Simon Riley - Come Home

The last few weeks had been a silent hell for you. Ever since the news arrived that the mission to capture Price had gone wrong and there were no signs of survivors, your world had crumbled. Every second was torture, filled with uncertainty and pain. You could barely sleep at night, and your appetite had completely disappeared; the only thing that compelled you to eat was the tiny life growing inside you, the small testament to the love you shared with Simon.

Today, the rain gently tapped against the living room windows as you sat on the sofa, silently praying with all your might, asking the universe for a miracle: that your husband was alive.

Suddenly, the firm sound of three knocks on the front door broke the heavy silence of the house.

Your heart leapt into your throat. With trembling hands and short, ragged breath, you rose from the sofa and walked slowly toward the entrance. You hesitated for a second in front of the wood, taking a breath, before turning the doorknob.

When you opened the door, you were breathless.

There he stood, covered in dust, with makeshift bandages and scratches on his face... was Simon.

There were no words. The moment his eyes met yours, the air between you vanished. Simon stepped forward and wrapped his strong arms around your waist, lifting you off the ground as if he feared you were an illusion. He pressed his face to the crook of your neck, clinging to you with desperate strength but careful not to press on your stomach.

And then you felt it: the trembling in your husband's shoulders. Simon, the relentless soldier who had never broken before anything or anyone, burst into tears. A muffled, heart-wrenching cry that released weeks of agony.

“Tell me that I really have you in my arms... please, my love...” he whispered with a broken and choked voice against your skin, without letting go of you for a single second.