The way you speak to yourself matters.
The smoke signals created a wall that kept the families in the stands from seeing the platoons that stood behind it. As the music began, you could vaguely hear the marching Marines' footsteps, and the stands fell silent in anticipation.
Kat marched with her squadron and had to work her hardest to keep a straight face because all she could think about was how excited she was to see JJ. She hadn't told anyone that they were sending her to North Carolina for ITC because she couldn't tell them that kind of news in a letter. It had to be done face to face.
She sucked in a deep breath as the fog cleared enough for her to see the stands, and she couldn't hold the straight face anymore. A broad grin made its way to her face, and she silently scanned the large stands for her and JJ's family, but she spotted his perfect smile before anyone else.
"Damn," Kat whispered as she stared at her husband, remembering surviving on the memory of his smile throughout Basic.
"What?" Her friend Dodge asked without looking down at her as they continued to march forward.
"I can see my husband, and damn does he look good!" Kat whispered with a huge smile on her face that she was trying to hide.
"I see her!" JJ exclaimed as he spotted her smile that made his smile even broader.
"Where?" Jacob asked, causing JJ to point to her.
She was surrounded by men because barely any women could stand the intense training they went through for three months. You would have thought that she would be easier to spot in the mass of men because she was the only woman in her platoon, but in uniform, she blended right in.
Her smile was what allowed you to spot her in the sea of men. It was a bright, perfect smile that showed how truly happy she was to have made it this far. This had been her lifelong dream, and Kat made it come true.
She had talked to her superior. After finishing ITC, she would attend UT online if she was deployed after specialized training.
She didn't let her smile waver because she knew that everyone would support her decision. As they came to a stop, she could see all of her family and the pride on their faces.
Her chest swelled with joy as her family looked at her the way they were. She was even more confident that they would support her and wouldn't give her shit about it.
Before they knew it, the ceremony was done, all the recruits had been called Marines for the first time, and everyone was searching for their families. Kat couldn't see her family over all the tall men, so Dodge lifted her up onto his shoulder so she could find them without hesitation.
"There they are!" Kat yelled, just as JJ yelled, "There she is!"
Dodge put her down, and as she ran off, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her. He had no family or friends that had come, so he said he was gladly becoming a part of hers no matter what.
They weaved in and out of the crowd until Kat spotted the goofy, unmistakable smile that belonged to JJ. She stopped dead in her tracks, and a broad smile grew on her face as she stared up at her husband.
Before either realized what happened, she had jumped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around his torso. He kissed her face repeatedly, thus causing her to release a girlish giggle that she hadn't made in three months.
"Guys, this is my friend Dodge, Dodge, this is mine and JJ's crazy large family. I'll let them introduce themselves" Kat smiled once she was standing on her own two feet again.
The joy that was on Dodge's face as he realized how large Kat's family really is was priceless. He seemed to take in all the love they were sending towards him, and it made Kat happy to see that their family was accepting her battle buddy right in. Soon they were all piled into several different SUVs and headed into town for lunch.
After they had been seated, Kat sucked in a deep breath before she spoke.
"Um... Guys, I have something to tell y'all that I didn't want to tell you in a letter," Kat spoke nervously.
"What is it, baby girl?" Mama Hurley asked her daughter.
"I am being sent to North Carolina to attend the Marine Special Operations School so that I am a MARSOC Raider candidate. The Raiders have finally been opened up to women, and that's what I want. I want to be a Raider. I know y'all have been missing me and miss seeing my face every day, but I have to do this" Kat spoke with pride in her voice and written all over her face at knowing what she wanted to do with her life.
"How much longer will you be gone?" JJ asked his wife.
"Nine months," Kat sighed, knowing it was going to be very difficult for them.
"If this is what you want, then I will support you one hundred percent, Texas. You support my crazy work schedule, and I promised you that I would do the same for you. We are a team for the rest of our lives, baby, and a part of being a team is supporting each other" JJ smiled reassuringly at Kat.
"Thank you, JJ," Kat smiled, "this time things will be different. Y'all can text me, and when I'm done with classes, you can Skype me, so you don't have to worry about waiting for letters to get to me. However, I really would like it if y'all still write to me because I like actually being able to hold what you've told me in my hands."
"I'm proud of you, Rosie. You are growing up into an amazing woman, and I know that this is what you are supposed to do," Mama Hurley smiled at her daughter.
