A/N: So as said, this oneshot was inspired by Steve Jablonsky's song called "Best Thing That Ever Happened" from the score of the 4th Transformers film, which also gave the name to this one chap story.
I just went to see the Age of Extinction last week. And as fell in love with the whole soundtrack and this particular song, this short glimpse came to be. I never thought of writing an oneshot, and actually I first came up with a base of a longer story after seeing the 4th movie. But this shortie here came to live while I thought the origins of my possible Oc's in the fic. So...
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, nearly borrowing the franchise. Own only the characters of my creation.
Phrases written in bold; writing
Phrases written in italics; thoughts
Phrases written with "..."; talk and sign language.
What time does your plane leave?
Dominic stared at the written line on the notepad, his happy expression and as blissful smile faltering, until his gaze first stayed at the pen Natalie was rolling in her fingers, clicking it from time to time, avoiding to meet those blue eyes. But eventually his grey ones rose to stare at the girl in front of him, watching her to take a sip from her latte. Dominic gave her one blue look, dropping his eyes once more to look at the tanned palm he now caught with his own right hand. Smoothing the knuckles, new, now sad smile on his lips.
"In two hours. The departure was postponed from last night", he answered, moving his hands, creating the words for Natalie to understand. Natalie frowned a little to this, but then amused smile twitched her lips.
Because you asked it to be postponed? she wrote, not bothering to signal her thoughts with her hands. It had gotten quite normal for them to converse through writing, as they kept on sending letters to each other often while Dominic was commissioned to different missions around the world with his brigade.
Dominic smiled agreeably. "I wanted to spend every possible day with you I could get", he said, but answered with sign language also like always, though Natalie was able to read his lips. Actually she had gotten quite good at it, so it would be impossible to whisper anything without her noting. Dominic shook his head amused for that thought, as Natalie then let out a sigh and straightened, putting the coffee mug down before started to write.
Dominic followed the pen as it created letters on the white paper. But then he noticed that gloomy expression which flashed on Natalie's face as she turned the pad for him to see. Dominic frowned again as read the sentence.
It's a wonder they even let you play hooky one extra day… How am I going to deal with another 6 months you away?
Dominic met Natalie's gaze, not knowing what to say. All this time apart was hard for him too. Especially after the alliance between Autobots and military had been formed, and he and his fellow NEST soldiers had to spend all the time longer period of times out of States. It had been going on for 2 years. A few more before the whole incident with Transformers during his time in the army. Ever since the two of them had met.
Dominic tried to look easygoing by smiling, leaning closer over the table, sweeping his forefinger over Natalie's hair to her cheek.
You can always write to me. Just like always. And you know I'll answer ASAP, he wrote in turn, flipping the pad around. Natalie glanced at it and looked away even gloomier, though she didn't even read the words that carefully.
Dominic watched her stare to the counter of the café they were in, thinking, as he himself turned all the time gloomier too. But then after a moment Natalie took the pen and started writing. One more line and pushed the pad for Dominic to see, as she leant back in her chair.
It's just… I'm so lonely at some times. I know you have your… job, or what is it, and that it's important. I know that but… I see you so rarely. These three days have been wonderful as I've missed you a lot. But it's such a short time. Even with the extra day it is still too little.
I know it is, Dominic wrote his response, then thinking until wrote some more. I'd give anything to be home more often.
Quit the force even?
Dominic was silent. Natalie made a blue smile, directing her attention to the pad pulling it back to her.
Not even you could be able to do that. Even for me. You are a soldier, Dom. And you'll always be one. It is your life.
Dominic frowned.
You make it sound so bad. But you are only half right, y'know. You are part of it too. You are my life, Natalie.
Natalie tilted her head, this time speaking out loud spite of her disability to hear. She had been in a skiing accident seven years ago, which had caused her to become deaf. That was two years before Dominic had met her. But she sure surprised him. Ever since they had met he had learnt that she wasn't going to let her deafness limit her life. But even the majority of deaf people simply used sign language, Natalie used her own voice to talk, though could not hear herself. Well, Natalie wasn't any ordinary girl anyway. And that was why Dominic had fallen for her from the start.
"If that is true it is you who shall pay this coffee."
Dominic smirked. "Deal. I can get you a piece of pie too if you like."
Natalie read Dominic's lips and shook her head, signaling then with her hands. "No. I'm good."
