A/N: Bastards! Callie got ten seconds of airtime. I did the best with what I had.
Callie sat in the brig, staring off into nothingness. Sims slid her food into the cage.
"Good news and bad news, specialist," said the unusually chipper Sims. He was excited at the news, indeed. She just seemed downcast. Callie didn't say anything.
"Well, I'll give you the good news first. You're not being charged with murder."
Callie shook herself free from her trance.
"Really, gunny?"
"Yep."
She smiled, and her bright eyes reached out and found his. The warmth there took him aback.
"Bad news, Callie...bad news is you have been charged with negligent use of a firearm. Thirty days in the hole."
"Aww, frack."
"S'not so bad. I managed to convince Cottle that my wounds aren't healing that great...so at least you'll have company, eh?"
"Ha! Thanks, gunny. I appreciate it. What's the news?"
"Well, the old man is back out and about. He's taken command. Rebels knocked out two marines, sprung the President and Lee, and vanished into the fleet. That's the big news."
"Wow, really? Anyone you know?"
"Hey, just because I wear this uniform doesn't mean I know every frakking marine in the fleet, you know."
"Yeah, I know. How's...how's the chief?"
"He's the reason your sentence got commuted, Callie. He gathered up a bunch of us, and we all vouched for you. The Old Man listened to him first and foremost, though."
"D'you...d'you think he forgives me?"
"I don't know. Looks like it, though."
"Gunny, I wish I could hug you right now."
"Me too, Callie. Me too. But, we'll be spending the next little while together anyways, eh? So, tell me...why dental school?"