I would rather adjust my life to your absence than adjust my boundaries to accommodate your disrespect.
"Dodge, look out!" Kat yelled as she jumped in front of her best friend and took a bullet to her shoulder.
"Kat!" Dodge exclaimed as Losh shot the gunman.
"God, dammit! Why'd it have to have to be my shoulder?" Kat exclaimed in an enraged tone.
"Really? Why did it have to be your shoulder? Why'd you have to get shot in the first place, is the better question!" Dodge yelled as he threw her over his shoulder, and their squadron made a run for the HUMVEE.
"I've been shot before," Kat replied calmly as she applied pressure to her shoulder, and Dodge tossed her in the back seat.
"Dude, can you stop making the rest of us look like wimps for one day?" Losh chuckled as he took off back to base, and Dodge radioed in that Kat had been hit.
"What would be the fun in that?" Kat smirked in response.
"You know, sometimes I wonder if you're even human," Dodge joked as they hit a bump and Kat cringed.
"Oh yeah, I'm totally Captain America," Kat joked back and seemed relieved when she could see the base.
"Hey, at least now you get to go home early," Losh smiled.
"Oh yeah, and then once I'm done with rehab, they'll make me a recruiter. I'm not built for life in an office, Losh. I need to be on the front lines with you guys," Kat sighed.
"I'm sure if you petition the Bones to approve you for active duty, they will approve it," Dodge replied.
"Oh yeah, and until then, I get to eat asino morto, 5 fingers of death, admiralty fish, cigarette soup, and shit on a shingle? No, thank you!" Kat exclaimed.
"You could go home while all the paperwork is processed and go back to school," Attleboro replied from the front with Losh.
"In all respect, Sir, if I go home and go back to school, I'm not going to want to come back," Kat sighed, thinking about JJ.
"No matter what, Watt, you still have to go home for rehab, and there may be something I can do for you when you get home, but I won't be able to tell you about it until then" Attleboro smirked.
"Only because I'm in serious pain and sort of trust you will I trust you on this one," Kat hissed as the HUMVEE slammed to a stop outside the medical tent.
"Alright. Private First Class Watt, let's get you into surgery and sent home" one of the doctors smiled as they helped her out of the vehicle.
"Call me Kat. It's a lot shorter" Kat smiled as they set her on a gurney.
"Alright, Kat, you can call me Justin," Doctor O'Hara replied.
"How about I call you Doc because my husband's name is Justin" Kat chuckled.
"Sounds like a deal. Saw those wedding pictures of yours the other year when y'all got married. You looked beautiful" Doc smiled at Kat as one of the nurses attempted to give her general anesthesia.
"Thanks and Budrow, just give me morphine. I want to be awake for this because I can't stand to be put under," Kat replied as she caught the needle.
"Kat, just let her give you the anesthesia," Dodge stated, stepping in.
"Fine, continue," Kat sighed, letting go of the needle.
"Thank you, Son," Doc thanked Dodge.
"No problem, Doc. I've spent the last two years with this one and her husband, so I figured you'd need some help because she would do something like this," Dodge smiled.
"How about you stay, Kid?" Doc suggested as Kat started to succumb to the anesthetic, but she looked like she was going to panic.
"Please," Kat whispered, looking at her best friend.
"I'll stay out of the way, Doc" Dodge smiled as he looked at Kat's face that resembled that of a frightened child's and a nurse handed him scrubs and gloves.
"Don't worry about it, Private First Class Sawback. We're putting you on her left side so that you can hold your best friend's hand, but won't really be in the way" Doctor Prime smiled as she walked in.
"Please, call me Dodge, Doctor Prime" Dodge smiled as he took Kat's hand in his to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere.
"Kelly is just fine, Dodge" Doctor Prime smiled.
"Yes, ma'am, Kelly," Dodge grinned.
They quickly got Kat into surgery as soon as they knew she was unconscious and wouldn't feel anything. It was a quick procedure, and thankfully the bullet hadn't nicked an artery.