"Thanks, mom" Kat smiled back.
They enjoyed the time they had together that March day because the family wouldn't get her back until November unless they gave her deployment papers.
None of them thought that nine months could turn into almost two years really quickly, but they all knew that they would be able to handle it if it happened. At the end of the day, JJ and Kat crawled into their hotel bed together.
"I missed this," Kat whispered as she listened to JJ's heart.
"I did too, baby," JJ replied, kissing her forehead.
"My superiors promised the only reason I would deploy is if we go to war. Let's pray that we won't be going to war within the next nine months," Kat told her husband as she got even closer to him.
"I really hope we don't go to war any time soon. Are you going to go to school after you graduate from Raider school?" JJ asked his wife as he pulled her even closer to him.
"Yeah, I'll be doing online at UT" Kat smiled up at JJ before giving him a kiss.
"Good, Coach will be happy to know that he gets to keep one of his best trainers once she gets back from school. The guys actually keep asking me about you" JJ smiled back at her.
"I'm glad. What have the guys been asking about?" Kat asked with a yawn.
"How are you? When are you coming home? When do we have kids? Stuff like that," JJ smirked as he saw Kat's eyes starting to drift shut.
"Well, to answer the kids' question. We have to wait two years before having kids. It's regulation," Kat replied sleepily.
"I figured that much. Two years and we get mini-mes. I say we do private school when they get old enough for school" JJ spoke more to himself since he knew Kat was falling asleep.
"No private schools unless they want to go to private school. Public school in Texas is fine, and we can work with the staff to ensure their security is the best," Kat replied with her eyes shut.
"Alright, but they are most definitely going to college unless they enlist. There is no question about that," JJ replied.
"What if they want to become actors, singers, dancers, or something of that nature?" Kat smirked in her half-sleep state.
"Fine, we will support whatever they want to do, but I want them to have the childhood we had, not one of getting whatever they want," JJ yawned.
"Let's face it, JJ, you're going to spoil your little girl if we have one, and then the boys are going to get spoiled too because you'll hate for things to be unfair" Kat smirked again.
"How are you having a fully coherent conversation with me when you are half asleep?"
"When do you think I wrote to you, babe?"
"Okay, that makes sense," JJ smirked.
"Good night, Wisconsin," Kat murmured.
"Good night, Texas," JJ murmured back.
Next Morning
JJ stood on the tarmac with Kat before she boarded the plane to fly to North Carolina. Even though he felt severe pain from watching her leave yet again, he knew this is what they signed up for. This is what they promised they would work past to stay together.
JJ could see the tears that brimmed Kat's eyes, but he knew she would not allow them to fall because she was in uniform. As the other Raider candidates began to board the plane, JJ leaned down to his wife's lips and gave her a kiss that would hold her over for the next nine months.
"I love you, Texas. Your job is to fight for our country. My job is to love and support you. Thank you for being my hero. I pledged my love to a Marine and to the platoon with which you stand. Each deployment you're away from home, I gain pride and appreciation for all. Just know that no matter what, I'll be here waiting for you. You are my Queen, and I will always have your back as your King. Now go and kick some ass and become one of the first female Raiders" JJ smiled down at Kat.
"I love you too, Wisconsin. Thank you for your words because I really needed them. I'll call you when I am settled into my barracks" Kat smiled back before giving JJ one last within regulations kiss and ran to catch her flight.
"I'll make sure she comes home in one piece, JJ. You have that promise from me," Dodge smiled at JJ as he bro-hugged him goodbye.
"Thanks, man. Knowing Kat, she's going to make sure you come back in one piece, too. You have earned the trust of a woman that trusts no one, and because she trusts you, she will have your back for the rest of time" JJ smiled back at Dodge.
"Good to know," Dodge grinned as he jogged to the plane.
"Dodge, remember you have a home in mine and Kat's house. The door is always open to you, so make sure when y'all graduate you come home with her," JJ called.
"Thank you!" Dodge yelled back and ran onto the plane.
The next nine months were going to be difficult for JJ and Kat, but it would be just a glimpse into what life would be like when she was officially active.
Their relationship may have been young, but it was as strong as Grandma and Grandpa Hurley's relationship.
I'm healing from shit, chilling from shit, and dealing with shit... ALL at the same time.