[OCC Thread for thanks, and constructive criticisms. http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=75731.0 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=75731.0) ]<br/><br/>Alexis Long was free.  Free from the horrors that she had seen.  She stepped off the plane that landed in Denver.  She was happy to be going home after serving in the Marine Corp for 8 years.  She turned in her uniform and stepped out, a free woman.  She didn't expect to see her friends from years ago greet her.  They waved flags and cheered as she stepped into their view, each holding a large "Welcome Home, Lt. Col. Long" signs. She laughed then shouted across the way, "It's retired Lt. Col Long!"<br/><br/>The drive home to Colorado Springs was uneventful. Mostly they spoke of what was going to happen now that she was out.  She said the first thing was to get drunk, to which all of her friends agreed.  She had no where to stay and luckily enough for her one of them had agreed to let her crash with him for a while. She wasn't bothered by it, and in fact kinda enjoyed not having to think about somewhere to stay.  She was also glad that she never had to worry about another Monday Morning check in.  They pulled up to his house and all promptly got out of the car.<br/><br/>She walked up the short way to the entry door and used her very own, newly made key to enter. He pointed up to the stairs, saying that her room would be on the right.  She walked the stairs, a bit tired and somewhat worried about what she actually was going to be doing now that she didn't have to take orders.  She opened the door and saw a nice clean and boring room awaiting her.  Nothing was there except for what appeared to be standard issue military bedding.  She breathed a sigh of relief.  She had lived in the dorm all her life, never wanting to go anywhere else and the room matched them exactly.  It was a little bit of comfort for having just gotten out.  She set her military backpack, with all of her belongings on the bed and headed downstairs.<br/><br/>The door bell rang and she was asked to get it.  She opened the door, being greeted by a wave of the rest of her friends, and a few kegs of beer.  She greeted them each in turn and even smiled when one of them handed her a very special gift, Absinthe.  She wondered how James had gotten it, but knew better than asking.  She took "Don't ask, Don't tell" literary for more that what it was designed for.  It wasn't that cheap shit they allowed to be imported either, no this was the real deal.  She gave him a big grin when he asked when they were going to get the party started. She told him to grab a glass.  Most of her friends had brought alcohol with them, and most just grabbed ice and started drinking.  Would be there a sober person left?  Oh yes! They were the beer runner or the liquor grabber for when they ran out.  Her friends had been kind enough to realize that she was going to be able to actually out drink them all and they had made the proper preparations.  The goal of the night was to make sure no one died of alcohol poisoning, but it was expected that everyone at least try to get it.<br/><br/>Alexis smiled.  This was going to be the best first night of her freedom.