Bear with me, ya'll…..military lingo and rank and what/who constitutes a team? Is made up!
My usual disclaimer - medical inconsistencies.
Taking a break from my beloved Octane/Turbo, and Sixties on Six was playing this song...and bam, this story popped right in my head. I LOVE Sirius!

"So," Ethan pulled out a chair, sat himself right down at Clay's table. "How's it going Spenser?"

Ethan Dauphin.

"Haven't seen you around much lately," he leered at Stella. "How's Bravo team? Rumors about Hayes true? He a dick?" he held his beer out, but Clay didn't pick his up to tap in greeting. "Hello sweetheart."

Stella ignored him.

They'd come through Green Team training together. They'd even managed to get along – most of the time. Things had turned sour between them when the rumors had begun that Hayes and his team were arguing amongst themselves whether or not Spenser would join them.

Not an argument over who would be selected. That decision had been made before training was over. There'd been no doubt in anyone's mind that Clay wouldn't be in the top three. The question had been; would Hayes agree with what the rest of his team wanted?

"Ethan," Clay picked up his beer, took a sip. "How's Delta?" with care, he kept his tone neutral. A lot of, uh, people had issues with Jason Hayes.

Though Ethan had never voiced his desire to join Bravo or be their selection, Clay knew it was there. Speculation had run rampant, the talk, the rumors. Everyone had said they doubted Hayes would choose someone so young, bets had been placed, Ethan believed it….and then Hayes had gone ahead and chosen the youngest of the lot – Clay Spenser. And that had been the end of any friendliness from Ethan Dauphin. Clay didn't miss him.

Ethan Dauphin had been chosen second, making him – in his mind – second best. It didn't matter that Delta, the team who had taken him, had wanted him before any other recruit. He was still bitter.

What pissed him off was hearing from his Chief that once Hayes had decided to give his team what they wanted – Clay Spenser – nothing and no one would have stood in his way from obtaining it. Yeah, sure, Bravo had first pick in this year's draft, and no, it wasn't because Nate had been killed, but even if they hadn't had the pick, had Hayes wanted Spenser, he would have gotten him.

Why? Because Lieutenant Commander Eric Blackburn gave Jason Hayes whatever the fuck he wanted: Lisa Davis in logistics – done; assigned to the CIA - done; Amanda Ellis as their CIA liaison – done; a dog in their unit – done; a support team of fifteen Seals – done; the same doc on deployment – done.

"You guys on break? Ethan helped himself to the bowl of pretzels. "You sure do have good taste in girls Spenser. Hey there pretty lady, Stella, right?"

"Have we met?" She asked sweetly, avoiding direct eye contact.

"We have." Ethan grinned, but his eyes were cold. "Don't you remember, doll?"

"Thought you guys had deployed." Clay said calmly. They were in a public bar. Ethan wouldn't start any shit. "Syria, wasn't it?"

"Delayed. Care to dance?" he asked Stella. Why, he hadn't been told.

"No." she said no more. Not even a 'no, thank you'.

"I don't think your lady friend much likes me." Ethan said to Clay, giving Stella a wink. "Thought you guys were going to Yemen." Maybe Spenser knew more about who was deploying where than he did. And if Spenser did, well, that would just piss Ethan off more.

"I don't." she pushed back her chair and got up. "Be right back, then I'm ready to leave."

Ethan watched her leave, then crossed his arms on the table, leaned forward. "Come on Spenser, what gives? Huh? Not asking for any secrets. Just wanna know." He was quiet a moment. "Weren't for you, I might be with Bravo."

Since Clay wasn't rising to the bait of 'hit on or insult girlfriend', Ethan tried another tactic to get under his skin.

"It's a job." Clay looked at his watch. Still early, but Stella was right, time to leave. A job Ethan would have been fired from. Well, transferred out of to another unit. He and Jason would never get along. And Sonny? Pfft. "I have a Boss, where he leads, I will follow." he took a last drink of beer, put the bottle down. "Didn't know you wanted Bravo."

"Eh, just meant, if you weren't in the class, and they took the best of the group," Ethan shrugged. Left unsaid was, he thought that was him. "Those five are tight. Took the loss of one of their own pretty hard, wouldn't you agree?"

And it still wouldn't have been you. "I would."

"Was it Hayes's fault?"

