Chapter 2

Throughout the week Jade had kept as far away from the sergeant's next door which wasn't hard as she was always running around setting up her new home. Her leg was aching, and she knew she needed to be taking it easy, but felt she had to prove to a certain pig-headed man she was fine. 

Jade was in the middle of painting her bedroom when a loud racket was heard from next door. Groaning, she listened to the sound of giggling wanting to throw up. Throughout the last week, she learnt that the wonderful Marcus or Marco liked to have frequent company throughout the whole night and parties that went well past her sleeping time. She didn't need much sleep learning to go with hours without sleep, but it was getting to the point where if she didn't get sleep soon, she would pass out from exhaustion.

Sighing, she looked around her bedroom to see most of it painted. The noises next door grew louder and Jade took this as her chance to leave. She went into her newly painted lounge room and admired the light grey colour that now covered the hideous green that once donned her walls.

Looking at the clock she saw that it was almost dinnertime. As she walked towards the kitchen, she felt her leg collapse under her causing Jade to fall straight to the floor. Not wanting to cry she bit her lip trying to think of anything to get her mind away from the pain radiating up her leg from overworking it. It felt like fire was spreading up her leg and if Jade didn't know any better, she would have thought something snapped by the amount of pain she was in. She knew when she saw her physio he would put her in a full leg brace.

She didn't have her phone on her and had no way of calling anyone for help. Not that she had anyone to call. Jade clutched the top of her thigh where the bullet wound tore right through all the muscle and straight to the bone. Thinking about the wound, Jade's vision started to tunnel in, as the sound of gunshots and yelling echoed throughout the room as it transported her back to her last tour.

Jade did not understand what was going on when Marco and Marcus burst into her room at the sound of her bloodcurdling screams. She did not understand who they were, and all she knew was that they were a threat and she needed to protect her men.

With the rush of adrenalin, she jumped up from where she was sitting and grabbed the knife she always kept on her.

"Stay the fuck away from me, you fuckers." She knew she needed to get a gun, but the ringing sound of a bomb echoed through her deaf ears.

"Jade, it's Marco and Marcus." They said worriedly as they watched her jump to the floor tucking herself into a ball.

"Marcus don't touch her," Marco yelled as Jade lashed out the threat in front of her. Marcus swore clutching his hand he had stretched out the grabbed the knife from Jade, not expecting her to slash it at him.

"Fuck you, you motherfuckers," Jade said as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed to the floor.

When Jade opened her eyes, her throat was dry and sore, while her leg was throbbing like a bitch. Grabbing her head which had a dull ache to it. She sat up too quickly causing all the blood to rush to her head.

"Jesus Christ." She muttered wondering what the hell happened. It felt like she had been out drinking all night and was nursing a hangover. 

"Hey, don't get up to quick." A voice said and Jade turned towards the voice to see Marco coming over with a glass of water.

"What happened?" She asked sculling the glass of cool water, savouring the feeling of the cool liquid running down the back of her throat.

"We heard you screaming and came in to find you in a middle of a flashback. You were out cold or a few hours." Groaning Jade grabbed her head now knowing why it was so sore.

"Wait, you said we?" Jade said and Marco was impressed by how quick thinking she was. Most people came out of these things with a fuzzy mind, unable to put things together for a bit.

"Yes, Marcus was in here too, he was really worried." Jade snorted in a very ladylike fashion knowing he was too busy keeping company next door.

"Sure, the day Marcus worried about me is the day pigs will fly and I will become president." Jade watched as Marco frowned most likely wondering what Marcus did.

"What has he done?" Jade rolled her eyes.

"The late-night guest is one reason," Marco said nothing as Jade went to get up only to fall back onto the couch.

"Careful." Jade waved his hand away and tried again to find she had bloody Bambi legs.

"I don't need your  help." Marco took a step back and held up his arms as he watched Jade struggle to stand up. 

Once Jade was standing and ignoring the pain in her leg as she limped over to her kitchen to grab the much-needed Panadol.

"Are you sure, you are fine?" Jade waved her hand as she swallowed the white tablet.

"Yes, I am fine Marco." Marco gave Jade a worried look before sighing. Jade knew she was being stubborn, but she will be damned if she ever asks for a man's help again. Marco stayed with Jade for another hour, before Jade all but pushed him out of her house demanding she was fine. 

Sighing Jade could finally let out a deep groan of pain she had been holding. Grabbing her crutches which were by the door she hopped over to the kitchen to begin the process of dinner she knew she most likely would not eat. 

Turning on her music to a dull beat she swayed her hips to the beat of the music as she prepared and cooked her dinner for the night. Once she had finished dinner Jade sat in front in front of the tv, but didn't turn it on and ate to the sound of music beating through her house.

That was one thing she missed most when out on a reconnaissance mission. Being able to listen to the sound of heavy or soft beats and the sorrowful sound of lyrics that poured out of singers with such emotion to make one cry. Closing her eyes Jade let her body and mind relax to the sound of music flowing through her apartment.

