A Hero to Love

by Gail Chianese

  “More like avoiding me.”

  Casey shot him a puzzled look.

  “She asked me out, and I didn’t turn her down well.”

  “Man, I warned you.”

  “I know.”

  SECOP stood up and cleared her throat. The room quieted down and she rambled off about Jax’s accomplishments since arriving. Yada, yada, yada. If they could just skip this part, that’d be great. After a dozen years and four commands, he still didn’t feel comfortable being the center of attention at these things.

  “Chief Faraday, if you’ll join me, please?” SECOP asked.

  Jax handed off his plate to Casey, knowing he’d get it back empty.

  “This is to certify that the Secretary of the Navy has awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to Chief Master at Arms Jackson Faraday for meritorious achievement while serving as chief investigator and noncommissioned officer in charge, accident investigation…”

  Jax let her words fade. He’d heard it all before. The first time or two, it was pretty chill, getting your ego stroked by the Navy. If you stuck around long enough, watched others leave and heard the same song and dance, it hit you: Awards aren’t that big of a deal; just another box that had been checked off.

  What really counted was all the things they didn’t or couldn’t talk about: saving a person’s life, stopping a fight before someone got hurt, comforting a child in an accident, and locking up scum who got their kicks harassing others.

  The award was nice, but it didn’t beat the feeling he got when he escorted that jerk Stone to the brig for sexually harassing a female officer this past summer. At least then he was doing something worth mentioning. Not that he wished for more bad stuff to happen. He was just sick of sitting behind a desk. Yeah, it was definitely time to move on.

  The photographer’s camera flashed in his face, and he shook the CO’s hand as she handed him the award.

  Mike stepped forward. “We are here to farewell Chief Faraday. He has decided to leave this great Navy of ours and move onto other things. I know that he’ll succeed in his new role and count myself lucky to have served as his boss. Chief Faraday’s leadership, foresight, and love of the job are second to none. Farewell, shipmate.”

  “You know, Senior, that’s nice, but I’ve got to tell you, I’ve spent two tours with this guy.” Casey pointed to him. “And well, what can I say that hasn’t already been said about this great man? Oh, I know, he’s a quitter. Yes, I said it a Q-U-I-T-T-E-R. Quitter.” Casey slapped him on the shoulder. “He is leaving the great Navy life to be an NCIS agent. Don’t let him fool ya. He isn’t doing it for the adventure, or the love of the job. No, he wants to meet Ziva. There it is. His secret is out of the bag.”

  Jax laughed and punched Casey’s shoulder. “Thanks, man.”

  “But in all seriousness, the Navy is losing a truly outstanding Chief Petty Officer.”

  Mike stepped back up. “I almost forgot. We couldn’t let you leave without a little something to show how proud we are of you and wish you the best of luck. Who’s got it?”

  Sanchez came out from the back of the crowd and handed him a flat, large, package in wrapped in plain brown paper. “I would like to state for the record that this was Chief Thomas’s idea.”

  “That might be my clue to open it when I get home,” Jax said.

  “It’s SECOP-approved,” Casey assured him. “Open it.”

  Jax peeled off the paper and laughed. It was a framed poster of Gibbs’s rules.

  “Remember, with every slap of the head, I’m there saying told you so.” Casey laughed.all right

  MA3 Moore came in and spoke softly to the senior chief. Jax wouldn’t have noticed it, except for the anxious look on his face. Moore was supposed to be manning the phones so Kelly could join them for the party. But she’d never showed up. Mike said something that sent Moore scurrying out of the room.

  Shit. It didn’t take much to put two and two together, and for the activity and conversation in the room to come to a dead stop.

  “Senior?” the CO asked.

  “We have a situation, ma’am. We’ve got a report of an abandoned bag in front of building one eighteen.”

  “You heard the man. All hands on deck, people,” SECOP said.

  The command scattered, and Jax headed for the door.

  Casey grabbed his arm. “Where the hell are you going?”

