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Unsung Heroes: Mission One	By : RavenLadies Category: +G through L > G.I. Joe Views: 1213 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the cartoon(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter Six

A week passed in relative quiet, both on base and off. Since they weren't needed all the time, the two Joes began spending more time at the medic’s condominium. Things remained quiet with Cobra, which meant Billy and Edwin were afforded more time away from the base at night. All of the Joes who had been pulled aside as potentially infected had been given clean bills of health. As an added bit of good news, Lifeline had received a call from a colleague at Walter Reed with an update on Private Freeman. Since her transfer, the young sharpshooter had been responding favorably to treatment, her prognosis looking quite good. While she would be out of commission of some time, the private was expected to make a complete recovery.

As for the Cobra device, it and the various reports that were to accompany it had also been shipped out to the CDC in Atlanta for further analysis and testing per Duke’s orders. With the threat of possible contamination turning out to have been a dud, life slowly began to return to normal at The Pit – or at least as normal as life in G.I. Joe ever really got.

To say that Lifeline liked being able to spend more private time with Billy would have been an understatement. With the crossing of the final hurdle in their relationship, things between the pair seemed to be going better than ever. They had made love several times since that first night, each time even better than the one before it. On more than one occasion, Edwin had found himself musing over how it would be to have the Marine with him on a much more permanent basis. It was well-known around the base that the two of them were good friends, and having Billy as a “roommate” wasn’t likely to raise many eyebrows.

On this particular day, the medic was at home, sitting at the computer desk in his make-shift office, checking his email and the latest stock market figures. Despite his relationship with his father, Edwin had, somewhere along the line, picked up a bit of the elder Steen’s business acumen. Charles Steen was a well-known investment banker and financial analyst with a reputation that spread out into international circles. His specialty was big money capital investments – shopping malls, high rises, office buildings – projects that required the raising of millions for their completion. Lifeline’s father was also known as being market-savvy, making hundreds of thousands for both himself and his clients in the stock market.

While he wasn’t quite up to his father’s level, Edwin had managed to turn the modest trust fund that his mother had left him into a tidy sum – part of which had paid for the condominium in Cedar City. While originally intended to be nothing more than an investment, the condo had, over the past year, become a home – his first real one since Edwin had joined the Army.

Lifeline made a few on-line trades and responded to a few emails before logging off and shutting the computer down. There had been a short message from Bree complete with several attached photos of her recent trip to Europe. The two of them had finally called it quits between them, the heiress surprising Edwin with the announcement that she had met someone else. The medic was both relieved and a little disappointed to hear the news – relieved that he wouldn’t have to break similar news himself, and maybe just a tad disappointed that Bree had found someone else to lavish her attention on. The two of them had parted amicably as friends with Bree promising to introduce her new beau to Edwin at the first opportunity.

While Edwin poked around in cyberspace, Billy was out in the parking area, in the midst of doing the oil change for Edwin's Jeep that the medic had mentioned needing to be done. Unlike Edwin, he had very little in the way of any kind of academic sense. He made up for it, he figured, with life experience, and a knack for any job that let him work with his hands. There weren't too many of those jobs around the condo, but Billy threw in a hand where he could. On top of being useful, the work itself kept the Marine occupied, which was relaxing for him.

Leaving his makeshift home office, Edwin paused to look out the window, his eyes pinpointing his Jeep in the parking lot, Billy’s form bent over the open hood. Billy was unaware of the scrutiny, bent intently over his work. He'd just finished up, and was in the process of checking over the rest of the engine when the first flash of pain hit him as he stretched. Gritting his teeth, he clenched one fist, and shifted slightly as the pain slowly passed. 'I must've strained something...' he thought.

After watching the other man for a few moments, Edwin turned away and padded towards the kitchen. Lifeline stood in front of the refrigerator, the door opened, as he looked at the contents. It was still fairly early, but the medic was already contemplating dinner. After a few minutes he closed the door with a sigh, not finding anything within to be that appetizing. ‘Hmm . . . maybe a pizza or something instead . . .’ Edwin thought to himself as he reached for the small collection of take-out menus on top of the refrigerator.

‘Time to call it quits for a little while.’ When the pain died down some and Billy finished cleaning up his tools, he headed back into the condo, yanking off his grease-streaked shirt as he headed for the bathroom.

Edwin heard the front door close and footsteps as they crossed the hardwood floor of the living room. Menus in hand, he was starting towards the kitchen doorway when he stopped. ‘He’ll just say whatever . . .’ Hesitating for a moment or two, he put the menus down on the counter before leaving the kitchen and making his way across the living room.

