Chapter 14

14

SCARLETT

T he walk to General Talbot's temporary office felt like the longest hike Scarlett had ever done, each corridor never ending. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breath felt tight. She trusted Ros—she really did—but why did this feel like she was walking to her doom? Unlike Ros, she wasn't worried about her career. If this was the end of the line for her in the military, she at least had her engineering work to fall back on. But Ros? Ros had known nothing but the army her whole life. What would she do if her entire life was upended? Ros had said that she would give up everything to stay with her. One part of her believed it, But the other whispered doubts. If it came to it, would Ros really choose her?

The door loomed large in the corridor. It was no different from the doors on either side of it. And yet at the sight of their destination, Scarlett felt an overwhelming urge to turn tail and run. Maybe she was scared.

Her heart stopped as Ros stepped forward and knocked on the door. Each pound felt like a nail in her coffin.

Her mind went blank as the call to enter came, and she shuffled in behind Ros as she opened the door. A dead woman walking.

Having only arrived a couple days ago, General Talbot had made himself very much at home. Ornate curtains hung over the windows, and commemorations and pictures lined the walls. A sturdy wooden desk stood in the center of the room. Behind it sat the general himself. He looked a few years older than Ros—late fifties, maybe early sixties. Clean-shaven with dark-gray hair at his temples, though the rest of his head was balding. Scarlett saw his slight smile as Ros entered, but it was quickly replaced by confusion as Scarlett trailed after her.

"Ros, I hope you're recovering well from all these recent ordeals. Who'd have known you'd be having this much excitement so soon in your new assignment?"

"Ha, indeed, Marcus. It's been an interesting few weeks."

"How can I help you? And your shadow."

"General Talbot, meet Captain Scarlett Bennett. Scarlett, meet General Marcus Talbot."

Scarlett snapped to a salute, which was promptly returned by the general.

"Good to meet you, Captain." He turned back to Ros. "Now then, on to business, I presume."

"Yes. Business. I've found myself in a tricky situation, Marcus. We've worked together for many years, so you know my reputation, I'm sure. Hard line, rule abiding, by the book. Well, I've found myself in a circumstance where I can't do that any longer. Captain Bennett and I have started a relationship."

"That's certainly not what I was expecting to hear from you, Carson."

"Please, Marcus. I'll explain best I can, but please listen. Obviously, I know such things are prohibited. And we did our best to stay apart. That didn't work, and being distracted meant I could not fulfill my role to the best of my ability. So, we're at an impasse. I take full responsibility for it, of course, and as the senior rank, I should have put a stop to it, but I didn't, so now we're here."

"I think it's safe to say I'm not impressed. As a general, you should know better. You have responsibilities to uphold. An example to set for younger officers. You, too, Captain. You're stubborn, Carson. I know once you've got it set in your head, there's nothing I or anyone else can say that will shift you. So I won't bother. Nothing I can say will convince you that this is a terrible idea."

"I believe your assessment is accurate there, Talbot."

"The way I see it, the pair of you have three options. Option one, I wouldn't recommend, is that you continue on as you have, and I will have to conduct a formal investigation. It's not something I'd enjoy having to do, and you certainly wouldn't like it either. Almost definitely at least one of you would be facing dishonorable discharge." His face was stoic, checking their expressions to ensure they understood.

"Option two: Captain Bennett here is reassigned. Probably somewhere fairly far away. It would keep the two of you apart, and while you could communicate and visit during leave, it would keep your relationship from interfering with your work. Finally, option three. Ros, you could take retirement. You're at the age for it anyway. I won't sway your choices for you. It's for the pair of you to decide. I'll step out and leave you to talk it through. Just knock when you're ready to give me your answer."

With that, he stood, giving them a terse nod as he left the room.

A stream of breath left Scarlett as she deflated, her nerves slowly leaving now that the general had gone. A hand gripped hers and she looked up to see Ros staring at her intently.

"Are you okay?" Ros asked.

"I should be the one asking you that, I think. You were the one who had to face him. I just stood there."

"Marcus doesn't scare me. I've known him too long for that."

"What do you think, then, of our options?"

"Well, Marcus is right about one thing, for certain. I have no wish to go through a formal investigation. I've seen them being conducted before. Hellish. And depending on who conducts it, they could be out for blood."

"Agreed. There have been enough rumors flying around without our lives being put under the microscope."

"I'd rather not see you reassigned. Who knows where you could be stationed?"

"But would you really want to retire? You've worked so hard for this. You don't have to give it up. Being apart would be hard, but we could make it work."

"No, I think retirement might be a good plan. I think I've given enough."

Scarlett's breath caught in her throat, and she looked at Ros with wide eyes. "You'd…give up everything? For me?"

"I've given everything to the army my whole life," Ros said, her voice steady. "Maybe it's time for me to choose something else. Something that makes me whole. That's you, Scarlett. And besides," she added with a wry smile, "my knee still hasn't healed from that last mission. I'm not getting any younger."

Scarlett blinked, stunned. "Ros…"

"We'll figure it out," Ros assured her. "I don't want you to be reassigned to some far-off base. If I retire, you can apply for base housing. We can be together, and I won't have to send you into danger anymore. I'll still worry, but I won't be the one giving the orders."

"But what will you do? The army is your life."

