Chapter Twelve : Alarm Bells
"Okay, what flavours do you want?" Theresa asked when it was their turn to order just as she scanned the rows and rows of ice cream flavours.
Seeing as how Theresa was grounded - along with the rest of Bravo - for the next two weeks because of being shot, the woman decided to make good on her promise to Alana and took the kids out the first Saturday of her two weeks of healing. So, here they were, in an ice cream shop after she took them for some McDonald's.
"Bubblegum!" Mikey exclaimed excitedly, eyes glittering as his gaze alternated between the ice cream and the female Seal.
"Vanilla." Came Emma's much quieter and reserved reply, half hidden behind the older woman.
Theresa turned back to the teenage boy, who's name tag read Ace, behind the counter - he kept eyeing Emma and thus making her uncomfortable - with a killer glare, stepping fully infront of Emma. She was immensely satisfied to see him take a step back.
"So, Ace, could you stop staring at her?" Theresa asked, her voice low. The boy nodded shakily, eyes staying on the Seal dispite the fact that he was scared shitless of her. He was probably more scared of what Theresa would do if he looked back at Emma. "Fantastic." She gave him a cold smile, her voice overly cheery. "Now, we'll have one bubblegum and one vanilla ice cream and one caramel milkshake."
Theresa paid before making her way to a booth with her entourage, eyes scanning the resturant for any trouble. This might not be a mission, but these two kids are more important than any mission could ever be. And if anyone wanted to hurt them, then they'd have to do it over her dead body.
Mikey sat next to Theresa and Emma sat across from them.
"So. Tell me everything. What have I missed?" Theresa inquired with an easy smile.
Mikey took that as his que to start talking. "Not much, school is so boring. It's just homework, homework, homework." He pauses for a moment before his eyes brightened. "We got a subsitute teacher because Misses Henderson had a baby and two of my class friends had their birthdays. Oh, Darren tried to punch me, but I ducked away just like you taught me, Tessie!" He babbled, clearly proud of himself at his last sentance.
"Nice, buddy." She cheered, holding her palm up for a high five that he eagerly smacked his smaller one against. Then her face shifted into a more concerned one. "Mikey, why did Darren try and punch you?"
"Because I told him that he's a dumbass that doesn't know anything after he said that daddy is a killer because he's in the Navy." Mikey shrugged as if it didn't bother him. Which, considering the fact that he didn't hit back - and he defenitely could because Theresa taught both him and Emma basic defense moves - it probably didn't.
It did, however, bother Theresa. Where did that kid get of calling Jason - and indirectly her - a killer because of their jobs? Sure, they do kill, but that isn't something they do lightly. And they do it so that everyone here at home - that mouthing of kid included - would be safe. Being in the Navy, being a Seal, is who she is. And this kid attacked who she is at her very core - the fact that he did so indirectly didn't matter.
Feeling more than a little insulted, she mutterly darkly, "Next time he taunts you, go straight for the nose."
"Mommy said fighting isn't good." Mikey told her with wide eyes, just as a waiter came to their table with the ice cream for them and the milkshake for her.
"You leave mom to me." Theresa smiled at him reassuringly and earnestly. The smile widened when Mikey just nodded happily at her - somehow seeming lighter than he was moments before - before digging into his ice cream. She turned to Emma, who had been quiet the whole time. "What about you, Em?"
"Fine." Emma answered, picking at her ice cream with her spoon and not even looking at the Seal.
The smile fell from Theresa's face. She cleared her throat before speaking, "You know, if you didn't want to come, then you should have just said so. I wouldn't have been mad."
At that statement, Emma looked up sharply. "No, I wanted to come." Her eyes pleading with the woman to believe her.
"Then what is going on with you?" Theresa asked with a sigh, desperation in her voice as she looked at the blonde. "Because you've barely said a word to me."
