Not Our Finest Hour

Turning back to Allen, Dunn shouted "Like I fucking said before I don't remember your goddamn sister!"

"Dunn, just calm down man.." said Allen, trying to defuse this already hazardous situation.

"You fucking calm down! You're the one who came in here pointing fingers at me! I don't remember her!" he returned, pointing a accusatory finger at Sarah. His anger boiling over into rage. His hand's balled into fists. Allen tensed in case Dunn decided to him out, while sidling into position so he'd have more room to maneuver if that became the case.

"Stop it, calm down. You're acting like your father." said Sarah, trying to hold Dunn back to prevent him from lashing out at her brother. Only Allen knew it was no use, if Dunn wanted to he could throw her out of the way like a rag doll.

Glaring back at her, he spat "And what would you know about my father?"

Turning him so he was facing her, she said "I know how he beat you," slowly running her hand through his hair until she found the scar he tried to conceal with his hairline. "That's were you got this."

"How'd you know that?" he asked, fists uncoiling his temper cooling. However, she did forget that his father's favorite method of beating his children involved a baseball bat.

"Because, you told me," she paused so her words could sink in, "just like how you told me how you planned to join the Army to prove you were a better person then your father. How you wanted to show the world you weren't the same cold abusive person he was. What happened to that dream?"

"I grew up. I figured out real fast that the world didn't give a damn about me. I joined up because I had no where else to go."

"But what about me? What about us? I swore we had something."

"What about us? If I remember correctly you were the one looking at other guy's! Hell, I caught you cheating on me with Casey Wheeler! So don't blame this on me! Whether you knew it or not I knew my place! So, yeah I left. But did you really think we'd end up some Cinderella couple? This ain't no fantasy. So when I caught you with Casey, I moved on. I figured you'd done the same."

She remained silent, but that silence soon broke into uncontrolled sobs. Dunn recoiled, he was like his father. A self-centered abusive monster. Shoving past Allen he made his way to the door.

"Where the hell are you going?" asked Allen, trying to console his sister.

"Out. I..I need time to think. Clear my head.. T-tell her, I'm sorry.."

And with that he disappeared outside.

Allen wasn't exactly the best around crying people, it always made him feel awkward. But he had to try, for his sister's sake. But he needed answers.

"Sarah, look at me." he said, moving her head so she was making eye contact. Her face a mess of running make-up and matted hair, "Was he telling the truth? D-did you really cheat on him?"

Allen couldn't believe he would be the one to question his sister's commitments.

"Y-yes…" came the reply, mixed in with sobs. Her answer hit him like a punch to the chest.

"Is their a chance this Wheeler guy is the father?" asked Allen, referring to Davy.

"Yes.." again came as the answer.

He really couldn't believe he was the one asking this question.

"Did you ever have sex with Dunn?"

"No.." came her muffled reply.

"So you lied.." the realization hurt the most. She had lied, Dunn wasn't the father. He was just the scapegoat. And he had been too busy pointing fingers to ask for Dunn's side.

Standing up to full height Allen headed for the door.

The pitiful heap asked "Where are you going? Don't leave me!"

"This is how Dunn felt," said Allen, not at all feeling sorry. At least that's what he told himself. In all reality he felt as if his heart had been torn out, burned, minced and then put back in wrong. Luckily, he knew where Dunn always headed when he needed to think.

Ramirez removed another cookie off the cooling-rack. He'd managed a trip to see his Granny. She was a sweet old woman who had a smile for everyone, and could brighten anyone's day.

"You act like you haven't eaten in days," came her voice drifting into the kitchen.

"It's not that, I just haven't had a good cookie in a while." he said, watching as she removed the second tray from the oven.

"You realize I bought those cookies at the store?"

"Yeah, it's just the Army can't even afford kind."

Munching the fresh-baked cookie Ramirez thought back to his squad mates. He wondered whether their lives were as interesting as his. He decided his life paled in compared to anything Allen or Dunn were doing.

Dunn slowly turned the heavy gun over in his hand. His grandfather's Colt 1911.45. A family heirloom. The weapon his grandfather had used way back when he was a bombardier on a B-17 during World War II. The finish was dull and in several places worn clean off. He released the magazine, and caught it before it struck the pavement. Satisfied with the load he reinserted the magazine and pulled the slide back, letting it go with a hearty 'thwack!'

Allen was disheartened by what he saw when he reached Dunn's 'thinking place'.

Before him stood Dunn, a M1911.45 clutched in his hand. Seeing Allen approaching he brought the gun up and pulled the trigger.