Page 23 of Love and Loyalty

A few hours later, Izzy took a deep breath and made her way to Drew's quarters, determined to make amends for her previous mistake. As she walked down the corridor, she rehearsed her apology speech, hoping to find the right words to repair their relationship.

Just as she was about to reach Drew's door, General Jackson, her commanding officer, stepped out of the shadows, his expression stern. “Oakley, I need to see you for a minute."

Izzy's heart sank, but she followed the general to a nearby briefing room. He explained that they had received intel about a high-value target who had been terribly injured, and he needed her to lead a team to extract the target immediately.

Izzy nodded, her mind racing with the mission details. She knew she had to put her personal feelings aside and focus on the task at hand.

After the briefing, Izzy made her way to Drew's quarters once again, her heart heavy with anticipation. When she entered the room, Drew looked up from her desk, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in Izzy's presence.

Izzy didn't miss the look Drew shot her, the tension between them as high as it has been, if not higher. Drew's expression was guarded, her jaw set in a firm line. Izzy knew she had hurt Drew deeply, and repairing the damage would take more than just an apology.

"Major," Izzy said, her voice firm but respectful, "I need to speak with you about the mission briefing. General Jackson has assigned us to extract a high-value target."

Drew nodded curtly, her eyes never leaving Izzy's face. "I'm listening, Lieutenant Colonel."

Izzy felt a pang of regret, knowing she had to put their personal issues aside for now. She began to brief Drew onthe mission, trying to maintain a professional tone despite the underlying tension between them.

As they discussed the details, Izzy couldn't help but notice how Drew's eyes seemed to bore into her soul, as if searching for any sign of weakness or insincerity. She knew she had to prove herself, not just as a commander, but as someone worthy of Drew's trust and respect. Oh, and stop looking about Drew’s hands and remembering how good they felt on her body… and inside her.

The conversation about the mission continued, but a few minutes later, it was not lost on Izzy how Drew went from almost murdering her with her eyes to avoiding her gaze entirely, not making eye contact once. Drew's gaze darted around the room, focusing on the maps, the intel reports, and even the floor, but never meeting Izzy's eyes.

Izzy felt a pang of discomfort, knowing that Drew had probably gone from being hurt and angry from their previous encounter to not caring at all. She tried to maintain a professional tone, but it was hard to ignore the elephant in the room, especially as that elephant had obviously figured out a way to cut her off her life for good.

"Major, we need to coordinate our team's movements carefully," Izzy said, pointing to the map. "We can't afford to have any miscommunication during the extraction."

Drew nodded, her eyes fixed on the map. "Agreed, Lieutenant Colonel. I'll make sure to brief the team on the comms protocol."

She noticed Drew's voice was crisp and detached, lacking the warmth and camaraderie that usually characterized their interactions. It was as if Drew had built a wall around herself, and Izzy wasn't sure how to breach it.

As they continued discussing the mission details, Izzy tried again to catch Drew's eye, but Drew avoided her gaze at all costs.It was like they were two strangers discussing a business deal, not two colleagues who had shared a moment of intimacy barely a week before.

Izzy felt a pang of regret and longing, knowing she had caused this rift between them. She wanted to reach out and touch Drew's arm, to reassure her that everything would be okay, but she knew that would be a mistake.

Instead, she focused on the mission, trying to keep the conversation on track. But she couldn't shake the feeling that Drew was slipping away from her, and she didn't know how to stop it.

They set out for the mission. As they got ready and donned their uniforms, Izzy noticed that Drew's was slightly askew, the hem of her pants torn and her jacket zipper stuck. Izzy instinctively reached out to help, but Drew brushed her off brashly.

"I can handle it, Lieutenant Colonel," Drew said curtly, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

Izzy felt a sting from the rebuff, but she tried to brush it off as mere pre-mission jitters. However, the exchange didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the team. The male soldiers nearby exchanged hushed talks and jeers, their snickers and whispers carrying on the wind.

She saw the whispering and the snickering and knew what it was about.

Izzy's face burned with embarrassment and frustration. She knew that Drew's rejection was not just due to pre-mission jitters. She tried to focus on the mission ahead, but the whispers and snickers continued, making her skin crawl.

“Has anyone got something they want to say?” Izzy said, her voice booming and brokering no argument.

Silence washed across the soldiers immediately and every hint of a smirk disappeared from their faces.

Izzy let out the breath she had been holding. That was better. A little respect.

As they moved out, Drew walked ahead, her back stiff and unyielding. Izzy followed, her eyes fixed on Drew's back, wondering how they had reached this point. The distance between them seemed to grow with every step, and Izzy knew she had to find a way to bridge it before it was too late.

The mission was already fraught with danger, and they couldn't afford to have their personal issues compromise their focus. But as they navigated the treacherous terrain, Izzy couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a minefield, both literally and emotionally.

When they landed on the outskirts of the territory, Izzy quickly assessed the situation. The civilians were scattered, some wounded, others frightened. She sprang into action, her training kicking in as she began to give each doctor a wounded soldier to tend to while looking out for the high-value target.

Drew and the rest of the team fanned out, securing the perimeter and setting up a defensive position. Izzy focused on the civilians, her hands moving swiftly and surely as she bandaged wounds and administered first aid.