Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 6

Chapter 5: Another Modest Thanksgiving

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

I was in the same room I was confined in for the past four months as I was laying in the same futon. What I didn't expect was that I had company as I spotted Reiko sleeping next to me in which she looked beautiful in her nightgown. After what I noticed three days ago, I heard the coming and going of several members of the Medical Corps on call as more and more soldiers are being treated after enduring so much danger on the battlefield. Still, I had to deal with it as the Second Galvanic Uprising wasn't about to stop anytime soon. Sitting up, I stared at the window as I saw the fresh snow falling from outside. Even though the month of November was almost over, Thanksgiving was coming as I wanted to help out, but was barred from doing so, for it was something that I wasn't used to so far. When Reiko woke up, she stayed by my side as she wanted me to be calm in this time of crisis, for this war was not for the faint of heart on the horizon.

As for what I went through, I was mostly laid up in bed after getting a bad case of pneumonia during the time of the winter carnival as I was still on the mend. Even with the aches and pains of what I suffered from, I was barred from doing anything as I was still not doing too well. I also had Reiko to deal with as she was also in dire need or resting up due to the pregnancy that she was having, for she looked more beautiful than anything so far.

"It's strange that we see many people here coming and going, but there's a hint of sadness in those who lost friends in this war," said Reiko.

"Kazuo's having a field day, but we can't let him or the Medical Corps remain homeless," I said.

"It'll be Thanksgiving soon, but it's also our third as a family."

"I remember the Thanksgiving that we had on Shiganshina during our stay in the Dabb Mountains in which I caught and killed a turkey for our dinner. With the vegetables that were grown in the hydroponics lab put all over it, we had a feast that kept us full until Christmas."

"I can't wait to taste the food, Sammy..."

"I know what our new addition will have in which they can get very hungry from time to time."

"I see what you mean..."

I was feeling at the bulging baby bump that Reiko had as I felt the unborn twins moving. I was happy that they were safe as I wanted them to be that way before delivery. It was a moment of happiness that was there in a long time as I didn't want it to end until I heard the door opening up. By the time I was up on my feet, I saw Gyatso coming into the room as he had the first twins in tow. I saw them to be a healthy bunch as they were walking and with personality that were similar to mine and Reiko's mannerisms.

"You brought some company, didn't you?" I said.

"The people from the Medical Corps were busy preparing Thanksgiving dinner downstairs," said Gyatso. "Even Dirk was in there with Kanna helping out with the dinner in which he told them about how you managed to catch more than just a turkey last year and I was still in stasis at the time."

"Don't forget about me helping Reiko!" yelled Carly as she ran into the room. "I helped her make some yummy potato cakes to go with that turkey!"

"Who knows? Maybe there will be potato cakes just in time for the feast, fusspot," I said.

"Didn't Kazuo tell you that you need to stay in bed?" asked Gyatso.

"What makes you say that?"

"I heard him talking about how that captain kept hitting you with his baseball bat all the time in which he even wanted you to kill yourself. I don't want you to do that, alright? I want you to be happy just for Reiko and the rest of us. Even Dean scolded you for not wearing boots during the winter carnival in which you had to stay in bed so that he wouldn't kick your butt in real time."

"I'm feeling much better, but I can't do anything else right now. As for what I have, you are all the most precious in which that will never be taken away, no matter what..."

I was happy to have this time with my family as it was the most satisfying to have them here. It was a great thing for me to happen in a long time as I cared about them more than anything, for they were a great blessing that I had so far…

Dirk was in the kitchen as he and Kanna were busy making some pies for Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow. Even they were taught from me and Reiko how to cook, they were also relieved that the squatters who took over the castle were gone…, well, one of them has gone somewhere for treatment, that is… By the time they finished up the pies that they were making, they were placed into the oven as they were ready to be baked. With the timer set for one hour, both Dirk and Kanna were most likely to be checking up on the pies as they also had to be aware of those who would get into the desserts before the real thing starts up tomorrow.

"Making pies is hard work," said Kanna.

"Tell me about it," said Dirk. "Sam and Reiko taught me how to cook and even make pastries both in and out of Shiganshina. We did good, but we're also gonna have to watch out for Dean and we all know that he has a thing for pie."

"I never expected him to have a sweet tooth before, but if he gets a hold of one of them, he'll be in trouble."

"According to what Sam told me, he had some pies baked for the fair two years ago, but Dean took one of them and he couldn't get enough of it."

