*Dan's point of view*
Takes place in World War II
"Hey, everything will be alright Darling," Phil said putting his hand on my knee. He noticed me fiddling with my ring, something I always did when I was nervous.
"But what if you don't make it back?" I whispered putting my forehead to his. Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes. I heard the sound of the train pulling in. The loud brakes hissed on the metal tracks. My heart felt like it dropped to my stomach.
"I'll make it back," Phil reassured me. "I have to," His fingertips pressured my jawline and pulled me closer. His lips enveloped mine in a sad kiss. I could taste the salt from my tears mix with his sweet breath. "I have to go," He stood up, I stood up with him.
"I love you," I said letting go of his hands
"I love you more," He sadly smiled, and followed many others onto the train.
I sat there with a broken heart. We had been talking about him leaving for war for a few months now, but now that the moment was here, I just.. wasn't ready for it.
I took a deep breath and wiped my tears away. I picked a fuzz off my shirt and walked away from the bench I was sitting on. I decided to take the twenty minute walk back to Phil and I's apartment. I hesitated once I got to the door. I already knew it wouldn't be the same once I walked through that door.
I opened it and waited for a few moments. I was greeted by a furry face running to me. She hopped in circles around my feet. I smiled and walked to our couch. She waited at the door.
"Daddy's not coming home for awhile Mila," I whispered, I wiped more tears out of my eyes.
It was like she understood me as she waddled to me, the chain on her collar jingled as she hopped on the couch next to me.
"You know you're not allowed on the couch," I mumbled, laying down. She hopped onto my chest and looked at me with her brown and blue puppy eyes. Phil and I made that rule the day we got her. "I guess, today can be your exception," I scratched behind her orange ears.
I heard the phone ring.
"Do you think I should get that?" I muttered. The corgi tilted her head at me. I picked her up and picked up the telephone. She waddled next to me, her nails clacking against the hardwood floor. "Hello?" I asked.
"Hello, Dan! It's Louise," I heard her say from the other side of the phone.
"How are you?" I smiled, her husband had gone to war two months ago.
"I'm good, I heard Phil left today," Her voice softened. I sat down.
"You heard correct," I cleared my throat.
"Well, tomorrow I was hoping we could go through your wedding photos, they came in this morning," She suggested.
"I would love to," I smiled. It would be nice to get my mind off of Phil.
After the phone call I walked into the bedroom with Mila trailing behind. I slid into pajamas and laid down on our bed. Mila hopped up after me. I could feel tears brim my eyes.
"I miss him," I whispered pulling her close to me. She, of course, didn't mind. "The bed's too big without him here."
"Oh! You brought Mila!" Louise opened the door for us.
"Yeah, I could leave her alone," I whispered. She had been keeping me company all night, so I figured I had to keep her company now.
I walked inside and a few of Louise's neighbors were over. All of their husbands had left for war- same as mine. They sat in a circle and gossiped, some of them rushed over to me when I walked in.
"Hey, Dan, I heard Phil went off to war," Zoe said sadly. Her husband, Alfie, had been away from home the longest, almost a year. She kind of just helped other people through it. I nodded. "Do you miss him?" She asked.
"Of course I do," Tears were at my eyes again. "But we have more important things to talk about, the pictures?" I followed Louise into the dining area.
We looked through Phil and I's wedding photos. We had our wedding about a month ago, but it felt like even longer. Our wedding was planned in half a month. Phil proposed to me the day he found out he had to go fight. We were to told we had a month so we decided to get married. We're both a little young, I'm 20 and he's 24, but we loved each other. We didn't care if it was a crappy wedding, we didn't care if we weren't completely ready for married life, all we knew was that we loved each other.
Now, as I sat here looking through the photos I didn't regret anything. There were so many photos, but with every single one, Phil's eyes shone with love, as did mine. As I sat there, fiddling with my wedding ring, the only thing I was wishing was that Phil was here looking through these photos with me.
After a few hours I was back at home. Coming home this time was harder than last time. It was like I thought he would be back this time. But when I walked through the door, the expected happened, no one was there.
Three Years Later
I pet Mila as I talked on the phone. Louise's husband was home, as was Zoe's. Pj was home, Chris was home, they were all happier than ever. I was still waiting for mine to come home.
I heard a knock on the door, my heart dropped.
"I have to go," I put down the phone and walked to the door.
Knocking on the door had become a constant fear of mine. All I could thing about was getting a telegram telling me that my husband died. I looked at the clock, it wasn't anywhere near the time the postman came. I clenched my eyes shut and opened the door.
"I'm sorry," I heard a voice say, I could bear to look up, "but I regret to inform you, that your husband didn't make it," The voice said, all I could do is gasp for air as tears streamed down my face. "No!" I cried.
I looked up and my eyes widened.
"You jerk," I laughed and fell into my husbands arms. "I'm so happy you're home," I cried in happiness. Phil's hand was tangled in my hair pulled me as close as possible. His other was wrapped snuggly around my torso. My hands brushed his chest as we both cried. He pulled back and kissed me, the first time in three years. His lips were sweeter than they've ever been as they moved in sync with mine.
"I love you so much, I missed you so much," I cried kissing him harder.
"I love you too, I missed you more," He put his forehead to mine. We just noticed that Mila was hopping on Phil's legs, trying to get to him. She hadn't seen Phil for three years either.
"Oh, you got so big!" Phil picked her up and put an arm around me. "Did you keep your Papa company while Daddy was gone?" He asked kissing me on the forehead. Mila gave him more kisses than I did.
We spent the night cuddling and kissing. My heart felt like it clicked back from being broken. I was so happy that Phil was home.
"I love you," He said giving me a kiss.
"You know, you don't have to keep saying it, I already know you love me," I said, he grabbed my hand. His thumb rubbed my wedding ring.
"I know, I just want to make up for all the times I wanted to say it when I was away," He laid his head on my shoulder. It was quiet for a moment.
"Why is there so much dog fur on the couch?" He suddenly asked.
"Want to go to sleep?" I said pulling him off the couch, he narrowed his eyes.
"You let Mila on the couch, didn't you?" He said with a growing smile.
"Yup, I'm tired too, let's go," I smiled and pulled him along.
"Dan, I told you-"
"When's the last time you've slept with someone?" I questioned him, he swallowed.
"Dan, you know we're still going to talk about this later..." Phil trailed off.
"But right now, I'm not going to listen," I shut the bedroom door behind him.
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Thank you -adrianah- for the idea of this chapter!!!