Malachi was still trying to get back into the swing of husband when he set foot through the front door of their home. He didnt usually wear a uniform as the unit he was in blended with the civilians, dressed in a dark suit without a tie he had been in the USA that morning, left the country and come back before dinner. He had flipped the switch into work mode far too easily and yet getting back to ‘normal’ life was a lot tougher.

An hour of briefings and then debriefings and his head was still buzzing though the one thing about coming home was that he knew it was actually home. A different country was fine, his job he knew how to do like the back of his hand and it came eerily easily to him. A second nature that even a serial killer would love to have yet Malachi had an off button. He knew when to stop and when to follow orders. That had been the order of the day, go here, end this, get back by this time.

Malachi had done exactly that with a few others and now he was going home to his wife and children as if he had just finished doing tax returns at the office. He knew that Lizzie knew what he did, she was that one person he trusted to know that but the kids. He wondered what they though or even if he would ever have them believing anything other than daddy was an accountant. “Honey!" He called before he shook his head, no point in pushing his 'hey honey i'm home attempt'. "Lizzie. I’m back.” He called once he set foot through the door though his brain screamed at him not to. Letting people know he was home made him give up the element of surprise. Not work he told himself as he dropped his bag with a spare change of clothes in before he made his way further into the house to see everyone.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

The worst thing about the military was all the moving they had been doing. Malachi had been restationed and of course she followed. Her plans had changed drastically as she opened a letter she had gotten from her superior officers. Apparently she still had time left on her contract that she didn't know about after taking her last promotion. Hardly something she wanted to explain to Malachi. Though she left the letter out where he could see it.

Wandering into the bathtub she'd managed to get all three kids to go to bed at the same time. With Gabriel starting preschool in the fall, he had a lot of energy and nap times for him were rare. She was going to take advantage of it. So she soaked in the tub with dinner in the crock pot. Liz always had things just so for Malachi getting home before she even attempted time for herself. 

Climbing out of the tub, drying off before she got dressed into Pajamas as she heard Malachi calling for her. "Hayah bari veshalem"¹ she called from the doorway as she dried her hair in the doorway. Ringing the water out into the towel she had in her hand. Moving towards him she came over and kissed him. They'd been working on things, mostly this... the hardest part of the day for Malachi transitioning to 'normal'. How she had managed to get a three year old, a fourteen month old, and a newborn to sleep was a feat. They'd already eaten and gotten into bed for the night, though she had a feeling the newest addition would wake her sometime in the night as usual. Zohara had Malachi wrapped around her little finger but she had a feeling she wouldn't be the only one. Gabriel had the distinct pleasure of being the only boy of the bunch.

Liz put her finger to his lips. "bambini dormono."² she whispered before replacing her finger with her lips again. She tried harder and harder these days to try and make things work. There was a small smile on her face. "It's good to have you home" Okay so her languages were all over the place. Was there something so wrong with that?


Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev
1 - I am safe and sound
2- The children are asleep

The moving was part of the job, he knew that and he had done a lot of it though not with a family behind him. That was always different and sometimes he wondered if it was something he wanted to put them through every time he was stationed somewhere else. Then again coming home to an empty room without his family there he couldnt even begin to think about. When he got back he managed to take a look at the letter that was left out. He had to glance at it twice before he realised that the quiet life he thought his wife would have was now ruined.

Malachi wasn’t a flying fan but Lizzie, she loved it. He had thought that the military was behind her and now he felt like he had just been punched as her voice took him by surprise for a moment. When he looked up he did his best to hide the fact he had seen the letter as he smiled hearing that she was safe and sound. Even those words nagged at him as he wondered for how long once she went back to flying. He watched her wanting to protect her from the world but he knew it wasn’t possible, not now she had her orders.

