Author's Note: I'm sorry to those of you I made cry.that wasn't even the
sad chapter. Anyway, this is chapter two. This has officially become the
longest Song-fic I've ever done. Ha! Anyway, I can promise at least two
more chapters. But I think that's it. This is like, the middle stretch.
After reading this you're halfway done. Enjoy the story and please R&R
again. I have been completely flattered by the amount of response this
story has received. Thank you so much. Keep reading and I'll keep writing!
And now. . .
Saying Goodbye
Dean Portman sat down heavily in a small booth at the corner café, next to the bus stop. He pulled back his green army jacket sleeves and checked his watch uncertainly. He frowned when he realized he only had two more hours. He looked up at the clock on the wall which said the same thing and he sighed with butterflies floating around in his stomach.
Graduation had gone perfectly well for Dean and the rest of the Eden Hall Ducks. Although he hadn't graduated with honors, and wasn't even close to earning any standing ovations for being a club president or honorary member, he was a three year varsity hockey player with the Eden Hall Ducks and that's all he had ever wanted. Well, that and his girl, who had graduated as Valedictorian and first in her class. Julie had scholarships coming out of her ears, and yet she still planned to stay in Minnesota and live in the house that she and Dean were going to share. She was determined to stay there and wait for him, and promised to be there with arms open wide when he returned. Dean hoped it would be sooner rather then later.
"Can I get you something?" A soft voice asked from behind, interrupting Dean's thoughts.
He looked up and smiled seeing the beautiful face he had been with everyday for the past year. He shook his head slowly and the girl sat down.
"Come on Dean, what do you want? When do you leave?" Julie asked quietly.
"Two hours." He looked up at Julie with a pain stricken face, "Jules, can you get off work for a bit? Just a little while, I don't want to leave without talking to you. I just want to be with you for a little bit before I go."
Julie felt a small tear roll down her cheek and she nodded, "Be right back."
Dean leaned back in the booth a little and shook his head. He was being shipped to California now for basic training and special training. The plan to go to Tennessee has been changed on a last minute call. Instead of just going through boot camp, he was going to be shipped out on assignment as soon as he completed training. He hoped it took him a long enough time to finish training so he wouldn't have to be sent to war and maybe everything would quiet down soon. But he knew that there wasn't a chance that would happen. He was going to war, sent out of his country, away from his family and friends to fight for something he didn't even believe in.
"Wish me luck." He whispered to himself and sighed looking down.
A few moments later Julie came back and took his hand, "Let's get out of this place. I know somewhere where were we can go." She whispered and squeezed his hand softly.
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Julie took Dean to one of her favorite places. Down the road from Eden Hall, there was a small country dirt road that led off into the woods. After a ten minute walk, the couple arrived in a beautifully lit valley with a natural spring running through it. The flowers of June were blooming and the sent of lilacs had filled the air. It was a scene out of a storybook, perfect and untouched by humans.
"What do you think?" Julie looked at Dean and smiled, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Dean looked at the landscape and then back at Julie, turning to face her, "Yes, you're very beautiful." He put a hand up to her cheek and just looked into her eyes.
She smiled, blushing and looked away, "Dean, that's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant." He whispered, "But I'm going to be seeing enough of the wilderness in a few weeks. I just want to look at you."
The two walked down into the valley a bit more and sat down near the stream. The brook trout were swimming upstream, their array of colors blending in with the colored pebbles that the water rippled over. The song birds sang in the background, adding to the pleasurable atmosphere. Julie rested in Dean's arms as they sat in silence for a few moments. Dean looked at his watch again and held Julie a little closer.
"Julie, I'm going to miss you so much," Dean started, "I mean this is really goodbye."
"Dean, I'm going to miss you too, but you're just going to basics." Julie gave him a look, "Right? That's what the letter said. They said you'd be back." Julie looked over at him and then took his watch, "And stop looking at this."
"Jules, I'm not going to Tennessee anymore. That was the army camp they were sending me to, but." Dean trailed off.
