Darkness shrouded over Bragnae as she crashed to the floor. Drake's body covered her own as she struggled to regain control of her breathing. Her eyes remained closed while Drake's hands frantically roamed her arms, chest and legs. The clanking sound of metal hit the ground a moment later.

"Bragnae! Are you with me? Are you hit?" Drake asked with worry.

"What have I done?" Constantine asked himself in a soft, shocked voice.

Stunned in her own right, she finally managed to open her eyes. Aside from the discomfort she received when her body connected suddenly with the floor, she felt no horrific pain contrary to what she prepared herself for. A second later, she heard labored breathing and groaning a few feet away from her.

"Drake, I'm fine. It... its Liam," she stammered.

As soon as Drake got off of her, Bragnae sat up to see Liam crumpled on the floor clutching his arm surrounded by a growing puddle of blood. Constantine stood with his mouth gaped open as he stared at his son whose natural color was quickly draining from his face.

"You bastard!" Drake screamed as he charged the General once more. Gripping Constantine's jacket in his tight fists, Drake threw him up against the nearest wall. "You shot your own son! How do you feel now, asshole?"

Bragnae immediately scooted herself over to Liam. She pulled off the sweatshirt she was wearing, and pushed it against his shoulder where the bullet had pierced his skin. A loud noise came from the back of the house as multiple footsteps stormed across the floor.

"Liam, stay with me now," Bragnae said calmly as she cradled his head in her lap. She lightly stroked the side of his face while she continued to apply pressure to his wound. "Can you talk to me?"

Liam's eyes squeezed shut as he cried out in pain. "Fucking... hurts," he moaned loudly.

"It's going to be okay, Liam. Just hold on for me. You're going to be okay," Bragnae reassured him – and herself.

Suddenly a loud commotion erupted into the room as four men tactically filed in. Bragnae looked up to see a man in a suit and three military police officers holding pistols in their hands. The man in the suit and one of the Marines rushed over to peel Drake off of Constantine as the others secured the discarded weapon and tended to her and Liam.

"Constantine Reese," the man in the suit began as one of the police officers cuffed the general's hands behind his back. "You're under arrest for the murder and attempted murder of two U.S. Marines, misuse of military equipment, and creating an Order outside of your jurisdiction that resulted in loss of life, and jeopardized a mission already in motion."

As his rights were read, one of the Marines called for an ambulance.

Drake looked to Liam again. "Bastien, he also tried to kill Bragnae, but shot Liam instead."

Bastien looked to Liam and back at Constantine, shaking his head. "Your list of criminal acts keeps growing, General."

"My son," Constantine whispered with a pained expression.

"Get him out of here," Bastien ordered.

Two of the officers escorted Constantine out of the house as he struggled to keep Liam in his view. "Liam! I'm sorry! Liam!"

Sirens sounded in the distance. Bragnae closed her eyes in relief as she gently rubbed a hand over his chest. Drake knelt down next to him as Bastien called someone on his phone.

"How you doing, Liam?" Drake asked, picking up his hand.

Liam took a few deep breaths. "Nothing... I can't... handle."

Drake nodded with a slight smirk. "Oorah, Marine."

"Oorah," Liam replied with obvious effort.

"Hang in there, buddy. Ambulance is almost here." Drake's demeanor was impressively calm – a total one-eighty from earlier.

Within minutes, the ambulance arrived, and paramedics burst through the front door with a stretcher. Drake and Bragnae stepped aside, so they could stabilize and lift Liam.

Bragnae stood watching them check his vitals, and secure his wound to prevent further blood loss. Drake put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him as they took Liam outside. The sight of Liam being wheeled off on a stretcher, and the stress of the night suddenly caught up with her as tears formed in her eyes. Bragnae buried her face into Drake's chest as he embraced her.

"We got Karlington, Drake. My partner has him in custody," Bastien said, depositing his phone into his pocket.

"That's good news. How'd you know to find Constantine here?" Drake asked while Bragnae turned to face the man in the suit.

Bastien ran a hand through his hair. "We went to his residence first, and when he wasn't there, we decided to check here. We saw his car parked on the side of the house, and snuck around the back. The back door was open, so as soon as we heard the gun go off, we headed inside."

"So, it's over, then?" Drake absentmindedly tightened his grip around her waist.

