After everyone had left Jess to her own devices Jess began to think back about Jay singing that song she promised herself she would never repeat again after that night in Afghanistan.

Jess sits and wonders how the hell she's going to tell the family about what actually happened in Afghanistan. She had blocked it out up until now. The last thing she wanted was Jay to drop her in it before she had a chance to be honest with everyone. The trouble was she was stuck in this bloody hospital bed until she had rested and the bleeding had stopped. The hospital had warned her that this might still occur for a while but she was going to be having ultrasounds every twenty-four hours until the bleeding had subsided and completely stopped. Jess didn't even feel a single thing. She had been given paracetamol through a drip to ease the pain.

Jess knew she had to tell them before Chuckles had a chance to divulge information. It was odd how most of the family had been in Afghanistan at the same time. And how Jess had actually worked with Naomi and been quite good friends with her and not even known they were sisters. I guess that was on Benny.

FOUR YEARS PREVIOUSLY

Afghanistan was hot. Hotter than anywhere else she had been before. She was there in the middle of the desert and she had been flying medevacs and the chinooks for the past three months and she has no idea that her dad was the Brigadier of the company. Well for Jess she was just glad she managed to pass her entry exams and the physical test. She had wanted to be part of the army for so long and some how she had managed to pass all her exams and all her medicals.

No need to dwell on that now she was off for her first tour in Afghanistan. She was excited. She had come through her basic training and pilot course at fort Rucker with flying colours. She was the youngest and the only female on her course. At twenty-six she was the youngest and the only female pilot currently enlisted. And the only thing that daunted her was the unisex changing rooms and bunking down with unknown men. Nothing else phased Jess as she walked off the cargo plane with her kit bag thrown over her shoulder. As far as she was concerned she was here to do her tour and then go on another enlistment. Little did she know what Afghanistan held for her.

Jess brought herself back to the present day and decided to call a family conference. Now how the hell did she get out of this bed and down to NICU to see her nephew. She needed to enlist Chris' help with this and needed his advice as her commanding officer. Not once did she ever think her military family were going to turn up here in Chicago and fight for her family. I guess that was the military way. Family solidarity. Honour. Jess laughed out loud at this. Honour was something Peter never upheld. The evidence had come to light recently and Jess found herself wishing for another alternative to the world she was now living in. She picks up her phone and speed dials the familiar number.

"Hey you still at med?"

"Yeah what's up?"

"Need your help."

"Wow the great honourable Jess Mills needing my help."

"Don't be condescending or I will sort it myself."

"Give me five mins."

"Ok see you soon."

Jess pressed the buzzer to call for the nurse. Dawn came bundling in to the room exuding happiness. Jess inwardly groaned. How the hell did someone have so much happiness.

"Dawn I need to get mobilised please and in to a wheelchair?"

"Ok but where are you going?"

"To the coffee shop on the ground floor and then to NICU."

"Ok ducky, need me to take you or have you got someone coming?"

"I've got someone coming. Here he is now."

"Ok I'll leave you to it then you two. Make sure you are back in an hour as I need to do your obs."

"Yes yes ok can I go now? Ppplllleeeaaassseeee?"

"Yes get going and mind your tone."

The man wheels her out of the ward being careful not to be seen.

"How long have we known each other? About four years? Can I count on your discretion?"

"Anything you want you got it!"

"Ok how did you tell everyone you were military? And not only that I need your help. Can I count on you? I need your expertise. I never thought I'd need to ask you for this but I need information."

"Who? And there's still a lot of people who only know minor details. Not many people, as in only you and the squaddies, know that I'm still enlisted and called upon when a big military and police case comes up."

"Susan with that little boy Blaze that was at that big closed down crime scene."

"Why?"

"I think… No I know… Peter is having an affair with her and has been for months."

"You fucking what? I'm going to kill him. No one does that to my sister in law."

"Chuckles I need you to be discreet. I need solid evidence."

"It's done."

"I'm guessing you know something with how you mentioned his sister Elise earlier on after you put him on the floor. Nice punch by the way. He deserved it."

Jay momentarily paused. "You need to out him sis."

"And I will but I need Chris' help because I need to come clean as well however Chris has the proof I need."

"Ok sis. Lets go see my little soldier" Jay carries on heading towards the NICU as Jess falls in to her reminiscent state.

