August 15th 2021

Jamie POV

The screeching of the tires and jerking of the plane touching down on the pavement shakes me from my sleep. I move the brim of my utility cover to peek at everyone to see if anyone else is awake. I see Gunnery Sergeant Louis Smith  grabbing his things, so I follow suit.

"Sir, are we home?" One of our newbies, Private Alex Jacobs, asks from next to me.

"Soldier, that we are," I take a deep breath and stretch out my arms, "that we are." We smile at each other and start gathering our things to deboard the cargo plane.

I grab my rucksack and wrap my headphones up to put back into one of the many compartments.

As the hatch opens, I throw my bag on my back and follow Smith off the plane. I inhale the fresh, California air and a tear leaves my eye. I've been gone since January and it's been hell.

"Sergeant Hamilton, you alright?"Collins asks from next to me. I give him a smile and a nod, "Yes, sir. Just happy to be home." He gives me a smile and pat on the back,

"Give these men their orders, and dismiss these sons of bitches. We have families itching to see us." He points towards the fence where all the families wait for us to come home. We salute each other and I turn towards my men,

"Echo Company, fall in." They all stand at attention and salute me, "At ease!" They settle and intently watch me, waiting for me to tell them they're free to go to their families.

"I expect all of you to rest up. Never know when we'll get a call to head back out. You'll hear from me in the coming days about our next assignment and when you need to report back to base,"

I smile at all of them. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" They all yell in unison.

"Good, now go on. We've got a lot of people waiting for us," I laugh at all of the excitement surrounding my company.

"Sir?" I turn to see my second-hand-man, well actually woman, Corporal Jessica Adams. I salute her and she returns it.

"Corporal, what do you need?" I ask and she fiddles with her rucksack strap.

"When would you like me back?" I laugh and shake my head.

"Jess, you already know you'll come back when the company is called back. We'll probably start PT at the end of the week. Can I trust you to lead it?" I ask and she stands at attention,

"Sir, yes, sir!" I pat her shoulder,

"At ease, soldier."

"Oh, Jamie have you got any plans tonight? as I was wondering if you'd like to go somewhere for a drink." Jess asked with a smile.

"Uh, yeah sure. I'm gonna catch up with my parents, I'll probably bring my sister and our friends if that's okay with you?" I asked with a smile as I had my hand on my rucksack what's over my shoulder.

"Yeah, Of course." Jess replies with a slight frown on her face.

I smile and look over Jessica's shoulder. "Let's get to our families, Corporal," she smiles and turns, falling in-step with me. "Excited to see your folks?" I ask glancing over to see Jessica smiling.

"I am! I think I'm more excited to see my dog, though," she laughs and I let out a chuckle.

"What about you, sir?" I catch Jessica look over at me and I feel my jaw tense.

"Well I'm surprising my sister and brother, only my mom and dad know that I am coming home today so I can't wait to see their reaction," I shoot her a smile and I hear her parents yelling her name. We're close to the chaos near the fence and I look around at the families crying while they hold their loved ones. Echo Company was lucky this time around. No one was seriously injured or killed-in-action. Those are the worst times for me. Having to notify a family that their loved one wouldn't be coming home because they died serving their country is always an emotional phone call.

"Jamie!" My name being yelled pulls me from my thoughts. "Jamie, over here!" I hear my mother's voice. I scan for her as in the sea of bodies and when my eyes meet hers I feel my body relax. She pushes through the bodies and I brace for impact.

"My little handsome son is back home." I hear my mom say as she sobbed into my shoulder. I see my dad come towards us as I pull away from my mom to embrace my dad in a tight hug.

"Oh, son. Guess who's in Oceanside." My mom said as she held my forearm as we walked to the car.

I look between my mom and my dad slightly confused.

"Who?" I asked as I put my rucksack in the boot of the car, and my dad closes it.

"Sofia, she's here in Oceanside, filming for a movie, Laura told me as you know we kept in touch with the family, such a shame nothing happened between you and Sofia though son." My mom said with a small smile.

"I know, but sometimes things don't work out for a reason mom," We all get in my dads car, and we quickly go home so I could drop off my rucksack and the three of us go to Pier View Coffee Co.

My parents head inside before me, I'm looking down at my phone until I bump into someone. I turn to see Sofia who just stares at me.

"J-Jamie." She speaks up, and I'm pounced on by Paulina and Zac.

Paulina wraps her arms around me and tightens the hug and I don't break my eye contact with Sofia.

I look away as I hug back Paulina and then does my hand shake with Zac and then I turn back to Sofia, holding my arms out and she quickly embraces me wrapping her arms around my torso. I drape my arms around her shoulder, slowly kissing the top of her hairline.

"I missed you Jay." She mumbled into my shoulder, as we both pulled away from each other.

"Oh Sofia, it's been ages. Your mother told me and Edward that you were here filming how is that going sweetie?" My mom broke mine and Sofia's staring contest, as she pulled Sofia in for a hug.

"Oh yeah, it's going pretty well actually." Sofia turned her head towards my mom, and Paulina hugs my side again.