"He sure loves pie, doesn't he?"

It wasn't long until Dirk and Kanna spotted Dean going into the kitchen as he was staring at the two pies that were cooking in the oven. They couldn't catch a break yet as they didn't want him to steal the two pies that were in there baking. Still, Thanksgiving was tomorrow, but the presence of the Medical Corps staying here was a blessing and a curse all rolled into one as we all had to deal with them sooner or later…

One year ago on Shiganshina…

Dirk was up and alert as he was in the kitchen helping Reiko and Carly getting dinner done for tomorrow. It was Thanksgiving as it was also a time for family since we were ousted by Darbus Toller three months ago. We all pulled through as a family as we all braved the harsh wintry climate all over the Dabb Mountains for this grateful tradition filled with food and cheer in these dark times. With all the hard work being put into tomorrow's dinner, they were waiting for me as I was out there in the forest catching our food for the next few days, for we were living in the set of slug roe homes that were actually part of a derelict Draaza ship.

"Tomorrow's Thanksgiving again," said Reiko as she was busy making potato cakes.

"We may not have the usual flair to it, but at least we're not about to go hungry," said Dirk as he was on hand into making some pies for dessert. "I hope that these things are worth it..."

"We'll make it, but I'm getting worried about Sammy… He's been gone for a long time now..."

"I hope that the monsters in the piny forest don't get him…," said Carly.

"I'm hoping for the same thing," said Dirk. "Sam's been busy since we came here, but he's putting all his hard work into putting food on the table for a while."

"I hope that he brings back a turkey for us to eat! I want him to get the biggest so it can feed us until Christmas!"

It was a blessing that everyone was there as we were pulling through before the long harsh winter that was coming in hindsight. As for the Thanksgiving dinner, it was going to be a humble one as we were thankful that we had each other in the end…

I was in the forest as I had a carcass of a fresh kill that consisted of a turkey from earlier in which I was going home to prepare it for our meal tomorrow. I was on a roll as I was ready to call it a day until I spotted an oddity that was a very territorial one indeed. The creature itself was a hybrid of sorts as it had the comb of a rooster, the body and red jowls of a turkey, and webbed feet like a duck with four wings instead of two. It was a large monstrosity of a bird as the locals fear it due to the fact that it was aggressive to those who crossed its path. It was known to some as a turducken as it was a hybrid that was rolled into one, but it had an aggressive behavior. Even though I was passing it while going the way I came, I saw the turducken flying towards me as it was getting ready to peck at me with its beak.

The monstrosity was atrocious as it was not letting me pass until I had no other choice but to use my raw power to subdue it right away, but it had other plans. The bird was dangerous as it kept flapping its feathers at me while trying to peck at me with a vicious nature. Still, I had a family to worry about as I didn't want the monstrous bird to get in my way, for its goose was about to be cooked on the sly. Blocking the bird's attacks, I got out my gun as I was about to shoot it as it was getting more aggressive than normal, for it was the last straw indeed.

"May the gods welcome you in the afterlife…," I said.

Before I could fire, my raw power came into play as I used it to tear off the turducken's head the moment it flew into the snowy ground. Even though it was an aggressive bird, it was no match for what I bore as I grabbed my sword and chopped off its webbed feet and plucked its feathers until it was all skin. By the time I gutted it open, I removed the guts as I placed them into a burlap bag with the head, feet, and feathers that were put in there. With a pyre ready to go, I salted the remains as I placed the burlap bag onto a stack of wood while I poured lighter fluid on it and light it with a match. The flames roared as it was sign that the fresh kill was successful, for I was ready to go home again. When I placed the skinned turducken into some tarp and put it into the sled, I was going home after all as I took the pathway to where I needed to get to. By the time I entered into the home with a fresh kill, I made my way into the living room as I took off my boots and removed my coat and scarf while putting them where they needed to go. I was glad to be home as I was going into the kitchen where Reiko and the two older children were at. I even noticed the twins in their playpen as they were watching from the sidelines in which they were getting much bigger than expected.

"I've brought our dinner home," I said as I set the turkey and turducken on the kitchen counter.

"What's with the birds?" asked Dirk as he stared at the two different kills that were brought there for dinner. "Is one of them a turkey or something?"

"One's a turkey and the other one's a turducken. We'll make it work in which we can season them just in time for leftovers for the next few days."

"I'll get the roasting pans," said Reiko. "The clerk from the general store gave them to us in which we can use them to cook with."