Dodge couldn't help the fear he felt for his friend, though, because he saw a side of her that he never wanted to see. He sat with her in the recovery room until she woke up three hours later, but she still had a youthful look to her.
"Hey, Kat," Dodge grinned as she came to.
"Hey, Dodge" Kat smiled weakly back.
"Ah, I see you're awake. So, Kat, in ten days, we'll be shipping you home, but not without Dodge" Doc smiled as he walked in to check on her.
"Why does Dodge have to come with?" Kat asked in confusion.
"Well, we don't want to send you home by yourself. Dodge was quick to jump in to make sure that you didn't do anything stupid, so we requested that your CO send Dodge home along with you, and he granted it," Doc grinned back.
"Alright, that sounds cool," Dodge grinned.
"Does my husband know that I was shot and will be coming home?" Kat asked.
"Yes, he does, and he said that he will tell your family as well," Doc answered.
"Okay, well, I guess this was perfect timing since Rae and Jacob just got engaged. Now I really can plan my best friend's wedding that ironically is to my brother," Kat chuckled.
"How long do you think Kat will be in the sling and in physical therapy?" Dodge asked, knowing that was going to be Kat's next question.
"Well, typically, you're in the sling for three months, and during that time and for three additional months, you'll be in physical therapy. However, you can possibly get out of the sling early. However, I still want you in physical therapy for at least six months," Doc replied, "Also, before you ask. I sent the information on your injury to your doctor at home, so she knows what's going on."
"Thanks, Doc. So how bad was it?" Kat asked.
"It's mostly soft tissue damage. It didn't break your clavicle or humerus, but it did fracture at the joint. Fractures are a little more tricky to heal. The patient thinks they're healed before they are fully healed and end up doing more damage to themselves, so please, for God's sake, listen to what your doctor at home tells you!" Doc answered.
"Yes, Sir," Kat sighed.
Two weeks later
"Oh, come on, JJ, let me go with you!" Kat exclaimed as she followed him around the house in a large shirt and her arm in a sling.
"Babe, Doctor Mitchell said you need to be resting for at least another week," JJ argued.
"Justin, I can't keep sitting around the house anymore! I am so bored! The skin is almost fully healed, so I don't need to keep changing a bandage, and Dodge went back overseas. I have nothing to do because we aren't going to Arizona for another week!" Kat countered.
"Fine!" JJ sighed, knowing that if he didn't let her go to the stadium with him, she would just take her truck herself and go because she never was very good at doing what she was supposed to do.
"Thank you, baby! Now can you help me get ready?" Kat smiled, walking back up the stairs to their room.
"Sure thing, Babe. What do you want to wear?" JJ asked as soon as he was standing in their closet.
"My blue Nikes, my black Nike running tights, and my grey Nike tank top," Kat replied.
"This?" JJ asked, walking out with what she had asked for.
"Yeah! Oh, and I'll need a bra and new underwear," Kat blushed.
"What color thong? And which bra?" JJ chuckled.
"Black and my grey sports bra. The one from Victoria Secret," Kat replied.
"Alright, now let's get you changed and do your hair" JJ smiled, walking back out.
"Thank you, JJ, for being so good to me" Kat smiled once JJ had put her arm back into the sling and started brushing her hair so that he could braid it.
"You're the love of my life. Of course, I'm going to be good to you," JJ smiled.
"I still find it funny that you watched a bunch of hairstyling videos after I left just so you could do stuff like this in case I got hurt" Kat smirked as she slipped her glasses onto her face.
"Well, I know how you are when it comes to your hair, so I figured I'd better learn so that I can do this stuff for you. Clay actually is the one that let me practice on him," JJ smirked.
"Aww, Clay was here while I was gone?" Kat sulked and then started laughing, "Wait! He actually let you style his hair?"
"Yeah, and he went out in public with his hair like that too," JJ laughed.
"That explains the hairdos I was seeing him in on Twitter while I was overseas," Kat laughed as they got in the truck.
