That night, Lake dreamed of the last battle in the jungle. The refugee girl that he had been trying to save. He kept seeing her death over and over. Each time he saw a possible way to save her, but was unable to protect her nonetheless. Saw himself causing her death. Saw her fall onto a pile of bodies. Saw her join the ranks of the ghosts that haunted his dreams. All the people he had seen die.

Lake woke up, soaked in sweat, pulse beating wildly.

Why? Why was I unable to save her, he thought in despair. I failed her. I failed everyone. What kind of scout, what kind of warrior leads people into this?

Thoughts of doubt and failure robbed Lake of sleep that night and for several nights. The doctor cleared Lake to walk around the room and supplied him some exercises. The team rotated visits amongst them. Red and Doc always tried to lighten his spirits. One day, about a week after the attack, LT Waters came in with a grim expression on his face.

"They are planning on extraditing her to an embassy in Germany," he said. "They say she is dangerous and must be brought in. The commander is trying to buy some time for us to get answers. Rhodes told them that they'll have to come and get her, which means they'll need to get permission to land here, set a flight plan, and make a bunch of preparations to move her."

"We can't let them do it, sir," Lake exclaimed. "She saved my life!"

"We don't know that for sure. She could be lying," Waters countered half-heartedly.

"She's not, sir. I can feel it in my bones," Lake stated. "I need to talk to her again."

"It's already been arranged," Waters said. But keep that on the quiet. No one is supposed to have any contact with her."

That afternoon, Reilly and Jin-Sun were escorted in by the LT and Red. The two guards stayed out in the hallway. Waters and Red stepped out in the hall to wait. Reilly sat in a chair next to his bed and Jin lay down at her feet facing the door. She gave Lake a long assessing stare before speaking.

"You aren't sleeping well," she stated.

"How do you know," Lake asked.

"You aren't the only one with good eyes, you know," Reilly said. "Your face is drawn and your eyes are haunted. Are you having bad dreams?"

"Why does that-" Lake began.

"Because PTSD is no joke," she answered. "I've seen stubborn warriors like you pretend to have it all together and then crumble. What is it? What are you dreaming about?"

Are you asking because you want to know or to keep me from asking you questions," Lake questioned.

"I thought we had already established that I give a damn about your well-being," Reilly said. "And because you wouldn't believe my answers anyway."

"Try me," Lake challenged.

"You answer me first, then I'll answer you. Fair," she asked.

"I…I see…the ghosts. The ghosts of the people who've died on my watch or died at my hand," Lake answered hesitantly. "I see all the ways I could have saved them, but when I try, I can't. I still make the same mistakes and fail. Over and over again."

"You see the refugee girl who died," she asked gently.

"Yes. And think of all the times I wanted to cut them loose and leave them. I wonder if I had given a damn sooner, maybe I could have saved her."

"Are you God," she asked.

"No."

"Phew," she exclaimed. "I thought for a second you had complete control over life and death."

Lake closed his eyes and said nothing.

Reilly reached out and gently grabbed his hand. Lake opened his eyes and looked at her. She didn't look at him with pity. Only with understanding.

"You do not have power over life and death. It is not your burden to bear. Why do you take it on yourself? You did not fail her. Your body is proof of that. You bear the scars of protecting her. But you did not cause her death, evil men did. You didn't want to help them, but you did. You were willing to die, and very nearly did, for total strangers."

Lake was speechless.

"Do you think she would have blamed you? What do you think was on her mind before she died? That you failed her or that you tried to protect her? You are a guardian and a warrior. That is why you are such a great scout. It is in your very nature, down to the marrow of your bones to protect. The ghosts of those who have died at your hand, they were evil men, right?"

"Yes," Lake answered.

"By killing them, you saved lives," she said. "It is a heavy burden to take a life, even an evil one. But it is something you have to let go. Leave it on the battlefield."

"I can't promise anything," Lake said.

"I'm not asking you to," she answered. "I just want you to try."

"My turn," Lake said. "Why are there warrants out for your arrest?"

"There aren't any real warrants," Reilly said. "It's true that I'm wanted, but not by any law enforcement."

"Why," Lake asked.

"I blew up a lab," she answered calmly.