Title: Countin' on Forever
Author: Adrian Jade
Title: They say love is forever, that it can withstand anything even death. She had spent her whole life waiting to be his but after getting a call saying he'd never be coming home. Will she be able to make it through? AU Fic. Randy Orton/OC
"Why do you have to go?" she asked a new round of tears brushed over already tear stained lashes. He stopped packing for a moment to take in the sight of her. A sad smile crossing over his perfect lips. He stopped fiddling with the zipper of his duffle bag and held out a large calloused hand. She sniffled before placing her smaller hand in his. He brought her hand to his mouth kissing the soft skin of the back of it.
"It's only for two years" his voice was soft as he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame. She rested her head against his chest and listened to his heart. "it'll fly by and before you know it I'll be back and we'll get married"
"I'm going to miss you" her voice was just above a whisper.
"I'm going to miss you too baby"
That had been two years ago and now her life was all about waiting. The last time she had seen him had been Ashley and John's wedding. Going to the mailbox at the same time each day. Getting her hopes crushed when there were no postcards or letters from him. But on those few occasions there was a letter her heart soared. They always said the same thing baby I miss you and I'm counting the days till we are married. What he didn't know was that she was doing the exact same thing. On this particular day she was at her friend Ashley's house helping the young mother of 3 mind her boys. Ashley was Domonique's best friend and had been since shortly after their birth. Her own husband had signed up two years before Randy had and had since returned and fulfilled his promise to make an honest man of himself with Dommy's best friend. The twins Jagger James and Kanyon Anthony were a year and a half and then there was Camdyn Bruce who was five months. All three boys were spitting images of their father with his bright shining blue eyes and impish grins. But they had inherited their mother's strawberry blonde curls.
"Still waiting on word from him?" Ashley's worried grey eyes looked across the room at her sullen friend.
"He's just busy finishing up this one last thing and then he'll be home by this time next week … you'll see"
Ashley certainly hoped that Domonique was right but something told her in her gut that something was terribly wrong. She had been in Domonique's shoes not so long ago but something was different about this. She looked down at her infant son who was sucking greedily on his pacifier. John returned home from his auto shop for lunch and was greeted happily with a big kiss from his ecstatic wife. Domonique excused herself from the house shortly after that. Climbing into Randy's 51 Thunderbird she drove to her home. Checking the mail box as she always did and was not surprised to find nothing inside. With a sigh and a heavy heart she retreated into the home that they would share once he had returned. Randy's grandfather had left him the small two story home when he had passed away and Dommy had made it her personal mission to fix up the house as much as she could before he returned.
Looking at the calendar she realized that it was exactly two weeks after her 18th birthday. A knock on the door made her put the book she was reading down. Placing it face down on the couch she got up to answer the door.
"Special delivery telegram" a middle aged man with thinning brown hair announced with a smile as he handed her the letter.
She thanked him as she took the letter. Letting the screen door shut behind her she returned to her spot on the couch. Puzzled, who could have sent her a telegram. A smile coming to her lips as she looked at the all too familiar hand writing.
The telegram was short and sweet it read: meet you at the church on Friday don't forget to wear a white dress. She couldn't help but laugh at her goofball of a boyfriend. Placing the letter in her lap she continued reading her copy of Wuthering Heights.
She was driving to the church as he had instructed her. Wearing her white dress, she had a penny in her shoe and her something borrowed and something blue. Resting on the passenger seat was every letter she had ever received from him. She parked in the gravel parking lot and made her way inside. It was late in the evening and one could smell the indications of rain in the wind. Looking up at the sky she could see black thunder clouds rolling in. Walking as proudly as she could make herself muster she had a seat. Her white dress sticking out in a seat of black. All eyes were on her now and she willed herself not to cry. She had gotten the call four days earlier. You know that call that no significant other of a solider wanted to get. The one saying the man she loved would not be returning home to her. She had cried herself to sleep for the past three nights and at this point she had no more tears to cry. The words of the service were lost to her ears. It was probably better that way because there was no way she could take comfort in them anyways. The preacher man asked everyone to bow their heads and prey.
