Christmas Past
A/N: Most of this part is taken from episode 13, " Orphans". I have added some of my own touches to it, but trust me when I say, it's significant to my story.
Part 3
"Flames shot up from what seemed to be everywhere. Smoke filled the air making every breath seem to be the last. A small whining voice is heard through the smoldering room. Reaching, reaching, reaching out to search and coming up empty. Unable to see with his eyes tearing up. His own flesh burning on him when finally he finds what he's been looking for. Unable to catch his own breath much less loan it out to another, but he had to. This was his responsibility, his fault and he had to make things right. Tired and barely conscious, he pulled himself together and started to…"
A small yelp and Scream is awake in a cold sweat. He wipes his shaken hands over his wet face. Drowsy, but dehydrated, he stubbles to his feet in search of some water. He doesn't know how much longer he can take these nightmares. He's had them for years but lately they seem to be coming more frequently and severe then ever.
Bottled water being as scarce as it was, he knew that he had to preserve it for when his team really needed it, but he had a burning feeling inside him that only the water could satisfy. He took the remainder of his bottle back to his cot and crawled under the blankets, hoping that was it for the nightmares for the night.
The next morning at the mess tent, Scream was seated, as usual, at a table in the corner alone while his team conversed ten feet away. The team talked, what appeared to be among themselves, but actually were discussing the sergeant.
Angel: Sarge doesn't look so hot this morning.
Mrs. B: Sarge looks hot no matter what, geez.
Tariq: I get what Angel means. Think he got any sleep? I walked into him earlier and his eyes had more trails of red in them then the Red Sea.
Smoke: I say we go over and find out what the shit's going on with the man firsthand.
Angel: If he wants us to know, he'll tell us.
Dim: If his problems are going to affect the fire team, we need to know. Let's go.
As the soldiers prepare to stand and confront their leader, a corporal approaches Scream and the sergeant gathers his gear, dumps his tray and follows the corporal out…temporarily deterring the teams efforts to have their first heart-to-heart chat with their squad leader.
Scream enters a tent and is immediately told to have a seat by Captain Baron. The captain gives Scream some ice water and then asks him if his EAS paperwork was missing or an over site.
Scream: No, sir. I'm not re-enlisting.
The captain pleads with the sergeant to reconsider, letting him know that he's one of his best staff NCOS and that he's already put in 13 years with only 7 more to go to retire with full benefits.
Scream: I'm ready for something new.
Capt. Baron: You've got something better on the outside?
Scream explains to his captain that he would be running a friend's carpet business back in Topeka. The captain is doubtful that that is really Scream's main reason for leaving the army since he lets Scream know he's read his file and that Scream isn't from Topeka, but from his own hometown, a fellow Long Islander. He tries to persuade him to stay at least for another 6 years and he'll receive a bonus. But Scream stands his ground and leaves a disappointed captain behind in the tent.
Scream enters the mess tent and orders the male soldiers in his team to fall out beside the hummer parked outside. Riding down the road, Scream is lost in his memories as he scans the locals up and down the dirt street. His team questions their next assignment.
Smoke: Someone's being evicted. Homey don't pay, homey got to go.
Tariq: I know that. Why are we doing it? Are we working for a landlord now?
Scream tries to make them understand that it's not their government making them do it, it's the Iraqis. They want a new police department and this is the place for it.
As they approach their destination, they are met by a young boy carrying a box. Startled, Scream has the hummer stopped, they get out and take position. He orders the box dropped but the boy refuses. He aims his gun at the boy when a young French woman comes out and grabs the child. Again he orders the box be dropped. She finally complies and tells the saddened boy to put it down. He does and walks away, then Dim takes shot at it. It explodes and to Scream and the other fire team's surprise, it turns out to be a chess set. The woman, known as Sophie, yells at the fire team for destroying the game.
The fire team keep the children busy by handing out candy and Scream tries to convince Sophie to accept the two previous warning notices she had received and vacant the premises. She refuses, explaining that she runs an orphanage and they have no where else to go. Furious that he wasn't able to get through to her after several minutes of arguing, Scream gathers the team up and head back to the base.
The next morning, Scream has his team meet him outside his tent. He orders them to get one of the hummers gassed up and ready to go.
Dim: Where we headed?
Scream: Outside of town. Got business there. We'll be gone most of the day so have plenty of those (sarcastically) great tasting MRES on hand. DISMISSED!
Scream steps back towards his tent when he's stopped by a private.
Private: Sergeant, here's a letter for you.
