Leigh POV
"Leigh are you okay?"
"No dad I'm not my boyfriend is in surgery."
"Boyfriend!?"
"Yes, Corporal Derek Young is my boyfriend we've been talking since you were 'dead'. So you don't have the right to be mad. I love him, you can't decide who I'm with or not! Mom hasn't been with anyone since you were gone. Mom approves of my relationship so much so that she has allowed me to move in with him!"
"You're right I don't have the right to be mad or decide who you're with and if your mother approves I'll approve but how are you able to live on base?"
"I'm your daughter that's how. Derek told me that he told the Marines that I'm your daughter and because of what you did I'm able to live with him. Even though you are alive even if you go back to the Marines after this I'm still going to live with Derek and help him." I went off on him. Derek is the love of my life and right now he's injured. He loves the Marines it's a big part of his life. If he doesn't have the Marines I don't know what he will do if he loses them.
"You're becoming a strong and independent woman."
"Thank you dad but there's something I have to tell you I have ADPKD. It's a genetic mutation but it means autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease."
"Oh my, what are you going to do?"
"I've decided to become a doctor, I want to work at the hospitals on military bases."
"I'm proud of you."
"Thank you dad again. Uncle John, how are you?"
"Just a sprain wrist and a few bruised ribs."
"That's good to hear brother."
"I'm happy you're alive Blake."
"I am too but did you know about her relationship with Derek?"
"Yes because they live next door."
"Hey, dad I'm going to go pack my stuff up and then go pack Derek's."
"Okay, I'll come to get you once he's out."
I honestly just wanted to get away from my family, yes I know I just got my dad back, but I can't deal with him right now. I started packing but then I found a necklace Derek gave me before he deployed.
~what it looks like~
He said one heart is his and the other is mine. That our hearts are combined and that he's no longer living for God but for me because I'm part of his life. I put it on I didn't have it on because it's not safe to go into a war zone with a necklace like that on. I started to cry but then Agent Thompson came in.
"Hey, are you okay Leigh?"
"No the love of my life is in surgery and I found the necklace he gave me before his deployment."
"It's a beautiful necklace."
"It is."
"Do you need anything or any help?"
"Yes, can I have a hug, Agent Thompson?"
"Yes but please call me Ashley."
"Okay, Ashley thank you for this I really needed a hug that's not from family."
"I know that feeling but let me help you pack okay?"
"Okay once I'm done I have to go pack Derek's stuff but I can ask one of his buddies to help."
"I'll come with you okay? And I bet if you can't find something his buddies will help or if something is missing they'll give it to you."
"Yeah."
So we finished packing my stuff we went to go pack Derek's stuff but when I got there I was surprised he was already packed.
"Hello, Leigh I'm Corporal Alex Cooper. I just thought with everything going I would pack his stuff up for you."
"Thank you, Corporal."
"Your welcome but please call me Alex, Derek has told me a lot about you."
"Really? Are you his friend?"
"Yeah he talks about you a lot I'm actually his best friend. He just wanted to spend the most time with you so that's why you haven't met me."
"Thank you for being here for him and would you like to meet Major General Kalahan?"
"It would be an honor ma'am."
"Alex call me Leigh please I hate being called ma'am."
So we went to find my dad.
"Hey, baby girl who's this?"
"Dad this is Corporal Alex Cooper, he's Derek's best friend."
"It's an honor to meet you, General."
"Likewise."
"Dad, be nice you may see him more."
"Okay, anything for you."
"Leigh Kalahan?"
"Yes is he out of surgery?"
"Yes, you can go sit with him until the chopper gets here."
"Thank you."
"Hey go sit with him I'll go find out the information on the chopper."
"Thanks, dad."
Derek is most likely not going to be awake yet but when he wakes up I want to be right by his side. I know if the positions were reversed he would do the same.
"Hey babe it's me I don't know if you can hear me but I'm here for you, right next to you. The surgeon said the surgery went well, but you most likely won't be back to work until October. If you're wondering why it's because you're right arm and left leg are broken, you most likely have a concussion, your left wrist looks to be sprained. You were hit the worse the reason you were in surgery was because of shrapnel that was in your abdomen so you were bleeding badly. That's all I know for now but I promise you I'll be here with you and for you every step of the way."
Derek POV
I could hear her talking she was telling me about the surgery when I'll be back, what my injuries are, and telling me that she'll be here for me. I want to wake up or move something.
"Babe please don't try to wake up yet knowing you, you want to wake up but you need to sleep for now. We are going on a chopper soon with a few other people including my dad and myself. Then from the chopper, they are putting us on a plane to the US where we can get the best care. Don't worry about your stuff it's packed and ready, Corporal Alex Cooper packed it and apparently you talk about me a lot to him." I chuckled that asshole told her but at least she met him. I know Leigh and I aren't perfect in our faith, we cuss but we don't do it often.
"Leigh the chopper is here."
"Okay, Dad looks like we're leaving now babe. I'm right here with you all the way." I could tell we were getting close to the chopper because of the sound. It's hard to tell the time when you're asleep but Leigh started to talk to me more once we landed and then we got into a plane.
"You ready to go home, Derek?" Yes, I am so much.
"You love him a lot don't you?"
"Yes I do dad he's the one." You're the one for me also.
"Well you have my blessing to marry him, he's a good Marine and an even better person."
