Long-lost Love...Or So I Thought

*KERRY’S POV*

Jaci just spilled her secret to everyone. I thought she’d never tell anyone because of everything she saw and did. Everyone was shocked to Jaci had been in the army for 6 years. I understand though, I freaked when she told me she joined with Russ after high school. Only Russ went to WestPoint, unlike Jaci, who joined right after graduation. It’s scary when your best friend could die any second and not know it till the following week or two after. But Jaci wanted to do it. She was determined to make Daniel proud. She could’ve made him proud any other way, but decided the SFC was the only way. Mikey was the first to speak.
“I-I-I…wow”
“It’s alright Mikes it takes a while to get used to the idea” I reassured him.
“She said six years, but she’s only 24” He was trying to figure it out.
“She joined right after graduation and…finally got out last November.” I wasn’t going to tell them why she had been discharged. It wasn’t my place.
“She was only 17” Frank murmured.
“Yup and crazy as can be. Ready to blast people to hell quicker than you could say Bob and Fred. Along with her brother and friends.” They looked at me.
“How long have you known her?” Frank asked.
“Since she was 14” Frank looked at me.
“We’ve never met before?”
“I’m not sure” Coby then realized Jaci had been gone for longer than just a normal walk.
“Shoot. Kerry!” I just ignored it.
“She’s prolly just going for longer to cool off” He looked at me.
“She’s probably found the nearest bar and drinking until she hallucinates and talks to Daniel!” She’d only done it once when I was around, but from the sound of it she’s done it a lot around Coby. Only Frank knew who Daniel was. Everyone else was confused.
“Cobe we need to go find her” We were heading toward the door when Frank stopped us.
“Wait! Maybe I should come with you just to you know make sure she’s ok and everything”
“Alright c’mon” I know he probably wouldn’t feel alright till he saw her himself.

*JACI’S POV*

I walked into the bar and immediately liked it. It was called Toxic Explosion, the walls were a deep red and the floor black. There wasn’t any of the normal rap or dance music playing. Instead they were playing bands like Buckcherry, Papa Roach, My Chemical Romance, Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Taking Back Sunday, Good Charlotte, in other words, the good stuff. I walked up to the bar and immediately saw a girl about my age and height with black hair, shocking hazel eyes, and snakebites.
“Hey I’m Jess. What can I get ya?”
“Hey um…” She laughed.
“You knew here?”
“Yea first time”
“Ha ha well how bout the namesake for ya?”
“Alright hit me” She laughed bit quickly made my drink and handed it to me. I grabbed it, took a sip, and smiled.
“So whatcha think?”
“I love it” I smiled at her.
“Good oh and what’s your name?”
“Jaci”
“Cool I’m Jess but you already knew that, so just call me if you need me or anything alright?”
“OK thanks”
“Uh-huh” and she went off to serve the other people here. I just sat there for a while drinking and talking to Jess when my phone went off. “Hello?”
“Jaci? OMG where are you?”
“Jacoby” I muttered knowing they had the whole gang out searching for me.
“Jaci? Are you there? Are you ok?”
“Coby calm down. I’m fine and doing what I want leave me be” I hung up, turned off my phone, and put it back into my pocket where it was going to stay. Jess looked at me sympathetically.
“Boy friend?
“Worse. Best friend who’s annoyingly over-protective” She nodded and laughed. We talked for a little while longer when I heard that stupid whore’s voice again. “Gerard why are we here?”
“Because Kerry threatened to kill me if I didn’t help find Jaci and plus I’m worried about her.”
“You care more about her than me” She whined. I got up, and not letting Gerard respond, kissed him full on the lips in front of Eliza. Then I walked back up to the bar, payed for my drinks, said good bye to Jess and walked out of the bar. I walked back to the hotel and found Brian’s room. He was just lying on his bed watching TV. “Hey B”
“Hey J was up baby?”
“I told them” He immediately knew what I was talking about and motioned for me to come over to the bed. I crawled onto the bed and into his embrace. I laid there curled up against Brian till the hotel phone rang. Brian got up to get it.
“Hello?...Oh hey Frank what’s up man?...Oh Jaci? I don’t know where she is, but I’ll assure where ever she is, she’s perfectly fine, she’s a tough girl and can take care of herself…Well if she’s not back before we leave I’ll go find her ok?...Alright night Frank…bye” Brian looked at me. “You gonna stay here tonight?
“Yeah if you don’t mind”
“If I did would I’ve asked?” I laughed at how stupid I was being. Brian tossed a pair of shorts and a tank top at me. I changed as he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into the bed. I curled up to him. “Brian?”
“Yeah Jac?” I looked him in the eyes.
“Thank you for always being here for me” He smiled and hugged me.
“Your welcome baby” I smiled and hugged him back.
“So what’s up with Frank?”
“Huh? Oh well we’re engaged now”
“Wow that’s awesome Jac. Congrats”
“Thanks Bri” We sat there talking for a while till I started to doze off.
“Let’s go to sleep, yeah?”
“Mkay” I replied lazily as I snuggled into his side.
“I love you Jac”
“I love you too Bri night”
“Night” As we slowly fell asleep, I wondered what it would have been like to have been in the Special Forces for 6 years, and I wondered how everyone would react when they found out where I was for the past 6 years.

He said "Son, have you seen the world?
Well, what would you say if I said that you could?
Just carry this gun and you'll even get paid."
I said "That sounds pretty good."

Black leather boots
Spit-shined so bright
They cut off my hair but it looked alright
We marched and we sang
We all became friends
As we learned how to fight

A hero of war
Yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home
They'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Because it's a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust

I kicked in the door
I yelled my commands
The children, they cried
But I got my man
We took him away
A bag over his face
From his family and his friends

They took off his clothes
They pissed in his hands
I told them to stop
But then I joined in
We beat him with guns
And batons not just once
But again and again

A hero of war
Yeah that's what I'll be
And when I come home
They'll be damn proud of me
I'll carry this flag
To the grave if I must
Because it's a flag that I love
And a flag that I trust

She walked through bullets and haze
I asked her to stop
I begged her to stay
But she pressed on
So I lifted my gun
And I fired away

The shells jumped through the smoke
And into the sand
That the blood now had soaked
She collapsed with a flag in her hand
A flag white as snow

A hero of war
Is that what they see
Just medals and scars
So damn proud of me
And I brought home that flag
Now it gathers dust
But it's a flag that I love
It's the only flag I trust

He said, "Son, have you seen the world?
Well what would you say, if I said that you could?"