Billy was in the process of washing his hands and forearms, his back to the door as he rinsed away suds, dirt and oil. Hearing the water running in the bathroom, Lifeline stopped in the doorway. “Feel up to going out to eat tonight?”

"Sounds good to me," Billy replied, straightening up and wincing just a little as his back protested. 'Damn, Coen, just what the hell did you pull?'

Edwin’s trained eye missed nothing. “Overdoing it again?” He asked, his eyes on the Marine’s back.

"I guess I must've," Billy agreed softly, rewarded for his patience when the pain died down again. "Because my back sure as hell decided it doesn't like me."

The medic stepped forward a bit before reaching out, his fingertips lightly touching the other man’s shoulder blade. “Maybe we should stay in instead.”

Billy jumped a little at the initial contact, more from the unexpected touch than anything. His upper back was fine, but his lower back was heavily bruised, the broad purple marks painting stripes on his skin. Some were already fading, others looked somewhat fresh. "Nah, I'll be okay, long as I'm careful," he said with a shrug.

Edwin frowned a bit as he looked at the Marine’s back, having asked more than once about the bruises, only to have his questions shrugged off. Ever since the night that he’d felt Billy’s skin move under his hand, the medic had been more than a little concerned but had remained quiet, not wanting to start any potential arguments.

It wasn't as if Billy was entirely trying to be difficult, when it came to the bruises. The fact of the matter was, he just honestly didn't have a clue how he'd come by them, and wasn't entirely willing to admit that fact.

“On second thought, we could just order something in and spend a quiet night here.”

"You sure?"

Edwin nodded his dark head. “It doesn’t matter to me, really.”

"Whatever you wanna do," Billy said with a nod of his own, turning to face the medic.

Lifeline looked at the Marine for a few moments before nodding his head. In truth, the idea of going out had appealed to him a great deal even though his face remained neutral. It must have shown in his eyes, Edwin decided, when Billy spoke again.

"Hey, Edwin...what do you really wanna do?" Billy said quietly. "If you want to go out, we can. My back'll be fine."

“Like I said, it doesn’t really matter.” The medic replied.

"Then let's go out. It's not like we get many chances to."

Lifeline nodded his head in agreement a few seconds later, smiling faintly as he did so. “Okay.”

"So where are we going?"

“Tell you what,” Edwin replied. “I’ll surprise you.”

Billy grinned at that. "Sounds good."

“Finish getting cleaned up. I’m going to change. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”

Billy nodded. "All right."

The medic was still smiling a bit as he turned away from the Marine, their destination already decided as he made his way to the bedroom to change his clothes.

The place that Edwin had chosen was the same one that he had taken Billy to celebrate the Marine joining the Joes. From the outside, it was a fairly non-descript stucco building with only a rather modest sign above the door. The place didn’t look like much until you stepped inside. A local favorite for several decades, it had not changed very much since it originally opened its doors. The wooden tables were scarred and pitted, the lighting a bit dim, the wood paneled walls covered in photos of local livestock, neon beer signs, and nostalgic advertisements. Beer was served almost exclusively on tap in frosted glass mugs, while sodas and sweet-tea were offered up in ice-filled Mason jars. Nightly entertainment was provided by whatever couples might crowd onto the small dance floor near an old Rock-a-Rolla jukebox that was filled with southern rock, old honky-tonk standards, and boogie-based blues. Peanuts were strategically placed along the bar and on tables, the shells tossed to the floor carelessly while diners and drinkers talked and laughed over the music. The first time that the medic had taken Billy there, he knew that it had been the perfect the choice judging by the grin on the Marine’s face moments after they had stepped through the front door. The same grin, in fact, that was sitting on Billy's face as they walked in again. "Good choice."

“Somehow I didn’t think you’d mind,” Edwin said as he scanned around looking for an empty table or booth. Spying an open booth near the bar, he pointed it out. “There’s an open spot over there.” Trusting that Billy would follow, the medic wound his way across the floor and slid into the booth.

The Marine was only a few steps behind Edwin, slipping into the booth across from the medic. He ran his fingertips over the heavily scarred tabletop, and smiled to himself. This was one place where he never felt uncomfortable, or under dressed. In fact, he blended right in and that was fine with him.

Within a few moments, a waitress appeared to take their drink orders, leaving behind a copy of the menu on the table – a single sided copy encased in a plastic cover. While there wasn’t a lot of variety to choose from, the food was good and filling. The steaks were fresh, delivered daily from various area ranches and cooked on an open flame grill with mesquite chips, and the various side dishes were all home-made. It wasn’t too long before the waitress returned, setting down mugs of beer on the table in front of the two men before taking their food orders.

Once she walked off again, Billy smiled. "I'm glad you picked this place. Lotta good memories here," He said, just loud enough to be heard over the jukebox.

