Operation: Bright Tablet

Memories

Denver's pov(a few hours later)
I heard Hunter from the door way as she knocked and opened the door "hey boss, we're getting together and talking about our favorite memories with our late friends..... if you want to join us that is" I nodded and asked "what room?" She said "the crew room" I stood and said "ill be there in a few" she nodded with a look of inquiry before walking out again. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw scrapes and bruises before I noticed the handprint on my shoulder strap from where Ice helped me get out from under that Nighthaven operator. I lifted my left hand to touch the mark before I stopped when I thought about wiping the past off my shoulder. I heard Grace behind me "You look conflicted" I glanced over as she leaned on the bathroom door, I asked "how so?" She replied as if it were obvious "like you know what you have to do, but you're not sure if it's the right thing to do" I nodded slowly. I looked at her once more and said "I know I have to let them go, but I don't want to. I don't want to admit I lost my friends"
She walked in and put her hand on my shoulder "they wouldn't want you to keep them with you if it meant you kept the pain too" I looked down and said "I know, I understand that but I kinda want to keep the pain. I want to miss them" she sighed and mumbled "you're not an easy one to help" I replied sadly "yeah, I guess so" she stepped back and grabbed her wrist "don't be afraid to let go, be afraid to hold on for too long" I stepped closer and gave her a short side hug as I said "thank you for the wise advice, I'll talk to you later. I'm heading out" she looked at me as I walked away and said "I'll be hanging out with Eliza and Ela so you know where to find me" I nodded as I walked out and took in a deep breath. I looked around before walking down to the crew room, I walked in and heard the conversations stop. Oxide asked "how're you holding up boss?" I replied "I'm holding" as I sat down and took off my plate carrier.
I pulled off my gloves and asked "so who wants to start?" I heard Hunter say "I will." I motioned her on when she said "it was our first mission with The 6-4, right when Baker and I joined. We were still settling in and his confidence was starting to show, then you, Denver, you made him lead the breach and I remember him yelling 'knock knock!' And getting an answer from the masks continuing the joke and then he yelled grenade for you and threw in a tomato can." I chuckled quietly, I remember after that mission I had to ask where he had gotten a tomato soup can. I heard Grant "what's your favorite memory of them boss?" I paused and said "shit, I'll have to think about that" they continued going around trading stories about our lost. We wanted to mourn their deaths but instead we opted to celebrate who they were. I waited for a story to finish before I said "I got mine" everyone zeroed in on me as I asked "do you guys remember the mission to capture that ISIS leader with the hospital?" I got nods from all of them.
I continued "I think my favorite memory of them is when we jumped into the target and we all picked something to jump with and they picked things like snowboard and killer whale floaties and other shit. I was funny as hell watching them fly with their items, definitely a sight to see" the group laughed before I heard a knock at the door, and we turned around watching as Bear and Thor walked in "Care if we join you?" I replied as I turned around "feel free" we continued talking for a while until I heard the door open, unusual. Typically we give each other the common curtesy of a knock on the door before we entered. I saw everyone in the room clam up and the jovial mood evaporated, I didn't even have to ask who it was, their reactions told me it was Gates. I heard her ask "What's going on here?" I heard Hunter reply "nothing of your concern" Gates said "i would like to know what my company is doing" I kept my eyes forward as Thor asked "you really think just because you didn't fire us everything is going to go back to normal?"
Gates replied "this company will go a lot smoother if you lot atleast try to work with me" I spoke causing a wave of silence through my team "you should've thought of that before you tried going against the whole company, everything you're dealing with, the cold feeling you get around us, the lack of respect, the lack of control you feel, it's all your doing" she sighed and asked "how long is this gonna go on?" Bear asked in return "how long are you going to hold onto your pride?" Sherman said "now if you'd politely fuck off, I'd like to get back to spending time with my teammates" Gates said "I will fire you" I countered "you will not" as I stood and looked at her. She narrowed her eyes at me as I stood firm "the moment you get your ass off your prideful hill, and start acting like the Gates we all know. Then we can start talking about you getting your respect" she tried to shift the power dynamic in this interaction by saying "remember who signs your paychecks" I countered "remember who has an offer for Rainbow, I'm willing to take it" she recoiled at the information.
