January 12th, 2012
Alex woke up as he did almost every morning. Well before the sun, he rolled out of bed and dragged himself out from beneath the covers and into sweatpants and a hoodie before heading out for a run. He was tall and muscular, but his years of swimming had taught him to embrace cardio. Having to climb around mountains and trudge through deserts certainly added fuel to the fire.
As he made it out of his house and onto the road running alongside the beachhead, he was struck by the new route. Living back on his own had been a needed decision, he had come to realize. He loved Quinn with his whole heart. He loved her way too much to use her as a crutch. He wasn't too proud to accept help. At least, he thought he wasn't. But pride or a lack thereof didn't make it fair to put Quinn through the increasingly growing signs of PTSD under her own roof. She and Clay were beginning to get a bit more serious. And even though she hadn't said it, he could tell that she was beginning to find it hard to understand why he was acting like he had been lately. Alex understood that. He had needed the companionship previously. But now? He needed time on his own and she deserved to take a step back and breathe.
These thoughts ran through his head repeatedly as he ran through the cold, dark morning. However, he was so in his thoughts that he didn't notice the sounds of other rapid footsteps until he found his own pace being matched. He looked over, heaving as he did so, and gasped, "Luke? What are you doing all the way out here?"
Lucas, also out of breath in the brutally cold morning, replied in a panting voice, "I needed to mix up the route, sir."
The two didn't speak after that, simply matching one another's pace and continuing the long run along the sandy beach. SEALs preferred to make their runs as difficult as possible. They hated running in the sand while they were at BUD/S. But afterwards, it became a sign of pride. They were tough. Mind over matter. Nothing, especially not pain in their calves, would stop them in their tracks.
As the sun came up, the pair had run well over ten miles along the sandy Carolina coastline. They slowed to a stop outside of Alex's small beachfront cottage. Both men, who had stood strong for so long, finally dipped down, sliding their hands onto their knees as they bent over and heaved for breaths that they desperately needed, searching for the comfort of not having to hold themselves up.
Finally, after a few silent moments, a gasping Lucas looked up and asked, "After we go in to meet this Collins guy today, what are you gonna do with the free weekend?"
Alex shook his head and said, "I don't know, man. I really want to get out of town for a little bit."
Lucas shrugged. "Well, basketball season doesn't kick back up until Wednesday. No reason to stay in town."
Alex looked up. "Wanna head out to the hunting camp?"
Lucas shrugged. "The weather supposed to be good?"
Alex nodded. "I think, yeah. I'll check, but when I looked yesterday it said highs in the thirties with not much wind. No rain."
Lucas pondered that for a moment and then said, "Yeah, I think that'd be a fun weekend. Bring the family out and just decompress."
Alex nodded. "That's what I was thinking, too. Emily always enjoys heading out there, too. Maybe Natalie will come down."
"You cleaned it up at all?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, I went out there a few days after we got back. I had a few buddies in town head out there and make sure everything was all good too. So we should be good to go."
Lucas grinned. "Alright then. It's a plan."
Alex went home, showered, and then headed over to his mother's house. He grinned as he pulled up and saw her through the window hard at work in the kitchen. Fridays were always the start of a weekend of good eating in the Martin household. He parked his truck, hopped out, and was through the front door in a heartbeat. Upon hearing her son enter, Claire called out, "In here, honey!"
Alex walked in and wrapped his mother in a tight hug. "Hey, Mama. It's good to see you."
She squeezed back and then kissed his cheek. "It's good to see you too, sweetie. What brings you by?"
He sat down at the kitchen table and replied, "Figured I would check with the girls and see if they wanted to go hunting this weekend."
Claire smiled. "I think they would really like that, Alex."
Alex asked, "You wanna come out, Mama? I know how much you love it out there."
She shook her head. "I don't think I can. I have a lot of things I need to do here at the house. But if I get them done, I'll be happy to come meet y'all."
Alex grinned. "Well, I hope to see y'all there."
At that moment, Alyvia and Emily busted into the kitchen and tackled their brother with a tight hug. He laughed and yelled, "Hey, watch it! I'm sensitive!"
Alyvia replied with sass. "Nuh uh!"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Sheesh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed!"
Emily rolled her eyes. "It's a theme of every morning."
"Oh, is it now?"
Alyvia replied, "I don't want to go to school!"
Alex grinned. Hate to break it to you, but you don't have much control over that, kiddo."
Alyvia stuck out her lower lip and pouted. "That's not fair."
Alex shrugged. "Life isn't fair, sometimes. It is what it is."
Emily remarked, "You really are a ray of sunshine this morning, aren't you?"
Alex smirked, "When am I ever not?"
Emily rolled her eyes and replied, "You want an honest answer to that?"
Alex shrugged. "Let me meet your boyfriend and you can be as honest about things as you like!"
Emily yelled, "Mom, he's starting it again!"
Claire smiled, enjoying her children's witty but good-natured bickering. "Emily, I think you should introduce him! It's not like he won't eventually meet him."
Emily put her head in her hands and muttered, "That's what I'm trying to avoid, dammit."
Claire said, "I heard that!"
Alex reached over to the counter and grabbed the swear jar. He held it in front of her, clinking it back and forth in a taunt of sorts. Emily rolled her eyes, grabbed a couple dollars in quarters, and dropped it in the jar that had been used a lot less since Alex had moved out of the house. Alex put it back on the table and remarked, "Good hell, I love the sound of that jar when it's not me putting in the change."
Emily snapped, "Mom!"
Claire shrugged. "He moved out of the house, honey. There's not much I can say."
Alex stood up, kissed his mother on the cheek, and said, "But I'd still listen anyways."
He looked over at Emily and said, "How about this? I'll make it up to you."
She looked at him and retorted, "How?"
He shrugged and nonchalantly replied, "Well, you seem so annoyed with me that I'm sure you wouldn't want to spend a weekend in the woods with me…"
Emily's face lit up. "Wait, really? You're taking us hunting?"
Alex shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, you really seem like you wouldn't want to spend an entire weekend with me."
She glared and replied with faux annoyance, "For a weekend in the woods with family and friends? I'll deal with you for however long I need to."
Alex grinned and gave her a hug. "Your stuff still up at the camp?"
She nodded. "Yeah, it is. Are you taking us up there?"
