Riley’s senior year has seemed to go by fast, yet slow because Jake wasn’t around. She missed him something terrible. They didn’t really write letters; where ever he was they barely got mail. It took longer for her to receive the letters he wrote to her, so they really didn’t bother; the only ones she ever wanted were the ones that said he was still alive.

Prom was in three months time, she had bought her dress two months ago and she made sure she bought it where no one else would go. She and Anna drove all the way to down town L.A just to get the dresses, they spent the whole day there trying on dress after dress, Riley thought they were going to leave with nothing till the last three dresses they tried on and they both found their dresses. She just hoped Jake would see her in hers.

She sighed as she looked at the TV, the ten o’clock news was on and she wasn’t even watching it she had too much on her mind. She looked down at her companion and slightly smiled, he was stretched out across the rest of the couch with his head by Riley’s feet, Monster was so big now. Jake’s only seen what pictures she sent to him, but that was a while back he would see just how big he was when he returned. Their dog was no longer a little ball of fur.

Her phone rang suddenly, making Monsters head rise and look around. She sighed as she rubbed her hand down his stomach to calm him; she looked at her phone sitting there on the coffee table.

It was ten at night who would be calling her? She knew it wasn’t Anna. She leaned forward and picked it up and sighed as the caller I.D read ‘Mother’. She leaned back into the cushions and flipped the phone open.

“What is it mother?” she sighed annoyingly. She then realized her mother was sobbing, oh god no!

“Mom what is it?” she managed to ask.

“Riley its Henry,” she sobbed. “I just got a call he was in severe condition and they managed to stabilize him. They just told me, but it happened hours ago and their not telling me anything more.” Her mom cried.

God, severe condition….Jake! God let him be ok, she prayed. “Mom are they bringing him home?” her voice was hoarse; she hadn’t even realized she was sobbing.

“Baby I don’t know,” Her mom sobbed. “I’ll call you back I have an incoming call.”
Riley didn’t even get a chance to say anything her mother hung up on her. God, how bad was Henry? She sobbed, God Henry. Mom said they managed to stabilize him, but for how long? It was severe, was he in surgery?

Her phone rang again and she quickly picked it up. “What did they say?” she whispered.

“He’s been out of surgery for a few hours and their transporting him here. He should arrive in four hours.”

She knew exactly where they were taking him. Oh god four hours. She had to tell Anna. She quickly told her mom bye and got dressed. She was almost out of the door and stopped when she realized she couldn’t leave Monster alone because she didn’t know how long she was going to be gone, but she couldn’t take him.

The woman beneath them would watch Monster for her, they were good friends and her boyfriend was a Marine as well, only he wasn’t deployed right now.

She ran into the kitchen and grabbed his leash she had put in a kitchen drawer and put it on him. He was resisting as she tugged, he wasn’t budging, damn dog.

“God, don’t do this to me. I need to leave.” She cried, that seemed to register to him, he quickly stopped.

“Come on baby,” she tugged again and he complained.

After locking her door she quickly descended the stairs with Monster in front of her. She stopped and turned to the left when her feet hit the leveled ground. She walked a couple of feet before she knocked on the light blue door.

It took a while for Taylor to open her door and when she opened it, on any other occasion Riley would have laughed. Her hair was fluffed all over her face and she had a silk black robe wrapped around her body, and Riley knew she was doing the dirty with her boyfriend.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she asked as she looked at Monster.

“It’s Henry,” Riley began to sob. “Do you think you could watch Monster for a bit?” she managed to ask.

She looked over her shoulder and called Bret. He quickly walked up behind her with concern on his face.

“What’s wrong Riley?” he firmly asked as he looked at her face in.

God she didn’t need these questions. “Something’s happened to Henry and I can’t take Monster with me, please could you watch him,” she asked.

“Yes, of course anything you need,” he said with a strained voice.

“God, Riley I hope he’s ok,” Taylor softly said.

Riley looked at her and saw the unshed tears.

“What about Jake, is he…?” Taylor couldn’t finish.

God, she couldn’t answer that because she didn’t know. She hoped he was still alive. He better fucking be alive! She wanted to scream.

“Taylor get inside.” Bret firmly told her as she began to sniffle.

He turned his attention back to Riley, “Riley I’m sure he’s fine, please keep that in mind. I know he was with Henry and that’s hard enough knowing that. I’ll see what I can find out for you, I’ll make contact after I get information.” He said as he pulled her into a tight hug. She felt him take the leash from her hand as he released her.

“Go and be with your family and take Anna with you, this will be just as hard on her as much as it is on you.” he said.

Riley just managed a nod. She wiped he tears away as she began to walk toward her car. God, please keep him safe, please bring him home. She needed Jake home safe. She started her jeep and started driving towards the hospital where they were going to be taking Henry. She’d call Anna on her way over there.

Five agonizing hours had pasted and she still hadn’t seen her brother, she and Anna were waiting in a private waiting room down the hall from where Henry’s room was located. They were supposed to be able to see him any minute now; she had so many questions to ask him.

She looked over at Anna; she was curled up in a red chair as she looked out the window, a tear sliding down her cheek. God, she was just as worried about Henry as much as she was, maybe even more. Henry meant everything to Anna, just like Jake meant everything to Riley, only Anna had Henry home now. Jake was still out their fighting, her lips began to tremble at that thought, god, fighting alone with out her brother.

“Riley,” Anna whispered.

Riley hadn’t even noticed Anna standing right in front of her, her arm extending and her hand resting on her shoulder as she looked her in the eyes.

“Go ahead and go first but please hurry, I don’t know how much longer I can wait.” Anna whispered as she squeezed Riley’s shoulder.

Riley didn’t know what she was talking about all she could think about right now was Jake. She turned around and saw the nurse waiting, so that’s what she was talking about.

Riley slowly followed the nurse into Henry’s room. She was in a daze, she wasn’t ready for this, the answers she wanted, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them but she needed to know.

She walked around the curtain that was blocking her way; her throat grew thick once more as she looked at her brother. He laid there on the bed with all these tubes all around him. Riley heard his steady heart beat as it went off on the monitor. She eased closer as tears ran down her cheeks, thank god he was ok, she thought.

“You better not be crying,” Henry whispered as he kept his eyes closed.

“I can’t cry?” she cried.

“Yes, but I don’t want to see it or hear it,” he whispered.

“Well your going to see it with your next visitor.” She slowly sat on the edge of his bed.

“Henry what happened?” she managed to ask.

“I can’t tell you,” he whispered. Riley watched as he began to open his eyes and look around. He must have changed his mind as he looked at her because his face softened. “I’ll tell you that I’m alive because of Jake. He saved my life Riley, something went wrong it wasn’t suppose to and I got hit multiple times,” Riley could tell how difficult this way, she watched Henry swallow several time before he started talking again. “I couldn’t get up, there was too much pain, Jake came looking for me and found me bleeding all over the dirt as I tried crawling away, as shots fired and grenades went off everywhere.”

Riley watched as he took a deep breath and began talking again. “He picked me up and hauled ass, he got shot as he carried me. It grazed me and hit him in the shoulder. He kept going though, but I know how painful that must have been especially since he carried me all the way.” He looked away from her and he took another deep breath.

“After that I don’t know what happened, I blacked out. The next thing I know I’m waking up after coming out of surgery.”

Riley didn’t know what to say, because of Jake her brother was alive but at what cost, for the life of his own?

“Were you guys coming home?” she asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

His shot around to face her again, “How did you know?” he questioned her.

“I didn’t but now I know.” She stared him straight in the eyes as she asked her next question. “Is Jake coming home?” she whispered.

“I honestly don’t know Riley, I’m sure he’s fine from the bullet but after having it fixed he’d go back in if it was needed.”

Oh God. Still wounded and fighting? “When will I know?” she softly asked.

“Knowing what happened they’ll stay the time we were supposed to stay. He’s coming home whether he’s alive or not. I hope for your sake that he comes home safe. You still have three months.”

Riley watched him as he turned to look at his duffle in the far left corner of the wall. He seemed to be thinking about something. He slowly turned his head back towards her and sighed.

“Theirs an envelope in my duffle for you, Jake gave it to me before we deployed. He told me if anything happened to him to give you that envelope, go ahead and take it. But don’t open it till the three months have passed.”

Riley knew what kind of envelope that was and she wanted nothing to do with it. She didn’t ever want a letter like that. Would she finally open one in three months time? Sobs escaped her throat at the thought of Jake never ever kissing her again, or him giving her the nice massages he gave her everyday when he came home from work, or him never looking at her like she was the best thing in the world.

She wanted her Jake home.

She leaned down and gave her brother a hug and then a kiss on his forehead before she got up and walked over to his duffle and slowly opened it by the zipper. When she opened it, the envelope was the first thing she saw. With a shaky hand she picked it up and held it to her chest as another sob broke free.

God, she needed to get out of here. She quickly closed the duffle and walked out of Henry’s room and almost ran into Anna, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying she had been doing. But something seemed the register to her.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she questioned her.

“Nothing, I…. I can’t stay here. I have to go,” Riley cried as she quickly started walking down the hall; soon she was running and gasping as she ran down halls and stairs and all the way to her car. She got in and let it all out as the leaned her head against the stirring wheel.

It’s been exactly three months and three days. Tonight was prom night and Jake wasn’t home, he wasting coming home. She finally accepted that. She’s been crying none stop for the past week, she didn’t go to school, and she wasn’t talking to anybody. Henry came over everyday though, to check up on her. Everyday he came over she hoped to hear that Jake was coming home.

She tried talking to his parents to find out what was going on, they got all the news because they were his parents and because her and Jake never married so their was no need for her to know anything. His parents wouldn’t even talk to her, wouldn’t answer the calls she made to them or the voicemails she left them.

She looked up at the mirror and hated her reflection. Her hair was done up nice, a lose curl here and there. She wore make up but not enough for you to notice, if she smiled she would have fooled you, except for her eyes. Her eyes were what gave her away, she looked so empty, and she felt empty. Empty because her Jake wasn’t coming home.

For the past two days she’s been debating whether to open that letter or not. She’s been putting it off in hopes of any day seeing Jake walk through their bedroom door again. But he hasn’t and it was time to read it. She walked back into their bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, she reached out and watched as her hand shook when she grabbed the envelope, she took a deep breath as she slowly opened it and took out the paper and began to read.

My Dearest Riley,

I’m sorry you’ve gotten this letter. I know how much you wanted me to come home to you alive but I know you’re not disappointed in me. I know you’re angry and sad and for that I am sorry, sorry for the pain I am causing you. I hoped you’d never get this letter.

I want you to promise me something, the only thing I ask of you. I want you to move on, not right now but when you’re ready. I want you to have everything you’ve always wanted, and I want you to let someone give you what I’ve always wanted to give you, kids, love that will last you a lifetime, someone that you will warm you at night. Promise me you’ll laugh till your lovely cheeks hurt, promise me you won’t give up on life, promise you’ll love again. I know that’s asking a lot but in time I hope you will let this happiness happen to you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, your happiness, yours alone was mine as well. I’m sorry I will no longer be there to warm you at night, to hear your laughter, to hear you sing, to watch your face light up when I walked through that door. There wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t thinking about you, and I loved you like no one I ever loved. Death can not separate us and I’ll be waiting on the other side for you when your time comes for you to join me once more. I love you Riley Marie Pierce.

Love, Jake Anthony Clyde.

Riley couldn’t breath, towards the end she no longer could read the letter, her eyes were filled with tears, even at this moment they were falling on the lined paper he wrote her, making the ink run. There was so much anger in her, so much agony.

She grabbed the pillow that was right next to her and threw it across the room as she sobbed, and then she grabbed the lamp and threw it across the room and heard it shatter when it hit the wall.

She got up and walked to the dresser that was filled with rows of rows of pictures of them. She picked up one and threw it and did the same with next three as she sobbed. She extended her arm and in one clean swipe the rest of the picture frames went flying, glass breaking. She steadied herself, her hands on the dressers edge as she began to gasp. She slowly sank to the floor, sitting around the broking glass that was on the floor.

She picked up a picture, it was the last picture her and Jake took before he left. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, they were smiling as they looked each other in the eyes, he looked so handsome in his uniform, she thought.

“Why did you leave me?” she sobbed. “Why did she leave me!” she screamed.

She suddenly felt strong arms around her and soon she was being lifted off the ground, she heard the crunching noise from the glass as who ever was caring stepped on it. God, was it Jake? God, let it be Jake.

“God, Riley why are you doing this to yourself?”

It wasn’t Jake, she started sobbing even harder, it was just her brother. She wanted Jake, she wanted him holding her, wanted him to take away her pain.

