Quiet Recriminations

Posted on Wed Jul 3rd, 2024 @ 4:25am by Serena Reynolds DR & Timothy Reynolds [Captain, US Army]

1,456 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Blazer
Timeline: TBD

As the small convoy pulled out of Bangor, Serena sat in the driver's seat, basically refusing to move. It made a bit more sense after all, as Timothy had the skills with weapons she did not. She waited until they had been driving for a few minutes before giving him a death glare.

"Watch the road," Tim said as he checked on their son. "I know," he said quietly. "I thought the same thing as soon as I got up in the water tower and saw your face."

Serena glared at the road ahead. "Oh you had the same thought? Tim you simply walked off, not one word to me, this is not like you going on deployment! Patrick and I are not safe at home. This world is not stable and you just walked away without a look back!" She gritted out the words between her clenched teeth.

He cringed at her tone as he nodded and replied. "I know, Babe! I'm sorry! I was just doing what I have been trained to do. I'm a sniper. I provide overwatch for friendlies, and use my long gun to take out the enemy before they get too close." His voice softened as he repeated himself. "I'm sorry."

She gave him a look and the returned her gaze to the road. "You'd be even more sorry if we had been killed or turned." She retorted. "I have never had an issue with your job, and you know it, but if you EVER do that again, You will be bunking elsewhere."

Feeling properly chastised, the tough Ranger took his ass chewing from his beautiful and highly intelligent wife. "I understand." He then grinned softly, despite the situation, possibly due to the fact that he had stared death in the eyes more than he could count. "You sure you weren't a Drill Sergeant before we met?" He was trying to make her smile, even just a little.

"New Yorker, remember!" Serena replied her lips twitching as she kept her gaze on the road. "We don't take any crap."

He chuckled softly as he reached over and gently caressed his wife's right thigh. "And I wouldn't want you to he anything other than yourself, babe." He smiled softly, then glanced back at Patrick, sniffing the air some. "Uh oh...seems someone is in need of changing."

As Serena continued to drive. Timothy unbuckled and climbed into the rear area of the Blazer. "Try to keep her steady, Babe."

"I will do my best." Serena replied, "but if there are Walkers then do not expect miracles."

As he made a space to change their son on, the Ranger grinned again. "Aw, come on now...can't be any worse than driving through the City."

"Normally cars don't bleed when you hit them." She quipped. "Wipes are in the diaper bag, outside pocket."

He grinned again, then nodded. "Thanks." He then carefully lifted young Patrick from his carrier and laid him down on the seat. In a few minutes, he had been cleaned and changed, his onesie changed out for another as well. Timothy then pulled out a bottle of formula and carefully feed him. "Whatever it takes, I will keep you both safe, Babe." He said softly to Serena.

"Just remember not to do what you did. I get that the Major is your superior but really Tim, it's very different now."

Timothy nodded slightly. "Yes and no. While there really isn't any form of leadership anymore, we are still, all of us, doing what is necessary to survive. My skills are best used up in a perch or somewhere that I can use my rifle to reach out and stop the enemy, whomever they are now."

She glanced back at him. "Your family is in this now, Tim." she reminded him. "I know what you are good at, how can I not know? But really, please think of us. He does not need to grow up without you."

Looking down at Patrick, Timothy smiled as he watched their baby boy enjoying his bottle of formula. "I know, Babe," he replied quietly, letting out a soft sigh of quiet emotion. "Everything I did before today, was to keep both the two of you, and our country, safe. Today, and for the rest of my tomorrows, the only thing that matters to me is protecting my family." He looked up into the rearview mirror, to look into Serena's eyes. "But, if that means that I have to leave your side for time, to ensure you are as safe as I can make you, then you need to trust me when those times come up." It wasn't a demand, the look in his eyes showed that, while he hadn't liked leaving them, his training and experience told him that it had been the right move, at the time.

She did trust him, but the events of the day had still shaken her. She merely nodded. This hell was only going to get worse she feared as she concentrated on her driving.

Seeing the look in her eyes, Timothy spoke softly to her. "I love you, Serena. You and PJ, with every fiber if my being. We will get through this, I know it in my soul. Any other outcome...well...there is no other outcome." Now that Patrick had finished his bottle, Timothy first put the bottle in a side pocket of the diaper bag. They'd have to figure out how to properly sterilize it later. He then carefully burped their son, before securing him back into his car seat, making sure he was covered, had his pacifier and his favorite teddy bear, before moving back up into the passenger seat and rebuckling his seat belt. He then picked up the shotgun and held it secure, between his legs, the barrel pointed down at the floorboard.

Serena's hands were clenched on the steering wheel as she concentrated. "And to think when they advertised for doctors to go to Afghanistan I considered it... this is going to be worse."

Tim nodded as he replied quietly. "Yeah... yeah it is. It's more than just zombies that we have to worry about. There will be other survivors out there, who will want what we have, even if all we have is a can of dig food" he looked over at her and added, his voice taking on a protective edge, "and you, as a woman of breeding age, you have more than a can of dog food."

"Breeding" she snorted. "I am not that well bred." She shrugged.

This caused Tim to chuckle softly. "You know what I mean, Babe." He reached over and gently squeezed her right thigh again. "So long as I am breathing, I'll kill any man who tries to touch you like that."

"Thank you, and if a woman tries the same they may learn how low I can go." Serena smiled at him.

"Oh, I already know how low you can go," he replied with a flirty wink. "But yes. Just because the world as we know it has ended, that doesn't mean our wedding vows have. You are the only woman for me."

She reached out and shoved at him gently. "I do hope so." She drawled. "It would pain me to have to gut you," She sent him a smirk.

Timothy had to cover his mouth, to stifle his laughter, so as not to wake their son. When he calmed down, he replied, a happy grin on his face. "Oh, believe me. While I'm trained to do it quickly, I have zero doubt that you could make the process slow and agonizing." He winked again. "Remind me never to get on the bad side of your scalpel."

Serena merely smiled at him. He could always make her smile. "Keep an eye out would you?" she reminded him.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied in his best southern flirt voice. He then turned his eyes back out to the road and vehicles in front of them, then to the land on either side of them. With Edward's work truck behind them, he wasn't worried about anyone sneaking up on the Blazer.

Serena wished the radio worked, but there was no signal and there was no CD player in the Blazer. Her car, back home had the CD player, and a bunch of CD's for Patrick in its centre console. Not that her car would be suitable for this type of thing. Their house in Clarksville was probably already destroyed, probably bombed like other towns. She bit her lip. She would NOT cry about a house, a home she had been building with her husband. Serena would save the tears for the darkness.

Off

 

RSS Feed