"That's the plan."
He bent down to his knees and looked at Alyvia. "And what about you, Miss Priss? You want to come up with us?"
Alyvia smiled and nodded. "Yes!"
Alex grinned. "Alright then. I'll pick y'all up after school."
Emily asked, "Can Kat come too?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, Luke is asking her. Tell her you're going when you get to school."
She smiled. "Thanks, Alex. Can't wait."
"I can't wait either. Now come on! Let's eat!"
Luke got home from his run right as the two girls were beginning to stir. He slipped inside of the house quietly, trying to close the door as softly as possible, walking back into he and Brooke's room on eggshells. He closed their bedroom door behind him and slowly slid over to the edge of the bed, where a nearly asleep Brooke was beginning to roll around in bed and come back to the world of the wake.
Lucas slipped his soaked shirt and hoodie off his body and then walked over to the side of the bed to wake her up. He gently leaned over, gave her a kiss, and whispered, "Good morning, pretty girl."
Brooke's eyes stayed closed, but she smiled and rolled over from her side to her back. Bed hair, pajamas, and all, in that moment she was the most gorgeous girl he had ever seen. Her eyes slowly blinked open, she gave him an even wider smile, and whispered back, "Good morning, sexy."
Lucas winked and replied, "Well, aren't you feeling raunchy this morning!"
Brooke bit her lip, closed her eyes, and replied, "That's what happens when I wake up to you and those abs."
Lucas kissed her neck and muttered, "Go on…"
Brooke began to giggle and pulled Lucas on top of her, giving him a passionate kiss before pulling away and yelling, "Oh, come on, you're sweaty!"
Lucas replied, "Some people are into that kind of thing!"
She rolled her eyes, pushed him off, gave him another kiss, and remarked, "Shower and then we'll talk."
Lucas smirked. "Only if you'll join me."
Brooke gave him a devilish grin, winked, and said, "I think that can be arranged."
Breakfast started not long after the happy couple hopped in the shower, much to their chagrin. After all, a shared shower was a rare experience for the two and usually led to some shenanigans, but they were interrupted by Kat, who repeatedly yelled for them to break up their little love fest and make breakfast. The pair kindly obliged, although Kat paid the price by watching the two be cringey and affectionate towards one another all through breakfast, along with jokes about the birds and the bees.
Finally, however, the pair sat down and went silent as they scarfed down their food, Kat needing to get ready for school and Lucas knowing that Alex wasn't far away, more than likely gunning his engine to get there in time to pick up Lucas. After a few bites had been taken and he had somewhat satisfied his stomach, which had been craving food since the night before, Lucas took a sip of orange juice and plainly asked, "Do either of y'all want to head up to the camp this weekend? Alex and I are thinking about going hunting."
Kat's mouth dropped to the floor. "Are you serious?!"
He grinned. "Absolutely! It's the best part about being stationed in Tree Hill."
Brooke lightly smacked the back of his head and Lucas rolled his eyes. "Other than being around you, dear."
Brooke smiled and sat up, her hands positioned on her lap as though she were a queen. "Thank you!"
Lucas turned towards Kat. "So, what do you say?"
She stared at him for a moment, somewhat dumbfounded, before replying, "Um…YES!"
Lucas gave her a look. "I'll be honest with you, Kat…I did NOT peg you as a hunter."
She grinned and said, "You know, there's a lot you have yet to learn about me, Scott!"
Lucas turned to Brooke. "Is that a challenge? I think that sounded like a challenge."
Brooke squeezed his cheek and said, "Oh, honey, don't be sad that she can outwit you."
Lucas laughed and remarked, "The shots are really coming from everywhere this morning, aren't they?"
Lucas heard a horn honk outside. He groaned and said, "It'll be either Alex or Emily, but I swear, those two need to learn to get out of the damn car and quit honking their horns."
Kat laughed and said, "You aren't wrong there. I keep telling her that."
Lucas slipped up from the breakfast table and walked over to the window, sliding the shade back to reveal Alex sitting outside in his truck. Lucas rolled his eyes and muttered, "He's early to pick me up for once. What are the chances?"
Brooke said, "Go and get dressed. I'll get your breakfast to go."
Lucas jogged over to her, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and then rushed back into their room to get changed and get ready to go. He threw on a flannel shirt, rolled up the sleeves, slid on a hoodie, a pair of jeans, tan combat boots, and then grabbed a tan tactical backpack with his laptop and intelligence, throwing it on his back as he stood up to leave.
Lucas rushed back out of his room to find Brooke waiting on him with a container filled to the brim with food. She handed it to him and in return, received a deep kiss from Lucas. She smiled into the kiss and then remarked, "You know I kind of like having you here."
He smiled. "You know, it's not that bad living here, I have to say."
Lucas walked away and was slapped on the behind by Brooke, who bit her lip, winked, and said, "Go get 'em, cowboy!"
Kat rolled her eyes and commented, "Can we PLEASE not do that in front of me?"
Lucas grinned mischievously and replied, "You know, one day you'll fall in love and then you'll turn into a PDA-filled dork like us."
Kat chuckled and then replied, "Yeah, OKAY. Whatever you say, old man."
Lucas pulled back, put his hand to his chest, and in mock hurt replied, "Old man?!"
Kat grinned and replied, "I just call it like I see it. And I can really see those lines…"
Brooke pointed a spoon at the girl in a threatening manner and said, "You better keep that age talk on him, missy. The second you remark about my lines, you don't eat."
Kat laughed and replied, "I could never, Brooke!"
Brooke smiled at Luke, having won a small victory. "Looks like I'm still the flower of my youth."
Kat nearly choked on a laugh she tried to hold in, which resulted in Brooke giving her a mock glare. Lucas was about to respond when Alex laid his hand on the horn and yelled, "LUCAS, LETS GO!"
Lucas slid out the door and said, "This isn't over!"
Lucas headed for the truck in a run, urged on by the glare of a commanding officer that wanted to get to base early. He threw his backpack in the backseat and hopped in the passenger seat. No sooner had he landed than was Alex off, gunning the engine and driving for base. He turned to Lucas and remarked, "You know, the longer you make me wait…"
Lucas held up his hands and said, "I know, I know, you'll make me pay later on. I need some more cardio anyways."