She headed in to the bunk rooms of the operating base Shawqat. There was one empty bunk with a sign posted on it "To the little she woman who thinks she can make it here. Have fun cleaning your bunk." Jess ripped down the sign and sighs to herself. Talk about adolescent. The man behind it sat tall on his bunk waiting for a response. Giggling to himself really gave the game away. Jess drops her kit and walks to where the giggling came from. Not one man but two. She glared at both of them with her hands on her hips not feeling threatened or intimidated in the slightest. As the shorter of the two rounds on his heels to take a look at the woman who was standing there while he was half naked. He turns and looks at the woman who was allegedly a better pilot than half the men here on base. He looks her up and down and assesses her.

"Like what you're looking at or do you want a photo?"

"Who do you think you're speaking to like that? Do you not recognise your superior officer?"

"Not half naked I don't."

The man next to him rose to his full height. Jess laughed. As if a lanky fucker like that would scare her.

Too Tall started tapping Jess on the head. "Run along now and do a good job cleaning your bunk little britches." This motion really pissed Jess off. As Too Tall went to tap Jess' head again she decided enough was enough. She didn't get to where she was without being ruthless. Here was her chance.

Jess grabbed his hand as it approached her head with lightning speed, she grabbed hold with two hands, one on either side of his hand, applied pressure to the pressure point in the middle of the back of his hand and bent backwards as hard as she could. She felt and heard the bones in his hand break as he let out a high pitched scream and falling to his knees.

Snake Shit stood staring and as he was about to say something Sergeant Halstead walked in to the bunk room to find out what all the screaming was about. Jess stood to attention as she saw her company Sergeant enter but never faltering in her grip on Too Talls hand.

"Someone tell me what the fuck is going on here and why our newest pilot has got hold of a six foot eight man by his hand and is proceeding to make him scream loud enough for him to be heard over the noise in the NAAFI?"

"Yes Sergeant, my superior officer here decided to dry his muddy boots off in my bunk and proceeded to be sexist against me and my abilities and this character here on his knees decided to be condescending by tapping me on the head against my will."

"Ah I see. Right private my orders are to let go of his hand now. Corporal you and Too Tall here will clean the bunk you messed up and you will do it within the next fifteen minutes while I try to sort out the mess you have created."

Jess lets go of Too Talls hand and he climbs slowly to his feet.

"Sergeant can I get my hand checked?"

Jay turns back around to the meek voice. "No Corporal you may not until that bunk is inspection standard and you have apologised."

"I'm sorry Private it was just a joke gone wrong."

"Never mind. Have fun cleaning my bunk."

Jess turns her back on them and walks out the bunk room with the Sergeant smirking as he follows.

Snake Shit knew he was going to be in for a rough time with this one.

After a few weeks everything seemed to settle down. Too Tall was out of action with three broken metacarpals in the back of his hand so Jess had to fly the next mission with Snake Shit. She had been out a few times with him but this one seemed more important and hush hush than the other ones. The brief was that they had to supply the troops on the ground in the compounds with air support where required and transport those that were injured out. They were going in to hostile territory. Jess seemed to be having a major adrenaline rush as she was up three hours before she was due to be. She went for a run around the base as she usually did first thing in the morning before starting her duties. Snake Shit had apologised and they actually got on like a house on fire. It was odd because Jess never really got on with many men until she went through her pilots course at Fort Rucker back home in the states. Snake Shit seemed to have a good level of intellect when he wasn't being encouraged by Too Tall. Jess had actually learnt a lot from Snake Shit in the few weeks that they had been flying together and funnily enough since Too Tall had his hand broken it had spread round the base not to piss Jess off so she enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Ear buds in and listening to Eye of the Tiger Jess pounded the ground around the perimeter of the base as was her usual style but this morning she came across military police moving everyone back from the perimeter. Jess knew when this happened that something big was expected but the brass had only filtered down what they needed to.

That day saw Jess taking the pilots seat and Snake Shit being the co pilot with Too Tall manning the equipment. On board today they also had a busty medic. No one thought for one second that they would need her. A group of troops had set out on mission to investigate a potentially hostile compound and gather intelligence. In that group was Sergeant Major Tom Gilmour. As Gilmour shouted for the scout to come back he did so setting of an IED. Gilmour being the closest tried to dive out the way but got hit head on taking the brunt force in his leg. The scout getting up called for the medevac.