“Just leave me alone,” she sobbed as he sat down with her on his lap.

“No, we’re leaving in twenty minutes. You think Jake would be happy seeing you like this? Huh?”

“No,” she managed to say, her breathing was coming back to somewhat normal. Jake wouldn’t be happy, he’d be pissed she knew that but it just hurt too much to do anything, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Riley get your dress on and come down stairs.” Henry whispered to her as he gently smoothed his hand up and down her back, making her calmer.

She let out a deep breath. “Do I have to?” she asked.

“Yes, I mean he did buy you your dress, you could at least wear it for him. You know how much he wanted to go and he knew how much it meant to you, so go for him.” He softly said against her hair.

She should go and really she had no choice she was running for prom queen. Not that she would win. God, she didn’t want to go and be there for six hours and not do anything, she wouldn’t have any body to talk to or dance with. Anna and Henry were going to do their own thing; she’d make them she didn’t want to ruin tonight for them because she was depressed. They haven’t accepted Jake being gone, unlike Riley. They still had hope and her brother wasn’t telling her anything, she knew he couldn’t though, some kind of private thing.

“Fine, I’ll go. Just give me a few minutes to get my dress and shoes on,” she softly said.

“Your not going back into that room, there’s a lot of broken glass on the carpet. Your going staying in here till I clean it, understand.” Henry said.

Riley liked him like this, strong and firm. He’s what kept her together most days. She eased off his lap and started walking towards the first bathroom to fix her self up.

“Where’s your dress and shoes?” Henry asked as he passed her and walked towards her and Jakes room, no, it was now just her room now, she sadly thought.

Her eyes began to water again, she hated that thought. She hated that he wasn’t here, she hated that he wasn’t wearing what her brother was wearing, she waited so long in hopes in of seeing him one day in that one uniform that she loved and now she would never see it on him.

“Here,” she turned around and saw Henry with his arm extended holding out her prom dress. She looked from the dress to his uniform, the dark navy blue stood out with the gold buttons on it along with the red stripes that were on it, his white belt with the shiny gold buckle. Oh how so wished it was Jake standing before her.

She looked up at her brother and noticed the concern in his dark blue eyes, she learned to ignore that look the past few days, she gave him a small smile instead and softly said, “You look handsome.”

“Thank you, now go get dressed.”

She hesitantly reached for her dress and grabbed it and then the shoes he now offered her from his other hand.

She closed the bathroom door and slowly put on her dress and then her stilettos. She took a deep breath and looked at her self in the mirror. The red dress looked beautiful on her; with her up long hair up with the few lose curls. Jake would have loved this on her, she picked red to go with the red he would have had on his uniform. She sighed as she looked at her sad eyes as they began to water. God, she couldn’t do this. She braced herself against the counter and began crying again. She felt so lost, so empty inside with out Jake.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door and knew Henry was probably pacing by the door waiting for her to come out. She reached and grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box and dabbed them under her eyes to wipe the tears that escaped. She had to do this, she told herself, for Jake. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. For Jake. She threw the tissues in the trash bin and then opened the bathroom door and slowly walked out.

She stopped when she saw her brother stop pacing and look up at her, his concern no longer their as his face softened.

“You look so beautiful,” he softly said as he stood there and looked her over. “He would have loved that dress on you, you know that.” Henry softly laughed as he met her gaze again.

“I don’t look…,” she didn’t know what to say, what depressed? Lifeless? Empty?

“No Riley you look lovely.” Henry reassured her. “Where’s your sash?” he asked.

“In the bedroom, in the closet on a hanger,” she told him as he started walking back into the room.

She hung it because she was afraid Monster would rip it up. She heard the bedroom door close and then saw Henry walking with the sash in his hand; she lifted her arm as he placed it on her.

He sighed, “Let’s go Riley.”

“I’ll meet you down stairs,” she whispered.

She watched him hesitate, she could see he wanted to say something but he didn’t instead he started walking down the hall; she stood there waiting till she heard the front door open and then close. She slowly started walking down the hall and then went into the kitchen where her ticket and clutch sat on the kitchen counter. She looked down at the tickets as she lightly touched them, one for her and one for Jake. She sighed as she slowly lifted hers and put it into her clutch. She stared at his for a minute longer before she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

She saw Monster waiting for her by the front door whining, he did that every time she left somewhere and didn’t take him, like he knew.

She ignored him and opened the door, “I’ll see you later baby, be good.” She softly told him before she closed the door.

This was the worst dance she’s ever been to. She didn’t win prom queen, though she didn’t really care. She was sitting by herself at a round table as she watched everybody dance on the dance floor. Most of the time she watched Henry and Anna dancing, having a good time and if she wasn’t watching them then she was watching another couple.

She just wanted to leave, she didn’t want to be here but she had to stay she couldn’t just leave. Once you got in you were in and weren’t getting out till midnight. The hotel they were at was decent she had to admit but it didn’t matter to her because she wasn’t enjoying herself.

She probed her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm and sighed. She had thirty minutes till this damn dance ended and then she was going home and she was going to stuff her face with rocky road while she cried.

“Why does the prom queen look so sad?”

Oh God! That voice, Jake. She whipped her head around and started crying as she saw him standing before her in his dress blues. She got up and threw her self at him and hugged him tight as she began to sob.

“I promised you I’d be home in time baby,” he whispered into her neck and he hugged her tight to his body.

Riley softly laughed as she cried. He was home, Jake was home and he was in her arms. She looked at him as he released her, his hazel green eyes glistening as he looked down as her, she was sure she looked to same way right now, she couldn’t stop crying.

Jake cupped her face and wiped her tears away with his thumb. He leaned down and kissed her, moaning at the feel of her lips against his, he no longer needed the memory when he had the real thing in front of him. He gently moved his lips against hers as he moved his hands down to her shoulders and gripped her; he pulled her closer as they deepened the kiss, he savored the feeling of her tongue against his as they moved.

They did that for a bit before he pulled back and kissed her once more on her lips before letting go of her shoulder and slipping his hand into hers.

He tugged her hand and started walking towards the crowd of dancing bodies.

“I at least want one dance with you,” he smiled.

Riley followed him, keeping up with him and making sure there was no distance between their bodies.

Jake pulled her against his chest as the song turned into a slow one; she clasped her hands around his nape as she leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heat beat against her ear. She felt Jake move his hands down her back and slide to the side, resting them on her hips.

They swayed to the music, she noticed the people around them gave them their own space; she didn’t care but thought it was nice. She tightened her hold on his neck as he pulled her tighter against his body. She realized this was the first time they’ve ever danced before.

“I love you,” she whispered against his chest. “I missed you so much; I thought you weren’t coming home.”

“Shh, I’m home now baby, I’m home,” he whispered to her before he kissed her head.

“You look lovely tonight, I love that color on you.”

Riley knew there was a small smile on his face; she didn’t need to look up at him to know it was there because she heard it in his voice.

“You look quite handsome yourself soldier.” Riley laughed.

Jake laughed, “Do I want to know how much the dress was?”

It wasn’t cheap but Riley wasn’t going to tell Jake that. “No, you don’t want to know.” She laughed.

The song was coming to an end and the next one was already starting and this one was a song you’ve moved your hips to.

“Come on,” Jake let go of her and pulled on hand only she didn’t move, she wanted to dance.

“Can’t handle a little bit of grinding?” she asked him with a smile tugging at her lips.

“Riley I’ve been without you for nine whole months, so the answer is no.” he chuckled.

“Please, just one song?” she frowned.

“Pouting? You think that’s going to work?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she laughed. And it did, she started dancing and pulled him to her.

Jake stood there mesmerized as he watched her move her hips, he’s never seen her dance like this, swaying when she singed ok but not like this never like this. He was damn hard just watching her work her hips. She smiled as she danced in front of him, she closed the distance between them and turned around and started grinding her ass against his dick, he wanted to groan from the rubbing she was doing, she was doing it just right and she knew it because she grinded a little harder. He couldn’t help but grip her hips and join her.

They danced the rest of the time grinding or slow dancing. They managed to take pictures right before they left the room; the guy immediately said no problem as he looked at Jake. She wasn’t sure why but thought it had something to do with the uniform he was wearing.

“What are we doing now,” she asked as they excited the ball room they were just in.

“I got us a room here, if that’s ok with you.” he softly said as he helped her down the stairs and then towards the elevator.

Yeah she didn’t want to go home, because of the mess that was in their bedroom.

“That’s fine, I don’t want to go home anyways,” Riley said.

“Huh, I wonder why?” he said as he led her into the elevator and then pushed the button with a eight on it.

Riley stayed quit because she knew that he’d been home. There was only one way he would have gotten in, he had to have his ticket. Which met he probably saw their bedroom.

“Care to tell me what happened to our room?” he murmured as he pulled her to his chest and hugged her.

There was no point in lying to him, she thought. “I read the letter you gave Henry.” She whispered.

“God, you weren’t supposed to read that.” he breathed out as he hugged her tighter; Riley did the same as well.

“It doesn’t matter anymore your home,” her voice shaky as her she began to tremble.

“Yes I’m home. I’ll be home for the next six months.” He whispered.

Six months, that was going to be heaven having him around and she was going to savor every minute she had with him.

“Why didn’t you come home with Henry?” she asked.

“I was just shot in the shoulder, that doesn’t get me home. Henry….god, I don’t want to think about what I saw.” But he did, he thought back to the day, they were retreating because things had been quit for days, then all hell broke lose. Guns going of, his team running for cover as they fired back. He fired back as well as he ran for cover, he did a head count and realized Henry and two others weren’t with his team. He left his team and went looking for them, he found the first two and told them to watch each others six as they made it back to the team, he continued looking for Henry and heard gun fire close by, away from the rest and knew it was him. He ignored the shooting as he kept cover trying to make it to Henry; he hoped to god he wasn’t dead. He heard gun fire behind him and knew exactly which direction it was coming from, he turned around and took out two T’s that were on a roof. He slowly continued, gun in hand as he saw Henry on the ground, he was crawling, dragging his body away from fire. There was blood all over the place, Jake whipped his gun on his shoulder and ran to him and picked him up and threw him onto his back and ran for cover. He heard shooting but kept going and then felt agonizing pain in his shoulder, he ignored it because he knew if he stopped then Henry might not make it, or they were both dead.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and sighed when he smelt that vanilla scent she always wore, the scent he missed smelling. At times he swore he could smell it when he was away but knew it was just in his head because Riley was no where to be found.

They heard the elevator ding and released each other but still kept contact with their hands. They walked down the hall, Jake leading because Riley didn’t know what room they were going to be in.

Jake reached into his packet and ignored the small thing in there as his fingers griped the key card, he pulled it out and slid it through the metal and watched as the green light lit up and then opened the door.

He pulled Riley into the room and heard her gasped as he closed the door, guess that meant she loved the room, he smiled.

Riley took in the room as well as the vanilla smell as she stood a few feet from the bed, there were candles lit all over the place and red rose petals all over the white comforter that covered the bed. She felt Jake behind her and then felt his hands on her hips as he pulled her back against himself.

“We need to talk,” he whispered against her neck.

She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to make love. “Can’t it wait?” she breathed out as she felt his hands move up towards her breasts only he didn’t touch them he moved his hands back down towards her hips.

No, it couldn’t, he didn’t want to wait any longer, she was eighteen now and he was ready to make Riley his.

“We’ve been through a lot over the past three years, don’t you think?” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

“Y-yes,” she agreed. She didn’t know where he was going with this. “But I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s been hard but I love you and theirs no one else I’d rather be with.” She sighed and bent her neck more the side, making it easier for his to kiss her neck.

“I agree.” He whispered.

She said it perfectly; it was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Where do you see us in a few years?” he asked her.

“What are you willing to give me?” she asked in return.

“I’m not willing baby, I’ll give, you can have anything you want as long as I’m the one giving.” He kissed across her nape and along her shoulder.

“Riley I want you, I want to come home and see you waiting for me. I want us to argue and then make up, I want us miss each other when I’m away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh and I want to be the only one who ever hears you sing. I want to take care of you in anyway that you need it, I want to give you love that will last you a life time, I want kids with you, I want to cherish every moment we spend together and I want to grow old with you.” he softly told her as he held her body tight against his.

“I love you and theirs not going to be another, I once told you that a while ago and I meant it.” He let go of her and took a step back and turned her around.

He looked at her glossy dark blue eyes and got down on one knee and he watched the first tear fall from her eyes, he watched as her lips trembled.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small red velvet box. He opened it and grabbed her right hand and placed the box onto her palm.

“Riley Marie Pierce will you marry me?” he softly asked as he looked at her tear filled blue eyes.

