Hereford- The Apartment – 5pm

Three weeks…Three goddamned weeks passed since the incident at the hospital. For some it may have been three weeks since they last mowed their lawn or checked their email, but for John and Bree it had been three weeks since they lost their child.

To Bree, it felt as if the world of hurt happened to her. As she drove in silence on her way back to the apartment from her first day back to base the weight of loss bore down upon her shoulders. The entire incident was stuck on replay in her mind and on each iteration she couldn't shake the feeling that fragments of her memory were truly missing and there was nothing she could do about it. Though she knew in this life it was all about living and moving on.

Yuri asked her over and over, what happened before she woke up in the tub. Did she fall? Did she eat something bad? But nothing ever came; even though she knew something was there.

Rows of trees rolled by and the sun fought its way through the heavily tinted windows as she drove on and the comforts of home beckoned her onwards with a promise of peace and relaxation. Her return to the base was anything but simple that day but she decided to brave the pain and press on like they always did on the battlefield, except this battle happened to be her life; but even in the midst of performing her duties on base she couldn't help but wonder to herself, Was this life of service one she still wanted?

When Bree arrived at the apartment she paused for a moment, key in hand, poised to enter the lock. A waft of cool afternoon air swirled around her as she stood there, almost afraid to enter her own home.

Happy yips from Marcus emanated through the opened windows of the apartment, announcing her arrival to the household and neighbourhood. Yuri was a saint for collecting him from the vet for her after his long stay away during her tragic vacation. Yana's shrill voice followed as Bree took the bait and turned her key in the door and was greeted by her little toddler who scuttled over to give her a big hug.

Shortly after, Yuri entered the foyer behind Yana. "Well, good evening to you, Madame." He said with a smile as he leaned forward to hug her too. "Hello, Yuri" she replied as she scooped Yana up into her arms and planted a slew of kisses on her chubby cheeks that made her laugh. "Thanks for getting Marcus for me." Bree said over her shoulder, on her way to Yana's play mat.

"Anytime, Bree" she heard him say in his genuinely Russian voice as he followed close behind. "Um…we're out of groceries so I'll take a quick run to the store." He offered kindly.

Bree placed Yana on the floor again and returned her attention to Yuri with a chuckle. "Oh I can do that, silly. Just let me get settled and I'll get right to it." She replied.

Yuri nodded in silent agreement and looked after her as she made her way up the stairs. She looked pretty normal to him…then again, in his opinion, 'normal' can be for better or for worse.

For the past few weeks she had been very tight lipped about her feelings toward the entire situation. His many attempts to get her talking were futile in addition to her fragmented memories which got him to thinking, 'What could have caused it in the first place?'

He truly felt awful about the whole thing and would not wish it on his worst enemy. But seeing and experiencing fell into two different categories; and he can only imagine how John felt.

Hereford – S.A.S Base – 5.30pm

John needed to get away. To him, getting away meant leaving the base to be with her and clearly that was not happening. So, he opted for that special spot behind the garage. It was a little early to attempt an escape to the hood of an abandoned Humvee since most of the troops were still out and about and might find some reason to disturb him.

Throwing caution to the wind, he made his way across the base as quickly as possible with the intention of remaining out of sight until the following morning. A small flock of birds made a mad dash overhead for the nearest tree for their evening roost as John approached his destination.

When he found the spot he was looking for, he leapt onto the hood of the Humvee of his choosing and fished around in his pockets for a smoke and a light. In one hand he produced a brand new packet of Villa Claras and a lighter, in the other a Swiss army knife he kept on his person for moments like these. Eagerly he ripped it open and flicked the lighter. To his surprise his hands shook as he placed a single cigar between his lips and watched the clipped tip burn.

He was yet to have a conversation with Captain Price about the situation with Bree but he just didn't have the guts to come forward. He was 100% sure that the old man already knew something was up. John took a long pull on his cigar and lay back on the windscreen with a sigh of satisfaction. 'Me…a father?' he thought to himself as the false hope within him reared its ugly head and toyed with his emotions.

Distraught was what he felt on the inside, yet he still displayed his signature calmness on the outside. If the members of his base caught wind of this there would be hell to pay. His heart pounded in his chest as his thoughts drifted back to Bree again. He didn't return to the apartment or made any attempts to call her even though it was ripping him apart on the inside.

Respecting her wishes was the road he had chosen and he knew he had to live with it. But if only he could know how she was doing or how she really felt. Seeing her today on the base damn near killed him because he knew he won't get anything out of her.