"You almost died and you didn't tell us. We had to hear from dad." She spat out the words angrily and the Seal got some clarity as so what was going on with the blonde. Why she was being so distant.
"You're mad at me, then?" Theresa asked, just to be sure.
"Yes." Emma nodded.
At this, Mikey looked up from his ice cream and spoke to his sister through a mouthful of the frozen goodness. "That's not fair, Em, it's not Tessie's fault she got shot."
"It's fine, Mikey, Emma can be mad at me if she wants to be." She may have spoken to the younger sibling, but she looked at the older one. Silently letting Emma know that it was okay to be mad at her. Then she looked back down at Mikey. "You can be mad too."
"I'm not mad." He told her instantly, bright and honest eyes looking up at her. "I'm just glad you are okay."
"You and me both, kiddo." Theresa ruffled his hair before turning her attention back to the blonde girl. "So, you're mad because I didn't tell you?"
"No, I'm mad because I could have lost you." Emma countered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Oh, sweetie." Theresa sighed, finally understanding why she was getting the silent treatment. She stood up and rounded the table to sit down next to Emma. "I hate to break it to you, Em, but dying is an occupational hazard of mine." She teased lightly, wrapping an arm around Emma's tense shoulders.
"Doesn't mean that I have to like it." Emma grumbled sulkily, but didn't pull away from the Seal.
"No, it doesn't." Theresa conceded with a nod. "But it is a fact."
"An unfortunate one." She pouted, albeit looking much more at ease than before. Like something inside of her had finally settled down.
"Maybe." Theresa shrugged, not agreeing with her. She could think of no greater honor than dying while protecting or saving her brother's. "You know what else is a fact? There is the fact that I love you two so much. There is the fact that as long as I'm alive, I will always be there for you. There is the fact that as long as I'm breathing, I will fight to come home. Good enough for you?" She glanced from sibling to sibling.
"Yes." Mikey nodded, attention quickly turning back to his ice cream. Theresa gave him a fond smile, looking at him while giving Emma some time to process. Eventually, she looked at the blonde with raised eyebrows."
"Yeah, it's enough." Emma finally said with a small smile, looking at the woman that is practically her sister. "But I'm never going to be okay with the fact that you might not come home."
"I'd never expect you to be." Theresa said and the small smile on Emma's face turned into a wide, relieved grin.
Reaching across the table, Theresa grabbed her caramel milkshake and sipped on it, completely content to listen to Emma rambling about the really cute boy in her class that had chocolate coloured hair and forest green eyes and this really cute top she wanted to buy for herself.
SEAL TEAM
A week later, Bravo team walked into their war room. Looking around, all of them were confused. There was no one in the room. No Blackburn, no Mandy and no strap that they eventually get stuck with. All of the monitor screens were black and it was eerily silent. They were all busy intheir equipment cages - today Theresa's two weeks of healing was over - waiting to be called in for an op. The whole team was restless - two weeks of doing nothing tends to have that effect on Seal's that is used to not sitting around for more than a few days.
Then Jason had gotten a text that said he needed to be in the war room at 11H00. Seeing as no one else got a message - which was weird - the Master Chief just asked the whole team to come with him. Maybe they forgot to notify the rest of the team.
"Any of you know what this is about?" Trent asked as Theresa took her usual seat next to Brock.
"Nah." Sonny shook his head.
"Mission?" Ray guessed as Cerberus curled up at Brock's feet.
"Nope, shrink hasn't cleared me yet." Theresa shook her head. Everytime one of them gets shot - no matter the fact that they were Tier One and trained to do this - they had to under go a psychological evaluation. To see if they were traumatized or suffering from PTSD.
"Why not?" Brock asked, turning to her with concern in his eyes. Was there something wrong with his best friend that she was hiding from them? Surely she knows better than that.
"I don't know." Theresa shrugged innocently. A little too innocently.
Jason immediately caught on that, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Tessa, what did you do?"
