so glad he's ok

cath

It was good to read that Peter is alive. He sounds like he has been through a lot.

The soldiers are often sent to our Air Force Base in Germany before they come back to the States. It gives them time for debriefing, medical attention, and a chance to get their bearings before facing their family and friends upon their return.

Pam, I'm feeling relief that Peter is safe. Just hoping now that he's also 'sound' and that we learn what happened!! This is an amazing story!!!

Thanks justme_jp3!!!!! Now i get it!!!

Jen

The team’s reaction had been equally anxious when Jack told them about the phone call and after an excruciatingly long morning, Bobby finally convinced Jack to get some lunch.

When they came back, Myles was leaning over Tara’s shoulder, he straightened then picking up a page from the printer handed it to Jack.

“How did you get this?” Jack asked after he had read it.

“My father’s friends in high places finally came through,” Myles acknowledged. Calling for Levi to get Sue, he signed “Airport – Go.” She looked at the paper in his hand quizzically so he handed it to her. That brought a small gasp and a large smile. Sue quickly grabbed her things and they headed out.

Standing at the security gate they scanned the crowd. Jack pointed and she followed his finger to see a very tan man, half a head taller than Jack, she wondered if his hair held the same curl when not so short. Jack must have called out, she thought because he turned and looked at them. The resemblance brought tears to her eyes but it was his eyes that caused the tears to spill over to her cheeks. The same brown as Jack's but Peter's showed his exhaustion although tempered with some relief when he saw Jack.

“I was just trying to figure out how to call you,” Peter said dropping his bag and greeting them with a hug.

“Friends in high places,” Jack shrugged then at Levi’s woof he continued “this is Levi.”

Peter squatted down in front of the dog “Good to see you buddy, what’s in the bag?” Peter picked up the bag that Levi had dropped at his feet.

“Donuts - we thought you might be hungry. I didn't have time to make pie yet,” Sue answered finally finding her voice. Peter glanced up then after rubbing Levi’s ears one more time he stood.

“This is Sue,” Jack made the introduction, “my fiancée.”

Hallelujah!! Peter's home!!!

Joy

Yes! Peter is home and has just been introduced to Jack's fiancée.

Nicely done, Pam!

woohoo he's home

loved the way jack introduced sue

cath

DITTO!!!!! He's home!!!! Great writing!!!

Jen

Whew! *GA fan breathes a sigh of relief* Nice to see Peter made it home safely! I also liked Jack's introduction of Sue!

I knew it!!!!!!

And I'm so relieved that Peter is safe! And at least physically sound. Now what?
kav

Wow, Pam, wonderful posts. Intense emotions, beautifully written!!! You so have Jack and Sue nailed. I love her patience with him and just knowing what he needs. They are each others anchor, with Sue holding him firm right now.

I'm with Sue. One look in those eyes...................

Oy,. I'm doing it again.


Jill

Jack – Thanks for just letting me be that first week back. I needed to regroup before I had to answer any more questions about what happened during those two weeks. I knew when I wrote you that letter that I shouldn’t mention that we were to be leaving soon. You were the only person I told, in part because I was so anxious to leave and in part because I knew if something happened you find me.

I found the letter you started to write me and I guess I owe you the explanation of what did happen. It isn’t a big secret, the reason we kept it from the media was purely selfish – my Unit didn’t want the attention. A couple days after I mailed your letter while we were waiting on our travel orders, we were given the okay to return to the school we had worked on during our earlier R&R. We grabbed our gear and headed out. It wasn’t far and it was through safe territory. We had been at the school for a couple of days when things started to seem strange. I can’t explain it, just something that wasn’t right. That night one of the women told us that an attack was being planned on the school to destroy it and anyone who was in it.

We passed the information on and waited. Our intelligence worked through it and deemed that it was legitimate. They also discovered that the group planning the attack contained some very high profile people. So instead of going home, we ended up hiding out close to this school, waiting for an attack. We were cut off from any communication for security purposes and the ‘rumor’ about a Unit being lost or kidnapped was spread. It would have been worse but since I was the only one who really had any idea of our timetable for going home, no one else had told any family.

The attack came when we least expected it (due to some inaccurate intelligence) but was thwarted for the most part. It resulted in the cut over my eye and some bruises, a flesh wound to one of my guys and a serious leg wound to another. By the time we left we hadn’t showered in over a week, our rations were extremely low although morale was fairly high because we had saved ‘our’ school. Exhaustion soon followed as we hadn’t slept much. I did the debrief in Germany with my Unit, then the guy whose place I took flew in so I could leave. I felt like I spent the entire couple of weeks being positive for my Unit, keeping my guys on alert, without causing speculation and I was truly exhausted when you met me at the airport.

