PT: Hey y'all... We're back...

MC: And we want to send huge thanks to everyone that read, reviewed, added us to alerts and their favorite lists...

PT: You guys you blow us away!

MC: They rock huh?

PT: *Nods*

MC: So... on with the show...

DISCLAIMER: We don't own the recognised characters, they belong to the ever talented Mrs Meyer... we do own the plot bunnies that are manically humping in our brains though...

Playlist: Wait Me Up When September Ends - Green Day.

It's amazing how much six months can change things. For one, my once sheltered and innocent life had become the complete opposite. I'd seen more blood shed in the last twenty six weeks then I'd ever care to admit, recall or relive. Seeing the first dead body that you yourself, had killed, was the hardest. I'd been told that it got easier with time. Personally, I didn't want it to, I didn't want to be able to be at the point in my life where I just thought, 'oh well, there goes another', sure you get it into your mindset that it's you or him, and the animal instinct inside you kicks in; that didn't mean I wanted to be alright about it.

The first night after I'd shot my first man, I curled myself into a ball in my makeshift bunk and cried silent tears, for not only the man I'd just killed, but for his family. This park of being a solider was what I hated the most. I woke the next morning after a disturbed night of sleep. Who was I trying to kid, every night was disturbed, though this time it was the mans' eyes and not the sound of what was going on around me that wake me in a cold sweat.

I'd become good friends with most of the guys, one in particular I'd formed more of a bond with; Emmett. He'd been the constant support I'd needed and I'd like to hope I was the same for him. We hadn't always been that close though, in fact, at first, I think he wished I was on the opposition just so he could shoot my ass into next week.

It all started whilst we were on our training, we'd bunked together, me on the top bunk and him below. I'd asked for something, I can even recall what now, but he'd told me it was on his bed, I'd lent down and when I looked up I saw the most dazzling pair of blue eyes staring back down at me. She was beautiful, and he was a lucky guy. I'd pulled the picture from where it'd been tucked into the runs of my bed above to take a better look.

She looked younger than us, though not by a lot, and she was stood in front of him, his arms around her waist and his head leaning on top of hers. I knew it must have been a recent picture because he was in his uniform. Her hands were in the pockets of her denim cut off shorts and the brown vest against her slightly tanned skin just looked out of this world. The best part was that she has a pair of brown cowboy boots in, it reminded me of back home and I smiled contently at the rush of emotions that were brought back just by seeing something so simple.

"Something else ain't she?" He said taking the photo from my hand.

"You're one lucky motherfucker that's for sure, she's hot!" I shoot back with a smirk.

"Talk about her like that again and you'll find yourself on ya ass eating dirt."

"Sorry, didn't mean to step on your toes." I replied holding my hands up in surrender.

"It's just hard. I hate that I'm leaving her at home whilst I'm here."

"Hey its hard on everyone, we're all leaving behind girlfriends and wives." I said trying to be supportive, giving him a smack on the back, "She'll still be waiting for you when you get home."

He laughed heartedly and rolls his eyes at me. "Of course she'll be waiting for me when I get home, she's my sister."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah, we're close, she's all I've got and vice versa." He shrugged, poking the photo back where I'd found it.

"Well we best make sure we keep you safe then huh?" I replied.

And I meant every word of it. If, indeed, he was the only thing she had there was no way I was going to let something happen to him, because I knew first hand how hard it was to lose a loved one. He smiled and we'd watched each others backs since.

He was as inclined to keep me safe as I was him once I'd told him about Pops leaving Ma on her own. He said he'd make sure that she'd never lose someone else if he could help it. Turns out the huge 6'4 pure muscle was more teddy then grizzly bear. He was a practical joker and managed to keep everyone's morale at an all time high when we needed it most, and regardless of the day he'd had, he was willing to listen. The only time you knew to leave him alone was when we received mail. That little sister of his made sure he was kept in the loop about everything, pages upon pages of this artsy looking writing arrived and he'd go find a quite corner to sit in.

After everything he did for everyone else, we'd pick up whatever watch or duties he was required to do until he came back. The letter would be crammed into his backpack next to the previous and he'd sit and write his reply in our downtime before we slept. The picture I'd seen her in for the first time, put in his top pocket, it never left him, it was like his way of clinging onto her even though they were so far away from each other.

Ma wrote me a lot too, it was like she would write everyday, and I'd get a pile of letters all at once. I'd speed read them, looking for any important news before going back to the beginning and actually taking in what she'd said. I found that in the time we'd been apart we'd actually become that much closer. Who knew writing could make that happen. I clung onto the moments when mail arrived; it was my way of knowing that she was doing well and that she was safe. It was bittersweet though. It made me realise just how much I missed her. I was a mommas' boy, I'm fine with admitting that, and seeing that I didn't have any siblings, it was inevitable that the pair of us would be close for that same reason. Sometimes the words would arrive smudged across the paper and I knew that it'd been where a tear had fallen and the blue ink smeared across the beige coloured parchment. It broke my heart into a million pieces when I thought about it being my fault that she'd shed those big wet salty drops, so I pushed it aside and made my mind try to believe that it had happened in transit.

