SCARECROW

CAROL OF THE BELLS

Author's Note:

About: So this is written for the competition on The Presidian over on Facebook. It's also my first MR fic, though I've written for other fandoms. The prompt was "Christmas". So I basically took that and warped it, threw in some action and swearing, and generally just had a good old time. Hopefully you enjoy the story :)

Title: "Carol of the Bells [Remix]" by August Burns Red

Note: Lyrics from "Carol of the Bells"

Warnings: Graphic violence, explicit language, boy/boy kissing, references to slash, and just general insaneness

Disclaimer: The world of Scarecrow and the characters in said world are the property of Matthew Reilly. I own nothing but the plot and make no money from this story.

Chapter One

"Christmas is here

bringing good cheer

To young and old

meek and the bold"

It was Christmas, about 1300 hours, and Shane Schofield was enjoying a beer on Mother's back deck. It was the second year that he'd spent Christmas at Mother and Ralph's, and so far it was the same as the previous year.

Currently Schofield was the only person outside. The rest of the party was in the house because of how cold it was now that snow had started to fall. Inside Mother and her husband Ralph were catering to Buck Riley Junior, or Book II, Rebound Simmons, Astro Miller, Pancho Sanchez, Martin "Bigfoot" Wade, the newest member of Team Schofield, Private Diana "Checkmate" Douglas, and their respective partners.

It was a weird group, Schofield could admit. Various ages, races, and religions, but they were all brought together because they'd served under Schofield, had been to hell and back with him, Mother, and each other. Only Checkmate hadn't served with them yet, but she'd proved herself time and time again during training and the odd night when the unit went out to eat and drink together. She was a smart young woman who could hold her own, and always had the last laugh- hence the call sign.

Schofield smiled as he sipped his beer. His unit had gone through a lot of changes over the past few years, but they were still a strong, close-knit team. Only the best of the best served with the Scarecrow, and it didn't take much time for him and Mother to get new recruits up to their standard.

The door beside him opened and Schofield looked up from where he was sitting on the bench. The woman before him was young, only about 25, with rust-red hair, honey brown eyes, and pale, slim features. She was Diana Douglas' partner. Since DADT had been revoked months previously, a lot of men and women serving had come out. Schofield was glad; he didn't care who slept with who. As long as they could fight and protect their fellow soldiers, everyone was right by him.

There was also the little fact of Schofield having been attracted to- and having dated- men in the past. It wasn't something he advertised about himself, and he still hadn't told anyone since DADT had been recalled. Checkmate and her girlfriend seemed to know, though; something they called "gaydar". Schofield just smiled and left them to it. He'd never understand women.

'Oh, hello,' May said when she spotted Schofield. 'Didn't know anyone was out here.'

'I just needed a moment,' Schofield said.

May nodded and lit up a cigarette, sucking in a lungful of air and blowing it out before turning back to the captain. 'The strong silent type, eh?'

'Yeah,' Schofield smiled.

May chuckled and took another drag of her cigarette. 'Do you want one?' she asked and offered him the packet.

'I don't smoke,' Schofield shook his head.

'Good, it'll kill you,' May said pleasently.

'So why do you smoke?' the Marine asked.

'Got hooked when I was seventeen,' May shrugged. 'Diana's trying to get me to quit, but I'm not good at giving up.'

'I'm sure you'll get there one day,' Schofield said and took another sip of beer.

'Hopefully,' May said and crossed her fingers. She gestured at the bench Schofield was sitting on and said, 'Mind if I sit?'

'Not at all,' Schofield said and moved over so she could sit down.

May sat beside him and the two lapsed into silence. The back deck was covered, but that didn't protect them from the soft, cold wind that was blowing snow across the wood beneath their feet. May shivered slightly and tugged her coat further around her body.

'Maybe you should go inside,' Schofield suggested.

'Naw, Ralph got all pissy when I went to light up,' May said. 'Besides, it's not my house; gotta stick to the rules.'

Schofield smiled. He liked May; she was smart, sharp as a whip, and had no problem stating her opinion, even to a room full of hard-assed Marines like Schofield and his unit.

'So did you come out here to think about something in particular?' May asked suddenly. 'Or just needed some time?'

'Just some time,' Schofield said. When May snorted he turned to her. 'What?'

'Sure you're not thinking about what Diana and I said last night?' May asked.

Schofield cringed at the memory. They'd all headed over to Book II's apartment to meet his fiancée, Jordan, and have a few drinks and dinner. Jordan had been talking about her gay brother, discussing his coming out story with Diana, when May had tugged Schofield aside and suggested that he come out too.

Of course Schofield denied it. He was good at that; pretending he was completely, 100% straight; that he didn't often leer at or fantasise about other men; that he hadn't experimented during high school, or in training, or way back when he was a pilot; he also denied, vehemently, that he'd ever dated another man.

It wasn't that Shane was embarrassed or ashamed of who he was. He'd long ago come to terms with the fact that he liked men just as much as he liked women. Though he didn't like labels, he supposed he was bisexual. Really, Shane just preferred to think of himself as Shane Schofield; he liked men and women, it didn't really matter, it didn't change who he was.

