, so I was stuck deciding on telling him before he left or waiting for him to get back from Kuwait, then the US. The problem with that second choice was that I didn't know when he'd be back from there. No. I had to suck my worries and nervousness up and tell Harrison that I liked him, maybe even loved him, but I wouldn't push my luck until I knew how he felt for me. After I got home, took a shower, and climbed into bed, I had made my decision; I was going to go through with it.