Sachi was wrapped around Lizzie in her sling. Gabriel had her hand and Zohara was half asleep on Malachi's shoulder. It was nice to have her feet firm on the ground for the week. Her furlough before her assignment was something that she fully intended to enjoy. Gabe was pulling on Lizzie's hand squealing to go play. "Yes, you can go play." She let go so he could go run and join the other kids on the playground. Though Liz was a bit protective and didn't let him go until they were in the mulch area of the perimeter. Keeping hawk eyes on him she leaned on Malachi's shoulder. Zohara saw her brother go running off and she wanted to join him. Gabriel came back and got his sister and they were off running.

It always amazed Lizzie how they could be asleep one moment and then pinging off walls the next. Though she wrapped her one free arm around Malachi as she watched Gabriel and Zohara start playing with the other children. Zoey disappeared around the slide and then appeared at the bottom only to knock her brother over. The two giggled and started right back up again. Lizzie just shook her head. Only their children would collide with each other, untangle themselves, and not cry once.

"My parents are coming to visit for a few days. They called yesterday. I told them I would call them back when I talked to you." Liz, as usual, forgot things. Though technically she had fallen asleep on the telephone with her mom. She knew that trying to pin down a date to have company was not always easy. However, she wasn't hiding anything it had just been late the night before and being tired sucked away more of her brain cells than usual also. Liz reached over and poked Malachi in the side. "She wants to come before leave is over." She added.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi held Zohara happy to be at home with his family, well home in the sense that he wasnt half way around the world looking at a three week job or something similar. The time before her assignment was great, Malachi could at least pretend he wasnt about to say goodbye to his wife flying planes and panicking every time she set foot out of the house for work. It was a while off so he was determined to enjoy the time they had together. Hearing Gabe squealing to go play he smiled as he looked around a few of the other kids there already.

Not very threatening of children he thought trying to figure out which one was the ring leader just in case. Malachi rolled his eyes the minute Zohara wanted to join Gabe, just when he was getting used to her being half asleep on his shoulder the kid was now wide awake as Malachi put her down gently before he returned and put an arm around Lizzie. He watched the two go running off wondering how the children had so much energy, sure put him to sleep he was a light sleeper anyway but he certainly wasnt that energetic unless he had to be.

When he saw the collision he got ready to go and comfort whichever one would cry though he was puzzled when they just giggled and started right back up again. He looked at Lizzie for a moment not too sure what to do but then sure they were their kids alright there was no denying that now. “Your parents... yes that would be great.” He said smiling as he nodded, he was about to ask her why she didnt just say yesterday but then he knew what she was like with forgetting things at times as he just chose to not. “It will be nice to see them again. The children will love it.” He said still not sure if he was getting along with Lizzie’s dad or not.

What did the American’s say, ‘it was complicated’ he thought. He was in mid thought when he felt her poke his side as grinned and poked her back lightly. “No that would be great, I just want your leave never to be over.” He said about two stages away from clinging to her leg and pleading with her not to go but he knew how that went. Orders were orders and sure as much as some he hated when it took him away from his family, he couldnt exactly argue with them when they came around. “Besides it gives me more people to test out my cooking on.” He said wondering if either of her parents would be up for the challenge of eating burned food on a good day.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Liz could see Malachi watching everything like a threat. It was something she was used to at this point. Assessing things as for their threat level had always been his thing. Lizzie just gently rubbed his arm to remind him to just let them play. “They are alright.” She assured. She spent a good portion of her time balancing the line between society and Malachi. Some people’s spouses were bulls in china shops, hers was the carefully aimed bullet that calmed the bull.

Lizzie put a hand down on Malachi’s thigh when he moved to get up. She was protective but he really needed to relax a little. When he was a little generic in the response she knew what was going on in his head. It was no surprise that Malachi and Roger had their ups and downs. Then again at least Malachi was being civil and agreeable and not getting upset about the whole thing. Lizzie just smiled. “It’s been hard on Mom since we moved.” That is what the military had done and they had moved twice. First, it was New York, and now Tennessee and it was hardly Baltimore to her.

One day Malachi would be all for her doing what she wanted to do and the next all wishy washy. That was the nature of how things worked. She didn’t mention anything but she quietly leaned on him watching the kids play. Lizzie would readjust herself eight hundred times a day, right now it was a miracle she was still on the bench.