  “That’s the clinic. Risa’s in there.”

  Casey blocked his way. “I know. What are you going to do? Run over there, play the big hero, and possibly get yourself and her blown up? Come on, man. Think. You and I both know, some kid probably dropped his bag and forgot it. But we’ve got protocols for a reason.”

  Chapter 20

  Jax was suited up—Kevlar vest, helmet and jacket—to keep him safe from any explosive debris. They’d set up barriers blocking cars and people from the area and were waiting for the dogs to arrive for a perimeter check. No one was going in and no one was coming out. The occupants had been ordered away from the front of the building, but until the EOD guys got there and they knew what they were dealing with, it wasn’t safe to try to evacuate the building.

  “What the hell is taking so long? It’s an unmanned bag, not a fucking ball,” he muttered.

  “Chill, Jax. They’ll be here in a minute.” Casey walked away to check on one of the new kids.

  Jax couldn’t stand still. He paced, straining his eyes to see the K-9 unit coming down the road. He checked his watch and tapped his earpiece.

  The damn bag was probably a dud, like Casey said—wouldn’t be the first time—or another prank meant to harass Risa. If only he could talk to her, check in and make sure she was all right, let her know he was there and had her six. She had to be scared to death inside.

  If it were another attack on Risa, he’d make it his mission to hunt them down.

  “Clear the way,” Mike called into his earpiece.

  Jax ordered the men to clear the barricade. Back-up had arrived.

  Gunner Enders, who was on loan to train the crew, nodded toward the building. “Is there just the one package?”

  “From what we’ve been able to ascertain, sir,” Jax replied.

  “Petty Officer Knight, you’re up. Remember, let your dog do his thing. If Buster gives you the signal, the two of you get your asses back here and we send in the robot. Got it?”

  “Yes, sir.” Knight was new, but she was intelligent and, even more important in Jax’s mind, had common sense. She wouldn’t try to play the hero.

  Gunnar looked over his shoulder, never really taking his eyes off of Knight. “Petty Officer Loveless, I want that robot up and ready to go, the minute she gives us the signal.”

  “Yes, sir,” Loveless replied.

  “Gunner, you see many of these stateside?” Jax asked, hoping to ease his mind. Gunner was one of the best, and he had the chest candy to prove it. They had crossed paths in the sandbox, and Jax wouldn’t hesitate to put his life in the other man’s hands.

  “Nah, not on a base. Off base, yeah, but mostly at airports, outside recruiting offices, or public places where the media could capture the drama for the world to see.”

  “This isn’t an unannounced training exercise, is it, sir?”

  Gunner studied him. Jax felt like every thought he had was written across his face. Finally, Gunner looked back to the scene. “Who’s in the building?”

  His whole life.

  “Vet, her assistant, and I think one client with her dog. And probably a couple of baby goats.”

  “Goats?”

  “Harlequin and Totes Magoats.”

  “Nice.” He stroked his chin, watching every step Knight made. “Didn’t I hear some rumor about the two of you being involved?”

  “Me and the goats? We’re acquainted.” It was easier to joke than to
face his fears.

  Gunner laughed. “We’ll get them out of there soon.” He signaled to Loveless to bring the robot forward and walked over to give the kid instructions.

  Jax’s insides burned. This shit was taking too damn long. He needed to talk to Risa, to see her face, to hold her again. He needed to tell her he loved her and he’d do whatever it took to make it work for them.

  Knight returned with Buster. “No signal, but something doesn’t feel right, sir.”

  “Petty Officer Loveless, send the robot in. Chief, have them send the people inside to the back of the building, just in case. My gut is telling me it’s a hoax, but I’m not taking chances.”

  Jax turned and radioed his chain of command. They would call the clinic on the landline. No cell phones allowed, because their signals could set off a device.

  Loveless steered the robot forward, and Jax held his breath. He shifted his position to get a better view, and something on the backpack caught his attention.

  “Casey, I need you to check on something for me.” Jax called his friend over and explained what he saw and needed.

