Chapter Sixteen : High Praise
"Maybe we should let Tessa and Brock run five extra miles." Sonny suggested in a pouty grumble as the whole of Bravo was participating in morning runs.
Jason and Ray was running next to each other, leading them, followed by Trent and Sonny while Brock and Theresa was at the back, jogging next to each other while Cerberus waited for them in the shade of a tree somewhere – Theresa didn't know where exactly, but she knew Brock knew. They didn't him continue running after they hit the five mile mark.
The best friend duo snickered at the Texan, exchanged a glance and Brock said with a large smirk, "Jealous much?"
"I think Sonny's right," Trent gave his own opinion, just as petulant as Sonny. "They ate those brownies all by themselves, which had a lot of calories, so I think it's only fair."
"I'm curious," Theresa started, just this side of out of breath. "How old are you two again?"
Ray chuckled at the bantering four behind him and Jason, "What are you two more pissed about, that they ate brownies or that they ate them without you?"
This whole thing stared when Brock and Theresa arrived together on base – she slept over in her own room that she has at the Reynolds' – and told the team how she went for dinner and brought homemade brownies for dessert. Sonny and Trent's been complaining ever since.
"Don't know what you're on about." Trent feigned ignorance.
Sonny did the same. "All we're saying is that they need to burn of the extra calories."
"Right, and if Tessa happened to make another batch and bring it to base for all of us, then I suppose they don't have to run the extra five miles?" Jason spoke up for the first time since they've started their fifteen mile run.
"Now see," Sonny started with a grin. "that sounds much more fair."
Theresa snorted as she eyed the two six foot toddlers running in front of her. "So, do you want Brock to tell Elena that she needs to make another pot of spaghetti with that, or . . .?"
"That's what I'm talking about." Trent grinned as well, he and Sonny exchanging glances and nodding in unison.
"Eleven."Jason announced from the front, meaning they had just finished running 11 miles and needed to run four more. He turned around and jogged backwards, looking amused and staring at Theresa. "Are you really going to make more brownies to shut them up?"
"If they want, sure. It's easy to make and I kind of like it." Theresa admitted and didn't even need to see Sonny's face to know that he opened his mouth to say something. "And Sonny, you better think twice before saying what you're about to, or the offer is off the table."
"Looking forward to it." Was what he settled with, causing the team to either snort or laugh – knowing that that was in no way what he intended to originally say to her. Jason turned back around.
"Hey, Tessa, looks like you've got an admirer." Brock said suddenly, pointing somewhere to her right as he was on her left.
She rolled her eyes, "I don't care."
"You sure?" He pushed a little with a grin. He then wiggled his eyebrow as he said, "Cause this ones got blonde hair and blue eyes."
Immediately and involuntarily, her head swerved in the direction he was pointing. Sure enough, there stood Spenser, looking in the direction of where Bravo was jogging. The rest of Green was also there, doing their morning drills, which Spenser already finished – if he had time to look around. They were starting with the HALO jumps today – they were supposed to start last week but it was postponed to this week. Something about not having enough reserve shutes, which Theresa didn't understand, but didn't comment on because she really didn't care.
Instead, they did Deep Sea Diving Training – both during the day and at night time.
Seeing Spenser in a wetsuit had been an experience and a half – not that she would admit it out loud, but Theresa enjoyed herself – until it all went down hill. Or more like, it all went down boat. Two dumbasses egged each other on, which caused an argument to break out and ended with the one pushing the other overboard. Needless to say, both of them were thrown out of Green-training.
If you can't take your Tier One training seriously, then you don't deserve to be taken seriously or to be an Operator.
As Theresa was caught up in her thoughts, the rest of Bravo craned their necks, gazes alternating between Theresa and Spenser.
Finally, she shook herself out of it. Then Theresa almost smiled when Spenser waved at her. Instead, she just offered a wave of her own in return.
"Goldilocks better not try anything, or I'll rip his head off." Sonny vowed as he watched the interaction.
"It could have been worse." Trent noted matter-of-factly.
Up front, Jason didn't see how. "How exactly?"
"She could have gone for an Army guy." Trent shrugged and Bravo let themselves be mortified by that option for a few seconds. Then his eyes widened. "Ooh, or she could have picked a civilian, who is a complete asshole that cheats on her while she's off with us on missions or deployment."
"Come on, Trent," Ray huffed a light laugh. "Tessa has taste."
"Yeah, and besides, Spenser is like a love struck puppy." Brock snorted in amusement, ducking the head slap Theresa aimed his way.
