CHAPTER 21

"So hold on, hold on, let me get this straight…" Miguel murmured, struggling to stay calm as he took in the bombshell Sam had just laid on him. "You're moving all the way from the East Coast to the West Coast, to San Diego, and you were planning to tell me, your boyfriend, all of this when? When you had already been living there for a year or two?"

"Look, Miguel, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you earlier!" Sam cried. "It all happened really fast and…"

"Yeah, when did this all happen? When did you decide to uproot your whole life and move across the country?" Miguel asked. Sam looked down.

"I, um… I was offered the job right after Thanksgiving." Sam mumbled, knowing that Miguel was not going to react well to this fact. Sure enough, his eyes widened.

"Thanksgiving… wait, that would mean that this all happened two months ago?! You knew about this for two whole months and you didn't tell me?!" Miguel exclaimed. Sam looked down in shame.

"Yeah, it, uh… it was when you were in Afghanistan and had just been extended. I didn't want to tell you over the phone and mess with your head and risk you getting hurt in the field."

"And I appreciate that Sam, but we've spent practically every moment in the past week and a half together. You couldn't have told me at some point during that time?"

"Well, I wanted to, but..."

"Oh, you wanted to, huh? And that's why I'm finding out about this now, only two days before I have to fly back to the other coast!" Miguel snapped.

"Miguel, I swear I wanted to, but then it was just one thing after another with our parents's drama and…"

"And you couldn't spare 5 seconds to tell me 'Miguel, I'm moving to San Diego'? 6 words! Literally 6 words, Sam!"

"Miguel, I'm sorry, okay?! I'm really sorry! You deserved to know. I should've told you sooner!"

"Yeah, you're damn right you should've told me sooner!" Miguel spat, before taking a deep breath and forcing himself to stay calm. He knew he had to. If he blew his top, it could potentially have fatal repercussions for their relationship. "So… what does this mean for us? Our relationship?"

"Well… you could move with me. We could get an apartment together!" Sam suggested. Miguel shook his head.

"I mean, I'd love to, but it's not that easy. I have a job and commitments that I have to fulfill on the East Coast. I can't just uproot my life."

"So that leaves us with long distance again." Sam said, looking down. Miguel sighed and sat down on Sam's bed, facing her.

"Look Sam, I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer honestly. Do you really want another long distance relationship, this one for God known how long? You know, last year was hard enough, even though we knew it would be a year and then it's over. Do you really want all those long nights sitting over the phone?"

Sam took a deep breath and looked at the defeated expression on Miguel's face. She knew his answer, and he knew hers. Sam eventually shook her head.

"Honestly… no. I know it might make me sound really needy, but I want to wake up next to someone every morning. I want an actual date on Valentines. I want to be able to kiss someone on New Year's. I want a normal life for a change." Sam said. Miguel took her hands in his and nodded.

"You don't sound needy, Sam. Not at all. You deserve all of that. In fact, you deserve so much more than that. You have a light inside of you that brightens the world. A smile so infectious that it captures the heart of anyone lucky enough to see it. And it kills me that I'm not the person able to offer you what you deserve."

"So that's it? We're done, just like that?" Sam asked, tears starting to form in her eyes. Miguel slowly stood up from her bed and nodded.

"I guess. I'm really sorry. Goodbye, Sam." Miguel murmured, before walking out of Sam's room and shutting the door behind him…

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As Miguel drove away from Sam's house for the last time, a thought occurred with him… him and Sam were truly over. He was single again. The best relationship of his life was over, just like that. He woke up 24 hours ago blissfully unaware of what was about to happen. This had been hands down one of the worst days of his life for sure. From the very beginning with Tyler's memorial, all the way to now when he just broke up with Sam. He wanted to curl into a ball and fall asleep, hoping that when he woke up, none of this had happened and it was all a nightmare. But he knew he wouldn't get that luxury. Instead, Miguel decided to drive to the nearest bar. As he sat at the bar, his first of probably many shots in his hand, he called up Eli. Thankfully, his best friend wasn't busy and immediately drove over to meet Miguel. He walked into the bar and saw Miguel sitting alone at the corner of the bar.

"Hey." Eli said, sitting down next to him. Miguel didn't say anything, but nodded in acknowledgement. "So I heard you and Sam broke up. I can't believe I'm saying this because you know how much I hate talking, but do you want to talk about it?"

Miguel shook his head.

