Long-lasting love doesn’t happen by accident. We don’t find ourselves holding hands after twenty-five years with the one that we love by pure chance. Love is deliberate, it’s intentional, it’s purposeful, and in the end it’s worth every minute that we give of ourselves to another. -Darlene Schacht

“What?! New dismounts? You gotta be fucking joking!”

“They’ll be here on Friday,” Reyes replied, poring over his latest counseling paperwork without even a glance at his subordinate. “My guess is they’ll get in late, too.”

Bright gave a groan of displeasure, leaning back in his seat. “Does that mean I have to help them get all their basic hygiene shit and shit?” he asked.

“I’ll be there too, it won’t just be you. What are you worked up about, anyway?”

“Me and Roan were planning on getting drunk and going to Foxy’s that night,” Bright said.

Reyes scrutinized his gunner. “Really? More strip clubs? Can you not find better things to do with your time than blue-ball yourself?”

“Better than fucking strippers? Hell no.”

Reyes gave a sigh, finalizing the counseling and pushing the laptop away. “Tell Roan to get up here so I can give him his counseling. Has he been sticking to his diet?”

“Think so, Sarnt, he hasn’t gone drinking with us in a while,” Bright said, jumping to his feet and heading to the door, only to pause and ask, “All these new guys… are- are we going somewhere?”

Reyes shrugged. “C.O. says he doesn’t think so, or at least he hasn’t heard anything about it yet.”

“Do YOU think so?”

“Not yet at least. The Squadron’s not back up to full strength yet, and it’s been over a year since we got back. We won’t go to war unless all the Troops are 100%.”

“May we be forever stuck at 99,” Bright prayed, disappearing out the threshold and out of sight.

Reyes let his mind drift, staring blankly into the ether. Bright was one of the Five, so it was no surprise he was hesitant about a return to battle. After Toruń, it felt like the world had changed for the few that had made it. It had been the reason they’d been sent back to home, after all. The Brigade simply had suffered too many losses to reasonably continue the fight. With the sights and smells and sounds of war slowly welling within him, Reyes felt himself start to shake. What if all these new personnel were a sign, an indicator that they really were going to war once more?

No, Marcos thought to himself, taking a long, slow breath and releasing a thin hiss of air. “No matter what happens, I’ll be alright,” he told himself. “And right now, you’re safe at home.”

“No way… Marcos?”

Reyes gave a start, unused to hearing his first name from anyone other than his wife. “Who on earth-” he wheeled himself about to see, standing at the door, was a skinny young man with a shock of hair upon his head, a butterbar upon his chest, and a fresh eager face still untouched by military life. “Flash?”

Holy shit, Marcos, hey man!” said Flash Sentry, rushing in to give his enlisted counterpart a vigorous handshake. “I don’t believe it, I thought you might be here when I saw Big Mac, but- how are you, how’ve you been?”

“What are you doing here, I- wait, are you second platoon’s new Platoon Leader?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess I am. Surprise!”

“When did you get here, I heard you were coming in Friday?” Reyes replied.

“I got bumped up early so I could in-process with the unit faster,” Flash answered, looking down at the chevrons on Reyes’ chest. “Sergeant, huh? Not surprised you and Mac both got promoted quick.”

“And not so bad yourself, sir,” Reyes said, eyeing the golden bar on Flash’s uniform. “How- when did you get in, I didn’t know you had a commission?”

“Well, for a while I didn’t. About senior year of college I got accepted into the officers program and I’ve been working towards here since.”

“Well, I mean… it’s good to see ya, it’s gonna feel like high school all over again.” Reyes paused, his eyes darting back and forth. “I gotta know, though…” he whispered. “Are you still dating Cpt. Armor’s sister?”

Flash said nothing for a time before finally releasing a smug grin. “Oh. Oh yeah.”

Reyes roared, his laughter echoing throughout the bay walls and causing more than one of his fellow soldiers to stare curiously at the battle-hardened NCO, from whom the sound of mirth had been rare.

“So what’ve you two been doing, long-distance and such?”

Flash shrugged. “We do what we can to make it work. Just do me a favor and don’t tell the Commander. He doesn’t actually know about it.”

Reyes’ eyes went wide for a split-second- only to become slits that gleamed with mischief. “Oh… OH, that’s gonna be fun.”

“Please don’t.” Flash began to turn pale, his face stark. “I’m serious, I just got here and that is not information I want spreading.”

“I’ll only use it to screw with you, I promise,” Reyes swore. “I’ve taken enough of your time, sir, I’m guessing your platoon will want some time with you.”

