Ashlee leaned against a jeep and watched her unit getting ready to leave. She saw Amanda talking it up and felt worse since they hadn’t spoken for two days. Amanda looked over her shoulder seeing Ashlee alone and headed over.
“you ok” asked Amanda
“I don’t know…. I watch you go and it get so much harder.”
Amanda nodded “look the other day, I’m sorry. I should not”
Ashlee grabbed Amanda by her jacket and pulled her out of sight and launched an assault on her lips. Amanda didn’t resist and returned the kiss.
“just come back to me please” breathed out Ashlee then she left.
Ashlee finished lunch and was heading back to communications when her name was called. She turned around to see it was her doctor.
“hey Doctor James how you been.”
“I’m good Ashlee, but are you ok. Are you still having problems with the neck”
“no…. I'm good why.”
Ashlee tore apart Amanda tent looking for something. She upended her cot and pulled out folder and opened it. She collapsed onto the cot and cried.
Amanda got from the vehicle with a spring in her step. She sees a dull light in her tent and smiled making her way. She gets inside to find Ashlee sitting in her chair with a folder open and freezes
“Ashlee, before you get up set.”
Ashlee exploded “I'm beyond upset, I’m fucking ready to kill you, you fucking bitch. You kept this from me” throwing it down
Amanda shifted uncomfortably “yeh but”
“for two weeks I’d been cleared for duty, two fucking weeks and you sat on it. You had no right” voice creeping higher
“Now wait a minute physically yes, but mentally, emotionally I don’t think you’re ready and you are my responsibility”
“That’s bullshit, why would you do this to me…… I want to return to active duty”
“No” military voice of Amanda
“No….why not”
“because….. I don’t think you are ready”
“bullshit…that’s just bullshit what’s the real reason”
“I don’t particular like your tone private” bellowed Amanda trying to restore command
Ashlee walked up to her “ohhh no don’t you dare pull this commanding officer crap on me, ….this is personal so tell me”
Amanda backed away “because I can’t go through what happened to you again. It was the worse day of my life, I can’t always be there to protect you”
Ashlee groaned as her worse fears came true
“I can’t do my job if I’m worrying about you out there, if you are going to return.” Amanda’s tone became hoarse “I couldn’t stand having to identify your body in the morgue”
Ashlee shook her head “then we have a problem and only one solution” she walked to Amanda’s filing box and pulled out blue paper and puts it in front of Amanda
Amanda looks at it “I’m not signing you a transfer”
“yes you are, you have to. This…us is going to get someone killed and you think I could live with myself if it was you, I’ve already been through that once before. You were right, two people in the same unit should never be intimate.”
“Ashlee just listen to me”
“sign the form Amanda”
“no I will not”
“then you leave me no alternative but to go over your head to Colonel Higgins and request it.”
Amanda laughs “and what grounds are you going to give to over rule my command”
“I’ll tell him the truth that I’m sleeping with my superior officer.”
Amanda shoved Ashlee back “don’t you dare threaten me”
“Its not a threat, they may charge me but I don’t have stripes, a reputation and career on the line. Are you willing to risk all that”
Amanda defeated
“sign the form, let me go please.”
Tears welled as Amanda signed the form and turned her back. “thank you major” Ashlee saluted but Amanda ignored and listen for the door closing.