Wavy Relationships

Chapter two

Warnings: Language, guy talk, sexual references, violence.

"So Salem you still seeing the surfing surgeon?"

"Why Heckler? S'really none of your god damned business." He snapped back, before unloading a full clip into the face of his paper target fifty yards down range.

"Christ Salem, easy boy, your shootin' targets not tangos, lighten up."

"Targets, tangos it's all the same." Salem muttered, reloading his trusty Makarov. "Ten in the head's ten in the head."

"You fucked her yet?"

"Enough Heck, drop it man."

"Ooh big bad Rios is defending you Ellie, what 'a you say to that?"

"I'm serious, Heckler let it go."

"Rios, that boy ain't never had a girl for longer than it took him to shoot his load, now all of sudden it's Cielia, this and Cielia that. A fellow has a right to know. It's been fuckin' four months."

"Five and no a fellow doesn't, so focus on your shooting, not his and let it go Heckler. That's an order."

"An order, Giddy? An order from you? Right, like you're not curious too. Just last night you asked me the very same question. 'Hey Heck do you think Salem's fucked the surgeon yet?' Come on Salem, is she like a smart fuck being a doctor an all. Or are you a stupid fuck and she dumped your sorry little bitch ass already."

Salem exploded and in an instant he had Heckler in an arm bar against the wall, with the fully loaded and charged Makarov shoved beneath the man's lightly stubbled chin.

"Salem no!" Rios screamed.

"Who I see, and who I fuck is none of your business."

Rios stepped cautiously forward when Salem wrapped his finger around the trigger, his old admonition to Elliot blaring in his mind. 'Finger on the trigger doesn't lie.' He looked to Guidry and then back at Salem. The man was furious. Beads of sweat dappled his forehead and upper lip and his hazel eyes were glazed and full of barely controlled rage.

"Salem let him go man. He's just yanking your chain, he didn't mean to get you this irate, let him go, Elliot."

"It's none of his business."

"You're right, it's none of any of our business, it's just guy bullshit Salem, that's it man just bullshit; now let him go."

"I don't need that kind a bullshit!" He said jamming the gun into Heckler's chin with each syllable. "I do not want to hear that kind a bullshit!"

Rios was on the verge of panic. The Makarov didn't have a light trigger pull but Salem was jamming the weapon into Heckler's chin viciously. Giddy took a step toward the struggling men and nodded.

"Salem! Stand down now!" Rios hollered with his full battle voice.

The command snapped Salem out of his rage; he looked to Rios and relaxed slightly. Then he shoved Heckler down, and in one smooth motion spun toward the range motion and emptied the old gun rapidly into the face of Heckler's target.

"Fuck all of you stupid bastards. Like I fuckin' need any of you anyway!"

He packed up his gear, spit at a visibly shaken Heckler and stormed from the range.

"How long has he been out there?" Cielia asked Rios later that evening as they watched Salem paddle back out after riding a small wave. "I've been calling him since two."

He turned at the sound of her voice and shrugged. She was the last person he wanted to see. After Salem left the range he ditched work for the rest of the day, missing two operations briefings and a meeting with a sales representative from a new demolitions company. Stockwell was pissed, Alice was pissed and the team was aligning with Heckler. It had taken all of Rios' negotiating skills to talk the angry man down and convince him to just let Salem settle a bit before they tried to discuss the event.

"Rocco said since around nine a.m. He's come in for beer and that's about it. Just out there floating around and drinking, not really even riding."

"Bad day."

"Bad day."

"Want me to go after him? We were supposed to have dinner."

"Up to you. He's in a fucking black mood though so you might be better off leaving him be."

"I'll see what I can do. Maybe I'm just what the doctor ordered."

Twenty minutes later she returned to the beach with her board and hit the surf. Rios watched her paddle out and pushed down the twinge of jealousy he was feeling. He didn't, they didn't need some new woman in their lives to smooth a bad day over. He kicked himself for not just getting on his own board and going after Salem. As Cielia paddled up alongside Elliot, Rios sighed and headed back up to the apartment.

Heckler's question was actually an interesting one. Had Salem slept with Cielia yet? It had been four months, five actually, if you counted the month before Rios met her, since the couple started dating. Rios knew Salem's track record with women and he had the feeling that Cielia was no slouch when it came to finding a man to sleep with, so why hadn't they closed the deal? Tyson felt that if the pair had, Salem would have let him know somehow. This relationship was important to him and Rios had been working extra hard to give the couple room, even spending weekends at the company barracks leaving the little apartment free for them. Worried and saddened by the day's events he headed into the kitchen to make something for dinner.

