Hostage Rescue (Closed forAngeleyez and NiceandBrutal)

[Angeleyz]

Veronica heard his words as if from a great distance. Words that echoed in her mind, bouncing off one another before they crashed into a cacophony so awful she wanted to do nothing but scream for him to stop... To leave her in silence.

She didn't want to hear about little David, the blond hair, blue eye little scamp that was currently staying with Elizabeth's ex until she got home... David, who would never get to see his mother again, never get to give her a hug... Never...

Choking back a sob, Veronica wanted to tell Scott that it was okay, that there was plenty of blame to go around, but her brain wasn't doing what her heart said it should do. It didn't matter when they attempted the rescue... The fact of the matter was that it still should have been her. Her captors had stopped dragging her upstairs for their sessions towards the end, opting instead to just beat her in her cell. They had seemed to concentrate on Elisabeth she had assumed because she could speak the language and because they got nowhere with Dr Berg, who never yelled or screamed except to call out encouragement to the women that they wouldn't be forgotten. It should have been her!

I'm- I'm so sorry, Veronica!

Her fingers twitched as she tried to reach out to him, hating to hear his pain and wishing she could either stop it or simply join in. Clenching her jaw, she hoped the pain in her face would crack the ice that seemed to entomb her. 'Sorry too, Scott,' she thought to herself, as nothing happened.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Dr Brooks stood in the doorway, peering at Scott over his glasses again. "I think miss Price has had all the emotional upheaval she can endure for one day. Come along Scott." Scott reluctantly stood up and, casting a last glance at Ronnie, said goodbye to her.

He was gently led to Dr. Brooks' office. He was sat down in front of Brooks and gently questioned about his actions. "Why did you go to her, Hartmann?" Scott gathered his thoughts before answering: "I wanted to apologize. If I'd decided to go the day before, Elisabeth Drummond might still be alive." Brooks looked at him for the longest time before answering. "And if you'd gone the day before, how many of your teammates would now be dead? How many children without fathers, how many widows? It is a choice I pray I'll never have to make, Hartmann. Whose lives are more important?"

Scott sighed. "Doc, it wasn't in their job desription to be caught by terrorists and beaten and killed. It is in our job description to get in harm's way. Not without cause, of course. But..." He trailed off. Talking about it just made it seem absurd. It WAS absurd. But still...

They talked some more about the mission. Scott was not convinced he wasn't responsible for Elisabeth's death, but he kept that to himself. The rest of the day and evening saw Scott exercising and talking with some of his teammates. Scott mentioned to his 2IC how Berg had gotten off pretty lightly compared to Ronnie and Elisabeth. His 2IC promised he'd take this up with intelligence.

Then sleep, and with it, nightmares. He slept fitfully as the storm raged outside. But come morning, it started to die down and Scott finally managed to get a few hours of rest.

When he awoke, the sun was out. After shower, breakfast and a new round of headshrinkage he went to the ward to see if Ronnie was awake.

 

[Angeleyz]

A light sleeper since her ER stint when she was finishing up nursing school, Veronica was instantly and terrifyingly aware when someone entered her room. Having spent the night obsessing about what happened to Elizabeth and how it should have been her, she wasn't able to open her eyes right away. It wasn't one of the nurses who always made sure to hum or talk whenever they were coming in to check on her, and the doctor never entered the room without either whistling or clearing his throat. This person, however, seemed to move in a furtive manner, not seeming to realize their plodding steps sounded heavy in the quiet room.

Every muscle in her body tensed, and Veronica was pleasantly surprised to find that the pain wasn't nearly as breath catching as the day before. Murmuring in dismay, however, when a clammy hand picked hers up, she managed to crack her eyes enough to see Dr Berg raise her hand to his lips and place a wet kiss on the back of it.

"Good morning, my dear. How are you feeling today?"

Trying to open her eyes more fully even though they felt gritty and dry, she was able to say "Tired" before closing them once more on the dark haired man beside her.

"Good, good..." he responded in that condensing tone he had, "sign that you're healing..."

Veronica wanted nothing more for him to leave, but he flopped onto the chair that Scott had dragged over the day before, still holding her hand captive. She tried to move her fingers to see if he'd get the hint but to no avail. She sighed softly and did her best to offer the occasional hmmm or uh huh as he prattled on and on. He talked about the sand storm that had finally cleared. He talked about how bored he was and how they wouldn't let him do anything around be hospital. He complained about how bad the food was and how lumpy his bed seemed to be. He whined and moaned until all she wanted to do was beg him to leave.

At some point he either stopped talking or she managed to tune him out because Veronica jerked with a start when she felt fingers stroking her hair. Eyes snapping open, she was nonplussed to find Dr Berg uncomfortably close... holding her one hand while leaning over and staring at her...trailing his other hand along her unscarred cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Veronica," he said in an odd tone.

Having a serious case of déjà vu, Veronica shook her head and tried to shrink away from his touch, wondering what the hell was going on behind that oddly guilty look on his face. She was extremely uncomfortable in the doctor's presence and wished desperately that he would just... go... away....

 

[Niceandbrutal]

The thing about being an élite soldier was the fact that it was a matter of 'when', not 'if' they would reach a physical or mental breaking point. Scott had started caving in mentally, but he was fortunate enough to have teammates and leadership that looked out for him and stopped him when he did. So despite being out of the game for the time being, he was in a good mood as he entered the ward where Ronnie lay. Dr. Brooks had said that it was entirely possible that Scott could rejoin active service if he continued being as forthright as he was.

That being said, there were some questions Scott hadn't been able to answer satisfactorily, mainly why he had grown so attached to Veronica Price.

(in his heart he knew that he was attracted to her, but his rational mind rejected that as absurd)

On his way to the ward he bumped into one of the spooks from intelligence. They'd worked together before and had a good rapport between them, if a bit on the formal side. Scott only knew him by his nic
kname, "Frosty". He thought he might be named that because he was utterly cool under pressure, but Scott always thought of Frosty the snowman.

Frosty and Scott stopped outside Ronnie's room. They looked expectantly at each other until the pause grew pregnant. Finally, Frosty sighed and spoke: "I'm here to pick up Dr. Berg. We've had reports of health teams being hit all over the border region. It's a massacre, frankly. The Taliban and Al Quaida have either got someone on the inside of the aid organization or someone blabbed. After our search for bin Laden, health teams have been viewed with suspicion and there have been isolated episodes of violence. Several aid organizations have started keeping their itineraries secret to all but a select few. These coordinated attacks are proof of someone leaking or blabbing. We have our suspicions," he said as he nodded towards Ronnie's room. "Dr. Berg has been hovering around here ever since he was allowed to move around."

The kind-looking nurse passed by and overheard the last part. "Dr. Berg? He's in there," she said, nodding towards the door of Ronnie's room. She had a small expression of displeasure on her face as she mentioned his name.

Scott knocked and entered to find Dr. Berg hovering over Veronica. There was something almost predatory in the way he was leaning over her, almost causing Scott to lunge forward to seize and haul away Dr. Berg. Frosty beat him to it, though. "Dr. Berg, I am John Smith from the State Department. I need you to come with me for a debrief of what you've been through."

Dr. Berg eyed Frosty with suspicion, but went along peacaby enough. Scott was left standing in the room with Veronica. He cleared his throat again, just as the kind looking nurse entered the room, humming. She smiled at Scott: "Back again, ensign Hartmann?" Scott smiled at her and replied that yes, apparently he was.

"Good!" came the bright and loud reply. It was evident that the nurse wanted Ronnie to hear their conversation. "Well, seeing as you're able to move about freely, and seeing as Veronica here needs to get up and move about before we need to treat her for bedsores, I was hoping you could accompany her on a short walk or two today?"

