Coming Home [Firm x SYD3RS]

[Firm Master]

After the several years of occupation, or invasion, or liberation, or whatever people wanted to call it, it was a mixed lot of emotions that came over Steven as he heard about the withdrawal plans being made for Iraq. The American people would like that, wouldn't they? Letting those rag head bastards off the hook when they clearly harbored some Taliban refugees. At least that's the type of thing the brass told him and it felt like pulling out was going to lead to another invasion, liberation, whatever in another ten years. A vicious cycle.

Still, he found himself being sent home now. He had been wounded in battle a few months ago and the first ones they sent off were the wounded. It was a small scuffle. His unit had set themselves up outside a house and the door was bashed in. The four of them had lined up against the wall and as he watched #1 slip inside, he went right behind, moving out across the opposite wall of #1. As he rounded the door, however, he watched a figure slip out from behind a counter and he felt a jerk at his shoulder. He depressed the trigger and let loose, finding the target and half the wall behind him. The rest of the unit rushed in, cleared the room, and he later found himself getting medical care and sitting out of battle.

He could still remember that son of a bitch laying on his back, bleeding out. Steven had taken his boot and gave the man a stiff kick to the neck. If they hadn't let him bleed to death right there, he probably would have been paralyzed to some level. It still pissed him off to think some low life terrorist bastard got a shot on him.

It had been a pistol shot, right into his shoulder. He had imagined the fucker had aimed at his chest and he slid over in time for it to only get his shoulder, but it gave no comfort to his anger. To how he played it out again and again in his mind. He couldn't even hunt down more of the fuckers as he sat in a hospital, trying to convince everyone that he was fine, even when his arm and hand refused to work properly. It was going to take time to heal. Time that would open up new wounds.

And now that the battlefield was being dissolved and Afghanistan wasn't an option for him (they had all they needed there, he was told), he was going home.

It wasn't all bad, though. Ashley was probably waiting for him still. He had heard stories. How some guys would find a girl, like he did. Then they'd get married before being sent off, like he did. Then they'd come back after two or three years and she'd be pregnant or with a child or having simply moved on even with the marriage or she'd be changed and bothered that she now had to deal with the soldier she married if she wanted that check from the government. They'd all be changed.

It was an idea that he swore she wouldn't do. It was just as much to comfort himself as it was to believe that things were going to be alright for him. She was different. Even as much as he told himself that, a small fire burned in the back of his mind. She could very well be that type of lying bitch and he knew exactly what he'd do if she had been with other men while he was gone, protecting her. Protecting everyone.

His flight came in and he got off the plane. As he watched the other veterans being greeted with open arms, hugs and kisses, and even some groping and caressing, his eyes dashed about in the crowd, searching for his own welcome party. It would just be her, he knew. His own family were in a whole different state and she was the only family he had now.

 

[SippieKup]

Today was the day! That was the first thought that popped into her head when she opened her eyes after spending most of the night trying to force herself to get at least some sleep. Ashley repeated those four words in her head, blocking out thoughts of anything else. Nothing else mattered at the moment anyway. Steven was finally coming home, and that was all she cared about. She showered quickly, running through the rest of her morning routine in less than an hour. There was no need for her to check the clock as she grabbed her cell phone and car keys on her way out of the door, she was more than certain that she would be there long before he would. She wanted to get there in time to find a spot as close to the gate as possible so that she would be the first person he saw when he came out.

Unfortunately she soon discovered that she had not been the only one with that idea. The entire area was full of people waiting for their loved ones, holding up signs and other things to draw attention to themselves. Ashley cursed as she wondered why she had not thought to do something like that. Oh well, it was too late now. She had more pressing issues to attend to, such as how to make her way through the thick mass of bodies. She was not that big, only five feet and three inches tall. Her blonde hair and big green eyes helped to give her a deceptively youthful look that she hoped she would be able to exploit. It worked well enough, and she came across little resistance as she pushed her way through the crowd. She came to a stop in the middle, thinking that was the best she could hope for. She would still be able to see who passed through the gate, so that was good enough for her.