"For now. Until we get them in court, you can rest easy, my friend," Bastien began. "I'll work with the Marine Corps to continue to get you reestablished, but in the meantime, you should relax and enjoy being home. It's been a long day for all of us." Bastien's eyes flicked to Bragnae as he stepped forward.

"You must be Bragnae. I'm Bastien Lykel. I've heard a lot about you."

Bragnae shook his extended hand. "Nice to meet you. Thank you for helping to bring Drake home," she said with a smile.

"It was a pleasure to do so, young lady," Bastien smiled, then turned his attention to Drake. "Well, I'm off. I have a ton of paperwork to get done before my head hits the pillow tonight. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Bastien," Drake told him as they watched him walk out the front door. "Do you want to go to the hospital to check on Liam?"

Bragnae looked up at him. "Yes, please."

The remaining police officer stepped forward. "Before you leave, I'm going to need a statement from each of you."

They recounted their perspectives from the evening, and after a few minutes, they were permitted to go.

"Oh," Bragnae remembered. "Drake, your clothes and things from your place are here. Liam has them stored in boxes in the spare bedroom. Do you want to grab them before we head out?"

Drake looked to the officer. "I know this place is a crime scene now, but is it okay if we take a few boxes from the other room? It had nothing to do with what happened out here."

The Marine considered his request. "Show me what's in the boxes first."

Bragnae led them back to the bedroom she occupied a short time ago. There were four boxes stored in the closet with Drake's name written on them. Drake helped Bragnae to bring them over to the bed as they opened up the boxes.

The officer carefully dug through each one inspecting the items. "Alright. These are good to go."

"Thank you." Drake said as he hoisted two boxes, and made his way to the front door. Bragnae picked up another, and followed him out.

Drake sat the boxes on the street as he popped the trunk of his rental open. While he started loading, Bragnae handed him her box.

"I'll go get the other one." She jogged back inside the house and quickly reemerged with the last of Drake's belongings.

With everything loaded, Drake stared at the boxes with his hands resting on the open trunk. "It's funny how my life fits into four boxes. Seems insignificant, doesn't it?"

Bragnae ran a soothing hand across his back. "There's nothing insignificant about you, Drake. Your life is so much more than what's in these boxes."

The corner of his lips curled into a smile as he looked over at her. "Come on, let's get going."

A few minutes later, they arrived at the hospital on base, and immediately went to the emergency room.

"We're here for Liam Reese. He was brought in with a gunshot wound a few minutes ago," Bragnae told the woman at the front desk.

"And what is your relationship to him?" The receptionist asked.

"We're his friends. His father was the one who shot him, so we're the closest thing he has to family right now," Bragnae replied.

The receptionist nodded as she casually sifted through paperwork on her desk. "Have a seat, and we'll let you know when we know something."

Both Drake and Bragnae's shoulders fell forward, as they felt deflated from the woman's vague and disappointing response. Drake tugged on Bragnae's bloodied shirt as he led them over to the waiting area. They sat down, and waited for a couple hours before someone finally came out in search of them.

"Family of Liam Reese?" A woman in scrubs announced to the room.

"That's us!" Bragnae claimed as she and Drake immediately made their way over to the doctor.

"I'm Dr. Hanson. Liam lost a lot of blood, but we were able to get it under control as well as remove all of the bullet fragments from his shoulder. Luckily, the bullet didn't shatter any of his bones. He's stable, but recovering."

Drake placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as Bragnae blew out a breath of relief.

"That's great news. Can we see him?" Drake asked.

"I'm afraid he'll be out of it for the rest of the night. Plus, visiting hours are now over. But you two can come back in the morning. He should be awake by then," the doctor explained.

"Okay, thank you," Bragnae replied.

Before she walked away, Dr. Hanson looked them over. "Do you two need medical attention?"

Confused by the question, Bragnae looked down at herself, and was reminded why the doctor would ask – not to mention Drake's bloodied fists from beating Constantine to a pulp.

"No, we're fine. Thanks," Drake told her, gently pulling Bragnae away towards the door. "Let's go."

A short while later, Bragnae and Drake were back on Kadena bringing up the last of Drake's things to her place. It was past midnight, and exhaustion was setting in as she felt the strain on her eyelids. Bragnae knew if she felt that tired, Drake probably felt it more.

He took a seat in the chair by her desk, leaning forward to cradle his head in his hands. Bragnae grabbed two water bottles from the fridge, and brought them over to Drake. She knelt down in front of him, gently rubbing his arms.

