#catfish morales x you

Chapter 6 | Downtime on Deployment 1&2|Chapter 7.5

Warnings: Mentions of military acts, military trial, self-doubt and we finally find out about why Redfly was the most loathed man…..

Pairing: Frankie Morales x OFC

A/N: Please remember that this is a work of fiction and not real, I tried to make it as close to the real world procedures as I could but obviously they weren’t going to be 100% factual.

Word count: 1.9k

“Well fuck.” Were the words out of Catfish, Pope and Benny’s mouth after General Watson gave the announcement and directly left the room. Once the initial shock wore off and the realization that they were being sent home for court-martial. 

None of them wanted to believe it, but after the last mission it wasn’t a surprise. General Watson was probably trying to court-martial them all for disobeying direct and lawful orders. Jayme looked to Frankie and found him looking back at her, worry clear in his eyes. Tom was the only one who seemed nonplussed by the idea of going back home, even being court martialed, like he had done it all before. 

Packing up the rooms proved to be a challenge with the image of the deranged grin on General Watson’s face haunting Jayme. Three days later the team was all stateside standing in front of a group of Generals and Admirals, being told that they will not be returning to the warzone, nor would they be allowed lots of freedoms such as associating outside of the base supervised. The board almost forced Jayme and Frankie to be housed in separate locations but the argument from Will was that it was a two bedroom apartment and that they wouldn’t associate in the apartment, keeping to their “separate rooms.” 

Later that night, laying in bed next to one another Frankie voiced his apprehension of this court-martial to Jayme, “it scares me, it worries me about what is going to happen to you should for some reason it be found that you acted unlawfully. I don’t want to see you go to Leavenworth.” He tells Jayme, kissing her head.

“It’ll be okay, whatever happens will happen and its out of our hands now. Although I would really like answers as to why General Watson had it out for your team so much. Do you have any clue?” She asks while drawing circles on Frankie’s chest.

“Well I would have to do some double-checking but I have a theory. Let’s not worry about it, hopefully this nightmare will be over soon enough.” Frankie pressed a soft kiss to Jayme’s forehead, “come on, let’s get some sleep.”

The next six-weeks passed in a haze. Countless times Jayme was called to the stand to answer questions about one mission or another, to give testimony about her actions, Tom’s actions, even Will’s actions. Same with Frankie, though the retelling of how the helicopter went up in flames was the most horrifying one from Jayme. 

That mission Tom had managed to lead a cell of enemy soldiers back to where Frankie was waiting with the helicopter, a rocket launcher was involved and it all equated to the Army being down a helicopter, Frankie barely missing being in the helicopter when it was hit and the five of them walking back to their base in the middle of a desert. She held Frankie extra tight that night as it was the closest she had really ever come to the reality that he could not come home from these missions. While its something most are acquainted with in dealing with the military the first time it comes close to home brings a whole new level of reality to it.

As the trial came to a close there was quite a few interesting faces in the viewing area, General Gwendolyn Mayford, Smokey the Bear, a few other high ranking officials that Jayme knew and had worked with. Finally the day came that the verdicts and sentences if any would be handed out. Standing at attention in dress uniforms the lead Admiral reads out the verdicts the board had come up with.

Benny for being enlisted was being honorably discharged, would maintain his rank and would retain his benefits too. Will and Pope would retain their ranks, be honorably discharged and medically retired due to injuries they had sustained while in service. Jayme was cleared of any wrongdoing, it was found that General Watson had issued an unlawful order to her and she was doing what was right, she was given the opportunity to have her service continue or be honorably discharged. Frankie was found to be innocent of all charges, would maintain the rank of Major but would be retired from service honorably as well. 

Then there was Tom’s verdict. While none of the team had been allowed to sit in on the parts that focused mainly on Tom they just assumed it was due to not wanting to have emotions get in the way of the facts. That was not the case when the Admiral who was reading off the verdicts passed the paper over to a woman in business dress who Jayme vaguely recognized as a Congresswoman. 

Answers were had when the woman stood and looked Tom right in the face before reading off the verdict on the paper. “Major Tom Davis, you have had quite a military career; mostly decent and good hard work. However in the last several years there has been doubt cast upon your ability to lead, friendly-fire that cost time in theater not to mention a man’s eye. Holding over and basically bullying your crew and team liaison into doing whatever you wanted, conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman by sleeping around including with multiple general wives,” Jayme side-eyed Tom while at attention, the angriness of General Watson was becoming a LOT clearer. 