They spent a moment in silence. First watching each other, until turned their eyes to gaze around the café. It was quite warm inside and the fan placed far away to the corner of the room offered no relief to them. Conversation of the other customers buzzed in their ears and Dominic then separated the voice of the news reader, arousing his interest to take a look at the TV above the counter. He frowned when he next saw some footage shown at the broadcast, concerning Transformers. The video showed some of the hostile ones, Decepticons destroying a city in the US. But Dominic missed the name of that city…
Dom?
One word on the clean page of a pad and a wave at the corner of Dominic's eye woke his attention, him returning his eyes back to Natalie who was watching him a bit worried. She tilted her head again and finished her coffee.
I'm good, Dominic wrote in turn, smiling as gave the pad back. When Natalie looked suspicious he added a bit more. Truly, I'm good too.
Natalie nodded, smiling.
Alright.
Dominic examined his girlfriend for a moment, smiling, snatching her left hand in his again. His gaze dropped on the ring she kept on her ring finger as a promise of what was to come. What would happen in some time in the future during a leave like this one. What would come to be due one of Dominic's question made close to a year ago. And as Dominic thought about that one evening back at Chigago's Planetarium gentle smile rose on his lips, his free hand now rising to smooth Natalie's cheek, him momentarily going back the time he had known her. Five years. Had it been that long already?
But Natalie broke his stare by moving, again writing something on the page of the pad, then handing it to Dominic. He sighed as was returned back to reality by the words written on it.
Where is your brigade going this time? she asked.
Dominic shook his head as wrote his response.
I'm not sure. There has been some alien activity at Africa, so it is possible we are to be sent there to check things out. But they're black ops we're doing, so I shouldn't be telling you these things…
Natalie was satisfied to only nod and make a small smile as an answer. But she turned gloomy again. Dominic saw it and dropped his eyes, until tried to look encouraging.
"It's only six months, Nat. Or even less, if major Lennox is fair and pays back the favor he owes me. I might be back in four if the odds are good", Dominic reassured out loud. Natalie read the words from his lips again, but for Dominic's disappointment didn't look reassured. Another small nod from her.
"Yeah. I'm gonna miss you anyway, were it just two months or one."
"Nat…"
Dominic followed as Natalie turned her blue eyes to stare at the bottom of her empty cup, raking her blonde locks, sighing. Dominic measured her for a moment more until got more serious suddenly, locking Natalie's wrists.
"I need to speak to you", he said, meeting Natalie's gaze as she lifted it surprised due his sudden movement. "Can you read my lips?"
Natalie nodded though she was filled with confusion. She started to sign.
"But we are talking… Is it something serious?" she asked back.
Dominic froze a little, Natalie seeing his jaw muscles clench. There was something in his eyes which made her nervous, as a moment ago that suspicious expression had been replaced by gentleness. Dominic sighed again, looked for words as glanced at the coffee shop and the table, finally looking at Natalie again.
I've procrastinated this too long, he thought as answered Natalie's stare. He smoothed her ring again, glancing at his own ring finger, which was tapping nervously against the dark wood. How am I going to tell her this?
Natalie saw that whatever was in Dominic's mind, it was hard for him to say it. So once more she took the pad, starting to write.
You look weird. Has something happened?
Dominic read and shook his head, taking the pen.
No. I've just been thinking recently.
What about?
Us, Nat.
Natalie froze for confusion. She frowned.
Us?
I know how hard my job is for you. As it kills me too to be so much away from you, even there's no other place I'd rather be than by your side at home.
Natalie gave him questionable look.
Dom?...
"Every night I think about you and worry about the following day, Nat", Dominic interrupted her writing, lifting her jaw so that the girl was looking at him. "I fear that I could die the next day in combat and then leave you all alone. That risk is always there and I never stop thinking about it. And you must think so too, even you never let me see your such fears…"
Natalie sighed and looked down, as an affirmative. She glanced up and read his last name, Cole, written on the bodice of Dominic's uniform. Right below the letters N.E.S.T, signifying his brigade. Yes, she knew.
Seeing her reaction Dominic nodded, licking his lips. He tried to keep away the sadness, stop it from interfering his determination now when he had to do the right thing and speak out the thoughts he had reached during these past months. She needed to hear this.
