Serena paced around the apartment while Naima spoke to Eric. Guilt washed over her as she thanked God it wasn't her phone that rang. She glanced to the dark haired woman for a sign of any kind. Naima asked questions but showed no emotion. She talked softly and in a way that almost seemed intended to comfort the man who called. She would have yelled. She would have screamed and cried. She would have blamed him.
As she watched the woman sit silently listening she longed for home in a way she never had, not even as a child bounced around by incompetent county workers. She wished for his arms around her, for his breath on her neck as he whispered that everything was fine in her ear. For everything to actually be fine.
The rock of a woman that was Naima Perry finally spoke again before ending the call and turning to watch her pace. "Ray is being flown to Germany for surgery."
Serena crossed the room and sat beside her. "So do you go there? Or stay here? What happens next, Naima?"
"He'll have surgery in Germany and then be flown back stateside when he is stable enough." She slumped slightly and put her face in her hands.
"Naima, I know you think you have to be strong to be his calm and I know that right now he needs you, maybe more than he ever has before, but if you need to break just a bit before then... he would never know." Serena moved closer.
"Maybe just a little." Tears spilled from her eyes as Serena wrapped her arms around her.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Trent exhaled slowly as Jason stitched the wound on his arm closed. "We could use staples."
"We'll leave them for those more critical." He tipped his head back to rest it against the wall and closed his eyes fighting exhaustion.
"Lidocaine?"
"Jason, you're being a bitch about this, just do it."
"You're nicer at home." Jason laughed.
"I have a reason to be." Trent smiled lightly.
"You should call her. This shitshow has made the news." Jason pulled the wound together with thread.
"We're blackout." Trent looked at him in confusion.
"Yeah. Blackburn called Naima. You're listened as Clay's next of kin and apparently Brock didn't list anyone." Jason turned slightly to grab a fresh dressing.
"His insurance and death benefit have to go somewhere." Trent lowered his eyes to watch Jason finish working on his arm.
"He's not dead." Jason stopped what he was doing and looked up. "And he's not going to be."
"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying there has to be someone listed somewhere." Trent shrugged.
"Yeah some charity that provides toys for MWDs." Jason smiled sadly. "Listen, my whole point is call your wife."
"Yeah. I will." Trent inhaled deeply.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
"Do you want coffee?" Serena moved from the couch.
"Tea is fine. The smell of coffee made me sick when I was pregnant." Naima sat up more running a hand over her face.
"I'll deal."
"It's okay." Naima stood and walked into the kitchen starting the kettle for tea.
The whistle of the kettle was interrupted by the ringing of Serena's phone. Serena turned to look at Naima while holding the phone with no intention of answering it. The whistling kettle grew louder. The ringing continued.
She thought back to war zones and photos of the dead and dying. Of famine and the stench of genocide. Of bodies piled high and armed men so accustomed to death that they almost didn't even see it anymore. She thought of Greece and the broken man from Walter Reed that stole her heart with a nickname. She thought of a shack in Somalia where she spoke to a dead man for days. And the phone rang.
"Answer it, Serena." Naima took a step closer.
"I... I can't." Her hand shook as she passed the phone to her friend.
Naima looked down at the phone, at the number that belonged to the satellite phone. Taking a deep breath she prayed that Trent would come home and know before answering and putting it on speaker.
"Hello."
"Naima?" Trent's voice filled room.
"Yeah, I'm with Serena." She stepped closer as Serena sank into a wooden chair and her hands muffled her sobs. "You're on speaker, it's just us."
"Rena, I'm okay." He sounded spent as he waited for a response. "I'd really like to hear you're voice."
"I love you." She failed at sounding strong.
"I love you too." The smile in his voice could be heard from thousands of miles away. "Naima, are you still there?"
"I am." She held back from the million questions running through her head.
"How much do you know?" It was obvious he was walking as he asked.
"That he was injured and being flown to Germany for surgery. That's about all." Naima used her nurse voice.
"He took a round to the upper chest. No exit. He lost a bit of blood before we could get to him. He was receiving transfusions and fluids but more stable than I expected when they left." He was mostly whispering.
"They? Trent, who was else hurt?" Naima stood beside Serena rubbing circles into her shoulder to comfort them both.
"Clay took a round to his right leg near his knee." Trent exhaled slowly. "Swore he couldn't feel it, and maybe he couldn't. But he'll need ortho. And Brock was injured." Trent tried to keep the tears on his face out of his voice.
