My Hero

Chapter 8

"PHOENIX MAIL!" I jumped out of bed and bolted downstairs.

"Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme!" I wiggled my fingers in front of the letter. I ripped it open and read it.

'Hi baby! I miss you sosososo much! I wish I could be there with you! This spot right here

->

I cried as I read the letter in the living room. I looked up to see Sage, Nico and Dylan standing in the doorway giving me an odd look. I laughed slightly and wiped my nose.

"Does someone know where I can get pen and paper? My daddy wrote me." Nico and Dylan's facial expression changed into recognition. Sage walked away into another room and came back with a couple sheets of paper and a pen.

"Thank you." I said quietly, and started writing on the paper while the boys joined me and watched tv.

'Hi daddy.

I love you and miss you so much! Please don't get hurt! And most of these boys are great! I'm really close to Dylan and Nico. Dylan's my best friend and me and Nico played a game of questions so we're a lot closer.' I get up off the couch and move to sit on the floor and write on a table across the room, I don't want anyone snooping.

'I found out that Sage has ADHD too! We don't really talk cause he can't control himself so he's really mean and yells a lot. And don't ask who I like daddy! I've only been here a week! Maybe ask in the next couple if letters ;) I love you so much! Ooh I finally told somebody the story about momma and it felt sooo good to get it off my chest! I told Nico and he was soo supportive! I love you soo much! Please stay safe! You're my hero!

Love, Phoenix!'

My kiss ->

I fold the letter and stick it in my pocket to give to Emily later to mail. I get up and go and sit in between Nico and Dylan.

"What are we watching?" Dylan didn't take his eyes off of me as he answered.

"How I Met Your Mother, ever watched it?" I nodded, cuddling into his arm.

"Every night me and my dad would make popcorn and sit in the couch and watch it."

"Sounds intriguing." I touched his arm a couple times.

"Shh it's back on." He chuckled and layed further into the couch and got comfy. I scoot closer to his arm but fall asleep instantly.

I look around and see grass and dirt and men in camo everywhere. Guns, bombs, grenades. But then I see him.

My daddy.

"DADDY!" I yell, running towards him, but he doesn't hear me. He's shooting someone with his gun. No one seems to hear or see me at all.

As soon as I get close enough to him, I hear a very loud noise and I go flying!

A searing pain shoots through me as I sit up to find my daddy. And I find him laying dead on the ground.

"NO!" I scream, as I'm jostled awake.

"Phoenix! PHOENIX!" I open my wet eyes wide and look around frantically to see all the guys looking at me, worry written in their eyes. Nico has his hands on my left shoulder and Dylan on my right. I whipped my eyes and nose and got up looking around frantically.

"Whaa what? I'm fine." I stuttered, running out of the room in a random direction.

"Phoenix stop!" Nico yells, stepping in front of me and stopping me with his arms. I turned to try and run the other way, but Dylan was there.

"Can you guys just--"

"No! What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You were screaming in your sleep!" Nico yelled. "And it wasn't good screaming like my name." I rolled my eyes.

"It was nothing." I mumbled. "Just a bad dream, a very bad dream." I whispered. I ran past the guys while they were busy thinking about what I said.

"Phoenix!" I heard them both yell.

"Lemme talk to her." I heard Nico mumble.

"Fine." Dylan muttered back. I heard footsteps run after me as I tried to find my room.

"Babe stop!" Nico mumbled as he caught me around the waist. I whip around and face him, tears streaming down my face.

"Why should I? I just want to go and cry!" I yelled at him.

"Then let me be with you." He whined softly. I sighed.

"I don't like letting people see me cry." I retorted.

"Well too bad cause I'm about to see you cry." He took my hand and led me in the opposite direction, I went the wrong way. He led me up the stairs and down the hall to the room on the right, his room.

As soon as I stepped in, I started crying, and Nico's arms wrapped around me. I let out a short, breathy laugh. He pulled back and smiled, giving me a confused look.

"What?" I shook my head.

"Nothing just this is our first hug."

"Oh?" I smiled.

"No it's good. I like it." I whisper. After a couple minutes, I had calmed down.

"I saw him, in my dream. But as soon as I called his name, a bomb went off and I went flying, he was dead." I tapped my pockets. "Wait where's my phone?! I need it in case he ever calls!" I ran out of the room and found i, no missed calls.

"I can assure you, he's not dead." Nico told me when I came back in the room. I nodded my head.

"I know it just felt so real! I could swear I felt the pain when I flew!" He gave me a soft smile, casually taking my hand and leading to the couch in the room to sit. As soon as I sat, my phone started ringing.

Blocked.

I looked up at Nico expectantly. He smiled and nodded.

"Hello?"

"Baby? It's daddy." Tears ringed my eye as I reached for Nico's hand for support.

"It's me daddy. I got your letter today." I could almost hear him smile, I scooted closer to Nico, not sure if I could take this anymore.

"That's good baby, but that's why I called." He said softly, I could hear strange noises in the background.

"What?" I said almost breathlessly.

"I called to say goodbye Phoenix. We're in fox holes right now." That's exactly when the tears came, and they came hard.

"Oh."

"I love you so much baby! More than anything!"

"I love you more daddy! Please be safe daddy! I want you to come home so I can introduce you to these boys!" He laughed.

"I'll try my damn hardest Phoenix, you know I will. And I have to meet these boys! One of them could be my future son-in-law right?" I laughed.

"Sure daddy. And I know you will. I love you daddy! I miss you soo much."

"I love you more Phoenix, and I miss you as well!"

"Please be safe daddy. Don't leave me." I say quietly, feeling the tears come harder. I hear him choke as he starts to cry.

"I would never baby." There's a pause and loud, ear splitting noise. "Shit baby I love you! I have to go."

"Oh I love you daddy! Please be safe and come home bye." Then the phone went dead. I sat there frozen, staring at the soft material on the couch. Suddenly, I found my self turned on the couch, looking at Nico's chest.

"Come here." He said softly, as I melted into his arms, crying.

"Nico?"

"Yeah Nix?"

"Please just promise me he won't die? I can't loose him, he's all I got left." He waited a moment.

"I promise."