“Good to see you again, man,” Flash replied, turning about and heading towards the nearby office.

Reyes settled back into his chair as one of his soldiers walked in, patiently waiting for his counseling to begin. As the two went to work, Reyes couldn’t help but feel the urge to laugh. It’s gonna feel like high school all over again in here.

“Your pace has started to slow, Mr. Morrison. How does it feel right now?”

The scarred man gave a grunt as he moved his prosthetic, walking at a pace that suggested discomfort. “It keeps rubbing against my fucking stump- I mean my LEG! “Goddamnit, it hurts,” Morrison breathed. His forehead dripped sweat with each step he took, his gait slowly becoming smaller. “Fucking hell…”

“Do you want to keep going or-”

“I just said it fucking hurts, what the fuck you think I wanna do?” Morrison roared, turning to snarl at the startled young woman. Though the loss of his legs had robbed him of his size, and recovery his strength, the former soldier was still a formidable and intimidating figure and his rage was more than enough to make Sunset take a slow step away.

“Mr. Morrison, if you want to stop now, that’s fine,” she said calmly, turning to her desktop and closing down the program. “But if you’re injuries are causing you pain, then I can’t let you leave just yet. Your wounds will need to be addressed.”

“Just get this fucking shit off me,” Morrison growled, tearing at the many wires and sensors that covered his body and tossing them aside. “Fucking hell, I don’t feel like a goddamn man with this shit on.”

“Mr. Morrison, please be careful not to damage any of it!” Sunset said sharply, hurrying over to gently put as much of the equipment out of harm’s way. “Hey- hey, wait!”

While she had worked, Morrison had stalked off on his mechanical appendages, heading to a nearby bench and wrestling with the straps keeping his prosthetics connected. As each connection fell away the furious man gave a grunt of pain, before finally letting the expensive items fall to the floor with a clatter.

Sunset couldn’t help but grimace at the sight of his legs rubbed raw, stubs ending just below the knee dripping blood. Whatever protection had once been kept there had long worn away due to constant friction and use.

“Mr. Morrison, how much time are you spending on your feet-”

“They’re not my fucking feet,” Morrison interjected.

Sunset took a deep breath, biting her lip to prevent her frustrations from leaving her. Morrison was one of her most difficult patients, proud and stubborn to the end. While some excelled in their recovery, others found it more difficult to return from such heavy trauma. Morrison, a former Major and double-divorcee, seemed to go out of his way to make his recovery difficult for everyone involved. This is why his wife divorced him, she thought- and instantly regretted it. It would be difficult for anyone to cope with the loss of their legs, and the freedoms that come with it. Morrison had reason to be upset.

“Mr. Morrison, I know you want your leg muscles to recover, but if you’re wearing through the gel in your prosthetics then you need to let me know so I can get you the help you need. I’m here to help you have as much of a normal life as possible, but you need to help me do that.”

Morrison looked like he was willing to argue further, but just as he opened his mouth he simply deflated, the fight leaving his eyes and he leaned over in a slump. “You’re right. You’re right,” he muttered, aiming an imaginary kick at his prosthetic limbs. “I hate this. I used to run marathons, now I can barely walk.”

Despite his previous anger, Sunset couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. “That’s why we’re doing this. So you can get back to where you were again. It might not be the same, but given time, you’ll be able to run marathons once more.”

Morrison snorted. “I wish. I’m too old and fat.”

“Oh please, you’re not even forty,” Susnet chided gently. “All it’ll take is getting back into the right habits- which means less alcohol and more exercise,” she added pointedly.

Morrison stared at her, his glare as cold and hard as stone. “And what reason do I have to keep trying? I don’t have a wife, I don’t even have join custody of my son… I don’t have a reason to keep trying.”

Sunset felt a lurch in her stomach, his morose words sounding horribly familiar. “You are the reason you have to keep trying,” she told him. “I know it may not sound like much, but quitting will feel far worse than what you’re feeling now.”

Morrison didn’t respond, staring down at the earth with an expression that suggested he’d very much like to be swallowed by it. His anger was unpleasant, but his defeated attitude was unnerving.

“Come on, we still have time left today,” Sunset said, rising to her feet and clapping her hands together. “Do you want to keep trying stretches for today-”

“I’m good,” Morrison said shortly, reaching down and grabbing his prosthetics. “I think I’ve had enough for today. I’ll get myself cleaned up, and… and I’m going to go home for the day.

“But…” Sunset had a clear idea of his current state of mind and knew solitude would be a poor choice. “Sir, maybe you should try again, just in case-”

“I’m good!” Morrison said sharply, before giving another weary sigh. “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t be mad at you. Just ignore me.”

