"I'll just go." She said the words as her eyes lifted to meet Brock's across the room. What she saw in his eyes nearly destroyed her but allowing herself to be the reason Bravo fell apart was not an option.
Brock watched as his brothers confronted her for leaving in a confused mix of anger, sadness, and grief. And the brokenness he saw in her eyes was one he had hoped to never see there. Mandy looked more lost and unsure than he imagined she was capable of being.
"Seems like something you're pretty good at Mandy." Trent's words cut. "Guess you're sort of an expert so yeah just go. Go now before you decide to do it when he's hurt again or about to spin up... go now before you once again decide that his pain is less important than your career." Trent spat the anger filled words before he could stop himself.
"I'm sorry." She could explain, could tell them all that she was done. That she had given up the only thing that had ever made her feel valuable because she couldn't stand not holding his hand but now none of that mattered anymore. The hate and anger from Trent, his best friend, was all she needed to know now.
Mandy took two steps toward the door before Brock finally broke free of his shock. "Stop." He took a deep breath while stepping further into the room. "Please. Everyone please just stop." There was a begging quality to his voice that spoke of his desperation louder than his words ever could. With her standing in the same room more than anything he just wanted to hold her hand.
"Clay, Sonny get Trent out of here. Cages now. Ray go with them so they don't allow anything stupid." Jason watched as his men moved toward the door but as Trent turned back he continued. "Now Trent! Don't say another word." He could count on one hand the amount of times he had used his Bravo 1 tone on Trent.
Vic watched from the wall as four of his brother's left the room. He felt like a voyeur and wished like hell he was one of them as they went. While dealing with their enraged medic didn't seem like a pleasant staying somehow seemed worse. He moved stealthily toward the exit unnoticed by Jason, Brock, and Mandy. Once in the hallway he could hear the echos of yelling from the cages and the silence from the kitchenette equally. So he did the only thing he could think and pulled out his phone to order food.
Jason stepped from the room to see Vic placing a call for pizza. "Wasn't sure what to order. Got pizza, and Chinese, and subs."
"Good job kid." Jason smiled at Bravo's youngest as he moved toward the cages.
Trent sat in his cage ashamed of the show he had put on. He had surprised not only his brothers but also himself when he saw her. The rage that had brewed from the moment he entered that alley to see their youngest pumping Brock's chest in the pouring rain until that very moment spilled over. It wasn't often the medic felt out of control and it would never be a feeling he was comfortable with. Breathing slowly he desperately tried to compose himself.
Looking up his eyes met Jason's eyes. His team leader looked concerned bordering on scared but didn't speak just watched. After a moment Trent stood and nodded silently acknowledging his behavior as both out of control and unacceptable.
Mandy stood with her back still touching the counter behind her. Frozen in a moment wasn't a concept she was familiar with, in her world action mattered, stillness mostly existed for others. But of all the people she had interacted with Brock was probably the most kenetic and in this moment his inaction stilled her. Her eyes with tears threatening to fall locked of his desperately seeking to read them, to understand what he was thinking. Trying to gauge her future in his eyes because asking was an impossibility.
Brock held his gaze on her. Knowing she stood before him but terrified that blinking would somehow cause her to disappear. Breathing deeply he took every ounce of her. Watched as she counted her breaths, as her hands shook slightly, the circles below her eyes, the fear within them.
"Hey." He shifted slightly but made no forward progress.
"Do you... do you want me to go?" Mandy took a small step forward.
"I do." Brock closed the distance between them in what felt like one motion. Standing inches from her he was suddenly struck with the scent of Jasmine and longed to inhale her. He wondered if the whole of her was as soft as her hands, he imagined most was softer. Reaching out his left hand grasped her right. His other hand brushed tears from her face and tucked with strands of hair behimd her ear. "I want you to go. Go get in my truck. Go get pie with me. Let's just go." The smile spreading across his face felt real for the first time since a failed mission.
Mandy tried her best to hold back the sob that escaped. The tears that fell. The relief that washed over her as his arms wrapped around her. "Okay let's go."