"Yep, oh, and Coach and Jim had some sort of proposition for you since you're back," JJ smiled.
"Do you know what it's about?" Kat asked.
"It might be that they heard about you getting that degree in business and sports management. I'm really not sure because they wouldn't tell me even though I'm your husband," JJ replied.
"Then I guess we'll find out when we get there" Kat smiled and then enjoyed the ride.
As they pulled up to the stadium Kat had a massive smile on her face. She felt like she was home, and it was even more perfect because it was the start of football season, which meant games would be starting soon.
Attleboro had asked her if she wanted to petition to be reinstated into her Raider position. She had told him, yes, but they both knew it would take at least a year, so this was going to be her life for a while.
"Hey, Kat. It's great to see you again," Coach O'Brien smiled as Kat walked into his office.
"It's good to see you again too. JJ told me that you and Jim wanted to talk to me about something" Kat smiled back.
"Ah, yes! Perfect timing because Jim just got here," Coach exclaimed, getting up.
Kat followed him over to Jim's office, and she smiled at him when she saw him.
"I'd give you a hug, but it's kind of difficult. So what is it that you two wanted to talk to me about?" Kat asked.
"We're aware of your talent when it comes to spotting a great football player. We also heard about your recent degree in business and sports management, so we wanted to offer you the GM position," Jim McNair smiled from his seat.
"Are you being serious?" Kat asked as she plopped down into her chair.
"Absolutely, and if you can go back to your job on the front lines, the position will still be here for you. Bill and I will take over your duties temporarily while you are gone. You are a major part of this team and are always quick to give us your input on a player we are looking at. We trust your decision 100%" Jim continued to smile.
"Will the media be notified about this, or will it stay in-house?" Kat asked just for information's sake and not really caring about which one it was.
"By the end of the month, it will be in the media, and we will have a conference to discuss it then," Jim replied.
"I'll have to shake your hand with my left hand, seeing as my right is currently useless" Kat smiled, standing up.
"So, you're taking the job?" Bill asked.
"Absolutely. It would be my dream to be the General Manager for the Houston Texans, not only that but the first female General Manager in the NFL!" Kat smiled as she extended her left hand.
"I'm looking forward to you making history, Kid. Tomorrow we'll sit down and review your contract, but for now, let's go tell the team," Jim smiled as he shook Kat's hand.
"Sounds like a plan, Boss," Kat grinned.
They walked into the film room where all of the team was waiting for the team meeting and that day's film. Kat grinned as she walked to the front of the room with Bill and Jim because she knew that the team would be thrilled, especially after hearing about her getting shot.
"So, boys, we've got a significant announcement to make," Bill started.
"Rick has decided to give up his position as General Manager, but he still is our Vice President, so..." Jim continued.
"I have accepted the position as General Manager for the team," Kat finished with a huge smile.
As the team erupted in cheers at Kat's new position within their franchise, Bill raised his hand to quiet them.
"However, you are not allowed to say anything to the media, on social media, or to family and friends about this until next week," Jim informed them.
"Aww! Why not?" A bunch of the guys whined.
"Because I still need to get settled into my job, and I need to sign my contract, plus I need time to go through all of Smith's files," Kat replied with a kind smile.
"When can we go out to celebrate?" Mallett asked.
"After JJ and I get back from Arizona next week," Kat answered.
The guys nodded, and Coach dismissed them to the locker room to get into their pads. Before JJ left, he gave Kat a congratulatory kiss and then hustled off to get ready for practice.
"My life has knocked me down a few times. It showed me things I never wanted to see. I experienced sadness and failures. But one thing is for sure, I always get up!" Kat smiled at Jim and Bill.
"That's for damn sure" Jim smiled back at Kat.
Wolf and Flame: The people who consider you weak have not yet noticed the wolf hiding behind your eyes, nor the flames inside your soul. Let them think you are weak and do what wolves and fire do best. Surprise them when they least expect it. -Nikita Gill