Upon hearing the call Jess banked towards the coordinates given. The medic wearing her gear jumped out to assess. They scooped and ran as per the orders. She had applied the tourniquet just above Gilmour's knee. As she was completing her secondary assessment she noticed he had no pulse. This needed drastic action. She straddled Gilmour on his stretcher knowing that when they arrived back in base they could just wheel him over on the trolley with her still performing CPR if that was required. She gave thirty compressions to every two breaths. Jess headed back but not without resistance. She was being shot at. The medevac chopper was not built for taking this sort of incoming fire. She called in the F18's. The big guns. The F18's flew in giving covering fire to the medevac. As Jess was mounting her escape she caught a stray bullet to her shoulder. Snake Shit didn't have a clue. They headed back to base. As they got back to base Jess disappeared in to the hospital tent. Too Tall was stood talking to Sergeant Halsted and moving equipment off the chopper. Snake Shit was getting out of the co pilots seat and Naomi was still pumping away at Gilmour's chest. Jay took a glance towards the medic but she was concentrating and barely saw the blue eyed man standing there with piercing blue sapphire coloured eyes gawping with his mouth open. Naomi entered the hospital tent and managed to keep Gilmour alive until he reached the base. Jess had been watching the events transpire. Dr Smith had been rooting around in Jess' shoulder to find the bullet. He was impressed with Jess as she'd had no pain relief or anaesthetic and that was the way she wanted it. Dr Smith dressed the wound, Jess jumped down off the makeshift bed thanked the doctor for his time and went in search of some friendlier climes in the NAAFI. Jess was sat in her usual seat when Snake Shit came in blocking her from view. Too Tall also entered. Naomi was nowhere to be seen. Jess was looking and looking for her. Naomi and Jess had become firm friends since they were two of the only women on the base at that time. Jess and Naomi had taken to setting the world to rights in that little corner of the NAAFI since they first met.

Even then they had a connection they never would have guessed would take them down the road they were on now.

As Jess was sitting observing everything going on in the NAAFI and knowing she had no duties to perform tomorrow she planned on getting trashed and having a lie in tomorrow. Snake Shit seeing her sat alone decided he was going to break the silence. He saw her in the vest top that she always wore under her flight suit and she had forgotten that she was supposed to cover the dressing and not allow it to be visible.

"Oh my god Jess what the fuck happened? Was that today? How did you hurt yourself?"

"I put my tampon in the wrong place what do you think genius?"

"You got shot? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"You're not my mother."

"What has gotten in to you today?"

"I want to sit and drink my drink in peace. I want to get rat assed then sleep away the night. That going to be a problem Corporal?"

Snake Shit lays his hand on Jess' forearm she looks up trying to gauge what he's doing.

"Jess you're not as hard as you think you are let me in and let me help you."

"I don't need your help I just want to enjoy this corner getting wasted now fuck off back to your friends."

"Why are you so god damn insubordinate? You are infuriating."

"Piss off then and leave me alone"

"Fine have it your way"

Snake Shit leaves to go and join Too Tall. The disagreement between Jess and Snake Shit hadn't gone unnoticed. Too Tall was quite observant that way.

Jess carries on drinking and soon enough Sergeant Major Gilmour is wheeled in to the NAAFI. Everyone is ordered to stand to attention. Jess stays seated watching the exchanges between Halstead and Gilmour. She never pegged Halstead for the emotional type.

Pretty soon the festivities for Sergeant Major Gilmour began. Everyone was sozzled and half of them weren't even aware of what was going on. That night the karaoke machine got brought out. How the hell it happened even Jess doesn't know. One minute she was sat in a quiet corner drinking away her sorrows and the next she was on stage belting out the duet from grease two. No one had heard her sing before and they hadn't heard Snake Shit sing either but they literally smashed it. No one seemed to be paying attention although for one person it was a façade.

*You were the one, the one in my dreams but I never knew it.

I wanted to tell you time and again but I couldn't do it

All that you are is all that I need, no more pretending.

Now I can be me and you can be you and we're never ending.*

Jay gets up and walks out of the NAAFI wanting to take in the fresh night air. To think about the buxom beauty that had stunned him in to a fantasy dream world.

