Coming Home
Josh
I sent the alarm to all the Originals phones. I was in the command center while Patrick stayed with my girls. Hell, I was already in the weaponry packing what we needed then grabbing my own emergency bag.
I had the jet ready, and didn’t even give the team barely any time. I looked at Mills. “You’re in charge, we're all shipping out. The jet is ready and all I need is my team. Keep everyone on a level one lockdown, and do not breathe a word of this mission to anyone. The last thing you guys need is for the Cartel to learn the Originals all shipped out together. Do not let anyone inside the gates, I don’t give a fuck who it is. Just tell Morgan it was a last minute mission, and we won’t be gone long.”
I took off for the jet and saw Axton standing in the doorway. We embraced and slapped each other’s backs as the rest of our team came running in their fatigues behind me. We rushed to put our things down.
“Are we ready for one last mother fucking mission for the United States Army?” Axton yelled out.
“Hooah!”
“Are we ready to bring the baddest mother fucker God ever created home?”
“Hooah!”
“Are we ready to slit some mother fucking throats?”
“Hooah!”
“Wait…what are we doing?” Bolton asked and we all burst into laughter.
“That man in Creed’s bed was a fucking Isis member! We located Creed and he’s alive. Injured but alive. We spotted him on satellite held captive in Syria, along with every other member that was taken from that transport vehicle. They think he has intel so that’s why he’s alive. This time we have government clearance!”
“Holy shit!” Bolton cried out.
“So, are we going to slit throats today?” Axton asked again.
“Hooah!”
As the pilot shut the doors Axton was still high on adrenaline.
“Lets put those pansy ass Seals to shame and finish what they started!”
“Hooah!”
“Whose the baddest special ops in the military?”
“Delta Force!”
“Who has full military support for this mission?”
“Creed’s Lake!”
The jet took off quickly and the adrenaline was flowing high in the jet. Our jet landed at a US Garrison in Al-Tanf and the Army had everything ready for us to go including five black hawks. For the first time in our history the Army accepted our evacuation plan and soon we were on our way.
“Do not second guess! See someone, take them out! We do not have room for error. We have six members of the United States Military counting on us! Remember the plan! Repel, fight, retrieve, evacuate!” Axton was yelling over the noise of the helicopter. “We have backup this time! We will safely evacuate! Retrieve and go! Air support will be watching, and the US Army wants their fucking hero back! He is the focus, but grab every damn soldier you can find! Make this a monumental Delta Force mission!”
“Hooah!”
“Who are we bringing home?” He yelled out.
“A fucking hero!”
“Hooah!” Axton yelled out.
“We’re approaching the drop zone, sir!” The pilot said.
I looked at each member and memorized their faces just in case. My eyes went from Jennings, to Bolton, to Irons, to Axton, to Baros, and finally Granger. I thought of Morgan and Addie as I watched each team member repel onto foreign soil for possibly the last time. It was my last time in a Black Hawk Helicopter, and I was more than fine with it.
Morgan
I didn’t know if I could stay at Creed’s Lake. I wasn’t doing well, and they raised the lockdown level again three days ago. The community center shut down after dinner every night and we were to stay in our homes. I was losing the freedoms I needed. Without Creed I couldn’t function. Axton wasn’t answering my calls. Everyone else was sent out on an emergency mission three days ago. I was cut off from the world.
I slept most of the time. Zoey came every single day to check on me. Stephanie was trying to talk about funeral arrangements, and I couldn’t do it. Not yet, I wasn’t ready. Axton made me a few promises and I needed to know if those were going to be fulfilled before I decided on anything. No, I didn’t call his mother, his uncle, or his grandparents. None of them needed to go through the hell I was living until there was word from Axton.
I tried to be strong for Addie, but I already hit my breaking point. Schools still didn’t start up, even though the news said the military had rounded up most of the terrorist cells. A lot of countries were already back to functioning like normal, but we were meant to take the heaviest hits. We had the most terrorist cells.
Nikko was constantly at my side. She would howl all night if I didn’t let her sleep with me. Addie knew something was wrong, but I refused to tell her anything until I heard from Axton.
Everything was so quiet. People were already grieving, and it made me angry. My greatest fear was that something happened to Axton and that as why he hadn’t called and they took off so fast on a mission. It had to be something big for all the Originals to take off so quickly.
I had just finished my shower after putting Addie to bed. The babies were being active as I looked in the mirror at my swollen stomach. I was huge, but I loved being pregnant with his babies. I could see a foot move and even see the outline of it. They didn’t have much room in there because Creed was such a big man. They were taking after their daddy already.
I looked in my drawer and wanted something comfortable. Nothing with a waistband felt comfortable so I pulled out the one maternity satin gown and robe I had and put them on.
I waddled my way downstairs where my dad and Uncle Darren sat and drank coffee. “Are you guys asking to be up all night?” I took a glass from the cupboard. They probably didn’t know what to think when I walked downstairs. I was in our bed most of the time and didn’t have the strength to do much of anything. My grief had finally taken hold, and I couldn’t fight it.
“We have reason to believe we may be up for awhile. What about you? Are my grandbabies keeping you up?” Dad asked.
I filled my glass with water. “Something like that, I guess.”
My dad and Uncle Darren were on babysitting duty since Josh was gone and Patrick had a shift in Clarity.
