Understanding-Chapter 2
So, we got a mention of Mandy in 6x03 and 6x04. I loved that Sonny asked Jason about Mandy and am so excited for more scenes between them. I still think we'll see Mandy somewhere around the 100th (6x06). They really have thrown us for a loop filming out of order lol. Anyways, I'm making this one-shot post 6x04. What a great episode directed by Dave! Enjoy!
Jason leaned against the kitchen counter by the sink. His head bowed down and phone sitting off to the side. This job, this war. It took a lot out of you.
"Your team, your call," Omar's words echoed in his mind.
"My team, my call," Jason's own voice echoed back.
"Jace?" Sonny said walking into the kitchen and seeing Jason. "You good?"
Jason turned around ready to say he was fine but stopped, "No, I'm not."
Sonny regarded him before speaking, "Forget about Omar. You made the right call."
"Did I?" Jason questioned. "A kid died, Sonny?"
Sonny sat down with a sigh, "It's war Jason. You and I both know that kid wasn't completely innocent either. Listen, Ray worked the problem, and we hopefully got some intel to finally work off of. It isn't a pretty win, but we take what we can get."
"I feel like I'm losing my mind," Jason said pacing. "If it's not me worrying about the team, then it's Omar, then it's my brain, then it's-," Jason let out.
"Let me ask you something," Sonny began. "We've been fighting this war a long time. When haven't we had to make that tough call? We've made it plenty of times and look at the results of it. If Blackburn or Lisa were here, would it be different?"
"Maybe we could've-," Jason began.
"Mandy, what would she have done?" Sonny challenged as Jason stopped and looked at him. "You and I both know the call she would've made. We've seen her make it countless times. If she were here, what would she be telling you?"
"You know those last couple of years on the job were tough on her. She was spinning out. Losing Samin, it hit her hard," Jason said sitting down. "We came back home from J-Bad and suddenly she's saying she's done at the taco truck. I could see her breaking and I said nothing as she walked away."
"You left Bravo cuz of her," Sonny concluded.
"All in, all the time, leaves no room for us. That's what she said. She asked until when would they serve. Said she had to leave right then, or I'd talk her into staying and losing herself. These past few months she's been there in my corner. Tells it to me straight when I need it too," Jason chuckled.
"She's a smart lady. I remember snapping at her once. She took it like a champ. Blew off my apology like it wasn't needed," Sonny shook his head.
"When we came back from the op before and she said she took a job, she said she was jealous. I could see it in her eyes as we said goodbye. She wanted back in the action," Jason said rubbing his face.
"Sounds like someone else I know," Sonny laughed. "Why'd she go back?"
"Guilt," Jason answered. "She's come to acceptance on many things she's done but I think in the back of her mind, she still remembers all the losses."
"She said transitioning was hard," Sonny recalled from the Bulkhead. "Said there were other ways to serve."
"She was ready to stay," Jason said. "Said she'd blew them off a few months ago and would say the time wasn't right. She's not a stay-at-home girl, Sonny."
"No, she is not. She's fought this war right beside us and knows how much it changes you," Sonny replied.
"I get it now," Jason replied. "Her whole career was making calls like the one I made. She once told me she had list of names of all those who got hurt because of her. I think about all the times I pushed her, demanded she get us intel for an op. More than anything, I'd kill for a moment to know she's at least safe."
"I bet Ms. Spook is doing just fine," Sonny smiled. "She's got something to fight for and learned from the best, yours truly of course, that we're never out of the fight," Sonny laughed as Jason threw a towel at him.
Sonny watched as his brother relaxed for a brief moment. Jason wasn't the only one watching the news. They'd all been keeping tabs on what was happening in Afghanistan. It wasn't pretty and they all prayed to whatever higher being there was that Mandy would come back home safe for Jason's sake. If Jason lost her, there'd be no coming back from it this time.
"Another fucking dry hole," Jason exclaimed as he threw his gear on the floor.
"We knew it'd take time," Ray began as he tried to calm everyone down.
"We've been here almost a month, Ray. A month and we've come up empty," Sonny added.
"Command wants answers," Jason added. "We went with the YPJ and got nothing. Not to mention, we still have to give them something in return. Anyone think about what favor we'll be doing them?" Jason glared at Omar.
"How about we all just take a break," Ray tried to smooth over.
"We've been on break this whole fucking time, Ray," Jason said walking out of the room.
"Jace-," Ray tried to call out.
"Let him go Ray," Sonny sighed. "Just let him," he said with a look and Ray nodded.
After a moment of silence, Brock spoke, "Anyone know if he made contact?"
"Last time we talked, no," Sonny sighed. "He's holding it together but even I'm becoming concerned."
"I tried reaching out to some buddies I know out there, communication is tough," Trent added.
"I did the same," Ray sighed.
"Okay, what am I missing here? Hayes have something more important going on? After all, he's the one that said we need to be mission focused," Omar chimed in.
"Watch yourself," Sonny snapped.
"Omar, it's his girl," Ray said.
"Hayes is cranky cuz of girl? Seriously?" Omar scoffed.
"Watch yourself," Ray snapped. "She used to be a spook. She took a job with an NGO to help females."
"Hayes is dating a spook?" Omar asked. "Okay, so what?"
"In Afghanistan," Ray sighed. "Look, we worked with her for a long time. Hell, we rescued her not too long ago from captivity when we deployed out to Africa. It's complicated between them, but it seems they finally got their acts together."