Damn it, twenty minutes before the plane was scheduled to arrive. Luckily her mother called, providing an effective distraction as they gushed about how excited they were to have him back. Her mother cautioned her that Steven might not be the same as he was when he first left, which Ashley disregarded as just another warning that was absolutely baseless. The senseless ramblings of a woman who was overprotective of her only daughter. Ashley asked if she treated any of her five sons the same way and received an evasive chuckle in response. Whatever.

The sudden outbreak of applause had her jerking her head up quickly, focusing on the gate as people started pouring through it. She quickly hung up the phone, standing on the tips of her toes to scan faces until she spotted one that was familiar. Steven! She took off running as soon as her eyes landed on him, shoving her way through the crowd until the way to him was clear. At that point she dropped her purse on the ground and proceeded to launch herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"You made it!" Her words were muffled as she buried her face into the space between his neck and his shoulder, though she quickly lifted her head and pressed her lips against his in what she was certain had to be the most passionate kiss she had ever given.

 

[Firm Master]

He hadn't even spotted her until she was nearly off the ground and he reacted quickly, his good arm wrapping around her waist, finding his hand grasping at her rear as the other arm lightly pulled around her upper back, holding her to him. He let himself provide a mild excuse about clutching her ass in public, thinking about how it was only to keep her supported, but he knew better. He just very much pleased to have landed his hand there and he relished the experience after not feeling her body in so long. Still, it wasn't like anyone was going to care.

He did feel sorrowful at being unable to use his other arm. It would be another month or two before it would be able to even lift normal weight again, he was told, but for now it was enough to stead her against him and another chance to feel more of her. Even past the issue, he was thrilled to have her against him so tightly.

He returned the kiss, his tongue forcefully seeking inside her mouth and he slid his hurt arm up to behind her neck. He could feel a little bit of pain, his shoulder protesting the move, but he ignored it. He wanted her first experience with him back to be pleasant, not marred in knowing that he was in pain. It also was nice to see that she was still in similar shape as he had left her in. He momentarily thought about the pregnancy issue and while he felt certain that she wouldn't do that, it only helped to make him comfortable knowing that she still had her thin figure and not a large bulge sticking out in front of her.

As her weight finally started to settle on him, he set her down and set his arms around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest with his good arm. "It's good to be back." He said as he pushed his nose into her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. A scent he hadn't enjoyed in so long. Something he had never really noticed until this point.

He finally let her go and started to head off away from the gate, his good arm wrapped over her shoulder as he led them out. "I'm really happy to see you again." He said, looking down at her. "It feels so odd being back, but I definitely know that I missed you, Ashley." He squeezed her shoulder. "Let's get home, okay? I'm pretty tired. And you can drive." He teased her. He didn't have his license on him anyway and certainly wasn't interested in breaking the law after just making it back.

 

[SippieKup]

Ashley sighed contentedly at the weight of his arms around her, smirking inwardly at the feel of his hand on her bottom. If she was the type to initiate sexy times in such a public place then she would have wiggled her hips against his grasp. Instead she simply tightened her embrace around him, parting her lips and allowing his tongue inside as her body reflexively yielded to his demands. It all seemed worth it now. All the nights she spent lying in bed, crying herself to sleep for missing him so badly. All the hours spent watching the news, hoping against hope that his name would not be read among the names of those that were killed in the line of duty. All of the family gatherings she attended where she had to watch her brothers hold their wives, and all she could do was finger the dog tag she wore around her neck with his name engraved on it. All of that had been worth it for this chance to hold him close.

With a playful groan of protest, she unwrapped her legs from around his waist and slid down his body until her feet touched the ground. The lock of her arms loosened along the way, going from his neck to encompass his shoulders until it came to a rest in the center of his back as he pulled her against him. Ashley bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop herself from crying since she told herself that she would not do that, but tears escaped despite her efforts. She nodded her head at his statement, wanting to tell him how good it was to have him back but unable to respond as she silently sobbed into his shirt.