---

Riley’s senior year has seemed to go by fast, yet slow because Jake wasn’t around. She missed him something terrible. They didn’t really write letters; where ever he was they barely got mail. It took longer for her to receive the letters he wrote to her, so they really didn’t bother; the only ones she ever wanted were the ones that said he was still alive.

Prom was in three months time, she had bought her dress two months ago and she made sure she bought it where no one else would go. She and Anna drove all the way to down town L.A just to get the dresses, they spent the whole day there trying on dress after dress, Riley thought they were going to leave with nothing till the last three dresses they tried on and they both found their dresses. She just hoped Jake would see her in hers.

She sighed as she looked at the TV, the ten o’clock news was on and she wasn’t even watching it she had too much on her mind. She looked down at her companion and slightly smiled, he was stretched out across the rest of the couch with his head by Riley’s feet, Monster was so big now. Jake’s only seen what pictures she sent to him, but that was a while back he would see just how big he was when he returned. Their dog was no longer a little ball of fur.

Her phone rang suddenly, making Monsters head rise and look around. She sighed as she rubbed her hand down his stomach to calm him; she looked at her phone sitting there on the coffee table.

It was ten at night who would be calling her? She knew it wasn’t Anna. She leaned forward and picked it up and sighed as the caller I.D read ‘Mother’. She leaned back into the cushions and flipped the phone open.

“What is it mother?” she sighed annoyingly. She then realized her mother was sobbing, oh god no!

“Mom what is it?” she managed to ask.

“Riley its Henry,” she sobbed. “I just got a call he was in severe condition and they managed to stabilize him. They just told me, but it happened hours ago and their not telling me anything more.” Her mom cried.

God, severe condition….Jake! God let him be ok, she prayed. “Mom are they bringing him home?” her voice was hoarse; she hadn’t even realized she was sobbing.

“Baby I don’t know,” Her mom sobbed. “I’ll call you back I have an incoming call.”
Riley didn’t even get a chance to say anything her mother hung up on her. God, how bad was Henry? She sobbed, God Henry. Mom said they managed to stabilize him, but for how long? It was severe, was he in surgery?

Her phone rang again and she quickly picked it up. “What did they say?” she whispered.

“He’s been out of surgery for a few hours and their transporting him here. He should arrive in four hours.”

She knew exactly where they were taking him. Oh god four hours. She had to tell Anna. She quickly told her mom bye and got dressed. She was almost out of the door and stopped when she realized she couldn’t leave Monster alone because she didn’t know how long she was going to be gone, but she couldn’t take him.

The woman beneath them would watch Monster for her, they were good friends and her boyfriend was a Marine as well, only he wasn’t deployed right now.

She ran into the kitchen and grabbed his leash she had put in a kitchen drawer and put it on him. He was resisting as she tugged, he wasn’t budging, damn dog.

“God, don’t do this to me. I need to leave.” She cried, that seemed to register to him, he quickly stopped.

“Come on baby,” she tugged again and he complained.

After locking her door she quickly descended the stairs with Monster in front of her. She stopped and turned to the left when her feet hit the leveled ground. She walked a couple of feet before she knocked on the light blue door.

It took a while for Taylor to open her door and when she opened it, on any other occasion Riley would have laughed. Her hair was fluffed all over her face and she had a silk black robe wrapped around her body, and Riley knew she was doing the dirty with her boyfriend.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she asked as she looked at Monster.

“It’s Henry,” Riley began to sob. “Do you think you could watch Monster for a bit?” she managed to ask.

She looked over her shoulder and called Bret. He quickly walked up behind her with concern on his face.

“What’s wrong Riley?” he firmly asked as he looked at her face in.

God she didn’t need these questions. “Something’s happened to Henry and I can’t take Monster with me, please could you watch him,” she asked.

“Yes, of course anything you need,” he said with a strained voice.

“God, Riley I hope he’s ok,” Taylor softly said.

Riley looked at her and saw the unshed tears.

“What about Jake, is he…?” Taylor couldn’t finish.

God, she couldn’t answer that because she didn’t know. She hoped he was still alive. He better fucking be alive! She wanted to scream.

“Taylor get inside.” Bret firmly told her as she began to sniffle.

He turned his attention back to Riley, “Riley I’m sure he’s fine, please keep that in mind. I know he was with Henry and that’s hard enough knowing that. I’ll see what I can find out for you, I’ll make contact after I get information.” He said as he pulled her into a tight hug. She felt him take the leash from her hand as he released her.

“Go and be with your family and take Anna with you, this will be just as hard on her as much as it is on you.” he said.

Riley just managed a nod. She wiped he tears away as she began to walk toward her car. God, please keep him safe, please bring him home. She needed Jake home safe. She started her jeep and started driving towards the hospital where they were going to be taking Henry. She’d call Anna on her way over there.

Five agonizing hours had pasted and she still hadn’t seen her brother, she and Anna were waiting in a private waiting room down the hall from where Henry’s room was located. They were supposed to be able to see him any minute now; she had so many questions to ask him.

She looked over at Anna; she was curled up in a red chair as she looked out the window, a tear sliding down her cheek. God, she was just as worried about Henry as much as she was, maybe even more. Henry meant everything to Anna, just like Jake meant everything to Riley, only Anna had Henry home now. Jake was still out their fighting, her lips began to tremble at that thought, god, fighting alone with out her brother.

“Riley,” Anna whispered.

Riley hadn’t even noticed Anna standing right in front of her, her arm extending and her hand resting on her shoulder as she looked her in the eyes.

“Go ahead and go first but please hurry, I don’t know how much longer I can wait.” Anna whispered as she squeezed Riley’s shoulder.

Riley didn’t know what she was talking about all she could think about right now was Jake. She turned around and saw the nurse waiting, so that’s what she was talking about.

Riley slowly followed the nurse into Henry’s room. She was in a daze, she wasn’t ready for this, the answers she wanted, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them but she needed to know.

She walked around the curtain that was blocking her way; her throat grew thick once more as she looked at her brother. He laid there on the bed with all these tubes all around him. Riley heard his steady heart beat as it went off on the monitor. She eased closer as tears ran down her cheeks, thank god he was ok, she thought.

“You better not be crying,” Henry whispered as he kept his eyes closed.

“I can’t cry?” she cried.

“Yes, but I don’t want to see it or hear it,” he whispered.

“Well your going to see it with your next visitor.” She slowly sat on the edge of his bed.

“Henry what happened?” she managed to ask.

“I can’t tell you,” he whispered. Riley watched as he began to open his eyes and look around. He must have changed his mind as he looked at her because his face softened. “I’ll tell you that I’m alive because of Jake. He saved my life Riley, something went wrong it wasn’t suppose to and I got hit multiple times,” Riley could tell how difficult this way, she watched Henry swallow several time before he started talking again. “I couldn’t get up, there was too much pain, Jake came looking for me and found me bleeding all over the dirt as I tried crawling away, as shots fired and grenades went off everywhere.”

Riley watched as he took a deep breath and began talking again. “He picked me up and hauled ass, he got shot as he carried me. It grazed me and hit him in the shoulder. He kept going though, but I know how painful that must have been especially since he carried me all the way.” He looked away from her and he took another deep breath.

“After that I don’t know what happened, I blacked out. The next thing I know I’m waking up after coming out of surgery.”

Riley didn’t know what to say, because of Jake her brother was alive but at what cost, for the life of his own?

“Were you guys coming home?” she asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

His shot around to face her again, “How did you know?” he questioned her.

“I didn’t but now I know.” She stared him straight in the eyes as she asked her next question. “Is Jake coming home?” she whispered.

“I honestly don’t know Riley, I’m sure he’s fine from the bullet but after having it fixed he’d go back in if it was needed.”

Oh God. Still wounded and fighting? “When will I know?” she softly asked.

“Knowing what happened they’ll stay the time we were supposed to stay. He’s coming home whether he’s alive or not. I hope for your sake that he comes home safe. You still have three months.”

Riley watched him as he turned to look at his duffle in the far left corner of the wall. He seemed to be thinking about something. He slowly turned his head back towards her and sighed.

“Theirs an envelope in my duffle for you, Jake gave it to me before we deployed. He told me if anything happened to him to give you that envelope, go ahead and take it. But don’t open it till the three months have passed.”

Riley knew what kind of envelope that was and she wanted nothing to do with it. She didn’t ever want a letter like that. Would she finally open one in three months time? Sobs escaped her throat at the thought of Jake never ever kissing her again, or him giving her the nice massages he gave her everyday when he came home from work, or him never looking at her like she was the best thing in the world.

She wanted her Jake home.

She leaned down and gave her brother a hug and then a kiss on his forehead before she got up and walked over to his duffle and slowly opened it by the zipper. When she opened it, the envelope was the first thing she saw. With a shaky hand she picked it up and held it to her chest as another sob broke free.

God, she needed to get out of here. She quickly closed the duffle and walked out of Henry’s room and almost ran into Anna, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying she had been doing. But something seemed the register to her.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she questioned her.

“Nothing, I…. I can’t stay here. I have to go,” Riley cried as she quickly started walking down the hall; soon she was running and gasping as she ran down halls and stairs and all the way to her car. She got in and let it all out as the leaned her head against the stirring wheel.

It’s been exactly three months and three days. Tonight was prom night and Jake wasn’t home, he wasting coming home. She finally accepted that. She’s been crying none stop for the past week, she didn’t go to school, and she wasn’t talking to anybody. Henry came over everyday though, to check up on her. Everyday he came over she hoped to hear that Jake was coming home.

She tried talking to his parents to find out what was going on, they got all the news because they were his parents and because her and Jake never married so their was no need for her to know anything. His parents wouldn’t even talk to her, wouldn’t answer the calls she made to them or the voicemails she left them.

She looked up at the mirror and hated her reflection. Her hair was done up nice, a lose curl here and there. She wore make up but not enough for you to notice, if she smiled she would have fooled you, except for her eyes. Her eyes were what gave her away, she looked so empty, and she felt empty. Empty because her Jake wasn’t coming home.

For the past two days she’s been debating whether to open that letter or not. She’s been putting it off in hopes of any day seeing Jake walk through their bedroom door again. But he hasn’t and it was time to read it. She walked back into their bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, she reached out and watched as her hand shook when she grabbed the envelope, she took a deep breath as she slowly opened it and took out the paper and began to read.

My Dearest Riley,

I’m sorry you’ve gotten this letter. I know how much you wanted me to come home to you alive but I know you’re not disappointed in me. I know you’re angry and sad and for that I am sorry, sorry for the pain I am causing you. I hoped you’d never get this letter.

I want you to promise me something, the only thing I ask of you. I want you to move on, not right now but when you’re ready. I want you to have everything you’ve always wanted, and I want you to let someone give you what I’ve always wanted to give you, kids, love that will last you a lifetime, someone that you will warm you at night. Promise me you’ll laugh till your lovely cheeks hurt, promise me you won’t give up on life, promise you’ll love again. I know that’s asking a lot but in time I hope you will let this happiness happen to you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, your happiness, yours alone was mine as well. I’m sorry I will no longer be there to warm you at night, to hear your laughter, to hear you sing, to watch your face light up when I walked through that door. There wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t thinking about you, and I loved you like no one I ever loved. Death can not separate us and I’ll be waiting on the other side for you when your time comes for you to join me once more. I love you Riley Marie Pierce.

Love, Jake Anthony Clyde.

Riley couldn’t breath, towards the end she no longer could read the letter, her eyes were filled with tears, even at this moment they were falling on the lined paper he wrote her, making the ink run. There was so much anger in her, so much agony.

She grabbed the pillow that was right next to her and threw it across the room as she sobbed, and then she grabbed the lamp and threw it across the room and heard it shatter when it hit the wall.

She got up and walked to the dresser that was filled with rows of rows of pictures of them. She picked up one and threw it and did the same with next three as she sobbed. She extended her arm and in one clean swipe the rest of the picture frames went flying, glass breaking. She steadied herself, her hands on the dressers edge as she began to gasp. She slowly sank to the floor, sitting around the broking glass that was on the floor.

She picked up a picture, it was the last picture her and Jake took before he left. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, they were smiling as they looked each other in the eyes, he looked so handsome in his uniform, she thought.

“Why did you leave me?” she sobbed. “Why did she leave me!” she screamed.

She suddenly felt strong arms around her and soon she was being lifted off the ground, she heard the crunching noise from the glass as who ever was caring stepped on it. God, was it Jake? God, let it be Jake.

“God, Riley why are you doing this to yourself?”

It wasn’t Jake, she started sobbing even harder, it was just her brother. She wanted Jake, she wanted him holding her, wanted him to take away her pain.

“Just leave me alone,” she sobbed as he sat down with her on his lap.

