It’ll Never Happen Ch. 07

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Author's note:

Thank you to all who have patiently (or not so) waited for this long overdue chapter. There's a more detailed explanation in the author's note in chapter 3 of "Old Wounds", but basically life got crazy and I lost a little bit of motivation, but after a way too long hiatus, I'm back!

All feedback is welcome feedback so let me hear it! Reading your comments is the best part of doing this.

I went back and re read this story, and honestly, between everything that's gone on in my life form then until now, and all the times that's passed, I can't even believe I wrote it! It was like reading a story for the first time. It definitely felt a little weird. I found myself rooting for James and Ally all over again. Oh what I wouldn't give to feel that again. I know many of y'all have had that feeling before, and I feel proud to have slightly captured that in this story. If this continuation feels like a different vibe, I sincerely apologize, since I myself have changed since the last installment, though I tried to keep the same tone and pace.

P.S, some of this might not be entirely military accurate, I may or may not have changed some regulations and/ or protocol for the sake of the story, so for those of you who know the differences, try to play along ;)!

Once again thank you so much to my readers!

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Ch. 7

**

With his all too short leave over, and his family and friends headed home, James sat alone in the lobby of the hotel they'd stayed at, just killing time until it was time to catch a cab and report to reception at 15:00 for formation and in processing. (Forgive me if this next part isn't entirely how going from basic to AIT works, I actually really don't remember the gap in between or how I physically got from one to the other. It was all a blur).

He wasn't sure why he couldn't just report straight to the unit. He was at a hotel on Leonard Wood, and his AIT was on Leonard Wood. Wouldn't it just make sense to be at that unit when he was told to be? The Army still didn't make sense to him, and he figured it never would.

Instead, he had to go back to the hell that was reception, since that's where the soldiers that were coming from other Installations would be funneled in to. So, catching a cab, James made his way towards that dreadful building, only the comfort of knowing he already went through basic, and the vast majority of soldiers there, would not have.

He unloaded his gear from the cab and humped it through the doors of the both familiar and forgotten building, heading towards the main incoming room he could barely remember even though it was only just over 9 weeks ago.

Sparing you from the details of reception once more, James loaded his gear into the back of an LMTV and got hearded into the "cattle trucks" as they were called. Semi trucks with trailers that has seats like a bus in the back, designed to physically cram as many humans inside of it as possible. Then, it was the short trip over to Bravo Company, 1 of 3 88M (truck driver) training units on post.

James had long heard, both from fellow soldiers at basic and from recruiters, that AIT was a breeze. No more drill sergeants, much less getting smoked, and all around an easier atmosphere. He hoped everyone was right.

They weren't. Apparently AIT had started going back towards using drill sergeants a cycle or 2 before him, so when he finally got free of the cattle car and ushered into a formation outside the building by namesless sergeants, James was utterly disappointed to see a soldier in a funny brown hat start screaming at them... "oh hell," he thought to himself. "This shit again."

They got the absolute shit smoked out of them. Worse than anything at basic. He guessed it was to ensure them that their hell wasn't over just yet...

This was going to be just peachy...

**

After those first few days it actually did get easier. Less smoking, less yelling, lighter mood, all that fun stuff. Oh it still happened, just less. Marginally.

Once the routine of training once again set in, James got in his rhythm, soaking in all the information about the trucks and tips for operating them he could. He wasn't top of the class or anything, especially not with soldiers who were actual truck drivers before they joined up, but he wasn't really struggling at all with anything they taught. If it had a steering wheel and pedals he could drive it.

AIT went by mainly without a hitch. He enjoyed the new freedoms such as Saturday passes to explore post and nightly access to a phone in the common room to call home. He only ever called anyone but Ally once or twice a week, and that's because he knew his mother would kill him if she didn't get to hear from him.

Before he knew it James had once again graduated, this time meaning he was no longer a trainee, but an actual qualified soldier, however green he may be.

After the ceremony James shook hands with his buddies, promising to keep in touch, got the obligatory congratulations from his Drill Sergeants and instructors, and loaded himself and his gear on the bus that would take him to the St. Louis Airport, and eventually home.

