Note: This is the first time I've posted something here in a long time. I'm just getting back into writing, so please no harsh comments. Military scenes are not a strong point in my writing, but I tried... so just bare with me. I hope you all enjoy this, and if you don't then that's fine. I will be adding chapters as soon as I can. Enjoy. :)

"Two more fuckin' weeks boys and we'll be out of this wasteland hell, just in time for Christmas with the loved ones." Erick flashed a small grin before placing his cigarette back between his lips. His calloused and scarred hand quickly returned back to the handle of his M4, looking between his fellow comrades.

"I can't wait to get out of here. I'm missin' home." Eddie admitted, shaking his head. "Miss my two girls."

"Just don't count the days or watch the clock… we'll be on that plane home before we know it." The larger, muscular man finally spoke up. A grin followed by a chuckled came out from him next. They were running out of gas in their tanks, after two years they just wanted to get home for however long they'd be allowed. Each member had his own reasons to protect and those very reasons were the ones calling them home.

"Soundin' like an old wise man, J." Eddie laughed, nudging the man.

"Feel like one around the bunch of you." J teased, giving them all a sly smirk.

"Oh fuck ya hot shot." Charles piped up, driving the hummer down its usual route.

"Probably would." Erick snickered, gaining a chuckle from the rest of the crew. They all had fallen silent shortly after that, scouting out the windows of the hummer, taking in the miles of dirt and rolling hills around them. Each trained eye searched for anything that stood out from the typical surroundings. It was their last patrol of the night and the last one for a while. All their hands stayed at the ready of their weapons, even Charles who became an expert of driving and holding his gun for dear life.

"So kid, ya got family to get home to?" Charles asked the young man. He was relatively new to their crew and given all that took place in the days, they'd easily forget little things like that mentioned.

Scotty nodded, a bright smile filling up his baby face, green eyes filling up with life. "Yup, I've got some family and more importantly my girl. We're expecting a baby girl soon; I'll be getting home just a couple months before the due date." He tucked his hand inside his vest, pulling out two pictures to show the guys. One picture was of him and his girlfriend with a clear baby bump, and the other the first ultra sound taken of his baby girl.

"Very adorable." J said as he passed the pictures over to Eddie, "I wish you three the best of luck."

"Gonna have a wonderful family, man." Eddie said softly, missing his girls even more after seeing a picture like that.

"We'll make sure you get home to your girls, Scotty." Erick made the promise, intending fully to keep it. Each man in this crew had become a family, a unit, all in this together. It was the job for others to cheer one up when they were down, or pick them up when they fell. It was a strong brotherhood they built up in just weeks, but would last a lifetime. At night they would share family letters or pictures, or play cards, hell they'd even sing karaoke in their briefs just to entertain one another. Everyone on the crew mattered.

"Thanks guys." Scotty blushed some, tucking his pictures back into the inside of his vest pocket. "I'll make sure you guys get back home too."

"Alright, sappy bitches," Charles butted in, slowing the hummer to a stop, "get out and work those eyes."

All the men got out one by one, each one looking around to make sure the area was clear before the next could come out. J and Eddie walked down a short path and ended at the edge of a small cliff. J knelt with his sniper at the ready while Eddie scooped the area out with binoculars. After several minutes of checking they all met back at the truck, talking briefly about anything they saw. Next Charles pulled out a map, showing the rest of the crew a road he wanted to take. It was going to lead them home, but it would be faster. It wasn't a road many teams went down, but it was consider the safer option even despite it being a canyon for most of the way. Everyone had voted yes on it but Scotty, and the men ignored it as nerves. They all knew they would be okay, and they wanted Scotty to see they would too. Once back inside the hummer, silence took over again, filling the men's ears but not their minds. The road ahead gradually became bumpier than the previous one, sending the men rocking about, but they were used to the rough rides. The mood inside the hummer slowly shifted and the men began to open up more, knowing they were just a few miles away from the camp.