Alex chuckled. "Don't tempt me."
The pair arrived at base fairly quickly, traffic never being much of a problem in Tree Hill. The pair were helped by the lack of traffic into the back entrance to base, which was conveniently hidden away from most eyes and therefore the knowledge of most on base. The pair showed their ID's and were waved forward. They drove forward about a mile, heading for the special operations compound. Lucas leaned back as he ate, staring out the window as he threw down bacon and eggs. The drive into the compound was always a bit weird to him. He was surrounded for the most part by neighborhoods as they drove in the back entrance, the houses looking just like most others in Tree Hill. But every day, there was a moving van somewhere, reminding Lucas of the plight of the average soldier: a massive base with multiple units meant people moving in and out every single day. People sat in their kitchens eating breakfasts and reading their newspapers, kids got on school buses, parents watched them leave in robes while grabbing the mail, and people off for the start of an early weekend began to start whatever housework needed to be done.
But coinciding with that were the parents in uniform that were preparing to leave for the day, going off to do a dangerous job. Multiple houses had signs with blue stars, reminding all that a member of the household was deployed. School buses and minivans were followed by Humvees and MRAP Black Cougars. And every now and then, one of those moving vans was not loaded by a family, but by a collective of sympathetic friends in the neighborhood, the widow or widower being forced to move off base by the three-month mark after their husband or wife had been killed.
Alex followed Lucas's gaze and remarked, "It sure is weird sometimes, isn't it?"
Lucas nodded. "Like you wouldn't believe."
The pair made their way through the large neighborhoods and stopped at a second checkpoint, the scenery around them rapidly changing as they drove through the checkpoint. They were entering a new world, the military base finally looking like an actual military base. They were now surrounded by military infrastructure, most vehicles now those that were military in nature.
They drove for another mile and then pulled down another road that led to their compound. They made it through the final checkpoint, parked the vehicle in the massively walled compound, and then quickly headed inside, the biting wind urging them on.
They slid inside, threw off their outerwear, and then found their way into the briefing room, where Commander Rabb was waiting on the pair. They slipped inside and found Commander Rabb, who was looking at his watch. He looked up and coyly remarked, "Been waiting for five minutes."
Alex gave Lucas a look and then replied, "Sorry, sir. Scott here decided to take his sweet time this morning."
"Some of us aren't robots and have to eat," Lucas shot back.
Commander Rabb chuckled and held up his hands. "You two bicker like an old married couple, you know that?"
Lucas and Alex both nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Well, at least you two are honest about it."
Alex nodded, he and Lucas shared a chuckle, and then it was onto business. Alex asked their C.O., "Collins in yet?"
Rabb nodded. "Yes. Got in last night. Squaring some stuff away with housing and then he'll be over."
Alex waved him off. "Tell him not to worry. Let's go visit him, meet the family. Maybe we can help expedite the move in process."
Luke Collins was struggling to carry as many boxes as possible, the large cardboard masses catching the biting winds at every possible moment. As he dropped the liftgate and tried to maintain a hold of what he imagined were lots and lots of clothes, he heard a truck pull up, a couple of doors close, and a voice ask, "Hey, do you want some help with that?"
Luke turned around and saw two men standing near the edge of the liftgate. He nodded and the pair both grabbed a box from the stack he had struggled to maintain control of. Luke nodded, "Thanks. I appreciate it. Little bit too cold to have the wife and kids outside."
They all walked towards the house, a small one-story colonial with red brick and white shuttering, with white porch furniture and railings on a porch leading into the house. The pair followed Luke inside and soon dropped their boxes at the nod of Luke, who set his box down in the center of the living room, which branched off into the rest of the house were the rooms no doubt were.
Luke held out his hand and greeted them. "Luke Collins."
The pair both introduced themselves. "Lucas Scott."
Luke, recognizing the name, shook his hand with a firm grip and a white smile. "Chief Scott, I'm looking forward to working with you. Command has sung your praises."
Luke scoffed and joked, "Well, that's a first."
Alex held out his own hand. "Alex Martin."
Luke shook the hand firmly, again flashing his white smile. "Luke Collins. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm looking forward to joining Bravo."
Alex grinned at him. "Well, we're looking forward to having you. I served with Jarrett for years. He speaks incredibly highly of you. Your old C.O. from Team 3 does too. Bravo is better for having you."
Luke and Lucas began to converse, the two sharing about their experiences. The pair had served on the same team, albeit at different times, but had plenty of mutual connections. The community was a small one and men knew one another by reputation and experience long before they ever met. As they spoke, Alex took stock of the man. He was tall, standing roughly 6'2. He was white, but his skin was hued, a little darker than many, the sign of a man who grew up in the South and worked outside for most of his life. His beard was fairly well kept, as was his brown hair. Like most on the teams, he kept his hair a bit longer than military appropriate and had a beard, which helped them to blend into the community. His blue eyes were piercing, his body strong, and Alex had no doubt that he was in the presence of a SEAL.
A woman walked out of the rooms and over to them, wiping her hands off with a towel before shaking the hands of both men. "Hi! I'm Mikaela, Luke's wife. It's so nice to meet the both of you."
Like her husband, she also had dark hair, although hers was long, straight, and nearly black. Her tan skin and blue eyes were nearly identical to her husbands and Alex chuckled at the thought of their children, who he imagined must look nearly identical.
As if on cue, two kids bounded out of one of the rooms. A young seven-year-old boy was chased by a young girl who looked to be about four or five, both looking as though they were carbon copies of their parents. Luke reached down and grabbed both in each arm, picking them up and spinning them around as they screamed in delight before pausing and introducing them. "This here is James. And this little princess is Jessie."
Lucas asked, "How many moves is this?"
Mikaela counted briefly before replying, "This will be our fifth base since we got married about eight years ago."
Luke shrugged. "Yeah, I kept jumping units. Served on four different teams, hit seven different platoons in my career. And for most of that, we were married. So, it's been a crazy ride. Looking forward to settling down now, though."
Alex nodded. "It's busy, but at least your career will be stabilized a bit."
Lucas and Alex smiled at both children, who were now shy at the sight of new people, offering small little handshakes and high fives, which brought the children smiles. After a bit of small talk, Alex could sense that they were ready to return to work on their house. He told Luke, "Listen, don't worry about coming in today. Take the weekend, get the house ready, explore the town. You're from not too far away, right Luke?"