She opened her mouth, then closed it again as she thought very carefully about her words. "Alright, I might have pissed her off. A little bit."
"Theresa." The Master Chief growled, clearly out of patience. "What. Did. You. Do?
The female Seal winced, before resigning herself to come out with the truth. "She mighy have been a little angry after I may have I told her that psych-evals is more traumatic than any bullet wound ever could be."
Silence.
Complete and utter silence filled the war room for one long second.
The next second, the whole of Bravo burst out laughing because that was just such a Tessa-thing to say. Unable to help herself, Theresa joined in on the laughter.
All traces of laughter and humor vanished when Eric entered the room, followed by Doctor Tina Drake - Theresa's shrink - and Captain Anderson.
Uh oh. A higher up could only mean trouble.
Instantly, the whole of Bravo was on alert.
"Eric, what's this about?" Jason asked, recognising the head doctor besides his Commander and Blackburn's boss. Fear made his legs shake a little - what if the doc decided to fail Theresa on her psych-eval and she couldn't come back to Bravo?
"Sorry for the confusion, gentleman, but this meeting is only for Jason and Tessa." Eric gave them all a stern look when they wanted to object, and they all left with great reluctance. All of them grumbling - Sonny less quietly than the rest of the team - as they did so, Brock shooting her concerned looks even as Theresa assured him (and the rest of the team) that she'd tell them everything.
Much to Captain Anderson's chargin.
When they all left, Hayes and Kane turned to three expectantly.
"Am I not being cleared for active duty?" Theresa cut right to the chase when the silence stretched on.
"Doctor Drake wants to talk to you, Lieutenant Commander." Captain Anderson spoke up, straightening his back and looking at her sternly in an effort to intimidate the female Seal.
Theresa gave him a flat look, "She's not doing a whole lot of talking."
Realising that she had a point, the Captain gestured for the shrink to start talking.
Taking a deep breath, Doctor Drake stepped forward. "Lieutenant Commander Theresa Kane is harsh, aggresive, short tempered, lethal, anti-social, brutally honest, has a blatant disregard for any authority unless it is Jason Hayes or Eric Blackburn, she is uncaring about everyone outside her inner circle - but will still lay down her life for a stranger while extremely over-protective to the few she does care about."
Theresa tensed. Her body was tighter than a bow string as she sat, silently glowering darkly at the Doctor. Her fingers itched to reach for the knife that was usually clipped to her combat boots and throw it at her- Jason really did take every last one of her weapons. She wondered what would happen if she decked the doctor in the face. It's been a while since she's thrown a punch.
Her fingers clenched into fists so tightly that her knuckles became white with the force of it.
Watching her out of the corner of his eyes, Jason quickly intervened before Theresa could get up and launch herself at the shrink. "I'm sorry, excuse me, but what does this have to do with Tessa being cleared for active duty?"
"Normally, I would not clear someone with all of this emotional turmoil for active duty. However her loyalty to you, Chief Hayes, is something that can rise above all of those feelings and she would be able to over come all of them when it comes to saving him or her team."
Knowing that Theresa was uncomfortable with feelings and sometimes has difficulty understanding her emotions (very rarely these days, but it still happened), nevermind sharing and having them picked apart, Jason gave the woman a withering look that made her immediately advert her gaze.
"And this needed to be said in front everyone, cause why?" His voice was glacial.
At least she had the decency to look sheepish. "Because while her loyalty to you is unwavering and something I admire greatly, it is also a bad thing."
"Why?" Jason asked with a raised brow.
"Because should something one day happen to you, and you are not there to control her any longer, she will not only be lethal, but she will be dangerous. And for that reason, I would like her to begin regular therapy sessions to try and help her be less dependant on you." Tina said, looking at a spot on the wall in the back of the room.
"First of all, I don't control her and she's not dependant on me. She is a grown woman and makes her own decisions. Second of all, Tessa's already dangerous, cause hello, lethal and dangerous means the same thing. And third of all, there is no way she's doing therapy."
