The SGT at arms and his run-away

What is he ready for?

*Zac*

As we roll back into the club parking area, the familiar roar of engines is replaced by the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses filtering through the open doors. The scent of whiskey and smoke invites us in, but I mostly tired, I am not really up for celebrating in the bar or being social.

Nick is the first to spot us as we walk inside, leaning back against the bar with a casual grin. "Well, well, look who’s back from action all macho," he teases, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "How'd it go?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "Just another rat caught in the trap," I reply, but my thoughts are still occupied in the chaos of Creed’s betrayal and the involvement by the Sinclair bastard, and more importantly, the sweetness of Willow’s laughter that seems to haunt me like a ghost.

Tom steps up beside me, and before anyone can say another word, Isabella appears, her presence lighting up the room. She strides over to Tom, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss that seems to steal the breath from everyone around us. I can’t help but roll my eyes. "Get a room, you two," I call out, half-joking, half-serious. The last thing I need right now is to witness another display of affection.

They break apart, both smirking at my comment. "Jealous, Zac?" Tom shoots back, but I'm already tuning him out. I scan the room, wondering if it is rude to just go to bed, then I spot Cherry, one of the club's most notorious hang arounds, sauntering toward me with a sultry smile.

"Hey, Zac," she purrs, leaning into me, her touch electric. "What do you say you and me go find… a room?"

I sigh internally. It is not the first time she is trying to get her Cherry coloured nails in me… but I really am not interested. "Not interested, Cherry," I say firmly, trying to keep my voice steady.

The smile falters on her lips, replaced by a hint of annoyance. "Oh? Is that so? Heard some rumors about you. That injury of yours… made you limp in more ways than one?" She raises an eyebrow, her tone teasing but laced with an edge.

I feel heat rising in my cheeks, but I refuse to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. "Doesn’t matter what you heard," I reply, shrugging it off. If that’s what they think, maybe they will finally leave me alone. I’m not in the mood for games, I know first hand how these easy girls can turn out to be not easy at all.

Cherry narrows her eyes, and for a moment, I think she might push back harder. But instead, she simply huffs and walks away, leaving me to wallow in my own thoughts.

I take a deep breath, trying to shake the tension that clings to me like a second skin. The club is alive around me, but I’m a million miles away, lost in the memory of Willow’s laughter and the promise of what tomorrow might bring. What the f**k is wrong with me… why am I getting all looney over a too young girl whom I probably will never see again?

With that resolve, I down a shot of whiskey Tom is handing me, letting the burn chase away the lingering doubts. "One day at a time,"

“What was that?” Tom asks.

I give a small shake of my head, then look at Isabella, “Is she asleep?”

She has picked Iris up from kindergarten and watched her for me. Now she nods. “Yeah… in your bed… Sorry she refused her own when you were not there, said she felt more safe in yours because ‘it smells like daddy.’

“It’s not a problem,” I tell her. To be honest, most nights she sleeps in my bed. I guess it is a habit I will have to break at some point, but no need to do it now. “And I believe I will go up and check on her, and get to bed too.”

“Already?” Tom says, looking at me. “Is the leg bothering you?”

I shrug, “A bit, but mostly I am tired… it’s been a long day and I have to be up early tomorrow.”

“Sleep well Zac,” Isabella say.

I nod and walk towards the stairs, “and thanks again for looking after Iris.”

“Always happy too,” She tells me.

*Isabella*

As I lean back against the bar, watching Zac ascend the stairs, moving his leg stifly, a knot of concern tightens in my chest. He’s been through so much the last year… his leg never fully healed from that brutal incident, not to mention the emotional turmoil from his ex-wife’s betrayal and death. He puts on a brave face, but the loneliness in his eyes speaks volumes.

“Hey, Tom,” I call, catching his attention as he takes a swig of his beer. “There was something I wanted to talk to you about?”

He raises an eyebrow, intrigued, and pushes away from the bar to stand beside me. “What’s up baby?”

“It’s Zac,” I start, my voice low to keep the conversation private. “I’m worried about him. He seems so… lonely. It’s like he’s lost in a fog, and no matter how much we joke around, he isn’t really here.”

Tom nods, his expression turning serious. “Yeah, I’ve noticed it too. He’s been a shell of his former self since everything went down.” He glances toward the stairwell where Zac disappeared. “But I’m not sure he’s ready to start dating again, you know? With everything that happened with… that b***h… and he is kinda focussing on Iris… he has enough on his plate.”

I take a deep breath, Zac deserves more, he is a really good guy and such a loving father. “But he needs connection, Tom. He needs someone to remind him that he’s worth more than just a broken past. I can see it in his eyes… the desire for something more, even if he won’t admit it.”

Tom shakes his head slowly, his brow furrowed in thought. “You might be right. But it’s tricky. Pushing him too soon might just send him running back into that shell he’s built around himself. He needs to deal with his feelings and everything else before he can even think about moving on.”

“Maybe that’s what we need to help him with,” I suggest, my heart racing with the idea. “We could introduce him to some new people, get him out more. Not as dates, but just friends. He needs to remember what it feels like to laugh, to enjoy life again.”

Tom chuckles softly, shaking his head. “You know he’s stubborn, right? He might just brush it off like he always does when we suggest anything.”

“Then we need to be persistent. I care about him, Tom. I see the way he interacts with Iris, how much he loves her. But he’s not just a father; he’s Zac. He deserves happiness too.”

Tom’s gaze softens, and I can see he’s considering my words. “Alright, let’s plan something. But we have to be careful. He’s been through hell and back. We can’t push him too hard.”

“Of course,” I promise, a sense of hope blooming in my chest. “I just want him to know he’s not alone. That he has us, that he can lean on us.”

As I watch Tom nod in agreement, I can’t help but smile. Maybe, just maybe, we can help Zac find his way back to himself. He deserves to feel the warmth of friendship and love again, to know that life can be colorful after the shadows of betrayal.

“Let’s make this happen, then,” I say, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “For Zac, and for Iris, I think she really needs a mother too.”

Tom’s brow furrows slightly, his expression shifting as he senses the underlying tension in my voice. “So, talking about mothers and family… any news?”

I shake my head, the familiar wave of disappointment crashing over me. “Sorry,” I reply, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “I just got my period today.”

His face falls for a moment, the weight of my words settling in. Then, without hesitation, he pulls me into a warm embrace, wrapping his arms around me as if to shield me from the sadness. “I’m sorry, Izzy,” he murmurs softly. “But we’ll just try again next month, right? I quite like the trying you know.”

I lean into him, and can’t help,but giggle a bit. “I know,” I say, my voice muffled against his shoulder. Oh my man surely like the trying.