Coming Home

A week later, Bravo was finally reunited at home.

Two days after Brock and Clay were rescued and admitted to the base infirmary in Syria, both support teams and Team Three returned home to Virginia Beach. Two more days after that, Bravo minus Trent and Clay flew out with Alpha. The doctor at the infirmary kept Clay for another thirty-six hours, and Jason left Trent to stay with him until he was cleared to fly home. The medic had been in mother hen mode, at the infirmary by his boys' sides almost continuously since they arrived in the humvees dehydrated, exhausted, and in Clay's case sporting a high, infection fed fever.

Clay had barely been awake a few hours a day the entire almost six days he spent in the infirmary. Once he was poked, prodded, bathed, and tucked into a clean bed in a relatively cool hospital room next to Brock, both boys received IV fluids, antibiotics and a light sedative to help them relax and get the sleep they both desperately needed.

Ironically, when he was finally safe at the infirmary, surrounded by his protective big brothers and no longer in charge of anything, Brock had a hard time settling down and getting the sleep he needed to recover from the traumatic three days spent trying to survive and evade capture while keeping his wounded and sick little brother alive. Brock was most definitely tired and emotionally spent, but he couldn't close his eyes for more than a few minutes unless he had Clay close and Trent or Sonny at his side, talking calmly and gently rubbing his head or back to help him settle.

Clay, on the other hand, was across the room from his anxious brother, exhausted, medicated, and sleeping like a baby almost twenty four-seven.

Jason was hesitant to be separated from either of his boys, but everybody had been ordered home. The doctor and Trent both agreed that since Clay was a minor, barely able to keep his eyes open long enough to eat and use the bathroom, even after the sedative had been removed from his IV, the boy needed more time to rest peacefully under observation by the infirmary staff.

For his first two days in the hospital, Clay had been catheterized to allow him uninterrupted sleep, and to monitor his urine output. Brock reported that the kid hadn't urinated at all after moving to their location high in the cave, hidden in the rocky desert ridge. Not even after Brock had located water and was forcing him to drink regularly. When they arrived at the infirmary, both young rookies were unsurprisingly suffering from infected bladders. The doctor wanted to assure that Clay's kidneys were functioning properly and that he was able to urinate regularly and on his own once the catheter was removed before he was willing to release him.

Jason had quietly left Trent and Sonny to do the babysitting and nursemaiding at the infirmary while he and Ray dealt with the paperwork, debriefing and stealth level meetings with the multiple team leaders involved in various capacities during the three days Bravo Five and Six were missing, and throughout the location and extraction of the boys from their shelter.

Jason had told Blackburn, who he trusted fully, that he wanted to be sure everyone was on the same page before they touched down on American soil and the questions, second-guessing and official debriefing and investigation began.

Jason had secured special guardianship and accommodations for Clay immediately after his age was revealed that would last until he was actually twenty, the age Bravo had been told he was when they agreed to take him on their elite, tier one team. The kid had been wounded, sick and unconscious for much of the time he and Brock were waiting for rescue in the cave. Clay was the official rookie, a minor under Brock's command, and Jason was not worried that there would be any repercussions for his kid back at home once the dust settled.

Always prepared and looking ahead to what might be waiting around the next dark corner, Master Chief Hayes intended to be damn sure his second youngest was sorted, prepared, and protected by his older brothers and superiors from the numerous teams involved in the locating and rescue of the two young SEALS. And as always, his wingman and calmer, more diplomatic friend, brother and 2IC was at his side.

Jason had sent Ray to track down and get a feel for the young Marine lieutenant who had been in command of the two platoons of Marines Blackburn had managed to get assigned to the search and rescue operation. Jason had spent most of his time with Alpha One, strategizing and making sure that everyone involved with the operation was being best utilized. He had talked to the lieutenant, along with the other SEAL team leaders, regularly when they all huddled up to discuss where they were at the moment, and what their next steps would be. But he didn't know him well enough to judge if he would have Bravo Five's back in any questioning that would begin as soon as they were all back home, or if he had any misgivings about decisions Brock had made during the time he and Clay were separated from Bravo.

Every man on both Bravo and Alpha knew that using the radio which risked enemy detection and sending the dog down to find and bring back support went against standard SERE protocol for evading and waiting for rescue.