She scowled at him, "Stop talking nonsense, B."
"Fine, fine." Brock nodded to placate her, hands up in defense. He wondered what she would do when she finally figured out that he wasn't talking nonsense. Theresa may not be able to see it, but Brock can see how Spenser looks at her so he knows. He knows Clay Spenser is totally gone for his best friend, because he looks the same way at Elena.
"At least he's pretty enough for her." Trent snickered at her.
"Yeah," Ray was nodding, much to Theresa's frustration. "Pretty girl and pretty boy, has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
"Oh, definitely." Brock agreed, watching in glee as the scowl on her face deepened. Clearly she didn't like the teasing.
Jason was so glad his back was to her, so she couldn't see the grin on his face. While he still didn't exactly like the fact that out of all the guys on the planet, Theresa apparently likes Clay Spenser – at least according to Brock, which is as good as admission from the woman herself in his books – he still likes teasing her. So, he just good naturedly teased along with his team, "Totally."
Besides, Trent was right. It could be worse.
"Little lady," Sonny drawled to get her attention. She made a noise of acknowledgement. "Don't listen to them." He paused, suppressing his laughter before saying, "The heart wants what it wants."
With a roar born out of exasperation, Theresa jumped on Sonny's back and tackled him to the ground. They rolled around, kicking up dust as they went. Jason, Brock, Ray and Trent just watched the two in fond amusement, shaking their heads. Bravo's two most notorious hotheads – playing around in the ground like children.
Ten minutes later, they were full of sand, dust and were breathless. They lay on their backs, chests heaving from both the goofing around and the eleven miles they ran. The rest of the team wasn't far away, walked closer when they saw the two were done.
Theresa, still out of breath, scoffed at them. "You guys are way too invested in my non existent love life."
They laughed again, but everyone dropped the subject when Jason ordered Sonny and Theresa to get up and for everyone to continue the run. Grateful, Theresa quickly and easily complied with his order. The rest of the run was filled with light teasing – which, thankfully, had nothing to do with Spenser.
Bravo had just finished showering, regrouped by their cages and was busy making plans to go out for drinks as a team that night, when their phones chimed collectively.
"Looks like drinks will have to wait." Ray commented, and they all made their way to the war room.
Bravo was seated around the table, inevitably called for help with the chaos that erupted after the elections in South-Sudan. It was yapped about so much these last few days, that you'd have to be an idiot in order not to know about it – if you were on base, that is. It was a bit of a toss up, who would go in when the country finally became to unstable – Alpha, Bravo or Charlie. Delta and Echo was otherwise occupied – or so she heard. If Theresa had to guess about the mission, she'd say it has something to do with the American Embassy. She also wondered why the hell they haven't abandoned it yet. But she was not curious enough to actually go and ask someone about it.
"We've been talking all week about what might happen if the violence in South Sudan continues to escalate after the elections." Mandy was saying. "As discussed, the election was marked by widespread fraud. A lot of people in the opposition are blaming us."
"What did we do?" Sonny asked.
"What, in Africa?" Jason questioned as an answer.
"Yeah." Sonny nodded.
"Not about what we did, so much as what they think we did." Theresa answered from where she was sitting next to Lisa. "Best guess is, they think we're the ones who rigged the election."
"That's bull." He grumbled.
"I know that. You know that. We all know that." Theresa said before she raised a brow at him, "But are you going to go and try to convince an entire country of that?"
Mandy went on again, "So far, the violence has been confined to the rural areas up north, but it's spreading. Hannah Parsons was an American NGO worker in South Sudan. She and her driver were murdered last night by an anti-government tribal militia. Just outside of Juba. Six miles from the American embassy."
Theresa let out a low whistle – that's much to close for comfort.
"Okay. So you want us to evacuate the embassy?" Jason asked his Commander.
"So far, just of nonessential personnel." Eric stepped closer monitors. "There's 35 Americans still in that embassy. We're going in to keep them safe while they try to hold the place together. Then we get them out, things go the other way."
"Or, so after it goes Benghazi, the DOD can say they had a Tier One team on the ground." Ray translated with a knowing tone as Jason pushed up from his chair, moved to stand behind it.
Jason looked back at his commander, "Why not just bring in a couple hundred Marines, Expeditionary Unit?"
"Problem is, so far, the ruling party's rejected our offer to send in a MEU." Eric answered him.
"They feel it gives the appearance they've lost control." Mandy informed them, causing Theresa to snort in disbelief.
