Kelly and Kate broke apart to see where the noise had come from. Iris took the opportunity to step between the two of them and grab them both by the ear. “No, you two being sisters won’t affect anything! Now, Kelly, get in that chair in the corner and Kate, get in that chair by the listening station!”

            Surprisingly, Kate and Kelly obeyed Iris’ command. Iris studied the pair; Kelly had the beginnings of a black eye and was holding her side in pain. Kate’s face was covered in blood and her nose was off center.

            “Kelly, if anyone deserves a beating it’s me; I was team leader and I knew what Kate was going to do. Granted, I didn’t think she would be stupid enough to actually sleep with a target but the fact remains that it was my responsibility,” Iris said.

            “I didn’t make you team leader, Iris, I gave that job to my stupid little sister,” Kelly said, glaring across the room at Kate. Kate started to stand when Iris gave her a look. She settled back in the chair, glaring at Kelly.

            “Kate’s not stupid,” Jack said quietly. Kelly turned to glare at Jack. “Hear me out; if I was on point last night we would have zero intel because I would have froze. If Iris had been on point we would have nothing because Pierce knows her. And if Emily had been on point then we’d have nothing because Pierce likes blondes. Kate was the only one who could’ve pulled it off and she did.”

            Kelly turned to face Kate again.

            “What did the intel say?”

            “I don’t know, Max was running it last night,” Kate shrugged, not looking at her sister. Kelly stood and walked over to the sofa where Max slept. She gently reached out and shook him awake.

            “Good morning, I’m senior officer Nixon, I don’t believe we’ve met,” Kelly said, Max jolted awake and offered his hand sleepily.

            “Airman Max Shultz, pleasure,” Max said. He glanced around the room quickly; taking in Emily’s head in her hands, Iris standing in the middle of the room, a bloody Kate and the remains of a teapot splattered against the wall. He then turned and noticed that his legs were now in Jacks’ lap. He blushed and set his feet on the ground. “What did I miss?”

            “A catfight between Kate and her sister for one,” Jack said, a wry smile playing on her lips. Max’s eyes widened as he looked between Kelly and Kate again.

            “****! You two beat the hell out of each other,” Max said, sounding impressed.

            “If you don’t mind, Airman Shultz,” Kelly said loudly. “Where is the intel from last night?”

            “In the kitchen,” Max said, pointing. “It was encrypted so we let it run all night, it should be done by now.”

            Iris started walking towards the kitchen but stopped to glare at Kelly and Kate.

            “If I go in there will you two be civil?” Iris asked.

            “Probably not, but we won’t beat each other anymore,” Kate answered. “Hey while you’re in there could you start a pot of coffee?”

            “Make your own, I have to make another pot of tea,” Iris snapped.

            “You’re the one who threw it,” Kate said, managing a smile through bloody lips.

            “I’ll make the coffee,” Jack sighed, getting up from the couch. “And call Dr. Greek.”

            “Good call,” Kate said, noticing the trickle of blood pooling on her shirt. “I can’t believe you broke my **** nose.”

            “You probably cracked a few of my ribs,” Kelly said, still holding her side.

            Jack re-entered the living room and tossed Kate a hand towel.

            “Try not to get blood on the carpet,” Jack said. Kate nodded and held the towel to her face.

            “Max, can you make sense of this?” Iris asked from the kitchen. Max jumped to his feet and entered the kitchen, leaving Kelly and Kate alone with the still silent Emily.

            “Em, are you alright?” Kate asked.

            “I’m trying to keep my head from splitting, do not speak to me until I’ve had some tea,” Emily groaned.

            “Huh, I hardly notice my hangover now that I have a broken nose,” Kate said.

            “Glad I could help,” Kelly said.
            Jack and Iris came back into the living room carrying coffee and tea, respectively. Iris gently touched Emily’s shoulder and handed her a steaming cup.

            “It’s got a bit of the hair of the dog to help you through,” Iris said, smiling. Emily groaned in thanks and took the cup from her with shaking hands.

            “Where’d you find more whiskey? Emily drank it all last night,” Kate asked.

            “The sideboard had Scotch,” Iris said. Emily made a face after taking a sip. “I know it’s not your favorite, but it’ll help.”

            “Thanks Iris,” Emily said.