Scott looked at the nurse that seemed expectant of his answer. "I wouldn't mind at all, unless Ro- Veronica doesn't object." The nurse just smiled and nodded. "I'm sure she won't, ensign," came her cheerful reply. She left the room, humming as she did so. Scott cleared his throat again and said, "I'll be sitting down on your right hand side now, Ronnie." He made a point of making noise as he walked to the chair by her bed and sat down. Then he started a bright little ramble about his morning and the nice weather they were having.

He was forthright about his mental problems without delving into details, and he tried to drive the point across that everyone under duress would break sooner or later. "Everyone's got their breaking point. I've reached mine. Dr. Brooks is optimistic about my joining the teams again. Worst case scenario, I go back to Coronado to train new recruits. But I feel I have some years left in me in the teams."

Then he changed the subject. "The nurse feels you're well enough to move about. I think a change of scenery will be good for you. If you're not able to walk I'll find you a wheelchair. What do you say, Ronnie? Care to have a little walk around the base with me?"

 

[Angeleyz]

Grateful for the distraction that the knock at the door provided, Veronica turned her head and saw Scott and another man enter the room. She instantly relaxed at the sight of her rescuer's commanding presence, and something in her body language must have conveyed that fact to Dr Berg as he squeezed her hand almost painfully, drawing her attention back to him.

Veronica looked up at Dr Berg just as he wiped his expression clean, but not before she saw some dark emotion wing across his face. She couldn't put a name to what it was. It was like he was frightfully angry about something, but she was at a loss for what it could possibly be. All she knew is that she was giddily happy to have someone else in the room with them as Dr Berg was acting so strangely, and felt an overwhelming urge to giggle when kept thinking the new gentleman reminded her of Tommy Lee Jones in Men in Black for some reason.

Dr. Berg, I am John Smith from the State Department. I need you to come with me for a debrief of what you've been through.

Dr Berg straightened up and looked at the man who stood expressionlessly next to Scott. Once again, Veronica felt a crushing hold on her hand and near about whimpered in protest. She couldn't understand how Dr Berg could maintain such a placid expression when he was obviously feeling... irritated... over something, and was happy when he finally released her hand.

He leaned down one last time and whispered in her ear, "We have to stick together, Veronica... We survived together... I'll return as soon as my debrief is done.." before turning and leaving the room with Mr Smith. Puzzling over his odd behavior, she turned her attention to Scott when he cleared his throat again.

Around the same time, one of the nurses entered the room and teased Scott for being back. Veronica wanted to protest for fear that he would leave her alone, dreading the return of Dr Berg, but he seemed to take it good-naturedly. He really was a sweet guy, and she couldn't understand why she should have been so afraid around him before. Hell, he had even agreed to help her walk around, something that was surely beyond the call of duty as her rescuer.

I'll be sitting down on your right hand side now, Ronnie.

Veronica's lips twitched as he proceeded to fill her in on the morning's activities and the weather, but they stilled when he started talking about his mental problems and breaking points. 'Not everyone's got a breaking point,' she thought stubbornly, 'trap it... contain it... build a shield around it.... lock it up.... And never look back.' She wanted to say as much, but she didn't want to sound like she was belittling what he was going through.

The nurse feels you're well enough to move about. I think a change of scenery will be good for you. If you're not able to walk, I'll find you a wheelchair. What do you say, Ronnie? Care to have a little walk around the base with me?

Understanding the need to move to avoid bedsores and definitely ready to see something other than the current four walls, Veronica debated about the use of a wheelchair. She wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to move about on her own, but surely the poor man had already had to deal with her clutching to him enough.

Veronica looked at him and nodded, before she added "no chair," in a low, husky voice.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"no chair,"

Scott just smiled, full of admiration for her resilience. But maybe she was being too tough? Scott from time to time caught a glimpse of something in her eyes, something he'd seen before. It was hard to put a finger on, but he'd seen that expression in the face of his teammates after heavy fighting. After losses.

Scott was conflicted. He felt pretty certain what was going through her head. Something about her surviving and Elisabeth Drummond dying. It was a fickle twist of fate that had spared her and doomed Elisabeth. And Elisabeth's son would grow up without his mother. Scott got upset just thinking about it.

He realized he'd gotten lost in his own thoughts, and he snapped out of it. Best not to talk about Elisabeth with her. "Splendid. I'll see if I can rustle up something non-pyjamas'y for you to wear, and I want to get fatigues for myself as well. I'll be right back!" He beamed as he excused himself and went to the nurse's station. They were more than willing to lend fatigues to Ronnie, and they went about finding clothes for her. Scott made a quick phone call to get his men to pick up some clean fatigues.

Fifteen minutes later he was dressed and ready. He was back in the ward in time to see Ronnie emerge wearing Army fatigues, her injured arm tucked carefully inside the jacket. He smiled brightly again, feeling that his training and experiences and his eventual breakdown was worth the price to see this woman back on her feet. He'd saved lives before by stopping his enemy before they could strike, but this was the first time he'd nabbed persons out of Death's jaws. Ronnie was the tangible evidence that all he'd done and sacrificed hadn't been in vain.

"Let us go then, you and I," he said, quoting from a poem he'd tried to analyze in high school. For some reason, that phrase had stuck in his mind. They walked at a slow pace around the airstrip. They stopped off at the PX to get themselves a treat in the form of ice cream. There was a patio with parasols and chairs facing the airstrip where they could sit and enjoy their ice.

They had been talking about odds and ends on their way here, pointedly avoiding talking about her ordeal. Scott sat there, contemplating the woman he was with and what both she and he had been through. She needed to start talking, even if it wasn't about her kidnapping. As a C-130 Hercules slowly lumbered past them, its engines a loud roar, he asked her: "So tell me, why did you decide to become a nurse?"

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica started to second guess her decision when Scott just looked at her oddly for a few long moments. First, she was afraid that he had only been being polite when he made the offer, perhaps nagged into it by the nurse. Then, she wondered if perhaps he questioned her ability to move around under her own steam.

Lips tightening a little, Veronica stubbornly decided that she'd move around with or without his help, thank you very much, when he suddenly said, Splendid. I'll see if I can rustle up something non-pyjamas'y for you to wear, and I want to get fatigues for myself as well. I'll be right back! She told herself it was only the thought of getting out of bed that had her stomach doing flip flops and not the way his eyes had sparkled as he smiled as he took his leave.

Minutes later, one of the nurses came walking in with a pair of fatigues and some boots that ended up being a little big, but it wasn't like she was going on a date or anything... It was just a little outing to get her muscles moving and to avoid bed sores. Seeing how unsteady she was when she finally stood up, the nurse ended up having to help her get dressed. She would have preferred to do it on her own, but it was better than falling on her face being stubborn. Her hair pulled up in a high ponytail, Veronica carefully made her way out of the room just as Scott was walking up. His smile was infectious, and she couldn't help but offer him a shy smile in return.

Appreciating the fact that he moved slowly as they walked around the airstrip, Veronica had to wonder if the slower pace was grating on his nerves... especially as they passed soldiers getting their daily runs in and his gaze tracked their every movement. He never complained though as he played the friendly tour guide, pointing out various planes, vehicles and other miscellaneous military equipment. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she'd never remember the various factoids that he imparted to her, but instead let his smooth baritone voice distract her from the aches and pains that were starting to make themselves known with a vengeance.