Jason, along with all of Bravo, was more than a little irritated and it showed in his tone. "Well, we wouldn't want to give that appearance."
Theresa's face soured into something comical. "They do realize that this is life and death, not Keeping up with the Kardashians, right?"
Lisa's head swiveled to her, laughter escaping her lips. "I'm sorry, no offense, but how exactly do you, of all people, know who the Kardashians is?"
"Because I grew up with a now seventeen year old girl who was once obsessed with it and forced me to binge watch it with her and explain whatever she didn't understand." Theresa answered in a deadpan voice.
Lisa tried to stop her laughter at the image that projected, but couldn't.
"Uh, excuse me," Sonny interrupted. "What or who exactly is the Kardashians?"
Trent and Brock also looked mildly curious.
"It's a reality show." Lisa answered shortly and simply.
Brock frowned, "About what?"
Theresa gave her best friend a very unimpressed, very flat look, "The Four Horsemen." Her voice was drier than the Sahara, getting a snigger from Ray and Trent.
Jason looked back at Eric, letting his team have their way for a little. "How long 'til we're wheels up?"
"Sixty minutes." Eric answered loud enough for everyone to hear. No one commented, but everyone felt a little shocked at how soon they would be leaving. He cleared his throat. Bravo quiet down and gave him their attention. "Go get geared up and don't be late."
Ten seconds later, the war room was clear of every member of Bravo, their Commander included.
An hour and a half later, they were somewhere up in the clouds, on their way to South-Sudan. It would be a fifteen hour flight, which would give Bravo plenty of nap time and time to throw around possible scenario's. But before they could get to that, they need to get a rundown of their cars – cause apparently there was no need for extra discretion and they could take their own personalized weapons.
Lisa was giving them the tour of their wheels for the mission. "Your vehicles got armor everywhere except for the windows, 'cause you say they needed to roll down."
"Oh, look, if you can't put the windows down, people are gonna know it's an armored car." Jason explained, because he had given Davis some pretty detailed and specific instructions that Theresa winced at but understood completely. Theresa didn't know how she does it, all the female Seal knows is that Lisa Davis is a angel in disguise.
"Are we supposed to stop and wave, or something?" Theresa snarked a little sharper than usual, lifting an eyebrow as she pushed her hands into her pockets. The female understood Jason's reasons, but she was feeling a little off kilter and she didn't like it – so she needed to let it out the only other way she knew how except for her fists. The brunette liked even less when twenty minutes into the fifteen hour plane ride, when she figured out why she was feeling this way.
Brock side eyed his best friend – she's been pricklier and snarkier than usual, seeming restless and fidgety.
Lisa smiled slightly before continuing. "Anyway, the body should stop an AK round. Your precious roll-down windows are liable to shatter if one of the local kids hits it with a baseball."
"We're diverting." Eric came around the second car, not looking very happy with this development but not having a say or a choice about it either.
Jason wanted to understand why. "What do you mean 'we're diverting'?"
"Airport's not secure." Eric explained, much to the surprise of no one, as he walked to the back of the armored car and opened up a paper map. "Command wants us to land at an old military airfield southeast of the city. Wants me to stay there, coordinate with the Marine C.O., make sure that the runways stay operational in case we all need to get out of this country in a hurry."
"I'll find out what assets we have down there." Lisa talked as she walked to go and do just that.
"All right." Jason agreed, turned his head to the CIA Agent. "What's the local security like?"
"Not good." She admitted. "But the State Department RSO on the other hand's got a good rep. His name's Doyle. Bunch of people I know worked with him in Tunis."
"One man can only do so much." Theresa noted, squatting before sitting down flat on her ass on the floor of the C-17.
"What about the ambo?" Blackburn asked.
"Crowley." Mandy said the word in tone that made Theresa's hackles rise. Mandy didn't like him then. Well, if she didn't like him – and the CIA Agent was willing to work with just about anyone for info or to reach her goal – then Theresa is going to hate him. "Technically, he's not the ambo, he's acting ambassador until a new one gets appointed."
"All right. What can you tell us about Crowley?" Blackburn wanted all of the facts.
"Well, our analysts think he should've ordered the evac already. Shutter the embassy, stay away until things stabilize. The good news is, so far, the anger hasn't been focused on the embassy." Mandy explained.
Ray knew where she was heading with her train of thought, his was there too. "Bad news is, that's the kind of thing can change real quick."
"Yeah." Jason agreed.
Theresa tilted her head up at the CIA Agent. "So basically, this Crowley-dude is the one that doesn't want to loose appearances?"