He had a surprise for everyone there.

**

He'd confided in Jackson he was coming home for a while since he figured he was the least likely to blab to everyone. James' flight didn't get in until around 9 at night after a slew of delays in Chicago, so when he strolled out of the terminal and into Jackson's truck, he asked his buddy if they could change the plans.

"Think we could just go crash at your house tonight and surprise everyone tomorrow?" James asked, the effects of a long day of travel paired with an early wake up heavy in his voice.

"What for?" Jackson asked, oblivious to the exhaustion in his voice.

"It's too late to surprise everyone, they're all probably home getting ready for bed."

"Actually," Jackson began, a smile creeping to his lips. "Everyone's at your place."

"My place? Why? Did you fucking tell them?" James shot back in mock anger, knowing it wasn't really a big deal, he just figured a surprise would be cool.

"No no nothing like that!" Jackson defended with a laugh, "your parents threw a little bonfire party tonight. It's your graduation day and they figured if they couldn't celebrate with you, they'd celebrate for you, so they invited all the knuckleheads and Ally's parents over."

"Well doesn't that work out fuckin mint!" James chuckled, "aren't they suspicious you aren't there?"

"Everyone knows I come and go as I please man," he began. "Plus I said I'd be late. Told them I had to help my uncle with some bullshit out in Shittsville."

Shittsville is what they called the town two towns over. It was about a 45 minute drive. The entire place smelled like shit since there was a pickle factory there, and also because they were their schools biggest rivals.

"Ah you're a sneaky little bastard aren't ya?" James laughed.

After a short while Jackson made the turn off the dirt road into James' dirt driveway, and headed towards the barn out back.

"I'll park along Donn's truck so nobody can see ya get out," Jackson offered. "But I doubt it'll matter since they're all in the barn."

A few seconds later Jackson put the truck in park and killed the engine. His truck wasn't a diesel and they could hear music and laughter coming from the barn, so James figured nobody had heard them pull up since the last hundred yards or so was all grass, rendering the truck almost silent.

Making their way to the door, Jackson paused before opening it so James could get to the other side of it so nobody would see him.

"What's up y'all!" Jackson yelled as he pushed the door open, "better late than never!"

"Come grab a beer and take a load off man!" Donny called back.

"Oh hell yea!" Jackson answered before adding, "one sec I gotta grab somethin from the truck."

As Jackson stepped out of the door, James stepped in, curious to see how long it would take someone to notice his arrival.

If he'd have bet anything over a second he'd have lost his money.

"OH MY GOD JAMES!" Ally yelled as she sprinted towards him, dropping her beer bottle with an audible clank on the concrete.

Everyone turned to see what the sudden outburst and commotion was and all seemed to echo some version of Ally's previous exclamation.

Before James could say anything in return his arms were full of his firey hot girlfriend and his lips covered with hers, locked in a kiss full of 6 weeks of backed up passion and longing.

It's as if the whole world stopped for James. If he'd had a single doubt about her love for him, or his for her, it would have evaporated in that moment. Never in his life did he think a kiss could make him feel like that. Like his entire being was dependent on her. Like time stood still. Like the only two people in the universe was her and him.

After what felt like an hour he moved to break the kiss and address everyone else, only when he pulled his head back, hers seemed to follow his like they were glued together. She didn't want to let him go. Breathing be damned.

After another failed attempt he gave up and went back to kissing her just as passionately as they'd been kissing a moment prior. He suddenly didn't care about greeting anyone else.

After another few moments he felt the warmth of her mouth suddenly leave, exposing his to the sadness of the cool, lonely, summer air.

He soon realized it wasn't Ally who had broken the kiss, but his mother who apparently grew impatient and none too gently pulled her from his arms, wrapping her son up in a hug that was excruciatingly tight, yet somehow not tight enough. A hug that only a mother seemed to be capable of giving.

"My baby's home!" She sobbed happily into his shoulder, "I thought you had to go straight to your duty station after graduation?"

"I did originally, but I'm crafty," James said with a laugh. "Ma let go you're crushing me," he added.

