Taken from a perspective that this is purely fictional, it was really sad! I listened to Just A Dream while reading (so that might be an effect). Overall the writing style is pretty good, nice flow, plot is a bit predictable though (but I guess going by your AN we should have expected that).

Keep writing!

Right, just one thing that I noticed in this one. Canada is not involved in the war in Iraq, so Ian would not have to worry about going to Iraq. I agree with "An Inside Joke" that it was predictable, but what else can you do with so little space. Other than that really sad, but really good.

This story + "Two Weeks In Hawaii" = TT_TT
Murphy... why must you break my heart like this.
"He's not coming home now." How could anyone say that?! Just... ergh. Dipwads. ><
Also, I don't know "The Last Post," so is it OK that I was hearing Taps?
I smiled at how you brought in Celtic names and the cross. It's like your trademark.
Chat later. -Qzie

YOu did a great job of setting up scenes - everything was easy to picture, and very clear. The beginning was so idyllic, it was a bit predictable that he would die by the end, maybe if you added a bit more struggle to their relationship, it would give them more texture so it's not so obvious that things will have to go wrong later on.