“No, we’re leaving in twenty minutes. You think Jake would be happy seeing you like this? Huh?”

“No,” she managed to say, her breathing was coming back to somewhat normal. Jake wouldn’t be happy, he’d be pissed she knew that but it just hurt too much to do anything, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Riley get your dress on and come down stairs.” Henry whispered to her as he gently smoothed his hand up and down her back, making her calmer.

She let out a deep breath. “Do I have to?” she asked.

“Yes, I mean he did buy you your dress, you could at least wear it for him. You know how much he wanted to go and he knew how much it meant to you, so go for him.” He softly said against her hair.

She should go and really she had no choice she was running for prom queen. Not that she would win. God, she didn’t want to go and be there for six hours and not do anything, she wouldn’t have any body to talk to or dance with. Anna and Henry were going to do their own thing; she’d make them she didn’t want to ruin tonight for them because she was depressed. They haven’t accepted Jake being gone, unlike Riley. They still had hope and her brother wasn’t telling her anything, she knew he couldn’t though, some kind of private thing.

“Fine, I’ll go. Just give me a few minutes to get my dress and shoes on,” she softly said.

“Your not going back into that room, there’s a lot of broken glass on the carpet. Your going staying in here till I clean it, understand.” Henry said.

Riley liked him like this, strong and firm. He’s what kept her together most days. She eased off his lap and started walking towards the first bathroom to fix her self up.

“Where’s your dress and shoes?” Henry asked as he passed her and walked towards her and Jakes room, no, it was now just her room now, she sadly thought.

Her eyes began to water again, she hated that thought. She hated that he wasn’t here, she hated that he wasn’t wearing what her brother was wearing, she waited so long in hopes in of seeing him one day in that one uniform that she loved and now she would never see it on him.

“Here,” she turned around and saw Henry with his arm extended holding out her prom dress. She looked from the dress to his uniform, the dark navy blue stood out with the gold buttons on it along with the red stripes that were on it, his white belt with the shiny gold buckle. Oh how so wished it was Jake standing before her.

She looked up at her brother and noticed the concern in his dark blue eyes, she learned to ignore that look the past few days, she gave him a small smile instead and softly said, “You look handsome.”

“Thank you, now go get dressed.”

She hesitantly reached for her dress and grabbed it and then the shoes he now offered her from his other hand.

She closed the bathroom door and slowly put on her dress and then her stilettos. She took a deep breath and looked at her self in the mirror. The red dress looked beautiful on her; with her up long hair up with the few lose curls. Jake would have loved this on her, she picked red to go with the red he would have had on his uniform. She sighed as she looked at her sad eyes as they began to water. God, she couldn’t do this. She braced herself against the counter and began crying again. She felt so lost, so empty inside with out Jake.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door and knew Henry was probably pacing by the door waiting for her to come out. She reached and grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box and dabbed them under her eyes to wipe the tears that escaped. She had to do this, she told herself, for Jake. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. For Jake. She threw the tissues in the trash bin and then opened the bathroom door and slowly walked out.

She stopped when she saw her brother stop pacing and look up at her, his concern no longer their as his face softened.

“You look so beautiful,” he softly said as he stood there and looked her over. “He would have loved that dress on you, you know that.” Henry softly laughed as he met her gaze again.

“I don’t look…,” she didn’t know what to say, what depressed? Lifeless? Empty?

“No Riley you look lovely.” Henry reassured her. “Where’s your sash?” he asked.

“In the bedroom, in the closet on a hanger,” she told him as he started walking back into the room.

She hung it because she was afraid Monster would rip it up. She heard the bedroom door close and then saw Henry walking with the sash in his hand; she lifted her arm as he placed it on her.

He sighed, “Let’s go Riley.”

“I’ll meet you down stairs,” she whispered.

She watched him hesitate, she could see he wanted to say something but he didn’t instead he started walking down the hall; she stood there waiting till she heard the front door open and then close. She slowly started walking down the hall and then went into the kitchen where her ticket and clutch sat on the kitchen counter. She looked down at the tickets as she lightly touched them, one for her and one for Jake. She sighed as she slowly lifted hers and put it into her clutch. She stared at his for a minute longer before she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

She saw Monster waiting for her by the front door whining, he did that every time she left somewhere and didn’t take him, like he knew.

She ignored him and opened the door, “I’ll see you later baby, be good.” She softly told him before she closed the door.

This was the worst dance she’s ever been to. She didn’t win prom queen, though she didn’t really care. She was sitting by herself at a round table as she watched everybody dance on the dance floor. Most of the time she watched Henry and Anna dancing, having a good time and if she wasn’t watching them then she was watching another couple.

She just wanted to leave, she didn’t want to be here but she had to stay she couldn’t just leave. Once you got in you were in and weren’t getting out till midnight. The hotel they were at was decent she had to admit but it didn’t matter to her because she wasn’t enjoying herself.

She probed her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm and sighed. She had thirty minutes till this damn dance ended and then she was going home and she was going to stuff her face with rocky road while she cried.

“Why does the prom queen look so sad?”

Oh God! That voice, Jake. She whipped her head around and started crying as she saw him standing before her in his dress blues. She got up and threw her self at him and hugged him tight as she began to sob.

“I promised you I’d be home in time baby,” he whispered into her neck and he hugged her tight to his body.

Riley softly laughed as she cried. He was home, Jake was home and he was in her arms. She looked at him as he released her, his hazel green eyes glistening as he looked down as her, she was sure she looked to same way right now, she couldn’t stop crying.

Jake cupped her face and wiped her tears away with his thumb. He leaned down and kissed her, moaning at the feel of her lips against his, he no longer needed the memory when he had the real thing in front of him. He gently moved his lips against hers as he moved his hands down to her shoulders and gripped her; he pulled her closer as they deepened the kiss, he savored the feeling of her tongue against his as they moved.

They did that for a bit before he pulled back and kissed her once more on her lips before letting go of her shoulder and slipping his hand into hers.

He tugged her hand and started walking towards the crowd of dancing bodies.

“I at least want one dance with you,” he smiled.

Riley followed him, keeping up with him and making sure there was no distance between their bodies.

Jake pulled her against his chest as the song turned into a slow one; she clasped her hands around his nape as she leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heat beat against her ear. She felt Jake move his hands down her back and slide to the side, resting them on her hips.

They swayed to the music, she noticed the people around them gave them their own space; she didn’t care but thought it was nice. She tightened her hold on his neck as he pulled her tighter against his body. She realized this was the first time they’ve ever danced before.

“I love you,” she whispered against his chest. “I missed you so much; I thought you weren’t coming home.”

“Shh, I’m home now baby, I’m home,” he whispered to her before he kissed her head.

“You look lovely tonight, I love that color on you.”

Riley knew there was a small smile on his face; she didn’t need to look up at him to know it was there because she heard it in his voice.

“You look quite handsome yourself soldier.” Riley laughed.

Jake laughed, “Do I want to know how much the dress was?”

It wasn’t cheap but Riley wasn’t going to tell Jake that. “No, you don’t want to know.” She laughed.

The song was coming to an end and the next one was already starting and this one was a song you’ve moved your hips to.

“Come on,” Jake let go of her and pulled on hand only she didn’t move, she wanted to dance.

“Can’t handle a little bit of grinding?” she asked him with a smile tugging at her lips.

“Riley I’ve been without you for nine whole months, so the answer is no.” he chuckled.

“Please, just one song?” she frowned.

“Pouting? You think that’s going to work?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she laughed. And it did, she started dancing and pulled him to her.

Jake stood there mesmerized as he watched her move her hips, he’s never seen her dance like this, swaying when she singed ok but not like this never like this. He was damn hard just watching her work her hips. She smiled as she danced in front of him, she closed the distance between them and turned around and started grinding her ass against his dick, he wanted to groan from the rubbing she was doing, she was doing it just right and she knew it because she grinded a little harder. He couldn’t help but grip her hips and join her.

They danced the rest of the time grinding or slow dancing. They managed to take pictures right before they left the room; the guy immediately said no problem as he looked at Jake. She wasn’t sure why but thought it had something to do with the uniform he was wearing.

“What are we doing now,” she asked as they excited the ball room they were just in.

“I got us a room here, if that’s ok with you.” he softly said as he helped her down the stairs and then towards the elevator.

Yeah she didn’t want to go home, because of the mess that was in their bedroom.

“That’s fine, I don’t want to go home anyways,” Riley said.

“Huh, I wonder why?” he said as he led her into the elevator and then pushed the button with a eight on it.

Riley stayed quit because she knew that he’d been home. There was only one way he would have gotten in, he had to have his ticket. Which met he probably saw their bedroom.

“Care to tell me what happened to our room?” he murmured as he pulled her to his chest and hugged her.

There was no point in lying to him, she thought. “I read the letter you gave Henry.” She whispered.

“God, you weren’t supposed to read that.” he breathed out as he hugged her tighter; Riley did the same as well.

“It doesn’t matter anymore your home,” her voice shaky as her she began to tremble.

“Yes I’m home. I’ll be home for the next six months.” He whispered.

Six months, that was going to be heaven having him around and she was going to savor every minute she had with him.

“Why didn’t you come home with Henry?” she asked.

“I was just shot in the shoulder, that doesn’t get me home. Henry….god, I don’t want to think about what I saw.” But he did, he thought back to the day, they were retreating because things had been quit for days, then all hell broke lose. Guns going of, his team running for cover as they fired back. He fired back as well as he ran for cover, he did a head count and realized Henry and two others weren’t with his team. He left his team and went looking for them, he found the first two and told them to watch each others six as they made it back to the team, he continued looking for Henry and heard gun fire close by, away from the rest and knew it was him. He ignored the shooting as he kept cover trying to make it to Henry; he hoped to god he wasn’t dead. He heard gun fire behind him and knew exactly which direction it was coming from, he turned around and took out two T’s that were on a roof. He slowly continued, gun in hand as he saw Henry on the ground, he was crawling, dragging his body away from fire. There was blood all over the place, Jake whipped his gun on his shoulder and ran to him and picked him up and threw him onto his back and ran for cover. He heard shooting but kept going and then felt agonizing pain in his shoulder, he ignored it because he knew if he stopped then Henry might not make it, or they were both dead.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and sighed when he smelt that vanilla scent she always wore, the scent he missed smelling. At times he swore he could smell it when he was away but knew it was just in his head because Riley was no where to be found.

They heard the elevator ding and released each other but still kept contact with their hands. They walked down the hall, Jake leading because Riley didn’t know what room they were going to be in.

Jake reached into his packet and ignored the small thing in there as his fingers griped the key card, he pulled it out and slid it through the metal and watched as the green light lit up and then opened the door.

He pulled Riley into the room and heard her gasped as he closed the door, guess that meant she loved the room, he smiled.

Riley took in the room as well as the vanilla smell as she stood a few feet from the bed, there were candles lit all over the place and red rose petals all over the white comforter that covered the bed. She felt Jake behind her and then felt his hands on her hips as he pulled her back against himself.

“We need to talk,” he whispered against her neck.

She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to make love. “Can’t it wait?” she breathed out as she felt his hands move up towards her breasts only he didn’t touch them he moved his hands back down towards her hips.

No, it couldn’t, he didn’t want to wait any longer, she was eighteen now and he was ready to make Riley his.

“We’ve been through a lot over the past three years, don’t you think?” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

“Y-yes,” she agreed. She didn’t know where he was going with this. “But I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s been hard but I love you and theirs no one else I’d rather be with.” She sighed and bent her neck more the side, making it easier for his to kiss her neck.

“I agree.” He whispered.

She said it perfectly; it was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Where do you see us in a few years?” he asked her.

“What are you willing to give me?” she asked in return.

“I’m not willing baby, I’ll give, you can have anything you want as long as I’m the one giving.” He kissed across her nape and along her shoulder.

“Riley I want you, I want to come home and see you waiting for me. I want us to argue and then make up, I want us miss each other when I’m away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh and I want to be the only one who ever hears you sing. I want to take care of you in anyway that you need it, I want to give you love that will last you a life time, I want kids with you, I want to cherish every moment we spend together and I want to grow old with you.” he softly told her as he held her body tight against his.

“I love you and theirs not going to be another, I once told you that a while ago and I meant it.” He let go of her and took a step back and turned her around.

He looked at her glossy dark blue eyes and got down on one knee and he watched the first tear fall from her eyes, he watched as her lips trembled.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small red velvet box. He opened it and grabbed her right hand and placed the box onto her palm.

“Riley Marie Pierce will you marry me?” he softly asked as he looked at her tear filled blue eyes.

