I'll Be Home Soon
#3 of I Leave at 5
Okay so I was running plot bunnies all day and i stirred this one up. You'll forgive me for pulling this again but I think it fit nicely. the picture I'm using this time is by Blotch and is dubbed, ["Come Home Safe"](%5C) http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1126527/ I think it matches the story plot so I hope you guys will think so too
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Chris sighed leaning back on the couch. He had cleaned the house for the fourth time today. He shook his head trying to fling the anxiety out. With a heavier sigh he laid his head down on the pillow his mate had propped him up on almost two months ago. It was three days, 65 hours left till he would come through the door again and all Chris could do was wait. So far all his prayers were answered, His mate had stayed safe and his friend was told to keep their relationship under wraps. Chris sighed as he thought of Jeff. His childhood friend who coincidentally was in the same unit as James. The husky mix couldn't bring himself to tell his mate that he had a 'spy in the ranks' so he had to pray he wouldn't need it.
One last look at the clock told him it was 9pm, time to sleep, and he closed his eyes nuzzling the pillow softly. Just a little while longer and this pillow would be replaced with his mate again. His dreams were chaotic and often too blurry to remember but tonight they were soft and reminiscent of his mate's body. Even as they cradled him holding him in a gentle embrace he could have called maternal he still felt a brewing trouble.
He awoke the next morning to a knocking on his door. He couldn't have been expecting anyone so early and James still had two more days before his discharge. He opened the door to a chilling sight. Jeff, full formal uniform, holding an envelope addressed to him. "Chris...I'm sorry..." Chris stepped back clasping his hand to his muzzle as tears began rolling down his face.
"No...no..." Chris chanted this one word wishing, praying, pleading even for this event not to happen.
"James was gunned down by an enemy sniper two days ago Chris....His body arrives tonight and the army will cover the funeral." Jeff explained a single tear dotting his face as he placed the envelope on the table near the door. Chris' mind broke apart as he broke into uncontrollable sobs on the floor. He was so close to coming home, so close to Chris, and now he was gone. For the remainder of the day the mongoose stayed with the distraught husky mix hugging him close and trying to comfort him as best he could. Finally the sorrowful day ended with them on the couch, Chris clutching the pillow tightly as he could tears still streaming down his already damp cheeks. Jeff helped him put together something that resembled a decent formal outfit and led him out to a black car waiting for them.
It took an hour but finally they arrived at the airport and the car drove around to a hangar filled with men and women dressed in uniforms similar to Jeff's. With Chris finally there a group of six men dressed in darker uniforms stepped forward and walked into the plane. They returned a few minutes later bearing a simple stained oak casket on their shoulders. Their steps seemed practiced as they took one step and stopped then another and stopped. They marched slowly from the plane towards a hearse parked just in front of them. The other uniformed men, whom Chris could only guess were part of James' outfit forms a lined path each saluting the casket as it passed. Chris's tears never seemed to end as he watched the setting's grace and efficiency. He wondered just how often such a ritual was needed for it to seem this rehearsed.
The procession neared the hearse and the casket was slid into it with the first pair stepping back and out of the way as the next neared and followed their actions. As the remaining carriers pushed the casket fully inside the hears they reached to their sides symmetrically pulling the doors closed in a surreal manner. Chris finally broke, unable to bear it anymore he buried his face in Jeff's shoulder sobbing with a renewed sadness as he realized that this was too realistic to be fake. James was gone now and he was forced to watch the same militia that dragged him into this seem sorry for his loss. The uniformed group broke up again with each passing to murmur condolences as they filed into a caravan to be taken back to their loved ones.
All Chris could do was stand there and sob into his friend's shoulder as he thought on just how unfair it was that he was forced to lose his loved one while the rest were free to return to theirs. Jeff hugged Chris tightly and led him back to the car getting in with him. He explained that he would stay with Chris for the night to ensure he was alright come morning but he knew nothing could make this seem right as the car slowly motored towards the husky's home.
The night was quiet with the pair piled up on the couch huddled up together. Jeff could only hold Chris as he continued mourning the lose of his mate. Sleep came hard for both males as they laid on the couch. Jeff held Chris close as he buried his face in the mongoose's chest. There was little comfort there but he knew at least someone was there for him.
