Author's Note:My decision to make Tessa a Lieutenant Commander came from me doing research on Wikia, I wasn't sure what everyone on the team's ranks were - except that Jason is the Master Chief. And there it says that Brock, Nate, Ray, Sonny and Trent are all Lieutenant Commanders. *Facepalms* That's what I get for believing what I read. So, that is where her rank comes from. I just wanted you to know that I didn't just pull it out of my ass. Anyways, sorry for those who it upsets. Just roll with it, please??
Chapter Five : One Day I'll Tell You Everything
"What's the chances I'm going to hear something that's gonna piss me of in this meeting?" Theresa asked as they walked to their temporary war room. She, along with the rest of Bravo, had changed back into their uniforms after taking a quick shower.
"I'd say a solid 80 percent." Brock answered and the female Seal nodded, shoving her hands into her pockets.
Trent raised his eyebrows at him, "Why not 50-50?"
"Cause it's Tessa and there's a cake eater involved." Brock shrugged and Trent nodded, making a silent 'ah' with his mouth. They decided to hang back and lean against the containers - Cerberus at Brock's side - while Theresa and Jason walked up to the tables.
Jason cast Theresa a sideways glance, "What's the chance you keep your mouth shut when that happens?"
"A good ole, perfect round zero." She smirked up at him. They took a seat next to each other at one of the two-people tables.
"Believe everyone's properly situated here now, Ms. Ellis, so please tell us what we know about this poor woman, Ms . . ." The Corporal in his Navy Uniform trailed off expectantly. Theresa crossed her arms over her chest and schooled her features into a neutral look, hiding the fact that dread was pulling at her stomach.
"Uh Marshall, sir. Stacey Marshall." Amanda Ellis spoke up, answering his question. "Abducted April last year from her NGO's distribution center in South Sudan.We're not certain how she came into the possession of this particular group, but as you know, it's not uncommon for hostages to be sold and resold through various pipelines, particularly attractive Western females."
"Thank you, Ms. Ellis." His head turned to Blackburn. "Now, Eric, how are we planning to bring this young lady home, to her loving parents?" Relief. That's what Theresa felt when she heard his words. The dread unfolded in her stomach and she could breath properly for the first time since they saw the hostage on the screen.
"Sir?" Mandy interupted, much to the irritation of the Corporal.
"Yes, Ms. Ellis?" He said and Theresa could tell that he was trying to be polite, but his patience with her was thinning.
"Abu Samir's continued survival would almost certainly mean hundreds of deaths, both of civilians and of coalition personnel, and in fact, we believe he may have knowledge of planned attacks already in motion." Mandy said and just like that, the dread was back in Theresa's stomach, but this time it brought a friend. Rage flared through Theresa's chest. She clenched her fists and laid them on the table, out of reach of the knife that was clipped on her boots, pressing between the boot and her leg.
Jason leaned over to her, voice low. "I know the urge to throw your knife into her neck is big, but please don't commit murder infront of all these witnessess."
"No promises." She muttered, glaring at Amanda Ellis, wishing she would spontaniously combust. Her gaze moved to Jason, jaw clenched. "You have a plan?"
"I do." He nodded and she relaxed somewhat, knowing that he wouldn't lie to her.
"I'm gonna cut you off there, Ms. Ellis." The cake eater said, voice clipped. "It sounded like you're about to suggest we do nothing for Ms. Marshall, and instead adhere to our current operational plan to snatch Abu Samir." At his words, Theresa relaxed a little more. "Eric, I'm gonna ask you a very simple question. Do we have the resources to rescue the hostage and perform a successful nonlethal snatch of the HVT?"
Mandy turned back to her table with a sigh, glancing over at Jason. She immediately moved her gaze somewhere else when she noticed Theresa's dark glare aimed at her.
"Well, sir, it's difficult to be definitive, till we've had enough time to fully revise our ops plan, but I think at the moment-" Eric started, only to be cut of.
"We can do both." Jason interupted.