“Memories?” Edwin asked with a slightly raised brow, his voice also a bit louder than normal. “I seem to recall you being a bit on the inebriated side when we left here the last time. I wouldn’t think you were in any condition to remember much.” The medic smiled and chuckled as he reached for his beer.

"I remember enough to know I wasn't the only one," Billy said with a laugh. "Besides, no way was I turning down an excuse to drink Gung Ho under the table."

Edwin’s chuckle segued into a laugh as well. “I seem to recall you paying for that victory the next morning. Talk about crabby . . .”

"I wasn't that bad."

“You were decidedly . . . unfriendly first thing in the morning.” Edwin hefted the mug and took a sip. “I think that was the first night you stayed at my place.”

"I'm always unfriendly in the morning...well, the last few notwithstanding," Billy shot back, before taking a drink of his own beer.

Lifeline could feel the heat of the soft blush that crept up his neck, suddenly grateful for the dim lighting. Lifting the glass, he took another sip. Billy only smirked a little, Edwin's silence testimonial to the blush the Marine couldn't see. He took another swallow from his own mug and leaned back a little more comfortably into the booth. The medic’s foot began tapping unconsciously to the music, an old ZZ Top song that he hadn’t heard in ages while his dark eyes made a quick scan of the restaurant, looking for any familiar faces but not immediately seeing any. The crowd seemed to consist of mostly locals, all talking and laughing with one another. As his gaze alighted on the bar, he noticed a pair of women, one blonde and one brunette, who, when they noticed him looking in their direction, waved and smiled a bit coyly. Billy had noticed them as well, and couldn't help but smile back a little. "Well now, I don't remember them being in here before," he said to Edwin.

The two women turned and whispered to one another before looking back at Edwin and Billy, their gazes lingering on the Joes for a few moments before the brunette slid off the barstool, the blonde following her lead seconds later. “I think they’re coming over here,” Lifeline said as the women made their way through the crowd around the bar and moved in the direction of their table.

"Probably," Billy said with a nod, taking a sip of his beer.

“Well, what do we do?”

"Be nice, don't let 'em drag you off, and if worse comes to worse, tell her you're married."

The ladies approached their table, the brunette smiling as she looked at Billy and Edwin. “Hi,” she said. “My friend and I saw you two sitting over here and well . . . we were wondering if uh, if maybe, um, you’d like, um, some company.” Standing next to her friend, the blonde smiled a bit shyly and nodded her head.

Billy let his gaze slide over to Edwin, raising an eyebrow as if to say, "Your call." The medic looked at Billy almost helplessly, the situation not one he typically found himself in. Chuckling, Billy indicated the ladies were welcome to have a seat.

Their smiles brightening a bit, the two women looked at one another, almost as if communicating silently before moving to sit down in the booth, the blonde sliding in next to Edwin, who scooted over to make more room for her; and the brunette with Billy. It was the brunette who spoke first once everyone was settled. “I’m Sarah and this is Tiffany,” she said indicating the blonde next to Edwin, who smiled shyly at the medic.

"Nice to meet you, ladies," Billy replied with a grin. "Name's Billy, and my buddy here is Edwin."

Just then their waitress reappeared to inquire as to whether or not the pair’s new dining partners wanted to order drinks and food. It only took a few minutes for the women to give their orders, apparently being frequent patrons who had no need to look at the menu. Their server returned within minutes with a fresh round of drinks before returning to the kitchen to put in the new orders. “So, are you guys from the military base?” Tiffany asked after taking a sip from her glass, her brown eyes looking at the two men.

Billy nodded and grinned a little. "Does it show?"

“A little,” Sarah replied. “But we won’t hold it against you,” she added with a grin. Tiffany giggled a little at her friend’s joke, which even pulled a small smile from Edwin.

The four settled into light conversation at that. And Billy seemed at ease enough in the surroundings. The girls were good company, even if Sarah seemed a little too interested in him for his own good. 'Gonna have to be real careful, or she's gonna have me sitting in hot water up to my god damned eyebrows,' he thought.

As the four talked, the waitress appeared periodically to check their drinks and after a bit, deliver their meals, the conversation continuing on while they ate. Billy and Edwin learned that Tiffany was an elementary school teacher, while Sarah was an agent with a local real estate company. The two had apparently been best friends since school, both of them returning to Cedar City after graduating from college.

Lifeline and Billy contributed what they could about themselves, barring anything that could be considered top secret, such as their participation in G.I. Joe. As the group talked, even Edwin found himself starting to relax a bit in the women’s friendly company.