"That's not your decision to make, Hayes." Captain Anderson interupted snidely.
"He didn't say that because that's his decision on the matter - although I guess it isn't far from the truth either. He said it because he knew that would be my desicion." Theresa spoke up for the first time since the doctor started sprouting all this bullshit. Her voice was low, but clear and firm.
"I think it could benefit you as a person." Anderson felt the need to give his (unwanted) imput once more and the doctor nodded in agreement.
"I don't care what you think." Theresa snapped fiercely, ignoring the 'case in point' Doctor Drake muttered. She turned her gaze to Eric. "I do, however, care what you think. So, I want you to tell me, do you think this could benefit me? And please, answer me honestly. Not what you think I want to hear."
Eric looked taken aback, but still genuinely touched that she looked to him for advice. He cleared his throat. "No, I don't think you would."
Ignoring the looks of shock and fury on the doctor and Captain's faces, Theresa continued to study Blackburn's face for any signs of lying. "Why?"
"Because you wouldn't be able to open up. We've worked together for three years and I still don't even know how you met Jason, never mind how you or by who you were trained to fight and you trust me. At least, enough to listen to me when I tell you to back down. For therapy to work, trust needs to come from both sides and you will never trust someone if you feel forced to do so. I also happen to think you don't need therapy. You are good at your job and you have never let your feelings interfere with it."
"I trust you and I respect you, just as much as I do Jason." Was the first words out of Theresa's and it threw everyone in the room for a loop. Anderson and Drake watch in shock as Theresa looked at her Commander with a gentle and honest gaze. Then Anderson almost tripped in his haste to take a step back when the look vanished and hard eyes settled on his. "Now, unless there is anything else and I'm not being cleared for active duty, I think this meeting is over."
None of them said anyting, but she could have sworn that Eric was concealing a smile - if the proud look in his eyes was anything to go by. Taking the silence as permission to go, she and Jason pushed up from their chairs and walked to the door. Opening the door, Theresa honestly wasn't surprised to find the rest of her team outside. Either leaning against the wall - Ray and Trent - or sitting down on the ground - Brock, Sonny and Cerberus. Automatically a smile spread on her face as she looked at them.
"So, how'd it go?" Ray asked expectantly when neither of them said anything. Brock and Sonny got to their feet.
"I'm back." She grinned at them. Cheers erupted and Sonny picked her up and spinned her around, rejoicing with a loud, "Thank God."
"What happened in there?" Brock asked, concern etched onto his face. He stepped closer for a hug when Quinn set her down.
Theresa hugged her best friend back and when he let her go, she pulled a face as she thought back to what the shrink suggested. "They wanted me to take up regular therapy."
Four blank faces stared at her, clearly waiting for the punchline, until Trent asked, "You're kidding right?"
"Not even a little." Jason snorted, not looking even a little amused. He sobered up and looked at Theresa. "You okay, Tessa? Like, really okay?"
"Fine." Theresa nodded. Jason gave her a look of scrutiny, clearly searching to see if she was telling the truth. "I'm good, Jace, I promise."
Satisfied with what he found on her face, a slow smile spread on his face. "Then, I guess I can give you your weapons back, huh?"
"Uh, hell yes!" Theresa nodded vigourously and practically ran all the way to the equipment cages, an amused Jason following behind her after Bravo - who was now secure in the knowledge that Theresa would be back on the team and is okay - told their Chief that they would be heading to the cafeteria and wait there for the two remaining members.
"Whoo-hoo, come on, hand them over." Theresa looked positively gleeful as she made grabby hands at him in the equipment room.
Jason rolled his eyes at her, pulling open the door to his cage and walking inside. "How old are you?"