His dreams were chaotic once more as he replayed the day over and over again and again through the night before it all stopped around a single figure. A cherubic smile appeared on his muzzle as he looked Chris over. Chris whimpered reaching towards James. His dream ended all too soon as he was jerked back to the horrifying reality that had come to play. His arm was extended and met by Jeff's hand holding it, a worried look dawning across his face as he kneeled in front of Chris. Chris shut his eyes withdrawing his hand to his chest as his tears began again. He got up and shuffled into the room he and James once shared pulling on a suit he had rented for their wedding. It was only fitting he look his best when his mate was laid to rest and he left the room in a suit that looked out of place on the canine.
Jeff gave a weak smile and led Chris down to the car once more, this time however he would be headed to a funeral. The car ride was silent, made even more depressing by the fact that all Chris wanted to do at this point was kill himself. What did he have to live for now that James was gone? What did he want to live for? It would have been more humane to be hit by a bus on a freeway then suffer through putting his loved one in a grave. They arrived at the graveyard sitting in the front row nearest the bouquets of flowers and an enlarged picture of James smiling. Chris could barely choke back a sob as he sat thinking this would be the last time he would see Jimmy's smile. The procession of the casket was as somber as it was at the hangar. Six men in uniform carried the casket down to the grave site and set it on the lowering platform. A flag was draped across the casket and once it was set down the men lifted it and began folding it. When they had finished on of the men turned and handed it to Chris. The finality of it was too much for him and he broke to silent tears again.
This was all he got for losing his mate? A flag for his troubles? He couldn't help feeling that rage of this is the country's fault. He took the flag laying it on his lap as the final events began. The casket lowered slowly as a bugler began playing 'Taps'. Off to the side 7 soldiers positioned their rifles upwards and fired a volley into the air on command. This repeated with shouted commands from the Sergeant as they men reloaded, aimed, then fired once more. A total of three volleys were fired before all was said and done and people began leaving. Chris stood and walked up tracing his fingers over the picture as he muttered a quiet good bye. Jeff led him back to the car and took him home. Chris held together long enough to make it home and onto his couch before he began crying again. That was it, all that was left of a memorial for his mate was a slab of rock with a name, birth date and death date standing in a graveyard filled with hundreds if not thousands more just like it. What could possibly justify something like this? The loss of all these men and women?
After hours huddled up on the couch he shuffled into the bathroom turning on the shower. He stood beneath the water for what seemed like hours as he thought long and hard about what to do. He hadn't a clue but when he finally got out he only felt slightly better. He padded out to the couch stark naked and ready to just flop and vegetate until he felt like living again. The one thing he hadn't counted on was his towel slipping and tangling his feet. A yelp left the husky's muzzle as he hit the floor dazed with a ringing sound in his ears.
He concentrated for a second and realized it was the phone. Getting up he whirled to face the kitchen before he realized it was pitch black in the house and he got up facing the opposite way he had been facing. He flipped on the light and walked out to the kitchen picking the phone up. "Hello?" he said in a groggy manner.
"Hey Chris it's James." Chris' jaw went slack and he almost dropped the phone as he whirled and looked at the clock. The time it showed made Chris even more confused.
"It's one in the morning..." he mumbled, trying to piece together what was going on.
"Yeah I know, I wanted to let you know they're changing my discharge date, It's today. I'll be home tonight at 5" James' voice was clear and unwavering and Chris could barely understand what was happening. Had it all just been a dream? Had it really? He looked out the door to the living room on the table near the door. No little letter. A tear streamed down his face as he sighed in relief. "Chris? Oh Puuuppy!" James' voice rang through the receiver in a sing-song tone causing Chris to smile. It was a dream, James would be home safe in hours and all Chris could do was smile.
"That's great Jimmy." Chris said, his voice cracking.
"What's wrong Chris?" James asked noting the change in Chris's voice.
"Nothing...I'm just happy you're coming home." Chris responded as the tears once more streamed his cheeks.
"Alright they're only giving us a few minutes a piece to call people so I'll see you soon Chris." James said as Jeff made his presence known in the background.
"Tell him I said 'hi'!" he heard Jeff shout.
Chris chuckled as James barked at the mongoose to quiet down. "I love you babe..I'll be home soon." James said.
"I love you too Jimmy and I can't wait." Chris said in a near whisper as he heard the line disconnect.
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Ok before i get too many people hating me for pulling this twice it's fair game. I made James have a dream sequence and I'm making Chris have one too. Besides this spares me actually having to kill James to sate my desire to write death fic ^^; Next Chapter will definitely be James getting back and then the wedding but I'm taking maybe a day or two off so i can regather my plots. one story a day tends to whack me against the pavement. I hope you guys enjoy it. ^_^