Faithful

Ready

They were the girls who stood by her and defended her when Bill pulled her hair on the playground. They were the friends who stayed up all night prank calling and watching The Princess Bride while eating junk food in middle school.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she pulled out those suitcases. Each of them fussing over something else. Passport? Check. Empty water bottle? Check. Sweater? Check.

Yet her mind had wandered again. That day Jacob ran into her in the hallways in middle school making her drop all her books. He just laughed and kept running, but they were there, her faithful friends. The way they picked each other up after each high school rejection, and how they gushed over every little detail when April finally got Jude to ask her to prom. And even though it hurt a little, she got over it, because friends don't bring other friends down.

Ticket? Check. Backpack? Check. Wallet? Check. They walked her to the check in desk, not a dry eye to be found.

Graduation came and went and they were still the best of friends freshman year. They still stood right by her side. They were the three musketeers. And then they were four. Kate couldn't help but take in the new girl, fresh off the plane from Venezuela. Yet honestly, no one cared. She melted in as if she were always one of them. She stood by them and they stood by her.

Bag checked in. Time to say goodbye. Tears streamed freely. A sinking feeling in her stomach. This was it, there would be no turning back.

Every boy was vetted, and no one was good enough. Until James came along. The future doctor with a desire to serve. Maria would soon decide he was the one. Wedding bells followed the caps and gowns and of course, they were beautiful in their bridesmaids dresses by her side.

Walking to security. Laptop out. Liquids out. Shoes off.

That night they were sitting on the beach, enjoying the stars. Maria just back from her honeymoon. Chris and Stephen coming in from surfing. A lawyer and a future ambassador, friends since birth. Inseparable. Until now.

He grabs her bag for her, handing her a tissue. She looks back. The sinking feeling gets stronger. She won't see them again.

He proposed, she said yes. 

They had helped him plan it down to the minute. It was perfect. They were the first people to know. And bridesmaids dresses were bought once again.

They all knew this day would come. Especially after saying I do to a diplomate. But this time, her dreams would come true too.

Boarding pass and passport. Gate 24H.

They were the first she called after their first big fight as a married couple. She didn't want to go, not so far away he didn't have a choice. He told her that her dream was waiting, to be a reporter, bring light to the darkest of places. He was right of course. It didn't make it any easier. It was time to choose, the safety of home or the wild unknown.

Sit down. Buckle up. Look over emergency pamphlet, just in case something has changed. No. It's always the same.

That sinking feeling, it wouldn't go away. He said they'd be back. He promised her. Yet something was off. And you can't promise anything as the first US ambassador to Iran in so long.

She'd be a reporter. Live her dream on the ground. Seeing the conflict close up. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling it was a one way trip.

***

She'd remember this moment, the feeling she had at take off. Clasping his hand like there is no tomorrow. Knowing that now, he was all she had. Because at the very end, when the world exploded around them, his was the hand that held her, reminded her of home, reminded her of them. The girls who stood by her side since the day she was born. And who gave her away, to live an adventure, with the man who right at that moment, would have given anything to take her place.

A/N: Thank you to all of those who have read this little story. Every time I see that someone voted or someone even just added it to a reading list it makes me happy. Don't forget to let me know what you thought of the story and vote on it!