  “On it, my man.”

  * * * *

  Risa gathered Corrie, Daisy-Mae the teacup poodle, and her owner into the farthest corner from the front door. They’d flipped two of the steel exam tables on their sides and hauled them to the back for use as cover. She didn’t know if it would work, but she’d seen it in a movie and thought it couldn’t hurt.

  Then she prayed. And thought of Jax.

  She had no idea if he was even still in the area or if he was halfway to Georgia. After seeing her parents off on Monday, she’d promised herself to get back to living life to the fullest, and that included no more window-stalking. But right then, with her life possibly in the balance, all she wanted was to hear Jax’s smooth, silky southern accent again. To look into his striking hazel eyes and see the laughter and warmth. To tell him she was sorry… so, so very sorry for being a jerk.

  She didn’t think they had any chance of fixing things. He was still leaving, and she had too many commitments to pick up and follow, but maybe they could try. Not all long-distance relationships failed, right?

  Better not to even go there.

  Still, she could apologize.

  “What’s taking so long?” Daisy-Mae’s owner asked. “Surely, all they have to do is look inside. It can’t really be a bomb. Who’d want to blow up the veterinary clinic?”

  Risa met Corrie’s silent gaze. “It’s probably a training op. Actually, I’m pretty sure I saw something in the morning notes about drills being conducted base-wide this week.”

  Daisy-Mae’s mom relaxed and sat back to cuddle her dog. “Don’t mind me, girls. Sometimes you get to a certain age and you forget what it was like, and the changes can be a little disconcerting. Why, just look at you two. You’re both calm as a cucumber.”

  “Yep, that’s us. Seasoned pros, but I bet you had some action in your day, Mrs. M.,” Corrie said, soothing the woman.

  “I was an Army nurse serving in the South China Sea during Vietnam. Met Mr. M. while we were both on leave. Those were some days, but we survived and have had a wonderful life together. Although it wasn’t all peaches and cream. Nope, it was more like a walk through a wild rose garden, filled with obstacles, thorns, and sweet times.”

  “Was he Army too?” Talking seemed to keep the woman calm, and even Corrie relaxed a little.

  “Oh no, Bill was Navy. Retired as a commander. We’ve been together for forty-eight years, married for forty-seven, which is a miracle given we hardly saw each other that first year. I was stationed at one of the hospitals, and he was on a boat patrolling the area. We were lucky if we saw each other one day every couple of weeks. Sometimes we went months.”

  “But you didn’t give up on each other?” Risa forgot about the potential bomb at her front door; this woman had the secret to her life.

  Mrs. M. chuckled. “We had our share of fights. He’s a Scorpio and they’re intense, passionate people. But I’m an Aries and as stubborn as they come. I’d yell, and he’d storm off, and the next time he pulled into port, we’d apologize and fall into each other’s arms.”

  If they could survive a war and separation, maybe there was hope for her and Jax after all. No, there was no “maybe” about it; there was hope, if she survived the possible bomb. The other two started talking about knitting, a subject Risa knew zip about. Her mind went back to the device at her door. Why the clinic? Was it because of her? Had she been targeted again? By whom? And when would the torment bloody stop?

  It was no secret she wasn’t a fan of Salvador Rossi’s, but he had no motive for planting a bomb. Sure, she could see him stooping so low as to spray graffiti on her car or house or even slash her tires. Juvenile pranks. But this? Way out of his league. Despite Officer Grumpy Pants’s opinion, she hadn’t been sleeping in someone else’s bed, which ruled out a jealous lover. Maybe it was an animal activist group? Not everyone approved of military working dogs.

  The clinic would be an easier target than the kennel, and if you were fighting for the animals’ rights, you wouldn’t actually put them in danger. The thought swam around and marinated in her brain. It had merit. Even when the person trashed her house, none of her animals were hurt. And it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that she could have been followed home one day, which would explain the connection. Now that she thought about it, there were a few customers who had voiced their concern over the ethics of using animals for the military.

