Chapter 5

"Isn't this one for partners?"

Hesh looked up from what he was doing and saw Skye looking at him like a girl who was pretending to be interested but really wasn't. It used to be cute but now it felt… irritating. He knew that she was only trying to get his attention though. He had noticed her waiting and she was prepared to wait but she was not very patient. He wanted her to go away simply because he knew he had been rude and he just didn't want to be an ass further; more like cool down.

Seeing that she wasn't going away, he replied, "Something like that. You've seen Logan? Is he sulking because I had him beat?"

"It was a tie," Skye corrected. She leaned against the wooden wall that was the boundary of the pit, crossing her arms over her chest. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Hesh replied as he checked his ammo. He paused and sighed, "I'm sorry about earlier. Sometimes…"

"No excuses needed for me," Skye interrupted with a hand of reassurance. "To be honest I need a bit of rudeness considering I was a brat and still considered one."

Hesh paused in what he was doing, not sure if he heard right. The light flippant tone was so different from the strained ones everyone seemed to use around him. Hardly their fault since he had been short with everyone. He apologized for it afterwards since he knew he was being an ass with them. This was different. It was almost like what she would do. He personally though thought it was her way to look for an opening to get mad and stay mad in that way that made you want to squirm uncomfortably.

Looking at Skye, he knew it wasn't her but he still put his rifle down and leaned against the wall. It was a casual conversation after all. He teased, "Are you sure it isn't an annoying little shit?"

Skye grinned at that. She expected Hesh to hit hard and she heard the teasing tone. It also helped that her own cousin was the same way. She could understand more now. She replied, "I've been called that once or twice… By someone we both know."

Hesh studied Skye, not sure if he wanted this to continue. For the most part he avoided talking about her with anyone save Logan. He had to otherwise he would be worse off than he was now. He would be a bigger ass. Besides this was Logan's plan and he would help him when he could. He just couldn't trust himself to take the lead like he usually would. It was unfair to his brother but… He started to straighten up. He should walk away from this.

Skye saw the reaction. Logan admitted that Hesh never talked about her outside their discussions. The reasoning behind it, she sensed fear and probably self-loathing. Logan wouldn't tell her the whole story but she could take some guesses and he was right in that it had to come from Hesh. The first thing was to build trust and it had to be centered on a common thing. Hesh was going to walk away so she had to cut off his escape but not make it so he was a cornered animal. He was a wounded one and that kind could be unpredictable.

She saw Hesh starting to walk away and made her move. She was quick and managed to grasp his sleeve and was prepared for any retaliation as she said, "Hesh, don't."

"Go away please, Skye," Hesh countered. He stopped when she grabbed his sleeve. When he turned it was clear that she was ready for anything including him striking at her. He may be an ass about a lot of things but he wouldn't hit a woman because she was annoying or anything like that. So he went with what was more polite.

Skye didn't back down. She was not the graceful and refined hunter as her cousin was. She was born that way. Yet she could still stand up as a warrior of her people. She held fast to Hesh's sleeve and said, "I'll go away but I want to talk to you… about Sequoia."

"Please don't," Hesh muttered as he flinched at her name.

"Hesh." Skye looked for a response. When she got one she did what Logan suggested and said, "David."

Hesh turned towards Skye the moment he heard his name. It was like a weird trigger but hell Hesh wasn't going to deny attention if it was serious enough to warrant the use of his given name. He saw the serious and slightly saddened expression. Did he really have to be an ass with everyone?

Nah. It's endearing when you stick your foot in your mouth.

Skye knew she had his attention. She watched as he seemed to relax in defeat. She adjusted her grip so that it was more gentle but she didn't want him to run away before it was finished. She didn't really like that he was so defeated and it occurred to her that he really was taking it harder than he was letting on. She had the suspicion Logan knew that too and was just trying to make it so that Hesh would get out of it by himself. Sometimes though, you needed to deliver a kick in the pants… even if that did sound corny to her ears. She asked, "Can you tell me why you don't call her by name?"

"Not really except… that hearing it…" Hesh sighed after answering but was unable to finish. It sounded childish and he wasn't comfortable saying why. "I'm not comfortable with saying why."

"Would you tell Logan if he asked?"

"Maybe."

"Would you tell her family especially if they had a good opinion of you?"

Hesh raised his brow at the question. It was the oddest one he heard. "You don't know me, Skye. What makes you say that you have a good opinion of me?"

"Because she's my cousin, stupid," Skye replied with a slight smack to his upper arm. "I may be a brat but I know her."

Hesh considered it for a moment and looked away. He focused something in the distance as if trying to decide what to say. Finally he said, "I don't refer to her by name because… she is the best thing that ever happened to me and to hear it…"

"You think you failed her somehow," Skye interrupted. She released his sleeve and adjusted her stance to look at him better. The silence told her a lot and she figured that Hesh was blaming himself; it was affirmation of her suspicions. The next question she asked knowing that it would be the point of no return, "Do you love her?"

