"What are you doing in my car? I think that breaking and entering is crossing the line," she points out.
"Have you heard the latest scuttlebutt?"
"On what?"
"You."
"No," she shakes her head.
"I have."
"What's your source?"
"I can't reveal my sources."
"Why not?"
"Implicating them would…"
She cuts him off, "Open them up for criminal charges?"
"Yes," he confirms.
"Stalking is illegal."
"I am not stalking you. It is a matter of public record that you work for JAG. If I were stalking you I would show up unannounced at your home too."
"Tony you are crossing the line. This has got to stop."
"How long are you going to avoid me?"
"As long as I see fit."
"How long do you really think you can avoid the issue?"
"What issue?"
"Were you ever planning on telling me?"
"Telling you what?"
He slides over the console into the front seat. He looks over at her, but draws the line at invading her personal bubble.
"Have you ever heard of the term red light?" She questions.
He stares at her face for a few moments, but his glance falls from her face. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what? There is nothing to tell."
"When we were at dinner the other day you had the opportunity, but you pushed me away. Why?"
"You don't want this. You told me that you didn't."
"So, that justifies your actions?"
"Yes," she nods.
"Did you ever intend on telling me?"
"No."
"Did you really think that I wouldn't find out?"
"I didn't think that it would matter," she responds.
"It matters to me. Don't you think that I have the right to know?"
She doesn't say anything.
"And how long do you really think that you can hide this from the USMC?"
"I applied for retirement," she answers.
"From a job that you live for?"
"It's just a job. I have other priorities, now."
"You mean, you have more priorities, now."
"Please don't do this," she begs."I am giving you an out. I suggest that you take it."
"Now you get to make decisions for me, too?" He responds.
"I am not making this decision for you," she reminds him.
"It seems to me like you are," he argues.
"What about the decision that you made the night that we first met?" She replies.
"What decision?" He quizzes.
"The decision that got us here in the first place."
"What decision was that?" He arches an eyebrow.
"You know what, never mind."
"We are both adults, maybe we should stop trying to place blame," he argues.
"That is still up for debate, in my opinion."
"Why do you insist on pushing me away? I am not the bad guy here."
"Tony my life is complicated, and I can't pretend that I am ever going to be able to make you any sort of priority in my life. I would love for this end with a happily ever after, but that is not the way that the world works."
"I am not asking for happily ever after. All I am asking for is the truth."
"You don't want to know the truth," she insists.
He reaches over, and takes her hand, without permission. He looks her in the eyes, and squeezes her hand. "I sitting right here, just waiting for the truth."
She shakes her head, "I barely know you."
"Whose fault is that?"
She swallows hard, choking back tears, "Please don't makes this harder than it has to be," she begs.
"Tell me," he goads her.
"I wouldn't know where to begin."
"Why did you put in for retirement?"
"It is time. I have spent most of my life in uniform. It is time for a change."
"If approved when will your retirement become effective?"
"July, but I have an extensive amount of leave that I can take before then."
"You still didn't answer my question."
"I want to go out on a high note."
"Why would postponing your retirement prevent that?"
"You know why," she replies.
He shakes his head, "I don't know anything, because you have told me nothing."
"My life is about to become more complicated."
"How do you figure?"
"Can we talk about this later? I really need to get home."
"We need to talk about this. I think that it has waited long enough. Don't you?"
She shrugs, and breaks eye contact.
"I hope that you have bigger uniforms."
She doesn't take the bait. "I have already been approved for an extended leave starting January first."
"How long?"
"Six months."
"You will be on leave until the day that you retire?"
"I will return for two weeks to get the office in order," she answers.
"Two weeks? That seems a little bit ridiculous."
"It is what I have to do to collect my full benefits."
"Right," he nods.
"Is that all?" She queries, unlocking the door.
"No," he shakes his head, "answer my question, and I'll leave you alone, for now."
"At home numbers are increasing. I am, and will continue to be outnumbered for decades to come. It is physically impossible for me to be in two places at once, and there is really only one place that I want to be."
He scowls, "General."
"And for your information I had to reattach a button just this morning."