"But what?" Julie looked at him confused, "Where are you going now?"
"Well, I'm going to California. I'm being pushed through basics and then sent out on the front lines." Dean sighed and rested his head on Julie's shoulder.
Julie took a minute to register this new information and then wrapped her arms tighter around Dean, "Why didn't you tell me! When are you coming back now? I mean, why did they move you? When did you find this out?" She looked at him panicked, "Dean I didn't think you were being shipped out, I just thought you were going to basics and then coming home."
Dean rubbed her back slowly and tried to smile, "I found out last weekend. They called me and changed all my flights for me. I guess things are really getting hot out there and they need more men." He whispered softly, "I know you thought I was just going to boot camp and that's why I didn't want to tell you. But don't worry Jules, because I'll be back. You won't have to wait long; and I'll write to you every week. Possibly everyday if I don't get cramps in my hands." He laughed.
Julie just stared into his deep brown eyes. She wanted to hold onto this moment forever in her mind. She wanted to always remember that smile and that look he always gave her to show he really loved her.
"You'll be back." Julie smiled, "And I'll be right here waiting for you."
"I'll be back." Dean nodded and kissed her lips softly, "I promise."
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As Dean's bags were loaded onto the bus, Dean held Julie in his arms for one last kiss before he left. Her eyes were already red from the tears that flowed freely down her face without any signs of stopping. He rubbed her back softly and held her close, feeling her heart beat in the same time as his. He felt her breath upon his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder.
The sun had quickly become hidden by patches of clouds and as the two were kissing goodbye, the clouds let go their tears as well dropping them to the ground, touching everything in sight. Dean wiped the water from Julie's face as the rain continued and was about to speak when the bus driver signaled they were leaving.
Dean looked up and sighed, thinking for a moment. He turned to Julie quickly and gave her a small kiss on the cheek, hurrying off to the bus.
"I love you!" Julie called out to him as he stepped on the bus.
Dean hurried to the back and grabbed a seat by the window, opening it as the bus pulled away, "I love you too Jules! I'll be home soon. Wait for me!"
"I'll wait forever Dean!" Julie choked out as she waved, watching the bus pull away, leaving her standing in the rain. All alone.
Saying Goodbye
Dean Portman sat down heavily in a small booth at the corner café, next to the bus stop. He pulled back his green army jacket sleeves and checked his watch uncertainly. He frowned when he realized he only had two more hours. He looked up at the clock on the wall which said the same thing and he sighed with butterflies floating around in his stomach.
Graduation had gone perfectly well for Dean and the rest of the Eden Hall Ducks. Although he hadn't graduated with honors, and wasn't even close to earning any standing ovations for being a club president or honorary member, he was a three year varsity hockey player with the Eden Hall Ducks and that's all he had ever wanted. Well, that and his girl, who had graduated as Valedictorian and first in her class. Julie had scholarships coming out of her ears, and yet she still planned to stay in Minnesota and live in the house that she and Dean were going to share. She was determined to stay there and wait for him, and promised to be there with arms open wide when he returned. Dean hoped it would be sooner rather then later.
"Can I get you something?" A soft voice asked from behind, interrupting Dean's thoughts.
He looked up and smiled seeing the beautiful face he had been with everyday for the past year. He shook his head slowly and the girl sat down.
"Come on Dean, what do you want? When do you leave?" Julie asked quietly.
"Two hours." He looked up at Julie with a pain stricken face, "Jules, can you get off work for a bit? Just a little while, I don't want to leave without talking to you. I just want to be with you for a little bit before I go."
Julie felt a small tear roll down her cheek and she nodded, "Be right back."
Dean leaned back in the booth a little and shook his head. He was being shipped to California now for basic training and special training. The plan to go to Tennessee has been changed on a last minute call. Instead of just going through boot camp, he was going to be shipped out on assignment as soon as he completed training. He hoped it took him a long enough time to finish training so he wouldn't have to be sent to war and maybe everything would quiet down soon. But he knew that there wasn't a chance that would happen. He was going to war, sent out of his country, away from his family and friends to fight for something he didn't even believe in.