She sniffled once his grip on her slackened, lifting a hand to wipe her tears as she turned to stand beside him with one arm still wrapped around his back. She walked so close to him that their footfalls synced after a few steps. "Oh, wait a second." She bent at the knees to swoop her purse up off the ground as they passed it, and then quickly fell in beside him once again. Ashley looked up at him as he spoke, smiling brightly when he squeezed her shoulder. She narrowed her eyes at him at his jab about driving, though the wide smile on her face betrayed her. "Why thank you, Steven." She replied jokingly as she shook her head slightly.

The sun shine seemed impossibly bright as they walked together through the glass doors of the airport. She found the car quickly, eager to get him home to have him all to herself. He said he was tired, and she wanted nothing more than to watch him sleep. They would have plenty of opportunities to make up for lost time. She took her arm from behind his back to fish the car keys out of her purse, pressing the button to unlock the doors as they approached the vehicle. "Here, let me..." Her voice trailed off as she reached up to take the bag off his shoulder before going around to the back and popping the trunk open. She moved some stuff aside to make room for his things, put the bag down, and then closed the trunk. Ashley went around to the driver's side, staring intently at him over the top of the car as she pulled the door open. "I love you." She said with a soft smile before ducking inside and closing the door behind her.

 

[Firm Master]

She was lively. A lot more lively than the women (and the occasional man) were in the hospital. It was a wonderful change and it made him forget much of what he had experienced. It also made him forget how meager he was right now with his shoulder, having her look up to him so much.

And then she insisted on taking his bag. A gesture he wasn't expecting at all and before he could protest, she had slid it off his other should and now it was being put into her car. It was such a small behavior, but he felt he had just been socially castrated. He had just had his balls ripped from him and handed off to his girlfriend to serve in the trunk of the car. He felt useless in that instant, like he could do nothing. Like a woman. It amazed him how much the act got to him as he tried to shrug it off. She was trying to be nice. She was trying to do him a favor and make him more comfortable. He tried to remind himself of that, along with reminding himself that he was tired and she looked like she wasn't, so it only came proper that she'd try to lighten his load. He quickly had himself calm about it and tried to forget it. He already wasn't driving...

As he worked to get in the car, be barely caught her soothing voice giving him such a sweet praise. I love you. It really helped to allow him to remember she was looking out for him. Not seeking to shame him. "I love you too, Ash." He said after she had sunk into the seat beside him and he closed his door. "I love you too..."

It felt odd being in the passenger seat. It was a position he had rarely experienced, at least not in the front right. They had him man the .50 cal on top of a humvee a few times. A position you more so crouched in, resting your back against the frame and support while you looked around with the gun. He also had sat in the back seats many times, just being a transport. Sometimes you'd get caught in traffic a lot like this, and you tried to force your way through so you didn't remain a sitting duck for an ambush. He never recalled them being shot at while patrolling, but he heard stories. Lots of stories. Sometimes you'd get nasty about it. "Move the fuck out of the way!" Was yelled many times on each of his trips for those patrols. It wasn't uncommon to even ram other cars out of the way.

Seeing the traffic piled up in front of the car made him uncomfortable now, but he tried to suppress it. Even as he felt so vulnerable now. He instinctively reached a hand down between his legs, feeling for his rifle that wasn't there. At least having a weapon to fire back with was a comfort. Feeling none now only helped to feed his unease. It also didn't help that Ashley kept her eyes locked forward. She didn't seem the least bit interested to keep her head on a swivel, looking for threats. And just as he was about to start scanning around himself, he stopped. This wasn't the battlefield. This was home.

He leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to suppress to anxiety. There's no terrorists here. There's no terrorists here. There's no terrorists here. Finally he felt himself starting to relax, trying to focus on stretching his tensed muscles. They were trying to get poised for action and jump out of the vehicle at a moment's notice while he yelled at his body to calm the fuck down!

"Uh...so what have you been up to this whole time?" Fucking other guys? He pushed the thought away. "Keeping busy?" He opened his eyes again and looked ahead, lines of traffic from the airport jamming their escape. Their trip. He correct. "Do anything interesting?" he found himself now desperate for some conversation. Trying to get his mind off his idiotic conclusions and ideas. He glanced over to her, seeing her still beaming with her eyes on the road. He had to remind himself that she was happy that he was back and not painfully oblivious to getting her head taken off by a bullet.