"How are you doing, Drake?"

Drake exhaled a breath before raising his head up to look at her. "Fine. It's just been one hell of a day."

"It has," she said, nodding.

Bragnae looked at his hands. His knuckles were scraped up, and covered with blood. Closing her eyes, she recalled the rage that flowed through him earlier in the evening as he sought revenge on his enemy. She hated that Drake had to deal with his betrayal. After everything she learned that night about what transpired during his deployment, and what he went through to get back to her was disturbing to say the least.

Drake was finally home – back from the dead – and sitting in her room. It was a gift from God, and she would cherish it. Bragnae rose to her feet, and softly pulled at his hand.

"Come on, Drake. Follow me."

Drake looked at her for a moment before he obliged. Bragnae led him to the bathroom, and turned on the shower.

"Bragnae, I –," Drake began to say.

She placed her fingers over his lips. "Shhh. It's okay, Drake. Just let me take care of you."

With no further protests, Bragnae lifted Drake's shirt over his head, and slid his pants and briefs off next. While she was knelt down, several healing wounds sporadically placed over his right leg caught her eye. It had been too dark at the beach to see this much detail, but now she could, and it was heartbreaking.

She curled a hand around his toned thigh, and placed a gentle kiss near one of his wounds. As she stood again, she removed her own clothes, and led him into the shower with her.

Drake blew out a deep breath as the warm water ran down his body. Bragnae reached up to slowly run her fingers through his hair, watching him close his eyes to enjoy it. She squeezed some shampoo into her hand, and worked it in soothingly, letting her fingers massage his scalp.

As the water washed away the bubbles, Bragnae concentrated on Drake's hands. She picked them up one by one, lightly scrubbing off the dried blood. When nothing but his torn skin remained, she kissed each of his knuckles before returning them to his side.

Bragnae grabbed the body wash next, but Drake stopped her. He rubbed his hand over her arm removing Liam's blood that had stained her skin. His touch was tender, but precise. Together, they helped each other scrub away the day's events as the tainted water descended down the drain.

After they finished their shower and nightly routines, Bragnae took Drake's hand and walked him over to her bed. She threw back the covers, removed their towels, and climbed into the sheets. She beckoned Drake to join her, and in the same moment, he slid in beside her.

They laid on their sides facing one another. His arm curling around the small of her back with her hand stroking the side of his face.

"It feels good to be back in your bed," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"It's nice to have you back in my bed. Now, relax and go to sleep."

Bragnae ran her fingers across his forehead and into his hair over and over until she noticed a change in his breathing. She smiled. He looked so peaceful, like he hadn't been through hell and back. Bragnae reached over to turn off the lamp, and snuggled back in place. She would watch him sleep until her eyelids became too heavy to keep open. She would never again take moments like this for granted.

~

The next morning, Bragnae woke up to an empty space beside her. It was a little off-putting. With it being Drake's first night back, she would have thought they'd wake up in each other's arms with tender, I've-missed-you kisses.

Bragnae paused to remind herself that Drake went through a lot, and he may need time to adjust to being home again, and what that means. A flood of memories of dealing with Leo, after he returned from his deployment, came rushing back to her. Although she trusted that Drake would tell her if something was bothering him, she knew it was also important to make sure he spoke more about his experience as the days went on.

She heard the faucet in the bathroom turn on and off, so she got up. Throwing on a satin robe, Bragnae walked to the bathroom as Drake wiped off his now smooth and hairless face with a towel. Her heart skipped a beat as the handsome, clean-shaven face she remembered was back in view.

"You shaved your beard," she stated with a smile, leaning against the door frame.

Drake patted his face with aftershave. "Yeah. I don't need it anymore."

He had thrown on some athletic shorts he undoubtedly found in one of his boxes, and was standing at the sink without a shirt. His body was toned beyond belief. Drake looked trimmer than he did before he left, but not necessarily skinny. There were muscles that moved on his back she had never noticed before. Images of Drake working out in the desert glitzed in her mind.

Feeling the urge to be close to him, she slid her hands around his chest from behind, and laid her cheek against his back.

"That beard looked ruggedly good, but I also love this look on you. It's classic 'Drake'."

"I'll let you have the bathroom," he said abruptly, walking out of her arms, and closing the door behind him.

