Knots! Knots! Knots! That's how Scarlett's stomach was feeling at that exact moment. It was the next morning, after an interesting afternoon at the infirmary. Doc made all their lives miserable from the countless lectures and examinations. He had examined Scarlett last, but had not shared with the counterintelligence agent any of his findings. Which made her more nervous. And on top of things, early this morning, she found an envelope on her desk, from Hawk.
My office, 1000 hours, no excuses. Hawk.
She had read that little piece of paper over and over again for the past half hour. She was in trouble, she knew it. Hawk probably knew by now that her Sky Striker didn't malfunction, who probably told his second in command, who probably was going to charge in her office and demand a reason, or rush her back to the hands of Doc, who probably would love to see one of his 'racers' for another dose of pin cushion fun.
The counterintelligence agent swallowed hard, rested both her elbows on the desk and leaned her head against her hands. She was going to be tarred and feathered, that was for sure. And she deserved it. She had lied, there was no going back now. Between the punishments and her training class, she wondered how much less time she would be spending with everyone else, especially Duke.
And for once in her life, Scarlett wished that she was on a mission, in a Cobra base, anywhere but right there, listening to the clock tick slowly, waiting for the time to near and the long walk to her CO's office. And she wondered if she would return back to her office. Anything could happen. Her mind whirled with thoughts. Hawk could easily transfer her to Timbuktu! A shiver went down her spine. She was a professional, a soldier, a Joe. Whatever happens in the general's meeting, she would take it in stride.
A voice disturbed her thoughts, startling her and her body shot up from her chair, breathing hard.
"Hey, Red. Duke sent me in here to check up on you," Jaye said, as she hobbled into her office on crutches.
"Do I look like that I need to be checked on?" Scarlett retorted, a little annoyed.
"Woah there," Jaye said. "If you're mad at him, don't take it out on me. I was coming by anyway to give Flint his beret."
"Sorry Allie. I'm just not myself this morning." She gave an apologetic smile to her friend. "I have to leave in a moment for a meeting... with Hawk."
"Oh really? I have one with him too," Jaye said. "Wonder how much trouble we are in."
Scarlett gulped. "I don't even want to think about." She walked towards the window and looked outside and did a double take. She watched Wild Bill coming out of the Dragonfly, with a familiar looking bear. "Umm, Allie.. look." She pointed out the window.
Jaye hobbled over to the window. "He's got my bear!!!" She turned around and as fast as her crutches would allow her took off after Wild Bill.
Scarlett shook her head, watching her friend almost fall down the stairs, trying to get near the pilot. Glancing at the clock, she gasped, she was almost late for the meeting. She dashed out of her office and walked very briskly towards the General's office, without showing any nervousness to the Joes passing by. She composed herself in a professional manner and knocked on the door, hoping death wouldn't come too soon.
"ENTER!" Hawk barked.
Her foot took a step back from the shout, and suddenly she wished she was on a mission or somewhere scarce. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door and walked in. Hawk barely glanced from the reading material on his desk.
"You asked to see me, sir?" Scarlett asked.
"Yes," Hawk finally said, as he sat back in his high back leather chair and looked her up and down.
'Oh oh,' Scarlett thought. 'not good.' but out loud she said, "Sir, the Greenshirts are doing performing wonderfully since the last time you saw them in action. All except Grady, still have to keep an eye on him."
"I'm not worried about the Greenshirts, Scarlett," Hawk replied while he steepled his fingers against his chin. "Sit down. We need to have a little talk."
She slowly nodded, not saying a word, but remained standing. It was obvious he knew, of course he knew! He was the general. The report probably had returned from her Sky Striker and it was crystal clear that it wasn't a malfunction. And if Hawk knew, that meant, Duke knew.
"Doc says you need a rest. I tend to agree with him," Hawk said seriously, and pointed at the report on his desk.
Rest? She repeated in her mind. No, that was least of her worries. She looked at him seriously. "Sir, I'm fine. The Joes need me, now more than ever. especially since Cobra has made it quite clear of their comeback."
"Which is why we need you well rested."
"Sir, I'm fine. I don't need to rest," Scarlett replied. Hoping he would just drop the subject.
A shout from outside caught their attention and looked out the window. Their eyes widened watching Wild Bill run at top speed, holding Brutus at arms length and loosing his famous cowboy hat, which flew away from his speed. Jaye was on his tail, moving quite quickly despite her clutches and broken leg.
