Canada's Elite

Part Two – The Wedding Day

The Past, The Utah Desert.
It’s a day they all knew would come, but never thought it would. The Joe’s button down the PIT making it ready for the next time it is needed. Everyone keeps to their tasks as Stalker enters the PIT carrying a large sack with him.
“Mail call!”
The Joe’s buzz with anticipation, this their final mail delivery before they all go their separate ways and to their new lives. Stalker passes out the mail, coming to one that silences everyone, a letter for Snake-Eyes.
Flint and Lady Jaye exit the main room to talk in private out in the hall.
“Wow, Snake-Eyes getting a letter, wonder who it is from.”
“Don’t know Jaye, and its none of our business.”
Lady Jaye looks at Flint puzzled by his response. “Okay, spill it tough guy, what’s on your mind?”
“Sorry babe, guess I’m just not ready for this.”
“We knew it was coming. Cobra is finished, there is no need for G.I.Joe.”
“And what about us Jaye?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re all going different directions now.”
“Flint, Dashiell…” Lady Jaye looks into his sad eyes. “No matter what we’re a family we’ll always be there for each other no matter how far apart we are, and as for us, I don’t plan on going anywhere that will take me away from you.”
Flint runs his fingers through Lady Jaye’s hair kissing her. “You always know what to say.”
“Of course I do.” She laughs. “Now come on, before Hawk comes looking for us, its almost time for the ceremony.”
The two head to the lift passing Scarlett on their way.
“Hey, have you guys seen Snake-Eyes?”
“Sorry, no.” Lady Jaye replies.
“He’s probably in the mess or briefing room. Those are the only two rooms that still have chairs that haven’t been folded up or packed away.” Flint jokes.
“Thanks.” Scarlett starts towards the open briefing room stopping for a moment. “Flint, Lady Jaye, I just wanted to say its been an honor.”
“Same here Scarlett, especially for us, you and Snake-Eyes are two of the original members.”
“Thanks, I have to admit, I’m going to miss you two.”
Lady Jaye walks up to Scarlett giving her a hug. “I know we got off to a rocky start but…”
“It’s okay Jaye, if you start to get sappy on me you might make me cry.”
Flint grins. “Okay girls, lets split it up, we have a ceremony to get to.”
“I’ll see you guys up top.”
Flint takes Lady Jaye’s hand escorting her to the lift and up to the ground level for the retiring of the colours.

The Present.
Dashiell, sits back down on the couch still reminiscing about the past and the days that lead up to his union with the woman he pursued for so many years and finally winning her over.
After the Joe team disbanded he continued to be involved in the military while Lady Jaye went into semi retirement as the two grew closer. Flint proposed to Lady Jaye the only way he knew how, knowing he wouldn’t be able to come up with the words to say it himself. He wrote, Ali will you marry me, on a target in a rifle range where he and Lady Jaye would go to keep their skills sharp.
The two eventually married in a ceremony that brought back most of their old G.I.Joe teammates. It was a night of celebration and too much drinking, at least for Shipwreck who puked on Flint’s Aunt Betty. But they weren’t the only ones to be married, the long time relationship of Scarlett and Snake-Eyes finally seemed to be on the right track.

The Past, The Wedding Day.
Dashiell, looks at his stunning bride dressed in a simple but beautiful white gown, he dressed in his army dress clothes.
“Do you Dashiell take Alison to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The minister asks.
“With all my heart and soul.” He replies
“And do you Alison take Dashiell to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Fighting the urge to make a joke, Alison looks up at Dashiell and smiles. “I do.”
“Then I know pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride.”
Dashiell wraps one arm around Alison’s waist kissing her.

Later at the reception Alison gathers all the ladies for the traditional tossing of the bridal bouquet which is a lovely arrangement of pink Lilly’s. She looks at Shana giving her a wink as they all group up. Courtney and Jinx look at each other whispering something to the rest of the women.
“Everyone ready?” Alison shouts.
“Yes!” The group of women answers back.
Alison hikes the bouquet over her head as all the women step back leaving only Shana to catch the bouquet. Everyone laughs as the red head blushes looking over at her fiancé who is now being ribbed by his fellow former teammates.
“Everyone was going to place bets on how long it would take you two to get married you know.” Conrad says standing next to Dashiell.
“Oh?”
“Yeah but we decided on a trickier couple to make it more interesting.” The Sergeant nods at Shana who is being congratulated by the women. “They but heads almost as much as you and Alison do. Except she’s never clocked Snake-Eyes one.”
Dashiell rubs his face. “Yeah, I still flinch every time she raises her hand.” He laughs.
“Looks like the band is getting ready to play, and I think your bride wants to dance. Congratulations old friend, I’m sure the two of you will be very happy together.”
“Thanks, old friend.”
Conrad pats Dashiell on the shoulder as he heads out onto the dance floor taking his new bride into his arms.
“I love you.” Alison says gazing up into Dash’s eyes.
“I love you too Mrs. Faireborn.”