Scream takes the letter from him and reads it as he goes inside the tent and walks over to his cot. It has the same name on it as all of his other letters along with the customary stamp, "RETURN TO SENDER". He reaches under his bed and pulls out a shoebox. Inside contains a bunch of similar letters, all unopened. He puts it back under the cot and in the process runs his hand across another box. Knowing what it is, he pulls it out and opens it up. Rolling the gift wrap from the package into a ball and holding it in one hand, he opens the package and removes a small card. Scream tears the card in half and throws it on his cot, takes the contents out and places them in a leather strap attached to his leg. As he walks out, he tosses the paper, box and part of the card into a nearby trashcan.
Angel enters the tent searching for Scream. The remaining piece of the card on his cot peeks the soldier's interest and he reads it.
Angel: Happy Birthday, Ciara. Hope you get as much enjoyment out of this as I did when I was your age. L…
The rest is torn off causing Angel to check the rack for the rest of it. Hearing Scream yell for the team to mount up, he exits the tent.
On the outskirts of town, Scream goes his own way as the team stand watch for inappropriate, and possibly hostile activity.
They return to the base late that night. Scream hands Dim a package and tells him to give it to the kid when they go back to the orphanage the next day. Scream, once again, walks off alone while the others investigate the package. Dim informs them that it's a chess set. They wonder why he's giving away his chess set.
Smoke: Guess he figures, he don't need it no more.
Angel: Why's that?
Smoke: Brother in the captain's tent said his contract almost done and he didn't re-up.
All but Smoke seemed disappointed that Scream was leaving and worried about who would be their new squad leader. For all his mysteriousness and his brashness, Scream was an alright guy and a decent leader. The thought that someone like Lt. Hunter could be their new squad leader ran a cold chill down their spines.
The following day, the team returns to the orphanage. Scream approaches the building while Dim hands the boy the chess set then sits down and plays a game with him.
Several knocks later and Sophie opens the door and Scream gets her to let him in. He follows her down the hall and stares at the small children inside, constant reminders of his own time growing up in an orphanage. She lets him in a room while she becomes preoccupied. While inside he looks at the photos of her with the children and knows she's dedicated her life to the kids.
When she comes back he tells her that he's got a way of saving her orphanage if she isn't to pigheaded to listen to an American she looks down on. He lets her know that it doesn't make a difference to him cause in ten days he's out of the army and back home. She agrees to hear him out. He tells her that he's found an apartment building outside of town that if he can work it out, she could probably have it and move the children there.
Again she argues with him about why the children should be uprooted again and the officials can put their police station there instead. Scream tries to reason with her that the Iraqi government doesn't want her there and commandeering the orphanage is just an excuse to get her out.
Outside, while the team keeps watch over the grounds, Tariq notices a car keep passing by. Dim excuses himself from the chess game and he and Tariq go to check it out while Angel and Smoke remain outside.
Sophie still refuses to move the children saying that she is just as pigheaded as he is.
Scream: Lady, sorry to hear that.
Scream prepares to leave the building when he hears a loud, whistling sound and someone yell. He grabs Sophie and pushes her to the ground. There's an explosion and glass flying. Once it's over, Scream gets up and runs outside, while Sophie checks on the kids.
Scream: SOUND OFF, GODDAMN IT!
All four members admit they are fine. Scream tells them to do a walk through the building to see if everyone's alright as another explosion goes off. They make their move when they hear someone crying. A quick glance shows that it's the young boy Dim was playing chess with. The team goes into action. Scream starts medical treatment and calls it in while Tariq gets the first aid kit. Sophie runs out and Smoke grabs her to keep her from getting in the way. Stabilized, the team places the child on stretcher and notify the authorities that they will bring the boy to the medical facility on their vehicle, knowing how seriously injured he is and that it will take 30 minutes for the medvac to reach them. They move him several feet when he stops breathing. They put him down and Scream administers CPR for several minutes. The team, along with Sophie, know it's hopeless but Scream is persistent and keeps trying. He breathes into the little boy's mouth until he has no more air to breath and with Sophie's hand on his shoulder indicating that she knows he's gone, Scream stops. Scream tries to control the tears that are pushing out of his eyes. Before they could show on his face, he gets up and walks away. Scream can't let his team see their leader crying, but it's obvious that this little boy's death devastated the hard-ass sergeant beyond normal capacity. This little boy's death was personal to Scream.
Back at the base, the other members of the fire team take the boy's death hard and none of them are in the mood to do much of anything but sit around quietly. A child's death is always hard, especially during war time, but they couldn't help but notice how deeply Scream was affected by it.
Scream entered the captain's tent and made a deal with him. If the captain intervened to the Iraqi counsel on behalf of the orphanage, then he would reenlist for 6 years without his bonus. Intrigued, the captain agreed but refused to take away the modest sergeant's bonus saying he earned it.
Scream walked outside the tent when the captain stopped him. Waiting for other soldiers to pass them, he put his hand on Scream's shoulder to stop comfort him.
