We've Proven Our Love Over Time So Strong.

-Brian’s POV-

It was the night before I was flying back to the states. I was trying to sleep, but I was just way too excited to do so. Everything went smoothly, and she would be graduating on time. I laid in my bunk re-reading her latest letter for the tenth time.

(#8 13 July) Dear Brian,

I really hope this gets to you before you fly out. It’s nothing bad, but I just want you to know for sure that I will be graduating on Friday. Nothing is holding me back, well unless I fail Battlestations. That’s a rarity though. If we follow instructions we’ll be fine. I should be able to call you the day before, so hopefully when I get that chance, you won’t be in the air. If you are, then we’ll I’ll see you Friday morning. I’m so excited to see you. I really can’t wait to just jump into your arms and hold onto you. If you need to, well you might have to cause you have to get your ticket. Call my mom to figure out where to meet them and so you guys can sit together.

This past week was pretty busy. We got tear gassed, fought fires and all kinds of stuff like that. It was crazy! I’ve sat down and thought about all the experiences I had here, and there were a lot of memories. It doesn’t matter though, this is just the start of my new life, and I’ll have many more experiences.

This is getting so exciting. Every night I go to bed thinking that soon you’re going to be here, even if it’s just for a little while. I never responded to one of your questions, but I would love to get some alone time with you. I haven’t forgotten about that night before we both left. I’ve already told my parents that I want Saturday with you. Friday and Sunday we all can go have fun. It’s coming. The day is almost here! I love you, baby.

Love, Lisa

As I was still trying to fall asleep, the excitement was just way too much. I was trying everything to get to sleep, even resorting to an over the counter sleep aid. While laying there trying to fall asleep, I looked up at the pictures that were taped around for me to look at. A few pictures of Lisa and I together. Only a month with each other, and we already had a few pictures of us. Seeing her face in some of them, I could see the genuine happiness that I also had. I could also see the strain. While she was happy, she was hurting at the same time because of this time we were going to be apart. I knew that her being in Boot Camp would be the worst of it, and after that it would be easier. She could have her phone and internet, so even if we were apart, we could still keep in touch. I don't know when it happened, but I finally managed to doze off and fall asleep.

“Brian! Wake up or you’re gonna miss your flight!” someone was shouting to me, snapping me into reality.

“Wha-the fuck stop shouting at me!” I rolled over to see Zack standing by my bunk. “What the fuck?”

“Well if you don’t wanna go fly out and see your girlfriend, that’s on you.”

“Fuck man, you didn’t have to shout it at me.”

“Dude, we’ve been trying to wake you for the last ten minutes, we eventually had to shout at you.” He backed away defensively.

“Sorry. I’m up.”

I got up, showered quickly, made sure I had my bag packed with some clothes and the things I needed. Within the next twenty minutes, I was in a cab towards the airport while the guys drove off towards the next city. The excitement was killing me, and within thirty-six hours, I’d be holding her in my arms.

“You look very happy for this early in the morning,” the driver said with a strong German accent in her voice.

“My girlfriend joined the Navy, and she graduates boot camp tomorrow. I'm flying back for the weekend to see her.”

“Oh, how nice. How long has she been there?”

“It's been about two months since we've seen each other, and we've only been together for about three. I know it's not a lot of time, but it feels like it has been.”

“Ah, ja, ja. She must be very lucky to have you.”

I leaned back in my seat and smiled. “Yeah. I feel more lucky to have her, and her support. Given the job I have, it's hard to keep a good relationship.” I caught myself wondering why I was rambling like this to a complete stranger that I had never met before, and probably would never see again, but I just couldn't help myself. “You know, being in a band, touring everywhere, yeah it can work, my best friends are making it work, but they can come with us. With her, she can't just drop everything. I'm sorry, I'm just rambling on and you probably don't even care.” I laughed.

“Nein, nein. It's very sweet. That's love right there, if you can't stop talking about her, that means you're happy.”

I chuckled to myself, knowing that she was right. I arrived at the airport, thanked her with a good tip, and went to check in. I had a long flight ahead of me, and before I boarded, I went to a shop to see if they had something to help me sleep. It was early, and I was tired, but I knew I needed to get as much rest as I could before I saw her. I swallowed the two pills right before boarding the flight. In my seat, I adjusted myself to try and get comfortable and was already starting to doze off. The next thing I remembered, my neighbor was nudging me awake saying that we were about to land. We landed in New York, and I had to run to catch my connecting flight to Norfolk. Time-zones are confusing to me still, and I'll always be surprised when I fly back to the states from Europe because it was almost the exact time that I took off. I was on a power-walk through the airport when my phone started ringing.

