****Hug your loved ones tight. Please remember to vote and share.

Bailey

4:43 AM

Two days ago at 12:03 PM, we'd left the tiny chapel on base as husband and wife. Pines and Sanchez wished us good luck, and then they told Lucas they'd see him back on the morning of the 6th. I hadn't been able to sleep at all. I reached for another tissue beside the evil clock and tried hard to be quiet.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered next to me. "I wish it didn't have to be like this." He kissed my temple and pulled me closer. "You should get some sleep, baby. You're plane leaves in a couple hours."

"I don't want to waste any time with you." My eyes stung as tears continued to fill them. I'd been crying for hours now. I tried hard to get it under control, but I just couldn't stand the thought of having to leave him. A little hiccup in my chest escaped and I slowly blew out a breath to try and calm down again.

"I know," he said, nuzzling his face into my neck. "I don't want you to go, Mrs. Garver." I smiled through my tears and touched his face softly.

"It just went so fast. I feel like yesterday was so short. I didn't get to kiss you enough or hold you and it was suddenly today. We haven't even been married for 48 hours and I have to leave you behind." I felt like I might be sick. I shut my eyes so that I could concentrate on my breathing. It was jumpy and stuttered.

"Bailey, try to calm down, love. You're breaking my heart." He turned my head and kissed my forehead. "You're taking me with you, I promise." He pressed his hand against my heart. I could see in his eyes that he was trying to be strong for me.

"Are you going to tell the grandkids how ugly I am when I cry?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood before it suffocated me.

He smiled, "Never. You're beautiful now matter how puffy and snotty you get." I moved my hand to hold his on my chest.

"Tell me about them?" I asked, turning to look into his eyes again.

"Our grandkids?" he pulled my hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "Well, they're going to be cute as hell. The girl will have your hair and eyes, the boy will be wrapped around her little finger.

"Do you think we'll really have kids one day?" I never wanted them before, but falling for Lucas had made me change my mind. He was committed and loving I knew our story wouldn't end they way my parent's had.

"It's up to you baby. I'd love to have a little girl, but if it's only ever just us that would be enough." 4:46 AM.

"What would we name her?" It was so much easier to play pretend then it was to live in a world where that fucking clock could force us to get out of that bed.

"Iris, of course. She's the goddess of rainbows and if she were born, then our story ended happily ever after."