A/N: *Peeks from hideout* everyone still here, right? As a reward for patiently waiting for the update, this chapter is also in EPOV and picks up right where we left off yesterday.

So … shall we?

Chapter-10: EPOV

The minutes that pass us by with me and Black lying in that ditch and waiting for backup to show up are possibly the longest in my life.

Black crouches next to me with his back slightly turned. As I try to calm my heartbeats down and praying like Hell that those two shots were just rogue bullets, fired because of a slip of finger, I hear footsteps … just two sets … approaching us.

I take a glance at the slightly shivering man by my side and make the decision. As the senior officer, it's my responsibility to make sure my men are safe.

With my decision made, I slowly move to peek above the ground, trying to keep my eyes in level with the ground so I can see without being seen.

I watch two men wearing dark clothes and with their heads wrapped in some kind of black clothing materials slowly approaching us, stopping to look through the mud as if trying to find bodies.

When they're just a few feet away from us, the one in the front turns to the other and asks in very clear English, "Do you think those assholes managed to run away?"

The other dude shakes his head. "Negative. I didn't see any movement."

Their English isn't accented. So does that mean they're not local extremists?

I turn to see the same question reflected in Black's eyes as he lifts his eyebrows, asking for direction. Placing a finger on my lips, I tell him to stay silent as I turn my gaze back to the shooters.

Steeling my nerves, I wait for them to come closer to us, my fingers clutching my handgun like a lifeline. Black seems to realize what I'm planning because from the corner of my eyes, I watch him sit a little upright and raise his firearm higher. I signal him to take the man on his left as I target the man approaching from my right.

With my finger poised on the trigger, I start to stand when suddenly the sound of a series of gunshots shatter the silence of the night. Blaring horns announce the arrival of two jeeps. Looking up, I see Captain Denali jump off his jeep and striding up to where one of the men lie groaning as he holds his bleeding left knee.

I motion Black to come out now that we're among friendlies. "There you are!" Captain Denali says with a sigh of relief. He comes forward to clap me on the back, and then together, we approach to inspect the fallen men.

Once they're both bound and gagged by our comrades, PFC Clearwater removes their hoods and I suck in a shocked breath. "Yorkie?" The name escapes me as I stare open-mouthed at the beady-eyed man before me.

A sneer appears on his face as he grinds his teeth in anger. "Yes, Cullen," he grins. "Surprised to see me?"

"Sarge, you know him?" Black asks me from behind.

I nod. "Eric Yorkie was a CIA agent who used to work in collaboration with us during my first tour in Iraq." Turning my eyes at Yorkie, I say, "What are you doing in Al-Tanf? I thought you were dead."

He snorts. "Dead! The United States don't pay as good as the ISIS, Sergeant. Congratulations on the promotion, by the way," he says with a leer.

The Captain frowns. "What are you saying, Yorkie? You turned on your own country and became a mercenary?"

"My country!" Yorkie pffts. "I don't fucking care who I work for, Captain, as long as I get paid."

I open my mouth to argue, but Captain Denali holds a hand up to silence me. "Don't bother, Sergeant. I'll let our contact in the CIA know that they have a rogue agent at hand. How they deal with him is their responsibility." He steps up to stand very close to Yorkie before adding, "Just so you know, Mr. Yorkie, aside from being a traitor, you just shot at two of my men with intent to kill. So as long as you're in my custody, I'll make sure that you and your little mercenary friend here are treated with appropriate hospitalities."

It takes two days for the CIA to extricate Yorkie from our custody and take him back home to be tried and punished for his offense. The effects of the incident with him, however, stays with me far longer than that.

When I write to Bella, I don't tell her about the ambush or anything in relation to that incident because aside from the sensitive nature of the information, I don't want her to worry. However, I think about the fear I felt lying in that ditch that night … a fear of never meeting my child … a fear of breaking the promises I made to my wife.

So a week later, when Bella's email comes in bearing the attachment of the sonogram picture, I take a print out of it and keep it in my pocket … as a reminder of the life that awaits me when I return home.

The next few months pass me by in a blur … sometimes quick like the sand and sometimes in a haze. And before I know it, the red circled day in the dusty calendar I've hung up in my tent arrives.

The day Bella's due to have her c-section.

The day our child is to arrive in this world.

A/N: So … yeah. I hope I'm forgiven for the cliffy?

Please share your thoughts with me and leave a review. I love to hear your theories and experiences.

Oh and to the "Guest" who's been leaving scathing reviews to my fics, you should probably know that there's a "moderate review" option where I can just delete your hateful reviews and be done with it. Also, your reviews while quite vitriolic, do have the power to increase my review count so that isn't really harmful for me. All I ask of you is for you to show a little respect and compassion for the soldiers out there who are working to establish peace all over the world. Disrespecting them is a horrible way to pay for their sacrifices. So please don't do that.

Anywho, see you tomorrow. Only three more chapters left.

Love,

Ann