Love and War in the Garden of Eden

by devildog3479

December 2002, America is on the verge of War with Iraq. In NY Richard Castle receives a phone call that will soon have him in the heart of the bloodiest battle of the conflict at that time. Unknown to his friends, Castle is a Marine Reservist assigned to the 8th Tank Battalion, who will be in the thick of things. How will this change the dyamics of everyone involved including KB.

10. Chapter 9

Authors note: Hi everyone. Sorry for the small delay in getting this out, but work has had me extremely busy for the past couple weeks, but I was able to finish this chapter. So I hope you enjoy this latest update to a important piece of my life. So as always please feel free to read and review. And this chapter is dedicated to two of the best Marines who I have served with who lost the battle with the demons that many veterans face this day. Thank you.

Dedication: To SSGT William Baxter, and Corporal Phillip Gore: You Marines were some of the best I have served with, and may you find the peace that you never found in this life. RIP

Chapter 9

March 23rd, 2003

Castle Loft

SoHo, New York

The loft was filled with the sounds of TV, Esposito on his phone, and the sounds of sobbing coming from two of the three most important ladies in Castle's life. Alexis was being consoled by Lanie, while Martha was being consoled by Ryan, both of whom were failing in their jobs. As for Kate she was torn in three ways in what to do. Should she go console Alexis and Martha, should she try and help Esposito in his phone call which seemed the less likely choice, or should she just stay there where she was sitting. Fortunately for her Esposito's call ended her internal debate.

"What do you mean you don't have any info!?" Esposito said into his phone to his friend on the other end of the line. "Thompkins you work in a building with the most advanced communication systems in the world. You are telling me you know nothing?"

Thompkins swung around in his desk chair. "That is what I'm telling you man. SecDef (Secretary of Defense) is requesting more information and Centcom doesn't have it and so they are asking 1st Marine Division for info who doesn't have it and so they are asking the MEB for info, but with the chaos right now and comm situation within the city it's hard to get a accurate picture So rumor has it one company has a hundred casualties but that is unconfirmed. So what are you seeing on the news is about as much as we know right now."

Esposito squeezed his nose. "Alright thanks man."

Esposito heard his friend give the reply before he closed his phone. He sighed and put it in his pocket. He motioned Beckett to follow him into the office. Kate waited until they were all the way into the room. "What's going Espo?"

Esposito sighed as he leaned against Castle's desk. "There's a lot of confusion. From Washington, to Central Command, all the way down to the brigade level. So everyone is scrambling for answers and according to Thompkins…."

"We know just as much as they do." Kate replied getting a nod from Esposito. She sighed and turned to look out into the living room where Martha and Alexis was still being consoled by Lanie and Ryan. "What should I do?"

"I don't know Beckett." Esposito replied shifting on his feet before he looked at her closely. "What about you though chica? How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing good." Kate answered half heartily. She then saw the look Esposito was giving her. She sighed. "I'm not doing too good Javi. I'm really worried about him. What do we do if he doesn't come back?"

"He'll come back Beckett." Esposito reassured her more confident than he really felt. He took a deep breath. "He's in the best tank on the planet, and he'll…."

Kate leaned in. "But what if he doesn't?"

Esposito sighed and looked at the ground for a second before he looked back up at her. "I don't know."

That is when Kate started to break down, just like Martha and Alexis. Esposito pushed himself off the desk and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around Kate as she lost all control.

An Nasiriyah, Iraq

Saddam Canal Bridge

Castle and his wingman approached the Saddam Canal Bridge, and through his view finder he was shocked at what he saw. Disabled, smoking Amtracs filled both sides of the road dust plumes from mortars and artillery strikes, Marines on both sides of the road were returning fire, with squad, platoon, and the company leaders were moving back and forth between the positions directing the fire and trying to keep their Marines motivated. The Company Commander Captain Whittman was relieved when the tanks showed up to the Company position. The armor would help provided much needed relief to his embattled company. So as the tank slowed down near the company command track, when Castle climbed through his hatch and dropped down to the ground. He walked over to Captain Whittman. "What do you need Captain Whittman?"

Captain Whittman, who Castle observed looked beyond exhausted and had a distant look in his eyes, shook Castle's hand. "I need you to provided fire for my Marines. Lt. Seeley is up the road. Can you send a tank up the road to support him?"

Castle nodded and motioned to his wingman to head up the road which it did as Castle turned his attention back to Captain Whittman. "Where is the most fire?"

