Defending Hannah

social climber. Without Ben life had little meaning anymore. Her prince charming was gone forever.
Hannah stepped out of the shower and was toweling off when she realized that she didn't have a change of clothes and there was no way she was putting her filthy clothes back on if that’s what you could call them. She was debating the wisdom of going around in a towel when there was a knock on the door frame. Ben stood there on the threshold looking down with a stack of clothes in his hand.
"One of the nurses had an extra pair of clothes." he explained then thrust the bundle towards her while keeping his eyes down.
"Thank you." Hannah watched him to see if he would turn around and give her privacy or leave.
Ben must have sensed her hesitation because he turned his back to her. She could have told him to leave but she liked having him near. She didn't know why he had broken her heart all those years ago but she trusted him. She was such an idiot. She must be a glutton for punishment, why else would she still have feelings for him?
"How have you been?" Hannah asked turning away from him as she changed.
"Fine," was all he said.
"That’s all I get after thirteen years? Fine. Is it something that you could tell me but you'd have to kill me." Hannah joked.
"I’ve been in the military for thirteen years and going on frequent missions. I don’t have much time for a social life," he said closer this time.
Hannah turned around and he was right behind her. How had he moved so quietly? He was so close she could feel his body heat. If she lifted her hand she could touch him.
Ben reached out a hand to touch her wet strands but stopped mid-motion. He quickly stepped away from her. "Ready to go?”
Hannah was speechless. He had been about to touch her, well her hair and he stopped himself. "Yes," she whispered. She needed food desperately and needed to warn them about the girls. Ben was obviously not planning on a reunion between them.
The chow hall was empty except for two of Ben's team members. They all looked up at her as one. Ben placed a reassuring hand on her back and urged her to keep going. They nodded in greeting to her when she was next to the table.
"Hannah, this is Sunshine and Doc.” Ben pointed to each guy in turn. “Cricket, Hound, Tiny and Hawk are out guarding the shipment we brought back but I’m sure you’ll meet them soon."
"Call signs? Like Top Gun. Where’s Maverick?" Several of the guys turned away to hide their grins.
"Movies hardly do the military justice. Top Gun was also Navy and we’re Army."
"Rangers? Special Forces?" Hannah guessed. She knew little about the military or their branches. Her Grandpa was in the Army but she didn’t remember much about his stories or what he did. She knew Ben joined the Army at eighteen but this group seemed so much more than the average soldier. Something covert.
"Or something." Sunshine chuckled.
"We can’t talk about what we do," Ben told her simply. His voice was calm but his words cut like a whip. They told her she wasn’t important enough to know. That she wasn’t important to him.
Hannah shrugged with indifference; she would let him keep his secrets. It wasn’t like she meant anything to him. Doc indicated for her to sit next to him and set a plate down. Hannah sat down forgetting about Ben and his icy demeanor towards her and started spooning giant spoonful’s of food on her plate. Everything looked good and smelled delicious. Hannah dug her fork in and blocked out the rest of the world while she ate. She blushed a little when she saw everyone looking at her funny when she had finished her plateful of food. She touched her face wondering if she had something hanging off of her.
"Sorry," Doc said. "I’ve just never seen anyone eat so much and so quickly since training. Don’t be embarrassed I’m sure it’s been awhile since you’ve had a full meal."
"Hannah," Ben said and paused. She turned to face him wondering what he was trying to say or ask. "Hannah, how long have you been in Panama?"
Now she knew why he was struggling to find the right words. Now it was her turn. But first, she had to know something. "What’s the date and year?" She heard a few curse words passed around the table but kept her focus on Ben.
Ben told her the date not changing his facial expression. His face could be carved from granite as much as his expressions changed. The man wore a permanent scowl. Didn’t he laugh anymore? Given what he did for a living she guessed there wasn’t much to smile about.
Hannah gasped in horror. She lost so much time? "I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been with Alejandro. A few weeks I think. Days bled together there and with no windows, I could never tell if it was day or night, but I do know I was originally captured September 23, 2015." A date she would never forget.
Ben's eyes turned murderous and he clenched his fists on the table. She supposed it was better than pity.
"Where are the girls you rescued?" She asked. She needed to tell them about the girls before it was too late.
"In the infirmary resting."
"Has a doctor looked them over?”
"I don’t know why?" he sounded exasperated that she kept asking him about the women.
"You need to give them all an x-ray.” She said without preamble.
“I don’t understand. Why?" his brows drew together and formed little creases that her fingers itched to smooth out.
"The shipment," She started to say but Ben cut her off.
"Don’t trouble yourself over the shipment. We have it in custody. Cricket, Hound, Tiny and Hawk are guarding it as we speak."
"No, you don’t understand." Hannah pleaded. "That’s not the shipment. It’s a decoy."
They all instantly went on alert. "How do you know that?" Sunshine accused her.
Hannah instinctively shrunk back from his hostile tone.
"You," Ben pointed at Sunshine. “Knock it off. You," He pointed at Hannah. "Explain, please." He tried to soften his tone when talking to her but it did little to