The plane hadn't even pulled up to the port yet, and already she missed him. Missed everything about him.

Emmalin Holden missed the way his skin and hard muscles felt beneath her fingertips. Missed his sweet, earthy sandalwood smell, that was so masculine and so Jeremy. Missed his dark eyes and the way his laughter shone through them every time he smiled. And oh God his smile, she'd miss that…

Specialist Jeremy Sherwood hadn't even left yet and already his girlfriend was drowning without his him. Emmalin pulled herself together the best she could. It was there last day together, at least for the next six months and maybe even forev…no she wouldn't think about that, that wasn't an option. She wouldn't be able to let him board that jet if she kept thinking like that.

Jeremy was deploying today, and Emmalin had never felt this gutwrenching pain before. Like drowning only without the glimmering hope of survival, like going through drug withdrawl, like she was going ninety miles an hour only to go crashing down a wall. It hurt, it hurt so fucking bad. She hadn't even felt this kind of hurt before; not when her Dad deployed, not when she broke her leg, not even when her sister died. Emmalin was trying her hardest to hold back the tears that were gathering in the corners of her almond shaped eyes, and she was only just barely suceeding.

"Baby, don't be sad" Jeremy Sherwood whispered against Emmalin's ear. Kissing the hollow behind her ear as he did so. His hands felt so firm against her skin, as he held her close. Neither of them caring who watched them on the crowded plane terminal.

"I'm trying…I cant." Emmalin cried, salty trails leaking from her amber eyes.

"I know." Jeremy cooed, his thumbs dabbing the tears away. He had no idea how the hell he was gonna be able to leave her alone for six months. It would kill him being away from her this long. But it was his job, and he had to do it. This was the Army, and part of being 'Army Strong' meant being strong enough to leave the people you cared about more than anything.

"No, you don't…it's easier to leave then be left. God, it hurts. And I…I miss you already. And what if you di-" the Army Brat stuttered, burying herself in his chest. The eighteen year old was savoring every last second, every last detail about him was being forced into her memory, and she would be damned if she let a single thing slip away.

"Shhh. Don't even think that…I'll come back." Jeremy said firmly, tilting her chin up and kissing her until she was breathless. When he pulled away, his dark chocolate eyes stared into her's, reassuringly.

"You don't know that." Emmalin said so teeny, she could barely hear herself. But she had to say it that way; afraid that if she voiced her biggest fear, it would come true.

"I do." The Soldier swore, his arms pulling her small frame close to his warm, ACU clad body.

"Then promise me." She knew he shouldn't be making her promises but she needed this. If there was one thing Jeremy Sherwood was, it was a man of his word. He didn't break promises, no matter what.

":Baby, we both know I can't promise you anything." He whispered, his deep baritone voice filled with regret that he couldn't give her the security that she so desperately needed right now.

"Do it anyway." The Army Brat pleaded. She needed to hear it, even if it wasn't true.

"I promise, Emmalin." Jeremy said after sucking in a deep breath.

"Thank you. Be safe for me?" Emmalin smiled, unsteady and heartbroken, her head pillowed against one of her boyfriend's strong shoulders.

"I will, baby." Hw kissed her forehead tenderly. Before Emmalin, he never knew he was capable of being this gentle, of caring so much.

"You swear you'll think of me?" Emmalin smiled up at the almost twenty year old. She stretched up on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek. Her rosy lips lingering on his sweet tanned skin then they normally might have.

"Every second." And he wasn't exaggerating. Truth was, Jeremy had no idea how he was going to get any work done when the only thing he was going to be able to focus on was her.

"And you'll call and email, and write, and Facebook, and webcam when you can?" She kissed his jaw.

"Everyday, I'll make time, no matter what." He kissed her earlobe.

"Promise you won't forget about me?" She kissed his forehead, her finger stroking his soft dark buzz-cut.

"Baby, I couldn't forget about you?" He kissed her temple.

"I love you, Jeremy Lee Sherwood." Emmalin smiled, "More than anything. So you better come back to me." It wasn't a suggestion and they both knew it, she was telling him. He would come back to her, he would be unharmed, or she would kill him.

"I will, we can't get married if I don't come back to you, after all." He chuckled kissing her cheek and neck.

"Married?" Emmalin Holden's eyes got as big as dinner plates, her knees turned to jell-o, and all she could do was gap like a fish at Jeremy.

"Yeah, married. Baby when I get back, I'm getting you down that aisle even if I have to drag you." Jeremy smiled, pulling his stunned girlfriend close for a kiss, which after a moment she quickly returned.

"…are you proposing to me?" the Army Brat almost couldn't wrap her head around it.

"Yeah…but not here, not like this baby." No, he wanted it to be perfect, the kind of proposal that Emmalin deserved. He wouldn't propose without a ring in an Air Force terminal. She deserved more.

"You wanna marry me?" Emmalin didn't think she could smile any wider.

"I've been saving for your ring. I've had it picked out for months, so wait for me okay?" His soft apricot colored lippss trailed across her skin.

"I'll wait forever and a day for you Jeremy." Emmalin swore, kissing him on the lips.

"You won't be waiting that long, baby, I promise." The Soldier chuckled.

"Okay." God, so this is what it felt like to be speechless.

"I love you."

"I love you more than anything Jeremy…oh and in case you were wondering, my ring finger is a size seven…you know just in case you were wondering." Emmalin winked, smiling at her boyfriend/almost-fiance.

"I actually already knew that….I borrowed one of your rings and took it to the jeweler, I picked out one you'll like." Jeremy smirked, admitting to kidnapping her favorite ring for a few hours before stealthily sliding it back into her jewelry box.

"Let's load up!" An officer called, interrupting the two.

"Be safe, Jeremy. I love you." She said.

"I love you too, Emmalin Sherwood." Jeremy whispered into Emmalin's ear. He already liked the way it sounded on his tongue, their name.

"I don't know if I can let you go." She was willing her arms to stop squeezing him so tight but they just didn't seem to want to stop.

"You have to baby." He kissed her forehead softly.

""I love you, more than anything."

"I love you too, you're my world baby."
"Be safe. I'll be waiting."

"I'll hurry back." He stole another quick kiss before turning away. Heading to the jet. Every step was killing them both. She had never ben hurt so much by the sight of his back.

And then she did the hardest thing she had ever done, she she watched him board that jet and didn't chase after him. She clutched the dog tags that hung around her neck and wiped her eyes as the tears started to flow. When he looked back from the staircase, a final glance at her, she smiled and mouthed 'I love you' a last time.

God she'd never felt so much pain in her life.