All I needed to do was get through the next six months and I'd be on way home to the only woman I'd ever loved.

*****

We'd been told that we'd be moving in on the enemy tomorrow, so everyone was making the most of their ten minute webcam chat with loved ones back home. I couldn't bring myself to look in my mothers' tear filled eyes knowing that it could be the last time I saw her. I'd happily given up my ten minutes to Emmett, knowing how much I'd mean to him that he'd get a proper chance to speak with his sister. Watching his face light up when I told him to take my time was the best feeling I'd felt since I'd been in this shit pit. He held out his hand to shake mine in thanks before he headed over to the equipment, where he'd get a chance to 'be normal' for a while. In my hand as he let go was a plastic card. I smiled and shook my head; the guy was always trying to make things better.

In one of the many letters he'd received he'd started getting phone cards. It meant he could call him and not have to worry about the cost of it. We'd all be stung with that, you call back home and you'd be expected to reverse the charges or charge it to your credit card, and let me tell you, those bastards knew they had a captive audience and charged a fortune. Obviously being one smart cookie, she'd started including in these phone cards. You'd call the local number on the back and they'd take minutes off the card that you had in your hand. For $20 you'd get a 120minutes of talk time. All the guys then started to get them in their letters too, I presume they'd mentioned it to loved ones at some point.

I didn't mention it to Ma though, she wasn't wealthy and I didn't want her spending what little spare cash she did have on shit for me. Nope, I just charged those calls to my card, knowing when I got home I'd be able to settle the bill. Part of my money that we received went straight to Ma for me, and she made sure to pay off the minimum balance every month so I didn't get in too much debt.

He looked over his shoulder, as he took the seat at the computer facing away from me, I nodded my appreciation at the kind gesture and he mirrored my action. Heading for the nearest phone I knew I'd make the most of this phone call because who knew how long I'd have to wait until I got to speak to her again.

*****

"Ma?"

"Jas, honey, how are you?" She asked.

It was always the same question as soon as she heard my voice; I knew it'd be followed by a few sniffles so I prepared myself for the onslaught of emotion that was going to rise in my stomach in approximately thirty seconds.

"I'm good Ma, how ya holding up?"

"Oh don't worry about me, Son. I'm fine, nothing can stop me, y'all should know that by now." She laughed trying to hide the tears that were present in her voice.

We talked about nothing and everything for a while. I told her about how bad the food was and that I couldn't wait to have her home cooked stuff, and that I'd made it half way through my time away and that I was now on count down. She asked that I'd kept Pops' tag safe and I replied that it was in my top pocket with the locket she'd given me, as close to my heart as I could keep it.

It was a loud explosion coming from the base that brought me back to where I actually was. The dread and fear started to climb through my veins like heroin to an addict and the adrenalin made my heart pump faster.

"Ma, I've gotta go. I'll call you again as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too baby boy." I heard in the distance as I replaced the receiver to its holder.

My legs carried my body back to the men that were now considered my family as fast as I could, hoping and praying that no one had been hurt. With my gun held tightly in my hands, ready to shoot anyone that stood in my way I made my way for the one person that I knew I needed to protect to my own dying day.

God, please don't let him be injured, I need to make sure he gets back to her.

*****

"Whitlock, over here!" He yelled in my direction.

He'd obviously guessed I was looking for him as my eyes scanned around. I continued to run, gun at the ready, waiting for the shit to hit the fan.

"What's going on? I didn't think we were moving 'til tomorrow." I said to him as soon as I was stood next to him.

"Blast was about five mile north. The boys that were already on their way have just called it in. Looks like we're making a move tonight man; get the shit you need cos we're on our way."

I nodded curtly and headed to where my few belongs were. A change of socks were essential as was a water canister. As ridiculous as it sounded there was nothing worse than wet feet, not that it'd rained here in a fucking long time, but when you blow shit up, pipes tend to explode too, and the shitty boots they'd issued me when I joined were split along the soles. That'd be the first thing I replaced when I got home.

"Boys have secured a building for us to use. Get in the trucks so we can move out." The officer in charge shouted.

We threw our bodies into the open back truck and headed into who knew what. The only one thing I was sure about was that I was potentially driving towards my death.

Let me make them proud.

*****

The closer we got to our new base the louder the explosions got. We'd had to fight since we'd been there, but it was bulletins and knives, now we were dealing with all forms of crazy. Dust and earth was flying everywhere and my line of vision was getting blurry. We were driving into a warzone and there was nothing but fate deciding our future.