"But Lady Jaye, darlin'! Wait, I was only--" Wild Bill pleaded.
"Get back here you Texas toast! If he even has one tare, I'll rip you to pieces and feed them to the coyotes!" Jaye threatened, almost nearing him and bonking his head with one of the crutches.
"I think I need a vacation along with you," Hawk commented.
"Sir, I don't need a vacation," Scarlett replied. Still standing up
Hawk looked at her sternly. "Sit down."
The counterintelligence woman timidly took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, looking at him straight in his eyes.
He glanced at her for the first time in months, noticing her exhausted state. But something in her eyes told him, that the soldier was hiding something, and he had to find away to get her problem out, even if he had to threaten her.
"Now. I know that something more than just plain fatigue is going on here and I want to know what it is," Hawk pointed out.
"Sir, I'm not pregnant, if that is what you are thinking," Scarlett said seriously.
Hawk's eyes widened, 'Thank goodness for that.' He thought. 'That's all we needed on this base another hormonal nutcase!' He nodded. "Then why are you not sleeping?"
Another scream caught their attention, and turned to watch now a petrified looking Ace speeding down the way Wild Bill had taken, his legs bursting with speed, and in his hands, he held Brutus, if the Bear was a ticking time bomb!
"Give me my Brutus! You not God's gift to women!" Jaye hollered after the air pilot, trying to keep up.
"Jaye, please, let me explain!" Ace begged, trying to escape his demise.
They noticed Shipwreck, wheeling himself towards the Mess, when his eyes widened. "Aghhh!" he managed to cry, just as Jaye ripped him off his wheelchair and threw him to the ground. She jumped in the wheelchair, leaving one of her crutches with the sailor, while laid the other on her lap and started trailing the poker king at top speed.
"FLINT!" Ace yelled the top of his lungs, running around the corner.
"You are going to join the red guy down in hell, when I get my hands on your ass!" Jaye screamed, rounding the corner, and almost topping over, from her speed.
Shipwreck looked shock, and slowly tried to get up, but toppled over from both his broken ankles. They watched several Joes run to help the sailor, who looked all dazed and confused.
Hawk shook his head and mumbled something about feathers, then settled back into his seat.
Scarlett slowly lowered herself back in the chair. Hoping he had forgotten the question. She was sleeping! That was not the problem, but she didn't want to have the situation in the open, this was her battle.
The General glanced at her. "And I repeat, "Why aren't you sleeping?"
"Sir, I have been sleeping."
Hawk reached on his desk a manila folder. He opened the file and took out a piece of paper. "Your behavior these past months is concerning me, deeply. You missed a meeting, something which as long as I known you, Scarlett have never done. Along with missing the meeting, you fell asleep during the last meeting, or am I wrong?
She gulped. He wasn't wrong. She slowly shook her head.
"Let's continue then, several Joes have made it quite clear you been quite moody towards them, or is that wrong too?"
Again, she shook her head slowly.
"Scarlett, I'll be blunt here, you are exhausted, and from what I'm seeing right now in front me, you look burned out."
"Sir, I'm fi-" she tried to reply, but was cut off from the general.
"Don't argue with a general, Sergeant," Hawk eyed her sternly. He leaned back in his chair. 'If she doesn't realize she needs some time off, then time to bring out the heavy artillery.' He thought and then rested both of his hands on the desk. "I'm going to suggest for a leave, Scarlett."
"A le…eave?" the counter intelligent repeated. "I can't leave now, sir. The men need all the training they can get."
"Then it's the training?" Hawk asked, reading her face.
"No, sir. The sessions are not a problem," she replied.
"Then if your sessions aren't draining you, is it Duke, then?"
"Duke, sir?" Scarlett tilted her head towards him. Then understood perfectly, what he was referring about. "No Hawk, Duke and I are not fighting."
He nodded. "Good, I don't think the base can handle another of your arguments."
Scarlett held her breath, watching him carefully.
"Then, you don't allow me any other choice, Scarlett. If you are telling me that you are not going to go on leave, then I have no other option but to transfer."
"Tr...tr…transfer!" Scarlett sputtered out, slowly, her hands gripping on the chair. He couldn't transfer her! He couldn't!
"Yes, transfer. Maybe at the Tokyo base, Jinx has informed me that she needs several more trainers for the Joe unit there." He watched her face pale, and he laughed inside.