"I-I'm sorry. Who is that?" The bald man asked.
"Senior Chief Hayes." Jason informed him, standing up from the table and giving Theresa a warning glance. He only got a indecisive nod/shrug in return.
"Jason." The Corporal said in recognition. "Uh, you were saying?"
"I'm saying that we can accomplish both objectives." Jason repeated.
"Now, son, needless to say, your reputation precedes you. But that's mighty hard to imagine."
"Assuming that Samir digs in. But according to the CIA, he's gonna pick flight over fight." Jason glanced over at Mandy. "Isn't that right, Ms. Ellis?"
"Uh, that's correct." Mandy stood up again. "That's our projection."
Jason walked over to their miniature replica of the Compound Samir was hiding in. "So, Helo 1 and Helo 2 are gonna fast-rope the assault team on top of the building. They're gonna clear down and secure the hostage. Helo 3 is gonna go after Samir when he squirts. And Helo 4 is gonna maintain our close air support."
"Eric." The Corporal called out and Blackburn turned back to him. "Clearly your op-planning was much further along than you led us to believe. Nice work, son."
"Thank you, sir." Blackburn accepted, knowing it was wise not to tell the man that Jason just came up with that plan in the meeting.
"You'll launch this evening?" The man in charge asked.
"Soon as the sun goes down." Jason affirmed.
"Good. Good luck. Thank you, gentlemen." The Corporal said and the second the screen was black, Theresa got up so fast that her chair fell over. The screeching sound the chair made caught the whole room's attention.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Theresa snarled, walking over to Mandy with quick steps.
"Tessa, now's not the time." Jason said, seeing the look of pure anger on her face.
"Stay out of this, Jason." Theresa warned, turning her heated glare to her Boss and oldest friend. She turned back to Mandy when Jason nodded reluctantly. "Suggesting letting that poor woman, who has been held captive for a year and had God only knows what done to her, be left in her own personal hell."
"Samir needs to be stopped. At any means neccesary." The CIA Agent snapped, eyes hard.
"I always thought you were a bitch, Amanda, I just never thought that you're a heartless one."
"You've never liked me, Kane." Mandy accused, not backing down from Theresa's glare.
"That is not true." Theresa insisted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Once upon a time I thought you were a decent person, better than most I've met, until you almost got me killed."
"Bad intel almost got you killed." Mandy corrected.
"Which came from you. Even after Jason, Brock and I, told you that something didn't feel right. You ignored us and swore up and down that your intel was good." Theresa retorted, not backing down either. This has been a long time coming. Eleven months of dislike and pent up anger finally took over Theresa.
"If you can't handle the pressure of being a Seal and the fact that you could die, then you should leave the Navy." Mandy said and all of Bravo tensed. They saw the second she exploded - her posture changed, the fire in her eyes turning into lava.
The one second Theresa's fist went flying and the next Amanda was on her ass, hand cradling her jaw that was exploding with pain. The whole of Bravo was behind Theresa in a flash, ready to restrain her if she was going after Amanda a second time.
"There is a big difference between the possiblity of death and being sent into a suicide mission." Theresa spat, those pits of fire the female Seal called eyes finally made Mandy shrink back.
"I already apologized, what more do you want?" The CIA Agent asked, almost helplessly. Everyone on the team had forgiven her for that mishap in the beginning. Everyone except Theresa, who's ability to hold is grudge is as breathtaking as her ability to kick ass.
Theresa tilted her head, a cold smirk spreading on her lips. "Well, that's a long list, but right now, I'd very much like for you to disappear into thin air."
"Theresa, that's enough." Eric's voice snapped her our of her anger. She looked at him, saw the look in his eyes, the way his jaw was set. "Go take a walk." She stared at him and he stared back. Not even two seconds later did her respect and loyalty to and for Blackburn win out over her anger towards the CIA Agent. Her shoulders sagged, her head dipped and she turned around and walked out of the building.
Jason turned to Brock, "Go after her, before she does something stupid."
