Bea and Eli, her apartment then the airport, Monday morning.
Bea had set an alarm to wake them up, fearing that she'd subconsciously try to sabotage him leaving by letting them oversleep. Especially after the night they'd had before.
When the alarm went off she got up and went to the restroom, then pulled on some jeans and a t-shirt with no make up. She knew she'd cry it all off on the way home anyway, and would save her shower for then too.
She waited until he'd showered and gathered his things to walk to the door and stood waiting with her hands in the pockets of her coat.
"You ready, baby?"
He'd packed everything a few days ago, so when the alarm went off he just got up and got dressed, then took his turn in the bathroom and came back out clean shaven in uniform and looking ready to leave. He sighed heavily as he picked up his ruck sack, put it on his back and picked up another olive drab canvas duffel bag. "Ready as I'll ever be." He answered.
She didn't know what to say so she stayed quiet as she left her apartment with him and went down to her car. She was trying not to start crying as she'd promised that her happy face was going to be the last thing he saw before he left.
"Snows coming in," she said softly. "I hope you guys make it through before it hits."
He looked out when she mentioned the snow. Secretly, he hoped they got a blizzard and couldn't leave. "Do you want me to drive?" He asked after loading his bags into her car.
"Nah, I will," she said as she climbed in the car. "If I have my hands free I'm likely to try to do something silly on the way to the airport," she told him with a little smirk.
"Okay" He said as he got into the passengers seat and took his hat off. He was nervous about leaving for once, and he hoped things didn't go to hell while he was gone. "I trust you entirely."
She picked up his hand after she'd backed the car out of the parking space and was on her way out of the garage. She brought it to her mouth and pressed kisses on the back of it. "I trust you entirely too," she said back. "And we're going to be fine. I love you so much."
He smiled as he watched her drive. "Love you too, Bea-utiful."
The ride to the airport wasn't long, but it was quiet. Everything outside was covered in snow and when he came back it would all be green and warm. He tried to not think about how long it would be before he came back.
At the airport she parked and had to let go of his hand long enough to get out of the car and let him get his things, then she held his free hand again. Once inside she looked at him. "I mailed your first letter yesterday," she said softly. "So hopefully you get it soon. And I swear I'll write every day, even if I don't have anything important to say. Just to tell you I love you and miss you."
He chuckled since he didn't even know what the address there was going to be. He'd given her the address his commanding officer said was a general mailbox though, so hopefully it didn't get too far lost. "Already missing me, aren't you?" He asked as he shook his head. When she went for her pajamas later tonight she'd find the letter he'd tucked away for her.
She nodded as she looked up at him with sad eyes, then flung her arms around his neck. "So much it makes me crazy," she whispered back and hugged him.
Eli dropped his bag and picked her up off the ground. "I'll be back before too long." He hoped... "Then we can celebrate in a whole new way."
"You better," she whispered back after she'd wrapped her legs around him and was now hanging off of him entirely. "You come back safe and alive and in one piece with no holes blown in you. Do you hear me?" she said and leaned back to cup his face in her hands, drinking in the sight of him. "I need you and the only thing that will keep me from going entirely batshit crazy is knowing that you're going to come back eventually."
He nodded. "I'll do my best, but I will come back home to you. Regardless of bullet holes." He said honestly. Even if something tragic were to happen he'd be sent back home and he'd already changed his home of record and as much as he could to ensure he went home to her. Not that he wanted to arrive back that way, but for the just in case purposes... He also had a letter sent to his sister with strict instructions it wasn't opened unless he didn't come back. That was one promise he knew she'd keep. "Fill up your sketch books and I'll be home by the time you finish your next comic."
She nodded and rested her forehead against his. "I love you," she whispered for the billionth time she was sure, but she didn't know that she'd adequately expressed it yet. "Forever. And I'm going to make a comic just for you and send it over there. It'll be dirty, so don't let your friends see it."
Shifting the way he stood, he held her with one hand and made an X over his heart with the other. "I swear I'll hide it from them."
She smiled at the promise even though her eyes remained sad. "You're really leaving, aren't you?" she said softly. "You're really going to be gone for three whole months at least."
He nodded. "I have to baby." He said with sadness in his voice though he didn't show it any other place. Sadness was a vulnerability that he didn't want to show right now. Even if it made her feel less sad about him going, he couldn't afford to be the soldier in cammies bawling his eyes out. He had to be strong for them both and he knew that. "Three months isn't too long, and I made a promise to not volunteer for extra time."
