Author note:
I know nothing about how Green Team and Bravo would interact,or what any nicknames would be. This is straight from my imagination.
Drop me a note if you liked it. Enjoy!
CH 50-For Her Honor
It was Friday. Usually Clay would be spending his evening with Emma. But this night she was with her friends. It was Hannah's birthday and so Emma and some other friends were at Hannah's celebrating. This left Clay with an evening alone. He accepted Sonny's invitation to go out to the bar. He missed Emma, but it was great to spend time with his brother.
"It's been a while since we been out man."
"I know, I'm sorry Son."
"Nah. No need for sorry. If I had someone as sweet as the Princess that loved me, I'd spend my time with her too."
"Yea, I'm a lucky SOB."
Sonny laughed and slapped Clay on the back. "You sure are Goldilocks."
They talked and threw back quite a few beers. It was good to just shoot the shit together. It grew late and they were thinking of packing it in when some of the 'Green Team' recruits stumbled in the door. It was obvious this was not the first bar they'd been to tonight.
"Shit! This place just got way too crowded Cowboy."
"Agreed. Hey, it's my turn to pick up the tab, so why don't you get going? I'll be right behind you."
"You don't gotta tell me twice. See ya later."
Clay had his back turned to the newest patrons and pulled his hat low over his eyes, hoping to fly under the radar until he could close out their tab.
He wasn't paying any attention to their conversation, that was until he heard someone mention Emma.
"Hey, you guys see the chick that dropped Hayes off this week? Who was that?"
Clay knew that Emma was driving Jason's truck this week while her car was in for repairs.
"You don't know," his buddy responded.
"No. How would I?"
"That was Chief Hayes' daughter."
"Anyone know if she's legal?" Clay bristled a bit but worked hard to blow it off.
"I hope so," one of them joked. "Cause if I make the teams, I'm definitely taking a crack at that. Did you see the ass on her?"
Clay grabbed a hold of his beer bottle so tightly that it almost cracked.
"Right?! I'd like to teach Daddy's little girl some new tricks!"
The talk got even more coarse. Clay tried to get the bartender's attention so he could get out of there. They continued to discuss Emma's body and what sexual positions she might prefer. Clay was disgusted and livid.
"She with anyone?"
"A hot piece of ass like that, she has to be."
He couldn't take it any longer. Clay slid his stool back and turned around.
"You assholes need to shut your mouths and learn some respect!" He growled through gritted teeth.
"Oh, Bravo 6 standing up for the boss' daughter! Trying to get some brownie points? Or maybe he's banging her and doesn't want to share."
"I'm not gonna tell you again. SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
The bastards clearly had no brains and too much alcohol.
"So, tell us Spenser, is baby girl still pure…or have you tapped that?"
He and his buddies started laughing. So, the asshole never saw it coming. Clay flattened him. At that point the bartender finally came over and cut in.
"No trouble guys. I mean it!"
Obviously drunk and extremely stupid, his two buddies decided to retaliate. Clay held his own. He was stronger, better trained, and furious. By the time the first schmuck got back up, Clay had taken the legs out from under one and had the other in a sleeper hold.
The idiot still wasn't done! Stumbling and slurring his words he spat out," Damn Spenser! Why you getting so worked up over a frog hog?"
He couldn't hold back now. "That is the woman I love you fuckhead!"
Clay had his hands around the guy's throat when he felt a burning sensation and the hot drip of blood from the back of his head. Someone had hit him over the head with a bottle.
Things just went south from there. Someone must have called the cops. The next thing he knew he was being hauled off to jail. Once he was booked, he knew who he had to call. Who he had been trained to call if he got into trouble. He dialed Bravo one's number.
Jason awoke to his phone ringing. He rubbed a hand across his eyes and checked the time, 2:30 a.m.
Reaching for his cell, he saw Clay's number on the screen. "Ugh, Spenser, this better be important."
"Jace, uh, I'm in a little trouble."
Jason sat up and swung his legs to the floor.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, I'm in jail."