Several minutes later and he was gone, limping his way out of the building and towards a waiting car, leaving a visibly frustrated and tired Sunset Shimmer in his wake. With a wearied groan she returned to her office, putting her records away and poring over the notes she had taken. There was plenty to do, but her mind simply had no heart for it; her distraction was overpowering.

“Everything alright, dear?” Rose peered into the threshold, noting her young coworker’s miserable countenance.

“Yes, Rose, I’m fine,” Sunset said quickly, turning to give her friend a tired smile. “Thank you for asking, I just have a lot to go over.”

As soon as the older woman had left, Sunset’s gloom returned, clouding her mind like a poisonous fog. You can’t help, a wriggling little voice said. You’re only making it worse.

Sunset gave herself a shake, trying to rid herself of the voice’s foul words. Instead they seemed to only cling all the more tightly, twisting and worming their way into her brain.

You couldn’t even help your own husband. All you did was nag and torment him until he fell apart, and there was nothing you could do to put him back together. You were a hindrance.

Sunset felt her breathing grow rapid, a stinging beginning to form in her eyes. She buried her face in her hands, pressing them so deeply into her forehead that she began to see stars. “Block it out, girl,” she said quietly. “You can make it, I promise you can.”

Your help only makes the lives of everyone around you worse. You can only cause them pain, the voice said, sneering and cruel. You’re not capable of saving anyone.

She could hear him grumbling before she entered their bedroom, the sound of his own unpleasantness mingling with the sound of clothes being thrown around. Sunset peered in and found herself staring at a myriad pile of clothes, uniforms and military gear permeating the floor, all the while her husband was busy in their closet, searching wildly for some hidden objective.

“Come on, come on, where is it? I left it on the top shelf, I wore it last Friday…” Marcos paused, finally taking note of his wife’s presence. “When was the last time you cleaned in here?”

“A couple days ago. What’s wrong?” she said, her voice brittle.

“Where’s my Stetson? I had the thing sitting in its case above my uniforms and now it’s gone,” he said, taking hold of his dress blues and tossing them onto the bed in frustration.

“Oh jeez -I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you- I went and brought it to get reshaped for you the other day, it’s sitting in the back of my car,” she replied.

“Well why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, looking incredulous. “That’s not yours, don’t just take my stuff and act like it’s not a big deal.”

“I was just trying to help-”

“I need it for tomorrow, we’ve got new guys coming in and CO wants us to greet them wearing full uniform- where are my gold spurs? Don’t tell me you tried to get them cleaned or something.”

“I wasn’t trying to be difficult-”

“Well congrats, you were. Now go to the car and get me my Stetson- now.”

The last word was enough for her to flare up. “Hey, I am not one of your soldiers, you do not talk to me like I am someone you can just order around. Are we clear?”

“Just go get it, will you? I’m not gonna sit around here-”

“If it’s that important, then go get it yourself, I don’t have a reason to stand around here and be bullied by a jerk who still acts like he’s the kid who got locked up in juvi!” Sunset fired back.

Now it was Marcos’ turn to be wounded. “Hey, that is way out of bounds-”

“Yeah? Well so is acting like I’m one of your ‘guys’ who just sits there at your beck and call. See if I ever help you in anything again, so good luck if you have another panic attack.”

Sunset stalked off from the room, leaving a devastated silence in her wake. For a few brief moments, she felt a heated satisfaction at the way she had left him –vulnerable and on his own- but the sensation only lasted until she reached the living room, where her insides shriveled and she fell onto the footrest of the chair. That had been a mistake.

The sound of footsteps met her ears and she looked up to see her husband fall to the floor beside her, giving a winded, unhappy sigh. “That was our first fight in a while,” he said. “Are we back to fighting again all the time?”

“I- I hope not,” Sunset said meekly.

“I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you,” Marcos said. “I’m sorry. You were just trying to help.”

“I shouldn’t have said what I did, either. It was an awful thing to say.”

The two sat in a forlorn silence as the last rays of the sun beamed dimly through the windows. Sunset felt the gaze of her husband rest upon her, studying her every move and breath she took. It was a sensation she had forgotten, the way he truly tried to understand; how dedicated he had once been to her.

“Your eyes are red,” he remarked.

“I’m fine,” Sunset said tersely. She may have forgiven him for his words, but to let him in right now, when she was so vulnerable… not yet.

“What’s wrong?”

“I said I’m fine.”

“You don’t need to hide from me-”

“Rainbow’s dead.”

