Our Little Infinity

Arctic

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Skylar's Point Of View
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*One Year Later...*

Aspen was suppose to come back home after a year, except now they passed a law that if you were enrolled in the United States Army you have to serve two years or more. Aspen's doing three... He's come home to visit once throughout this year, and with a heavy heart I wish I could say it was more than three days. He came home and spent three days with us for Christmas. Mira was ecstatic to see her daddy again, even if it was for a short time. 

It was much more harder to say goodbye to him this time, due to the fact we wouldn't be seeing him for another year and a half. He already had his next scheduled visit, it was just before his last year serving. 

Other than that, Life was easy. Mira was three now, and with Aspen serving in the army I didn't have to pay the mortgage on our house for four years. I continued my job owning the book store with Stephen, and spent nights and weekends with the lynch's. Mira, Milo and Kota would stay with Rydel during the day's I worked and when I got home around five every night I would have some me time to freshen up, watch my soap opera before Rydel and the rest of the Lynch's came over with Mira. 

Rydel was now married to Ellington, Riker has been in a long relationship with Savannah, Ryland is with the other Savannah, and Rocky is with someone but he has yet to talk about her or have us meet her. Ross... Well Ross had a girlfriend for about a month before he left her. Her name was Emily, she was a very sweet woman and I felt bad for her when Ross couldn't feel for her like she felt for him. I knew it was because of me, and the longer he was around me the more he couldn't move on. 

* * *
Six Month's Later
~Arctic by Sleeping at Last~
-Search it up and play it when it says-

Aspen's Point of View
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As we geared up for the field Cory and I had a long conversation on how dangerous this mission was. Two of our teammates had already been captured by the enemy, a new terrorist group that arose two months ago, and yet we were still going in. I turned to Cory who was near a full blown panic attack. He trusted me with everything and I wouldn't let him down now. 

"Hey, Hey listen to me." I grabbed both of his arms lightly. "we will be fine out there. We have a good team behind us." I paused again and looked him in the eyes. Cory and I were the leaders of our team, which happened to be the best team the army had at this point in time. "Here." I told him taking my necklace off and putting it in his hands. It was a cross locket I wore as my good luck charm. He knew what laid inside of it, a picture of Skylar and Mira. 

"I can't accept-" Cory began to speak. Cory was younger than me by four years, but him and I were best friends since we first met back in our biology class in high school. Him and I connected in a brotherly way and I loved him like one. He knew I would protect him no matter what circumstances came our way. 

"Cory. Keep it on you for this mission." I cut him off pushing his hand back to his chest. Cory nodded, slipping the necklace around his neck. We finished gearing up and met the rest of our team outside the base where we would run through our plan. 

"alright. This is a dangerous mission men, stay close and be careful out there. And if anything goes wrong in the slightest bit, evacuate immediately. You have your orders, now lets go out there and kick some ass." I smiled at my team as they nodded and slipped on their helmets.

~Music cues now~

 I looked at Cory gently slapping my hand on his back. "let's go get our mates back." I told him before giving him a brotherly hug. "I promise we'll be okay." He looked at me with worried eyes before nodding at me. We slipped our helmets on and lead the team away from our secure base. 

As we neared the shelter I watched Cory become agitated. He couldn't seem to calm down. 

"Aspen I don't like this feeling man." Cory gulped looking at me as I lead our team into the shelter. 

"I promise I'll protect you." I replied as we all held our guns tightly in our hands. We walked into the center of the room scanning the place. 

"Aspen something's not right here." Cory spoke through the comms. 

"Commander I don't thin-" One of my mates spoke before gun shots echoed through the building. We all ducked and ran for shelter. 

"Get Down!" I shouted. There was nothing we could hide behind or under, the room was empty and this was a trap. As bullets flew at my men and I, I scanned the room with my gun searching for someone to shoot but I couldn't spot anyone. I turned and watched as Cory scanned the room as well. He moved slightly to shoot at someone who was running towards us. I looked at the man and back to Cory. "CORY GET DOW-" I tried screaming but it was too late. He had been tackled. These terrorist were always one step ahead of us. Someone jumped on my back and another grabbed at the front of my neck. I threw the one on my back off and to the ground, grabbing him and hitting the other using his body. Another came at me with a knife, and as I began to defend myself I saw Cory fighting another man. I stabbed the man trying to kill me and watched as Cory also ended the life of the terrorist trying to kill him. I was tackled by another man and watched Cory struggle to save his own life. He couldn't stand up to the larger man he faced. 

"Aspen!" He cried for my help when the man was near killing him. 

"No Cory!" I shouted as another larger one tried pulling me in the other direction. There were to many of them for us to keep up. Multiple of our other teammates were either already dead or soon to be. I wouldn't let the rest of my team down. I had to do something. I flung the larger man off me and grabbed my gun shooting the one holding Cory down. Cory stood to his feet and nodded at me with a smile. It was then I watched a bullet penetrate Cory's neck... "Cory!" I shrieked and ran towards him as he fell to the ground. A man came running at me but I was quick to stab him and dive towards Cory. 

Ignoring the bullets flying past me I pulled him into my arms. Blood flooded from his neck as he began to choke. Tears were coming to my eyes as I knew the results that would occur any second. I couldn't loose my best friend. 

"Aspen-" He coughed. 

"It's okay, You're okay. I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you right. I promise you'll be okay. You're okay! I'm going to take care of you. " I sobbed as I watched the life drain from his eyes and felt his body go limp in my arms. "Cory!" I screamed and hugged his body to mine. "I'm so sorry..." I had just lost my best friend...

Before I even had time to process what just happened two men pinned me down and managed to chain my hands and feet. As they did so I watched one other teammate of mine being kidnapped. All the rest were already gone... Flames ignited through the building as they tried to drag me towards the door. 

"Cory!" I shouted again not taking my eyes off of his lifeless body. I watched the flames take it over before I began to choke on the smoke...