The change of language had him scrambling to understand it, though he was a little slow he caught up as he kissed her finger for a second seeing the smile on her face. “It’s good to be home.” He said simply happy to be there, Malachi knew he was bad with hiding things as he either shut off completely or over compensated. In an effort to act as normal and as ‘I so haven’t looked at the letter’ as possible he reached out for her and attempted to take her into a ‘the worlds about to end’ hug. “I love you Lizzie, I really do.” He said deciding to stick to English for the moment in case he tripped himself up with his own words.

Better to have her think that he was alright than the fact he was scared to death. He wasn’t the most subtle at times either but then hugging Liz was all that mattered to him. To be home where she was safe and they could just be normal people. It was what mattered.

Tag:Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

The letter didn't bother Elizabeth, but she had a feeling that Malachi would not take it well. She smiled being close to him. Her fingers lightly playing at his lips. She could tell that he had seen the letter by the way he was acting. Lizzie didn't miss a beat. She snuggled onto his shoulder. "That works both ways" she never knew what language was going to come out sometimes but she was pretty decent at following his lead in those regards.

Lizzie wanted to tell him to relax. But instead she just put a hand on his back and ran it down back and pulled him close. "Dinner is in the crock pot Ahavat" she whispered. The thing was Lizzie wasn't really one to like the quiet life. She was full of life and adventure. Though she knew how he felt about her flying. She didn't really want to bring it up.

He was unusually huggy today but she didn't mind. It made her happy to just be able to hug him and not fight with him. She playfully shoved him towards the kitchen. "The little ones are already in bed. Including the baby" she seemed proud of herself. Though she played with his hair some. "Talk to me" she whispered. Liz always knew when something was on his mind. "I know that look" she added though she wasn't accusatory and if he didn't want to talk, she wasn't going to push. That always ended badly.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

The minute she smiled and her fingers lightly played at his lips he wondered if she had read the letter. Then against it wasn’t like it would be sitting out if she hadn’t done as he knew she loved her flying so why did it have to happen to them. The minute he thought she would be safe and then bang, a letter and a flying tin can after that. Malachi smiled when she spoke, he was glad to be wanted to be home not that he ever felt he wasn’t but there were days where he wondered why she put up with him.

“Ishti, Adon Olam.” (My wife, the master of the universe.) He said with a smile, how she managed to work miracles was beyond him but he did look forward to dinner as he held her happy to feel her hand on his back. Usually he wasn’t the touchy feely type but then this was a different occasion, his wife was going back to flying in things that fell out of the sky. The very thing that had them meeting but that was a one off, a one off where his wife was safe and now Malachi was terrified that it could happen at any moment.

Malachi laughed a little as she playfully shoved him toward the kitchen, he put up little resistance to it at all. “Ishti, Balnes.” (My wife, the miracle worker). He said proud of what she had accomplished with the kids being in their beds, he knew he would sneak into their rooms later just to watch them sleep. It was relaxing knowing that they hadn’t a clue what was going on and that sleep came so easily to them. He thought for a moment he had gotten away undetected when she played with his hair some though when she spoke those three words.

He wife knew him better than anyone and could read him far too well as he leaned down to kiss her cheek and then her lips for a moment. She knew the look, he had a look? Well he needed to work on it because it wasn’t for lack of trying to hide the look underneath. Malachi stopped and stared at Liz for a moment, did he admit to reading the letter? Should he have even read the letter because the American and Israeli customs were so different? If he did admit it was he falling into the trap of an argument? Still he couldnt hide that she knew there was something.

Act positive he thought, he’d been reading up on communication in relationships and positivity was a main point at least three hundred pages of mind bending reading later it was what he had. “I’ve been thinking.” He said not sure that was always a good thing but it was better than falling to the floor and grabbing her leg so she couldnt go anywhere. “If I was home a little more, it would free you up to do what you love in flying and I can spend more time with the children. Maybe make you dinner for when you’re back and look after the house too.” He offered knowing that he couldnt do as good a job as Liz but then he would try and that meant she was free to concentrate on flying.

