Compromise-Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw-

Chapter Nine

I stood in front of a medium sized house at 0530. My hand came up to the door, balling into a fist before I tapped it against the wood. I waited a few minutes, knowing the person inside would be awake. I knocked again, before I could hear someone walking towards the door. As it opened, I seen the surprised look across her face. Her white and brown hair was combed through already, a pair of dress pants accompanied with a white shirt and brown cardigan dressed her.

"Sadie. Is everything okay?" Doctor Amanda Fair asked me. I shook my head.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" I asked, hopeful. She pressed her lips together, before opening the door wider, and gesturing for me to come in. I silently followed her to her office, passing her husband who was quietly sipping a coffee and looking at a news paper. In her office was a desk with a computer, a large swivel chair and a two person brown couch, that I'd sat on many times before. A tall plant sat in the corner of the room, and the large window offered lots of natural light.

She sat down in her swivel chair, opening a drawer in the desk, fishing out a leather bound note book. She opened it, a black pen in her hand as she adjusted her glasses and looked at me curiously. I sat on the brown couch, folding my hands in my lap awkwardly.

"Is it about the nightmares?" Doctor Fair asked, starting the conversation. She had been my psychiatrist for four years. She knew more about me, then even I knew.

"Yes." I answered.

"About Crane?" She clarified. I pressed my lips together, and met her gaze, before shaking my head.

"Not about crane this time." I told her. She tilted her head to the side, curiously. She was clearly surprised to have heard that.

"Who about?" She asked. I sighed, looking down at my hands.

"About this new friend I have. His name is Bradley Bradshaw, call sign Rooster." I told her, making sure to be as informative with my answers, so she always knew who I was speaking about. She nodded, writing something down.

"When did you and Bradley meet?" She asked, calmly.

"Less then a week ago." I answered. "I've been recruited for a mission, and he's one of the people that was also recruited." I explained to her. She nodded.

"Have you two been spending a lot of time together?" She asked softly, I nodded.

"We've been engaged in a sexual relationship basically the entire time we've known each other. It happened quickly." I explained. She nodded again, writing in her book.

"And you say you've had a nightmare about him? Talk me through that." She said, I pressed my lips together.

"It had started out in the middle of the dogfight that took Crane." I explained. "But, when I went after Crane, or who I thought was Crane, it had been Rooster instead, that I was trying to save. His voice said the exact things Crane did." I shivered, recalling the dream. She continued to write, listening to my every word. "And I'm not exactly sure why. I don't understand why Rooster had been the person I was trying to rescue." I added, frowning. She paused, and looked up at me, her grey eyes compassionate.

"Has yours and roosters relationship changed recently? Shared trauma perhaps?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing traumatic." I said, then furrowed my brows. "Someone we both knew very well just died. We went to his funeral yesterday. I had given rooster a long comforting hug." I explained, she nodded.

"It's not field trauma, but losing someone you're close with is trauma in its own way. Have you and Rooster talked about extending your relationship beyond sex?" Her question made me blush. It wasn't entirely sure why. Talking about sex had long since been a taboo with her.