"She won't listen to me." The Canine Handler said, shrugging one arm. Theresa Kane was the most stubborn person he's ever met.
Jason gave him a look, "You're her best friend, Brock. I know she won't listen to you, but she'll talk to you. When she talks, she calms down instead of getting lost in her anger and the ticking time bomb inside her will defuse."
SEAL TEAM
Theresa walked until she was on the other side of the building. She leaned against the wall, eyes taking in her surroundings out of habit as the anger inside of her still burned fiercely. Damn that Amanda Ellis. The woman worked her nerves like no one else. Spotting two containers a few feet away from her, one red and one beige, she decided to walk over to them.
Theresa stopped when she was close enough before running at the containers. She pushed up against the one container, then the other before throw her body upwards. Her fingers grabbed onto the edge of the container and she gripped tightly. From there, she easily pulled herself up on the container.
Legs stretched out infront of her, she leaned back and pressed her palms against the container. With a hiss, Theresa immediately pulled back and blew on her slightly stinging hands. In her anger, she forgot that the sun has been shining down on the metal the whole day long. She decided to cross her legs and look over the base instead.
She squinted when she saw someone walking over to her and her body tensed. Spotting a familiar mop of brown curls and a four legged friend at his side, she relaxed. Theresa waited until he reached her and joined her one top of the container. She scooted to the edge, looking down as Cerberus settled in the shade of the containers while Brock settled beside her.
"Why do you always pick high spots to hide?" Brock asked, even though he already knew the answer.
"The higher I go, the quieter it is. I like quiet." Theresa shrugged, knowing that he was asking for conversation's sake. "Plus, I can see anyone coming closer to me."
"You need to let go of this anger you have towards her." Brock sighed, running a hand through his curls and waiting for the scoff he knew was coming.
The man wasn't disappointed. She scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest to seconds later. "I'm not angry at her, I hate her. I hate her and I want her gone."
"You don't hate her, you don't hate anyone." Brock retorted with a snort, which he received a light smack to his bicep for. "You hate what she almost cost you."
"Yeah, well, I'm pretty attached to the realm of the living." Theresa nodded in agreement.
"I'm not talking about that. Jason was right next to you, that's what you hate."
Theresa clenched her jaw. He was right. They both knew it. She flicked her tongue over her teeth, deciding to deflect. She didn't want to talk about it. "What, are you my shrink now?"
"Just your best friend, who happens to know you better than anyone else in this world." Brock's words was light, matter-of-fact, but both of them felt the weight behind his words. "Sides, you don't talk to shrinks anymore than you willingly talk to Ellis."
"Jason might disagree." Theresa countered, pointedly ignoring his last sentance.
"Maybe," he shrugged. "but that still doesn't change the fact that I know you."
"Whatever." She huffed, looking back down at Cerberus, waving at the dog when he looked up.
"And knowing you, means knowing that you're not capable of hate." Brock went on as if he hadn't heard her.
"I hate my mother." Theresa retorted without thinking, cursing herself mentally the second afterwards.
Brock knew her well enough to know a slip of the tongue, especially given the fact that in the three years that he's known her, she never once mentioned her life before meeting Jason, or how she even met Jason in the first place. This was the first time she's mentioned her mother. Brock had so many questions, all burning one the tip of his tongue. But unless Theresa gave him an indication that she was willing to share, he'd never ask.
"One day, I'll tell you everything, I promise." Theresa said, seeing all of the questions that burned in his eyes. She swung her legs over the side of the container before turning to him with a grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Race you around the building, old man?"
Brock smirked, nodding as he swung his legs over the side of the containers as well. In perfect unison they pushed off the container and landed on their feet expertly. Two seconds later, they were off running as fast as they can, with Cerberus bulleting far ahead of them.
When they rounded the building and stopped inside, doubled over and gasping for breath, Trent looked over at them with a grin. "Who won this time?" Brock raised his hand off his knee, pointed to himself. Theresa shoved at him with a light scoff and they both collapsed to the floor.
