AN: Oh hi there. Yes, I wrote another thing. I hope you like it.
Memories
Asadabad District
Kunar Province
1200
In the mountains surrounding the Asadabad District, hidden amongst the rocks, trees and brush, Sergeant Major Booth and Specialist Dupuis lay in waiting. In their sights, a ten-man combat patrol team walking the streets of the village below.
"You see this guy, Sergeant Major? He's fucking huge," SPC. Dupuis remarked while staring down the scope of a Barrett sniper rifle that definitely saw better days.
"He's a hairy one too. Foxtrot Niner this is Big Papa Zulu. I have sasquatch in my sights," the specialist joked.
Booth rolled his eyes as he watched the abnormally large Pashtun purchase some fruit from a cart. "Shut up Duper," he grumbled.
The specialist shrugged as he continued to track their combat patrol. He kept his finger on the trigger, ready to take care of business should the need arise. Sitting up from the spotter's scope, Booth took out a notepad to jot some things down. He gave a sideways glance to the twenty-five year old next to him, silent and stoic behind his rifle.
Duper, as everyone called him, was a good soldier and reminded Booth a little of himself when he first joined the army. Booth met him during a mission briefing, three days after their arrival in the desert. He was bright eyed and asked a lot of questions. He joked around and could be a little over eager. Booth thought he'd have trouble with him, but he was soon proven wrong.
They say that in battle, a soldier's true heart is revealed. Duper was no exception to that. He was the walking personification of the Army's core values. He often stepped up to take point when others were reluctant to. He wasn't afraid to voice his opinion on strategy and tactic, he worked his ass off to get the job done, and always lent a helping hand. Seeing so many good qualities in the young soldier, Booth had made it a point to take Duper under his wing and groom him to his fullest potential.
"Booth?"
"Duper," Booth regarded while sticking his notebook into his left chest pocket.
"Once we get out of this shithole, you're coming with me to visit my hometown in Port Allen for a week or two. I'll take you out on the Bayou to catch catfish and crawfish. I'll make some of my mama's famous jambalaya and gumbo. We'll throw some boudin and alligator meat on the grill. We can even dodge over to New Orleans for a few days."
Lying back down behind the scope, Booth smirked as Duper's Cajun accent began to creep out. "Specialist Dupuis, are you asking me out? I don't put out on the first date just to let you know."
Duper briefly chuckled. "Nah. I want my family, especially my girl and soon to be born son, to meet the guy who helped me become the man I am today," he replied seriously.
Booth swallowed, understanding Duper's request. They had become very close in the past few months. "That sounds like a damn good plan."
"Three months. Just three months until we get home and you can get a real shower. You're starting to smell like my grand-mama's dying vegetable garden. God bless her soul," Duper snorted.
Before Booth could make a comeback, he heard a sharp buzz go by his left ear. Three more followed. His heart dropped seeing blood gushing from Duper's neck. Scrambling over, Booth flipped him onto his back and gently placing a gloved hand on the open wounds, millimeters away from his common carotid artery.
Booth tore apart the trauma kit clipped to his bug out bag and pulled out a stack of gauze. He carefully placed the gauze on Duper's wound, trying not to apply pressure at the risk of hypoxia. With his other hand, he dug out the satellite phone from his thigh pocket. He cursed at the dead battery symbol and tossed it aside.
"Ella...love...baby," Duper coughed.
"Yes, Ella loves you. You're going to tell her that when we get back to base. Your son is going arrive any day now. So you better live to see his birth. And I don't want to lose another soldier. You better stay with me Specialist Dupuis. That is a direct order."
Booth knew that they wouldn't be able to get the help needed, unless he went into the village. He slung the rifle and his bug out bag over his shoulders. After shoving the spotter's scope into his thigh pocket, he gathered Duper's body into his arms.
Making his way down the mountain, as fast as he could, Booth attempted to coax Duper back to consciousness. His heart pounded as a strong sense of déjà vu overcame him and flashes of Corporal Teddy Parker played in his mind.
He quickened his pace as he felt Duper's life going out of his body. "Hold on buddy, we're almost there. We'll get you patched up and I'll get you back home. I promise."
Duper let out a round of hacking coughs, each one causing more blood to seep into the already soaked gauze. "Doesn't hurt..."
Booth felt the sting of tears in his eyes when he felt Duper go limp in his arms. "Oh God. No."
He paused to check for a pulse. Feeling nothing, he fell to his knees and let out a sob. "Oh God. No! Oh God, I'm sorry Duper!"
Booth hunched over his friend, holding his body close. He had to keep going. Standing back up, he continued down the mountain. The dull roar of blood rushed in his ears as everything around them began to slow down. A sharp pain in the back of his head caused him to squeeze his eyes shut, before he himself fell into the darkness.
