Part of the job was living with the consequences of the danger they engrossed themselves in. Every member of K-Unit knew-as did all soldiers-that there might be a day they didn't make it and that there might be an enemy they couldn't beat. And all of them knew that when they said goodbye to their families at the airport or at home it may be the last time they ever saw them. But that was the job and all of them accepted it for what it was, as did their families. It was just part of the job; it was just part of the life.

K-Unit never particularly worried about Jack, Alex, and Tom in that respect. The three were about as engrossed in their professional world as civilians could be. They understood better than most and while Jack openly fussed over Eagle she never instilled any guilt in him-purposefully or otherwise. When they deployed Tom lived at the Rider home, which was the only place that set Wolf's mind at ease. Despite the man's stony appearance and nonchalant attitude towards the guardianship he had grown to genuinely care about the kid and he worried about him.

Tom was easy to worry about after all. He was by far the most vulnerable of the group and Wolf knew him to be more fragile as well-not that Tom would ever openly admit it. So Wolf worried about him: if he was alright; if his father was giving him a hard time; if his quirkiness was descending down into true insanity. He couldn't help it; living with Tom brought on a whole new perspective for Wolf not just in terms of the kid but in general.

As Snake had once said, "Kid's calmed you down."

So while the soldiers worried about home and home worried about the soldiers, the job continued. Nothing stopped when someone got killed or injured. There was remembrance and memorials and tough times but the job continued on. They knew this and for the most part they didn't begrudge it. They knew if they allowed anything to stop that the enemy was that much closer to victory.
Which was why even in a unit as close knit and exclusive as theirs they didn't protest the addition of a temporary extra when one of them went down.

Snake had been caught in an explosion and while his burns healed and they waited for the psyche evaluators to give the all clear for his return to active duty, the army rotated a new guy to fill in for a while.

A fresh out of training rookie codenamed Puma. The man was a powerhouse with his thick build and tall frame. He stood over Wolf by nearly a half foot though he and Eagle were nearly the same in height. Wolf wasn't sure if he liked the man. But then he was wary about any newcomer be it in the unit or just in general.

They had all met at a local eatery in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. Despite being the largest guy there, Puma was clearly nervous about meeting all four of them at once. Wolf knew why of course, but he did hope the guy would settle down soon. After all, it wasn't as if they'd brought the boys along. Which was why they'd chosen a Tuesday. The two now infamous teens were in school and out of their hair while they gauged the new guy. No need to expose him to Tom and Alex before they knew he could handle any craziness that may or may not come his way.

"How was training?" Wolf asked as he continued to make a dent in the large pile of chips that came with the burger. Was there a reason they gave you that many?

"About as well as expected," the man replied.

"So it was miserable?" Fox asked knowingly and then laughed at Puma's face. "Guess the Sergeant's still got it."

"We should be heading back ourselves soon," Snake said. "We're due for some refreshers." The others nodded not really wanting to broach that topic then and there; they were trying to enjoy their lunch. Fox and Puma descended into a discussion about the guest instructor the Sergeant had secured during Puma's training. An ex-MI5 operative who Puma said was more than a little out of it. Apparently the trainees had been a bit disappointed. They'd expected something similar to the lesson that Fox and Eagle had given with Tom and Alex.

"How are they?" Puma asked cordially but Wolf could tell he was fishing. Probably interested. The video they'd seen at the seminar a few weeks ago had made its way to Brecon Beacons as a prime example of how not to handle civilian involvement of operations-emergency or otherwise.

"In school," Fox replied offhandedly. "Well, Cub is at least, there's no telling if Accomplice is." Wolf snorted at the truth in that.

"They'd have called if he wasn't," he told them. "He's on academic probation."

"Since when?" Snake asked, surprised.

"Since he failed gym class," Wolf replied.

"How do you fail gym?" Puma asked more than a little confused but not nearly as confused as the other members of K-Unit.

