The air in the room shifted the second he walked in. There was something off. Terribly off. It was as if a rain cloud had magically materialized within the room. In a second, moods worsened and papers were pushed forcefully off desks. Even Angela felt the effects of whatever caused the mood to change.
Leering eyes pulled up from her desk. She wasn't expecting any visitors, especially at this last hour. But as soon as she met the face of a broken man, she'd realized that her ill-temper was misplaced. The mood that stirred within the room wasn't malice or anger. It was sadness, fear. Grief.
"Jack," she bolted from her desk. With three long strides, she caught him as she collapsed on the floor before her. "Jack, Jack what's wrong."
He didn't answer. His arms wrapped around her and his head found its place against her chest. With heavy sobs, he broke.
"Jack," panic slowly became evident in her voice. "Jack, please. Talk to me."
Kicking her office door closed, she gave him the privacy he deserved. No one, technically not even her, deserved to see the usually beaming soldier in this state. He was pathetic. Weak. Shaken to the very core. Something was truly wrong and she wanted nothing more than to make him smile again.
"Jack," tears swelled within her eyes. At this rate, she would be sobbing right along with him. "Jack, please," she begged him yet again.
"It's Spooky," he muttered into her chest, refusing to let go.
"S-spooky?" A name unfamiliar to her. She wondered if it was a soldier. Private Spooky? No, that wasn't possible. He hadn't heard of a Spooky before.
"I know," he sniffing startled her. As he pulled back, his bloodshot eyes and pale white cheeks caused her to gasp. He was truly broken by whatever happened to this 'Spooky.'
"Jack, please," she whispered, hoping maybe she could coax the story out of him.
"I know," he started again. Sniffing hard, he looked away. He seemed embarrassed. "He's... I know he's just a cat. But he's... he's my best friend."
The second she heard him utter cat, her heart shattered. Jack always spoke so highly of his fluffy, furry friends. He would gush for hours about them. He wasn't ashamed to tell the world just how much he loved his cats. And now, seeing him like this and knowing it was about a cat, she knew exactly what had happened.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered while her hand stroked his soft blonde locks. "What happened?"
Trying to gain some composure, his sad blue eyes tore into her.
She wasn't able to keep back her tears. Instantly, they crested her lids and rolled down her cheeks. She knew all too well what it was like to lose a loved one. After losing her parents, she adopted a white cat named Mr Fluffernutters. When he passed away, she was devastated but knew all too well that that was life. Things die. Life goes on.
His lip quivered as he tried to speak. "My mom called me two days ago to tell me he stopped eating." Jack's hands were trembling so she took them into her own. Holding him, she could see that she was what was keeping him together.
"Did she take him to the vet?"
His meek nod followed.
"What did the vet say?" She was no animal doctor, but she knew enough to be dangerous.
"He's old, Angie." His shoulders slumped forward as his eyes grew dismal and watery.
"How old," she asked while stroking his hand with her thumb. The gesture seemed to sooth him for he fell lightly against her chest.
She didn't utter a word. Instead, she wrapped an arm around him and consoled him as he laid against her chest.
Angela listened to the sound of his light sniffling. The sound of his tears hitting her fabric and the floor. The light pitter-patter. It was a bittersweet sound. Something she would truly cherish. For the past few months, she'd come to like Jack. Even developed a crush on him. And to know that she came to her, to cry and to share a part of his life, it warmed her. Granted, it also broke her. She hated seeing him like this.
Jack, on the other hand, listened to her steady heartbeat. There was something calming about it. Soothing. He'd come to depend on it, aligning his ragged breathing to the frequency. It was what kept him from starting up another episode and crying again.
"Are you," she finally piped up, "going home?"
"I can't," his shoulders curled forward. "I'm supposed to welcome the new recruits tomorrow. I-I can't leave to say goodbye to him..."
"You don't underst-" She bit her tongue. "Listen, you left me in charge. As his doctor, I'm telling you, if you want his performance to increase, you need to let me take him off base." She was lying through her teeth. Jack's stats were fine. Still top-notch. But she's purposely fudged up some documents to show that he was having issues. She had hoped that bad scores would allow her to take him off base. To take him home. To say goodbye.
Her eyes slid to the side. "Yes, that's what I'm trying to say."
The voice across from her fell silent, mulling over what they'd heard.
"I will take full responsibility. We'll be gone just for a day. If, if he's not back up and fully functional upon our return, I will accept whatever punishm-"
At the comment, they said would revoke her medical license and she paused. Brows furrowing, she thought long and hard about what she was wagering.
"It's worth it. I took this job to protect these soldiers, soldiers like Morrison. If it costs me my job, so be it. At least I can say I tried."