That in itself was a good thing because he didnt want her to be distracted. Malachi smiled at her though it was genuine it was a little over the top though he knew any emotion he felt when it needed to be shown he had to feel like a clown inside for it to make the transition between assassin and husband sometimes. Too little and he looked like he didnt care, too much and he looked like he had bad gas pains.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Elizabeth had read the letter, but she was hardly going to bring it up. Orders were orders, he knew that. Sure she outranked him when it came to it, but she hardly threw rank around. That just simply wasn't her. At home, she was the wife and with that came certain responsibilities and she made sure she fulfilled those as well as her military duties. Was it an easy balance to with children also? Not always but she always managed. Lizzie hated letting people down.

Now he was just flattering her. She kissed the side of his face and continued to shove him towards the kitchen. Perhaps Malachi did have a look. One that sat behind his eyes. Lizzie had made it an important thing to think everything about him. After a moment she was caught up in his affections. Her lips meeting his without a second thought. She waited to see what he was going to say.

How did she explain that he couldn't just throw his orders away? He still had three years minimum left on his active military contract. "Malachi. It's not that simple. You have at least three years left on your military contract." She kept her voice quiet and informative rather than full of any sort of emotion. Truth be told, there were too many thoughts on that. Though she knew why he said it, she knew it was because he was thinking about her and focusing on everything.

'I can multitask' would hardly solve the issue and she gathered that it might start another fight. Every time the word flying entered into their conversations... Lizzie did not want to fight with Malachi. Then there was that over the top smile he had. Those were the kinds he she wanted to wipe off his face sometimes. No now was a terrible to talk about much of anything. They were the most prone to fighting when he came home. She was trying to avoid that.

"You are just worried Ahavat" she called him on it. If she didn't... it was going to be the elephant in the room for who knew how long. Three words that she was hoping didn't spark the ever approaching fight. Lizzie got a numb feeling that always swept over her when she felt like they were fixing to fight. It was her defensive wall of sorts and she was building it. She set dinner on the table for not only for him but for herself.

As usual by the time they sat down to dinner her appetite was gone. Though not eating was a fight waiting to happen too. So she forced herself to eat. She'd gone quiet, though most of it was waiting on his response. The rest was not knowing that to say. She took two forks and shredded the chicken up. Liz was particular when it came to food. Taking a bite, she knew if it was full of food that she could get a few more moments of silence before it became awkward.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Orders from the military could be a nightmare and this was one of those times. He knew Liz outranked him but he didnt mind that at all, she wasn’t he sort to throw things like that around and he couldnt say he’d exactly mind it if she did. He just wanted to know that she was safe, safe from anything that could hurt her and when she flew Malachi knew that was beyond his reach. The sky, planes it was all beyond what he could do to keep her safe and he couldnt deny that ever time she did fly he was scared to death.

He was glad of the distraction of the kitchen, no arguing he thought just kissing and that was fine with him because if they were doing that there wasn’t an argument to be had. Then again they were adept at arguing and could likely start one over any subject matter if they put their mind to it. It just happened that the main causes were flying and food. Two things that were happening right then. No it wasn’t right and he’d do everything he could not to fall back into arguing with her over it.

Malachi enjoyed what he did, the structure and okay some parts he was less fond of but he knew how to do the job he did. Three years hadn’t seemed that long yesterday but today it felt like a life sentence. “I know but when I’m here I’ll take care of things for you, the kids, the house whatever needs done I’ll do it okay. You don’t even have to ask.” He offered still trying to be helpful but for the next three years he couldnt even guarantee when he was going to be there. It wasn’t like the military had a nine to five schedule to keep.

There was no denying he was worried, he knew if he tried to cover it up with a no it could be taken as he didnt care which was the exact opposite. Why did she have to call him on it? Fight O’clock was about to start he thought as he tried to keep well away from that, no he came home they fought this time he was trying his best to keep away from that. There was no use in arguing over the military, their contracts were signed and it had to be done.

