Chapter Fifteen Pure Friendship
Theresa's music was blasting in her ears through her wireless earphones as she ran an obstacle course by herself. She promised herself that she would run hills to help her body. She just wasn't in the mood to be accompanied by anyone or to talk to anyone, hence the earphones.
The course started with a mile run and then shooting down pop up targets.
Theresa was flipping the bulldozer-sized tyre and almost made a face at the 30ft belly crawl she'd have to do next. Ugh. She hates that one. Oh well, its part of the course. She went down flat, ducked beneath the net and started crawling through the burning hot sand.
When she got to the other side, there was sand everywhere and sweat made her body sticky and the sand clung to her. Oh, man. She was so taking a shower after this. Next was the roped wall she had to climb. Theresa grinned. Easy as eating pie. She was up the wall in seconds, pulling herself up by her hands before lifting herself upwards and doing a hand stand on the ledge.
Theresa almost lost her balance and fell over when she saw a group of Greenies watching her - among them was a blue-eyed blonde that was watching her with a smirk on his face.
Luckily, her shirt was tucked into her khaki's and held inside her pants by her belt. Sure, she had on a sport bra underneath - which would sometimes be the only thing she trains in when in the base gym - but something about Spenser seeing her half naked, made her heart beat faster than it already was and her skin feel impossibly hot.
Theresa decided to get off the wall before she could really fall off and make a fool of herself. After vaulting herself off the wall and landing on her feet gracefully, it was Theresa's turn to smirk at the awestruck look on Spenser's face.
At least Theresa had the dignity to hide her smirk as she jogged to the starting point of the obstacle course and began again.
She was on her fifth run; hot, sweaty and full of sand when she spotted Jason waiting for her on the other side of the rope wall. The Greenies was nowhere in sight this time. Theresa hide a chuckle as she flipped herself off the wall and landed on the other side in a crouch.
As afraid as the Greenies are of her, they are even more terrified of Jason. She honestly didn't get why. Sure he was lethal and efficient when it came to his job, but outside of that he is a big goof ball with a gigantic heart.
Then again, Jason might say the same about her but no one would believe him, so part of her understood.
Theresa walked over to him, knowing that if he came all this way to see her, then he wanted to talk. She pulled out her wireless earphones and beamed at Jason when he held out a liter bottle of what looked like ice cold water.
"Bless you." Theresa took the bottle from him with greedy hands. Jason watched with vague amusement as she downed the whole bottle in under thirty seconds. "Sometimes, I swear you're my guardian angel."
"Well, today this guardian angel came to visit you for a completely selfish reason." Jason told her, taking back the empty plastic bottle. "So, if now's not a good time, feel free to chase me away."
Theresa gave him a look that came close to disapproval. "Come on, Jace, you know I always have time for you. Besides, I could use a break."
"So, remember that woman I told you about? The one from Nate's burner phone?" Jason asked as the two of them walked with no specific destination in mind.
Theresa nodded as she focused on getting her haywire heart and uneven breathing under control. "Yeah, yeah. I remember. The one that may or may not have been Nate's side squeeze."
Theresa still didn't think Nate was a cheater, but she already said it twice and wasn't in the habit of repeating herself unless it was completely necessary. Seeing as Jason was one of the two people she told what she thought of the question, Theresa most definitely wasn't going to repeat herself.
Jason pulled a face. "Aren't you a little young to know that word? Squeeze. I mean, who even uses that word anymore?"
"Uh, you guys." She deadpanned. "And by you guys, I mean the guys around base. I've spent the last six years of my life on a Navy base and I understood within the first two weeks where the saying 'swearing like a sailor' comes from."
Jason rolled his eyes. "We're not that bad."
"No, Bravo's not, but some of the things I've heard around here, and things that's been said to me? It could make a prison yard blush." Theresa shrugged as she walked, shoving her hands inside of her pockets out of habit. She pulled them out with a grimace when sand greeted her. So, these clothes are going straight to the laundry bag.
"Anyway," Theresa stopped Jason from delving into that topic. "You were saying about the woman?"
"Right." Jason nodded, dug around in his leg pocket. He pulled out an envelope and held it out to Theresa. "So, I found these in a box of Nate's stuff from the garage."
Theresa swiped her dusty and sweaty hands on her pants before taking it. Her eyebrows rose when she saw two pictures of the same woman. One was a recently taken surveillance picture that was most probably Jason's handy work while the other was a older photo of a group somewhere in the Middle East.
"Afghanistan?" Was Theresa's easiest guess.
"Yeah, before your time, obviously, but I can't remember her either." Jason looked more than a little frustrated.
"Well, Ray and Sonny are in the photo as well, so why don't you ask one of them?" Theresa suggested.
"I was thinking the same thing, but not Ray because I told him I'd drop it."
"Why didn't you, then?"
"I was going to, then I found this and it made me wonder all over again." Jason explained and Theresa understood.
She nodded. "Just proceed with caution and discretion. Who knows what hornets nest you could kick open."
"Thanks for the advice, Tessa." Jason smiled at her.