"You sure you're Tier One Operators?" Sonny teased as he walked up to the pair.
"Oh, whatever, Mister I'm-Afriad-of-Water." She gasped. The rest of the team chuckled at their antics and Sonny pulled a face.
"It ain't the water, so much as what's inside it." He defended, much to the amusement of his team.
Jason smiled to himself as he looked at the girl laying on the floor. Bomb defused, crisis adverted.
For now.
Because heaven knows, he knew that Theresa wasn't done being angry at Mandy. Not by a long shot.
SEAL TEAM
Theresa was on the helicopter, a lightness to her heart and a peace over her soul that she found nowhere else. The steady drum of adrenaline ran through her body as she laughed and joked with the rest of her team. Spenser was sitting next to her, looking at her when he thought she wouldn't notice. She did notice. So did Brock. When her best friend caught her eye, he gave her a smirk and wiggled his eyebrows as he gestured to the blonde next to her. She gave him a sarcastic smile before subtly flipping him the bird.
"This is Chalk 4. I'm having some kind of trouble with my pedals. I'm getting a lot of shake in 'em." The pilot of helo four said, voice crackling through the radio on Jason's shoulder. "It's affecting our stability. I'm trying to hold it steady."
"All right, Chalk 4, I need your honest assessment. Can you continue this mission?" Blackburn's voice came over the line.
Theresa held her breath, "Negative. I need to put her down." Everyone's mood hit the ground, knowing what was coming next.
"Copy, Chalk 4." Eric responded. "Chalks 1, 2 and 3, your birds are still functional, correct?"
"Roger. Five-by-five." Bravo team's pilot confirmed.
"Chalk 2, five-by-five."
"Chalk 3, five-by-five."
"All right, all call signs, initiate bump plan. Mission is now exclusively hostage rescue. Snatch and grab operation has been scrapped." Blackburn ordered them and Bravo exchanged grim looks.
"Confirming. Hostage rescue only." Chalk 1's pilot said.
They approached the Compound and Theresa readied herself.
"RPG, 12:00." Jason said and Ray shot the man down, no shots being hears because of his silencer.
The helo hovered as they all roped down to the roof, one by one. They then roped down from the roof to the nearest balcony. Stealthly, they made their way into the building. Through corridors and on the stairs they encountered their first hostiles. Ray shot them down and on the second ground floor, they started clearing all the rooms.
The last door they came across was locked. Shooting it open with a shotgun, Bravo breached. Jason and Ray was first through the door. When the sound of a female screaming hit her ears, Theresa knew that they were in the right place.
"Put it down now! Put it down!" Jason ordered the kid, who had a gun in his hands. Theresa stepped into the room, gun trained on the kid holding a gun. She forced herself to not care, to not see a kid, but an armed enemy. "Translator." Jason called for Clay and he started speaking in Hausa.
"I'm gonna ghost him." Ray warned when the kid didn't put down the weapon.
"Try another dialect." Jason ordered Clay as the child looked at Theresa. Theresa forced all of the emotion out of her face, ignoring the way stomach churned and images of a dead child flashed across her mind. Clay started speaking in Yoruba, but still the kid didn't put his gun down.
"Jace?" Ray called to his boss.
"Try another one." Jason said to Clay, not wanting to kill a child any more than the rest of them. Clay speaks in Mende and the kid finally puts his gun down. Theresa shouldered her rifle as she stepped to the kid. She hit the back of his knees with her foot and went down to the ground with him. Theresa zip-tied his hands behind his back.
Meanwhile, Jason walked to the terror filled hostage and tried to calm her down. "It's okay. It's okay. Look, hey, it's all right. It's okay. We're here. We're American. We're gonna take you home, okay? Shh. You're safe. All right?" The Chief crouched down next to her. "I'll get this off of you."
"Thank you." Stacey Marshall whispered as Theresa searched the kid for hidden weapons while Ray disarmed his weapon.
