-- "Sometimes the dead we miss the most are right in front of us, but we are too full of hurt, regret and pain to see it." --

(Name) sat on the front steps of her house, a daisy in her hands, plucking off the petals.
Just one year ago, (name)'s dad Alfred F. Jones had been deployed out in Iraq (prob spelling that wrong...) to help fight. And today, was the anniversary of when he left...

The (h/c) haired girl plucked off the last petal of the daisy, letting the soft white flower petal float elegantly to the ground and onto the wooden steps.
Sunlight leaked through the trees surrounding the house, the patches of light scattered around the ground like a leopards pelt. (Name) had always loved playing under those trees with her dad, climbing and playing some silly game that they had come up with...

(Name) sniffed rubbing the tears that were starting to accumulate in her eyes.
Everyone she talked too seemed to think that joining the army was a death wish... When she had told some of her friends they had simply laughed.
People had no respect, and the people who didn't make fun or it treated her like she was some poor little kid who should be felt sorry for.

"Oh such a poor little girl... Having her dad being gone for such a long time..."

She HATED it, if there was one thing she had in common with her dad it was that she had a fierce sense of independence and a pretty big ego.
((Sorry, but we mericans DO tend to have a bit of an ego problem XD))

"I can take care of myself... I can stand up I my own just fine." She muttered, letting the rest of the rest of the daisy fall out of her hands.
She stood up walking inside the house, she closed the door behind her looking around for her mom. "Mom? Where are you?" She called out her (e/c) orbs staring around the house.
She heard a soft sobbing sound and the blare of the Tv coming from the living room and immediately followed it.

"Mom? Mom where are y-" She stopped at the sight in front of her. Her mom was sitting on the couch, head in hands a box of tissues next to her, there was a couple used tissues scattered next to her on the couch.
(Name) walked over to her mom, sitting down on the couch.
"It's awful..." Her mother choked, curious (name) turned her attention to the TV, it was a lie news report.

"A terrible explosion in Iraq today off the battlefield, as a US army camp was bombed. several injuries have been reported and over 100 men perished in the incident..."

The rest was just a blur in her mind as she stared at the screen, watching as they rolled the footage of the dead and injured bodies being carried away on stretchers. She watched silently, tears starting to form once again in her eyes.
"W-where's dad?" She whispered hoarsely and continued watching.

Suddenly two men carried another stretcher with a pale lifeless form on it. She recognized the man in the stretcher almost instantly.
Light brown hair, blue eyes and an all too familiar cowlick.

"D-DAD!!!" (Name) screamed falling to her knees in front of the tv screen.
"I'm sorry (name)... Your dad was one of the men who perished, he was very brave..." Your mom whispered, her eyes were full of tears.

"NO!!! HE SAID HE'D COME BACK!!!" You yelled turning to face your mother your eyes full of both rage and grief.
"ITS NOT BRAVE TO GET KILLED EVEN BEFORE YOU CAN COME HOME!!!"
Your mother looked up at your sadly. "I'm sorry dear... But he won't be coming home... I know he promised you but you have to understand that he tried harder then anything to come back h-"

"I DONT CARE!!! THEN HE SHOULD HAVE TRIED HARDER!!!" Your eyes were becoming blurry from tears as you stormed off and ran upstairs to you room, slamming the door behind you.
"HE LIED TO US, HE SAID HE'D BE HOME, HE PROMISED HE WOULDN'T DIE!!!" You screamed as you ran to your room.
You slid down on the door pulling your knees to your chest, tears streamed down your face, you were hyperventilating but you didn't even try to calm down. You didn't care anymore. Your dad who you considered your best friend was now dead like all the rest of the soldiers who perished.

You hated war, you hated what it did to people, you hated how it ruined and tore apart family's like yours. And what was it for??? What was your dad's death for? Absolutely nothing.
"You promised you'd come home... Mom's in tears and you lied to the both of us... You're not a hero, you're a coward..." You said hiccuping.

'Why couldn't you have just stayed instead... Why did you have to leave us?...' You wondered angrily, your mom was crying, you were crying, and it was all HIS fault.

You heard scratch marks on your bedroom door, you sniffled. "GO AWAY LIBERTY!!!" You yelled at your dog. You and Alfred would always play with Liberty out in the backyard.
The golden retriever whined scratching on the door again, you sighed opening the door and letting the door in your room, Liberty padded up to you nuzzling and licking your cheek.
You wiped off the saliva, Liberty sat down next to you and rested his head on your lap whimpering again.
You stroked the old dogs head, and you could tell that he was trying to comfort you.

"I miss dad..." You mumbled, wiping away your tears. Liberty whimpered and his tail wagged softly side to side.

(For you assholes who say that this never happens, it does. I've see it. Dogs are very sensitive and loyal animals.)

"Yeah I guess you miss him too huh..." You figured continuing to pet him.
"He should have stayed but he left, he promised he'd come back home and he didn't..."

Liberty nuzzled you, wagging his tail. "What?" You asked. The dog barked and stood up panting lightly he barked again.
"I don't want to play." You snapped, but Liberty nudged you again.
"What? I don't care I don't want to play!"

Liberty whined running out your bedroom door you heard him race stagger down the steps. You sighed, "crazy dog..." You muttered, wiping your eyes which were red and puffy from crying.
You heard Liberty bark and stumble back up the stairs.

He padded into your room, his leash in the dogs mouth.
"What? I'm not taking you out for a walk."
The dog whined and gave you the puppy dog eyes. His ears and tail drooped.

"Ugh fine just quit it with the puppy face... You're starting to look like dad." You groaned grabbing the leash and attaching it to Liberty's collar.
The dog barked in excitement, practically dragging you back down the stairs and out the back door.
"Hey slow down Liberty!!!" You commanded, but of corse Liberty didn't give a shit and kept dragging you all the way out into the woods towards a small river which you would go down to a lot with your dad.
A large willow tree stood, one that your dad had planted when your were only a baby. Liberty whined as you pulled him back with the leash.
"Geez Liberty slow down..." You muttered.
You sighed, as Liberty lead you over to the willow tree. A ghostly figure sat under the tree, it's shape almost impossible to make out.
Ever since you were little you'd been able to see spirits and other magical creatures like your grandfather Arthur. Alfred always thought you were just playing with imaginary friends but little did he know that they weren't imaginary.
Liberty barked happily at the spirit, running over to it. The figure smiled and sat up, it's ghostly Hand reaching over to pet the dog. Liberty let out a happy bark.
You could just make out the figures shape, blue glasses, and friendly eyes with a cowlick sticking out of his hair.
"D-dad..." You stuttered, tears of joy formed in your eyes. Relief plastered on your face as you ran over to your dad.

You were so glad
It was your dad
Your dad was back
He was back from Iraq....