Days later, Bradin locked himself in his room after visiting Katie at the hospital. He went to tell her that he loved her and her body shut down. He left not wanting to stay and hear that she was gone. He knew she would leave.

He disappeared one night making his family worry. After dinner, Nikki went out to find him. She looked practically all over town. Apparently, her family went out to help her because she received a phone call on her cell that Bradin was at the smoothie shop. She walked into the smoothie shop and found him there sitting at a table with his hands covering his face. She sat across from him. He looked up.

"I know she means a lot to you," she began, "But would she want you sitting around crying over her?"

"No. But, a part of me feels as if she's still here. I need time to think things through."

"There's a surprise for you at home. Can you come back soon before it's gone?" she asked before she got up and left.

An hour or so passed since she arrived at his house and he never showed. She sighed and got up. "I'll come by another day," she told his family. She turned to walk out and there she saw him standing with tears down his face. He ran up to her and held her tightly in his arms as he broke down. After several minutes he pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. She took his hands into hers and led him outside so they could talk.

"Why are you so quiet and sad?" he asked stopping them before they walked onto the beach.

She took a tape player out and played it with her back facing him.

"Katie, I don't know how much time you have left. I need to tell you several things...One is important. I've came by everyday hiding it. Seeing you here in this condition scares me. I can't see you like this any longer. It's hurting me so much that you're here and not out doing the things you love. I want and need to see you happy."

At this moment, you could hear him start to choke up.

"You mean the world to me. Believe me, if I were there when this guy shot you, I'd take the bullet. I know you can't hear me but someone does. I know it. Man I feel stupid for saying that." He sighed. "Not one day has gone by since we met where I haven't thought about you at least once. You're kind, gentle, sincere, amazingly beautiful...I love you."

Katie shut the tape off as they heard the monitor beep and turned towards him with tears forming in her eyes.

"Yes, I meant everything," he told her knowing she didn't believe him, "Even the last phrase. Those words are the only ones that can describe how I feel about you. You-"

"I have butterflies in my stomach right now," she said interrupting him, "I never had this with any guy I've been with or knew as a friend. I'm always smiling when something happens and you're involved. I've thought about all the times that I've hurt you and you still stuck with me through this."

"You never hurt me," he told her.

"Me being in the hospital didn't hurt you?"

"It did but I can deal with it. What I can't deal with though is losing you. I love you, Katie." He saw her lower her head and start to cry. "No. No, baby. No," he said running up to her and throwing his arms around her, "Please don't."

"I don't want to hurt you," she said softly.

He pulled away and looked into her teary eyes. "How are you going to do that?"

"Within two weeks, Heather and I are going back...to the war." Seeing his face fall from happy to sad, she spoke again. "See?"

"Yes. I'll admit that I am upset. But, I still love you. I know that I can't stop you from going over there because it's your duty. It will be hard. But, I can live with it. What I can't live without is knowing that I will never be with you the way we want to be together. Will you go out with me and keep both of us happy?"

She bit her lip as she thought if it was right after all.

"You don't have to say the whole I love you part until you're ready to say it. I can wait," he told her.

A tear escaped her eye as her eyes were beginning to dry out. "You're too hard not to say yes to," she said as he wiped the tear away.

He smiled, picked her up, and spun he around. She leaned down and kissed him making him stop, place her down, and kiss her back. Clapping began making the new couple stop and look. Bradin's family was watching them making both smile. Bradin looked at his new girlfriend and kissed her deeply.

Nearly two weeks passed and Katie and Heather had to head back over to Iraq. Bradin made Katie's last several days the best she may have for a while. She finally told him that the doctor's fixed the injury in her stomach and that's why she wasn't in the hospital any longer.

"If you need anything, let me know," he told her as they stood in front of her gate at the airport.

"Be here if or when I return," she said.

"I promise," he whispered before kissing her.

When he pulled away, Heather came over from saying bye to her family and friends. They two girls looked as their families merged together before they entered the platform. They saluted and headed off.