Malachi watched as she set dinner on the table as he tried to find the right words but then he hadn’t been the best with those either. Malachi took a seat and started to eat when she did, his appetite was gone slightly but Lizzie had put effort into it and he wasn’t about to be rude and not eat it. He placed down his fork as he glanced her way. “Lizzie, when you fly I know you love it which makes me want to love it too.” He said trying to explain though flying was far from something he loved.

He was more likely to be the one clinging to the inside of an aeroplane than being happy enough to move about and swap seats. “When you fly I see the day we met, it is still the best day in my life.” He said honestly which it was, that day, the day the children were born and the thousand other days in between that were great for the reason that she was there with him. “When you fly I see you that day, what might have happened to you. I cant protect you from gravity or keep you in the sky if something happens or guarantee to be there because of work. Its beyond what I can do.” He explained, he couldnt catch her or fight a plane from falling and he had to make a leap of faith that she was going to be safe and come home.

“But to help as much as I can is what I can do. Anything at all so you dont worry and can focus on flying I’ll do it. Just promise to come home every day no matter what.” He said wanting to hug her to death there and then, he had a thousand ideas of how to keep her from going and a thousand reasons not to as well. He wanted her to do what she loved but what she loved scared him more than anything else did. There were days when Malachi hated to open up and try to explain himself and this was one of those occasions, he didnt take well to wearing emotions anywhere but locked away so no one could see them. Lizzie was the exception to his rule and the one person he was honest with when it came to things like that.

Tag:Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Lizzie already knew that her flying nearly gave him a heart attack., but she was always careful. Ghengis Khan went running past Liz and started rubbing against Malachi's leg. Liz' cat had started to care for Malachi a lot more than he ever asked for attention from Liz. It probably had something to do with little humans always hanging off of her that tried to tug on his tail.

Malachi coming home from work it was always walking on egg shells. She never knew what she was going to get. Then again it was always good to have him home. It meant he was safe, and she didn't have to worry anymore for the day. He worried as much as she did. Sometimes it was a toss up about who showed their worry more. Swallowing a bite of her food she listened to him talk.

“Malachi, how long have we been married?” She knew but she wanted him to realize something. "And how long have I been flying?" It had been alot longer than they had been married. "So how long have I been multi tasking?" she wanted him to see that this was what she did. This was how it worked. To be fair, she would probably worry more about things at home if he was taking up her chores. "This is how I am comfortable with things Ahavat. It doesn't stress me out to do the things I do." She was still trying to avoid the argument of the century.

No response. The silence that plagued his answer was one moment she chose just to bite her tongue and not retaliate. Feelings weren't easy for him, so what right did she had to snap at him for taking his time to figure out what he wanted to say. Though she already knew she had hit the nail on the head, she didn't really need his confirmation. But she was hardly going to pretend this wasn't an issue EVERYTIME. How many times had she wanted to snap her wings in half in frustration? How many times had she stared at her family photo when doing her pre-flight check and wished she was anywhere but the cockpit of doing what she loved the most?

Then he called her out on loving to fly. If she was honest about it... he'd feel guilty. No. But she wasn't going to lie either. Fine, she would just skirt around the issue. "It's my career Malachi. Just like you have yours. What's the point in hating it?" She'd gone after her dreams and now she had a family and that made her feel guilty for it. Liz poked at a piece of potato with the side of her fork and chopped it into bite size pieces. Lizzie just always chopped her food up into smaller managable bites, she wasn't playing with it. Malachi had his routines and she had hers.

"No more than I can protect you from what you are asked to do. I get that; but what good does it do? You walk out the door everyday. I worry that something could happen.” She made that same leap of faith he did everyday; yet she was the one who felt like she needed to sacrifice what she loved. What good did upsetting each other do over something neither of them could control? Taking another bite she gave him time to reply before setting her plate down and getting up. Moving behind him at the table she wrapped arrms around him from behind and just held him. She wanted to tell him to eat something, but then it would just be a fight the other way around. Nope not going to touch that with a thousand foot pole.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi smiled when Ghengis Khan started rubbing agaist his leg, he smile as he petted the cat, usually he figured the cat preferred Liz though recently he seemed to like him. Not that Malachi was complaining at all, it had taken a while for the two to see eye to eye but now they were he enjoyed it. Then again if Malachi had three children tugging on his tail then he might swap around too.

