Epilogue

Cougar watched as Jensen bent over to pick up his crutches from where they'd slipped to the floor earlier in the afternoon. Jensen looked beat. He'd not slept well in days worrying about what would happen in the courtroom today. Some of the comments and accusations had made him falter, his confidence waning until eye contact with one of his team had seemed to bolster his courage for a little longer, despite his ashen complexion and the sad resignation in his eyes.

Cougar wanted nothing more than to wrap Jensen in his arms and promise him that it was all behind him. Earlier in the afternoon, he'd been angry at the thought of all the secrets Jensen had been keeping, but eyes on his partner and he knew whatever screwed up reasoning Jensen had been using, he'd been thinking he was protecting Cougar.

Clay had made his way across the military court room and was helping Jensen leave, a show of support and solidarity that the rest of the team would reflect as soon as they could. Roque had been seething in the seat beside Cougar for most of the morning, muttering imprecations under his breath, as Jensen had been interrogated by the defence.

In their hearts, all of the Losers knew that Jensen wasn't to blame for what had happened, but it didn't make it any easier to listen to people slander one of their own and try to make it sound as if he was the one at fault. They'd all taken the stand in turn, but Jensen's case wasn't helped by the fact that the Losers had already been here after Jensen had been injured due to McDonald's incompetence.

Cougar hated what all of this had done to Jensen and just hoped that it would all be over before the end of the day. He followed Roque and Pooch out of the courtroom, ready to join the others. They ate a semblance of lunch, none of them having any appetite but knowing they needed enough fuel to get them through the rest of the day and then they sat quietly waiting to be called back in for the verdict.

Pooch tried to keep spirits high with random comments and plans for celebrations and Roque just came up with new and inventive ways to exact revenge for putting them all through this. Cougar watched Jensen wishing they had enough privacy to give him the real reassurance he looked so in need of.

When they were finally called back in to hear the verdict delivered, Roque and Clay flanked Jensen and Cougar felt his hackles raise. He should be the one by Jensen, he should be the one to offer comfort; he should be . . . Pooch put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He glared over his shoulder until Pooch leaned in closer to talk privately. "Dude, we're here, we're supporting Jensen. We're his teammates and we've all got his back . . . Clay and Roque are giving everyone a very clear message here, no one messes with their team and Jensen is not fair game. You stand next to him and it's not so clear that they're not taking it ever, it's also opening you both up to other people knowing. You know it's not the right time for that."

Cougar nodded, let his posture relax, shoulders dropping back and accepting his place between Roque and Pooch, wondering if that was another message to people like McKee that he too was claimed by the Losers. It was a reassuring thought that perhaps it might be.

It didn't take long for the verdict and sentencing to be delivered, McKee was being sent to Leavenworth and then dishonorably discharged after serving his sentence. The rest of his team were being dispersed to other teams and demoted back to the lowest ranks. It seemed that the final decision on that had been that McKee's blame was unequivocal, but with the rest of the team it had been less easy to be sure that they hadn't just done it because he'd ordered it and they would have been opening themselves up to the same treatment if they hadn't followed orders.

The Losers weren't happy with that, but knew that they'd have to accept it as the best they could hope for and that hopefully it really had been impressed upon enough of the men that if it happened again they would be the ones facing Leavenworth. They wouldn't be getting any second chances.

Jensen was quiet as they left and headed back to the house. His face hadn't lost any of its tension and it was only when it came to getting out of the car that it became obvious what the real problem was.

"Give me a minute," he whispered hoarsely, after they pulled up and the others were out of the car and he'd made no move.

Clay frowned and then crouched down on the kerb before Jensen and asked, "Jake, did you take the meds from the doc this morning?"

The seconds ticked by before Jensen finally admitted that he hadn't. The disapproval from the rest of the team was immediate but Clay just waved them silent, seeming to understand why Jensen had needed to do that.

"Okay, Jake, we've got this." He took Jensen's crutches away and gave them to Cougar, sending Pooch inside to get the meds ready, then with a quick nod to Roque, they braced themselves one either side of Jensen and lifted him out of the car, carrying him swiftly up to the door and through it to the couch, ignoring his protests.

His knee had been a mess after the attack and he'd ended up needing surgery to fix the damage. Recovery was slower and Cougar suspected even more painful than last time.

The team moved round Jensen, and Cougar watched quietly from the doorway. Pooch brought his meds, which to everyone's relief he took quickly before leaning back and closing his eyes. Roque dropped the TV remote and his laptop on to the seat beside him, but both remained ignored. Clay set a sandwich on the arm of the couch and with a squeeze of Jensen's shoulder told him to eat. He took a few bites, chewing slowly and swallowing before it too lay ignored beside him and he leaned back again and closed his eyes.

The team watched sadly, before Clay ushered them all out and pointed at Cougar just before leaving, waving him in Jensen's direction. Cougar moved across the room, crouching down before Jensen and taking hold of his hands. "Jay," he said softly, watching as Jake's eyes opened and met his. "We should get some rest." He cleared the couch of all the things that had been brought for Jensen, carefully lifted his legs up before climbing behind him and letting Jensen rest on his chest, ear over the steady beat of his heart. There were so many things he wanted to ask, wanted to know, not least why in all the time Jensen had listened to him talk there had been no mention of Jensen serving under McKee as well, but first Jensen needed rest.

It didn't take long for Jensen to fall asleep and Cougar allowed his mind to concentrate on Jensen's solid warmth against him, reassuring him that they could get through this and then to begin to catalog all the things he needed to know, all the answers he wanted from Jensen. He didn't think he'd get them all at once, but they had time now.

The rest of the team came back about twenty minutes later and the TV was turned on low as they settled into the other chairs in the room. Cougar was under no illusion that this would become a norm, but it was a sign of the respect the team had for each other, that they could understand this was the reassurance that Jensen had needed.

When Jensen woke a couple of hours later, he and Cougar shifted positions to sit alongside each other for a few minutes before Cougar went to make a fresh sandwich that this time Jensen ate. The pain from earlier had clearly lessened and it wasn't long before Jensen reached for his crutches and moved away.

He returned a few minutes later, but instead of heading for the couch he went towards his room, pausing at the door and turning to face the others. "Thanks, guys . . . for everything." He drew in a breath and then said, "Carlos –" He left the word hanging as if he couldn't quite work out how to ask for what he needed. He didn't need to say anymore, Cougar was already out of his seat and heading for him, ushering him into the room and closing the door behind them.

Cougar hovered, trying to help and guide him down to the bed, before sitting alongside and pulling him closer. They settled more comfortably together and Jensen began to talk. "You're probably wondering why I didn't tell you about my time with McKee before . . ." Cougar waited calmly.

"I – It seemed like the wrong time to tell you, like I'd have been trying to make it about me, when it wasn't. You had enough to deal with . . . I thought that I understood and that would be enough. I thought that if I told you then you'd worry about telling me that it would be bad for me and none of that was important. What was important was you being okay."

Cougar leant over and kissed him. "Sometimes, I want to strangle you," he murmured. "But I always love you and I don't think I'd change you despite everything."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I think we can figure it all out and maybe others will learn from what happened to McKee. We'll be alright – just so long as you are careful and let this heal," Cougar ran his hand gently over Jensen's leg.

Jensen reached for his hand and entwined their fingers. "You know I haven't been sleeping all that well lately . . . I figure I'm still kinda tired . . ." There was a suggestive tone to his voice.

Cougar laughed affectionately, before moving to help Jensen take his clothes off.