The two later moved into a house in Fort Meade to start their life together finding a home close to the Pentagon. They lived a happy life, Alison enjoyed her retirement as a housewife, learning the craft of ingredients gathering instead of intelligence gathering. It would only last another five years before they got the call, G.I.Joe was reinstated and their lives would never be the same again.

The Present.
The rain pounds down on the land as the storm rages on. Dashiell gets up from the couch and heads into the kitchen to get a bottle of water to drink, taking it from the door shelf just where Alison use to keep them. Even in the dark he can still find them. Life was perfect after that, even the day they finally received the call that G.I.Joe was back in action. He called Alison himself to tell her that she was reinstated.
It almost seems like time escaped from them, because soon after that his life would be shattered forever. He would feel a pain like no other, inflicted by a new enemy, and it was just after he and Alison fought. Why do these things always happen this way?


The Past, Observation Point, Outside Washington, D.C.
Just off the highway, Flint lays on the ground having been pulled from his SUV by Alison to a safe distance from the burning wreck. He had just been driven off the road by Dela Eden, a member of the fanatical organization known as the Red Shadows.
Flint watches as his wife fights with Dela ultimately loosing to the Red Shadow when she stabs Lady Jaye with a shard of metal. Flint can only watch in horror as his wife falls to the ground bleeding excessively.
“Take one last look at your wife, Agent Faireborn…” Dela says as she steps over Lady Jaye’s body towards Flint.
Most of her words are just a mumble to him, his eye fixed on Alison lying on the ground dying. “You…you…you killed her! You k-killed my wife!”
“Yes I did. In your grief, I’m sure you’d prefer to join her in the great beyond…but the Red Shadows have other ideas in mind for you.”
Dashiell feels a surge of adrenaline pump through his cut and bruised body leaping at Dela as she contacts her team for a pickup.
“Your persistence is impressive…but futile.” Dela lands a punch on Dashiell knocking him back to the ground.
Dashiell tries to fight back miscalculating his punch, wracked with grief and despair, missing Dela until a shot rings out hitting her in the back, then another in the upper right shoulder.
“Flint! Stay away from her! That body armor she’s wearing can take the hits! She’s down, but not out! Are there others?” Scarlett shouts standing up on the highways edge.
“No, but they’re coming…”
“Lady Jaye sent out an all-call on the comm…where is she?”
“Lady J-Jaye…Alison…she’s…she’s…”
“Wha…? Oh God Flint…is she…is she…?” Scarlett turns to Dela Eden. “As much as I want answers from you witch…there’s no armor between your eyes. Lie still until I tell you otherwise! Are we CLEAR?!” She growls keeping her gun on Dela until backup arrives.
Dashiell sits next to his wife’s body, the shard of metal in his hands, tears running down his face.

He had a chance at revenge, to even the score, an eye for and eye as it were.
Umbra Tower, New York City.
“What’s wrong Dela? You don’t look so good.” Flint smiles that lop sided grin of his standing over her having infiltrated their base and the Calvary coming in.
“Nuh-nothing that will keep me from killing y-you…”
“Look at you. Everything is falling apart around you, and you’re still spouting the crap they’ve filled your head with! You’ve lost, Dela.” Flint pulls a gun on Dela.
“Pull the trigger, Flint. Give in while you can. You can kill me, but I’ll die as I lived—treading the path of righteousness—and in that my death will be a victory. Let me live now and you’ll never forgive yourself! I’ll come back to haunt you in ways you can’t even imagine. Either way, you lose.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Flint clubs Dela with his gun.

