"What are we supposed to do as long as they are gone?", you asked as your eyes watched the helicopter set off into the dark night sky.

Next to you, Sims shrugged and took a deep breath of his cigarette. The tip lit up in a deep, dark red.

You curled your nose.

"You should talk more to Bell.", he said and glanced at you. "Adler wants results."

You rolled your eyes.

"I don't think he's doing me any good.", you grinned.

"Who? Adler or Bell?"

"Yes."

"How come? I thought you're an expert in your field."

"I am. But I think I'm starting to get soft."

"Don't tell Adler that or you'll fly."

"Tell Adler what?", a rough yet smooth voice suddenly sounded.

With a smile, you turned your head to greet Lazar.

"Hey there, handsome.", you joked.

Flattered, he smiled and raised his chin.

"Go on.", he said. "I can listen to that all day."

Chuckling, you shook your head.

"Sorry, that's all I have for today."

"For sure."

Sims gave you a push.

"And what about me?", he demanded. "I want to be called handsome too."

You laughed.

"Sorry, but I'm all out of compliments."

With a broad grin, Lazar sat down on a wall next to you.

"We should call back Woods.", he said.

Confused, you raised an eyebrow.

"You guys want to torture me?", you asked.

"No, but whenever Woods is around you're way nicer to us."

Sims shrugged.

"Happens when you're around your ex fiancé again.", his dark eyes jumped to you.

The smile on your face died down.

Uncomfortable silence spread between the three of you.

"I hate you, Sims.", you said with a bitter huff. "But what can I say?"

"Forget what he said.", Lazar gave you a bump to the shoulder. "He's an ass."

Sims pulled a face.

"Look, I'm just saying.", he raised his hands. "I understand both sides and I understand why (Y/N) hates him. But Woods is a good brother in arms. We fought in Nam."

"Yeah, yeah, he's a great guy my ass.", you rolled your eyes.

"You never gave us a solid reason why he's not.", Lazar noted. "I don't want to be noisy but..."

You silenced him with a raised hand.

"What did he tell you?", you asked. "I want to know his story first."

Lazar and Sims exchanged a glance.

"You got us into it.", Lazar shrugged. "You'll tell."

Sims sighed, grey smoke seeping from his lips.

"Shit...", he rubbed his face. "Fine. He told us you two were on a break. Fighting and all that shit."

With your arms crossed in front of your chest, you hummed and leaned against the wall to listen.

"Go on.", you said. "I'm listening."

Sims looked at Lazar. But he just shrugged and gifted him a broad grin.

"He told us that the break was a breakup, just not at that moment. But he knew it was the end. So he got drunk as balls and you two had a huge fight about it and you broke up."

"He also told us you manipulating him was the problem.", Lazar added. "But he said that only once, right after the breakup and never again after that, so I wouldn't believe it."

A bitter huff escaped you.

"That fucker...", you hissed. "I told him he needs to get help if we wants a lasting marriage. Did he tell you why exactly we got into a fight?"

Sims took the last breath of the cigarette.

"Because he was drunk."

"Because he fucked someone else. In our bed."

Surprise appeared on their faces. Quickly, they glanced at each other to make sure what would be a good reaction to this.

"But you two were on a break?", Lazar asked carefully.

With a low groan, you rolled your eyes.

"Being on a break means to get some distance to figure things out and work on the issues.", you hissed. "It does not mean, feel free to fuck your brains out."

"So he was cheating?", Sims asked.

You sighed.

"No. We weren't dating at the time."

"So your issue is that he didn't take the opportunity to fix things but rather ran and boned someone else?"

"My issue is that he was a fucking dick! If he really loved me, he wouldn't have done that. He would have... reassured me."

"But you know Woods.", Lazar pulled a face. "He isn't good with... relationships."

"But he could have worked on that issue, no?", for a moment, you had to close your eyes to not loose the last bit of patience that you still had. "Was it too much to ask for that he would work on himself? Not entirely... he's a good man. I loved him. Just his commitment issues and maybe the fact that he was constantly jealous."

"He was afraid you'd leave him for someone else.",'Sims suddenly said.

Struck by the casualty of his words, you raised your eyebrows.

"He never told me that.", you huffed.

Lazar huffed.

"Of course not. He would never. But it's true. He was always worried you'd find someone better than him."

"Pfft. I doubt he has that little confidence in himself."

"He doesn't. But he loved you like no one else and was worried someone would take you one day."

"Call me pessimistic, but I don't believe a single word you're saying."

Sims laughed.

"You were his one and only committed relationship and he asked you to marry him.", he put out the cigarette. "If that's not proof you're special to him I don't know what is."

Pulling a face, you bit your lips.

"It wouldn't have been good anyways.", you mumbled. "We were always fighting. We still do."

"Because both of you are stubborn donkeys.", Lazar shrugged. "I get he needs to work on himself. But so do you."

You frowned.

"Excuse me?"

Sims nodded.

"He has a point. You're always nagging Woods about stuff he has no power over."

"Like?"

"His commitment issues? He's had a rough past."

"That doesn't give him the right to be a fucking asshole."

"No. But it should give him the right to take time. You can't expect him to change from one day to another. You need to reassure him too. You need to show him he's the only one."

"Ugh, you two are the worst!", with a grim face, you turned away. "It's not like we'll get back anyways. That ship has sunken."