"Dom, please. We have so little time left together, so could we not spoil it with such serious talks right now? I know what you do, and I know that it is dangerous. But I believe in you. And I know you're gonna be okay and come back to me eventually. Was it six months or even a year", Natalie now interrupted, smiling to him happily, now sweeping Dominic's short cut hair.
Dominic gave a hopeless look to Natalie. But instead of agreeing he shook his head, looking serious again.
"No Nat. We need to talk", he answered, using sign language as a backup to tell how serious he was. Natalie looked even more worried. But Dominic had to ignore her expression.
"You know I love you, right?" he said, signing too, leaning closer. He looked at their engagement rings again, lifting his gaze. He smiled dreamily, shaking his head a little as surrendered to his memories momentarily, smoothing Natalie's hands.
Dominic? Natalie suddenly wrote, looking quizzical. Her expression told everything to Dominic.
"This isn't working, Nat. This long distant relationship we have. I mean we have three short months together in total in a year… Can you call that a relationship? Natalie, I love you. But I can't ask you this much…"
There was shock on Natalie's face as she now leant back, measuring Dominic in disbelief. Her face could've killed him when she then wrote the next words on the pad with slow movements.
Are you breaking up with me?
Dominic sighed, closing his eyes. He made a weak nod, even it was the hardest thing he had ever done. It felt like it. Natalie saw his response and she started to write now furiously onto the paper, shoving it under his nose.
Why?
Dominic took the pen from Natalie in his hand. He stared at that simple question she had written, asked him, and felt a squeeze in his chest. He hesitated. It was unbelievable how bad such a lone, ordinary word could make him feel.
After a second thought he put down the pen, bracing himself and lifted his eyes to see Natalie's confused face, seeing her shake her head, measuring him in turn. She frowned even deeper and slowly pulled the pad back to her, starting to write.
Why are you saying that all of a sudden? Why you say you want to break up with me so suddenly?
"Nat…" Dominic started, gaping. He was at loss. All he had to say had sounded so planned and sensible in his head, but now when the moment had come… Natalie's eyes, demanding for an answer made all the words slip his tongue. So he just took her hand one more time in his.
"I'm not the right guy for you", he said truthfully, causing Natalie to frown again. He rephrased. "Being a military wife is not easy. It's nerve wrecking and sometimes horrible even. I don't want you to sit at home in the future and watch in fear from news as our forces are being shot at and killed, without a knowledge am I alive or dead in there. Nat…"
Sharp headshaking of Natalie's interrupted Dominic. She looked now sad as she dropped her eyes, trying to understand.
That's not it, she then wrote, surprising Dominic. That cannot be it, because it has never worried you before. Not even then when you asked me to marry you. It's been nine months since that Dom!
"I know that", Dominic answered. "But that was before I… really thought about this. About us…"
You are lying, Natalie cut in. I see it from you Dom. That is not why you are saying these things…
Dominic next swallowed his objections due the expression on Natalie's face. It reflected everything at the moment. Sadness, disappointment, confusion and wonder. And so he then let out the deepest sigh, now rubbing his eyes, giving in.
It's you dad, he wrote after retrieving the pad and turning a new leaf. Natalie was even more thunderstruck. She didn't need to make a question for Dominic to see it from her eyes.
Your dad hates me. He has always hated me and can't stand a thought of me being around you.
It was true. Mr. Baxter could not stand Dominic. And ever since he had learnt that her daughter was in love with a military officer from a poor family, he had done everything to show Dominic that he was far from welcome to the family. And Natalie's father's hatred did not only set root to the social class difference, but to the fact that Dominic did snowboarding and other extreme sports, which reminded Mr. Baxter of Natalie's skiing accident. So as the most dangerous and risky guy around her daughter, Dominic was not the dream son-in-law Mr. Baxter would've required.
Natalie let out a snort, grabbing the pen quickly and started to write. She was clearly angry due her brisk movements.
This has nothing to do with my dad! she stated, tapping the paper. Dominic frowned, looking serious.
Of course it does! He thinks I'm too dangerous guy to be close to you, and that's why treats me like crap. He has never accepted our relationship, Nat.
What does it matter? That doesn't explain why you are breaking our engagement all of a sudden after five years of being together!
Dominic couldn't answer. He just stared at Natalie, until there was a realization in her eyes. She wrote some more.
Is that it? You are breaking up with me because you can't stand the way my father mistreats you?