            “Dr. Greek is on the way over,” Jack called from the kitchen.

            Twenty minutes later, Dr. Greek entered the living room with an amused expression on his face.

            “I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m Dr. Greek,” he said, offering his hand to Kelly.

            “Kelly,” Kelly said. “Treat Kate first, there’s not a lot you can do for me.”

            Dr. Greek turned and smiled at Kate who was still holding the towel over her nose. It was almost completely red with blood and both of Kate’s eyes were blackening by the second.

            “Very well, come with me to the kitchen, Kate,” Dr. Greek said, offering his arm for support. Kate hobbled to the kitchen, leaning heavily on the doctor. He set her in the same chair he had set Jack and removed the towel. “Oh yes, you have a broken nose. I’d recommend going to the hospital to have that fixed but I know you probably won’t do it.”

            “That would be correct,” Kate said.

            “I can reset it, if you like, but it will be very painful,” Dr. Greek said, looking wary. Kate grabbed the bottom of her chair with both hands and nodded.

            “Just do it, doc,” Kate said, gritting her teeth. Jack and Max stood watching while they waited for the intelligence to print. Dr. Greek reached out with a strong hand and straightened Kate’s nose with a crunch. “God damn mother **** ow!” Kate yelled, blood and tears streaming down her face as Dr. Greek applied pressure to the bridge of her nose.

            “Do any of you ladies have a tampon?” Dr. Greek asked. Kelly entered the kitchen and tossed the doctor one from her purse. Dr. Greek quickly disassembled the product until it was just the cotton. He then cut it in half and placed each half in Kate’s nose. “There, that should stop the bleeding. I’m afraid your eyes will be black for a week or two though. Does anything else hurt?”

            Kate held up her left hand which was heavily bruised and cut. Blood trickled down her knuckles. Dr. Greek looked at it and then looked up at the right side of Kelly’s face.

            “What, did you sleep with her husband?” Dr. Greek asked Kelly.

            “She’s my sister,” Kate said.

            “Ah, say no more, I’ve been in two wars and to this day the worst arse-kicking I’ve ever received was from my brother. No one can hurt you worse than the people who love you most,” Dr. Greek said, cleaning Kate’s hand. Kate looked over at Kelly and shrugged. Dr. Greek then placed a small bandage on Kate’s bottom lip. “Anything else?”  

            “No, nothing else is hurt. Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to go have a cigarette,” Kate said, standing. Her balance was already vastly improved. “Doc, you are the man.”

            “Thank you, Kate. Now, Kelly, it’s your turn. What hurts?”

            “My ribs, but all you can do for that is tape them up. My hand is kind of sore too,” Kelly admitted, holding up her right hand. Like Kate’s, it was bruised and cut.

            “I would imagine so,” Dr. Greek chuckled. “Excuse me, sir,” he said, looking over at Max. “I’m going to have to remove my patient’s shirt and as she is married…”

            “Right, sorry,” Max said, blushing. He quickly exited the kitchen, holding a sheaf of papers. Dr. Greek helped Kate take off her top, revealing red welts on her side and a thin pink scar across her stomach. “C section?”

            “Yes, my second child. He was in a breech position and wouldn’t flip so the doctor had to go in and get him,” Kelly said, smiling.

            “How old is he?” Dr. Greek asked, pressing on the welts. Kelly grimaced but said nothing until he was done.

            “Four months, almost five. My daughter is three,” Kelly answered.

            “That’s a fun age,” Dr. Greek said, taking a roll of medical tape from his black bag.

            “Ha, not quite. She’s a biter,” Kelly said, wincing as Dr. Greek pressed tape into her skin.

            “She’ll grow out of it,” Dr. Greek said, wrapping several layers of tape around Kelly’s torso. “Well, I must say that you did more damage than your sister. Your ribs are cracked but as long as you stay away from stringent activity for six weeks you should be fine.”

            “Six weeks?” Kelly asked.

            “Yes,” thereabouts,” Dr. Greek said.

            “Doc, my anniversary is in three weeks,” Kelly said, smiling.

            “Ah… well,” Dr. Greek blushed, “You should be fit for duty by that point.”

            “Good, otherwise I would’ve had to go finish my sister off,” Kelly laughed, wincing.