And they also knew that every situation was unique, and active military in dangerous, highly stressful situations sometimes were forced to make difficult decisions based on their particular situation and the conditions. Bravo One had no doubt that Brock had made what he as the ranking team member in charge at the time believed were the best choices for not only evading capture, but also for keeping himself and Bravo Six alive and to get them both rescued.

What Jason needed to know was if the young Marine would have his boy's six when he was questioned about the search and rescue. Ray confirmed after talking to the lieutenant that he was on the same page as Bravo and would not be the source of any second guessing of what Brock should or should not have done during the time he and Clay were separated from the team.

Jason was one hundred percent confident that every man on Alpha was in his boy's corner. He wouldn't insult his brothers by ever suggesting that there was any question of their complete loyalty. And while he didn't know their support team on a personal level, every one of them had, without hesitation, done everything in their power to locate Bravo's rookies. Metal had selected them for his support team, and Jason knew they would not be a problem.

Bravo's young support guys, particularly Tim, Kevin and Jeff had stepped up to the plate to have Bravo's back. Jason had already seen their competence and loyalty in action a few months earlier when he and Trent had relied on them to take care of Clay at a base hospital in Mexico where Bravo was forced to leave the kid, scared and sick, while they were on a mission in Central America.

Kevin stood up admirably under a huge amount of pressure and played a pivotal part in bringing the boys home. Tim had stepped into the role of his team's leader and held his own with Jason and Metal who were both widely respected and revered, but also demanding and gruff in the field where the stakes were always high. Once Jason had indicated that he needed Jeff to be with Brock while Trent and Derrick were tied up with Clay, Bravo's support medic once again did more than what was expected to get the young dog handler sorted. Jeff was at Brock's side from the second he had followed Bravo into the cavern in Syria, throughout their trek down the steep, rocky ridge, and the ride back to the base infirmary. Jeff stayed close to Bravo Five, talking to his doctors, keeping his brother calm and never leaving his side until Trent was able to be back with him again.

Jason was proud of his support team, and confident that they had Bravo's back.

The official investigation began as soon as Bravo arrived back in Virginia Beach. Brock was questioned extensively, along with Jason, Ray and Sonny. When Trent and Clay returned three days later, they were interviewed as well. Because of his age and the fact that he was nowhere near being cleared to return to duty, Blackburn was allowed to be with Clay for his questioning which took place in one agreed upon two hour session in Blackburn's office on base.

Each member of Alpha as well as the team leaders and medics from both support teams were interviewed along with Kevin from Bravo Support and the team leader and dog handler from Team Three. The Marine lieutenant was still deployed in Syria, so he was questioned remotely about everything that had happened from the time he was ordered to take his men to support the search and rescue mission.

The senior members of Bravo could clearly see that Brock was a nervous wreck, despite doing an admirable job of holding it together and keeping his game face throughout the hours of questioning and piles of paperwork. As expected, there were no cracks in the wall of support from any of the men questioned from any of the teams involved in the mission. Both Blackburn and Jason used every connection they had among the upper brass to move the investigation along and get Bravo Five cleared for a return to duty as soon as he was deemed physically fit and had been seen and cleared by a Navy psychologist.

As luck would have it, Bravo was ordered back out to the field just two weeks after their return from Syria. Ellis wanted Jason to lead a team that included his own senior operators who would be supported by Delta. She and Blackburn briefed Jason and Ray along with Delta One and Two about the mission which required them to intercept and bring in for questioning a mid-level player from a South American human trafficking ring.

The operation was estimated to last approximately two weeks. Brock and Clay, who had not yet been cleared for active duty, would remain back home with Brock reporting to base for restricted duty, training with Cerb, and workouts with an assigned trainer to regain his strength before returning to active duty.

Jason and Trent, with support from Blackburn, had decided that Clay would report to base each day from nine until noon to attend workouts with a personal trainer Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and meetings with a dietician on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help him regain the weight he'd lost during his time in Syria and the week he was in the hospital after being rescued.

Brock and Clay both pushed hard to have the kid stay with Brock and Katie while Bravo was spun up. They argued that Brock could drive them both into work where they could do their workouts and eat together before one of the support guys drove Clay back home to rest or read until school got out and he could spend time hanging out with Corey or JJ acting like a regular kid. While it seemed like a good idea on paper, both Jason and Trent were hesitant after the Great Liberia Fiasco as it had come to be known, when Clay was left home from a Bravo mission to stay with Katie and supposedly be a regular kid with Corey.

