Author's Note: Ch. 30 has been edited to include the debrief. I was going to include it initially, but as I wrote I felt like perhaps it wasn't needed, and that it might clutter up an already full chapter. There was a lot happening and I didn't want it to feel too "busy" or rush through the rest of what was going on. But I agree, Cooper's admission of failure is important to see, so...it's there now. :) There's actually quite a bit that got added so I encourage everyone to go read it.

Anyway, thank you guys for your feedback and support. Really appreciate all the comments thus far, and I hope you continue to enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-One: The One You Don't See Coming

The 8th Engineer Battalion had set up a decent field hospital in the time they'd had, Corpsman Michael Reynolds thought. He took a moment to admire the efficiency of the place, as orderlies and the regiment's other medics moved quickly from bed to bed, ensuring all their patients were secure and stable. Most had come in after the recon Lieutenant Colonel Cooper had ordered - he surmised from the number that it hadn't gone so well. He'd done his best to save those he could, and now he sat off to the side on a metal crate, taking a few minutes to breathe after the rush.

He ran a hand over his jet-black hair and sighed. There weren't separate rooms for each of the injured, but rather thin partitions placed within one large tent. It was impossible to escape the low groans and occasional fits of coughing. He finally decided that to get a real break, he needed to go outside.

Except he didn't exactly find the change of scenery there that he'd been looking for.

A Marine was stumbling through the grounds, holding a hand up to her face. He recognized her in an instant.

"Colonel Cooper!"

Reynolds moved to meet her just in time; as soon as she glanced up she collapsed. He caught her as she fell forward, almost forcing him to the ground, too.

"Oh, shit," he thought, straining to get a hold of her limp form to drag her into the tent. "Oh, shit, oh shit."

It took him a second to realize he was saying the words aloud.

"Mike!" he heard behind him. Reynolds didn't turn his head, however, focused on getting his CO to a bed.

"Holy shit," another medic said. "Is that - "

"Yeah!" Reynolds shouted. "Clear a cot, let's go!"

Goddamn, he thought - in his head this time. I was just thinking how it'd been a while since I'd seen her here...and then you gotta do this.

He got her onto a sterile table just as Holden - another medic - reached the lieutenant colonel's side.

"What do you want me to do, Mike?"

"Get an IV bag in case," Reynolds commanded as he put on a fresh set of gloves. Then he pulled out a stethoscope and his datapad from his uniform's jacket pocket. "When you're done, contact Commander Cooper and Major Hawk. Let them know she's here."

"On it."

Maybe they can tell us what happened, he thought. As it was, he didn't have much to go off of. He could see she'd been bleeding from the nose. She also had spots of vomit on her boots. Recent. The symptoms were odd enough that he wondered if they weren't two separate medical issues at first.

"Holden?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's get the IV sooner than later. I think dehydration could be a factor here."

That might explain the vomiting, but he as he did his assessment, he didn't notice any other symptoms. Her skin felt fine to the touch, not too hot or dry. He body temp was steady. Pulse ox normal; that meant she was breathing okay. Blood pressure normal. And yet...

"God. Is that my sister?"

Reynolds turned around for the briefest moment. Commander Cooper had already arrived.

"Yes, sir," the seasoned medic answered, replacing his stethoscope around his neck to bring out a pen light. He then pulled open one of the colonel's eyelids and shined the light inside. She was still unconscious.

"What happened?" Reynolds could hear the fear in his voice.

"I was hoping you'd tell me, sir," the medic replied, checking the other eye now. "Were you with her last?"

"No. I - I just saw her at the debrief though."

Reynolds glanced back. "Did she seem off at all?"

The older Cooper shook his head. "No. But she did look...upset earlier."

"Any idea why?"

"She's just...been through a lot lately." The commander swallowed. "Could this be stress-related?"

"The vomiting? Yes. Nosebleed? Not so much. Together, definitely not."

Reynolds sensed more questions were coming, but Commander Cooper didn't get a chance to voice them. Just as Holden returned with the IV bag and was setting it up, Major Hawk came in.

"What's going on?"

The medic finally turned away from his patient as Holden worked to get a line in. "We're not sure yet, sir. Your wife collapsed outside. I think she was trying to make her way here. Were you with her just now?"

"No. I mean...she was with me maybe ten minutes ago. We were talking in my - in our quarters." The major licked his lips, then blew out a breath. "Well, arguing, actually."

Commander Cooper suddenly stepped forward, turning on Hawk. "She's bleeding. Did you hit her?"

"What? No! We just - "

Reynolds held up both hands. "Stop it. I can't have you two shouting in my medtent. Is that clear?"

Both officers quickly shut their mouths and exchanged a look.

"Yes," they answered in unison.

"Good," the medic replied. "Then let me do my work. I wanted to let you know she's here since you're immediate family and it happened so fast. I was hoping you might have some insight as to why, but it sounds like this came on suddenly, which is also helpful to know. We'll look into it, get her stable, and then let you back inside. Okay?"

The two men looked at each other again and nodded, shuffling out.

"Okay," Reynolds repeated then, turning back to his CO. "Holden, how are we doing?"

"IV's hooked up and dripping."

"All right. Let's get a blood sample. We'll go from there."

Outside, Willis pushed a hand into his hair as he stared at the dirt. It almost felt like cosmic ill-luck that this had happened now. Of course Cooper would fall unconscious after he basically asked her to leave. He worried for her, and hoped she was okay, but this didn't change anything about their conversation in his mind. He was still deeply unsure about trusting her. She'd made a good argument, but his gut told him no.

Her brother soon appeared beside him.

"Hey, man. You were with her last. No red flags?"

Willis looked up and stiffened, folding his arms across his chest as he ignored Mark's question. "I don't like your accusation, Mark. I'm not that kind of guy, and you know that. Whatever...problems Natalie and I are going through right now, that's never something that even crosses my mind. Ever."

Mark sighed, too. "I know. I'm sorry. You've always been good to her. It's just the circumstances, you know. You two together, fighting, and the blood - it just came out."

Hawk snorted. "Yeah, well, next time, keep it in. I appreciate what you've done for us in the past, but something like that could end my career, and I don't take it lightly."

"You're right." Mark paused. "It's just...she's my little sister. Right or wrong, I'll always protect her."

Willis shifted his stance a bit, choosing to let it go. "I take it you heard about Ethan."

"She told me, yeah. I don't...want to get in the middle of that. That's between the two of you, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it or excuse her behavior. She messed up; she knows she did. And I honestly believe she's trying to make it right. But whatever you need to feel about it, feel. Sometimes it's something you can get past. Sometimes it's not. I get it. Cheating is...tough." He finally turned to face his brother-in-law. "But just do me one favor, okay? Be there for her now, through this. It'd mean a lot."

Hawk nodded.

They stood in silence for a while, not knowing what else to say. Willis wasn't even sure what he could do at this point.

"So, my question earlier...no red flags?"

"None. She seemed...just as spirited as always."

Mark chuckled. "Spirited. That's a good one. Very apt."

Another moment of silence, then, "You're sure she's not pregnant?"

"Yes. We're always safe."

Mark furrowed his brow. "Sorry to ask, I just...can't imagine what the hell..."

Willis turned to look at him again as Mark trailed off a second time. It sounded like Natalie's brother had stumbled on another possibility.

"Oh, crap," he said, and dove back into the medtent before Willis could ask what it was.

Hawk reentered just as Mark reached Reynolds again.

"I forgot to mention Laraza's back," Mark said to him. "Make sure she hasn't been poisoned."