Silent Ranks

by USMC Best Friend

  “He has Al… I can’t help it there’s something so different about him he’s not our usual Marine”

  “Well he has to make it to his graduation tomorrow so don’t you do anything that’ll screw up his chance” the door opened and Ryne walked out.

  “We can head to the parade ground if you like the General just said they’re starting to let the families onto the base” He offered us his arms.

  “How come no dress blues?” Brit asked

  “Well one, I’d over heat and to, I don’t want to spoil your cousin just yet” he laughed looking at me “I have to keep some tricks up my sleeve to make her chase me”

  “Me chase you don’t make me laugh” I shook my head at him “You’re the one that chased this” I walked in front of them and smacked my own ass.

  “She has a point” Brit laughed

  “Okay what’s this lets pick on the innocent Marine” Ryne held out his arms, Brit and I looked at each other

  “Yes” we both answered

  “Oh tag teamed” he groaned the parade ground was beginning to fill up with families eagerly awaiting the first glimpse of the people they loved. Ryne stood behind Brit and I as we watched the meetings and the hugs the tears from Mom’s, Dad’s, Brother, Sisters and everyone in between

  “I miss Jack” Brit Murmured I put my arm round her shoulders and hugged her.

  “I’ll let you share Ryne” I teased

  “Oh gee thanks” she rolled her eyes “Oh there he is” She squeaked “Oh and there’s his Mom and his Step-dad”

  “Wow nice ass” I nodded appreciatively

  “Hey” I looked at Ryne “What’s this chopped liver?” he turned round showing his ass in his Camo. It took everything I had not to a. bite it and b. grin like a Cheshire cat.

  “Eh!” I dismissed and shrugged

  “you weren’t complaining when you had a handful of it last night” he chuckled putting his head in between me and Brit. Brit inhaled sharply and sucked back her gum and started to choke.

  “Oh way to go how am I going to explain you killing my cousin” I banged her on the back. Ryne moved me out of the way to do the Heimlich on her as Marek looked round his face a total picture as his girl was being man handled by a Marine. Her gum came flying out of her mouth and into a hand that caught it.

  “Well nice way to meet my nephew’s girl” the red headed women that I’d seen with Marek’s Mom when we were driving on base the other. “I think this is yours” she held her hand out the gum sitting in the middle of it Ryne let go of Brits waist as Marek came running over. He checked Ryne’s arm for his rank before he saluted him.

  “At ease Marine. Brit I think you wanted to do something to him” Ryne gave her a small shove in the back pushing her into Marek “For god sake kiss the girl because I’m having to deal with the irritable cousin” he jerk his thumb in my direction.

  “Hey Hollywood you can zip it or you’ll be on your ass in front of all these new Marines” I shot him a look.

  “I take it that this is Alyssa?” Marek said smiling at Brit and then looking at me.

  “Yeah” Brit chewed her lip nervously Mareks’ mom was standing slightly behind her son with a smile dancing on her lips. “”I’m going to apologize for her now” Marke put his arms round Brit and hugged her to him.

  “Hey don’t apologize for me” I smiled “you knew what I was going to do”

  “I heard you want to talk to me” Marek nodded “and I’m perfectly fine with that”

  “You need to watch her she’s got a tongue that can cut steel and a grip like a vice well she likes to think” Ryne chuckled I turned and looked at him… okay the annoying Ryne was back. I caught him off guard sweeping my leg behind his knees dropping him to the floor with my hand round his neck.

  “And you had to keep going didn’t you motor mouth” I sighed “Now be a good Marine and Shush”

  “ALYSSA TESS TANNER LET GO OF THAT MARINE RIGHT NOW YOUNG LADY” I groaned as Uncle Logan caught sight of Me with Ryne “God DAMN IT DO I HAVE TO CALL YOUR MOM” I let go of Ryne

  “No Sir” I grumbled.

  “Well if someone’s going to make sure my son is tough enough I’m glad I’ve seen you in action” Marek’s Mom stepped forward a smile on her lips “I understand from what my son has told me you’re very close to Brit”

  “Yes Ma’am” I nodded “She’s my baby cousin… and her Marines aren’t around right now so I’m going to make sure… and no offence, that your son is good enough…” I looked at Marek and then at Brit “Or dumb enough to be part of our family” Brit smiled at me.

  “Oh I really like her” his Aunt laughed

  “You know that I’ll have to talk to Brittany as well”

  “Talk to her all you need to know is she’s a born and raised Marine kids with 5 generations of Marines behind her… you’ll never have to question her loyalty, never have to pick up the pieces when he deploys” I was in defense mode right now “She was raised by the best and the toughest and she knows what it takes to handle a Marine when he wakes up screaming in the middle of the night… and believe me and this is the disturbing thing she’ll know how to make him feel at home and safe with more than a smile and a coffee” I heard Ryne graon and saw Brit flush beet red.

