Page 95 of Under Fire

“You sure you can’t leave?” he asked.

She shot him a look. “No, I have to finish my shift. I just got here.”

“When are you done?”

“Never.”

He felt his chest tightening. He moved into her. “We need to talk.”

“I can’t right now. Look… I’m serious.” She waved her hands, stopping him in his tracks. Then she lowered her voice. “I don’t want to cry today, Warren.”

He gritted his teeth, knowing that pushing wasn’t going to do him any favors.

Letting out an exhausted breath, Alisa reached into her pocket. She pulled out his house key, trying to hand it to him.

He refused to take it.

“It’s your key. I’ll stay at Maria’s while you’re gone,” she said.

“I’m not leaving.” He tightened his fists.

“What?” Her head cocked, and it was clear that she was confused. The key dangled from her finger between them.

“I’m staying.”

“I don’t understand.”

Her lips parted, searching for words. He laughed, too amused for the moment.

“I don’t know how else to explain this to you. I couldn’t be any more specific. I’m not leaving. I’m not getting back on that plane. Master chief thought I was having a heart attack on the tarmac and has convinced himself I’m a broken toy. He’s offering me med leave, getting off this deployment.”

“And?”

“I’m taking it.”

“But…your troops?”

He ran his hand through his hair, reflecting on the issue. “Look… I don’t feel good about abandoning them, but I’ve just got a bunch of messages from the guys worrying that I’m dying, supporting me staying back.”

“You weren’t having a heart attack,” she said, her eyes wide. “I would have picked up on that.”

“I know. I wasn’t, really.”

“Then, what?” She tripped on her words. “Psychosomatic pain?”

“What? Come on. You’re a doctor. Can’t you figure it out?”

He shook his head, knowing full well he almost broke his own heart. He was seconds from letting that ramp draw up, hauling ass back to the battlefield, never to look back.

“I’m not a doctor yet,” she explained. “My final exams are next month and I’m hoping to be a radiologist.”

“Alisa, I didn’t know that’s what you were gunning for.”

“You didn’t ask.”

“Things are starting to make sense now.”

She stepped backward, one foot closer to the entrance to the hospital. He followed her, hearing Katy giggling in the background, apparently finding their cat and mouse game amusing.

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