The words were so unexpected that it took Marcos several seconds to fully process them. “What?”

“Rainbow Dash is dead,” Sunset said, her voice unwilling. “Fluttershy called me this morning to let me know. Rainbow was shot down a few days ago when her unit came under anti-air fire.”

After she finished came such a weight across her shoulders that Sunset thought she would surely topple to the ground. There was such a finality in them, now that they had been spoken aloud. Rainbow Dash was dead. Strong, confident, brave Rainbow Dash was gone forever and would never come back. Her career as a fighter pilot was gone, her future with Soarin was gone, all the life and strength she’d possessed was gone, burned away without hope of return-

Sunset felt something warm slip underneath her hand and she recoiled- only to find it was the gentle grasp of her husband, reaching out to her hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. At first she tried to resist, to pull herself away, but he persisted nonetheless, reaching for any part of her he could reach until she relented and found herself in his arms, her face buried in his chest so the pain couldn’t reach her, no tear could grow.

Marcos said nothing, simply sharing in her grief and letting it pass away into the ether. His old sparring partner was gone. A competitor and friend was gone, a sister-in-arms lost to the fire. Rainbow Dash, who had deserved a far better fate than this.

“Is this what it feels like?” Sunset said wretchedly. “To lose someone?”

Marcos thought of all the friends he had known in his mere years of service. Those who had fallen the very first day in Almeria, the ones he had lost on his first deployment, those who fell in Toruń and the savagery that had followed…

“It always feels like this,” he said, knowing nothing else to say.

The two simply held one another into the darkness, their pain permeating the air until it disappeared completely. The sorrow of death slowly became overwhelmed by the memories of a friend who was dearly loved, in this life and onto the next. As the night crept in, their grief soon fell into the shadows. They had made it through another day- and this time, they had finished it together.

Ever since he had received his commission, Shining Armor had been told he was destined for the military. His leadership skills were often called exceptional, his physical prowess was nigh unmatched, and his shooting skills were enough to receive serious attention from Sniper School. He had also been told that the greatest time of his military career would be when he was the Commander of a Line Troop.

No one, in all of their words of advice, had bothered to mention all the paperwork! Whether it be brainless soldiers failing PT tests or not showing up or -God forbid- public intoxication or a DUI, it seemed like the amount of paper that went across his desk was roughly equal to half the Amazon Rainforest. With all that he had to cover, more often than not he found himself working late or bringing his work home, neither of which were particularly desirable. If the Army wanted you to have a wife, they would’ve issued you one with your pair of boots, he had been told. Somedays, he found himself believing it.

He heard his wife’s footsteps over the sounds of the TV and soon felt her weight settle on the couch next to him. “You’ve been focused on it all night, you know.”

“I’ve still got time,” he replied. “Hours.”

“It’s past nine, Shiny.”

Her words gave him pause. “Really?” He looked over at his phone to confirm it, shaking his head. “Jeez, I’ve been at this pile for three hours now.”

“Mhm. And you let your dinner get cold.”

“An accusation?”

“Sympathy,” Cadence replied, leaning over and tugging the pile of papers from his hands. “Come on, you need something to eat. I’ll reheat it for you if you go get our daughter to settle down.”

“How is she today?” he asked, getting up and stretching, feeling his knees popping as he did so. His wife was right, he had been stationary for far too long.

“The fever’s gone down, but I don’t want her going to school tomorrow. One more day ought to do it, I think,” Cadence said. “She’s been missing you all day long.”

He felt a pang of guilt, realizing work had sapped away his time completely. “Well, I haven’t a moment to lose, then.”

Flurry Heart had been born during his first deployment, early on in the war. He had not been there the day she entered the world, and she had already been a year old by the time they first met. Now, having just passed her fifth birthday, it seemed like time was rushing them by all the more quickly- she was growing up with her father –more often than not- half a world away.

“Hey, Little Princess,” he said, kneeling down next to her bed, stroking the hair from her eyes. “You feeling any better?”

Flurry, a typically hyperactive child, only gave a weak smile. “Hi, Daddy,” she said, her voice cracked and creaking.

Shining couldn’t help but laugh. “Still not great, huh?”

“No.”

“You’ll be back in shape in no time, sweet pea, I promise,” he said, leaning in and kissing her on her forehead, eliciting a giggle. “You been having fun staying home with Mom all day?”

“Mhm. We’ve been watching Mickey Mouse cartoons and she lets me eat ice cream.”

“Hey, that doesn’t sound so bad. I’m a little jealous!” he replied with a grin. “Sorry I haven’t been much fun lately, sweet girl. Daddy’s been pretty busy.”