"I just turned five." She gave him a sweet smile, jumping in excitement. Jason picked up her wooden crate full of weapons and carried it over to her cage, setting it down with a exaggerated groan. Theresa pulled off the cover before sitting down flat on her ass and immediately went for her knives. "My babies, don't worry. Mama's got you." At this, Jason snorted again, watching as she twirled her knives with obvious content and happiness.
"Want to join the others in the cafeteria?" She asked as she stood up straight, clipping her favourite knife to the inside of her boot, leaving the rest of her weapons in the crate for now.
"Yeah." Jason called as he walked back to his cage and Theresa stared after him, taking note of his tensed shoulders and bowed head. This wasn't like the Master Chief. Something was bothering him. Theresa followed him to his cage, leaning in the 'doorway'.
She leaned against the metal, eyes watching him like a hawk. "What's up?"
"Nothing." Came his expected reply.
"Come on, Jace, how long have I known you?" Theresa said with a little laugh, a pointed look on her face.
"It's a woman." Jason announced softly, unable to look at Theresa as he did so. He busied himself with disassembling his rifle, to keep his hands busy.
The female Seal looked at him, brows pulled in confusion. "What's a woman?"
"The burner phone." Jason said, giving her a 'get with the program' look. "I went to the address and I saw a woman coming out of the house."
Theresa formed a silent 'oh' with her mouth. "What's Alana say?"
"I haven't told her yet." He admitted, guilt flashing on his face.
"Okay," Theresa nodded and Jason felt relieved when she didn't give him a disapproving look. "-well have you talked to the woman?"
"I haven't decided if I'm going to." The Master Chief admitted.
"Well, whatever you decide to do, I'll back you up, you know that, right?" Theresa told him, giving him a reassuring and supportive smile.
"Yeah, I do." And it was only then that Jason realised those words was why he told her in the first place. To know that no matter what, right or wrong decision, he has someone that will take his side above all others and stand by him. "Thanks, Tessa."
"Anytime." She smiled.
Jason decided that while he was on the truth telling path, he might as well share everything else with her too. "And to make things worse, Mikey got in a fight."
Theresa's eyes widened, her mind flashing back to the conversation she had with him at the ice cream shop. Could it be that the dumbass kid mouthed off about Jason again? "No way."
"Yes way." He deadpanned. "You wanna know the rest kicker? The teacher thinks it's because Alana and I are seperated. Even asked if we're seeing other people."
Interested in that question herself, Theresa smirked. "Are you?"
"No." Jason asked, looking away from her.
"You're hiding something." Theresa stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest, eyes studying the Master Chief intently. Then the slightest shade of pink tinted Jason's cheeks and everything fell into place for her. "Oh my God, you and Alana are sleeping together." The female Seal stated - no question about it - laughing heartily as she threw her head back.
"How on Earth could you have possibly guessed that?" Jason frowned heavily at her, clearly unnerved with her ability to make connections with minimal information.
"Cause I know you." She sing-songed with a smirk.
"Just don't tell the kids. I don't want to get their hopes up."
"I won't." Theresa swore earnestly. While she was hoped Jason and Alana could work things out and was happy that it seemed to be going in the right direction, she knows it's not her place to tell Mikey and Emma anything. Even if she is an honorary member of the Hayes family. "You wouldn't happen to know the kid's name that he got in a fight with?"
Jason shrugged, not really worried about it. He knew that Mikey wouldn't have fought with someone with out a good reason and he's not going to scold his child for it. "Dale or Damian. I don't know, something with a D."
"Darren?" Theresa asked with a raised eyebrow.
Recognition flashed in Jason's eyes and he nodded. "Yeah. How'd you know?"
"When I took them out that Saturday, Mikey told me that a kid named Darren tried to take a swing at him. He didn't try to hit back at the time, but I told him to aim for the nose next time the kid comes looking for trouble." Theresa winced as she told him, her whole body tensing as she waited for his reaction. If Mikey was going to get into trouble for hitting a kid, she might as well own up to her part in it.
