he dusty top shelf of the c

step stool, her fingers tracin

bed of worn velvet, w

iece of him she had left, a cold, heavy promise of

d at the edges, the bronze eagle gleaming

rgeant Daniel

to her chest, a hollow space that ha

ing from her phone

opped the medal,

pocket, her eyes squinting at the

ital be calling

p up her spine, tightening

her voice ba

hurried, professional voi

he manag

General Hospital. It's about

d seemed

d her mind, sha

his final tour, his hand on

brother, Ellie. You

flag, the empty house that

promis

l, watching him grow from a scared little boy i

e had been his mother, his

," she said, her voi

racing, pushing asi

to be

Mich

in its box with a reverenc

rk glass of a picture frame on the wal

ppen to you, Michael," she

wear

erile white hallways and the

intensive care unit, her steps f

front of a glass door

ble for now, but the in

d the door op

was lying on the bed

of tubes and wires connected him to beeping ma

en and bruised, al

it stood by the win

ed, his expression a c

air at his temples and eyes t

e said, his voi

terling. I kne

her like a

al St

him, a commander he respe

real, a collision of her past

s throat

ed to him? W

ld answer, another man

slick smile that didn

atch and carried himself with

aid smoothly, his gaze flickin

ates were just defending themselves. It's a

lf as Mr. Thorne, a

nds clenched

new M

fighter, n

cipled and stubborn, alwa

g big, something about a powerful shippi

synd

he said, her voic

neral Sterling,

meone did this t

the pieces clicking into pl

did t

kled, a low, con

, young lady. Just

ed at th

how these things work. Sometimes

paint Michael as a reckless trouble

ng in Elean

receded, replaced b

tanding between Thorne

idn't shake

ut," s

but carried the weigh

rise in Thorne's eyes, a

ected tear

expected

and left the room, his prese

illed the room, broken only by the r

ichael's bed, her energy suddenly go

took his hand, his s

en that s

ed jacket, which lay on a chair in the co

ully pull

a dockside warehouse,

Michael's familiar handwritin