"Especially when you're the star football player," Eagle added. Wolf shrugged. He'd yelled at the kid about it and all he'd gotten in response was a sarcastic remark and a lot of eye-rolling at his supposed 'dramatics'. The soldier had simply informed the kid that if the grades weren't better by the end of the year he was calling the school and pulling him off the team. Tom had nearly combusted on the spot but Wolf didn't care. There was no excuse for the horrible grades Tom had. He knew the kid was smart. His code had experts scratching their heads and his manipulation skills required more than the average intelligence. The boy was capable but lazy and Wolf refused to tolerate laziness in him.

"Kid's crazy," Snake mumbled jokingly and scrunched his face in such a way that Wolf knew he was trying not to scratch at the burns. The skin was beginning to grow back making the injuries itch like mad.

"What about you Puma?" Wolf asked. "You got anyone at home?" The new guy nodded and swallowed before answering.

"Yeah, my girlfriend and her kid," he said.

"Yeah?" Fox inquired interested in the mundane topic. "How old?"

"Three," the man told them. "Little girl. She keeps us on our toes."

"Wait till she's older," Eagle said with a bright smile. "You'll never have a moments peace." Snake sent him a pointed look at that. "What? Teenagers are hard."

"You've only been in that house for, what? Ten, eleven months tops?" Fox asked with a smirk that said he was silently making fun of the other soldier.

"Dear God," Eagle replied looking a bit forlorn. "It hasn't even been a year? It feels like it's been a decade."

"Amen to that," Wolf said and they all joined him in laughter. Despite them only being in their respective situations for less than a year, Wolf felt as if it had been longer than that. He knew it was the opposite of what they were technically supposed to be feeling like. That parenting book Jack had forced him to read said that he was supposed to be wondering where the time had gone, not why it was moving at a snail's pace. Maybe it was because Tom and Alex lived a little faster than most teens.

Alex had already been through a career-a successful and stressful one at that. Tom had been through more than most teens with a death in the family, a violent divorce, an even more violent rebound, and the complications that a person like Alex brought. But both boys had weathered it pretty well in Wolf's opinion. The conversation shifted at that point and Wolf's thoughts were interrupted by Puma's next question.

"How do you think things will change now that the Americans have killed Bin Laden?" he asked before he took another bite of his fish sandwich. The news had just broken that morning and while it had been somewhat of a surprise, it was one they really shouldn't have been surprised about. Wolf had had no clue about it until he'd walked into the living room and found Tom sitting up on the sofa bed and watching the news, something he never watched.

Tom had looked at him and had asked pretty much the same question Puma had. How does this affect the job? And he'd given pretty much the same answer as Snake gave Puma.

"I'm sure nothing will change all that much," Snake said, unconcerned. "We'll still have more work than we do soldiers." Puma nodded in agreement.

"It's been a long time coming though," Eagle replied.

"It's kind of strange," Fox added. "He's been such a big deal for such a long time. And now it's over."

"At least the Americans can move on now," Eagle said referring to the attacks that had taken place almost a decade ago. "Well, they can move on a little more."

"So can we," Fox said reminding them of the attacks that had taken place on their own soil throughout the years. "Did you see the picture the White House posted on the Internet?"

"The one of the situation room?" Wolf asked and when he received a nod of affirmation he continued. "Yes, I did. I don't think anyone has ever seen Obama look like that."

"Hmm," Puma hummed in agreement. "No kidding. Kudos though, to the Seals."

"They did good," Snake said. "That's for sure. We should request a team-up with that Unit next time we work with the Yanks."

"Yeah," Fox replied offhandedly and then changed the subject again. "Did you guys here about that up and coming anti-abortionist bomber?"

"The one that walked right into that clinic?' Eagle asked. "I heard the place didn't even do abortions."

"They didn't," Fox said. "News said they handed out birth control to teenagers and that was about as far as the controversy went."

"Then what was he blowing up?" Puma asked.

"Don't know," Fox told him with a shrug.

"Speaking of misplaced bombs," Wolf said, "did you guys here about J-Unit's brush with SCORPIA?"

"Yeah," Snake replied. "I talked to Lion the other day. He was still in hospital but he's supposed to be out by the end of next month."

"Is he gonna make it back?" Eagle asked.