---

Riley’s senior year has seemed to go by fast, yet slow because Jake wasn’t around. She missed him something terrible. They didn’t really write letters; where ever he was they barely got mail. It took longer for her to receive the letters he wrote to her, so they really didn’t bother; the only ones she ever wanted were the ones that said he was still alive.

Prom was in three months time, she had bought her dress two months ago and she made sure she bought it where no one else would go. She and Anna drove all the way to down town L.A just to get the dresses, they spent the whole day there trying on dress after dress, Riley thought they were going to leave with nothing till the last three dresses they tried on and they both found their dresses. She just hoped Jake would see her in hers.

She sighed as she looked at the TV, the ten o’clock news was on and she wasn’t even watching it she had too much on her mind. She looked down at her companion and slightly smiled, he was stretched out across the rest of the couch with his head by Riley’s feet, Monster was so big now. Jake’s only seen what pictures she sent to him, but that was a while back he would see just how big he was when he returned. Their dog was no longer a little ball of fur.

Her phone rang suddenly, making Monsters head rise and look around. She sighed as she rubbed her hand down his stomach to calm him; she looked at her phone sitting there on the coffee table.

It was ten at night who would be calling her? She knew it wasn’t Anna. She leaned forward and picked it up and sighed as the caller I.D read ‘Mother’. She leaned back into the cushions and flipped the phone open.

“What is it mother?” she sighed annoyingly. She then realized her mother was sobbing, oh god no!

“Mom what is it?” she managed to ask.

“Riley its Henry,” she sobbed. “I just got a call he was in severe condition and they managed to stabilize him. They just told me, but it happened hours ago and their not telling me anything more.” Her mom cried.

God, severe condition….Jake! God let him be ok, she prayed. “Mom are they bringing him home?” her voice was hoarse; she hadn’t even realized she was sobbing.

“Baby I don’t know,” Her mom sobbed. “I’ll call you back I have an incoming call.”
Riley didn’t even get a chance to say anything her mother hung up on her. God, how bad was Henry? She sobbed, God Henry. Mom said they managed to stabilize him, but for how long? It was severe, was he in surgery?

Her phone rang again and she quickly picked it up. “What did they say?” she whispered.

“He’s been out of surgery for a few hours and their transporting him here. He should arrive in four hours.”

She knew exactly where they were taking him. Oh god four hours. She had to tell Anna. She quickly told her mom bye and got dressed. She was almost out of the door and stopped when she realized she couldn’t leave Monster alone because she didn’t know how long she was going to be gone, but she couldn’t take him.

The woman beneath them would watch Monster for her, they were good friends and her boyfriend was a Marine as well, only he wasn’t deployed right now.

She ran into the kitchen and grabbed his leash she had put in a kitchen drawer and put it on him. He was resisting as she tugged, he wasn’t budging, damn dog.

“God, don’t do this to me. I need to leave.” She cried, that seemed to register to him, he quickly stopped.

“Come on baby,” she tugged again and he complained.

After locking her door she quickly descended the stairs with Monster in front of her. She stopped and turned to the left when her feet hit the leveled ground. She walked a couple of feet before she knocked on the light blue door.

It took a while for Taylor to open her door and when she opened it, on any other occasion Riley would have laughed. Her hair was fluffed all over her face and she had a silk black robe wrapped around her body, and Riley knew she was doing the dirty with her boyfriend.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she asked as she looked at Monster.

“It’s Henry,” Riley began to sob. “Do you think you could watch Monster for a bit?” she managed to ask.

She looked over her shoulder and called Bret. He quickly walked up behind her with concern on his face.

“What’s wrong Riley?” he firmly asked as he looked at her face in.

God she didn’t need these questions. “Something’s happened to Henry and I can’t take Monster with me, please could you watch him,” she asked.

“Yes, of course anything you need,” he said with a strained voice.

“God, Riley I hope he’s ok,” Taylor softly said.

Riley looked at her and saw the unshed tears.

“What about Jake, is he…?” Taylor couldn’t finish.

God, she couldn’t answer that because she didn’t know. She hoped he was still alive. He better fucking be alive! She wanted to scream.

“Taylor get inside.” Bret firmly told her as she began to sniffle.

He turned his attention back to Riley, “Riley I’m sure he’s fine, please keep that in mind. I know he was with Henry and that’s hard enough knowing that. I’ll see what I can find out for you, I’ll make contact after I get information.” He said as he pulled her into a tight hug. She felt him take the leash from her hand as he released her.

“Go and be with your family and take Anna with you, this will be just as hard on her as much as it is on you.” he said.

Riley just managed a nod. She wiped he tears away as she began to walk toward her car. God, please keep him safe, please bring him home. She needed Jake home safe. She started her jeep and started driving towards the hospital where they were going to be taking Henry. She’d call Anna on her way over there.

Five agonizing hours had pasted and she still hadn’t seen her brother, she and Anna were waiting in a private waiting room down the hall from where Henry’s room was located. They were supposed to be able to see him any minute now; she had so many questions to ask him.

She looked over at Anna; she was curled up in a red chair as she looked out the window, a tear sliding down her cheek. God, she was just as worried about Henry as much as she was, maybe even more. Henry meant everything to Anna, just like Jake meant everything to Riley, only Anna had Henry home now. Jake was still out their fighting, her lips began to tremble at that thought, god, fighting alone with out her brother.

“Riley,” Anna whispered.

Riley hadn’t even noticed Anna standing right in front of her, her arm extending and her hand resting on her shoulder as she looked her in the eyes.

“Go ahead and go first but please hurry, I don’t know how much longer I can wait.” Anna whispered as she squeezed Riley’s shoulder.

Riley didn’t know what she was talking about all she could think about right now was Jake. She turned around and saw the nurse waiting, so that’s what she was talking about.

Riley slowly followed the nurse into Henry’s room. She was in a daze, she wasn’t ready for this, the answers she wanted, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them but she needed to know.

She walked around the curtain that was blocking her way; her throat grew thick once more as she looked at her brother. He laid there on the bed with all these tubes all around him. Riley heard his steady heart beat as it went off on the monitor. She eased closer as tears ran down her cheeks, thank god he was ok, she thought.

“You better not be crying,” Henry whispered as he kept his eyes closed.

“I can’t cry?” she cried.

“Yes, but I don’t want to see it or hear it,” he whispered.

“Well your going to see it with your next visitor.” She slowly sat on the edge of his bed.

“Henry what happened?” she managed to ask.

“I can’t tell you,” he whispered. Riley watched as he began to open his eyes and look around. He must have changed his mind as he looked at her because his face softened. “I’ll tell you that I’m alive because of Jake. He saved my life Riley, something went wrong it wasn’t suppose to and I got hit multiple times,” Riley could tell how difficult this way, she watched Henry swallow several time before he started talking again. “I couldn’t get up, there was too much pain, Jake came looking for me and found me bleeding all over the dirt as I tried crawling away, as shots fired and grenades went off everywhere.”

Riley watched as he took a deep breath and began talking again. “He picked me up and hauled ass, he got shot as he carried me. It grazed me and hit him in the shoulder. He kept going though, but I know how painful that must have been especially since he carried me all the way.” He looked away from her and he took another deep breath.

“After that I don’t know what happened, I blacked out. The next thing I know I’m waking up after coming out of surgery.”

Riley didn’t know what to say, because of Jake her brother was alive but at what cost, for the life of his own?

“Were you guys coming home?” she asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

His shot around to face her again, “How did you know?” he questioned her.

“I didn’t but now I know.” She stared him straight in the eyes as she asked her next question. “Is Jake coming home?” she whispered.

“I honestly don’t know Riley, I’m sure he’s fine from the bullet but after having it fixed he’d go back in if it was needed.”

Oh God. Still wounded and fighting? “When will I know?” she softly asked.

“Knowing what happened they’ll stay the time we were supposed to stay. He’s coming home whether he’s alive or not. I hope for your sake that he comes home safe. You still have three months.”

Riley watched him as he turned to look at his duffle in the far left corner of the wall. He seemed to be thinking about something. He slowly turned his head back towards her and sighed.

“Theirs an envelope in my duffle for you, Jake gave it to me before we deployed. He told me if anything happened to him to give you that envelope, go ahead and take it. But don’t open it till the three months have passed.”

Riley knew what kind of envelope that was and she wanted nothing to do with it. She didn’t ever want a letter like that. Would she finally open one in three months time? Sobs escaped her throat at the thought of Jake never ever kissing her again, or him giving her the nice massages he gave her everyday when he came home from work, or him never looking at her like she was the best thing in the world.

She wanted her Jake home.

She leaned down and gave her brother a hug and then a kiss on his forehead before she got up and walked over to his duffle and slowly opened it by the zipper. When she opened it, the envelope was the first thing she saw. With a shaky hand she picked it up and held it to her chest as another sob broke free.

God, she needed to get out of here. She quickly closed the duffle and walked out of Henry’s room and almost ran into Anna, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying she had been doing. But something seemed the register to her.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she questioned her.

“Nothing, I…. I can’t stay here. I have to go,” Riley cried as she quickly started walking down the hall; soon she was running and gasping as she ran down halls and stairs and all the way to her car. She got in and let it all out as the leaned her head against the stirring wheel.

It’s been exactly three months and three days. Tonight was prom night and Jake wasn’t home, he wasting coming home. She finally accepted that. She’s been crying none stop for the past week, she didn’t go to school, and she wasn’t talking to anybody. Henry came over everyday though, to check up on her. Everyday he came over she hoped to hear that Jake was coming home.

She tried talking to his parents to find out what was going on, they got all the news because they were his parents and because her and Jake never married so their was no need for her to know anything. His parents wouldn’t even talk to her, wouldn’t answer the calls she made to them or the voicemails she left them.

She looked up at the mirror and hated her reflection. Her hair was done up nice, a lose curl here and there. She wore make up but not enough for you to notice, if she smiled she would have fooled you, except for her eyes. Her eyes were what gave her away, she looked so empty, and she felt empty. Empty because her Jake wasn’t coming home.

For the past two days she’s been debating whether to open that letter or not. She’s been putting it off in hopes of any day seeing Jake walk through their bedroom door again. But he hasn’t and it was time to read it. She walked back into their bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, she reached out and watched as her hand shook when she grabbed the envelope, she took a deep breath as she slowly opened it and took out the paper and began to read.

My Dearest Riley,

I’m sorry you’ve gotten this letter. I know how much you wanted me to come home to you alive but I know you’re not disappointed in me. I know you’re angry and sad and for that I am sorry, sorry for the pain I am causing you. I hoped you’d never get this letter.

I want you to promise me something, the only thing I ask of you. I want you to move on, not right now but when you’re ready. I want you to have everything you’ve always wanted, and I want you to let someone give you what I’ve always wanted to give you, kids, love that will last you a lifetime, someone that you will warm you at night. Promise me you’ll laugh till your lovely cheeks hurt, promise me you won’t give up on life, promise you’ll love again. I know that’s asking a lot but in time I hope you will let this happiness happen to you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, your happiness, yours alone was mine as well. I’m sorry I will no longer be there to warm you at night, to hear your laughter, to hear you sing, to watch your face light up when I walked through that door. There wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t thinking about you, and I loved you like no one I ever loved. Death can not separate us and I’ll be waiting on the other side for you when your time comes for you to join me once more. I love you Riley Marie Pierce.

Love, Jake Anthony Clyde.

Riley couldn’t breath, towards the end she no longer could read the letter, her eyes were filled with tears, even at this moment they were falling on the lined paper he wrote her, making the ink run. There was so much anger in her, so much agony.

She grabbed the pillow that was right next to her and threw it across the room as she sobbed, and then she grabbed the lamp and threw it across the room and heard it shatter when it hit the wall.

She got up and walked to the dresser that was filled with rows of rows of pictures of them. She picked up one and threw it and did the same with next three as she sobbed. She extended her arm and in one clean swipe the rest of the picture frames went flying, glass breaking. She steadied herself, her hands on the dressers edge as she began to gasp. She slowly sank to the floor, sitting around the broking glass that was on the floor.

She picked up a picture, it was the last picture her and Jake took before he left. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, they were smiling as they looked each other in the eyes, he looked so handsome in his uniform, she thought.

“Why did you leave me?” she sobbed. “Why did she leave me!” she screamed.

She suddenly felt strong arms around her and soon she was being lifted off the ground, she heard the crunching noise from the glass as who ever was caring stepped on it. God, was it Jake? God, let it be Jake.

“God, Riley why are you doing this to yourself?”

It wasn’t Jake, she started sobbing even harder, it was just her brother. She wanted Jake, she wanted him holding her, wanted him to take away her pain.

“Just leave me alone,” she sobbed as he sat down with her on his lap.

“No, we’re leaving in twenty minutes. You think Jake would be happy seeing you like this? Huh?”

