Survivors

Chapter 23: The Cold

"Dante, do you have a girlfriend?"

Dante stopped fighting for a split second, surprised by the question. HIs hesitation was enough for Kara to land a shot to his chest and then follow up with a leg sweep, knocking him to the ground.

The man stood up slowly and took in his tiny blonde charge who was getting much better at controlling the speed and strength of her strikes.

"No...that was kind of a random question. Why do you ask?"

Kara shrugged her shoulders. "Connolly has one, I just wondered if you did. You never leave Midvale except for missions. Don't you have anyone who misses you?"

The man shook his head. "Not really."

"How old are you?" Kara continued.

"Uh, 26. I joined the Navy right out of High School and went straight into the Seal program. Most new recruits who were promised a shot at the program didn't make it. I did."

"Why the Navy?"

"Why the questions?" the man countered. Kara shrugged her shoulders once again.

"You know about me. You are training me. I want to know something about you. I know nothing."

Dante decided she had a point. They often spent their time together during Dante's breaks between sparring sessions talking about her, her life, her schooling, her frustrations.

"I grew up in Arizona. There was nothing but desert and it was beautiful in its own way. Despite the beauty of it I wanted something more. There was a pool at the Rec Center on the Reservation. I would swim every day in the summer and as much as I could in the winters. It never really got cold in Arizona. I enjoyed it and became very good at it. My grandfather raised me and taught me to track, taught me about nature and taught me to shoot a rifle and handgun. I had a girlfriend, only one in my entire life. Her name was Awanita. We had been together since 7th grade. I loved her. When I neared graduation I wanted to leave, see more of the world. I was also tired of the desert. I wanted to see the ocean I had only viewed through pictures on the internet and TV. So I joined the Navy. I wanted her to come with me, to marry me, but she wanted to stay on the Reservation. We fought and she told me if I left to never bother coming back. I haven't."

"If you loved her, why did you leave?"

"Because, I felt I had a destiny and I needed to do it. I needed to be in the world, fighting battles others could not. Ironically I have spent a large majority of my time in the Navy in deserts, but I love swimming, I love the feeling of freedom. One day you will love the feeling of flying, the freedom from worries for just a moment while you are soaring in the sky."

"I feel that when I hurt myself." the blonde admitted, causing the man to wince.

"Which is why you need to find another outlet. No one should ever harm themselves. The world is hard enough without you making it harder on yourself."

"Pain also makes me stronger." Kara reasoned. The more she felt, the less bothered she was by it.

"Pain does not make you stronger, Kara, love does. You have not progressed in your skills because you want to feel pain. You have made the great progress you have because of love. The love for your adopted parents, for your baby cousin and for your sister. Pain can only get you so far. Love is what makes a hero."

Kara shook her head but didn't disagree. She really knew nothing about being a hero.

"What happened to Awanita? Did she mate...marry someone else?"

Dante looked to the sky, lost in the past for a moment and then looked down at the girl.

"She had another path to follow. We all have our own paths to travel. Some are full of happiness and some are full of pain. The best paths I think, are the ones that are filled with a bit of both. Pain is something to be learned from, not to be used as an escape. Love is something to learn from as well, not something to be lost in. I think that last combo, which was very good, is the last I want today. You have a birthday party tomorrow evening. This weekend should be about fun, not fighting. No more training."