Page 3 of Forever Fallen

Leaning forward in the chair, she put her head down in her hands again and began to cry painfully, feeling such a sense of loss and so overwhelmed.

* * *

Two days later,she was walking towards her gate at the airport.

CHAPTER2

REAPER

Ghazni, Afghanistan

* * *

Reaper,

Fair warning, my brother!

My wife has taken it upon herself to make sure everyone is as blissfully happy as we are – and she apparently has taken a shine to your call sign, looking at it like it’s a challenge. She’s gunning forallof you – and I think Hot Cakes is the project after you are blissfully wed…

Sorry.

Glory is an angel… and I never imagined how happy I would be, but as a former (very single) flyboy who liked his freedom, frequenting a few bars, and picking up girls? I definitely wanted to give you a ‘heads up’ that she’s got you on her radar.

I’d steer clear… or at least be prepared for battle. You know we’d love to see you, show you around, and you always have a couch to sleep on.

Hope all is well,

Alpo Petersen

P.S.- Valkyrie bought a house here and got married… and Firefly did too! Thumper and Armadillo are both gonna be daddies in a few short months – can you believe that??

Must be something in the water here that makes these girls irresistible.

Whenareyou coming for a visit?

* * *

Laying back on his bunk,Ryan put his arm behind his head and shut his eyes. Valkyrie had been here for years, was the most stead-fast and dependable one besides Thumper… and nowbothwere happily married?

He’d seen the man’s reaction when he returned to Ghazni… and what falling for some woman did to him, but the thing he couldn’t shake in his mind was, ‘Was it worth it?’

The man had been upset, reckless, and desperate… and that had never been him, but as he said his ‘goodbyes’? There had been such peace and joy emanating from his friend that had made him a little envious… but only because he seemed genuinely happy for the moment.

What if it was something in the water there?Ryan mused, smiling wryly. What if a good, southern woman was just what he needed to fill this emptiness in his soul? He did not want to be shackled into an emotional mess that he would regret sorely.

Divorces were messy and his own parents’ divorce had been a bloodbath of epic proportions. No, being set up by some lovesick woman did not sit well with him, but he could certainly use a change of scenery and his team needed help.

Because nothing here was the same since Lieutenant Greene died well over a year ago… shot down in the prime of his life. It was a sickening feeling to think that someone so kind could have their life snuffed out in an instant.

They had all faced their mortality, realizing that life was indeed too short, and it could have been any of them. Some of the guys on the squad got out immediately… whereas others, like himself, needed to feel like the world was just moving along like normal.

… But it wasn’t.

Life was different.

They were different – as a whole. The entire team was different, and the aura was a lot more grim.

There was nothing worse than a Reaper who didn’t care anymore and couldn’t feel a thing in his soul.

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