Just over an hour later I parked up and took a deep breath before grabbing the shopping and heading into the house; I could hear the shower going upstairs and I put away the shopping in the near empty fridge and realised that Spike was probably barely functioning and needed a really good meal. I felt fingers around my waist a few moments later and I turned and pulled into his arms and kissed passionately before I was thrown across his shoulders and carried upstairs. I was laughing as we pulled off each other's clothes and he winced as he saw the couple of new scars across my side – mainly just deep scrape from ducking behind rocks while on patrol. He pulled me into the shower and shut the bathroom door with a shove.
A couple of hours later we were lying in bed and Spike was fast asleep beside me; I was right when I evaluated him to have barely slept or eaten and he needed his strength to return to deal with the news I would give tonight. I slipped out the bed and after a quick clean up and change, I headed downstairs to put on the kettle and find that recipe book for dinner tonight. A while later I had dinner started in the oven to cook for the next four hours and then started making some pasta dishes for us to munch on during the day, it felt weird to be doing such a minor task when only a couple of days ago I was in the middle of a fire fight in the desert – that had been a close one and I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened.
"Mackenzie, are you alright?" a whisper came from behind me.
I turned around and smiled as a sleepy Spike came along the hallway and yawned; I kissed him and put him in the chair with a cup of coffee and some fresh bread that I had bought earlier today. A few minutes later I dished him up some pasta and sauce and his eyes just glazed over as he started to eat it.
"I thought you would wake up hungry! I made some snacks for us until I can get the shopping this afternoon for the party tonight. Do you want to come or am I going to handcuff you to the bed so you can sleep more?" I winked at him.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head at my comment and I passed him a glass of water to get rid of the pasta he was choking on, I grinned and his ears turned red for a moment before he dove around the table for me and pinned me against the wall. His hips dug into mine and he kissed me hard, letting me know how much he had missed me and that I was probably going to be a little bit tender later on!
At 7pm I was showered and changed for the party tonight and had managed to give the place a spring clean and freshen up the whole place. Spike when he was depressed made mess everywhere – being an army brat and nurse, I was used to clean areas and had spent a couple of hours cleaning up as Spike slept off the last of his testosterone rush from earlier on. He was in the middle of having a hot shower when I received a message on my phone, I hoped no one was going to cancel tonight and found that it was a video message; I clicked the link after checking the virus code and I watched as Spike was screaming in the middle of somewhere being comforted by Parker. That scream sent a chill to my bones – I had heard a scream like that before – it came from my own mouth as I watched my team be destroyed by a bomb.
I heard footsteps come down the stairs and I clicked the link off in the email and saved it to my private folder where I knew no one would have access to it; I turned around to watch Spike come down into the kitchen again looking a lot more relaxed and freshened up after his shower and change. He kissed me and grabbed one of the muffins I had made for desert. He checked that there were enough sodas, beer and wine and I looked amused as his belly rumbled over the smell of garlic and rosemary casserole that was gently heating in the oven.
The doorbell went and he headed over to get it as I put some crisps and dip out on the table and in walked Wordy and Ed holding some more drinks and the ice I had asked them to pick up for me. I hugged and kissed them both and they gaped at the spread of food on the sideboard – I had gone slightly OTT but they were worth it and what wasn't eaten could be re-heated for tomorrow. Sam was next arriving with Jules and I got massive hugs from them both too and finally Parker arrived last with a huge grin.
"Hey boss, thanks for coming tonight!" I said hugging him.
"Won't miss a free meal – especially yours!" he replied laughing.
I put them into the living room and picked up my phone again as another message arrived; this time it was a CCTV recording of Ed taking a 'Scorpio' shot and hitting a young girl. Another message and I watched as Jules was shot by a sniper – another one of me performing trauma care on Parker – another one of a young boy leaning over a body on the road. I hadn't heard anyone come up behind me and I yelped as hands turned me around; it was Wordy and he had seen from the couch how white I was while on the phone. He had come in to find out what was wrong without alerting anyone else.
"What's going on Mac; your phone went mental there and you're white as a sheet! Do you need Spike?" he whispered putting me on the chair.
I shook my head and put away my phone in my pocket, rubbing my eyes I looked up and smiled at him.
"Sorry Wordy, getting used to being back in civilisation again – takes a couple of days to adjust; everyone good for dinner?" I replied.
I stood up and started to potter with the dishes, my shaky hands betrayed my emotion and Wordy turned me around and gave me the best impression of Greg possible.
"I know you too well to take that bullshit; you're closed off again and still pale as hell – after dinner you talk or I get Spike to hack your phone!"
I took a deep breath and nodded. He helped me dish out dinner in the pots and got everyone to come through and help themselves as I organised water for them all and got myself some food.
We sat for a good couple of hours munching all the food and catching up on news from both sides of the world; I let Sam know that people were asking for him and that I would pass messages along for them when I saw him next. I told them all about the team I was with, the funny parts of being chased by a massive spider across a sand dune while playing football and our CO getting hit with a ricochet to his ass – everyone was laughing at that one.
"What is it like over there now, has anything changed?" Ed asked.
I shook my head, Sam mirroring my actions as he put down his plate.
