If it was one thing Stephanie hated it was when things went wrong. First, security on the base had failed things had swiftly turned to a large mess with too much of her unit injured for her liking. She’d gone from XO to CO in the blink of an eye. That was after the rescue helo had been sent to pick up the downed medical supplies. The base was in need of those supplies and the need outweighed the risk of sending people to go pick them up.

Communications had lost contact with the blackhawk and down it had gone. Originally, the information came down as loss of contact until there had been the Mayday call retrieved over the airwaves. The background had been filtered such that words were discernable. The medical staff that had been sent was being held prisoner of war. That was what Stephanie had been able to discern from the tape in so many words.

Then there was the surveillance and the intelligence and investigation into the compound. A concrete bunker that was under the ground with nothing else around it. Desert. No place for units to hide, no matter whether friend or foe. Stephanie was on the radio listening to the compound being cleared by the unit. She was on foot outside of the compound. Sniper fire cover, something she’d not really done in years. The teams funneled in and all she could see was dust. All she could hear was the sounds of gunfire, smoke bombs, and everything else under the sun.

“Ma’am, you wanted a rescue count?” One of the combat medics approached her. “15 in total. I should get back and help them.” He disappeared after she silently dismissed him but Stephanie clenched a fist. That was 11 more than went down in the medevac helo. She gathered her head and went go check on those in her unit. That’s when a familiar face caught her eye. No, she was seeing things. Javan had disappeared so many years ago, no one seemed to think he was even alive. She felt like hurling. This was just another bad dream wasn’t it?

This wasn’t happening. Stephanie changed directions and headed for him. Though she knew what it was like to be where he was. Steph wasn’t there to spook him. “Javan.” Her voice was softer than usual. Though she was biting back anger. Whomever had done this to him would pay. This was personal now. Stephanie sat on the tailgate of the truck. Right now they had two people per the back of several truck beds but Javan made an odd number so it was just him. They were waiting on the medevac helicopter. Something Stephanie hardly trusted right now was helos. There was a perimeter in place. Nothing was going to get to them right now.

Stephanie took her waterskin off and set it down pushing it towards him. “Drink something. Please.” One of the few words she never really used much. If Korea was trying to break her then it was succeeding. Stephanie moved a little closer until she was close enough to touch him if she wanted to do so, but she didn’t want to spook him. Though she didn’t have much time either.

Stephanie reached up and pulled her hair out of her bun, it was something he’d always preferred was when her hair was down and wavy. Maybe it would catch his attention or be a comfort. The citrus scent wasn’t as strong as it had been but her shampoo scent lingered and seemed out of place in the middle of where they were. She fastened her hair tie around her wrist and looked towards him. Stephanie despite everything held her face as she mentally chastised herself. What was she supposed to say? Everything sounded so superficial or something she knew would be a moot point. Words had never been something she was good with.

Tag: Dr. Javan Huntley

He lay there, eyes closed, in his head that stupid song kept playing. He never would have thought he could hate Blues music, but here he was, silently wishing that whoever had written that song had been smothered as a child.

His stomach twitched. It had given up on growls and groans months ago. He could feel something, somewhat cold, obviously with fluid inside.

He knew had been rescued, but his mind was in tatters. Although he wasn't fully aware of the extent, he was now less than a third the weight he was when captured. Most of his muscle mass was gone, and although he was not quite skin and bones, he wasn't far from it either.

He managed to twist the cap off the water skin and drink. The scent of citrus washed over him. He once again thought he was imagining it. But he was rescued. He could go home.

"Stphny."

His lips couldn't quite form the name. He wasnt aware it was her right there, but simply the scent of her shampoo was enough to relax him. Even if he thought he was just hallucinating.


Col. Stephanie Huntley,

When he put two and two together, she reached her hand out and lightly touched him on the shoulder. “Yes. I’m here now.” Though she chastised herself for not having been able to get there sooner, or have any information on what he was being held there for and why. Though that was a thought for another day.