"Become a mother and you'll know how I feel right now," she said without hesitation.

"Uh Ma, I don't think that's possible," he laughed.

"Oh shut up you know what I meant," she replied with a chuckle of her own, finally releasing her death grip on him.

"My next duty station is in town," he began, addressing everyone before continuing, "I got approved for Hometown Recruiting, which basically means I get to stay here for a month helping out the local recruiter before having to go to my first real duty station."

While at AIT, James had applied for the Army's program of Hometown Recruiting, which basically was a temporary duty station at the local recruiters office, going to schools and job fairs, all the stuff a recruiter usually did. He wasn't sure why the program existed, and he didn't really pay attention after he heard he could spend a month at home before having to leave again.

He wasn't upset about having to leave, and if he didn't get approved it wouldn't have been a big deal, but a month to spend at home with his family and friends before actually moving to a full time duty station seemed good to him. Plus it would give him and Ally a chance to actually sit down and talk about what their exact plans were moving forward.

"A month? Here?" Ally asked excitedly.

"Yes. A month. Here." James parroted.

"You never called to say what your official first duty station is going to be. Where do you go after?" His Dad asked.

"Fort Carson in Colorado," James said with a shit eating grin. "Thank god it's not in the south. I'd die of heat exhaustion."

"Carson is a pretty cool post. Was there for two years," his dad replied. "Some like it some don't. I love Colorado so it was fun for me."

"I'm definitely excited about it," James said before adding, "but enough of that, I just got home. Let's get this party going!"

"It's already going idiot," Tyler said, speaking for the first time. "We just didn't know you'd be here!"

"Yea a little heads up would've been nice!" Drew called, "we only have 4 cases of beer, if we'd have known you'd be here we'd have gotten 6!"

Before he was finished talking, Drew had tossed him a beer. James caught it and popped the top, quickly covering it with his mouth to catch the foam that poured out.

After the can settled down James gave one armed "bro-hugs" to Donny, Tyler, Drew, and Bobby, then turned to give actual hugs to Katie and Marybeth who were patiently waiting behind their men, but eager all the same to give their friend a big welcome home hug. After that he shook Ally's dads hand and hugged her mom.

The party was on now. Beer pong and euchre were in full swing, the pair of dads electing to participate in the later while the mothers decided they wanted to let loose a little and were currently playing the former. Bobby and Drew were playing euchre as partners against James' and Ally's dad while Marybeth and Katie were partners in beer pong against the mothers.

It was definitely going to be a good night. James was certainly glad to be home.

**

"James?" Ally asked after she took her shot.

The pair was down in Ally's basement shooting some pool and generally taking it easy.

"Yes baby?" James asked cutely as he eyed the table trying to find his next best shot.

"I love you," she said with an earth shattering smile.

"I love you too Ally," James replied sincerely as he bent down to take the shot.

She hadn't left him with much. He was stripes and was down to his last two balls. He made the 12 but still had to pocket the 9, which he currently couldn't get a good shot on because he foolishly hit his last shot too hard, burying the cue call against the rail and behind two of Ally's solids.

"What are we gonna do?" She questioned after waiting for him to take his shot.

"Uhhhh," He thought looking over the table. "I don't know what I'm going to do, but I imagine you're going to run these next 3 balls and sink the 8, once again kicking my ass."

"No dumbass," she laughed with a loving tone. "I meant when you have to leave, though I do like the sound of beating you again."

"You seem to have gotten about twice as good as you were when I left," James chuckled. "Been practicing?" He asked as he walked around the side of the table to sit on a nearby barstool.

"Most days..." she sighed, "I got so lonely without you here I didn't know what to do other than work."

"I know it must have been hard on you Ally," James offered in a sorrowful tone.

"Not as hard as it was for you!" She exclaimed.

"I beg to differ," James began. "I was at least distracted everyday with everything going on."

"I'll give you that. It wasn't easy but I managed. Now that you're home I'm happy again," she said with another one of her signature smiles. "Which brings me back to my question. What are we gonna do?"

