"Va beach or Germany?" Blackburn looked to Trent as the back of the plane closed.
"Germany." Trent turned to face him. "She might make it home but she will make it there."
"I'll tell the pilot." Blackburn started to pass him.
"Thank you Eric." Trent again faced her.
"Take care of her."
Trent shifted carefully as dizziness washed over him. He was nauseous but knew he should eat, unfortunately the kitchen felt at least three miles away. He sipped at his water and sunk lower into his couch while lifting a half melted ice pack to the side of his head.
His phone beeped and the notification of a text showed. He opened it and tried desperately to see what it said, or at the very least who it was from, but the brightness of his phone and the drumming in skull prevented both. He knew his brothers were probably checking in and if he didn't respond someone would show up... and be loud.
Trent moved his finger to the call option and put it on speaker assuming Jason or Ray would answer shortly.
It was one ring before her voice filled the emptiness on his apartment. "I'm surprised you called."
"In my defense I didn't actually realize I was calling you." Trent exhaled slowly as another wave of nausea passed over him.
"Are you okay?" She spoke rapidly.
"Yeah I will be. Concussion. I feel like shit but it will get better." Trent closed his eyes as the room spun.
"Are you alone?" The concern in her voice was growing.
"Yeah."
"Trent... you should call someone. I'm in Brussels or I would be there." Her voice was quiet and scolding.
"Even though I called you a dumbass reporter?" Trent said it with shame and regret in his voice.
"Yes. Just call someone. My connecting flight is boarding."
"Rena, I really am sorry. Please be safe." Trent wanted to cry but figured it was the concussion messing with his emotions.
"I know. And I will be. Trent, please don't ask me to be anyone but me and I won't ask you to either. Call someone so you aren't alone. I have to go." The call disconnected before he could say anything in response.
He sat in silence for a few minutes before hitting his 5th speed dial. Brock answered groggly after a few rings and he simply said "Hey, I probably shouldn't be alone tonight." Brock ended up staying for a few days.
When his head felt better and he had wrapped his mind around their last conversations he opened the text he hadn't been able to read.
- Trent, I'm sorry you're angry but I'm not sorry for doing this. Take care of yourself.-
This time he could not blame the concussion for his emotions as his tears fell.
Trent rechecked her vitals and gave her more morphine. He watched her sleep knowing she probably would not wake before they landed and she was whisked away for treatment beyond his skills. He lifted her hand and held it in his reassured by its warmth.
"You should eat." Davis stood beside him holding a turkey sandwich.
"I'll eat in Germany." He glanced to her.
"Any point in arguing?" She tilted her head at him.
"Not really." He reached for the blood pressure cuff and ignored anything else she wanted to say as he focused on the task.
Satisfied that the morphine had not altered her vitals he sat back down and lowered his head to hands. He listened to the activity on the plane. Paid as little attention as possible as he calculated how much longer the flight would be.
The medic assigned to Bravo support stood closely. Duncan watched both Serena and Trent. He had worked with Bravo for almost four years now and was both intrigued and amazed by Trent and his skills. He knew better than to try to help him with this woman's care, but that didn't stop him from watching Trent.
Trent looked pale and his hands trembled in a way Duncan had never seen. Bravo 4 was most likely dehydrated as he had not seen the man drink since they bordered the plane the day before. But he also appeared to be in shock.
"Trent you look like shit." Duncan uncapped a water and handed it to him. "Drink this."
Duncan looked around the plane wondering where the rest of Bravo had disappeared to that they were ignoring their 'about to fall over' brother. It was uncharacteristic for Bravo. His eyes finally landed in them at the front of the plane.
Mandy was on the phone arguing with someone and looking more frustrated by the second. Lisa was typing at the computer. The rest of Bravo was slouched in one place or another close to the table where Lisa was working.
"Yes, thank you." Mandy hung up the phone.
"Any luck?" Blackburn faced her.
"It took some doing but yes. I got her classified as an agency asset. We will be staying in Germany with Bravo as her protection detail until she is well enough to return stateside. Any luck with the flash drive?" She turned to Lisa.