When Jade woke up the next morning, she found herself covered by warmth and softness, something she wouldn't find sleeping on the couch. Opening her eyes, she realised she was in her room. Frowning she must have sleep-walked into the room, cause last she remembered was sitting on the couch listening to music, which was now turned off. Shaking her head Jade got up and took a quick shower relishing in the warm water dribbling over her aching muscles.

She knew she overworked herself in the last week, but she was proud that her place looked more like home. When the water started to run cold Jade got out and made her way into the kitchen to see last night's dinner still out on the stove and unwashed dishes waiting to be cleaned. Scrunching up her nose at the wasted food, she cleaned up after last night before starting on breakfast. Groaning she realised that there was no food in her fridge and she needed to go shopping. 

Not caring she was in sweats and a baggy jumper she grabbed her keys and crutches before leaving her apartment. As she was leaving it just so happened that her arrogant neighbour was also leaving. Ignoring the arrogant man Jade walked over to the lift and waited for it to arrive hoping that Marcus would take the stairs. Jade sighed when the lift finally came and just as the doors were about to close a hand shot out causing them to reopen again, and in stepped Marcus with a bright smile on his face.

"Well, aren't you a fresh sight to see in the morning?" Jade ignored him and watched as the number went down. When they hit the second floor, she watched from the corner of her eye as Marcus stepped forward and stop the elevator from moving any further.

"Excuse me, what the hell do you think you are doing?" Jade said outraged as Marcus turned to face her.

"What happened to your hand?" Jade said noticing the bandage that was covering his hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He smirked causing Jade's anger to bubble.

"Fine be that way, but I have places to be, so if you don't mind." Jade reached forward to hit the button only for Marcus to push it away.

"It seems my little bird has been avoiding me." Jade rolled her eyes and tried to reach around him again. 

"I am not your little bird now, I don't enjoy repeating myself, I have places to be today." Jade went to move again, but Marcus stopped her with his large body. 

"No, little bird isn't right. You are more like a kitten. Soft and cuddly until her claws come out." He smirked. He enjoyed getting under her skin, he enjoyed watching her get rallied up and all defensive.  

"Excuse me, who the hell do you think you are!" Marcus took a step towards her backing Jade up into the wall. Jade took around trying to escape but found her trapped under his gaze.

"How have you been sleeping? These bags under your pretty eyes tell you not well" Marcus ran his rough, callused finger under her eyes causing Jade breathing to pick up.

"I think you know, you asshole. Now let me go." She demanded but, made no attempt to move.

"You assume it is me keeping you up at night. Did it ever occur to you that maybe my brother likes to have nightly visitors?" Jade thought about it for a second. She didn't know whose room was behind hers, but that still didn't mean she hated the bastard any less

"You wish it was me though, don't you. Do you lay in bed wishing it was you on the other side, in my bed giving yourself up to me? Does it turn you on knowing it could be you if you just give up and admit that you want to fuck me?" He whispered in her ear and Jade snapped out of her haze and despite her injury, she used her training to pin Marcus to the floor.

"You are a fucking asshole. I will never give myself up to you. The day I will be the day Marco turns straight." Jade hissed, pressed the button and got off Marcus as the elevator stopped at the ground floor.

"Have a nice day Marcus," Jade said and left to get her breakfast. Jade went shopping, had some breakfast and make her way back to the apartment with no troubles. Jade checked her watch and sighed when she saw she had to go see her physio in just under an hour. Taking another shower Jade dressed in reasonable clothes before making the 15-minute trip to see her physio. 

Jade was dreading going knowing they would tell her off. However, Jade wasn't dreading the physio as much as she was dreading going to the psychologist after her visit to her physio. Knowing she had no choice Jade left her house again and made it downstairs without a hassle.

She smiled at the doormen who hailed a cab for her knowing she couldn't drive until she was given the all-clear. When the taxi pulled up outside the building Jade gave the man his money and walked into the building. She was already late, but it wasn't her fault traffic was a bitch.

"Jade, Lucas will see you." Jade nodded her head and made her way into Lucas office.

"Hello, Jade. Let's see how your leg is going." Jade rolled up her pants hating the ugly sight of her scarred, burned leg.

"Jade this is not good. Look at how red, hot and swollen this leg is." Lucas gave her a disapproving look before touching it causing Jade to hiss out in pain. Lucas sighed shaking his head at Jade.

"Jade, you will not get better if you keep working your leg. If you keep this up, we will have to give you another surgery." Jade said nothing but sighed.

"I get that, but I can't just sit back and do-nothing Lucas, you know this." Lucas sighed and went to the computer.

"Jade I am going to have to write this up you know." Jade groaned knowing this would set her back a few months as it showed she couldn't look after herself. 

"Please don't do that. I need to be back into work as soon as possible." Lucas shook his head as he wrote on that bloody computer of his.

"I have written up some anti-inflammation cream you will need and apply daily for a week. I am also giving you more pain medication. I will also have to put you in a brace. I know what I promised, but you have been working it too much. So, it's the brace now or another surgery later down the line." Jade nodded her head as they went through more exercise to build up her leg again and he strapped the bloody brace onto her leg giving her no room for movement. She had one of these when she first got out of surgery and thought she was done with the bloody thing.