 

[SippieKup]

For the first time in a long while Ashley did not reach forward to turn on the car radio. She used to hate the quiet that filled the metal frame when she was all by herself, so she always turned the radio on in order to fool herself into feeling like she was not alone. Music was her faithful companion, providing an adequate distraction from her loneliness without the risk to her safety. But she was no longer the sole occupant of the vehicle. Now she had Steven with her, and she did not need music to keep her company. She had her husband for that, and having the radio on was an unwelcome disturbance to the seemingly peaceful silence going on between them. Ashley did not even need to look his way or touch him to feel his presence, it filled up the car like the very air she inhaled.

Having him there with her even made dealing with traffic a little easier. She was pleasantly surprised to find herself waiting patiently, not drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, fidgeting in her seat, or muttering curses under her breath until the cars around her started to move as if they were trying to get away from her. Though traffic had pretty much slowed to a crawl, she kept her gaze focused on the road. Conditions could change without a warning, and she would rather not get rammed into another vehicle because she was not paying attention. Which was why she only spared Steven the quickest of glances when she heard his voice coming from beside her.

"Uh..." The movement of the person in front of her delayed her speech as she pressed her foot on the gas pedal to go forward. "Working mostly. I got a job as a kindergarten teacher, which is more demanding than it sounds." Lesson plans were a pain to write, and she spent a lot of time sitting at the kitchen table staring at books full of age appropriate activities, along with binders with standards and codes that needed to be adhered to in order for her to keep her teaching license as well as her job. Thank God the state provided a curriculum for her to follow, or she would have no idea which direction to go in sometimes. "Not much of a social life to speak of." Most of the people she had been friends with before were now parents or working hard themselves, which left little or no room for keeping in contact with one another. "My coworkers are pretty friendly." At this point she threw another sidelong glance his way before returning her attention to the road. "You'd be surprised how many men are in early childhood education." At least she had been.

Finally things started moving at a pace faster than that of a snail. She remained focused solely on the task of navigating the highway away from the airport until she took the appropriate exit ramp off and made her way to safer and less populated streets. "My oldest brother, Justin, has a first wedding anniversary coming up. My family has been pretty absorbed with that lately." At the red light she finally turned her head to fix the full force of her green-eyed stare on him, another smile curling her lips. "Having you there will surely take the spotlight away from them." It already had in a way. Her entire family was looking forward to having Steven back, and that had been the topic of more conversations than the anniversary. There had even been talks of throwing a party for the occasion, but Ashley had talked them out of it. Both of them needed time to readjust, him as a civilian and her as a regular wife instead of an army wife.

"Oh my God, am I talking too much?" The light turned green and she continued her journey. "I'm talking too much, aren't I?" She gave a short, breathless laugh that dissolved into a soft smile. "I'm just so happy to have you back!" Ashley shrugged a single shoulder, her cheeks showing a slowly brightening red tint as she blushed sheepishly. "I have so much to say yet, like, nothing at all." Ashley wrinkled her nose as she listened to herself speak. "That made no sense, did it? Okay, I'm rambling. I'll just shut up now." With that she sank her teeth into her lower lip to stop herself from speaking any further.

They were not long for home now. Within half an hour Ashley pulled off the road and onto the driveway of the duplex she had been living in since before he was deployed to Iraq. She turned off the car and simply sat there for a moment, thinking about how today was truly the beginning of the rest of her life. Well, it would be if she ever got out of the car. She unbuckled her seat belt, taking the keys out of the ignition and climbing out of the car. She went to the trunk to retrieve his bag, hoisting the heavy thing onto her shoulder before slamming it closed and making her way to the front door. It took a bit of shifting to keep the strap in place as she unlocked the door, but eventually she opened the thing and stood just inside. "Welcome home."

 

[Firm Master]

He heard her, but he wasn't actually listening very much. Even as he relaxed, he kept looking at different locations that he needed to scout. Coming along the freeway he was watching for anyone crouched behind the divider. His eyes went into other cars, particularly ones that seemed to stop for no clear reason or slowed down ahead of them. He kept looking around the corner of buildings as they passed them, his eyes shifting left and right, then searching windows for any glint of a person there, or the telltale flash of metal sticking out of a corner, reflecting the sunlight. At one point a light flash caught his eyes and he quickly threw his head that direction, only to notice it was a car windshield that shot a beam at him. His heart was racing and he was the only one that was in this war going on.

"Yeah, teaching. That must be fun." He caught something about men in her line of work. It sounded odd to him. He couldn't help thinking that she might have mentioned that because she knew there was more to it. It was silly, though. She was trying to make conversation and he smiled as she spoke so fondly. "Must be really fun." He just hoped that things weren't too friendly. It didn't settle with him well at all. Were those men really that important to her to mention them?

At the mention of her brother, he perked up. Steven never really liked the guy. He seemed like a total pussy. It held his formalities about it and was always civil, but he had never tried to talk to the guy. It was something he never really talked to Ashley about since it didn't have any purpose and he sure as hell didn't need to put a divide between her brother and himself for her. Still, his resentment was harbored in his chest. "Sounds like he's doing good then. You must be really happy for him." Her next comment made him smile, but he quickly turned more serious. He never liked being the center of attention. It was something he held onto throughout his childhood. He'd play by himself and get into hobbies and interests on his own, never expecting anyone to want to do the same things he did and never wanted others to really notice him. Joining the military and going through their training reinforced that idea. If you were in the spotlight, it was easier to be in the crosshairs too.

He had remained quiet through most of the ride. Ashley always did like to talk and he usually let her. She had always been good at listening to him and doing what he told her, but at times like this, he didn't really care. So she got to enjoy talking away while he remained silent. If there was any reason he needed to interrupt, he'd do it instantly and demand her full attention and silence. It was something she seemed to respond to early in their relationship and it stuck. It suited him very well. She had her freedom to do as she wished until it touched on his borders and he'd come down on her hard to keep her in check. Sometimes she did, but it was rare.

"It's fine, Ash." He said simply about her talking. "There really isn't much for me to say." And she went on, happy he was back, having nothing to say, not making sense. She was rambling and she was happy. It made for an annoying, but pleasant experience at the same time. Finally she came to the conclusion she should shut up. It suited him and he didn't follow up on the matter.

For some reason he felt surprised that she hadn't moved his he left. As she pulled into the same driveway that he had pulled into many times before, he started to wonder if anything had changed during his deployment. She still lived her. She was still more than happy to talk someone's ear off. Her brother was probably still a total pussy, which he humorously figured his wife was probably the man of the house. As she turned off the car and got out, he slowly unbuckled his own belt, not using his other arm at all since it was starting to ache now. He should have used the sling he was offered when he headed home, but felt it wouldn't be right. Ashley knew he was wounded. Having a sling on prominent display was going to only make her think it was so much worse than it was. He also didn't want anyone around to notice. Showing signs of weakness were things he was very careful to guard again.

"Still here?" He asked, somewhat quietly and rhetorically. At least it wasn't going to be a shock. The layout would all be the same. He could go straight into the bedroom and lay down. She'd probably want to cuddle. Probably even want sex, which he knew he wanted to, but at that moment he was thinking about sleep. Having the thought of her naked body pressed against his side wasn't helping to keep his focus on sleep though. He finally got himself out of the car in time to watch her disappear behind the open trunk.

And here she was again. His bag slung over her shoulder, dwarfing the girl. She didn't seem to be struggling, but it pained him to imagine that she needed to carry that for him. He looked around, hoping no one was watching. With how sharp he had become at looking for figures shifting around, he felt more content that no one got to watch him being babied by his wife. It made him tempted to rush over and rip the bag off of her shoulder and push her inside. He could see himself reaching back to slap her across the face, surprised at the idea. He remember that he had struck her a few times in the past, but it was only ever in pure anger. She knew how to piss him off, knew how to push his buttons, and of those rare times she did, he pounced on her. Damned if he was going to let this little bitch talk to him that way! He'd apologize later. He always did. And she'd say it was okay and sometimes she'd admit it was her own fault. It made him feel more justified about the issue and that hopefully she had learned her lesson.