An hour later as Tyson was washing the dishes the pair came in. It was awkward. He knew that Elliot was probably ashamed at the day's events and that he would need to talk to Rios. Fortunately Cielia read the signs and headed straight for the bathroom to change out of her wet, board shorts and top giving them space.

"You ok?" Tyson asked quietly, sliding Elliot a beer across the breakfast counter, which the man probably didn't need.

"Yea, fuck I don't know. I'm mad I guess. You, Heck, fuck that, us…we ok?"

"We're good; you scared the hell outta me though, Salem and Heck he'll get over himself. Giddy will talk him down. He was outta line. He should have let it go when you asked him to. He should see that Cielia's not just some one night stand, Elliot."

"Yea. We're going out to eat, Kizippy's. If you want I can bring you something home. The Sea Scallops you love those, the ones in garlic and mint."

"No, I'm good. Think I'll go into the office for a bit. I've got a ton of requisitions to look over. I never seem to get them done on time."

"I could help, Tyse, I'm not totally book stupid, bro."

"I know Ellie, you have your stuff and it keeps you busy. It's just me. I just procrastinate and they pile up. Thanks."

"Ok, get in there and get cleaned up soldier; I'm starved and Kizippy's is calling my name."

"Duty calls Tyse; I guess I'll see you tomorrow and thanks."

"So is everything hunky dory, Rios?"

Rios studied the cheerful doctor across the counter. For someone who was supposed to be so smart she was pretty damn dense when it came to reading Salem.

"Cielia, no, everything is not hunky dory but far from it. Do you know what happened today, Cielia?"

"Nope, he said it wasn't important, just a misunderstanding at the shooting range."

"Right, well later on when he spins out of control on you, and he will, call me. Call me no matter how late, I'll be there."

"Why do you always sell him short, Rios? Why? Are you jealous or what. He's ok. He had a bad day at work. Happens to all of us. He'll, we'll manage it."

"Right, well like I said, call. You two have a lovely night.

Later that night after supper Elliot and Cielia returned to the apartment. He'd been uncharacteristically quiet all through dinner despite Cielia's attempts to cheer him up a bit. He'd picked at his food and drank only water saying that he'd had enough beer for the day.

"Hey, Rios is still gone, want me to come up?" She asked reaching out and taking his hand and rubbing her finger across his scarred knuckles.

"Yea, he's probably gonna stay at the shop, give us some space. Guess the whole lot of the sorry fuckers think we should be fucking like bunnies."

"Elliot, they're men and that's what man friends do. They tease."

"Yea, well I don't need to hear that shit!" he snapped getting out of her car and slamming the door shut, then leaning back down and glaring into the open window, "Well, you coming up or what?"

"Sure Elliot, I'll come on in."

It surprised Cielia that he'd be so sensitive about the subject. She'd gathered from hanging around the bunch that Salem was a smooth hand at picking up women. The group had frequently teased him in front of her about the issue and now suddenly it was a taboo subject. She noted the edge in his voice, the anger both something new and Rios' warning played in her mind.

Once inside he drew the blinds and plopped down on the sofa. He looked tired and depressed all new moods to the doctor. Salem was typically a bundle of energy, barely constrained and on the verge of exploding.

"Listen Elliot, if you'd rather I left I'll understand. If you want to talk we can do that too."

He waved her off, stretched out on the couch and threw his right arm over his face. She sat down on the coffee table and just waited patiently for him to speak.

"Rios tell you what I did?"

"No, I guess he figured that was up to you to do."

"I should probably fuck you first. After you hear you'll be done with me."

"Come to bed."

"What?"

"Bed, come to bed. I tend to agree with your crazy buddies, Salem, why exactly haven't you fucked me yet?"

Cielia was amazed that Salem was as bashful and tentative as he was behaving. She took control and tried to put him at ease.

"God I have been waiting for this Elliot."

He looked frightened and desperate.

"Why so afraid of this?"

"Just don't want to lose you, Cielia."

For Elliot nothing lasted for very long and he feared, in the deepest, rawest corner of his heart, that once they completed this act, once he'd managed to disappoint her, Cielia would throw him away. Only Rios lasted, only Rios had kept him forever no matter how much he screwed up. And now for the first time in a long time Salem desperately wanted someone else besides Rios to keep him.

