Fragments of a Beautiful Life

Summary: Little fragments of Sam's life that amid all his suffering and sacrifice create the mosaic of the Beauty of his Life. Each chapter will be a stand-alone look into his life at various points. Many of these stories will revolve around how others positively impacted Sam's life bringing light into his darkness.

Private Theo Brock Makes Sam Smile

Desert Base – Outside General Braddock Residence

Private Theo Brock walked with some apprehension as he got closer to General Braddock's home. He was unsure whether he should be doing this. Part of him had listened to all the gripes, complaints and sarcastic remarks about General Badass Braddock's volunteer request. So many of his unit mates and others thought the request was beneath them and many commented that they couldn't be paid to do something like that.

But the larger part of Theo ignored their callous words. In his heart, Theo felt it was the right thing to do. Sure it was not required and it would cut into his free time. But he had seen the little boy twice now on base and he looked so lonely. The General's son needed a friend, a playmate if you will.

Brock knew his unit mates would rib him or accuse him of sucking up, but he was a big guy and he could take it.

His hand knocked before he could change his mind.

General Braddock Residence – Study

General Braddock closed the file he was reviewing when he heard the knock at the door and Corporal Ramirez went to answer it. He was trying to work from his home office in the afternoons when possible so he could be visible and available if Samuel needed him.

Sadly his boy was still so closed off and stayed as far from him as possible.

The past year had been very tough on Samuel. His boy cried himself to sleep every single night. But if he tried to offer any form of comfort Samuel closed off more. The last time he tried to offer comfort, Samuel ran from him and hid in the corner of his closet. It broke his heart.

William wished that Yvonne could hold Samuel like she had always done before Sara's death. But Samuel rejected her too. That broke his heart too, to see the wounded look in Yvonne's eyes. She had tried to hide it but her green eyes were so expressive.

Having Samuel here was not the best solution but it was better than having him in Ottawa. He was so traumatized by Sara's death he would go catatonic at that intersection. There was no way to avoid that intersection either. They had to pass it on the way in and out from their home.

Mark, Erik and Ryan all offered to have Samuel live with them. But he, Yvonne and the counselors all felt Samuel needed at least one parent. Otherwise, it would lend credence to Samuel's belief that they did not love him and that they blamed him for Sara's death.

So here he was at a base that was not set up to handle children. And Samuel was paying the price yet again. There was no one his age to interact with. William could see his son was lonely. Given the area he could not allow him to leave the house unescorted either. So it was almost like his previously active little boy was under house arrest.

He so wished there was a tree house here that Samuel could play in. But it was just dry barren desert. The closest thing they had to a playground was the obstacle course. William chuckled at that. Someone would think him crazy for even comparing the ropes, barb wire crawl pit and such as a playground.

His musing was interrupted with a knock at his study door. General Braddock called out "Enter."

Private Brock was shown to the General's study and he came to attention once he entered and waited.

General Braddock looked at the Private standing in front of him at attention trying to visually assess the young man. After a moment he said "At ease Private."

Brock went to parade rest and swallowed the lump in his throat. He was actually standing in front of General Badass Braddock and he was scrutinizing him with hard assessing blue eyes. It was unnerving.

"What can I do for you Private?" General Braddock asked. He maintained a fairly open door policy but normally only his Special Forces soldiers came to him. The General recognized the Private from the new group of techs that arrived last week in the Ops Command. He had seen Brock in discussion with Tom Sutton on satellite positions.

Private Brock spoke and found his voice steady even though inside he was shaking "Sir, I am here about the volunteer opportunity you posted."

William looked at the young man differently now. That opportunity had been posted four weeks ago and no one had approached him "Why are you interested?" he asked candidly.

Brock answered "Sir I have a little brother at home. I miss spending time with him."

General Braddock asked "How old is your brother?"

Brock smiled "Davey is twelve."

William nodded "So you know what ten year old boys like to do?"

A smile lit Brock's face "Yeah. Davey loves to play lots of games. When he was ten, we used to run everywhere and I played tag with him for hours before he …" His voice trailed off as memory hit him.