"The oven can fit the turkey, but the turducken will have to be cooked in the smelter room where it's linked to the volcano here. This isn't the first time that I've cooked something to feed us all, but it's not the last, either. It's what's been put in front of us so far." I see Reiko get out the spices that she had with her as they were essential for what we had. "The only ingredients for the turducken will be paprika, garlic, sage, and perhaps some sausage that can be used for stuffing."

"Sausage doesn't go with turducken and that includes the spicy ones!" yelled Carly.

"I'll try and make the best of it, fusspot. Besides, Thanksgiving is a holiday that is meant to put us together in times of hardship, for it's also a godsend that family will always be there."

I was making my point as I was ready to make the turducken that was put in front of us. When I placed the turducken into the sink to be cleaned, I was making sure that no loose feathers were on it as I noticed it to be clean without any difficulty. I was good at hunting for my food as I mainly did it to feed my family, for I was happy that I adapted into the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina for the rest of my days. By the time I was finished, I grabbed a large roasting pan as I placed the turducken into it in time for cooking towards the smelter room. With some olive oil and some of the spices on hand, I was busy seasoning the turducken as it was rubbed from the inside out while I grabbed a cube of butter to put into and onto the skin. By the time I dressed it with what I had, it was ready to go as I picked up the roasting pan and closed it up with the adjoining lid.

I was on my way out as I was heading towards the smelter room, which was next to the volcano. The place itself was clean as it was maintained by those who had bigger game to make into a full-course meal or jerky on the go. I used it to cook the turducken as I placed the roasting pan into the oven that was over a pit of lava that was hot and fiery from the volcano. By the time I was finished, I went towards the sink near the counter and washed my hands as I was done for the day. The battle against the turducken was a game changer as I beat the odds, only to have my prey be a part of the Thanksgiving dinner spread that would feed my family for days. While I set the timer for thirteen hours, I was there to watch over it as I saw Dirk entering into the smelter room to see what I was up to, for he was mature enough to take on many responsibilities like me anyway.

"You're cooking the turducken in the smelter room?" he said.

"The oven's too big to fit it, so I put it in here to cook," I said.

"Well, Reiko's busy seasoning the turkey that you caught earlier."

"At least we'll have plenty of food for us for the next few days."

"By the way, I wonder how Dean and the others are doing..."

"They're safe, but the bounty on my head will end up putting them at risk. I can't do that in which we have no other choice but to stay here on Shiganshina. It's the most we can do for now..."

Dirk and I watched over the turducken that was cooking as we had our work cut out for us. As for what we were doing, we stood firm into watching our dinner as the big dance was right around the corner, for this was our Thanksgiving dinner with family after all in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina…

Meanwhile, back in the present…

Dean was staring at the oven as he saw the two pies baking in the oven. He was determined to get at those pies as he wasn't about to give up just yet. Just as he was about to stare at the oven a little bit longer, he turned around as he saw me standing from behind with the first set of twins in tow. I didn't want him to get at those pies so readily as I had to usher him out of the kitchen soon enough.

"A watched pot never boils, Dean," I told him.

"Hey, I'm calling dibs on those pies," he said.

"Dirk and Kanna worked hard on making them, so I suggest that you give them a little time before they end up doughy and watery."

"I heard them talking about how you went up against a turducken, which was a hybrid species of fowl that was once generated on Harkonnen before they were transferred to Shiganshina where they bred like wildfire."

"I went up against one of them in which it was aggressive until I used my raw power to decapitate it during my hunt for dinner on the day before Thanksgiving. Luckily, the meal itself was a godsend in which it lasted us a whole week after the first turkey on that day. I'e been thankful for a lot of things, but having my family with me is a huge help when the chips were down."

"You've been one hell of a mountaineer since you lived up in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina last year, but I had to pluck you and your family from your surroundings sooner or later. Living under the wrath of Darbus Toller was the last straw for me in which I was ready to get you home just to rub the bastard's nose in his own piss. In the end, he had it coming when his daughter killed him, but his deplorable legacy lives on in the loopholes that the second branch of his family generate. Even the Executive Division took over production just to be tools for war, but the new leader of it is most likely to be the same queen bitch who had a hand into killing Lentulus and Penelope four months ago and left Minara a widower."

