Travelin' Soldier
Author's Note: This is a story that is soon to be near and dear to my heart. The idea came from the Dixie Chicks. I have a bad habit of writing song fics. ((tsk tsk on me.)) Although the song "Travelin' Soldier" relates to the Vietnam War, the story relates almost eerily to our present situation. I promise not to make you cry, because all of my other song fics were sad. ((I promise SS.)) This idea came to me about two months ago around the mid of December while on Christmas break. Unfortunately I just got around to writing it. As usual, I don't own Dean Portman, or Julie "The Cat" Gaffney but I sure do have fun with them. Enjoy the story. This is chapter one of a few to come. Don't worry, it won't all just end here. I'm gonna leave you hanging.
".And the Eden Hall Ducks take the State Championship! By a score of four to three the Ducks win! The Ducks win!..." the announcer rambled on at the end of the state tournament.
For the Eden Hall seniors on the team, this was a dream in the making. With a Division One state championship under their belt, and a Regional Championship berth earned by their fine performances for the day, the team was all looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and celebration.
Dean Portman scrambled off the ice with his girlfriend of over a year after the trophy ceremony commenced. The cheers from the crowd still echoed in the stadium and amidst all the celebration, there was only one thing Dean could think of. He pulled his helmet off as he stepped off the ice and leaned in kissing Julie Gaffney quickly before the two walked back into the locker room and changed.
"We did it!" Julie laughed as she started taking off her gear, "We're state champions."
Dean rolled his eyes and through a towel at Julie, "Jules.you are something." He smirked, "Come on, it's just another game.Regionals is the important one. If we win Regionals then we can take Nationals. State was a given.you knew we'd win."
"Quit the attitude Portman," Julie wiped her face off, "This wasn't a given. We had to work for this. What makes you so confident anyway? You spent half of the game in the penalty box."
"Yeah?" Dean laughed, "Well I scored two more goals then you did and I sent one guy."
"To the emergency room." Julie finished for him, "You gotta watch that Dean. You're going to get someone really hurt someday." She finished changing and walked over to Dean kissing his cheek softly, "Come on, I thought we were going to our new house to celebrate."
Dean nodded and pulled Julie close to him, kissing her on the lips, "Yeah, yeah we're going. What's the rush babe?" He kissed her again and moved his hands down her back.
Julie pulled back and pushed him into the locker behind him, "Get your shirt on and let's go." She gave him an amused look and started out of the locker room.
"Man." Dean sighed and pulled his shirt on, grabbing his bag and running after Julie, "Wait up Jules!"
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Dean's blue pickup truck pulled into the driveway of the house that he and Julie were renting for the next few years while in college. Since they were both accepted to the University of Minnesota- Duluth on hockey scholarships, they planned to just live in the area. Dean's mom helped put the collateral out on the house and Julie and Dean had already finished moving in before their senior year of high school ended.
Dean got out of the truck and took a good look at their one story ranch house before turning and walking back down the driveway as he shoved his keys into his back pocket. Julie stumbled out of his beat up Dodge truck and slammed the door watching him for a moment. She left her bag in the back and then pulled her hair back up into a ponytail.
A bit confused that Dean was walking away from the house, Julie sighed, "Come on Dean. Where are you going? You know we don't have all day to celebrate.we have a project to get started on too. We don't have time for a field trip down to the park."
Dean turned back to Julie and rolled his eyes, "Oh really? Well I think we should take a fieldtrip to the park now that you've mentioned it." He kept walking backwards and smiling at her, "Come on babe, that project can wait."
Julie sighed, "Dean!" she frowned and looked at her watch, "We have a team dinner in three hours. And the project is due tomorrow."
"I have to get the mail Jules." He smirked as he turned to face the mail box, running a hand through his hair as he opened the small black metal container, standing on the curb.
As he pulled letters and bills out of the box he inspected them slightly, not paying much attention to their contents until he found a small vanilla colored envelope with his name addressed on it. He felt a slight shiver run up his spine and he quickly opened the letter when he read the return address label stamped into the paper.
"Dean, come on.you can read that in the house." Julie teased walking over to him and leaning against him lightly, "What's that?"
"A letter from the government," he whispered while reading it, "I'm being drafted to join the armed forces and I'm being flown down to a base in Tennessee.because of the war. They just started.drafting people."
There was a small pause while Dean continued to read. Julie took this moment to register what he had just said in her mind. She felt tears sting the back of her eyes and blinked them away quickly.
"You're being what?" Julie stammered a bit confused by the matter, "They can't do that. Dean you're still in school."
"I'm 18 and I registered." Dean whispered slowly as he read the letter over again and shook his head.
"When do you leave?" Julie put a hand on his arm and looked up to see the mixed emotions brewing in his eyes.
"A week after I graduate," Dean stated as if time had no bearing anymore.
"A week?" Julie cried slightly, "That only gives you another.month? Not even.."
"Three weeks." Dean nodded slowly and took Julie's hand slowly walking back towards the house, "Guess I won't be going to nationals anytime soon."
Dean folded the letter up and placed it in his back pocket. They walked back into the house and remained in each others arms for the next three hours. Time was going to pass by too quickly for them and before they knew it, Dean was going to be shipped out to Tennessee and then, to who knows where.
