ICARUS¹ [ on hold ]

prologue.

☄ ▍WAR WASN'T a pretty thing and everyone knew that. It was a tragic and terrifying affair filled with pain and suffering. If anyone knew that is was Lieutenant Colonel Icarus McCall. Herself and her platoon had been dispatched into Kazakhstan two and half years prior to today and weren't scheduled to be pulled out until six months from now. This was an important mission for the Marine Corps, allowing them access to an underground terrorist operation.

Icarus and her platoon were fully undercover and operational in Kazakhstan for most of the time they had arrived until two weeks ago when their cover was blown by a once trusted ally. Then their operation went from an information gathering op. to a survival mission. The Lieutenant Colonel, as head of the platoon, had requested to be pulled out immediately but by the time the others got there almost all of her soilders were dead.

Icarus McCall, Grayson Stokes, and Olsen Wells were the only survivors. Camden Lahey, Dallas Eastman, Gianna Gerruaro, Alonzo Garcia, Pamela James, Sarah Bateman and Tia Balboa were the ones who didn't survive. The loss was devastating to her and the rest of the survivors, they had lost their brothers and sisters in arms, their family away from home and it wasn't going to be easy to get over. Each one of the surviving platoon members were awarded a Navy Cross and an Honorable Discharge lapel pin.

They each were tasked with informing the families of the deceased officers that their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren had died in the line of duty. It was a tragic task to preform and no one hated it more than Icarus. She was the leader of the platoon and she knew she would be blamed for the death of their family members and they weren't the only ones who blamed her, she blamed herself as well. It was her job to protect and keep them safe and to bring them home safe and when she fails that, no one hurts more than her. Icarus despised this part of her work and was glad it was the final time she had to do it.

☄▐

☄ ▍ICARUS HATED the way the taxi jostled against the unpaved road, tossing her lightly in her seat as her left hand gripped the handle above her head. Her stomach turned uneasily with every bump, making her feel sick with each movement. The young woman's face was pale and a grimace was ghosted against her features, making the driver concerned, but he decided against asking.

He knew who she was, everyone did. She was Icarus McCall, the oldest McCall, the soilder, the warrior. Everyone was proud of her. But he could tell that something had happened over seas and it had changed her. The man wasn't going to ask though, if she wanted him yo know she would have said something already.

"Uh, excuse me, sir." She muttered, "Could you please pull over?" She asks with closed eyes

"Sure thing, miss." He nods, turning wheel -- setting the car alongside the embankment of the gravel road, "Everything all right?"

Icarus nods, undoing her seatbelt and letting it slide off of her body, "Yes, but -- uh, this as far as I'd like you to go."

The cab driver nods, watching as she pulled her backpack up and stepped out the car, gently closing the door.

The man popped the trunk letting her pull her dufflebag from the back and

She swallowed, "How much?" She asks, pulling her wallet from her jacket

"On the house. My meter wasn't even running." He explained, holding up his hands

The young woman smiles weakly, muttering a thanks to the cab driver as she steps back, allowing him to drive off. It felt as if she was suffocating every time she climbed into a car or anything remotely similar to a car.

This made her feel weak, a feeling she wholeheartedly despised being a Marine. Icarus sighed, kicking at the ground with the toe of her boot, before she picks uo her bags. It was time for her to head home. With one quick detour.

☄▐

☄▐ ICARUS REVELED in the feeling of the cool forest air hitting her face -- a calming sensation to the agitated young woman. It was a drastic change from the harsh heat of Kazakhstan, the wind didn't burn or throw sand back in your face. She smiled softly and licked her lips, tilting her back the slightest to let cool wind hit her neck.

She was at least half a mile from her home and her family and her bed. Oh dear God, she missed her bed. She spent a year sleeping on a cot and couldn't wait for an actual bed to sleep in. Icarus had missed her home. Beacon Hills would never change, it would always stay the same and it would always be her home -- no matter how far away she was.

She let her head hang, studying the grass that was flattened from people walking a walking this path continuously. Icarus smiled to herself, the memories of her life before the Corps making her momentarily forget about the pain ans suffering she had lived through in the present.

The snap of twig made her head shoot up, her eyes wide as gunfire suddenly surrounded her and she was back on the battlefield in Kazakhstan, a rifle held in her hands as she fired off rounds, screaming orders to her platoon.

Her breath got caught in her throat as her bag hit the ground drawing her back to the present as she stared down at it, tears building up in her eyes before she blinked aggressively and wiped her eyes quickly, picking her bag up.

She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before continuing on her journey home; unaware of the curious green eyes following after her.

The rest of the walk through the woods helped clear her mind, preparing her for what she was going to stay to her brother and her mother. A simple, "I'm home" wasn't good enough and she didn't want to go into a lengthy explanation of why she was home early.

The girl exits the forests and emerges in a small open field she knew was just behind the street her home was nestled on. She smiled dreamily, her eyes swimming with content and she realized she was almost home.

Her feet didn't stop until she was only a block away from her house, then she picked up her pace, ready to go home and see her mom and her brother. Her boots shudder against the steps of her porch, a soft smile on her face. She stops in front of the door, raising her hand to knock on the wood.

She softly raps her knuckles agianst it, waiting patiently for it to open as she rocked back on her heels, her hands tightly holding her hands.

The door opened and a tired looking woman yawned, blinking at the sight before her. She sniffed and stared blankly at Icarus until the realization hit her and she gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.

"Hi, mom."