To Hell and Back // Alex Keller.

Stranger in the doorframe.

The colour of the sky turned dimmer as the hot days of summer were ready to fall on a small town. Rain from the last night left a note for clueless people on the ground, as puddles formed around the cracks in old asphalt. The freshness of nature stayed in the morning air when the first rays of sunshine were ready to hide everything rain left. Unlike large cities in the state of New York, upper New York was full of small towns scattered all around till the border. Curve roads and two-story houses were hidden in high peaks of the green trees as if nature itself was protecting them from curious eyes.

Away from anyone else, at the end of the road and the beginning of the forest line, stood a two-story house. Large windows could give neighbours a peak into the life hiding inside, but the blinds kept everything inside the brick walls of the building. The grass at the front lawn was higher than some people's fence, as the house hadn't seen any visitors in years. Rare signs of life could be heard from the outside as Keller was adapting to his new life.

Years of living away on the missions taught Alex to hold on to a few things outside of the base. His whole life fitted in a backpack and a duffle bag. A couple of books were sitting on the nightstand, keeping the officer company in the dark nights full of nightmares and lack of sleep. Dust covered the furniture on the second floor, while Keller spent his time side to side with crunches on the first floor. The smell of the frying eggs took over the room, as the lonely rays of the sun tried to enter the mystery house through the windows. Another day looking just like yesterday and tomorrow had begun for Alex. Life turned into nothing but a constant anticipation of something that could happen one day. But until then, Keller had no other choice but to go through another mission, even if it was outside of the field.

The gaze of the hazel eyes was drawn to the road, as the small grey-coloured car passed along the streets that were usually deserted. A curious neighbour followed the car with her eyes until it hid away from everyone else in the tall bushes. The name of the men and an address were the only things Price shared with Kelly last night after their conversation. Curiosity was eating Miller from the inside, as the woman was getting closer to the red pin on her map. Maybe, her questions were meant to be left unanswered even after a redhead meets the man himself. Since childhood, Kelly loved solving puzzles, and it felt just like one of them in the old good days.

The clock showed 7:53 in the morning when the car reached a house at the end of the road. For a split moment, a woman wondered if it was too early, but her legs were taking her closer to the building, ready to meet face-to-face with the mystery. The chill morning air kissed the skin of her face, as the loud knock on the door echoed through the front yard and in the walls of the house. Noise escaping from the house was telling her that the person on the side of the door was no longer enjoying the sleep. A minute passed after another, when Kelly decided to give it another try and put all her strength into the second knock, trying to catch the attention of the resident of the house to her visit.

"How can I help you ma'am?" It took Alex a while to open the door. The last thing Keller expected was the visitor. Only a few people knew his current location. The officer was never paranoid, his life was quiet enough to keep the attention of the neighbours away from the house. People from the past and family hadn't heard from the man in years, and the morning visit on the summer day made his eyebrows run up in surprise with the aftertaste of suspicion.

"Hi. I'm here from Captain Price." A smile stayed on Kelly's face, as she was met with the man in the doorframe. The crunches in his hands instantly drew her attention. Miller couldn't help but notice the emptiness down his right leg hidden by the fabric of the officer's pants. Some questions were finding the answers in her head, even though they were never spoken out loud.

Alex looked at the woman in the doorframe, making eye contact with her for a split moment before moving away from the door. The name of the captain flying out of the stranger's lips made him jump to the decision of letting her inside the house. The madness from breakfast was still all over the wooden dining table in the middle of the dark kitchen. Artificial yellow light was the only source of light in the house, with the blinds closed shut. Miller's eyes travelled around the room in curiousness, as Alex led her deeper inside of the room.

"Let me guess, he hasn't told you anything yet?" A porcelain white cup with dark coffee got in Kelly's hands as she broke the silence. The wind made styled her fiery red hair, as the mess took over her head. The second chair at the dining table seemed to be reserved for the woman, as the house had not seen the visitors in the last few years.

"That's right." The officer's body rested in the arms of the chair, as Alex finally let go of the crunches. The visit of the woman took him away from the half-full cup of coffee, that Keller could finally finish minutes later. Remembering the last conversation with the captain, Alex had his ideas about who the woman in his house could be. But, Keller had little to no wish to guess and waited for the redhead to say everything herself instead.

"Kelly Miller." A woman extended her hand for a handshake, finally letting the man on the other side of the table at least know her name. A shadow of surprise was left on her mind, as a redhead couldn't help but wonder why Price didn't tell Keller anything about her. "I'm a psychologist, my brother was in the same squad with Price years ago."

"I'm not trying to be rude, but I don't need fixing." Alex took another sip of coffee, before letting their eyes meet in eye contact. The cold hand of a woman met with the warmth of his rough skin. This was the end of the conversation for the officer. Painkillers and meds hiding in the drawer of the nightstand were enough for him to forget about the burdens of losing a leg at the end of the long day. He didn't need a babysitter or a therapist. It seemed as if both of them took the words of the captain as the order. And everyone knows, it's better to obey Price's order.

"And I'm not here to try to fix you, Alex." A soft chuckle escaped from Kelly's lips. It seemed that Miller had passed the age when she wanted to fix the men who were important to her a long time ago. Arguments with her brother made a woman lose any hope in changing anyone, despite he own profession in psychology. Coffee left a bitter taste on the tip of her tongue, but each moment of their conversation drew more interest in Keller to a redhead. She smiled to herself, remembering Liam's stubbornness and hearing it for a moment in the officer's words.

"Then what for?" An empty cup fell onto the wooden surface of the dining table, as the last drops of coffee disappeared in men's lips. The blue eyes of the man stayed on the fragile cup before Alex let his gaze run over the woman's face more closely. Hint wrinkles all over her face were left by the passing years, smiles, laughter, soft cries and sorrow. A stranger on the other side of the table turned into an acquaintance. For a moment, Keller agreed with the captain that he could use the company of another person, even if it was a therapist.

"To keep you away from going insane on your own." Kelly raised her eyes up at the man, letting their eyes meet in eye contact. The intrigue was flying in the air between them, as the future held more curiosity than the two could think of.

Empty cups stayed on the other side of the table, as silence filled the room once again. The cold air was knocking on the fragile windows of the house, while the atmosphere inside the dusty rooms suddenly got warmer.

Another day another chapter, haha. Hope you have a great week loves!

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