I heard her say "you wouldn't" I replied with an emotionless tone "do you want to take a stroll down to Harry's office and test that bet?" The room was suddenly very tense as my unit along with Bear and Thor watched Gates and I put our chips on the table. She backed down and said "whatever it is you're all doing, have fun with it" as she turned around and walked out. I heard Oxide behind me as the door closed "do you actually have an open invitation to join Rainbow?" I turned and sat down "yeah, I do. I wasn't keen on telling you guys incase you thought I was going to take flight on you" they nodded before we went back to talking about memories. I checked my watch and said "well I have to go, you guys have fun" I heard Hunter ask "why do you have to go?" I said in return "I have to put the belongings with the lost, I also have to drape their nations flags over them and then put their final rites on them" she nodded as I grabbed my plate carrier and opened the door before I walked to my dorm.
I grabbed the bag that contained everything I'd need before I heard Grace behind me as she said "you took off your armor, looks weird" I turned slowly and said "yeah, it just felt right" she smiled before walking forward and pressing her palm to the center of my chest "your heart still beats strong, it heals." I used my free hand to gently pull hers off my chest "it's started, I have to go do the final preparations to send them home." She looked at me and asked "do you want me to go with you?" I replied "you don't have to, Miss Nam" she nodded and said "I'm going, I want to be there" I put my hand on her shoulder and joked half heartedly "if you see me cry while doing this, no you didn't" she nodded as we started walking out. I tried to go over what I thought it'd be like getting my troops ready to go home for the last time but I couldn't, I hadn't had to do it before. Not at The 6-4 atleast, only during my time in the army.
We walked outside and I saw it was raining, pretty hard too. Harry stood next to the 23 coffins under several large awnings and Grace pulled out her umbrella as I walked out, Harry heard me coming and turned "hello there" I asked "are their belongings here?" He nodded and said "the first 3 rows are from your unit" I walked forward and carefully opened their coffins. I froze when my eyes landed on Ice, my throat turned to a desert and my hands shook slightly. I felt my eyes water as I smiled mumbling "he looks so peaceful" I always thought of Michael 'Ice' philips as a younger brother. He had expressed that going on missions always got him nervous and how he wanted to go home to see his family, I crouched and pressed my head against the cold laminated oak wood. I felt my shoulders rack as I began crying "you can go home now soldier, it's over" I felt Grace next to me as I looked up before sniffling and wiping my eyes "not much for nerves huh" she replied with a dismissive tone "don't worry about that, let it out" I stood and gently put the things Ice's will asked he be buried with.
I repeated the process with the rest of them, taking some time to say my goodbyes and remember all the time with them, the bonds, the tough missions and the laughs. I asked Harry about 10 minutes later "do you have the flags?" He nodded and said "they're in order of the coffins" I gingerly took them and draped the coffin with the flags, Ice's was an American flag, Reacher's was the Union Jack, once I finished doing that I fastened the flags down before I heard Hunter yelled "those selected as Pallbearers, take your positions." I looked at Grace and asked "if you'd be so kind, I would appreciate it if you stepped in-line with my unit" she nodded as the other five grabbed the bar and I heard Hunter yell in a watery tone "Salute!" As we lifted the coffin of Ice. We walked slowly and purposefully into the back of the C-17 and lowered him down, we repeated the process 14 times. I heard Bear as his unit along with Gates's arrived "attention!" I saw the other divisions snap to a salute as we stoically walked down the ramp, I could tell we were all fighting tears as we walked to my division and held the salute as Bear and Atlas did the final rights for their lost.
When it was over we all slowly made our way inside, I felt a chill run through my body as I watched the C-17 take off. Carrying my men to their final destination. I felt Grace lean on my shoulder "You seem better now, like you've accepted it" I nodded and said "it feels like it's been resolved" she nodded and we just stood outside, under the overhang as I just enjoyed the weather and feeling of resolution. I heard Erik behind me as he said "oh come on, you two have to know you love each other. Just admit it" I heard Grace as she straightened quickly "I have no idea what you're on about" I looked out at the storm as I said "alright, I admit it" Grace looked at me as her cheeks flushed pink and she asked "really?" I nodded not daring to look at her for longer than a second as Erik prompted "Grace? How do you feel about him?" I mentally braced myself just incase the feeling was reciprocated before I felt my body relax as she said "since I guess we're confessing, yes I do love him" I looked up and said "well I guess that's something" I heard Erik laugh before he said "now you just need to have a date" I replied "when we get a bit of leave I'm ready for one" Grace smiled and nodded as Erik said "next leave is in a week" I shrugged "I guess next week is a date night"