The light streaming through the curtains caused the banging behind her eyes to increase significantly, moaning as she rolled over to squint at the ringing alarm clock on her bedside table she released a very loud "shit" and scrambled out of bed stumbling into the vanity table and sending bottles and cases everywhere. "Mikey quick your gonna be late" Emma Hayes shouted through a hoarse throat ending in hacking coughs that caused her to sway where she stood. Wrapping her arms around her middle she paused for a moment trying to stop the shivering that was wracking through her body. I'm not ill, I'm not ill, she chanted to herself within her own mind. Hearing her brother banging about in his room preparing to leave for school she realised that she needed to get herself ready too deciding that she would forgo a shower considering how crap she felt, she made her way to the chest of drawers searching out a pair of track pants and a hoodie she was sure was Clays finding the most comfortable she slipped them over her tank top and pants. Throwing her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head she decided that was as much of an effort she could make right now.

Stumbling into the bathroom she paused as she caught a glimpse of her self, flushed red cheeks, grey complexion and above all the black marks under her eyes told her all she needed to know about shit today was gonna be. Turning to face the sink she turned on the cold tap and cupped her hands to splash the cool water on her heated skin, once finished she grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and began the morning ritual that was so familiar. "Emma" hollered Mikey up the stairs "come on I have your bag and a bagel for you" spitting the toothpaste out Emma pushed herself from the bathroom unit and began to make her way out of the bedroom door into the hallway and down the stairs gripping the handrail tight so that she didn't fall as the world swam in front of her eyes, pausing she shook her head to clear the fuzziness away its just because I've just got up was the fleeting thought before it got lost in the tons of other thoughts that flew threw her brain.

Grabbing her keys from the sideboard and taking her bag from Mikey, Emma ushered him out of the house and into the car. Gripping the steering wheel tight and taking a moment to breath before breaking into another round of hacking coughs caused Mikey to look at her in concern. "Hey Ems are you okay? You sound ill" Mikey questioned her. Shrugging him off " I'm fine Mikey just a little cough,cold thing I'll be fine" Emma sent Mikey a reassuring smile and turned the key starting the engine and set of for school. Looking down at the dash she realised that they may just make it if there was no traffic, feeling a cold shiver she blasted the heating and hoped that she could make it through her classes.

Arriving at the school she pulled into the lot and pulled up next to Hannah's car who was leaning against the trunk whilst texting someone.Hannah looked up and waved the looked back down. As she went to grab her bag and a coat always kept in the back Mikey reminded her that he had practice tonight so would need her to drop him off and pick him up replying in affirmative Emma groaned inside her own head. Stepping out of the truck and locking he door behind them Hannah placed her phone into her pocket approached " girl I tried ringing you like 7 times" Emma patted her pocket for her nonexistent phone a realised that in her hurry she must of forgot to grab it. " Sorry Han I must of forgot it" Was the softly spoken reply. Hannah stepped closer to Emma and looked at her and realised that Emma was not well enough to be at school or doing anything but sleeping " hey you look real I'll you should go home and rest" she suggested concerned by the seat beginning to show on Emma's temple. " no I'm fine just a cold, I have to much to do to be ill today, Mikey has practice, groceries need to be done, classes, homework I'll be fine" Emma replied stubbornly jutting out her chin in a way that reminded Hannah of Jason.

"Okay but don't push yourself okay. Even if you go home and the come back for Mikey after you got some rest." Hannah cautiously advised her independent, stubborn determined friend. Vowing to herself to keep an eye of Emma she linked their arms and began the walk into the building stopping when Emma had a coughing fit and need to regain her breath. "Em, seriously you shouldn't be here" Hannah told Emma after the fifth time in as many minutes but Emma shook her off and continued to home room. Sinking into her seat Emma began to notice the shaking of her limbs and just how cold she really was, pulling her coat closer to herself she began to think that maybe Hannah was right and that she shouldn't be at school. No pull up your big pants Emma Hayes, your dad is relying on you was the sustaining thought that kept Emma sitting her seat focuses on the board in front that kept swimming in and out of focus even when Hannah joined her at the same desk minutes later.

When the bell rang signalling the end of home period Emma realised that she had no idea of what was said throughout the last hour. Noticing that Hannah was stood next to her chair waiting for her to get up and move to next period, leaning down she groped round her feet for her bag, settling the strap on her she used the table to push her self into standing ignoring how the room swam around her like it had earlier in the morning. Staggering to the door following Hannah seemed to take 20 years instead of the 20 seconds it actually took, standing outside the classroom door Emma leaned against the wall trying to catch her breath, legs feeling like jelly and body aching like she'd been on one of her dads training weeks.