When he suggested stopping at the nearby PX for a treat, Veronica agreed without hesitation, afraid that if they kept going that she'd need to ask for a wheelchair after all. Hoping she'd be able to continue under her own steam after a little break, she was thankful for a chance to sit down as they settled into chairs on the patio.

They had been sitting there eating their ice cream in a companionable silence when Scott asked why she had become a nurse. Veronica didn't want to bore him with an overly drawn out rendition of the car accident in college, her long and painful recovery and her desire to 'play it forward' so to speak for all of the excellent care she had received during the whole process. And she most definitely didn't want to address Mo and Corina's deaths, so she settled with a condensed version, ending up with, "...and it just seemed liked a logical way of honoring everyone who had helped me get back on my feet again."

Pausing a moment, Veronica turned the tables back towards him, asking him in a light, somewhat teasing tone, "And you... What inspired you to become GI Joe?"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

She had skirted around the issue of her dead friends he'd read about in the brief about her. He decided not to challenge her on it. It was not his job nor his place to do so. As it was, he was happy he'd gotten her to talk at all.

"And you... What inspired you to become GI Joe?"

Scott was caught a bit off guard when she turned his question back on him. Especially her light almost teasing tone caught him off guard. She was building walls, trying to shut down negative feelings and thoughts. That might come back to haunt her.

"Me? Well... I joined up before 9/11. I, uh, I needed to get away from my life, to be perfectly frank with you. My mother had just died and I was angry at the world. I lashed out at everyone and everything that got near me. My father shut down after mom died and my sister was establishing her own family. It was Caroline that sat me down one day and chewed me out. I'd finished high school and was just drifting from one dead-end job to another. She told me to get a grip, to get over things already."

Scott chuckled softly at the memory. "Boy, was she ever mad at me. We had a screaming match to wake the nieghbours, but she got through to me in the end. College and university wasn't an option, and there was not much steady work for a high school graduate with average grades. So one day I walked past a recruitment office, and I figured "what the hell" and joined the navy. During basic training they kept talking about these SEALs, these crazy snake eaters that went behind enemy lines and blew shit up. I applied for BUD/S selection and was accepted. Not only that, I passed on the first try."

The Hercules at the end of the runway had finally started moving, the changing pitch of the engines almost muting the sound before the roar was back with a vengeance. As it slowly rumbled down the runway, Scott continued his tale. "After 9/11 we got very busy, as you can imagine. We dropped in here and were in action almost immediately. Then Iraq with that special kind of- what the hell?"

The Hercules had lifted off and had started banking. From one of the out lying hills a plume of smoke manifested itself as something small and black raced towards the transport plane with unseemly speed, trailing smoke behind it. The black object divided into five smaller objects that traced unerringly towards the large plane. Scott could only watch in horror as the five separate missiles tore into the fuselage of the C-130, breaking it up into several pieces as kinetic energy and explosions tore it apart.

In seeming slow motion, the plane plummeted towards the ground. At the same time, Scott felt more than he heard Taliban mortars firing. Yelling "INCOMING!" at the top of his voice, he grabbed Ronnie and dove for cover as mortar rounds impacted around them. It was a quick bombardment that lasted for 30 seconds but felt like 2 hours. Scott shook like a leaf as he covered Ronnie with his body. When the bombardment lifted, he heard american counter-battery fire slamming into the hills as the base alarm started wailing.

With a strange sense of deja vu he lifted Ronnie in his arms and ran like a madman back to the hospital. He ran back to the ward and got her back in her room. "These walls are sturdy enough for anything but a direct hit. You're safe here. You're safe. We're safe." He gingerly put her down, fear in his eyes.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica noticed Scott's eyes widening ever so slightly at her question and wondered if she had asked too personal of a question. It had only seemed logical given his questioning, and she really didn't want to talk about herself. Then again, she had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't a date, that he was only being nice and helping her get a wee bit of exercise.

Somewhat initially uncomfortable when he began with his reactions to his mother's death, her lips twitched as he described the blow up with his sister, unable to believe there was anyone he couldn't immediately bulldoze over. It certainly didn't surprise her to hear that he had passed his SEAL training in a single attempt, but she knew it wasn't the typical applicant that could pass the grueling six month basic underwater demolition/SEAL course like that... thanks to a friend of hers that had attempted it on three different occasions.

Once the plane passed them and he continued with his tale, Veronica listened attentively, although she didn't immediately comprehend that his distracted muttering of what the hell wasn't actually part of his accounting. Noticing the direction of his gaze, she turned to look the same way although she didn't understand what she was seeing when the black streak in the air suddenly became five. She gasped when the plane that had just taken off suddenly exploded and started to fall to the ground.

One minute she was hearing fireworks and the next minute Scott was screaming something as he pushed her out of the chair and landed on her. Seconds later the entire world around them was filled with loud explosions as things hit the ground nearby. At first she thought the explosions were from the plane parts hitting the ground, but there seemed to be too many.

Sandwiched protectively against the hard patio by Scott's equally hard body, Veronica struggled to understand what was going on that had even Scott scared. When the nearby explosions finally stopped and an alarm sounded, she finally put two and two together and realized the base was under attack. She immediately froze as she started comparing her capture to the recent activities.

Veronica was distantly aware when Scott scooped her up in his arms and ran back to the hospital. Despite being tucked up against his chest, she shook like she had been swimming in ice water as images of the capture, beatings, questionings, tortures, beatings, questionings, tortures and more beatings clicked through her mind.Oh my god, they've come back for me! It wasn't until Scott put her gently down that she realized they were back in her room.

These walls are sturdy enough for anything but a direct hit. You're safe here. You're safe. We're safe.

The naked fear in his eyes set off the answering torrent of terror she had been trying to lock down. "Please don't let them get me again," she begged Scott over and over, clutching his arm in supplication, "please don't let them get me!"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Scott's nerves were raw and jagged, the unexpected attack setting him off as ten years of almost constant fighting took its toll. He was scared, confused, lost. The only thing that mattered to him beside his almost overbearing fear was whether or not Ronnie was safe. He'd gotten her back to her room, but-

"Please don't let them get me again, please don't let them get me!"

She clung to his arm as if her life depended on it, the fear in her eyes mirroring his own, breaking his heart. The sight of her naked fear and her begging him for safety galvanized him. He gave her a quick hug before gently taking hold of her head to look her square in the eyes. "I will die if that's what it takes to make you safe, Ronnie," he said with a soft voice. "You are safe here. WE are safe here."

He spoke without real conviction. He knew that what he'd seen was weaponry far more sophisticated than anyone suspected the Taliban of posessing. This could be serious. "I will be back, Ronnie," he said, sprinting out of her room. He ran back to the miniature SEAL compound to pick up his body armor and small arms. The sight that greeted him wasthe second sucker punch that day, far worse than seeing the plane being shot down. They had suffered a direct hit.

His room was miraculously unharmed, but there was an effort to save his wounded and dying teammates. He couldn't stand by while that was going on, so he dove headfirst into the effort, being trained as a medic himself. They used the better part of an hour to canvass the SEAL compound until all his men were accounted for. His 2IC had been decapitated by shrapnel, and two more teammates were dead. Four more were so badly wounded that they might not ever work as SEALs again. As it was, there were five active SEALs left standing including Scott.

Scott grabbed his gear and went to the hospital again. The chaos there was palpable, but it was an organized chaos he recognized and could thrive in. He set about helping where he could, forgetting Ronnie for the time being. Two hours later, and he remembered a promise he'd made. He went back to her room which, miracle of miracles, was still hers.

He went inside and told her in a cold voice what had happened to his team. He couldn't afford to break down again, but the sight of her made him soften up, remembering how he'd scared her before. It was an effort to break character as Scott Hartmann, hardass SEAL commander, but she didn't need to be afraid of HIM on top of everything else.

