Dimensional Travels: World at War-Chapter 69: Home

Jessica sat at her desk. She was texting Liam, smiling at her phone as they made plans for date night. Since Eric was on his mission, Liam got more bold with her. She sighed dreamily before realizing the Mia was standing in the doorway.

"I can explain!" Jessica quickly jumped up, hiding her phone behind her back.

Mia chuckled and hugged the younger woman. "Sweetie, you don’t have to explain. Just be careful. Guys your age sometimes only think of one thing. And Eric would kill Liam if that were to happen."

Jessica looked down. "Liam isn’t like that. He loves me for who I am." Her fingers fidgeted along the hem of her dress. "Ever since they rescued me and helped me train, he has checked up on me. And look! He even gave me flowers from this world on our first date."

Mia smiled and hugged the young woman.

"Love isn’t about how he treats you when you smile. It’s proven by how he acts when things get rough "

The door opened. Both women turned around, smiles on their face before they saw the cuts, bruises, and something that looked suspiciously like duct tape on Eric’s left forearm. He was finally home.

They looked at each other.

"...Why are you shirtless?"

Eric shrugged as he sat down. "My uniform was shredded."

She walked over, sitting down nect to him as her fingers trace along the scrapes. "Were you hit by shrapnel?"

Her voice even was even. Her eyes weren’t

"Something like that."

Jessica stood at the door, her arms crossed, glaring at Eric.

Mia’s jaw tightened.

"You goddamn idiot." Mia said as she traced gently over the duct tape. "At least let the medics clean you up right. Duct tape! Really? Duct tape of all things?"

Eric sighed as he stretched out, groaning. He rubbed his knee before grabbing Mia’s hand. "It was all I had at the time." He said while tracing over her hand with his thumb.

"Come here kid." He said to Jessica.

Jessica plopped down next to Eric. Her head rested on his shoulder. "You came back." Her voice barely a whisper.

"I always will."

He held the two women close, stroking Jessica’s hair, while his chin rested on Mia’s head. Jessica’s phone buzzed.

She pulled it out and tried to hide the name from Eric, but he saw it. "Ooh, is that your boyfriend? What did he say? Are you going out on a date?"

Jessica rolled her eyes, punching him playfully. "Stop it. We’re just going to hang out." She texted Liam back:

"He’s back, so be careful lol"

Liam responded: "Shit. Aight. I’ll be over. Hopefully he doesn’t kill me. 💀"

She smiled down at her phone while Eric looked over her shoulder. "Dad! Stoppp."

Mia glared at Eric, the corners of her mouth twitching as she tried not to laugh. She finally gave up. "You are impossible, you know that?" She said, resting her head on his chest. "You should be resting, but here you are teasing our daughter over her dating one of your soldiers."

He smirked while patting Mia’s head. "All in a day’s work, sweetheart."

"So, when is the kid going to be here?"

Jessica grumbled, ignoring Eric as she went to her room. Eric didn’t miss the smile on her face as she walked away.

He turned to Mia. "So, shotgun or AR? Gotta make sure the message is received."

A shaking head answered his question as she got up and went to start preparing dinner. "Go put a real bandage on. If you keep that duct tape on your arm, you’re sleeping on the couch." She didn’t turn around, smacking a spatula on the counter.

"And take out the trash before you clean your gun."

Eric laughed as he walked up behind her. He lifted the baby bump up gently, kissing her neck. "I’m home, my love." He said, holding her there while they swayed. She held his hands in place, a smile as they swayed. "You’re lucky I love you." She smiled before smacking his hand with a spatula. "Now go take care of that arm and take the trash out. You ’forgot’ last time and we missed trash day."

As Eric walked to the bathroom, Mia called to Him once more. "And for god’s sakes, take a shower! You smell like you’ve been hanging out in the sewers fof three days!"

Eric chuckled as he turned around. "Yes mommmm."

She laughed back. "Thanks! You made me one. Now go."

Eric sighed as he stepped into their room. He had put on a brave face in front of the girl’s, but the gloves were off when he had to take the rest of his uniform off. He bent down to untie his boots, gasping slightly as black spots appeared in his vision. "Alright, slower." He grumbled. He sat down, reaching to the laces. Each breath hurt as pins and needles crawled up his arms. His wound that was duct taped began bleeding through.