“But on top of all that you led the enemy purposely back to your evac aircraft, allowing for it to be destroyed and any surviving tech to be taken over by opposing forces. Tom Davis, the following is recommended from this board of Generals and Admirals as well as a recommendation of Congress that you are lowered in rank from Major to Captain, stripped of your duties, given an other-than honorable discharge, and not allowed back into any service.” 

The Congresswoman laid down the paper and looked at him, then to Molly sitting in the viewing area and back to Tom before continuing, “now just to show that we, myself and my colleagues are not monsters will allow you to keep the majority of your retirement in order to cover the living expenses of your wife and daughters. This is the decision of the Congressional committee.” With that explanation the woman handed back the paper to the leading Admiral and sat back down.

“Thank you Congresswoman Wellers, this and what the Congresswoman relayed is the decision of this committee. Lt Connor we expect an answer within the month on whether you will remain on active service or wish to resign from your commission free of any strings attached. Dismissed.” With that he sat back down and let the team file out while collective breaths were let out and shoulders deflated in the members of the view areas.

As they walked single-file down the the office that had turned into the teams waiting area they were mostly dumbfounded at how the verdicts came out. Most of the team retired with full benefits for the, hopeful, resolution of their post traumatic stress, surgeries that will be required and years of therapy. While they hadn’t expected things to go that way for Tom, Jayme had to figure that it was actually fairly decent of the committee to take the girls and Molly into account and not leave them completely destitute. 

Looking around the room as the door shut, Jayme took in the look of exhaustion and shock written all over her teammates faces. Benny and Will were sitting next to each other with Benny staring off into the distance and Will rubbing his temples, Pope was leaned against a wall, Frankie next to him, while Tom was sequestered over into a corner looking for some solitude the verdict for himself was the heaviest and simultaneously the worst.

Jayme sat down behind a desk and processed her day and luck, she could stay or go, just have to share with the Army what she decided to do. The weight of all of it finally settling in when there was a knock on the door and in walked Smokey the Bear. “Men, Jayme, I came to see if I could get you guys anything, its a heavy ordeal you’ve been through. Food, drink, sanity, what do you need?” 

Before anyone could speak Molly strode in the open door, “Davis, you are coming home with me, now. We have tons of things to discuss and you have daughters to see.” The finality in her voice when she said it made Jayme wonder if she needed to go home with her as well, she bet Molly was a force to reckon with when it came to it and now was one of those times.

Will stood and nodded, “Thank you Mr. Shandler, I think we could all use some food and drink that isn’t Army chowhall.” 

“Please, call me Smokey, you’ve all mostly earned it. Gwenie told me what you did for Jayme over there when she got tossed in the brig. Come now, lets go, I know a good spot nearby.” Smokey said as he placed an arm around Jayme’s shoulders leading her and the rest of the group out. “What are you thinking of doing?” he asked her in a low voice as the traversed the hallway. 

“I don’t know dad, I don’t, I just wanted make sure I made you and mom proud. I don’t want you thinking I road your coattails or ….” Jayme tapered off on what she was saying as they passed the group of men who had sat on the board of the court-martial. 

Walking past Smokey nodded to several and even reached out to shake the one General’s hand, “Mitch, how are ya?” He asked pulling Jayme to a stop beside the man. 

“I am well Smokey, how are you? Why are you here?” General Mitchell Franks questioned looking between Jayme and how Smokey’s arm was around her shoulders, “You didn’t break it off with Diane did you?!” Shock coloring the mans voice causing Smokey to laugh heartily. 

“No sir, Diane Connor, or Diane Shandler as you no doubt know her, is my mother. I’m Smokey’s firstborn.” Jayme says offering her hand to General Franks. 

“Oh. OH!” The General said as he took Jayme’s had and realization had dawned on him, “why didn’t you say anything to me during all this? I had no idea she was your daughter and things might have gone completely different.”

“No no, my girl wanted to do this career on her own, it wasn’t until she put her team CO on the ground, that Tom Davis, did she even let it be known she was related to me. I tried offering her advice but she’s just as stubborn and hard headed as Diane. I will have to tell her you thought I traded her in. HA! That is the only thing in this world that scares me is my wife pissed off. No though, honestly, Diane and I couldn’t be more proud of Jayme and her choices, she’s a damn good daughter, friend and soldier.” Smokey told General Franks, making sure to look at Jayme during the last bit of his statement.

“Very good, well before you leave lets get a beer. One hell of a daughter you and Diane raised though, I wished they had team liaisons like her when I was on the teams, probably wouldn’t have so many bullet holes if I did. Good luck ma’am in whatever you choose.” With that he and Smokey exchanged phone numbers before the group separated and Jayme and Smokey continued outside while General Franks went over to talk to others from the board.

“Thanks Dad.” 

“Anytime Jayme, anytime.”

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