"I'll have to go be a soldier again, much as I hate to." The words had barely left his mouth before he realized what he'd said. Much as I hate to. That was it. When this was over, he'd ask for an honourable discharge. "Yeah, much as I hate to, I'll have to be a soldier once more." he said softly, a smile of relief gracing his face.

His comms came alive, the squawking voice calling him effectively breaking the mood and making him assume character as Scott Hartmann, killing machine. He and the rest of his team was going to war again. With a last look at Ronnie he exited her room and ran to the intel shack.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms when Scott gave her the hug, only feeling safe when his strong arms were entwined around her. However, he ended the hug way too quickly and her panic attack started coming on strong again.

I will die if that's what it takes to make you safe, Ronnie. You are safe here. WE are safe here.

Veronica wished she could believe his words, but the almost defeated look in his blue eyes told a much different story. Still, everything within her rebelled at the thought that he could and would die keeping her safe. No more deaths... No more deaths... She hated seeing anyone in pain and yearned to reach out to him, but before she could he was sprinting out of the room, calling I will be back, Ronnie over his shoulder.

Sinking onto the chair next to her bed before she collapsed, Veronica continued to wrestle with her panic attack, trying to calm her breathing and clear her head. This was stupid and not going to help anyone if she completely flipped out, but it still took longer than she would have liked to slam the mental walls shut and find a semblance of clear thinking.

One of the nurses would peek in from time to time to see if she was alright, but they were clearly swamped with injuries that needed to be tended. Veronica felt completely useless when she knew her skills could be utilized. Even Dr Berg had been called up to assist. She had been fretting about it when Scott returned, and she was saddened to hear about how his team had been practically decimated, but she was more upset seeing him returning to the hardened solider of before even if she understood why he was doing it. Perhaps our coping mechanisms aren't all that different...

I'll have to go be a soldier again, much as I hate to. Veronica's eyes widened even as she saw that Scott had registered what he had said. Yeah, much as I hate to, I'll have to be a soldier once more. She wasn't sure what the smile of relief meant that crossed his face, but was worried that it could lead him into doing something that would get him hurt... or... killed. She was getting ready to speak when something obviously was said over his communications device. No additional words passed between them before he left the room, but she hoped he knew to be careful.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Entering the intel shack, he bumped into Dr. Berg as he was exiting, redeyed and with an angry look on his face. Inside was Frosty, Dr. Brooks, and the base commander as well as the rest of his team. Dr. Brooks spoke: "Much as I hate to do this, I am reinstating you as commander of the team." Frosty took over: "The Taliban have got their hands on some choice pieces of hardware, and they're decimating any aircraft getting near. We have pilots down and we have reason to believe the SAM's they're employing are next-generation portables. Now, we need to hunt them down on the ground. As far as SPECOPS capability goes, you and your team are it, Scott. The Rangers are excellent light infantry, but you are the sneaky devious bastards. We need you to perform miracles, frankly."

Scott sighed as his hands started shaking again. He didn't like the sound of this. They went through what little intel they had and co-ordinated callsigns and frequencies with a mobile force eqipped with armored personnel carriers as well as with the base artillery. When the briefing was done and they checked their gear, Frosty pulled Scott aside. "I need to talk to you, Scott. Keep this undr that big ugly bushhat of yours, but Dr. Berg sold out medical teams in Pakistan to save his own skin. That's why he got treated far better than Elisabeth Drummond and Veronica Price. They were beaten because Al Quaida needed confirmation of what Berg had told them. We've received reports of co-ordinated attacks on medical teams, Scott. So far, 40 are confirmed dead."

Scott felt his anger start to rise, but he couldn't act on this. It was classified. Instead he focused on the mission ahead. They'd be out most of the night, dodging and weaving and fighting for their lives. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, finding the resolve to go out there to save the day. He rose abruptly: "You know the drill, gentlemen. Let's go to war!"

-----------------------------

The morning after, they returned. His team were down to three men, including himself. They had spearheaded several quick assaults on Taliban positions, but the morning saw the enemy still in charge of several hillsides. The threat to the aircrafts remained, although Scott's team had managed to get hold of one of the new SAM launchers. Scott and his men looked like they'd been through hell. Grimy and dirty, spattered in blood after a knife fight with Taliban soldiers, and limping after a successful hit, Scott needed rest. But he had to get his wound looked at. And he needed to see that Ronnie was okay.

The knifewound was superficial, but he'd limp the next couple of days. After being sutured by the same doctor that had chewed him out the first night after they'd returned from the rescue mission, Scott headed for Ronnie's room. Extremely tired, Scott didn't stop to think how he looked before he entered.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica trudged down the hallway to her room, one foot in front of the other, head down and shoulders slumped. God was she tired. Tired of feeling completely useless as the rest of the medical staff rushed from one injured solider to the next. Tired of holding back the terror that would have her running screaming though the corridors. Tired of feeling like she had to hide from Dr Berg, who continually turned up wherever she went, fawning over her, crowding her... giving her the heebie jeebies. Tired of wondering if Scott was alive or...

Cutting short her thoughts with the same iron fist that kept her terror locked down, she walked in her room and pushed the door closed, wondering if it would be any better at keeping Dr Berg at bay than its previous attempts. She would have mentioned something to one of the nurses, but she was reluctant to ask them for anything to to do anything right now when they so obviously had their hands full. Even still, she noticed that at least one of the nurses always seemed to pop in when Dr Berg had her cornered in her room. 'If it's not one siege, it's another,' she thought faintly hysterical.

Sinking down on the chair, Veronica let her head fall backwards, resting it carefully against the wall. God she was tired, but she couldn't sleep... Hadn't really since Scott had gone dashing out of the room. It was as if she wouldn't be able to sleep until she knew he was okay.

After he had left, Veronica had been forced to listen to the hubbub outside her room for what seemed like hours, before she had finally emerged from her room as they were wheeling one of what must have been Scott's fellow SEALs down the hall. The man was obviously in excruciating pain and had been fighting the nurses who were trying to get him stabilized for the next round of surgery. She hadn't been able to stop herself from pushing forward and taking his hand, while muttering soft words of comfort. She had thought only to keep him calm until they wheeled him into surgery, and was surprised by how readily he acquiesced to her pleas to be calm.

When it was time to detangle their hands, Veronica had to promise that she'd be waiting for the young soldier when the surgery was over, and she kept the promise despite Dr Berg coming up and trying to get her place to her own room. She had tried not to flinch every time he placed his clammy hands on her and had hoped her monosyllabic responses would drive him away faster, but he had stuck to her like glue. Eventually she had stayed with the young man, whose name she couldn't even recall now, long after he had finally succumbed to his post-Ops sedatives. Knowing how much Scott cared for his team, it was the least she could do.

When Veronica had finally returned to her room, she had been unpleasantly surprised to find Dr Berg standing next to her bed. Dear lord, tell me he was not just smelling my pillow. He had recovered nicely by saying he was getting her bed ready for her seeing as how exhausted she looked, but she knew what she had seen. She just didn't know to how to interpret it! Thankfully, one of the nurses had wandered in and had chased Dr Berg out so that she could take her vitals and what not. Unfortunately, it hadn't kept him out for long and so she had taken to wandering the halls, looking for any way she could help, if nothing more than a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a soft smile to comfort.

Eyelids heavy, Veronica was struggling to keep them open when someone pushed open the door and walked in. Sitting up with a start, she was unable to keep the small squeak of fright escape her lips. It took her a few frightfully long seconds to recognize the dirty, bloodied man who stood over her, and equally long seconds to push words past her hoarse throat, "You're hurt?"