“No,” she managed to say, her breathing was coming back to somewhat normal. Jake wouldn’t be happy, he’d be pissed she knew that but it just hurt too much to do anything, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Riley get your dress on and come down stairs.” Henry whispered to her as he gently smoothed his hand up and down her back, making her calmer.

She let out a deep breath. “Do I have to?” she asked.

“Yes, I mean he did buy you your dress, you could at least wear it for him. You know how much he wanted to go and he knew how much it meant to you, so go for him.” He softly said against her hair.

She should go and really she had no choice she was running for prom queen. Not that she would win. God, she didn’t want to go and be there for six hours and not do anything, she wouldn’t have any body to talk to or dance with. Anna and Henry were going to do their own thing; she’d make them she didn’t want to ruin tonight for them because she was depressed. They haven’t accepted Jake being gone, unlike Riley. They still had hope and her brother wasn’t telling her anything, she knew he couldn’t though, some kind of private thing.

“Fine, I’ll go. Just give me a few minutes to get my dress and shoes on,” she softly said.

“Your not going back into that room, there’s a lot of broken glass on the carpet. Your going staying in here till I clean it, understand.” Henry said.

Riley liked him like this, strong and firm. He’s what kept her together most days. She eased off his lap and started walking towards the first bathroom to fix her self up.

“Where’s your dress and shoes?” Henry asked as he passed her and walked towards her and Jakes room, no, it was now just her room now, she sadly thought.

Her eyes began to water again, she hated that thought. She hated that he wasn’t here, she hated that he wasn’t wearing what her brother was wearing, she waited so long in hopes in of seeing him one day in that one uniform that she loved and now she would never see it on him.

“Here,” she turned around and saw Henry with his arm extended holding out her prom dress. She looked from the dress to his uniform, the dark navy blue stood out with the gold buttons on it along with the red stripes that were on it, his white belt with the shiny gold buckle. Oh how so wished it was Jake standing before her.

She looked up at her brother and noticed the concern in his dark blue eyes, she learned to ignore that look the past few days, she gave him a small smile instead and softly said, “You look handsome.”

“Thank you, now go get dressed.”

She hesitantly reached for her dress and grabbed it and then the shoes he now offered her from his other hand.

She closed the bathroom door and slowly put on her dress and then her stilettos. She took a deep breath and looked at her self in the mirror. The red dress looked beautiful on her; with her up long hair up with the few lose curls. Jake would have loved this on her, she picked red to go with the red he would have had on his uniform. She sighed as she looked at her sad eyes as they began to water. God, she couldn’t do this. She braced herself against the counter and began crying again. She felt so lost, so empty inside with out Jake.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door and knew Henry was probably pacing by the door waiting for her to come out. She reached and grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box and dabbed them under her eyes to wipe the tears that escaped. She had to do this, she told herself, for Jake. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. For Jake. She threw the tissues in the trash bin and then opened the bathroom door and slowly walked out.

She stopped when she saw her brother stop pacing and look up at her, his concern no longer their as his face softened.

“You look so beautiful,” he softly said as he stood there and looked her over. “He would have loved that dress on you, you know that.” Henry softly laughed as he met her gaze again.

“I don’t look…,” she didn’t know what to say, what depressed? Lifeless? Empty?

“No Riley you look lovely.” Henry reassured her. “Where’s your sash?” he asked.

“In the bedroom, in the closet on a hanger,” she told him as he started walking back into the room.

She hung it because she was afraid Monster would rip it up. She heard the bedroom door close and then saw Henry walking with the sash in his hand; she lifted her arm as he placed it on her.

He sighed, “Let’s go Riley.”

“I’ll meet you down stairs,” she whispered.

She watched him hesitate, she could see he wanted to say something but he didn’t instead he started walking down the hall; she stood there waiting till she heard the front door open and then close. She slowly started walking down the hall and then went into the kitchen where her ticket and clutch sat on the kitchen counter. She looked down at the tickets as she lightly touched them, one for her and one for Jake. She sighed as she slowly lifted hers and put it into her clutch. She stared at his for a minute longer before she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

She saw Monster waiting for her by the front door whining, he did that every time she left somewhere and didn’t take him, like he knew.

She ignored him and opened the door, “I’ll see you later baby, be good.” She softly told him before she closed the door.

This was the worst dance she’s ever been to. She didn’t win prom queen, though she didn’t really care. She was sitting by herself at a round table as she watched everybody dance on the dance floor. Most of the time she watched Henry and Anna dancing, having a good time and if she wasn’t watching them then she was watching another couple.

She just wanted to leave, she didn’t want to be here but she had to stay she couldn’t just leave. Once you got in you were in and weren’t getting out till midnight. The hotel they were at was decent she had to admit but it didn’t matter to her because she wasn’t enjoying herself.

She probed her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm and sighed. She had thirty minutes till this damn dance ended and then she was going home and she was going to stuff her face with rocky road while she cried.

“Why does the prom queen look so sad?”

Oh God! That voice, Jake. She whipped her head around and started crying as she saw him standing before her in his dress blues. She got up and threw her self at him and hugged him tight as she began to sob.

“I promised you I’d be home in time baby,” he whispered into her neck and he hugged her tight to his body.

Riley softly laughed as she cried. He was home, Jake was home and he was in her arms. She looked at him as he released her, his hazel green eyes glistening as he looked down as her, she was sure she looked to same way right now, she couldn’t stop crying.

Jake cupped her face and wiped her tears away with his thumb. He leaned down and kissed her, moaning at the feel of her lips against his, he no longer needed the memory when he had the real thing in front of him. He gently moved his lips against hers as he moved his hands down to her shoulders and gripped her; he pulled her closer as they deepened the kiss, he savored the feeling of her tongue against his as they moved.

They did that for a bit before he pulled back and kissed her once more on her lips before letting go of her shoulder and slipping his hand into hers.

He tugged her hand and started walking towards the crowd of dancing bodies.

“I at least want one dance with you,” he smiled.

Riley followed him, keeping up with him and making sure there was no distance between their bodies.

Jake pulled her against his chest as the song turned into a slow one; she clasped her hands around his nape as she leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heat beat against her ear. She felt Jake move his hands down her back and slide to the side, resting them on her hips.

They swayed to the music, she noticed the people around them gave them their own space; she didn’t care but thought it was nice. She tightened her hold on his neck as he pulled her tighter against his body. She realized this was the first time they’ve ever danced before.

“I love you,” she whispered against his chest. “I missed you so much; I thought you weren’t coming home.”

“Shh, I’m home now baby, I’m home,” he whispered to her before he kissed her head.

“You look lovely tonight, I love that color on you.”

Riley knew there was a small smile on his face; she didn’t need to look up at him to know it was there because she heard it in his voice.

“You look quite handsome yourself soldier.” Riley laughed.

Jake laughed, “Do I want to know how much the dress was?”

It wasn’t cheap but Riley wasn’t going to tell Jake that. “No, you don’t want to know.” She laughed.

The song was coming to an end and the next one was already starting and this one was a song you’ve moved your hips to.

“Come on,” Jake let go of her and pulled on hand only she didn’t move, she wanted to dance.

“Can’t handle a little bit of grinding?” she asked him with a smile tugging at her lips.

“Riley I’ve been without you for nine whole months, so the answer is no.” he chuckled.

“Please, just one song?” she frowned.

“Pouting? You think that’s going to work?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she laughed. And it did, she started dancing and pulled him to her.

Jake stood there mesmerized as he watched her move her hips, he’s never seen her dance like this, swaying when she singed ok but not like this never like this. He was damn hard just watching her work her hips. She smiled as she danced in front of him, she closed the distance between them and turned around and started grinding her ass against his dick, he wanted to groan from the rubbing she was doing, she was doing it just right and she knew it because she grinded a little harder. He couldn’t help but grip her hips and join her.

They danced the rest of the time grinding or slow dancing. They managed to take pictures right before they left the room; the guy immediately said no problem as he looked at Jake. She wasn’t sure why but thought it had something to do with the uniform he was wearing.

“What are we doing now,” she asked as they excited the ball room they were just in.

“I got us a room here, if that’s ok with you.” he softly said as he helped her down the stairs and then towards the elevator.

Yeah she didn’t want to go home, because of the mess that was in their bedroom.

“That’s fine, I don’t want to go home anyways,” Riley said.

“Huh, I wonder why?” he said as he led her into the elevator and then pushed the button with a eight on it.

Riley stayed quit because she knew that he’d been home. There was only one way he would have gotten in, he had to have his ticket. Which met he probably saw their bedroom.

“Care to tell me what happened to our room?” he murmured as he pulled her to his chest and hugged her.

There was no point in lying to him, she thought. “I read the letter you gave Henry.” She whispered.

“God, you weren’t supposed to read that.” he breathed out as he hugged her tighter; Riley did the same as well.

“It doesn’t matter anymore your home,” her voice shaky as her she began to tremble.

“Yes I’m home. I’ll be home for the next six months.” He whispered.

Six months, that was going to be heaven having him around and she was going to savor every minute she had with him.

“Why didn’t you come home with Henry?” she asked.

“I was just shot in the shoulder, that doesn’t get me home. Henry….god, I don’t want to think about what I saw.” But he did, he thought back to the day, they were retreating because things had been quit for days, then all hell broke lose. Guns going of, his team running for cover as they fired back. He fired back as well as he ran for cover, he did a head count and realized Henry and two others weren’t with his team. He left his team and went looking for them, he found the first two and told them to watch each others six as they made it back to the team, he continued looking for Henry and heard gun fire close by, away from the rest and knew it was him. He ignored the shooting as he kept cover trying to make it to Henry; he hoped to god he wasn’t dead. He heard gun fire behind him and knew exactly which direction it was coming from, he turned around and took out two T’s that were on a roof. He slowly continued, gun in hand as he saw Henry on the ground, he was crawling, dragging his body away from fire. There was blood all over the place, Jake whipped his gun on his shoulder and ran to him and picked him up and threw him onto his back and ran for cover. He heard shooting but kept going and then felt agonizing pain in his shoulder, he ignored it because he knew if he stopped then Henry might not make it, or they were both dead.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and sighed when he smelt that vanilla scent she always wore, the scent he missed smelling. At times he swore he could smell it when he was away but knew it was just in his head because Riley was no where to be found.

They heard the elevator ding and released each other but still kept contact with their hands. They walked down the hall, Jake leading because Riley didn’t know what room they were going to be in.

Jake reached into his packet and ignored the small thing in there as his fingers griped the key card, he pulled it out and slid it through the metal and watched as the green light lit up and then opened the door.

He pulled Riley into the room and heard her gasped as he closed the door, guess that meant she loved the room, he smiled.

Riley took in the room as well as the vanilla smell as she stood a few feet from the bed, there were candles lit all over the place and red rose petals all over the white comforter that covered the bed. She felt Jake behind her and then felt his hands on her hips as he pulled her back against himself.

“We need to talk,” he whispered against her neck.

She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to make love. “Can’t it wait?” she breathed out as she felt his hands move up towards her breasts only he didn’t touch them he moved his hands back down towards her hips.

No, it couldn’t, he didn’t want to wait any longer, she was eighteen now and he was ready to make Riley his.

“We’ve been through a lot over the past three years, don’t you think?” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

“Y-yes,” she agreed. She didn’t know where he was going with this. “But I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s been hard but I love you and theirs no one else I’d rather be with.” She sighed and bent her neck more the side, making it easier for his to kiss her neck.

“I agree.” He whispered.

She said it perfectly; it was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Where do you see us in a few years?” he asked her.

“What are you willing to give me?” she asked in return.

“I’m not willing baby, I’ll give, you can have anything you want as long as I’m the one giving.” He kissed across her nape and along her shoulder.

“Riley I want you, I want to come home and see you waiting for me. I want us to argue and then make up, I want us miss each other when I’m away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh and I want to be the only one who ever hears you sing. I want to take care of you in anyway that you need it, I want to give you love that will last you a life time, I want kids with you, I want to cherish every moment we spend together and I want to grow old with you.” he softly told her as he held her body tight against his.

“I love you and theirs not going to be another, I once told you that a while ago and I meant it.” He let go of her and took a step back and turned her around.

He looked at her glossy dark blue eyes and got down on one knee and he watched the first tear fall from her eyes, he watched as her lips trembled.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small red velvet box. He opened it and grabbed her right hand and placed the box onto her palm.

“Riley Marie Pierce will you marry me?” he softly asked as he looked at her tear filled blue eyes.

---

Riley’s senior year has seemed to go by fast, yet slow because Jake wasn’t around. She missed him something terrible. They didn’t really write letters; where ever he was they barely got mail. It took longer for her to receive the letters he wrote to her, so they really didn’t bother; the only ones she ever wanted were the ones that said he was still alive.

