Wounds

Posted on Sun Oct 18th, 2015 @ 10:33am by Master Warrant Officer Gaius Aquila & Lieutenant Commander Holly Gillo

1,390 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 89 - Futility's Return
Location: Aquila's Quarters
Timeline: MD2, 1800 hrs

After seeing to his team, his equipment, and Jackson, Giaus finally had time to see his boys, and hopefully Holly. Even though the Marines suffered heavy casualties on this mission, Star Fleet had their own share of dead and wounded, though not on the same scale. He hoped that Holly was unscathed from the battle. He was also exhausted, both physically and mentally, not to mention the images of the ground fight against the Borg were fresh in his mind. When he got to his quarters, he could not remember his own access code, so he hit the door chime.

Inside the quarters, Titus and Octavian waited impatiently for their father's return. To their knowledge, the Borg were the most dangerous of the barbarians to roam the galaxy. It did not help that Octavian tuned on to video footage of the Saratoga disembarking the Marines she held in the hope of catching a glimpse of their father. Instead, they caught images of injured Marines being carried away from the docking port door, along with many body bags.

Holly was not one to really let things bother her but war was something that deeply troubled her. Both in the past and present since she was starting to develop bonds again with people. Mentally she was yelling at herself for doing it but at the same time she knew that it was only natural for her to bond with people who lives were mixed in with her own.

The ship docked into port and they were dismissed not too far afterwords to go and get rest. All the while images of the injured and killed being carried off ships burned in her mind as her thoughts tormented her as to were Giaus really was. She didn't see his name on the lists but then again they could conceal marine numbers. Shaking her head she went about to find Giaus and the boys as she knew by now he would be with them.

Tracing the corridors by heart she went about to find his quarters and to find him hopefully alive. She was tracking so quickly it was as if she were on her old ship looking for her command officer after a shoot out or something of that nature. Her thoughts were briefly in the past so much so that she almost ran into a crewmen only to avoid him last second and then to arrive at corridor that held his quarters in it. Frozen at the juncture she stood there for a moment before taking in a deep breath and calmly walking down the corridor. Not sure of what she would be greeted with.

The boys rushed and opened the door, but they stopped in their tracks at the first glimpse of their father. Giaus was still covered in dirt of battle, and his eyes appeared to be looking right through them. Titus was the first to give Giaus a hug, followed by Octavian. That is when they saw Holly coming up the corridor. Giaus stood in place as the boys rushed to greet her with hugs.

Holly didn't recall going down the corridor but she must have because the next thing she knew was that she had two young men clinging onto her. She was frozen for a few before she went into motion kissing each boy on the forehead as she hugged them. Reassuring them silently that they were both really here and not some figment of their imagination.

Looking at Giaus for a few noticing that he was still covered in dirty and smelled like he just came off the field she tried to read what was going on, but failed as her own emotions drove her actions next. Not one to ever have family or another person in her life the motions almost scared her as to how naturally they flowed and how quickly they happened. She went from hugging onto the boys to hugging onto Giaus in an attempt to get him to be responsive to the world around him. She didn't know if it was going to work but she was going to hug him till he moved.

Giaus immediately held her tight. His sons joined the embrace. He still did not say a word, but he motioned for them to move into the quarters. As soon as the door closed behind them, he collapsed to his knees, and started crying uncontrollably. He was no longer in "business mode".

Holly made sure that the boys where in quarters before the door shut and before she could even say a word to any of them Giaus was on his knees letting out everything he was holding in. Torn as to what to do first she spoke to the boys, " How about you get some clean cloths and something to help clean up your father while I try to help him out?" She wasn't sure how the boys would respond to their Dad being like that but she was attempting to figure this all out.

Doing the one thing that she knew wouldn't upset him she slipped herself into his arms and let him berry his face in her shoulder. She was going to wait for him to respond back to her before even speaking a word to him. What he saw down there would shake anyone to the core. She just hoped that she was doing the right thing as their worlds were different on how to deal with such things.

Giaus' thoughts were running rampant in his mind. This battle does not even have a name yet, but he heard other Marines call it Death Valley. Jackson wounded, Manaj and T'Krit dead. Then other names started running through his mind. MacPeirson, Chen, Gorawlski, Lamferdini, etc... But these were names from AR558, and Cardassia Prime. Borg, Jem'Hadar, Breen, they all looked the same in these thoughts. He held himself together this whole time, since 2374 onward, until now. He looked directly into Holly's eyes, half wishing she would read his mind. He tried to speak, but words did not come out of his mouth.

Holly could see the struggle in his mind and made it a rule not to read peoples thoughts unless they wanted her to. Her eyes held no color in them but black as the full Betazoid was out in her. She was witnessing the man who held her heart struggle and she was fighting herself as to how far to help him. There was silence in the room for a long time before she spoke. Hoping to reassure him of where he was at.

"Giaus, you're home. You're safe. The boys are safe. I'm right here. I'll do everything I can to help you. Just show me what I need to do."

She didn't care he was covered in dirt and getting her dirty in the process. All she cared about was holding and reassuring him that he was safe here. There was a reason why he was breaking now and in time he would be able to express it. For now she just held onto him and let him attempt to process everything.

It took a few minutes for Giaus to regain his composure, and he looked into Holly's eyes, "Sorry."

Holly looked right into his eyes and spoke,"Don't be sorry about showing emotion. I would have been more concern if you didn't." She rubbed his shoulders re-assuredly. "The boys are in the other room attempting to figure out what you would like to wear and how you would like your bath." She then put her hand up to her face getting some of her own tears out of there that she didn't even know she had shed. " I know you just got home but I thought you might want to get cleaned up, and I'll help you whatever way you want me to." She looked down at the floor before looking back at him, "I know it's hard to move right now but I'm going to be with you every step of the way." She then smiled a little before adding, "Us marines got to stick together."

Giaus looked up at her. "Yes, especially in the case of us". He gave her light kiss on the lips. Smiling, he asked, "So, you were saying something about getting me cleaned up?

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