I know you wanted to talk about it and I know that you wanted to fix it for me. Thanks for just letting me be. I appreciate the time and the space. It really isn’t the first impression I wanted to make on Sue, and I didn’t know until after I arrived how exhausted I really was. When someone said I could get on the flight to DC my thought was “Great – I’ll hang out with Jack, meet Sue, relax, then head for Wisconsin.” So I hung out by myself, asleep, not ready to let anyone reach me – sorry.

It wasn’t even that traumatic of an experience, compared to what others have been through; I think it was just the sheer emotion of it all.

Anyway, I’m glad you are keeping Sue, but more importantly I’m glad she is keeping you! I look forward to your wedding and the opportunity to enjoy both of you – Thanks, Peter

“So pray God’s people,” Sue said startling him back to present time.

He smiled and reached out to touch her cheek, thankful that this story had a happily ever after, remembering many that did not. She smiled back, laying her hand over his, enjoying the connection that they shared and the bliss of the moment.

The End

Peter's in DC safe and sound! Whew. And Sue is Jack's fiancee!

Whoops, we posted at the same time. Thanks for telling me about that Pam. Otherwise I may never have seen the end! And what a beautiful conclusion it was. Sure Peter might not have had the most traumatic experience ever but I doubt anyone could go over there and do the things he did and see the things he saw and come back and just return to normal. Thanks for this story.

What a wonderful, heartfelt, thought-provoking story, Pam! WONDERFUL job!

Not only will Peter's experiences undoubtedly change the way he lives his life, it will also affect the lives of those he loves---profound and moving story, Pam! Thanks for sharing it. Any chance you have another summer challenge story up your sleeve?? Plenty of time for another, you know.

Pam, this is such an incredible story!!

Peter was so blessed to have someone that he could go to who would let him regroup and rest!! What an experience!! Yes, maybe it wasn't as harrowing as some skirmishes were, but it was scary and stressful none the less!!!

Thank you for sharing with us!!!

Joy

Pam, that was a beautiful ending! I'm so glad you let us in on what happened with Peter's unit, and gave us a glimpse of Jack and Sue's connection at the end. An amazing story wonderfully told!!!

Pam that was a perfect ending (if ending one of your stories can ever be considered perfect ) I'm glad that Jack knew enough to let Peter be. It makes me wonder how guys with families manage that. Such a huge sacrifice on both sides of the Atlantic when a soldier is sent overseas. Thank you for writing this -- simple, heart-felt and thought provoking.

And I like Tina's idea about you doing another challenge

kav

So, so good Pam!
thanks so much,
Terie

More than excellent, Pam. Thanks for the happy ending...real life brings enough sad ones .

This was a great story. It makes you think about what is important. As Sue so astutely said in your conclusion...

AW, Pam. That was wonderful. Thanks so much for doing that story. It's one that needed to be told!

Jill

A wonderful ending to a wonderful story! Thanks!

a lovely ending to an outstanding story

cath

that was a great ending to the story! Thank you for writing this story!

wonderful, Pam, I'm glad to see that Peter was alright in the end and I loved the conection between Jack and Sue! Beautiful story.

Awesome, AWESOMELY done, Pam! You held it balanced, showing some of the behind the scenes stuff that Joe Normal Person wouldn't hear about in the Media (ask any soldier...) and you made it work so well. I applaude you.

An outstanding end to an outstanding story duckfan!!!! Such powerful writing!!! I loved how you tied in the title and conveyed a fantstic story with the reality of life!! It was amazing and you are a brilliant writer!!

Jen

Bravo duckfan!! This story was amazingly creative, "You've Got Mail", and so true to life. I could feel the raw emotions and my mind was like a ping pong ball going back and forth with what I thought would happen to Peter. Thank you for his safe return. You brought out so many important views toward the war in Iraq and in an excellent way. Loved Sue and Jack too, of course.

Wow. Beautiful! I enjoyed this story so much. You are so inspirational.

Em

Thanks, Pam ... for writing that story ... from Jack's perspective. It is too easy to forget that the servicemen and women always leave family behind ... and those parents, spouses and childrens never stop to worry about them.

THis was a very touching piece...

Pam,

I'm going through the challenges looking for your stories. I found this one and had to respond. It really touched me.

It's so sad that this war is still ongoing. We seem to have forgotten it here at home and it just makes me frustrated. I hate that Lives are still being lost on both sides.

Another thing that really makes me mad are the protests that are still happening at service funerals, by a "church" from KS. I'm thankful for the veterans who have banded together to screen the families from these hideous displays and the laws that have been passed banning them to a distance.

Thanks for sharing this story.

glad peter is relatively unharmed.
loved how sue and the team rallied around jack
they really are a family-the team
yay jack/sue are engaged.
when i read about the protesters at the soldier's funeral it reminded me of vietnam. my dad served in 'nam and they were treated horribly. called baby killers and spat on...not really sure if my dad actually got yelled at or spat at, but it must've been bad to been ridiculed by the very ppl you went out to protect/serve. especially aftering being a POW.
really hope these wars we're fighting don't turn into another vietnam.