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thing he wanted more than his own life, and he was fucking nervous as a sixteen-year-
old virgin on her prom night.
The band was playing some sort of cheesy song about yellow ribbons, and
everyone looked as nervous as he did. Tory was chewing on her lip so much he was
worried she'd make herself bleed.
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They like to do this, she grumbled. We KNOW they are in there and they
want us to work ourselves into a frenzy. I'm not doing it this time, she said stubbornly.
Uh huh, Patrick drawled, laughing.
Oh fuck off, Patrick, Tory muttered. Look!! She punched Phillip in the arm
when she noticed the guys rising out of their seats on the bus. They're coming!
Phillip couldn't fault her. He was tempted to nail Patrick who glared at him as if
he knew what the much taller man was thinking. Tory's smaller hand slid into his and
they both watched as the buses began to unload their cargo.
What seemed to be forever later, all the buses were empty. One by one they
began to pull away.
Pandemonium broke out. Men, women and children were on their feet
screaming and yelling themselves hoarse.
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He still sat though. He didn't want to tire himself until he could actually see
Ryan. So he sat, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Sandy and Katie were behind him doing enough yelling that the whole crowd
could disappear and it would still sound like a million people were cheering.
The Color Guard stood in front and slowly the soldiers began to march forward.
The Stands were gonna bust. People were standing, pounding and in general making
more noise than at a Dallas Cowboys football game. Phillip slowly stood, leaning
heavily on the cane that he d brought with him.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm going to keep this short and sweet. We're back. I
had the greatest pleasure serving with each and every one of these men. I would do so
again in a heartbeat. Charlie Troop!
DISMISSED!
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SCOUTS, LEAD THE WAY!
Etta James's smooth, sexy voice filled the area.
At last, my love has come along. My lonely days are over and life is like a song.
Patrick helped Phillip walk towards the platoon. Phillip smiled when he heard
Tory's loud, shrill shriek.
Alexander!!
He watched as the woman ran toward her husband and threw herself into his
waiting arms. There was something to be said for that first hug and kiss. It was like
falling in love all over again.
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He looked around and still hadn't seen Ryan. This time he was the one chewing
on his lips.
Oh, yeah, at last the skies above are blue. My heart was wrapped up in clovers&
He blinked as he scanned every single soldier. Where the fuck was Ryan?
He felt Patrick hit him on the shoulder. He looked up at the guy and saw he was
pointing.
The night I looked at you I found a dream that I could speak to. A dream that I can call
my own I found a thrill to rest my cheek to. A thrill that I have never known.
Phillip's hazel eyes fell upon the sight he had been dreaming about since he said
good-bye to Ryan after his R&R. . . His gaze gobbled the other man up. He stood
stock-still, leaning on his cane. He couldn't move. Ryan was right in front of him. It
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was slow motion. It was poetry. It was every single, fucking, sappy thing he ever heard
about. He started to cry.
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile& Oh, and then the spell was cast
A slow, happy smile began to blossom on Ryan's face. Phillip slowly began to
walk toward him. Ryan began to move too. He dropped his duffel bag and slowly,
inches at a time they met until they were a breath apart. Phillip's hand came up and
caressed the whiskered, rough cheek of his lover. Ryan leaned into the touch.
I love you, Ryan, Phillip said, his voice rough with emotion.
I love you too, Phillip, Ryan replied.
Their lips met and for a split second everything in the world was right. Everyone
else disappeared. They were the only two that existed in the world.
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And here we are in heaven For you are mine& At last
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Epilogue
Carol Harris blew her bangs out of her face. She was told shakedown sucked
and she was starting to believe it. They hadn't met all of their Drill Sergeants yet but
she knew it was coming.
So far she had been able to control herself, mostly because the Drills themselves
were scarier than hell.
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Drill Sergeant Krutz called them to attention. Something was going on. She
thought maybe that Drill Sergeant Grabowski was coming. They had all been warned
about him. He was crazy as hell. She worried her bottom lip when she heard a door
slam open.
She heard him before she saw him.
Soft rocks crunched under sure footsteps and she knew it was someone
important. She looked forward and prayed that the guy wouldn't look like Igor. But she
almost prayed he did. It would otherwise upset her belief in the delicate balance of
justice and injustice.
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