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Her jump and squeak as he entered the room jolted him. He should have showered and changed before comig to see her. No, strike that. He should have showered, changed and slept. But the damage was done, he'd entered her room looking like an extra scary Halloween doll. He placed his rifle against the wall after removing the ammo clip and removing the round from the chamber.

He limped towards her and sat down next to the bed as she asked him "You're hurt?"

The concern in her voice awakened something in him. He cast his mind back to the night's fighting... ...how they had successfully silenced Taliban sentries by sneaking up behind them and slit their throats... ...how he'd retched as he cut open the carotid arteries of a young frightened man who fought pathetically against him while his life quickly drained out his neck... ...how Evans caught a round in his head but was miraculously still alive as he was evacuated... ...how Berger had been shot in the face and killed outright as he tripped on some rocks while sneaking up on another group of Taliban fighters...

He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a cry of pain. "You should see the other guy," he ventured, nervous laugh being replaced by a thick quavering voice as he started to shake and weep. For a few minutes, he shut out everything but himself and her, feeling safe with her.

His alertness kicked back in when the door opened behind him. He looked around and saw Dr. Berg standing in the doorway. It started as a guttural growl: "You!"

Anger overtaking him, Scott stood up. "YOU!" He was across the room in two quick and angry strides, his anger blocking the pain and hence the limp. "You BASTARD! You sold them out! People are DEAD because of you, you snivelling fucking hyena! You sold your colleagues out and let the terrorists beat up Veronica and KILL Elisabeth, didn't you, you fucking COWARD!"

He'd worked himself into a white hot fury by now. He collared Berg and shoved him against the wall. He put his left forearm against Berg's trachea and pushed hard enough to give him trouble breathing. His right hand found his knife, and he pulled it. Still covered in sticky half congealed blood, he held it up for Berg to see. "Now you listen to me "doctor", and you listen good! I don't want you anywhere NEAR this brave woman, knowing what you've done. If I hear ANY complaints about you bothering her, I WILL GUT YOU!"

He smacked Berg's forehead with the flat side of his knife, leaving a smear of a dead man's blood there. Then he released Berg, who sank to the floor, gasping. Scott sheathed his knife and took him by the cuff of his shirt and threw him out of the room. Then he loosened his utility belt containing his knife and his sidearm and left it by his rifle.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Ronnie. But he sold you and Elisabeth out, along with several of your colleagues. I'm so sorry." He stood in the middle of the room, already regretting his violent action.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica alternated between relief at seeing Scott was alive and horror at the blood covering him. The haunted look in his eyes spoke of horrors only he could see, but she could plainly hear the pain in his voice as he choked out, You should see the other guy," before breaking down into shaking and tears. She reached out and hesitantly placed a hand on his knee, but she wasn't sure how much comfort he wanted versus just needed an outlet to just let everything go.

Perhaps that's why she was so taken aback when he once again went into a frenzy when Dr Berg came to the door. One moment he was in quiet torment, the next moment he was growling. One moment he was sitting, the next moment he was practically running across the room at Dr Berg. One moment he was almost silently crying, letting out whatever was tearing him up, and the next moment he was screaming and yelling something at Dr Berg about selling people out.

Unable to keep up with the torrent of words spewing from Scott, Veronica pushed herself up with a gasp when Scott pinned Dr Berg to the wall, clearly making it hard for him to breath. She swallowed her words when Scott whipped out his knife and almost taunted the doctor with it. She was terrified that she was going to watch Scott do something crazy and all she could do was look on with a trembling hand over her mouth. Call security... I should call security...

Now you listen to me "doctor", and you listen good! I don't want you anywhere NEAR this brave woman, knowing what you've done. If I hear ANY complaints about you bothering her, I WILL GUT YOU!

The part of her that had been tired of feeling stalked by Dr Berg silently cheered at Scott's words, but the rest of her was appalled by the violence that Scott seemed to be barely containing. When he threw Dr Berg out of the room, her nurse's training wanted to propel her outside and to check on him, but other instincts had her frozen in place, warily watching as Scott turned back towards her, after dropping the knife and what looked like a gun next to the rifle leaning against the wall.

I'm sorry if I frightened you, Ronnie. But he sold you and Elisabeth out, along with several of your colleagues. I'm so sorry.

Veronica stood there shaking, her hand having dropped from her mouth to clutch at her throat. Torn between wanting to rush the big oaf and either kiss him or slap him silly, she struggled to understand what had just transpired. She took a tentative step backward, bumping up against the bed, as she muttered, "I don't understand... This isn't making any sense."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Her face, a mask of shock and horror, broke his heart. She backed away from him, seemingly afraid of him. Scott wished he could do the last five minutes over as he regretted his anger and his actions. He was about to say something, ANYTHING, when she spoke. He might just have misinterpreted her.

"I don't understand... This isn't making any sense."

Scott realized it wasn't all fear for him that made her back away with that look on her face. He'd thrown out accusations at Berg, and she was out of the loop. He sighed as he retreated back to the wall next to the door and sank down on the floor.

"You don't know, do you? It's been on the news and everything, apparently, but our satellite relay was knocked down by the mortars. It's- I-"

He hesitated. He really, truly didn't want to be the bearer of more bad news. But Dr. Berg seemed to have taken an unhealthy liking to her. It was the way he looked at her, Scott realized. A hungry approval-seeking sort of look mingled with an opportunistic lust. Scott knew that look. He was a user of women. He'd had enough of those under his command, sneaking off to hit on the nurses and other female troops, shrouding themselves with an air of mystery. It was the same with some doctors, Scott knew.

Speaking of which, he could hear Dr. Berger dimly from out in the hallway. "He was trying to kill me! He's out of control! He'll kill Veronica!" Scott hoped his version wouldn't be too different from Ronnie's version if it ever came to trial. But he needed to tell her the truth.

"Ve- Ronnie, I hate adding to your burden, but it seems that Peter Berg let slip some information to save his skin. The terrorists worked over you and Elisabeth to substantiate what he'd told them. You and Elisabeth were- are made of sterner stuff than Berg. It cost Elisabeth her life. It cost little David his mother. It nearly cost you your life as well. And I'd hate to see that happen."

His voice was flat with fatigue yet heavy with emotion. All the time he talked he stared at her scar, not daring to make eye contact lest his eyes betray the developing feelings he had for her.

"By the last reports from Pakistan, 45 of your colleagues have been killed in co-ordinated attacks like we've come to know Al Quaida to strike. I hate being the bearer of more bad news, Ronnie. God, you must hate my living guts by now. Nothing but bad news and angry outbursts. Maybe me coming here wasn't such a great-"

He was interrupted as the door flew open and four MP's entered the room. They looked nervously at Scott as they hesitantly started positioning themselves around him to grab him. "I'll be alright, Ronnie. Boys, I'm not gonna fight you." He slowly stood up and assumed the position, docile like a lamb. They patted him down and removed any objects perceived as dangerous in the hand of a SEAL. Then they cuffed him as Scott was read the charges of assault and threats. The MP's brought his gear as they led him out of Veronica's room. He looked back to get a final glimpse of her.

As the door to her room shut behind them, he saw Dr. Berg in the hallway with a gloating expression on his face. He moved towards Ronnie's door and entered her room. Scott could only hope she'd believed him.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica was.... numb. There was just no other words to describe it. Shocked didn't seem strong enough, and angered wasn't right either as she couldn't feel anything, not yet... No sense of betrayal... No cry of denial... No nothing... All she could do was stand there and breathe while she waited to process everything that Scott had told her, sort through feelings that she prayed she'd eventually get to and then try to figure out what she was going to do next.