"I know," she replied and kissed him again, then one more time. "Doesn't make it any easier, though." She pressed kisses to his forehead and his cheeks, then hugged him again. "Oh my God, I hope you sleep on the plane on the way back."
Eli set her back on the ground and shook his head. "Can't ever fall asleep on a plane. Tried, but can't do it." He was always afraid that if he fell asleep something would happen and he wouldn't be able to get out. Crazy and improbable, sure, but it was the way his brain worked.
She sighed and smiled. "Well then, I'll try to leave you alone long enough to get some decent sleep once you get back, but I don't make any promises."
He grinned and grabbed her ass with both hands. "Who said I wanted to sleep when I get home?"
She chuckled and grabbed his ass too. "It's good that you feel that way because I suspect I'm going to have trouble leaving you alone for at least a week. And when I'm not crawling all over you I'm sure Pip will." She kissed his shoulder. "I'm going to send you at least one picture in every letter so you remember everything."
"When you start missing me just write me a letter." He said, figuring that would be an easy solution. Plus that would make sure he got lots of mail. "If you make them normal pictures I can hang them up around me." He said, pretty sure she'd understand what he meant.
"The majority of them will be," she promised. She wouldn't be a good overseas girlfriend if she made them ALL family friendly though, would she?
He grinned. "So you're gonna send me dirty pictures?"
"I wouldn't be a good girlfriend if I didn't," she countered. "But I'll make sure to send you some that you can show to your friends and brag. And whenever I go out with Andy or Sarah I'll make sure to take pictures then so you can see what I'm getting into while you're gone."
Those could be some interesting photos... He nodded. "I'll share those with my friends too. Maybe we can find a nice, calm, Army boy for Sarah." He said with a chuckle.
Bea laughed. "Ri-iiiigght. But then again, maybe. Army boys weren't really my speed either until I met you," she said with an entirely adoring look on her face. "Then I found out that whoa, was I ever wrong." It felt good, talking and laughing like this with him even though he was only seconds away from leaving.
"I'm glad you were wrong. Even with you not wanting me to go do my job, I love you and I'll be back to reassure that fact." He said with a nod. He would definitely reassure her he thought as he wondered if she'd go through his dresser. The ring should be pretty safe in his underwear drawer though, he figured.
She squeezed him again when she heard his flight called and didn't want to let him go. "You better," she said back, eyes starting to burn with tears. It was here. It was time to let him go and pray he came back. "Please be safe," she whispered into his neck. "I love you. I'm going to miss you so much."
He bit his lip as he heard the call and stooped to pick up his bags again. "I love you too, Bea-utiful. I'll be back before you know it and we'll go out to celebrate just like we did last night but better."
She nodded and gripped the back of his neck as she kissed him long and deep, not caring who was looking or what sort of spectacle she was making. "Love you," she murmured against his mouth one more time and didn't care how many times she'd already said it. It'd never be enough. She forced herself to step back and gave him the best smile she could mangage, just because she'd promised him she would.
Lightly he touched his fingers to the necklace she wore matching his from Christmas. He was able to wear it and match hers this way, since it had a cross on it and they couldn't deny him that. "Love you too." He'd always be there with her and she with him. Smiling back he nodded lightly. "Be here waiting when I come back."
"I will. I promise," she said and made an x over her heart too. She kept smiling even after he'd turned away just in case he turned back, but she couldn't stop the tears from pouring down her face.
He'd walked backwards as long as he could, but once he turned he didn't turn back. His bags got checked and he passed though security, then went through the terminal and boarded the plane. His eyes were betraying his facial expression, since he didn't want to cry but felt wetness on his cheek as the plane took off. He was glad to have a window seat, even if it meant watching the City, and Bea, disappear as he left.
She stayed to watch as he got on the plane and then until the plane had taken off, although her vision was too blurred by then to see much of anything. Once the plane was out of sight, she turned and went back to her car, though she couldn't bring herself to drive off right away. Instead she sat and wept into her hands for what felt like hours, although she had no way of knowing how long it'd been. She felt horribly empty and utterly bereft without him, and while she was aware that it was likely lame to feel that way, she couldn't help feeling it. After she'd calmed down a bit she drove herself back home and went into the Manor without a word to anyone. She didn't look around to see if anyone noticed her state and she didn't care. When she was inside her apartment, she scooped up Pippa who was oblivious to it all and just happy to see her and carried her to bed where she cuddled with her puppy and cried until she just gave up on staying conscious and fell into a fitful sleep.