"I'm on my way. You're gonna give me a full Sit Rep when I get there. And it better be good."
Jason arrived at the station and officer brought Clay out.
"Chief Hayes, we are releasing Petty Officer Spenser to your custody."
The men walked out to the truck silently. Once they were inside, Jason looked him over. Clay had a bandage on his head, a split lip, and swollen, bruised knuckles. He finally broke the silence.
"What the hell Clay?! Bar brawls? Is this what you do when Emma's not around?"
He thought that Clay had left this side of himself behind.
"No. It's not like that."
"Then spill."
"I was just out with Sonny. I stayed because it was my turn to pay. Then…these Greenies came in and started taking smack."
"So, you attacked them for that?"
"No. That I could ignore. It was what they said next."
He didn't want to repeat any of it. Clay hesitated.
"Now Bravo 6."
"They started making comments about Emma."
"What?! How the hell do they even know Emma?"
"They don't, not really. I guess they saw her at some point this week when she dropped you off. One of the guys figured out she's your daughter."
Clay stopped. "And…Damn it Jace! They were talking trash about her. Making horrible comments about her body and what they'd like to do to her. I told them to be respectful. But they kept going and I…I snapped. It made me sick to hear them talking about her like a piece of meat, pawing over her in their minds."
Jason gritted his teeth. "Do you know who these guys are?"
"Not names, but faces, yes."
"Tomorrow we're gonna have Davis pull their files. I can't DQ them. But I can make sure Green Team leaders know about this and that Bravo wants nothing to do with them. We should be able to get the charges dropped. But Clay, even if it was the LEOs and not MPs. It might go in your jacket. I can't guarantee that it won't come back to bite you in the ass later."
"I'll take what I have to Jace, gladly. It would be bad enough to hear them talk like that about any woman but…" he swallowed hard. "When it was my Emma, I just couldn't. I lost it."
"Come on. Let's get you home. You can sleep in Emma's room tonight and we'll figure the rest out tomorrow."
"Thanks man."
"Clay, Emma is never to hear about this."
"What?"
"We'll think of something to tell her."
"I can't do that. I won't lie to her."
"Spenser…" Jason's eyes flashed and his gritted his teeth.
"This isn't Bravo business Jace. It's personal."
"Fine."
They drove home in silence and entered the house. They both headed to bed.
The next morning, Clay awoke and went downstairs to the kitchen. He started some coffee and Jason joined him. Jason remained quiet so Clay spoke.
"Jace, Emma is going to see my injuries. She'll wonder what happened."
Neither man heard the front door open and Emma come inside.
"I still don't see why you need to tell her everything."
Emma was surprised but delighted to see Clay. She walked into the kitchen and reached for a hug from Clay.
"What's going on? Why are you here and what don't you need to tell me?"
Clay still held her, and he looked over the top of her head at Jason.
"I'm gonna go take a shower Em." And he left the two of them alone.
Emma went to kiss Clay and noticed his lip. "Honey! What happened?"
He brushed at his mouth with his hand and she caught it and saw the cuts and bruises on his knuckles as well.
"Em, let's sit down."
They went into the living room and he sat in the chair and pulled her into his lap. He told her the whole, sordid mess.
She was bothered, of course. But she was more concerned for any consequences for Clay. She was relieved that he hadn't bowed to her dad's pressure and that he had shared the truth with her.
"Thank you for telling me babe. I really hope that this all blows over for you. You don't deserve this."
She curled up against him. He threaded the fingers of his left hand through hers and cupped the other hand around her behind.
Jason got halfway back down the stairs and stopped short when he saw Emma and Clay in the living room. He caught the last part of their conversation.
"Clay?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you. Thank you for standing up for me."
"Of course, Emmie. You're mine and no one talks like that about you or disrespects you like that…ever." She tipped her face up and he lowered his lips to hers.
Jason turned and went back up the stairs. As he returned to his room, he realized that he was oddly impressed by Clay standing up to him to put Emma first. His little girl deserved no less.