That was why she made no sign of movement when Dr Berg initially burst through the door, crying, "Veronica! Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?" The next thing she knew, Dr Berg had enveloped her in a full body hug, pressing her head against his chest, despite a small murmur of protest, and prattling on about keeping her away from that madman. She tried to raise her head, but he kept pushing it back, stroking the back of her head.

"Veronica, that soldier is clearly deranged... You saw what he did to me. All I did was come into your room and he flew into a rage. He tried to choke me.... He pulled a knife... He clearly is a danger to those around him and should be locked up," Dr Berg continued his tirade, all the while holding her in an overly familiar manner despite the rigid way she held herself.

A little voice in the back of her head pointed out that Dr Berg had said nothing of the accusations that Scott had flung during his rampage. Those same accusations were suddenly ringing loudly in her ears...Berg let slip some information to save his skin... terrorists worked over you and Elisabeth to substantiate what he'd told them... It cost Elisabeth her life. It cost little David his mother.... 45 colleagues have been killed in co-ordinated attacks...

Tears filled her eyes as she thought about Elizabeth and David. Surely Dr Berg wouldn't have said something that would have lead to Elizabeth's death. He had been beaten and tortured just as much as they had, hadn't he? Blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling, Veronica realized she hadn't seen much bruising on Dr Berg, but told herself it was possible that there was damage that just wasn't visible. Why would Scott lie though? There's no reason for him to lie...

Veronica couldn't get her last memory of Scott out of her mind. Being led docilely out of the room by four large MPs, the look on his face full of regret. Regret for what? Lying to her? He said it was all over the news. She should be able to easily confirm whether he spoke the truth or not. Regret for the violence? If she found out that he spoke the truth, she wasn't sure if she could hold back the need to pummel the doctor herself. Regret for leaving her behind? He hadn't been able to look her in the eye for most of the time he was in the room. In fact, looking back, it seemed like he had stared at her old scar. Perhaps he found it repulsive...

Her thoughts were interrupted as Dr Berg tilted her head up, searching her face. "It's okay, Veronica... I'll keep you safe from him," he said softly, clearly misreading whatever was there. He went to stroke her cheek, and Veronica tried to step away. His arm tightened around her, and he backed her against the bed. "Veronica... You're upset...let me take care of you..."

Veronica tried to bring her hands up between them, but he held her too tightly to get any leverage. His lips tightened slightly as he murmured, "I just want to take care of you..." When his head started lowering, all Veronica could do was stare. Please tell me he's not trying to kiss me...

Right before his lips made contact with hers, the door was flung open and one of the nurses bustled in. "Okay, Ver....," she started to say and then pulled up abruptly when she caught sight of her and Dr Berg. Seconds ticked by before the nurse said in a polite voice, "Dr Berg, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I need to get Veronica checked out before her next round of x-rays... Dr Sullivan wants to make sure her ribs are healing correctly."

Veronica barely contained the gasp of pain from spilling out when Dr Berg's arms tightened around her unexpectedly at the nurse's words. She stood mutely when he kissed her cheek and told her that he'd be back later, relaxing only when he finally left the room. Sinking down onto the bed, she let out a deep sigh and looked up to find the nurse watching her in concern. Licking her dry lips, she finally asked hesitantly, "Is it... possible... to... um... to... keep Dr Berg... away... from... me?"

"Absolutely, hon," came the immediate response, "let me see what I can get worked out. For now, let's get you laying down for a rest." At Veronica's questioning look, she added, "You don't have any X-rays planned for now. I just thought you'd like a break from the good doctor." Smiling for the first time all day, Veronica allowed herself to be 'tucked in' and closed her eyes for some much needed sleep.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

DAMN IT, ENSIGN HARTMANN!!! WHAT IS IT WITH YOU ASSAULTING CIVILIANS ON MY BASE!?

Scott stood at attention. The chewing out of him had been going on for the last ten minutes. He stood there taking it, stoic calm etched across his face. He knew he'd get in real trouble over this after the siege was lifted. Not that he cared. His soldiering days were over. If it ever came to trial, he'd have to rely on the good graces of the jury and that someone came to his defence.

The base commander stared at Scott, a vein bulging on his forehead. "If it weren't for the fact that you and your ever dwindling number of SEALs are vital to the defense of this base, I'd have you up on charges in an instant, ensign. Make no mistake about that." Great. Now he'd started repeating himself.

There was a knock on the door as Dr. Brooks and Frosty entered the room. "WHAT!?" barked the base commander. Dr Brooks calmly spoke about the immense pressure Scott had been under and that he shouldn't be back in active duty at all had it not been for the extreme circumstances they were facing. He told about the guilt Scott felt about not being able to save Elisabeth and guilt over the loss of so many of his men. Then Frosty took over and told about the interview they'd conducted with Dr. Berg where he admitted to selling out his co-workers to avoid beatings or death.

The base commander softened as the two men spoke in Scott's defense. With a grudging "all right", he dismissed Scott, Brooks and Frosty. "But Hartmann, drag that toe over the line again and I WILL have you up on charges! Are we clear!?" Scott answered in the affirmative and executed a crisp salute. When the commander saluted back, he did an about face and marched smartly out of the office.

After thanking both men, he returned to the hospital, wanting to see if Ronnie was alright. Getting to her room, he saw Berg argue with a very stubborn looking nurse. "But we're colleagues," he could hear Berg snivel. Scott cleared his throat. "What's going on here, chickenshit? You giving these nurses a hard time?" Berg whirled around and paled as he beheld Scott approaching. "Didn't they jail you!?" he asked, horrified. "Scott allowed himself a lazy gloating grin as he replied: "Nah. Us SEALs have get-out-of-jail-free cards tattooed on out butts. Didn't you know? Now make like a hockey player and get the puck outta here, Berg. I'm in no mood to listen to your sniveling and neither is Veronica, I suspect."

Berg reluctantly backed away, and Scott could have sworn he saw a grin on the nurse's face as she walked away from the door to Veronica's room. Scott calmed down and composed himself before knocking quietly on her door.

He entered the room cautiously. "Hi Ronnie. They let me off with a warning."

 

[Angeleyz]

It felt like she had just fallen asleep when Veronica was jolted awake by the loud voice of Dr Berg giving someone a what for about not being allowed to check on her. Groaning softly, she rubbed her eyes, wishing she could burrow under her pillow and hide, but she wanted to make sure she knew if he entered the room. Pushing herself up, she stared at the door half afraid he'd end up steamrolling his way in like before. She couldn't quite hear all that was being said, but she was grateful that whomever was guarding the door seemed to be winning.

God she was tired. So tired that it seemed like her brain was refusing to think straight until she got caught some zzzz's. She knew she needed to follow up on what Scott said... on what he accused Dr Berg of doing, but right now she was desperate for a 30 minute cat nap.

At some point, it seemed like another person joined the conversation outside her door as there were subtle differences in the pitch of the voices. Whatever was going on, the voices were creating enough white noise that she yawned and let her head drop back onto the pillow. Fighting her eyelids was getting harder and harder, but the thought of Dr Berg catching her unaware was enough to cause them to jerk open every time.

Her eyelids had just fluttered closed once more when Veronica heard a soft knock other door and saw Scott slowly walk in. Hi Ronnie. They let me off with a warning. She offered him a drowsy smile despite her earlier concerns. "Good," she said softly.