"Wish me luck." He whispered to himself and sighed looking down.
A few moments later Julie came back and took his hand, "Let's get out of this place. I know somewhere where were we can go." She whispered and squeezed his hand softly.
************************************************************************
Julie took Dean to one of her favorite places. Down the road from Eden Hall, there was a small country dirt road that led off into the woods. After a ten minute walk, the couple arrived in a beautifully lit valley with a natural spring running through it. The flowers of June were blooming and the sent of lilacs had filled the air. It was a scene out of a storybook, perfect and untouched by humans.
"What do you think?" Julie looked at Dean and smiled, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Dean looked at the landscape and then back at Julie, turning to face her, "Yes, you're very beautiful." He put a hand up to her cheek and just looked into her eyes.
She smiled, blushing and looked away, "Dean, that's not what I meant."
"I know what you meant." He whispered, "But I'm going to be seeing enough of the wilderness in a few weeks. I just want to look at you."
The two walked down into the valley a bit more and sat down near the stream. The brook trout were swimming upstream, their array of colors blending in with the colored pebbles that the water rippled over. The song birds sang in the background, adding to the pleasurable atmosphere. Julie rested in Dean's arms as they sat in silence for a few moments. Dean looked at his watch again and held Julie a little closer.
"Julie, I'm going to miss you so much," Dean started, "I mean this is really goodbye."
"Dean, I'm going to miss you too, but you're just going to basics." Julie gave him a look, "Right? That's what the letter said. They said you'd be back." Julie looked over at him and then took his watch, "And stop looking at this."
"Jules, I'm not going to Tennessee anymore. That was the army camp they were sending me to, but." Dean trailed off.
"But what?" Julie looked at him confused, "Where are you going now?"
"Well, I'm going to California. I'm being pushed through basics and then sent out on the front lines." Dean sighed and rested his head on Julie's shoulder.
Julie took a minute to register this new information and then wrapped her arms tighter around Dean, "Why didn't you tell me! When are you coming back now? I mean, why did they move you? When did you find this out?" She looked at him panicked, "Dean I didn't think you were being shipped out, I just thought you were going to basics and then coming home."
Dean rubbed her back slowly and tried to smile, "I found out last weekend. They called me and changed all my flights for me. I guess things are really getting hot out there and they need more men." He whispered softly, "I know you thought I was just going to boot camp and that's why I didn't want to tell you. But don't worry Jules, because I'll be back. You won't have to wait long; and I'll write to you every week. Possibly everyday if I don't get cramps in my hands." He laughed.
Julie just stared into his deep brown eyes. She wanted to hold onto this moment forever in her mind. She wanted to always remember that smile and that look he always gave her to show he really loved her.
"You'll be back." Julie smiled, "And I'll be right here waiting for you."
"I'll be back." Dean nodded and kissed her lips softly, "I promise."
************************************************************************
As Dean's bags were loaded onto the bus, Dean held Julie in his arms for one last kiss before he left. Her eyes were already red from the tears that flowed freely down her face without any signs of stopping. He rubbed her back softly and held her close, feeling her heart beat in the same time as his. He felt her breath upon his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder.
The sun had quickly become hidden by patches of clouds and as the two were kissing goodbye, the clouds let go their tears as well dropping them to the ground, touching everything in sight. Dean wiped the water from Julie's face as the rain continued and was about to speak when the bus driver signaled they were leaving.
Dean looked up and sighed, thinking for a moment. He turned to Julie quickly and gave her a small kiss on the cheek, hurrying off to the bus.
"I love you!" Julie called out to him as he stepped on the bus.
Dean hurried to the back and grabbed a seat by the window, opening it as the bus pulled away, "I love you too Jules! I'll be home soon. Wait for me!"
"I'll wait forever Dean!" Julie choked out as she waved, watching the bus pull away, leaving her standing in the rain. All alone.