Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you

[dharmalady]

Juliet Scott was married for five years. Three of them were good. She was young, Damien was too. They were in love and carefree; had fun and had a lot of sex, traveled to a lot of places. She'd been on track to start med school but when she met Damien, she wanted him instead, and she thought she'd always choose him over everything.

Until she got pregnant.

He stuck around for a few months but then, conveniently his job took him away and the stretches of time between being home and being gone were longer. He was never a bad dad to Mia, not once, but it was like a chore to be home, to be a husband and civilian again. Juliet missed him but she tried to talk to him about it and it was a fight, every time. He had a job, he had missions, he couldn't just give that up. So she decided a year and a half ago to not make him choose anymore. She sent him divorce papers, certified mail, with a letter explaining to him that she was tired of feeling like she and Mia weren't a priority. Like he didn't want to be there when he was back in the states. She wasn't surprised when she got the signed paperwork back with no note in response.

She and Mia have been solo ever since, the two of them moving to Miami to be closer to Juliet's sister. Med school finally happens, and now Juliet's an intern and Mia is five. It's been hard, harder than Juliet ever thought she'd have to do on her own, but she's doing it. She's never told Damien he can't be a part of Mia's life, she's never tried to keep him away from her. When she moves, she makes sure someone in his branch of the military, wherever he is, gets her address. She's not even angry at him anymore, just sad that it ended this way between them.

Comments

[dharmalady]

She's crying too, and she tries to pull herself together for him, just nodded. "I know. I know," she whispers, sniffling. "That's why he came to me first. He did it on purpose. What a fucking asshole," she says, not joking about it at all.

[inthewar]

He sits heavily on the bed, needing her right now, reaching out for her hand, just desperate to know that everything's okay between them. "The biggest fucking asshole."

[dharmalady]

"Damien, if you don't come back," she says, gripping his hand tightly. "That's what I'll never forgive you for. You can't get killed. I don't know what I'll do," she chokes out.

[inthewar]

"Don't even fucking think it," he says firmly. "You think I'm going anywhere without you and Mia now? Not a fucking chance."

[dharmalady]

"God, Mia," Juliet whispers, closing her eyes tightly. "I can tell her if you want." The only reason she's offering is because she knows Damien doesn't want this, that it's the last thing he wants.

[inthewar]

He shakes his head, closing his eyes tightly. "No. It's on me. I'll tell her."

[dharmalady]

"Tell him you're not leaving tonight. That I'll try to kill him if he makes you leave this house tonight." She's not remotely joking now, either.

[inthewar]

"I'll handle it," he nods, standing up and kissing her forehead. He goes downstairs to confront Michael, telling him they can leave tomorrow morning, but he gets this time with his family for now.

[dharmalady]

Juliet wasn't going to say anything at all to him, to Michael, but once Damien's halfway done telling Michael what he has to say she goes downstairs, and then she slaps Mike hard right across the face. "You know what you did. And if Damien doesn't come home, I'll find you and I'll fucking kill you," she threatens, tears hot in her eyes before she turns to go back upstairs.

[inthewar]

Damien can't help smirking with pride when Michael just looks dumbfounded. But he finally leaves, and Damien just goes back upstairs, needing to be with his girls. He calls Mia into their bedroom, lifting her up onto their bed. And for right now, he's quiet, just cuddling his little girl, breathing her in.

[dharmalady]

Mia smiles and snuggles with him, so completely oblivious right now. "Hi, daddy," she says as her head rests on his shoulder.

[inthewar]

"Hi, baby girl," he smiles, stroking her little cheek as they cuddle and he kisses her forehead. He looks at Juliet for a moment, not sure if he should tell Mia right now, or just let tonight be a good night and tell her in the morning when he has to leave.

"You and mommy are my favorite people in the whole world."

[dharmalady]

"We are?" she smiles brightly at him, looking up and resting her little hands on his cheeks.

[inthewar]

"You are, baby. You always have been." He takes those tiny hands in his so he can kiss her little fingers, smiling at her. "I love you more than all the stars in the sky, Mia."

[dharmalady]

"I love you that much, too!" Mia says happily, giving him a sweet kiss. "And I love mommy that much, too."

[inthewar]

He kisses her back, over and over, and then just strokes her little cheek. "What should we do tonight, honey? You pick. Anything," he tells her, wanting this to be a perfect night for her.

[dharmalady]

"Anything?" she asks, trying to think hard before suddenly looking at him brightly. "Chuck E. Cheese!"

[inthewar]

Damien chuckles softly. "Okay, baby. Chuck E. Cheese it is," he tells her, wanting to just spoil her tonight. He looks at Juliet, though, wanting to make sure this is okay.

[dharmalady]

Juliet nods, though honestly, she doesn't feel like going to a place that loud and chaotic. But she knows it's important to Damien right now, they need to do this. So, she'll put on a brave face even though she feels like sinking to the floor and sobbing. "We'll just need to stop and get a lot of dollar bills to trade for coins," she says, reaching out to stroke Mia's hair.

[inthewar]

Mia is just excited, and Damien keeps thinking and fearing in the back of his mind that he might not come back. And he wants his little girl to remember this, not...what might happen. So when they get there, he does everything with her, playing every game she wants to play, whatever she wants.

[dharmalady]

Juliet takes so much video and takes so many pictures, and she realizes she's so damn glad for Disney too, that they did that when they did. Mia does almost everything in the place, she gets so many prizes and they all eat pizza. She winds up falling asleep in her car seat on the way home, and as Damien drives, Juliet's just looking out of the window, silent tears falling down her cheeks, hoping he can't tell in the dark.

[inthewar]

"I wanted to...I wanted her to have this," he says quietly, reaching out in the dark to hold Juliet's hand as he drives.

[dharmalady]

"So did I," Juliet says in reply, sniffling just a little as she clings to his hand. "I needed it, too."

[inthewar]

He knows she's crying and he doesn't blame her for feeling like the sky's fallen down on them right now. "Juliet. I'm not done with this life. My girls. I'm coming back, I fucking promise."

[dharmalady]

"You have to. I need you. Mia needs you. Just...be focused. Please. I know you have to go do dangerous things but I can't lose you. Ever," Juliet whispers.