The sun shines at its fiercest blaze. The skies are merciless and decide not to offer a single cloud for shade. It was noisy and iffy as sweaty men and women marched their fifth rotation on this sports complex. Whistles. Screams. Commands. Marching songs. It isn't a pretty setting but for a particular couple, it was paradise. Being in that very complex meant taking their first steps to serving the motherland and fulfilling their patriotic dreams.

Despite all the challenges of military training, Kylie and Ruru knew nothing would stop them from serving their beloved Pilipinas.

"Padilla!" called Colonel Aguilar.

Kylie came firmly jogging her way to the man and halted right in front of him to offer a salute. As soon as the man returned her salute she put her hand down and listened attentively to what he was going to say.

Try as she could, she couldn't make words out of whatever the colonel was saying. Kylie felt her world turn and she saw colors that weren't there to begin with. Calming herself down, she tried to inhale and exhale as slowly and deeply as she could but the colors didn't go away and she felt her knees getting weaker. Nothing seemed to help.

Private Kylie Padilla fainted.

Opening her eyes to a white light so blinding, she thought she died. She looked around and noticed she was just in the infirmary of the camp. It must have been because of the little fainting incident she had a while ago. Private Padilla tried to sit up but failed as she felt a weight heaving her down on her stomach area. She looked down to see a headful of hair resting upon her tummy. She let out a small smile. It was her dearest Madrid, Private Jose Ezekiel Madrid, or as she liked to call him, her Ruru.

"Babe, get off of me. Your head's heavy," she snickered as she gently tugged on a few strands of his hair.

Ruru fluttered his eyes open to see the lovely sight of his beloved staring down at him. "You're awake. Thank God!"

"Well, my eyes are open now, aren't they, dummy?" she smirked. "Up now. Back to training."

She started to get up but before she could get to her feet, Ruru held her hand firmly, squeezing it ever gently to tell her not to leave just yet.

"Sit down, babe. We've got something to talk about," he said. His words were sombre and authoritative but in juxtaposition, his tone was affectionate and soft as a hummingbird.

"Oh, okay," she smiled and sat back down. "What's up?"

"So, I was thinking maybe you should just... I don't know...like...what I'm trying to say is..."

"Babe!" she chuckled, took his hand in hers, and ran her thumb over his knuckles. "It's me, calm down. It's just me."

"That's exactly why," he breathed. 

"Ru, start over. I couldn't make out a sentence from your rambling."

"Ky, you know I love you, right?"

She nodded, "Love you too."

"I love you to bits and pieces and atoms."

"Right back at ya', my man," she smiled.

"So, if I were to tell you to take a break from military training, you would understand, right?" he hesitated.

Kylie's smile broke. "No."

"Love, please just-"

"No, Ru. I'm not quitting the military. I won't do it," she answered firmly, looking at him with a death glare like a lioness ready to take on its prey.

"Kylie, you're not quitting, just taking a break. Just for a while, then you and I can train again. I'll put my training in a pause too if that would make you feel better," he tried a different approach.

"Madrid, I said no," she tried to get up again but, once again, was stopped by a strong pair of arms.

"Padilla, please. Temporarily, 9 months maybe. Give it a try," he pleaded.

"Ru, no! I said no-"

"Babe, please! You'll come ba-"

"I said no!" she was full on yelling now. "I'm not quitting, halting, pausing, taking a break whatever you wanna call it! NO!"

"JUST UNTIL THE BABY COMES!"

Silence. A great deal of silence filled the room.

"W-what?" she asked in a hushed manner, believing to have heard it wrong.

"I said just until the baby comes," he repeated in a calmer manner.

"What baby?" she tried to pry away from the idea of what she thought was happening. Maybe if she doesn't think about it, the universe won't even consider it an option.

"My love," he whispers as he cupped her face within the palms of his hands. "We're having a baby. You're pregnant."

Yet another pregnant silence fills the small enclosure.

Once again, Kylie didn't react and stared into space. Reacting to it would make it real and it can't be real, it isn't allowed to be real.

"Baby, look at me," Ruru instructed lovingly. "Please, look at me."

