Despite the company and the laughs, Dim didn't feel much like doing anything. He sat and listened to the stories and watched Vanessa and Eddy's reactions as Scream told them about the shit they'd done in Iraq. Dim sighed heavily and, grabbing his crutches, made his way to the backyard. He stood in the rain, thankful it was at least a warm rain. He had his back to the house and didn't hear anything until a voice spoke up behind him. "Dim?"

Dim turned around and saw Angel standing there. "Angel." He was short and sharp.

Angel stood beside Dim. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Angel." Dim's sharp tone didn't die. He pursed his lips together, hoping that if he were quiet enough, Angel would leave him alone. He was thankful to have served with the men he did and deep down he was thankful they came to visit, but Dim was growing weary of people asking him how he was doing.

"You're not okay, Dim. Talk to me." Angel's voice was a soft contrast to Dim's sharp voice.

"I'm tired of people asking me if I'm fine, Angel." Dim looked at him. "I got a goddamned piece of shrapnel in my leg, positioned just so that if they were to remove it, I'd fucking bleed to death. Every morning, I wake up wishing I HAD died because the pain is too much. I lost one of my best friends. I nearly died. How the fuck do you think I'm doing, Angel?" As soon as he heard the tone of his voice, Dim winced in pain. He had spent the better part of the last month angry and, despite efforts to contain it, he let it all out on the one man that hadn't left his side. "I'm sorry, Angel. I..."

Angel smiled. "It's okay, Dim. I'm sure I'd respond the same way." He patted Dim's shoulder.

Dim felt the tears fall and he was thankful that he could say it was rain. "I never got to say bye." Angel stood silent, looking at Dim. "I hate the fact that I didn't get to." He sighed. "Tariq was my best friend, Angel. He understood people better than...he understood me and I never got to tell him how much I appreciated his friendship."

Angel smiled. "He knew."

"Yeah, but all those practical jokes, and the final..." Dim shrugged. "I can't even recall the last thing I said to him."

"Ain't none of us can, Dim." Angel hung his head. "But see, as far as the jokes go, you and Tariq did things that only best friends could get away with." Angel laughed. "I remember Tariq talking about the last joke you pulled on him."

"The kiss." Dim laughed. "Yeah, I've no idea where that came from, but it stopped him. Well, after he and Smoke tipped over the portashit."

"Yeah. See, if that was anyone else, Tariq would have leveled his ass so quick." Angel chuckled. "He told me that it was a good kiss." Angel's eyes danced.

Dim saw the dancing eyes. "It wasn't even a real kiss. It was a peck."

Angel laughed. "He said that he would have had you then and there if it wasn't a tent." Tears of laughter started streaming down his and Dim's face.

"He never said anything to me." Dim wiped a couple tears and raindrops from his face. His side was hurting from laughing, but he dismissed it. "I mean, had I known, it wouldn't have been just the peck." Dim's green eyes were alive again and Angel noted that. Dim sighed. "Jesus, Angel. I miss him."

"We all do." Angel sighed. "I mean, he was the only one who could let things go. He was laid back. He got uptight with those Iraqi Soldiers though."

"Did you know Tariq was Iraqi?" Dim looked over at Angel. "Judging by the look on your face, I'd say you didn't."

"I thought he was Syrian or something." Angel looked at Dim, shock still present in his eyes.

"I thought he was Persian." Dim looked ahead. "He was embarrassed by it."

"He told you?"

"Yeah. He was writing a letter home and we got talking." Dim sighed. "He told me he was Iraqi and how embarrassed he was. He also said something that I didn't know how to take."

"What was that?"

Dim looked at Angel. "When I told him Kambashir was like him, Tariq looked me square in the eye and said 'I came back to kill people.' and..." Dim's voice trailed off.

Angel said nothing. He looked straight ahead and he and Dim stood there, in the rain, saying nothing.