"What are you doing?" Laura asked entering Bill's office to find him packing his desk.

"Packing up a few things. I've been given a temporary assignment."

"What?" Laura replied visibly stunned by the announcement. "Why?"

"Those were my orders."

"But you're the commanding officer here."

"For the moment Saul will stand in," Bill replied continuing with his task.

"Saul?" Laura was relieved to know a friend would take the job but concerned about their ability to see eye to eye. Saul did not possess Bill's patience or understanding. Should problems arise she was not confident that Saul would be level-headed in his response.

Her thought of Saul was fleeting. What remained was questions. A transfer? How could that be? What did that mean? She knew nothing of military protocol but the commanding officer was suppose to command. Why would he be moved? Laura stood frozen, her heart fell to her stomach and knees became weak. Feeling the sharp sting of tears she decided to leave as quickly as possible.

"Well, good luck. It's been a pleasure working with you Colonel."

"Ellen is making dinner tomorrow night if you want to come. It'll just be us but - if you can make it."

Bill's look was tender and his rich blue eyes burned through her. Laura remembered when they first met and her surprise at their color. The black and white photo had not done him justice.

"Maybe," Laura replied with a shrug. "I'll have to check my calendar."

Her calendar was empty. She knew it and he probably did too. Instead of sending Bill off with the Tighs, Laura spent the following evening in bed. Part of her felt like a teenager moping over a crush that was changing schools. The other part felt much worse. Like the ground had dropped from beneath her.

Now that he was leaving Laura realized how much she had come to depend on Bill. She doubted her ability to manage things without him. They worked well together. She could not imagine what it would have been like to implement changes in Grozny or contain the reaction without his support.

Laura spent the evening thinking of how difficult her job would be without Bill but all she felt was an emptiness that had nothing to do with work.