"I hated it. The smell of the desert over there – it was almost metallic like blood in some areas due to the oil fields and the mass graves. There can be amazing views from higher up the hills and remote villages where they are so friendly – to going back to base and being under RPG fire and dodging mortars. Did find out that I am a lot fitter this time round though – both mentally and physically – thanks for keeping me off the donuts while I worked!" I whispered.
"I hear a lot of stories about what life are like over there for the troops, it must be hard to adapt back to this life even after such a short tour?" Jules asked.
"It can be, support structure is critical to make sure you're balanced and not overwhelmed – taking it that's why we aren't in the Goose tonight?" Sam replied.
I nodded and had a drink of my soda – I was allowing myself a small glass of wine to celebrate and I only had small sips to ease the raw throat I had after eating sand during an attack. We got the dishes put into the washer and cleaned up the area back to standard; I grabbed the muffins and made a couple pots of coffee and brought them to the table where everyone had assembled on the couches. They all took their time getting some refreshments and we all chilled in the warmth of the fire blazing in the room. I was sitting between Spike's knees and Wordy was looking at me through the corner of his eye as Sam prattled on about funny times in the last couple of tours he did. I quipped up a couple of times reminding him about his medical evaluation and he changed subject immediately – blackmail of JTF2 was my speciality since most of them hate needles!
My mobile phone went off and I was getting laughed at due to the ringtone being the MASH theme tune; I got into the kitchen and picked up the phone and answered.
"Welcome back to civilization Fraser – did you get my messages?"
My heart thudded in my chest and my training kicked in moments later; I took a deep breath and turned my back to conceal the anger I knew I was showing across my face.
"What do you want?" I asked not getting goaded into anything.
"To meet you actually – you seriously pissed of my employer a few months ago, nearly destroyed his career. So, he has asked me to keep a track of your location and find out what you are up to – he may pop up again shortly to see you since the order has been dissolved since you reactivated your military career," he continued.
'SHIT' I thought.
I had forgotten about that legislation when it came to medical protocols – the minute I went back into active duty and returned home I was due to go for a Psych evaluation two weeks later. Normally the army would send you to an Operational Psychologist but since I was based in Toronto and now between Military and Police transition – he could still get access to me. Dammit, why did I forget about that – stupid, stupid mistake!
The voice suddenly laughed and I pulled my hands into fists to keep from shouting down the phone at the arrogant SOB.
"You forgot about that didn't you, the change in military code took effect last month my dear and includes you so I will get my wish shortly! But I have decided to play nice for the time being and will try not to give you a headache…" he continued.
"Too late buddy, your voice is doing my head in and I have visitors, so if you have finished boring me to death I am going to hang up now!" I hissed at him.
The voice laughed loudly and I flinched as I heard others over the line snarl comments about how they can keep me in line, I knew I was dealing with professional soldiers and I had support at all times, but I now knew that there was a secondary party involved and they did not like females. I thought back to arriving in the desert base and having a look around as I walked off the C17 on the runway. The team I was deployed with had heard of me from previous tours and they took me under their wing; we had become close and through night chats and sessions we all opened up as much as possible regarding issues we had. I told them about the PTS, how I felt about leaving my team – my family behind. They sent me to their CO and for two days he taught me techniques I already knew, but let me adapt them as he took me through the worst aspects of my life. My fear to fail was coming from the events that took my family away from me; my failing to understand my fear is what was causing me to become a basket case. He taught me techniques to control that fear, to let me compartmentalise my issues and work through the issues on a priority basis. He had already seen I could do this when working on a casualty; he just recognised that I needed the jolt to use it in daily life. I took stock of what he had said and put it on the notice board in my head to sort later out and listened to him continue.
"Ooh he was right – Scots are feisty and you are smoking hot if I do say so! The SRU uniform is giving me impure thoughts, is it any wonder that you got nailed to the bed and wall several times today by your boyfriend? Tell me; does he find your scars a turn on, knowing that you have seen active combat and he is just a tech geek with bomb training? I could show him some moves if he needs to satisfy you!" he whispered down the phone amid the laughing of the others.
Bile rose in my throat and I felt dizzy; I took a deep breath and felt my nails dig so hard into my flesh that I knew they had drawn blood. I could hear someone coming into the kitchen and I headed up the stairs and into the small office space that was piled with both our research books and gear.
"Listen to me you son of a bitch – you have a beef with me then fine, come after me alone. Leave everyone else out of your plans. If your employer wants me, then he can come for me and we can sort this out." I hissed into the phone.
"Don't tell me what to do ever again bitch – just for that I will pass a message along from my employer. Oh, it's for the eyes of your team mates – I believe you already know this film!" he said.
The phone went dead and all of a sudden I heard several people get messages over their phones; I stood up and took a deep breath before heading to the top of the stairs – I could hear them all chatting and then silence as they checked their phones. I slumped onto the top of the stairs landing against the wall as I heard the gunfire, the shouting and screaming for a medic – heard me scream at my CO to keep fighting – heard me scream as I was blown out the house.
"Oh god – what the hell is this?" people started to whisper as the video repeated on their phones.
"That's Mackenzie?" Wordy hissed.
"Is that you Sam? What the hell?" Jules said.
"This is Afghanistan on the day I…..where's Mac?" he suddenly said.
His eyes snapped to the kitchen and his jaw clenched - the room was empty.