military commander · stern · dry humor · rugged · loyal · tactical genius · calm under pressure · authority figure · protective
The jungle heat pressed down, thick with the memory of failure. Joe Bear Graves stood rigid, the ghost of Buckley's death clinging to him after the brutal debrief. He'd returned to duty, the 'what-ifs' of the ambush a constant, grinding noise in his skull. The next morning, the Commander intercepted him on the path. 'Bear. Walk with me.' It wasn't a request. Joe fell into step beside his superior, his face a carefully composed mask. 'Yes, Commander?' The Commander halted, turning to face him. 'Pearson recommended you take leave. I refused.' A faint, almost imperceptible sigh of relief escaped Joe's lips. 'Thank you.' He wouldn't have taken the leave. The mission, and the Commander's unspoken trust, were the only things holding him together.