"It's for the best Jade." She huffed knowing it was true, but she was stubborn.

"How long do I have to wear it?" She asked as she tried to bend her knee which she knew she couldn't do as she stood up getting ready to leave

"At least until our next appointment, remember Jade keep off that leg as much as possible," Lucas said as she was leaving the place. Sighing, Jade was glad to be done with that, but not glad she now had to see the therapist. She was running early, so she sat outside her therapist office waiting for her turn. As she was waiting, she heard the door open and groaned out loud when she saw Marcus leaving the office she was going to enter.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." She mumbled under her breath as Marcus walked over to her.

"What are you doing here?" Marcus growled at her and Jade matched him for his height even if she was shorter.

"That is none of your business Blackwood," Jade replied as they both stared each other.

"Are you following me, kitten?" Jade rolled her eyes as he smirked at her. This man had such a big ego it was unbelievable that he could walk around with all that shit going to his head.

"You wish hot stuff," Jade said patting his chest before looking to the woman who was watching both of them.

"You must be Jade Jennings." Jade shot Marcus a dirty look before smiling at the women.

"Sure am." The women nodded before turning back to Marcus.

"I will see you in a month, Marcus unless you call again." Marcus nodded his head before storming out of the place.

"Arrogant pig," Jade muttered not caring if her therapist heard.

"Shall we Miss Jennings?" Jade cringed but followed the women into the office.

"I am Helen, may I call you Jade?" She questioned and Jade nodding, looking around the room before taking a seat on the couch.

"So, Jade tell me about yourself and why you are here?" Jade made a face showing she hated talking about herself.

"Not much to say, I am a single 28 almost 29-year-old woman. I work front line in the army and am on medical leave because I sustained an injury in the field." Jade shrugged her shoulders as if it was nothing.

"Okay, So why have you come to see me, Jade?" Jade crossed her legs and watched Helen. 

"To work again I am required to see a psychologist. My last tour wasn't the best tour I have done and to get the all clear I am required to attend a set amount of  sessions." Helen nodded at her and smiled. 

"Good okay.  Before we get into your last tour, I would like to get to know you a little better.  So tell me 3 things you like and 3 things you don't." Jade sighed, she had been to a few of these mandatory sessions and found they never helped really with anything. However, she still answered because if it could get her back to work she would do it. 

"That's good Jade. When you were talking about yourself earlier on she didn't mention your family. Can you tell me a little about that?" Jade sighed hating talking about her family as much as she hated talking about herself. 

"There isn't much to say, really. My father left my mother when I was 10. I used to see him from time to time when my mother let me." Jade rolled her eyes knowing if it wasn't for the courts when she was younger Jade would never see her father.

"Okay and what about siblings? Are you an only child?" Jade shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. 

"No, I have an older brother, but again I haven't seen or spoken to him since I was 15." She shrugged her shoulders like it wasn't a big deal but she held a lot of resentment towards her brother. 

"Okay. Do you have a partner?" 

"No. Before the tour, I had broken off a 5-year engagement. I found him cheating, snorting cocaine and spending all my money." Jade scrunched up her face in distaste thinking about her ex. 

"Okay, this is good Jade. I want to backtrack. How would you describe your relationship with your mother?" Jade laughed at Helen and once she stopped she explained. 

"A train wreck. I think is the best way to describe. My mother is a very toxic person. She cared more about her bank account than she did for me or my brother. My father used to be a wealthy man, but when his company went into liquidation, my mother left him the next day." She watched as Helen wrote something quickly on her note pad before smiling at Jade. 

"Okay thank you, Jade, for sharing. I have just a few more question but these have come from the defence force okay." Jade nodded her head as Helen got up and grabbed something from her desk. 

"Okay, the defence force would like to know if your broken engagement influenced any of your actions on your last tour?" Jade uncrossed her hands and starred at Helen.

"You mean, did my actions cause me to make irrational decisions that killed half my team," Helen said nothing as Jade sighed. She had already answered these questions for them, but she guessed she had to again. 

"I was upset and angry, that's why when the opportunity came to go on tour again I took it, even if I had just come back. There was no way I would live with my mother and I needed to get away. However, once I was overseas, my mind became blank like it always does and I focused on the mission that was given out. There were a few times I allowed myself to think and reflect, but those were the time we were safe." Helen wrote on her paper before looking at her clock.

"Well, Jade I am pleased with how we went today. It has given us a good starting point." It shocked Jade she had already been there for an hour.

"When we come back in a week, I want to discuss more about your family." Jade nodded and grabbed her stuff. Jade knew if it wasn't for her broken engagement and the shit show the tour turned out to be then she wouldn't have to be dealing with all these psychologist appointments.  Sighing, she knew she had no choice and had to appease her commanding officers.

When Jade got home she found herself emotionally drained so she jumped into bed and found herself finding actual sleep, something she hadn't experienced in a long time.