"Welkins..." Isara said weakly. "W..what are you d...doing stuttering? G...get to cover...NOW."
Welkins hesitated for a moment, but immediately retreated once she pushed him away.
Welkin could hear guns being fired from behind the tank. She's all alone, he thought to himself. He grabbed his rifle and was going to shoot them down but he realized Rosie and the rest of the squad had taken care of them already, faces burning with rage. Everyone gathered around Isara now, screaming for her to wake up, but all she did was wear a dumb smile on her face.
It was a difficult time for Squad 7. Rosie seemed to have taken the biggest brunt of Isara's death, she cried so much, refused to talk to anyone and had to be admitted into the emergency ward because of a failed attempt at suicide. The whole of Squad 7 worried for her, but they hadn't their priorities set straight.
When Alicia brought some bread for Welkin the day after the incident, she noticed his gloom. Squad 7 thought Welkin was fine, since he hadn't broken a tear at Isara's funeral, though upon further inspection, Alicia noticed something wrong with him. "Welkin, are you okay?" She asked.
Welkin didn't reply, still filling out some forms. His face was dead serious: an expression she'd never seen before, not even on the battlefield. She quietly placed the bread on his table and left feeling great concern and worry for him.
She'd returned during the evening with more bread, but noticed he hadn't even touched his bread from this morning; he was still filling out forms. "Welkin..." She muttered to herself. She walked towards him, and placed a hand on him, but had it thrown off by Welkin. "Sergeant Melchiott, know your place." He commanded with extreme austerity.
His comment stung her. "Welkin...the entire Squad's worried about you. You've been here since this morning, and last night too! What happened to you?
"That is none of your concern Sergeant, resume your duties."
"This is our duty, to be together as a squad. And it's your duty as well to be a part of it! Are you still hurt by Isara's death? We all are, we all cried, even Largo, but why not you? You've changed, Isara wouldn't like that."
Welkin stopped writing and remained silent.
Alicia continued. "Keep treating me and the rest of the squad like a bunch of nobodies and we'll fall very quickly. The only reason we survived for so long was because of your leadership, it was because you taught us that we're not fighting alone. That we...I have a family. I've fought for so long because of you, don't let me down now...please."
Welkin was emotionless as he stared into empty space. Then, tears started falling from his eyes, and he slammed his head into the table. "I...Isara..." He barely uttered 'Isara' before screaming out in what seemed like pain and agony. Alicia quickly ran to him and hugged him. "I'm here for you. Squad 7 is here for you too. We're family, you must never forget that."