She was already over by the door by the time he was near enough to even bother taking the bag and it felt pointless by now. He watched her shift the strap around as she tried to unlock the door as well. It was a measure of divide tasks and she never was good at displaying strong motor skills if they had to be divided. This time was no exception. She finally got the door open and he followed her in, closing and locking the door behind them.

"Feels like I never left." He said, giving a small chuckle even though he found nothing funny about it. The place was scarcely different from what he remembered. All of the furniture was the same, all in about the same positions. He took a few steps in, looking around as if he were in a new place. As he walked into the front room, he looked around, taking in every inch of the space before moving into the kitchen and dining area that seemed to merge into each other in these places. It felt strange to him that he was looking so hard at everything, but not really noticing any object he looked at. Finally he headed upstairs to the bedroom. "Mind if i take a quick nap?" He asked, his eyes darting up the stairs as he rounded the banister. He noticed he had walked backward at the end of it, already trying to see as far up as he could.

It was then he noticed what was wrong: he couldn't stop scanning. He was clearing the rooms. He was going around each area, "cutting the pie", hugging each wall and watching the opposite side. He was trying to find people hiding from him that weren't there. He was looking for a gun or a tripwire or an explosive that was set up just to kill him, hidden by everyday objects. Even in her home, no, their home, he was doing it. And he could feel the phantom tug of weight on his back and on his legs. The way his pack would rest on his shoulders and the clips and supplies he would have around his waist. He could feel them all. He instinctively slid a hand across to his waist, not feeling his side arm. He reached up to above where his holster should be and found no pouches for the clips. He reached across his chest, finding everything missing. He couldn't feel the kevlar vest. The jacket. His gloves were gone. He ran his hand up to his face, his goggles, the helmet, the ear piece to communicate with his team. Everything was gone and he was exposed!

He felt himself hit the floor and his shoulder was now crying out in pain and the wind was knocked out of him. He matched the pain with an exasperated shout of agony, muffled by nearly empty lungs, before rolling onto his other shoulder. He had fallen over and was now watching himself roll from facing the base of the stairs toward the wall. Ashley was now over him, an expression of terror on her face. Her worry frightened him and he found himself desperately looking around. "Get down, damn it!" He yelled at her, a cough following after as he tried to gasp for another breath, watching her flinch violently. She seemed to just freeze and stare at him like he was mad. "Get the fuck down, now!" Again he yelled at her, this time with more force and his arm shot up and dropped back down to motion her, the shoulder furiously shocking his arm with pain.

Finally he watched her disappear from his sight, having at least crouched and a second later he noticed where he was. He looked down to see his duffle bag laying just past his feet. He sat himself up, gritting his teeth over the pain and looking at his bag completely dumbfounded. What just happened?

He looked over at Ashley now, surprise written all over his face. He wasn't sure what to do. In all his training, he didn't recall ever facing something like this and now he sat at the base of the stairway, completely silent as he watched Ashley finally start to stir then come toward him.

"I think...I think I need to lay down." He just sat there, finding himself not ready to get up. "I just need to lie down for a bit." As she reached out for him, he found himself trying to get up on his own, but letting her help. He had been scared many times before out there. It was the first time in his life that he'd been scared while at home with nothing coming after him.

 

[SippieKup]

Ashley watched him look around as she closed the door behind him. She had kept things as they were before during his absence in order to keep her memories intact. That, and so that he would have less to get used to upon coming home to her. Her hope was that it would be easier for him to get back into the swing of things if there was little to no change. It was why she had worked so hard to keep herself in the same shape as she was when he had last seen her, why she cut her hair to keep it the same length, why she did pretty much everything she had done while he was away in Iraq. It was all for Steven. Ashley practically lived for Steven. She smiled at his statement, his words making her feel like she was successful in her endeavor. "That was the plan." She replied as she set the bag down, massaging her shoulder where the weight of it left a depression in the skin. She dropped her hands once the slight pain was gone, hooking her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans as she stood in the middle of the living room.