"Can... I..." Veronica asked hesitantly, wondering if he'd think she was losing it. "Would you... Would you mind... " She closed her eyes so that she wouldn't have to see his expression when she finally asked. "Would you mind just hanging out here... Just for a little bit... So I could sleep. Just in case Dr Berg... Comes back?" She hurriedly added, "just 30 minutes... If you don't mind..."

 

[Niceandbrutal]

"Can... I... Would you... Would you mind... Would you mind just hanging out here... Just for a little bit... So I could sleep. Just in case Dr Berg... Comes back? just 30 minutes... If you don't mind..."

The sight of her, all cross-eyed from drowsiness made him smile, despite the still fresh evidence of the beatings she'd endured. She was cute when she was drunken with sleep. Despite immense fatigue, despite not having eaten, and despite the fact that he still was grimy and spattered with blood, Scott didn't have the heart to turn down her request.

"I'll stay here, Ronnie. I'll keep you safe. Berg's been banned from your room. He's made a nuisance of himself. But I'll stay here if that means you can get some decent sleep." He patted her good hand gingerly, speaking with a soft and low voice. He'd used that voice to put his niece to sleep when he'd been babysitting her back home one leave.

He watched Ronnie fall asleep. He managed to fill his head with happy thoughts for once, the memory of his niece Jessica being a solid anchor for those thoughts. Him sitting by her bed until she fell asleep, wanting his soldier uncle to ward off the monsters she knew to be hiding under the bed. Taking her to see "The Nutcracker" right before Christmas, watching her awestruck face as the story progressed. She'd taken up dancing after that, and she was doing well if the letters from home were anything to go by. The way she'd screamed "Uncle Scotty" when he'd arrived without warning when he'd gotten a leave on short notice, crying as she barreled into him and hugged him fiercely.

A tear rolled down Scott's cheek at the memory. He realized his eyes had closed and his head had rolled and snapped as sleep threatened to engulf him. Ronnie slept on, exhaustion on her face as she breathed deeply. Her body was healing and she'd gone from one emotional turmmoil to another. Poor kid, she really didn't deserve this.

He got up from the chair and paced around the room, wanting more than anything to keep awake so he could keep his promise to her. He'd ward off her monsters as well if need be. He stopped as she started muttering in her sleep. She sounded increasingly panicked, so Scott knealed by the side of the bed and spoke again in his soothing voice. "Just sleep, Ronnie. It's me, Scott. I am here to keep you safe. Forget whatever it is that's troubling you and sleep on. You are safe here."

If it was his words that got through to her, or if it was something else, Scott didn't know. But her mumbling and muttering ceased. Still knealing by the bed, Scott felt sleep overtaking him. He turned and sat down, his back to Ronnie, leaning on her bed. And that's how he fell asleep.

 

[Angeleyz]

I'll stay here, Ronnie. I'll keep you safe. Berg's been banned from your room. He's made a nuisance of himself. But I'll stay here if that means you can get some decent sleep.

Between his careful touch on her hand and his deep voice so softly promising to stay, Veronica had what she needed for her body to completely relax and did so at an astonishing rate. She distantly knew she should thank him... to say something... anything to acknowledge his agreement, but she couldn't fight the cocoons of slumber that were slowly weaving their way around her battered body and mind. The last thing she was consciously aware of was the comforting weight of Scott's gaze and the odd wish that she could snuggle up on his chest and feel his arms wrap around her.

She was in her hospital room sleeping when Dr Berg suddenly burst through the door. There was no sign of Scott, although his rifle and utility belt were over by the door. Dr Berg rushed to her side and grabbed her hand, squeezing it painfully and muttering something about having to protect her from Scott. But she didn't want protection from Scott. In fact, he was supposed to be the protection from him! Dr Berg grew increasingly agitated as she attempted to extract her hand from his crushing grip. The next thing she knew, he was in her face, eyes as cold as one of her former captors, asking her through gritted teeth if she wanted him to turn her back over to them... saying that they were on their way now to recapture her... to finish what they had started... until she was as dead as Elizabeth.... unless she got the ban to her room lifted. She had to find Scott... To warn him that the siege was all her fault when she heard his voice from a great distance...

Just sleep, Ronnie. It's me, Scott. I am here to keep you safe. Forget whatever it is that's troubling you and sleep on. You are safe here.

As if a guardian angel was whispering in her ear, the images of Dr Berg and his cold eyes melted away, and she entered in a blissfully dreamless state where Scott was once again nearby and all was safe.

+++++++++++++++++

One minute she was asleep, and the next she was wide awake, unsure how long she had slept. Blinking slowly, Veronica tried to figure out what the lump next to the bed was and eventually realized it was Scott. Horrified that he had fallen asleep on the floor and concerned that he was going to end up with a stiff neck or back, she reached out without thinking and put her hand on his shoulder.

Just as she opened her mouth to say, "Scott," an iron grip clamped down on her wrist and she was yanked off the bed in one fluid movement. Landing with a teeth rattling thud on the floor, she soon found herself covered from head to toe by an angry male form, forearm pressed hard against her throat. Knowing she should have known better, Veronica managed to croak out a muffled "Scccooottttt..." and watched while awareness washed over him.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Sleep. Heavy blessedly dreamless sleep. A small part of his brain registered gratitude as he finally gave in to it. This was a safe place, the sound of her shallow breaths an anchor to the feeling of safety and her breath a cadence for his own. Falling even deeper asleep, all but his lizard brain shut down and left him in a blissful darkness.

It was the primitive part of his brain that sensed the change in her breathing pattern, the primitive part of his brain that registered movement behind him, and as he slowly, reluctantly woke up, it was muscle memory that acted before he was conscious of doing so. He barely registered the light touch on his shoulder before training and instinct took over as he hurled Ronnie to the floor.

His mind started screaming: "We're under attack! Kill him now!" He was on the small form and pressing his forearm into his opponents trachea before his higher functions kicked in and he saw and heard Ronnie, scared and desperate under him.

"Scccooottttt..."

He relinquished his grip at once as he simultaneously released the chokehold he had on her. Panic, revulsion and fear kicked in at the same time. Wideeyed, he scrambled backwards and fell away from her. He didn't stop moving away until he crashed into one of the walls. Nonononononono! Not her, oh please dear God not her! He saw her gasping for air, saw her managing to breathe just fine. He'd reacted quickly enough so as not to cause severe bruising on her trachea. The detached sophisticated part of his brain told him she'd be fine... physically. But he'd visited yet another trauma on her.

He was still tired and hungry. His mind was reeling from the repeated horrors of war. Almost being the cause of her death was the final straw. His facade cracked, then broke as he broke down. He disintegrated into a shivering heap as he wept uncontrollably, curling up in a near foetal position. Between sobs he cried out "I'm sorry!"

He registered her voice, but he could not make sense of what she said. He heard other people entering the room, several voices discussing... him. Then he heard a distant male voice trying to address him, first sternly, then gently. A light hand and a soothing voice broke through the fog and distracted him as he felt someone rolling up his sleeve. Then he felt a slight pinprick. Shortly after that, the sounds became muted, the light and friendly voice still talking to him, mentioning his name. As unconsciousness seized him, he remembered a name to go with that voice, and the only thing that made sense to him was to say that name as a mantra to ward off the badness.

"Ronnie. Ro...nnie. Ron-"

And darkness claimed him but did not conquer him. For he had a lifeline. Ronnie.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica should have known better, she really did... than to touch a sleeping soldier... a warrior really... But that still didn't make it easy to remain calm as black spots began dancing in her vision. It probably wasn't nearly as long as it felt like it was before Scott became fully aware of who he had pinned under him... who he was slowly choking to unconsciousness... and removed the crushing weight off her windpipe and scrambled off of her.

