"Caraway! What the hell are you doing here!" A tall man with blonde hair asked as he saw the pale General enter the office with several envelopes and boxes in his hands.

" Just what it looks like Martine, I'm returning to the gates of hell with you. Not like I'm letting you get all the fun," Richard said dryly as he placed his things down and checked the papers in his desk. "So how are things here right now?"

"Whoa there mister. Didn't you just come home from the hospital two days ago? What are you doing back here? Caraway! Go back to your mansion this instant!" Martine grumbled. The two have been comrades for quite some time now and he couldn't help but worry about the man in front of him.

"Is that a way to talk to your superior officer?" Richard said, wanting to annoy him a little. "General Leo's down with the flu. President Deling's probably going ballistic right now because of the lack of people on duty. " He sat down on his table and looked as if he was ready to read the big pile of papers in front of him.

"Please, I beg you. Enough with that dry humor of yours." It took all Martine's discipline not to literally shake some sense into the crazy man. He and his comrades were perfectly aware of what just happened to him. In fact, he was one of the soldiers who planned to rescue him though he was still active in his mission in the southern Galbadian region. "Richard! Are you out of your mind! That guy has a runny nose, and you almost got your feet amputated and you're here, looking over those darn files. What entered that insane head of yours that you decided to go to here?"

A lot of things, he wanted to say. He knew that he couldn't continue to sit idly inside that dim and lonely hospital. He just can't continue drowning himself on his loneliness and dream of things he knew he can never have. He knew he needed to stop pretending, and face the reality. He just needed to forget.

"Hey, it's not like I'm dying or anything…"

"You were…like, one week ago!"

"Calm down, I'm fine. No one dies of reading. If you don't shut up, I'm going to file a case of insubordination."

"Whatever Caraway! I'm not letting you commit suicide. Damn, I hate you and all that but I wanted to kill you with my bare hands, and I swear I even want to do just that this very instant!"

The general shrugged and just continued to go over the papers. Martine was a good friend and it almost pleased him to know how concerned the man was for his condition. He knew what was going on; he knew that he was acting like a total lunatic. He couldn't blame Martine when he looked as though he wanted to punch him unconscious and kick him to a sickbay.

He knew that his body needed to rest and be healed, but he was also aware that he needed to mend his heart more. And the only way he knew how to do so was to work. He needed work, any work. That was why he decided to go to on duty as soon as he was released from the Hospital in Timber, barely 2 weeks from his admittance. His superiors had told him to get the rest he needed but also hinted that he had to recuperate soon for more soldiers were needed in Southern Galbadia. The Esthar soldiers and the Galbadian Military troops have been having heated battles and more men get sent to the hospitals than in the war zone. He assured his superiors, namely president Deling and several other Senior Generals that he was capable to go on duty already. He also told them that he wanted to go as gratitude for their consideration in rescuing Julia and him in Salt Lake. But in truth, he wanted to repay whatever he owed them as soon as possible because he knew the true color of the Galbadian army; they never do a favor without a payment with interest.

"Richard! You'd be in a stretcher before you even finish one folder!" Martine seemed as though he got tired of ranting and decided to sit on a chair across the general and let him do, as he wanted.

He knew that his friend had just come from a sickness and the loss of weight and his pallor were proofs of that. But he also noticed another thing, now that his anger was slowly dissipating, letting his eyes see once more. He saw a picture of a broken man. The proud General Caraway now had slumped shoulders, and dull, dimmed eyes. It lacked the enthusiasm and the bright spark it once had. It was as though his life was taken away from him. At first he thought it was because of the pain – his injuries might have made him weak and tired but as he observed silently, he realized that it was not caused by ordinary pain. It seemed as though there was a thorn, digging down his heart, wounding him mortally. It drained a lot out of him.

"Do I have dirt on my face or are you carefully thinking of other ways to kick me back home?" Richard asked when he noticed Martine's scrutiny.

He couldn't reply at first for he didn't know how to phrase his words. There was only one person who had this sort of power over him. There was only this one girl who knew how to make him fly to the heavens or burn in hell.

"So how's beautiful Ms. Heartily?" he almost saw Richard wince at the mention of her name. "I mean, you better tell me that she's fine or else I'd really punch you now!" He quickly added to lessen the tension in between them. He didn't know if it worked or not but he had to cross his fingers behind him.

"She's ok. She's probably working right now." Richard said as he turned away from Martine, obviously hinting that he wanted to avoid the conversation.

"That's good. I couldn't expect less from you." Martine's words were half meant as he realized how deep his friend's problem was. His going on duty was not only on the grounds of insanity, the man was deeply heart broken.

"Hey, just remember that I'm your lowly subordinate a.k.a. servant so you can talk to me anytime ok?"

Richard saw Martine's effort and smiled a tired smile.

"Thanks"

Work. He needed to work. He tried to shake off Julia from his thoughts but realized that she had a deep imprint on his heart.

Moving on wasn't easy. Moving on without her was hell.

A few minutes passed before the silence was broken once again. One of the secretaries went to Richard's desk and was almost surprised to see him there.

"Back on duty sir?" the secretary asked tentatively and Richard didn't look up from what he was reading and just gave her a nod.

"Told you so… Mr. thick headed" Martine said softly from his desk.

Richard simply shrugged and looked at the secretary. "What is it? Is there a note for me?"

"A file you requested arrived this morning, sir." She said softly, with a hint of reluctance in her voice, as she moved closer to hand over the files.

"Which file is it?"

With uneasy eyes, she timidly placed the folder in the general's desk. "The one about the possible whereabouts of Lt. Laguna Loire"