"Probably not," Snake said with a sad shake of the head. "He said his leg was pretty messed up. I don't think all the PT in the world will get him fit enough for the field."

"Damn," Fox said with a low whistle. "Too bad. He was a great soldier."

"That he was," Wolf said. The meal continued on in much the same way as they went from subject to subject concerning their various dealings with terrorists, enemy armies, frustrating intelligence services, the Royal wedding detail they'd worked (there was a general consensus that it had been a complete waste of their talents especially since some of the soldiers had been pulled out mid-job to stand on a sidewalk and look scary), and ultimately landed on that last Mother's Day.

"I almost completely forgot," Eagle said. "The Americans have it almost a month later than we do so Jack forgot to remind me too." They laughed generously at the man's memory lapse and the trouble it might have caused if he really had forgotten. Wolf had never met Eagle's mother but based on how Eagle described her he wasn't sure he wanted to.

He'd spent the day with his mother, of course, while Tom had gone to visit his own. The woman had been disappointed that she still couldn't meet the boy but had ultimately accepted the explanation he'd given. He could tell she was the only one though. Everyone in his family was more little curious about Tom and the situation in general. Wolf hadn't-or couldn't-give them too many details but he'd been able to satisfy their curiosity for the moment.

By the time the check had arrived, they had agreed to meet again that Friday at the Rider home for dinner. They were usually at the Rider home for Friday night dinner. Fox's fiancé, Sarah, had also become a regular and she and Jack had quickly become friends. Wolf liked her; she was a sweet girl and she brought out the best in his friend. He was excited for the wedding which was set to happen about a month from then, in June. He'd already made Tom promise that there would be no escapades or chaos of any sort.

Wolf made it home about an hour before Tom did and rolled his eyes at the mess his living room was in. The kid didn't usually take the time to put the sofa back together before he left for school and the result was a cramped room and a bed with blankets and pillows haphazardly strewn about. Wolf always felt a bit guilty when he saw the scene. He was saving up for a bigger flat, one with two bedrooms, and at the moment he was just waiting for the lease to expire next August.

Not bothering to try and put the room in order, the soldier simply kicked off his shoes and made himself comfortable on the bed as he searched the telly for something at least halfway decent. By the time the kid walked through the door Wolf was watching some ridiculous made-for-TV movie, nearly falling asleep on Tom's surprisingly comfortable pillow with the kid's Batman fleece blanket draped over his legs.

"That's my bed," the kid said with a smirk as he dropped his backpack and kicked off his trainers.

"Its technically my couch," Wolf retorted.

"Whatever," Tom replied. "What are you watching?"

"I have no idea," the soldier replied. "Do you have homework?" The boy scowled but knew better than to lie. Because of the probation, the school was sending Wolf weekly reports. They'd originally been going to the boy's parents which had been how the teen had managed to hide it for a few weeks.

"I finished on my free period," Tom told him. "Alex helped me." Wolf just grunted, glad he wouldn't have to move. Tom was easily distracted and if the kid had homework then Wolf would be banished to his own room. "Why are you so sleepy?"

"Just am," the man replied not really wanting to try to explain the concept of wind down time to someone as hyperactive as his ward. "Since you don't have homework you should watch something with me."

"Like what?" Tom asked perking up at the prospect of being completely unproductive and not being chastised for it by his strict, military-minded roommate. Wolf shrugged.

"Pick a movie," he said and the kid took to the task with glee. Four and a half Harry Potter movies and one large pizza later the both of them were asleep. And when he woke up the next morning to a snoring teen, Wolf couldn't help but think that this was exactly why he signed up for the Army in the first place. It felt good to fight for home.

"I'm home!"

"Hi honey!"

Fox followed the sound of the shout and the muffled bangs and such to the kitchen of the small home he shared with his future wife, Sarah. He could still hardly believe that not only was he getting married but he was the first in the Unit to do so as well. When he entered the room he saw her baking. What it was he didn't know but she was baking and that was all that mattered.