Bragnae stood there dumbfounded. Her brow furrowed as she tried to understand what just happened. Did she say something wrong? Was this just how Drake copes? She recalled that he once said he had a hard time moving on after prior deployments, but she was sure none of those could compare to what he went through last month. Still, it felt more directed at her than anything else.

After her morning routine was out of the way, Bragnae threw her hair into a messy, yet stylish bun and adorned her eyes with make-up before stepping into a form-fitted, olive-colored cargo dress. Its gold zipper started at her hips, and ran up the length of her body – adjustable to any amount of cleavage she wanted to display. She kept it conservatively playful, and walked out to meet Drake.

He had dressed in light jeans and a black t-shirt – he looked magnificent in anything, but especially in this ensemble.

"Do you want to go see Liam?" She asked while zipping up a pair of heeled, brown boots. "Or would you like to eat something first? I can make you breakfast if you want."

"I'm fine. Let's just go." Drake's impatient tone caught her attention.

Bragnae walked over to face him. She ran her hands up to his biceps. "Are you okay?"

He briefly caught her eye. "I'm fine, Bragnae." She watched as he studied the rest of her. "This dress," he said, pulling at the fabric between his fingers.

"Do you like it?" She wanted to flirt more, but the tense energy in the room convinced her to play it safe.

"Why are you wearing this today? It's a bit much for a hospital, don't you think?" His snarky tone was back.

Bragnae frowned as she averted her eyes. "Well, I," she paused, looking up at him again. "I wanted to look nice for you, Drake. I'm sorry." She suddenly felt timid, like she was in uncomfortably, familiar waters.

Drake's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Bragnae. You do look nice." He bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "Ready to go?"

The cheek? Why didn't he kiss me on the lips? She ached for the feel of his mouth against hers. They hadn't kissed like that since they left the beach last night. Disappointment fell over her as she realized he was probably thinking about her and Liam, and that's why he acted distant and snippy.

"Let's go."

A short drive down the road to Camp Foster, they pulled up to the hospital's main entrance. Bragnae unclicked her seatbelt, and grabbed for her purse.

"I'm going to get my haircut, and I'll meet you back here." Drake announced assertively.

Another stunner. "Oh, okay. Are you going to come in to see Liam when you're finished?"

"Of course." His responses were succinct and with purpose.

"Okay. I'll see you later, then." Bragnae wanted to lean in to kiss him – just as she always had anytime one of them was leaving the other's presence for thirty seconds or longer – but it didn't feel right, and that broke her heart. Not quite sure what to do, Bragnae cupped his cheek, and smiled as she peered into his deep, brown eyes.

A couple seconds went by before she got out of the car, and made her way into the hospital. After a quick stop at the front desk and in the florist, Bragnae headed to the fourth floor to Liam's room.

She knocked on the slightly cracked door, pushing it open after hearing Liam's welcoming response. His eyes swept across her as she came into his view. He wore a bright smile as his head rested on the pillow.

"Oh, Liam." Relief filled her as she hurried over to his bedside table to place the vase of flowers and her purse down. She turned immediately to him, sitting on the bed and carefully pulled him into an embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay. How do you feel?" Bragnae let go of Liam to allow him to rest again.

"Like I got shot," he chuckled. "But it's really not as bad as I would have thought it'd be. I think the worst thing about all this is knowing I won't get a Purple Heart."

Bragnae laughed, shaking her head. "Always in it for the glory, aren't you, Captain Reese?" It was good to see him in good spirits. She feared the worst, but Liam seemed to not let a bullet infiltrating his body stand in his way.

"I don't know any other way to be." Another chuckle escaped him before his expression grew more thoughtful. "But seriously, it was worth the pain to see you standing in front of me right now."

Bragnae's tone matched his. "You could have died trying to save me. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not." Liam's hand found hers, and gave it a squeeze.

"I'd be remiss if I didn't at least thank you for standing in that bullet's path. I'm more than grateful." She looked at him for another moment. "We didn't really get a chance to talk last night – you and me – with everything that went on."

"No, we didn't."

Not feeling all together prepared for this conversation, she gave herself another moment. "I'm so sorry this happened. This whole situation."

"Do you... regret being with me knowing Drake was alive this whole time?" Liam's vulnerability cut like a knife.

Her free hand moved to rest on his forearm. "No. Not at all. I wouldn't take it back for anything. It was always comfortable and fun when we were together." Bragnae looked away, feeling a pain in her heart knowing she'd have to tell him she chose to resume her relationship with Drake.