"Yes." Mandy nodded.
Theresa had this foreboding feeling she was going to break her two month long clean slate and punch this guy.
SEAL TEAM
An hour into their flight, Theresa was still restless and prickly, mood only getting worse by the second. She choose to distance herself from the team, who had set up hammocks in the back of the plane while Theresa was sitting on top of one of the vehicles, her duffle bag that was filled with knives next to her. Slowly and methodically, she started to sharpen a silver set of five knives. When she first left, Jason told them to let her go and do her thing. She'd come down when she was ready.
Four hours later, she was done with sharpening all of her knives. Jason watched her from the corner of his eye, and when she picked up a cloth to start polishing them, the Master Chief nodded his permission to Brock and the Canine Handler almost flew out of his hammock to move over to her.
Brock was careful not to disturb one of the ten knives that lay down in front of Theresa. While it may not look like an order or a pattern to him, he knew to her it was in order and knew not to disturb it. He sat down across from her, legs crossed.
She didn't so much as acknowledge his presence, back ramrod straight as she focused on her task and nothing else. Still, Brock knew that right now she was more dangerous than ever – she had her favorite weapon(s) to kill with right in front of her and a single minded determination that would only result in death if someone tried to attack her right now.
"What's with you?" He finally asked, breaking the silence. "You don't look angry."
Theresa's hands didn't falter, her eyes didn't look up from her task but she answered, "I'm not. And nothing."
"Yeah, and the sky is bright pink." Brock's sarcastic jab was accompanied by rolled eyes. No reaction – not even a twitch of the lips in amusement. Now he began to feel a bit worried. What happened on the plane? Because she was fine before they left. "Come on, Tessa, what gives?"
For a long while she didn't answer, but appeared to be thinking about something as she polished her knife. Then another. And another. And then her shoulders slumped, a sigh slipped from her lips. "It's stupid."
Okay, Brock reason with himself, this is progress. It went from nothing to stupid. That means she's admitting that there is something bothering her.
"It's making you upset, that's not nothing or stupid, Tessa." Brock reasoned with her this time.
"Then why do I feel like an idiot and off kilter every time I think about it, never mind saying it out loud?" Theresa finally looked up at him, a challenging glint in her eyes but that's not what caught Brock's attention. Oh no. It was the slight pink hue on her cheeks that did that.
"Well, I can't give you an answer if you don't tell me what it is." The curly haired man retorted.
Theresa let out a sound crossed somewhere between a groan and a whine. Brock wisely hid his laughter.
Theresa mumbled something unintelligible, Brock couldn't understand her. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"I said," Theresa started again, voice somehow reluctant, irritated and pouty all at once. "I didn't get to see Spenser before I left."
That . . . was not what Brock had expected. At all. His mouth dropped open and his brows shot to his hairline. "What?"
Now looking disgruntled, and cheeks heading up even further, Theresa explained. "I've been restless since I set foot on this plane. At first I didn't get why, but then I figured it out. For the last few weeks, before a mission, I was always busy with something on Green, helping Adam and I'd always see Spenser before I left. But not today, not for this mission."
Brock was getting more shocked with every word that left his best friend's mouth. "Huh?"
Theresa groaned, thinking that Brock thought she was being silly. He'd be right if he did, she certainly thought so. "See, I told you it was dumb."
Only, Brock didn't think she was being dumb. He was just shocked and surprised with how much Spenser already had an impact on Theresa's life. His brain was still catching up, processing all of this new information, so he really didn't mean to blurt out, "Wow, you like him way more than I thought."
Immediately a scowl formed on her face, "I don't like him."
Brock scoffed in disbelief. "Bullshit. You spent a week in a mood because he told you that you're intimidating, you care what he thinks about you, you're sulking because you couldn't see him before we left, and now you are trying to tell me you don't like him?"
That left Theresa in a reeling silence.
"Okay, maybe I like him a little." She admitted with pinched brows. "Like a teeny-tiny bit." She pinched her thumb and index finger together in example. "But does he have to know? Does this mean we have to be friends? I don't want that, he's still a Greenie."
"No, he doesn't have to know. It's none of his business." Not yet, at least, Brock added in his mind.
"Okay." Theresa nodded to herself, a sigh of relief lifting a weight from her chest that she wasn't even aware of.
Part of Theresa's previous words made Brock wonder though. So, he pushed his luck a little. "And if he wasn't? A Greenie, I mean. Would you be friends then?"
