My Demons. [closed]

Abby looked at him, "What did you use to do?" She asked him. She figured she could get something out of him. "Maybe you can find new hobbies once you get home." She said. She knew he didn' t like to think about going home, but she knew that one day he would be. If she didn't clear him that day would be sooner than later. "I personally like painting." She said. "I use to surf, but I am too busy for that now." She said, shrugging. She spent most of her time going from soldier to soldier. She turned around and stepped in front of him so he would quit walking. "If you could go back to doing one thing you use to do, what would it be?" She asked looking up at him. She had just realized how much taller he was than her and how big his muscles were compared to others.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch stopped in his tracks, 'Sleeping under the stars and staying on the beach to watch the sunrise," he admitted softly. It wasn't really a thing to do, but it was what he missed most. He looked at her again, "I like surfing, haven't done it for years," he added. He smiled softly trying to read her, but like his wife, she was a mystery to him.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby smiled when he spoke, "Hmm..that does sound fun. I am doing that when I get back." She said, going back to walking beside of him. Abby ran her fingers through her hair, "Maybe you should take up surfing again." She suggested. "Maybe you will still like it." She said. She heard the gunshots in the distance, thinking about how nice it would be to go home.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch smiled slightly, "yeah maybe," he said lightly. He looked up at a jeep heading off the based full of rookies. He sighed lightly, "another genius decision," he said bluntly. He turned slightly heading back towards his original table. He was clearly anticipating something. He smiled softly at her, "so we've had a chat, what are your thoughts?" he asked clearly hoping she would clear him.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby walked with him, thinking about what he asked her. "I will clear you on one condition." She said, stopping in her tracks. "I will let you go back out there if you promise to come talk to me everyday." She said. "And not just a quick i'm alive stop by, I want real conversations." She said. Abby wanted him to trust her and she felt like letting him go out was a not a great idea. However, she didn't want him to shut down on her and she could work with him more if he willingly came to see her. She walked with him back to where he was originally sitting and smiled, "I will see you tomorrow." She said. "Don't do anything rash." She said. "Have a nice night Mitch." she said, grabbing her clip board. "Oh and you can come talk to me more than once a day if you want. Any time of day." She said, smiling before she walked off.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch smiled softly, "I can work with that, I'll come by everyday If I can, if I'm supposed to be out there for a few days I'll let you know," he said softly. He was glad she'd let him fight, he wouldn't know what to do if she took that from him. He sat down finishing cleaning his gun and slipping it into his holster. "See you tomorrow Abby," he said lightly.

Mitch walked in towards the hanger, and found one of the decision makers. "What's going on out there?" he asked. He was informed that a Civilian contractor had been shot, and was currently in need of a army escort to safety, they had sent a couple humvees of soldiers out to escort him. Mitch heard enough, and knew from experience that civilian's chances weren't great. He turned an left, to find his team.

--

The next morning Mitch arrived back to the base on foot, with his team. All the other soldiers and the civilian had made it back safely throughout the night. Mitch bumped into Abby on his way to the shower block, "morning," he said softly.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby walked through the camp, staring at her clip board. She bumped into Mitch, smiling when she realized it was him, "Good morning." She said. "How are you today?" She asked him. She could tell that he looked pretty tired. "Is this my visit or do I have to wait til later?" She asked him as she held her notebook in her hand. She personally liked the kind of person Mitch was. She knew that he seemed tough on the outside, but she could tell her was nice on the inside. He cared about people and she liked that he cared. "We can talk now if you want. Unless you are busy." She said.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch was surprised to see her with her notebook, he smiled slightly at her, "uh, probably best if I find you later, we just got back," he said pointing over to his team who were dispersing to their various priority one things. Every soldier had one, when they got back, and could go about things like normal, this was the thing they always did first, for some it was head to the mess to eat, some it was sleep, for Mitch it used to be calling home, but now it was simply washing the very literal blood off his hands.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby nodded, "I will talk to you later then." She said, smiling. "Don't forget about me." She teased him before walking off. She went to where she was staying and sat at her desk. She bit her bottom lip lightly as she wrote down a few things. Abby had spoken to a few guys today and none of them got to her like Mitch did. She was worried about him. Abby was worried that if she didn't get him to open up he could hurt himself or someone else.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch tidied himself up, showered and for the first time in a long time didn't put his full body armour and stuff back on. Instead opted for a loose black tee shirt, and cargo pants. He strapped his pistol around his waist. He looked more relaxed, more casual, and not like a bitter angry killing machine. He made his way to Abby's office hoping that she'd made her way back there. He was beginning to respect her, she understood soldiers, they're born to fight, and they need that. He knocked on the door lightly.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby heard a knock at her door, getting to her feet. She walked to the door, opening it. "Hey." She said, smiling. "Come in." She said. She let him in, then shut the door. Abby watched as Mitch sat on the chair, then sat in the chair next to him. "So how was yesterday?" She asked, running her fingers through her hair. She could tell that he was more relaxed than he was when they first met. She didn't bother grabbing her book because she knew writing stuff down made people nervous.