Just as she worked up the courage to speak, Liam did instead. "Bragnae, you don't have to say anything. As soon as the shock of seeing Drake wore off last night, I knew right then we couldn't be together anymore. And that's okay."

Tears blurred her vision as she raised her eyes to his again. "I'm so sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Liam spoke with the utmost compassion. "You and Drake are meant to be together. Had it not been for Constantine, you two would have been married already. This is how it's supposed to be."

"But what about you? This is all so unfair."

Liam drew in a deep breath. "I'm not going to lie and say that it's easy to tell you that, or to know I can't have you in my life the way I hoped." To Bragnae's surprise, Liam's eyes glistened as he continued to speak. "But what I care about most is your happiness. And you love Drake."

Blinking the tears out of her eyes, she cupped his cheek. "I realized something I wasn't sure of before. And I'm not sure I should say it now, but I'm going to anyway. After Drake came back last night, all of my feelings untangled themselves, and became very clear. I love you, Liam."

Liam pursed his lips together as he tried to hold back more tears. "You know I love you, too." He pulled her in as she rested her forehead against his. An emotional moment passed before Liam's lips found hers. Love poured out of their mouths as they held each other firmly in that position. Everything that happened between them, everything they could have been together, was all wrapped up in this devastatingly, powerful kiss that would signify the end of them.

Bragnae slowly drew back carefully wiping her eyes.

"Whatcha got there?" Liam asked playfully as he looked towards the vase on the table. He was always good at thwarting away the sadness with a joke or light-hearted diversion.

Bragnae smiled. "I brought you some flowers to help you feel better," she giggled. "And I had them throw in an Ironman balloon to make it less girly."

Liam laughed. "Thanks. So, how's Drake doing?"

She exhaled a heavy sigh. "He seems okay, but I think he's still adjusting to everything. It's not exactly how it was before he left."

"He's going to need some time to acclimate back into his life. I've seen him go through some rough times when he got back from a few deployments in the past, but this one was way worse, I'm sure – not to mention the sadistic plot against his life."

"This is such a—," Bragnae's words trailed off as a knock sounded at the door.

They both turned their attention to Drake as he stepped into the room. A soft smile spread across Bragnae's lips as she looked at her fiancé who was clean shaven and had a fresh high-and-tight haircut – just like she remembered. Just looking at him sent a shiver down her spine.

"You look like yourself again," Bragnae told him.

Drake shrugged. "I don't quite feel like myself yet, but it's a step in the right direction."

"You'll get there," Liam added.

Bragnae watched Drake's eyes scour over the two of them as an awkward energy filled the room. They probably want to talk.

"I think I'm going to go grab some coffee, and give you guys a minute." She got off the bed, and grabbed her purse. "Liam, I'll pray that you recover quickly."

"Thanks, Bragnae," Liam replied, keeping his eyes on her as she rounded the bed towards Drake.

On her way out the door, she affectionately ran her hand across Drake's back.

"Bragnae," Drake called to her, prompting her to turn around. "I'll come find you in a little bit."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay. Take your time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drake turned back to face Liam, heaving a sigh. "You look like shit," he said with a smirk.

Liam laughed. "Oh yeah? You get shot, and see how good you look afterwards."

Drake smiled as he walked over to a chair next to Liam's bed, and sat down. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. They said I only need to stay here another day or two, then it's just a matter of letting it heal."

Drake nodded. "That's good." He leaned forward, ringing his hands together. "Thank you for stepping in front of that bullet, Liam. I wouldn't have made it on time."

"It's nothing," Liam responded in a soft voice.

"No, it's not nothing. If Bragnae would have gotten shot or been killed, I don't know what—," feeling a lump start to form in his throat, Drake paused.

"I know. Thank God she didn't."

They looked at each other for a long moment. There sat two men who cared deeply for the same woman. Both of them armed with determination to keep her safe and happy at all costs, and each with an aching heart, bleeding an endless love for her. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as that realization filled their minds.

"Do you think our friendship will ever be as good as it was before all of this?" Liam asked with hope in his eyes.

"I hope so," Drake replied, offering him a gentle smile.

"Me too."

Drake pressed his palms against his eyes. "It's just a lot of fucking shit to deal with, you know?" He moved his hands to cradle his head.