“It’s OK, Daddy.”

He suddenly found himself in the grips of an idea. “Hey, tell you what,” he said slowly. “This weekend, if you’re feeling better by then, how about we go to the zoo and have some fun, OK? Would you like that?”

“Yeah!” Despite her exhaustion, Flurry’s tiny face glowed with excitement. “I promise I’ll be better by then!”

“I bet you will,” he said. “So let’s make sure to get plenty of sleep tonight, OK? I’ll see you in the morning.”

Shining tucked her in and flipped off the nearby lamp, pulling the door to as he watched his daughter give a wide yawn. If his guess was sure, she would be out in mere moments.

“She’s bigger every time I see her- and I feel like I barely see her at all,” he said to Cadence, walking past her and collapsing on the couch, watching as the Braves landed another homerun against Miami. Having never been a fan of baseball, the sight did nothing to raise his spirits. He felt a heat nearby and saw his wife hovering a plate of food above his face.

“Come on, enough moping,” she said briskly. “You’ll feel better with some food in you.”

They were both college graduates, but she was the one with the Master’s in Psychology. He accepted her words without a fuss, taking a stab at the recooked meatloaf and letting the flavor seep into his mouth. Within minutes, the plate’s contents had disappeared.

“Better?” she asked, a sly smile on her lovely face.

“Much, actually,” he said, planting a kiss on her lips as thanks. “I appreciate the effort.”

She gave a snort of laughter and turned to the TV, relaxing next to her husband as silence fell in between the two. She was the smarter of the two and she knew it, but thankfully possessed the tact to not rub it in.

Shining regarded his wife. She had a beauty comparable only to the greatest of supermodels, flawless in every possible dimension. For a time she actually had been a model, garnering a strong reputation across the country before diverting her time to college, where he had met her. They had worked well together, her matter-of-fact demeanor clashing well with his sports jock attitude. With enough cheek to keep him in check, she was no wimp, having been raised around a boisterous family. The marriage had worked well in the time they had actually spent together, which was less than he was willing to accept.

“It’s really bothering you, isn’t it?” she asked him.

“Huh?”

“You look like you’re thinking about something,” she remarked.

He mulled his words over before speaking. “Does it bother you that I’m never really around?”

“You’ve been back for about a year now,” she said.

“Yeah, I know I’ve been back in country, but am I really here?” he asked. “Do you know what I mean?”

Cadence gave a small nod. “I do. I wish you were more available but at least I know why. I’m not happy with it, but I learn to live with it. I’m more worried about Flurry than myself. She misses you tons, but what’s going to happen when she gets older and she turns to being bitter about it instead?”

“I know,” Shining said heavily, “when the war’s over I’ll take a look at my contract. Maybe I’ll go Reserves- it’d be a big change, but I might be around more often.”

“It’s a good thought, then,” she said pleasantly. “No counseling session needed this time.”

“Speaking of counseling session,” he said, “how’s Reyes been doing? You’ve been working with him for a good six months now, right?”

“Shiny, you know I can’t say anything. If I truly thought he was in danger of killing himself, you’d know by now.”

“Can you not tell me anything?”

“Not a word. What goes on in his sessions is between him and me.”

Shining pulled a face, but didn’t pursue the matter. “How’s his wife doing?”

Cadence paused. In the time she had been at the unit, she and Sunset had become close friends and confidantes, and Cadence had been the first person Sunset had turned to for help all those months ago. This was not the same issue as between she and Reyes, but the respect between friends. “She’s tired,” she admitted.

Shining didn’t say a word but took note of her posture. She was slumped, more huddled together. He may not be a psychologist, but he could tell she was more concerned than before.

“They’re both tough, but she’s been pushing through for the both of them for a while now. They had a day trip into Savannah over the weekend and she said it was an improvement, but she’s sleeping and eating less. With work and stress at home I’m worried she’s going to simply up and collapse one day.”

“Marc will show up,” Shining said assuredly. “He may not have been in the best place but he’s still a good guy. You never really met him before the second deployment. When I first met him in Africa all the way past his wedding, he couldn’t stop talking about her, so many guys had to tell him so shut up. She means the world to him.”

“I don’t doubt that, but she needs him to stand strong again. She’s been doing this alone for a while now.”

“He’s not just sitting there anymore. He’s been having lunch with her every day this week.”

Cadence perked up at that. “Has he really? I haven’t talked to her at all this weekend… how’s that been going?”

“Good, I guess. He’s not telling me details or anything, but he looks better and he’s been acting calmer,” Shining said.