While the group ate, someone had fired up the jukebox again, a string of old honky-tonk standards that drew a number of couples to the small dance floor, the dancers crowding in around one another until the jukebox was blocked from view. When Billy was finished eating, he leaned back in his seat comfortably, one boot tapping along with the beat as he drank his beer quietly, content to let the other three talk now that Edwin was relaxing some. Lifeline was speaking to Tiffany, the blonde’s obvious interest apparently lost on him while he told her about some of his experiences as a combat medic. Watching her friend with Edwin, Sarah smiled a little before turning her gaze to the dance floor for a few moments, her own foot tapping under the table when one of her favorites started to play. Billy couldn't help but be amused by his lover's cluelessness, as well as a little grateful. It meant he only had to worry about himself, and the brunette sitting next to him.

Sarah glanced momentarily at the man next to her. Tiffany had noticed Billy and Edwin first as the two had made their way to the booth where they were now sitting, whispering about how cute “the one in the glasses” was, while Sarah’s interest was drawn to the other. It didn’t take much prodding to get her friend to agree to approach them. The music slowly faded away as the song ended, only to start up a few seconds later as the next one in the queue began to play. After another quick glance at the Marine, Sarah put her hand on Billy’s arm. “Wanna dance?”

After a moment, Billy nodded with a smile. "Sure, why not? I don't think they'll mind the absence," He said, nodding his head slightly toward the other two, who were still lost in conversation.

The dark haired woman smiled as she flashed a quick glance at Edwin and Tiffany before sliding out of the booth. ‘She always did like the nerdy ones,’ Sarah thought to herself as she waited for Billy to join her. ‘While I always liked the beefcake.’ Her hazel eyes flicked over the Marine’s form as he slid out of the booth next to her.

The Marine rose with a stretch, smiling a little as the new song turned out to be one of his own favorites. After a moment, he extended his arm to escort Sarah out onto the dance floor. Billy may have been far from the most cultured man in the world, but he had been taught a thing or two about how to treat a lady, and those lessons died hard.

Sarah looked a bit amused as she took the Marine’s offered arm and allowed him to lead her to the floor, the pair of them slipping in between the other couples to find a small bit of open space for themselves. The song wasn't a slow one, but Billy was pleasantly surprised to find that Sarah knew the two-step as well as any woman he'd ever known, and it didn't take the two of them long to fall into the beat of the song. The dark-haired woman smiled as they danced, finding herself pleasantly surprised as well as the two moved in the small space they had found. The song was almost over when a petite blonde woman bumped into Billy as a few more dancers joined those on the already crowded floor. “Sorry,” she said, giving the Marine an apologetic smile before moving away, her partner flicking his eyes over Billy as the two moved past. Billy didn't so much as flinch at that, giving the blonde a polite nod and a tip of his hat.

The song ended, the dancers pausing momentarily before the next one started, this one a much slower number than the previous one. Sarah looked at Billy, waiting to see if he would continue on or retreat back to the table. “Got a preference?" He asked to the unspoken question in her look, smiling a bit.

“I’m game,” she said smiling a bit as well, the look in her eyes hinting that she just might mean more than just dancing. Billy decided that was a good time to play ignorant and not notice said look as they slowed their pace to match the new song.

Still talking at the table, Edwin glanced over to find the bench across from he and Tiffany empty. Before he could comment on it, the blonde answered his thoughts. “They went to go dance.”

“Oh . . .” Turning his attention away from the blonde, Lifeline looked over at the dance floor but found it impossible to pick out Billy and Sarah amidst the crowd in the dim lighting. “Um did you . . . “ Edwin started as he turned his eyes back to Tiffany.

The young woman shook her head. “Not if you don’t want to.”

The medic felt himself blush a little and he reached his hand behind his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “I uh, I really can’t dance.”

Tiffany shyly smiled at Edwin, finding the action to be just this side of adorable. “I’m not really all that good either.”

Billy and Sarah were moving in their small space, both of them just enjoying the music and the dance when the petite blonde from earlier once again bumped into Billy from behind. The bump was a little rougher than before, enough to make Billy turn and steady the smaller woman. It only took a glance to see that the repeated bumps weren't her fault. Her partner was obviously three sheets to the wind, and couldn't have walked a straight line if his life had depended on it. "You okay, ma'am?" He asked quietly.

“S-Sorry,” she said, her eyes glancing at her boyfriend who was all by glaring at the Marine.

“Why don’t you just climb into his lap?” The man said roughly, pulling the woman closer to him by her arm.

"Easy, buddy," Billy said, frowning slightly. "It was an accident and no harm done."

“Piece of advice, cowboy, mind your own business.” Came the gruff reply, the man once again yanking the blonde by her arm as he jerked her to his side.