“Colonel, ETA on those helos, 5 mikes. They are trying to get a hercules on it’s way. It’s having engine trouble.” Not what Stephanie wanted to hear but she looked towards the messenger and nodded. “A Captain Amberson just landed He’s looking for you.”

They’d only been looking for four people, so this was a much larger scale rescue operation than the unit had been immediately prepared to deal with. “I need his Viper in the air, as soon as he can get it back up there again. ” She stated over her shoulder. “I want the rescue helos escorted in. If a flea so much as sneezes. I want to know about it.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“And find me my XO.” She added as she laid a hand down along side Javan’s neck to get his pulse. There was very little she knew about field medicine or anything at all.

She lowered her voice now that she was talking to Javan once more. “Zach’s on his way. He’s going to make sure you get out of here safely.” She thought for a moment. “And if I can help, I will too.” Problem was unless he could find her XO, she wouldn’t be getting out from this monumental mess anytime soon.

Normally Stephanie wasn’t this calm. Though there was a million and one reasons why she wanted to throw something and a million more why that was the last thing Javan needed with everything going on. The marine expeditionary team was holding the perimeter right now. She started digging through her bag and came out with some seaweed type ration bar. She broke it open and handed it to him.

Tag: Dr. Javan Huntley

Javan was in and out, He could hear her voice, but from the combination of long term dehydration, starvation, and both physical and psychological torture, his mind was unable to sort reality from dream.

He tried to open his eyes, but the light was too bright, the dark of his cell had been so close to absolute, he likely would have been blinded by the light of a night vision head set.

A bounce in the road made his head tap the bed of the truck. Not hard, but he immediately went into torture mode, and began reciting medical terms, using the proper wording and kept it up for several minutes. This was his go to, the torturers hadnt been able to figure out what he was doing and thought he was talking code about military operations.

Stephanie couldn’t get out of the chaotic mess right away. Zach escorted the helo that Javan would be flown to the nearest hospital in. The minute he got a chance he got himself into the hospital. Zach knew his mom would be taking this hard on herself but there wasn’t anything he could do for her right now. She’d fallen into her battle mode and just kept going. Maybe he should take a few days and stay with his mom at home, just to make sure she was alright. Zach was sure that Madison would understand his reasoning.

Zach came into the room and put his cover on the bedside table next to Javan. “Mom’s on her way. She’s got quite the mess to clean up.” Zach was trying to hold himself together. Telling Javan about everything that had happened over the last several years was probably a bad idea. In the last two years a lot had happened. Hell Zach had gotten married the same year that Javan had turned up missing.

Stephanie approached the door and slipped it open. “Captain, can you give us a minute?” She didn’t normally call her son by rank but right now she was in one of those mindsets and Zach couldn’t fault her for it.

“Of course.” He disappeared from the room forgetting his cover on the table.

Stephanie watched him leave the room and sighed. Marines, they were trouble. Stephanie was outnumbered now but that hardly matters. “You’ve made more of an impression on him then he will ever admit.” Stephanie was just rambling. “He’s a Marine because of you and a damned good one.” Picking up her son’s cover she took a moment to look over the details of it. She wanted to break. “But everytime I send him out, I can’t help but see a piece of you in him more and more with every flight he makes.” Stephanie twirled the cover in her hands, not realizing she had just slipped.. She didn’t understand why she was just talking… Stephanie rarely if ever opened up, let alone about feelings. But right now, she had no idea what else to say, so she took to fidgeting and rambling, in true Stephanie fashion.

Tag: Dr. Javan Huntley

Javan had been slowly waking for some time. He had heard Zach's voice and been rasping to figure out who it was. The Boy, no man, Sounded different. He had lost that teenager's tone, and his voice was a bit deeper.

He made the connection when Stephanie started to ramble. He hated it when she rambled, because he knew it was a sign of how upset she actually was. He pulled what reserves of strength he had and managed to moe his hand to hers.

