I don't own anything. Obviously.
Life really sucks sometimes.
That was the only thought Wolf had running though his alcohol muddled brain. The rest of the crew was either getting some much needed sleep, manning their posts, or getting medical attention from Doc Rios, who, after all that transpired in the prison camp, probably needed to be on the receiving end of such attention, but it wasn't his place to say anything.
No, Wolf was to preoccupied by the nearing of the bottom of his bottle; the last of Tex's abandoned bourbon stash. God bless Tex, Wolf thought, for whatever it's worth. Not much, in Wolf's opinion. With the way things are going, Tex is probably dead in unmarked grave somewhere. His face mixed with the others they lost. Cruz. Ravi. President Michner.
Valerie.
He took another long swig, and the burn reminded him of the flames of the plane; the fireball forever seared into his memory. They never even got a chance; hidden smiles, lustful whispers, promising glances, this was all they had. Nothing more. The emptiness of the galley seem to taunt him.
"You know, it's a big house. Once the party's over, two people could get lost, find themselves alone in the dark somewhere."
If only, he thought. Wolf was a man of duty, honor. He would never abandon his post, but in the deepest darkest part of him, he knew that if he had a chance to do it all over again, he would grab her and run. Run anywhere, far away, and get lost in her.
"Where in the hell did you find that?"
Burk's voice startled Wolf out of his drunken nostalgia. With a shake of his head he lifted the bottle, "Compliments of Tex." Burk chuckled and took a seat next to him. For awhile they just sat, breathing, existing; no lives depending on them, no examples to be set, just existing next to each other.
"How do you do it?" Wolf's ragged whisper broke the silence. Burk glanced sideways at his friend, and saw the torment on his face.
"Do what?", he questioned. Wolf took a long breath, letting it escape from his throat in rush.
"Exist without her, without the future you might have had."
Wolf could hear the sharp of intake of breath from his friend, and then silence. The bottle was slipped from his hand, and Burk to a swig before answering. "When someone important to you dies, it hurts. It hurts like hell; its supposed to. And for awhile, I couldn't see anyway to deal with the loss. The loss of her, and everything we might have had. So I was pissed; at life, at God, at...everything. Then I was nothing. I did my duties, I protected my men, but I was...hollow." Burk took another swig, and sighed. "And then it hit me."
"What?" Wolf whispered.'
"If Ravit saw me sitting there, wallowing in misery and self pity, you know what she would do?". Wolf looked up at the man. "She would kick. My. Ass." They both laughed at this, their laughs echoing in the darkness. Burk smiled, "Just because someone dies, doesn't mean they stop existing. Valerie is still here. She'll always be here, and she would not want to see you miserably drunk in the galley at 2 am over her." A ghost of a smile crossed Wolf's face as he pushed away the now empty bottle.
"You made her happy Carlton," Wolf sighed as he looked at Burk, "I can never thank you enough for that." Burk simply smiled and clapped him on the back as he stood up to leave. "Just one thing though," Wolf called over his shoulder. Burk stopped and glanced back at the soldier. Wolf looked at him with shining eyes, "Val would love me drunk at 2 am." Burk laughed and shook his head as said good night, leaving to get some sleep before life started again.
Wolf was once again left in the galley, but it didn't feel empty anymore. He knew she was here, in his memories, and in his heart. And while it didn't completely erase the pain, it did ease them. Tonight, that was enough.
Life really sucks sometimes.
But then, sometimes it doesn't.
Confession time; I've been boycotting this show ever since they killed Rachel, and then Valerie. I mean it was like Game of Thrones, I was so pissed. But then I saw how promising Sasha and Tom are, and they drew me back in, and I was inspired to write this little blurb. Hope its okay.