"Lord, please life his soul and heal this hurt" he said from his position on the pulpit.
Everyone in the church then stood up to sing Randy's favorite hymn Amazing Grace. Dommy could feel the tears stinging her now closed eyelids. The service was now over and they would move on to the graveyard. Ashley wrapped an arm around her tired best friend's shoulders. Neither could bring themselves to open their mouths.
Standing there watching an empty casket being lowered to the ground was almost too much for her. On one hand it gave her the hope that maybe he was still alive somewhere out there just trying to return home to her. The military band began playing Amazing Grace again and then Taps. They shot of their rifles into the air and Dommy felt like she had just been shot in the chest. She wanted to wake up and find this had all been just a dream but she knew in her heart or hearts that she wasn't dreaming and this was real. They folded up the flag that had been draped over his coffin and handed it to her. That was all she had left of him now, that and the home they were supposed to share. The funeral was over and everyone was starting to leave. They would all go back to the house and talk about how much they would miss Randy and they'd tell stories. Some would laugh and other would cry. Dommy couldn't bring herself to move.
"You gonna be ok?" Ashley asked her friend.
"Yeah, go on ahead I just wanna stand here for a few minutes longer" she slightly taller woman replied.
Ashley hugged her friend and kissed her on the forehead "This wasn't supposed to end this way"
"I know" Domonique placed a warm hand on her friend's cheek "I know"
Ashley walked away; her husband wrapped his arm around her waist and led her away to where their car was parked.
She bent down and picked up a handful of freshly moved dirt. Letting the grains run through her fingers.
"Baby why'd you leave me? Why'd you have to go? I was counting on forever, now I'll
never know I can't even breathe" she whispered "it's like I'm lookin' from a distance, standin' in the background, Everybody's sayin', he's not comin' back now. This can't be happenin' to me, this is just a dream right. All just a bad dream"
She laid down in the dirt just above where the empty coffin now rested. Tears leaving her eyes falling into the dirt. She rested her head against her arm and let herself sob miserably. She missed him so much that her heart just hurt too much to keep working. Clutching the folded up flag tighter to her chest as she cried.
A figure hobbled closer to the crying woman. He walked as well as he could using one wooden crutch. His head was bandaged and there was a small burn mark just below his right eye.
"You look like you just lost the love of your life" he said staring down at her.
She opened her red rimmed puffy eyes and stared back into his cool blue orbs. She sat up trying to figure out what was going on, was he really standing there before her?
"R … Randy" she croaked out.
"Yeah baby it's me" he crouched down extending his hand to help her up. He wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. Once she had no more tears to cry she looked up at his face.
"You look beautiful" he said kissing her lips softly.
"I'm covered in dirt and I look like hell" she scoffed as his obvious lying.
"It doesn't matter to me how you look right now. All I care about it that I'm home and we can get married just like I promised you we would"
"What happened? Why did they tell me you were dead?" she asked not really wanting to know the answers but needing to hear at the same time.
He explained that there had been a bomb that had exploded under their tank and that he had been thrown over 50 feet into the sand. He explained that he didn't know how long he had been lying there before he was found and that the only thing that kept him alive was his promise to come home and marry her.
"Don't you ever do that to me again Randy Keith Orton" she yelled smacking his arm.
"I promise not to but you have to agree to marry me again Domonique Marie Caldwell"
"My answer is yes then, yes Randy I will marry you because no matter what happens our love will withstand anything but I swear if you try to make me think you are dead again I will kill you myself"
"Dully noted" he laughed a little.
She grabbed his hand and helped with back to her car. They had their whole lives to spend with each other and neither one of them was going to miss out on a second of it.
A/N: Ok so I was a little late for your birthday Dommy and I know this isn't my best work but I had it stuck in my head all day and needed to write it. I hope you like it and Happy Birthday. Luv you.