“Well, that’s good. Hopefully it’ll help Sunset feel better as well-”

Shining’s Blackberry began ringing, vibrating madly across the coffee table in an erratic frenzy. “What’s she calling for?” he muttered, taking notice of the number.

“Twilight?”

“Yeah. Hold on a sec,” he said, taking the call. “Little Sis! What’s going on, you’re not still at work are you?”

“Are you?”

She was friendly, but her conversational skills were lacking. “No, I’m not. At home with Cadence-”

“Hey Twilight!” Cadence interjected.

“And trying to relax. What’s going on?”

“Listen, you need to be tracking this. There was another airstrike aimed at Discord this morning. They had him cornered in a town near the Bulgarian border.”

Shining felt his body tense. “Did they kill him?”

“He got away again. That’s the third airstrike that’s failed to a get a confirmed kill. Word from up top is that they’re looking at trying to send in strike teams armed with GoPros so they can get the kill confirmed on record.”

“Are- are you sure you should be telling me this? You’re Intelligence, this could get you in a lot of trouble…”

“Doesn’t matter right now,” Twilight replied. “But they’re not going to send Special Forces after him. They’re going to likely be focused on infiltrating into King Sombra’s capital city so they can end this whole thing. The SecDef suggested sending high-performance batallions after Discord instead, and yours came up on the list.”

Silence. “Are you sure?” Shining asked after he regained his composure.

“Completely. I saw the list myself.”

Shining gave a sigh. “Who are the others?”

“The usual suspects. 2-22 Infantry from 10th Mountain, 2-501 from 82nd Airborne, and 1-506 from 101st.”

“Is there any way of knowing who’s highest on the list?”

“No, not anymore. Only one person has the right to that decision now.”

“Alright… alright. Thanks for the heads-up.”

“Be careful.”

“I will. Thanks, Little Sis,” he said, ending the call and turning to his wife who sensed his disquiet. The night had been a peaceful one, but now it had been torn asunder like cloth. In the silence of his home, he could hear the sounds of war again.
“What’s wrong?”

Shining took a deep breath, trying to gain his composure. “You need to hear this.”

“Sweet fuck, it’s way too fucking late for this,” Bright said unhappily, readjusting the straps on his spurs. “When the fuck are these assholes gonna show up?”

“The whole unit has several people in-processing today,” Cpt. Armor said. “These two guys aren’t the only ones who are showing up today. Relax, Bright.”

Bright merely pulled a face and gave a sigh. “I could be drinking right now,” he said mournfully.

“Oh relax you fuck, the world isn’t gonna end if you don’t booze it up right now. Besides, fucker, I gave you a weekend for that,” replied 1st Sergeant Iron Will.

“Hooah.”

“That looks like Sergeant Tyre with the new guys,” Cpt. Armor said, peering off into the sunlit distance. “Hey, Reyes!”

Reyes, who had been ignoring the others with his nose buried deep in a notebook, initially took no notice. They had been parked outside the barracks for almost an hour now, waiting for the new arrivals.

“Fuck, Reyes, wake the fuck up!” 1st Sergeant roared, startling the younger man out of his absorbed state.

“Oh, jeez- sorry, what’s up?” he said, putting down his pencil and notebook.

“They’re here, boss, time to meet the new meatsacks,” Bright said cheerfully.

“No dark stuff, Bright,” Reyes cautioned.

“Spoilsport.”

“You mean, ‘Roger, Sergeant!’” 1st Sergeant added.

“I need out of this job,” Bright muttered, but was luckily unheard by the others as a group of freshly buzzed, nervous young men approached the building, eyeing the group of seasoned Cavalrymen with caution.

The group came to a halt and stood in formation while a young Sergeant approached Cpt. Armor and gave a salute. “All new soldiers present and accounted for, sir,” he reported.

“Thanks, Sergeant. Go home, we’ve got it from here,” Cpt. Armor replied, looking over at his newest soldiers. “Well… welcome to Fort Stewart, gentlemen. I’m your new Troop Commander, Captain Armor. This is First Sergeant Iron Will. Over to my left are the leaders of Second Platoon, Second Lieutenant Flash Sentry and Sergeant First Class Nye. To my right is First Lieutenant Pharaoh and Staff Sergeant Mac, leaders of First Platoon. You’re probably not gonna see much of me, but these four men will be the ones you work for on a daily basis. Trust them and do what they tell you- I promise they’ll lead you right.”