Theresa nodded. "Sure, then we could have been friends. Underneath that entire cocky and know-it-all exterior, he's kind and smart and even though he has his own problems, he's still a better person than most of the people I've met."
Brock's brows rose again, this time all by themselves. "Coming from you? That is high praise."
"Whatever." Theresa muttered, cheeks heating up out of nowhere.
Reminding himself that Theresa is still unaware of the fact that she likes Clay Spenser in a romantic manner, Brock took a little pity on her. He could only push so much before she would slam shut. What she told him today was already more than he ever expected to hear from her. "So, friends then?"
"Yes. Friends." Theresa nodded firmly.
"Like me and you?" Brock teased, trying to resolve more of the tension in his best friend.
It didn't work.
Her brows furrowed deeply, but her words made Brock grinned widely. "No. Not like us. I can have lots of friends, but there is only room for one best friend in my life."
Theresa ignored the pesky little voice in her head that told her that friend wasn't the right description for Spenser either.
SEAL TEAM
The sun was glaring down on them, where they were driving from the old military airport that was hidden between sand mountains and dunes. Dressed up in civvies, Bravo – Mandy and Lisa included, but Eric excluded – was split into two. Jason, Ray, Theresa and Sonny in the first vehicle – with the Texan driving. Brock, Trent, Mandy and Lisa in the second one – with the Canine Handler driving.
"This is the American-Sudanese Radio Network. South Sudanese rebel leaders say recent presidential election results are fraudulent, and blame the U.S. for meddling. They are calling for nationwide protests and an ouster of President Salva Kiir." The radio informed them as they drove.
Luckily they didn't run into any trouble on their way to the embassy, and got there relatively easily – if you looked past the bumpy drive.
"Gonna be a shit show, things turn ugly." Sonny noted from the front seat, next to Jason, as the gates to the embassy was opened for them.
Ray and Theresa sat in the back. Theresa snorted, "It's already a shit show."
"You know what I mean." He gave her a look in the rearview mirror.
She nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I do."
Inside the embassy was chaos. It looked like a hurricane hit the place – boxes and papers everywhere, people with folders and files rushing to and from anywhere and everywhere. Luckily, they quickly side stepped Bravo when they noticed them.
"Lawrence Doyle, RSO. Welcome to the U.S. embassy." A middle age man who greeted them at the doors introduced himself as they made their way inside the embassy. Theresa had her bag with knives slung across one shoulder while her bag with her rifle case, clothes and ammo, was held in the other. "Roadblocks in the rural areas have started to disrupt distribution networks. We're already looking at food shortages."
"How long?" Jason asked from where he was next to Doyle up front.
"Till it all falls apart? It depends who you ask. This country's only existed a few years. Been at civil war most of that time. Plus, the nut-bars in charge up north are just looking for a chance to take it all back, reunify the Sudanese nation." Doyle explained to them, Bravo following along as he turned hallways, making his way around easily.
"And, one day, inshallah, the entire nation of Nubia." Mandy commented.
Doyle was clearly impressed with Mandy. "Somebody follows the news."
"Might even say it's my job." The CIA Agent commented matter-of-factly. They stopped outside a room that said 'Operations Center' that Doyle opened for them.
"I'm glad you're here. This place is going south fast." That was the last Theresa heard of Doyle's voice as she entered the room, eyes sweeping over the area out of habit. It looked like a large office area – desks with computers, phones on the walls, stacks of bottled water, printers and people that gave them wide-eyed glances. They weren't trying to be obvious about it, but a Seal is trained to notice every little detail.
"This is nice." Trent commented.
Sonny nodded, "Nicer than some of the places we've been."
"I bet anything is nice for you so long as it doesn't involve the jungle or the ocean." Theresa snickered as each of Bravo choose a desk for themselves.
"Oh, haha, little lady. Hilarious." He shot back dryly, setting down his bags.
Hands now free of bags, Theresa gestured to the smiling or smirking faces of Bravo. "My audience doesn't lie."
Jason poked his head through the door. "Six, on me."
Theresa frowned at him, "Why?"
"Because I said so." Was all explanation he offered before backing out of the door.
"Roger that." She shrugged, starting to walk after him. At the door she turned back to her team, pointed at her two bags. "Anyone tries to touch my stuff, hit them."
Theresa walked back out into the hall way and turned her head left. No Jason. Turned her head right and, oh there he goes around the corner. Theresa broke out into a light jog to catch up with him. When she fell into step with him on his free side – Doyle on his other side, she gave Jason a curious glance.