"I can tell you still have feelings for her." Pau whispers into my ear and I look at her and then back at Sofia.

"What you guys doing tonight?" I asked as Sofia walks back over to us and she looks at me.

"Nothing, why?" Paulina asks as she crossed her arms.

"Oh, I'm going out tonight with a few friends and Kimberly...you're all welcome to come with us?" I said with a smile, then looking over at Sofia.

"Sure." Sofia returned the smile as she kept looking at me.

My phone vibrated and I pulled it out to see who it is and it's Jess.

Paulina was looking over my shoulder and was leaning her arm on me as she watched me.

"Who's Jess?" She asked as I answered the call stepping away from the group.

As I was talking to Jess outside and I was leaning my back against the bricklayer wall.

After my conversation with Jess, she was gonna meet up in the club later today with some of her friends, I headed back into the cafe.

I seen three heads turn to look at me, Sofia was avoiding my gaze...but why?

"It nice was to see y'all again, I'll see you tonight yeah. I'll send you the details later Pau." I quickly hugged Paulina, did my handshake with Zac and then I pulled Sofia in for a hug aswell.

I watched as the three walked out of the cafe, then a few minutes we'd do the same to I could get ready for tonight's events of drinking.

My mom opens the door to our house, I had my rucksack over my shoulder again and I see two people standing in the kitchen.

I put my rucksack down on the floor by the front door.

"Did someone miss their older brother?" I said as I was standing in the kitchen doorway.

EJ and Kimberly turn their heads to look at me both having a shocked expression on their face.

They quickly walk over to me, embracing me.

After a few minutes of catching up, my little brother went into his room, he told me he had a girlfriend called Michelle. Kim started to get ready for tonight and I went to do the same.

As soon as I got into my room, I looked around seeing my posters and seeing my untouched bed what I haven't been in for the last couple of months.

I felt a vibrate in my pocket, taking out my phone and seeing her name on my screen.

Sofia:
Hey, it's Sofia.
Pau gave me your new number.
Because we lost in touch..
I'm glad you kept in touch with my sister..
I missed you Jay.
I can't wait to see you tonight, it'll be fun to catch up with you again.

Jamie:
Yeah it was fun seeing you again,
After seeing you all these years.
How have you been?
I saw that the descendants franchise blew up.
I'm proud of you Sof.
I knew you'd do an amazing job.
I missed you aswell.
I missed everyone.

I put my phone on charge, and headed into my en-suite bathroom. I took off my uniform and put it in the hamper. I looked at myself in the mirror. I shave some of my beard leaving only some stubble.

I then get into the shower, I turn the shower head on, letting the warm water hit against my body, running my hands through my hair.

After my shower, I wrap a towel around my waist. Heading back into my room to see what I can wear for tonight.

"Kim!" I shout my sisters name, as she walked in.

"What's up." She asked as she walked over to me.

"Help me pick an outfit." I said as I gave her a light smile as she rolled her eyes playfully.

She takes out a black shirt, a black jacket and black jeans, setting them down on my bed.

"Thanks, Kim." I said with a smile.

"So, who are we meeting up?" She asked as i was already in my boxers before she came in the room.

I put the clothes on what Kim set aside for me.

"John, Emily and Jess." I start and I hear my phone vibrate.

Kimberly leans over and looks down at the screen.

"Wait, you're back in touch with Sof?" Kimberly asks as she looked up from my phone.

"Yeah, when mom and dad picked me up we came home first so I could change out of my uniform. But I kept like my cargo and shirt on. But anyway we bumped into Sofia and Paulina, Zac in Pier View today. So I invited them to tag along." I say as I continued getting dressed.

"So, are you guys gonna talk, get back together?" She asked again as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Firstly, we weren't exactly together. We just have a chemistry. Even though we kissed and stuff." I start but I could see Kimberly roll her eyes.

"Our families know that you're both destined to be together Jay." She says as she stood up from the bed.

"Yeah, but like I told mom, some things don't happen for a reason. And plus she went to film descendants before anything could happen so. I ended things." I said as I went into the bathroom again, to brush my teeth and spray some cologne.

"I thought Sofia ended things?" Kimberly asks with her eyebrows raised.

"No, I did because it wouldn't work. Even though I respected her, I was proud of her but I couldn't see us working through the long distance." I add as I turn to face my sister.

"Anyway, speaking about tonight. Shouldn't you be getting ready?" I smirked at her as she quickly nodded and headed out the room, closing the door behind her.

I walk over to my bed, sitting down as I saw a text message from Sofia.

Sofia:
That means a lot Jay.
I can't wait to see your family again.
They still hold a special place in my heart.
You all do.
Especially you Jay. 😊

I smile down at her last message, I start to think about what to reply as I start typing.

Jamie:
Yeah, well our parents are still pretty close.
And I mean you and everyone are the same.
Anyway, I'll see you tonight Sof.
Also, I have to say. Seeing you again.
I don't know.
Made me think of the good old days..