“If you really want me to teach you to cook. I will.” That had been his thing lately, clearly wanting to cook. She’d been raised to take care of her husband, it was just her upbringing. So it never really dawned on her that he wanted to break the mold of his culture. Malachi had taught her many things over the years, the least she could do was return the favor if he wanted to learn to be more domestic.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

To Malachi all he could see were threats at times, the people around, a simple football and a climbing frame provided its own set of issues. He sometimes forgot just to turn that side off for a while, in Mossad it was never an off and on switch and now working for the Army it was just as tough to swap between the two though her hand rubbing his arm reminded him that this wasn’t work or a threat. “Yes, I guess they are.” He said smiling as he tried not to look at everything in the park though the eyes of a killer. A tree line was just that a line of trees to him today, not the vantage point or a good hiding place.

Malachi realised he was far too on edge when he felt her hand on his thigh; she always had a way to get him to realise that even if it was by touch. The children were fine, how he didnt know but there was no screaming or crying as he watched them go about playing as he settled back into the seat. “I’m sorry about the moving, if we could have stayed...” He said as he wondered how to make things a little easier. New York, Tennessee it was tough to keep track some day, “How about she just spends longer here? I know it’s not New York but is has lots to offer here and you’re parents can stay any time.”

He might have been about to offer that they move back and he could just travel, he was used to travelling he had done a lot of it. It wasnt exactly ideal and he’d not see them as much which would break his heart but then if it made Lizzie happy then he was willing to give it a ago. He was trying to everything right that he hadn’t in his first marriage to try and fix their arguing and make everything as perfect as it could be though he sometimes wondered if that was even right at times. The world wasnt perfect but a plan could get pretty close to it so if he planned for things then perfect would be somewhere along the way right?

Malachi placed his arm around her as she leaned on him, he was surprised she was still on the bench right now as he was so used to her moving around. He was the keep still, sit in one place sort and she was the move more than ever yet he knew each time where she would end up but there was no rushing that process. “Teach me? I can cook.” He said as he grinned a little, “Boiling water and ration packets, easy. Everything made in a steel tin can.” So yes he could boil water and put freeze dried food into it and make a meal with rations packets too but actual food.

He hadn’t really been taught how to make a variety of meals. One or two basic dishes but then his culture wasnt exactly the one where he was domesticated. It was another one of his reasons to try it because he hadn’t done that with Sarah so with Lizzie it would help if he could cook? Domestic, yes he could clean up, put the washing on as long as it was dark things or it had a habit of coming out in strange colours. Cooking was hit or miss, so sure he tried to be domestic but the one thing he did do well was ironing. Military had taught him that much he thought.

“If you’re willing to teach me then I’d love to learn.” He said, he wasnt trying to break his culture simply try to work out a way to do both. Israeli and American, he had worked for both but fitting in to both had always been a struggle. He was either too rigid in what he did, no fun a party for seeing every threat available or simply cold because emotion could kill you faster than bullet. The two didnt always marry up but he was willing to try to make them if he could.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Elizabeth could see Malachi on edge, the constant looking around for things. It didn’t go unnoticed. She couldn’t blame him as she inhaled the scent of his cologne to settle down a bit. Readjusting herself on the bench careful of their littlest one. Her eyes were glued to the children playing as she leaned against him. Though she was listening, Elizabeth always had her ears open. She knew the dangers as well as he did. This was a park and still she wasn’t able to relax.

“Ahavat.” Her voice was pointed. “It’s the military. They do that.” She reached up and rubbed his shoulder. “Don’t apologize for what you cannot change.” She knew the deployments would come and the stations would change as long as they were military. Sometimes, he worried too much and Liz could only sort so much of it for him. Though she always tried to sort it all; because that is who she was.

Liz never expected perfect. No one was perfect. Even as a pilot where perfectionism was slightly expected, she knew it was impossible to achieve. Getting her head out of the sky sometimes next to impossible. Then again getting Malachi to see that perfectionism wasn’t needed to make her happy, beyond impossible. But he never stopped trying for her and the children and that was far more than she could say for her ex-husband. It had taken a few years before Liz had stopped flinching at Malachi’s touch. Now it relaxed her, and it had become more of a need than a want. When he mentioned being able to cook, she kept herself from laughing. She wanted to tell him ration packets didn’t count as food, but she kept her mouth shut. “That’s not what I was talking about, and you know it.” Her response was light hearted and not accusatory. Even in play sometimes she watched what she said. It was more out of respect.