"How are the boys?" she asked pleasantly, her smile wide and happy like it normally was. Her short brown hair had been pulled back but there were several strands that fell loose to fall back into her almond colored eyes.

"Good," he replied.

"And the new guy?" she inquired as curious as the rest of the families about Snake's replacement.

"He's good," he told her. "I think he'll fit right in for the most part."

"Oh good," she said, relieved that her soon-to-be husband wouldn't be jetting off around the world with a man in his unit that could get him killed.

"How was your day?" he asked hopping up onto the counter to watch as she moved around with more grace than Jack could ever muster up. But then, Jack wasn't particularly fond of cooking. Something about feminism and if he was hungry he should learn how to operate the damn stove himself. He didn't envy Eagle.

"It was fine," she said. "I'm so glad I took the week off to finalize things for the wedding. I can't imagine how stressful it would be to do all that and work. Which reminds me, I need you to come down to the baker's and help me pick out the cake." He scowled at that and she caught it. "Yes, I know you hate cake. Really, who hates cake?"

"I got really sick off of it once when I was a kid," he said. "I haven't been able to touch it since."

"Well, then," she said looking as if she had the perfect solution. "Bring Alex and Tom along. I'm sure they'd love to help." Fox couldn't help but laugh at that knowing just how much both boys would love to help with such an important wedding task.

"And have Rey murder me when I bring back an even more hyper Tom?" he asked sarcastically and she giggled at the thought of the dark soldier's face.

"Ben!" she exclaimed but it just wasn't very forceful due to the laughter. "Somebody needs to come with me! If I do it all by myself I won't be able to fit in the dress."

"That's okay," he said with a smirk. "Just go naked." She didn't much appreciate that suggestion and chased him out of her kitchen with the batter-covered wooden spoon in her hand. He laughed all the way to the living room where he settled down for the afternoon trying to find something to watch though there was nothing truly worthy on it. About an hour later he gave up completely and went to go find Sarah so he could continue to annoy her.

He loved these quiet moments. It reminded him why he signed up for the job in the first place. He was glad to fight for her.

"Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jak-"

"Tom!" Snake said loudly, cutting off the continuous flow of his name from the already hyper boy. "What?"

"You look like you've playing with the stove again," the boy said trying to make light of Snake's burned face.

"You look like you've been into the sugary cereal again," the soldier replied referring to the boy's jittery smile. He was practically buzzing from energy and Snake was expecting the kid to suddenly dart off down the hall of the Rider home to get into some sort of trouble. Tom had yet to see him after the explosion but Snake hadn't expected any sort of blatant sympathy.

"Tom!"

Snake heard Alex call his friend from somewhere deeper in the house and the soldier watched as the boy took off at a dead run.

"Don't run in the house!" Jack shouted from the living room and Snake followed the sound of her voice. She and Eagle were lounging around the living room watching some random television program.

"Hello," he greeted knowing he was drastically early for the dinner but was unwilling to sit alone in his flat for another three hours.

"Oh good," Jack said relieved to see him as he knew she would be. He was the only one willing to help her cook the large meal she was expected to prepare. "You're here. How are you sweetie?"

"I'm fine," he replied. She had taken to constantly asking him how he was and it wasn't because he was walking around looking like Two-Face. Fox and Eagle were the luckiest of the group; it was very hard to find someone who was willing to do what the spouse of an SAS soldier needed to do. They needed to be willing to never ask or know where they were at any given moment. They couldn't ask about their work; they couldn't ask about their coworkers or their bosses or their jobs. And they had to understand that when the work mobile rung they had to answer, no matter what may or may not be happening. It was hard and required a lot of sacrifice on the family's part. Most couldn't cut it and if it wasn't meant to be there was no chance of it working.

Snake's last girlfriend had left him just before the explosion. It hadn't been a very good break up. But probably the worst part was having Tom and Alex witness one of the worst fights he'd had with her. The two boys had been over to pick up a few borrowed DVDs when the two adults had erupted. By the time it was over Wolf had been called, the bookshelf was broken, and her clothes had been thrown out the window and spread all over the building's lawn.

"How's PT going?" Eagle asked.

