Salute {Leah Clearwater}⁴

forty - i was never gone

Josiah raised his head from his mother's neck to look at brother. After making eye contact with him, Paul broke. He wrapped his arms around both his mother and his brother— sobs escaping his trembling lips. The Lahote-Allen family stayed embraced in each other's arms. Welcoming back their lost son and brother.

It took a while before the family broke apart and Josiah was able to explain what had happened, excluding what he went through in the basement cell they kept him in. He also explained his current situation regarding his case.

They didn't look at him any different after he showed them his missing leg and fingers; although his mother did cry while gently running her fingers over his injuries. It hurt her to see her son in such condition.

"I'm just really glad to see you again," Paul spoke up, his voice cracking with emotion, "I really missed you."

"I missed you too baby brother." Josiah pulled him for another hug, kissing his head after pulling away.

His mother placed her palms against his cheeks and simply stared at her son with a smile and silent tears streaming down her face.

"Mom..." Josiah placed his hand over her mom's.

Rubbing her thumbs against his cheekbone, Mary kissed both of his cheeks, "I love you my son."

Smiling back softly, Josiah replied, "I love you too momma..."

All of a sudden his mother pulled away with a gasp, making Josiah rais his eyebrows in confusion. "You need to go see Leah. Now!"

Hearing her name made Josiah's heart race. Just at the thought of seeing her made his heart clench. He missed her terribly.

"She should be home right now," Paul added, "She doesn't really go out much since... you know..."

The thought of Leah staying home crying because of him made him frown. He needed to see her.

Leah laid on her bed, like any other day. Contemplating whether or not she should put in effort to do something productive for the day. All she wanted to do was stay in bed for the rest of the day but the thought of Liam scolding her for not eating and getting some sunlight made her crack a smile. It helped her get out of bed and walk to the kitchen where she grabbed some chocolate pudding and a water bottle from the fridge.

Turning on the tv, Leah made herself comfortable on the couch with her pudding and watched whatever was on. Thoughts of Josiah invaded her mind like they always did when she had nothing to keep her mind from drifting. Smiling sadly at the thought, she wiped away a tear that managed to roll down her cheek.

And just like that her mood dampened. Her heart ached every time his light brown eyes and bright smile made their way inside her head― which usually caused her to fall into a depressive episode. But not today. She refused to let it get to her. She wanted―needed―to be able to carry Josiah with her without wanting to break down every time she thought of him.

'I need to get some air.' Sighing, the Clearwater girl got off the couch, threw away her finished pudding before putting on her shoes and walking out the door.

The sight in front of her made her stop. Everything seemed to stop.

Leah Clearwater couldn't move or speak. She was frozen in place as she continued to stare at the person standing in front of her. Was she dreaming? When had she fallen asleep? It was like any other dream that she had each night and caused her to wake up with an empty feeling at the pit of her stomach. But now the dream seemed real.

Her imprint, Josiah Lahote, the love of her life, and the person that she thought was dead was standing just a couple of feet away from her. It had to be a dream.

"I made you a promise, didn't I?."

Leah choked back a gasp. She knew it was a dream, but she couldn't help herself from running up to him, colliding, and wrapping her arms around him: one hand wrapped around his waist while the other across his back to his opposite shoulder. Her dreams always seemed to end before she could reach him but this time it didn't.

As if he was reading her mind, Josiah whispered in her ear, "It's not a dream..."

Hearing his voice caused Leah's eyes to widen, her heart racing. Pulling away, the short haired girl placed her ear right against Josiah's chest. The sound of his beating heart watered her eyes as tears began blurring her vision.

She wasn't dreaming.

Not holding back anymore, Leah let all of her emotions pile out. Her grip tightened against her imprint as sobs fell from her lips and disrupted the peaceful silence in the forest. Her cries broke the soldier's heart in two― tightening his hold on her as well.

Leah screamed, cried, sobbed, and shook from the overwhelming emotions that overtook her body. Josiah simply held her in his arms. They didn't know how long they stood outside and they didn't care. All they wanted to do is stay like that forever without letting each other go.

Josiah was the first to pull away to caress Leah's face in his hands, to look her straight in her puffy, red eyes and lean in. Taking her lips against his; their kiss said everything. All the heartache, the pain, and the suffering they both went without each other.

"I love you." Josiah whispered against her lips, breathless after pulling away from their kiss.

Leah's smile widened and with teary eyes she said it back, "And I love you."

Pulling her in for another passionate kiss, Josiah couldn't help but smile. A beatific smile that showed how content he was in that moment. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Leah pulled her imprint closer, deepening the kiss.

Everything in her life seemed to fall back into place. She felt complete again. And most importantly: she had her imprint back.