Chapter Text
One week, three days, two hours and a handful of minutes was all that was left until her feet would be on American soil. It had been a very long and grueling tour for soldier Harris and she could not wait until it was over. The blonde had never imagined serving three tours overseas but when the call came in the middle of the night, she willingly and honorably packed her bags.
This tour was different than the last two for a host of reasons, but the main being that she was now in a semi serious relationship. She had known the risk of being called up again and was always hesitant to start anything with anyone for fear of hurting them or getting hurt herself.
Regan was an exquisite girl who just happened to catch Ashlyns attention at the Sugar Shack one Tuesday evening.
(Flashback)
“The usual Ash?” Kyle, the bartender, had asked the blonde who always seemed to drown her sorrows in a tall Jack and Coke with little ice. Ashlyn had never been good at coping and that was one of her few flaws. It was the week after returning home from her second tour in Afghanistan and she was having a difficult time acclimating to civilian life.
With a small nod and a quick glance, Kyle knew that the blonde was needing more Jack than coke and would willingly oblige. This was not his first run in with the soldier and with a mix of sober and drunken conversations, they had actually gotten to know one another quite well.
He knew that she was a US Marine who had served two tours, had a small beach house that sat just east of the bar on the coast. drove a lifted black jeep and had a weakness for beautiful women. He knew that she came from a rough home life and played soccer through high-school as her ticket to college and indeed played goalie for UNC. What he did not know for sure was why she went military instead of continuing on with soccer, and he hoped that would be the next piece to the puzzle.
Ashlyn knew that Kyle was a recovering drug addict that overcame his addiction thanks to his family and his sister. He opened the sugar shack as part of a reminder to himself that he is not defined by his past and he can maintain his sobriety while owning and operating a local beach bar. She knows that he is really good at photography and doing hair and has a thing for beautiful men.
“This ones on the house sweetie, ill check on you in a bit.” With that he started cleaning off the other side of the bar. Ashlyn took a long sip and as soon as the whiskey hit her lips she could feel her walls crumbling.
She closed her eyes extremely tight and the images flashed through her head. She was taken back to the desert, one moment in particular. The blonde captain had just given the okay for her team to clear out a warlords combine. She led a team of 12 men and 4 women who all served multiple tours together. Austin had been her right hand man in both tours and she was convinced they were siblings separated at birth. When her countdown had finished and the small smoke bomb had detonated, she deployed her troop into the old barricaded building. As they turned the corner, the troop was met with a militia of radicals ready to be deemed martyrs and they emptied every clip they had in reach towards the American troop. As the blonde came to, the first and last image she had before passing out was Austin laying on top of her with his eyes shot and blood running out of his mouth.
“Is this seat taken” No response came from the soldier.
With a gentle touch to her shoulder, Ashlyn jerked and inhaled a sharp deep breath. A tear was falling down her cheek and she had obviously not heard the young woman. “I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you, I was just wondering if this seat was taken?” Ashlyn shook her head no and apologized.
After a comfortable silence had fallen around the two women, the newcomer decided to speak. “I don't mean to pry but you seem to be down and I thought we could go shoot some pool?”
Ashlyn had looked over at the stranger sitting next to her for the first time and was caught up on her light blue eyes and her perfect smile with beautiful white teeth. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she was wearing a romper with a pair of black Birkenstock sandals.
“I could definitely go for a round of pool.....” It was just the distraction she needed from those haunting images and this girl wasn't terrible to look at either. “Regan, my name is Regan and you are?”
“Ashlyn, Ashlyn Harris. I just want to apologize for startling you back there, my mind was on overdrive and it just wasn't slowing down.”
“Overdrive is an understatement, it seemed like you were in a completely different world.”
“Oh, I was, one that no one wants to be” with a small forced smile she racked the balls and took her shot sending them in every direction.
It had been a close game and after thanking Regan for the wonderful welcomed distraction, she closed out her tab, hugged Kyle and walked the mile walk towards home on the warm sand with her shoes in her hand.
“Kyle, is it? Can I ask you about that woman I just met? She seemed so quite and reserved but she acted like she wanted to let it all go and just relax. What's her story?”
“Honey, that one right there has seen more darkness in her short 24 years than some do in a whole lifetime. She has a story to share and when the time is right and if the opportunity presents, she will be the one to tell it since she has gone through hell to have it.”
That wasn't quite the answer she had been looking for but she was hopeful that she would have the chance to ask this mysterious women herself.
//
Regan knew what she had signed up for when she continued to go to the Sugar Shack in hopes of running into the blonde just one more time. She told herself it was for a rematch and bragging rights but really she needed to know who this girl was. After multiple attempts to reunite with Ashlyn, the timing had worked out and the opportunity had presented. The two women had gotten to know one another and Ashlyn figured it wouldn't hurt to try something new. The numerous dates, the wonderful adventures and the countless surfing sessions all contributed to the soldiers heartfelt connection with this girl. This was new for Ashlyn, she had never given into a woman so quickly and recklessly. Something about this girl intrigued her enough to give in and try. They had been dating for six months and everything had been wonderful so far. The honeymoon phase had ended but things were still blissful. Regan had seemed to understand the circumstances of dating an active duty soldier, but nothing would prepare her for that dreadful moment her girlfriend returned to the room after a 4 am phone call nervously running her fingers through her hair. The blonde leaned over her and gave her a passionate kiss that always soothed the womans soul, but in this instance, Regan knew there was heartache to come.
//
As the two women stood at the gate, Ashlyn had given her the opportunity to be free and find happiness, but the other blonde was not having it. She knew that Ashlyn had a commitment to the Marines before her and she would not ask her to ever alter that. This tour would last 9 months and their relationship had only been going for six.
In those short six months, the solider had learned to trust, be vulnerable, to love and to be loved and give without hesitation. She was not expecting to find that in someone that she met at a local bar who had simply asked her to shoot pool. The blonde wanted to tell her how she really felt but was too afraid that voicing those feelings before deploying would only make the deployment harder and the time tick slower. As a tear rolled down her cheek, the soldier kissed her tenderly and told her to always look at the moon, because that was a commonality they both could see. Regan watched her girlfriend walk towards the gate with nothing more than a hopeful heart and a determined mind, but what she had never experienced before was the reality of dating a deployed soldier.
(End Flashback)
Still one week, three days, two hours and a handful of minutes until she was able to return home.