The Present.
Dashiell takes a sip of water sitting back down on the couch looking up at Alison’s picture on the mantel the candle light illuminating it. “And how did I honor your memory babe? By drowning my sorrow in alcohol and throwing myself into the path of bullets with a death wish.” He looks at the half empty bottle of water throwing it into the fireplace. “God I miss you Alison, I thought taking a leave from the team would help me, especially after what happened with Snake-Eyes…”

The Not To Distant Past, G.I.Joe Headquarters The Rock.
“You’re serious?” Stalker says standing out in the hallway outside the briefing room with Flint.
“You had to expect this.”
“I did, just not this soon.”
“Oh? And when did you expect me to leave, when I wound up in a body bag?”
“Flint…”
“Come on Lonzo, lets not kid each other here, I hear the whispering, the speculation about my sanity. Ever since Alison’s death I’ve been on a downward spiral, I need some time away to find who I am now.”
Stalker places a hand on Flint’s shoulder. “I hope you do, and we’re all here for you if you ever need someone to talk to. Take care of yourself, I’ll let Colton know.”
“Thanks.” Flint salutes Stalker who returns his salute as he heads down the hall. He stops by the sick bay looking in on Scarlett who sits next to Snake-Eyes as he gets some rest after their last mission to rescue him from the Red Ninja’s. Flint, turns away continuing on his way.
“Flint?” Scarlett says in her soft southern tone. “Where are you going, aren’t you suppose to be in a briefing with Colton and the others?”
“I’m leaving the team Scarlett, I’ve already talked to Stalker he’s going to tell the others.”
“That’s it then, you’re just leaving?”
“It’s better this way.”
“Flint…” Scarlett grabs his arm turning him to face her. “I wish I could say I understand what you are going through. I know it must be hard, I know it was for me.”
“I’m sorry about what I said when we thought Snake-Eyes was dead, it was harsh.”
“No it wasn’t, you meant what you said. That’s what I’ve always liked about you, you spoke your mind.”
Flint sighs. “You should get back to Snake-Eyes, it’s good you’ve gotten a second chance.”
“We’ve had plenty of those. Look Flint, I really hope you find what you are looking for. Just remember, even if she isn’t here she’s still with you, watching over you, and you’ll always have a part of her here…” Scarlett places her hand over Flint’s heart then gives him a kiss on the cheek looking deep into his dark sorrow filled eyes.
“I should go.” He turns away from her.
“Dashiell, for what it’s worth, I miss her too.”
“Thanks Shana.”

The Present.
“God Alison, what am I going to do, how am I going to get through his without you?” Dashiell puts his face in his hands still trying to fight back his tears like he’s been doing all night. “I visit your grave all the time babe, hoping to find the answers I am looking for. But I haven’t after all this time.” Dashiell, grabs a candle and gets up walking into his den and over to the desk. He picks up a picture of the G.I.Joe team taken shortly after he joined with Snake-Eyes, Scarlett, Roadblock, Duke, Hawk, Lady Jaye and himself.
“You know, even Conrad tried to talk to me before he disappeared, told me I should go see someone. I told him where he should go.” Dashiell laughs. “You know what babe I think he was right.” The storm outside begins to subside, the rain letting up soon giving way to the morning sun.

Dashiell walks down the halls of Bethesda, MD stopping at one of the rooms and knocking on the door.
“I was wondering if you’d stop by.”
“How are you doing sir?”
“From what I hear, better then you are.” General Abernathy turns in his wheel chair to face Dashiell. “Then again, some say similar things about me.”
Dash takes just a step through the doorway looking down at the floor.
“You have to let it go Dashiell, if you don’t it will consume you.”
“I’m afraid it already has.”
“If it did, you wouldn’t be here. You’re a good soldier Dashiell, I’ve seen you grow over the years. When Duke first enlisted you for the team you were pompous, arrogant, and cocky. After you and Alison married she brought out a new side of you, a better side.”
“I’m not to sure about that.”
“You’ve just lost your way, and coming here you are now ready to find it again. Good luck Dashiell.”
“Thank you sir.” Dashiell heads towards the door pausing for a moment. “Sir, you were a great leader, to good to be spending your life in here.”
“We all have our demons to battle.”
Dash salutes his former General then continues on his way. He rides the elevator up a few more levels then steps off taking a deep breath walking down to nurse’s station nodding at the attending blonde haired nurse. “I’m here to see Mr. Rick.”
“Oh yes, you must be Dashiell Faireborn. I’ll let him know you are here.”
“Thanks.” Dash sits down in the waiting room drumming his fingers on the arm rest.
“I have to say I was wondering if you’d actually show up.”
Dashiell gets up shaking the blonde haired man’s hand. “Hello, Kenneth.”
“So why meet here?”
“There was someone else I wanted to visit before we met.”
Ken “Psych-Out” Rick smiles. “Ah yes, my other reluctant patient. You know, he refuses to even talk to me.”
“I can understand why.”
Ken scowls. “So, you ready to start on the path to healing?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Dash says pulling a picture out of his jacket pocket of his wife Alison.

The End
Flint: Declassified
Fan Fiction 2006