Luke nodded. "Yeah, not terribly far. I was born and raised on a ranch in Boone, North Carolina. My parents are coming down to help us get settled in. I think they're just happy that we'll be sort of close for the first time."
"Alright then. Get the home front in order, relax, take care of whatever you need to, and we'll get started on Monday. I'll try and get you and your family over for dinner here in the next week."
"Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that. And thank you for the day off."
Alex waved a hand. "Don't mention it. Truth be told, I would rather go hunting than deal with paperwork on an off weekend. Don't paint me up as too good of a guy!"
The three shared a laugh, final handshakes were exchanged, and then Lucas and Alex headed on their way. Lucas nodded. "I like him. Seems like he's gonna be a good fit."
Alex nodded. "There's no doubt in my mind. Have you seen his combat record?"
Lucas shook his head and Alex whistled. "Brother let me tell you. The stuff of legends. One of the best guys to come through the pipeline in a long time."
Lucas joked, "Better than me?"
Alex popped back, "You want an honest answer to that?"
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Ouch."
Alex dropped Lucas off at his house and then left the neighborhood, dialing the phone number that was becoming his favorite to call. After a few rings, he heard a voice on the other end pick up. A smile came to his face as he heard, "Well, I was wondering how long it would be till I heard from you."
Alex smiled. "You knew that it wouldn't be long."
Serena, sitting in a chair in her office at the hospital, spun away from her work and faced the window that overlooked the military base memorial park. She twirled her hair as she admired the view and thought about her new beau. She asked, "So to what do I owe this great pleasure?"
Alex asked her, "Are you on rotation this weekend?"
She shook her head after a brief moment of pause, trying to remember her schedule amongst the thousand other things that she was always focused on. After a few moments, she replied, "No, I don't think so. I should be heading out as soon as I get this last little bit of paperwork done."
Alex grinned. "You wanna come with the family to the land this weekend? We're going hunting. Thought you might like to get away."
Serena nearly doubled over in laughter before replying, "Alex, I've never even shot a gun!"
Alex replied, "Serena, call me a genius, but I kind of figured that one out on my own."
"I can't hunt if I can't shoot!"
Alex smiled. "Well, it's always been a dream of mine to teach a cute blonde girl to learn how to shoot. Come on, what do you say? It could be a great time."
Serena was quiet for a moment as she allowed Alex to think she was pondering her decision. In reality, she had already made up her mind. But she didn't want him to know that. After a pause, she said, "Okay, I suppose it would be really fun, wouldn't it?"
Alex grinned. "I think it'll be a great time. Call me when you get done and I'll pick you up."
The whole house was filled with quite the crew by the time that they all arrived at the hunting camp later in the evening. Lucas and Brooke drove Peyton, Kat, and Emily up, Natalie and Alyvia rode up with Claire, Alex and Serena hitched a ride together, and Nathan, Haley, and Jaime were not far behind. Darkness was falling as they arrived and no sooner had they gotten in than was Alex outside with Lucas, trying to get a bonfire going while everyone unpacked.
Kat, in the midst of her unpacking some food for the kitchen, caught sight of an old, worn notebook sitting on the kitchen table. Curious, she dropped the items and headed over to look at the worn-down red notebook, pages falling out and all. It was dirty, worn, and clearly had seen better days. But it was also packed full with written words and Kat, her curiosity getting the better of her, opened it up and sat down to read.
A few minutes later, she closed the notebook and headed outside, where she found Alex and Lucas sitting at the fire, staring into it as Alex strummed a guitar and Lucas distantly hummed a quiet melody. Kat took a seat next to Alex and slid his song book over to him. She remarked, "So I found this on the kitchen table."
Alex looked down, caught sight of it, shrugged, and asked, "You found my songbook? I forgot I left that thing up here a couple weekends ago when I was working the land."
She nodded and said, "You know, there's some really good stuff in here."
Alex smiled and said, "Well, thanks Kat! We appreciate that. Lucas and I have spent a lot of time writing music back on tour. There's not much else to do other than write out there, really."
She smiled and asked, "Do you mind playing a little for me?"
Alex looked over at Lucas, who slid out his own guitar and said, "You know, I suppose we can give you a private performance. But only if you promise to help Brooke with dinner for the next few days."
Kat sharply replied, "Are you trying to coerce me into doing chores?"
Lucas grinned. "No, I'm just trying to find an appropriate price for this great music of ours…and maybe trying to get out of having to cook dinner."
Kat rolled her eyes and then replied, "Alright, it's a deal."
Alex began to strum the guitar, knocking his head back and forth as he began to feel the beat of the music coming from the acoustic guitar. He and Lucas both stomped and they began to count leading into the song, the sounds reverberating throughout the camp and bringing the rest of the family out of the house.
"One, two, three, four.
So-oh-oh-oh-on. So-oh-oh-oh-on.
We don't have a choice; I can hear it in your voice.
This waiting is weighing on your shoulders.
Couple more days, I'll be hopping on a plane.
And I'm getting closer and closer…"
Lucas began to sing, harmonizing with Alex in a beautiful, slightly higher pitched voice that stunned all in attendance.
"…To holding you, till we're caught up on kisses
I wish we could fast forward time.
Yeah, I know what you're feeling, I'm feeling it too.
I'm done with what distance is dragging us through.
I'm done with midnight goodnights from two different places.
Can't wait till I'm all over you…
In the same town so-oh-oh-oh-on. So-oh-oh-oh-on.
Hell, I can't wait, to say I love you to your face…
And share the same side of the sofa.
It won't be long; you can call me on the phone;
And I'm in my truck coming over.
Yeah, I know what you're feeling, I'm feeling it too.
I'm done with what distance is dragging us through.
I'm done with midnight goodnights from two different places.
Can't wait till I'm all over you…
In the same town so-oh-oh-oh-on. So-oh-oh-oh-on.
Same bar on Friday, same station on the dial.
Riding around the corner, five minutes from your smile.
Same city lights, the same side of the moon shining down on me and you,
In the same town so-oh-oh-oh-on. So-oh-oh-oh-on.
Yeah, I know what you're feeling, I'm feeling it too.
I'm done with what distance is dragging us through.