The female mirrored it. "Always."
"So, how's that Spenser kid doing in his training?" Jason asked, looking like the very definition of reluctant as he spoke each word.
"My hearing must be going," Theresa teased with a large smirk on her face. "Cause it sounded like you just asked how Ash Spenser's son is doing in his Green training."
"You know what? Forget I asked." Jason grumbled.
"He's good," Theresa admitted, all teasing gone from her face. "Like, the best in his class. And if you don't believe me, you can always ask Adam."
"No, I believe you." Jason promised with a slight smile.
"Yeah, he's crazy fast too."
At that Jason smirked. "Faster than you."
Theresa scoffed indignantly. "Fuck no."
Jason gave her a curious if somewhat suspicious look and Theresa knew exactly what was coming. "How's your wound?"
"All good." Theresa pulled her shirt out of her pants and showed it to Jason for good measure. "Back to normal."
The Master Chief looked around, taking a good look at the obstacle course. "How many times have you run it?"
"Five times."
Jason nodded. "Just don't over do it."
Theresa rolled her eyes fondly at the concern. "I'm just going to do five more. Too lazy for anymore."
"Well, considering that by the end you will have run ten miles, I'd say it's plenty."
"Ten miles is not that much."
Jason fixed her a glare. "Don't over do it. That's an order."
"Yes, Sir." Theresa saluted with barely concealed amusement as Jason walked away with a light huff. Theresa coughed to hide the laughter than wanted to escape.
Everyone always whispers about how Bravo is the ultimate team to be on, how they are big and terrifying. Theresa finally let out a light chuckle as she walked to the starting point of the obstacle course, tucking her shirt back inside the waistband of her pants.
Big and terrifying, her ass.
They're a bunch of over protective teddy bears, the whole damn lot of them.
SEAL TEAM
"Are those homemade brownies?" Elena asked with a wide grin as Theresa entered the Reynolds' kitchen, after letting herself in with her own key. Cerberus, who greeted her at the door when she came inside, sat down in the entrance of the kitchen, waiting to be invited into the kitchen.
"Yes, they are." The female Seal nodded, placing the glass bowl down on the counter. It was a special recipe that Alana found for her – one that didn't require the use of nuts in it – because according to Mama Hayes, everyone needs to taste brownies at least once in their life.
After promising Brock and Elena that she'd finally stop by for dinner – its been three months – Theresa went home and made something to bring with. Elena always tells her it's not necessary but it makes her feel better, so its become somewhat of a tradition for Theresa to bring dessert whenever she dines with the Reynolds'.
She caught Elena's eye and motioned to Cerberus, silently asking if he's allowed inside. Elena nodded lightly and Theresa gave a low whistle, Cerberus padding inside and rubbing against the Seal's legs.
"I never understood why Cerberus listens to your commands quicker than mine when I've known him longer. Then I realised you see him more than I do and Brock probably taught you more tricks and tips for field use." Elena told her with a light laugh.
"He did," Theresa agreed. "But it comes in handy back home as well."
Elena's eyes strayed back to the brownies on her counter. "You know, you never did tell me where you got your epic kitchen skills."
"Well, according to Alana, I needed other life skills besides kicking ass, so she taught me how to cook and bake and stuff. I'm no Gordon Ramsey, but I can make a decent meal or ten." Theresa informed her matter-of-factly.
"Very smart woman." Elena laughed lightly once more.
"Yes, she is." Theresa continued the conversation as she walked closer to the stove and went to pry inside the pot simmering, but stopped with a warning glance from Elena. Instead, Theresa inhaled deeply. "Is that Spaghetti and meatballs?"
"Bingo." The blonde grinned at her widely.
Theresa tilted her head, finally realising that there is something missing from this picture. "Where is my best friend?"
Elena snorted, "Living room, he said something about watching something called The Following?"
"Ah," Theresa nodded in realisation. "I binged watching the first season a month or so ago, and told him about it, and now I'm not allowed to continue watching it until he catches up and we finish watching it together."
"Well, why don't you go join him and I'll call you two when dinner is done?" Elena suggested with a kind smile.
"Great idea." Theresa grinned back at her before turning around and making her way to the living room, Cerberus trotting behind her.
Elena looked after the female with a soft smile on her face. To think, back when she first met twenty-two year old Theresa Kane, she was so worried the younger woman would make her husband's eyes wander. Then she actually saw them together, playing catch with Cerberus in the front yard, and realised that there was nothing but pure friendship between them.
Elena knows, her husband is terribly protective of his best friend and visa versa. She knows, they love each other like brother and sister. She knows, their bond won't ever be broken. She knows, Theresa Kane has scars on her soul and a messed up past. She sees it in Theresa's guarded, sometimes flat and empty, eyes. She sees it in the way the Seal tenses every time Elena stands to close to her.