Lizzie didn’t care if he could cook or not, she had been raised in a family that taught her to be a “woman” by definition. Though she had more tricks up her sleeve than domestication but it wasn’t something that bothered her. It worked for them and he was always trying to change it and Liz was having a hard time grasping this. “Just know that no one is forcing you to learn.” Sometimes cooking was relaxing, it was the whole mess that was created after that drove her batty. Liz was a bit OCD like her mother. Things had to be just so, but she had over the years tweaked things so they worked for her and Malachi.

Lizzie was about to open her mouth when she spotted a familiar face across the playground. Her face went pale. The Dovev children were still in plain sight and Elizabeth went to go bring them back to the bench. She knew that face, and she knew whatever beef he had with Malachi, she didn’t trust the man not to go after her family. But Lizzie tried to hold Malachi back from starting something. “No Malachi, Bevakasha” (No Malachi Please). She felt her heart pounding in her chest.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi was used to being on edge, at work the lack of concentration could kill and being on edge in open spaces was tough to turn off when he knew could see the ways that someone could cause a lot of trouble. He knew he had to turn that off when he was out with family but it wasnt easy to unsee things that he knew how to do so well. He felt Elizabeth readjust herself on the bench as he smiled glancing down at Sachi for a moment as he smiled. He tried his best to relax as he took a breath enjoying the feeling of being home with the people he loved.

He smiled as she rubbed his shoulder, the would have been a time he might have flinched or pulled away from her even catching her hand before it got anywhere near but now he was content with it. “I know but it’s a lot to ask and if you wanted to stay in one place close to your parents I can commute if that would help?” He offered knowing that the deployments wouldnt change or the postings but at least Lizzie could stay in one place close to family though her military work it was anyone’s guess where they would end up.

Malachi found himself wrapping his arm around her as he couldnt imagine doing any of it without her. She kept him sane and off paths that meant he would worry about things that were beyond his control though he still did just perhaps not to the point that he might if she didnt try to help. Malachi knew that they had both come a long way, he could remember her flinching at his touch and at the time he wondered if that would ever change. There wasnt a day that he didnt wish he could have prevented what had happened to her but now knowing it relaxed her he was content to know that he had overcome that hurdle.

He laughed a little and shook his head, “I didnt know that but if you want to teach me other meals then I’m open to that too. They still come out of packets though?” He asked her grinning for a moment as he knew she watched what she said but there was no need for her. Malachi knew what they had worked he just wanted to try to be better for her, to take the work away so she could relax and not think about making dinner or the thousand other things she did just to keep everyone else going. “No I know I’m not being forced, I want to learn. So I can help you and maybe even one day cook you a meal that is edible and not tinned. On the plus side though Ahavah, I promise to wash up.” He said knowing how it could drive her batty so that would be step one.

Malachi watched as her face went pale; he glanced in the direction she was looking as he felt like he had just been thrown back into work. “Lizzie, Yalla.” (Let’s go) Malachi said glad that they had the children there with them as he felt Lizzie try to hold him back. Malachi might have stayed exactly where he was had it not been for the man take a few steps toward them. “Lachzor Habayita, Ani Ohevet Otcha.” (Go home, I love you) He said knowing what this guy was like. He was ex delta force, dismissed because he had been caught stealing when they were on missions. Malachi had alerted his superiors to it and there had been threats made, it was over in his mind though the minute he saw the man’s eyes he knew it was far from it. There had been rumours around the group that he had lost his home and family because of it and the court marshall but that had been the end of it.

Had it been anyone else he might have dragged them to the tree line and fixed the problem but this guy he knew was trained which made everything complicated. There were other families, his own family that meant the world to him and this one guy who he guessed only meant harm. “So daddy’s going to get you ice cream and sweeties and we’ll watch a movie at home okay.” He said trying to be as normal as possible for the children as he could see the man approaching as he looked toward Lizzie. “I’ll be home but you’ve got to go home, take the children, lock the door and don’t let anyone in.” It could have been a slight overreaction on his park but there was something about the man. He wasnt about to let the man anywhere near his family at all as he felt easily back into the on edge, stick up the butt mode he used to so often. Malachi hadn’t enjoyed working with the man, nor had many other people given the fact the man’s eyes seemed to be dead to everything.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Lizzie shook her head no at Malachi’s whole statement about staying in one place. It didn’t work like that. The US was so much bigger than Israel. New stations just meant that family was farther away. She knew it was taking him time to get used to the difference over the years. The military lifestyle was much different than when he was in the IDF. “Ahavat Baltimore is a good eight and half hours drive. No.” She knew he was only trying to help and she was appreciative because at times she did get homesick; but she was learning to deal with it over the years. She’d done it before when she was living in Colorado and that was so much farther a drive than from Tennessee to Baltimore.