I closed my eyes and prayed; I prayed that I'd make it out of here alive, that we'd all get to go home to our families, for forgiveness for every bad decision and move I'd ever made and I prayed most of all that this wouldn't be the moment that would reunite me with my much missed and loved father.

The pat on my back brought me back to the here and now and I jumped down from the truck, following the other soldier to the building they'd secured for us. Bulletins and bits of shrapnel fell at my feet like drops of rain in the ocean. The smell of smoke and sulphur filled the air, choking my lungs and burning my throat and nose as I inhaled.

Our brief instructions by the commanding officer and the curt nod of everyone in our troop motioning that we understood what was about to happen; we were given just a few seconds to gather our thoughts. I pulled the chain and locket from my pocket bringing it to my mouth.

This ones for you Pops.

Emmett stood with his photograph in his hand, all dog eared and a little tattered, just staring at it. He mumbled a few words and put it back in his breast pocket.

"Ready McCarty?"

"I never got to say goodbye." He said through gritted teeth, "She wasn't there when I tried… then this…" He said motioning around us.

"You didn't need to say goodbye, 'cos y'all going home to her." I said with conviction, because even if it ended with me in a shallow unmarked grave, I'd make sure that he got home to the only family he'd ever known.

*****

Running to a half destroyed wall for cover we rested our backs against the wall whilst we worked through a plan on how to secure the area. Of course we were hoping it wouldn't end in even more bloodshed but it was inevitable that it was going to happen. These people were fighting for the country they believed in as much as we were. They're views for the war was to claim back what they thought was rightfully theirs.

It was distressing to think that things had got so bad that they believed violence was the only way to solve things. Yeah I'm a deep thinker, what can I say, more of Ma had washed off on me than I cared to admit. What happened to the days when talking things through was the answer. No, now they were teaching children at school to shoot guns instead of balls into nets, showing them how to defend their homes with knives instead of teaching them algebra. It was times like that that made me question my faith in the big guy up in the sky, yet I found myself whispering constant prayers; ironic huh? Questioning the same guy I was praying to. What can I say; war messes with your head.

The cries from falling men of both sides filled my ears and I tried my hardest to block it all out. I couldn't be dealing with or thinking about how many of my fellow men had lost their lives or limbs in the first couple of minutes. So far we'd lost just two of our troop, far fewer than most, but it had hit us hard. Anymore and we'd be falling apart at the seams.

Please, if you are up there, look after us.

I heard the familiar voice and call of 'Lets go' and holding the gun to my chest I ran for the next space we'd decided was going to be our shelter. I dived for cover as a shell hit the ground in the not so distant space in front of me. I turned just in time to roll out of the way as the large frame of Emmett came flying towards me into the space I'd just cleared. He moved forward on his elbows, dragging his body forward just the way they'd taught us and we huddled close to discuss what to do next. We knew what was about to come, and we didn't have a choice. It was time to take our lives into our hands to protect those that were put into this hell with no choice.

"Move out!" I heard as I focused and charged into the line of fire.

*****

The dust, bits of earth and rock that flew in all directions were blinding. I knew I had a thick layer of the stuff stuck to my skin where it'd hit my sweat soaked flesh. We were doing well and we were getting things under control. Some of their men held their hands up in surrender as they ran out of ammunition and were lead away to meet the consequences of their actions. The route in front was clear and Crowley made his way forward, we followed, protecting him from the sides.

"Crowley…. STOOOOPPPPPPPP." I yelled as he continued running on, pushing himself to the limits, not waiting for us to keep up.

He wasn't watching his footing and trod straight onto a mine, effectively blowing himself to pieces; knocking both myself and Emmett off our feet in the backlash of the explosion. I coughed and turned to my side to make sure Em wasn't hurt, he was doing the same to me.

What happened in the next few seconds was the last thing I remember. Turning to my left as I tried to regain my footing and put my helmet back in place, I saw the outline of a thin body running towards me; it belonged to a boy, a teenager at the most. He was stood over me before I even had a chance to move. I'm not sure if it was fear or determination in his eyes, but I knew it would end with one of us meeting our creator. He held his gun back to front, obviously out of bulletins, but knowing that the butt could cause me serious injury and leave me unable to fight for a while. My brain kicked in and I knew what I had to do. Holding my gun up I let out a round of shots but it was too late, his dead body landed on me as the butt of the gun hit me full force to the side of the temple.

"Whitlock…" was the last thing I heard.

Then everything went black.

PT: I know... I know... I left you with a cliffie.... *runs and hides* sorry...

MC: Don't leave me to deal with the backlash you've left... *pouts at PT*

PT: Leave some love for Jas... he needs you...

MC: See you next Wednesday... thanks again for reading... byeeeeeeeeee *blows kisses*