"J, you've got family right? You still with your lover?" Erick asked, patting the broad shoulders of the man in the front seat.

"I have a shit ton of family." J chuckled, looking back to see them better. "I am. I can't wait to get home and wrap my arms around them and look at the tree they probably didn't put up because it's too complicated." He laughed, knowing it was a good possibility.

"How long you been with this person?" Scotty asked.

"We met back in college, kinda went back and forth and tried a long distance thing. We've been together since then."

"That's awesome. Y'all planning on getting married?"

"Maybe one day…" J just offered that short answer and a small grin, not wanting to get into the long details of why he couldn't get married right now if he wanted to. It wasn't legal where they lived, not yet anyways. He didn't have the heart to tell his crew he was gay either, not now. He was afraid it would ruin any trust they had with him.

"You better invite us." Eddie said sharply, giving J a serious look.

"You know I will, assholes." J winked at them all, turning his head back to the road. His ears perked up when he heard the men carrying on conversations in the back, making the ride seem a lot calmer than it was by their playful banter. His blue eyes stared out the dusty window, slowly drifting off to his day-dreams, just picturing getting home and being able to kiss and hug his boyfriend. He longed for it so badly he could actually feel the arms of his lover around him, breath on his skin, and lips teasing his. It was a nice thought; even one that made him shut his eyes, wanting to make it last for as long as he could. J could see them sitting on the floor, opening presents together and laughing, he could see everything he needed more than anything right in front of him. It felt so real and was abruptly ruined by a loud pop and a severe rush of pain. The hummer went from driving slowly down the dirt road to flipping over and becoming engulfed in flames. J was stuck in his own darkness for several long minutes before coming to, hearing the screaming from the hummer and the sizzling of the fire behind him. He blinked several times, trying to get his blue eyes adjusted to his surroundings, ears filling with a deafening ring. Before his body could rush itself into a deeper shock, he felt the pain in his leg and arm. Seeing the pool of blood just below him in the dirt, knowing it was his.

"I CAN'T GET HIM OUT!" Eddie screamed, his voice hoarse from all the emotions, struggling to pull Scotty out from the wreckage. The image of the young man covered in blood and missing limbs burned into his mind like the fire on his skin. "C'mon…. COME FUCKING ON!" His panic grew louder by the second as he tried to pull Erick out next, managing to do so, dragging him over to J's position.

"J… John," Erick muttered, his whole body trembling.

John used what little power he had left to look at the older man, seeing how bloody and burnt his face was. Trying hard to move over to him, dragging his lower body in the dirt, only using one arm to pull himself. His fingers grabbed onto the vest of his fellow crew member, using the limpness of him to pull himself closer, eyes watering over from the blood getting in them. "Erick…"

Erick gasped for air, trying to hold John's hand, eyes slowly drowning out to a blackness he dreaded. "Get…. Scott…. Family…"

John nodded to the best of his ability, grabbing Erick by the chin, gently moving his head. "Don't fuckin' die on me…. You got family too ya know."

"Love…. You…. Them…" Erick forced the last words out, eyes locked onto John's until they slowly drifted away, falling completely into darkness. A small breath escaping past his cut lips, his last breath… his last moments.

"Erick." John said with a choked sob, shaking his friend, not wanting to accept the fact he was gone. "Erick!" He shouted again, waiting to hear a response. Instead he was interrupted by another loud blast, forcing his head down into the dirt even more. He slowly faded out to the crackling and popping of the fire, and the low groans of anyone else that was left alive. Those sounds guided him out, hanging on to the only thing he could… the only words that clouded out the rest. The voice of his lover from their last phone call… "I love you John."

Chicago (The Next Day):

Punk had just checked the oven one last time before taking a seat next to his friend, sipping down some of his Pepsi. The day had just been filled with talk of wrestling and sports, pizza, and plenty of laughs. It was all Punk could do on a day off to keep his mind off the fact his boyfriend was so far away. Thankfully he had a friend like Colt who was more than happy to spend time with him, understanding completely how lonely it could get. It was very rewarding for him.