Captain Whittman pointed to Castle's tank. "If we go to your tank, I'll point them out to you."

Castle nodded and so they started towards the tank. He climbed into the hatch ignoring the shots from the Iraqi's and connected to everything again as Captain Whittman climbed on. He pointed out to several houses in front of Castle's tank. "I'm taking fire from that house with the red door, the one with blue door, and the one with the black door. If you can take care of them, we should be able to turn this around."

Castle nodded and clicked on the intercom system. "Gunner targets designate: Houses with the red, blue and black doors."

"MPAT UP!" The loader called out from inside the tank."

"IDENTIFIED!" The gunner said from his position.

"FIRE!" Castle ordered.

The Gunner depressed the firing trigger. "ON THE WAY!"

While inside the tank when the main gun fired was loud, outside the tank it was deafening. The main gun sent a lethal round in to the building with the red door while Castle engaged the other positions with the 50 caliber machine gun.

"MPAT UP!" The loader said after slamming a round into the breach.

"IDENTIFIED!" The gunner told Castle over the intercom as he line up the gun on the next target.

"FIRE!" Castle ordered once again as he switch to the next target.

The gun fired once again this time into the house with the red door as Castle engaged the other targets. And the process was repeated for the next several minutes as the tank began to support the infantry, while up the road Castle's wingman began the same process of suppressing the heavy enemy fire from the Iraqi's and support the Marines. The battle began to turn in the Marines favor, so much to the extent that the casualties that were collected could soon be evacuated. Down in Alpha Company's position, the Marines in the Alamo called to Battalion for casualty evac.

Castle heard the call on the radio and turned to Captain Whittman. "Better get down Captain. I'm going for those Marines."

Captain Whittman nodded not happy about the news but the enemy fire had slacken from everywhere. The enemy fire at the second tank positions included artillery but airstrikes and tank fire had caused the enemy to withdraw. So with the situation under control Castle made the judgment call to go and get those Marines.

"Tomahawk Echo-6 this is Panzer 6, be advised we are enroute to your position." Castle called over the radio. As the reply came over net, Castle turned to his driver. "Alright Dawkins, let's head to their position. Remember it's the building with the cross on the door."

"Aye sir." Dawkins answered as he spun the tank around and started towards the bridge, as the gunner kept track of the houses they had fired into, but the Iraqis would not show back into those positions for the rest of the battle.

Castle scanned for threats as the tank raced towards those wounded Marines, with the simple mission to get them out of there.

Castle loft

SoHo, New York

Martha, Alexis and Kate had calmed down enough to the point where everyone could get something to eat. Yet the food came from the deli down the block from the loft, instead of cooking. However as the food was distributed, Alexis just picked at her food not really eating it. Everyone noticed this but didn't say anything, however after a few minutes, Martha decided to say something.

"Come on Alexis. You must eat." Martha told her granddaughter. She reached over and took her granddaughters hand. "You need your strength to get through this. Your father…."

"Dad would want what gram…." Alexis countered. She got up and started towards the stairs that would lead her towards her room. She turned and faced the group again. "Dad could be dead and we don't know anything. I wish he never left."

No one said anything as Alexis rushed upstairs towards her room. Martha had tears in her eyes as did Lanie and Kate. Ryan looked at Esposito who knew what his partner was thinking. He nodded and stood up. "Hey Kate. Can you come with me?"

Kate wiped her eyes as she nodded and got up from the table following Esposito to the stairs. They quickly climbed the stairs and found the door to Alexis's room closed. Kate knocked on the door. "Alexis can we come in?"

There was no answer. She knocked on the door again. "Alexis, its Kate, can we talk please?"

Esposito moved to open the door but Kate shook her head. "Sometimes a girl needs to be left alone."

Esposito bulked for a minute but then relented with a small nod. What he wanted to happen was happening. He wanted Kate to relay what he had told her to Alexis, and hopefully Alexis would respond to it. He moved off down the stairs towards the dining room again while Kate took a breath and knocked on the door once more. "Alexis, please. It's just me. I would like to talk to you and I promise it would just be me."

When there was no answer once again, Kate wiped away the tears that formed. She took a deep breath and sat down against the door. "Look Alexis, we are all worried about your dad, and I am just as scared about losing him as you are, but we have to keep up our faith that he is fine. He is in the best tank in the world with the best that we could send over there. So please stay positive and we'll get through this together. I promise ok. We love you and your family like our own, so we'll be waiting for you downstairs when you are ready to join us again ok? I love you."