1st Sergeant immediately leapt onto his Commander’s words, giving the small speech he always gave to incoming soldiers. He gave them his expectations and guidelines, warning and encouraging them to live up to the standards asked of them. The group of young men were hesitant and tense but answered quickly, and before too long were divided up into their various platoons.

“Reyes!” Big Mac yelled, calling his oldest friend over.

“Who’ve Bright and me got?” he said, his eyes settling on two men sitting down next to their new Platoon Sergeant. One was fairly short but was well-built and his eyes were bright and eager, as if the whole experience was something to learn from. The other was wispy and thin as a pencil, watching the others with a nervous air.

“He’s your first line,” Big Mac grunted to the two boyish individuals, hardly old enough to enlist. “If you got any problems, you go to him. Understood?” He then turned to face Reyes without waiting for an answer. “Short one’s name is Rumble. Other one is Featherweight.”

“Alright then,” Reyes said, surveying the two with interest. “Evening, boys. This guy here –Bright, get over here- is my gunner. He’s smart and knows his stuff, so learn as much as you can from him. He’ll be your sponsor, so ask him for anything you need.”

“Yes, Sergeant,” Rumble said, facing the seasoned NCO with confidence.

“Yes, Sergeant,” Featherweight replied, still appearing anxious.

Before too long, the new arrivals were settled and given rooms to drop their stuff, and allowed to change out from their uniforms, much to their relief. Soon the group of four was out on the road again, hunting for food and whatever home supplies they would need. Despite Bright’s advice to simply sleep on a mattress, the two followed the words of Reyes and bought a set of plush bedsheets.

“Never, ever, sleep on the barracks mattresses with nothing on them,” Reyes cautioned, taking a bite of his sandwich. “They’re older than you are and you’re not the first person to sleep on them either.”

“You just had to ruin it, didn’t you?” Bright asked, still surveying the two soldiers with distaste. “I had it perfectly set up…”

“No, you didn’t. You had no point whatsoever,” Reyes said, his gaze returning to Rumble. “Rumble… that is your name, right?”

“Mm? Oh, yes Sarnt,” he responded, nearly choking on his burger.

“OK. Rumble, have I met you before? You look really familiar but I can’t think of why.”

“Umm… no, I don’t think so, Sergeant,” he responded, for the first time displaying hesitancy.

“He’s got a brother who’s in,” Featherweight added.

“Wait a minute…” Bright scrutinized the young man before him. “Yeah, he looks like someone I’ve seen- wait a minute, I got it!”

“Oh jeez, now I see it!” Reyes said, pulling out his phone and flipping through. “I shoulda known- you’re Thunderlane’s little brother, aren’t you? I know that guy, I’ve jumped out of his chopper more than once.”

“Does… does he know I’m here?” Rumble asked unhappily.

“Not that I know of, why? You two hate each other or something?” Bright asked.

“He really didn’t want me signing up,” Rumble admitted. “Thought I’d get myself killed or something. He’s always been way too protective.”

“Well, you know he’s stationed here, right?” Reyes said. “We’ve worked with him a lot over the years, you’re probably gonna run into him.”

“I know, I just… don’t really want to get into another argument about it.”

“Mm. Fair enough,” Bright said, wiping his mouth free of ketchup. “Now come on, I wanna get out of here. I got a thing of Buffalo Trace sitting in my cupboards I wanna destroy. You guys can drink, right?”

“Bright.” Reyes’ face was flat and devoid of emotion. “Don’t. Don’t get them in trouble the very first night they get here.”

“But that’s the fun.”

Reyes could do nothing but shake his head, praying to the highest of heavens he didn’t receive a phone call the following morning. It had been a long enough night already.

“Marc…t..me to wake…”

Marcos couldn’t bear to rouse himself. The sheets were too soft, too warm, too perfect to leave. Sleep was where he dwelled now.

­“Marc… babe, you alright?”

The voice was persistent. Marcos cracked one eye open to see his wife standing next to the bed, looking down at him with a smile on her face.

“He lives,” she said pleasantly, leaning down and gifting him with an unexpected kiss upon his lips. “Hey, it’s a gorgeous day today. Why don’t you get up and help me get this house cleaned up? I could use your help.”

Marcos, barely awake, found himself giving a groan. “Really? That’s how we’re gonna start today? We’re gonna fight?”

“Oh hush, I do really need your help,” Sunset said. “Come on, I’ve got breakfast ready if you want anything.”

As she walked from the bedroom, Marcos found himself watching her as she left, taking note of the waviness of her hair, how her t-shirt hung loosely on her petite frame, the camouflage booty shorts-

“Wait a minute,” Marcos said, jolting upright and instantly awake. He found himself reliving the memory over and over again, watching his wife’s derriere sway with every step. Perhaps that was worth pursuing- if only for a moment.