"Nah, man. I just wanna drink." Miguel replied, gruffly. He didn't feel like crying or feel any sadness yet. He knew that would come later. Right now, he just felt numb. Like his mind was still in shock. Eli nodded and ordered a couple of shots himself. The two sat next to each other in silence and both downed 5 shots, causing both of them to feel numb, but their brains still functioning well. After the five shots, Eli turned to Miguel.

"So… why did you guys break up?" Eli asked, curiously. Although he would NEVER admit this to Miguel, it was devastating for Eli to hear that Miguel and Sam had broken up. Not only did he love how happy Sam had made Miguel, their relationship had also been proof for Eli that despite his job, maybe he could also find love someday. Miguel sighed.

"Well, get this… Sam is moving to San Diego." Miguel murmured. Eli's eyes widened.

"Wait… San Diego, California?" He asked, in shock. Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"No, San Diego, Argentina." Miguel snapped, sarcastically. "Of course California, dumbass."

Eli raised his hands in surrender.

"Chill, man. So Sam's moving back to Cali, huh?" He remarked. Miguel nodded.

"Yeah, not that I blame her. I mean, here's closer to her family. It's a better city to eventually raise a family. Apparently, this new job gives her more flexibility in terms of hours and days off. I mean, even if she stayed in New York, it's not like we would even be living in the same city. It would just be a shorter flight to see each other."

"Right." Eli murmured. He thought for a moment and then realised something. "Wait… San Diego? Why don't you move with her? There's a Naval Base like 15 minutes away in Coronado, right?"

Miguel nodded.

"There is one, but it's not that easy. I can't just put in a transfer tomorrow. It'd mean I'd be switching SEAL teams for the first time in my career. I've been in SEAL Team 2 forever. Switching to 1, 5 or 7 would mean being with an entire group of soldiers and commanders that I don't know or trust."

"I mean, you'd still have me because if you transfer, you better believe I'm coming too. And you and Sam could live together off-base, and you could just come in the morning and leave at night like any other job. And besides, this move could be good for you. You were depressed about only being able to see your family once every couple of years. Well now you'll be closer to them too." Eli stated. Miguel sighed.

"I appreciate it, man. But I can't just switch teams. It just wouldn't work." Miguel said. Eli raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't work, or you just don't want it to work?" He asked. Miguel looked at him and furrowed an eyebrow.

"Huh?" He asked. Eli looked at him and shrugged.

"Look, just tell me… why is it okay for her to make sacrifices for your relationship, but not you. You need to be the one to take the risk, for once. Move to San Diego. You'll have Sam right beside you and me right behind you at all times, watching your 6. So what do you say?"

Miguel looked at his friend for several moments and chuckled.

"You watch way too much Oprah, man." Miguel remarked.

"Hey! It's the only TV available at base!" Eli exclaimed indignantly. Miguel raised an eyebrow questioningly and eventually, Eli sighed. "Okay, fine! She makes me feel good about myself, okay?! You happy?!"

Miguel couldn't help but laugh, and he eventually nodded.

"You know what? Let's do it! Let's move to California!" Miguel exclaimed. Eli cheered and the two men hugged. As they were hugging, Miguel cocked his head, confused, and quickly broke apart from the hug.

"Wait… why am I hugging you? I should be going to talk to Sam now!" Miguel exclaimed as he scrambled to grab his coat and started moving swiftly towards the exit.

"Hey, you know you love me!" Eli called after him. Miguel rolled his eyes and chuckled as he dived into a cab. He couldn't drive as he had drunk one too many shots, but he paid the driver extra to speed to Sam's house as fast as he could. He made it to the Larusso house moments later, and he sprinted up the front porch, banging repeatedly on the front door. Moments later, Sam opened the door, her eyes bloodshot from crying, and her jaw dropped when she saw him there.

"Miguel… what are… what are you doing here?" Sam stammered. Miguel rushed towards her and pulled her into a long kiss. Sam, in shock, returned the kiss, but looked at Miguel, dumbfounded, when they broke apart.

"Sam, I want to move to San Diego with you." Miguel said. Sam's eyes widened.

"You… you what?" She stammered.

"I want to move with you." Miguel repeated, a massive smile etched on his face. "I can transfer to a base 15 minutes away. We can live together and start our lives together there, for real. Sure I won't be around all the time as I'll still have to travel a fair bit, but I can spend a lot more time with you, and by closer to my family at the same time."

A smile slowly started creeping up Sam's face as she took in what Miguel was saying.

"Are you… Are you sure?" Sam asked. Miguel kissed her again and nodded.

"Dead sure…"