But in the past almost two years, Elena has also seen how much Theresa has grown. She sees it in the spark of light that enters her eyes as she laughs with Brock, and the way she sometimes dozed on their living room couch back before they made up a room for her and gave her a key. Something that made her husband almost burst with happiness and pride because Theresa rarely to never lets down her guard enough to fall asleep around people she doesn't feel comfortable with and trusts. Elena just shook her head with a small smile at her husband and said nothing.
To her it was obvious that Theresa trusts him. After all, it was only after a whole year of friendship that she agreed to meet Elena. So, by then - after watching each other's back in battle after all that time - Theresa had to trust him.
Now, Elena loves Theresa as part of their family. Sure, she is still standoff-ish at times – never with her husband, though – but Elena has gotten used to the female Seal and her temper, which is a terrifying sight to behold. Elena is also worried about her temper, that one day, Theresa will pick a fight she can't win or recover from.
Three weeks ago, Elena saw her husband cry for the first time since they got married. And they've been married for almost ten years. The reason why? Because Theresa got shot on a mission. Her heart ached when her husband – eyes red and puffy – fell asleep on her chest after telling her what happened. The female Seal has been injured in the line of duty before, but never this bad.
Of all his scars and wounds the Navy has given him and will still give him, Elena fears that someday loosing Theresa might be the one thing Brock would never recover from.
And while neither of them would openly admit it, she is sure it goes both ways.
Her heart twisted and her eyes burned a little. She walked over to the living room quietly, but the moment she peeked around the door frame, two pairs of eyes were already watching the doorway. She smiled at them as her cheeks flushed a little. She should have known that it would be impossible to sneak up on two fully trained Navy Seals.
"You guys want anything to drink?" Elena asked.
Brock smiled lovingly at her. "I'm good."
"You have any more beer?" Theresa asked with a wide grin.
"Whose my husband?" Elena retorted, lightly jabbing at the fact that all of Bravo seem to be somewhat addicted to beer, causing Theresa to snicker at Brock's offended 'hey'. "You know I love you." She soothed.
"Love you too." Brock's loving grin widened.
Elena left the room, heart lighter than it was seconds ago as she walked back to the kitchen, the sounds of their playful voices calming her.
Back in the living room, Theresa continued snickering at her best friend. "You are so whipped, dude."
"I am not." Brock sniffed defiantly.
"Yeah, tell that to the besotted look on your face." Theresa snorted in amusement as Cerberus came back into the house – he left after Theresa settled on the couch earlier – and jumped on the couch and laid down in between the two Seals.
"Well, so what if I am?" He asked, looking at her with a slight challenge in his eyes as he ran a hand over Cerberus.
Theresa smirked, "Nothing. It's cute."
Brock pulled a face, "I'm handsome and muscular. Not cute."
"Okay. Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." Theresa rolled her eyes as she leaned over and grabbed the remote off the coffee table. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Brock watching her. She sat back on the couch, remote in her hands, and glanced at her best friend. "What?"
"How's your side?" He nodded to her right hip.
A sound of exasperation left Theresa's throat. "I swear to God, I don't know whose worse sometimes – you or Jason."
"Don't change the subject."
Theresa rolled her eyes again. Seems like they are getting quite the work out today. "It's been three weeks, I'm fine."
"Jay said your side bothered you in Estonia." He pointed out.
"Oh please," She scoffed. "That's like three countries and two missions ago."
"You are not funny, Tessa."
"I never claimed to be." She deadpanned. "Look, B, I'm fine. Yes, it bothered me a bit on the Baljic Op, but I got some painkillers to help, ran a couple of drills and hills, and now I'm fine. I swear. You know I wouldn't intentionally keep an injury from you. It can only lead to trouble."
"Yeah, I know." Brock admitted. "I just worry, is all."
"I know you do." Theresa assured him gently. "But you don't need to. I'm not going anywhere. And if I do, it will probably be protecting one of you. And I can't think of a better way to go down than protecting my family."
Brock had a sulky look on his face. "I prefer the scenario of you not going down at all."
"Yeah, me too, but you know what I mean." Theresa gave him a look, and Brock hummed in agreement. "So, let's pick up where you left off. You know, I've seen a lot in my life, but the crazies on this show is something else."
Brock snorted. "Tell me about it. I mean, with today's technology and satellites nearly everywhere, how difficult can it be to find a house in the middle of nowhere? It seems highly unrealistic that its so impossible for the FBI to find."
"Well, this show is a few years old already." Theresa shrugged. "And for an intriguing plotline they have to make use of reality as well as creativity."
"All I'm say is, if we had satellite imagery and a general location of where the house might be, we would have found it and taken over the house a long time ago."
"Yeah, but Seal's doesn't do missions on U.S soil, dumbass."
"I'm speaking hypothetically, here."
Theresa gave him a teasing grin, "What was it you were just saying about it being unrealistic?"
"Shut up." Brock grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.
Theresa laughed heartily, and rare as the sound was, Brock didn't take long to join in.
a/n: i was a little hesitant about posting this, but eh. i wanted something light and fluffy cause next episode brian dies and im still not really ready for that, but yeah. theresa is gonna comfort clay - in her own tessa way - so there's that. hope you enjoyed!