Kate got up off the floor and moved back towards the stairs. She wiped again the tears away as she made her way down the stairs finding Martha waiting at the bottom. "She didn't answer, so I am assuming she heard and ignored us or is listening to music via headphones."

Martha looked on in concern. "So what should I do Katherine?"

Kate took a breath and reached out and took Martha's hand. "Well I can't answer from a military standpoint, but from a teenage girl standpoint; Just let her be and maybe she'll come around and back downstairs."

Martha nodded and started towards the table as Lanie picked up Alexis's plate. Kate came down the stairs. "Give it to me Lanie."

Lanie looked at Kate for a moment. "I was going to put it in fridge."

"I'll take it." Kate responded coming over and taking the plate from Lanie, who nodded.

Kate sighed and walked back upstairs setting the plate outside before knocking on the door once again. "Alexis your food is outside. Go ahead and eat it when you are ready alright sweetie? We'll be downstairs when you are ever ready to join us again. We love you."

Kate started down the stairs and stopped when she heard the door open and close a moment later. She turned around and saw the plate had been taken inside the room. Kate smiled as she started back down the stairs once again.

Saddam Canal Bridge

An Nasiriyah, Iraq

Castle and his tank raced across the bridge towards the position that the Marines at the position called the Alamo to pick up some of the wounded Marines from Charlie Company and get them evaced. With the battle at Charlie Company's position seemingly in the Marines favor now, Castle felt the risk for enemy counterattack was low so he could do this. As the tank came down off the bridge, the Alamo came into sight.

Castle swung the turret around. He then clicked on the intercom as the tank slowed as it approached the position. "These casualties are litter bounded. So I swung the turret around so we can lay them on the deck. So don't fire the main gun; only use the machine guns. Are we clear?"

"YES SIR!" The crew replied as one as the tank came to a stop.

Castle smiled and unattached his helmet from the connections before he climbed out of the tank. The squad leader met Castle by the hull as he climbed down. "Thanks for coming sir."

"No problem sergeant." Castle answered as some of the Marines in the position came out to provide perimeter security as Marines further down the road fired at the enemy. "Alright bring them out. I'll be on the deck of the tank to help set them on here."

The sergeant nodded. "Aye sir."

Castle nodded as well and climbed onto the deck of the tank as the sergeant waved to the men still inside the walls. A second later, a Marine and a Navy Corpsman came out carrying a stretcher and approached the tank. They lifted it up and started to slide it onto the tank's deck. Castle carefully guided it into position and then got himself in position for the next one. Then the process was repeated for three more times to which when it was finished Castle climbed back down on the ground.

The sergeant came forward. "That's all of them sir."

Castle nodded. "Got it sergeant. If you need anything else, just call and we'll come in guns blazing."

The sergeant grinned and nodded and shook Castle's hand before calling his Marines back into their position. They fell back into the Alamo never turning their backs to the enemy as Castle climbed back into the tank and stood up in the hatch.

"Alright Dawkins, lets, go." Castle ordered his driver to move out. He looked down at the deck. "Remember to take it easy though because we have these wounded Marines aboard."

Dawkins replied that he understood the order as the tank began moving and turning around. Castle locked the turret into the current position so when the tank turned, the turret would remain in its current position but luckily Dawkins knew exactly what to do and the movements were smooth. As Castle and his crew began to return to Charlie Company's position, around the area the rest of the battalion began to move as well. In Alpha Company's position the company commander ordered everyone to mount up and they began to move towards Charlie Company's position. The Marines from Charlie Company that came with the destroyed Amtrac's were trying to find ride out only to be turned away from most of the Amtrac's only to have one of the Amtrac drivers spotted his former drill instructor. He lowered the ramp after the two spoke for a moment. It was cramped, but everyone fit inside; once everyone was in, the Amtrac took off to follow the rest of the company escorted by the CAAT vehicles.

Castle's tanks had been ordered to hold the position because the vehicles that had been stuck had been mainly freed as Bravo Company was moving past the enemy forces. Yet the battalion commander had to make a tough decision. With the sun quickly setting, and not wanting any Marines left behind in the city at dark, any vehicles not freed would be destroyed. With all the tanks freed, one of the tank retrievers which was hopelessly stuck was stripped and destroyed by a thermite grenade while two other CAAT vehicles which were not freed were also destroyed as well. The tanks would race back up to the bridge and escort the rest of the battalion to the Saddam Canal Bridge and Charlie Company's position.