"Everyone please put your seat belts on we are preparing for landing." Yes, I'm finally home I just need to open my eyes. Come on I want to wake up.
"Leigh?"
"Babe I'm right here." There were some tears in her eyes and dried tears on her face, she was crying over me? No one other than my mother has cried over me getting hurt, not even my past girlfriends. They didn't understand Marine life and were kinda mean when I got hurt. Once Leigh and I got into the hospital she had her dad go get checked out by another doctor.
"It's good to see your face I heard everything you said I just couldn't open my eyes."
"I'm glad you're okay."
"Will you lay next to me?"
"Yes, I will I've missed this so much."
"Hey, are you okay you have blood on you?"
"Yes I'm okay it's your blood I was using my hands to help stop the bleeding but it looks like I didn't get it all off."
"Thank you, babe."
"Don't ever thank me for saving your life, I can't live without you."
"I can't live without you either. Hey, doc."
When the doc came in she went to stand next to me.
"Derek, how are you feeling?"
"My chest, head, right arm, left leg, left wrist, left knee, and lower abdomen hurt."
"Your chest and abdomen hurt from the shrapnel, your right arm, and left leg are broken. I'll order an MRI for your wrist and knee to see what's wrong then we'll see if you also have a concussion. You're lucky to survive if it wasn't for quick thinking by someone you could have bled out."
"I know who to thank for that."
"Who is the person Derek?"
"My girlfriend Leigh. I told her not to come but she came anyway and I'm glad she did."
"Why did you save him?" The doctor asked Leigh.
"He's the love of my life, the person I can't live without, and he saved me a few months ago my dad was presumed dead and Derek helped me through it. You may know my dad too his name is Major General Kalahan."
"That's a wonderful story and I do know him and he's my next stop."
"Bye doc."
"Bye Derek."
She started to cry a little.
"Baby what's wrong why are you crying?"
"You're injured badly and it's all my fault because we had to get my father."
"It's not your fault it's whoever put the IED there's at fault. It was never your fault. Come here lay next to me." About 15 minutes later she fell asleep and so did I. This was normal for us now, laying beside each other when we sleep. She usually has a nightmare or two every week about her past and I was always there for her, to help her calm down from that nightmare.
Leigh POV
Derek always knows how to comfort me, it's like his superpower because he always knows what I need.
"Ow ow ow ow!"
"Babe, what's wrong?"
"My back hurts a lot."
"Have you been checked out yet?"
"No, because I wanted to be here when you woke up."
"I'm going to call a nurse in and have you checked out." I shot him the I'm mad at you face.
"Hey don't give me that look it's for your well-being. We both don't need to be in a bad condition do we?"
"I mean if we are, we can spend all day together but then there will be people taking care of us."
"We do get to spend all day together."
"I know I'll be taking care of you, which I don't mind."
"So will you please get checked out?"
"Fine."
"Thank you."
The nurse walked in, "Hey, Derek you paged."
"Yes I did my girlfriend has ADPKD and she hasn't been checked out yet, her pain just spiked so I'm worried it could be something worse."
"We'll get her checked out. Ma'am if you would please follow me."
"Of course I love you Derek I'll see you soon."
"I love you too bye baby."
The nurse gave me a look. As she pulled the wheelchair out for me to sit in. "What?"
"It's just you said I love you to your boyfriend."
"Oh and I'm young I get it and you can call me Leigh, but Derek and I have been through a lot the past year. First, my dad 'died' and that's how he and I started talking. Second, a plane crashed when he got back, and third, he got deployed again and he got hurt. I know I'm only 17 but I know I love him."
"Wow, you have been through a lot. Who's your father?" We are making some talk while I'm getting scans done.
"My father is Major General Kalahan."
"Wait the Major General Kalahan, the one who got a silver start for his acts of bravery?"
"Yep."
"My husband joined the Marines because of him."
"Wow, who's your husband?"
"Corporal Alex Cooper."
"Oh my gosh, Derek's best friend so wait that means you know Derek!"
"Guilty Derek was Alex's best man."
"Wow, I'm sorry about Alex getting hurt."
"Hey it's not your fault he actually wanted to go save your father, but now he's home with me for a little while as he heals so there's nothing to be sorry about."
"We should have dinner together sometime, you know maybe as a date night or hangout."
"Yeah we should I'll get to know you better and maybe we can become friends."
"Taylor you are already my friend, but maybe when we both have children they could date, or become best friends."
"Yes, maybe but you would have to get married first and then have a child."
"Yes, I do, don't I," I said laughing a little.
"Everything looks good on your scans, I'll take you back to Derek."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me for doing my job."
"Oh, I will."
"Hey, how does everything look?" Derek asked
"It's all good the scans just show more cysts on my kidneys and so now I'm just waiting on the lab to tell me what my blood is saying."
"Okay hey, Taylor does the doctor that is taking care of her know where she is?"
"Yes, I told them that she is in the same room as Derek Young."
"Thanks, Taylor."
"Your welcome Derek get some rest okay?"
"I will nurse Taylor." I chuckled because Derek was annoyed by what she said.
"Hey, why are you laughing?"
"Why do you care?"
"I'm your boyfriend that's why."
"Well, I was laughing because you're annoyed that you have to rest. When you just got back from deployment."
"You're lucky I love you."
"No, you're lucky I love you." We ended up arguing back and forth about who's lucky.