Looking up at Liz he wondered if this was a trick question, the kind of thing that landed every guy on earth in the dog house if answered incorrectly. The good part was Malachi knew how long that was as he answered her down to the minute how long they had been married for as he smiled. “A lot longer than we’ve been married.” He answered to her flying question as he knew he was beaten already, she knew what she was doing and nothing changed that. “You’ve been multitasking for years now Ahavah.” He said knowing that he couldnt exactly argue that one well ever.

“You’d tell me though if there’s anything you want me to do or to take on? Anything to help you out.” He offered still wanting to feel like he was helping her, Malachi wasn’t great at a lot of things. Yes dinner was more likely to be charcoal than edible, surprisingly washing and ironing he could do but that was a military skill so creases were none existent. General house hold chores it was a fifty fifty game of chance where he was concerned.

If there was one thing he did well it was silence, he was silent when he didnt know what to say or express what he wanted to say. Blunt and brutal was his way but Lizzie had taught him a lot about being human, the very thing Mossad had taken out of him she had given him back. Sure he wasn’t the overly gushing type to begin with but Lizzie had changed more than she knew about him and he was thankful for that. He just wished at times he knew what to say or how to say it without starting an argument because he said the wrong thing.

Malachi smiled when she said what was the point in hating it, sure he didnt exactly love killing people but he was good at it. Probably something to leave of a CV later in life but it was what he did just as she knew how to fly. “I know you don’t hate flying you love it. So I love that you love it.” He said not sure if he had managed to confuse his own mind with that one but if she loved to fly then he loved her doing it even if it scared him to death each and every time. He watched her chop her food up into smaller pieces as he bit his tongue to stop him saying anything.

That was another fight waiting to happen, the food argument though if he said nothing and just ate his own he thought as he took a bite about as small as hers were. She was right, just like she always was he thought as he smiled a little. They worried about each other but there wasn’t any changing it at all, it was what it was. Malachi watched her move expecting her to place her dinner down though he smiled and leaned back against her when she wrapped her arms around him from behind. He did his best to hug her as he turned his head to face her.

“Ani Ohevet Otcha Ahavah.” (I love you) He spoke softly glad that they had gotten this far without an argument or at least managed to get this far without starting an argument. “And I don’t want to fight about anything, so I’m okay with you flying. When’s your first day back?” He asked her knowing he would make a very big deal of the day before, the whole line of flowers, chocolates, finding a book she hadn’t read yet, taking care of dinner and the kids. Anything and everything to give her rest and to try and show how much he loved her. At least that way he knew he could do something nice hopefully without getting into trouble over any of it or involving the fire brigade in dinner either.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

Malachi most days was a handful. Liz took it all in stride. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. She just kept reminding herself to watch her words. At least he wasn't yelling. This was a civil discussion. More than could be said for most of the times he came home from work. Liz was a finiky eater but she did eat. Popping a small piece of potato in her mouth she ate while listening to him answer her questions. Still hoping to avoid the eating topic of conversation.

Leave it to her husband to know down to the minute how long they'd been married. Lizzie didn't want him to worry about things at the house. He had enough on his plate. He'd gone into worry mode but she knew pointing it out with a giant red x was hardly going to help. It would probably start world war forty-two. No she wasn't really counting their arguments. That was just an estimate and some exaggeration thrown in for good measure. Lizzie turned up a smile before putting another bite of food in her mouth. She waited a few respectful moments to chew before she spoke again. "So I've got this Ahavat. Promessa" (Promise) As usual promises were always made in Italian.

