Chapter 48

"Awe, lookie here!" Sonny chirped as he walked in the door, following Jason holding a stack of pizzas.

"It's about damn time. I was tired of living with two teenagers driving me up the wall and dicking around. I get enough of that with Emma and Mikey." Jason rolled his eyes, looking at the two curled up on the couch. His eyes rolling back was becoming a daily occurrence living with the three members of his team who at times resembled toddlers more so than the three trained SEALS he risks his life with and would bet on them 100 times over.

It was sometime in the evening after a full day at the base, and Sonny and Jason were looking forward to sitting on the couch, putting their feet up and relaxing with a beer in hand and a game on TV. But the two lovebirds had other plans. They passed out in an entanglement of limbs and pillows on the couch, cuddled up after passing out from watching who knows what on Netflix. There was not much watching after Clay's profound confession. Between some lip-locking, meds, snacks and ultimately a nap, no more chores got done, or tv watched.

"Rise and shine, lovebirds," Sonny called out as he put the pizza down and whipped out his phone to snap a picture he was sure to use against the Wondertwins many times in the future.

Jason leaned over and lightly swatted at their feet as they both shifted, waking up startled. As Clay shifted his weight, he groaned and started to pant a bit as his body gained awareness of the uncomfortable position and the worn-off pain medication. Instantly the group went into Bravo mode and got to work. Liz gained her bearings and tried to help Clay shift into a seated position and arranged some pillows to help support Clay's leg propped up on the table, shoulder and ribs. Jason bolted to the kitchen to retrieve his pain meds and some water as Sonny started to ramble about their day at the base and how everyone sent their well wishes to the kid to try and distract Clay and ask where the pain was. Of course, Clay did not give a definite answer as always and tried to wave the questions off. Liz hovered her hands, unsure how to help but needed to be touching him, and at this point, she was silently mothering him, fluffing at his pillows and blanket she had now grabbed from somewhere. All Clay could think of was; she would be a neurotic mess for the rest of his recovery, but she was his neurotic mess. Finally.

Once everyone was settled on the couches, beers in hand, the water of course for Clay, pizza in their bellies and the game on halftime, Sonny finally asked the big question that had been on the tip of his tongue since they got home.

"So?"

No one would ever say he was a man of this few words, and when he ran out of words, it was time for a serious doctor's appointment.

"So… What?" Clay eyed him back. There was no way he would make Sonny work for this. His shit disturber traits were on high alert and ready to come out and have fun.

"Well… you two. So?"

"Son, you are not making sense. Yes, there are two of us on the couch. So?"

Sonny motioned with his beer bottle back and forth between Liz and Clay.

"Yes, me and Liz?"

Jason just sat in his chair, silent, grinning at Liz as she shook her head and shifted in her spot on the couch that was a safe distance from Clay to be comfortable but not close enough to raise questions.

As Sonny glared at Clay, unimpressed, he rolled his eyes, "You really going to make me say it? Pretty sure it's that giant elephant in the room sitting between you two on that couch staring you in the face."

"Do you need to go to the hospital? Im sure Jase can drive you. Son, there is no elephant. Were you in the sun too long today?"

"You little shit. Come on!" Sonny grumbled out as Clay sat there with his usual lopsided smirk, taunting Sonny with his eyes. "Ok, fine, Ken Doll, you win. Or your just as daft as you look and have no idea how to answer a question. What is up with you and Tinkerbell over there?"

"What do you mean?"

Liz started to scoff as she moved from her spot on the couch and snuggled up to Clay's good side. He didn't have a good side at this moment, but she maneuvered pretty well to get close without disrupting the hole in his shoulder and aggravating his angry ribs that kept causing him the most grief.

"That! It's about damn time!" Sonny almost yelled out with the biggest smile on his face. He has always been the twos number one cheerleader; he just always tried to respect the work boundaries that he loved to walk so close down the line with Davis. "You good with this boss?"

Everyone looked at Jason, and Liz could physically feel Clay tense up. And she could do nothing but kick herself; she did not talk with Clay about what Jason said; she kept putting off when he was better, and then things were going so smoothly with his recovery that she did not want to ruin anything. She finally had him back, not angry with her; now he was in her arms.

"What happens in Bravo stays in Bravo. I told Liz only Blackburn needs to know, and it's work only when we are at work." Jason nodded as he looked at the two cuddled on the couch and nodded at a very stiff Clay, who seemed to visibly relax with each movement of Jason's head up and down.

"I was going to tell you, but I was just unsure what this was." Liz softly told Clay as he looked over to her searching her eyes for any doubt now that things were out in the open. And he could not help but question why she kept that conversation to herself. Did she have doubts?

"it's ok. We are here now and will figure out the future outside this house later."

"Awe, how cute. If this is how it will be, I will be moving out sooner than later and dibs out being paired with the sap and listening to them." Sonny scoffed as he chucked, leaning back in his seat.

"Who will then listen to you go on and on about everything and carry your ass out of places?" Clay teased as he cocked his head to the side, grinning.

"I do recall carrying your ass out of some bug-infested forest not too long ago there, boy. Still waiting on the thank you."

"Hey, now. I do believe that I did most of the carrying there, Sonny." Jason pipped in as he scoffed, sipping his beer.

"My Heros!" Clay fluttered his eyelashes, holding his hand together in front of his chest, and attempted to swoon, glancing between Jason and Sonny.

"What about me, pretty boy? I do believe I get a thank you as well. Who has been caring for your pretty ass since we got back?" Liz gently nudged Clay's side as she leaned in and kissed his cheek quickly like it was something she had done every day since they met.

As everyone sat there joking and bantering, Liz relaxed into Clay's side and watched her boys for a moment. It was moments like this that she knew she was where she belonged and, of course, kicked herself some more for being scared to move forward with the team and, most of all, Clay. How could she not have known what she wanted and needed was right in front of her, and of course, she had the team's full support. She dwelled on the moment they would hopefully be together and how the team would react. She should have known that they would have her back just like they do on the field. They were her family.

…..

Clay stood at the door of the cage room, staring at the handle, gaining the courage to walk in. It had been weeks since he moved out of Jason's house, and he was fully healed physically. During those weeks, the team had deployed on a few smaller missions without him, and then every waking moment they were home, someone alongside Liz was at his place. She never left his side as much as she could and ended up crashing into his bed most nights she was home. The team would always all show up together to drag him out to the bar when they got home after every mission. They knew he was reverting to himself being anxious about not going out with them and then feeling guilty and regretful. That was the way of the SEALS. No one liked to stay home and watch their family go and risk their lives and not being able to have their six. There was no way Bravo was letting Clay become a grumpy hermit with remorse. So every time they landed on that taramak, they all packed up their belongings, headed home to drop off their bags and say hello to their families and pick up anyone who wanted to join and then headed off to Clay's place to grab the kid and drag him out to the bar. Sometimes it even was truly kicking and screaming.

Yes, Clay physically healed, but his mental state was still not truly there. Although he would complain and huff about it, he was always appreciative when he was at the bar, sitting in the middle of his team, listening to stories and joking around. He knew this was the best way he would get back, and after he was out of his house, he welcomed the support. Liz then would take him back to his place and end up staying the night and the day, and then the next night and day until she is forced to go on another call. Sonny and Jason would take turns picking Clay up to go to physio sessions, then growing to gym sessions once he was fully healed. Brock would pick Clay up alongside Cerb and head to the beach, park or woods along the city for walks. After a few minutes, Clay would start to open up and talk about what happened to him while he was alone. No one actually knew any details of what happened and what he went through, and no one asked. They knew he would tell them in his own time, or at least hoped he would. Brock soon becomes the keeper of his secrets and hears all about Clay's dreams in the woods, Brian and the time when Clay saw the body he once imagined as his body and face staring back at him with a gun pointed right at his head. He knew all the dark secrets and time that Clay thought about giving up and what drove him to keep going. Cerb and Brock became his lifeline of secrets and a way to let things out that the team did not need to hear. No one should know when he thought he should just lay down and go to sleep and that he would be ok with never waking up as he has Brian back in his life. He did not hurt and was happy at that moment living in his head. But once Brock sat down on the sand with Cerb nudging Clay, he told him of the time he thought he was done a few years before Clay joined Bravo Clay just burst open his hidden thoughts. It was like looking into Cerbs eyes as he told his dark secrets made them melt away, and him not being ashamed. Trent would then show up and take Clay to all his base medical appointments and hospital testing, and he would sometimes stay after and have a few beers with Clay at his place, talking about their missions and the medical side of things. Clay always took a liking to the medics' duties, picked up a thing or two, and listened to Trent ramble of new techniques he had to try that were not on Clay himself. Even though the conversation would occasionally turn to Clay and his injuries and how he loved to test Trent. Ray was the only member of Bravo that would come and take Clay to the mandated therapy. Bravo and Blackburn knew Ray dealt with survivor's guilt differently as he felt he failed Clay in trying to bring him home. They assigned Ray to take Clay to his appointments, hoping they could get some time to talk and Clay could show Ray that he made it home, thanks to him. He saved Ray and would save him repeatedly, no questions asked, and he never once blamed Ray for putting him in that situation. Eventually, Ray opened up to Clay and joined him for one of his therapy sessions. Davis would show up to Clay's house between deployments and appointments with beer for Clay, a quick chat and then drag Liz out from his house for some "Girl time," where they go to the karaoke bar and talk about Clay and Sonny.

During the last call, the team was gone just over a week, and when they returned, they had a long debriefing right after hitting the taramak. There was no bar after; everyone needed to get home to their families and beds. Liz even took that opportunity to go home to her place as it was in the middle of the night after they got out, and no one was in the mood to socialize as this last call was a hard one and, unfortunately, a failure. Clay was relieved as the week they were away; his mind decided to play tricks on him and his nightmares right when he got home and decided to make an appearance again. They tend to come full force around 2:00 am and always woke him up in a cold sweat, panicked, rapid heartbeat and calling out for help as he gasped for air, feeling like water was entering his lungs as he was being pulled around and under the water by the rapids and the soldier who was hell-bent on killing him. He always woke up just as his vision and thoughts were black as he drowned again and again along the river's edge. He never woke up to see his teams hovering over him in the mud. In his dream, they never came for him.

No one knew of these dreams, and his mandated return to duty therapy was over and so for a week, he kept this secret, not wanting to ruin his chance of returning. He needed to come back and could shove the dreams and doubt deep down and pretend nothing was happening. Being back on base and with his team was the solution.

Clay took in a deep breath, a little nervous about being back and that they all would be able to see right through him and have doubts about him in the field, he reached for the keypad.

"Hey! Look whos back!" Jason called out as everyone emerged from their cages full of smiles and cheers as they all gathered around the table and gave out their signature Bravo hugs.

"We thought you were just going to stay on vacation forever and leave all the work to us." Sonny chimed at him, and he wrapped his arm around his best friend.

"Yeah, we are getting tired of carrying all the weight here. Getting too old, need your young legs to pick up your slack."

"Who you calling old?"

"Im younger than you."

As the team went into their bickering and trying to compare their fitness Blackburn slipped in behind Clay. "You ready for this? Sure you want to be back with them?"

"You have no idea." Clay grinned back.