"So are we going to catch a hockey game before the break for the holidays?" Colt asked his friend, glancing over at the man.

"Um… yeah, I'm not booked anywhere so if we can score us some tickets maybe John and come along too."

"Sounds like a plan to me. How is John anyways?"

"Homesick," Punk answered honestly, "His last call to me was heartbreaking. I really just wanted to hug him, as sappy as that sounds. I think he's getting very excited to be home for the holidays this year." He couldn't hide his smile; he too was thrilled to be able to have John home this year. It would be a big lie if he said he hadn't already planned a couple nice evenings for them.

"That's good. I still don't know how he can do that stuff… being away from home for that long is one thing, but doing something like that is another."

Punk nodded, getting up a couple minutes later, getting the pizza out of the oven. "Another perfect pizza, Colt, you owe me twenty bucks."

Colt let out an audible groan, rolling his eyes as he dug into his pocket, pulling out a crumpled up twenty dollar bill. "Fine, but I know you'll burn it next time."

Before Punk could answer his phone rang, catching it when Colt tossed it over to him. He smiled, knowing the number was a military one, getting his hopes up to hear John's voice. His excitement was soon crushed as the news was broke to him, almost dropping his phone to the floor. Doing his best to even answer 'Yes' to the question if he wanted to fly out to the hospital holding John, feeling his heart stop and drop into the pit of his stomach. By the time he hung up he was basically on the verge of sobbing, giving Colt a look that was so beyond broken and scared.

"What happened?!" Colt shot up from his chair, going over to Punk instantly.

"J-J-John…." Punk muttered, hugging Colt tightly, and afraid if he let him go he'd lose him as well.

"John what? What is going on, Phil?"

"The hummer…." Punk took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure, honestly knowing it wasn't going to happen. "The hummer John was in blew up… it killed everyone but two guys and John is one. He's bad… he's very bad. I have to go. They're flying me out there for free."

Colt's heart broke for Punk, unable to even imagine the pain he must have felt. He nodded, patting Punk's back. "I'll help you pack a bag. Do you want me to go with you?"

Punk just nodded, holding his words back to keep himself from breaking down and crying. He tore himself away from Colt and rushed to his room, throwing together a bag as quickly as he could. Mentioning to Colt about how they needed to stop by his place to get a bag for him and then go. Stopping just before they left to grab the dog tags John left for him, putting them around his neck, wanting to feel something close to his heart. Punk was deadly silent the whole way to Colt's house and to the airport, just trying to process everything. Feeling sick at the thought of the man he loved going through so much pain. It created a heavy feeling in his chest, one that tugged at his heart every time he tried to speak. He had to get to John, he had to be there right this second and the flight wasn't going to be fast enough. Punk needed to hold his hand, he needed to know that John was well enough and knew he was still loved.

He had sat in the chair for days, clinging to John's bandaged hand, eyes staying vigil for any sign of movement. Each time he looked away from John he could only think about how each injury occurred. Colt provided a distraction when they came in to clean the burns on John's arms, taking layers of skin off, and rewrapping them back up. The same process was done with his legs, but his right one was more severe, covered with a series of skin grafts already, but it wasn't a done process. John was lucky to still have his leg, and Punk was very thankful that he was allowed that. The other bandage they came to change was one on John's left eye that stretched out to his ear, covering a deep cut he received when he was thrown from the hummer. It was held together by stitches and would be that way for a while before it would heal. Then the only remaining sign there would be an obvious scar.

None of the marks or scars would matter to Punk, the only thing that would was John was still alive and able to be in his arms. All the flaws would just add to the attraction now, and his love would only grow. Colt had stayed by Punk's side through it all, offering any comfort that he could; still finding it hard to believe this was John.

Punk gently kissed John's hand, looking up at him. "I love you, John."