Yet in the Regimental position the Regimental commander was trying hard to make decisions based on the confusion of the battle. 2-8 was moving towards the bridge once again after experience heavy resistance, and would establish positions there, while his third battalion 3-2 would report to the cross roads to prepare as quick reaction force, leaving Light Armor Recon to guard the Western Bridge. With the confusion of the battle and possible heavy casualties that they assumed Charlie Company had suffered, the mood of the operations center was grim. The Fog of War had settled in at regiment.

Castle Loft

SoHo, New York

The loft was quiet for the most part. Martha had run upstairs to lie down in her bed after lunch, while the boys went out to get some air as well. Lanie had been called back to the morgue to help Pearlmutter when a fatal multiple vehicle accident brought in multiple bodies. So Kate was sitting in the living room watching NBC as the reports of the battle of An Nasiriyah were coming in. The reports had been pretty much the same. Heavy fighting, possible heavy Marine Casualties, and Kerry Sanders called it a knife fight in a phone booth but nothing really new in the last hour or so.

Kate sighed and turned off the TV. "Pretty much Esposito called it right. No one really knows anything."

"Kate?" Alexis's voice from the stairs startled Kate from her position on the sofa. Alexis looked on apologetically. "Sorry. Anything new?"

Kate shook her head. "Nothing really Alexis. Sorry."

Alexis nodded and came down the stairs and sat down on the couch. "Thanks for giving me the space earlier."

"No problem there." Kate answered as she brought her arm around Alexis's shoulder and let the girl lay her head onto her shoulder. "I haven't been through what you are going through with my parents. I was pretty much a college student when I lost my mom, but this is different, and being a teenage girl once myself, I considered space to be your best friend at that moment."

Alexis nodded. "It was. I pretty much cried myself to sleep after I ate the food."

"Yeah I know that feeling." Kate said remembering her doing the same thing after finding out her mother had been murdered. She shook her head to clear the thoughts. "Why don't you go out for a walk? It might do you some good."

"Sounds like a excellent idea." Martha's voice now came from the stairwell. She smiled as both Kate and Alexis spun their heads to look at her. "Some fresh air would do us all some good. What do you say Alexis?"

Alexis shifted in her seat. "I don't know."

"It be the best thing Alexis." Kate told her. She got up and pulled the young girl to her feet. "Come on. I'll go with you."

Martha beamed though Kate knew it was a show. "Excellent. A few times around the block or towards the river, and maybe when we'll get back there will be better news."

"I guess you are right." Alexis relented as the trio headed towards the closet to grab their coats.

"Of course we are." Kate answered. She handed Alexis and Martha their coats and put hers on as well. She then pulled out her department issued cell. "Let me call the boys and maybe they'll join us."

"More the merrier." Martha replied truthfully. She was just as anxious for news like the rest of them but she had to be strong for Alexis's sake and her own. "Come on now dearies."

Alexis fell in behind her grandmother who led the way down the hallway while Kate made sure she had the keys to the loft that Castle had given her in case of emergencies. She like Martha was hoping that the walk would calm them all down and when they got back the news would definitely be better than it had been the whole day.

North of Saddam Canal Bridge

An Nasiriyah, Iraq

Castle watched as the last of the battalion vehicles including his tanks came over the bridge as the sun was getting lower in the sky. Half an hour ago he and his crew raced across the bridge and brought the wounded Marines to the collection point. Those Marines were now on the way to the field hospital. Communications had improved when the battalion staff and other vehicles had gotten closer to their position. Yet he was disheartened when he heard the news of a Marine body was left behind by one of the destroyed Amtracs and the command told the Marines to keep pushing. They didn't want to risk a further ambush to stop and pick up bodies. That would have to be done in the morning. Also the Marines of the Alamo were almost left by themselves in the city, so Marines from Alpha Company raced back into the city and picked them up racing back as the battalion settled into its new position. So as the last of the vehicles came across and his company reorganized again, Castle took stock and called his company over to him since the battalion commander wanted to get a real sense of what happen to his command.

"Alright everyone. I know it was a pretty bad day." Castle called out to the assembled company. He took a breath and looked around. "Is everyone all present and accounted for?"

The platoon leaders and sergeants assured Castle everyone was present. Castle took the rosters that were handed him, and looked around. "No wounds or any major injuries?"

"Just my pride sir." Captain Cantos said with a frown on his face. He shifted on his feet. "We spent the whole day stuck in the mud engaging only sparingly."