"But, Tokyo is so far away," she replied. He couldn't send her there! It was too far from the base, from her friends and from Duke. She swallowed, hard.
"Alright, how about Brazil? That's closer," Hawk said, taking a pencil and playing it with his palm. "Very nice there. Brazil, I mean, nice culture, scenery, just too bad about the spiders…"
"Spiders!" Scarlett almost screeched, her hands now gripping the chair tightly, her face white as a sheet.
Hawk was about to reply when, a loud long shout made them both bolt up from their chairs and look out the window. Their jaws fell to the floor, when they saw Leatherneck holding now Brutus, run out of the Mess Hall, yelling, "Javelinmama's lost it! Javelinmama's lost it!"
Then watched Jaye emerge from the Hall, wheelchair at top speed, and somehow had gotten toilet paper stuck on the handles.
"I'm going to put a javelin up your ass! Give me back my damn BEAR!" Jaye hissed, chasing him with all her might.
"Allie!" They turned their heads to see Flint rush out of the main building following his uncontrolled wife. "Allie, stop!" He chased after her.
"Help me!" Leatherneck pleaded, heading for the Motor Pool with an enraged Jaye on his tail and Flint following both.
The general walked away from the window, shaking his head, and sat down, growling something about boiled chicken, then leaned back in his chair. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes… spiders. Big ones too, never seen a larger species than those." He tilted his head, indicating that he was thinking. Then looked at Scarlett, who was frozen solid, not sitting, not standing. He pointed to the chair. "Sit."
Scarlett slowly lowered herself back down on the chair. Her face full of fear on the mentioning of the large spiders.
"I think the natives call them, Wolf spiders. When I was down there one time, I saw one larger than Beach Head's foot."
"Lar...rr...gger than Beach Head's foot?" she gulped. She could not imagine a spider bigger than Beach Head's foot! The man was a size thirteen! A wave of dizziness surrounding her.
"And of course, you have to do something with your hair." Hawk added, watching her eyes widen.
She raised her hand quickly on her head. "My hair?" she asked.
"Oh yes, it probably has to be cut, maybe shoulder length." He shrugged.
"Cut it!"
Hawk leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, and his head on his hands and nodded at the woman, who looked about to faint in his office. "Yes, it needs to be short. Those Wolf spiders, I'm telling you. They would probably love that long hair and bury in there to make nests." He shook his head, sadly. "I think one soldier, didn't cut her hair and let me tell you, not a pretty sight."
The redhead stared at him in shock. Spiders in her hair! Laying eggs! She couldn't bear to even think about it! What was worse? The transfer, leaving Duke, or the spiders laying eggs in her hair!
Suddenly a long high pitched scream shot through the air, making both of them jump towards the window.
"Allie! Wait I was only---" Cover Girl dashed madly towards the obstacle course, trying to stay alive.
"Get the HELL back here with my freaking Brutus, Courtney!" They watched Jaye wheel herself quickly towards the wolverine driver, trying to hit her on the head with the crutch, but missed.
"ALISON!!!" Flint came running from Motor Pool, looking a little dazed, holding his head. "Stop this minute!"
She turned and cursed him in Gaelic. "Go hifreann leat!"
Turning their heads they watched Duke come out of the Mess Hall, shaking his head. Then watched Cover Girl run around in a circle, Jaye gaining on her kill, and hitting her on the head with the crutch.
"Conrad! Get Allie! She gone Bear hunting mad!" Flint yelled to the second in command.
"Someone HELP ME!" Cover Girl screamed, running madly and now heading towards the obstacle course, with one hand holding her head and the other still absentmindedly holding the bear.
"Stars aren't going to be the only thing you'll be seeing when I get through with you Miss I can't get a modeling job because my boobs started hanging!!" Jaye screeched at the other woman, waving the crutch in the air.
They watched Jaye wheel the chair quickly, but had not noticed the two commanding officers, who were both surrounding her, trying to end the chase before there were any casualties.
Flint rushed from the left and Duke from the right, but they both missed the wheelchair by a second and collided with each other, toppling to the ground.
"JAYE!" they both shouted, getting up and chasing after hormonal out of control covert operative agent.
Hawk looked up to the ceiling and shook his head, again. "Why me?" He muttered. Then turned to woman in his office. "Sit, we are not done."