"I get it. I can't begin to imagine what you went through over there, and then coming home to find out everything else," Liam paused. "I'm sure it's hard, Drake, but I don't want you to feel like you have no one to talk to about this stuff. Whenever you're ready, I hope you know that I'll be there to listen."

Drake lifted his head to look at his friend. "I do know that. Thank you, Liam. I just may need some time to sort it all out."

"I understand."

"How are you handling everything knowing what your father did?"

Liam looked down at his lap, absentmindedly running the blanket through his fingers. "It's still a bit of a shock, to be honest. I knew he could be ruthless, but I never thought he'd turn against one of his own. He'd always drill it into our heads growing up that we should have whatever we wanted no matter what. And in his sick mind, he felt like he needed to give me what I wanted because I wasn't willing to take it."

Drake studied his face seeing the sincerity and pain he felt.

Liam looked at him. "I should have never told him how I felt about Bragnae. It just happened one day when I wasn't acting like myself, and he called me out on it."

"How, uh," Drake cleared his throat. "How long have you had feelings for her?"

Liam blew out a breath. "Well, as you know, I've liked her since the day I met her. And I truly did have my feelings in check after you and I talked. But, it was when we were in Takayama that I really started to care for her. I did everything I could to push her out of mind because I didn't want to ruin what you had with her." Liam looked down again, shaking his head. "But, I did anyway."

As Liam balled the fabric of the blanket into his fists, Drake considered his words. He was still angry, but he felt less bitter towards his friend knowing the truth.

"You didn't know what your dad would do, Liam. You may have inadvertently sparked an idea in his twisted brain, but you didn't do this on purpose."

Nodding, Liam pursed his lips together. "Thanks, Drake. That means a lot to hear you say that."

Drake rose from his chair. "Give me a call when you're ready to get out of here, and I'll come pick you up."

Liam smiled. "Thanks. I will."

Drake extended his hand to Liam who immediately shook it. "Take it easy, man."

As he stepped into the hallway again, he noticed Bragnae sitting in a chair a little ways down, holding a cup of coffee and thumbing through her phone. He approached her as she looked up and smiled.

"You ready to get out of here?" He asked.

"If you're ready, yes." Bragnae stood and smoothed her dress. His eyes were drawn to the curves of her body, yearning to pull her close and let his hands explore her.

He gestured for her to walk ahead as he followed. Wanting desperately to hold her hand, or put an arm around her waist, he chided himself for acting like an asshole to her earlier. And yet, he was still upset about everything. Yes, things between them had been disrupted, and yes, he believed her when she told him she wanted to be with him, but everything was still cloudy.

When he first walked into Liam's room, a fire raged inside him as he saw how close she sat next to Liam on the bed. He wondered if things would always be that way with them from now on. He also wondered how long he could stand to see them like that before he'd snap.

Drake wanted nothing more than to pick up his life where he left off, but he couldn't. And that bothered him. He just wanted to look at Bragnae and touch her without animosity or resentment getting in the way. Perhaps, in time, he could get over it.

They stopped to pick up some noodles and sushi on their way back to Kadena. Once they walked into Bragnae's room, she grabbed a few waters as they sat down to eat.

"Did you miss this food?" She asked, expertly grabbing a piece of sushi with her chopsticks.

Drake swallowed a bite of noodles. "I did. Although, when I was with Anis and Farahnoush, they kept me pretty well fed. I didn't think I'd like Afghan food, but it was surprisingly good."

"Oh, yeah? That's really great. What was your favorite? Maybe we can try to make it some time."

For some reason, her suggestion annoyed him. "No, that's okay." He kept his eyes trained on his plate as he continued to eat. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her slink back into her chair.

The air was tense around them again, and after another moment, Bragnae sat her chopsticks down. She pushed her chair away from the table, and crossed her arms over her chest. Drake looked over at her as she bore her eyes into him.

"What?" He asked impatiently.

"I know it hasn't even been 24 hours since you got home, but we can't keep doing this. We need to talk to each other."

Drake tossed his fork to the table, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "What do you call this?"

"This is not talking," she replied sternly. Her voice wavered between calm and something with more energy. "You've been short with me all day. Everything I do or say seems to irritate you. I just want you to talk to me, and tell me what you're feeling, thinking – anything."

Drake pushed his chair out, and brought his plate to the sink. He pressed his palms into the counter, leaning on it. He knew she'd eventually want to talk about this, but he wasn't sure he was ready to face it all again.

