A/N: Okay, hopefully I don't get all your hopes up by doing this... updating
twice in one day... because it's not going to be a normal occurrence... I had
the inspiration and time on my hands today to make it happen. Thank you:
Sara, naleyfan4546, lysser8312, auggy1984, alytru146, OTHlover04, hope165
and anyone else I may have missed! You guys are amazing! Keep the replies
coming and I promise I won't disappoint!
"We can't let that happen again Nate." She says, dropping her fork down on to her plate as she finishes her breakfast. I just glance up at her. She really doesn't want that? Children?
I choose my words carefully, not wanting to upset her. "It could be worse you know." That's what comes out. Not exactly what I wanted to say.
"How could it be worse Nathan?" She glares up at me and I regret ever saying that. "You're going to Iraq."
I speak up, almost cutting her off. "I... I didn't mean it like that Hales. I just meant. A baby wouldn't be such a bad thing..."
"I want children Nathan. I do. But not right now. I don't want to raise kids with their father traveling the world in the service. I don't want our kids constantly wondering where Daddy is or when Daddy's coming home. I don't want to raise my children anywhere without you." I look up at her, understanding her words completely. "I'm supposed to start college in less than a month. You're stationed out of Kentucky. We can't raise children when we don't even live together."
I reach across the table and take her hand in mine. "I see where you're coming from. I really do. I just... I... I don't want our time together to be a mistake Hales. I want us to enjoy every step of the way." What I'm saying doesn't even make sense. Not to me and certainly not to her.
"What are you trying to say?" She looks up at me, her eyes glazed over with tears.
"I guess what I meant was... if we just made a baby in there... I don't think it would be the end of the world. In fact, I think it would be kind of great. I don't want you to regret that if that were the case." She smiles up at me, as though she finally understands what I was trying to say.
"I'd never regret it Nate. Never." She squeezes my hand in hers, almost glad that we're finally on the same terms. "I just don't think the time is right. Although... looking at the calendar... it may have been the perfect time..."
"C'mere." I urge her out of her chair and around the table into my lap, hoping to erase her worst fears. "I want you to move south with me." She gasps at my words, unsure of how to respond to my request. She opens her mouth to speak, but I silence her before she has the chance. "Not right now. I'm going to be gone for six months. But after that... after your first year in college... would you consider it? Moving south with me? Living on base? Going to a local college?"
She nods slowly, a small smile appearing on her face. "You don't have to ask. You know that." I'm glad that our conversation finally turned positive. "And Nate?"
"Hmm?" I question.
"I do want babies with you. Lots of them. It just kind of scares me, you know. With you being gone and all..."
"Don't worry about it Hales. No matter what happens, we'll figure it out."
"So, what do you want to do today?" She quizzes me, sitting on the edge of our bed as I finish dressing from my shower. "I was thinking we could pack a few bags and drive out to visit your parents for a few days."
"Hmm..." I shoot her a mischievous grin. "Maybe later in the week." I close in on her, tackling her back on to the bed. "Right now, I happen to know of certain a deserted beach house and a gorgeous summer day waiting for us."
"Okay..." She teases reluctantly. "But I do know of a certain mother who would love to see her son and a certain nephew that would love to see 'Uca Ay'."
"I came home for you Hales. Not Mom. Not Alex. You. And for right now, you're the one I intend to spend some time with."
"We can't let that happen again Nate." She says, dropping her fork down on to her plate as she finishes her breakfast. I just glance up at her. She really doesn't want that? Children?
I choose my words carefully, not wanting to upset her. "It could be worse you know." That's what comes out. Not exactly what I wanted to say.
"How could it be worse Nathan?" She glares up at me and I regret ever saying that. "You're going to Iraq."
I speak up, almost cutting her off. "I... I didn't mean it like that Hales. I just meant. A baby wouldn't be such a bad thing..."
"I want children Nathan. I do. But not right now. I don't want to raise kids with their father traveling the world in the service. I don't want our kids constantly wondering where Daddy is or when Daddy's coming home. I don't want to raise my children anywhere without you." I look up at her, understanding her words completely. "I'm supposed to start college in less than a month. You're stationed out of Kentucky. We can't raise children when we don't even live together."
I reach across the table and take her hand in mine. "I see where you're coming from. I really do. I just... I... I don't want our time together to be a mistake Hales. I want us to enjoy every step of the way." What I'm saying doesn't even make sense. Not to me and certainly not to her.
"What are you trying to say?" She looks up at me, her eyes glazed over with tears.
"I guess what I meant was... if we just made a baby in there... I don't think it would be the end of the world. In fact, I think it would be kind of great. I don't want you to regret that if that were the case." She smiles up at me, as though she finally understands what I was trying to say.
"I'd never regret it Nate. Never." She squeezes my hand in hers, almost glad that we're finally on the same terms. "I just don't think the time is right. Although... looking at the calendar... it may have been the perfect time..."
"C'mere." I urge her out of her chair and around the table into my lap, hoping to erase her worst fears. "I want you to move south with me." She gasps at my words, unsure of how to respond to my request. She opens her mouth to speak, but I silence her before she has the chance. "Not right now. I'm going to be gone for six months. But after that... after your first year in college... would you consider it? Moving south with me? Living on base? Going to a local college?"
She nods slowly, a small smile appearing on her face. "You don't have to ask. You know that." I'm glad that our conversation finally turned positive. "And Nate?"
"Hmm?" I question.
"I do want babies with you. Lots of them. It just kind of scares me, you know. With you being gone and all..."
"Don't worry about it Hales. No matter what happens, we'll figure it out."
"So, what do you want to do today?" She quizzes me, sitting on the edge of our bed as I finish dressing from my shower. "I was thinking we could pack a few bags and drive out to visit your parents for a few days."
"Hmm..." I shoot her a mischievous grin. "Maybe later in the week." I close in on her, tackling her back on to the bed. "Right now, I happen to know of certain a deserted beach house and a gorgeous summer day waiting for us."
"Okay..." She teases reluctantly. "But I do know of a certain mother who would love to see her son and a certain nephew that would love to see 'Uca Ay'."
"I came home for you Hales. Not Mom. Not Alex. You. And for right now, you're the one I intend to spend some time with."