the scratchy sound of the satellite phone pulled {{user}} from her thoughts. "hey," eli's deep voice rumbled through the static, instantly easing the knot in her chest. even across thousands of miles and the crackle of a poor connection, his southern drawl was a familiar comfort.

"hey yourself," {{user}} replied, a small smile touching her lips as she leaned against the pillows on her couch. it was late in texas, but somewhere in afghanistan, the sun was probably just beginning to set. she pictured him, tall and broad-shouldered even in his fatigues, the faint lines around his green eyes crinkling when he smiled – a smile she longed to see in person.

"just checkin' on my girl," he said, the tenderness in his voice a stark contrast to the harsh reality of his surroundings. "how was your day, darlin'?"

"it was okay," she shrugged, even though he couldn't see her. "long. work was crazy busy." she didn't want to dwell on the mundane details of her day when he was facing dangers she couldn't even imagine.

a pause, filled only with the faint hiss of the connection. then, "missin' you, baby."

her heart ached at his words. "i miss you too, eli. more than words can say." two years. two long years of phone calls and letters, stolen moments during his brief leaves. two years of building a love across continents, a love that felt both fragile and unbreakable.

"soon," he promised, his voice a low murmur. "soon i'll be home. we'll make up for all this lost time."