  She’d have to remember to tell Jax when this ordeal was over.

  Then it hit her: He was gone. Her heart broke all over again.

  The dreaded tears flowed silently down her cheeks. God, she hated crying, but she couldn’t seem to control her emotions anymore.

  Mrs. M. took her hand. “Don’t worry, hon. They’ll finish up soon enough, and then we can all go home and have a nice shot of Jack in our tea.”

  Risa planned to have a whole lot more than a shot. Screw this living life to the fullest. She was tired of pretending she was all right.

  The bell over the front door jingled and heavy boots hit the floor. “Risa!”

  Corrie and Mrs. M. exchanged smiles. “Looks like it’s tea time,” Corrie said.

  Risa looked up into a pair of striking hazel eyes and froze.

  Jax.

  “Hi.” He smiled softly, uncertainty filling his eyes. “It’s over.”

  “Was it Salvador Rossi?” she asked.

  He looked over his shoulder and back. “No. I’ll explain later.”

  Risa sighed in relief. She knew it wasn’t just the one incident he was talking about. “Looks like you’ve come to my rescue again, Scout.”

  “It’s what us good guys do.” He helped up Mrs. M., scratched Daisy-Mae behind her ears, then assisted Corrie. Once the other two women had moved off, he held out his hand to Risa. “I’m sorry. I should have told you from the start. Forgive me,” he said.

  The room was filling with people. Mrs. M. and Corrie had been escorted out, while a German shepherd sniffed around. Bloody hell, did they suspect another bomb, but inside? Whatever. She didn’t care because Jax was there, and he’d keep her safe, just like he always did.

  “I’ll forgive you if you forgive me. You never promised me forever, and I acted like a—”

  “No, I didn’t, but that’s what I want… forever with you.”

  “What are you saying, Jax?”

  “I love you, Risa.” He took her hands in his, kissed them both, and pulled her close. “Standing outside with you in here, not knowing if I’d see you again, was the scariest moment of my life. I don’t ever want to feel that way again. I want to know you’ll be there in the morning when I wake up, and again when I close my eyes. I want you in my arms, to hear you laugh and swear—”

  “I don’t really swear,” she s
aid.

  He laughed. “Yes, you do, a lot, and I don’t care. I love that about you, along with your tender heart that rescues abandoned goats.”

  “They miss you.” She fought back tears again.

  “I miss you. If taking the job with NCIS means I have to give you up, it’s not my dream job. Nothing is worth losing you over.”

  The hollow spot in the center of her chest filled with warmth. Jax pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Never before had she felt so wanted, so loved.

  “You have to take the job. You’ve worked too hard to give it up. We can survive a long-distance relationship until I sell the house.”

  “I’m not sure why you’d want to sell your house, but I’d hardly call Groton to Ledyard long distance,” he said.

  “Jax, you can’t turn down the job.” She’d never forgive herself.

  “Okay, but even if I take the job, I’m coming back here. Groton is my assignment. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Oh, God. She banged her head against his Kevlar vest and man, did that hurt. “I’m such an idiot. Tell me how I can make it up to you,” she said.

  “Marry me, Risa Reynolds. Make a home with me, here, or in Arizona, or wherever you want. As long as it has a big backyard for a swing set and room for the menagerie.”

  “I think I can do that.” She kissed him, and everyone in the room clapped. Risa laughed instead of cried. “I love you, Jackson Faraday.”

  He kissed her back, and when she opened her eyes, he was smiling, and the dreaded tears flowed. She didn’t even try to hold them back.

  Epilogue

  Five months later, on a crisp spring evening, Jax and Risa snuggled on the double lounger, with a fire in the pit and the stars twinkling overhead. Morpheus was curled up next to Risa’s legs. Athena, Eir, and Bella were in a puppy pile on the second lounger they’d bought for their growing fur family. Harle and Totes bleated softly to Tiny and Peewee, the miniature horses they’d rescued over the winter.