Brennan was asleep when a loud clap of thunder jolted her awake. Opening her eyes briefly, a flash of lightning lit up the bedroom. Heavy rain pelted the windows, lulling her back to sleep. When she felt a knee to her hip, she elbowed the offender.
She woke up knowing something was wrong after receiving another body shot from his knee.
Sitting up, she turned to see Booth on his back with the sheets twisted around his waist, his body drenched in sweat, his eyes shut as he tossed and turned.
She glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand where the time and date flashed 12:00 a.m. August 1st. She automatically knew what it was. For the past nine years, on that very date, he had the same dream. Getting out of bed, she entered the ensuite bathroom to dampen a washcloth in cold water.
Walking back into the room, she turned on the lamp on the nightstand. Sitting beside him, Brennan watched as he continued to struggle. It was always a calculated risk, waking him up during a nightmare. You were supposed to let them go through the episode, but from their personal experiences together, it was always better when she woke him up.
She gently dabbed his forehead with the cold towel. "Booth. It's just a dream," she murmured soothingly. "It's just a nightmare. You're ok. You need to wake up."
He began to respond to her melodic voice. His body stilled, his breathing slowed. His eyes remained shut. "I'm right here Booth. Come back to me."
Letting out a strangled breath, his eyes flew open. She saw the glaze in his eyes and stood, knowing that he wasn't his self just yet. Brennan left to hang up the washcloth. In the bathroom mirror, she watched her husband sit straight up and cover his face with his hands.
She sat back down next to him, placing her hand on his knee. He took a deep breath before lowering his hands. This time, his familiar warm brown eyes stared back at her. He smiled weakly. "Hi."
She leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his lips. "Hi."
"Sorry for waking you," he apologized, pulling her into his arms.
Brennan shifted so she was sitting comfortably with her back against his chest. "It's fine. Do you want to discuss it now or wait until morning?"
Booth sighed, nuzzling his nose into her hair, breathing her in. "Morning."
"The storm is pretty bad. We should check on the kids."
"Alright," Booth agreed.
Brennan shuffled over to the dresser to retrieve a clean shirt for her husband as he walked into the bathroom to wash up. As soon as Booth pulled his new shirt on, Brennan engulfed him in a tight hug.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
An unexpected boom of thunder startled the couple as the light on the nightstand went out. Booth chuckled at the unnatural yelp his wife had let out. He squeezed her tightly, assuring her that everything was fine.
A rapt knock alerted them to the door. Breaking apart from their embrace, Booth went over to open it. Standing in the threshold, dressed in a worn out purple LSU Baseball shirt and matching shorts, was the subject of his nightmare, clutching a flashlight.
"Duper. Is everything ok?"
"The thunder woke the baby up. When the lights went out, I decided to get up and check the circuit breakers. Was on my way downstairs when I heard Tempe scream. Just wanted to make sure ya'll were fine," Duper replied with concern.
"Yeah Bones and I are good. The thunder startled her too. We were just talking when that last one hit and she yelled."
Duper nodded. "Alright. I'm just gonna carry on about my business and grab the generator just in case. Ya'll go back to bed. I'll check on the youngins too."
"We'll come along. Bones and I wanted to check on the kids as well."
"Actually, is Ella still awake?" Brennan asked as she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail.
Duper nodded. "Yes. She's feeding Bella."
Brennan breezed by the two men excitedly. "I'll go keep her company."
Booth chuckled at his wife's enthusiasm. Three-week old Isabelle was the center of everyone's attention during the Booth family's annual visit to Port Allen. She had a full head of blond hair, gelfing ears, and bright blue eyes. Booth liked to jokingly thank God that Bella took after her beautiful mom and not her dad.
They watched as Brennan disappeared into Duper and Ella's bedroom. "Baby number four is a coming Boothy boy!" Duper laughed, cuffing his friend on the back of his neck.
"Three is enough thanks," Booth grumbled.
The two men quietly walked down the stairs and into the living room. The six kids were a sleeping tangle of limbs, spread out on top of a king sized air mattress and lost in the sea of pillows and blankets.
Lying on his stomach in the midst of it all was Parker, his lean 6'3 frame taking up most of the space. Curled up in a ball next to the seventeen year old, under his protective arm, was one Elyse Dupuis. It was a very adorable sight.
Booth smirked. "Does your daughter have a crush on my son?"
Duper rolled his eyes. "She's four."
Booth chuckled and continued to survey the scene. Off to one side, six-year old Christian Dupuis slept upside down in a starfish position. His mouth was wide open with a line of drool forming in the corner of his mouth. Booth had to stifle a laugh. "Like father, like son."
Duper snorted. "Oh, you're one to talk. Look at your son."
Booth spotted his youngest, Declan, lying diagonally next to Christian. The two and a half-year old, was sleeping with his shirt off and one hand down his pants.
"What in the hell is he doing?" Booth walked over and carefully removed his son's hand out of his pajama bottoms.