A stamp sealed the deal.
"You have twenty-four hours," the cold voice spoke. "If you fail, we'll expect your documents on the table."
Her nod was meek but firm. "I won't let you down," she saluted the suited men and left the room.
His mood had continue to worsen to the point where he didn't even bother to comb his hair. A failed attempt at locking his apartment caused him to shrug. Who cares if someone broke in. It's not like it mattered...
"Morning, Jack~!" a perky voice caused him to straighten up.
Head swiveling, he caught the beautiful doctor leaning out the window of her crossover. "Thought you could use a lift."
Jack's brow cocked. For a second, he looked over a his Jeep before turning back to the Volkswagen. Why on earth was she here?
"I come with coffee," she purred. "Plus, you're late. I figured you could use a good excuse. I wouldn't want the rising star to meet an ill-fate because of personal reasons."
Who was he to argue. She brought coffee.
Walking around the car, he slid into the passenger seat and accepted the coffee without uttering a word of thanks. She didn't expect it. He looked like he barely slept. He looked like a mess. His eyes were still red from crying. From grieving.
"A-about yesterday," he started.
"Jack," she pulled out of his driveway, "I won't think less of you." Her blush came next. "I-in fact," she swallowed the lump that formed, "I think it's sweet. Sad but very fitting."
"Fitting?" he huffed.
"I-I had always pegged you as the kind of man to care too much." Her lips twisted into a small smile. "And I was right." Using the rearview mirror, she peaked over at Jack. He seemed to be just a tad happier. Sadness still clung to his blue eyes, but at least she saw him smirk.
They drove in silence until Angela missed their turn.
"Uh," Jack's thumb flew out the window as he pointed to the sign that said "OVERWATCH BASE" with an arrow pointing to the base. "Base is that way?" Had she really never driven there herself?
"Uh," she turned to him, goofy grin in tow. "I know. But I didn't say I was taking you to base."
Eyes wide, he looked down at the seat belt. Then to the locked door. Was he... was he being kidnapped?
"Stop," she chuckled, "I'm not kidding you-unless you want me to." She winked while taking the turn toward the airport. "I battered for 24 hours with you. Off base." She reached into her purse and passed the slip of paper to Jack. "You're to report back here tomorrow at 9 o'clock. If your scores improve, I get to keep my job."
"Scores? Y-your job?" Jack's expression went from slightly panicked to very worried. "Angela," he was going to protest, "you bet your job on taking me off base?"
"I had to," she slipped in. "Your well-being is more important than some cushy job. I care too," she blushed, "too much about you too see you like this."
His cheeks glowed red and he forced himself to look away. "T-thanks," he managed to mutter out.
"Ah," she rolled her head his way to grace him with her smile, "don't thank me yet. We're not home yet. I just..."
His hand reached across the car. It touched her thigh and give it a light, reassuring squeeze. "He's still alive," he whispered. "I can just feel it. We'll make it."
They barely made it to the exit of the airport before they were greeted by a coy man with a grin that was identical to Jack's.
"Dad," he said while holding out his hand to greet him.
"You don't have to be so formal," Angela quipped. "I saw you crying. I think I can handle you hugging your father," she teased as the two men leaned in for a quick hug.
"We need to hurry. Doc says he hasn't much time. Swear he bought himself a few hours when he heard his boy Jackie was coming home to say goodbye." Angela had called ahead, kinda, to tell his parents Jack was coming home to say goodbye.
The car ride was filled with anxious silence, though Angela felt the most out of place. Two grown men sitting silent wasn't exactly odd. But a pretty blonde with a blush on her face in the back, that was definitely odd. She still couldn't believe that she was doing this-risking her job for some pretty-faced soldier who probably didn't even known she liked him.
"We're he-" Andrew, Jack's dad, started but didn't finish for Jack was rolling from the car and running into the quaint ranch house.
"Just how old is Spooky?" Angela asked while unbuckling herself.
"Spook? Oh, Jack's had him since he was 10."
Angela's eyes went wide. Jack was 29 and turning 30 before the end of the year.
"Yeah," Andrew Morrison said while helping Angela out of the old truck, "Spook's been around for a long time. 19 years. He and Jack did everything together. Cat was his best friend. Hell, his only friend. They did everything together. Literally everything."
Disbelief flickered in his eyes. "I doubt that," she added. "Jack's highly personable. Delightful."