Lizzie was content to be in Malachi’s arms and she never flinched anymore, even if he was angry. That had taken Malachi time and it wasn’t time that Lizzie was about to trade. She’d also had to do her own bit of damage control on the psychological end but she’d be there and whatever else it took to make him realise she wasn’t going to turn on him.

“I will teach you anything you want Ahavat” She’d teach him to fly if he wasn’t such a chicken. They’d tried that once, though he’d done it a little and it was a start. She had at least isolated why he was so afraid of her flying. Next step was to try and get him to stop worrying so much. Lizzie smiled a bit. Everything she did in the house was out of customs and her upbringing. She played some with his hair while watching the children playing.

Then before she realized what was happening Malachi was telling her to go home with the kids. She moved the children behind her and took a few steps back guarding them but no way was she leaving Malachi. She had a grip on her weapon. She could hear him screaming but she wasn’t listening. Before she realized what was going Malachi was trying to tell the kids everything was okay. There was no one there for Lizzie to trust with the kids. Slowly backing up she kept her eyes on the man standing in front of her husband. Someone needed to have Malachi’s back. He could yell and scream at her later, but at least if there was a fight to go home to, she’d cross that hurdle when she got there.

Taking a few steps back she pretended like she wasn’t going to harm a fly. Liz was good at looking innocent and naive but she was almost as deadly as Malachi these days. He’d trained her to stay alive; but she didn’t exactly go around advertising it. Lizzie alerted Tierney PD muting the speaker so no one could hear that she’d done so but Tierney PD could hear everything. Liz let PD know something was going on. “Malachi!” her cry sounded distressed. Though she had a feeling this was far past just a small inkling of “he looked at my woman” or something like that. Oh how she wished things were that simple.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi was still adjusting to life in America, to him people stayed in one place and he was the one who commuted to and from. It didnt matter how many miles it was, how many hours if a family couldnt move for any reason it was simply a solution though he knew it wasnt an easy thing to do or ask of anyone. Eight and a half hours on a day could mean the difference between getting a work call and getting six or seven hours at home. “Then we’ll make that trip however often you want to. Every weekend if we can Ahavah.” He said not wanting her to be home sick though given their jobs it was tough not to be.

He had been all to used to people turning on him, it was in his first line of work needed to be guarded against. Relationships were only way that someone could control him, he knew without a doubt that the way to get to him would be Elizabeth and the children. He knew she wouldnt turn on him but it was fighting what he believed, what he had been through and what he had been taught. The last two had gone hand in hand though the first one he had to believe in because he loved her no matter if she did turn on him or not.

Malachi grinned at the offer to teach him anything he wanted, he knew she had tried with the whole flying thing but he preferred to keep his feet on the ground. “Then I’d like to know how to cook like you do, then I can at least make you dinner that is packet free.” He said thinking that at least it would be an attempt. He guessed it was more about control of flying, humans were never made to fly and beyond attaching a parachute to everyone Malachi was extremely uncomfortable placing his trust in someone he either had no prior knowledge about however then there was Lizzie. He knew her record and he trusted her entirely however he didnt trust the plane and in such he would avoid flying if he could do.

Had it been at any other point in his day he might not have had such an issue with turning into the person he knew all too well. There were children there, kids just kids as he realised that Lizzie wasnt leaving. He wanted to yell at her to go but he needed to focus as he could see a few of the other parents calling their children back to them. “Elizabeth Lachzor Habayita.” He said though he wasnt looking in her direction, he hated to use any tone with her but this wasnt just some guy who had looked at her the wrong way.

“You took everything from me.” The man said as Malachi just shook his head at the man. “You took everything from you, I just did what was right.” It had been the right thing to do, Malachi hadn’t ever doubted that but right now he wished that they had picked a different park. “My wife left, my daughter she’s in California all because of you!” The man screamed as Malachi stepped forward. “There are kids here, let’s just talk but not here.” He offered figuring a bar or the tree like or anywhere where he could kick the guys ass out of sight of anyone.

