Disclaimer: I have never nor will ever own any of the characters. They belong to Rob Thomas. If I did own them, I would never have done what he did.
Chapter Five
Logan's POV
Earlier that day...
As I step out of the car and walk onto the beach, I can't help but feel exhilarated. I am about to see Veronica, my wife. It has been the longest year of my life.
Normally my deployments are hard, but this was almost unbearable. Maybe it was the circumstances behind how I left, or the fact that due to the critical events that were playing out that I couldn't contact her, or maybe it was just the sheer length of time that I had been gone. Maybe it was all those combined, but whatever it is, it is making it not seem real to me.
She married me. For a long time, I didn't think that I would ever get to call her my wife and then she wanted to marry me, and I couldn't have been happier.
My feet hit the sand and I hear whining and whimpering somewhere in the distance. I look down the beach and see that the noise is coming from Pony. A huge smile crosses my lips and I'm about to call out to her when I really look at her. She is looking down not really paying attention to anything or anyone and I have never seen her look so sad. The shock of seeing her sad and broken posture keeps me quiet.
Pony soon realizes that I am there, and she can hardly contain her excitement. She starts tugging on Veronica to quicken her pace. Veronica is fighting her, but Pony is persistent, and Veronica is no match for the 70lb behemoth. She releases the leash and Pony comes bounding towards me. She hits me full force, jumping up on two legs to be closer to me. I squat down to her level and she licks my face, whining and whimpering the whole time because finally daddy is home.
Throughout all of this, Veronica has still not even acknowledged my presence. I thought that she would have been running into my arms and peppering me with kisses. I look from Pony to her and realize that she still hasn't even looked up, so I softly speak to break the silence and get her attention by simply saying her name.
She still won't look at me and I watch her face as she is clearly fighting some internal battle with herself and I can recognize the looks of anguish on her face. I try again by saying "Veronica, look at me." She still refuses to raise her eyes and my heart is breaking.
Finally Pony walks to her and gently coaxes her to move closer to me. I make one final plea for her to look at me and with a simple "Veronica, please," I see her resolve crumble and she finally looks at me.
The look of pure shock, torment, and confusion causes me to pause. This is not the welcome home I was expecting. She is looking at me and I have never seen her look so utterly broken.
I reach out and take her hand and feel that familiar zing that is coursing through my body and I try to reassure her by saying "it's real, I'm here" because I'm so confused as to why she isn't in my arms yet.
The words are barely out of my mouth and she collapses, sinking into the sand and releasing sobs that are breaking my heart. I kneel in front of her and try to pull her towards me. I desperately want to feel her in my arms and would do anything to stop her tears.
My confusion is further increased when she pushes away from me standing and yelling about how I'm not real and that I died. What does she mean that I died? They were supposed to tell her. They swore to me that she would know. I would have never made it through this entire year if I would have known how much she was suffering because she thought that she had lost me.
As the questions are tumbling out of my mouth, I reach for her and she again pulls away from my grasp. I can feel the familiar sting of tears in my eyes and as I look at her, I know that she never knew. That they never told her, and she has had to deal with not only my being gone but thinking that I would never return.
As the tears fall from my eyes, I try one more desperate plea begging her with my eyes to let me hold her. It's a simple declaration of a pet name from long ago and with the two words "Sugarpuss, please," she comes crashing into my arms.
I can't seem to get her close enough as she clings to me. For the first time in a year I feel that familiar sense of home that I only get while she is in my arms. As I stand on the beach with her in my embrace watching the setting sun, my mind starts to drift back to the course of events that led us here...