"I don't know yet. I've never thought about life after the army. Some part of me knew it would end, of course, but I've never thought about it. I'll find something to do, don't worry. I'll need to do something with myself to stay sane. Maybe I'll find something I love even more than I've loved being an officer. Whatever it is, I'll love it even more with you by my side. Should we call Talbot back in? He's been standing awkwardly outside his own office door for long enough, I think." The intense warmth Scarlett had been feeling faded, though it was not replaced by the nerves that had wracked her before, for which she was grateful. Still, when the general returned, she felt as though her bones had become lead, freezing her in place.

"So then, what decision have the pair of you come to?" he asked, reclaiming his seat behind the desk.

"I've decided to take early retirement," Ros said.

"We'll be sad to see you go, General Carson."

"It's time. There are adventures out there for me yet. Time to move on and seek them out."

"Well, I'll see to it that your resignation goes smoothly and discreetly."

"If you need an easy excuse, my impulsivity has finally caught up to me. My knee really did take a hit the other day. I don't think it's going to forgive me anytime soon. If the army needs a more palatable excuse for me to fade into obscurity, use that by all means."

"Very well. As for you, Captain Bennett, while I allowed you the use of my office, I sought out Colonel Hale to find out what he had to say on this matter. I learned from him that there have been rumors about your relationship flying around the base for a couple weeks now."

Scarlett winced. Surely they weren't about to dismiss her.

"While I do not approve of your actions," he continued, "your service record is exemplary. I'd rather that not be tainted by you having to remain at a base that is filled with gossip about you. It may well affect your soldiers' ability or willingness to follow your orders. I will have you transferred over to Fort Kirk. It's near enough that you and Carson will not be separated by too great a distance while we finalize her retirement. And that base needs all the personnel it can get after that avalanche. I think you will do well there, Captain."

Scarlett nodded. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"If that's all the surprises you were planning on bringing to my door at this early hour, I'd like to finish the rest of my morning free of further shocks. The both of you are dismissed. Ros, I'll see you in a day or two to work out the logistics."

"Thank you, Marcus."

Ros and Scarlett sat together on the edge of the bed, their hands intertwined as they soaked in the quiet after what had felt like a whirlwind of decisions.

General Talbot had been firm but fair, and the two of them had avoided the worst of what could have happened. No investigation, no public reprimand. Early retirement for Ros and a nearby reassignment for Scarlett meant they were only facing a temporary separation. It could've been so much worse, and both of them knew it.

Ros broke the silence first, squeezing Scarlett's hand as she looked over with a small smile. "You know, this is probably the best outcome we could've hoped for. No formal charges, no dishonorable discharges. Just a few months apart, and then we get to start fresh. Together."

Scarlett gave a soft laugh, leaning her head on Ros's shoulder. "I know. I'm just being selfish, I guess. I don't want to leave without you, even if it's just for a little while. I was looking forward to waking up next to you every morning, not saying goodbye at the base gate."

Ros chuckled, nudging her gently. "We'll get there, I promise. You'll be at Fort Kirk setting up our new life, and I'll be right behind you, probably complaining about how bored I am not having anything to do."

Scarlett smiled at the thought, imagining Ros trying to settle into civilian life without the structure of the military. "You'll be insufferable, won't you? Complaining about retirement the whole time until I drag you out for a hike or something."

"Oh, absolutely. I'll be unbearable," Ros agreed, grinning as she imagined herself tagging along behind Scarlett every outing. "But I'll also be making us coffee every morning, walking the dog, and waiting to steal you away from your workday whenever you get the chance."

Scarlett's smile widened, the image of that future softening the edges of her lingering sadness. She straightened up, looking at Ros with a newfound determination. "It'll be worth it, won't it? A few months apart, and then all of this behind us."

Ros nodded, her thumb brushing over the back of Scarlett's hand. "It will. We've been through worse, haven't we? This is just a bump in the road. No sneaking around anymore, no rumors hanging over us. Just us."

Scarlett tilted her head, her expression softening. "I never thought it would work out like this. I mean, I knew the risks, but I was always afraid we'd lose each other or worse."

Ros leaned in, kissing her gently on the temple. "You're not losing me. We're getting through this, and when I'm finally with you at Fort Kirk, we'll have something we never had before: freedom. To be together, to live how we want."

Scarlett nodded, the weight on her heart feeling lighter with every word. "No hiding. No pretending we're just colleagues. That's worth waiting for."

"It is," Ros agreed. "And, hey, the military's even footing the bill for our new start. You'll be there a little early to scope out the best spots for coffee and hiking, and I'll be following you like a lovesick puppy."

Scarlett laughed, feeling the tension in her chest ease. "I can't wait for that. You know I'll make sure we live near all the best coffee shops."

"Perfect," Ros teased, brushing a lock of hair behind Scarlett's ear. "I'll be ready. Just don't forget to save me the best blanket."

"I won't," Scarlett promised, her heart swelling with the reassurance that everything was going to be okay. More than okay, actually. They had a future together to look forward to, and the worst was already behind them.

Ros pulled Scarlett closer, their foreheads touching gently. "We've got this, love. A few months apart is nothing compared to what we've been through. And once we're together again, it's going to be worth every second of this wait."

Scarlett leaned against her, closing her eyes as a peaceful warmth spread through her chest. "I know. I can already see it—our place, our life. No more goodbyes."

"No more goodbyes," Ros whispered, her lips brushing against Scarlett's.

And with that, they stayed wrapped in each other's arms, holding on to the promise of their new beginning, knowing that this was only the start of everything they had dreamed of together.