"Why am I – out of everyone – being pulled along with you?" Theresa questioned.
Jason gave her a pointed look, "You're young and pretty."
"You're using me as bait?" She gave him a deadpan look.
"I want to see his attention span." Jason shrugged.
Theresa rolled her eyes, "This is so dumb, just so you know."
"Oldest tricks in the book often work the best." Jason gave her a grin and she huffed lightly and didn't say anything else. Thank fully.
They waited for him in front of an open door that led to a small outside area – like a place to eat or smoke or something.
"Here's Crowley." Doyle said as a man with combed back hair and a black suit stepped through the doors. Seeing as he was on his phone – probably fending off calls from diplomats back home or vulture reporters from everywhere – Theresa highly doubted he had time to eat or smoke. She couldn't find it in herself to feel sorry for herself.
"Welcome, Commander." He greeted Jason with a hand shake, but his eyes lingered on Theresa, who resisted the urge to punch him. She just met him and she doesn't like him. "Uh, I'm sure Mr. Doyle-"
"Master Chief." Jason cut him off immediately.
"Excuse me?" Crowley didn't understand what the man meant.
"I'm in E-9." Jason explained.
"Uh, you're not an officer?" He looked vaguely confused.
"Sorry to disappoint." Jason snarked, causing Theresa to suppress a snort. Seems like she wasn't the only one who is utterly unimpressed with the guy.
"Uh, as I was saying, uh, Mr. Doyle here can find work for you." Crowley either didn't want to be questioned or tried to get rid of them, or he was just plain choosing to ignore the problems they were facing. "The regional security officer is, after all, responsible for our security matters."
"Right, Mr.Ambassador, but you are the man in charge here." Jason pointed out, and oh yeah. Now Theresa knew he didn't like Crowley. Mockingly lording his title over him? Classic Jason. "That makes you responsible for everything.
"Don't I know it?" He asked rhetorically, mind wondering about the attractive brunette girl that came with the Navy man. Who is she?
"You seem awful relaxed for someone who's host country is about to go down the drain." Theresa remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. Nearly letting them drop again when Crowley's eyes flickered down to her breasts, instead fixing Crowley with a sharp look when he look up at her and realized he was caught staring.
He gave her a flirty smile that made her feel like punching him again, "There is still time to fix this, no need to panic yet, darling."
"Did you just call me darling?" Theresa's eyes narrowed into slits, taking a threatening step forward. Jason placed a hand on her shoulder – both to restrain and warn her.
"It's an expression." He told her blithely, seeing that his attempt at flirty was not accepted or appreciated.
The female Seal plastered on a fake smile, shrugged Jason's hand off her shoulder. "Oh, well, the Russians has this wonderful expression, loosely translated it means:" Her faux cheery expression dropped into her customary killer glare, voice going void of any emotion. "Call me darling again and I'm going to dislocate your fucking jaw."
Finally getting the hint that she was not playing around or interested, he quickly backtracked – both physically, taking two steps away from her, and with his words. "No need to get defensive, it's just a term of endearment."
"Yes, something you say to someone dear to you. You are not dear to me." Her voice was cold and harsh, glare intensifying with every passing second. "As a matter of fact-"
Jason stepped behind Theresa, placing both his hands on her shoulders, squeezing slightly as a silent command for her to stop. "I think what Tessa is trying to say is that calling her Kane or Four will work just fine."
"Shall we?" Crowley asked, pointing to the room and entering without waiting for an answer. Anything to escape the woman who looked like she might hang him from the flagpole by his toe-nails if he didn't stop breathing the same air as her.
Theresa turned around in Jason's grip to look at the man himself, "Can I hit him?"
"No." Jason denied as he ushered her into the room, hiding a grin as Theresa pouted.
a/n: my research for this episode lead me to a whole page explaining the ranking system of the navy (because i didn't understand jason's comment about e-9) and now i feel like an even bigger idiot for making tessa an lt. commander, but in my defense my only research back then was wikia (which wasn't very informative, go figure) and i wasn't as invested in this story back then as i am now.
originally, i wasn't going to make it a long story – it was just going to be three chapters. where clay first saw her and fell in love, where they meet and where she falls in love with him as well and then i was going to leave it open ended. then before i started the third chapter, i re-watched the first episode, and then a whole character and back story and love story somehow sprouted from me re-watching one episode. and here we are. so yeah. once again, much apologies about that little blib.
anyhoo, i hope you still enjoy my story dispite that.