"Emmy look I didn't mean to push you earlier but I'm just really worried about you" Hannah reached out for Emma's hand but pulled back at the heat radiating off of it "jheeze emma your burning up you need to go see the nurse" concern shining in her eyes made Emma listen to her childhood friend. "No no it's fine Hannie, I'm gonna go home and rest if I go to the nurse they'll try ringing my dad and then he'll worry and you know he can't worry when he's away" Emma panicked. "Hey hey calm down Emmie go home and call me later if you need me to bring Mikey home" Hannah calmly spoke, tears shining in her eyes at the bleak reminder of why there could be no distraction when on a mission. Emma took a deep breath that was interrupted with another coughing fit that seemed to go on longer than any of the others. Emma panted for a few moments before bracing her legs through sheer willpower and pushed of the wall gave Hannah a smile that was more of a grimace and began to make her way back to the truck intending to go home and curl up under her blanket. Hannah followed her progress down the hall before grabbing her phone and texting "hey check in with Emma".

Clays POV

The complete mission had been an utter fuck up- from dodgy Intel to the target getting away, the nasty bruise forming on Clays chest and beginning to work its way up round his collar bone was proof enough that something had gone wrong. Looking around the c17 Clay could see that all of his brothers couldn't wait to get back to base and back to civilisation that didn't involve dust and sand. They were all setting up the hammocks readying themselves for the 13 hour flight back stateside. Jason stood next to him watching the same thing with relief that all of the were returning home prevalent in his eyes "kid have you text Em? To say we're on our back stateside?" He spoke quietly so that the rest of the team didn't start their usual jokes of Clay tapping the boss's daughter and the modified locker talk considering they'd watched her group up.

" Yeah no answer though, she's probably asleep boss, it's what 11pm there?"

" yeah" Jason raised his hand to rub over his face "everything okay jas?" Clay questioned realising that his boss was concerned over something "it's fine, Em just didn't sound herself when I spoke to her last night"

"She seemed fine when I text her before the shit show, she's probably tired jas, I'll check in with her when we land if it's okay with you?" He asked, knowing that Jason still wasn't comfortable with his 18year old daughter dating one of his team, let alone with the six year age gap, that said Jason was beginning to come around knowing that Alanna had supported it in the end and watching the way his youngest team member treated his princess like she she deserved. "Yeah I gonna get some shut eye kid so should you"Jason responded as he moved away to his hammock near Ray's.Climbing into the hammock Clay led there looking at the picture of him and Emma looking back at him at couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Opening the messaging function he clicked on Emma's icon and typed out a quick text asking her to call him when she woke that done he locked his screen not trusting that the guys wouldn't go through the texts to use against him and that's not what he wanted. Shifting to get in a better position that wouldn't add pressure to his already sore chest Clay closed his eyes and slipped off to sleep.

Hearing movement next to him Clay slowly opened his eyes and blinked rapidly to refocus his eyes until he was looking up at the interior of the C17 and the concerned eyes of Trent who looked like he was checking up on the bruising which was making itself known in a persistent ache that radiated up his jaw when he opened his mouth to say " give a man some warning Trent" the man in question just smirked in response and questioned " how bad the pain? Nothing broken but your gonna be a rainbow for a while" Clay took some time to think about how much he was in, brain still muddled with sleep " um about a six man" Trent just nodded like he expected that response and handed over two painkillers that should handle it.

"Trent how's the kid doing?" Questioned Jason as he walked towards them "fine boss be a bit technicolor for a weeks or so" Jason shook is head and winced in sympathy as he took a look at the damage Clay had taken "oh she is sooo going to have something to say about that " He said. Clay moved to get up grimaces appearing on his face the boys lending a hand to get him upright which was clearly appreciated by the nod in their direction as he walked over to the benches. Glancing at his phone he realised that they would be landing in roughly four hours and he still hadn't heard from Emma. This was slightly worrying as she never missed a check in and when he looked up at Jason and received a shake of his head in acknowledgement of the silent question lifting the phone to his ear he rang her number and after a few moments heard her voicemail she just missed it that's all he reassured himself and after a couple of minutes retried knowing that there was no reason for her not to answer as it was a half day. The non answer was beginning to make him anxious as he tried again and again but received the same voicemail message each time. Shooting of another text to her asking if everything was okay didn't do much to ease the knot in the bottom of his stomach. Sonny called out "hey pretty boy what's your plans when we land seeing the pretty princess Miss Hayes?" Seeing Jason stiffen at the beginning of the locker room talk beginning Clay was quick to respond with " better than seeing anymore of your face son" which sparked a round of laughter from the rest of the guys. "You keep trying her" Jason murmured as he moved back to his own kit to grab his phone. Jason sat away from the rest of the team staring down at his phone with a frown creasing his forehead, the constant attempts of phone calls evident in the way he kept lifting his phone to his ear for a few moments before putting it back down and watching the screen for a few more before repeating the pattern. This continued periodically over the course of the next two hours interspersed with texts from the both of them that still went unanswered each one sharing concerned looks between them whilst maintaining conversations with the team so as to not raise concerns with them. Twenty minutes before landing Clay heard the tell tell ping of a message of his phone and frowned when looked down to see Hannah's name alongisde 'hey check in with Em'.

Walking over to Jason, Clay flashed him the text that he'd just received causing raised eyebrows and and order "soon as we land you go and check on her" Clay could do nothing but nod in agreement knowing that his superior had to complete AAR before leaving base.