"No Natalie!" Dominic said. But his expression did not convince Natalie. There was more sadness on her face and she looked hurt, but next she was taken over by anger. Dominic watched as tears started to fall on her cheeks when she thought about his words in her mind, until then started to write quickly on the pad. Dominic looked sorry as she now shoved it to him to read.
Then what have these past three days been then? If you wanted to leave me, why didn't you break up with me immediately?
"I couldn't, I… I couldn't just spoil these days we had together, as I knew I wouldn't see you for months… This isn't easy for me either because I…" Dominic said, being interrupted again by a swing of Natalie's hand. She was now truly crying as she hastily wrote the next lines.
Don't you dare say it! If you love me, why would you to this to me?
Nat… Dominic tried to calm her down, but couldn't as Natalie yanked the pad away from him.
No! I can't believe you… Why are you doing this now? We… waited for three years for us to be able to be together legally and now finally when everything is well and we're getting married, you just… break it up? I… I don't understand you…
"Natalie please, listen. I am trying to explain", Dominic said, closing her palm between his hands. He squeezed it, Natalie's eyes glancing to her sides first avoiding his gaze. Until the look in her eyes made Dominic's heart break as they looked into his. He frowned, trying to look as sincere as he could.
"Nat… You're the best thing that ever happened to me, you know that? You have to know that. And you can't imagine how happy I was when I could finally be with you and love you freely in the lines of the law when you turned 18… But…"
Dominic's words dried. His head slumped, as did Natalie's teary eyes. She sniffed, took in a deep breath and frowning she looked at their entwined hands. She saw the two tattoos, two identical estrela tattoos on their wrists now resting side by side, memories now painfully taking over her mind. But then there was another shade of anger on her face as she lifted her eyes, staring at Dominic.
Dominic gasped as Natalie pulled her hand free from his. Now he looked pained as he straightened, meeting her gaze. And this time she didn't bother to put her thoughts into text, but she was so emotionally stirred and angry that this time she voiced her thoughts by brisk hand signals.
"Are you saying you are too old for me? That my father was right? I am 20 years old Dominic! And I'm in love with you! I've been so for years. And ever since I met you I knew there was a reason for us to wait. We waited and you proposed to me. But now…" New tears, now tears of anger mixed with pain fell down Natalie's cheeks. "… Now you say to me you don't want me? After all this time, you suddenly say that you, a guy I've waited for years, is not the right one for me?"
Dominic let out a breath, feeling himself the biggest ass to exist on the planet. Natalie's voice has risen and now other customers were staring at them, seeing her to be upset and crying. Dominic glanced around and noticed the waiters give them wary looks, talking with each other, one of them apparently considering of coming to ask was everything alright. But Dominic then once again tried to calm her love down.
"Natalie", he tried. But after gazing down momentarily Natalie suddenly stood up, giving him only hurt look, Dominic's hand staying useless in the air.
"Then go. Go to wherever you are going and don't write to me. Don't call me or ever contact me again!" she signed quickly, Dominic shaking his head as tried to answer. But he couldn't, and then only followed as she took her jacket from the backrest of her chair, putting it on and grabbed her bag, about to leave.
But then she stopped, gazing down as thought, cried some more until turned to Dominic.
"Y'know five years ago I broke up with someone because of you", she then signaled with her hands, calmer, surprising Dominic. He blinked as she continued.
"I didn't even know you then, and you were way older than me. But I agreed to write to you while you went for war, and started to have feelings for you. I knew there was something between us, which made me leave my boyfriend of that time. But now you do this…"
Natalie couldn't face Dominic's eyes. She let out a hurt breath, squeezing the backrest until bit her lip and forced herself to meet with those so loved and familiar grey irises once more.
"No one's ever hurt me so much you just did. And you could've saved yourself from being the biggest ass by telling me this three days ago. We're through. As you wanted…"
Dominic shook his head and stood up from his seat, as then watched in shock as Natalie yanked the ring off her finger, throwing it on the table. And then her hand stretched to take the memory pad Dominic had sent her from Qatar. She took it and opened the first page, to see the poem Dominic had wrote on it at that time for her as a birthday present. But with a sigh she now tossed it too back on the table, Dominic now gasping as she next hurried out of the coffee shop.
"Nat! Babe wait!" Dominic shouted habitually, automatically grabbing the note pad and his army bag and was about to dash after her.