Naima immediately knew Brock was the most severely injured by the lack of detail given. "And all three were sent to Germany?"
"Yeah." His voice cracked slightly and Serena reached for the phone.
"Hey." She spoke softly. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Me too." Trent felt the wall he was pushed into against his back. "I should probably..."
"I will talk to you soon. I love you, Trent Sawyer."
"And I love you more, Serena Sawyer." He disconnected the call before she could argue.
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Trent was sitting in the dirt against the wall outside the operations center with the sat phone still in his hand when someone sat beside him. She didn't speak as she rested her head in the crook of her elbow exhaling slowly and counting breaths. Trent moved an inch closer so their shoulders touched and like that they stayed.
It was probably an hour before either spoke. She mumbled first and he missed what she said. Turning slightly with a sore neck and back he wrapped his right arm around her shoulder pulling her to his side.
"He's like a song lyric stuck in my head." She spoke more clearly.
"I get that." Trent stared at nothing in the distance.
"I know you do." She looked up at him with big eyes. "I should have said yes."
"Yeah." He didn't know what else to say.
"Do you think?" Mandy's voice crack and she didn't finish the thought.
"I hope but I don't know." He leaned so his cheek was resting on her head. "He's strong. What happened Mandy?"
"Trent... I can't." A tear ran down her cheek but Mandy couldn't betray him by telling anyone, not even his best friend.
"Hey it's okay." Trent held her while she cried.
Mandy cried on his shoulder until Sonny walked towards them and she pulled away. "Blackburn got an update. Ray and Brock both made it through the flight. Poster Boy's arguing so badly they're sending him stateside for treatment with the team that patched him up after Manilla." He shifted the toothpick between his teeth. "Charlie Team will be here within the week to replace us."
"Deployment is over?" Trent looked up from his place in the dirt.
"Trent, we're down three men. Did you think we'd stay?" Sonny shaded his eyes from the sun.
"I'm not sure." Trent kicked against the ground gently. "Guess I haven't really thought about it."
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Serena pulled into the parking lot of the hospital thinking about everything that had happened in the last two days since Naima had knocked at her door. She slammed the car door shut and walked inside moving to the information desk. The woman sitting behind the desk typed and stared at the computer in front of her instead of acknowledging her.
"Excuse me." She had tired of waiting politely.
"I'll be with you in a minute." The woman replied curtly.
"No, actually you will be with me right now!" Serena raised her voice. "Clay Spenser. He was flown in from Germany. I need to know where he is."
The woman looked up from the desk at her in annoyance. "Are you family?"
"Yes, I'm his sister." She smoothly lied but felt like it was a truth.
"He's in room 214." She didn't look up from the computer as she spoke.
"Thank you so very much for your stellar customer service skills." Serena walked away as anger flowed through her.
She took the elevator to the second floor and exited looking for the direction she was heading. The smell of antiseptic made her skin tingle. She walked to the nurse's desk and waited until a young nurse looked up at her.
"Can I help you?" She smiled.
"I'm looking for room 214, Clay Spenser." Serena relaxed at helpful nature of the nurse.
"Oh I'll show you." She stood and rounded the desk. "He's a bit of a handful, maybe a visitor will help."
"Oh I doubt that but I'll do my best." Serena laughed lightly.
The nurse lead her to the door and smiled kindly before walking back to the nurse's station. Serena took a deep breath and knocked gently. Stepping into the room she slowly approached unsure if he was awake with his head turned away.
"Clay, you awake?" She spoke softly and adjusted the cardigan that no longer belonged to Trent.
"Rena." He smiled as he turned toward her.
She stepped closer. "How are you feeling?"
"Not bad but that might be the meds talking. Bullet hit the bone they say." Clay shrugged.
"You might want to try not getting shot for a bit." She laughed.
"I'll give that some thought." He smiled. "It's good to see you. You taking me home?"
"Your room's waiting but you need to stay at least until Trent gets home. Don't want a repeat of last time." She touched his wrist squeezing softly.
"Yeah. Can you stay a while?" Clay looked at her with big blue eyes.
"A while? I have an overnight bag in the car if you want me to stay the whole time." She pulled a chair closer and sat.
"Thanks." He reached out and took her hand. "Any word on Ray? I haven't been able to get an update."
"Ray is stable. He'll be stateside the day after tomorrow I think." She exhaled slowly.
"What aren't you telling me?" Clay struggled to sit up more.
"Here." She pushed a button on the bedrail helping him sit more upright. "Clay, it's Brock and it's bad."