Malachi heard Lizzie as he turned to her for a second and tried to smile as if everything was fine. “It’s okay, we’re going to go talk away from here.” Malachi said not waiting to hear if the guy actually agreed or not as he saw the man take a few steps toward his family. “I’m done with talking; you took my family so I’ll take yo...” Malachi didnt even let the guy finish that statement as his knee came up to meet the guy’s stomach, the guy doubled and stumbled backward a few steps.

Malachi hadn’t been so scared before, it wasnt for himself that didnt even register but for Lizzie and the children. He was a trained killer but that wasnt the conversation about daddy’s job he had, he just worked for the military. Malachi never knew what they thought he did but hurting people wasnt something he wanted them to see at all. “Please Lizzie, you dont need to see this, they dont either.” He pleaded though before he could say anything else he saw the guy get back and head toward his family. It was all the justification Malachi needed as he felt the familiar tensing of his body as he tackled the guy again, this time throwing him back into the children’s play area that had been cleared out by the other parents. He didnt make a sound, even when he saw the guy pull out the military knife they were all too familiar with he was silent as his head went from the relaxing park day to a thousand ways to kill a guy given what he had.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Lizzie shook her head at her husband gently. “My husband, the optimist.” She whispered. Liz loved the optimism he had at times. Something she was glad that he still had, after everything that he had seen. It was something that made him more human. Most people didn’t understand how she could live with someone who was sent after high profile targets and risked their lives doing it. Though she’d been the daughter of a CIA agent who did the same thing. It didn’t make them any less human. It was just figuring out what part of their humanity to nurture to keep them going each day.

There was no way that Elizabeth would turn on him. It wasn’t in her to be vindictive or carry a grudge. Though she could hide things and sit on them forever. But at the end of the day, she trusted Malachi. She smiled and nodded when he said he wanted to learn to cook. “Okay, then I will teach you.” She shook her head and nodded towards him.

Hearing Malachi’s tone she was torn between making sure he was okay and doing what she was told to do. Elizabeth was outright not listening to Malachi. Trust him Elizabeth. But it wasn’t about trust, it was about worry and making sure he was safe. Then there were the children and she had to keep them safe too. Going home would just lead whomever to where they lived. Also not a bright idea. Think Lizzie, think she chided at herself as she further pushed the children behind her.

Lizzie heard the man threaten her and the children, she didn’t need to hear the rest of the conversation. Liz just took more steps backwards but the moment the knife came out, she wanted to pull her weapon. Except the technicality that Malachi had started the physical side of things. He had only been defending against threats. However, they were brewing up a storm. Though 911 could hear the threats she was sure of that much. No she couldn’t add to this mess.

Soon there were police sirens in the distance. Lizzie had the children tight to her. If anyone so much as came near her children, she would make sure they lost a limb. Trust him Liz. She did trust Malachi but she was scared for him, regardless of training. This guy was also trained. Soon police officers were pushing her farther back, away from the escalating fight. Lizzie was getting antsy and nervous. She was talking to an officer before she really realized what was going on.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi smiled for a moment, “I try to be, not optimism but we will make that trip. It is a plan.” He said though having just thought of it he would think a lot more on it. Plan the best route, the best times and the fastest way there to make sure Lizzie had all the time possible with her family. He had never considered himself to be an optimist but then he always had to believe that no situation was impossible no matter how bleak the outcome might be. Optimism was sometimes the only thing he had to cling to when it came to being human.

“I would like that very much.” He said smiling though he knew Lizzie had the patient of a saint he only hoped it could stretch to him learning to cook. Then again he trusted her and with that he hoped that he could at least manage to make it work or he would stick to his packets and know what was he was doing with ration meals. Food wasnt really the issue it was the sort of food that was. Fast and easy to add water and wait for it to be ready, it was what he could do well.

Himself. He was the one person there that day that he didnt care about at all, whatever happened to him was insignificant compared to anything that might happen to his family. He was used to high risk, no hope, dangerous situations but this was different this wasnt a mission or a telling off when he got back this was his life. The very people he loved most in the world. He knew he wasnt thinking straight telling her to go home but home was the only place he knew that was safe. It wasnt Israel where he knew of place after place to go to.

