"What?", the Engineer asked, holding the phone closer to his ear, a slight quiver in his voice. He couldn't have heard her right, he just couldn't have.
A choked sob sounded on the other end, "I'm sorry Dell, but I just can't do this anymore! You're just so far away a-an'", she paused, sniffling a bit, "an' I just can't handle it..."
Dell's heart throbbed. "Now calm down, Sugar. Ah can come home an'-"
"It's too late, Dell", she cut him off, "I need a man that can be here for me." her tone had shifted, she sounded colder. Distant.
"It's over."
The Engineer's eyes widened and his pulse raced. No, no this couldn't be happening, she couldn't have been serious.
"D-Debbie, please-", he tried to reason with her but before he knew she had hung up, leaving him with nothing but the dial tone ringing in his ears, and a deep hole in his heart.
---------
At least a week later, the team started to notice a change in the Engineer's demeanor.
He was no longer the cheery happy-go-lucky southerner they once knew. He no longer gave his team a big grin and a pat on the back when they came back from a successful battle, only a grunt and the cold shoulder. Dark bags had formed under his goggles and he rarely ever shaved. A once warm and comforting smile was now replaced with a deep and somber frown.
He mostly stayed in his room or his workshop, missed breakfast a dinner constantly, a refused to even make eye contact with anyone.
No more jokes, no more smiles, no more anything. Basically, he was a shell of his former self.
Most of the team just thought he was moody and needed time to himself. He was a grown man, and whatever he was going through he would be able to handle it. Yes, they were a team and teams support each other, but there was a difference between supporting one another and just plain getting into each other's business.
Unfortunately, Soldier didn't get the memo.
After one too many failed battles because of Dell's poor performance, he'd had enough.
----------
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!", the Soldier screeched.
The Engineer only glanced over at him before walking over to his locker and unloading his things.
The Soldier's frown deepened. "DO NOT IGNORE YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER! YOU WILL SPEAK WHEN SPOKEN TO!"
"Soldier, Ah'm really not in the mood for one of your hissy-fits right now.", the man sighed.
Hissy-fits?!?
"THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE!", Jane barked, "WE HAVE LOST A TOTAL OF THREE MATCHES IN A ROW BECAUSE OF YOUR PERFORMANCE AND I WILL STAND FOR IT NO LONGER!"
Now the rest of the team were begining to stare, giving the Engineer odd looks, as if they could see beneath his skin. It made him uncomfortable.
"THIS IS A WAR, SON! WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR MOPING AROUND! THERE ARE BATTLES TO BE WON, POINTS TO BE CAPTURED, INTELLIGENCE TO BE STOLEN! A LITTLE HEARTBREAK IS NOTHING! I BREAK MY SPINE ALL THE TIME AND YOU DON'T SEE ME CRYING OVER IT!"
Dell's eyes widened and he body tensed. How...how did he know about that?!
He glanced around. Now everyone was starring directly at him, their eyes boring holes in his skin. He watched as they silently judged him, whispering among themselves. He gulped.
