Finn woke up with a jolt. Green and grey images chasing him into consciousness.

He tried to shake the memories the dream elicited as he shuffled toward the bathroom. Emily in her green dress. Grey eyes boring into him. The red veil that descended when she left with Max.

Spite had reared its ugly head. Finn decided if she could leave with another man, then he'd move on as well.

A huge mistake.

As if they were faced with a ticking time bomb, the brunette clinging to him on the dance floor had dragged him into a cab. In the backseat purple painted nails tugged at his jeans, pink stained lips sucked at his neck. In the past, Finn could easily give in to the desires of this woman. Meaningless sex satisfying an immediate need for the numbness to descend.

This time was different. This time, everything was all wrong. She was the wrong woman. Numbness no longer held the same appeal. He wanted to feel something. Like he had in the hospital room for a few brief moments. The warmth. The tenderness. The desire. He wanted Emily. Despite the offered easy lay, Finn walked the brunette to her door, making sure she got home safely but refused to come in.

Back at base, he'd paced the common room, drinking beer and flicking bottle caps across the room in anger. Tension coiled in every muscle. Finn his best not to imagine where Emily was, what she was doing, who she was doing it with.

A losing battle.

Eventually, he sought refuge in his room, knowing sleep would elude him, but hoping beating on his pillow might help. Or crying into it. He must have drifted off, launching into a strange dream where Emily twirled before him, trying to tell him something. A thick wall of glass separated them, blocking out any sound. He woke up with a heavy heart and a massive erection, visions of a green dress the cause of the latter.

Water pulsed over his strained muscles as Finn dealt with his morning present in the shower, a strangled groan emitting from him as he ejaculated to the memory of Emily's smile. Leaning against the shower wall to catch his breath, Finn tried to find the calm he needed to meet the day.

He had to get away from Emily. This was the only solution. That plan had worked before. It would work again. Determination set in. Time to renew his contract. The Navy was happy to have him, and Finn needed to be somewhere he was wanted.

At breakfast, he shoved eggs between two slices of toast and scooted out the door. Determined to avoid Max, his usual dining companion. Not sure what to do with himself, he considered taking the bus to Bridgetown. Simon had sent several texts asking him to get together again. His brother didn't seem to understand Finn hated the small seaside resort. Too many memories.

Of her.

As Finn pounded the punching bag at the base gym, he set his mind on finding a way to face Max. There was no way he could avoid it. Max was a member of the team. A valuable member. His friend. How could he face him? Be happy for him? The thought caused the red veil to blur Finn's vision again. He hated how he was being petty.

After another shower, this time to ease his aching muscles, Finn locked himself in his room. Campbell texted, asking him to join them for a day at the park, but Finn declined the invitation. His buddy may be used to his foul moods, but there was no need to subject his wife and kids to the maelstrom. Besides, Finn doubted he could stand the front-row seat to the happy couple show Campbell and Lily presented.

An Avengers movie marathon on his smartphone wasted most of the day. His stomach grumbled and Finn checked his watch. Ten minutes until the mess hall closed. Surely Max would have grabbed grub without him by now.

The fates were not with Finn. Moments after he sat down in the nearly vacant dining area, a plateful of pasta before him, Max walked in. The other man loaded up his tray and plopped down across from Finn. "Hey."

With a grunt in acknowledgement, Finn purposely didn't look up, focusing rather on shovelling another mouthful of food onto his fork. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Max's hands buttering a roll. Finn imagined those hands touching Emily. That led to thoughts of her kissing him, holding her. Shifting in his seat, Finn picked up the pace. He needed to eat fast and find an excuse to leave.

They ate in silence for a few more moments, the sound of Max chewing grating on Finn's nerves. Then Max spoke. "Saw you and that girl last night," his voice giddy. "So... how was she?"

Finn shrugged. Maybe if he appeared uninterested, Max would drop the subject. But he didn't give up. This was their routine after Finn picked up a woman in a bar. The next day Max wanted details—he liked to brag to the other guys about Finn's escapades. In the past he hadn't minded the tall tales Max would spin, Finn, portrayed as the hero who gets the girl. Of course, what Max and the boys did not understand was it was all senseless, a way to cope, nothing to be proud of.

Max tapped his fork on the side of the plate. "C'mon man. I need details. Don't leave me hanging."

"Nothing to tell," Finn mumbled between bites.

"Get out. She wasn't any good?" Finn could hear the disbelief in Max's voice. "She sure looked fine."

