Warning: Everything is this chapter is my imagination. EVERYONE CHECK  out the Trailer I made for BITE THE BULLET on the side and yes I would like to thank "iamawesomest" for the beautiful banner on the side and XxAmoreSxX for editing my chapter.

Check out the Trailer.

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~*~*~*They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this Nation.~*~*~*

"Don't let him go," Troy barked at the others, who were holding me in a firm grip. I struggled but it was all in vein, because they were holding my legs and arms, trying to put me on the ground. Other soldiers were gathering around, making a circle to see the show.

"Let go man, I swear when am free am gonna kick you all in the arse," I shouted but there was laughter in there.

"Pipe down," Hassan the second mastermind behind this was holding my hands said, with a grin so wide it was almost a miracle his lips didn't tear.

"This is our treat for your promotion, Blade," said Carlos, keeping his weight on me as they put my body on the ground, others let go and backed away only a step or two. When I tried to push Carlos back and stand up, at once something white was poured on my face. Now Carlos stood up and barks of laughter sang in the air. Seconds later, something cold hit my body, followed by dirt. I squirmed, hiding my face with my hands, which spread the shaving cream all over my face, covering my light stubble and lashes.

 "Congratulations' man," Troy chuckled joined by laughter of others. I lay there laughing as they emptied the cans of their shaving cream on me. I guess they'll have to borrow other team's shaving creams tomorrow.

"Now the best part," Carlos chimed, grabbing my shoulders, standing me up.

"Oh no, you don't," I yelled, struggling, but Carlos got a hold of my hands behind my back.

 "C'mon ladies, we have got ourselves a punching bag," he gave the green signal for the other almost twenty soldiers around me. I glared as Hassan stepped up, first shaking my hand congratulating me, then I huffed as his fist made contact with my chest.

"That hurt," I huffed, making him hit his knee while laughing.

Again, laughter rang around me, but I stood still enduring the punches on my chest. This was some sort of a promotion ceremony, no not the main ceremony, in which the higher rank would put a medal on our combat shirt. Whereas the boys had something unique in mind, like showering me with shaving cream, dirt, and water then to make it even better-delivering punches on me. Bloody cowboys!

**

Troy stared at me no expression on his face. His eyes spoke everything. He was confused, angry, annoyed and somewhat proud. "You did it man," he at last spoke, breaking the thick tension between us. I gave a nod.

"They were considering it during my duty here on the camp," I explained feeling a little anxious.

"They did the right thing," he delivered.

"You ain't mad?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Nah man, I knew your promotion wasn't far away. We all know you sort of worship this job and work hard for it." he cracked a smile. The annoyed expressions all flew away. I was confused then it hit me.

"Oh c'mon man! You were faking the drama all this time," I growled making him laugh. When we came back at the camp, Troy was sort of off, I thought he might be pissed off turned out I was wrong.

"Blade, you're a moron to think I'll be mad at your promotion, dude am your bro," Troy said then gave me a hug patting my back a few times.

"I am happy, am sure your old man is flying right now,"

"I am sure he already knows I was promoted," I told him when we parted.

He nodded," This is good, now you're a rank higher than mine," I laughed saying, "Soon you'll kick Zach, and be the Sergeant,"

"Yeah, but he'll be something else," Troy grimaced and then chuckled. "Wish we could celebrate,"

"Now, I don't think so. Besides you were more than happy to shove me around in the promotion ceremony," this made him laugh as the memories of an hour ago rushed in.

"It ain't funny, you grabbed my hands behind my back, and all you idiots punched my chest. And you," I pointed my finger at him in accusation.

"Delivered a punch harder than anyone," I glared but knew there was a smile in my eyes.

 "We had worse plans for you," he snickered.

"What's worse than you ruining my suit with crap while I was on the ground?" I demanded, turning around and sitting on the plastic chair.

 "Well...we wanted to wrap your body with duck tab and leave it out in the rain," I knew he was trying hard not to laugh.

 "Oh I'm glad you didn't cause once I was out of those duck taps I would have kicked everyone who was in this prank with you," I threaten, then ended up laughing. "It was fun, I am glad everyone had something else to think about,"

"Zach was proud of you," Troy said sitting across from me.

"I'm sure he doesn't want Colonel to see how wants to punch me in the face,"

"Maybe," I knew Troy wasn't jealous but it made me sad he wasn't with me. Everything that happened in life it happened with both of us. At least such big occasions did. Things were changing little by little and I didn't like them.

**

It was raining fast, the drops hit my face softly, as I stood there in the cold night, outside the medical tent, brushing off the insane wind around me, which stuck my clothes to my body almost making me freeze on the spot, and still I waited patiently for Ava to come out.

We were here for four days, every day my every spare minute that I had, I spent with Avalina, even though that meant having a little sleep, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be with her, wanted to know her more, being around her felt so, so right that leaving her was agony. Tomorrow my team was moving out again. I couldn't wait to spend more time with her.

I was in my combat suit, without the helmet or rifle, desperately waiting for her to come out now. Troy was resting back at the tent; apparently, he also wished to patrol here keeping me company. So, I waited welcoming the cold rain. I shifted my weight to my other leg, and that's when the flap of the tent opened as Avalina rushed out and then walked toward her tent.