Clay blinked. "Wow. Where's that coming from? Why would you think Jason's responsible?"

That threw Ethan completely off-guard. He sat back. Jason? Clay called his team boss by first name? Talk about wow.

"You were hurt, your last mission out, right?" Ethan prodded. "How'd that happen? Hazard of being the new guy, huh? They go to Yemen without you?"

"No." Clay replied, but didn't specify what he was replying to. "Buy you a beer?"

"They ran as a team of five for months." Ethan sat forward again, "Sonny, the explosives expert; Trent, the medic; Brock, the dog trainer; Ray, the mechanic; Jason, the leader. So, what does that make you? Other than being fluent in a couple languages? Sniper? Best shooter in training was you. They're all rated as shooters, you better than them?"

"Trent's not a medic." Clay looked around for the waitress. What the hell was Stella doing? Good Grief.

"They took you with them once. And they could have taken any of their support team…..course, no one breaks into their circle easily, do they?" Ethan tapped the beer bottle on the table. "But you did."

Ethan was frustrated and Clay knew it, though Ethan did a damn good job of hiding it and appearing unruffled.

"No one on Bravo got pissed 'cause you waltzed right onto the elite team of 6?" Ethan sneered, the veil of civility gone. "You know, despite the other fifteen guys on the support team? Find that hard to believe. Gotta hand it to him though….he has the loyalty and trust of his men. Not even anyone on Bravo support has anything to say."

"Jason doesn't tolerate attitudes." Clay tossed a ten on the table and got up, Stella lingered by the door. She wasn't coming back. "Enjoy the round coming."

Clay joined Stella, who didn't return Ethan's wave and together, they left the bar.

"Jason Hayes. Fucking prick. What is it about you that makes your men follow you blindly?" Ethan sat back, alone with his beer.

***three days later***

"Called in?" Stella asked. Clay's phone was on vibrate, but still, she heard it.

He got up, looked at it, put it down, walked away. Returned, picked it up, sent a text and put it down.

"Time to leave for Yemen?"

He shrugged.

"There isn't…" she paused. "Does the U.S. even have an official base there?"

"No."

"You don't have to go." She reminded him. "The doctor cleared you to return to mild activity. I don't think he meant, fly to Yemen."

"Doesn't work that way." Clay gave her a lazy grin. "They delayed deploying until the doc declared me able to return to work. He cleared me. Time to go."

"Dunno why they just couldn't go without you." She grumbled. "They did plenty of missions without you."

"I wasn't on the team then." He chucked her chin. "This is my life, you're good with that, remember? You'll keep busy with your students, won't even miss me."

"When do you leave?"

And on cue, someone pounded on his door. "Time to go Sugar Pie!" Sonny bellowed.

"Now?" She asked incredulously. "Like….now, now?"

"He's, uh, my ride."

"Where did he text you from? The parking lot?" she pouted petulantly. "No time for a proper good-bye?"

Clay sighed, holding her shoulders. "I'm packed Stella, and he didn't call me in. Blackburn did, twenty minutes ago." he hesitated. She wasn't going to take this next bit well, and he didn't want to leave with a fight between them. "I texted Sonny to come pick me up."

"Zip it up kid! Meter's running! Let's go! We….oh, hey Derek, sure, I'll take a beer. Five minutes Spenser!"

"He's having a beer and he's driving?" she moved away. "Wait, you texted him for a ride? I'm right here! I would have taken you."

He chewed on his lips, ran his hands through his hair. "Uh, they…..um…..aaah." he blew his breath out. Stella had been staying with him since his return from his last mission. The guys had given him space, but they were never far away. Derek was just across the hall. Not Bravo, Alpha, but still a spy for Bravo when called upon. "They…..won't…..shit," he turned away, picked up his phone.

"Spit it on Clay." Stella demanded. "I can't see you off? You sneak around? Can't tell me you were called in? You're deploying now?"

"The doc cleared me medically to return. You knew I could be called to go at any time." he sighed. "And the guys are still a little shaken Stella, over what happened on our last mission. They kinda aren't letting me out of their sight, you know?"

"The letting you get blown up? That event?"

"Wasn't blown up. We all took a hit from that blast." He kissed her nose. "And they didn't let it happen. We'll Skype."

"You were hurt the worst."