Jason closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and supressing a groan. He opened them, fixing her with a questioning look. Some of the tension in her shoulder disappeared. At least it wasn't angry. Theresa hated it when Jason was angry with her. "Tessa, why would you do that?"
"He called you a killer." Theresa admitted and Jason's head whipped to her so fast she feared he might get whiplash.
"Really?" Jason asked, clearly in disbelief over how mean a kid could be. Theresa nodded, eyes shifting around as Jason put his reassembled weapon back in it's case. "You know, suddenly, I'm very proud of him."
A breath of air left her lungs and all of the remaining tension drained out of her. Theresa gave him a brilliant smile before stepping out of his cage. "So, does that mean we're eating? Cause I'm really hungry."
"Yeah." Jason let out a light laugh, wiping his hands with a cloth to remove the gun oil. "Hey, did you hear Ash Spenser's in town for a book signing."
"Everyone's heard." Theresa snorted, shoving her hands in her pants pockets.
The duo walked to the cafeteria, easily spotting the remaining four members of their team. Ray and Trent sat next to each other on one side while Brock and Sonny sat together on the other.
"Please tell me that is for me? I'm practically starving." Theresa groaned, eyes zeroing in on the tray full of food that was next to Brock with laser focus.
"No, it's for the Invisible Man." Sonny groused good naturedly.
"He wants it, he can come and fight me for it." She said as she sat down and started shoving her face with food, temporarily ignoring the rest of her table. Jason sat down across from her and next to Ray.
Ray looked up from his tray, "Fifty bucks says, if the Invisible Man was real, Tessa would have kicked his ass."
"No way, she would never be able to catch him." Sonny denied, picking at his chicken. "Invisible, remember?" He deadpanned.
"I think she could, I mean, she always knows when someone is behind her." Brock reasoned.
"Yeah, if she can hand me my ass, then she can hand the Invisible Man his." Jason nodded in agreement, leaning over the table to bump his fists with Ray and Brock.
"Nah, I'm with Sonny on this one." Trent said, a light smile on his face.
"Wow, glad to hear about you confidence in my skills." Theresa drawled dryly, looking up from her tray and glancing around the cafeteria, unknowingly searching for something, but not knowing what. When her eyes locked on a familiar blonde, her eyes brightened and she realised he is what she was looking for. Or rather, who.
Spenser.
Taking a second glance at him, alarm bells went off in her head.
Shoulders slumped, eyes nailed to his tray of mostly uneated food, not participating in the conversation at the table and not looking alert or anything that could even remotely resemble a Navy Seal, like he was caught up in his thoughts. Something is wrong with him.
Worry and concern started to tug on her heart.
"Hey Tessa, you listening?" Jason asked, lightly kicking at her feet to grab her attention.
Her head snapped to him. She gave him an apologetic smile. "Uh, no. Sorry. Just a bit occupied."
"She's staring at her boyfriend." Brock said with a shit eating grin on his face. Theresa closed her eyes in dread for a few moments.
Great. Just what she needs right now.
"What boyfriend?" Jason looked alarmed.
"What dumbass thinks he can date our little lady without asking first?" Sonny glowered, eyes dangerously scanning over the occupants of the cafeteria.
"Hey, why don't I know anything about this?"
"Oh, don't worry, Trent. Looks like Brock's the only one who does know." Ray gave her an accusing look.
"See what you did?" Theresa gave her best friend a killer glare, elbowing him so harshly that if it wasn't for all of his years of training, he would have fallen backwards and off his seat. She looked back at her brothers. "Guys, there is no boyfriend."
Ray eyed her suspiciously, "Then why would Brock say that? Save for Jason, he knows you better than anyone on this earth."
"He has this stupid idea in his head that I like Spenser." Theresa admitted with a roll of her eyes, cheeks heating up for some reason.
"Clay Spenser?" Jason asked slowly, the look in his eyes deadly as he turned around to search for the blonde in question.