Billy's eyes narrowed at that, and he resisted the urge to sock the man dead in the face. "Anybody treats a lady like you do and it becomes my business," He replied. "I think you missed a few lessons in manners."

Sarah unobtrusively slipped her arm from Billy’s and took a few steps back, sensing trouble. A regular, she was familiar with the inebriated man, having fended off his advances a few times in the past. Even when he wasn’t drunk, the man had a reputation as a bully with a short temper. Releasing the blonde, the big man pushed her to the side as he took a step closer to the Marine. “And I think you need to learn a few about keeping your nose outta other people’s business.”

Billy spread his arms away from his body in a silent bring-it-on gesture. "By all means, if you think you're man enough to teach me," he replied.

The song on the jukebox came to an end, the player falling silent. The hum of conversation also died away as attention was drawn to the dance floor while the other dancers began to shift away, leaving an open space around Billy and the other man. “C’mon Jimmy . . .” the petite blonde reached out towards her boyfriend, her hand only managing to brush his big arm before he roughly pushed her away.

Finally noticing the hushed silence that had fallen, Edwin and Tiffany broke off their conversation and looked around to see what was going on, their eyes falling on the dance floor, the crowd having thinned out enough so that they could both see what appeared to be Billy and another man apparently facing off with one another. ‘What the . . .?’ the medic almost couldn’t believe his eyes. ‘What the hell is he doing?’

“Stay here,” he instructed Tiffany as he maneuvered himself to his feet on the bench and crawled over the table, which thankfully had been cleared of dishes and utensils by the waitress while the medic and the blonde had been talking, leaving only the near empty beer glasses. Leaping down to the floor, Edwin started towards the dance floor, weaving through the crowd. Tiffany opened her mouth to call Lifeline back, but closed it as she momentarily lost sight of him as he slid into the crowd.

Billy didn't so much as twitch as his cold gaze stayed locked on the other man. The Marine was pissed, and every fiber of his being screamed at him to knock his opponent flat. But he possessed enough of a reasoning mind to know that starting a fight in a bar wouldn't exactly be the smartest course of action. "Maybe you and me oughta take this outside, Slick," He said in a low tone.

Sarah had edged away from the two men along with the rest of the crowd, her hazel gaze flicking between the two of them. Pushing his way through the assembled crowd as politely as he could, Edwin broke through into the open area on the dance floor around Billy and the other man. “Billy!” he called to the Marine.

Billy's eyes flicked to Edwin momentarily, and that turned out to be a big mistake. He caught the sight of Jimmy's fist flying out of his peripheral vision, and a moment later, was staggering back a step as the punch clipped his jaw, jarring his head with enough force to knock his hat free. "That...was a really stupid fucking thing to do," He growled at the man.

“No!” The word left the medic’s lips, even though he knew it was too late, his dark eyes squeezing shut as the unknown man’s fist connected with Billy’s jaw. Within seconds, his eyes flashed open and immediately went to the Marine. “Billy, don’t.”

"Keep outta this, Edwin," Billy replied, before straightening up. He wiped away a trickle of blood with the back of his hand. The glare he leveled on the other man promising a slow and painful death. Or at least a thorough maiming.

“Better listen to your friend, Four-Eyes,” Jimmy all but spit at Lifeline, his wary gaze never leaving Billy. “Unless you wanna be next.”

A muscle in Billy's jaw twitched. "Leave him outta this, asshole," he snarled. "And let's take this outside like a coupla civilized men, all right?"

“Nobody is taking anything anywhere.” Edwin said, his eyes leveled on Billy. “Don’t make me pull rank on you.”

That earned the medic a glare, and several tense seconds passed before the Marine gave a curt nod. "Sir," He said, picking up his hat, turning wordlessly, and heading for the door. The last thing he heard before stepping outside was several of Jimmy's friends apologizing profusely for his behavior as they tried to usher him out a different door.

Lifeline closed his eyes for a moment as he let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. Opening them, he found that most of the crowd had dispersed with only a few people milling nearby, Sarah among them. “Sorry,” he said to the dark-haired woman. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out his wallet, took out several bills and pressed them into her hand, “For dinner.” He slipped the wallet back into his pocket. “It was really nice to meet you both.” With a slight nod of his head, he left her and headed towards the door.

He found Billy leaning against his truck, smoking a cigarette. The hat had been dusted off and was perched on top of his head again, his bloody lip swelling, but no longer actively bleeding. It was clear just from the tenseness of Billy's stance that he was still pissed. Edwin stopped a few feet away from Billy and looked at the man silently for a few moments, the air heavy with the Marine’s anger. Billy didn't look up, and didn't speak. Just took a long drag off his cigarette, holding the smoke in his lungs for a few moments, before exhaling it in a thin stream. “Do you want me to drive home?” Lifeline’s voice was soft, yet it seemed loud in the quiet dimness of the parking lot.