  “Well Damn Imi I think you just got told” Ava laughed. “Marek I think this family is going to be a lot like ours” he looked at his Aunt and nodded

  “Thank you” Imi looked at me “It’s nice for a change to meet someone with some back bone and some sense of loyalty and I hope what you say is true?”

  “It is Ma’am” I nodded

  “Do you have a Marine?”

  “I have Marines” I nodded as Marek and Brit stole away from us a little. “My Uncle is the General here, My Dad is deployed right now. My twin brother just got brought home injured” I watch a look flash between the two women

  “In combat” Ava asked

  “Yes Ma’am” I nodded “My cousin, Brit's brother is still out there I have so many Marines in the family we would be here all day” I smiled I heard a cough from behind me “Oh and there’s him he seems to follow me around” I grinned over my shoulder.

  “Okay Brat you’re so paying for dinner tonight, a choke hold and a comment like that and you don’t get to touch my ass either” Ryne laughed back.

  Chapter 47

  Family bond

  The rest of the day Ryne was back to the annoying mosquito, only this time every time I looked at him I wanted to kiss the smug look off his face, kiss his neck and trace the tattoo on his back with my tongue.

  “Do we need to go back in the ring” Ryne breathed in my ear as we were toe to toe over something and nothing

  “If you want to we can” I turned to face him “You have to be the most infuriating good looking hot as hell…” I stopped myself as the blood pounded in my head I stepped back from him and realized the others were all gone and we were on our own. “I’m going home” I started to walk away from him.

  “Hey you know I’m right”

  “Bull shit” I walked backwards.

  “You want to take it into the ring”

  “No” I stopped walking “What happened to the nice guy from last night”

  “He got put into a choke hold this morning and is waiting to get you back” He caught up to me “Because you know I’m going to and I know you’ve been taking this uniform off with those eyes all day” he pushed his tongue into his cheek I opened my mouth to answer him back “Tell me I’m lying?” I closed my mouth god he was driving me insane right now. I heard footsteps

  “Oh my god do you both need a cold shower as well as the chainsaw to cut through the sexual tension” Brit appeared with Marek I looked at her round the edge of Ryne. “You so have to get a room” Ryne moved so he was stood next to me looking at the two of them.

  “Ryne could you do something for me?”

  “After what you just said” he laughed

  “I want to talk to Marek can you
take Brit back to the mess hall”

  “Oh god Aly really” Brit groaned

  “Yes really” I nodded Brit looked at Marek like it was going to be the last time she’d see him.

  “Dude watch the throat” Ryne laughed I didn’t rise to it “Okay I think me and you need to get out of her for a while” Ryne offered his arm to Brit

  “You hurt him and I’ll so tell…”

  "Brit I have so much more shit on you than you have on me so let’s not go there” I smiled “Oh and your skirt’s on backwards and your underwear is sticking out of your pocket” she turned beet red and pushed the red lace that was sticking from her pocket back in deeper. I looked back at Marek “you want to go to the range”

  “Fine by me Ma’am” he nodded we both walked in silence to where there was a demonstration being given. “I’m not about to hurt Brit you know” I looked at him

  “I’m glad to hear it Marine because you’d find a lot of really pissed Marines if you ever did”

  “So I’ve heard about the family” He offered me a seat on the bleacher before sitting down himself “You and your Brother are very close to her and her brother aren’t you?”

  “Yeah three of us were born on the same day” I nodded and then Brit came along 18 months later but our family takes Family and the Marine Corps seriously. Nothing is more important that supporting the men that we love and nothing is tougher than a Marines girl for holding shit together… we don’t break easily and we don’t take shit either” okay I had a slight lapse in that part with the Justin crap “Never ever confuse you’re rank with the authority of a Marine wife or girlfriend because piss one of us off and war will seem like a party” he smiled and looked down “I know you’ve had some shit to deal with and I know about your sister” he looked at me the pain in his eyes all too obvious “I don’t have to know all about it but I know what it is to be defenseless to help” He swallowed hard “I had to take a call telling me my tough assed Marine Sniper brother had managed to get his dumb ass shot… well leg not ass” I smiled “Please take care of Brit I love her like a sister and I can be more dangerous than these’s guys” I nodded to the drill instructor I knew taking the demonstration.