Author's Note: This is a story that is soon to be near and dear to my heart. The idea came from the Dixie Chicks. I have a bad habit of writing song fics. ((tsk tsk on me.)) Although the song "Travelin' Soldier" relates to the Vietnam War, the story relates almost eerily to our present situation. I promise not to make you cry, because all of my other song fics were sad. ((I promise SS.)) This idea came to me about two months ago around the mid of December while on Christmas break. Unfortunately I just got around to writing it. As usual, I don't own Dean Portman, or Julie "The Cat" Gaffney but I sure do have fun with them. Enjoy the story. This is chapter one of a few to come. Don't worry, it won't all just end here. I'm gonna leave you hanging.
".And the Eden Hall Ducks take the State Championship! By a score of four to three the Ducks win! The Ducks win!..." the announcer rambled on at the end of the state tournament.
For the Eden Hall seniors on the team, this was a dream in the making. With a Division One state championship under their belt, and a Regional Championship berth earned by their fine performances for the day, the team was all looking forward to a weekend of relaxation and celebration.
Dean Portman scrambled off the ice with his girlfriend of over a year after the trophy ceremony commenced. The cheers from the crowd still echoed in the stadium and amidst all the celebration, there was only one thing Dean could think of. He pulled his helmet off as he stepped off the ice and leaned in kissing Julie Gaffney quickly before the two walked back into the locker room and changed.
"We did it!" Julie laughed as she started taking off her gear, "We're state champions."
Dean rolled his eyes and through a towel at Julie, "Jules.you are something." He smirked, "Come on, it's just another game.Regionals is the important one. If we win Regionals then we can take Nationals. State was a given.you knew we'd win."
"Quit the attitude Portman," Julie wiped her face off, "This wasn't a given. We had to work for this. What makes you so confident anyway? You spent half of the game in the penalty box."
"Yeah?" Dean laughed, "Well I scored two more goals then you did and I sent one guy."
"To the emergency room." Julie finished for him, "You gotta watch that Dean. You're going to get someone really hurt someday." She finished changing and walked over to Dean kissing his cheek softly, "Come on, I thought we were going to our new house to celebrate."
Dean nodded and pulled Julie close to him, kissing her on the lips, "Yeah, yeah we're going. What's the rush babe?" He kissed her again and moved his hands down her back.
Julie pulled back and pushed him into the locker behind him, "Get your shirt on and let's go." She gave him an amused look and started out of the locker room.
"Man." Dean sighed and pulled his shirt on, grabbing his bag and running after Julie, "Wait up Jules!"
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Dean's blue pickup truck pulled into the driveway of the house that he and Julie were renting for the next few years while in college. Since they were both accepted to the University of Minnesota- Duluth on hockey scholarships, they planned to just live in the area. Dean's mom helped put the collateral out on the house and Julie and Dean had already finished moving in before their senior year of high school ended.
Dean got out of the truck and took a good look at their one story ranch house before turning and walking back down the driveway as he shoved his keys into his back pocket. Julie stumbled out of his beat up Dodge truck and slammed the door watching him for a moment. She left her bag in the back and then pulled her hair back up into a ponytail.
A bit confused that Dean was walking away from the house, Julie sighed, "Come on Dean. Where are you going? You know we don't have all day to celebrate.we have a project to get started on too. We don't have time for a field trip down to the park."
Dean turned back to Julie and rolled his eyes, "Oh really? Well I think we should take a fieldtrip to the park now that you've mentioned it." He kept walking backwards and smiling at her, "Come on babe, that project can wait."
Julie sighed, "Dean!" she frowned and looked at her watch, "We have a team dinner in three hours. And the project is due tomorrow."
"I have to get the mail Jules." He smirked as he turned to face the mail box, running a hand through his hair as he opened the small black metal container, standing on the curb.
As he pulled letters and bills out of the box he inspected them slightly, not paying much attention to their contents until he found a small vanilla colored envelope with his name addressed on it. He felt a slight shiver run up his spine and he quickly opened the letter when he read the return address label stamped into the paper.
"Dean, come on.you can read that in the house." Julie teased walking over to him and leaning against him lightly, "What's that?"
"A letter from the government," he whispered while reading it, "I'm being drafted to join the armed forces and I'm being flown down to a base in Tennessee.because of the war. They just started.drafting people."
There was a small pause while Dean continued to read. Julie took this moment to register what he had just said in her mind. She felt tears sting the back of her eyes and blinked them away quickly.
"You're being what?" Julie stammered a bit confused by the matter, "They can't do that. Dean you're still in school."
"I'm 18 and I registered." Dean whispered slowly as he read the letter over again and shook his head.
"When do you leave?" Julie put a hand on his arm and looked up to see the mixed emotions brewing in his eyes.
"A week after I graduate," Dean stated as if time had no bearing anymore.
"A week?" Julie cried slightly, "That only gives you another.month? Not even.."
"Three weeks." Dean nodded slowly and took Julie's hand slowly walking back towards the house, "Guess I won't be going to nationals anytime soon."
Dean folded the letter up and placed it in his back pocket. They walked back into the house and remained in each others arms for the next three hours. Time was going to pass by too quickly for them and before they knew it, Dean was going to be shipped out to Tennessee and then, to who knows where.