Why was he trying to get at the same concept two million different directions? "It helps when you come home in a good mood." It wasn't chiding at him; despite the tension she was enjoying having a conversation rather than arguing and screaming and yelling. It was time with him not time wishing she was somewhere else. She'd rather fall asleep in his lap on the couch because they'd spent time talking and enjoying their evening before she fell asleep than going to bed angry with her back to him. It had happened on more than one occasion. It never made for restful sleep or a very happy Lizzie in the am.

It was hard at first to read his silence, but over the years Liz learned the difference in awkward silence, comfortable silence, and angry silent. Liz did angry silent well. Too well most of the time. That wasn't this though. This was just that uneasy silence where no one was afraid to talk because they didn't want to set off the other person like a ticking time bomb. It was hard. Then Malachi saw right through her dancing game. Dammit Malachi.

Malachi and a love - hate relationship with flying? That was new. Liz went silent but used eating as an excuse. Each piece of food that went in her mouth she had to wonder why the change in heart. But her focus went into eating avoiding that conversation that was wanting to break through more than the 'I dont really want you flying' conversation. She had to wonder if they were really addressing it, avoiding the issue, or doing some sort of crazy tap dance around the issue.

Lizzie knew he didn't WANT to go picking fights between them and it wasn't like she wanted one either. It's just so she was so used to them happening. She relaxed in the hug around him. "Ti Amo anch'io. Prometto di essere prudenti" I love you too. I promise to be careful. This time her use of Italian just suggested she was in somewhat relieved mood. Part of her wanted to cry but she didn't need Malachi getting confused because she was not the least bit upset.

“I'd have to look at the paper again." Just like Liz to forget things. That habit she was just stuck with. Liz's bad habits died hard just like her moving around. It wasn't long until she was back at he table. Finishing eating she started to clean up but the baby woke up. Well at least they had gotten through dinner. Liz put the dish down in the sink and went to Sachi's room quieting their youngest wasn't always easy. Gabriel and Zohara had been easy. New diaper and food and they were content to fall asleep being held. Not Sachi. The litte girl was stubborn and fussy. Though quiet for the moment as she had always come to the realization that she couldn't eat and fuss. It was likely going to be three of them on the couch. Something Lizzie was all too familiar with at this stage. A four year , an eighteen month old , and one brand new were a handful. At least, Gabriel would be in preschool in the fall. Liz reappeared and tucked herself on the couch. Liz knew that it would be be another long night. Tomorrow was the weekend. That didn't mean much. The house and crazy lack of sleep would still be there in the morning.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

He was trying his best to do normal and return home like others did. Work people talked about their wives and home and he had come to notice the lack of arguments in their lives. Yes there were always the bigger ones, they were never home when they needed to be or away too long. Missed about a hundred family occasions but he was really trying to make things work better because he knew he was the one pushing things. If he didnt push her eating was the main one he had come home thinking about having never thought he would be faced with her flying too.

Malachi worried about her ever day and more so now with her flying, he wasn’t exactly the most comfortable passenger on a plane. If Lizzie was flying he was clinging to the carpet wanting to get out of there by any means not because it was her but because he just hated to fly. If anyone else was flying he was pretty much the same but delta force hardly let it’s people freak out over a tin can on wings. He had to inwardly freak out until they landed and then he could take five to catch his breath a come around.

He couldnt help but smile when promises were made in Italian, those were the serious kind the sort that were meant as he nodded. “Okay Ahavah.” He said knowing that she would ask if she needed him to do anything. Malachi looked at her a little astonished when she mentioned his mood, so he hadn’t exactly expected that one either as he went to open his mouth to argue that point with her but before he said a word he shut it again knowing she was right. It was nice to just be talking as he nodded his head trying to find the right explanation for it. “I kill people Lizzie, that is what I do and always have done.” He said not sure how he could explain it. “I dont want to come home being that so I do what I know and block it out, keep everything locked away so I don’t have to be that person.” He said knowing that amount of fights and angry nights they had suffered over it.