Other members of the company nodded their agreement. Castle saw this and knew he had to bring them around quickly. "Look everyone I get it. Nothing went right today, and a lot of you didn't do what we trained months and years for but that is war. Nothing ever goes right, but I need you to keep focus. I don't think today settled anything here so we need to be prepared for tomorrow. I have to get to battalion. So fifty percent watch for the whole company. Sign is Rolling Stones, counter sign is Eagles. Questions?"

There was none, so Castle dismissed his company so Castle and Captain Albright headed towards the battalion command vehicles which had been freed from the mud. As they walked they noticed the battalion taking stock in the scale of the battle that Charlie Company had been involved in as well as the rest of the battalion. Officers, SNCO's and enlisted Marines gathered around to talk to each other trying to reflect on the events of the day. Some just stared out into the blackness that was settling in while others joked or eat. But for the men of Charlie Company they were trying to reorganize and get a whole sense of the chaos.

So when Castle and his XO arrived at battalion, Colonel Grabowski motioned everyone to sit down. He was not standing on formalities. He went into everyone to give a brief detail of what he saw and experienced and the staff did the same to him. Castle went quickly into detail what had happen to his company and him throughout the day and that pretty much lined up with what everyone else said happen. Then all eyes turned to Captain Whittman who obviously had the roughest part of the day. He had already explained what had happen, but everyone looked at him with solace and understanding. It was a miracle that Charlie Company wasn't wiped out.

Captain Whittman took a breath. "If it wasn't for your tanks Major Rodgers, I may not have a company left. So thank you."

"No thanks necessary Captain. We're Marines." Castle replied confidently even though he felt sorry for the man. "It's what we do for each other."

Everyone nodded their agreement as they turned back to Colonel Grabowski. "Alright everyone. I need casualties reports."

So the staff turned in their reports and updated rosters to Colonel Grabowski except for Captain Whittman whose hands trembled as he brought out a piece of paper. Castle noticed this as did Colonel Grabowski. "What is it Dan?"

Captain Whitman took a deep breath. "I got nine dead, nine missing and twelve wounded. The last known of the missing Marines is they were in the tracs heading towards Alpha Company."

The staff was in shock. Charlie Company had been pushed to the brink and suffered greatly for it. The casualties from the other companies didn't even equal that many Marines killed or wounded during the fight. Colonel Grabowski took a breath and nodded. "Give me the names and I'll get on the radio to regiment. If nothing else gentlemen that will be all. You already know the challenges. Fifty percent watch. Thank you."

Castle and Captain Albright got up and started towards the company again. It took them ten minutes and several challenges but they arrived back at their tanks. The company was on both sides of the road, with two tanks and their guns trained down the bridge. Castle climbed into his original tank and saw his crew had gotten it repaired, and brought everything back over to him. They were standing guard over the bridge, and Patterson was standing watch on the fifty with Donahue on the main gun, with Sanchez cat napping by the breech.

"Everything turn out alright for you guys?" Castle asked as came down into the hatch.

Patterson nodded. "The EPU shorted out which caused us to lose the power but we got it up and running again sir. We made it to Alpha Company's position and helped provide them support."

"Good." Castle said as he brought out his NVG's. He spotted a flashing blue light on the far bank. "Strange that is the first time I seen an Iraqi ambulance all day."

Patterson spotted the light as well. "Same for me sir."

Castle studied the light for a moment before looking at Patterson. "Get down in the tank and start it up. Donahue, call over to Jenkins across the road and tell him to start up his tank as well. Also get a squad from the maintenance platoon up here as well."

Both men nodded and did what they were told. Besides Castle observing the blue flashing light of the ambulance, Colonel Grabowski was also observing it as well. With everything that had happen today, he wouldn't put it past the enemy to try a suicide bombing with an ambulance. So as he saw the lights of the ambulance approach the ramp for the bridge, he lunged for his radio. "Panzer 6, Timberwolf 6. Don't let that ambulance get across the bridge."

Castle clicked on the intercom that connected him to Battalion. "Roger Timberwolf 6. We are already moving."

The two tanks roared to life and pulled out onto the bridge, turned and roared up the bridge aways and then turned putting their noses together and had their turrets pointing down the bridge. So as the ambulance roared to the crest of the bridge with every light on, the lights illumatned the tanks. The ambulance applied its breaks and screeched to a halt, a few feet from the tanks.