"He never really got along with the kids out here. He was... different. Smarter, believed in good. Fought for good. He was picked on a lot. People thought him weird. But," the old man smirked, "it never stopped him. Didn't matter how many times he got punched, Jack would never swing back. He was a good kid. Believed in honor. Believed in peace. He wants to make the world a better place. He and Spooky 'worked' together to build a cat sanctuary for the strays out here. He also spent every hour helping at the local shelter. He likes to help. He wants to be a hero, just like Spooky. Spooky... when Jack was younger... saved his life. Jack was about to get bit by a rattlesnake but Spooky stepped in and took the attack for him. And it wasn't just that time. Time and time again that cat would come to Jack's aid. Cat lost all 8 of his lives saving my son. Cat was a real hero."
A woman with long curls greeted her. "Pleasure to meet you, Angela. I'm Elizabeth." A quick hug was given to the blonde.
Blinking, she blushed. "H-how do you know my name?" She looked away bashfully.
"Jackie boy talks about you all the time." Elizabeth spilled before realizing that this wasn't something Angela was privy too. "Heavens," she gasped, "I suppose I wasn't supposed to share that with you!"
Her light smile fell onto her face. Looking up at them, Angela's nose crinkled as she chuckled lightly. "Promise I won't tell," she winked.
Slightly embarrassed, Elizabeth escorted Angela down the hallway to Jack's bedroom. Lightly shoving the woman into the room, she left but not without mouthing "Stay with him, he needs you."
At first she was reluctant, that was until a weak but warm ball of black fuzz pushed up between her fingers. Instantly, she was drawn into the animal and his soft, sleek black fur. Two little white fangs poked out from behind his smiling lips. His large green eyes swallowed her whole and brought a wave of tears to her eyes. Seconds later, they were rolling down her cheeks.
"You're beautiful," she whispered while trying not to sob too much. "I'm so glad I got to meet you," she took his slender paw into her hand. "I hear you're a hero," she cooed while finding the sweet spot between his ears. "A true friend," her heart broke looking at those sad, dying eyes.
The more she stroked his coat, the duller his eyes grew. The slower his heartbeat became. He was fading.
"No," she panted. "Please don't," this wasn't even her cat and she was losing it.
"Spooky bookie," Jack started to sing, voice cracking as he tried, "small and square and round. He-" Jack sniffed, "always knows how to turn up that f-frown."
No matter how hard he tried to smile, Jack couldn't. Falling into tears, he curled around his fading black friend.
Even as his warmth died down and his heart stopped beating, Jack didn't leave his side. "I'm here buddy," he cried softly into the fur. "I'm here. Just like I promised I would be," another tear ran down his cheek.
Time seemed to slow, or at least that's how it felt. She wasn't sure how long she sat there on the floor propped up against his bed. She wasn't sure how long he'd been stroking his head, holding him. Being there for him. Supporting him.
When he did finally stir, his sad blue eyes gave her a look she'd never seen from him before. Yes, they were broken, but there was a hint of hope somewhere in there too. And they way they shimmered and sparkled, it truly made him look like an angel. It made him look fragile. In need of saving, protecting. But it also made him look strong. Capable. Like a real hero. Real heroes cried, right?
Gathering up her courage, Angela took his hand and put it between hers. "J-Jack," she stated with shaky breath. "I-I want you to know that," chewing her lip, she caught his stare again. "That no matter what, I'll always be here. And I'd risk it all. Everything. Everything just to see you sm-"
She never got to finish her statement as his lips brushed lightly against her cheek, making it impossible for her to form sentences or speak.
Before he pulled his face away, he gave her a smile so pure and sweet it brought tears to her eyes. "Angela... Angel." His thumb brushed away the drying tears, "I'm supposed to be the one to protect you. Support you."
She shook her head, the tears rolling from her eyes and down her cheeks. "No," she curled her hands around his jaw, "I want to protect you, Jack. I want to be your support. You endure and have to endure so much. You take the weight of the world and you carry it on your shoulders. Your surround yourself with war, death, loss. Let me, let me be the light in your life. Let me lift you up when you need wings. Let me guide you home, to life and light."
That little side smirk she'd grown to love appeared on his face. Reaching out his hand, he ran the backside of his down along her face. "I don't know what I did to deserve an angel like you," he kissed her fingers.
"No," Angela shook her head again. "I don't know what I did to deserve an angel like you."
As she looked at him, she could have sworn she saw his halo and wings. The sun from behind the pulled shades finally pushed through. It cast a golden glow on him, catching his hair and making it shine as if a halo were atop it. A light breeze tossed the curtains too, spreading them behind his back, as if a pair of wings.
It was in that moment, that she knew Spooky was looking down from above, blessing them with happiness. He brought them together in ways neither of them ever could. In all honesty, he was the angel they needed. The guardian angel they both deserved.