2OO3 :House Of Ashes:

』The Climb: Part 1『

[This is long and I apologize this will be two parts. Next part is extremely intense.]

It took all of Nick's strength to keep his Lieutenant from ripping into the Colonel. Even Jason knew if he did, there would be serious consequences, possible death, but in his mind, there was no making it back a second time. Yes, they were able to blow up as many of those things as they could when they hit the motherload but there were still too few many down in the mountain still waiting, still dormant. Getting back to the Caiman, Eric climbed in, slamming the door behind him in a quick huff, waiting for the other two.

It was clear the three of them could not agree. Nick for his own personal reasons, the relationship he had or thought he had with Rachel still, Jason from the feeling of being used for both Nick's and Eric's romantic interests that didn't and shouldn't concern him in the slightest that he wished he didn't care, especially when under the command of Eric, and Eric's self absorbed reality that he was the only one for Rachel and the only one she needed in her life.

Nick settled into his seat, staring at Jason while rolling his tongue across his bottom lip. He wanted to say something to him regarding his feelings but didn't quite know if he would actually listen to him and hear him out. Changing his mind as quick as his thought came to him, he thanked the Lieutenant instead.

Jason nodded, accepting his thanks as Eric began to move the Caiman again across the rugged terrain. The silence is what drove Nick mad.

"Why can't you trust me, Jason? You never trust me enough..." He blurted to Jason, regretting it almost immediately.

"I do trust you, Nicky. What makes ya think I don't?" Jason answered, his voice dangerously calm for just being asked such an absurd question.

"Not now Marines!" Eric cut in, "I need your eyes open, we could encounter more hostile soldiers!"

"NO, this is happening now!" Nick snapped back, leaning forwards towards Jason almost pointing an accusatory finger at him, "I spent enough time with you and you don't think I can read you like a book? Man, do you even know what it feels like to be in love? You have no empathy."

Jason, taken aback but not so surprised, also leaned forward to meet Nick's eyes showing the Sergeant he wasn't scared of his short fuse. His face was more serious than the Sergeant had ever seen and it scared him a bit and he eased off to relax a little. Staring at each other for a solid minute, Jason, unamused, finally squinted his eyes a bit, picking up on the same fear Nick showed from the beginning in the caverns after falling in.

"'Far as I know, love has got us into nothing but trouble," Jason was cold again. "I wish you hadn't asked."

As far as Nick was concerned, Eric was out of the picture. The Sergeant decided not to press on the subject, he needed to let it go as much as it bothered him that his Lieutenant showed no interest or compassion in actually saving Rachel. If he did, this was a weird way of going about it.

A silence fell inside the Caiman, Eric was still focused on the road, periodically checking the two in the rear view. Jason had the silence he needed to get lost in his thoughts which led him back to when they all escaped the caverns. After they all had fought to stay alive and sun came shining through, he had met with Salim to wish him a farewell.