"Even though Minara found happiness again with Mizuwa, he still bears a grudge against Julilla for what she did and the rest of the Order will stop at nothing to put a dent in her plans. She's on the same level as the late general who died from an insatiable lust for more power, but she's a lot worse when it comes to keeping tabs on her victims. She has a point by screwing married men just to make it to the top, but she'll never try to get what she truly wants."

I never forgot about how Minara lost his wife and father-in-law on that day as it hung over the heads of those who saw them hang from the gallows until they lost their lives. Even though the pain from that experience was gut-wrenching, it was also a terrible reminder of what the Second Galvanic Uprising had wrought under the Executive Division and their allies. Still, with Project Apollo averted and Lorelei destroying the Sol-1 by taking it from the Ashizoka System and taking it far away into the unknown. Still, the war raged on, but it was also a burden that no one could ever undertake alone, for it was a reminder that no one else should suffer from…

Later on in the evening, I was at my office as I was watching the twins play with their toys near the rocking chair in which they were there without causing any further problem at all. With Thanksgiving going smoothly, we were happy to celebrate this holiday as I was most likely to be getting back to cooking with plenty of people from the Medical Corps staying with us. Still, I had a love/hate relationship with them, but they needed a place to stay as the makeshift location of the Order's main headquarters didn't have enough room to fit them all. By the time I saw the clock strike nine, I gathered up the twins as I escorted them into the elevator in which we were taking the floor to where we needed to get to.

By the time we got out of there, I ushered the twins into the bathroom as I took off their clothes and pull-ups while I was busy cleaning them up at the wash basin. I was also making sure that they were all soapy in which most toddlers get at the fact that they get dirty all the time, but I was gentle with them so far. By the time I rinsed them off, I dried them off as I was ready to escort them into the nursery until one of them opened up the door and sprinted out into the hall. It was Ghimru as he was a go-getter in which he had a little bit of an adventurous streak until he was caught by Gyatso, who had some clean toddler clothes and a set of pull-ups for each twin.

"You know that you can't charge out of there like the Flash without his red suit," he said as he dressed up Ghimru in his pull-up and warm sleeper. "If Sam saw you out here, he'd put you in the playpen."

"He's full of trouble," I said as I had Aora in my arms in a towel. "He has a lot of energy, I can tell you that."

"I never had a full Thanksgiving since I was in stasis, but I'm willing to be here to get all the turkey and trimmings I can get."

"I have a feeling that you will savor it once we have all the cooking done before morning."

"Before I was in stasis, my parents once told me about how at every Thanksgiving, there was a parade filled with music, floats, and balloons. After that, there would be a showing of a dog show followed by a game of football. It's what they told me about before we left for places unknown."

"And that was when I found you in stasis on Shiganshina. You are a lucky boy and I am more humbled to see you here thriving instead of being in further stasis forever."

"Sam!"

I spotted Dunya as she was standing in front of me and the children. As a member of the Medical Corps, she wasn't about to let me off the hook anytime soon as she was most likely to be keeping tabs on what I was doing against Kazuo's wishes. Even though I was feeling better, I couldn't get away from the Medical Corps' radar as I was still under the weather after my brush with pneumonia three days ago. Still, I had to put up with what was there squatting in the castle, but I was also relieved that I didn't have to face the rest of the squatters for now.

"There's nothing more for you to worry about right now," I said as I set down Aora all wrapped in a towel. "Besides, I can't just be cooped up forever after what I went through."

"You can't just say that you're fine after what you came down with," said Dunya. "Kazuo's not too happy with you venturing out into the open like that and you're trying to say that you can hold your own while doing the basics?"

"I gave the twins a bath and that is all, alright? They can't just be running around in dirty clothes and soiled pull-ups forever."

"I saw the bloody tissue in the trashcan while looking for you in your office, Sam. Your folly for what Jethro said to you is more than enough to keep you shackled to a hospital bed if you don't follow protocol and get more rest."

"Gyatso, take the twins into the nursery and don't forget to dress Aora, alright?"

"Is something wrong?"

"You shouldn't hear such grave talk right now, alright? It's not healthy for you to do so."

Gyatso obeyed as he ushered the twins towards the nursery. As for my own predicament, I couldn't get past Dunya as she was most likely to be dragging me back to where I needed to go, for she wasn't having it when it came to be concerned for my health. I was in the doghouse as I wasn't about to get away anytime soon, for I was unable to get free from what I suffered from so far.

"This isn't the time to deal with me right now, Dunya," I said.

