My Soldier (*Completed*)

Chapter 10

I wake up to the sunlight shining in my eyes through the window. I grumble at waking up and go to shut the curtains when I notice someone sitting in a car in the driveway. I quickly close the curtains when it seems like the mystery girl is going to look up and see me.

I turn back to the bed and realize that Matt is gone. I see a note on his pillow saying that he got called into work and he'll text me to meet up for a lunch date.

I roll my eyes but smile, trying not to complain. I know what I got myself into when I started dating a soldier. We talked about it, I agreed to it, and I have no room to complain....at least not out loud anyway.

Still complaining about the time he came home last night, I go to change into clean clothes when I realize that I left my duffle in my car. Before looking at myself as good as I can in the mirror, I decide that walking outside in his boxers isn't best. Pulling on a pair if huge sweats I found in his dresser, I throw my hair up in a pony tail and head to the door. As I open it and let out a scream, causing the girl standing at the door to scream as well.

"Oh my god I am so sorry!" The same girl from the car sputters out. "Wait." Her eyes go wide as they seem to realize I'm also a girl.

'Oh crap. It's Matt's ex. She's an ex that he broke up with before he left and now she's come looking for him hoping he's back. She's probably his ex-fiancé. I'm screwed.' I start to freak out. I look at this beautiful girl with dirty blonde hair that has blue streaks in it. She has strikingly strange brown eyes. Something about her is familiar, but I can't quite tell why.

"You're not...." The girl stops what she's saying. "Oh my god." She starts breathing heavily as she covers her mouth. "He's dead." Tears start to weld in her eyes. "He's dead." She looks around the house, and behind me, repeating over and over "he's dead, he's dead."

"I'm sorry ma'am." I say unsure of how to handle the situation, "who exactly are you looking for?"

"Matt!" She finally gasps out, "Matthew! Matthew Starks!" She says in between sobs, "he was stationed in Afghanistan and he should've gotten home by now. Normally the house would've been sold so soon but that's real estate. They've always wanted to get this property sold because it would be a huge profit. He got it from-"

"His parents I know." I cut off her babbling sobs and she stares at me suspiciously. "I'm Annalise-Anna-Torres. I'm Matt's...girlfriend...." I say, unsure of her reaction.

I'm greeted by doe eyes and a slack jaw. I stand there awkwardly, not knowing what to do when she grins really big. Suddenly, I feel myself being pulled into the girl's arms. I stand there stiff and tense as she squeezes me. She says incoherent words then finally lets me go. She doesn't seem embarrassed that she just hugged a complete stranger. The strange girl notices my discomfort and smiles sweetly at me.

"I'm Jo?" She says, waiting for me to say something, "Jordan Starks?" Still nothing. "I'm Matt's sister who's technically the cousin but my parents took him in after his parents died? C'mon he's had to have mentioned SOMETHING!" She says in exasperation.

Finally something clicks. "OH! Oh right! Jordan! Oh my god I'm sorry! Hi!" I say, taking her hand sand shaking it, "did you just get back from put of town orrr....?" I ask, knowing Matt's been home for almost a month now.

"What? No we live here." He looks confused, "Matt didn't have a girlfriend when he left...." Jordan finally seems to realize something, "how long has Matthew been back??" She demands.

"Almost a month."

"He didn't call...?" She whispers so low I almost missed it.

"He said he had dinner with you the night we met, the day he came home." I tell her sympathetically.

"No...." She continues whispering, "no, we thought he was still in Afghanistan."

"Oh my god he didn't call you." I say shockingly.

She shakes her head as tears fall down her face, "he's such a dick like that." She tells me.

"Well come on in. His going to come home soon." She gives me a look which tells me she knows that this isn't a normal weekend to have drill. "There was a situation at work." I tell her and she nods, understanding.

~~Matt coming home~~

As Jordan and I are talking about everything under the sun, we hear the door open and close,

"Annalise? Who's here? I noticed the other car-" He stops suddenly when he sees Jordan sitting on the couch, along with two unhappy faces welcoming home. "Jordan." Is all he says. Jordan just sits and glares at him.

"I'll leave you two alone then." I say, getting up.

"No you can stay."

"Yeah that might be best." They both say at the same time.

Jordan pats the couch, "sit. I don't mind, and neither should Matt." She says, shooting a look at Matt, who's standing so uncomfortably in the doorway of the living room, still with his heavy pack on.

"Look Jo I can explain." He begins, sounding scared for his life.

"Why didn't you call us, you little bastard?" She screams at him, slapping his arm, "we thought you were fucking DEAD Mattew!! I come here to find a complete stranger standing at your door! Only to fucking find out that you've been home for more than a month! Mom has been fucking worried sick you little asshat!"

"Stop swearing at me." Matt mumbles quietly.

"NO! You are in no position to tell me how to talk. YOU DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING CALLED US!" Jo states for the millionth time, just to make things clear.

"I was doing it to protect you!" MAtt's voice begins to raise, matching Jo's volume.

"Protect us?" She repeats in shock, PROTECT US? WE DON'T NEED FUCKING PROTECTING MATTHEW!" She yells in his face.

"I'M NOT WHO I WAS WHEN I LEFT GOD DAMNIT JORDAN CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THE WAR FUCKING CHANGES PEOPLE?" Matt bellows out, so loud and fierce, it startles both of us.

I get scared from his tone of voice, and out of habit, I take a step back. Matt sees my movements and hurt flashes deep in his eyes. The room is deathly quiet, except for the heavy breathing coming from a frustrated Matthew. He runs his hands through his hair, and rubs his face.

"When I went over there, I was arrogant, and practically still a boy." his voice seems to crack, "when I came back, after seeing what I saw over there, what I had done to others and what others were doing to me, and to my...my friends, it changed me. I went over a boy, and came back this...this traumatized man who..." he can't seem to find the words.

He looks at Jordan who has tears streaming down her face. I don't even realize I'm crying until I cover my mouth with my hand and feel my wet cheeks.

"I'm not the brother that was sent over." He says almost too quietly.

"Matthew..." Jo begins to say, but Matt cuts her off.

"I didn't want you guys to come and see a complete stranger." he says with tears in his eyes.

"Oh my god Matt." Jo says as she rushes towards him, "Matthew Matthew Matthew." She chants over and over again as they continue their embrace.

Finally they let go, and Jordan charges me, and in caught off guard by her hugging me. And even though I don't see what I did, she thanks me, over and over again,

"thank you for bringing my brother back."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

That was a long chapter.

Sorry it took so long for me to update, I start school in two days, and I have a summer reading project that I've only halfway done.

I hate school.

Any way, I'm sorry for the long wait, and I promise I will try my best to do more consistent updates.

Love you all!!

~QuackingDuck~