Surviving an Endless War

After the little agrument I walked into with Michelle, she must have thought twice about sleeping in the car alone because I watched her go into Brian's tent and she didn't come out until this morning when I was cooking breakfast. Last night was pretty eventful. Ranger was telling old stories about when I had first come into the unit. It's weird how he can remember all that shit. I don't want to go into great detail about it but he told everyone how I risked my life to save a wounded soldier and my Lieutenant bitched me out for saving the man against orders and how I told him it was the right thing to do and I would do it again in an instant. When everyone finished breakfast this morning, Payge and I went down to the quarry to get in some fishing.

"Blaze?"

"Yeah?" I said watching the floater in the water.

"Do you still have that stuff I asked you to get?"

"Yeah it's in my bag." I said and I was getting a bite. I jerked the pole and the fish was on. I reeled it in and smiled at the size. I took the hook from it's mouth and placed it on the trot line.

"Can I have it? I want to go ahead and take it." I nodded and searched through my bag and pulled out the plain paper bag.

"Here you go." I said handing it to her.

"I'm going right behind you in the bushes." I nodded and threw my line out again. It didn't take long before I had another fish to add to the trot line. I watched as Payge came back and sat down with the tests in her hand.

"I'll have to wait a few minutes. So on with fishing." Payge threw her line out a little closer to mine and we both got a fish. I added mine and hers to the line and placed it back into the water. we both threw our lines back in one more time and she checked the tests. Payge's hand went to her mouth and she showed me the tests.

"You're pregnant." I said smiling but she didn't have a smile on her face.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy?"

"Blaze, I can't bring a baby into this world." she said throwing the tests behind some rocks.

"Yes you can. I know it will be hard but we all can pitch in and help you."

"What about the dangers I'll put this baby in? What if I'm not a good mother?" she questioned herself.

"Stop it Payge. I know you're going to be the best mother in the world. Even though this world has gone to hell in a handbasket."

"How am I supposed to tell Matt?" she asked looking to me for answers.

''If it was me...I would just come right out and tell him. While I was at the pharmacy I got you some vitamins for the baby. I cleaned them out so we wouldn't have to go back for a while."

"You're still looking out for me after all these years." she said smiling as she wiped a single tear from her eyes.

"It's my job. You're my baby sister. I think you should tell Matt tonight. I mean when you guys have some privacy."

"I think I will." she said and leaned over to hug me.

"Payge you go one!" she jerked her pole and reeled in the rather large fish. I attached it to the line and packed up our things. We walked back into the camp with the huge string of fish and everyone smiled and complimented us. At least today has went with no frustration or chaos.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took me until almost dark to clean the fish Payge and I caught but now everyone's sitting around the fire enjoying the cooked fish. Every now and then I would glance over at Payge and see her holding Matt's arm so she could be closer or maybe even to just get warmer. I wouldn't blame her. It is quite chilly tonight which could only mean one thing. Winter is approaching. Damn! There's another thing I'm going to have to figure out. After I finished my plate, I threw it into the fire and watched as the paper plate slowly melted away.

"So Blaze, what did you do after you came home? I mean before all this shit happened?" Ranger asked as he put his plate into the fire as well.

"Well I worked with Jerry at his gun store and before the world went to shit I was teaching shooting lessons for first time shooters at the firing range."

"I heard about that. It was nation wide news how you raised so much money for wounded Veterans and continued to donate money to the cause." he said smiling.

"It was? I thought it only went on our local station and maybe even other stations in California."

"Nope. The people all over from the West Coast to the East Coast have been talking about it and donating money." We sat around the fire and one by one they all went into their tents for the night leaving Ranger and I to take the first watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Payge's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt and I went to our tent that was placed beside Blaze's. I don't see how she can take watch after driving so much and then going fishing all day.

"Those fish were really good. I think it might have been the best I've ever ate."

"Yeah I know." I said nodding my head.

"Well we better get some sleep. I have the next watch in 3 hours."

"Matt before we go to sleep...I need to tell you something." I said feeling very nervous.

"You can tell me anything sweetheart."

"You remember when Blaze went to that pharmacy when we were in Vegas?" I asked and he nodded.

"I asked her to get me...a pregnancy test."

"A pregnancy test? Baby...are you pregnant?" Matt asked smiling.

"All the tests read positive."

"Baby this is the best news I've ever gotten! I'm going to be daddy!" he said with so much joy in his voice. Matt pulled me close to him and kissed me with so much love and he rubbed my stomach.

"Do you know how far long you are?"

"I think I might be a little over 10 weeks but I'm not really sure." I said smiling.

''Don't you worry none baby. I'll make sure you and the baby are taken good care of." I smiled as he brought my head down on his chest. The sound of his steady heartbeat told me that he wasn't nervous one bit. I smiled and kept listening to that precious beating until I drifted off to sleep.