"No," she whimpered, not being able to contain her feelings anymore. Kylie swatted away his hands from her face and slightly backed away from him. "No, I'm not! Stop joking! It isn't funny, Ru!"

"Ky, I know how much this military thing means to you but our little baby needs you and you're always gonna have the option to come back after birthing-"

"Bold of you to assume I'm keeping this," she spat.

"Kylie, what do you mean?! We are keeping this child! It's a product of our love, Momma," he said in a state of shock.

"Do not call me that!" she exclaimed. "I don't want... I mean, I do because this is our...it's our child, but, Babe..."

"I know, baby. I know," he whispers and enveloped her in his arms. "We're keeping it, okay? I know you're scared and in a state of shock because I am so myself but we got ourselves into this and there's no way out."

"I'm terrified, Ru," she mumbled.

"Me too, bubba. Me too," he sighs. "We'll figure this out though. We will, I promise."

Folic acid. 

Milk.

 Morning sickness.

No strain.

No work out.

Fragility.

Yuck.

Kylie hated the feeling of fragility. She was raised to be her own hero and to refrain from being the damsel in distress, but even when her insides were screaming for activities, she couldn't. There is only so much work a pregnant woman can do in her last month of pregnancy. The big bump of hers contained the child that she loved more than her own life. She couldn't not fall in love with her baby girl because she was the product of their love, their little angel.

"Momma, your well-deserved snack," Ruru dramatically said as he placed a bowl of fruits on her belly.

"I'm not hungry," she shortly replies as she diverted her attention back to the baby name book she was reading.

"Babe, I swear to God, if it's something I di-"

She burst into laughter, "No, it's not tha- AAGGHH!"

"What's wrong?! What?!" he exclaimed as the bowl of fruit shattered on the ground.

"I think my water just broke.BABE, I THINK MY WATER JUST BROKE!" she freaked out at the sight of a transparent liquid running down her legs.

"Oh, shit! Oh, good Lord! You're having this baby. We don't even have a name for her yet. Oh my! Lord, help us," he rambled like he always does when placed in a situation like this.

"Ruru!"

"What?!"

"Bring my pregnant ass to the hospital now!"

"Your pregnant ass...hospital...now...baby girl! Oh, good grief, have mercy!" he comically mumbled all the while assisting his very pregnant girlfriend to the car.

Evangelina Josephine. The little surprise that they've been unknowingly waiting for all this time.

"Hi, little baby," Kylie coos as the infant opened her eyes. "Hi, I'm your momma. I love you."

Ruru ran the back of his forefinger along the gentle cheeks of his newborn daughter. His newborn daughter .

"Hello, our little Evie," he smiled.

"Evie?" Kylie looked up with a questioning look.

"Yeah, short for Evangelina. Don't you like it?"

"No," she laughed. "And as her mother who birthed her literally 5 hours ago, I have the right to decide her nickname."

"Okay, okay," he giggled. "E.J.? What about that?"

"No, I still don't like it," she pondered for a moment. "My beautiful little angel shall be called...hmm, Josie."

He wasn't very fond of it, but he agreed. 

Kylie looked at her baby girl of 6 months and thought she was the most precious thing on earth. Her mind somehow flew to the thought of returning to military training like she originally planned and found herself torn. She couldn't help but feel guilty because as a mother, Josie should always be her first priority but why was she making her an option? If she left for military training, she would miss all the milestones of her baby's life and just the thought made her heart ache. But even before Josie happened, the motherland was her heart's number one.

She felt herself zoning out, but then Josie smiled. Josie giggled and suddenly, Kylie's mind was made. Josie is the love of her life now and always will be. What sense is there in protecting the country if she can't protect her own daughter?

"Dadda's home!" Ruru exclaimed entering the room with the scent of sweat and a bag of treats.

Ex-private Kylie Padilla grinned. 

This is what dreams are made of.

_____________________

I completely forgot who sent me a military request but if you remember, do tell me. Did a little switcheridoo on it though, hope you don't mind.

Oh and please be reminded that you, yes, you, are so strong and life is good! Life is good, my lovelies. Always look at the bright side.

Comment and vote! Love lots!

Edit: credits to Mich3247