NERVES OF STEEL

CHAPTER 55- A CALL TO ARMS

Diane wouldn't stop sobbing all the way back to their cabin at the base. They couldn't leave until the morning of the next day. Sitting down on the wooden bed, she kept looking down at the dried blood on her hand.

His blood....Russo's blood...

Tears burned at the back at the back of her eyes, her vision blurring. She let them shed. Each drop, falling into her blood stained palm. Just how long would he continue to put himself on the line for her and suffer so much?

Why? Was he stupid? Why would he do such a thing for her? Not when they were on opposite ends. Not when she held such hate towards him.

"You really should stop crying already, Diane." It was Clarice speaking. "We're all worried about the General too. She added, sitting beside her on the bed. She had long gotten into her night robe. Funny how she had the time to bring that on a mission.
"But you don't understand." Diane sniffed. "What I feel is immense guilt. It's all my fault just like before."
"We all know about the last time and honestly, it's safe to say that you had no control over a grown man's actions. Not back then and certainly not now."
"I keep putting him in danger. You think I should just quit altogether?"
"What are you saying?" Clarice gasped.
"I mean, he keeps risking himself for me. I don't want him to. I hate him and I want him to hate me back. What's so hard about that? Helping me, still caring for me despite all my outbursts at him is what crushes me whole." The words came with tears trailing down her eyes, her voice quivering. "It hurts so much, Clarice. I feel horrible. Even when I know I shouldn't."
Clarice placed a hand on her shoulder, placing the pieces together in her head. "You still hate him for letting your father die when he could have helped? I feel this might be his way of saying he's sorry."
"I had thought so too..." She sobbed. "...I don't know, Clarice. No one puzzles me more than he does. One minute, I feel like he's changing and the next he shatters all my expectations and in the next second, he makes me feel this way."
"Wait...." Clarice's eyes widened in realization. "....you and the General are a thing, aren't you? My God! I should have known."
Diane only sniffed, looking away in lack of interest to indulge further in that part of the conversation.
"One thing's for sure." Clarice continued. "You'll get nowhere beating yourself up. I believe the General will survive this."
Diane looked at her through her teary red eyes. "You think so?"
Clarice laughed heartily. "If there's anyone capable of surviving a gunshot, it'd be Russo."
"Why do you say that so confidently?" Diane asked, wiping the left over tears from her cheeks.
"He's being injured before in more places than one. He's gone on countless more dangerous missions before and came back with his life hanging on a thread. If he survived those times, he certainly will survive this. I've never seen anyone with a stronger Will to live than Russo Fedorcenko."
Diane let out a half hearted sigh of relief. "I pray so too."
"We've got an early flight to catch up tomorrow, sweetie." Clarice said, getting up and walking to her own bed. "So I suggest you get your beauty sleep before then."
"Beauty sleep?"
"What's a girl without one?" Clarice yawned, pulling her sleep mask over her eyes as she snuggled comfortably into her blanket. "You'd better not stay up crying girl. I'd bet you the General would be back to yelling out orders by the time we return so don't waste precious tears, sweetheart."
Diane smiled, faintly. "Thank you, Clarice."
For everything.
"Go take a shower and get some sleep, honey." She yawned yet again.
"Goodnight then." Diane whispered, getting on her feet as she made way to the bathroom.

"Her aura. It's suffocating."
"Mhmm. She's actually nice, really. She was just on duty mode earlier today."

Russo had been right. Clarice was nice. She thought with a bitter-sweet smile.