"Keeping everything warm?" Duper suggested, earning him a punch in the gut.
Duper rubbed the spot he was hit, trying hard not to laugh and wake the kids. When he spotted his oldest with his friend's daughter, he nudged Booth to look. "Now, whose daughter has a crush on whose son?"
Booth's eyes grew wide at the sight of Luca Dupuis and his precious Christine sleeping side-by-side with their hands entwined. "No way. Nope. Luca may be my namesake and my godson, but it'll be a cold day in hell if he tries to date my daughter."
He walked over and gently tried to pry apart the children's hands. It was a futile attempt, as the two held each other 's hands even tighter.
Duper rolled his eyes. "They're ten and eight."
Before Booth could argue, Duper shoved him out of the living room. "Come on boss. The kids are alright. Let's go check those circuit breakers huh?"
Half an hour later, the two friends were sitting in two lounge chairs on the back patio. They each held a cup of coffee and watched as the lightning lit up the night sky. The heavy rains were long gone, leaving behind a sprinkle. The storm had knocked out power to the whole town, but the Dupuis household held strong, hooked up to a generator.
"Do you want to talk about it," Duper asked in a low voice, as he placed his coffee cup on a table between the two of them.
"It was worse. This time you actually died," Booth replied, his voice etched with pain.
"It's the same for me. But in my dreams, the roles are reversed," Duper confessed.
Booth looked at his friend bewildered. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
Duper shrugged. "I figured that, since you came to me with your issues, I shouldn't bother you with mine."
"Bullshit Duper. You shouldn't be dealing with this on your own. I could've helped you work through this too."
"You have. More than you possibly know. You saved me. That day in Asadabad, you stopped the bleeding and carried me down the mountains. It was only by the grace of God that those JTF2 and CSOR guys from Kabul were flying by and spotted us. Hell I even have your blood running through my veins."
Booth flashed back to that day once again. After being picked up by the Canadian Special Forces, they were quickly flown to the forward operating base. The hospital's blood supply was low to a late supply delivery. Booth knew that he and Duper shared the same blood type, so he hopped up onto a gurney and ordered them to take as much blood as they could.
When Duper saw the look of remembrance in Booth's eyes, he slapped him on the back in good nature. "We're bonded for life man."
Booth smiled, returning the gesture. "Bonded for life."
Duper picked up his coffee cup and stared into it pensively. "What do we do now? How do we bury the past so it can stop haunting us?"
Booth took a sip of his coffee and swished the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing. "We can't. This memory, it will stay with us for the rest of our lives. The only thing we can do, is keep being there for each other. We continue visiting each other like we have been, every year. We keep living, and we continue to do good in this world."
Duper nodded. "Hooah Sergeant Major."
Booth stood from his seat. "Come on. You need to get some rest. You have to look good for your big day this afternoon."
Duper groaned and followed his former NCO back into the house.
Later on that afternoon, as the sun shone above Lafayette, Booth, dressed in his Class A uniform, stood at ease beside Ella and Duper. Before them were the men and women of the 256th Special Troops Battalion. Sitting in chairs in front of the standing soldiers were the Booth and Dupuis families.
A full bird Colonel stepped up to the podium a few feet away. "Now, before we begin today's ceremony, I would like to say a few words about Sergeant Dupuis here."
They all listened as the Colonel spoke of Duper's career and active duty service with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He mentioned his medals earned in Afghanistan and his decision to move back home and transfer over to the National Guard after eight years with the 5th. The Colonel continued to list Duper's qualities and what made him an excellent soldier.
When the Colonel finished, he stepped away from the podium and walked over to stand on the other side of Duper. Another soldier stepped up to the podium. "Attention to orders," he began in a velvety baritone cadence. Duper, Booth, and the battalion snapped up tall and straight, their hands at their side.
"The Secretary of the Army has reposed special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity, and professional excellence of Declan Luca Dupuis." At that time, Ella stood in front of her husband and removed his Staff Sergeant patch from his uniform. She whispered her love and moved to stand back on his side.
"In view of these qualities and his demonstrated potential and his dedicated service to the Louisiana Army National Guard, he is then promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class on the 1st of August 2020."
Booth moved to stand in front of his friend. They shared a smile as Booth placed the brand new Sergeant First Class patch on the front of Duper's MCU jacket. Booth jokingly punched the spot causing everyone to laugh. He saluted Duper and pulled him into a manly hug while everyone stood to applaud.
"Congratulations Duper. You earned this. I'm so proud of you."
"I couldn't have done it without your friendship and guidance. Thank you sir, for everything."
AN: Yes, Booth and Brennan's youngest son is named after Duper. If you read Identity in Caress Me Down, you now know how baby Booth got his name. And if you were wondering how Luca is Booth's namesake, his full birth name is Luca Seeley Dupuis. So yeah, hope that clarifies. Ok...bye.