Nace Bilby
ACME
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(Author's Note: This takes place almost a year before the events of ACME Retro.)
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
"You once asked me what I was willing to give up for you," Nace said as he pressed a small metal object into the palm of Angela's right hand and gently closed her fingers around it.
As he held her hand in both of his he heard the steady beeps of the EKG that was monitoring her heartbeat. Blinking his eyes, relief and resolve at the same time running through him.
"N-Nace..." Angela said, weakly.
Nace moved his hands away from Angela's right hand and said, "You have my answer, love."
Angela opened her hand and immediately recognized the silver badge bearing Commando knife within the laurel wreath. The badge of the South African Special Forces. She stared for what felt like hours at the small silver badge.
"I almost lost you earlier this week, and it honestly nearly killed me inside," Nace replied, "Everything from before you got shot went through my head..."
"Trewlaney?" Angela began, referring to the suspect they had been pursuing.
Nace gave a small smirk, "He's currently keeping an appointment with King Minos. I, as well as half a dozen nine millimeter rounds, ensured it took place."
"Again, Nace, I have to point out that Dante was an Italian poet not a theological doctor," Angela quipped.
"That aside," Nace began, "After I put the wanker down everything went through my head. To include our last fight before we went on that case."
"I remember that vividly," Angela replied.
"And you asked me a question that I felt you needed me to answer," Nace replied, "I'm sorry it took me a week to do that."
"A week?" Angela asked, "I've been out for a week?"
"As of about half an hour ago, yes," Nace replied, glancing at the wall clock that read half past midnight.
Angela noticed the seven days worth of beard growth on Nace. There was also a certain careworn look to Nace. She could see the bags under his eyes too, a sure sign that he had barely slept in that week.
"You have my answer, you only need say the word..." Nace began, before Angela cut him off.
"Nace," Angela began, cutting him off, "I couldn't ask you to do that. It's part of who you are. I love you enough not to do that to you."
Nace smiled slightly, "And I love you enough to know what is truly important in life."
He could see tears welling in Angela’s eyes as her eyes wandered from both the badge to Nace alternately.
“You mean the world to me, love,” Nace replied, “I honestly can barely put into words how much this is so. I went through it in my head how exactly I was going to talk to you about all this throughout the week. So I thought I deed will match word."
"I know you kept this in your pocket since you were temporarily assigned to us, to remember where you came from," Angela replied.
"And I trust it to you," Nace said, holding her hand.
Angela sniffled, "And I'll take care of it."
"I'll be right back, I'd best flag down the nearest nurse," Nace replied.
"I'll be right here," Angela said with her usual light smirk.
Nace fought down some irrational part of his mind that feared Angela's condition would take a turn for the worst if he left and walked out of the room, nearly colliding with the nurse on her rounds.
A few moments later Nace returned with the nurse in tow, stepping back and letting the nurse do her job of taking Angela's vitals.
The nurse turned to Nace and said, "Angela needs her rest now. You can come back during visitor hours tomorrow."
"Right," Nace replied, before he headed back over to Angela's bedside.
"Getting kicked out?" Angela said.
"Looks like it, love," Nace replied with a wry grin of his own, "I'll be back tomorrow."
With one more clasp of her hand he added, "I love you."
"I love you too," Angela replied, "Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
As Nace walked out of the Groote Schuur, he felt the drizzle of raindrops landing on him. Briefly he thought of hailing a cab back to their place, but decided he needed a walk. Nearly losing Angela this week had made him think more about the future. In another year and some change his tour attaching him to ACME would be up and he would return to 4 Recce Regiment, based in nearby Langebaan and back to the never ending pace of training and operations inherent to being at the apex of South Africa's military edge.
But will it support a marriage? Well Dad had managed doing that for years. Mum supported him through it all, minding me and the siblings. But do I want to subject Angela to that lifestyle too? What if she has another posting that sends her back to the US? Nace thought as he walked down several more blocks in the rain.
Perhaps it would be better if I looked into an instructor or even an agent position at ACME. If nothing else it's somewhat more regular hours. Nace thought. I've got a year and some change to get that sorted out.
It would be a year plus that would mean he would have a lot to think about. It would be a radical change. Desiring to join the South African military and being part of it had been a major part of his life. But there were more important things outside of the uniform and a career in it, and that was the point of giving Angela the badge that had been the culmination of many years of training and hard work to earn.
