A/N: Underlined indicates typed messages. Italics indicates thought. Sign is in standard English syntax for ease in reading. All mistakes are mine. Please read, review, and tell me what you think.

Seeing Clearly

One

Hector Delgado was going to sleep. He settled into the car ride knowing that his companion wouldn't give any answers until he was ready. Having been rudely awakened shortly after five, he was content to rest and wait. It was his first time off base in over two weeks since his… He didn't want to think about it. He was tired of thinking. Sleep. Closing his eyes, he began counting backwards from one hundred.

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Sue Thomas woke up very early Saturday morning to pray. She had a long day ahead of her and she needed all of the help she could get.

Leaving the apartment while it was still dark, she loaded Levi into the back of the car. She took one last look at the email James had sent earlier in the week.

Sue,

I'm taking Hector to see Mara. If you can come, please meet me at the following location at 06:30 on Saturday.

James

Attached were directions to a cemetery and a specific plot.

She had debated about bringing Levi since it was a sensitive place. Since she was traveling alone, she brought him along. He was good company. She had also debated about asking Bobby to come but she had seen him talking to Jack about a trip to the coast. And asking Jack to come would raise more questions than she had answers to. Sighing and asking for favor, she started her journey.

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Bobby Manning got an early start on his trip to the East Coast. He was about an hour out of D. C. when he got a phone call.

"Manning… Yeah… What? Ah, no mate… 'S'okay… No, stay with the fam… I'll go for a drive and just sight see or something… Yeah… Right-o… Love to the kiddoes." He banged the wheel in frustration and took the next exit. Making the turn around, he headed back toward home muttering about the flu.

He was about half way back when he thought he recognized a car at a gas station. Making another U-turn at a median crossover, he pulled up behind it. Yes, he knew the car. He got out of his vehicle and went to lean on the other's hood. An excited golden retriever barked at him.

Walking out of the station, Sue was lost in thought and didn't see the man at her car until she almost ran into him.

"Bobby!" She put a hand to her chest and squinted at him in the harsh glare of the night-lights. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a day at the coast planned."

"I did. Unfortunately, the flu had other plans for my friend and his family."

"So you're here because?"

"I saw your car. Going somewhere without me, sheila?" His arms were crossed and he had that look in his eye, the one that said 'Don't even try'.

She simply opened the car and handed him the email and directions. Telling her to get in the passenger side of her car, he ran in to the gas station. A minute later, he moved his car around to the back of the building and came running to her vehicle. Sliding into the driver's seat, they were off like a shot.

It was still dark when they arrived a few minutes before the expected time. It gave them time to talk. He turned on the dome light.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"If he had wanted you to come, he would've asked you."

"No, I think he assumed that if you came, I would come."

Sue glared at him. "I don't need a baby-sitter, Bobby."

"I know that, sheila, more than anyone else. But this type of thing is bigger than that." He sighed.

She touched his hand, the one still in the light cast. "I'm sorry. You are right, you know. This is bigger than me, you, us…" Gesturing to the acres of stones in front of them, she said, "It's about holding on and letting go."

The Aussie gave her a small grin.

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They exited the car and walked a good ways to find the plot indicated on the map. It was located at the very back of the cemetery. There was a graceful Redbud tree in one corner. Across the center were four headstones, all black granite. A single word was engraved into each stone. LOVED. The grass was neat and even, but there was evidence of a recent dig under the far left stone. Diagonal from the tree was a simple stone bench. It was smooth and worn.

Sue and Bobby approached the little plot. She was glad they had opted to have Levi stay in the car. Already, she felt a terrible burden of sorrow settle on her. She barely made it to the bench. Bobby moved to stand behind her, his good hand resting on her shoulder protectively. It was the darkest part of the morning.

Momentarily, the dawn broke and both of them raised their faces to the coming light. It wouldn't be long.