His second thought was to try to pump Yuri for information but he knew the Russian was just as much in the dark as he was…

Just then, his thoughts were interrupted by the sudden presence of Sgt Dalton who stood exactly 5 feet away from the Humvee John was sprawled out on. The queer look on the young Sargent's face told him that he had been there for a while without him knowing when he arrived. He turned his head away from Chuck and blinked away all traces of emotion.

"Chuck…I didn't see you there, son." John spoke finally, without raising his eyes to his subordinate.

Chuck stood in silence as he quickly assessed the unfolding situation before him. The Captain had the same look on his face like he did a few weeks ago in his office. The same look that made him want to cross the room and hold him the way he obviously needed to be held.

"Didn't mean to disturb you, Sir." Chuck said; quietly sucking in a tiny bit of air to prevent himself from passing out from being in the mere presence of this man. The only man who was everything he ever wanted in a partner. 'What would he think of me if he knew what I thought of him…?' he wondered in silence.

John turned his head to the side to face Chuck, a frown tugged at the corners of his lips and furrowed his brow. Though in this state of hidden emotional distress, to the young Sgt Dalton, he still looked as handsome as the prince that he was.

"Was there something you needed?" John said, not even bothering to sound stern.

"No, Sir." Chuck said.

"Any update on our little project?"

"Besides the name I got you, he seems to be inactive at the moment, Sir." Chuck replied.

John grunted his response, then took another satisfying pull on his cigar then stared off into the distance. That's when Chuck found himself jumping way out of character before he could stop.

"May I ask …what is the matter?" he asked, surprised at his own bold step.

John looked back at Chuck and gave a little chuckle. "What can I say?..." he began, debating in his head just how much he should let Chuck know about himself. "Women." He finished through a crooked smile that never reached his eyes.

Chuck felt his heart sink at John's statement but braved the pain to say something useful in response. "Hm…well, whoever she is… If she knows you like I do, she'll come back to you."

John stared blankly at Chuck then frowned. "Yeah…"

Hereford – The Apartment – 5.45pm

Bree splashed around in the bath contently. The water was warm and the bubble count was well above the way she would have liked it but she really didn't care, this was her time to relax. Slowly she slid further under the water, the slick feel of ceramic beneath her back was most welcoming and the aroma of her bubble bath of choice invaded her senses and brought some level of calm to her shattered nerves.

As long as the atmosphere stayed right her mood stayed on course along with it. Bree stretched a damp hand across to the rack next to the tub to grab her bath sponge. As she stroked the sponge over her skin, she remembered John giving her a bath on the night he returned from an overseas venture with the General.

His hands were gentle and steady as he worked. Taking each limb carefully into his hand and massaged away her troubles. Bree felt like a child again in his arms as he took his time to wash her hair, working his skilled fingers along her scalp and neck, but she was instantly made woman again after he kissed her…

A shiver, powered by want, ran up her spine at the provocative memory. Unwillingly she was brought back to reality with the soft pattering of the rain against the bathroom window. Remembering she had an errand to run she removed herself from the bath and drained it.

Wrapping a robe around her body, she made her way to the master bedroom and began to get dressed.

She remembered as a child how much she loved to hear the rain outside. The steady stream of water seemed to be the only constant in her young life until it all went away. Towelling her hair dry with one hand, she strolled over to the closet to find a handbag.

When she got downstairs, fully dressed and perfumed to perfection, she found Yuri parked on the couch, remote in hand and Marcus resting comfortably in a huge ball of fluff at his feet. She took one look at him and noticed he wore that white cashmere V-neck sweater she liked so… She was truly happy for his company.

He refused to leave or have someone else take care of her during her recovery as he nursed her back to health with his "extra special" Chicken Soup that he claimed had healing powers. Yuri gave her a radiant smile that exposed the hidden dimple in his left cheek and his perfect row of white teeth. Feeling oddly out of place she leaned against the wall, smiled back at him. "Where's Yana?" she asked. He pointed upstairs to indicate that she was already put to bed.

Bree nodded and stared at the carpeted floor as she felt her cheeks go warm. 'Typical Yuri' she thought. She wiggled her toes in the fibres of the rug and searched for something else to say to him. The few weeks had been very quiet for both of them; she just wanted to remain alone in her thoughts and he allowed her. Each day consisted of her sitting in bed and staring blankly out the window until Yuri came in to force feed her and briefly pulled her out of her stupor.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he carefully scoped her out. She shrugged and raised her eyes to meet his. Yuri pouted playfully and held out his arms to her and gestured for her to come over to him. Without a word she walked over to him to sit and allowed his arms to surround her as he clicked off the television set.

