Everyone was gathered in Ray's backyard as they rounded the the corner of the house. Trent reached out and took her hand to calm her visible nerves. He smiled at her like a child excited for Christmas almost giddy to have her with his whole family and for just an instant she felt guilt at denying him this joy in the past.
"The guests of honor!" Ray held up his beer.
"The one we really like!" Sonny laughed. "You want something to drink, Ginger Snaps?"
"Thanks, Sonny. A soda will work." She smiled back at his antics.
"Can we do the presents now?" Clay started to stand.
"Yes!" Jameelah yelled.
"Let's wait on that. We can give them their presents after we visit for a while and eat." Ray laughed as Jameelah and Clay wore matching pouts.
Metal handed Trent a beer while clapping him on the back. "Congrats, brother."
"Thanks, Scott." Trent smiled. "And thank you for dealing with that issue we had." Metal smiled and nodded as he moved to the grill with Jason. "His team, well Alpha, were sent to Somolia." Trent looked to Serena who nodded in understanding. "He sort of floats between teams."
Blackburn walked over to Trent wearing a smile. "Can I steal you for a minute?"
"Sure." Trent turned to Serena who nodded before walking towards Naima. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know the issue with you on Bravo's last mission has been resolved. As far as the reports go you informed us as soon as you became aware of the hostage's identities. Because we were already in the air and didn't have a medic or full team without you it was decided you would Charlie Mike. The Brass wants this over and the CIA wants to save face. It's done." Blackburn sipped his beer.
"Thank you, Eric." Trent exhaled.
"Thank Mandy too." Eric walked toward the rest of the group.
Trent swallowed as he walked toward Naima, Davis, Mandy, and Serena. The women were standing together near a picnic table loaded with snacks and side dishes. Trent walked slowly watching as Serena tucked her loose hair behind her ear smiling and blushing. She spoke and the others laughed, he wished he had been close enough to hear their conversation.
"Hey." He wrapped her in his arms from behind. "Having a good time?"
"Hey. I am, everything good?" Serena tilted her head to look up at him.
"Yup. All good. I've got some good people covering my ass." Trent looked into Mandy's eyes as he said it.
Mandy nodded almost imperceptibly at him as she reached for a handful of pretzels. "Some would say the same about you." She glanced to Brock who was sitting alone near the rest of Bravo.
"Yeah I guess." He let go of Serena. "I'm gonna chat with the guys for a bit, if you're good."
"I am." Serena turned back to the women.
Trent sat in the chair next to Brock. "You were right about the pie at Amy's. It is the best."
"I know." Brock sipped at his beer not looking at Trent.
"I miss you, brother." Trent spoke so softly Brock almost didn't hear him.
"Miss you too." Brock glanced to him. "Things haven't been the same in a long time though."
"You're right, they haven't." Trent shook his head. "Been mostly blaming you for that..."
"I know. Mostly is my fault." Brock stood to leave the conversation.
"Brock, wait." Trent sat forward. "That kid in Kandahar."
"I had nightmares about that for weeks." Brock turned back to him.
"I still do." Trent looked at the grass below his feet. "Brock, he reminded me of you. And everytime I looked at you I saw him."
"So you stopped looking." Brock shifted from one foot to the other and back.
"I'm sorry." Trent stood. "You were half gone anyway and I pushed you further away."
"I wasn't half gone, brother. At least I wasn't trying to be. But after... yeah after I was." Brock looked down. "For weeks I thought it might have been my round that hit that kid."
"It wasn't your round." Trent looked up shocked he had missed that due to his own pain. "I didn't realize because... It was bad all the way around."
"Did you relapse?" The words were whispered.
"No, I called Rena." Trent glanced to watch her laughing with Naima as RJ crawled on the ground meowing and hissing. "Apparently he's a cat today?"
"I guess so." Brock shrugged. "You want to go for a run tomorrow morning with me and Cerb?"
"Yeah." Trent leaned forward to clink beers. "Sonny can stay with them."
"You should go spend some time with your beautiful wife. Food should be done soon." Brock smiled.
"That I should." Trent stood and walked toward Serena as Mandy broke away from the group.
"Food's done!" Metal called out. "Who wants steak?"
The group gathered at two tables set up earlier and ate. Laughter filled the yard as the members of Bravo told stories about Trent to Serena. RJ continued to crawl around pretending to be a cat while Jameelah became increasingly irritated with her brother.
"Meelah, come here pretty girl." Clay called out to her.
"Is it time Uncle Clay?" She jumped up and down.
"Almost, buttercup, almost." Clay laughed as he slowly stood. "Come inside and help me?"
Sonny followed as Jameelah bounded toward the house and Clay tried to keep up with the excited child unsuccessfully. Trent laughed at their antics while reaching for Serena's hand below the table and squeezing it gently. The conversation lulled as the two men returned without Jameelah.
"Alrighty, so this here is from Bravo and crew because none of us wanted to take Clay's credit for the other gift." Sonny laughed. "Or the blame."
"It's a good gift." Clay pouted causing everyone to laugh more.
Trent shifted nervously as Sonny handed an envelope to him. "Hope you enjoy."
Trent smiled as he opened the card and realized they had booked a weekend in the honeymoon suite of an expensive Virginia Beach hotel. "Thank you all very much." He handed the card to Serena to look at while shaking hands and half hugging his brothers.
"Well it's off season so it wasn't as expensive as it could have been." Brock laughed at his own joke as Trent pulled him into a tight full hug that held more meaning than the back claps and arms over shoulders of moments before. "Figured you deserved a little honeymoon before deployment."
Serena smiled as she watched amends being made and noticed Mandy doing the same. "So Clay?"
"JamJam!" Clay looked more excited than a kid in a candy store.
Jameelah bounced from the house rushing toward Serena holding something small tightly to her chest with both hands and most of her little arms. "Aunt Rena, this is from me and Uncle Clay!" Opening her arms in front of Serena Jameelah revealed a small orange kitten. "So you don't have to be alone when Uncle Trent is away at work!"
Serena's eyes filled with tears as she took the scared kitten from Jameelah. She wasn't sure if it was being called Aunt by a child she had met two hours ago or the fact that Clay, who seemed so much like a boy, had thought to do this but either way tears were running down her face. She wiped at her eyes before standing and walking to Clay. "Thank you." Clay wrapped his arms around her with his smile still firmly in place.
"Is she mad?" Jameelah turned to Trent.
"No baby, she's happy." Trent shook his head and smiled. "And apparently we now have a cat."
"He's a rescue. Found in a storm drain and rehabbed to be homed." Clay told Serena as she held the kitten to her chest. "He's only eight weeks old but he's healthy now and has his first set shots."
"He's just perfect. Thank you so much, Clay." Serena tried and failed to control her emotions.
"What are you going to name him?" Clay glanced to Trent relieved to see his brother smiling and nodding at him.
"Simba." She smiled.