Thank you for reading!

Major lay stunned on the sidewalk, looking up at the burning wreckage of what used to be a house. Debris, some of it still on fire, was raining down, mixing with the snowflakes, landing all around him. He turned his head, somewhat painfully, and saw Justin lying there, looking as shocked and bewildered as Major felt. What—what—what … The word kept repeating over and over in his head, but he couldn't seem to get past it to the next word, to make it all make sense in his head.

He was aware of a ringing in his ears, and he closed his eyes, squeezing them tight closed, as if that would make the ringing go away. It didn't, and he realized that what he was hearing were sirens, a lot of them, closing in on where he lay. When he opened his eyes again, he seemed to see more clearly, and he could start to think again, to realize that his squad house had just blown up, and most of his squad in it.

Not just his squad, Major thought. Natalie. Natalie had been in there. Without knowing what he was doing, he found himself on his feet, rushing up the steps toward the burning house, screaming her name over and over again. She had to have lived. She couldn't have come this far, gone through so much and made it to the other side, only to be gone.

He became aware of hands holding him back, a voice in his ear. "She's gone, man. And if you go in there, you'll get killed."

Turning, Major looked into Justin's face, soft with sympathy. "We're going to Italy. We're—a new start."

"I'm sorry."

Focusing on Justin's face, Major realized that if Liv had made it to the party, they would all have been inside. Liv had saved his life, saved Justin's life, and she didn't even know it. He heard himself make a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a laugh, and Justin tugged at his arm.

"Come on, man, let's get off this porch. We need to … We need to call someone." Even as he was pulling Major down the steps and back to the sidewalk, Justin had his phone out and was calling Chase Graves. "You need to get to the squad house. What's left of it. … Yeah, it … it's gone. Exploded. … I don't know how many." Justin looked around at the scattered survivors starting to come together in a huddle in front of the house. "Most." His voice broke. "Most of the squad. Just—get here." Ending the call, he looked down at a splintered board at his feet. "He's on his way. He says not to talk to anyone until he gets here."

That wasn't going to be hard. Major wasn't sure he could string two sentences together. Staring up at the house, he whispered to himself, "We're going to Italy."

But they weren't. They weren't going to Italy because Natalie—Natalie was gone. Judging from the body parts strewn across the steps, Natalie had literally ceased to exist.

He stood there, trying to make it all make sense, until he became aware of an authoritative voice barking orders. Chase Graves. It was a relief to have him here; the man was a machine. He'd get things done. Members of other squads who hadn't been at the party were there, too, pushing back against the police who had gathered and who were starting to ask questions of the survivors. Major was was aware that the fire was out, that the firemen were soaking the roofs of the nearby homes to extinguish any sparks that could cause trouble, that others were rolling up their hoses.

Gathering his scattered wits together, Major approached Chase Graves. "What can I do?"

"Lilywhite. Go home."

"No, sir. These were—these were my brothers."

"Who were here to give you a big send-off."

Major was rocked back by the implication. "Sir," he whispered. This wasn't his fault. This couldn't be his fault. But Chase Graves was looking at him like it was.

"Sir, that's not fair," Justin protested.

"The party wasn't for Major?"

"This one was," Justin admitted, "but there have been plenty that weren't."

"You're saying this could have happened at any time." Graves turned and looked up at the ruins. "You think this was a deliberate attack?"

"I don't know, sir. I didn't see anything. We came out to … get some air, and then—" Justin gestured around them.

"I see." Graves lifted his chin as if something he saw in the rubble surprised him, and he walked away from them abruptly. He spoke to a couple of soldiers nearby, and they went up into the remains of the house, picking their way through carefully. After a few moments, Major heard gunshots.

"What—" he asked, and then he and Justin looked at each other in horror, realizing what at the same time. They were putting bullets in the brains of zombies who had been blown to pieces but were still alive. "Oh, God," Major said. He wanted to cry, to scream, to throw up, and he could do none of those things. He could only stand here and stare at the house where so many of his brothers had been just a little while ago, stare at it and wish it had never happened, stare at it and be glad Natalie was spared this final indignity, stare at it and feel completely helpless.

"Lilywhite." Chase Graves' voice cut through the fog surrounding him. "Go home."

Major didn't answer. Couldn't answer.

"Bell. Does he need medical attention?"

"I don't think so, sir. He's just shocked."

"Do you?"

"No, sir," Justin answered.

"Good. Then take him home. Get him out of here."

"Yes, sir."

Major felt Justin's hands gentle on his arms, leading him away from the scene. Home. Home where Liv was. Yes. Maybe that would be better. It could hardly be worse. He craned his neck, walking backwards to keep his eyes on the house as long as he could, as if somehow if he looked hard enough, he could see Natalie. But he knew he never would, ever again.