Dad’s phone rang and I listened as he answered it. It was late, but it was normal for him to get a call from the station at night. I listened as he spoke. “Okay, right now? She is still up and that’s not a problem.”
I looked at Uncle Darren, silently asking what it was about but he shrugged.
“Alright, we will be outside waiting.” He paused. “What the fuck did you just say?”
My eyes grew big and so did Uncle Darren's.
Dad laughed. “Jesus, are you sure? How the hell did that happen?” Dad looked at me and I saw the craziest smile I ever saw. “You should have called to warn us. This is amazing, yes, I’m taking her outside right now.”
Creed
I couldn’t sit still as we turned into my driveway. Through the trees I could see the lights from our home, and I knew she was still awake. Axton just spoke with Tanner and asked him to take Morgan outside.
When Magnus told me she was pregnant, I almost killed him. But he explained everything and that was when I learned it was twins and they were mine. I was confused because she said she had her period before I left. They said she was even more beautiful pregnant, and I tried to imagine it but couldn’t.
In front of us was three side by sides and behind us was seven more. I was being escorted home by my brothers and sisters. Axton got them all up from their beds and decided to plan some kind of bullshit. Morgan didn’t know everything that happened yet. She didn’t know that when I was being transported one of my fellow soldiers died right next to me. She didn’t know that when I was captured the first time some asshole took my clothes and dog tags to try and infiltrate an American garrison to blow it sky high. That meant soldiers, women, and children. They weren’t expecting their own team to attack the transport vehicle. She didn’t know my brothers and sister came to get me and didn’t tell her because they didn’t want to get her hopes up. She also didn’t know I was coming home because we were still dark until we landed on American soil, which was the airstrip at Creed’s Lake. We were dark because there was still a terrorist threat and that went for all Military personnel going in or out of Syria.
When I was in and out of consciousness, I dreamed of my father. He told me I had the fight of my life ahead of me. That I had to hold on to my love for Morgan and she would be my strength. He also said he was proud of what I was doing with the Creed name. He also hoped I found peace with my mother, because she wouldn’t be around long. I was doing the right thing for the brothers I didn’t know, and he was with Elizabeth where he finally found peace.
When I woke, I was nude and chained down to a concrete block, outside for everyone to see. I was beat and tortured every damn day for intel, but I knew they would kill me the moment I said a thing. I had to give Axton time. I knew he would come for us, he always did and always would.
I was injured, but not nearly as bad as the sack of shit that stole my fatigues. I had broken ribs, a broken arm, and I had a concussion along with some surface injuries that would definitely scar, but I could live with that if it meant I got to hold my girls again.
I loved them so damn much that I credit them for keeping me alive. I had every intention of scooping Morgan up and taking her to the courthouse and marrying the hell out of her.
The closer we got to our home, the more I realized I was about to be a dad to three kids. Fucking identical twins!
“The fucking idiot told her she just needed to take a massive shit!” Axton was laughing as he drove, but everything he said went in one ear and out the other. I didn’t hear one damn thing he said as my eyes were peeled on the house as it came closer.
I took what I had for her from the safe back at the command center. I was squeezing it in my hand tighter as we got closer.
Morgan
Whatever was happening wasn’t normal. I was scared and my dad wouldn’t tell me what was happening. All he said was that he got a call from the command center that said to expect the Originals home and to stay awake. Then he got another call, but he wouldn’t tell me about that one.
I watched as a line of side by sides drove closer and stopped. I saw Josh, and almost raced over to him but he held his hand up to stop me and my dad caught my arm.
I watched as one member after another went to one particular side by side, then began lining up, two rows facing each other. The line went straight out then curved as it came closer to me. My heart was racing because they all stood at attention and saluted. I couldn’t see what was happening, until I noticed someone was walking between them and toward me.
A strange feeling came over me and my legs began feeling weak. My dad and Uncle Darren tried to hold me up, but I guess I was too much of a fat ass for them, so they gently allowed me to sit on the ground. The blanket I had wrapped around me fell off as soon as he came into view. Those beautiful eyes met mine and I couldn’t breathe. My uncle stood at attention and my beautiful man stopped in front of him as my uncle showed the Marine he was, and saluted him. Creed saluted him back, then patted his shoulder before slowly kneeling down on one knee.
“Breathe.” He said as one lone tear fell down his cheek. I reached for him as I took in a breath finally. He was injured but managed to hold me in his one good arm. “I could never let go of you, Morgan. You kept me alive over there.” He cried as he finally lifted his head to look at me.
The sexiest damn smile broke through his tears as he placed his hand on my belly. “What do we have here?” He studied my eyes, and I broke down into the ugliest sob I ever cried. His good hand cupped my face. “I am so damn proud of you, Morgan. I’m dying to see Addie, but I just need to look at you for a moment.” He shook his head. “I didn’t think it was possible when they said you were even more beautiful pregnant with my babies, but my God, you’re taking my breath away.” He leaned in and kissed my tears, then his lips met mine and I melted into him. Everyone around us clapped and yelled, “Hooah!”
He chuckled against my lips then opened mine with his to kiss me deeper as his tongue swept against mine. When he pulled back, he rested his head against mine. “You know what this means, right?” He asked and I nodded.
He looked straight into my eyes as he slipped a ring on my finger.
“I’m already yours.” I whispered and again everyone yelled out, “Hooah!”