Prom was in three months time, she had bought her dress two months ago and she made sure she bought it where no one else would go. She and Anna drove all the way to down town L.A just to get the dresses, they spent the whole day there trying on dress after dress, Riley thought they were going to leave with nothing till the last three dresses they tried on and they both found their dresses. She just hoped Jake would see her in hers.

She sighed as she looked at the TV, the ten o’clock news was on and she wasn’t even watching it she had too much on her mind. She looked down at her companion and slightly smiled, he was stretched out across the rest of the couch with his head by Riley’s feet, Monster was so big now. Jake’s only seen what pictures she sent to him, but that was a while back he would see just how big he was when he returned. Their dog was no longer a little ball of fur.

Her phone rang suddenly, making Monsters head rise and look around. She sighed as she rubbed her hand down his stomach to calm him; she looked at her phone sitting there on the coffee table.

It was ten at night who would be calling her? She knew it wasn’t Anna. She leaned forward and picked it up and sighed as the caller I.D read ‘Mother’. She leaned back into the cushions and flipped the phone open.

“What is it mother?” she sighed annoyingly. She then realized her mother was sobbing, oh god no!

“Mom what is it?” she managed to ask.

“Riley its Henry,” she sobbed. “I just got a call he was in severe condition and they managed to stabilize him. They just told me, but it happened hours ago and their not telling me anything more.” Her mom cried.

God, severe condition….Jake! God let him be ok, she prayed. “Mom are they bringing him home?” her voice was hoarse; she hadn’t even realized she was sobbing.

“Baby I don’t know,” Her mom sobbed. “I’ll call you back I have an incoming call.”
Riley didn’t even get a chance to say anything her mother hung up on her. God, how bad was Henry? She sobbed, God Henry. Mom said they managed to stabilize him, but for how long? It was severe, was he in surgery?

Her phone rang again and she quickly picked it up. “What did they say?” she whispered.

“He’s been out of surgery for a few hours and their transporting him here. He should arrive in four hours.”

She knew exactly where they were taking him. Oh god four hours. She had to tell Anna. She quickly told her mom bye and got dressed. She was almost out of the door and stopped when she realized she couldn’t leave Monster alone because she didn’t know how long she was going to be gone, but she couldn’t take him.

The woman beneath them would watch Monster for her, they were good friends and her boyfriend was a Marine as well, only he wasn’t deployed right now.

She ran into the kitchen and grabbed his leash she had put in a kitchen drawer and put it on him. He was resisting as she tugged, he wasn’t budging, damn dog.

“God, don’t do this to me. I need to leave.” She cried, that seemed to register to him, he quickly stopped.

“Come on baby,” she tugged again and he complained.

After locking her door she quickly descended the stairs with Monster in front of her. She stopped and turned to the left when her feet hit the leveled ground. She walked a couple of feet before she knocked on the light blue door.

It took a while for Taylor to open her door and when she opened it, on any other occasion Riley would have laughed. Her hair was fluffed all over her face and she had a silk black robe wrapped around her body, and Riley knew she was doing the dirty with her boyfriend.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she asked as she looked at Monster.

“It’s Henry,” Riley began to sob. “Do you think you could watch Monster for a bit?” she managed to ask.

She looked over her shoulder and called Bret. He quickly walked up behind her with concern on his face.

“What’s wrong Riley?” he firmly asked as he looked at her face in.

God she didn’t need these questions. “Something’s happened to Henry and I can’t take Monster with me, please could you watch him,” she asked.

“Yes, of course anything you need,” he said with a strained voice.

“God, Riley I hope he’s ok,” Taylor softly said.

Riley looked at her and saw the unshed tears.

“What about Jake, is he…?” Taylor couldn’t finish.

God, she couldn’t answer that because she didn’t know. She hoped he was still alive. He better fucking be alive! She wanted to scream.

“Taylor get inside.” Bret firmly told her as she began to sniffle.

He turned his attention back to Riley, “Riley I’m sure he’s fine, please keep that in mind. I know he was with Henry and that’s hard enough knowing that. I’ll see what I can find out for you, I’ll make contact after I get information.” He said as he pulled her into a tight hug. She felt him take the leash from her hand as he released her.

“Go and be with your family and take Anna with you, this will be just as hard on her as much as it is on you.” he said.

Riley just managed a nod. She wiped he tears away as she began to walk toward her car. God, please keep him safe, please bring him home. She needed Jake home safe. She started her jeep and started driving towards the hospital where they were going to be taking Henry. She’d call Anna on her way over there.

Five agonizing hours had pasted and she still hadn’t seen her brother, she and Anna were waiting in a private waiting room down the hall from where Henry’s room was located. They were supposed to be able to see him any minute now; she had so many questions to ask him.

She looked over at Anna; she was curled up in a red chair as she looked out the window, a tear sliding down her cheek. God, she was just as worried about Henry as much as she was, maybe even more. Henry meant everything to Anna, just like Jake meant everything to Riley, only Anna had Henry home now. Jake was still out their fighting, her lips began to tremble at that thought, god, fighting alone with out her brother.

“Riley,” Anna whispered.

Riley hadn’t even noticed Anna standing right in front of her, her arm extending and her hand resting on her shoulder as she looked her in the eyes.

“Go ahead and go first but please hurry, I don’t know how much longer I can wait.” Anna whispered as she squeezed Riley’s shoulder.

Riley didn’t know what she was talking about all she could think about right now was Jake. She turned around and saw the nurse waiting, so that’s what she was talking about.

Riley slowly followed the nurse into Henry’s room. She was in a daze, she wasn’t ready for this, the answers she wanted, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to handle them but she needed to know.

She walked around the curtain that was blocking her way; her throat grew thick once more as she looked at her brother. He laid there on the bed with all these tubes all around him. Riley heard his steady heart beat as it went off on the monitor. She eased closer as tears ran down her cheeks, thank god he was ok, she thought.

“You better not be crying,” Henry whispered as he kept his eyes closed.

“I can’t cry?” she cried.

“Yes, but I don’t want to see it or hear it,” he whispered.

“Well your going to see it with your next visitor.” She slowly sat on the edge of his bed.

“Henry what happened?” she managed to ask.

“I can’t tell you,” he whispered. Riley watched as he began to open his eyes and look around. He must have changed his mind as he looked at her because his face softened. “I’ll tell you that I’m alive because of Jake. He saved my life Riley, something went wrong it wasn’t suppose to and I got hit multiple times,” Riley could tell how difficult this way, she watched Henry swallow several time before he started talking again. “I couldn’t get up, there was too much pain, Jake came looking for me and found me bleeding all over the dirt as I tried crawling away, as shots fired and grenades went off everywhere.”

Riley watched as he took a deep breath and began talking again. “He picked me up and hauled ass, he got shot as he carried me. It grazed me and hit him in the shoulder. He kept going though, but I know how painful that must have been especially since he carried me all the way.” He looked away from her and he took another deep breath.

“After that I don’t know what happened, I blacked out. The next thing I know I’m waking up after coming out of surgery.”

Riley didn’t know what to say, because of Jake her brother was alive but at what cost, for the life of his own?

“Were you guys coming home?” she asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

His shot around to face her again, “How did you know?” he questioned her.

“I didn’t but now I know.” She stared him straight in the eyes as she asked her next question. “Is Jake coming home?” she whispered.

“I honestly don’t know Riley, I’m sure he’s fine from the bullet but after having it fixed he’d go back in if it was needed.”

Oh God. Still wounded and fighting? “When will I know?” she softly asked.

“Knowing what happened they’ll stay the time we were supposed to stay. He’s coming home whether he’s alive or not. I hope for your sake that he comes home safe. You still have three months.”

Riley watched him as he turned to look at his duffle in the far left corner of the wall. He seemed to be thinking about something. He slowly turned his head back towards her and sighed.

“Theirs an envelope in my duffle for you, Jake gave it to me before we deployed. He told me if anything happened to him to give you that envelope, go ahead and take it. But don’t open it till the three months have passed.”

Riley knew what kind of envelope that was and she wanted nothing to do with it. She didn’t ever want a letter like that. Would she finally open one in three months time? Sobs escaped her throat at the thought of Jake never ever kissing her again, or him giving her the nice massages he gave her everyday when he came home from work, or him never looking at her like she was the best thing in the world.

She wanted her Jake home.

She leaned down and gave her brother a hug and then a kiss on his forehead before she got up and walked over to his duffle and slowly opened it by the zipper. When she opened it, the envelope was the first thing she saw. With a shaky hand she picked it up and held it to her chest as another sob broke free.

God, she needed to get out of here. She quickly closed the duffle and walked out of Henry’s room and almost ran into Anna, her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying she had been doing. But something seemed the register to her.

“Riley what’s wrong?” she questioned her.

“Nothing, I…. I can’t stay here. I have to go,” Riley cried as she quickly started walking down the hall; soon she was running and gasping as she ran down halls and stairs and all the way to her car. She got in and let it all out as the leaned her head against the stirring wheel.

It’s been exactly three months and three days. Tonight was prom night and Jake wasn’t home, he wasting coming home. She finally accepted that. She’s been crying none stop for the past week, she didn’t go to school, and she wasn’t talking to anybody. Henry came over everyday though, to check up on her. Everyday he came over she hoped to hear that Jake was coming home.

She tried talking to his parents to find out what was going on, they got all the news because they were his parents and because her and Jake never married so their was no need for her to know anything. His parents wouldn’t even talk to her, wouldn’t answer the calls she made to them or the voicemails she left them.

She looked up at the mirror and hated her reflection. Her hair was done up nice, a lose curl here and there. She wore make up but not enough for you to notice, if she smiled she would have fooled you, except for her eyes. Her eyes were what gave her away, she looked so empty, and she felt empty. Empty because her Jake wasn’t coming home.

For the past two days she’s been debating whether to open that letter or not. She’s been putting it off in hopes of any day seeing Jake walk through their bedroom door again. But he hasn’t and it was time to read it. She walked back into their bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed, she reached out and watched as her hand shook when she grabbed the envelope, she took a deep breath as she slowly opened it and took out the paper and began to read.

My Dearest Riley,

I’m sorry you’ve gotten this letter. I know how much you wanted me to come home to you alive but I know you’re not disappointed in me. I know you’re angry and sad and for that I am sorry, sorry for the pain I am causing you. I hoped you’d never get this letter.

I want you to promise me something, the only thing I ask of you. I want you to move on, not right now but when you’re ready. I want you to have everything you’ve always wanted, and I want you to let someone give you what I’ve always wanted to give you, kids, love that will last you a lifetime, someone that you will warm you at night. Promise me you’ll laugh till your lovely cheeks hurt, promise me you won’t give up on life, promise you’ll love again. I know that’s asking a lot but in time I hope you will let this happiness happen to you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, your happiness, yours alone was mine as well. I’m sorry I will no longer be there to warm you at night, to hear your laughter, to hear you sing, to watch your face light up when I walked through that door. There wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t thinking about you, and I loved you like no one I ever loved. Death can not separate us and I’ll be waiting on the other side for you when your time comes for you to join me once more. I love you Riley Marie Pierce.

Love, Jake Anthony Clyde.

Riley couldn’t breath, towards the end she no longer could read the letter, her eyes were filled with tears, even at this moment they were falling on the lined paper he wrote her, making the ink run. There was so much anger in her, so much agony.

She grabbed the pillow that was right next to her and threw it across the room as she sobbed, and then she grabbed the lamp and threw it across the room and heard it shatter when it hit the wall.

She got up and walked to the dresser that was filled with rows of rows of pictures of them. She picked up one and threw it and did the same with next three as she sobbed. She extended her arm and in one clean swipe the rest of the picture frames went flying, glass breaking. She steadied herself, her hands on the dressers edge as she began to gasp. She slowly sank to the floor, sitting around the broking glass that was on the floor.

She picked up a picture, it was the last picture her and Jake took before he left. They stood with their arms wrapped around each other, they were smiling as they looked each other in the eyes, he looked so handsome in his uniform, she thought.

“Why did you leave me?” she sobbed. “Why did she leave me!” she screamed.

She suddenly felt strong arms around her and soon she was being lifted off the ground, she heard the crunching noise from the glass as who ever was caring stepped on it. God, was it Jake? God, let it be Jake.

“God, Riley why are you doing this to yourself?”

It wasn’t Jake, she started sobbing even harder, it was just her brother. She wanted Jake, she wanted him holding her, wanted him to take away her pain.

“Just leave me alone,” she sobbed as he sat down with her on his lap.

