A/N: Thanks for all the replies... sorry to have to do this to you all....
"Well.... I guess this is it..." I say, rolling over in bed, look at her in the eyes. It's my last day home before I have to head back to Kentucky before leaving for Iraq next week. It's also Haley's last day of summer break. She decided she'd rather keep the apartment and go to the community college. She nods her head slightly, turning away from me in hopes that I don't see the tears that are beginning to stream down her face. Unhappy with the way the day is starting, I pull her into my arms, hoping that for the time being, this will make everything right between us.
"What are we going to do Nate?" She whispers quietly, finally turning to look at me. I shrug my shoulders at her, not knowing how I should respond.
I know I shouldn't be, but I'm suddenly frustrated by all this 'what are we going to do' talk that we've been having. "Hales... let's not do this today babe. Let's just enjoy today, okay? Let's just do something fun, you and me, okay?" She sinks into my body, sobs racking over her own.
So, that's what we did. We spent the day together, enjoying every last minute of our last few hours together for the next six months. Skipping rocks out into the ocean from the beach we talked about anything and everything. And now, I have to do the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Say goodbye. Goodbye to the one person I love more than anything else in the world. An indefinite goodbye.
Glancing over her shoulder to Luke, I pull her into my arms one last time, squeezing her tightly and wiping away the tears that are clouding her eyes. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself?" I whisper to her quietly, almost afraid to speak any louder. She nods in response, but that's not my only request. "Don't worry about me Haley. Worry about yourself." With that, she breaks down, something I totally wasn't prepared for.
"Last call for Flight 8712, heading to Raleigh/Durham International Airport." I motion Luke back over to us; prepared to hand my wife over to my brother in hopes that he'll keep an eye on her.
"I love you Haley. Always remember that." I slowly slink backwards, taking her at arms length and squeezing her hands one last time. I mouth to her 'I love you' one last time before making the final turn, ready to accept the fact that I'm leaving this country next week. Before I enter the terminal I glance back, hoping she doesn't see the longing in my eyes to stay put, to stay with her. She's in Luke's embrace, sobbing into his shoulder. However when I see the way he's looking after her, I know that no matter what, she's in good hands with him.
"Thanks Luke." I'm still strong in his embrace, not wanting to face what is ahead of me in the coming months. I turn around, looking to the terminal, my eyes momentarily catching Nathan's. Why do I have to go through this? Why now? Everything is running through my mind a hundred miles per hour, and suddenly it's to much to handle. I offer him one last wave, planting a fake smile onto my face, not wanting him to see me so upset. With one last look, I turn back to my best friend and break down in his arms.
"Haley, he's going to be fine. You and I both know that." He tries to soothe my worries, ultimately not knowing where they're really coming from. "C'mon. Let's get out of here." He says, turning to walk away, but I won't move. I just stand there, my feet planted firmly on the carpeted floor of the airport. "Hales..."
Rather than forcing me to go, he moves us towards the seats in the concourse, allowing me all the time I need. "I didn't even tell him Luke. He doesn't even know..."
"Know what Haley?" It seems like he's getting frustrated with me. Truthfully I can't blame him. He doesn't want to be here. He wants to be home with Brooke and his son. Who can blame him really? "You think he doesn't know that you love him?" He stares at me, shocked to think that I actually believe Nathan doesn't know I love him.
"Yeah. That." I say firmly, although my voice is full of sarcasm. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, as though he doesn't know what to do to comfort me.
"He knows Hales. He knows." We stand together, glancing out the window one last time as the plane backs out of its spot in the airfield, preparing for departure. "He knows..."
"Well.... I guess this is it..." I say, rolling over in bed, look at her in the eyes. It's my last day home before I have to head back to Kentucky before leaving for Iraq next week. It's also Haley's last day of summer break. She decided she'd rather keep the apartment and go to the community college. She nods her head slightly, turning away from me in hopes that I don't see the tears that are beginning to stream down her face. Unhappy with the way the day is starting, I pull her into my arms, hoping that for the time being, this will make everything right between us.
"What are we going to do Nate?" She whispers quietly, finally turning to look at me. I shrug my shoulders at her, not knowing how I should respond.
I know I shouldn't be, but I'm suddenly frustrated by all this 'what are we going to do' talk that we've been having. "Hales... let's not do this today babe. Let's just enjoy today, okay? Let's just do something fun, you and me, okay?" She sinks into my body, sobs racking over her own.
So, that's what we did. We spent the day together, enjoying every last minute of our last few hours together for the next six months. Skipping rocks out into the ocean from the beach we talked about anything and everything. And now, I have to do the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Say goodbye. Goodbye to the one person I love more than anything else in the world. An indefinite goodbye.
Glancing over her shoulder to Luke, I pull her into my arms one last time, squeezing her tightly and wiping away the tears that are clouding her eyes. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself?" I whisper to her quietly, almost afraid to speak any louder. She nods in response, but that's not my only request. "Don't worry about me Haley. Worry about yourself." With that, she breaks down, something I totally wasn't prepared for.
"Last call for Flight 8712, heading to Raleigh/Durham International Airport." I motion Luke back over to us; prepared to hand my wife over to my brother in hopes that he'll keep an eye on her.
"I love you Haley. Always remember that." I slowly slink backwards, taking her at arms length and squeezing her hands one last time. I mouth to her 'I love you' one last time before making the final turn, ready to accept the fact that I'm leaving this country next week. Before I enter the terminal I glance back, hoping she doesn't see the longing in my eyes to stay put, to stay with her. She's in Luke's embrace, sobbing into his shoulder. However when I see the way he's looking after her, I know that no matter what, she's in good hands with him.
"Thanks Luke." I'm still strong in his embrace, not wanting to face what is ahead of me in the coming months. I turn around, looking to the terminal, my eyes momentarily catching Nathan's. Why do I have to go through this? Why now? Everything is running through my mind a hundred miles per hour, and suddenly it's to much to handle. I offer him one last wave, planting a fake smile onto my face, not wanting him to see me so upset. With one last look, I turn back to my best friend and break down in his arms.
"Haley, he's going to be fine. You and I both know that." He tries to soothe my worries, ultimately not knowing where they're really coming from. "C'mon. Let's get out of here." He says, turning to walk away, but I won't move. I just stand there, my feet planted firmly on the carpeted floor of the airport. "Hales..."
Rather than forcing me to go, he moves us towards the seats in the concourse, allowing me all the time I need. "I didn't even tell him Luke. He doesn't even know..."
"Know what Haley?" It seems like he's getting frustrated with me. Truthfully I can't blame him. He doesn't want to be here. He wants to be home with Brooke and his son. Who can blame him really? "You think he doesn't know that you love him?" He stares at me, shocked to think that I actually believe Nathan doesn't know I love him.
"Yeah. That." I say firmly, although my voice is full of sarcasm. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, as though he doesn't know what to do to comfort me.
"He knows Hales. He knows." We stand together, glancing out the window one last time as the plane backs out of its spot in the airfield, preparing for departure. "He knows..."