I shall bring this before God. Nace thought as he passed by a nearby church.
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
"You once asked me what I was willing to give up for you," Nace said as he pressed a small metal object into the palm of Angela's right hand and gently closed her fingers around it.
As he held her hand in both of his he heard the steady beeps of the EKG that was monitoring her heartbeat. Blinking his eyes, relief and resolve at the same time running through him.
"N-Nace..." Angela said, weakly.
Nace moved his hands away from Angela's right hand and said, "You have my answer, love."
Angela opened her hand and immediately recognized the silver badge bearing Commando knife within the laurel wreath. The badge of the South African Special Forces. She stared for what felt like hours at the small silver badge.
"I almost lost you earlier this week, and it honestly nearly killed me inside," Nace replied, "Everything from before you got shot went through my head..."
"Trewlaney?" Angela began, referring to the suspect they had been pursuing.
Nace gave a small smirk, "He's currently keeping an appointment with King Minos. I, as well as half a dozen nine millimeter rounds, ensured it took place."
"Again, Nace, I have to point out that Dante was an Italian poet not a theological doctor," Angela quipped.
"That aside," Nace began, "After I put the wanker down everything went through my head. To include our last fight before we went on that case."
"I remember that vividly," Angela replied.
"And you asked me a question that I felt you needed me to answer," Nace replied, "I'm sorry it took me a week to do that."
"A week?" Angela asked, "I've been out for a week?"
"As of about half an hour ago, yes," Nace replied, glancing at the wall clock that read half past midnight.
Angela noticed the seven days worth of beard growth on Nace. There was also a certain careworn look to Nace. She could see the bags under his eyes too, a sure sign that he had barely slept in that week.
"You have my answer, you only need say the word..." Nace began, before Angela cut him off.
"Nace," Angela began, cutting him off, "I couldn't ask you to do that. It's part of who you are. I love you enough not to do that to you."
Nace smiled slightly, "And I love you enough to know what is truly important in life."
He could see tears welling in Angela’s eyes as her eyes wandered from both the badge to Nace alternately.
“You mean the world to me, love,” Nace replied, “I honestly can barely put into words how much this is so. I went through it in my head how exactly I was going to talk to you about all this throughout the week. So I thought I deed will match word."
"I know you kept this in your pocket since you were temporarily assigned to us, to remember where you came from," Angela replied.
"And I trust it to you," Nace said, holding her hand.
Angela sniffled, "And I'll take care of it."
"I'll be right back, I'd best flag down the nearest nurse," Nace replied.
"I'll be right here," Angela said with her usual light smirk.
Nace fought down some irrational part of his mind that feared Angela's condition would take a turn for the worst if he left and walked out of the room, nearly colliding with the nurse on her rounds.
A few moments later Nace returned with the nurse in tow, stepping back and letting the nurse do her job of taking Angela's vitals.
The nurse turned to Nace and said, "Angela needs her rest now. You can come back during visitor hours tomorrow."
"Right," Nace replied, before he headed back over to Angela's bedside.
"Getting kicked out?" Angela said.
"Looks like it, love," Nace replied with a wry grin of his own, "I'll be back tomorrow."
With one more clasp of her hand he added, "I love you."
"I love you too," Angela replied, "Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
As Nace walked out of the Groote Schuur, he felt the drizzle of raindrops landing on him. Briefly he thought of hailing a cab back to their place, but decided he needed a walk. Nearly losing Angela this week had made him think more about the future. In another year and some change his tour attaching him to ACME would be up and he would return to 4 Recce Regiment, based in nearby Langebaan and back to the never ending pace of training and operations inherent to being at the apex of South Africa's military edge.
But will it support a marriage? Well Dad had managed doing that for years. Mum supported him through it all, minding me and the siblings. But do I want to subject Angela to that lifestyle too? What if she has another posting that sends her back to the US? Nace thought as he walked down several more blocks in the rain.
Perhaps it would be better if I looked into an instructor or even an agent position at ACME. If nothing else it's somewhat more regular hours. Nace thought. I've got a year and some change to get that sorted out.
It would be a year plus that would mean he would have a lot to think about. It would be a radical change. Desiring to join the South African military and being part of it had been a major part of his life. But there were more important things outside of the uniform and a career in it, and that was the point of giving Angela the badge that had been the culmination of many years of training and hard work to earn.
I shall bring this before God. Nace thought as he passed by a nearby church.