"Sir!" one of the waitresses then interrupted him, nodding toward the coffee cups remarkably. With a realization and irritated flicker in him Dominic dropped some bills on the table, earning a thankful nod from the woman who collected them as he ran toward the door. Until in his storm of emotions suddenly remembered the ring.
"Shit", he cursed, now running to get the forgotten ring from the table. And dropping it into his trouser pocket he finally reached the street, seeing Natalie step onto the driveway, on her way to her car which was parked a little farther away across the street.
"Nat! Natalie, hold up!" he shouted, taking running steps, until cursed again. The girl was deaf. Of course she couldn't hear him.
Dominic ran forward, abandoning his bag on the sidewalk as saw her dig out he car keys. He frowned. But then he heard an enormous explosion sound break the air.
And as his gaze turned to left, he saw a fighter plane fly to sight behind a skyscraper, shooting a couple of missiles without a warning. And at the same time Dominic next witnessed one giant Transforming robot leap to the street, another following, cars and people starting to fly in the air as the two fighting robots met each other, crushing and destroying everything along with each other. The two fighting robots exchanged punches and ammunitions, hitting buildings as came all the time alarmingly closer. And at the same time as the missiles hit the target and on the surrounding city, making them blow up and sent big lethal pieces of concrete raining on the people running on the streets, Dominic turned to look at Natalie in horror. Seeing her reach the middle of the drive way.
"Natalie!" he screamed, not caring in his panic that it was for nothing. Two transforming robots were making their way toward her, the fighter plane now changing into its robot form too and leaping on the other, ripping it down as Dominic ran, making it fall. The falling robot bodies made some cars flip into the air, one truck crashing against another skyscraper. Dominic's eyes widened as he saw a large piece of it come off, glass falling down. Right above Natalie. The girl heard nothing as prepared to open the doors of the car.
"No. Natalie! Natalie!" Dominic shouted, about to dash to the driveway. But suddenly two arms grabbed him, stopping him from running in middle of the falling concrete, glass and pieces of flaming cars. It was one of the waiters of the coffee shop, telling Dominic to wait.
"NO! Let go of me, I gotta… Natalie!" Dominic shouted, glancing at the man holding him, until turned his horrified gaze to witness as the worst happened.
Natalie tried to calm down, taking the keys in her hand and walked the couple lasts steps to the car. But then she saw a strange shadow on the ground, frowning, next getting startled by a piece of concrete falling on the hood of her Mercedes. She froze, looked at that cement ball, seeing an iron bar stick out of it until next followed tiny shards of glass hit against the car, next feeling something cut her cheek.
Natalie touched her bleeding cheek confused, until then turned around, freezing on her spot by the sight in front of her. But it was too late. All she saw was those three fighting figures of robots closing in on her, people running around in panic due the havoc broken out in middle of the day, and the falling piece of building which was making its unavoidable way on her. She was trapped, not able to run. So doing the only thing she could she screamed, watching as that fiery and glass filled death fell down on her, her dropping beside her car for protection instinctively. But it was too late, as the building fell down with a rumble, one of the transformers falling straight on top of the lawyers of concrete, glass and metal, the other robot crashing on its opponent. Three raging and shooting transformers crushing everything into smithereens as their devastation wiped through the street, Natalie in middle of it.
"NATALIE!" escaped from Dominic's mouth and he yanked forward like a mad man, preparing to charge in middle of certain death to save his love. But the waiter dragged him with him into shelter, ignoring his objections and near punches and both of the men with a couple of other civilians dropped behind a pile of cars.
There was the moment of rumbling steel and cracking stone as everything turned into pieces and ashes. The people in hiding didn't dare to move as the raging robot fury churned over the place, creating the threat of dying. But immediately as the fighting Decepticons and Autobots had continued their fight farther, making other buildings tumble down, Dominic pushed all the pieces of cement and broken walls off him and jumped up. The a little while ago peaceful street reminded now a battlefield in Middle-East, smoke of the explosions filling the air so that Dominic didn't see anything. He didn't see Natalie.
Dominic directed a quick look to the sky and witnessed as huge alien aircrafts drifted into sight, circling between the buildings, blowing more skyscrapers with cannons and missiles, breaking a havoc. The whole city was attacked, in disarray. And all that had happened in a blink of an eye.