He had no safe house or safe space in America apart from the home he had with Lizzie. Mess was right, he knew what the man was capable of and knew what he could do or would do. There was no sense in his head in letting things get any further and the fact that the threat had been made, he wasnt about to lie down and take that. The fight was getting worse and between the introduction of a blade and the sirens he could hear there seemed to be a lot going on.

Malachi did his best to focus as the man made another run at him, he threw him back again but the man just wouldnt quit. It was a cop that took his attention away for that brief second. Malachi was scared that it was a second person, someone who wanted to hurt her as he glanced away from the other guy toward Lizzie who was talking to an officer. Cop, that was safe he thought though before he could stop it he stretched upwards a little as he felt the knife twist in his side.

It wasnt the perfect solution but considering where the blade had been heading, it beat the two minutes of agonizing pain and death that would have been if it had impacted a few inches higher. Malachi hoped that Lizzie hadn’t seen as he tumbled to the floor with the guy as he let out a hiss the minute he retrieved the knife. It might have been instinct that took over as he turned the weapon on the other guy. A quick sharp move and that was it, instinct to take a life to save his family and one guy who wasnt going to get up and walk away.

He pushed himself to his knees as he faced away from the children and Lizzie as he pulled off his jacket and placed it over the man’s face. No one needed to see he told himself as he pushed his hand against his side letting out another hiss under his breath as he tried his best to hide the blood that seeped through his fingers. The one day he wore a light shirt he thought cursing the fact that he had paused over the black shirt that morning as he stayed knelt down in the grass by the play area.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Lizzie had watched but only because police were holding her back from getting involved. But watching Malachi drop she instinctively fought to free herself. The children, all three, were with police. “Malachi Lo!” (No) she screamed. She’d been trained as a medic briefly, enough that she could handle the situation until the paramedics got there. When she realized he had taken the knife out of his side, she felt like she was going to be sick. That meant there was nothing to stop him from bleeding out.

Get yourself together Elizabeth. She wouldn’t let Malachi see her breaking down. Focus Lizzie, you can handle this. Grabbing her jacket she finally got words out and they were more military order sounding than full of any emotion. “This is going to hurt.” She knew better than to not warn him. He hardly like to be touched. She tightened the jacket around his waist after using one of the towels in their bag to block the bleeding. “Don’t move.” She instructed.

The man who had stabbed Malachi was better off dead than letting Elizabeth near him. Lizzie was not as good as Malachi at hiding emotions but she was fairly skilled at it herself. The rage was strong and her silence indicated she was hiding more than she was going to speak. The sirens didn’t seem close enough even though she could hear more of them. The children were crying and Lizzie didn’t feel like she could be in two places at once.

Lizzie applied more pressure to the wound. There was no way in hell she was leaving. Liz dumped her phone onto the ground with her one free hand putting it on speaker to phone their sitter. Her voice didn’t even sound like hers to her own ears as she told the sitter where they were and vague details of just needing someone to pick up the kids. When one of the cops reached down to pull Elizabeth back so paramedics could work she instinctively went to elbow the person.

Tears threatened but didn’t fall. The moment she was out of sight all bets were off she was still staying close by so she held them at bay. The cop pulled her tight into a taunt but none threatening manner to try and get her to calm down. “Mrs. Dovev take a breath.” She could hear the tone but she instinctively wanted to just get free. Her focus was on Malachi and she broke free, she wanted to help.

“You don’t understand. He won’t let anyone touch him. I need to be in there!” She started arguing. Oh if Malachi decided to lose his mind in the ambulance. No it was safer if the cops followed with the kids until the babysitter could meet them there. Though the sitter was there before that was even an issue, it still hadn’t registered with Liz even as her attention was split between babysitter and argument with the paramedic.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Hearing her scream had to be the worst sound in the world to him, he didn’t exactly know what to do as he stayed where he was trying not to fight with anyone there. He knew he wasnt thinking straight, there were the children there who didnt need to see it, Lizzie who was there who didnt need to see and they were in danger. That made his skin rise in goose bumps as he tried not to think about that, he had done his job protected the family and made sure the other guy wasnt getting up.