And once again, Scarlett took a sit. She held her breath. She wanted to tell him, she really did. But it was personal, wasn't it? She sighed, and looked up, finding Hawk, watching her carefully. "Maybe, I should take a rest," she finally admitted.
'Finally! You stubborn Irish girl!' Hawk thought, invisibly patting himself on the back, from winning the battle. Then asked, "Alright, how about going somewhere nice and quiet?"
"Sir, you know I can't leave, I can take a few afternoons off. We need all the trainers we can have. I can-" but she was cut off.
"No, I'm suggesting a leave, a week at the most, or even longer. And as for the trainers, I'll bring Jinx and Falcon from the Tokyo base. Is that clear, Sergeant?"
She nodded.
"Good, you are taking a week off, no arguments, otherwise I'm sending you with the first Tomahawk to Wolf Spider world, got it?"
"Yes, Hawk." Scarlett leaned back in the chair. Maybe she did need a break, maybe that would make her nights better. She hoped.
"Now," the general took out a piece of paper from one of the files. "There is the one more little thing. Your Sky Striker."
She gulped. 'He knew. I'm dead. Wolf Spiders, here I come,' she thought.
He sent her one of his most serious faces. "Maintenance claims that there isn't anything wrong with your plane. So, what happened up there. Duke informed me that he watched your Striker take a nose dive straight down and almost hit Beach Head's jeep before you once again took control of the craft."
She stayed silent, her eyes glued to the paper. How could she tell him that she lied. How could she tell him that she fell asleep at the wheel?
"I'm waiting, Sergeant." His words made her heart skip a beat.
Scarlett was about to reply, when Hawk's name shot through the air, very loud. They rushed once more to the window, and their eyes widened, now watching a scared out of his wits Beach Head run towards the building, with a very looking familiar bear, its head sticking out from fourth in command's shirt!
"HAWK!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs, trying to head towards the building.
They watched Jay wheel herself from the obstacle course, chasing the drill instructor "Give me MY BEAR, before I expose your gay porno collection!"
"I confiscated those! They aren't mine!" Beach Head yelled back, not stopping.
"Allie! Stop, or I'll give you KP!" Flint threatened, chasing after his now beyond out of control hormonal wife.
From nowhere, Duke rushed out from another corner, to block Jaye's path, only to have Jaye dart passed him, and running over his feet with the wheelchair!
"JAYE!" he hollered, jumping up and down in one foot, and holding his other with both hands. "You're getting KP for years!"
Flint passed Duke and ran after Jaye's wheelchair. The third in command reached his hand to grab the handles, and missed, which made him fall to the ground.
They glanced to their left to watch now Beach Head change direction and headed towards the main building. "HAWK! Get this senile hormonal psychopath to the brig. Now!"
"Brutus!" Jaye screeched, trailing the drill instructor, death in her eyes. "I want my freaking bear! You pervert!"
"Allie!" Flint's plea came from the ground, followed by a loud groan. The wheelchair had run over the warrant officer.
Duke rushed once more to tackle Jaye, but she bonked him on the head with the crutch, sending him flying onto a parked Jeep, and his body slowly slumped down.
"Duke!" Scarlett cried out from inside the window, knowing that he couldn't hear her. Then her eyes became large, seeing Beach Head very close towards the building running at top speed. Then, noticed something long and wooden heading their way.
"Incoming!" she warned Hawk, pushing him down on the floor, seconds before a loud crash sounded in the office, glass flying all around them, and a twirling crutch missing their heads by an inch. The crutch smashed on the bookcase, breaking every single object on the shelves, which sent the furniture falling down in the process, which came crashing on the two solid wooden chairs, which one of the chair's arm flew in the air, landing on the computer, which fell to the ground breaking into pieces, which pulled the cords from the other side of the desk, and sent the heavyset desk lamp falling down on Hawk's head, with a loud thud.
"Sir? Are you alright?" Scarlett asked, shakily.
Hawk's face turned crimson. He stood up and looked out the window, "LADY JAYE, OFFICE. NOW! And don't bother bringing any feathers! I got several closets full!!" Then turned to help the counterintelligence agent off the floor. "Scarlett, go see to Duke. And as of now, you are off duty, clear?"