"He hasn't heard from her since just before we got deployed out here," Sonny added. "Jason, he protects the people he cares about and right now he can't protect one of the top important people in his life."
Before anyone could say anything more, a phone started buzzing. Everyone started looking at their phones. They all looked up realizing it was none of theirs and then their eyes fell on Jason's. Sonny grabbed the phone and looked at the screen. The number was unrecognizable. Something in Sonny's gut told him he had to answer it. He swiped and accepted the video call.
"Hey!" Sonny laughed. "Well, I'll be damned. If it isn't Ms. Spook herself. Your ears must be burning!"
"Sonny?" Mandy asked confused and Sonny could see the wheels turning. "Sonny…,"
"He's okay. He just stepped out," Sonny said as Ray ran out to find Jason.
"You miss me that much that you were talking about me. Knew you always had a thing for me," Mandy smirked.
"Hey Mandy," Trent and Brock said crowding behind Sonny.
"Boss is not gonna like that cut on your forehead," Brock assessed.
"Did you get medical for that? It could get infected or-," Trent began rattling off.
"Trent, we're good. I got some great vets out here with me. One of them a medic too," Mandy reassured them.
"Listen, we need you to work your spooky magic on him. He's worried about you," Sonny smiled with a look.
"Yeah," Mandy said with a look as well, saying the unspoken.
Jason walked in to see Sonny, Brock, and Trent all hovered around his phone. They were laughing and he could hear her. A part of him hoping this wasn't all just some dream.
"Get over there," Ray said pushing Jason.
"Well, our time is up. You owe us drinks at the Bulkhead next time," Sonny joked.
"Will do," Mandy smiled right before the phone changed hands.
Jason's breath got caught as he looked at her. It'd been weeks since he'd seen or heard from her, yet there she was, beautiful as ever.
"Hey," Mandy smiled widely with tears in her eyes.
"Hey," Jason replied back as he walked out of the room to have some privacy. "You're hurt," he said with a frown.
"Things have been tense the last few weeks. I meant to try and contact you, but you know how signals are around here. Doesn't help the enemy has some of our tech to track too," Mandy explained. "How are you?"
"Good," Jason sighed as Mandy gave him a pointed look. "Missed a treatment. We got spun up. Been away from home almost a month now."
"What about command?" Mandy asked concerned.
"Foxtrot got decommissioned," Jason said irritated.
"But what?" Mandy asked knowing there was more. "They gave you one of theirs, didn't they? And not the young new guy either."
"Didn't realize spooks could read minds," Jason smiled. "Next you're gonna tell me where I currently am."
"I'm just full of surprises," Mandy shrugged. "And I'm gonna guess Syria. News travels around these parts of the world. YPJ? I remember working with them once. If you run into problems, just tell them you know Amy Bell. For the record, they're good at what they do but they also will do whatever they need to do to protect themselves."
"Wasn't my idea to get involved," Jason sighed. "Do I want to know who or what Amy Bell did that it'd strike fear into someone in this part of the world?"
"Too bad you don't have that high of clearance," Mandy smirked. "We managed to rescue about a dozen women so far. Working on more, got a bunch of vets out here helping. Might be headed back stateside soon depending how things go."
"That's good. I'm sure Cerb misses you," Jason replied.
"I miss him too," Mandy raised an eyebrow. "Jason, what happened?"
Jason sighed and rubbed his face, "I had to make a call."
"Okay," Mandy said letting Jason talk. "The team looks to be fine."
"Yeah, but it cost someone else's life," Jason let out.
Mandy paused as she connected the dots, "Jason, listen to me. It was the right call. It hurts like hell your asset died but all you can do is move forward. Never out of the fight. Make sure they didn't die in vain."
"I keep thinking about all the times I pushed you to get intel. How many times you've made this call," Jason said. "You've been there for me all this time, yet I wasn't there for you. I feel like history is repeating itself."
"Jason, you've always been there for me. You didn't just accept me after a rough start, but you gave me the pleasure and honor of being a part of your inner circle. Life hasn't been easy for me, you know that. I build walls," Mandy said.
"Never been walls between us," Jason smiled. "Just you up against them," Jason smirked as Mandy blushed.
"You're such a horndog," Mandy rolled her eyes.
"You saying you don't miss that," Jason raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I do miss it," Mandy flirted. "But maybe the last few months have just been the side effects of the fountain of youth," Mandy teased.
"Oh, you're asking for it," Jason's eyes darkened.
"I look forward to it," Mandy replied back as someone called out to her.
"You gotta go," Jason sighed.
"Yeah, it was my night to make a call. I'll try to call again soon," Mandy said sadly.
"Listen, be careful," Jason said seriously. "Make sure you're eating, keeping hydrated. I know how you get."
"Same goes for you," Mandy replied.
"I need you to come home," Jason confessed.
"Only if you come home too," Mandy said. "Jason, I know it feels like the world is spinning, but I'm in this fight with you. So, lean on the guys when you need to. Stop and take a breath when it feels like it's all crashing down. We'll be home before we know it."
"You're here," Jason smiled.
"I'm here," Mandy smiled back. "I gotta go. And Jason?"
"Yeah?" Jason asked.
"I expect tacos as soon as we're back home," Mandy demanded with a smile.
"I'll be waiting," Jason replied as they said one final goodbye before disconnecting.
Jason took a deep breath and got up. He was ready to work the intel again and get back home. They'd be together again before they knew it.