“Lizzie, Zeh Klum! Zeh Klum!” (It’s nothing, it’s nothing) He stated not wanting to look anywhere near to see what he was saying was nothing just in case it was a little more than nothing. Malachi nodded when she said it was going to hurt, he was glad of the warning as he hissed almost trying to pull away from her touch. Don’t move, yeah right like he wasnt going to move he thought as he kept the nonchalant look on his face as if it was all just another day at the office. He didnt want to frighten the children or Lizzie so it was just that like any other day.

Malachi knew that her silence meant she was hiding more than she was going to say as he listened to the sirens and then the children. “Ein Tov. Bari veShalem. We’ll get ice cream soon I promise.” (It’s fine. Safe and sound.) He said to the children trying to calm them down though he couldnt even look at them without feeling as if he had just disappointed the entire family. The minute he felt lizzie apply more pressure he took a breath trying his best to disguise the pain he felt though given she knew him better than anyone he was sure it was a failed attempt at it.

The sirens reminded him of the times he should have fled from a scene, tidied up as best he could before running in the opposite direction and staying out of the way of the local police. This was a bad day, a mission gone wrong not that he had ever thought it would turn out that way as he forced himself to stay put despite his natural urge to run and escape the sirens and noise. His head was already going through the steps, find a vets or chemist or any place that he could fix himself up without attracting attention.

The voice of the sitter, the fact he saw his wife elbow a cop who tried to pull her back as Malachi reached out a hand to try and stop the guy. It wasnt that he was afraid simply no one grabbed her ever he thought as he was trying to stay as still as possible and cooperate. Malachi was trying to focus on the children when the sitter arrived and he heard Liz start arguing with the paramedic. He was about to weigh into the argument when he saw the hand at the side of his vision. Instinct seemed to take over as he grabbed the hand, twisted and slammed the person’s body into the grass as he kept a knee on their back.

He saw the bright emblazoned letters of paramedic across the persons back as he let go as soon as he realised his mistake. There were too many people, too many hands he didnt know and people he didnt trust around his family as he wasnt sure what to do next. No, this wasnt happening he told himself as he looked at Elizabeth for a moment as he got to his feet shakily. “Kar Li” (I feel cold) He stated as he shook his head glancing around for a way out. Too many people, sirens, problems he needed to go he thought as sticking around was unnatural after what he had done. “I should go... I have to go.” He said, his eyes darting around looking for his escape as he took a few steps backwards away from everyone as he held out his hands in a surrender movement.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Lizzie was focused on Malachi. “Coricarsi” (Lie down) her words were firm but in Italian. Her go to comfort language. Liz could hear one language and respond in another without even thinking about the result. She resisted the urge to call him on his lie. He called a stab wound nothing and she could feel the anger boiling. He needs you to stay calm Elizabeth. It was all she could do at the moment to hold herself together.

It is not fine she thought as she worked to stop the bleeding. All of his training and he had pulled the knife out. Medical knowledge to keep himself alive clearly wasn’t a trained skill. She was about to warn the paramedic not to touch Malachi but she was too late and the medic ended up on the floor.

“Ho detto di sdraiarmi Malachia” (I said to lie down Malachi) Her Italian was pointed. She wasn’t going to argue with him. Right now she was overriding the flow of things and stepping in. Protective Lizzie was deadly; but she also didn’t take any of the ‘I’m fine’ or ‘I will be alright’ bull that Malachi would try and pull. Liz realized she was on her own when it came to getting Malachi to cooperate in an ambulance.

Lizzie was taking instructions from the paramedic and asking for things. To her words and numbers became a jumbled mess. When Malachi started backing up and mentioned being cold, Lizzie moved towards him. “Malachi. B’vakasha hish'iyn” (Please lie down) she was still being firm but she didn’t want him to get hurt and she was trying to keep the pleading tones from seeping into her words.

When he mentioned feeling cold her heart fell. He was losing blood, and fast. Lizzie forced all of her emotions down, to focus. There was time to break down later, when she would be in the hospital waiting room. Elizabeth stepped towards him once more and put pressure to block the bleeding as best as he would let her. “Non farmi chiedere di nuovo.” (Don’t make me ask again.) The more Liz repeated herself, the angrier she became. That was just a general rule of thumb for her personality. Lizzie refused to let Malachi see her break, especially given that he had to focus on other things. Right now she didn’t need to divert his attention in anyway to her well-being because it was far from okay but her skill at pushing emotions away to break down later had a strong track record.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

For a moment her Italian threw him, he was used to the different languages and of all that were spoke in the house Italian was the one he found most difficult though he had learned that Italian was Lizzie’s comfort language as he tried to find the translation in his head. It went against everything he knew to stick around, he had done his job and should be moving no matter what was going on but he was stood there being told to lie down in Italian. "No." He said shaking his head, he was fine he just needed to walk it off and he'd be alright.