That had ended with a full blown Clay meltdown complete with Corey in the emergency room with a broken nose, Jason's truck filled with diesel fuel, and Clay on the pediatric ward for an unpleasant work up by a gastroenterologist after not moving his bowels the entire three weeks Bravo was gone. Brock insisted that he would be home this time to prevent Clay going off the rails, and there was no need to worry.

Jason almost relented, feeling bad about leaving the boys behind so soon after their traumatic time in Syria, but ultimately Trent convinced him that leaving their youngest brothers together was not in their best interest. No matter how hard Brock argued and Clay pouted. Trent had thought it was a recipe for disaster from the beginning, but an emotionally worn out Jason and newly minted pushover Sonny had convinced him it might not be a bad idea to leave the boys together. But then, a meeting with Clay's psychologist Dr. Jeff reaffirmed his initial misgivings about that babysitting arrangement.

Clay had been seeing Dr. Jeff twice a week since Bravo returned from Syria. After sleeping like a log for a week in the hospital, Clay had been anxious and restless since their return, especially at night. He had yet to make it a full night in his own bed without waking up from a nightmare, or squirming around restlessly, not able to fall asleep in the first place. Ultimately, he would end up in Jason's bed, where he could finally rest peacefully, attached to his chosen father's side.

Katie had secretly reported to Derrick's wife Catherine that Brock was also not doing well at night, and he had developed an aversion to being home alone when Katie was at work or out with her sisters or friends. He would fall asleep with Katie, only to wake a few hours later, spending the rest of the night in front of the TV or texting with Clay who was also not asleep. Catherine had told Derrick who immediately went to Jason and Trent, never considering that he would keep information that could impact either boys' performance or safety in the field from his brothers.

After Clay's most recent session, Dr. Jeff had requested a private meeting with Trent who usually dropped off Clay or waited for him in the waiting room as Jason was not as comfortable dealing with mental health providers. Clay had told his counselor that he and Brock were working hard to convince Jason to let them stay together when Bravo was spun up to South America.

The unflappable Dr. Jeff, a master at dealing with kids acting out, was unfazed when he accompanied Clay in a full pout to the waiting room where Trent was waiting for him. The kid pulled himself together quickly when his tough love giving uncle gave him the look that said he had better straighten up and adjust his attitude unless he would like to be embarrassed in front of Dr. Jeff and his sweet receptionist. Not to mention the similarly pouting teenage girl waiting with her mother for Dr. Jeff to call her back to his office.

"Hey Trent," Dr. Jeff said cheerfully, shaking the medic's hand without commenting on Clay's current mood. "Do you have a few minutes to chat in the conference room?"

"Sure thing, Doc," Trent said, nodding at Clay, indicating he should take a seat and wait.

"Hello Amanda," Dr. Jeff said, turning to look at his next patient. "And Mrs. Thompson, nice to see you. It'll be just a few minutes. Amanda, you are welcome to wait in my office if you like. Or you can hang out here with your mom. I'll be with you soon."

"I'll wait in your office," The young girl who looked to be a year or so younger than Clay sighed dramatically before stomping back to Dr. Jeff's office, ignoring her clearly flustered mother who was attempting to talk to her.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Jeff," the girl's mother apologized. "I don't know what to do with her. She's so moody and rude."

"No need to apologize," Dr. Jeff said calmly. "Why don't you go downstairs and have a cup of coffee and relax. I'll have Amanda text you when we are finished."

While Jeff walked Amanda's mother to the elevator, Trent turned to make eye contact with Clay who had plopped himself down in one of the oversized chairs in the waiting room.

Calm as always with the kid he couldn't love more if he was his own son, Trent shook his head slowly.

"Just on the off chance you might be thinking that trying out that disrespectful nonsense with Jason is a good idea," Trent said, clearly referring to Amanda's little performance. "I'm going to strongly suggest that you reconsider. Unless of course you feel like ending the day with a trip across your daddy's knee and a blazing backside would help you sleep."

When Clay looked away without responding, Trent knew that he was in button-pushing mode and very likely to be taking that trip over Jason's knee if he didn't get his attitude in check before heading home.

"Excuse me, son?" Trent said calmly, just as Dr. Jeff returned. "I didn't hear you?"

Clay looked up at Dr. Jeff before making eye contact with his most loved uncle.

"I didn't say anything, Trent," he said quietly.

"And I'm waiting for a response," Trent said, clearly meaning business. And never bluffing.

"Yes, sir," Clay said.