"Nope. I'll be fine," Billy replied quietly, clearly straining to keep from outright snapping at the medic. "I didn't have that much to drink."

The medic fell silent, still sensing the anger rolling off Billy. “You know why I had to stop you.” Edwin said after a couple of minutes.

"Doesn't mean I have to like letting assholes like that get away with pushing around their women."

“He was drunk, Billy.”

"It woulda made me feel better," Billy grumbled, taking the last drag of his cigarette.

“While you were sitting in the brig?” Edwin asked.

Billy bristled a little at that, but shrugged. "It's kind of a moot point now," he said, reaching into the cab of the truck to put out the cigarette in the ashtray.

Silence fell once again, the tension between the two men not lessening. The jukebox in the bar had started up again, faint snatches of music escaping every time someone entered or exited the building. “I’m ready to go whenever you are,” Edwin said after a few minutes, his eyes flicking back to Billy’s partially shadowed face.

"Okay," Billy said with a slight nod, the motion barely making the bill of his hat dip a little.

Lifeline sighed a bit and closed his eyes for a moment. ‘I guess it was too good to last,’ he thought to himself. The medic ran his hand through his dark hair, remembering the look on the Marine’s face when he’d threatened to pull rank on him. ‘Why the hell did I say that to him?’

Billy climbed into the truck and pulled his hat off, setting it down in the center seat. He closed the door, rolled down the window, and started the engine. While he waited for Lifeline to climb into the truck, he shook another cigarette from his pack and put it to his lips, lighting it. Edwin was shaken out of his reverie by the sound of the truck starting up. Silently he opened the door and climbed in. After closing the door, he automatically reached for the seatbelt and locked it into place.

The drive back to Edwin's condo was a silent one. Billy didn't dare say anything, not while he was still angry. He was overreacting to Edwin's remark and he knew it. The medic had only been trying to spare him a severe reprimand and possible brig time for fighting. Still, he couldn't help but feel that Edwin had played dirty, threatening to pull rank. 'Yeah, but you wouldn't have listened to him any other way, would you?' He thought.

The drive back seemed to take twice as long, and it seemed like forever before Billy’s black truck pulled into the empty space alongside Lifeline’s Jeep. Glancing out the front windshield, Edwin looked up at the darkened windows of his apartment for a moment before looking back at the Marine. Billy had finished his cigarette, and leaned back in the seat, before glancing over at Edwin as he set the parking brake. “Did you . . .” the medic started after a few moments, “were you going to come up?” He finished, dropping his gaze a little.

"If you still want me to," Billy replied quietly.

Lifeline nodded his dark head slightly. “I – I do . . .” his voice whispered. Nodding at that, Billy reached up and killed the ignition, pulling the key out and releasing his seatbelt. Reaching down, Edwin unlocked his seatbelt as well before opening the door and sliding out of the truck.

The walk up to the apartment was almost as silent as the drive over had been, and Billy couldn't help but feel guilt starting to sink its claws into him. Inserting the key into the lock, Edwin quietly opened the door, pushing it wider as he stepped inside and flicked the switch on the wall, turning on the two lamps in the living room before continuing inside and tossing his keys on the coffee table.

Billy's keys were dropped back into his pocket, his hat coming off once again and hung on a hook by the door. It was one of the few additions he'd made to the condo, actually. As his hand dropped away from the hat and his eyes tracked Lifeline through the house, he fought the urge to sigh, closing the door behind him and locking it.

Lifeline continued on and into the bedroom where he kicked off his shoes in front of the closet before moving to sit down on the edge of the bed. Pushing his glasses up on his forehead, he rubbed at his dark eyes with his fingertips. Walking on silent feet, Billy followed Edwin into the other room, and sank down beside Lifeline on the bed. His glasses still pushed up off his face, the medic turned to look at the Marine. “It’s been a long day,” he said, his voice soft and slightly weary sounding.

"I know..." Billy's tone was soft as he spoke.

Taking off his glasses, Edwin reached over and set them on the nightstand before ruffling his hand through his short dark hair. Rising back to his feet, he padded over to the dresser and opened one of the drawers, rummaging around for a moment before pulling out a pair of pajama bottoms and a plain white t-shirt.

Billy found himself caught in a moment of indecision. On the one hand, he wondered if he should go get comfortable on the couch. On the other, Edwin didn't seem to still be upset with him. "Want me...to leave you be?" he finally asked very quietly.

Lifeline shook his head bit. “I’m just going to change and then probably turn in. I’m kinda beat.”

"All right," Billy said with a nod. "I'm gonna have one more smoke, then I think I may do the same..."