But he'd been a Marine since he was practically a kid. Before DADT, homosexuality wasn't allowed in the armed forces. And DADT didn't really change that; men and women had to hide who they were, had to pretend they were as straight as the majority of their fellow servicemen and women. If Shane had been caught, if it had been known that he had sex with men too, he would have been Dishonourably Discharged, his career in ruins, his life destroyed.

And even though, finally, President Obama had revoked DADT, had even allowed same-sex marriages in Washington, Shane had been hiding for so long that he honestly didn't know how to come out. Did he just bring it up in conversation? Did he start openly appreciating the men he found attractive? Or did he start dating a guy and bring him home to meet Mother and the rest of his family?

It was easier for women like May; she was younger, her generation, the people she associated with, they were fine with it. Shane was a Marine; being gay, or bisexual, whatever, still wasn't as accepted as it was in civilian life.

Schofield didn't realise he'd been lost in thought until May nudged him in the ribs.

'Ow, sorry,' he apologised quickly and rubbed his chest.

'I didn't mean to upset you or anything,' May said, sounding concerned. 'When we first met I thought everyone knew until Diana told me.'

'Told you...?' Schofield echoed.

'That you're, you know, in the closet,' May whispered.

'I'm not in the closet,' Schofield huffed.

May smirked. 'Really? So you're not hiding the fact that you like men?'

'Well... not hiding so much as... well...'

Shane cursed when May started giggling. 'Sorry, sorry,' the young woman apologised. 'I didn't mean to upset you, honestly. I really thought you were open about it.'

'How do you even know?' Schofield demanded. 'And if you say "gaydar" I won't be responsible for my actions.'

May smiled but leaned back, rolling her cigarette between nimble fingers. 'Well... it's just... the way you are,' she shrugged. 'I'm not saying that you act overly gay or anything, but the way you speak, the way you look at other men, I just knew.' She looked back at Schofield, who was picking at the label of his beer bottle. 'Diana knew too, as soon as she met you.'

'Really?' Schofield asked without looking up.

'Mm-hmm,' May nodded. She blew smoke from her mouth and continued, 'She also knew you weren't "out", as they say, so kept it to herself. Even with DADT abolished, it doesn't mean the armed forces are gay friendly.'

Schofield nodded slowly.

'But I think your unit would be okay with it,' May said.

'How do you know that?' Schofield asked softly. Truth was, he was scared. The great Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield was scared; terrified that his friends, the people he trusted with his life, would turn their backs on him just because he liked men too.

On some level he knew it was stupid; not one of them had a problem with Diana being a lesbian. But still, the fear was there; fear that had been instilled in Shane from his childhood. Getting beaten up by the local jocks because you were caught kissing another boy was a memory that still haunted Shane, even now.

'They love you,' May said simply. 'And they respect you. That's not going to change because you like men.' She turned to face him. 'Look, I just think you should tell them. They'll understand that you kept it secret because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. What they won't understand is why you kept it hidden after that was revoked and after one of your unit came out.'

Schofield sighed as he thought about her words. Everything May was saying was right. But still... you didn't get over three decades of fear in one afternoon.

'How'd you get so wise?' Schofield asked, turning to face the young woman.

'I'm a woman; we're all geniuses,' she stated matter-of-factly.

Schofield snorted. 'Yeah, so I've heard.' He thought about Libby, as he often did these past two years, and felt a small smile grace his lips. He still missed her, his heart still ached with longong, but he could remember the good times without breaking down. She had been smart, open, honest; just like May. And, just like May, she didn't take shit from no one.

He looked up when May reached over and patted his arm. 'You don't have to come out right now,' May said, 'just think about it.'

Schofield nodded.

'And if you need any help, Diana and I are here, alright?'

'Thanks,' Schofield said honestly.

'Not a problem, Captain,' May smiled. She finished her cigarette and stood. Schofield watched as she put it out in the snow before pocketing the butt. 'Coming back in?' she asked.

'Few minutes,' Schofield answered.

May nodded and Schofield watched as she disappeared back into the house, the sounds of laughter and music wafting out before the door shut behind her.

Schofield sighed and leaned back, chugging down a quarter of his beer. He wondered what the others would say when he did come out. They'd be shocked, no doubt. Maybe even one or two would be disgusted, wondering if he was going to come onto them. Or, maybe, they already knew and were just waiting for him to admit it.

Shane was lost in his thoughts, only vaguely registering the sound of a car pulling up harshly out the front, followed by the sounds of doors slamming shut. He didn't break from his thoughts until two black-clad figures burst through the side gate and around the house.

Schofield's mouth dropped open. There, standing on the snow-covered grass, was Aloysius Knight and his pilot, Rufus.

Author's Note: So, yeah... my first MR fic, so it's probably OOC and it most likely sucks. But I'm posting the first chapter (there will only be about four) now so I know whether or not to continue the story. Let me know what you think :)

Cheers,

{Dreamer}