He was walking the perimeter when he saw Jess and Snake Shit leaving the NAAFI hand in hand hoping not to be seen. Jay ducked behind the 4 by 4 which was parked just near the gates. People before had escaped out of the perimeter fence and despite telling maintenance to fix it they had other problems like the Taliban rounding on their positions.

Jay watched for a few more seconds as Snake Shit and Jess disappeared through the troublesome hole before going back to the new ritual of lying in silence on the bonnet of a 4 by 4 watching the night sky and watching the stars and the moon wondering if he will ever see her again.

Jess and Snake Shit having snuck off intoxicated but still aware of what they were doing found a quiet place close by to camp in case people came looking for them. They laid under the moon talking and kissing and getting intimate and then kissing again. Snake Shit knew he had to try and call this off with his wife. They had married to quick and he knew she would never compare to Jess.

After all the intimacies of the night before imprinted on his memory as he was slowly stirring Snake Shit woke properly to Jay kicking his boot and he realised his arms were empty.

"What the fuck man? It's too early. Where the fuck am I?"

"Really dude surely you know where you are after you crept off with the Private last night to get jiggy. Must be insulting to the bird if you wake up like that."

"It's more embarrassing being ditched."

"You know I'm going to have to put her on a different rotation to you now yeah?"

"Sarge you don't have to do that we are both adults."

"You're going to be distracted and that's not good for business. And anyway the Brigadier knew about you skulking off with the new Private and he's not happy so you will not be sharing a bunk room and you will be on different rotations. This order is from the top. Sorry Snake Shit. Now get dressed and get back to base before someone reports you for being AWOL. And the move has already happened."

"Ok Sarge."

Four weeks later when everything had died down and there had been no contact between Snake Shit and Jess the orders were for them to fly a mission together. Jess was co pilot and Snake Shit the pilot.

It was Snake Shit that broke the silence.

"Why did you leave?"

"I was woken by Halstead to tell me that I had been on a different rotation and my bunk room had been moved already and that the order had come from the Brigadier. I made do and left although I have no idea how he knew where to find me and he still hasn't explained how he knew we were there. You need to listen to me Snake Shit. I have some news. The karaoke night and the drink were all factors but this is going to be my last active mission. I'm being sent stateside after the news I had this morning."

"What news?"

The chopper came under fire. Bullets flying past the front screen. Bullets hitting the equipment inside the chopper. Bullets hitting the oxygen canisters in the back of the chopper. As Snake Shit and Jess were talking a bullet managed to find itself a way through the metal to Jess's abdomen.

"MAYDAY MAYDAY THIS IS MEDEVAC CHOPPER 99 REQUESTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING."

"MEDEVAC 99 GO AHEAD CIRCLE TO HELIPAD 4"

"RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD."

"EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED."

"Snake Shit…"

Jess passes out from the pain. Snake Shit sees the blood across her abdomen and lands as quickly and as safely as he can. Touching down he runs to Jess' side and unstraps her. He undoes her flight suit to apply pressure and the medic is applying pressure as they wheel Jess away from his prying eyes.

"I'm pregnant…"

Hours later Jess comes round to Snake Shit sitting by her side holding her hand. She felt groggy and drowsy.

"Hey there Private you scared me?!"

"Hey what happened?"

"You were about to tell me something then ended up being shot in the abdomen"

"That doesn't matter now."

"Obviously it did or it wouldn't have been brought up."

"I was pregnant before the surgery. I'm guessing they've removed all of it. I was in pain before it happened but think the bullet just topped everything off"

"You're pregnant?"

"WAS"

"Jess we were on the same base it wouldn't have been that difficult to find me and tell me"

"I only found out twenty minutes before flying the mission"

Here she was again four years later facing the same trouble and her husband having an affair. She never thought there would be such a twist in her world that meant that Snake Shit would be back in her life once more.

"You should have stayed on the ground Jess."

"You should never have put yourself or our baby in this situation."

"Doesn't matter I did my duty and its dead now so you don't need to hang around. In actual fact this is all your fault that I'm being sent stateside so my advice for you is to fuck out of my face before I do or say something I regret."