"You can't back out on staying in bed a little longer, Sam," she said. "Still, you need to follow protocol and get more rest or else I will report to Kazuo about your behavior."

"I can't just sit in bed forever, you know."

"And what would Reiko say?"

"She's the one in dire need of rest, not me. She's the one carrying another pair of twins and I can't let her-"

"Sammy, please do what Dunya says."

I turned around and saw Reiko standing behind me as she was concerned about my health just like Dunya was. She also wasn't about to let me off the hook as she didn't want me to do too much. It was something that I had to stick to, but my responsibilities for looking after everyone in our family was interrupted by what I was ailing from.

"You know that you can't be up and out of bed after what Kazuo saw," she said.

"But Reiko…," I said as I was concerned for everyone all over.

"Go and get your bath and go straight to bed, please. Otherwise, you won't get a bite of Thanksgiving dinner to eat if you don't do as you're told."

I could never get past Reiko as I had no other choice but to do what I was told so I won't get stuck in the doghouse. Still, I felt concerned until I began to cough with a raspy sound. The mucus that I was about to spit up was unbearable as I fished out a tissue from my pocket and wiped my mouth with it, only to see more blood coming from it. I wasn't out of the woods yet as I had no other choice but to go towards the bathroom and get my bath and later go back to bed. Still, it was a rough day as I stripped off my clothes and stuffed them into the hamper while I walked towards the wash basin. I was busy cleaning myself as I was washing myself thoroughly. I needed to be cleaned as I was most likely to be relaxing in the bathtub soon enough. By the time I was rinsed off, I went towards the bathtub as I got into it while turning on the hot water and putting in the plug. With some fancy bath powder that smelled like ocean flowers put into it with a drop of lavender essence, I was most likely to be soaking in what I was relaxing in as the bathtub was full to the rim.

By the time I turned off the water, I was happy to be in this until I heard the door open with my eyes closed. I assumed that it was Reiko at first, but when I opened my eyes, I saw Dean in the nude with his bathrobe hanging above the towel rack as he was scrubbing himself in the wash basin. I didn't want him in here as he had better things to do other than spend time with me right now. Like me, he had responsibilities as a leader in his squad in the Hunter Corps as he needed to be there for his comrades when the chips were down. When he rinsed himself off, he turned off the water in the wash basin as he was most likely to be bunking in the bathtub where I was, for this was getting more complicated than normal.

"You could've used one of the other bathrooms to clean yourself with," I said as I was getting irritated. "You can't just barge in here and scrub yourself down in the same bathroom as me, you know!"

"I would've done so, but some of the bathrooms here are earmarked for members of the Medical Corps," said Dean as he was ready to get into the bathtub. "After losing the main headquarters, it's every person for themselves and it's not the standing room only type."

"Why aren't you cleaning yourself in the bathhouse? Isn't there any room for it?"

"The bathhouse has been getting full every time I try to relax in the hot springs, but most of the unwanted houseguests take it up. As for our designated room, it has a bathroom next to it, but we all know that it doesn't come with a bathtub, only a shower and I've been wanting to get my bath!"

"You're invading my space!"

"I'd rather get my fix in the bathtub instead of seeing the bathhouse get full all the time."

"Well, you're not gonna be getting in here with me!"

"Tough! Anyway, I'd rather be in here than be under the hawkish eye of Kazuo, so don't be a bitch."

"You quit being a jerk!" I see Dean getting into the bathtub as he sat down with the water starting to overflow. "You can't just intrude on my space all the live long just because the Medical Corps take over the bathhouse! The bathhouse is for everyone, not just for the Medical Corps!"

Still, I didn't argue with Dean even further as we were sitting in the bathtub that fitted us, but we were there in the worst form of bathtimes that ever sprang up. I was outmatched by my older brother's use for invading my privacy as he was there for a reason. He wasn't letting me off the hook after what I pulled three days ago, but he was also fully concerned about my mental state after being isolated under house arrest for four months. He also didn't want me to fall under the pressure of what was going on as I had to have balance between myself and those that I cared about the most.

"You know that you can't just wriggle out of your predicament, Sammy," I heard him say.

"If it's about me wandering around towards the karaoke tent without any boots on, I've made up for what I had," I said.

"It's not the point here. I did a little digging into Kazuo's office and took a good look at the report that was submitted to him. He's no slouch into assessing your behavior in which the beatdown that you took from Jethro Braddock wasn't the only thing, but it occurred on a daily basis in which you didn't want him to cause harm to Reiko and the kids."