He moved his arm, wincing. "Eh, still moves. It’ll be fine. Gotta push through."

The shower was worse.

Blood ran down his body, making the stream in the bathtub red. He looked down scrubbed down, each movement causing pained gasps to escape his lips. His body creaked as he moved, wordless breaths pushing out from his lungs. "Fucking hell."

He forgot one thing.

His wife had superhuman hearing.

Mia came rushing into the bathroom right as Eric collapsed. She shut the water off and sighed. "What am I gonna do with you?" She tenderly helped him up."How bad is it, and be honest."

From the next room, they heard Jessica laughing while talking on the phone. "Thank god." They both exhaled. Jessica didn’t need to see Eric like this.

Eric sighed as he relaxed, he sat up as he let out a long, drawn out breath. "It isn’t as bad as it was." He remarked. "Been through worse."

He stood up, steadying himself by holding the wall. "Still sucks."

After cleaning up and dressing, Eric was more stable. Liam would be there at any time, so Eric sat on the front porch. He had disassembled his shotgun, wiping down the stock and barrel as the soldier walked up. He was dressed in a button down shirt, with jeans and boots. Eric didn’t look up. "She’ll be back at 2100, right?"

Liam gulped, nodding. "Roger."

"Roger what? Am I Roger now? Did i change my name? I don’t recall doing so. Man Liam. You must be a genuis. Are you a prophet?"

The young soldier trembled while collecting his thoughts. "I will have her back by 2100, Master Sergeant."

Eric nodded, putting the shotgun back together. "Good man." Mia came out with Jessica. She glared at Eric while Jessica refused to look at him.

"You must be Liam!" Mia said with a smile. "It is nice to meet you." Liam nodded while Eric watched, his eyes narrowed. "Yes ma’am. It is nice to meet you as well." He handed her flowers. "Ma’am, these are for you."

Eric hid a smirk, softening his posture. "Smart kid."

After Jessica returned at exactly 2100, Eric pulled Liam aside. Jessica was mooning over him to Mia loudly, and the two soldiers could hear every word. Eric passed a beer over to him.

"Of all the soldiers in the platoon, I am glad it was you, bud." He said, clinking beers with the young man. "But don’t be a hero just because you now have something you want to protect."

Liam looked at him with a frown. "Can I be frank?"

Eric nodded.

"Why do you always play the hero then?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Eric sighed, that question had been asked of him quite frequently as of late. "I am not a hero, a god, a legend, or whatever else people call me. My responsibility is, and has always been, to make sure the unit can still function. The ’heroic’ actions I take are not done because I want to look cool, or for bullet points on an ERB. There is a difference between charging in to protect...

And protecting someone by holding a line."

Liam looked at Eric, seeing him in a new light. "The guys all practically worship you by now, Sarn’t." He joked, sipping his beer. "We realize now why you always pushed us so hard back then, and why you always preached professionalism before doctrine."

Eric nodded, laughing. "Sometimes real world shit is the best teacher for refining lessons. This world is tough bud, but you all have proved that you are tougher. Come on in bud. Have a meal with us."

They played a game after dinner, Dreha watching from the sidelines. He sat in the air, his arms folding as he observed the family dynamics changing in real time. "Be wary of changing times in war, lest your family grows too far out of reach." He said softly. He looked past the heavens, and made eye contact with Mithrael. "Fool. You know not what you have done. I pity you, oh Brishan God. Even gods fall when their demigods bleed"

Morning sucker punched him as he woke up to a tightening feeling between his eyes. Eric groaned as he stood up and stretched. "Goddamnit. What was I thinking, challenging that kid to a drinking competition?" He had to tap out at midnight. Mia laughed as she woke up next to him. "I keep saying it, but you won’t listen. You’re almost thirty, love. You aren’t twenty-one."

Eric sighed before pulling her into his arms. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

At Hood Hill, Eric walked slowly up the hill. He had sunglasses on and an energy drink in hand as he meandered to the command room. He didn’t take the sunglasses off when he sat down.

Then he noticed the still atmosphere. Every staff officer was staring at a report. No one spoke.

"What now?" He groaned, opening his own report.

His energy drink dropped to the floor.