When they finished he rolled quickly off of her and away, curling into a tight trembling ball.

The behavior frightened Cielia and she immediately wrapped herself around him and tried to ease the shaking.

"Shh, Elliot, Shh. I'm ok. I'm ok. Shh. What's wrong? Elliot it's alright, we're alright. Elliot?"

Finally he calmed a bit and she pulled the covers up and over them. Slowly he stretched out and rolled onto his back. Cielia hovered over him worriedly and brushed her fingers through his tangled, sweaty bangs. He seemed distant and slow tears slid down his cheeks. She'd been with several men in her thirty-five years but no previous experience had prepared her for what was now occurring. She didn't know why he was crying but her intuition led her to believe it was a complicated issue that he possibly did not fully understand either. He looked hurt and lost and frightened all at once but what surprised her most was the guilt she read in his tear filled eyes. Why was he feeling such guilt?

"Elliot, do you need a drink?"

"Yea, that'd be good really."

She slid from the covers and made for the kitchen, poured a three finger glass of Scotch and returned. He hadn't moved a muscle.

"Here, sip this."

He sat up a little on his right elbow, accepted the glass and downed it in one long swallow before handing it back to her.

"Tired now, sorry."

"It's ok let's sleep."

"You're staying?"

There it was again the fear. "Yes unless you'd rather I left. I'd like to stay."

"Oh, well suit yourself. I'm not the best sleeper sometimes though, good night."

If Cielia had any questions as to what Salem meant by his final remark they were answered a couple of hours later when the man awoke screaming in the throes of what Cielia could only guess was a flashback. He launched from the bed and was whirling around shouting orders and screaming for Rios to cover him. Then he was screaming for Heckler. As if he couldn't find the man. He dropped to his knees and crawled round the bed ducking and rising while hollering for Rios to cover his six so he could get to Heckler. Cielia called out his name, tried to play along with the nightmare scenario, and finally after Salem stood and ran full tilt into the sliding glass doors looking out onto the beach, tearing down the blinds as he crumbled to the floor she grabbed her phone and dialed Rios

"Rios! It's Cielia he's freaking out, screaming for you and Heckler and beating on the glass doors what do I do?"

"Talk to him. Nice and quiet, Cielia, you have to be calm, he has to hear a calm voice he…"

"Salem, no baby, no! He just smashed out the glass door, Rios he's at the balcony railing."

"Calm down Cielia, I'm on my way do not hang up, put me on speaker as loud as your phone will go and hold it out to him."

"Ok, done."

"Salem, Salem Heckler's ok, Salem I need you to lay me down some fire on your six Salem, you with me man, I need that fire and I need it now. I've got Heck, he's fine, Heck's fine I need that fire now."

Salem froze and turned from the balcony railing re-entered the bedroom and seemed to relax slightly. He dropped down behind the bottom corner of the bed and set down Rios' fire.

"Roger that Rios, I got you covered, Tell Heck I'm sorry. Tyse tell him, tell him, tell him, tell him."

Then he sank down onto the floor with his back against the foot of the bed and started rocking.

"Give him the phone, Cielia."

"Here Elliot, it's Tyson."

He looked up at her pale faced and soaked in sweat and extended a trembling hand.

"Ellie, I'm fifteen minutes out. I'm coming in man. I'm on my way, you're safe Ellie, I'm safe, Heck is safe, the fighting's over. I want you to stand down now Ellie, stand down."

"Tyse, I shot Heck. I fucked up, I thought he was a tango, I shot Heck."

"No Elliot, near miss, just clipped him knocked the wind outta him. I'm coming Salem I'm coming."

For Cielia those fifteen minutes seemed to take a lifetime. Elliot hung up the phone and began ranting.

"You know what I did? You know what I did for us today Cielia?"

"No Elliot, it doesn't matter right now, please calm down, sit down…"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I took my gun," he crossed to her and stuck his finger under her tipped up chin "Shoved it in Heckler's throat like this, with my finger on the trigger and wanted to blow his fucking brains out all over the wall. For us, because he made fun of us! Heckler, my partner for how many years? I wanted to kill him over you who I've only known five months. What kinda sick, useless fuck am I, Cielia? Why would you keep me, Cielia?"

He spun away and sat back down on the floor, drew his knees up against his chest, buried his face in his arms and continued to rock.

The phone rang and she answered it.

"Rios."

"Six blocks doc, just hang in there."

