The flight back home was unusually somber. As soon as the job was done everyone went directly to their own little places on the C-17 and hadn't moved since take off. The guys were huddled in one corner stretched out in their hammocks while the rest of the team was scattered throughout, no one really speaking the whole flight. Normally after a successful mission the team would cut loose a little and have a few drinks to wind down on the way home, but no one was in the mood to celebrate, or get home too quickly. The team knew that once they got home they would be losing one of their own.

This would be last mission with Bravo Team for Lisa Davis. Tomorrow the team's logistics specialist would be leaving for the twelve-week Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island. After graduation and accepting her commission she could end up anywhere the Navy wanted to send her. This wouldn't just be the last night the team got to spend all together, it could be the last time the guys saw Davis for a very long time.

Davis had certainly taken her time in telling the rest of the team that she was leaving. She'd only just told them a few days prior to this spin up, knowing that this would be the last one. It wasn't just because she knew the guys may give her a hard time about being a cake-eater, it was about thinking that she was letting the team down by breaking it up. She knew that deep down she would have their support, she always had, but it still felt like she was betraying them.

The plane landed around 1900 local time, and, just like the trip home, everyone took off in their own direction. Davis couldn't help but feel a hurt by the obvious disinterest the guys had knowing that this would be her last night as part of Bravo. She expected at least a goodbye from them; instead it was a few head nods and a 'see ya later'. "Maybe they really are mad at me," Davis thought to herself as she finished unloading her gear. There wasn't anything she could about it now; she had to be on the road in eleven hours for OCS. If this is how it was going to be, then so be it. Once the equipment was squared away and Davis felt somewhat comfortable enough to leave her job, and her team, in the hands of another person, she gathered her few personal belongings and headed home.

It was short drive to Davis' apartment from base, but she made a few stops for take-out and beer on the way, finally getting in about 2100. She fumbled with her keys, trying not to drop anything in the hallway, and barely managed to find the keyhole, unlock the door and kick it open in one swift, balancing motion.

"SURPRISE!" The lights came on and a collection of recognizable voices rang out through the apartment.

They were all there; the whole team, spouses and the kids. The initial shock wore off quickly as Davis realized what was happening. They weren't mad after all, just making her believe that they were. She scanned the room, looking at each one of their smiling faces, taking it all in. This was her family. She knew that there were still some mixed feelings about her leaving the team, but everyone was there in support of choice to go to OCS. Davis could feel small tears building up in her eyes as she thought about the team and how much they meant to her and her to them.

"Thank you, guys, so much for this," Davis said as she approached Naima and Ray, while making her rounds through the guests.

"You're welcome, but it wasn't us," Naima replied, motioning her head towards the other side of the room. "This was Sonny's idea," she said with a grin.

Davis looked back to see Sonny standing in the far corner of the living room, nursing a beer. "Sonny planned a party?"

Ray nodded, "Food… booze… these sad looking balloons all over your floor. It was all him. He even had this whole tactical plan to break into your apartment undetected. Then I told him that Naima had a spare key."

Davis smiled at the thought of Sonny's 'tactical plan', "Well, thanks for not letting him break in, then. Excuse me."

Davis needed a moment to think. She couldn't help but wonder why Sonny would do something like this for her, especially now. They hadn't really spoken much the last few weeks, since Sonny found out about OCS the hard way. They were civil around each other at work, keeping up appearances, but their friendship had taken a hard hit. After Sonny nearly died in North Korea, she thought things were getting back to normal, but he just distanced himself again. Hopefully she'd be able to talk to him tonight, before it was too late.

The next few hours were spent reminiscing and retelling old stories, anything and everything to humiliate Davis and keep her laughing. She needed this, they all did, something to take their minds off of tomorrow. As midnight rolled around it was time to start saying their goodbyes. The array of hugs and well wishes was almost too much to take in at once, but Davis worked her way through the group, one-by-one, as she watched them leave the apartment.

"You coming to the bar, Sonny?" Clay asked, stepping into the hallway.

Sonny looked over at Davis, then back to Clay, "Maybe later. Gonna stick around and clean up some of my mess." Double entendre intended.

Davis closed the door behind Clay and turned back to face Sonny, "You don't have to stay..."

"I want to."

Davis crossed the room, passing Sonny, and walked into the kitchen. She returned to where he was standing and pressed a plastic trash bag against Sonny's chest, smiling up at him, "Good. Start cleaning."

He smiled back her, reached up to grab the bag, making sure to brush the back of Davis' hand with his fingers as he did, "Yes, ma'am."

TBC.