Charging Into the Fray

Peace of Mind

The rest of the platoon was finally home for their six-month post-deployment rotation. They were going to spend it training and resting, all while being physically and mentally evaluated for operational fitness. They had just finished a VBSS drill and went over tactics they could implement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Jace finally had some time to himself, he spent time at a diner near his apartment reading. He also took up art again, something he hadn't done since high school.

He was trying to sketch a building across the street but couldn't focus, the quietness he once enjoyed in his apartment had become unsettling. He chose the diner because the noise took his mind back to when his parents took him and Kelly out before his father deployed or to celebrate his return. But over time, he became claustrophobic, he did his best to focus on his sketches.

"Wow, the more I find out the more curious you leave me."

Jace looked up and saw Kathleen.

And I thought I was stealthy.

"If I gave up all my tricks you'd be bored with me by now," said Jace, trying not to be nervous. He found light sarcasm and cheeky or witty humor to be a good mask for him. His typical silent and stoic demeanor usually offered a low profile, but with this woman the less he gave the more she wanted to know.

Kathleen sat down across from him. "First, you drag your friend to physical therapy after he had shrapnel pulled from his butt, then you get transported to the ICU with injuries from Iraq, and now you're sitting in a diner drawing."

"I am a very complex and layered individual," said Julian.

"You also managed to leave a signed copy of the latest book from the Sword of Truth series in my work locker."

Jace shrank back into his seat. He put on a kind smile to hide his nervousness.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"My floor's Charge Nurse admitted to letting you into the locker room the week after you were discharged from the hospital."

"That's a violation of confidentiality," Jace muttered playfully.

"She is a sucker for romantic gestures," said Kathleen. "Especially from an injured sailor."

Julian clammed up, he was hoping for a slow-burn outcome so that he could bide his time and keep her interested. He honestly hadn't thought this far.

"You don't date much do you?" inquired the nurse.

"Not since high school," admitted Jace. "The last time I asked a girl out she wound up engaged to one of the other guys I was growing up with."

"How?!" Kathleen asked, surprised.

"We were both in love with the same girl since middle school and in our Junior year of high school I asked her out first," said Jace, he didn't know why he was telling her this. All of his SERE School training went out the window. "She kissed me on the cheek and said that I was 'such a thoughtful friend'."

"Ouch," said the nurse, somewhere between sympathy and laughter.

"She dated the other guy for the whole following summer and all of Senior year and they wound up engaged."

"Tell me you didn't go to the wedding!"

"Thank God I shipped off to boot camp the month before."

They both laughed, Jace wondered what made this girl so easy to talk to. It was the most relaxed and soothed he had been in months.

"Alright, I told you everything," said Jace. "Now you have to tell me one of your stories."

"Oh," said Kathleen with melodramatic feigned surprise. "That's just cold, getting me to let my guard down by destroying your own dignity."

"You fell for it now pay up."

"Alright, during my freshman year of college, I had to do an initiation for a sorority I was trying to get into."

"The plot thickens," quipped Jace.

"I had to go to a costume party in an outfit of the sorority president's choosing."

Jace's jaw dropped, his brain was thinking of all the possible outcomes.

To think that I chose the Navy over college.

"I had to go in dressed as Wonder Woman and carry around everyone's props."

"And my mind just imploded."

"And I had to watch everyone dance, drink, and have fun while I held onto one of the Senior girls' mangy Pomeranian."

"Did you get in?"

"Yeah, but I left after I caught one of the other girls with a guy I had been seeing."

"He sounds like an ass and a loser."

"Mhmm," said Kathleen, not showing a hint of sadness or regret. "So I transferred from Berkeley to San Diego on a full-ride scholarship."

"Huh," said Jace, impressed by her gumption. "And the only college experience I got was the Afloat program."

"If I hadn't known you were a Corpsman I'd have thought you'd went to Annapolis."

"I'm going to assume you meant that as a compliment," said Jace, giving a playful grimace.

After a while of more story-swapping, they just sat there, Julian looked at his watch. he spent over an hour with this girl. Somehow their hands became clasped together.

"I should get going," said Jace. "I have an early morning."

"Same, see you around," said Kathleen. "If you're not too busy brooding."

Jace paid his bill and left, as he went through his drawings he saw that she had slipped her phone number into his sketchbook. On the back was a note.

"Charity benefit party across from the hospital at 7 PM, this Saturday. Be there or else."

Jace laughed at her stick figure drawing of a pouting face.

He was snapped out of his reverie by a call from Reese. The guys went out for drinks to celebrate getting rid of Rome and Hal's promotion to OIC. They were also breaking in the new guy. Jace shivered at the memory of his and Dave's New Guy Initiation. Surrendering their pride to be welcomed into the platoon was only funny in hindsight.

Maybe if Kathleen earns it I'll tell her about that.

Jace picked up Reese and let the man pass out on his couch. The former drunkenly mumbled about Julian's blatant good mood.

"I don't know what you were up to today but whatever it was must've been better than what we were doing based on the dumbass smile on your face."

The Sniper/Corpsman smiled smugly. "That's for me to know and for everyone to guess."

Jace laughed as his friend snored into the cushions.