Finding it again Brock's voice was not quite as bright "Before Davey was hit by the car and became a paraplegic. That was two years ago this June."

Then shaking himself out of his memory of that day Brock said "After that we adjusted. Davey couldn't run anymore but I still could. So I'd push him until he developed the strength to push himself. We still play lots of things like basketball, hockey, etc. The kid beats me in basketball from his chair no less."

William listened to Private Brock talk. He let him go on and on about his brother Davey and all the things he did with him. How it was hard to be separated from him.

He nearly gasped, only years of training kept him from doing so, when Private Brock explained how Davey was hit by the car. The Private was the one driving. He was running an errand for his mother to get his little brother a new basketball. When he was returning, his little brother ran out into the street without looking to try and get their sister's doll from a dog that grabbed it and ran.

General Braddock asked "How old are you?"

Brock answered "Eighteen, almost nineteen Sir."

"Why did you join the Army?" the General asked.

"I wanted to serve my country and to give back something for all the blessings in my life" Theo answered honestly.

William was intrigued. The Private had a hard two years from what he had just shared. He was partly the cause for his brother's injury, not that he should feel any guilt, but he was driving. So the General pried a little deeper "Blessings?"

Brock sighed slightly as an expression of peace and joy crossed his face "Yes Sir. I've been blessed with a wonderful family and parents who love me. Parents that helped me come to terms with what I did to Davey. They helped me see that it could have been so much worse. Davey is alive and healthy now. We had to make some adjustments but my family is whole and we will all help Davey make his way in the world without the use of his legs. So I feel blessed."

The General nodded and said "I need to make you aware of some things about my son before you decide to accept the volunteer position. Please take a seat. What I have to share is to be kept in the strictest confidence. If you decide not to volunteer to spend time with Samuel after what you hear I will understand. My son Samuel is emotionally fragile right now."

General Braddock went on to share what happened to Sara and Samuel.

General Braddock Residence – Family Room

Private Brock headed into the family room. What the General told him in confidence about his son was heartbreaking. It was something he would keep to himself. Once he heard it he knew he could make a difference in the boy's life; even if it was only a small one. He was glad he had come here today.

He stopped at the entrance of the family room and saw that had been set up with two desks in the corner to accommodate home schooling, one for Samuel and one for Corporal Duffy. He saw the blonde headed little boy, Samuel, curled up on a couch with a book in his hands. He headed over and sat down on the coffee table in front of the couch.

Sam looked at the soldier that sat down on the General's table. He lowered his book and said "The General will not want you sitting on the table."

Brock shrugged and stayed in place "Hi I'm Private Theo Brock. But you can just call me Brock. What you reading Sam?"

Sam couldn't believe the soldier did not move and shrugged his shoulder. If the General saw him he would get dressed down big time. Sam got up and yanked on his arm "Get off. The General will be mad. I don't want you to get in trouble."

Brock stood up and said "Okay. So what are you reading?"

Sam looked down at his book and then up at the Private "The Fellowship of The Ring."

"Wow, me and my brother Davey love that one. How far along are you?" Brock questioned.

Sam shrugged and put the book down "Read it all several times. But it beats doing homework."

Brock grinned "Good then we can talk all about it on our run."

Sam's head whipped to Brock "Run?"

"Sure, bet you are tired of being cooped up in this house all the time. I'm now in charge of your physical training and we will be spending an hour or so together each day. Do you like climbing?" Brock asked already knowing the answer because he had queried the General on Sam's likes and dislikes.

The first tentative smile in over a year fleetingly crossed Sam's face "Yeah, I like climbing."

Brock grinned and tapped Sam's shoulder as he laughed and said "Tag you're it." Then he ran from the room towards the front door.

Sam took off running after Brock.

General Braddock Residence – Study Door

William watched Samuel run after Private Brock. The first real smile in over a year settled on his face. Private Brock was a blessing in their lives.

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AN: This little story would not let me sleep last night. Let me know what you think. I love hearing your thoughts and if you have any suggestions of other fragments please feel free to offer them up and I'll see if I can make them work.