Swanson sighed. He considered himself Hector's friend. Maybe the closest one outside of Andi that the dark haired
Delta had. He wasn't sure exactly what that said about any of them. And - he'd been worried. Was still worried about
his friend. Just because he didn't always understand Hector he got him. And there was a great deal going on and tied
up still in the depths of his friend even if he didn't know exactly what it all was.
"I suppose I'll actually be forced to deal with people that actually want to talk to me while you're gone." He muttered.
Looked over at his friend and stated: "So you'll be careful when you're gone."
"Should be a real trial for you, man." Hector said with a chuckle and a grin. Swanson shook his head, but chuckled a
bit also. There was some silence, and Hector realized he owed Swanson. He was a good friend, after all. "I don't know,
I just need some serious decompressing time, you know?"
Swanson nodded. That he understood. Everyone needed it, and after every big op, vacation time was offered. Time
Hector hadn't really taken full advantage of. Ever. So he certainly had the time, and he certainly had earned it. "Well,
here we go." Swanson said as they reached the debriefing tent.
"Sgt Garrett, Sgt Swanson, have a seat." An SAS officer said. Hector sat down, recognizing Major Hawthorne, his
commanding officer, who nodded to him. "We just want a full debrief on what occurred." Hector took a breath and
nodded and related his recollections, leaving out the assaulting of Baker, who it seemed, also left it out.
Suzette finished packing Andi's bags, two such small things really, how a woman lived out of them she could not
imagine and looked around the tent to double check and make sure she hadn't missed anything. She expected her
friend to return eventually but there was no telling how long that would be and she wanted to make sure the
Englishwoman lacked nothing in the meantime. Not even her crazy stuffed elephant. That also meant that Suzette
herself had had to provide several things she knew Andi did not have but should. It made her feel good to be able to
do that and she was glad she had started paying attention to Andi's wardrobe a while ago. Molly showed up just as
she was finishing with the letters everyone had written for Andi and together they hide them in the middle of one of the
bags. Molly was smiling happily and had tears in her eyes at the same time and Suzette slipped an arm around the
girl's shoulders and wiped at her eyes.
"None of that now." She chided gently. "We will send her off with smiles, oui?"
"Oui." Molly managed a watery smile and blew her nose. Together they gathered up the bags and by the time they
reached the infirmary, Molly had managed to dry her eyes and Suzette had almost teared up herself. But she was not
going to cry. Andi would be back soon and things would go back to the way they had been.
Andi smiled when she saw them and held out her arms for hugs, both offered and received. There were three girls
sitting near her, the ones from the place that had taken her and they looked, even after only a day, to Suzette's
trained eye, so much better. It had already been agreed they would return to Zaire with Andi's parents. Who were
sitting on the cot directly behind Andi so she could rest her back against their legs. Ahmed, who had become a
permanent fixture around the clinic, had crawled into Andi's lap and Mike was sitting in a nearby chair, legs stretched
out in front of him. Possibly the only one that wasn't talking and laughing but he looked at peace if tired just the same.
Suzette kissed the top of Andi's head and then went over to join him while Molly settled on the floor next to Andi and
Janette played absently with her hair. Sean was telling a story that was making everyone laugh when Sam came in
and quietly settled in a corner of the tent 'for paperwork' though Suzette noticed that he didn't do much more than
push it around from time to time.
This is the way ‘was’ was, Suzette thought with a trace of meloncholy. Wondering how it would be once the center of all
of this left. But it was worth it. She believed that. Because - Andi needed to be safe. And loved. And the man that was
taking her away for now could, and would, do both.
"Do you believe your actions were in good faith?" A captain asked Hector.
"Yes."
"Is it your opinion that Wekesa could not and would not be able to be held captive for questioning?" Sure, everyone
rightly assumed Wekesa wouldn't survive, but there was always hope he would.
"It is." Hector said, after relating the story of the hand to hand combat that ended with Wekesa lying in the dirt with a
knife through his neck.
"You believe your life was in grave danger?" Hector looked at the English captain unbelievingly for a moment. Hadn't
he just said that Wekesa was strangling him, the bruises still there for proof, and was about to slide that knife through
his ribs? Wasn't that grave danger?
"Yes." Was all he answered.
"What would you have done differently?" Standard question really.
And Hector thought about it for a moment. "Nothing." He said with a shake of his head. "Every event led to the next,
and change just one and everything changes. Change one and the outcome might have been totally different." The
English captain nodded. It was a good point. And it was really more of a test. Men in Hector's position and job weren't
supposed to second guess themselves. That lead to people getting killed. And his government had spent too much
time and money making sure he wouldn't second guess himself.
Major Hawthorne got out of his chair and handed Hector a large envelope. "Passport, tickets, and your pay for this
week in travelers checks." Usually his pay was deposited directly in his bank account, but presumably he'd need travel
money for food, things like that.
