Message from the Author: Hello, sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I just haven't had the time I used to to be able to work on this story. Unfortunately, there will probably be long waits between the publishing of new chapters. I will see this story to completion, it just may take a while. Thank you for continuing to read my story.


Back Home

2LT Joseph woke up in a cold sweat, sitting up. He groaned. He looked around the room, his eyes adjusting to the ambient light.

"I'm… home?" he said quietly to himself. He recognized the place as his old room in his parents' house. Several decorations from his childhood still lined the room. "But I was just…hmmm." The lieutenant pondered. Where was he before. He couldn't recall.

I was in a… computer? With a… No, that must have been a dream. The details are too fuzzy to remember, I'm forgetting them because I am awake now.

The door creaked open, a woman peered through.

"Good morning, honey. How was your sleep?" The woman was his mother.

"It was alright, mom."

"Good, I'm glad you're home, safe and sound."

"Yeah…"

"Remember, honey, people are coming over to visit you today. They are all excited to see you home. Now come downstairs and get some breakfast."

Michael followed his mother downstairs to the kitchen, where his father was cooking breakfast.

"You finally up, sleepyhead?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Its almost noon! People are gonna be over starting around two." Michael pondered, trying to recall anything from the previous few days. "That's fourteen-hundred, lieutenant."

"Yes, sir!" Michael said, focusing back on the present.

"Alright, son. What kind of cheese do you want on your omelette?"

"Mozzarella."

"And do you want your bacon in it or on the side?

"In the omelette."

"Alright, one dad's special coming right up!" Michael smiled. His father cooked the omelette and served it to him. Michael went to the other room to watch the TV while he ate. He could tell it was Saturday, college football was on. Once he finished his breakfast, he went to the bathroom to take a shower and ready himself for his guests.


The doorbell rang.

The first guest, I wonder who it is. Michael make his way to the front door to greet the person in question. He opened the door, a familiar face greeted him.

"Hi, Michael. I am so glad to see you!" The woman quickly stepped in and hugged him. "It has been too long."

"Sarah? What are you doing here?" She broke her embrace and looked up at his face.

"I'm here to see my boyfriend, you dummy." She leaned past him and looked around, exaggerating glances up, down, left, and right. "Have you seen him? He just got back from Korea, and he's supposed to be here."

"Very funny. I'm amused." he said, unamused.

"Oh, don't be such a sour-puss. You're back. I've been waiting so long for this. Then the first thing you say to me is: 'Sarah? What are you doing here?'" she said in a caveman accent. "Is that any way to treat your girlfriend? I missed you."

Michael grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her out onto the porch, closing the door behind him. She was confounded.

"Sarah, don't you remember what happened before I deployed?" he said, keeping his voice down.

"Honey, what are you talking about?"

"Don't 'Honey' me. I got my orders, and you broke up with me."


Michael had just got his mobilization orders. He was going to deploy to Korea, the war had just started. 72 hours and he was going to be on a plane out of the country. He called his first parents to let them know. His mother cried. His father, being a retired service member, understood.

"For your mother's sake, come home in one piece." the man said to his son.

Then he called his girlfriend. They were in a long-distance relationship, she was still in school working on her degree. She was three years younger than him. They had hopes to move in together once she finished her degree.

"Hi, honey, what's going on?" she said, answering his call.

"Sweetheart, I… well…"

"What, what's wrong?"

"Well, you saw the news, right?"

"Yeah, North Korea launched nukes. It's so sad, those poor people. So many died in an instant. My heart goes out to them."

"Uh…"

"You know Jamie's uncle was in the Navy. I heard he might have been one of those sailors that… wait… are…?"

"I…"

"You're getting sent over there, aren't you?" Michael could hear sniffles on the other end.

"I'm a soldier, sweetheart."

"I know." she sniffled.

"I have a duty."

"I know." She started to cry.

"I am deploying to Korea within the next 72 hours." No answer from her. "I'm sorry."

"Michael." she barely managed. "This isn't going to work."

"What?"

"I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"This. I can't handle this. I can't be worrying about my boyfriend dying overseas."

"Sweetheart…"

"I've got a degree to work on, I can't."

"If…"

"You've always been a nice guy, and I love you, but I just can't."

"I…"

"We're gonna have to break up."


"Broke up with you? Honey, are you okay? Do you feel alright?" Sarah was utterly confused.

"No, I don't feel alright. Seeing you, after what happened, I feel so conflicted." Michael began pacing around the porch.

"What happened over there, honey? Did you get… are you… I…"

"I'm not talking about 'over there'." He pointed in a random direction. "I'm talking about you dumping me right before I deployed. I felt like a chump."

"Honey, I didn't break up with you." she said. Worried about his mental stability, she put a hand on his shoulder. He stopped pacing. "Honey, I think you have PTSD."

"I… what…" He put his hand on his forehead. What the hell is going on? PTSD?

"Honey, what happened over there? You can tell me." she reassured him.

"Well…"

"But first, lets go inside."