Saved By Grace

Chapter 40

"Don't worry Grace. Joe said she is fine." Loni tried to reassure the redhead as they made their way to the gate to wait for the plane to land.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Jess asked.

"He said she took a bullet in the side of her helmet." Loni watched Grace. She hadn't told her over the phone because she wanted to assure her face to face that Liza was okay. "It just knocked her out. He said that if she hadn't bent over to pick up a picture she dropped that it would have been worse."

"A picture?" Cali asked.

"Yes. She dropped a picture and bent over to pick it up just as the sniper shot. A picture of Grace."

They all turned to watch as the plane landed and taxied to a stop. They were too far away to make out faces but they could see the soldiers unload and line up.

Liza searched the crowd as they approached the hanger. She smiled when her eyes locked with Grace's. She chuckled quietly as she watched Cali and Jess struggle to hold on to the redhead as she dismissed her squad. As soon as the squad broke formation they surrounded Liza to tell her goodbye for the final time.

She finally managed to push her way out of the group only to be surrounded immediately by her family. She slipped out of her ruck and wrapped her arms around Grace. Each woman burying their faces in each other's necks as they cried.

"I love you." Liza whispered as she dried Grace's tears.

"I love you too."

As Liza hugged the rest of her family Grace pulled Erin into their group to be hugged and welcomed home. They all made their way over to the parking lot as they discussed who was riding with whom.

"Erin can ride with David and I." Rachel said.

"Okay, then it's settled. We'll head home and the rest of you will get there later today." Cali clarified.

Loni and Rachel nodded in agreement.

Liza put her gear in the back of her truck then unbuttoned her shirt. She winced a little as she slipped the shirt from her shoulders to toss it in the backseat with Meg and Cali. She got in the passenger side with Grace in the middle and Jess driving.

Grace turned, placing her hand on Liza's cheek, urging her in for a kiss. "Welcome home Soldier Girl."

Liza moaned as she deepened the kiss.

"Alright you two, save it for tomorrow night." Meg laughed.

"Tomorrow night?" Liza asked. "Why tomorrow night?"

"Yea, why tomorrow night?" Grace asked too.

"Because we're dropping Liza off to her dad's as soon as we get to town." Cali answered.

"Why?" Liza asked.

"You can't see each other until tomorrow for the wedding." Meg answered.

"What?" Both women asked at the same time.

"You have the ride home together then we're splitting you up until tomorrow." Jess said. "The wedding is all set."

"Did you know?" Liza asked Grace.

She shook her head no.

"You've planned everything? How?" Liza asked.

"Loni and Rachel helped. Everyone will be at the farm at ten in the morning then we'll have a reception at the bar later in the day. It's all set up." Cali answered.

"Did you pick a dress?" Liza asked Grace.

"I picked one out but I didn't buy it."

"Rachel has it as well as mine and hers." Meg offered.

"And Loni has your outfit along with mine and Jess's." Cali added.

"It was fun planning this with neither of you knowing about it. Consider it our wedding gift to the both of you." Jess said. "Liza, your dad wants to give you away."

After a moment of thinking about it she answered, "That's fine."

"Loni said Joe would love to walk Grace down the aisle." Meg suggested.

Grace laughed, "I'd like that."

Liza picked up Grace's hand and held the palm to her lips, "Are you ready for this?"

"Yes." She answered before kissing the brunette's lips.

Liza hissed in pain when Grace rested her head on Liza's chest.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

She gently laid her hand in the spot, feeling some sort of bandage beneath Liza's t-shirt. "Joe didn't say anything about any other injuries other than your head."

"It's nothing. I'm fine. I'll show you later."

"Show me now."

"Later. Or well, I guess tomorrow."

"Bashful about taking your shirt off?" Meg asked.

"Of course not."

"Then show me." Grace repeated.

Liza pecked Grace's lips, "Later."

Grace released her seatbelt and turned in the seat until she was straddling Liza's lap.

"Liza Dawes, I will not wait until tomorrow night."

Liza sighed, "Okay but first I have to tell you something."

Grace pulled Liza's cap off and tossed it to Meg in the backseat. She fisted her hand in Liza's hair, turning her head to see where Joe had said she had been grazed. "Joe said you didn't get hurt that bad."

"No I didn't. This isn't an injury." Liza replied as she rested her hands on Grace's hips.

"Then what is it?" Grace asked as she pulled Liza's t-shirt out of the waistband of her pants.

"I'll get to it." Liza laughed, trying to grab the redhead's hands. "Let me explain first."

"Then explain already." Grace said impatiently.

"Okay. Joe told you how I got hurt right?"

"Well Loni did but yes. He said that if you hadn't bent over to pick up Grace's picture when you did that you probably wouldn't be here." Cali answered skeptically.

"I didn't believe it at first either. The impact knocked me out but I did remember having your picture in my hand. Anyway, Dalton and Sloan both said the same thing."

"So what does that have to do with your chest hurting?" Jess asked.

Liza laughed again, "I'm getting to it."

"Get to it faster." Meg demanded.

"We got stateside yesterday afternoon right? Well, after I emailed you, the guys kidnapped me. The next thing I knew I was being drug into a tattoo shop."

"You didn't?" Grace asked.

"I didn't get drunk first this time." Liza said as she laid her hand gently over the area in question. "It seemed like the thing to do and I don't regret it one bit."

"Getting a tattoo on your chest was the thing to do?" Jess questioned.

"Not just on my chest, but over my heart." Liza corrected as she looked in Grace's eyes.

"Let me see." Grace softly demanded.

Liza leaned forward to allow Grace to pull her shirt up and off. Grace gently reached for the edge of the bandage just above Liza's breast. She slowly pulled the bandage off as she stared into Liza's eyes. When the bandage was gone, she looked down at the small scripted words.

Tears filled her eyes as she softly read the tattoo out loud, "Saved By Grace."