"Aw, hell no." Sonny shook his head vehemently.
"I think it could work." Trent said with a thoughtful look on his face. "You can tear apart that arrogant and cocky attitude of his and in turn, he can soften your rough edges a bit."
Theresa smacked her best friend upside the head, still glaring full out. "See what you did now?"
"All I did was answer a question." Brock defended with a cheery grin, looking way to pleased with himself.
"Could have worded it a little differently. Like, geez, I don't know, leave out the whole boyfriend part." The female Seal scowled at him, slapping him on the bicep.
"Ow! That hurt." Brock frowned at her, rubbing at his upper arm.
"Cry me a river." She snapped before looking back at her brother's. "Guys. There's no boyfriend. First of all, Spenser's in Green and I'm training him. That would be inappropriate on so many levels. Second of all, it would take one hell of a man for me to call him boyfriend. And while we're on the topic, I mostly prefer the occasional one night. It's not something I do easily, my frustration levels has to be off the charts for me to go there. I mainly prefer to be alone and avoid all the drama that comes with a romantic relationship or having random sex." That'll teach them not to pry, Theresa thought to herself.
Satisfied with the uncomfortable looks on their faces as she so openly discussed her love and sex life - non exsistant as they may at the moment be - she moved on to her last topic.
"Third of all, if I was dating Spenser - which I'm not - or any other guy for that matter, you guys would know and would have to approve of him first. While it is not necassary or technically any of your bussiness, I know it would make all of us sleep better if you guys approved of my boyfriend." Looking from one stunned face to another, Theresa smirked internally, "Happy now?"
Ray cleared his throat and, just like that, the conversation around the table started up again and the awkward air vanished, the discusion of Theresa's love and sex life was quickly forgotten and shoved far away. Not one of them would be opening that can of worms any time soon.
Well, not to her face, at least.
Theresa couldn't help but glance at Spenser every so often. Something about him seemed off. She didn't know what, only that there was something up with him. When she saw him get up and head out, she picked up her own tray. "Hey guys, I'm gonna go."
"But you're not even finished eating." Brock pointed out, not noticing how his best friend kept her eye on Clay.
"Not that hungry." She shrugged, knowing none of them would believe her because of how much she moaned that she was practically starving. Right now she didn't care. She'd answer them later. "Bye." She waved them goodbye and walked to set down her tray, before jogging to the door where Clay exited from.
"You guys don't think she's actually mad at us, right?" Brock asked as he stared after her retreating form, a bit worried that he might have pushed Theresa to far.
"Nah." Ray assured him.
"Did you guys notice that Spenser left here just before Tessa did?" Trent asked with a knowing glint in his eyes.
Jason groaned. "I'll kick his ass if he tries anything."
"She likes him." Brock said quietly, catching his entire team's attention but his eyes remained on Jason. "She really likes him and even though she hasn't realised it yet, I know she does. And when she eventually does realise it, she's gonna need your support more than anyone else's. Mine included."
Jason didn't like it. Not one bit. Clay Spenser - Ash Spenser's son - and his little girl? No. No way. Nope. Not happening. Not while he's breathing. Theresa might not see him as her father, but he will never seen her as anything less than his daughter. Since that first day he met her, looking all vulnerable and fragile, he wanted to protect her. Then he got in her space and she attacked. Violently and viciously. Jason would never admit it, but the only reason she didn't kick his ass back then, was because he was older and stronger than her.
Now, she was older and stronger and he couldn't kick her ass anymore.
But maybe Clay Spenser is exactly what she needs.
Either way, he couldn't stop her.
"Okay," Jason nodded, blowing out a breath. "I'll kick his ass if he hurts her." He compromised in a sulky grumble.
"We all will." Sonny drawled seriously, his comment coaxing murmurs of agreement from the team. A smirk spread on his lips, "That is, after Tessa's finish with him."
SEAL TEAM
Clay Spenser is one fast dude.
