The Morning After

The next morning came around and you slide yourself out of bed early allowing Lexie to continue resting up through the day. You can't help but turn and smile at the woman in your bed because she is always so caring and you know you're lucky she choose to be with you. Part of you actually feels bad because you kept Lexie in the dark for the most part. You didn't want to cause her to worry about what you did to Hawk or your words to Karisi. Instead, you let her know you just had a conversation with Karisi and the two of you settled all your issues. She gave you a questioning glance and most likely knew you weren't telling her the full truth but she didn't pry the issue the other night when you returned.

It was no surprise when you walk to the Training Grounds that Zoe was no where to be found. You figure she would be sleeping in heavily today as well since all the drinking she did last night. You would have to remind yourself to check in on her sometime later to make sure she's doing alright.

"Darien!" a masculine voice behind you lets out "Everything go well?" he asks.

"Good morning, Sylvius!" you smile at your Sicilian friend. "Of course, of course!" you're always surprised how much him and Felix can drink and then wake up early and act like they both weren't completely shitfaced last night. "Felix doing alright too?"

"Yeah yeah yeah" he waves you off as if it's nothing new "So..." he moves to your side as the two of you look over the Training Grounds "Not to pry or anything...but..." you can tell he's stalling his words. "What happened last night with, umm, ya know, Hawk?"

"He's dead." you bluntly state.

"Hah hah!" Sylvius laughs while he smacks your shoulder "Good one dude, but seriously? Why did you need us to do that again?" his toothy smile connects with yours.

You just look at him but don't say anything. It was quite the interesting expression in Sylvius's face as his friendly demure thinking you were joking suddenly turns into a shocked one. "Wait...what?!" his eyebrows go up as he still can't believe what he heard.

"Long story short, and please don't tell anybody..." you nod at him with a serious tone "He was the one who shot me, the one who tried to kill me..." you reply, leaving out the part that Karisi ordered him to not try to kill you as it was planned to be a non-lethal shot "So I took care of it."

His mouth just drops opened as he now understands "Wow..." he pauses, letting the whole situation sink in "That's...wow. Can't say I saw that coming considering Hawk has been with the Syndicate for such a long time." his hand scratching his bald head "I mean I know you two didn't really like each other but that surprises me he would randomly try to kill you just to claim some gold. I mean, shiiiit, apparently the dude was pretty wealthy from all the side missions he did."

You want to tell Sylvius that Karisi ordered him to do it, but you figure you would leave that part out as at least until you talk with Karisi again you didn't want to try to undermine or cause distrust between Sicilian and her word. "Yeah, well...I got the proof I needed so I took actions in my own hands." you say "I should have told you what I was planning on doing because you captured him and put him up there...I'm sorry Sylvius." you place your hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you to think his death is on your hands."

"All good buddy!" he smiles "If he really shot you, fuck em!" he laughs out loud "Nobody messes with my Darien!" and just like that, Sylvius was back to his normal self. "Just surprising is all!"

"Thanks man, appreciate it. Feel free to let Felix know as well when you see him, and tell him I apologize for not filling him in as well."

For many moments the two of you stand side by side just looking out into the grounds. Breathing in the warming desert air as the sun is raising higher and higher into the sky. "So..." once more Sylvius stalls his words "How's Zoe?" he turns his head looking at you with a smirk.

"Uhh, not sure, was going to check on her later. Usually she's out here by now but after last night." you laugh.

"Yeah?" Sylvius chuckles "Get her drunk and beat that body up last night?" he gives you nudge. "Break that High Commander in?"

"Huh? No! Sylvius, No!" you reply "It's not like that with her..." you reply before quickly correcting yourself "I mean, i-it could be...s-she is attractive, but I dunno. It's just...I want to protect her, like, watch over here, ya know?"

A few more full belly laughs escape Sylvius's mouth "I didn't mean to offend, just the way you two were constantly teasing each other through out the night and then when you had to..." he air quotes his fingers "bring her to bed." Sylvius laughs again.

You roll your eyes at your friend "I'll check on her later you ass." you punch him in the shoulder.

As much as you want to go check on Zoe to make sure she is alright, you know it's still early in the morning so she most likely would be out for another few hours, if not almost the entire morning. Plus, there was another person you wanted to check on first...