"Yes, sir." She saluted, and left the General's office dashing outside towards Duke, who was now leaning against the jeep, holding his right side of the head with one hand. Her head turned, seeing Flint wheel a not so happy Jaye towards the main building. "She doomed." she whispered to herself, and then added, "And so am I, if Duke knows about the report." She also noticed that Beach Head had vanished and prayed that Brutus was in one piece.
Her pace slowed down nearing the first sergeant. "You all right?" she asked him, gently.
"What? Huh?" Duke looked dazed. "Who are you pretty lady."
She rolled her eyes. "Please, don't start that again."
Duke grinned at her. "So how much trouble are you in with the big guy?"
She shivered. "Well, I'm packing, does that answer your question?"
"Great. I know just where we can go," Duke said taking her arm. "Come on I'll help you pack."
"What? You are coming with me?" Scarlett looked at him surprised. "But I thought you didn't have any more leave for this year!"
They walked passed the Mess Hall, and heard Shipwreck's cries. "Oh it was awful, really awful! That insane woman threw me down, my ankles, my poor ankles."
"Oh, relax Ship, at least she didn't break your arms too!" They heard Ripcord reply to the sailor.
"I convinced Hawk that I need a mental illness break," Duke said with a chuckle.
"Well, judging by your poor tackling skills, you may need more than a small break." Scarlett teased.
He blushed. "Oh you saw that, huh?" He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.
She giggled. "Hawk did too."
They walked towards the woman's barracks, and headed towards her quarters. She stiffed a yawn, hoping he didn't notice. Entering the suite, she stopped short. The table was set for lunch for two, and stationed on the sofa was Rory, who was now dust free and also pink ribbon free.
"Looks like the skunk's hungry."
"Yeah, well you know skunks. They're always hungry." Duke chuckled.
She poked him on the side of his stomach. "Just like a first sergeant I know."
"Hey, what can I say. I'm a man of action and that requires a lot of fuel."
Scarlett shook her head and sat on the couch, taking Rory in her arms. "What happened to her pink ribbon?" she asked, curiously, rubbing back the fur of the stuffed animal.
"It couldn't be saved unfortunately. I couldn't get it clean," Duke said as he started to serve them lunch.
"That's all right. I like her without the ribbon anyway," she replied, then glanced at the edge of the table, which had several movies that he had probably put there for them to watch. She picked one up, and her eyebrow arched. "Hmm, The Quiet Man. Figures you will pick the one with a Duke and an O'Hara."
"Hey, it's a perfect match." He sat down next to her.
"I agree with you there." She leaned her head against his shoulder.
He kissed the top of her head. "Now eat and we can watch a movie together."
"Yes, Sir!" Scarlett saluted him with a smile.
They eat together, reliving the morning's chase of events. After the wonderful meal, they settled together on the couch, watching the movie and Rory sharing their laps.
"Figures the man will drag the woman all over the countryside." Scarlett commented, quietly indicating towards the scene, where John Wayne now was pulling Maureen O Hara through the countryside back towards her brother's land.
"What's wrong with that?"
"Hey!" She playfully slapped him on the arm. "Don't make me call Jaye to run you over with her hit and run wheelchair."
"Oh no," he said in mock horror.
"Well, take it back." She snuggled closer to him, her eyes starting to slowly drop. 'Stay awake!' She mentally kicked herself,' you can't fall asleep every time he's with you!' She slightly yawned and quickly swallowed it.
"Come on, let's lay down." He grabbed a blanket from the chair to cover them up.
"No, I'm not sleepy." She tried to fight the spell coming over her body. She knew why she was sleepy, from the half the night at the training room was the reason.
"You don't have to sleep. Come on lay down on the floor here with me. I want to cuddle."
"On the floor? Let me guess... Dash? right?" She giggled, holding Rory tightly.
Duke shrugged. "Figured it was more room."
She slid down the couch, settling herself next to him and felt his strong arms around her waist, and she leaned her head against his chest, her ear pressed lightly just above his heart, listening to the beat, steady, making her close her eyes, from its gentle sound.
Duke asked her if she was enjoying the movie but got no answer. He looked down and saw her sleeping and smiled. He kissed the top of her head and pulled the covers up over her shoulder. Resting his head on top of hers, he continued to watch the movie but his mind was wondering somewhere else. It was running a mile a minute thinking about the time that they would be spending together and if his world would change. He heard her sigh and her head pressed harder. Stifling his own yawn, his eyelids slowly closed, as sleep won its battle.