Keeping her head on his shoulder, she looked up at him. "Nothing...It's raining…" She said. "Mmhm…" Yuri nodded then licked his lips.

"I like the rain. Makes me feel cosy, you know?" Bree continued in a conversation that was more to her than to him. Blinking quickly, she returned her attention to Yuri.

"How was your day?" she asked him.

"It was marvellous. We went to the playground and had ourselves a little picnic." Yuri said with pride then snickered. "Then funniest thing happened, a little boy came over to use the swing Yana was on while we had lunch and she jumped off of the table to go tell him off. His mother was furious, but the whole thing was just hilarious, you should have seen it."

Bree laughed out loud at the ridiculous story from the tales of Yuri and Yana. "She used actual words?" she asked.

"For half of it but the rest was just toddler talk, hands on the hips and all." Yuri said through his laughter. Bree stole another glance at his profile. His eyes danced with joy and the corners of his lips were turned up in another heart-warming smile as he continued to speak about the wonderful day he had with his daughter.

When he was finished, he turned his head to look at her just as she looked up at him and it dawned on her how close he was to her… Close enough to make her want him.

Bree brushed her lips against Yuri's chin gently and worked her way down to his neck. Before he could react, she placed a hand on his face and claimed his lips. Rapidly, her kisses became more urgent and wanting. Yuri found himself responding with some of his own that matched the intensity and passion that emanated from her.

Her hands snaked around his neck just before she pulled him onto her and began undoing her blouse. Yuri groaned softly as Bree offered herself up to him on a platter, chest exposed, lips poised to murmur his name. Her fingers wondered through his hair and got him all worked up with desire.

At the back of his mind he knew where this was going but as much as he wanted it … he knew she didn't. It wasn't like her. After returning to the base and seeing John after such a long time… Yuri didn't have to be a rocket scientist to see that it wasn't him that she wanted.

Yuri pulled back and held on to her shoulders "Bree, stop." He said, then sat back on the couch to catch his wavering breath for a few seconds then stood. Her questioning eyes reached out to him when he looked at her again. "It's not me that you want." He said.

Bree hung her head and stared at her fingers clasped together in her lap. "I should get going before the store closes." She said then leapt to her feet the grabbed on to the arm of the sofa to catch her balance. "Yuri, I'm so sorry." She whispered as she made her way out the door.

Yuri looked after her without a sound for a long while before he sat again to gather his thoughts.

Downtown Hereford – 10 Minutes Later

Bree flicked on her windshield wipers up a notch as the persistent rain continued to cloud her vision. Driving with both hands on the wheel and her mind in a mess she drove on. How dare she come on to Yuri like that?

It was so unscrupulous she was sure he felt like she was just using him. 'How can I face him again?' she thought with frustration as she pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket and poked around the backseat for an umbrella which was of course not there.

Sighing deeply, she opted for an old newspaper instead and locked up her vehicle. Purposefully she charged into the establishment, determined to get everything she had on the half damp list in her pocket and possibly figure out a way to make this whole "attempting-to-rape-Yuri" thing go away.

She reached for the first cart in sight and marched towards the produce section first. It was freezing on the inside courtesy the downpour on the outside. Bree wrapped her coat around herself for some extra warmth. Blinded by her frustration, both sexually and mentally, she grabbed a few bags and began stuffing random fruits into them.

John was always a stickler for vegetables and beans. "Balanced diet equals balanced life" he'd say, sounding like the health nut he was not. She knew he had a weakness for Liquorice and chocolate when the mood came over him. Smiling to herself at the thought, she took up the largest head of broccoli she could find.

Still captivated by the fond memory, she turned around suddenly only to crash into a tall, average built, black haired stranger.

"Good god I am so sorry." She exclaimed then touched a hand to her chest.

"It's okay Miss." He said to her then continued to stand there.

After a beat, Bree eyed the stranger suspiciously. 'Who the in hell wears sunglasses at this time of night?' she thought to herself. But it was a thought that came a bit too late.

Suddenly, he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her into the 'No Access to the Public' area of the supermarket. "Hey! What are you on about?" she said, attempting to shrug this asshole off of her before she ended up with a dead body she had to account for.

"In case you were wondering, my name is Ross." He said, then adjusted his watch.

"Who cares!?" she said, much louder than before. "You have 3 seconds to let me go."

