30. Alas,

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Rolling hills and empty fields created a beautiful grand canvas for the early morning sun's rays painting Washington DC's air force base.

It's glow temporarily warmed the cloud of chilling loneliness following Lucy since leaving Freddie's side. The first moments of true quiet solace in her thoughts consumed by what to say to Freddie. Where to even start...

Up the sliding door went, and Lucy ducked into the hangar where the aircrafts were kept. "Got any clothes around here?"

Ben, Rosalie's first born twin son by 2 minutes as he preferred it proudly announced, poked his head from behind a freshly washed airliner. Taking the toothpick from his mouth and flashing a sweet southern smile, he traded the opportunity to admire his handiwork for a good look at Lucy instead. "Hi... princess??? Did you have a gala at 10 and an ass kicking at 12 or something?"

Making her way into the Lieutenant's control room to regroup, she chuckled at the irony. "That's exactly what happened actually."

A cup of fresh coffee with steam still wafting sat next to a photo of Ben and his twin Chris, the both of them hoisting Lucy onto their shoulders. From her posed airplane arms mimicking her favorite aircraft the Hawker Hoopoe, to Chris crunching his acceptance letter in his fist with a beaming smile... The warm memory sent her back to that precise moment of pure joy.

Breaking her fast with the first sip of plain black coffee... bitterness never tasted so good. Ben joined her with a generous hug and threw his head back at the sight of the photo she'd taken to.

"I sure hope you didn't come all the way here to remind me of how horrendous I looked prior to puberty and Air Force training did you?"

"I'll add that to the agenda." She pat his shoulder. "First, I need a shower. And Fuck 5 minutes. Disable the automatic shut off. I don't wanna hear any of your disciplining either. I dunno who's better at it, you or Rosalie."

"Okay boss..." Ben chuckled. How much she'd grown from the little girl who once followed them around with a new game of 20 question aircraft trivia beginning every 20 minutes... to barking calculated orders. "Anything else you're here to rob me for?"

"Relax. Earning a favor to cash in later with Lucy Clemonte is more than worth it."

She scurried off the deck down to the showers and adjusted the water until the perfect temperature pattered along her arms.

And Ben faithfully followed with a special shower care package for her.

"No Versace here.. Just my extra uniform."

"Perfect." 

A fresh bar of mint scented soap. Full unopened bottles of the citrus shampoo and conditioner she'd always steal from his bag after dinner when he returned home from basic training. Their fluffiest towel after an additional last minute tumble in the dryer to warm it. He couldn't help but wonder...

"What's your boyfriend to make of you coming home smelling all like me?"

Watching her eyes widen at another detail to explain when she got home, he left her with privacy and headed back up to the deck, ready for Chris to return his plane to the hanger any minute now.

Steam clouded all around her when she stepped into the shower. Shocks of fitful flashbacks charged with anxiety kept her awake yet another day without sleep. She let hot water stream down her body, painfully stinging turning pleasurably cleansing her wounds.

Where to start...

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No James Bond wannabe, no matter how oversized his aviators, would get in the way of Kane seeing Lucy off.

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