The silent man stopped the car and got out. Hector sat up sleepily, looking around at his surroundings.
"Where are we?"
Checking his watch, the silent man gestured for the sailor to get out of the vehicle. He did so, yawning a great yawn. He grabbed his jacket before closing the door and following his friend up a small rise. It was still dark, just before dawn.
"On board the ship, this was one of my favorite times of day." He took a deep breath and exhaled just as the sun cracked the sky behind them.
They came to the top of the rise with the light. It took Hector a minute to adjust to the light change. He saw a tree, some stones and two people. He froze. It was her.
The silent man continued forward and gave Sue a big hug.
"You didn't tell him I was coming did you?"
'No.' James reached for and shook Bobby's left hand.
Sue walked slowly toward the sailor. She took care to step around the outermost headstone.
Hector seemed to snap out of it for a moment and took a couple of steps before he froze again. All he could do was watch her come closer. He was afraid to breathe. This had played out in his mind's eye a million times and he had it all figured out, until now. She was nothing like he imagined and yet everything at the same time. If hope had a face, this was it.
She stopped just in front of him and looked into his eyes with understanding. Sue didn't want to be on a pedestal and she allowed him time to process her realness.
He closed his eyes and reached for her face. Just like in his dream, he traced her features and recognized them to be true, down to the tears he had felt. A touch next to his temple caused him to open his eyes again in time to see her smile. He leaned into the touch and simply said, "You are beautiful."
A second touch to his chin reminded him to look up when speaking and he stood taller. "You are beautiful. You are hope. You held me when no one else would. How can I repay that?"
Sue had no words to answer, only tears. He pulled her into a deep embrace that she returned with equal emotion. After a moment, they were both shaking.
"Let's go sit down." Hector nodded.
James was looking at his friends when a quick glint caught his eye. He turned and looked into the distance. Someone was over there. He couldn't tell much but they were of no harm to him or his friends at the moment. He turned to the matter at hand.
The pair made it to the bench with out falling. The sailor greeted the Aussie before collapsing onto the stone seat. Sue sat next to him holding one of his hands. Bobby resumed his stance behind his friend, his good hand letting her know he was there.
James took a deep breath mentally. Bullets he could do. Bad guys he could handle. Opening himself up was…not going to be easy. He began to sign slowly at first. It took him a few minutes to get out of field mentality. Sue let him get a rhythm going before she started telling his story.
"He says this is a special place for him. He planted the tree over fifteen years ago. The bench is smooth because he visits when he can. A drunk driver killed his entire family as he was coming home from being deployed. They were coming to get him when it happened. He waited and waited at the airport and nobody came. Eventually, two policemen figured out what had happened and got to the airport to tell him that his family was gone."
Sue had to stop for a moment. Hector leaned his head next to hers to lend support. He knew some of his friend's story but not all of the detail. His own heart was trembling. The hurt felt old but familiar.
Something James signed caused Sue to get up and go to him. Bobby looked at her with concern and moved to stand behind the sailor. Sue began talking again as James plowed on. "He knows what it is like to lose everything you love at once. It is sharp and painful and you feel helpless." She paused as James signed again. The hair stood up on the back of the Aussie's neck. "You want to push the pain away and never look at again, hoping your heart will mend. It won't. You have to face it. Look at it and face it."
Hector went white and slid to his knees, shaking his head. This couldn't be happening.
James didn't let up and Sue spoke through her own sobs.
"He found her, Hector. He found her."
The sob that tore from the sailor's throat echoed around the graveyard. He rocked on the ground, crying out between gasps for air, "I tried to find her after I got back. I had to leave. I was being recalled to duty. She was already gone. I tried to find her. I tried. They wouldn't tell me anything. I tried." He buried his head in his hands and cried.
Sue was torn. Her emotions demanded that she go and comfort but James stopped her.
'You can't help here. He has to deal with this by himself this time.'
"Then why did you want me here?" Her own hold was slipping and she snapped at the silent man.
He pulled off his glasses and just looked at her.
Bobby had come around to kneel beside Hector. He was caught off guard when the sailor jerked up with a sob and knocked the tall agent onto his backside. Gingerly, he picked himself up staying well back from the grieving man. James got the Aussie's attention and motioned to Sue who was trembling uncontrollably.
Pulling off his coat, he wrapped her in it.
"What now, mate?"
James signed slowly so Bobby would understand. 'Hold her. Don't let her touch him. She'll drown in his grief.'
The wind picked up suddenly and Hector quieted a bit.
James heard another sound on the wind and looked sharply. Whatever it was, it still wasn't a threat.
He went to kneel next to the grieving man. Slowly, the two men met each other's eyes. The silent man pointed to the fourth stone and touched the sailor's heart. He helped him to stand but the other man was almost spent. The pair staggered to the stone where Hector fell to his knees and held on for dear life. Relief washed through him along with the grief. What was lost was found and pain he had pushed aside for so long came crashing in on him. Again his sobs echoed around the area, the grieving sound a stark contrast to the gentle sun's rays.
Sue sat cradled in the Aussie's arms. She was crying and murmuring about 'lost and found, holding on and letting go'. It seemed appropriate and he nodded his agreement. He kissed her hair and rocked her, trying to counter the pull of emotion rolling around them.
James knelt beside the sailor once more, waiting for a quiet space. When he got Hector's attention, he made a slow sign. 'Father, 1. Mother, 2. Sister, 3. Mara, 4. Part of my family now.' The hazel eyes willed the grieving man to understand what his hands could not say. He pointed to the inscription and traced it.
Hector followed the silent man's finger with his own. LOVED. He rested his head against the cool granite and nodded. He understood. He could go on now and become stronger. Still love her and love someone else when the time came. She was lost to him but found and he could be at peace.
He bent his head and looked at her picture in his mind. She was laughing and the Light was laughing with her. The sailor took a deep breath and smiled through his tears. Strong arms helped him up and over to the bench. A pair of soft arms was waiting.
Bobby adjusted Sue out of his grip as James brought Hector to the bench. The two men looked at each other as the sailor was pulled into an embrace of unconditional love. She whispered to him "It's about holding on and letting go. You have held on for so long, you can let go now. She's safe. She's safe with Him."
Hector knew she was right. He lifted his face to the sun and breathed deep, pushing out the guilt of not being able to stay. He allowed the sun to burn away his guilt at not being able to find her. He allowed the Light to touch him. Sue turned to face the Light with him, holding tightly to his hands.
The Aussie had to turn away. He knew such love existed but had never seen it displayed in such a manner. He was both jealous and scared—that he hadn't found it yet and that it could come from someone so small in such a big way.