"We're gonna take you home, all right? It's okay. Hey." Jason was still working on soothing the hostage as Clay looked around as the three Bravo members worked like a well oiled machine with Sonny watching their six in outside in the corridor.
"All Chalks, this is Bravo. Move to secure the hostage. We're gonna move her to exfil from here.
"Roger, Bravo 1. Nice work." Chalk one's pilot responded.
"This is X-Ray 1. We're on the first deck. Looks like your dog's found something. Over." A voice informed them over the radio.
"Sonny! Sonny! You and the strap, you exfil her. We're gonna go see what the dog has, then we're gonna go home on Chalk 2. Let's go." Jason said to Quinn, nodding to Ray and Theresa.
Ray stopped in front of Jason, "Boss, we run into another one of the general's guys, it'd be great to have a translator with us."
"You want the strap on my back, don't you?" Jason asked, then he looked at Theresa.
"I'll go with the hostage, after the hell she's been through, she'd feel better with a female by her side anyways." Theresa shrugged, getting the message that she couldn't go with him and Ray this time.
"Okay, let's go. Let's go." Jason moved and in five seconds, he, Clay and Ray were gone and in the opposite direction of her and Sonny.
"It's Stacey, right?" The blonde nodded, still shaking. "Well, my name is Theresa."
"Nice to meet you." Stacey said, the honesty and relief palable in her voice.
"I bet." Theresa nodded, shrugging her rifle off her shoulder and holding it out to Sonny. When he took it, she stepped closer to the blonde woman. "Now, I need you to tell me if you have any immediate injuries? Something that would endanger your life or hinder your ability to walk?" The female Seal pressed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"N-no, I'm fine." Her voice broke and her eyes shined with tears. "I just . . . I want to go home."
"Let's go then." Theresa smiled at her, wrapping one arm around Stacey and the woman gladly leaned into the embrace.
The female Seal looked over at Sonny. He nodded and walked out of the room, gun trained in front of him and ready to shoot if they missed someone as Theresa pulled her Glock from it's thigh holster, flicked off the safety and held it in one hand, finger on the trigger and ready to shoot should trouble arrive. Every three seconds, Theresa looked behind her to scan for a threat. It wasn't likely, but it wasn't impossible either.
This time, they could use the stairs that led to the roof. She didn't know if Stacey could even climb a rope in her fragile state. Trent joined them on the roof, questioning gaze flickering to the hostage then to Theresa. She shook her head 'no' to the silent question as she holstered her gun. Stacey didn't need immediate medical attention.
The three Bravo members got into Chalk One and the helo took of into the night sky, going back to Base. Theresa sat down on the floor next to the hostage as Sonny and Trent each covered one of the open doors of the copters.
Theresa turned her head to the woman after Stacey stifled a yawn, "You can sleep if you want to, flight's an hour and a half." Stacey nodded and not ten minutes later did her head fall onto Theresa's shoulder.
"How is she?" Trent looked over his shoulder, nodded to the former hostage when he noticed that she was asleep.
"Physcially? Malnutritioned, but fine. Mentally?" Theresa shook her head, heaving a sigh. "Traumatised, scared half to death, the list goes on. It's gonna take work, but she'll be fine."
"You sure?" Sonny asked without looking back at them.
"She survived hell for a year. She's a fighter." Theresa nodded confidently, looking down at the woman that fell asleep against her shoulder.
SEAL TEAM
"Can I talk to you?" Amanda Ellis' voice reached her ears when she stepped out of Eric's makeshift office. Theresa tensed but turned to the woman with a raised eyebrow. "I wanted to apologize about earlier. I was out of line and you were right. She could have been tortured for months before being executed."
"I'd apologize for the jaw, but I'm not sorry." Theresa shrugged unapologetically, eyeing the ugly purple bruise, and Mandy nodded in understanding. "Anything else?"
"No." Mandy shook her head and Theresa turned around not even taking two steps before the raven haired woman spoke again. "Can't you stop being angry and forgive me?" Her voice was pleading, almost begging. Theresa once again turned back to the CIA Agent.