  “So I’ve heard and I’ve actually being dying to meet you” he admitted “Brit tells me a lot about you and the family and I love it… I’m going to be telling Brit about my past and my history and if she still wants to deal with me then I don’t want to see my life without her” He pulled a piece of grass and wrapped it round his finger “She looks up to you and I already have the utmost respect for you… Especially after you dropped that Sgt before and you also stood up to my mother which is something that doesn’t happen all too often. My Aunt took a liking to you instantly and like you she’s one woman with the fuse the size of a mosquitoes dick and she doesn’t warm to new people easily” I smiled at him

  “And I’m sure we have someone here willing to show you what a Marine Sniper can teach you” we looked at the Drill Instructor “Aly”

  “You’re kidding right?” I laughed

  “No I’m trying to explain what it can be like to be chosen for sniper school” I walked away from Marek and over to Jeremy “and what sort of thing growing up like we did can mean” he chuckled

  “Okay” I took the Rifle from in front of him

  “This girl went to school with me and her Dad and her Brother are both two of the best Snipers I’ve ever known” He announced and god help us if she ever became a sniper. I shook my head and took aim quickly squeezing off a single round getting the target right between the eyes I pulled off two more rounds one in the heart and one in the groin”

  Brit and Ryne were standing on top of the ridge that lead to the range

  “ Damn” Ryne chuckled

  “Yep and you keep wanting to screw with her… I hope to god you like you’re man bits because she’ll take them off at a mile” Brit laughed.

  Chapter 48

  Kiss it out

  “So what are you doing for dinner tonight?” Brit asked as she sat on the vanity in the bathroom as I put on my make up

  “I don’t know… I’m really confused about Ryne right now he seemed like a different guy last night I opened up and told him all about the Justin shit” I leant on the door frame and looked at her

  “You like him right” I nodded ‘and we all know he likes you and if he’s still around after not getting laid last night and you tried to choke him again then he’s into you more than just for the tits and ass”

  “Oh you have the mouth of a Marine” I laughed

  “Okay I learnt everything from you” She giggled “and I know you learnt from the best” I high fived her “Can I ask you something?”

  ‘Sure” I nodded “as long as I can borrow that dress you brought with you”

  “You know you can I suppose you want the boots as well”

  “They were mine anyway” I poked her “So go on what do you want to ask?”

  “Are you scared?”

  ‘Of what?” I put away my things and walked to the bedroom she handed me the red dress from the closet

  “Getting hot and heavy with Ryne… I mean the sex”

  “No why?”

  “Because of Justin and how he..” she looked down

  “No I still sometimes don’t think of it as rape” I sighed “I still gave in” she opened her mouth I held up my hand “To a degree and yes I told him to stop but life has to go on right I mean look what happened to Nana and that guy in the locker room” I pulled on the dress. “If she can go on to have a life and kids and put it behind her my lapse of judgment with a cowboy should be right at the back of my mind”

  “Okay so if you’re not scared then why the hell is the marine not so dry he’s shooting dust” I groaned and pulled on the boots and zipped them.

  “Oh you are so wrong” I pulled a face “So what did Marek thing to the new jewelry?”

  “He loved it” She beamed “He had to take out his because the Corps won’t allow it in case it gets caught” she turned pink “But I can’t see how that would happen when it’s tucked away neatly” I looked at her wide eyed “But he is putting it back in when we leave here tomorrow”

  “Oh Kill me… bleach my mind…” I shuddered as the door knocked

  “Honey there’s a Marine waiting for you down stairs” Aunt Beth smiled

  “He’s here?” I looked at her

  “Yes… he is taking you for dinner isn’t he?”

  “Yes Ma’am” I Looked at Brit and walked out of the room and down the stairs Uncle Logan was laughing with Ryne in the living room. “I thought we were meeting by the mess hall?”

  “We were but that’s not… Damn” he stopped and his eyes got wide when he saw me

  “You’ll catch a cold dressed like that” Uncle Logan sighed shaking his head

  “I’ll keep her warm” Ryne swallowed

  “That’s what I’m worried about” Uncle Logan shook his head

  “Well if we’re going out then let’s go Marine” I walked to the front door. Brit pushed Rynes jaw closed and patted his back

  “Good luck” Ryne came to his senses and said his goodbyes I was waiting by his truck for him.

  “So I get to pick dinner then tonight right?” I tipped my head and looked at him

  “Since when”

  “Since I’m over dressed or under for somewhere like where we went last night” I smiled opening the door to his truck and getting in. thank god for running boards. Ryne got in “And I know the places round here better than you do”

  “Hmmm” He swallowed

  “Are you okay?” I was having fun with his reaction right now

  “Yeah blood rush” he opened the window and let in the cool night air as we headed off the base I took him to a bar that had the best Burgers ever across the street from a pool hall. We stepped inside He immedialty put a protective hand in the small of my back we went and sat at a table just away from the bar.

  “Blood
flow re directed yet” I laughed

  “No… damn” he shook his head “I have to say I need to pat my self on the back of bagging you”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Sorry mind in Marine mode” he shook his head “I mean you looked hot today in the sneakers tank an shorts but Damn” he looked at me “You’re sittinghere with me right now”

  “Okay what happened to Cocky Marine”