Bragnae stood from her chair, and walked over to him. "I know you're angry, and it's okay. But you need to let it out."

Drake closed his eyes, feeling like a petulant child as he continued to ignore her. There were so many things he was mad about that brewed in the pit of his stomach. So many things that would spill out of his mouth if he allowed it. He didn't want those things to tear him and Bragnae apart. If he could just get over this, he wouldn't have to tell her. But who was that fair to? Certainly not to her or himself.

"Drake," she said softly, placing her hands delicately on his back.

As soon as he felt her hands, he fled to the other side of the room. Her touch would melt him, like it always did, and he would easily give in to her. He wasn't ready. Not yet.

Bragnae followed him – of course she did – and now her tone was heated. "You told me that you would always talk about what was bothering you, especially after a deployment. You said you'd always be open and honest with me." Drake's back was turned to her as he heard emotion creep into her voice. "This is the same shit Leo did to me, and I can't bear to watch you do the same."

Hearing Leo's name mentioned caused his breath to hitch. He knew how much this still plagued her, and it stung knowing he was acting similar to her asshole ex-boyfriend. He hated himself. Still, letting it all out, bearing his soul right now – was it the right thing to do?

"I don't want you to bottle this up, and let it fester until one day it explodes, and creates more of a mess than the one we're in. Tell me what's bothering you. Please."

Drake's head hung as he contemplated his next move.

"Drake!" She yelled.

In an instant, he spun around to face her. The sudden move made her take a step back. "I'm mad as fucking hell, alright?" Drake's breathing and volume increased as the words poured out of him. "I'm pissed at Constantine for the shit he pulled, and the Marine Corps for not double checking their paperwork, and writing me off as dead. I'm pissed that everyone else seemed to have gotten the good end of the deal, but I'm the one who almost died, who was left behind and fucking forgotten."

He didn't realize the small steps he was taking towards her as he spoke. She had taken a few steps back as well, but he wasn't stopping. "I'm angry that you slept with my best friend. Of all people, you turned to him."

"I did. Tell me what else you're angry about."

Drake was on a roll. "It infuriates me that he's touched you, and felt you in only ways I should have."

Bragnae swallowed. "Yes, he has. What else?"

"I hate that all of this happened," he paused, shaking his head. "And I don't even have a fucking right to be angry with you or Liam because you both had no idea I was still alive."

"Yes, you do, Drake," she reminded him. "You have every right to be mad."

As she lifted her hands to touch his chest, he grabbed them and pushed her up against the wall instead. Holding her hands to the side, he pressed his body against hers as his eyes flicked from hers to her full lips. The lips he craved to touch with his own. The lips he would have killed for to kiss again.

"I'm so fucking pissed that you were supposed to be mine, and only mine. And now, I feel like I have to share you with him."

He looked into her amber eyes remembering the comfort he always found in them. He was laying everything out for her in such a blunt and harsh way, but she wasn't crumbling as he thought she might do. A certain confidence emanated from her as she listened and agreed with everything he said.

"But you don't have to share me, Drake." Her words were resolute. "I belong to no one except you. I'm all yours."

Heat and determination consumed his narrowed eyes. "Damn right, you are."

Their lips locked in an immediate and impassioned kiss. Bragnae moaned as he pressed into her more, devouring her mouth with kiss after fiery kiss. His hands dropped from hers as they ardently found the zipper on her dress. He yanked it down in one rapid movement letting her breasts fall naturally to her chest.

Drake pushed his tongue into her mouth while his hands firmly grasped her plump breasts, kneading them as he pushed her against the wall. He felt her hands start to slide up his arms, but he didn't want her touch to distract him. Sliding the fabric off her shoulders, he pushed the top of the dress down, so it locked her hands behind her back.

Bragnae gasped before he hit her hard with another vigorous kiss. He unbuckled his belt in a flash, then undid his jeans before sliding them down his hips. Drake hoisted up the skirt of her dress, and moved her panties to the side. His mouth fell away from hers as they both gasped for air.

Lifting her leg to his hip, he gripped his eager, hard cock and easily pushed it inside her. They both let out a relieved groan. He gripped her wrists, holding them securely to her lower back as he thrusted into her over and over.

She was everything he missed – everything he craved and desired. Every sleepless night in Afghanistan wishing he could be with her again was finally being fulfilled. It was different than the night before where the sex tempered their grief and longing for each other. Now, he was reclaiming her – body, mind and soul – as well as their relationship.