"Bruises, nothing broken. Didn't even lose skin."

"Yet, you were first, took the brunt, thrown pretty damn hard."

"I wasn't first. I, uh, wasn't even with them. Not really. Sorta though." He couldn't make her understand because he couldn't explain the mission. "We good?"

"How long will you be gone? Or can't I know?"

"I don't even know. Two weeks?" he guessed. "I'll let you know when we're on our way home."

"You've been out of their sight since you got home." She pointed out. "I don't understand any of this."

"I've seen them every day on base. I wasn't medically cleared to fly out on another mission, but I went to work." He argued. "Derek's across the hall."

She mulled that over. "Don't come home on a gurney this time."

"Didn't last time." He teased, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.

"Mmmm. Maybe you walked off the plane on our soil, but you didn't walk onto it on theirs."

She had him there.

"Gotta go. I'll call when I can." He gave her a kiss good-bye and opened the door. Sonny stood right outside, munching on a taco.

"Stella Bella." Sonny greeted. "Ready? Good thing I know a short cut. Don't wanna be late." He waved at Derek. "Thanks for the bite. You ready kid? I know, you're wondering why we ain't letting him let you take him to see him off. Don't worry, we'll take good care of him. Trust us. Easy-peasy trip. We'll bring him back."

He spoke so fast, jumping from one topic to another, Stella's head spun. Before she could think of something to say, they were gone. The door closed behind them and she fell against it, locking it. How was she supposed to get used to this?

"Suck it up girl." She scolded herself. "Women all over this country do this every day. You can too." But man, it hurt to watch him leave and not be the one to see him off at the base's airport.

()

"How you feeling kid?" Sonny asked. "Doc said you're ready, you feel you are?"

"I'm good."

And the team agreed. There'd been more than one discussion about it. No need to tell Clay that though.

"Still, take it easy on us old men, you hear?"

"How well do you know the Chief from Delta?" Clay asked.

"Odd question," Sonny said after a moment. "What's up?"

"Came up through Green with a guy," Clay shrugged, looking out the window. "Saw him the other night, probably nothing. Just odd."

"Yeah." Sonny agreed and blew it off. He turned the conversation towards pretty girls and short good-byes, but tucked the information away for further exploration at a later time.

"Who's the girl of the week?" Clay accepted the change in subject. "Shelby?"

"Denise."

"How many girls ago was Shelby?"

"Huh…2? No, no….3…I think."

Dusk was settling, by the time everyone got on board and they were airborne, it would be time to sleep. Clay was okay with that, he still tired easily, so he hoped the guys weren't up for beer and cards. The hammocks weren't the most comfortable bed to sleep in, but Clay actually enjoyed the way they rocked and swung with the motion of the plane.

Once on board though, he realized he didn't have to worry about taking a ribbing from the guys if he begged out of the card game. Jason was in a mood, Eric was arguing with Mandy, Lisa was indisposed, Ray was already asleep and Brock and Trent were playing chess.

"Nice of you to join us," Eric greeted them, glancing at his watch. "Cutting it close."

"We ain't late." Sonny protested. "Nope, you said arrive by 8….it's only quarter 'til. We're early."

"Not in the mood for your humor Quinn." Mandy said testily. "So, don't start."

"Ouch. What put your panties in a twist?'

When neither Jason nor Eric reprimanded him for the crude comment, Sonny whistled, looking around at everyone on the plane.

"Okay…..what'd we miss?" Sonny asked. "Boss?"

"It's a long flight, get some rest." Eric said.

"You're good Quinn." Jason patted his shoulder. "Long day."

"Give the order for take-off." Mandy told Eric. "We've delayed long enough." She avoided making eye contact with Sonny, but he wasn't about to let it go.

"That supposed to mean something?" and like that, his tone turned from jovial to hostile. He looked from Eric to Jason to Mandy to Jason. "The fuck's going on?"

"Yeah, it means we're two days behind….." Mandy began but both Eric and Jason were on their feet.

"Don't start this shit again Ellis." Eric warned. "I'm tired. I want to go to sleep, not rehash this again. We've been through it. Finished it. Moved on from it. Now get over it."

Clay got it. She was pissed because Jason had made the decision not to go on her pet mission until Clay could go with them. He murmured something unintelligible and with his head down, moved off to claim his hammock.

