Eric sat back down. Michael stared at him, his eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

"Answer. The. Question."

Eric sighed, looking down at his hands. "Mike, you have been with me this entire time since Daniel passed. You know that each loss feels just as fresh as the first. We lost civilians, we lost townspeople, we lost soldiers. I am sick of losing people. I can’t bear to think of losing my daughters, or Mia. I want to live to see them grow up and get married, but I also can’t bear to see more of our men and women die in this war."

Michael sighed.

"Eric, listen to me. That is what war is. People get hurt, people die. You have been teaching me that this entire war. From the first time we saw monsters eating those civilians to the mana storm, you have held one constant. Soldiers die, civilians get caught in the crossfire. Is it right? No. It isn’t. But it’s the truth. You are the leader, Eric. If the soldiers see you pushing through pain and wounds that may be lethal if not treated properly, they will do the same. I understand that you can’t go back to the rear right now, but that doesn’t mean you can push forward. If you have to command from a hospital bed, do so. You can’t go out there. One wrong blast, one fired shot, one more wound..."

Michael looked down at the casualty report.

"And your family loses it’s rock. This unit loses its strategist, and the world becomes more bleak. You need us, we need you. So stop being a fucking idiot and trust the people that you have trained to do their jobs."

Eric looked down at the casualty report. Nine names with their pictures laid at the top of the page.

"Alright Mike. I leave you in charge. Take them home. I will trust you."

Michael nodded, patting Eric on the back. "When we get back, you gotta get some real rest man. Not like a day or two, but some actual leave time."

Eric sat down. "War doesn’t allow for it, Mike."

"This one does."

Michael looked at the map, eyeing the positioning of the troops. "Do I have to have the medics come up here, or will you walk down there yourself?"

Eric glowered at Michael before standing up slowly. He grunted in pain before walking down the steps out of HQ.

Every breath felt like tiny needles in his lungs. His feet were unsteady, and his vision blurred. As he got to the bottom of the steps, he collapsed, but two strong arms broke his fall.

"Come on Dad. Let’s get your stubborn ass to the shelter."

He looked up, seeing Jessica’s crimson red hair, and he smiled as she helped him stand up. "I’m proud of you, kiddo. You have grown so much."

She ignored him. "Less talking, more walking. Your blood is starting to leak through your uniform." The two walked side by side to the aid station. A team of medics were waiting.

Jessica looked up. "Captain Stryer said that he is not to leave the shelter. Cuff him if you have to. You keep him underground and out of the way until it is clear we can transport him back."

Eric’s vision went black, and all the strength left his body. He collapsed against Jessica, and she held him up firmly. "DAD!"

Two medics rushed over, grabbing Eric from her and setting him down against the cot.

"He lost to much blood. We need to start a transfusion. Pulse is steady, but vitals are shaky."

Jessica drowned the voices of the medics out as she grabbed Eric’s hand.

"Please be okay."

Knowing that she would only be in the way, she left the room. She ran up the steps leading to Dresken HQ, and headed to the command room. Michael was waiting.

"What’s wrong?"

Jessica collapsed against the wall. "He lost so much blood." She whispered, looking down at her uniform. It was caked in Eric’s blood. "I think he pushed himself too hard, and the stitches in his stomach reopened."

Michael clenched the desk in front of him, not looking at Jessica. His voice came out shaky. "I should have had him taken to the shelter sooner. I saw that he needed urgent care, but he put on that same damn ’I’m okay’ face!" Michael shouted as he slammed his fist on the desk. "I hope I was able to get through to him."

Jessica shook her head. "Mike. Listen, I know my Dad. No one can ever dissuade him except himself. You needed to point out that he is going against his own doctrine. He hasn’t been himself lately, and I think this may have been his wake up call."

Michael looked down, his finger tapping on the desk. "You’re right. I’m sorry." He replied softly.

She shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I almost lost it myself earlier. We have to trust that he will be okay."

Michael sighed. "So...."

"Yes?"

"Who’s going to tell your mom?"

They both stared at each other in silence.

Mia paced the living room quietly. Liara was asleep in her room, so Mia checked her phone for the tenth time that hour. Her tail flicked back and forth as she sent another message to Jessica. "Please call me when you get a chance. I love you."

She threw the phone across the room, and it landed on the couch. She hadn’t heard from either Jessica nor Eric for the last two days, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Mia stood there, not answering. "No." She whispered, collapsing to the ground. "Please, No..."

"Mia, it’s me." She heard Hammond say quietly. "I’m coming in."

Mia stayed rooted to floor. She didn’t want to move. She couldn’t move.

"They’re okay, Mia." Hammond said gruffly. "But you’re gonna need to hear this."

Mia let go of the breath she was holding in. She inhaled sharply, holding her hands to the ground to feel the texture of the carpet.

"Okay. Okay. I’m okay. They’re okay."

Hammond hugged her, helping her to her feet.

"You need to sit down."

She nodded, not daring to say a word. He guided her to her seat, and they both ignored the front door that was still open.

Hammond sat down across the table from her. "There is no easy way to say this, kid. Eric is hurt pretty bad. I don’t know the full details, but it looks like he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the Dresken mission. The medics were able to stabilize him, but he will likely need more urgent care when they can get him out safely."

The tears finally fell from Mia’s face. Hammond sat in silence, watching her collect herself. Her breath came in short gasps, and she clenched her fists on her day dress.

"How did it happen?"

Hammond hesitated, and she noticed.

"Hammond. How. Did. It. Happen?" She said through gritted teeth.

Hammond sighed.

"Eric was wounded in combat. Their recon element pushed forward, and they were ambushed. Eric stayed back to hold the line while Michael took the recon element and withdrew to the convoy. The enemy retreated, but Eric was wounded when he held the line. The medics treated him in the field, and he downplayed the injuries for two days. Him and Jessica had to use their..."

He looked down, and she narrowed her eyes.

"Mana. To breach the perimeter. From what I was told, the usage of mana as well as not getting proper care for his injuries caused them to reopen."

Mia sat in silence as she processed what Hammond was saying. She looked around the house, noting that the front door was still open.

Hammond felt a trickle of sweat run down his neck.

"I’m going." She said firmly.

"Mia..."

She shook her head. "That fucking idiot!" She growled, Brishan and English mixing together. "He always has to push forward, never thinking about what happens to us if we are left behind!"

"Mia..."

"No! I can’t stay here knowing he’s hurt! He needs to know how much I need him. How much our daughters need him!"

Hammond grabbed her hand.

"Mia!" He shouted.

She looked into his eyes.

"What? What could you possibly know about this! Has it ever been your family?"

Hammond looked away. "Yes. It has. Multiple times. Multiple deployments."

Her eyes softened. "I... I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean."

He hugged her. "It’s okay Mia. I promise. You and Eric are family to me. Trust me, I’m pissed at him too. But you can’t go. You need to take care of my grandchild. Liara should only have one parent bleeding in Dresken."

She chuckled through the tears, hugging him back tightly before his words registered. As her breathing stabilized, she seperated from him and arched an eyebrow.

"Wait, who told you that Liara is your grandchild?"

Hammond chuckled. "Mia, please. I was Eric’s first Platoon Sergeant before he was special forces. I knew that kid as a Private, as a Sergeant, and again as a Platoon Sergeant. If anything, I adopted him long ago when he was over at my house for every holiday becaude of..."

His words trailed off, and she nodded.

"Yeah. His parents were real pieces of shit." She finished for him.