"He uses intimidation towards anyone who crosses him, Dean. Still, I took the heat for protecting Reiko and the children from harm and he's also the worst in the group."

"Those bruises you sustained may have triggered a lot more than pneumonia. Even though the little ginger that could came and healed you before going to Essos, the internal bruises remained and Kazuo spotted them in which he recently issued a gag order on Jethro coming back home while doing his time in the Citadel of Silence on Cirith Ungol."

"I've heard of Kazuo talking about it in which it's a place where the worst are sent there to repent for their actions, but it's also a madhouse when it comes to keeping those in any planetary military that have dangerous tendencies in there for the rest of their lives. Even though I don't regret Jethro being sent there, his actions will hit him where it hurts if he doesn't watch his back."

"I hear you there, but you shouldn't be talking about the bad stuff right now. After this, you should focus on all the good stuff while you rest up a little more, you got that?"

"I try not to think about it, but those four months of misery has become hell for me. Even if I try not to think about the bad things, they always seep through, no matter what I do. I know what I suffer from and clinical depression shows no prejudice, no shame, no leniency, or even no mercy. It's just there to throw you into a deep pit and keep you in it. Clinical depression isn't something that can be shaken off lightly and when it gets a hold of you, it won't let go of you."

At that moment, the bell from the hall rang as we both got out of the bathtub after draining the water while drying ourselves with towels. By the time I noticed Dean dressing in his bathrobe, I saw him leave the bathroom as it gave me time enough to get dressed into my nightclothes and go straight to the room I was in. When I got into the futon, I was most likely to be falling asleep again until I woke up just in time for Thanksgiving. I was ready to take that plunge until I heard the door open up and footsteps were coming. I didn't want to be bothered any further as I just wanted to sleep it off before I got another form of misfortune waiting for me on the horizon.

"Don't you have anything better to do than just bother me, Dean?" I said as I yawned.

"Do I look like your brother, Sam?" I heard an annoyingly familiar voice as he was staring at me the moment I sat up to face him. "Dunya told me about how you tried to do some of the legwork in the condition that you're in, but I'm not gonna let it happen again, you got that?"

"I only gave the twins a bath and that was all..."

"It's not only that, Sam. You were trying hard to file and look at reports in your office without no regard of what your health had been through. It can't continue and it's not healthy after what you went through."

"With the war still going on, we all have to pull our weight, don't we?"

"Not entirely… With the winter carnival over, there had been people who have been coming and going on and off the battlefield with injuries and bruises they've sustained. As for what you're going through, you can't just shrug it off and tell everyone that you're fine all because you suffer in silence with what you go through on a daily basis. You need to do more if you're going to become more like a god in your own right. You can't just carry the burden alone, Sam. You can't just tell everyone that you're fine on the outside while you suffer on the inside. The truth hurts, but it's a fact that you can't dodge on the sly. As for your many brushes to care more for the people around you, it's high time that you focus on yourself for a change before you can focus on the rest."

"So you want me to just focus on my own self-interests before the lives of the people?"

"It's better than falling further into a much darker hole than ever imagined. You know that you put others first instead of your own and it's getting old, Sam. You always heard of the same tale about self-love being compared and equated with narcissism over and over again. You even heard of the tale of Narcissus and how he prided himself over the lovers he spurned in which the gods punished him severely by making him stare at the water until he drowned. You need to put your foot forward or else you'll be caught in the undertow. After Thanksgiving, you're going to spend the weekend on Tezuka where they are often being borderlined by the weird. It'll get your mind off of things in which you can even get some scenery to yourself for once."

I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I was remembering the bleak time of being in the same room for the past four months. I couldn't shake the fact that I was put here under that house arrest as I wanted it all to go away for once, but it was hell for me. Still, I was trying to have a little clarity in my life as I was also struggling to keep myself afloat in what was put in front of me, for it wasn't easy on the sly.

"I know that you want me to get some scenery for myself, but I've been through enough already," I said as I couldn't contain myself anymore. "You don't know how terrible my daily life was when I had to endure the wrath of the squatters and Jethro Braddock-"

"-Was the worst," said Kazuo. "I know all about him in which he even despises the Medical Corps of all people. It's not fun to put him in a great light, but his motives to keep people under him even caused a rift between him and his half-brother, who is an admiral in the Alecrian Naval Force."

"I bet that his half-brother is much worse..."

