WALKING DISASTERS | Jack Thompson

22.

"YOU SURE YOU WANNA GET ON THAT PLANE?" Dum-Dum asked. "Commandos can always use good fighters. We just need to come up with a nickname for you both."

"Tempting, but I think it's time I put my days on the front lines behind me," Peggy replied. "Someone needs to mind the wheel back in the States, and I suppose someone needs to convince the SSR of Howard's innocence, wanker or not. I'll miss you."

"Miss you too, Peggy," Dum-Dum replied. "Wait a second. Miss 'U'. Miss Union Jack. What do you think, fellas? Huh?"

"Never speak again," Peggy said.

"Okay," Dum-Dum said in defeat, turning to Sera. "Do I get a hug or what?"

"Definitely," she replied, hugging her friend. "I'll miss you."

"Eh, we'll see each other again at some point," Dum-Dum replied. "You look after yourself, Scary."

"You too," Sera smiled. "And Scary is a terrible nickname."

"I don't know, you're pretty terrifying when you want to be," Dum-Dum said. "And doc, what about you? Need a ride home?"

"Uh, I do not know where is home anymore," the doctor replied.

"What do you think of New York?" Peggy asked. "The SSR could use your help fighting Leviathan."

"I'll do anything I can."

"We'll keep Europe in one piece," Dum-Dum said. "Doc," he handed him a bottle of bourbon. "Pleasure."

"Oh, you wouldn't have any vodka?" he asked, before he hummed. "Desperate times, I suppose," he drank some of the whiskey and coughed. "This is terrible. Might I have the rest?"

"It's all yours," Sera replied. She smiled again at the Commandos. "Stay safe out there, boys."

"Aye aye, Agent Stark," Dum-Dum replied, giving Sera a mock salute.

She laughed. "I'm gonna miss you idiots."

"Yeah, we know," Happy Sam grinned.

Sera made her way back to the plane with Peggy, who asked, "Did you kill the girl?"

"No," Sera replied. "I wanted to, believe me, but I... I couldn't. I shot her, but she was still breathing when I left her."

"Well, hopefully we don't see her again," Peggy replied.

"Hopefully," Sera echoed, climbing aboard the plane.

When they were up in the air, Sera noticed Jack sitting by the window, staring out at the sky without really seeing it. He was lost in his thoughts, so Sera got up and headed towards him, sitting down beside him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "You and Carter saved a lot of necks back there. You saved mine."

"Not bad for a couple of women, huh?" Sera said.

"Pretty bad for the Navy Cross winner."

"Everybody freezes sometimes," Sera said. "You recovered. That's the most important thing."

Jack hesitated for a moment before he spoke again. "They were carrying a white flag. The soldiers that came into my camp in Okinawa. The ones I killed. They were coming to surrender," his eyes found hers and all Sera could see was guilt. "I just didn't realise until it was too late. I buried the flag before anyone else saw it. Everybody thinks that I'm this guy that I never was, and every day it gets harder and harder to live with," he paused and took a shaky breath. "I've been trying to tell that story since I came home from war."