"No need" Ross said before leaning in closer to her ear. "Because, it's time to wake up for daddy…"

Hereford – The Apartment… Time Unknown.

The rain thundered down on the rooftops like a mighty force, threatening to barge into the homes of the dwellers of Herefordshire.

Yuri paced the apartment like a madman in heat, phone in hand and a glass of iceless whiskey in the other. He stole a glance at the chaos that was nature happening on the outside and took a seat again in an effort to calm his own raging emotions. His stomach rumbled almost as loudly as the thunder but he was too disturbed to eat anything. He knew he was a bit rough with Bree earlier but it did not explain what was about to happen next.

That was when the front door swung open, giving way to a freezing cold gust of wind and raindrops. Yuri was on his feet again but before he could make a mere five steps, a dishevelled looking Bree tumbled inside on all fours.

He paused in horror for a beat before rushing over to get her up and shut the door. Her hair was matted and wet; her shoes were caked with mud and her jeans were practically shredded about the knees. Yuri's eyes roamed over her and caught the tell-tale sight of blood that streaked her legs and abdomen.

"Bree!" he said, still not believing his eyes, "Where the fuck have you been?"

She coughed as she dragged herself to her feet and staggered further into the apartment. "I-" she began. The struggle to focus her thoughts was on and she was definitely on the losing side. "I was at the supermarket…" She said then paused because what she said didn't sound right.

Yuri looked at the clock then back at her. "For 5hours!? You had me worried sick!" He put a hand up to her chin and held her head still so he could have a look at her eyes, only to see that her pupils were dilated.

"What happened?" he asked in softer tone.

"Yuri!" she shouted back at him. "Something is wrong…" she said as she attempted to walk on her own and her knees buckled beneath her. "What's wrong with me?"

Yuri held her upright again and smoothed a hand over her hair. "Bree, just take your time and tell me exactly what happened."

"I can't- … I can't remember" she wailed then held her head in despair. "I can't remember anything."

She broke away from him and stumbled towards the stairs, clawing at the railing for balance until she collapsed. Yuri strolled over to her and checked to see if she was still breathing. She was and he was satisfied but this new level of weird was way beyond his comprehension.

Something had to be done soon or else one day it might just cost Bree her life.

Next Chapter: Dex Loves Soapy

1982 Glasgow, Scotland – St. Phillip's Orphanage

The midday sun fought its way through the thick covering of clouds that hung thick in the sky awaiting another opportunity to cover the earth with another layer of snow. The boys were out for a play in the yard while the nuns made preparations for that evening's mass. Five year old Soap scuttled about in the snow, trying to find his bearing in a pair of oversized hand me-down-snow boots that was given to him by one of the nuns.

With each great step he took, one side got stuck in the snow and his foot slipped out and he toppled right over onto his face. Gathering all his strength in his little arms, he pushed himself over and sat on his bottom with a huge pout. All he ever wanted was to go play with the older boys. Sadly he picked at the snow beneath him and thought about the next best thing to do in his five year old mind.

Just then, the shadow of one of the older boys appeared before him. He winced out of fear that it might just be on from the group that loved to pick on him but when he braved his fear and looked up, it was fifteen year old Dex, smiling down at him.

"Oye, Soap. What are ya doing there sitting on yer fanny?"

Not being much of a talker like the other boys his age, Soap glanced at Dex sheepishly and resumed pouting. Dex knelt on one knee before him and gently ruffled his hair. "Ah…" he said softly, "Those shoes got you don't they."

Soap fought his tears that were willing to openly display his frustration but he lost the war and was soon reduced to a sniffling mess. Angrily he balled his little fists and rubbed at his eyes. "Don't worry about it. Let's go find you a new pair." Dex told him as he stood and extended a hand to Soap.

For a moment Soap held his hands to himself and stared up at Dex in wonder. Of all the boys at the orphanage Dex was always nice to him while the others teased and harassed him; Even going as far as calling him the runt. In his mind he had no idea what that meant but he knew it was something bad and he didn't like it.

"We can go get some nice hot chocolate after." Dex tried again, his hand still extended to the traumatized child before him. At the sound of chocolate Soap was all in. Cheering up instantly, he leapt to his feet and took Dex's hand but Dex opted to carry him instead.

"Don't want you falling over again." Dex said with a smile. Soap smiled back at him and hooked an arm around his neck as his legs dangled freely down below. With Dex he always felt safe and now that he was way off the ground in his arms, he felt like a giant. He was definitely one of the big boys now…