"Wade Molloy is one of the most heavily staunch advocates of those who suffer from mental illness and he's also determined to preventing further suicides after what he witnessed. He's a man of concern and he's also had to deal with some of his comrades killing themselves after coming back from the brink of war. He's more gallant than Jethro, but he also runs a tight ship when it comes to dealing with mental illness."

"Good for him, but at least he's not as bad as a certain rotten apple..."

"You're not out of the woods yet because you're starting a vacation after you have this weekend with your family. With the war going on, your mental state isn't fit to be a part of this battle because of what you went through. You can't thrive on being isolated in this room alone in which you've been kept away from your family by the likes of Jethro Braddock and his intolerable mother, who is a marshal in the Alecrian Army. Taicho Tsujimura is part of the military, but her reasons to keep those in front of her with excessive exercise isn't the way to go, especially when it comes to small children. As for Aelfric, he's there on Essos in which he's spending his days maintaining his post-traumatic stress, but as for you in mind, you need to add more to what you have or else you won't make it, is that clear?"

I nodded as I laid back down on the futon I was in. As for the predicament that I was in, I had to stay sharp in this challenge that was in front of me, for I had to deal with what I had or else it would be too late. With Kazuo leaving the room, I fell asleep as I was drifting off into a deep sleep that was beneficial to what I had so far, for I had to put up with the mental state that kept me troubled for the rest of my days…

"For starters, the people come first, not us; you got that?"

The words of General Arbogast haunted me as I tossed and turned in my sleep. I began to dream of a nightmare that I dreaded the most as it was hell for me without warning. I was trying to heed Kazuo's advice as I was trying to run away from what the late general was throwing at me. The bleak future of not paying attention to those around me became more terrifying as I saw the room around me be covered with black ooze. With my eyes open, I saw the black ooze covering me as it was thick as molasses. Just as I was about to get free, I saw it cover me up even further as it was drowning me, smothering me, and even killing me until I felt a much thicker part of the ooze shaking me until I woke up completely.

I was up in a cold sweat as I was sitting and shaking with terror. I felt alive in a long time as I noticed a tray full of food at the small table that was waiting for me. Getting out of my futon, I went towards the table as I saw the tray filled with turkey and stuffing, complete with the usual rolls, mashed potatoes, and a plethora of desserts. My stomach growled as I sat down and was getting ready to eat until I saw the door open up and there was Reiko with her own tray of food. Still, she had more than me as I didn't mind it due to what she carried within her womb. When I saw her sit down, she was digging into her food as she tasted the turkey that was seasoned very well. By the time I took a bite of my food, I was happy to eat it as the turkey on my plate didn't seem like to be turkey at all, for it was something familiar.

"Do you like the turducken?" asked Reiko.

"Turducken?" I said as I had a stunned look on my face.

"Most of the people here were dining on turkey, but the one and only turducken was caught and prepared the most delicious way imaginable."

"And who cooked it?"

"Dirk did it. He learned from both of us how to season it the moment you brought one during our exile on Shiganshina last year. He stayed up until two in the morning while the turducken cooked slowly while most of the dinner was cooked in the underground levels below where there are spare kitchens. Everyone is also watching the parade on t.v. in which they're showing plenty of floats with Santa Claus on them."

"Good for them… As for Dirk, on the other hand, he's on the way of being a man with much guidance on his shoulders. It's a huge godsend that he learned from us how to cook, even when I was hard at work watching the turducken cooking, for the boy is slowly becoming a man in front of our eyes."

"By the way, how are you feeling?"

"I feel much better, but it's hard to go up against what I battle from the mental aspect without-"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, Sammy. You can't let this clinical depression get to you or let you fall under the cracks, alright? You have a lot to live for and you can't shoulder the burden alone, not when you're suffering inside. We're here and we'll never give up the fight into helping you overcome what you have and that's what we're here for..."

I felt Reiko's slender hand touch mine warmly as she was meaning what she said. I needed all the support I could get as the war against the Executive Division was getting intense, but I wasn't alone on this. I needed all the help and love I have as this crucial time to prevent me from having a mental breakdown was just the beginning of what would happen next. As for the time we had during this Thanksgiving feast, I wasn't worrying too much as I was grateful that I had family with me, for I couldn't abandon them right now. I loved them so much as they were very precious to me in which I cherished them the most, for I wasn't alone in this time of uncertainty…

"Happy Thanksgiving…," I said.

To be continued...