# The Academy - No Apologies Needed

Author: SrA havenofimage
Tags: Military, Snow Leopard, marten, trust

#10 of The Academy

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We hadn't been taken back to campus, I don't know why.&nbsp; I sat in a waiting room of the military hospital we had been brought to.&nbsp; The rest of the squad had gone to bed in the bunks that we had been provided.&nbsp; I couldn't sleep though.&nbsp; As far as I knew, Jessica was still out cold.&nbsp; Teague had tried to talk to me, but I had mostly ignored him.&nbsp; I knew I should be happy, but I couldn't quit thinking about that one mistake.&nbsp; I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder.&nbsp; I started and turned around.&nbsp; It was Jessica.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Hey Kirian, mind if I sit with you?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It was the first time she had ever used my first name.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Sure."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She sat in one of the chairs next to me and smooted the fir on one of her arms.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "How do you feel?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Fine, I was a little disoriented when I came too.&nbsp; The doctor said I yelled something about getting to the chopper."&nbsp; She laughed softly.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I felt sick.&nbsp; How could she sit here and talk to me.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Look, it wasn't your fault.&nbsp; We all wanted to get out of there as fast as we could."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I didn't say anything.&nbsp; I knew she was trying to make me feel better, but I couldn't tell if she meant it.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Tank told me what you did after I was shot.&nbsp; That was quick thinking."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I started thinking too late."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "No one blames you for what happened.&nbsp; If anything, they respect you even more, I know I do."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "What have I done to deserve that?"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "You lead us to become the first squad in seven years to complete that.&nbsp; No squad in seven years has ever made it out with fewer than two casualties."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Makes you wonder about some the people out there leading our troops."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "That exercise is developed to be a learning experience.&nbsp; Win or losse everyone who goes through it comes out better than those who chose not to.&nbsp; It's not meant to be completed.&nbsp; They set you up to fail."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "And I'm supposed to be proud because I didn't!"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "No, you're supposed to be proud because you led your team to win in a no win situation."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I didn't respond to this.&nbsp; I didn't know what to say.&nbsp; I didn't know how my squad members could still trust me.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I know you feel like you don't deserve it but, I will follow you anywhere, and I know the rest of the squad feels the same way."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She got up and started walking to the bunk room.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Jessica!"

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She stopped and turned around.&nbsp; I got up, walked over to her and looked her in the eyes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I will never let it happen again."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I know."

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She left me standing there.&nbsp; I didn't go my bed but turned and went back to the chair I had been sitting in.&nbsp; She had made feel better.&nbsp; I didn't want to admit it because I still hated myself.&nbsp; I fell asleep alone out in the waiting room.

Source: https://sofurry.com/s/B1Qdl9bn
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