Return from the past

[Nordic_Steel]

(OOC: This thread is inspired by the one AngelofyourNightmares and Donalddeutch is writing. Also by a book i read years ago. Forgotten the title of that one. I don't mean to copy Soldier of her dreams thread. This have the same theme but hopefully will be very different. I just couldn't resist the idea and if there is a female out there who wishes to join me in this, please pm me.)

Back from the dead

"Are you looking forward to return home?" The question was a simple one but Corporal Matt Warren had no simple answer. Off course he wanted to leave the army hospital where he had been the last 5 months. He was well enough to leave. At least his body was. He still had nightmares every single night and in the morning he woke up, bathing in his own sweat.

The psychiatrists had said that the nightmares may never leave him completely but they had hope that the dreams would lessen the impact they had on him over time. Matt had lost much weight during his almost 2 years in captivity. With the help from the nutrition experts the army provided he was now weighing 155 pounds. He tried to increase his weight by some training but it was a very slow increase. He was a little more than 6 feet tall and even his marine uniform sagged on his body. His black hair was cut short immediately after his release from the Iraqui POW camp. Matt took great pleasure in shaving himself as soon as he was well enough to do so. Shaving was not something he had done in his time as a prisoner. His grey eyes showed the knowledge of humanity's worst sides. They had lost the spirit he had as a young man.

He was 29 years old but felt as he was twice as old. Matt thought of how it would be to return to New York. It was with mixed feelings he thought of the city and his fiancee. Former fiancee he thought to himself. She had thought him dead. As had all his friends and family. The last time he saw Cassie's face was 2 months ago. It was in The New York post his lieutenant was kind enough to bring him. He had read the paper, eager for any news. He had been so long without any. When he stumpled over the announced engagement between Cassandra Walden and Terence Lowd.

Matt was sad over what they had lost but Cassie's happy face staring up at him from the paper gave him some peace. She was happy with Terence. That was all that mattered. Matt himself was different now than he was when he and Cassie was going to marry. The time in prison had changed him fom the man that Cassie loved. He felt his heart ache a little but accepted it. Life would go on. Matt would never know the happiness he felt before going to war but he sure was going to go through life as best he knew how.

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

Cassandra

I was a day or two before cassandras wedding.. she was standing in the little boutique getting the last touches on her beautiful gown one her mother had picked out seeing as Cassie herself could not decide... cassie never dreamed of moving on so soon after her beloved Matt had died. She sighed just thinking about her mother telling her the news.. Cassie was mortified then Terrance came along and helped her through it, her and Terrance had been friends for years, so she thought it best to try and move on with someone she knew cared for her.

She was wearing a beautiful gown it was a tank-top material it was white and it curved nicely around her waist, and flowed against her legs. She was nervous to get married.. she knew deep inside of herself she was not ready at all, she bit her lip after seeing her gown fixed her mother placed the vale over her head just to test it out. ''So Cassie are you ready for the big day?'' Cassie only smiled, and nodded.. her thougths were only with Matt... this was supposed to be there plans.

She sat in a chair in the corner of the room after changing into a more simple dress a cute yellow tank-top dress with matching sandles.. she wore her long red hair up mostly these days.. Matt always loved it down, told her she looked like repunzel when she did she laughed at the memorie.. at least she still had those.. after her dress was wrapped she decided to kiss her mother goodbye and head to her apartment... she decided not to move in with Terrance until after the wedding.

The apartment she lived in was the same one her and Matt shared not so long ago.. she decided it was time, to say goodbye one last time.. she was sure she was ready.. she went into her closet and took the box from there and went into the living room to sit on the floor.. she grabbed a glass of wine and turned the radio on.. and looked at teh box... ''Your only going to torment yourself cassie..'' She told herself outloud.

Sighing she opened it and the first thing out from it was old pictures of the two of them, he was a handsome man and she still loved him always have always would.. Terrance was a void thats all he filled.. she noticed a letter and read it tears sprang to her eyes... Don't ever forget me Cassie the last line read... it was as if he were saying goodbye and he wasn't even gone yet.. he was now though.. she hurried and put teh box away it was to painful.. she cried softly to herself at the man she lost and the love she could never get back.

 

[Nordic_Steel]

Matt

It was afternoon when Matt walked into the air terminal from the plane he just left. He breathed deeply as he saw his older brother standing there with his wife. He saw that Jake had tears in his eyes. Matt felt a little mist in his own as he approached his 5 year older brother carefully. He hoped that he wouldn't break up right there and then and cause a scene. Jake had no such worries as he grabbed his younger brother in a powerful embrace.

Jake was shocked as he felt Matt's body. Matt had been quite muscular when he joined the marines. Those muscles was long gone and Jake was not ashamed of the tears. He loosened the grip when he noticed that Matt squirmed uncomfortably. He held Matt's shoulders in arm distance and looked closer at his brother.

"Damn good to see you little brother." Jake could not hide the emotions in his voice.

Matt breathed shakily as he fought back his own tears. This was a happy moment. Then why did he feel as bad as he did? He was glad to see Jake but he silently wondered what he would do with his life. The only family he had left was Jake and Jake's wife and their two children. He forced a smile to appear on his lips.

"Good to see you to Jake." Matt's voice was emotionless. The only thing that gave him away was the slight tremble in his voice. He turn to Jake's wife and gives her a hug.

"Hello Therese. I sure am glad to see you to." Finally he manages a warm smile at her.

They walk outside and goes down a few blocks until they reaches Jake's car. They step inside and Jake starts the ride home. Jake glances sideway at Matt.

"You heard about Cassie?" Jake hesitantly asks. Matt just nods and stays silent for a minute. Then he turns his head to Jake.

"Is she happy?" He asks softly.

"I think she is. I haven't spoken with her for months. I think i only reminded her of you. To move forward she needed to let go. I don't think she could as long as i visited her." Jake said with a sigh.

"As long as she is happy i will be content. This Terence, is he a nice guy." Matt looked forward again.

"from what i have heard and seen, he is a stand up guy."

Matt nods. "Good."

"You wan't me to contact her for you?" Jake asks quietly.

"I haven't thought about it really. She seems happy. I would only complicate matters. I am not the guy she fell in love with." The sadness in Matt's voice break Jake's heart.

The rest of the drive home they sit in completely silence. Each in their own thoughts.

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

cassandra

Cassie went into the closet and placed the box away.. what was wrong with her, why did she look at those damned pictures she had changed so much lately... she was hurting inside and there was noone to talk to about it.. the only friends she had were Matts brother and wife and it hurt to be around them and her parents lived far away, and she couldn't talk to terrance about any of this it would crush him...

She looked into the closet and noticed Matts shirts she couldn't bare to get rid of them when Terrance asked Cassie only answered she liked mens shirt and they both laughed... Cassie took one of the shirts and put it on the scent of Matt still strong.

She sat on the sofa and looked out the window the curtains up she could see the moon, she'd hate leaving this apartment.. when she did it meant really letting go... how could she possibly do that.

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

cassandra

Cassie had to get out of this apartment she pulled on a pair of blue jeans and flip flops took the shirt off put on a tight tank-top on and pulled the shirt back over it leaving it unbuttoned, and left to head to the beach she was always able to smile when walked along the waves and looking at the stars...

She gets in her car and drives with the windows down smiling a little now that her thoughts were finally blank, she gets to the beach and takes her shoes off and walks softly in the sand letting the water hit her toes.

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

Cassandra

Bumped