"Jason. Ray. Brock. Cerberus. Trent. Sonny. Eric. Lisa. Alana. Emma. Mikey." Theresa named, voice calm and her face blank. "On a planet with six billion people, I have ten people and one dog in my world. Ten people and a dog that I'd kill for. Ten people and a dog that I'd jump infront of a bullet for. They're my family." She took a deep breath. "It all started with me meeting Jason. If I never met him, becoming a Seal wouldn't have ever crossed my mind and I would have never had this family. I warned you that intel was dogdy and the place even more so. You ignored me and thanks to you, I almost lost him. So, no, Amanda, I can't just stop being angry or forgive you."
This time, Mandy didn't try to stop Theressa when she turned around and walked away. Mandy took a deep breath, shoving down the hurt in her chest before knocking on Eric's door.
Theresa walked over to Sonny and Trent, both men eyed her. Quinn was the one who asked first, "You good."
"Peachy." She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and silence fell among them as they waited for the rest of their team.
"Here they come." Sonny muttered when they heard the tell tale sound of helo roters.
Having been in debriefing ever since they touched down, not Sonny, Theresa or Trent has had time to get out of their gear. Their weapons was in their cots and the vests was wearing them down but they wanted to see their brother's first before relaxing and getting out of uniform.
They heard them before they saw them. "I told him, 'Stay outside, watch my six'." Jason said, voice heated. The three inside exchanged looks.
"Yeah, I know, but the kid made a call." Ray tried to reason. Theresa snorted. He'd have more luck with a wall, Jason's as stubborn as she is. Maybe even more.
"No, what what kind of call did he make?"
"And you know what, he's got a point." Ray defended.
"A point?" Jason asked as they rounded into Bravo's makeshift quaters.
"That guy trying to creep could've just as easily had a friend."
"What happened?" Theresa called over to them, knowing that there was a reason for the look on Jason's face.
"Kid got Samir straight through the light switch. Jace thinks there could have been a different ending." Ray answered when Jason didn't, just thundered his way to his cot. Theresa rose her eyebrows in disbelief - that what's had Jason huffing and puffing? She already knew that and thought that something else happened. Personally, she wasn't all that bothered about Samir's demise when Eric told them about it.
"Impressive." Theresa nodded as she started taking off her vest.
"Right." Jason muttered.
"I mean, come on." Ray tried again.
"You know what, Samir is all about martyrdom. I tell you what, that detonator, bam, right when we enter the room. Boom." Jason argued back.
"Maybe he was trying to draw us closer." Ray reasoned.
"You know what? His thumb wasn't on the detonator, okay?" He looked over at Sonny that was also taking off his vest. "How was it with the hostage?"
"Got her number." Sonny answered, causing Theresa to snort in amusement.
"Got her number. That's something." Jason scoffed, looking over at the female SEAL.
"All good." She rolled her shoulders, shaking the tension out of them.
"Hold on, you're saying that's why you didn't smoke him?" Ray asked his boss.
"Wait a second. Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. Stop. You're saying that's why you didn't smoke him?"
"No. No, man. The kid was right as far as my position. I didn't have a clear shot."
"I did, I did. I had the shot. I could've brought him in." Jason insisted as Theresa pulled out her water and Cerberus' doggie cookies that she always carries with her and took as seat on the floor next to Brock and Cerberus.
"Hey Cerb," She gave the dog an affectionate scratch around the ears. "I heard you found Samir." She offered him the treats and he took them. "Good job, boy."
"Bottom line, kid saw a guy in an S-vest, saw he had the drop on him, took the shot." Ray said, he and Jason still arguing about Spenser as Theresa drank a few mouthfuls of water.
"White noise right now in my head. I am not hearing you." Jason told Ray as Theresa offered Cerberus another cookie.