Castle swung the 50 caliber on the driver. He yelled out. "Driver you and all your passengers exit the vehicle NOW!"

To Castle's surprise the doors opened, and two men walked out holding their hands above their heads. The squad that Castle called for came up behind the tank. Castle turned and motioned them to move forward to secure the ambulance and the prisoners. Castle covered them with the machine gun as they approached, but a moment later the squad leader called for Castle to come forward.

"Donahue, cover me will you." Castle called out to his gunner as he climbed down out of the tank. Donahue appeared a second later as Castle walked up to the corporal. "What do you have Corporal Jameson?"

"Looks like we captured a colonel and his aide sir." Corporal Jameson answered as he handed over the ID card. "And he commands part of the enemy forces here in the city."

Castle studied the ID as the Marines continued to search the vehicle. "Anything else?"

"We got a burned Iraqi in the back of the ambulance sir." One of the Marines called out. Castle walked on to the back of the ambulance. "What do you want us to do sir?"

With everything that happened today, Castle wanted to say let the bastard die, but he turned and called out to Donahue. "Get a corpsman up here."

Donahue nodded and Castle turned back to the Marines. "Everything check out on the ambulance?"

Cpl. Jameson nodded. "All clear of explosives sir, and the only weapon was a pistol in the glove box along with a uniform which we secured."

"Good, so then standby." Castle ordered his Marines who nodded. He then started back towards the tanks, passing a corpsman who was jogging towards the Marines. He climbed aboard and put back on his helmet and pressed the button for the radio for battalion. "Timberwolf 6, Panzer 6 over."

"Panzer 6, Timberwolf 6. Send your traffic over." Colonel Grabowski called immediately replied.

Castle took a breath. "Roger. Be advised ambulance is clear of explosives break; we have detained three Iraqi military members one who is badly burned break; request permission to bring the wounded Iraqi and prisoners to our perimeter for detention and medvac. How copy over?"

"Solid copy stand by over." Colonel Grabowski replied. He turned and called over his operations officer and let him know what was going on. The operations officer went to the radio and called regiment and reported what they had found. The reply took several minutes to which the operations officer gave the reply from the regiment. "Panzer 6, Timberwolf 6 over?"

Castle came on immeditley. "Roger Timberwolf 6, this is Panzer 6. Standing by for your traffic over?"

Colonel Grabowski looked at the reply in the red light of the flashlight. "Roger. Medvac can't be here until the morning break; bring the prisoners and ambulance inside the perimeter break; set a watch on them until they can be loaded aboard the medvac, how copy over."

Castle sighed and pressed the button. "Solid copy over."

Colonel Grabowski could tell Castle wasn't happy. "Roger Panzer 6, Timberwolf 6 out."

Castle sighed and took off his helmet and looked at Donahue. "We're bringing them into the perimeter. Get a hold of Captain Albright and have him establish a area for the prisoners and the ambulance and get one our corpsman to look after the burned Iraqi, and establish a watch."

Corporal Donahue nodded as Castle climbed down and walked towards the squad of Marines who was standing by. They weren't as happy as Castle was, but never less they followed their orders and brought the vehicle and the prisoners inside the perimeter. The tanks reestablished their places as the ambulance and the prisoners were set against the remaining M88 tank recovery vehicle, with a single Marine guarding him. As for Castle as he watch Patterson settle into sleep on the tank deck while as Sanchez and Donahue kept watch, he couldn't sleep himself because his mind was filled with the events of the day. He was joined by the rest of the battalion as they almost everyone in the entire battalion would remain awake going over the events of the day.

As for the rest of the regiment, they were dealing with the effects of the battle as well. The staff of the task force and regiment was working on a plan to resupply 1-2 and get 1st Marines through the city. At the western bridge, the LAR Company attached to the regiment had engaged a small enemy force as they retreated from the city while they guarded the bridge. 2-8 was in positions on the southern bank of the Euphrates River Bridge and had strung barbed wire across it to prevent the enemy from infiltrating their positions, and 3-2 was sitting at the crossroads waiting for orders to reinforce either other battalion if they needed it. The enemy was caught between three forces stuck in the middle of the city which for the time being had become no man's land. Yet despite the death, destruction, and the victories of the Marines that day, the battle had only just begun.

Additional note: In the next chapter the family and friends parts way for the night and Kate stops someplace to ease her pain in a variety of methods and the battle continues the next day as the Marines of Task Force Tarawa continue to engage with a merciless enemy, and Kate regrets her mistake.