I'm done with midnight goodnights from two different places.
Can't wait till I'm all over you…
In the same town so-oh-oh-oh-on. So-oh-oh-oh-on.
In the same town so-oh-oh-oh-on."
Alex finished strumming the guitar and closed his eyes, singing the last little melody. "So-oh-oh-oh-on."
Silence fell on the people sitting around the fire. They all stared in amazement at the two SEALs sitting in front of them. They were used to being shocked by hidden abilities and talents. But the voices? Their harmony? The song? That, they were not expecting.
Peyton broke the silence. "Guys…that was amazing."
Alex shrugged. "We get bored during the day while we wait to get spun up. Ain't much else to do in Afghanistan other than get degrees and sing."
She shook her head. "No, you guys don't get it…I've put some country artists out there. They are…NOTHING compared to that."
Lucas grinned. "Peyton, I wish you had been this nice to me back in high school."
Everyone got a good laugh in at their expense and Peyton was no exception to that, but she was suddenly a woman on a mission. She sensed talent. She sensed an opportunity. And as Lucas watched, he had to admit that it was driving him to at least take her seriously. Not for their sake, but because he hadn't seen that light in Peyton's eyes a whole lot since Matt had died. He shrugged and said, "Seriously…thanks."
Katherine, who had spent time digging through the songbook all afternoon, pointed another one to Alex. "How about this one? "Tequila?""
Alex looked at Lucas and asked, "Well, what do you think?"
Lucas nodded. "Brooke's song."
Brooke turned her head towards Lucas. "You wrote this about me?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah…my first deployment. I spent a couple weeks writing this when I was really missing you."
Alex nodded. "Luke, you take the lead on this one."
Lucas nodded and closed his eyes for a moment as Alex began to strum on the guitar, tapping his foot as he did so and preparing to harmonize with his friend. After a few moments, Lucas began to sing.
"I can still shut down a party
I can hang with anybody
I can drink whiskey and red wine
Champagne all night
Little Scotch on the rocks and I'm fine, I'm fine
But when I taste tequila, baby I still see ya
Cutting up the floor in a sorority t-shirt
The same one you wore when we were
Sky high in Colorado, your lips pressed against the bottle
Swearing on a bible, baby, I'd never leave ya
I remember how bad I need ya, when I taste Tequila
When I taste Tequila
I can kiss somebody brand new
And not even think about you
I can show up to the same bar
Hear the same songs in my car
Baby, your memory, it only hits me this hard
When I taste Tequila, baby I still see ya
Cutting up the floor in a sorority t-shirt
The same one you wore when we were
Sky high in Colorado, your lips pressed against the bottle
Swearing on a bible, baby, I'd never leave ya
I remember how bad I need ya, when I taste Tequila
When I taste Tequila
I ain't even drunk, I ain't even drunk
And I'm thinking
How I need your love, how I need your love
Yeah, it sinks in
When I taste Tequila, baby I still see ya
Sorority t-shirt, the same one you wore when we were
Sky high in Colorado, your lips pressed against the bottle
Swearing on a bible, baby, I'd never leave ya
I remember how bad I need ya, when I taste Tequila
When I taste Tequila
When I taste Tequila
When I taste Tequila."
Alex finished strumming and Lucas opened his eyes back up. He stared over at Brooke and saw her staring back at him with tears in her eyes and her hands over her mouth. "Lucas…that was…so beautiful. And I'm sorry…"
Lucas shook his head and wrapped an arm around her. "Pretty girl, you have nothing to be sorry for. We're here now. That's what is important."
Alex nodded and took a sip of beer after raising up the bottle to him. "Amen to that, brother."
Katherine pointed to another one that was near the end of the book. Clearly, it had been written not that long ago. Alex nodded and whispered, "Alright. I, um…Luke, I'll take this one."
Alex began to strum the guitar, the slow sound sad and dreary. Luke leaned back and watched as a labored Alex began to perform with closed eyes that couldn't hide the tears.
"Gonna raise up a tall glass
Tonight as we look back
Back on all the life that we lived through
Yeah, the things that we drink to
Roads that we choose, friends that we make
Turns that we miss and the hearts that we break
The words that we say and the ones that we don't
Lines that we cross and the ones that we won't
Tears that we cried, the dreams that we dreamed
Stars that burnt out and the stars that we reached
The pictures we take, the stories they tell
And the moments we keep for ourselves
Gonna raise up a tall glass
Tonight as we look back
Back on all the life that we lived through
Yeah, the things that we drink to
Shed a little light on a memory
Kinda makes it feel like you're with me
I'm still a little lost here without you
Yeah, the things that we drink to
The hurt that we heal, the songs that we sing
The hope that we know tomorrow can bring
The battles we fight, the wars that we win
The pain that we been through
Things that we drink to
Gonna raise up a tall glass
Tonight as we look back
Back on all the life that we lived through
Yeah, the things that we drink to
We can wonder where all the time goes
But it don't change a thing though
All I'm tryna say is I miss you
Yeah, the things that we drink to
All I'm tryna say is I miss you
Yeah, the things that we drink to
All I'm tryna say is I miss you
Yeah, the things that we drink to."
Alex ended the song and opened his eyes, nearly overcome with grief. Lucas shook his head and muttered, "Man…that was powerful."
Peyton asked, "Alex, when did you write that song?"
He softly replied, "The day we brought the guys back in from Red Wings. It's dedicated to Tim, Matt, and Charlie."
Peyton nodded and offered him a small smile and a supporting squeeze. Serena leaned her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, rocking back and forth with him as the tears silently streamed down his cheeks.
Katherine said, "Alex…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked…"
Alex shook his head. "No, Kat. It's okay. Really…in fact, I feel better than I have in a long time."
Serena's head was on her pillow, her subconscious lost in its own little world of dreams. The night had been a long one, with the singing ending and conversation starting. Serena had loved every moment of it, the large family gathered around the fire late into the night sharing stories of days past and memories not long from being forgotten. It was the kind of night that Serena had always wished she could have had with her family back home, but it was something that she was never able to really experience.
But the lovely times had led to a long night and despite Alex's warnings, she had persevered, staying up as long as she could to spend time with the family that she was quickly beginning to mesh with. As a result, she hadn't crawled into bed with Alex until after midnight.