"It's fine," Snake replied. "The burns are healing and the doctor said my shoulder should be okay before they're even ready to start the psyche eval."

"That's great!" Jack exclaimed genuinely happy that he would be okay and back on the job in a relatively quick amount of time. Soon enough the two of them were cooking which was where Wolf, Fox, and Sarah found them when they finally arrived with Puma. The dinner went well considering that they were all sitting at the same table, something that didn't usually happen without some sort of chaos ensuing. The teens didn't pay much attention to Puma but Snake knew that would change when they weren't in a large group.

Also by the time they'd finished eating Tom was too full to do anything more than nod off in Alex's bed and the ex-spy was practically asleep on the couch.

Once the sleepiness had more or less worn off Snake left for his quiet and empty flat. It wasn't the quiet that bothered him, it was the emptiness. He hated it. Hated the loneliness that the emptiness brought with it. K-Unit was the closest thing he had to a family and he knew it would be even harder to see them go without him. He wasn't surprised to find out the next morning that K-Unit was gone. He'd never before been left behind and he didn't like it at all. He prayed for them.

Eagle had to help Wolf wake Tom up, a difficult task at the best of times. It took nearly ten minutes of random poking from Wolf and Eagle sticking two pens up the kid's nostrils but they finally got him up and out of bed. It hadn't been the most mature thing on their part but sometimes it was just fun to act like a five-year-old. The night ended pretty calmly considering they had five soldiers, an ex-spy, and a crazy person all at the same table for a few hours. But Jack had enjoyed herself by talking with Sarah about the upcoming wedding.

"I still need help with the cake," the brunette had confided. "Ben won't touch it."

"Take the boys," Jack told her. "They'll be happy to help."

Eagle hoped to be out of the country for that particular sugar high. But for right now Tom was gone and Alex was snoring on the couch where'd he'd dropped after the meal. So Eagle commenced in his second teenage wake up for the night. Jack was already in bed and Eagle didn't have the heart to leave the kid on the couch.

"Alex," he said as he shook the kid's shoulder. The kid mumbled something and rolled over to put his back to the man. Eagle just sat on him.

"Ooff!" Alex opened his eyes with a grunt and twisted his head to glare at the soldier using him as chair. "Get. Off. Me."

"You need to sleep in your own bed," Eagle said with a smirk. "You look like a drunkard snoring here on the couch."

"Get off Andy!" the boy just whined, dropping his face back down into the cushions. The man opened his mouth to reply with something really snarky when he felt his mobile start vibrating in his back pocket. Alex felt it too and stiffened, knowing exactly what it meant.

Eagle stood and answered.

"Eagle."

He was not surprised to be ordered onto a plane by the end of the hour. Nor was he surprised to find Alex sitting up and fully alert, probably trying to hear the voice on the other end. Often times they weren't allowed to know where K-Unit was or get to talk to them when they were gone. The only time they had had both privileges was when the soldiers had an extended mission in Afghanistan. The work they were doing hadn't been classified just difficult.

"Are you leaving?" Alex asked rubbing some of the sleep from his eyes.

"Yeah, will you-?"

"Yes," Alex interrupted. "I'll let your Dad know you won't make lunch tomorrow."

"Are you a spy or a psychic?" Eagle responded with a smirk.

"I have many hats," Alex replied with his own little smirk. He accepted the hand Eagle extended him and didn't resist as the man tugged him up onto his feet and into a brief, friendly hug.

"Don't give Jack a hard time," he ordered and slapped Alex's shoulder as he released the boy.

"You've got the wrong person," Alex replied. "You're thinking of Tom."

Eagle just rolled his eyes and went upstairs to gather his things and say goodbye to Jack. Despite the general craziness that occurred in and around the Rider home, Eagle truly did love the place and he knew he was going to miss it. Even Alex's snarky remarks and Jack's clumsiness. But he pushed it out of mind and focused on the next job. It was going to be a tricky one.

So I have a dilemma. Should the next chapter be the super funny one or the super dramatic one? Please let me know or I'm going to flip a coin!