Lauren Jauregui imagines

Honey, I'm home

"I can't baby. I love you" he sobs

"I love you too. Always and forever?" I ask

"Always and forever" he replies

"Bye honey"

"Bye baby" I end the call and sob into my hands

THE NEXT DAY

Your P.O.V

Have you ever felt like you've done the wrong thing? But it's for the right reason yet you still feel like a dick for doing it? Well that's how I feel now. I lied to Lauren, I am coming home. I'm coming home earlier then I said.

I wanted to surprise her and Josh because I've been gone for so long. I wanted to make them feel better. I wanted to make them both happy. I wanted to see them. So with the help of my fellow navel officers and Lauren's family, I was able to come home early for Josh's birthday and I had a special gift for him as well.

The voice that called me away from Lauren on the phone was my supervisor telling me that my flight was ready.

AFTER THE FLIGHT

I just landed after the long 10 hour journey. It's currently 3am the morning of Josh's birthday I had to call Mike, Lauren's dad, and let him know I've landed so I can stay there for a little while to recover for jet lag before heading to the party.

Mike and Clara have been amazing. They helped me plan the whole thing and even offered to keep Josh's present until I came back

I got got Josh a car for his birthday (the pic above). I knew he had passed his test about 2 months ago but I told Lauren not to buy him a car because we could just put him on our car insurance instead but this was my plan all along

I called Mike to let him know I landed

"Hello?" He asks tiredly

"Hey Mike, sorry to wake you up but I uh I landed just now" I felt bad for waking him up but he insisted on picking me up

"Ok bud I'll be there soon" he hung up. I kind of liked the fact that he called me 'bud' it made me feel like his son. After my dad died a few years ago Mike always treated me like his son, he did before but now it's different. He was skeptic about me and Lauren because of my job but now he realises how much we love each other and how much we want to make this work.

A few minutes later Mike arrived and we drove to his and Clara's house. Chris lives down the road with his girlfriend, Zoe, and their twin daughters, Crystal and Mia. Taylor, however, Taylor went through a rough patch but now she's alright.

When she was 18 years old she got hit by a car and was in a coma for and entire year. Once she got out she met some guy named Ryan. They were the happiest couple I'd ever seen and he made Taylor forget about what had happened then, then the asshole fucked her and dumped her.

I've never seen anyone so crushed in my entire life, Lauren beat the shit out of him as well as Mike. After him Taylor started doing drugs and drinking her life away. She went to rehab for a few months and got her life back on track. Now she's 27 with an adopted daughter called Ellie. She doesn't need a man according to her but I think she's just scared of letting another man in.

Anyway, we arrive at the Jauregui's and Mike opens the door while I carry my bags into Lauren's old room. I say in the bed and pulled out my wallet that had a scan photo of Josh and a photo of me, Lauren and Josh when I came home the first time. It was the best day of my life. I may have missed the birth but at least I'm here now. And I'm never leaving them again.

I change out of my uniform and into some shorts and top, then I rest my head on a pillow and drop of too sleep.

SKIP TILL 2PM