She was awakened not long after by rustling and a kiss on the cheek. Alex whispered, "Hey…it's time to get up."
Serena groaned and rolled over. In a groggy voice filled with morning confusion, she asked, "Alex? What time is it?"
Alex slipped up his upper body and propped himself up with one of his arms as he squeezed her hand with his other. "It's 0430. Time to get up."
Serena groaned again and rolled over towards Alex, burying her head in his body and muttering, "It's too early to get up."
Alex grinned and said, "There's a big ole buck out there on the cams from the past couple of days. Trust me, you'll thank me later."
Serena rolled onto her back and looked up at him, locking eyes with Alex. "On one condition."
Alex smiled and asked, "What's that?"
She whispered, "You give me a kiss."
Alex grinned and replied, "I think I can work with that."
Alex leaned over, his body crossing on top of hers as he gave her a gentle kiss before sliding up and out of bed. "Come on, get on up sleepyhead. We're headed out in forty."
Serena slid out of bed and followed Alex through the cabin. Alex and his family had leased the land for years, nearly one thousand acres at their disposal in the Carolina wilderness. Alex had converted the barn into a hunting lodge, the interior now insulated and decorated with quality wood that he had cut and sanded himself. The large barn had a kitchen and living area at the very center of the first floor. The far end of the lodge was a kitchen and dining area with a large island and bar, one that Serena would love to cook in any day of the week. The rest of the main area on the first floor was a large living room, with two leather couches and four matching leather chairs placed around a carved coffee table and a stone fireplace. The rest of the first floor was four rooms, two on either side. They were relatively plain, filled with a large bed, a closet, a small bathroom, and little other furniture save for a desk and bedside tables, but they were warm and cozy. The upstairs loft was actually two separate lofts, with both having stairs that led down to the main area and both open to look down on the living area. Bunk beds, card tables, and good times marked the upstairs space.
Serena slipped out of her bed as the shower turned on, Alex having told her the previous night that they needed to shower off their scent before they headed out. She slipped inside the bathroom, closed the door, and slipped inside the shower. Alex let out a little yelp and said, "Geez, it's cold! Close that door!"
Serena closed the shower door, looked up at him, winked, and said, "You're REALLY concerned about how cold it is out there?"
Alex opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a finger to the lips from Serena, who kissed his neck and whispered, "You should probably quit while you're ahead."
The shower, Serena quickly found, was uneventful and quick. For the first time, she realized that there was something her charm, smarts, and looks couldn't compete with: the joy of hunting. As she did her best to dry her hair as fast as possible, she slipped out of the bathroom, towel in hair and all. She found Alex already halfway dressed in camo, his pants, boots, base layer, and first jacket on. He slipped on a pair of camo overalls, grabbed a jacket from the closet, and then pointed to the bed, were a bunch of camo was laid out. He quietly said, "That's your stuff right there. I'm gonna slide out and start getting the gear ready and the gator primed."
Serena nodded, slipped forward, and planted a kiss on his lips. "Hey…thank you. I'm really excited. And I'm really happy to be here with you."
Alex smiled. "I'm happy you're here, too."
The lodge was decorated with western themed décor, mounts of animals (mostly white tail deer), and gun racks. The primary gun racks, which were placed on either side of the main door, held most of the weapons, with a pair of wooden cabinets holding a plethora of ammunition. Alex grabbed his rifle, a brown Remington .308, followed by a similar but slightly smaller brown Remington .243 for his partner. He grabbed the two rifles, ammunition, and set them both on top of the cabinets before walking over to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.
He quickly made and poured two cups, turning around to find his girl emerging in her camo right as he finished preparing the coffee. He smiled, handed it to her, and said, "Drink it quick. It's time to go."
The morning and afternoon hunts were both absolutely dull, with nothing but small does showing up around the green fields that everyone had sat in on. Such was the way of hunting. Sometimes, you couldn't keep the deer off you. Others, you couldn't pray to see anything. It was the joy of getting out in the calm quiet of nature that Alex and Lucas enjoyed and it was that calm that they loved to share with their significant others.
That night, however, was far from quiet. Another bonfire, another homecooked meal, and another evening filled with joyful conversation permeated the air around the hunting camp. Sitting back watching was Alex, a man who was joyful in having the chance to share this moment with those closest to him.
Peyton walked over from the food and took a seat next to Alex, who was sitting back from the fire and watching the family interaction in front of him unfold with a wide smile on his face. She leaned in and said in a low voice, "You know, it's easy to see where your music comes from."
Alex turned to her and gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"
Peyton shrugged. "Pain makes for a good song, but I've come to find that a good album, a good artist…that comes from who the artist has surrounded themselves with."
Alex smiled and softly said, "Well…I guess I'm doing alright, then."
Peyton was silent for a moment and Alex looked over to catch her staring at him, a twinkle in her eyes. Concerned, Alex slowly and carefully asked, "Everything alright, Peyton?"
Peyton grinned. "I'm just trying to think about how to phrase this perfectly."
Alex immediately recoiled. "Listen, Peyton, I hope I didn't give you the wrong idea…"
Peyton rolled her eyes and smacked him in the arm. "Never in a million years, you idiot."
Alex held up his hands in surrender and remarked, "Hey, you have to admit it kind of sounded like…"
Peyton gave him an icy glare that shut down Alex's train of thinking. He swallowed uncomfortably and nodded, telling her to go ahead and continue speaking. She gave him a victorious smile and began to speak. "ANYWAYS…I think that I have a great idea in mind."
Alex shrugged. "Oh, yeah? What's that?"
Peyton answered, "What if you and Lucas were to sign with Red Bedroom Records?"
Alex nearly choked on his beer in shock. He began to cough heavily, attracting the attention of a couple surrounding them before he managed to regain his voice and ask, "WHAT?!"
Peyton shrugged. "You heard me."
Alex was in utter shock for a few more moments, unable to process what she had said. Finally, after a long and somewhat uncomfortable silence, he managed to ask, "Why?"
"I meant what I said, Alex. You and Lucas are more talented than most of the groups I've put together. You two have something special. Your music means something. I'd hate to see that go to waste."
Alex rolled his eyes and laughed. "I can't believe you're actually serious. Only in this town, I'll tell you what. There's only One Tree Hill."