 Shading her eyes with her right hand, she jogged. I followed, somehow feeling like a stalker, but I was far from it. Mud splashed on my shoes, we passed tents and I was almost behind her. There was no one around us, which was something I was glad to have. I noticed her wearing the shirt I had given her months ago; the fabric was clinging to her body, water dripping. I feared she might catch a cold. Well I was soaking wet and I didn't give a shit about it, all I wanted right now was to be with her.

 Avalina turned another corner and I followed soundlessly. Then I quickened my pace was just a feet or two away from her. I grabbed her wrist and spun her around. Avalina gasped, was about to yell, but when her eyes fell on me, she threw a hand over her mouth preventing the scream from cutting the air.

 "Goodness Blade, you scared me," she scolded, freeing her wrist and taking few steps. I sighed and once again spun her around to face me, this time snaking my left hand around her waist, bringing her closer to me. Ava gasped, eyes growing wider.

I studied her face, the wet hair that stuck on her beautiful face, the green eyes looking at me, worried, shy and confused. I raised my free hand, whipping her hair away from her face, loving how she blinked four times in just two seconds. The whoosh of the wild wind around us was forgotten for that moment, the thunder that stuck, illuminating the dark sky was ignored, and the merciful rain that drenched the world had no value to us that very moment.

 "Ava," I begin in a slow voice, it was deep with emotions, which were no longer foreign to me.

 "Ava, I am leaving tomorrow. I wanted to be with you, wanted to spend my time with you," I told her, staring down in those eyes. Avalina bit her lip, dropping her gaze.

"When will you come back?" her voice was barely a whisper, just like mine. I pressed a kiss on her forehead, holding her tighter in my arms.

"I don't know Ava, a month or two. I can't tell, but I have something to ask of you, something I have been thinking about from a while now," I informed stroking her cheek.

"What?" she murmured, her voice muffled in my chest. I pulled her away, and looked deeply in those eyes that dropped a brick in my stomach, swell my heart and teased my dreams.

"Ava tell me how much do you care for me?" How much do you want me in your life?" I demanded gently. She laughed; it was like a ringing wind chime.

I saw her narrow her eyes as she organized her thoughts and then she spoke with sincerity; "How much I care! I could have died, but your team saved me from the cruel fate, when the other man tried to help me, I saw 'them' in his eyes though he was a good man. Nevertheless, when you tried to calm me, your eyes they begged for something, the purity was poured down into rivulet from your eyes. I agreed, then once again," she cleared her throat, trying not to frown.

"You and Troy saved me from that vicious man, I felt great amount of gratitude toward you, I was horrified," she smiled again, shaking her head as though at a memory.

"You were like a cloud shadowing me from every danger that lurked there. You stood like a mountain in front of me all the time. My heart was already yours. There are no words in the world that can explain how insanely I care for you. You ask how much I want you." She raised both her eyes brows a glint in her eyes, a glint that said she meant every word, making my heart run fast; thunder stuck that moment giving me a clear view of her face.

"If I spend another day without you I can't live. I don't know how I will live without you, Blade. I will surly die," she finished desperately with her bottom lip quivering, she bit on it. Her words hit me like a storm, only God knows what they brought in my heart.

The tears in her eyes were not hard to figure out even with the rain pouring down on both of us. I bent down and kissed her eyes, then the tears on her cheeks. She had told me before how much she cared about me and I am sure she knows how much I loved her.

Wild bushes danced around us, there was no on around at this hour. Only us and the nature, which gazed at us with awe, Avalina wrapped her hands around me, feeling her fingers tighten made feelings rush in me, she was driving me insane with her simplest touch.

"Ava...In the time of hell you have showed me heaven. When there was no one you became my life, my everything, in the time of war you gave me peace and I would always want that, my love for you never dry's, in fact it grows more in my heart every day, every minute and every second. Until it consumes my body and soul, then I will kneel and will give myself away to you." I tipped her chin up, caressing her cheekbone; she shivered.

 "Ava, will you be with me? Avalina, will you marry me?" I asked slowly, staring down in her eyes, aware of the lump in my throat. The fast running of my ticker and feet going cold. Deep down inside I knew the answer; still I was worried, waiting for her reply.

"Blade," she sobbed, pressing her head against my chest. My pride swelled making me grin. Right now, I was the happiest man on the face of earth. I had God to thank for this. She pulled away; looking at me with so many emotions in her eyes it was amazing. Amazing the girl who hid her emotions could express them so loudly without uttering a word. A bridge was crossed and pages were turned but we kept staring at each other as if nothing existed in the world around us.

 She smiled a darn cute one. "So is that a yes?" I raised my eyebrow. She shook her head.

 I smirked, "A no?"

She shook her head again. "A million times yes," and laughed, I joined her. It felt good to be around her, like all the problems in the world vanished being near her, like I was melting in her embrace in her eyes just like butter on a hot toast.

 My hand left her chin and encased her hand in mine,

 "Come with me," I said tugging on her hand.

 "Where?" She protested lightly.

 "To show you heaven," was my reply, which made her blush.

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