“Prometto di fare meglio Lizzie, Ho appena non voglio farti del male.” (I promise to do better Lizzie, I just dont want to hurt you) He said looking at his plate, it was his own head that scared him most. The way he could look at a person and just not seem them because they were Alpha target one or just the means to an end. He didnt want to translate that home, to look at Lizzie or the children any other way than how he did already. She was a person to him, the one person in his life that made it great and made it better. He didnt want to be that guy who came home and lost it and found himself stood there in the aftermath of what he had done to them.

Her silence said a lot when the conversation turned to flying, well maybe he hated it a lot more than loved it but he loved that she loved it. That had to count for something along the way he thought. Hearing her Italian again he smiled knowing when she used it she was more relieved as he smiled and leaned his head back to her lightly. “Io sono di mantenere una promessa, appena tornato al sicuro.” (I am you keep a that promise, just come back safe.) The minute he said it he knew it didnt sound right but then Lizzie had always been good at desyphering what he meant to say in Italian.

He chuckled when she said that she would have to look again. There was one thing about her she forgot things and it was a habit he enjoyed though he didnt need the answer right then. Hearing the baby wake up Malachi took over the clean up of dinner, at least they managed to eat first he thought as he managed to get the dishes done and dried and away. Gabriel and Zohara were easier and Sachi was hardly as easy being stubborn and fussy more so than the other two had been.

Deciding he would start his doing what he could earlier no matter what the day was he made Lizzie a hot drink and grabbed a blanket for her when she saw her tuck herself on the couch. He set the cup down in front of her on the coffee table as placed the blanket of the couch arm deciding that he wouldnt force it on her if she didnt want it. It was the weekend and with the new baby it was going to be the lack of sleep phase he thought as he took a seat on the couch with her. “Is everything alright?” He asked trying to figure out how he could get her some more rest.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev

It was the day that Lizzie got to thinking that Malachi's ex had been right that were the days that made things more difficult. The woman was manipulative and had been so with Lizzie. Cries of 'Malachi is abuse, you aren't safe' sometimes lingered on her mind. She was just trying to pay attention to getting through dinner without a fight right now. Elizabeth listened as Malachi talked.

She heard Italian vocals in her ears and processed things around her. "Tu mi hai mai fatto male." (You have never hurt me). After everything that Sarah had done, she knew at times it was her having to reassure him. Her thumb rubbed against the side of his face as she put her fork down. She always did everything she knew. Having the house the way he liked it. Lizzie had always known this transition was never easy.

When he messed up his Italian she corrected it much as he had with her Hebrew when she was learning. "Voglio che tenere che una promessa." (I want you to keep that a promise). Though she swapped to English so he knew that she was no longer correcting what he said. "I will" she reminded him as she disappeared to go get their daughter.

Lizzie took the blanket and wrapped it around her to get warm. Lizzie was okay with him doing the little things. She tucked their youngest daughter close who was finally settling down. "Yeah, she'll settle soon." Lizzie rubbed Sachi's back and rested on Malachi. Elizabeth was tired but she knew sleep would come in small spurts. Soon their daughter settled down and fell asleep. It seemed to be the only place she slept for any length of time was on the chest of either of Elizabeth or Malachi.

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev
OOC: Short :/ Sorry

He wasn’t really one to harp on about an ex but she had really managed to do a number on him. Malachi had never been manipulative to the people he loved, he could take being accused of being cold, unfeeling, harsh even but manipulative no that had never happened and his so called ‘abuse’. He often wondered what he had seen in her but now he was terrified of a lot of thing in case Lizzie for whatever reason thought that was true. He knew he would never raise a hand to her or hurt her in any way but he knew because he had to shut himself off sometimes it wasn’t always the right thing to do.

He nodded when she said he’d never hurt her, “Non voglio di Lizzie e prometto di non farlo.” (I don’t want to Lizzie and I promise never to do that.) He said meaning every word, it just scared him that one person had said he had done awful things yet he knew it to be untrue he had only his word for that. Malachi smiled feeing her thumb rub against the side of his face, he tried he really did but coming home and getting back to none killer mode was difficult when he was trained to take out a threat or see a threat before it even was one.

