You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you.

~

Leaving her daughter had been the most difficult thing Mara had ever done before. She was only two, she didn't understand that when Mara got on that plane, she may never come home. It nearly stopped the redhead from leaving, but she'd completed the training, she'd passed every test. Her and Jackson both.

So she left. And she left her daughter with you.

~

The sun was hot. And so Mara had cut her hair as short as she was allowed and then put it up. But Jackson was suffering from it, and she could sense her team's annoyance at the constant breaks the canine took.

Whenever questioned, she replied: "He's saved your life..." And then she would count the orange flags in the middle of the desert. "Twelve times today. He earned it."

The first two drops had been fine. Long and exhausting, but they went "home" safe. And the pair played with Jackson's favorite red chew toy and then Mara would sit with the team and drink. Then she made time to call her little one, who had grown up so much in the time that she'd been gone. She just had to keep telling herself that she'd get back safe. And Mara believed it.

Until the sixth drive they took after the third drop.

No one knew what had hit them until the first vehicle vaulted threw the air and came down with a crash that started with a bang. Everyone else stopped, most jumping from their own vehicles and Mara followed suit, dragging people from the overturned, now, lump of metal.

Orders were given out after that, but Mara could barely pay attention, too busy watching as Jackson walked the length of his ten foot rope, pacing back and forth. Back and forth. Sniff. Look up. And back and forth again.

"Mara," Avery barked, making her look up. "Get to work."

And they did. They worked for hours, marking everything that they could. But Jackson was on edge, Mara's nervousness traveling through the leash tied around her hands. Something didn't feel right...

Then the gunfire started. People shouted. Jackson snarled and she felt teeth in her arm, dragging her down onto the hot Earth.

~

Please don't take my Sunshine away...

~

The face of the stewardess greeted her when she woke, making her jump and the face immediately backed away from her vision.

"Ms? Your flight has ended," said the woman quietly.

She nodded numbly, left arm close to her stomach as she stood, Jackson following on her right. They both moved a little slower, a little more cautious, a little distrustful. The dog moved slower than his handler, still learning to hobble along on three legs.

"He just... Can't work anymore."

That's what the vet had said, and Mara was secretly grateful. She was sent home with him, having failed her last evaluation with dying colors.

The first thing she'd done before boarding was call you, asking you to pick her up and to bring little Angelina along too.

It had been so long...

She picked up her bag at the claim and sat on a bench with ear buds in, but she wasn't listening to anything, she was blocking everything else out. Mara was so lost in her own head that she hadn't realized you were walking towards her until Jackson stood, wagging his tail weakly.

Then she looked up and stood, pulling out the buds and tucking them away as Angelina came running towards her. Mara groaned softly on contact, kissing her head and wrapping her arm around her baby girl.

[Then you?]