"Almost have the files open. There we go. They are images." Lisa clicked a couple times. "Oh."
"What is it?" Jason stood.
"Trent."
"What?" Ray walked closer.
"Oh it's baby Trent." Sonny whistled.
"Look at his arm guys." Brock was shocked at the picture.
Trent looked younger than most of Bravo remembered him being. He was clean shaven with short hair. His muscular physique was replaced with a doughy appearance that was almost startling in contrast. In the picture Trent's right arm was wrapped in gauze and an ace bandage. The expression on his face was vacant and his pupils were pinpoint.
Trent stood behind the group as they stared at an image of him he wished did not exist. "That was taken at Walter Reed in 2009. What's the next file?" Lisa minimized the image as the startled group turned to him. "Duncan threatened me with an IV if I didn't find something to eat."
"Syria. 2011." The image that flashed into view was of Trent in uniform with Bravo's insignia clearly visible. He was clutching a dead child in his arms. The look on his face spoke of trauma but also of resolution. Lisa moved to the next file. Trent laughed as a picture of him asleep flashed onto the screen. "Also 2011, actually just a few days later in Greece." In the picture Trent was shirtless and a blanket was pulled to his hips as he slept with his arms above his head. Lisa clicked a few more times. "2013 Va beach." Trent smiled at the memory. The picture was of him on the beach as the sun set. He was laughing at her as she snapped the picture.
Trent grabbed a sandwich from the closest cooler and turned away. "I don't want to look at anymore." Unwrapping the sandwich he walked back to the medical area and Serena.
"I've got him." Brock moved to follow.
Trent ate the sandwich but didn't actually taste it. Duncan nodded as Brock approached before he walked away. Sitting on a net seat beside Trent he said nothing.
"We fought about this." Trent continued to watch her. "I basically called her a dumbass."
"I'm sure she knows you didn't mean it." Brock stretched his legs in front of him.
"I hope so."
"She's taken a lot of pictures of you." Brock watched him from the corner of his eye.
"She's a photographer. I told her that my job was to rescue dumbasses who get in over their heads... or something like that." Trent looked at the floor. "And look what happened. Her friend is dead and she's... well she's holding on for now."
"Trent. You think she wanted the flash drive because it has a bunch of personal pictures on it or because it compromised your operational status?" Brock leaned closer so thier shoulders were touching. "She cares about you, Brother."
"Probably wouldn't have been a great thing to leave in Somalia." Trent shook his head.
"Probably not." Brock slowly stood. "Gatorade or water?"
"Both." Trent slouched into the seat. When Brock returned he was sleeping and Duncan was taking vitals on Serena.
"Fluids or rest more important?" Brock looked to Duncan.
"Let him sleep. We land in two hours. I'll start an IV if I have to." The man turned back to jot something in her chart.
"Tr'nt?" Brock stepped closer to the gurney.
"Hey there, you're okay. I'm Brock and this is Duncan. He's a medic like Trent, who is right there sleeping." Brock stood closely.
"He okay?" Serena turned her head to look at Trent.
"Yeah. Just beat." Brock glanced over his shoulder back at Trent.
"Me too. It's nice to meet you Brock." Her voice was quiet.
"Nice to meet you too. How's the pain?" He inclined her bed just slightly.
"I'm sort of numb. Morphine?" She looked around the plane for the first time.
"Yeah. Trent didn't want you waking up in pain."
"Yeah." Her eyelids lagged.
"Rest. We're landing in Germany." Brock stopped moving away when Serena reached for his hand.
"Brock, is he really okay?" Her eyes looked like glass filled with unshed tears.
"He is. Get some sleep now." She let go of his hand as he reached for another blanket.
"Brock, the flash drive? Did anyone find it?" She yawned.
"Yeah it's onboard. We uh... we looked at it." Brock unfolded the blanket.
"Did he see?" She closed her eyes.
"Yeah he did." He covered her with the second blanket.
"Shit." A tear leaked from her eye as Duncan stepped closer.