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"I wake up scared, I wake up strange. I wake up wondering if anything in my life is ever going to change." Barenaked Ladies "A Good Boy"
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Duke read the neatly typed letters on his desk, sighing. What a mess this was and there was no easy way to fix it. He read the apology from Snakes and realized how difficult that must have been for him to write. He then took the resignation and dropped it into the paper shredder. He stood up and went to the gym, sure he could find the ninja there.
Sure enough, Snake Eyes was taking his anger out through physical means and Duke stood in the doorway, watching. It didn't take Snakes very long to notice the observer and he nodded curtly. Duke spoke quietly, "Resignation fell into the shredder."
Snakes nodded, his expression masked as always and made the small gesture in sign language that meant 'sorry.' Duke nodded to the motion, "You should be. You got too caught up in things and were jumping to way too many conclusions. It could have ended with both of us in a lot of hot water." Snakes folded his arms, he knew all this, and part of him still wanted Duke to get into trouble for the affair, but he knew that wouldn't have changed anything.
"Are you going to be a bastard to me all the time now?" An amused shrug from Snake Eyes and Duke rolled his eyes. "Listen. I know she can make you crazy and not think straight. But I need you on my team and not questioning my orders. You know the Joe team isn't typical in any of our relationships with each other and Shana and I are both adults. Do you honestly think I could have coerced her before this into doing anything she didn't want to do?" A barely visible shake of the head was his response. Snakes had to admit that Scarlett was not someone who was easy to push around.
"Alright. Let's just call this over then. Go back to being the brooding bastard, just don't let it get out of control again, OK?" Duke smiled at the end of the speech and gave Snakes a clap on the back.
Snakes signed to him, 'What's happening with her?'
"We're taking her to a hotel in Albany to meet with her family. We thought that would be a little more low key and relaxing for all of them than a hospital, especially since she doesn't need hospital care any longer." Duke sighed, still trying to figure out the logistics of the move.
'Take good care of her.' Snake Eyes turned away and Duke knew that it was meant for more than just today's plans. He left silently, letting Snake Eyes work out his issues without prying eyes.
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He looked in on Shana's room, giving her a smile when he met her clear blue eyes. Her hair was pulled into a simple ponytail that allowed him to see the bandage was still on the back of her head. She was dressed in a pair of khakis and a powder blue lightweight sweater. He saw the way her hands clutched her computer nervously, betraying her fear at always being out of sync with the world around her. Her eyes stole to her display, then giving a tentative smile as she spoke, "Conrad?"
He nodded, entering the room fully, feeling a bit awkward. She knew of their relationship in that she had notes on it, but that didn't give him the confidence to touch her or behave towards her in anything but a professional manner in most circumstances. "How are you feeling Shana? Ready to see your family?"
"I guess so. Father and brothers. Do they know? Has someone explained?" Her voice was concerned; she didn't want to hurt their feelings by her not knowing them.
"I've been giving them regular updates. Don't worry." He gave her a reassuring smile, placing his hand over hers and giving it a squeeze for a moment. "I'm going to leave it up to you whether you want to be tranquilized for the trip. It might be a lot easier for all of us because you can be a handful when you're scared." He grinned at her, "Don't piss off the people who know more ways to kill someone than I know how to cook a chicken." She laughed easily and he was pleased to see the death grip on her computer had lessened slightly.
She gave him a long look, a smile still on her face, "Go ahead and put me out. I trust you." She hesitated while speaking only slightly and he knew that it was difficult for her to put her trust out like that, when she couldn't know the truth about any situation.
He gave a nod to Ivy and helped Shana lean back in the bed. "We'll take good care of you, I promise." They smiled at each other as her eyes slipped closed shortly after the needle was withdrawn. Duke picked her up easily, setting her into a wheelchair and getting her things.
They left the sick bay, her bags being taken over by the greenshirt who was accompanying them. The departure from base was quiet; no one really came to say goodbye because they figured there was no point. Even if she were conscious, she wouldn't remember them anyway. They were traveling by car and Duke carefully lifted her and put her into the car, putting on her seat belt. He gestured to Ivy that she could take the front seat and he sat in back next to Shana.
The drive itself gave him a lot of time to think; he had to figure out what he was going to tell her father on both a personal and professional level. Shana stirred slightly in her sleep and he took her hand, which seemed to settle her. That brought a smile to his face at least as he gently caressed her hand with his thumb. He didn't know if he could get used to this, having her so close, being able to touch her but yet being so separate from her.
The trip to Albany passed too quickly and he reluctantly let go of her hand, getting out of the car and setting up the wheelchair. He gingerly lifted her and placed her in the wheelchair and wheeled her in. The whole group was in civilian clothing to allow them to blend in better and he went to the front desk, checking in under her name. That done, the group went to the suite to allow Shana to finish sleeping the tranquilizers off and them to relax.
"My my, What-"
"-Have we here?" Tomax and Xamot watched from the lounge of the upscale hotel, their twin gaze diverted from looking for the man they were meeting here, more interested in the crippled Joe and her escorts.
"Isn't this-"
"-Interesting. Yes, dear brother." Xamot nodded as he spoke, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. "I'm sure we can find someone-"
"-who would love to hear of this," the smile spread to Tomax's face as well, both twins thinking greedily of the price they could fetch for this information.