The people tried to shout Dominic to come back as he ran out to the street. But he cared not, thinking only one thing. Only one person and his gaze stayed fixated on that pile of cement. She was there somewhere.
Dominic avoided a piece of window flying just above his head as the Autobot and the other of the Decepticons clashed, hitting a building near him, sending more dangerous pieces of hard matter to his way. But Dominic kept his way and avoided, running as quickly as he could toward the spot Natalie's car had been. He acted like he was blind. He saw and knew nothing around him. His mind was only filled with Natalie. Her face when he had last gazed at her inside the coffee shop. Remembering her words from the last time he possibly spoke to her. No, no this could not be true.
Furiously Dominic started to drag the heavy concrete shards out of his way when he started to dig that enormous pile, desperately trying to find Natalie under all that mass which must've weighted a ton. She couldn't have survived. But he did not care but still dug, exceeding his own strength as used his whole body to move away the cement and metal. And finally he saw her, laying next to her car which had sheltered her a little during the fall of the skyscraper. But not well enough. Panic sting in Dominic. But even the roars of the fighting robots filled his ears and he could feel the vibration of their feet stomping right behind him, he ignored the danger to be crushed and killed, and grabbed the biggest piece of a roof yet.
"Natalie?" he called, not caring once more or remembering that she could not hear him, as threw the heavy slat away, falling on his knees, pushing more shards away to dig out Natalie's body.
"Natalie?!" he called again as now exerted, pulling Natalie out of the hole she had been buried under.
But as Dominic turned her over in his arms, he felt the shock make him numb and hot tears start to sting behind his eyes, eventually flowing out. Her body had been left under all that crushing mass, which without a doubt had also crushed the majority of her bones. Half of her face was burnt and she was all covered in blood, Dominic staring at her cut and damaged flesh seeing through her ripped thin knitwear. He gasped as he looked straight into the speared eye of hers, which had been left open during the moment of instant death. She had not heard the danger. And she had died for it.
"No", he stated, sweeping Natalie's cheek, moving the hair away. More pieces of flaming cars and buildings dropped around him but he cared not. Just kept examining Natalie's face, then breaking down as the whole seriousness of the situation hit him, grief taking over him. He closed his eyes, just crying as his arms grasped her body convulsively.
"Natalie. No, Natalie…"
Would the last thing he remembered of her truly be those grief struck eyes which had stared into his confused, angered, demanding an answer for his actions? That disappointment and sadness taken over her face as she had faced him last time, just a moment before this had happened? Why hadn't he said he was sorry? Why hadn't he stopped her and begged her forgiveness? Why had he ever opened his mouth and said those words which had driven her away from him, causing her to walk out to the street to her death?
Dominic placed his head against Natalie, feeling her limbs give in as a sign of broken bones, feeling the damage of her body against his own as he hugged her, not knowing what else to do. She was very much dead. Not even one sign of life for swipe away the cruel realization of Dominic's that it was too late. That he was too late. Only a couple of seconds more and he could've pulled her with him into safety. But now… It was truly over between them.
He sat up letting out a breath, pulling her into his lap, staring forward and smoothing her dirtied locks, tears not stopping. He saw shadows of metal, cars and flying robot torsos around him, jumping and flying over him, but gave it no attention. He sat there in middle of the danger, but was too bitter to himself to care. Natalie had died. Because he had been too big of a coward to keep her with him. He had lost her forever.
Dominic felt then a hand on his shoulder.
"Is she okay?" the waiter asked, other people as well gathered close to help, one appearing to be a doctor wearing a stethoscope around his neck. Dominic opened his eyes, looking at Natalie once more until closed her eye, his shoulders slouching.
"She's gone. I lost the best thing I ever had in my life. And can never have it back", Dominic answered, emotionless, beaten down.
With a few thoughtless words he had destroyed that best thing that ever happened to him, which could never happen again. That's what he thought when he made his way through the death filled streets of Chigago, avoiding the suddenly appeared Decepticons, hiding in the shadows of the alleys making his way to Natalie's house.
And he still thought that when he stood behind the door of Baxter residence, ringing the bell, and meeting the eyes of Mr. Baxter few hours later bloody, grieved, as a changed man. And that truth burnt him as he let out the words, which made Dominic punish himself over and over again for years from that day, when battle of Chigago left its mark into the history books.