In her head she had made plans about everything she was going to say or do once they got back home. Now that it had come to pass, she had no idea what to do with herself. "Uh, no. Go ahead. I'll..." Her voice trailed off as she looked around for something to occupy herself, otherwise she knew she would find herself watching him sleep. She was well aware that he hated to have her invade his personal space, but sometimes she could not help herself. She just wanted to be close to him. "I'll put your things away. Or something." She added lamely, having no idea what the hell she was going to do. She'd find something. By that point he was already walking away, so she was basically talking to herself. Again. Great. Ashley ran her fingers through her hair, releasing the air she held in her inflated cheeks as she looked around. Maybe she could read a book...

A loud thud triggered reflexes honed by almost a year of spending all day surrounded by five year old children. Ashley moved quickly, heading towards the source of the sound until she came upon Steven rolling across the floor. Her heart beat so hard she could almost swear it was visible through her rib cage, and adrenaline spiked so high in her system that her temples pounded. He looked like he was in pain, and she remembered him telling her about being shot in the shoulder. He had assured her that he was fine though. He sure as hell did not look fine at the moment! She looked up with wide eyes as he looked around, wondering what it was that he was seeing. Her gaze quickly snapped back to him at his command, but she did not make any other moves. Get down? For what? She grimaced when it seemed like just drawing a breath was killing him, her own lungs aching with phantom pains as she involuntarily imagined what he must be feeling. Oh dear God, what was happening?

"Alright!" Ashley finally acquiesced when he shouted at her and gestured wildly. She bent her legs, falling into a crouch beside him. Frantic tears slid down her face as she stared at him, having no idea what in the world was going on or what she was supposed to do. She rose to her feet as he sat up, looking him over from where she stood as he stared blankly at his bag. "Are you okay? What the fuck just happened?" She asked when he turned his head and looked at her, closing the distance between them. Judging by the startled look on his face, he didn't seem to know any more than she did. "A nap?" She repeated, extending a hand towards him to help him up. God, he was heavier than she remembered. "I think we should go to the hospital, Steven. Something is wrong with you." Despite her own opinions, she was not a doctor. He said he just needed to lie down, and he was probably right. So she helped him back towards the bedroom, holding onto him tightly until it was safe to let go.

 

[Firm Master]

He had scarcely noticed anything she said and honestly he didn't care. His arm was throbbing now, reminding him of his wound, and he just wanted to relax. Now that he was standing, with her meager help getting him up. He found himself not wanting to say anything about what just happened. I'm just tired. I just need to sleep a bit and I'll be fine. It was an idea that comforted him. There wasn't anything wrong with him. He just thought he saw something and he's tired. Just tired.

In the bedroom, Steven sat down, watching Ashley. He pulled his shirt and undershirt off carefully so he didn't make his arm ache any more than needed and then his shoes and socks followed. He unbuckled his belt and slid off his pants. He looked down at his own figure, noting the muscular legs built up from lugging over 50 lbs of extra weight on his back. He flexed his toes and ankle to stretch them before his eyes glanced at the six pack lightly peeking through. His arms were equally muscular from his training and patrols, but not large. It was something he never really thought much about and as he glanced over at the closed wound at his shoulder, he reminded himself that it never really was an issue anyway. All that training, working out, being pushed to extremes, and with one little bullet from a pistol - a tiny fucking pistol - he was pulled from patrol to recover. It made him feel worthless and reminded him that no matter how strong he was, a bullet was stronger.

Finally sitting in his just underwear, he looked toward Ashley. "Going to bed too, Ash?" He asked, his eyes lazily searching hers. "You can just lay down with me..." He didn't want to force the issue, but he found himself saying out loud what he was thinking: "I haven't seen you in a long time." It was a statement he felt justified that she should be right beside him like they had before he left. As if nothing was different. Although he'd have to switch sides on the bed from usual so she could rest on his good shoulder.

As he thought about it, he laid down accordingly. His fatigue was tugging on him now, but he waited on whether she'd join or not.