“Hello?”

“Hi, baby,” the same angelic voice I heard a few weeks ago came over the phone, but this time sounding extremely exhausted.

“Lisa! Hi!” I replied breathlessly.

“You sound in a rush.”

“I’m on my way to the connecting flight. I landed in New York about twenty minutes ago.”

“Really?! My day has just been made!” She was trying to sound excited, but was not doing so well.

“You sound exhausted.”

“I’ve been up since six am yesterday morning. Battlestations is ran all night long. And we just did our graduation practice. I almost face-planted.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, but it’s over. I cried this morning at the ceremony following battle stations.”

“Aww, babe, that's awesome. Hey I really don't want to cut this short, but my flight is boarding right now.”

“It’s ok. I have to call my mom. I love you so much and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I love you too, I can’t wait to see you. Bye, baby.”

“Bye.”

I boarded my next flight, and was off to Norfolk. I didn't really sleep on this flight, seeing as it was quite short, but in Norfolk, I'd have time to actually relax a bit. My connecting flight to Chicago was in two hours from touchdown, so I could sit and actually grab a bite to eat. I made a few phone calls, including one to Lisa's mother to let her know I was coming, and to make the plans on where to meet with them tomorrow. They were renting a car, and I said I'd also rent an SUV for us to all travel together in. I knew I couldn't be selfish and take their daughter to myself. They missed her just as much as I did, and aside from the Saturday that was going to be just the two of us, all of us were going together. Once the plans were made and I had gotten a chance to eat and use the restroom, it was about time to board my final flight from Norfolk to Chicago.

Once in Chicago, I went to rent the car, and went straight to the hotel. The closest I could get to the base was about fifteen minutes away, but it didn't matter to me. Right now all I wanted to do was relax. Of course, knowing that my girlfriend was so close didn't help calm my excitement. But after three flights, I just wanted to shower and climb into a real bed. While laying and relaxing, I made one last phone call, hoping for an answer.

“Dude, what the fuck? It's like six am here,” Jimmy groaned on the other end.

“I know, but I just wanted to let you know that I made it okay. You're my best friend, so yeah, I called you.”

“Thanks man, now can I go back to sleep?”

“Yes you can. Let them know I made it okay, and I'll be flying out Monday, landing in Rome probably like Tuesday morning. Fucking time zones.”

“Alright, I'll let them know so we can come pick you up when you land. I'm going back to bed now. Goodnight. Get some fucking sleep man so you don't fall asleep and miss out on time with Lisa this weekend.”

“I will. Goodnight.”

I hung up the phone and plugged it into the charger that was hanging over the nightstand. I clicked through the TV channels for a bit, trying to find something to watch. There wasn't much on TV, so I sighed as I was about to turn it off. My phone started ringing and without even thinking to check the caller ID, I answered it, thinking it was Lisa for something.

“Hi, Brian,” a soft voice answered back, slightly familiar, but enough to make me cringe.

I regretted not checking the caller ID before answering. “Hi, Michelle.”

“Can we talk?”

“Well, you called me, so talk,” I said flatly.

“I'm sure Val has talked to you, but I just wanted you to hear it from me that I'm sorry about everything. What I did was wrong, and you didn't deserve it. I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I really am sorry I did what I did.” From being with her so long, I could tell from her voice that she was hurting, and that she actually was being sincere.

I sighed. “I know you are. You could've just said you weren't happy with me anymore instead of going to cheat like that.”

“I know. I'm not asking for your forgiveness, or to try and get you back, but I am asking that we can at least be civil to each other, for the sake of everyone else, especially my sister.”

“I can do the civil part, but of course we'll never get back together.”

“I know.”

“I'm sure you really don't know. I have somebody else now, and I'm happy. Everyone's happy that I'm happy, but for the sake of everyone, I can be civil. I know if we weren't, it would be awkward, and Val would be stuck in the middle of it all. Just don't try to start anything between my new girlfriend and myself, and I won't start anything back. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Okay. I need to go to sleep now, because I have to be up early.”

“I thought you were overseas.”

I sighed at her attempt to make small talk. “I'm not. I'm in Chicago, because she's graduating Boot Camp in the morning. I have to go, because I have to be up in a few hours, so bye.”

“Bye.”

I hung up the phone again and sighed. “Urgh.” I grunted as I ran my hand over my face before putting the phone on silent and back on the nightstand. I turned off the TV, rolled over, and began to doze off.