My Navy Specialist

Sit Next To Me

I stand next to Liam on the boat, hand in hand. He just admitted his pain to me. I still do not know what happened but I know his pain is real and it is deep. I squeeze his hand back and caress him with my thumb. We get closer to the island and I know, I have a boyfriend and he has a girlfriend and we can not be seen together. I let go of his hand. My fingers brush lightly over the back of his hand. It is clear that he does not want to let go but he knows what I know.

"I am so sorry Liam, I am so so sorry. I am here Liam, I will be here when you are ready, night or day, okay?"

"Thank you, Alice"

We get to the island and immediately there are a few people to help with the patient. Liam looks at me one last time and then he disappears behind the crowd. I wish I could be by his side and comfort him but I know it is not my place. It is Helena's place. I get off the boat and see that they have managed to make a tent for the sick people.

"It looks like this would be our home now. Just a few more tweaks and this could be a real base hospital"

Nita shows me the new hospital.

"Wow, it's done very well. Okay, let me go check on my patients"

I go to work, trying to forget about Liam's pain but he is never far from my thoughts. It is near the middle of the night when I am almost the last one there. I decide to get some rest. My tent is not far from the hospital and they have even put my luggage in it. The first thing I do is make a place for my photo of my family, next to my bed, then I lay down.

LIAM

I just saw to it that the last person is on the island. They took another run back for supplies and equipment but they are sure that everything they could get, they delivered. I meet the Admiral in the now base of operations tent. It is almost midnight and I am close to breaking point.

"How much could you save from the ship, Liam?"

"Almost everything, sir! Just a few personal belongings could not be salvage, sir"

"That is good news. You did us a great service today, Liam. Please go and rest. I will let Bravo2 run the night shift. You are dismissed, Master Chief"

I salute him and dismiss my own team. Everyone goes their different ways. I decides to wash up and sit at the furthest campfire I could find for some isolation. I just stand next to the fire and I am filled with pure anguish. Then I feel a familiar hand on my shoulder and turn around. What I see brings such unspeakable joy and comfort. I want her company more than I want my own misery.

ALICE

I can not seem to fall asleep. I know I am very tired but I have too many things running around in my mind. My thoughts are of Liam and his pain, John, and that I might not be his anymore. Then also, this place I have to make my home with all kinds of different sounds around me. I decide to walk around a little, maybe stare at the ocean.

I throw on a sweater and start making my way to the ocean. That is when I see him standing at the campfire close to the ocean. The very existence of him disturbs my way of life. I was just about to get my thoughts straight about John and me when he decided to interrupt them.

He just stands there, staring at the fire, his beautiful raven black hair blows through the wind, just taunting me. But there is more to his rugged handsomeness. He is sad and tired. I walk up to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey…"

He looks up at me and there is a hint of a smile.

"Hey…"

"I thought you would be asleep by now?"

"Yeah, I guess I have a few things on my mind. Would you like to join me?"

"Okay…but won't Helena be mad?"

He just grunts and then waves a hand dismissively in the air. His eyes go back to the fire.

"I highly doubt that she would even notice..."

I sit down next to him and see that same tremor from before, still in his hands. I look at this face and realize that he is exhausted.

"Liam.."

"Yeah?"

"When last did you eat?"

"Uhm...I do not really remember"

"Do you mind, if I just check something?"

I move closer and hold my hand up to his neck to feel his pulse. Liam looks at me with tired eyes. 

"No, I do not mind"

I move a bit closer to him and press two fingers against his throat. His eyes follow every movement I make. His pulse is very weak.

"Do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Bite your lip like that, when you work?"

There is an instant blush on my face. I never knew I do that and now that I know, I feel very self-conscious.

"I am sorry, I did not know I do that.."

"God no! Do not apologize, it is a good look on you"

I notice I am still only a few inches away from him and my senses are filled with his fresh, musky fragrance. I close my eyes for a second too long just to take in all of him. Then I shake out of it.

"Liam, you need to eat. Will you wait here for me?"

"Oh, uhm...yeah, okay"

I quickly stand up and run to my tent. I know I still have a few snack bars in my bag.

LIAM

I lift up my hand and the tremor is not a tremor anymore. I am shaking now but I do not care. All I can think of is Mike and Mike's wife. Alice just left and asked me to stay. When she asked me to wait for her, I knew I will wait for her forever if she want me to. Her touch remains so soft and caring but when she bites her lip like that....something ignites within me, something that should not be awakened. I haven't felt this kind of excitement in a very long time.

Alice...what are you doing to me...

She comes back and I try to keep my eyes from devouring her. I know if I would touch her now, I will not be able to have any control over my actions but I desperately want to lose control with her.

ALICE

I walk back to him and see his eyes following my every move and I know if he was to touch me now, John would be something of the past. I try my best not to fall over my own feet and then look at him through my eyelashes.

"Thank you for waiting for me. Here...please eat these snack bars. Your pulse is very weak"

He looks up at my face and his mouth opens a little in shock for caring so much about him.

"Thank you, for this Alice. It...it means a lot"

I hand him the bars and his big hands envelop mine. He holds my hand a second too long while analyzing every trait on my face. I feel him brush his fingers purposefully over the back of my hand. I try to control my breathing and take a seat across from him. He opens his bar and then he sighs loudly.

"What's wrong? Are the bars okay?'

"Oh, no...the bar's great. I am just wondering if...if you could maybe...just sit next to me?"