The medic nodded slightly before heading towards the bathroom and closing the door quietly. Shrugging off his clothes, he slipped on the pajamas and the t-shirt before turning on the tap and splashing his face with cool water and patting it with a towel. Making his way back to the bedroom, he turned down the bed and sat down on the edge of it again for a few moments before pulling his legs up and slipping under the covers.

By the time Edwin was slipping into bed, Billy had already gone out onto the balcony for a smoke. He couldn't help but notice Edwin's behavior, and it was making him feel more and more like a jerk. 'He's acting like a god damned kicked puppy...fuck.' Billy thought as he sank down into one of the two chairs and sighed heavily

Lying on his side, his bent arm pillowing his dark head, Lifeline’s eyes stared at the slightly fuzzy wall across from him. Billy took his time with the cigarette, letting the last of his agitation float away on a stream of smoke. When he finally had a better hold on himself, he headed back inside, keeping as quiet as possible so that he wouldn't wake Edwin if the medic had fallen asleep as he entered the bedroom.

Lifeline was just starting to drift off when Billy returned, the medic only vaguely aware of the Marine as he entered the room. When Lifeline didn't stir at his arrival, Billy nodded a little to himself and leaned against the wall to remove his boots instead of sitting on the bed. He stripped down to his boxer briefs before climbing slowly into the bed himself.

Edwin stirred slightly at the movement, a soft sound escaping from him before he settled down once more. Wordlessly, Billy rolled onto his side, spooning up against Edwin and sliding an arm around him. He wouldn't be surprised if he was pushed away, but he wanted a chance to reassure the medic that he, at least, wasn't angry anymore.

Although he was more asleep then awake, Edwin was vaguely aware of the warm body against his and he instinctively shifted a bit to press back closer to it, another small sound escaping from him. Billy nuzzled the back of Edwin's neck with a faint smile, and closed his eyes as he felt the beginnings of sleep tugging at him.

Thump, thump . . . the pulsing mass continued its steady rhythm . . . Thump, thump . . . the beat strong as it pumped blood throughout the huge, misshapen body, giving life to the grotesque creature. Thump, thump . . . He could hear it, the sound loud and unwavering as the creature drew closer, the steady tattoo mixed with the scratching sound of the thing’s claws as they dragged on the ground, the razor sharp talons cutting trails into the floor as the creature continued to move towards him.

Thump, thump . . . he could feel his own heart beating in his chest, each constriction poised in time with the panting breaths that escaped from his slightly parted lips. He was trapped, with no where left to run, with nothing between him and the slowly advancing monstrosity. The thing seemed to be taking it’s time, almost as if it knew that its quarry had run out of options. Thump, thump . . . the sound seemed to drown out everything, with only his own panting breaths and the hissing snick of the creature’s claws along the ground. Thump, thump . . . like the tolling of a death knell . . . thump, thump . . . the impossibly long arm reaching out for him . . . thump, thump . . . he didn’t even have time for a final scream before the pointed dagger-like claws speared him and pinned him to the wall . . .

His heart beating wildly in his chest, Lifeline started awake, his hand going to his chest while his breath came in panting gasps. ‘God . . ‘

Billy roused a little as Lifeline jerked as he woke. "Hnn? Edwin?" He murmured softly, the words slurred.

It had been months since Edwin had dreamed of the Tyrant, the Umbrella-created monstrosity that had been after Billy when the two had first met. Even then, they had never been as vivid as this one. It was almost as if he could hear and feel the beat of the thing’s massive heart, the organ located outside of its chest and clearly visible. While they had slept, Edwin had shifted in his sleep, turning towards Billy and curling up against him, his head resting on the Marine’s chest. “G-Go back to s-sleep,” he said softly not wanting to wake Billy over something as trivial as a nightmare.

"M'kay," was the still bleary response as sleep pulled the Marine back down into its warm depths, his arms wrapping around Edwin as he did.

Settling back into his lover’s embrace, Edwin rested his head on Billy’s muscular chest as his body slowly came back down, his breathing and heartbeat returning to normal before he once again closed his dark eyes. As he lay there, the side of his face pressed against the warm tanned skin of the Marine’s chest, Lifeline could hear the beating of Billy’s heart, the sound steady, the rhythm deep and strong. As he listened however, the medic began to frown.

Thump, thump . . .

Lifeline’s frown deepened.

Thump, thump . . .

The sound began to permeate the medic’s thoughts.

Thump, thump . . .