Peyton took a sip of her drink, slapped his leg, stood up, and said, "I think we have a name."
Alex grabbed a beer from the cooler and moved seats, trying to make his way around the circle to spend time with others. He desperately missed his family and moments like these where everyone was gathered were few and far between. Alex caught sight of Natalie near the edge of the circle and walked over, taking a seat next to her. He took a sip of his beer and then squeezed her in a tight side hug. She leaned her head on his shoulder and said, "It's really good to have you back, Alex."
He smiled. "Well, I'm happy to be back. I missed you guys a lot."
"Are you settling back into your house okay?"
He shrugged and then nodded as he took another sip of beer. "More or less, yeah. It's a little weird being alone again but spending a lot of time with family since I've been back has made that easier."
Natalie observed, "Quinn sure seems to miss you an awful lot."
Alex sighed. "Yeah, it's been a while since we sat down and talked."
Natalie sighed and lowered her head. "She misses you a lot, Alex. We all do."
Alex looked over at her and noticed his sister's nervousness. She seemed marked by indecision and fear. He slid an arm around her shoulders and asked, "Hey, is everything alright?"
Natalie wiped away a stray tear, sighed, and then replied, "No…no, it's not."
Alex pursed his eyebrows in concern and asked, "Natalie, what's wrong?"
She was quiet for a moment, contemplating how to say what she was feeling. The silence hovered over them for a moment, the only sounds those of muted voices and the crackling fire. Finally, she managed to speak. "Alex…I want to leave Duke."
Alex was silent, not betraying any outward expression. In truth, he had no feelings to betray. After all, while she needed her education, why did it have to be there? And it might be a fantastic degree, but what if she wasn't happy there? Alex simply searched for answers, prodding her to continue. "Go on…"
The tears began to roll down Natalie's face. "Alex…I miss home so much that it hurts."
Alex nodded and gave her a tight squeeze. "I know, honey. Believe me, I know."
"I just…I miss Mom. And you. And the girls. And the rest of our family. And I sit there in my bed alone at night and all I can think about is how soon I can get back to Tree Hill. I made a mistake leaving. I shouldn't have done it in the first place. I want to be different. I want to make a change. I need to make a change."
Alex was quiet for a moment as he thought through what he wanted to tell her. It was in. that moment, as in many others, that he had to remind himself to take a step back and not push for people to push through their problems. He was not like those around him. it was a truth that he often forgot and one that he was not intent on forgetting in anytime in the near future. Especially not with his baby sister searching for badly needed advice.
Alex took a deep breath and said, "I miss you, Natalie. I miss you like you would not believe. But here's what I know, kiddo. I left Tree Hill behind for a long time before I came back. It was one of the best things I ever did, even though it took me away from the family that I loved so much. I'm not gonna tell you what to do. Instead, I want you to consider this: I've seen the pictures and the things you've sent us. You love your sorority, school is going great, and you seem to have made some good friends. So…why the sudden change? Because I have a feeling that this isn't really about you wanting to leave Duke."
She asked, "Then what is this about?"
Alex looked down at his little sister and replied, "This is about you being scared."
She nodded. "Exactly…I'm terrified."
He shook his head and replied, "This isn't about us, Natalie. This is about me. New Year's Eve shook you up, didn't it?"
Natalie didn't reply, but the expression on her face was answer enough. Alex continued. "Moving back to Tree Hill isn't gonna bring you anymore control, Natalie. You can't protect me by being closer. You know that."
She shook her head. "But maybe-"
"There is no maybe, Natalie. You know that. At some point, you have to let this go. It's never gonna change."
She looked up at him and said, "I talked to Em, Alex. I know about what's going on. THAT is why I want to transfer."
Alex cinched his eyebrows. "Natalie, what are you talking about?"
Natalie sighed and dropped her head. "I remember what happened the last time you dealt with PTSD, Alex…I just don't want to wake up one day in my dorm room to the news that you put a bullet in your head."
Alex opened his mouth to rebuke her, to chide her for even thinking that could happen. He was stuck between wanting to scold her for thinking those thoughts and hold her, comforting her and reassuring her that he was fine, that he wasn't going anywhere. But as he opened his mouth, no words came out. Because as he went to respond, the fire cackled once again. And as the flames spit out, he couldn't think. All he could do was try and block out The Voice in his head.
Serena was shaken from her blissful state by Natalie, one of Alex's younger sisters. She gave Serena a soft smile and then asked, "Hey, do you mind if I sit down?"
Serena nodded and began to clear away the area next to her. "Yeah, of course!"
Natalie nodded gratefully and then sat down next to Serena, the pair sharing a blanket that they tossed over their legs as they watched the cackling fire. Natalie spoke first and remarked, "You know, this is the first time that Alex has ever brought a girl up here."
Serena smiled, giddy like a schoolgirl despite her best efforts. "Really?"
Natalie nodded and returned Serena's joy with a light smile of her own. "Yeah…you know, it's crazy…you two seem as though you've known one another your entire lives."
Serena nodded and looked over at Alex, who was sitting on the grass at the feet of his other sisters and mother, his joy clearly evident with every passing moment. She thought through an answer for a while before replying, "I don't really know why…but something about him…it's deeper than anything I've ever been a part of."
Natalie smiled sadly. "He's a great guy…I love him so much."
Serena looked down at her, all of a sudden concerned at the sad twist in Natalie's words. "Hey…I know it's not really my place, but…is everything okay?"
Natalie shook her head, tears suddenly welling in her eyes. "I…I don't want to disappoint him."
Serena gently slipped an arm around her shoulder and then asked, "Natalie, why on earth do you think you're a disappointment?"
Natalie's expression dropped to the ground. "I want to leave Duke…I can't live far away…I feel like the further away from him I am…well…"
Serena stroked Natalie's hair and softly replied, "You think he'll leave…"
Natalie nodded. "Serena…I went a long time without having him in my life. He would be gone all the time…he hated Tree Hill. He found ways to always be out, always be on station somewhere far away. And while it hurt…it also made it easier to cope. Having him come back around has made it so much harder to push off the reality that he might walk out one day and never come back."