That was what Theresa came to realise as she walked out of the cafeteria and saw him rounding corner at the end of a hallway.
Good thing she was fast too.
The female Seal jogged after him and stopped when she saw him still walking in the hallway he turned into. She didn't want him to know that she was running after him. He was already cocky enough as it is.
"Hey Spenser, wait up!" She called after him, making sure to keep the look on her uninterested, shoving her hands into her khaki pants.
The blonde spun around, coming to a halt as he did so, surprise colouring his deep blue eyes. "Hey Four."
He gave her that boyish smile of his, though it was much less enthusiastic than it usually was when aimed at her. It worried her, but nevertheless that strange fluttery feeling erupted in her stomach again as she caught up to him.
"What's wrong with you?" Theresa cut to the case, ignoring all of the feelings he was stirring up in her. She was never one for bullshitting or beating around the bush.
"Nothing." Spenser answered quickly. A little to quickly for the woman's taste.
Her eyes narrowed at him, nodding condescendingly. "Is that why you look like someone killed your puppy?"
"I don't have a puppy." He retorted smartly, a hint of a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth.
Theresa glowered at him, but there was no heat behind it. "Not the point, blondie."
"What is the point?" Spenser asked innocently.
This time, there was a little bit of fire behind her glare before her face softened, but still remained stone like as she asked, "Why do you look so . . . depressing?"
"Why do you care?" He shot back and this made Theresa's perfected mask of indifference falter. Truthfully, she had no idea why she followed him out of the cafeteria or even why she saw talking to him right now. All she knew was that she saw him looking like he needed someone to be by his side and decided to be that someone. Theresa huffed to herself - and people say she can't be nice.
But she also couldn't tell him that. So she did the next best thing. She lied. "Because if you don't have your ducks in a row up there," She point to his head with her index finger. "Then you can't be on Tier One."
"My ducks are fine." Spenser honest to God glared at her for that comment. Clearly, he was offended by the notion of not being mentally fit to be on Tier One.
"I'll be the judge of that." She gave him a blank look, seeing his resolve crack under the pressure she applied. Just one more shove. "Come on, Spenser, spill the beans. Men loves to complain about their problems as much as woman." He sighed and Theresa knew he was going to talk. Now, it was just a matter of him pulling it together. Pushing her hands in her pants pockets, Theresa waited.
"My dad's in town for his book tour." He told her, bracing himself for her reaction while avoiding her gaze at the same time. He didn't want to see the anger or repulsion - reactions he usually got around base when his father was mentioned - in her eyes.
She frowned, not seeing the big deal. Does he hate his dad or something? "I know, everyone knows."
Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say, because the next second Spenser exploded, "See, and that's the problem. He knows I'm in Green right now and he knows that it's selections in a couple of weeks. But he couldn't just pass this time." By the time he finished his mini-rant, he looked relieved and blew out a breath of air.
Theresa opened her mouth to reply, but her phone buzzed in her leg pocket. She swore silently and took out her phone to read the text. Damn it. Bravo's being called in for a mission briefing. This is the one text she couldn't just ignore until later.
"Look, I have to go, but this conversation is not over, okay?" Theresa gave him a soft look and placed a hand on his shoulder. She squeezed it slightly before retracting her hand back to her side.
"Okay." He nodded jerkily, his heart racing from the small touch. "Kick some some ass."
"I always do." She smirked before turning to walk away.
Watching her walk away, Clay almost hit himself. She just touched his shoulder. That doesn't mean anything. Or does it? Does she like him? No, that can't be it. This is Theresa Kane, badass extraordinare. She wouldn't be interested in someone below her. But then, she did seemed to be concerned when she questioned him just now.
The blonde groaned. Why couldn't he just have fallen for a nice, normal girl?
a/n: most of this is original content - like, my own scenes - so this chapter took a long time to finish. but i enjoyed it. what do you guys think of it?