"I'm going to do my job, and you're going to college. As much as it sucks, we were going to have to be apart for a little while anyways..."

"Not if you were here. I was going to go to college here so we'd be together."

"Was? Where are you going now?"

"That's why I want to talk about this James," she began, a grin slowly creeping to her lips. "I never applied because I didn't know where you were going to be stationed. Now that I know, I applied last night to the University of Colorado. It's right in Colorado Springs."

"You did?!" He exclaimed, "you'd give up your moms alma mater for me?"

"I'd give up anything for you James," she said lovingly. "I'm was the top of the class. I can pretty much get into any college I want on a scholarship. Why not go where you are?"

"What happens when I have to change duty stations 2 years later?" He asked tentatively.

"Then I'll transfer to whatever college is where you are."

"I truly don't deserve you Ally... you're amazing." He said, enveloping her in a hug.

"You deserve everything I could ever give you and then some," she sighed into his shoulder. "But I do like the sound of 'being amazing'."

"I love you so much Ally," he professed, leaning down to kiss her, hoping to show her how much he meant it.

**

The days were flying by pleasantly, albeit quickly, and James found he was feeling the impending move more and more as it got closer. He was extremely excited about starting this new life, but that at the same time he knew he was going to miss his great group of friends and all the hell they raise.

He had gone into this believing he was rarely going to see Ally through the next few years as she was planning on starting her college life around home, but he knew they'd make it work. Now, however, the next four years seemed to look like they were going to turn out amazing.

He'd be doing what he always wanted, being a soldier, and to make it better he'd have Ally by his side. As much as he wished he could, he wouldn't be living with her though. He had to stay in the barracks so she'd been looking online at apartments near campus that weren't too far from him. No matter how they sliced it, Colorado university was only about 25 minutes from the gate of Fort Carson, so he wasn't too worried. He was just happy to be able to be near the love of his life.

James was sitting at the table in the barn, lost in thought, absentmindedly cleaning a set of old injectors for his truck. He was trying to pull the best parts from spare trucks and get them cleaned and stored in a tote for the bed of his truck so he'd be ready for any issues that would arise so far from home.

He knew he could still find parts at most parts stores, junkyards, and online, but he figured he'd rather clean up what he had so he could save money if something were to break.

He had just finished cleaning the 7th one when a noise from behind him snapped him back to reality. Half turning in his seat he eyed the door to see who was coming in, not surprised to find it was his mom.

"I figured you'd be out here," she greeted as she sat down in the seat across from him.

"Just try to prepare for anything that could go wrong with the ole girl," James returned with a chuckle.

"You know they sell new parts that you can put on the truck, or, here's one, you could buy a new reliable truck since you're making good money," she offered, already knowing his answer.

"Why waste money on new parts when I've got good ones sitting around here?" He questioned with a smile, "and as for buying a new truck, you know that's not gonna happen."

"You're just like your father in that aspect. He always says "what's the fun of having a bra-"

"Brand new truck you know will work when you can have the fun and pride of building one yourself," James finished for her. "I'll stick with this one until all her get up and go has got up and went."

"I at least feel better knowing Ally is gonna be out there and has a rather new vehicle. I'd hate to be worried about my baby being so far away with a truck that may or may not go when he needs it too."

"Ma I know every nut and bolt on that truck, when each part was last replaced, how the cylinder heads look as of 10,000 miles ago, and everything else. I beg you to try to find a new truck that you're so certain will work every time with all that new computer bullshit they got in them now."

"Language James," she shot back with a laugh.

"Sorry, but you know I'm right. You know she'll be just fine, and as for your 'baby', I'll be fine too Ma." James reassured her.

"I know. I just know I'm gonna miss you kid. You've turned into a remarkable young man," she said with a tear in her eye.

"Just doing what's right and living life with the manners you's taught me. Nothing crazy," James laughed.

"We truly are proud of you James. I'm just happy you aren't gonna be alone out there."

"Every other person with a flag on their shoulder is my brother and sister Ma. You can't be alone in the Army. But I know what you mean, I feel a million times better knowing Ally's gonna be out there too."