Hesh turned to look sharply at Skye but it died before his head made a complete turn to face her. The look had him surprised but he masked it well as he looked at the girl. Logan knew of course but… "Yes. I love her… because of that I tried keeping her safe and she ended up getting taken. That bastard is going to try and destroy the good thing about her. It would kill her."

Skye felt her heart go out to Hesh. No wonder he was so terse with people and sensitive to what was said to him. She gently patted his arm, going with the urging she felt and said a soothing phrase in Sioux. It seemed to help and Hesh looked downward as if trying to make sense of his thoughts. She then said, "Perhaps denying the name is denying that she is gone. When a member of our tribe leaves us and they give a gift of namesakes, the one receiving it takes care not to mention it until they are ready to assume the name. It prevents bad luck from happening." Skye made a slight sound and added, "And that sucked. I was never good at explaining things."

"It's fine," Hesh's quiet tone came out. "I understand what you are trying to say. I just feel that by mentioning something of… Hawk that is good, I'm tainting it." He stumbled over his words as he tried to convey his thoughts. "It is my fault Skye. Don't try to convince me otherwise." He looked at her a warning look that was laced with his other feelings mostly of sadness.

Skye took in the expression. She knew she had a way in. She could see why Logan was setting the pace as he was. He was a good man and not the implied 'taint' he made himself out to be. No doubt Sequoia saw the same thing. She nodded, "Fair enough that you say that but in all honesty I think you are wrong about a few things and mostly about what you haven't said. I won't press because I don't think you trust me enough or are not comfortable with it and that is fine."

"So what you're going to be an annoying little shit?"

"Probably," Skye replied in a playful tone. She watched as Hesh tried not to roll his eyes but his expression said that he was not going to fight her on this either. "I know you and your brother have your brother thing but if you want someone not that close… I am willing to listen. If you want."

Hesh studied the girl and considered her words. He took a step back but didn't walk away. For anyone who had observed previously, that was a major improvement. He looked around at nothing and nodded, "Okay. Just don't push."

"I'll only push if you start the conversation and try to back out on me. I am not as nice as your brother and I play to win," Skye replied indicating she was not afraid to make it into a scuffle like he did with Logan. She was warning him that she would push until he was down or conceded.

"Point taken," Hesh replied as a humorous smile slowly appeared. "I don't go easy either."

"I look forward to it," Skye replied meaning every word. She held out her hand and grinned when Hesh took it and shook on it. "And I promise that I won't say anything… unless it becomes a problem. My discretion?"

"I know better than to argue with a Lakota Sioux," Hesh agreed. He knew that Merrick had been the one on his case to talk to someone. He was right and being the stubborn ass he fought along the way until Skye came along. It was like how his Hawk got under her skin but it was very different from her but her touch was there. "Thank you, Skye."

Skye nodded as she returned Hesh's smile with her own. Now she could do what she had intended to do. She put her hand in her pocket and said, "I have something that I think might help if you let it." She pulled out a medallion and held it up for him to see.

Hesh recognized it right away. His eyes widened slightly as he contemplated how it would have fallen off her dog tags. Then the question entered: would she deliberately leave something that meaningful to her behind? It was so small and it could easily have been lost.

Sometimes a hunter can make his prey see one thing when he is doing something else…

Was that even possible? Hesh didn't think so since he was sure that she was passed out when that bastard Rorke slung her over his shoulders and carried her off. He started hearing Rorke's taunts in his mind but pushed them back down as he focused on why it had fallen off. Could she had removed it and he didn't notice it then? He never noticed when she grabbed Dad's tags off his body and hid them on her person.

Skye watched his expression. Apparently he knew it belonged to Sequoia but it seemed that he was dealing with confusion. She explained, "Keegan found it on the beach. He knew it belonged to her, he wouldn't say how he knew but…"

"Why did he give it to you?"

"He gave it to your brother," Skye answered. She saw he was getting a little agitated but more by a confusion of thoughts. "Logan wasn't sure how to tell you about it. He wasn't sure if it was the right time to give it to you but he wanted to." She then said softly, "I think he was afraid of how you'd react. He is trying to stay strong with whatever your goal is."

Hesh calmed down. He wasn't upset with Logan. His brother was only looking out for him. Maybe she did leave it behind as a measure of hope. It didn't make sense but it would have to be saved for scrutiny later. He looked at the medallion with the blue background and the flying eagle over it. He just couldn't conceive why she would leave it behind if she chose to do that. "I know. I'm not mad it's just that this means a lot to Hawk and she wouldn't leave it behind unless she had to."