Lifting his head a little, Edwin looked up at Billy. ‘No, can’t be.’ After a few moments, he put his ear back to the Marine’s chest, closing his eyes as he listened carefully. Several minutes later, the medic opened his eyes and pulled back a bit, his gaze going back to Billy’s sleeping, shadowed face. Listening to the beat of the Marine’s heart, Lifeline had immediately been struck by the volume of it. Without a stethoscope to listen properly, the medic couldn’t be sure, but it was almost as if there was the resonance of an echo – like a mirror beat. Billy’s heart also seemed to be beating a bit faster than it normally should for someone who was relaxed and asleep. If it troubled Billy, the Marine gave no sign, his face expressionless as he slept.

The frown still marring his face, Edwin was tempted to slip out of bed to retrieve the scope in his field med kit, but thought better of it. He doubted that Billy would appreciate him trying to “play doctor” in the middle of the night. After several minutes, his gaze on the sleeping brunette, Lifeline was just about to resettle himself when the stillness of the room was broken by the loud trilling of a Joe-issued wrist communicator.

The sound woke Billy as well, whose hand immediately reached for his own communicator, laying on the nightstand. Slipping away from the Marine, Edwin stretched out his arm, his fingers scrabbling on the other nightstand for both his comm and his glasses. Flicking the device on, he spoke into it. “Lifeline here,” he said as he settled the wire rims on his face. Billy propped himself up on one elbow, still too groggy to be fully aware, but forcing his eyes open regardless.

“Guess what buddy?” Main Frame’s voice floated out of the comm’s speaker. “You’re it.”

“Got it,” the medic said as he pushed back the bed covers and swung his long legs over so that his feet were touching the floor.

“You got twenty minutes.” The link went dead.

That brought Billy around, and he watched Edwin quietly. "...sounds heavy..." he managed to murmur.

As soon as Main Frame’s voice had faded, Lifeline was on his feet and heading towards the closet. Pulling open the door, he hastily grabbed a pair of athletic shoes and began to slip them on. “I wonder what’s going on,” he said before leaning down to tighten the laces on his shoes before tying them.

"...Need a ride in?" Billy offered.

The medic shook his head as he made his way back over to the bed, grabbing his watch from the nightstand and strapping it on. “It’s probably better if I go alone,” he said as he did the same with the communicator.

Billy nodded at that; it did make better sense, when he rolled it over in his head again. He watched the medic as he strapped on the watch and the communicator. He wanted to apologize for his behavior earlier that night. It seemed wrong, somehow, to let Edwin walk away with that kind of tension between them. He was a soldier; there was always a chance he wouldn't come home. But try as Billy might, the words just wouldn't come. "...Be careful."

Lifeline looked at Billy, a faint smile turning up the edges of his mouth a bit as he nodded his head slightly. “You can stay the rest of the night if you want.”

The Marine returned the smile with a slight one of his own. "Thanks."

“Doesn’t make much sense to get up and drive back to the base just to go back to bed.” Moving over to the dresser, Edwin grabbed his dog tags, slipping the chain over his dark head before tucking the silvery-gray tags under the collar of his t-shirt. Reaching for his wallet, he grabbed it in his hand before moving towards the doorway and heading towards the living room.

Billy slipped from the bed, padding on silent feet up behind the medic and embracing him briefly from behind. Again, he tried to apologize, that sense of urgency not to let Edwin leave without hearing it nagging at him. And again, he failed to get the words out as he released the medic and stepped back a little. "Hey," Edwin said as he turned to face the Marine. “Try not to worry too much, okay? I don't want you giving yourself an ulcer or something while I'm gone." The medic smiled faintly as he echoed the same words that Billy had said to him a couple of months ago.

"Worry? About you?" Billy replied with a faint smile, echoing Edwin's reply from that same night.

Lifeline’s smile widened for a moment as he looked at the other man. “I gotta go,” he said after a few moments before turning away to retrieve his keys from the coffee table. Knowing that he could be called out with a moment’s notice, Edwin kept a duffel bag loaded with his field med kit, an extra uniform and various other odds and ends so that he could be ready to move within minutes of getting a call up. Billy said nothing more, watching as Edwin grabbed the bag and his keys. Moving towards the door, Lifeline reached for the knob and turned to look at the Marine one last time. “Go back to bed,” he instructed, smiling faintly at the other man.

"I will."

Framed in the doorway, Lifeline paused for a moment his dark eyes still on Billy before he quietly turned and headed out, pulling the door closed behind him. Billy turned away from the door once it was closed, a weight settling over his heart. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd made some terrible mistake, and prayed to any deity that might still listen to him that he was wrong. Tossing the duffel into the passenger seat, Edwin climbed into his vehicle and put the key in the ignition, his eyes going up to the curtained window of the condo for a moment before he clicked the seatbelt into place. Putting the Jeep in gear, he then hit the gas.
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Unsung Heroes: Mission One