"I, we will." She hung up and realized she was still naked. She found her clothes and quickly dressed. Salem she figured would be fine. After so many years together she was fairly certain Tyson had seen the man naked.

Before Tyson arrived there was a loud knock on the door. Cielia went to answer it and found two police officers in the hall.

"We had a call, a disturbance, the glass door blown out, hollering."

"Yes officer, my boyfriend, had a flashback, nightmare, I've never seen him like this before, didn't know how to manage him. His roommate, Tyson Rios is about four blocks away."

"We need to come in, your names please."

"Doctor Cielia Davenport and his is Elliot Salem, he's in the bedroom."

"You're a doctor and couldn't manage him?" the second officer asked.

"Orthopedic surgeon, not exactly my area."

The officer peered into the bedroom cautiously. "The caller mentioned shooting and guns, is he armed?"

"No sir. They have a gun cabinet it's out there and locked, it was a severe flashback they're in the security business. Rios will know more."

The officer squatted down near Elliot and watched him rock for a moment.

"Elliot, my name is Captain Garrity, do you need medical assistance buddy. It's safe now so we can evac you."

"No sir. Thank you sir, Rios is coming he'll do it; he knows what I need."

Garrity stood up, stepped away and dragged the comforter from the bed.

"Elliot, it's Captain Garrity again, I'm just going to cover you with a blanket ok, here you go buddy, that's better. Rios is on his way up." He tucked the blanket around Salem's slumped shoulders and returned to the living area where Rios was filling in the second officer.

Once the police had gone Rios immediately set about getting Salem moving and into the shower. Cielia watched the big man sooth and comfort his partner with the care and patience of an unconditionally loving friend. Salem accepted the help silently and let Rios get him settled back in the freshly made bed. The tenderness that Rios showed toward Salem amazed her. His voice was consistently calm, soothing and supportive. Finally Rios went into the gun cabinet and returned with a small vial and a syringe. He carefully filled the needle and after talking very quietly to Salem while gently brushing his huge thick fingers through Elliot's damp hair he slipped his sweatpants over his right buttock and administered the shot. Elliot flinched and hissed as the medicine burned a bit, then Cielia saw his shoulders slump and his eyes blink four or five times.

"Sleep, Ellie sleep. I'm here now, we're safe now. Sleep."

Cielia left the bedroom and sat down at the breakfast bar. It was nearly two a.m. and she had to be to the hospital at six for her rounds. She was exhausted but years of medical school and being on call had prepared her to work through it. Rios finally returned and poured them each a drink.

"Will he stay down now?"

"Oh yea. Amytal Sodium, it'll keep him down through most of tomorrow."

"Where'd you get it? Is it legal?"

Rios chuckled. "Long running prescription. He's always been a handful. Ah geeze look at your neck. I'm sorry doc, I tried to warn you."

"Just a bruise. Is it true what he said he did?"

"Yea, a bad day. I'm guessing he twisted up the thing with Heckler today with old shit and he was just all confused. I'm sorry you had to see him like that, and I'm sure he is too."

"He should be in counseling."

"That is not going to happen, Cielia."

"Well won't he talk to you?"

"No, Salem doesn't talk shop, and I highly suggest you don't push him doc, or you will lose him. You better get home, I know you have and early day and I need to be near Salem. He knows if I'm too far away. Good night."

Cielia drove home and fought down tears. She was angry that Rios had summarily dismissed her. She cared for Elliot. He was the first man she actually cared for in many years and now it seemed the relationship was spinning out of control. On top of that she questioned her ability to actually live with him. She truly didn't know if she could ever get used to him having the flashbacks, and sadder still, was the reality that knowing he'd put a loaded gun to a friend's throat with his finger on the trigger terrified her. Cielia was finally starting to understand exactly what Rios had gently been warning her about for the last few months. Salem was not an easy keeper.

Rios wedged the sliding screen door into place in the empty door frame, swept up the glass as best he could and righted the tossed over furniture. Finally he called into work and left a message on Alice's machine saying that Salem had a bad night and they wouldn't be in. It wasn't the first time and wouldn't be the last. He locked the door, shutoff the lights, crawled carefully into the bed and wrapped himself around Salem's smaller frame. Elliot sighed and squirmed slightly but Rios shushed him and was soon fast asleep beside the exhausted younger man.

Note: I will be posting a mature version of this chapter over at my page. E-mail me for a link if that's your cup of tea.