"Perhaps. Maybe it is a reminder to you and Logan."

"How is that?" Hesh frowned at Skye, not completely understanding.

"Tahatanskah was born a warrior. By our people she is considered kin of the eagle. She is of the eagle but not of it." Skye knew that it would take effort for Hesh to understand what she was getting at. The sad truth was that he was an outsider and it was a hard concept to grasp as an outsider. "The eagle is the representative of all that is a warrior. Perhaps she is letting you both know that she won't give in but go down fighting."

The silence was a comfortable one. Skye knew it was time to let Hesh mull over things. She gave him an out saying, "Well I have to go. I have a transport in about an hour and preflight check. Think about it Hesh." She gave him another pat and turned to leave Hesh looking at the medallion as Logan came walking up.

It was funny to hear Logan tease Hesh saying, "Don't tell me you're actually being like an old man."

Hesh's voice rang loud and clear, "Shut up you pain in the ass."

It's been two months and not a whole lot of success. Merrick has been keeping me and Hesh out of ops while Hesh is recuperating and I guess I am counted in that too since I had a broken arm and a concussion and a broken nose. Still that doesn't mean that we know nothing. One of the advantages of being the quiet one at times is that no one notices you. Merrick would be hopping mad if he knew but it is for a good cause. Me and Hesh need to know if we are going to rescue Hawk.

Logan looked up from his writing and glanced over where Hesh was asleep. He checked to make sure his brother was comfortable since he sort of anticipated a spasm attack since Hesh pushed so hard. He was concerned that Hesh was still having them two months after he was injured. He had asked Carol but she couldn't give a definitive answer except that his abdominal injuries, particularly his stomach, had suffered severe trauma.

He couldn't be angry at that even though he was tempted to be sarcastic and say that yeah he knew that. He watched as Rorke kicked his brother and broke his ribs and forced his gunshots to bleed out more. Of course he was also on the track to scold Hesh for moving too much anyway. No he couldn't be angry at Hesh. He was angry with himself. He was lying on the ground and watching Rorke beat his brother with those kicks that he knew were hard. Hesh's cries of pain still filled his ears on occasion when it was quiet.

Hesh was sleeping on his bunk and he looked okay to Logan. He was sleeping propped up even though he didn't have to anymore but Logan suspected it helped a little when Hesh had a spasm. He had noticed that his brother did things to anticipate one especially when he knew he had been pushing it with the PT. Hesh didn't like to feel vulnerable and he didn't want to rely on people if he could do things for himself even if he was a little slower about it.

Logan noted how Hesh's right was draped across his abdomen. It was how he moved when he was starting to get back on his feet but Logan suspected that it was more of a subconscious comfort from when she used to sleep in the same bed. Logan couldn't help but twitch his lip because he always teased Hesh about being quiet when they were together. It was the cause for scuffles but Logan didn't care. What they did was their business.

Looking down at what he had written, Logan thought about where they were going. It didn't help that Hesh twice went AWOL while on recovery to head down to the armory and gear up or that he got irritated easily. Yet Carol hadn't done anything like force a psych eval on his brother. She said that it wasn't serious enough for that. So Logan continued to gain his intel except when they were shipped to this base. So he made do with pestering Skye about it and she was pretty nice about it but he had to work for it.

Surprisingly Carol helped out a little. True she made it possible so that Hesh wasn't put on a restricted to base kind of thing but Logan never suspected that she would be good at getting info. She always had something for him in between Skye's visits and always said that she was a doctor and should stick to it but always with a little smile. He knew that she was their advocate to getting them back onto missions.

There was some news. Merrick is setting up another recon soon and it was hinted that me and Hesh would be going. I didn't want to tell Hesh and get his hopes up. He's already pushing himself. If he overdid it, Carol would most definitely have my head since I did say that we weren't up to anything… A fat lie and she knows it.

It was true. Carol dropped the news to him after PT that Merrick might consider it. She said that he had been impressed with their progress and it seemed like a good time. Logan knew it was bullshit to some degree. Merrick knew about the wandering around incidents with Hesh and the fact his brother once broke an orderly's nose in a fit of temper for which he apologized for afterwards. There was also the shouting as everyone except him.

Logan didn't understand it but not once did Hesh actually shout at him. Maybe he had gotten terse but he never shouted at him. It had him wonder about what his brother was truly thinking. He knew Hesh used to do things deliberately to keep him on edge when he played a joke on him and occasionally he still did that. Logan though thought that he was biding his time before laying it out on him that it was his fault things were the way they were now; let him get comfortable and then pounce. It was certainly something he would do when they were sneaking up on each other.