They stared into each other's eyes as Drake continued to pound into her. He gritted his teeth as his eyes grew ravenous with desire. Her mouth unhinged as pleasured sounds escaped her lungs. It was incredibly arousing watching her begin to unravel in his arms knowing he controlled every move. It was him... every time her shoulders slammed against the wall, every time she whimpered, every time her breasts bounced from his purposeful thrust.

Her warm, inviting insides pleaded for more as she internally squeezed his dick. He wanted to give into his own pleasure, but not until she did. He wanted to feel her coat his cock with everything she had to give. He wanted to salvage the all-consuming love and devotion they had for one another with this one good fuck.

"Oh, my God," she moaned.

"Use my name, Bragnae. I want to hear you say it."

Her breathing increased. "Drake. You feel so good. Oh, Drake!"

He gripped her wrists tighter. "Good girl. Now, come for me." Within seconds, he felt her body tense as she squeezed her eyes shut, releasing a loud scream into the room. 

Unable to hold out any longer, one last thrust sent him over the edge as he pumped himself into her. Drake laid his forehead against hers as he enjoyed the last of the blissful electricity that surged through his body.

Bragnae brushed her lips against his in a tender kiss that suddenly caught his attention. He pushed the fabric away from her arms, allowing her to loop them around the back of his neck.

"I love you, Drake," she whispered.

He captured her lips once more. "I love you, too." Drake pulled his jeans up again, and scooped Bragnae into his arms.

He walked them over to her bed, and sat down with her in his lap. She grabbed his face and kissed him more fervently. Eventually sitting up to straddle him, Drake felt the strength of their bond grow even more.

The anger had left him, and all that was left was love – and admittedly, some vulnerability. Bragnae held them together tightly, so there was no space between them. After another passionate moment, she drew back to look at him.

"I've never loved you more than I do right now, Drake."

He smiled. "That's exactly how I feel."

She kissed him again. He would never tire of her full lips.

"I'm glad you pushed me to talk to you. I think I needed that."

"I know you did. We both did." Bragnae stroked the side of his head in soft, rhythmic motions.

Drake looked over her beautiful face, soaking in every detail. "Aside from being as angry as I was, there's a question that's been on my mind that I have to ask you."

"Ask me anything."

Drake swallowed, trying to summon the courage. Goddamn his vulnerability. "Do you think, down the road, you'd ever get bored with me, and want to go back to Liam?"

"Never." Her tone was genuine. "Why would you think that?"

Even though he felt a bit silly for his insecurities, he still wanted her to know. "Liam has always been the charismatic playboy who always got exactly what he wanted. Girls always fell at his feet without any effort from him. I always came in second when it involved Liam, whether it was with women or general success at life. And now that you know what it's like to be with him, I guess," he paused to blow out a deep breath, "I'm just afraid you'll leave me for him."

"That would never happen, Drake. That's not the way our love works," she looked at him for a moment before deciding to continue. "I'm going to be honest with you, and it may be hard to hear. Being with Liam was... very nice. But nothing would ever compare to you."

He gave her a questioning look – he couldn't help it.

"I mean it. And it's not just because of your huge and amazing cock," she bit her lip and raised an eyebrow at him, prompting him to chuckle. "It's what you do with it that matters. It's the love that pours out of you every time you touch or kiss me. That love between us, Drake, is an unshakable bond. No one would ever compare to being with you, to making love with you, or feeling the way I do about you."

She shifted slightly in his lap before she continued. "You're my forever, Drake. And only when I thought that 'forever' with you didn't exist anymore, that's when I turned to Liam — for comfort, for pleasure, for a familiar companionship that would help ease the pain of losing the love of my life."

His expression softened as he listened.

"And if you're wondering if I regret being with him, I don't. What I had with Liam was special in its own way. It was what we both needed as we coped with the very tragic and unexpected news of your death. This isn't about who's better at life or who can get more women. You may still see yourself as the runner up to Liam, but in my book, you're always first no matter what."

Her candidness floored him. Drake knew this was an inner demon from his childhood and up that he'd have to deal with on his own, but he couldn't hold this against Bragnae. Not anymore. She wanted him, and only him. He saw that now, and he wasn't going to let his doubts cloud his mind any further.

He grinned, looking up at her. "Well, I just have one more question for you. When do you want to get married?"