"You're gonna call him out in the AAR, say he got it wrong?" Ray paused and Theresa turned to look at him, wanting to see Jason's face. The look on his face said that he was considering it. "Cause you know that's gonna follow him, Jason. Your name in an AAR, saying it was a bad shoot?" Jason exhaled nosily. "Look, you might actually be the best damn gunfighter who ever lived. If not, you're awful close."
"All right, I'm listening now. What was that?" Jason said, voice turning a little smug from Ray's words. Theresa turned to Brock and held up the bag of treats, silently asking if she could give Cerberus more, knowing that Cerberus wasn't allowed more than two treats at a time. He hesitated, then nodded and held up two fingers. The dog did find a major terrorist today. She took out two more treats and closed the ziplock baggie.
"So, if you tell me that even back when you were in Green team you were good enough to give a guy in an S-vest the pregnant pause before smoking him because of where his damn thumb was?" Ray asked and Theresa was woman enough to admit that she would have done the exact same thing that Spenser did.
"Samir's thumb wasn't on the detonator. Thumb was not on the detonator. Did you see his thumb?" Jason was walking up and down, trying to get rid of his frustration.
"I couldn't see his hands."
"I could see his hands." Jason retorted stubbornly.
"You feel honor bound to call the kid out because he missed something that you and a half dozen other guys on Earth are good enough not to miss?" Ray asked after Jason. "Just make sure you're not doing it 'cause of who his father is."
"All right, okay." Jason needed air, before he punched something or someone.
"Or who he reminds you of." Ray said, going straight for the kill. "Nate's death isn't on you." Jason stared at him silently. Theresa knew that Ray's words hit home for Jason. They all knew that Jason blames himself.
"Hell of an op, gents and lady." Blackburn's eyes glanced over Bravo. "Outstanding." Theresa noted Spenser walking past her and Brock. She looked at him for a second longer than she usually would have, before turning her head to her Commander, missing the smirk on Brock's face.
"Thank you very much, sir." Jason answered, not looking away from Ray.
"It was our pleasure." Theresa grinned at Eric.
Blackburn gave her a fond look before going back to bussiness, "Listen, obviously, most of the AAR is gonna be about the chopper problems. Comms we obviously know about. Intel turned out to be solid. Eight enemy K.I.A.s, including one HVT wearing an S-vest. All clean, correct?"
The silence streched for a few seconds, everyone looking at Jason and wondering what he was going to do. "Roger. Eight clean kills, sir."
"It's good work." Blackburn nodded, walking away.
Brock turned to Theresa, a mischievous look in his eyes. His voice was low enough that no one could hear him when he spoke, "So, what's going on between you and that Spenser-kid?"
"Nothing." She deadpanned, giving him a flat look.
"Right," Brock drawled sarcastically, nodding his head for effect. "-that's why he looks at you like you're God's gift to all of mankind."
She cuffed him upside the head lightly, cheeks tinted the lightest shade of pink. "Shut up."
Brock released a loud laugh, but did as she told him.
Theresa turned around and snuck a glance at Spenser, only to find him looking at her already. Their eyes locked. She tried to decipher the look in his eyes, trying to figure out if Brock was right. Then she looked away, shaking her head slightly. It didn't matter anyways. Brock was wrong and she didn't care what Spenser thought about her.
Jason walked up to them, hands on his hip and still looking frustrated. "You coming with me to Emma's recital?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She smiled at him, it widened slightly when some of the tension eased out of his shoulders. She held out a hand an he pulled her up easily. Then she looked at him seriously. "Look, what Ray said, about Nate and Spenser-"
"I don't want to talk about it." He cut her off.
"Fair enough," She nodded, not taking offense. Everyone grieves differently. Just look at her, she still hasn't talked about Nate. To anyone. "But if you ever want an ear to listen, I'm here."
Jason's face softened. "Thanks, Tessa." He paused for a second. "You know that goes both ways, right?"
"I know." Theresa nodded. Countless nights did she spent one his shoulder crying. Countless hours did Jason silently listen to her as she ranted while she paced up and down.
She really did know.