"Uncalled for Mandy." Jason said quietly. "I told you to get another team if you didn't want to wait. Delta delayed deployment while you made up your mind, you could have left on your preferred date with them."

"And I told you there was no need for Bravo to wait." She shot back. "You could have agreed to go on schedule."

"Wait, leave the kid behind and go without him?" Sonny cut in. Tension wasn't thick, but things could easily get heated. "Why would we do that when you could have taken another team?"

"Sonny, I got this." Jason waved him on. He too, was tired and ready for bed.

Sonny wasn't appeased, but he followed his boss's unspoken request to move on and went to find Lisa.

"Am I going to get the cold shoulder and snide comments this whole trip?" Mandy asked rudely. She was tired, stressed, under pressure from the man temporarily her boss. She didn't need shit from Jason and Eric.

"Doc didn't clear him." Jason was in his 'arguing stance', hands sitting lightly on his hips. "I told you we weren't going without him."

"Enough!" Eric barked. "You were given your options Ellis, you chose, now live with it or get off the plane."

"Get off the plane?" She stood her ground. "It's my mission!"

"It's a CIA mission." Eric corrected her. "I don't want to hear another word about this. You could have chosen any of the other seven teams, you didn't. Like Jason said, Delta was available. You agreed to wait until Bravo could go. We're going. Are we done?"

She fumed, arms crossed.

"Mandy, come on." Jason pleaded. "What would you have me do? Abandon the kid? Leave him behind? The doc said he'd be ready to return in seven days, and that put us two past your deadline. I told you to go with Delta."

"Stop throwing Delta in my face." She snapped. "He's your sniper Jason. You may not label him that, but it's what he is. He shoots to kill. But he's going to let it bother him, and you're going to let him?"

"This again?" Eric rubbed his head. "Really?" he blew his breath out. "The doc didn't bench him for a week because his head was fucked up – and by the way, it wasn't. He was ordered seven days rest because, in case you don't remember, he was blown up. How the hell he didn't break or majorly injure some part of his body is beyond me. Find a way to deal with it."

"Picking teenage kids off is going to bother anyone. He's past it so get off his back." Jason added, pleased Eric was taking such a hard stance with Mandy. "He's stiff and sore and bruised and he's here. That ain't enough for you?"

"Kids with guns that blew you up." She reminded him. "You ran as a team of five for weeks, you could have….."

"Because we were a team of five, now we are six." Jason cut in. "Mission calls for haste and immediate deployment, we go with who's healthy and capable. This mission doesn't qualify."

()

Cerberus padded over to lie at Clay's feet. She nudged his hand until he scratched her ears.

"She's on the rag." Trent leaned across the row of chairs and back-handed Clay across the knee, a show of support. "They both are….OW!"

"Why do you have to be crude?" Lisa unrolled the magazine she'd just used to whack Trent across the back of his head. "We prefer the term Aunt Flo is visiting."

"The hell, Davis!" Trent scowled. "Didn't have to hit so hard!"

Lisa grinned. "How you feeling Clay?"

He shrugged. "I'm good."

"It's not personal kid." Brock said. "Well, it is. But not you."

"What are you making a muddle of this time?" Lisa rolled her eyes. "You sure you're okay Clay?" She plopped down on a cooler. "Haven't seen you since we got home. You sure are one lucky sonofabitch, you know that? How you keep getting hurt, yet not seriously, is beyond me. You know?

He nodded. "Serious or not, it sure as hell hurts."

"So, why you so gloomy? Stella pouting you leaving at night?"

"Ms. Ellis." Trent told Lisa. "Sprouting off again."

"Aah, yeah, we're late leaving? Should have been there two days ago? All Clay's fault?" Lisa laughed. "She's pissed, but not at you Clay. The guy filling in for her boss is a dick. Hoping he doesn't get the position permanently." She shuddered. "None of us will be happy, that happens."

"She's never been told no by Jason before." Brock explained. "This trip, mission, job, is merely recon, but it's to get enough information she can go after Taha Fasih."

"She's been denied the green light three times." Trent moved a pawn. "She got this 'excursion' approved on intel from a field interpreter."

"Jason agreed to go when we were in Pakistan. The date was set, but the mission in Pakistan went wrong, you were hurt, we missed the dead line to leave." Lisa said.