Pulling in blessedly sweet breaths of air, Veronica brought a trembling hand to her throat, doing an automatic physical examination. Pushing herself up with a small groan, she frowned when she saw him huddled up against the far wall. What the...

Watching him snap was perhaps the most painful thing Veronica had ever witnessed. One minute he had his back against the wall, a horrified expression on his face, and the next he was puddled on the floor crying like his heart was breaking. She tried to get up to go to him, but her arms and legs refused to work correctly, probably because of the jarring landing on the floor.

I'm sorry.. His broken cries spurred her forward, and she half crawled, half inch wormed her way to his side. "Scott... please...," she called to him, kicking herself for bringing this on. Oh my god, what have I done... What have I done? She stopped short of touching him, afraid what else would happen if she did so. She called to him repeatedly, trying to break through whatever walls he had thrown up.

When that failed and, if anything, his distress seemed to grow greater, Veronica let out a panicked, hoarse cry for help and gave a shuddering sigh of relief when one of the nurses poked her head into the room, concern etched on her face. "I broke him... I broke Scott!" she tried to explain, motioning to the sobbing, curled up man with her casted arm.

Thankfully the nurse seemed to understand the situation, even if her explanation made no sense. She ducked back out of the room, while Veronica kept talking, "Scott... Please... I'm so sorry... Please stop crying... Everything's going to be okay... Please..." She continued to plead with him, wishing he'd at least acknowledge that she was talking, her hand mere inches from his back and shoulder, itching to touch him.

She was still hovering there, murmuring to him when the nurse returned with a doctor that Veronica vaguely recognized. He immediately demanded to know what had happened, and Veronica explained all that had transpired. When the nurse wanted to examine her for potential injuries, she waved her off, "I'm fine.. I'll be sore... Help him... Help Scott... This is all my fault."

The doctor said something about fearing that the pressure had finally caught up with Scott and called to him in a no-nonsense tone, "Hartmann, what's the sitrep?" He waited a second or two before saying, "Ensign! I'm speaking to you..." Finally, he tried "You're scaring the young lady... You don't want to do that, do you?" When Scott made no reply and started to rock while he cried, he turned to the nurse and indicated that they were going to need a sedative after all.

Unable to help herself, Veronica reached out and lightly touched his shoulder, whispering, "Help's here, Scott... They're going to give you something that will help relax you." Tears pooled in her eyes and she had to blink rapidly to keep them at bay. She kept stroking his shoulder, murmuring to him about how he still owed her a tour of the rest of the base and that she hoped there wouldn't be a pop quiz as she never did well on tests as the nurse rolled up his sleeve and then efficiently administered the shot.

"We need to get Scott back to his room, the doctor said to the nurse.

"Do you think we'll need to restrain him," she asked in return.

Veronica's breath caught, and then she broke in, "Oh surely not... I can't believe Scott would need to be restrained... "

Ronnie. Ro...nnie. Ron-

Veronica lifted her hand off his shoulder in surprise when he spoke, his words slurring as the sedative took effect. She waited to see if he said anything else, but it was obvious that he was out for the count when he at last was still. She looked up at the doctor, her cheeks wet from her unchecked tears.

+++++++++

Veronica sat slumped by Scott's bedside. It had taken her a good hour of arguing and pleading with the doctor once they had moved Scott's unconscious form and then several more before he finally relented and let her in to Scott 's room. She had been saddened to see they had in fact restrained him, like he was some mad dog that was going to go feral. Oh sure they had tried to explain that they had to take precautions with both his safety and the safety of those around him thanks to his SEAL training, but it still bothered her. At least someone had taken the time to bathe him, removing the blood and grime he had sported earlier.

Sporting a headache that wouldn't quit, Veronica tried to massage her temples, but the cast made it too difficult to be of any use. She wanted to lay down, but didn't want to leave in case Scott woke up. She eventually leaned over and laid her head on the very edge of his mattress, careful not to touch him. Telling herself that she'd just rest her eyes for a moment, she closed them, subconsciously moving her hand to a hair away from his.

 

[Niceandbrutal]

Scott slept. He was unaware of all that happened to him. The transportation back to his room, the undressing and washing of his body, and the restraints being discussed before they were put on.

The first few hours were peaceful black sleep. However, as the sedatives were slowly cleansed out of his system, sleep grew lighter. And with light sleep came the nightmares again.

He was on the floor again, knife in hand. He held Ronnie down as he, unable to stop himself, slashed across her throat. Elisabeth Drummond stood and watched, the bullet wound on her forehead seeping black venuous blood. She smiled at him. "That's it. Kill her. That is all you are good for." Scott frantically tried to close the wound by plugging it with words he spewed out of his mouth, causing Ronnie to laugh. She was dressed like the taliban soldier he'd killed with his knife earlier. "Oh Scott, do you think you can heal me like that," she said as she pulled her scar free and closed the wound with it herself. "It doesn't matter what I do," he said as he plunged the knife into his own heart.

He awoke with a start. His mind didn't at first acknowledge the straps, although he wondered how he'd ever managed to sleep on his back like that, as he usually slept on his side. He felt mentally and physically exhausted. He kept staring at the roof as his cruel memory relived the events from... whenever it was. He'd almost killed RonnieThe thought alone made him sob. The sob caused a stir by the side of his bed. Scott turned his head and saw Ronnie by the side of his bed, asleep. Then, and only then, did he notice he was strapped to the bed.

"What the..."

It was only a momentary surprise. Of course they'd had to secure him. He was an animal, good for only one thing. An apt phrase from "Generation Kill" played in his head, although the phrase referred to the Marines. "...America's pitbulls, chained up and mistreated, and sometimes let off the leash..."

He wasn't sure he remembered it correctly, but that was the gist of it. It felt very appropriate to him now.

But Ronnie was here, by his side. Her hand rested on him, close to his hand. He reached out for it, but it was maddeningly just out of reach for him. It suddenly became important to him to feel her hand in his. But she was asleep, poor woman. She was probably exhausted as well. But she couldn't be too afraid of him, seeing as she was by his side like this.

He whispered to her as her breath rose and fell steadily. "Ronnie. Please wake up. Please hold my hand. Please say you forgive me. Please." His voice cracked and he started quietly crying again.

 

[Angeleyz]

Veronica's nose wrinkled as her ears picked up a faint disturbance in the distance. "Five more minutes...," she mumbled, convinced that her shift at the ER was almost due. Whatever the noise was, however, it wasn't stopping, and it eventually wormed its way inside her consciousness. Crying... Why would someone be crying in the nurses' lounge?

Eyes flickering opened and closed, it took long minutes for Veronica to process her surroundings between flutters. Crying. White sheets. Hand... No, two hands. Restraints. Restraints?!?!

Eyes opened fully now, she pushed herself up, grimacing at the discomfort in her neck, back and shoulders, and oddly enough her throat. As soon as her eyes fell on Scott, everything came rushing back to her. Asking him to stay with her while she got some sleep. Seeing him asleep on the floor beside her bed. Touching his shoulder without trying to verbally wake him first. Being tossed off the bed and pinned beneath him. Him choking her. His horrified retreat. Watching him fall apart and being unable to do anything. Hearing him call for her as he succumbed to the sedatives. Battling with the doctor to be allowed near Scott. Her sadness over the restraints which held him down.

Leaning over, her hair spilling over her shoulder, Veronica said softly, "Scott... It's Ronnie... It's okay, Scott..." Clutching at the sheet to keep from touching him, afraid that it would only make things worse, she swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again, "Do you want me to get the doctor, Scott? Please let me help you..."