Snake Shit, a mixed race, six foot two muscly built man looks at Jess with his brown eyes and all the hurt and pain come forward to the front. Snake Shit never thought he would feel this pain again after what happened with his wife but he was and he needed to escape. He had to get out. He just didn't know how. Maybe he could get himself shot like Tom. That would never work. He loved his job. The freedom and adrenaline he felt when flying. Up in the air it was like he was escaping the ghosts that were on the ground. And now he had to fly every day with the realisation that just about the only woman he had ever loved had lost the one thing most precious in this world and that was their baby. He knew she was never going to forgive him for this. She was a woman to hold a grudge. The only regrets he had were to never have told her how he felt and that they'd lost their baby.

Back in Med Jess sat evaluating things and stewing just like she always did. Jay picked up on the atmosphere. "Sis what's on your mind?"

"I think you already know Jay."

"History been repeating itself?"

"Yes for the last thirty-three months."

"Oh my god sis does Naomi know?"

"HAHAHAHAHA do you take me for an idiot?"

"Oh my god sis Alexander…. Eliza…."

"Thing is if Peter hadn't been seeking out easier intimacy then I wouldn't have had to seek comfort. Peter has been cheating on me for the last three years. He's had a 'family' with me in the form of the twins but why do you think Peter reacted the way he did when he knew what school bus was in that accident?"

"Peter never fathered Blaze?"

"Yes Jay that's what I'm telling you. Susan and Peter all this time. My whole marriage is a sham. I'm done now. Revenge is a dish best served cold. The divorce well that was a sort of cover story."

"Snake Shit's divorce its because of you isn't it?"

"I cant confirm or deny that comment. Maverick came to the decision about his marriage by himself I had no impact on that decision."

"Jess this is Mav. You know he's going to see it differently. He has always harboured feelings for you and he has always loved you."

"And I him, even when I kicked him out of the medical tent when I lost our baby. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do but I had to preserve my emotions. He walked away so easily though and without a fight. I needed him Jay. He wasn't there."

"He tried to be but you told him to leave and blamed him for the miscarriage. Did you not say the words 'This is your fault that I'm being sent stateside' surely that's enough of a clue that you wanted him gone?"

"I needed him to fight for me Jay. That's what I needed. And he didn't."

"That's not quite true Jess."

"Why isn't it?"

"You were the first person he came to when he set foot in Chicago."

"Really I don't think that's true?"

"It was jess. How do you think he found you?"

"Naomi is going to kick your ass when she finds out you helped this along."

"No she wont because she has just heard the whole chat you've just had. Mav is an awesome bloke who is better for my little sister than Peter but one thing I'm going to say is you need the evidence so we can get rid of his pathetic whinging from this family."

"It's done babe."

"Lets go see my nephew and Chris."

Chris and Maverick were sat in the side room with their eyes on the surroundings and watching Isaac. As they saw Jess Naomi and Jay walk in all eyes turned to Maverick who was pacing with Isaac on his shoulder. Jess observed for a second.

"I was wrong I cant do this. Jay take me back."

Maverick hurriedly handed Isaac to Naomi and chased after Jay and Jess and caught up with them in the hallway leaving Chris and Naomi looking at each other with a look that said what was that all about?

"Jess baby please wait."

"I've told you not to call me that in public."

"Erm sis the squaddie is out of his hole."

They all turn to see Trudy, Mouch, Kelly, Stella, and Peter in the hallway.

"SHIT!"

"You are nothing but a whore. I take it you have been sleeping with him this whole time."

"Hahaha you're a fucking hypocrite Peter. You have been sleeping with Susan for five years. You never ended it with her when you were with me."

"YOU FUCKING WHAT?" Kelly shouted. A fist flew and knocked Peter on his ass in the hallway.

Chris had promptly arrived in the hallway wielding a piece of paper like a sword and handed it to Jess.

"Thanks Sergeant Major. The proof is here in my hand that Blaze is your son. I found the evidence. Not only that but that's why your own sister Elise wants nothing to do with you because of the lies and the second family. Oh yeah I spoke to your sister in actual fact she was quite forthcoming with the information she provided me with. It's going to be great when I see you in court for our divorce. By the way Snake Shit and I have been having an affair for the last thirty-three months. Figure that one out genius."

Snake Shit stills and looks at the family rounding on Peter.

"Babe?"

"Quick while they're distracted lets go get some decent food. Humble pie here is good or so I'm told."

Naomi and Jay hear the last comment and laugh to themselves as Maverick wheels his woman off down the hallway to make a fresh start together just like they always should have been.