"I wake up scared, I wake up strange. I wake up wondering if anything in my life is ever going to change." Barenaked Ladies "A Good Boy"
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Duke read the neatly typed letters on his desk, sighing. What a mess this was and there was no easy way to fix it. He read the apology from Snakes and realized how difficult that must have been for him to write. He then took the resignation and dropped it into the paper shredder. He stood up and went to the gym, sure he could find the ninja there.
Sure enough, Snake Eyes was taking his anger out through physical means and Duke stood in the doorway, watching. It didn't take Snakes very long to notice the observer and he nodded curtly. Duke spoke quietly, "Resignation fell into the shredder."
Snakes nodded, his expression masked as always and made the small gesture in sign language that meant 'sorry.' Duke nodded to the motion, "You should be. You got too caught up in things and were jumping to way too many conclusions. It could have ended with both of us in a lot of hot water." Snakes folded his arms, he knew all this, and part of him still wanted Duke to get into trouble for the affair, but he knew that wouldn't have changed anything.
"Are you going to be a bastard to me all the time now?" An amused shrug from Snake Eyes and Duke rolled his eyes. "Listen. I know she can make you crazy and not think straight. But I need you on my team and not questioning my orders. You know the Joe team isn't typical in any of our relationships with each other and Shana and I are both adults. Do you honestly think I could have coerced her before this into doing anything she didn't want to do?" A barely visible shake of the head was his response. Snakes had to admit that Scarlett was not someone who was easy to push around.
"Alright. Let's just call this over then. Go back to being the brooding bastard, just don't let it get out of control again, OK?" Duke smiled at the end of the speech and gave Snakes a clap on the back.
Snakes signed to him, 'What's happening with her?'
"We're taking her to a hotel in Albany to meet with her family. We thought that would be a little more low key and relaxing for all of them than a hospital, especially since she doesn't need hospital care any longer." Duke sighed, still trying to figure out the logistics of the move.
'Take good care of her.' Snake Eyes turned away and Duke knew that it was meant for more than just today's plans. He left silently, letting Snake Eyes work out his issues without prying eyes.
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He looked in on Shana's room, giving her a smile when he met her clear blue eyes. Her hair was pulled into a simple ponytail that allowed him to see the bandage was still on the back of her head. She was dressed in a pair of khakis and a powder blue lightweight sweater. He saw the way her hands clutched her computer nervously, betraying her fear at always being out of sync with the world around her. Her eyes stole to her display, then giving a tentative smile as she spoke, "Conrad?"
He nodded, entering the room fully, feeling a bit awkward. She knew of their relationship in that she had notes on it, but that didn't give him the confidence to touch her or behave towards her in anything but a professional manner in most circumstances. "How are you feeling Shana? Ready to see your family?"
"I guess so. Father and brothers. Do they know? Has someone explained?" Her voice was concerned; she didn't want to hurt their feelings by her not knowing them.
"I've been giving them regular updates. Don't worry." He gave her a reassuring smile, placing his hand over hers and giving it a squeeze for a moment. "I'm going to leave it up to you whether you want to be tranquilized for the trip. It might be a lot easier for all of us because you can be a handful when you're scared." He grinned at her, "Don't piss off the people who know more ways to kill someone than I know how to cook a chicken." She laughed easily and he was pleased to see the death grip on her computer had lessened slightly.
She gave him a long look, a smile still on her face, "Go ahead and put me out. I trust you." She hesitated while speaking only slightly and he knew that it was difficult for her to put her trust out like that, when she couldn't know the truth about any situation.
He gave a nod to Ivy and helped Shana lean back in the bed. "We'll take good care of you, I promise." They smiled at each other as her eyes slipped closed shortly after the needle was withdrawn. Duke picked her up easily, setting her into a wheelchair and getting her things.
They left the sick bay, her bags being taken over by the greenshirt who was accompanying them. The departure from base was quiet; no one really came to say goodbye because they figured there was no point. Even if she were conscious, she wouldn't remember them anyway. They were traveling by car and Duke carefully lifted her and put her into the car, putting on her seat belt. He gestured to Ivy that she could take the front seat and he sat in back next to Shana.
The drive itself gave him a lot of time to think; he had to figure out what he was going to tell her father on both a personal and professional level. Shana stirred slightly in her sleep and he took her hand, which seemed to settle her. That brought a smile to his face at least as he gently caressed her hand with his thumb. He didn't know if he could get used to this, having her so close, being able to touch her but yet being so separate from her.
The trip to Albany passed too quickly and he reluctantly let go of her hand, getting out of the car and setting up the wheelchair. He gingerly lifted her and placed her in the wheelchair and wheeled her in. The whole group was in civilian clothing to allow them to blend in better and he went to the front desk, checking in under her name. That done, the group went to the suite to allow Shana to finish sleeping the tranquilizers off and them to relax.
"My my, What-"
"-Have we here?" Tomax and Xamot watched from the lounge of the upscale hotel, their twin gaze diverted from looking for the man they were meeting here, more interested in the crippled Joe and her escorts.
"Isn't this-"
"-Interesting. Yes, dear brother." Xamot nodded as he spoke, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. "I'm sure we can find someone-"
"-who would love to hear of this," the smile spread to Tomax's face as well, both twins thinking greedily of the price they could fetch for this information.