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He lifted his hands and rubbed his palms against his face, trying to stimulate the blood flow and maybe drown out the panic climbing through his body.

“Can I tell you something?”

Pallas’ deep, rumbling voice broke through and brought him back to the surface.

“Buck?”

Buck nodded. Willing to hear him out both as a friend and the new leader of his unit. “Yeah?”

“The brass has plans for us. Something new. An experimental unit.”

Buck lifted his chin and nodded.

Listening.

“It’s a… a cooperative unit between the Marines and the Air Force.”

“Air Force?” Buck managed to look a little contrite after almost scoffing at the other branch. “What would we do with them?”

Pallas lifted a brow at the question. “I’d like to tell you, but… I can’t read anyone in who isn’t part of the unit.”

Buck heard the underlying tone in Pallas’ voice. “I’m curious, but I’m not making a decision for that reason.”

“No.” Pallas stood up and took a step toward the picture on the wall. “That’s not the reason to make a decision, but I hope you’ll make the decision to stay.”

Buck nodded even though his friend couldn’t see him.

“I’d hate to lose another member of the team.”

“I hate that we lost any at all.”

Buck didn’t realize how lost he was in his own thoughts until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He snapped his head up and met Pallas’ eyes.

Buck could see beyond the compassion and concern.

He could see the pain in Pallas’ gaze, too.

He knew that they’d all lost friends… brothers… but no matter how much he knew that intellectually, it was almost like he could feel the weight of Chicago’s body in his arms, leaning back heavily against him, the lapping waves of the harbor pushing them into the darkness.

“Buck?”

He heard it.

Heard his name.

But he heard it in Chicago’s voice.

Scared.

Pained.

Half choked with water.

“Buck?”

Someone shook him.