Army of One

10

-The following Thursday-

Second platoon's medics needed assistance in preparing two soldiers whose wounds were serious enough to warrant being transported back to post so Emma was stuck helping out until everything was settled. She radioed Cassidy to let her know because she was now over forty minutes late in getting back to their location and the night exercise that was planned for tonight would be starting soon. Dusk had settled when she entered the darkened woods, trying desperately to remember her way back to the ambulance before she lost too much light. Trudging through the eerie silence of the forest, she tried to ignore the lack of noise and let her thoughts drift to Ethan.

In a way she was relieved she hadn't run into him all week but, every time she happened to catch a brief glimpse of him, she wished she had. The image of those chocolate pools filled with such hurt haunted her and she really wanted a chance to say she was sorry. Now that they were nearing the end of the training exercise, however, she'd long since given up thinking it was ever going to happen. The fact he hadn't approached her once told her he was over whatever infatuation he'd once had for her and would never forgive her even if she were to go out of her way to talk to him. He would more than likely say something equally mean back to her and she wasn't sure she could hold her tongue; actually, she knew she couldn't hold her tongue around him. He really did seem to bring her inner bitch out, so it was probably for the best they hadn't had a chance to speak.

Cassidy was of the opinion that his behavior towards women was nothing more than a self-defense mechanism... and that really got her thinking. If she herself had been betrothed to Gavin when he'd cheated on her, she imagined the process of a separation from someone who was supposed to love you, was about to take vows to do so, would be much worse than the devastation she'd felt back in Basic. Add to that a second engagement that turned out the same way and it painted a much different, clearer picture of why Ethan was the way he was. Still, it wasn't an excuse to treat her the way he had. Why should she take the brunt of his ugly past? She wasn't the one to blame for his fiancés' indiscretions. If she were married to him she wouldn't dream of being unfaithful and why the hell did I just have the insane thought of being married to Ethan anyway?

"Damnit," she cursed, tripping over an unseen branch as she neared a huge oak tree. In the split second before she had the chance to right herself, she was yanked to the ground with lightning speed by an unseen force that stifled her, "Eeeep," of surprise.

Her eyes went wide with terror and her second panicked cry was suppressed by a warm strong hand.

"Shhhhh." Ethan saw her coming from forty yards away and knew she'd blow this operation if he hadn't leapt up to pull her down into his hand-dug trench. He spoke in a hushed but deadly serious tone. "I'm gonna let go, but don't scream. Got it?" She nodded and he slowly released the pressure of his hand from her mouth. He was suddenly very aware of how he'd grabbed her body and the fact they were now face to face on their sides, the front of their bodies flush to one another's inside the narrow trench.

Even before he spoke, she'd recognized those piercing eyes that miraculously stood out against the face and hair that was patterned in camo paint to blend into the surroundings. "Ethan," she whispered. The nearness of him took her by surprise and she instinctively tried to get away, pushing against his chest only to be pulled tighter against him by the arm he had encircling her waist. "Let go of me. What do you think you're doi-"

He covered her mouth again. "Shut your mouth, Chamberlain, I'm serious," he hissed at her. "Take a look over there." He nodded near where he'd taken her down. "See that line? That's trip-wire and you were about to run into it and blow our entire operation wide open before the enemy came through. I had to stop you." She looked back and forth from him to where he'd indicated then nodded in acknowledgment so he removed his hand from her mouth.