A part of Finn's brain knew Max was only paying him a compliment, but his fist wanted to smash Max in the face. He had Emily Montgomery. Why would he even look at another woman? Finn swallowed his food and prepared to shove another mouthful in. Before he could stop himself, the words slipped out. "What about you?"

"Man, your friend Emily..." Max's words drifted off. The dull ache in his chest flared up. Finn hated himself, but he wanted to know more. Max didn't disappoint, continuing, "She's something else."

"I know I ..." He had to bite down on his tongue to stop from admitting he loved her. Or at least the image of her. What Emily had been. "I know ... any man lucky enough to capture her heart would be set for life."

Max popped the lid on a can of soda, the carbonation escaping in a burst sounding like a huge sigh or a missile escaping from an RPG. Finn couldn't help warning the other man. "So, treat her well." Or I'll have to break your legs went unsaid.

Max huffed. "Do you think I could get her to go out with me?"

"After last night, I should think you'd have no problem," Finn growled into his plate. The ache jabbed at his ribs, and he resisted the urge to rub his chest.

"Last night?"

"I saw you leave with her..." Finn couldn't force out the words. He'd spent too much of last night filling in those blanks.

"You think... Oh man." Max's head swung back and forth. "I wish."

The fork filled with noodles froze in Finn's hand. "What?"

"I only walked her out and made sure she safely got into a cab."

"But..." Finn had assumed. He didn't know where to go with the sentence. Then he thought about her smile. "Em looked like she was having a good time."

"I thought so. She seemed really interested in my stories about the Navy. Asked a lot about you."

Finn's mind took off, running through the ramifications of what Max was saying. If Emily asked about him, smiling his smile, then there might be some feeling still left. Sure, it could have been nostalgia. But no, not that smile. He knew it too well.

Max droned on about some story he told Emily. "...you pulled that brunette and proved my point."

A lump of lead dropped in his stomach. He was stupid. Emily was right there, waiting for him to return to their table and instead of taking the opportunity, he had been... jealous... for no reason. Anger had made him put his arm around that girl. Let her kiss him. In front of Emily.

He mentally cursed his temper.

Max sipped his soda. "That's when she got sick."

For the first time, Finn looked directly at Max. The ache in his chest spiked. "Sick?"

"Said it was just a headache, but she went all pale." Max rambled on. "I wanted to escort her home, thinking she might pass out or something. But she insisted she'd be fine."

The pasta in his stomach gurgled and threatened to return the way it had come. He'd been a complete idiot. Not only had Emily met him with nothing but kindness since they had reunited, she'd gone out of her way for him. Yet he still doubted her. She found ways to be near him. Yet he still doubted her. She had initiated the kiss. Yet he still doubted her.

Once, long ago, Emily had asked him to never doubt her feelings. Since returning, this was all he'd done. Doubt everything.

Emily had watched him kiss another woman and then got upset.

Emily had feelings for him.

As the thought seeded itself in his heart, his brain recognized the truth of the concept. A strange warmth he hadn't felt for almost a decade spread through him. Along with certainty.

She was an angel.

He was an ass.

"Oh..." The expression on Max's face fell as if he had just been told the truth about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. The pain in his eyes missing these last few days roared to life and reflected at Finn. "I... I didn't know, man."

"Know what?"

Max swallowed before beginning an intense study of his plate. "Nothing." Then he was unfolding himself from his chair. "I gotta go."

Finn called after him, but the other man swiftly jogged out of the dining hall. New data emerged, begging to be considered, and his mind went in a million directions. He stared at Max's retreating form while pondering going after his friend. Finn found himself unable to move.

He tried to focus, forcing himself to take a deep breath. First and foremost, he had to make up for his stupidity last night. Beg Emily to forgive him. Ask for a chance to love her. No - tell her he loved her. Always had. Always will.

Phone in hand, he searched for Lance's number. Lance could tell him where to find Emily.

Why did he not have Emily's phone number? Oh right, because he was a stubborn ass.

Barely able to keep the stupid grin off of his face, Finn mentally pleaded with Lance to pick up.

"Finn." He could just hear Lance's voice over the pounding of his heart. "I was about to call you."

"Listen, can you give me Emily's number? I need to clarify a question about my testimony." Finn gave up trying to suppress his glee. Soon he'd get the woman he loved back. He could feel it.

"You won't reach her. She's on a plane right now." This time, Lance delivered the crushing news. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Emily's been called away. I'll be handling the case solo."

Finn's vision blurred. Once again, Emily Montgomery vanished from his life.