"And what are you yes sirring?" Trent asked curiously.

"Yes, sir," Clay repeated softly. "I heard you, and I'm not planning on trying that attitude out on Jason."

"Wise decision," Trent said, tousling the kid's hair before following Dr. Jeff to his meeting room in the back of the office. "I'll be back shortly."

"Okay, Trent," Clay said politely, suddenly not feeling so much like pushing any buttons. "I'll wait for you here."

When they got to the back office, Trent took a seat chuckling. "If my sister ever talked to my mother like that little girl back there pouting in your office," he said. "When my daddy finished with her, she wouldn't sit straight for a week. And if I ever lost my mind and gave that a try, I'd be swallowing teeth."

"Oh, that attitude would not have ended well for me with my father either," Dr. Jeff laughed. "But not being a father myself, and dealing with other people's moody kids, has given me a more laid back attitude. It's easier to take from a kid who you aren't attached to or responsible for."

"And speaking of moody brats," Trent said, shaking his head. "I assume you have something to share about the blond troublemaker pouting in your waiting room."

"Well," Jeff said, leaning back in his chair. "Clay has given me the full sales pitch for spending the next two weeks with young Brock and his wife that he has been using on you and Jason and I assume anyone else who will listen."

"Lucky you," Trent snorted.

"It's a well thought out presentation," Jeff smiled. "But, your boy is currently in full grump mode because I told him that while I think he has some good points, in my opinion, that's not the best option for him or Brock. And I also told him that I was being honest with him, not going behind his back, and letting him know that I was going to share that opinion with you."

"Honestly, Doc," Trent said sincerely, "I'm pleasantly surprised that admission from you didn't send Clay into full tantrum mode. You have made great progress with our runt. And we all appreciate you. Especially Jason, despite him not being comfortable being here in person."

"What do you think about Clay bunking at Brock's while you are away?" Dr. Jeff asked.

"My initial instinct was the same as yours," Trent said. "Not a good idea."

"But you've changed your mind?" Jeff asked.

"No," Trent said. "I think Brock is struggling himself. It's causing the first real strain on his new marriage to a girl as young as he is. He and Clay went through hell together, and it obviously created a bond that will never be broken - and that's not a bad thing. The lifelong love and loyalty I feel for the brothers I've served with for so long has literally saved my life."

"But you think they need some time apart?" Jeff suggested.

"I think they haven't begun to fully recover from the trauma they experienced," Trent said. "They are clinging to each other because it was just them in that desert. Alone. Not knowing if they would be captured or rescued or die in that cave. Clay wouldn't be alive right now if it weren't for Brock. And Clay knows that. Brock came close to his first truly crushing loss since he joined the Navy. And he knows that. And I think that both of our boys realize for the first time that the loss of someone they truly love and depend on as a brother is coming at some point. It's a certainty in our line of work. And they are desperately clinging to each other because they are in panic mode. Terrified of losing a brother."

Trent paused before continuing.

"Ray admitted after we finally had them back, safe and sound, that he thinks maybe it was a mistake to take kids so young on a tier one team," Trent said. "There is zero chance we could ever let them go at this point. But I wouldn't go along with taking on another kid under thirty moving forward. I worry every day about the stress and trauma and how it's going to impact them for the rest of their lives. Especially Clay, a literal child, who was already close to broken when he came to us."

Dr. Jeff was quiet for a minute. Considering what the medic had told him.

"You really know your boys, Trent," Jeff said. "And I have no doubt that Jason and likely the rest of your brothers do as well. And I agree that your boys are in panic mode and afraid to be separated right now. And in my opinion - which is just that - one man's opinion, but, as I told Clay, in my opinion, he and Brock need to spend some time apart."

Jeff went on.

"Not banned from seeing each other, or separated forever. Just time with other people, like they had before the mission to Syria. Brock needs time alone with his wife, even if it's a struggle that they may need support to power through. Clay needs to depend on his boss-dad and doting uncles just like he has done since becoming part of your family. And to hang out with his friends again - play some video games, go to the beach, be a regular kid for a while."

"I agree Doc," Trent said. "And I will talk to Jason about it. And Clay as well. I know my kid. Us leaving and not letting him stay with Brock is likely to cause him to act out. But we will figure this out and hopefully avoid another Great Liberia Fiasco."

Jeff stood and shook Trent's hand, chuckling. "From your mouth to God's ear. I know the last thing you boys need is another Liberia Fiasco."