@ A Drop On the Window

Abby heard a knock at her door, getting to her feet. She walked to the door, opening it. "Hey." She said, smiling. "Come in." She said. She let him in, then shut the door. Abby watched as Mitch sat on the chair, then sat in the chair next to him. "So how was yesterday?" She asked, running her fingers through her hair. She could tell that he was more relaxed than he was when they first met. She didn't bother grabbing her book because she knew writing stuff down made people nervous.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch smiled and sat down, he looked about her office, it was nice. "The usual, they sent rookies to perform a task they weren't prepared for, but this time I decided my team and I would go out earlier," he said lightly. He sat back and told her about the mission, and how because the vehicle the contractor had been using had been blown up in the attack, and because he wasn't alone but had some security, they loaned them their vehicle and decided to walk back. He left out the part about having to stabilize the contractor, and provide medical aid. He sat back looking at her, "How was your night? get any rest?" he asked

@ Gunslinger;

Abby smiled, "I slept okay I guess. I don't usually sleep well when I am not home." She said. She thought for a moment, "So do you have anytjing to share with me today?" She asked. She thought for a moment, "Do you know when you will be leaving again?" She asked, "They don't really tell me anything around here." She said, laughing softly. She was glad he was opening up to her about what happened though. "Anything upset you yesterday?" She asked.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch nodded softly, "Not really, we only get sent out the shit hits the fan, or something important needs doing," he said softly. He was on one of those elite teams, that were sent where ever they were needed most. He looked at her, "well what do you want to know? I joined the military straight out of high school, it's all I've ever really known, apart for Kathy, she provided that needed balance," he admitted softly. He paused, "how about you, how'd you end up here?" he asked.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby listened to him, "Well, I started out counseling abused children, but after my brother died I started working with soldiers. I ended up being really good at what I do and that is why they sent me here." she said, smiling. Abby did take noticed that he mentioned his wife's name to her. "How did you meet Kathy?" She asked. She assumed they met in high school or not long after that. She knew that he probably wanted to talk about her. A lot of people wanted to talk about their family members that passed away, but they often had a fear of sharing too much with someone.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch smiled, "that's certainly an interesting career divergence," he commented softly, "good for you," he added. He didn't want it to seem like he didn't approve of the change, he definitely understood her reasoning. He looked at her, "Kathy had broken down on the side of the road, I pulled over to assist, it was the strangest most chance encounter," he said. He looked down, "I'm need to stay, I can't go home," he commented, it was clear there was a reason, and he believed it to be a good one, he just wasn't ready to share.

@ Gunslinger;

Abby looked at him, "Why can't you go home Mitch?" She asked as she rested her chin in her hand. She was hoping he would share, "Let me rephrase that." She said, "Why do you need to stay here?" She asked. She sometimes wished she could just read people's minds. Abby ran her fingers through her hair and leaned back against the chair. "Where is your home?" She asked him. She wondered if they lived near each other. She was told he was from around where she lived.

@ A Drop On the Window

Mitch sat back relaxed. "Maybe I'll let you know tomorrow," he said softly. He still wasn't ready to tell her, and maybe he'd come round to the idea in time. He smiled softly at her, "I live by the coast, Los Angeles adjacent," he said. "What about you?" he asked

@ Gunslinger;

Abby smiled, "I live fifteen minutes from Los Angelos. So, probably not far from where you are." She said. Abby was glad that he didn't live far from her. She was kind of disappointed he didn't want to share, but she knew that she shouldn't push him. Abby was glad he was slowly telling her about his life. "Do you have friends back home?" She asked him.

@ A Drop On the Window