However, the moment he took his first steps Reyes felt his right leg give way with a sharp Pop! and he fell to the ground in a crash, roaring in pain.

“What’s up?” Sunset said, entering the room and finding her husband struggling to stay erect. “It got injured again, didn’t it?”

“Yeah. Help me out here, I can’t stand too well,” Marcos said through gritted teeth. He took his wife’s arm and limped slowly to the living room where he was deposited on his cushioned seat with a groan.

“Let me take a look,” Sunset said, gently taking hold of his leg and feeling her way across the muscles, looking for signs of damage. Marcos held his breath, trying to ignore the pain that was emanating from his right leg. It was far, far more painful than he was willing to admit.

“Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“Has it been hurting all week?” Sunset inquired, staring at her husband with an icy glare.

Marcos hemmed and hawed, trying to avoid an answer. “Well, maybe a little,” he finally confessed. “It’d twinge every now and then.”

Sunset gave an exasperated sigh. “Marc, come on. You know you can’t do stuff like that. You’re trying to get better, not make things worse.”

“It healed months ago-”

“Yes, I know it did, but you knew it could get reinjured. Why did you just act like everything was fine?”

“I didn’t want you to worry, that’s all.” Marcos became gloomy, avoiding looking at her. “You’ve been going hard for a while now. I didn’t want you having to deal with something else going wrong.”

“I appreciate the thought, but did it really work? Look at yourself now!”

“I know!” Marcos said angrily. “I just… I’ve been enough of a pain in your neck.”

“A pain in the neck I chose to marry,” Sunset said, taking hold of his face in her hand. “And good or bad, I want to be there with you. Stop trying to ignore that, OK?”

“Sunset…” Her gaze had lost its frostiness but remained firm. “Yeah. Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Lemme get you some ice for it,” she said. “Then try to stay off it until you can get seen on Monday, OK?”

“Yeah,” Marcos said, doing his best to ignore the fiery pain in his leg. Judging by how it felt, it had likely been severely damaged once more. Where shrapnel had torn through muscle, a painful wound had continued to fester even after the holes had been filled. Perhaps it had become permanently damaged.

Sunset returned, carrying an ice pack in her hands and placing it strategically on his leg. “Let me know if you need anything, alright?” she said. “I’m gonna get back to work.”

Marcos watched her leave, finding himself again transfixed by her. Why was he doing this? He’d literally seen her naked, why was a clothed version of her so arousing to him?

“Hey, Sunset,” he said slowly.

“Mm?” She paused in the hallway.

“You said you were gonna need my help to get stuff done, right?”

“Yeah, I was going to do some repairs on the shower,” she answered. “Why?”

“Well, I’m not doing much today, it seems,” he said, his mind beginning to formulate a plan. “Why even bother trying on your own? Seems kinda pointless to me.”

Sunset gave a half-smile, already knowing where his mind was going. “Babe, I actually have work to do,” she said.

“Do you now? Do you really?” Marcos replied, shifting over in his seat to afford some extra space, a perfect slot for a young woman to fit beside him.

“Babe, please.”

“Yes, please. Come on, let’s sit around and do nothing all day. You know you want to.”

“Oh hush,” Sunset said, giving a laugh and throwing her cleaning supplies aside. “Well… what have I got to lose?”

“That’s the spirit,” Marcos said enthusiastically, his body glowing as she snuggled in beside him. “Now, what’re we wanting to do? Co-op gaming, Netflix, or plain old TV?”

“Co-op? You coward,” Sunset replied, a vicious smile forming on her features. “I’m going to thrash you and you know it.”

Before too long, the pair of them were exhausted, Marcos by pain pills and Sunset by pure physical exhaustion. As she slowly fell prey to the warm southern sun, she leaned in against her husband, gently falling away into a dreamless sleep. Marcos only gave a small laugh, giving her a small kiss on the cheek.

“Thanks, beautiful girl,” he said.

Author's Notes:

Holy hell, what year is it?!

So much for doing regular updates. This took forever to rouse. I've been staring at a blank screen for months. Whether it was the two months of training we just completed, endless bs, or other stupid crap, it's like I've barely had time to concentrate on much of anything. My bad, y'all.

I think this is one of the more unusual chapters I've done- I don't often have so many cuts or scene changes in my work, so it was interesting to have more differing viewpoints happening than in She's Gonna Kill Me! It was an interesting challenge to take. Hope you enjoy it, and be sure to leave comments and corrections below!