"Stop...talking...bre..ath...know...bet...ter."

He opened his eyes and smiled. And it was a real smile. The only thing more beautiful in his mind right now, was the thought of seeing his whole family again. A close second was her face.

Stephanie gave him a semi glare when he told her to stop talking. She covered his hand with her other hand and tried to figure out what she wanted to say. “If anyone needs to stop talking it’s you.” She decided that two could play at that game. Though in her following silence she couldn’t help but let her mind drift. “And know better what?” She couldn’t help but her curiosity piqued.

She had yet to shower, she had been crawling in the sand and vegetation and she was still in her fatigues. It wasn’t exactly the foremost thought on her mind right now. Though it never bothered her, but she looked probably as tired as she felt. “I took over a base command in Tennessee.” No Virginia had been too much heartache after Javan had disappeared to stay. Every time she turned around. She’d needed a fresh start. Though she conveniently left out the part about James trying to move them into the house she grew up in until the memories got the best of her. Yeah the Illinois trip didn’t need to be mentioned.

In Tierney, there were no miserable memories. Stephanie had always been one to run from her memories. Lots had happened and she didn’t really think he needed to be filled in but she still wasn’t stopping with the whole rambling thing.

Tag: Dr. Javan Huntley

Javan looked at her, and offered a weak, but honest laugh.

"Know...better...than...dwell...on...the bad."

He turned to his side, the effort it took was immense, and spat a massive mouthful of bile into the bin next to his bed. they were pumping nutrients right into his stomach, but the fluid was causing stomach acid to rise up his throat.

"Need...to..think...the...good."

He laid back and closed his eyes, before uttering the very first, unfaltering sentence since his release from captivity.

"I need goddam shower."

Stephanie could feel anger bubbling at the people who had done this. She understood this state, this had been her once. Too weak to stand or hold her head up. “Don’t worry about me right now. I’ve got plenty of others to do that.” Yes, she probably did swell too much on her past. Though she could only smile when he said that she needed to think the good. How she wished she had that optimism still.

Stephanie laughed as she heard his shower comment. “You and me both.” How he had smelled the scent of her shampoo through a few days of dust she would never know. Then again, men somehow smelled a lot better than she ever could.

“Do you want me to get the nurses for you? Or let me help?” She knew the second would be breaking a few rules but maybe he’d feel more comfortable with someone that wasn’t a stranger.

He tried to chuckle but only managed a hacking coughing fit, which he held out a hand for her to just let him finish.

"Stitches. No shower for now. I'm not filthy, just feel...dry..."

And in truth that was why he wanted a shower. His skin felt like it was covered in sand and grit, even though he was mostly clean.

"As for worrying about you. I always worry about you. How many time have you been shot since i was taken? Six? Twenty?"

An attempt at humor, a poor one, but it showed he was trying.

Right, medical stuff wasn't her thing. She'd not put two and two together with the stitches. "And this is why you have the medical degree and not me." She pointed out in her own failed attempt at humor. It really wasn't her thing when someone she cared about was in trouble. Biting at her lip she could do little more than worry.

Despite knowing that it went both ways, hearing it only made it more real. "Shot at... I stopped count. Getting injured. None." She pointed out. She'd managed to avoid getting shot. Of course it helped that she wasn't exactly unguarded being the base commander. "I'm mostly a pencil pusher; but I still have my moments." She responded. Really, she was getting too old for this bullshit. She was going on 40 this year and it wasn't like she was getting any younger.

She'd thought about retiring and in 2018 she could retire with her full pension if she really wanted to do so. That was only a little ways off. With it looming just around the corner she wanted to give it some thought. She'd probably go nuts. But maybe it was time the minute she got to a point where she could and still keep her retirement in tact. "I'm considering retiring at the end of my tenure. I don't know how much longer I can take the toll this has on me." She mentioned. She wasn't talking about the physical toll but her mental stat was not what it used to be.

Tag: Dr. Javan Huntley