Capt. Baron: I know what happened at the orphanage today and I can understand your feelings. I also realize that your decision to remain in the army is because of your own past and your need to help fellow orphans.
Scream seemed surprised by the captain's knowledge of that very little known fact.
Scream: Sir, how did…
Capt. Baron: Remember, I told you earlier that I read your file. I want you to know that in your place, I don't know if I'd do the same. Give up 6 more years of my life to save a group of kids I don't know, but that's exactly what you did and I've got to say that I am proud of you. That's the kind of men we need in our army. I wish all my staff sergeants were like you. You're a credit to the service.
Scream nods and gives the captain a half smile in return.
Scream: Thank you, sir.
Capt. Baron: I glad you made the decision to stay. (pause) You're dismissed.
Scream returned to his own tent. He laid on his cot and stared at the canvas above. Noticing that Scream did not come to dinner, his team went to his tent to check on him. They gathered around him. He was aware of their presence but said nothing, so they spoke first.
Dim: For what it's worth, sarge. You did all you could to help that child. You didn't give up on him when the rest of us did. Hell, you would still be working on him if she didn't stop you.
Tariq: I guess what Dim is trying to say is that we are honored that you're our squad leader, even though it won't be for much longer. We know you'll be leaving in about a week and we'll miss you and we won't ever forget you or what you tried to do for that boy.
Scream: What did I do for that boy? Nothing. He's just one more I couldn't save.
The team looked puzzled at each other and hoped that their silence would give Scream room to elaborate. He didn't and that was their cue to leave cause he just wanted to be left alone.
As nightfall came upon the camp, Scream hitched a ride back to the orphanage and informed Sophie that the Iraqi government had a change of heart. She didn't buy that and knew Scream had something to do with them changing their minds. He denied it, but didn't fool her.
Sophie: What did you give up?
Scream's big brown eyes dropped and he searched the room, avoiding her question.
Sophie: Are you still going home next week?
With hesitation, he shook his head no. Touched by his sacrifice, she caressed his face causing him to flinch at her touch. She removed his head mic and kissed his cheek.
Sophie: Merci.
Then she continued to caress, hug and kiss his head. Scream's eyes went sad. He didn't respond to her touch the way a normal soldier would. He was more like a scared 5 year old being comforted by his mother. This was the first time in many years that Scream was looked at as a man and not a soldier, the life he's become accustomed to. He hugged Sophie back and kissed her neck, still with that same sadness and tenderness in his eyes and soul. Finally, giving into feelings he took Sophie over to her bed and gently laid her down as she undid her blouse and worked on her bra, Scream slowly removed his army fatigues. At her urging, Scream lay down next to her and gave himself to this woman and allowed himself to be taken as a man by her.
The next morning, Tariq and Angel approached Dim and Smoke who had been playing chess all night long, finishing up the game that Dim and the boy started. They told the chess players that they had to go pick Scream up at the orphanage.
Dim: What's he doing over there this early?
Tariq: Question is, why didn't he come home last night?
Smoke sits up and smiles.
Smoke: Oooooh.
Dim (smiling)Sergeant Scream and the strident frog? Right on.
They finish the game as Smoke beats Dim to the Cornell graduate's surprise.
Scream gets dressed as Sophie still in bed, covered by a sheet, smiles at her companion.
Sophie: You'll visit?
Scream: I think it would be best if the army stays away for awhile.
Sophie: Yes, but you are not the army.
Scream takes her hand in his and gently kisses it, before lowering it back on the bed.
Scream: Yes, I am. I am the army. I've got to go.
He stands up and gives her a final smile, desperately trying to hide a blush that is fast appearing on his olive complexion face. He leaves the bedroom and continues down the hall when one of the children hands him a black pawn piece from the chess set. He exits outside and walks to his waiting hummer, with Tariq holding the door open and grinning ear to ear at the sergeant. The others all with smiles on their faces, wait patiently as Scream gets comfortable in the passenger seat of the van.
Smoke: Sarge, you want to stop for breakfast? Or did you fill up on a croissant?
All but Scream smile at Smoke's remark.
Scream: Just drive, Smoke.
As Smoke pulls away, Sophie accompanied by several of the children wave at them. Scream still deep in thought remained silent. He glanced at the mirror and saw them waving. He took the chess piece from the pocket of his Kevlar vest, stared at it and then grasped it securely in his fist. His face read the thoughts that were going on in his mind.
Scream (thinking to himself)There really is somebody out there that finds me attractive and sees me as a man, not as a soldier. Maybe, could it be possible, that I am lovable after all. I found someone to care about and someone to love me back but at what cost did I have find this out…the life of a small boy.
To be continued. Please read and review.