They had left

CASSIE

They had left. For good. I could feel it in my soul. I would never see any of them again. Ever.

"Cassie?" Ronnie asked. "Cassie, honey, what's wrong?"

"They're gone, all gone for good and they're gonna die." I blubbered, not really making any sense. "I'll never see any of them again."

Ronnie narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

I quickly told him what had happened to Ax, and about my conversation with Jake. "Oh, Cassie…." Ronnie pulled me into his arms. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry."

"He was talking about getting together after the war was over. He was talking about…about getting married. I loved him so much. Oh, Jake. Jake!"

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay."

"No. No it isn't. I didn't even get to say good-bye. To them or to Rachel."

All that was a month ago. Now Ronnie and I are married. Ronnie's great and all, but he just, well, he just isn't Jake. I think he knows that, but he understands. Maybe someday I'll forget Jake, but I doubt it. No. I won't ever forget Jake. I'll always miss and love him. But at least I have Ronnie. That's one good thing at least. Yesterday I visited Rachel's grave. I told her everything that had happened. I wonder if she heard me. I wonder if I did the right thing, marrying Ronnie. I wonder if there was some way I could have convinced Jake not to go, or at least to let me come with him. If I had gone, sure I would have died, but at least I'd have been with them in the end. I wonder if I'll spend my whole life wondering these things.

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