"So, when Jason said you weren't medically cleared to leave on the scheduled date, she had a shit fit." Brock removed Trent's pawn. "But Jason didn't budge. She was afraid they'd pull the plug on her again."

"When she couldn't talk him into going without you, she tried talking him into letting you leave earlier than the doctor approved." Lisa shook her head. "He didn't go for that either."

Trent moved his bishop. "He gave her three options: take another team, wait for his or cancel the mission."

"You know what she chose." Lisa said. "Here we are."

"Why's boss junior asleep?" Sonny joined them, reaching for the magazine Lisa held. "Hell, engines haven't even revved up yet."

"Uh, infant at home," Lisa reminded him.

Clay glanced over where Jason, Eric and Mandy still stood and talked - argued. All seemed calm, but he didn't really care. Giving the dog a final pat, he took a pillow and blanket from the pile near the hammocks and headed off to his own.

"You sure he's okay?" Lisa asked. "Doesn't seem himself."

"Meh." Sonny blew it off. "He's moody. Stella gave him shit 'cause I picked him up and she didn't get to bring him. Let him go."

()

"We good?" Eric asked. "I'm not ordering take-off until this is settled."

Mandy nodded, shoulders drooping. "I'm sorry Jason. I'll apologize to Spenser."

Jason chewed whether or not to let her off the hook so easily. "You do that, then leave him alone." He finally said. "Give him some space."

Eric finally moved off to give the pilots the order for take-off. Jason gave Mandy a hug and she went to find Clay.

"Hey boss." Sonny wandered over. "Who's Delta's chief these days?"

"What?"

"Did anyone come up through Green with Spenser that Delta took?" Sonny persisted. "They chose after we did, right? Anyone they wanted?" he paused. "Other than Spenser?"

Jason gave him a 'what the fuck' look, but ran a hand through his hair as he thought about it. "Aah, yeah, I guess." He hadn't given anyone else much consideration. Ray and Sonny had been adamant about wanting Clay, Trent and Brock were cool with the kid, and despite the kid's ego and attitude, Jason had known the kid would be a good fit with his team.

"Yeah, they took the Dauphin dick."

"Dick?"

"Mmmmm. Spenser's cocky, I can deal with that, but Dauphin's bitter, resentful. Delta's welcome to him."

"And their chief is who again?"

"Collett. Why?"

Sonny hesitated. He'd thought to talk it out with Ray, but the more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. "You get along with him?"

"I get along with everyone." Jason cracked, then sobered when Sonny didn't take the bait. "Spill."

"Just a head's up. Spenser didn't say who, but someone he trained with on Green Team approached him the other night, he's on Delta."

"Dauphin." Jason nodded. He was well aware Dauphin had wanted on Bravo. "Doubt anything will come of it."

Sonny nodded and moved on.

Jason sighed and took a seat on one of the rubber chairs bolted to the wall. He should buckle in, the engines were revving, but eh. Even if the take-off was rough and bumpy, he didn't have far to fall if he was thrown out of the seat.

This job was supposed to be light and easy. That was why he agreed to it. He was counting on it to ease Clay back into 'work'. The kid had scared the hell out of him after the blast that had sent him flying, the way he landed, the way he hadn't moved, the way he hadn't responded.

If there was a reason, a way, or a why, to get hurt or sick or injured, smacked down, lost or left behind, Clay sure as hell went and found it.

He so didn't need issues or conflict with another team. Not again. Not now. Not when every time he looked at the team's 'rookie', his belly dropped and his palms sweated. Hell, he'd be honest; he needed an easy mission probably more than Clay did.

Jason laid his head back, closing his eyes against the mental scene that kept flashing through his head: Clay coming steadily towards them, shooting to kill – not incapacitate, one after the other, not caring they were young, barely out of their teens. His team was pinned down and he was their defense, their only out. And then bam! - The ground exploded all around them, Clay was blown off his feet, landing face-first several yards away….and they hadn't been able to get to him right away.

"Buckle in." Eric took the seat next to him, handed him a beer. "Long flight."

"Guys will sleep."

"Will you?"

"Who? Me? Don't fuss, I'm good." He buckled in, took the beer.

"Here's to an uncomplicated, easy seven day tour." Eric tapped bottles.

"Eh, what could go wrong?"