"Thank you, sir."
She needed this.
She needed the warmth and the family and the surrounding love of her friends. It was like sunlight to a plant to her. Or
a hothouse. Whatever it was it was golden and warmth and necessary. She listened to their voices, the way their
personalities overlapped, the ebb and flow of their stories. Simply listened and soaked it all in. Because this would
never come again...
Something like it, yes. But never this exact moment with these exact people in this exact situation.
But this wasn't all that she needed anymore. Her world wasn't, quite, complete. Not yet. Not until Hector came back
and moved into the warmth and the belonging too. There was an empty place in her world at the moment that didn't
mute who she was or hurt her. But it was waiting.
Would likely always be waiting when he was gone.
Her mother finished braiding her hair and leaned down to press a kiss to her temple.
"He's a good man." Janette whispered as if she could read her daughter's thoughts, while around them everyone
laughed at Sean's punch line. Andi's lips softened and shifted upward.
"He is." She agreed softly. "The very best."
She knew he was worried she would change her mind and want to stay here. It made something in her heart go soft
and sighing to know that. But he had nothing to fear. She would follow him over the sea and into the unknown, away
from all of this, because he was worth it. Quite simply, he was worth all that and easily a great deal more. She would
find her friends and family again. But he was her loadstone now. Her life, and her heart, were linked to his and time
with him was everything and the only thing she truly wanted.
Suzette began her own story about missing jars of preserves and Andi let her attention focus vaguely again. Content
to be in this moment, surrounded by the love and the laughter. And just as content knowing soon she would be off into
the unknown again with Hector as her guide.
Envelope in hand, Hector and Swanson headed to the clinic. Upon entering, the women from the camp stiffened up
instinctively at the appearance of two strange men, but when they noticed no one else panicked, they tried to relax.
Janette recognizing them and greeting them helped a great deal. Along with not recognizing them from the night
before, in the better light and the men minus their battle gear and greasepaint.
Hector nodded at everyone as he took a seat on the floor by Andi. "They didn't thrash me too hard." He said with a
chuckle.
"Only because they were in their dress uniforms and they didn't want to get them dirty." Swanson replied.
"Thought you liked getting knocked about." Andi murmured softly with a quiet smile as she shifted to tuck against his
side, brushing a kiss against his jaw line. Ahmed stayed in her lap, but started searching the pockets of his pants.
Janette leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
"I should hope not." She stated calmly. "I would hate to have to go in there and give them a piece of my mind for
missing the important point of the whole situation."
Sean chuckled and gave Hector's shoulder a welcome pat before putting his arm back around his wife.
"Which would be bringing Dromie back." He stated. "And she's not the only one you saved." He nodded to the three
women sitting watching everything with large eyes. But they seemed less wary of Hector than Swanson.
"They're looking forward to meeting the elephants I told them about." Andi told him. More than willing to shift the focus
off herself. She spoke softly to the girls and one of them giggled while the other two smiled shyly. "Mum's already
promised stuffed elephants all around."
Suzette rolled her eyes.
"'Orrible stuffed elephants." She smiled. "I have never seen such poor choice in color combination before."
Janette laughed, an easy, light sound.
"Blame that on my daughter. I let her pick out the fabric pieces."
"They're good colors." Andi protested at Suzette's horrified look. "Just - maybe - not - so good together" she admitted.
"Mr. Snuggles is a vital part of our operation here." Mike clarified from his corner. "Useful in - some way or other. Most
likely as a warning not to let Andi pick out your clothes for you or something as far as I can tell."
"He's not that bad." Andi protested.
"I always thought he was kind of cute." Sean agreed and his wife laughed.
"So I rest my case."
Hector shook his head. "I think the elephant doesn't like me. There's this poodle, down the street, which also doesn't
like me, so they'll probably join forces to torment me." He said with a chuckle. Swanson made himself comfortable by
the door and just listened in on the conversation, able to understand everything that was said, no matter the language.
"I think you'll be fine." Swanson said with a laugh. "Probably everyone will be."
"And what are your plans?" Suzette asked him, in a cool tone. Swanson raised an eyebrow at her.
"Go back to base and get back to work."
"That slacker took a vacation a couple months back." Hector interjected. "Think he used up all his time. Again."
"Hey, it was worthwhile." Swanson said with a shrug.
"You both deserve it." Janette defended them immediately and Sean chuckled.
"And where did you spend your vacation?" Suzette wanted to know and Swanson suddenly got suspicious.
"Why?" He asked and she chuckled.
"Curious only." She waved a hand. "It is called 'small talk'. Perhaps you have heard rumor of it?"
Andi chuckled.
"Suz is always threatening to take us to France so we can become civilized."
Molly nodded her agreement cheerfully. Sean made a noise but didn't comment and Suzette laughed.
"I still will." She chided. "It will do you good. And we will take Mike too."