Serena looked over at Alex and watched him as he loved on his family. His laugh, his smile, his heart…he was unlike any man that Serena had ever met. But in the short time knowing him, she would be lying if she said that she hadn't started to have the exact same fears that plagued Natalie. Serena distantly replied, "Yeah, I know what you mean…"
Natalie looked up at her and asked, "Has Alex told you anything about our family?"
Serena nodded. "Yes…he told me about your father. I'm so sorry, Natalie. No one should ever have to experience what your family went through."
Natalie sighed and said, "Alex has never been able to move past it. He left the house for Tennessee as soon as he graduated. Then he entered the Navy after 9/11. He has spent his whole life running from his childhood."
Serena nodded. "Yes…I can understand why."
Natalie shook her head. "I'm terrified to tell him that I started talking to Dad again."
Serena was confused at the mere thought of speaking with a man like that. "How…"
Natalie sighed. "I don't know…but I prayed for him every day. He came back into town a few months ago…he's changed, Serena. God changed him…and I am terrified of telling Alex. Because I don't want him to think any less of me."
Serena shook her head and pulled Natalie close to her. "Oh, honey. Your brother could never think any less of you. You have no idea how much he loves you. He's so proud of you, Natalie. He can't stop talking about you."
Natalie shrugged, almost as though the point held no weight. "If I begin to rebuild my relationship with my dad, It doesn't matter…"
Serena shook her head. "It does to him."
The next morning was a quick one. The girls whipped up a fast breakfast and then cleaned the kitchen while the boys packed up the gear, finished off whatever needed to be done around the barn, and threw everything in the vehicles as they prepared to head home and start another week. Breakfast was festive and the time was joyful, all enjoying the chance to spend time with one another. After roughly an hour of time spent eating and cleaning up the last bit of the barn, everyone piled into their vehicles and began the drive back to Tree Hill. Alex used every inch of his truck to maximize storage space, packing the bed of the truck as well as the backseat, leaving he and Serena alone for the ride home. Something that Serena desperately had hoped for, because she was intent on talking to him about some deeper struggles that Alex had pushed her away from.
Alex opened the gates for her. He looked over at her, smiled, and then remarked, "You know, I saw you with Natalie last night."
Serena smiled and said, "Yeah…it was one of the best parts of the trip. Talking with her was amazing. The way she opened up…Alex, you have some great sisters, you know that?"
Alex nodded and shook his head. "I know…I still kick myself every day for running from them for so long."
Serena coughed and shifted in her seat uncomfortable. If not then, when? She steadied herself and in a quiet voice, she asked him, "Alex…why do you hate your dad?"
Alex said nothing, but she saw his fists clench on the steering wheel and saw the vein on his neck begin to pop out. Through gritted teeth, he said, "He was…a bad man, Serena. Let's just leave it at that."
Serena shook her head, unwilling to allow that to be his final answer. "Alex, I don't want to pressure you…but I want to help you. And…if I am going to commit to you…I need to know who you are. And judging by the looks of things, I would say this is a pretty big part of who you are."
Alex shook his head and coldly replied, "Serena, you need to let this go."
She shook her head in response and firmly replied, "No, Alex…I think you're the one who needs to let things go."
Alex was quiet for a moment, clearly furious. But Serena had come to know him and understand him quickly. She knew that he wasn't angry at her, but rather, directing his anger and projecting it onto her. She knew that he brought others to confront their issues. She also knew that he needed a push of his own.
After a few minutes of silence, Alex broke the silence with his story. "My father…was not a good man. He told me dreams were nothing, that all they did was distract you from surviving in a cruel world. That's how it started. It was verbal early on. But as I got older and bigger…well, it got worse. A lot worse. The older I got, the worse his alcoholism was. I was eight the first time he charged into my room drunk. I was nine the first time I took a right hook to the head."
Serena looked over at him with pity and saw the tears beginning to stream down his face. He was choked up, his lips and chin quivering with every passing word. "When I was ten…I slept on my stomach for nearly two weeks, he beat me so badly. But I took it…because I knew that if he took it out on me, my Mama was safe. My sisters were safe. But I hated him…and there was nothing I could do about it."
He fell silent for a minute, trying to push through the tears. Serena slid her arm around his back and began to run her hand up and down his back and hair, whispering sweet nothings as she tried to comfort him the best way she knew how.
He managed to continue. "The older and bigger I got, the worse it was. But I began to stand up to him. I began to hold my own. And that made it even worse for my family, because then he began to take it out on them."
Alex shook his head and said, "My mother and sisters hid it from me. I had no idea. Until I got home from my second deployment to surprise my family…and that's when I found him waving a gun at my mother as she held Alyvia while Natalie and Emily stood behind her."
He sighed and said, "I beat him to the point of death that night. That was the first time that I ever spent time in a jail cell overnight. I had never felt so worthless and alone…"
Serena whispered, "Alex, I am so sorry…"
Alex's head dropped. "I failed them."
Serena shook her head. "Alex, there was nothing you could have done. You were gone…"
Alex angrily snapped at himself, "And if I hadn't have run away and left them behind, would they have ever been in that position to begin with?!"
Serena replied, "Alex, you don't know that…"
The ride was silent for a few more minutes before Alex finished. "He left that day. Never came back. I walked up to his cell and said if he never came back, I wouldn't put a bullet in his head. And that was the last I saw of him until a few months ago."
Serena was quiet for a moment before asking, "Do you think people can change?"
Alex shook his head and angrily replied, "People can change. But he wasn't a person. He was a monster."
Serena went back and forth whether to continue with what she wanted to say next. Finally, after a few moments of internal debate, she told him. "Alex…Natalie says he's changed."
Alex nearly swerved off the road as he screamed, "SHE SAID WHAT?!"
Serena held her ground. "She said he's changed. She said she prayed for him every day…she said God changed him."
Alex shook his head and glared at the road. "No one…no one can change that much."
Serena was quiet for a minute and then said, "Alex, Natalie lives for your approval. I told you because I don't want you to hurt her. She deserves the chance to heal without worrying about what you think of her. She'll never heal if you don't."
Alex yelled, "He's dangerous, Serena!"
Serena firmly responded, "That may be true. But so is never reconciling your past. I think you of all people should agree with me on that."
The rest of the car ride home was silent. It slipped into a comfortable rhythm, but it was still silent. That was on account of Alex having nothing left to say, nothing left to argue. After all, he knew that she was right. No amount of words would change that.
