The Grey Area (Book 1)

How It All Ends

CHAPTER 8

“Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is as formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have.” - Ronald Reagan

12th September, present

“Hello?” An insistent knock came at Ali’s door at seven A.M sharp. Nobody in the room heard the pounding. They had fallen asleep around one A.M in various spots around the room. Siobhan was curled in a chair, Sev was sprawled out on the couch, and Ali had fallen asleep with her feet up on her desk. “Doctor Pendragon?” No response. “Colonel Pendragon, I know you’re in there!” Frustrated, General Vitus Walden burst through the door. “Colonel Pendragon! I expected you in my office half an hour ago! What is keeping you? Get your feet off that desk and stand when I am speaking to you!”

Ali almost fell off of her chair in her haste to comply. “Sir! I’m very sorry, sir. We got back early this morning, and ...I guess I fell asleep.” Siobhan and Sev had woken up, and noticed General Walden. Sev sat up and Sib leapt up to stand at attention.

“Colonel Pendragon? Who are these people?” General Walden looked more confused than angry now.

“Sir, this is Captain O’Rourke, who will be working in my department, and Severino Arrachtaí, my fiancée. This is General Vitus Walden, chief of staff for Walter Reed.”

Siobhan saluted and Sev simply nodded in acknowledgement. General Walden nodded back at him.

“At ease. Have a seat, people.” Ali and the others sat back down. Walden took the seat across from Ali. “As you know, we must always be prepared for anything. We are responsible; in the unlikely event that something should happen, responsible for the care of the president and vice-president.” He handed the sealed envelope he had come in with to Ali. “Do not open this envelope. It is only to be opened under Security Situation 1701-DEAB-42.” SecSit 1701-DEAB-42 was practically unheard of. Inferno had invented it and planted the idea into the mind of a gullible senator from the Midwest. He had thought it was all his idea.

“Yes sir.”

“Very well. Carry on.” Walden stood and left.

Ali stood and watched the door shut behind him. “Well. It’s my day off. Does anyone want to go home and get breakfast? My place is a few blocks from here.” Severino and Siobhan stood.

“I’m starving.” Sev said, stretching as he stood up.

“You always were. Some things never change.” Ali picked up her purse from the desk. “Shall we?” Sev slipped his hand into hers.

“Yes, I believe we shall.”

AFTERWARD

8th June, one year later

“Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived.”- Captain Jean-Luc Picard

“You look beautiful, Ali.” Dr. Joe smiled as I came out of the dressing room. I was wearing a plain white sleeveless dress with an unadorned veil covering my hair and face. “I don’t think you’ve ever worn a dress since I met you.” He stood from where he leaned against the wall.          

“I don’t think I have.” There was a happy and bittersweet air today. I was finally marrying the boy I fell in love with at age eight. I wanted Dad to be here, to walk me down the aisle. But he was gone, like so many others I wanted to see here today. Mom, One, and so many other people dear to me had lost their lives, many in service to the United States. Dr. Joe had become like another father to me, and I was honored that he was giving me away.          

“Your father would be so happy.”          

“I wish he could be here with us.”          

Siobhan came out of the dressing room with my sister, Ivy Grace Smith-Abela. When I was told during my junior year in med school that Dr. Joe and Betha were going to adopt a baby, I could not have been happier for them. They had welcomed me into their family with open arms. I had even been maid of honor at their wedding. Ivy fully accepted me as her sister, even though I was a lot older than she was.          

“Ali, are you ready?” Dr. Joe asked, snapping me out of my reverie. We had reached the doors to the sanctuary.          

“I’m ready.”         

“Let’s go then.”          

The doors opened, and the music started. Severino stood at the front of the church, waiting for me. Our gazes locked, and he smiled. I gripped Dr. Joe’s arm.        

“You good?” He asked.          

“Yes.”          

We walked to the front of the church. Dr. Joe squeezed my hand and then placed it into Sev’s. Siobhan and Ivy stood off to my left, and one of Sev’s fellow physicians’ assistant students stood to his right as best man.       

The pastor addressed the sanctuary. “We are gathered here to celebrate the union of Alameda Bethesda Pendragon and Severino Kieron Arrachtaí in holy matrimony.” The rest of the ceremony was a blur, with me saying ‘I do’ in the appropriate spots, and Sev gripping my hand as if he never wanted to let me go.          

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Sev lifted my veil, and for a split second, our eyes met. We had done so much together, gone through so much in our lives. But all of that was in the past in that moment. From now on, we were not going to dwell in the past. We were going to look forward to the future and what it had to offer for us. The future was vast, and held a lot of hope. And there was nothing that was going to stand in our way.                      

“There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest.” -Confucius                                           

The End.

For now, anyway.