Malachi repeated the words he had messed up to her making sure he had then right, Italian was a language he struggled with a lot though he was happy that Liz could correct him on it. At least that way he wasn’t as likely to insult someone’s mother or grandmother. When she went to get their daughter he finished up what he was doing. The normal house hold things which were relaxing in a strange way as it meant that he was actually home.

Watching as she took the blanket and Sachi finally started to settle down, he smile as she rested on him. He wrapped his arm around her lightly making sure not to disturb anyone as he watched Sachi settle and fall asleep. He was used to her falling asleep on either Lizzie or himself for any amount of time. It was moments like those that he treasured because he was home and this was what he got to come back to as he found himself relaxing a little. “And we didnt fight.” He said as he kissed the top of Lizzie’s head lightly, happy that he had managed to go one night talking about flying and work without starting an argument over it.

Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev
OOC: No worries about it.

Lizzie's mom had been the victim of an abusive first marriage. Liz knew what it did to someone, and Malachi deserved better. Elizabeth tried to be patient, she'd rather be the one upset than to make Malachi feel an inch tall. It was a delicate balance and she wanted him to have a say. Lizzie stood beside Malachi and sometimes behind him but rarely did she pull from the front.

“You don't have to make that promise.” No, she was not Sarah. "You don't owe anyone anything for being you." Lizzie knew sooner or later she was going to have to nip this in the behind. Though she knew it was not easy territory to impress upon. "Does anyone ever tell you just how wonderful you are?" She mused with a smile on her face. It was the truth, at the end of the day he was as human as the rest of the world. She didn't try for half a decade to make sure their marriage worked just because. He was so much more than he realized.

There was a smile. No, they didn't fight but the anxiety from the threat of an argument she knew was being felt by the both of them. Her hand rubbed down Sachi's back and closed her eyes. Lizzie was not going to be long for staying awake, she was exhausted. If she hadn't been so anxious she might have already been in bed. There was no argument to be had. Normally, she protested but there was very little to protest these days. Though she was not quite asleep as she knew they needed to talk. Though she questioned it, was it too much to ask for tonight?

Tag: Sgt. Malachi Dovev

Malachi never wanted Lizzie to be upset, he tried to make her happy though he knew he had his own issues and nine times out of ten it was usually his fault. His first marriage had been a disaster but his second was more than he ever could have imagined and he didnt want to ruin that at all. He just wanted it to be happy which was why he maybe tried that little bit too much but then it was what marriage was all about. Trying to get things to work for everyone involved or at least that’s what he had thought it was.

“I do and I want to, so you know I won’t hurt you.” He said knowing that she had been through enough to at least know he wouldnt raise a hand to her at all no matter what was going on. “I owe you a lot for me being me.” He said knowing that if it hadn’t been for her those years ago he wasn’t sure where he would be or if he would still be alive. It was one of those ‘might have been’ moments where he didnt know what might have been but he was sure it wasn’t going to be anything good. At least nothing like what he had now which was a world where people didnt think of him as the killer he was.

Malachi grinned as he nodded, “You tell me that and that’s all that I need.” He said grinning as he rubbed her arm lightly. Wonderful wasn’t exactly a word he would have used for himself but if Lizzie thought he was, he wasn’t going to argue with her over it. Seeing her smile meant the world to him, it was simple but a smile was just that. Malachi saw her close her eyes as he tried to figure out the right words to say, ‘yeah let’s get some sleep’ without starting an argument that they had avoided for an entire evening.

There was no denying he was a little anxious about things but then when did he ever have the right words. “Lizzie?” He said try to figure out if he just said it and took the consequences or tried to spin it but then he’d never been good at that. “It’s been a long day, why dont we go and get some rest?” He offered, he wasn’t demanding it or telling her more suggesting as he figured that was little better given that Sachi was quiet and Lizzie was closing her eyes anyway.

Tag: Lt. Col. Elizabeth Dovev