It never occurred to Logan that Hesh never once blamed him for anything. There was no anger towards his brother because Hesh thought his brother suffered from his error in judgment and that it had nothing to do with him. Logan though thought the normalcy was a precursor to something that was more fitting. He certainly thought that way as he continued.

I know that Hesh is getting anxious to go and I hope Merrick does give the go ahead. Carol has been pushing for it. I think that we are ready but I understand if Merrick is concerned about Hesh. The real test will be out in the field…

"You're still up?"

Logan looked up and saw Hesh looking at him with a curious expression. He shrugged, "Yeah. Not tired. You… okay?"

Hesh stared at Logan before adjusting his position. He replied, "I'm fine. Just not as tired as I thought." He looked at what Logan was doing and teased, "Taking one off me and writing your memoirs?"

Logan took in his brother's relaxed form. It could be deceiving since Hesh had gotten pretty good at hiding the more excruciating of spasms. Nothing wrong though and he replied, "Just strengthening my hand. You know I hated being in that damn sling."

Hesh grinned as his right draped idly over his middle. His fingers were tapping a beat that he was familiar with and he found it comforting at times. He teased, "You looked ridiculous. Makes me wonder what you would do in a straightjacket."

"Still kick your ass," Logan replied with a grin. That was another thing about Hesh lately. He would take any reference to the injuries they sustained and if in the mood make a crude joke out of it. Logan was guilty of that himself and Skye reproved him for that.

"I bet you would little brother," Hesh replied, meaning every word. "You're good Logan. Better than me at some things." He gave a smile at his brother as he continued to drum his fingers on his abdomen.

"Come on bro. You don't mean that."

"I do, Logan." Hesh rotated his shoulders and took a breath. He stared up at the bottom of Logan's bunk. "You've always been better."

Logan was silent as he watched his brother stare up at nothing apparently deep in thought. "You shouldn't think so low of yourself," he ventured cautiously. He was cautious since it was similar to what Carol told him and Hesh nearly bit her head off for that.

"How do you think I should think of myself?" Hesh asked the question before turning his head to look at his brother. The words had been uttered without the anger that normally would come from it.

Logan was surprised at the tone. He half expected Hesh to snap at him, even shout at him. This was different. The tone was gentle but it had a hint of sadness or more likely self-loathing. Logan couldn't exactly tell but it was vastly different from the tones used on other people. He saw that Hesh was waiting for an answer and with an uncharacteristic patience. Swallowing slightly, he replied, "That… you are good and… you will get her back."

It was a rather awkward silence since Hesh was looking in Logan's direction but not necessarily at him. Finally Hesh asked, "You think I can?"

"Yeah," Logan answered automatically and how he usually would when Hesh was asking for a fairly obvious answer. He checked himself and ventured, "I mean you love her right? That's why you're being the pain in the ass for a change and working to get back out there, right?"

Hesh considered his brother's words and from Logan's standpoint it was one of those waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was actually something he did when he was into deep thinking. Seeing the same expression on Hesh was a little disconcerting and almost creepy. It was indicative that there was a lot to sort through emotionally and mentally and Logan wasn't going to push unless it was necessary. It did make him want to squirm and inwardly he asked if he was that bad. It felt right to stay that way and it paid off when Hesh finally said, "You're right… but you are still the pain in my ass little brother."

It said a lot and Logan felt he could breathe easier and replied, "My calling big bro but you're different and not nearly as cool as me."

The boot sent halfheartedly his way that missed it's mark by a mile had Logan laugh, "I've seen you shoot better than that."

"I missed," Hesh replied with a grin. "And that was your boot. You might want to be careful where you put them in the future."

It was a warning that meant a prank. Logan narrowed his eyes, "You wouldn't."

"Try me." Hesh chuckled at his brother before adjusting his position to lay more on his right side. He settled and within a few minutes his breathing evened out.

Logan couldn't help but grin but he was also apprehensive. They hadn't really hit the root of everything but it was a start. No doubt Hesh would play with him and indicated that he was going to mess with his boots. It wasn't too far what he would do to Hesh.

"Thanks Logan," Hesh's whisper broke the quiet. "And I miss her."

Logan blinked as he watched his brother's sleeping form. Hesh was still with him. He just needed help. "I do too, big brother. Always with you big brother."

"Same here little brother."

Logan remained still to let Hesh get back to sleep. He turned to write a little more. He really had picked up Hesh's habit but it did help in some way and sorted out his thoughts. Closing it, he moved his boots to a hiding place before climbing up onto his bunk to sleep.

I hope we go. Hesh misses her. I miss her. She is my best friend and maybe one day I might be able to call her sister. Either way first things first: we need to find her. I need to find her so that my big brother may start to forgive me…

A/N: Looks like Skye and Hesh are starting to get along and Logan has some thoughts of his own. Stay tuned for more on The Hunt...