“No, we’re leaving in twenty minutes. You think Jake would be happy seeing you like this? Huh?”

“No,” she managed to say, her breathing was coming back to somewhat normal. Jake wouldn’t be happy, he’d be pissed she knew that but it just hurt too much to do anything, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

“Riley get your dress on and come down stairs.” Henry whispered to her as he gently smoothed his hand up and down her back, making her calmer.

She let out a deep breath. “Do I have to?” she asked.

“Yes, I mean he did buy you your dress, you could at least wear it for him. You know how much he wanted to go and he knew how much it meant to you, so go for him.” He softly said against her hair.

She should go and really she had no choice she was running for prom queen. Not that she would win. God, she didn’t want to go and be there for six hours and not do anything, she wouldn’t have any body to talk to or dance with. Anna and Henry were going to do their own thing; she’d make them she didn’t want to ruin tonight for them because she was depressed. They haven’t accepted Jake being gone, unlike Riley. They still had hope and her brother wasn’t telling her anything, she knew he couldn’t though, some kind of private thing.

“Fine, I’ll go. Just give me a few minutes to get my dress and shoes on,” she softly said.

“Your not going back into that room, there’s a lot of broken glass on the carpet. Your going staying in here till I clean it, understand.” Henry said.

Riley liked him like this, strong and firm. He’s what kept her together most days. She eased off his lap and started walking towards the first bathroom to fix her self up.

“Where’s your dress and shoes?” Henry asked as he passed her and walked towards her and Jakes room, no, it was now just her room now, she sadly thought.

Her eyes began to water again, she hated that thought. She hated that he wasn’t here, she hated that he wasn’t wearing what her brother was wearing, she waited so long in hopes in of seeing him one day in that one uniform that she loved and now she would never see it on him.

“Here,” she turned around and saw Henry with his arm extended holding out her prom dress. She looked from the dress to his uniform, the dark navy blue stood out with the gold buttons on it along with the red stripes that were on it, his white belt with the shiny gold buckle. Oh how so wished it was Jake standing before her.

She looked up at her brother and noticed the concern in his dark blue eyes, she learned to ignore that look the past few days, she gave him a small smile instead and softly said, “You look handsome.”

“Thank you, now go get dressed.”

She hesitantly reached for her dress and grabbed it and then the shoes he now offered her from his other hand.

She closed the bathroom door and slowly put on her dress and then her stilettos. She took a deep breath and looked at her self in the mirror. The red dress looked beautiful on her; with her up long hair up with the few lose curls. Jake would have loved this on her, she picked red to go with the red he would have had on his uniform. She sighed as she looked at her sad eyes as they began to water. God, she couldn’t do this. She braced herself against the counter and began crying again. She felt so lost, so empty inside with out Jake.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door and knew Henry was probably pacing by the door waiting for her to come out. She reached and grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box and dabbed them under her eyes to wipe the tears that escaped. She had to do this, she told herself, for Jake. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. For Jake. She threw the tissues in the trash bin and then opened the bathroom door and slowly walked out.

She stopped when she saw her brother stop pacing and look up at her, his concern no longer their as his face softened.

“You look so beautiful,” he softly said as he stood there and looked her over. “He would have loved that dress on you, you know that.” Henry softly laughed as he met her gaze again.

“I don’t look…,” she didn’t know what to say, what depressed? Lifeless? Empty?

“No Riley you look lovely.” Henry reassured her. “Where’s your sash?” he asked.

“In the bedroom, in the closet on a hanger,” she told him as he started walking back into the room.

She hung it because she was afraid Monster would rip it up. She heard the bedroom door close and then saw Henry walking with the sash in his hand; she lifted her arm as he placed it on her.

He sighed, “Let’s go Riley.”

“I’ll meet you down stairs,” she whispered.

She watched him hesitate, she could see he wanted to say something but he didn’t instead he started walking down the hall; she stood there waiting till she heard the front door open and then close. She slowly started walking down the hall and then went into the kitchen where her ticket and clutch sat on the kitchen counter. She looked down at the tickets as she lightly touched them, one for her and one for Jake. She sighed as she slowly lifted hers and put it into her clutch. She stared at his for a minute longer before she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

She saw Monster waiting for her by the front door whining, he did that every time she left somewhere and didn’t take him, like he knew.

She ignored him and opened the door, “I’ll see you later baby, be good.” She softly told him before she closed the door.

This was the worst dance she’s ever been to. She didn’t win prom queen, though she didn’t really care. She was sitting by herself at a round table as she watched everybody dance on the dance floor. Most of the time she watched Henry and Anna dancing, having a good time and if she wasn’t watching them then she was watching another couple.

She just wanted to leave, she didn’t want to be here but she had to stay she couldn’t just leave. Once you got in you were in and weren’t getting out till midnight. The hotel they were at was decent she had to admit but it didn’t matter to her because she wasn’t enjoying herself.

She probed her elbow on the table and rested her head on her palm and sighed. She had thirty minutes till this damn dance ended and then she was going home and she was going to stuff her face with rocky road while she cried.

“Why does the prom queen look so sad?”

Oh God! That voice, Jake. She whipped her head around and started crying as she saw him standing before her in his dress blues. She got up and threw her self at him and hugged him tight as she began to sob.

“I promised you I’d be home in time baby,” he whispered into her neck and he hugged her tight to his body.

Riley softly laughed as she cried. He was home, Jake was home and he was in her arms. She looked at him as he released her, his hazel green eyes glistening as he looked down as her, she was sure she looked to same way right now, she couldn’t stop crying.

Jake cupped her face and wiped her tears away with his thumb. He leaned down and kissed her, moaning at the feel of her lips against his, he no longer needed the memory when he had the real thing in front of him. He gently moved his lips against hers as he moved his hands down to her shoulders and gripped her; he pulled her closer as they deepened the kiss, he savored the feeling of her tongue against his as they moved.

They did that for a bit before he pulled back and kissed her once more on her lips before letting go of her shoulder and slipping his hand into hers.

He tugged her hand and started walking towards the crowd of dancing bodies.

“I at least want one dance with you,” he smiled.

Riley followed him, keeping up with him and making sure there was no distance between their bodies.

Jake pulled her against his chest as the song turned into a slow one; she clasped her hands around his nape as she leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heat beat against her ear. She felt Jake move his hands down her back and slide to the side, resting them on her hips.

They swayed to the music, she noticed the people around them gave them their own space; she didn’t care but thought it was nice. She tightened her hold on his neck as he pulled her tighter against his body. She realized this was the first time they’ve ever danced before.

“I love you,” she whispered against his chest. “I missed you so much; I thought you weren’t coming home.”

“Shh, I’m home now baby, I’m home,” he whispered to her before he kissed her head.

“You look lovely tonight, I love that color on you.”

Riley knew there was a small smile on his face; she didn’t need to look up at him to know it was there because she heard it in his voice.

“You look quite handsome yourself soldier.” Riley laughed.

Jake laughed, “Do I want to know how much the dress was?”

It wasn’t cheap but Riley wasn’t going to tell Jake that. “No, you don’t want to know.” She laughed.

The song was coming to an end and the next one was already starting and this one was a song you’ve moved your hips to.

“Come on,” Jake let go of her and pulled on hand only she didn’t move, she wanted to dance.

“Can’t handle a little bit of grinding?” she asked him with a smile tugging at her lips.

“Riley I’ve been without you for nine whole months, so the answer is no.” he chuckled.

“Please, just one song?” she frowned.

“Pouting? You think that’s going to work?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she laughed. And it did, she started dancing and pulled him to her.

Jake stood there mesmerized as he watched her move her hips, he’s never seen her dance like this, swaying when she singed ok but not like this never like this. He was damn hard just watching her work her hips. She smiled as she danced in front of him, she closed the distance between them and turned around and started grinding her ass against his dick, he wanted to groan from the rubbing she was doing, she was doing it just right and she knew it because she grinded a little harder. He couldn’t help but grip her hips and join her.

They danced the rest of the time grinding or slow dancing. They managed to take pictures right before they left the room; the guy immediately said no problem as he looked at Jake. She wasn’t sure why but thought it had something to do with the uniform he was wearing.

“What are we doing now,” she asked as they excited the ball room they were just in.

“I got us a room here, if that’s ok with you.” he softly said as he helped her down the stairs and then towards the elevator.

Yeah she didn’t want to go home, because of the mess that was in their bedroom.

“That’s fine, I don’t want to go home anyways,” Riley said.

“Huh, I wonder why?” he said as he led her into the elevator and then pushed the button with a eight on it.

Riley stayed quit because she knew that he’d been home. There was only one way he would have gotten in, he had to have his ticket. Which met he probably saw their bedroom.

“Care to tell me what happened to our room?” he murmured as he pulled her to his chest and hugged her.

There was no point in lying to him, she thought. “I read the letter you gave Henry.” She whispered.

“God, you weren’t supposed to read that.” he breathed out as he hugged her tighter; Riley did the same as well.

“It doesn’t matter anymore your home,” her voice shaky as her she began to tremble.

“Yes I’m home. I’ll be home for the next six months.” He whispered.

Six months, that was going to be heaven having him around and she was going to savor every minute she had with him.

“Why didn’t you come home with Henry?” she asked.

“I was just shot in the shoulder, that doesn’t get me home. Henry….god, I don’t want to think about what I saw.” But he did, he thought back to the day, they were retreating because things had been quit for days, then all hell broke lose. Guns going of, his team running for cover as they fired back. He fired back as well as he ran for cover, he did a head count and realized Henry and two others weren’t with his team. He left his team and went looking for them, he found the first two and told them to watch each others six as they made it back to the team, he continued looking for Henry and heard gun fire close by, away from the rest and knew it was him. He ignored the shooting as he kept cover trying to make it to Henry; he hoped to god he wasn’t dead. He heard gun fire behind him and knew exactly which direction it was coming from, he turned around and took out two T’s that were on a roof. He slowly continued, gun in hand as he saw Henry on the ground, he was crawling, dragging his body away from fire. There was blood all over the place, Jake whipped his gun on his shoulder and ran to him and picked him up and threw him onto his back and ran for cover. He heard shooting but kept going and then felt agonizing pain in his shoulder, he ignored it because he knew if he stopped then Henry might not make it, or they were both dead.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck and sighed when he smelt that vanilla scent she always wore, the scent he missed smelling. At times he swore he could smell it when he was away but knew it was just in his head because Riley was no where to be found.

They heard the elevator ding and released each other but still kept contact with their hands. They walked down the hall, Jake leading because Riley didn’t know what room they were going to be in.

Jake reached into his packet and ignored the small thing in there as his fingers griped the key card, he pulled it out and slid it through the metal and watched as the green light lit up and then opened the door.

He pulled Riley into the room and heard her gasped as he closed the door, guess that meant she loved the room, he smiled.

Riley took in the room as well as the vanilla smell as she stood a few feet from the bed, there were candles lit all over the place and red rose petals all over the white comforter that covered the bed. She felt Jake behind her and then felt his hands on her hips as he pulled her back against himself.

“We need to talk,” he whispered against her neck.

She didn’t want to talk, she wanted to make love. “Can’t it wait?” she breathed out as she felt his hands move up towards her breasts only he didn’t touch them he moved his hands back down towards her hips.

No, it couldn’t, he didn’t want to wait any longer, she was eighteen now and he was ready to make Riley his.

“We’ve been through a lot over the past three years, don’t you think?” he said as he nuzzled her neck.

“Y-yes,” she agreed. She didn’t know where he was going with this. “But I wouldn’t change a thing, it’s been hard but I love you and theirs no one else I’d rather be with.” She sighed and bent her neck more the side, making it easier for his to kiss her neck.

“I agree.” He whispered.

She said it perfectly; it was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Where do you see us in a few years?” he asked her.

“What are you willing to give me?” she asked in return.

“I’m not willing baby, I’ll give, you can have anything you want as long as I’m the one giving.” He kissed across her nape and along her shoulder.

“Riley I want you, I want to come home and see you waiting for me. I want us to argue and then make up, I want us miss each other when I’m away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh and I want to be the only one who ever hears you sing. I want to take care of you in anyway that you need it, I want to give you love that will last you a life time, I want kids with you, I want to cherish every moment we spend together and I want to grow old with you.” he softly told her as he held her body tight against his.

“I love you and theirs not going to be another, I once told you that a while ago and I meant it.” He let go of her and took a step back and turned her around.

He looked at her glossy dark blue eyes and got down on one knee and he watched the first tear fall from her eyes, he watched as her lips trembled.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small red velvet box. He opened it and grabbed her right hand and placed the box onto her palm.

“Riley Marie Pierce will you marry me?” he softly asked as he looked at her tear filled blue eyes.

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