For Love, For Honor - #SYTYCW15 #CarinaPress

Part XIII - Chapter 12

It was when he finally heard Julie's voice that he knew for sure. And after their talk, he was hopeful she felt it too.

The day of the attack, Tyler had never felt more useless. Helpless was probably more accurate. Half way across the globe, there was nothing he could say or do to save someone he loved. Not that she really needed saving. The irony was, while he was busy mopping up floodwater in Indonesia, she was on a battlefield, saving the life of a wounded Marine.

When he was finally able to watch the news footage of the event, it made him sick to his stomach. In all there were three wounded, including Patterson's friend, and four Marines that lost their lives taking out the crazed gunman. The entire country was mourning their loss.  He knew why those men had charged the terrorist. Hell, every one of the men in his unit would have done it. And he knew—for the first time in his life, without a shred of doubt—that he would have done the same.

Kicking back on his rack, he was trying to use the few hours he had off-duty to sleep, but his mind refused shut down. As if on cue, Patterson appeared in the doorway calling his name.

"What's up?"

"Staff Sergeant wants to see us. Double time."

Tyler groaned as he pushed himself off the bunk. What now?

They were headed for the Quonset hut that housed officers when a Humvee pulled up along side them.

"Stevens? Patterson?"

"Sir, yes sir," they chimed in unison.

The Staff Sergeant stepped from the vehicle along with a Second Lieutenant Tyler had never seen before.

"We've got new orders for you two." He handed each of them a computer printout and continued, "You'll be detached, on loan to Three Twenty Four."

The Staff Sergeant looked them over for a reaction. "The reserve unit in Indiana?"

Tyler did a double take. "Indiana, sir?"

"Stevens, The Commandant of the Marine Corps is awarding your young lady the Navy Superior Civilian Service medal in a ceremony right before the funeral service for two of the Marines killed. You and Patterson here are assigned Honor Guard detail for the funerals. There will be four of them in total, spread out over a ten-day period. Think you can handle that?

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Report to motor pool at oh six hundred. Lieutenant Ames. And guys," he lowered his sunglasses, peering over the rims. "For god sakes, relax."

As the Humvee pulled ahead, Patterson turned to Tyler, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"We get to go home. For ten days. My parents are gonna lose it!"

"I've never been to Indiana. Guess I get to see what all the fuss is about, huh?"

"You get to meet the family then. Have fun with that. You know, in Indiana the fathers of hotties like your girl are packin'," he winked then added, "And it's legal."

Tyler hadn't considered that. This whole thing had his thoughts turned upside down.

"I'd guess I have to sooner or later. Might as well get it over with..."

Packing up his gear didn't take long, but it took four flights and eighteen hours just to get back to base. He and Patterson weren't much more than glorified cargo on a couple of the legs. They only had an eight-hour layover in Hawaii, then they'd hop a commercial flight to the mainland. It was just long enough to pack their dress blues, get a haircut, and call home. It was going to be a long phone call.