Malachi was working under the assumption that if he explained he was fine then he would be, it was all a case of mind over matter though he knew a little medical knowledge and normally he might have left the knife in place but not with the children. He had to be the strong one and having a knife sticking out of him, he couldn’t see it instilling confidence in his ability to protect them so it had to go. His logic or lack thereof might have been flawed but then this wasnt a situation he was used to.

“Il mio amore, sto bene. Non ho bisogno di sdraiarmi.” (My love, I'm fine. I don't need to lie down.) he said not sure why he couldnt just run it off, he had to it was what he did he thought as he listned to the exchange between Liz and the paramedic. Was he sorry for pushing one to the floor yes but should they have come at him, no. Why didnt people just understand that like Liz did he wondered, he didnt like to be touched and he didnt like people attempting it either. Simple.

Malachi was still trying to decide what to do, run and go where? He had no idea, stay and risk whatever was going and the children, it felt like his two separate worlds had just come crashing together in one fatal swoop. Work and home it was separate and the exact reason he was cold, unfeeling and robot like it was what made everything work in life. Two sides of a coin, the two didnt meet often but today, with Lizzie and the children he couldnt help but feel terrified of what he had done, what he was and above all the fact that he could have lost any one of them that day.

There were those words again, lie down no that was giving up or giving in or any number of things he didnt want to do right then. He was starting to feel cold though when Elizabeth stepped towards him Malachi almost took another step back. Malachi could hear the anger as he nodded trying to keep the blank stare on his face even though he was terrified of several things in that moment. He didnt have much of a choice in the matter of lying down when he felt his legs give way as he lay there and stared at Lizzie.

“Elizabeth, mi dispiace.” (I’m sorry.) He said as he gazed at her for a moment, “Are you fine?” He asked knowing he had got that wrong but right now he didnt care about making sense it was just if Lizzie was alright. He had made a promise to protect family and he had done it mostly though he just didnt know what to make of it all. “We should go home Ahavah, I said we’d get ice cream but I just need an hour to sleep and I’ll be okay.” He said thinking that if he got some rest then all would be okay and he wouldnt break his promise.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Elizabeth wanted to smack Malachi the minute he told her no. Internally cringing in her head, she decided to start a fight with him. It was for his own good, and she wasn’t really scared of him. “Non essere un dolore ostinato nel culo, Mettiti giù.” (Do not be a stubborn pain in the ass, Lie down.) Lizzie put herself in his shoes, she might have been just as stubborn but this wasn’t about her. She swallowed a lump in her throat. Going against Malachi could spell disaster but anything he threw at her right now was worth it.

Liz could only bite tongue for so long and she was doing everything she could to focus. Stopping the bleeding was her first priority. He was going to need blood and Elizabeth knew it. She tried to get her words across to the paramedics but a slur of languages came out. Finally, she was able to put it into English. Sweat poured down her face. She let the few tears she was holding fall with the sweat. A trick she was well aware of mastering.

Liz was trying not to yell at Malachi when he said he was fine. Holding back the five shades of red, she wanted to call him a liar and everything else under the sun. “Coricarsi.” (Lie down) Four times now she had said it, in various different ways. The firmness never left her voice. It was all she could do to keep her voice from cracking. Stubborn prat. Collecting her thoughts her head was everywhere as she looked towards him. “This is going to hurt.” She warned him before she clamped the artery with her fingers. There was no choice right now.

When Malachi finally laid down she maneuvered with him, so as not to let go. His body was cold and it made it harder for her to concentrate. “I’m fine. Let’s focus on you.” Her words were metered and even practiced. English was difficult for her when she was trying to think and Hebrew she used it everyday but the words she wanted were eluding her. “Don’t apologize.” She managed to get out the words, he shouldn’t be apologizing for protecting them.

The more he said he was fine and trying to reason with her the angrier she became. Liz was not two and she’d more medical training than he had. You have started enough Liz. Let it go. She used her free hand to change out the gauze as the medics started off towards the hospital. Liz just continued to take instructions. There was no way anyone else was going to touch Malachi and she knew it.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev