Two Fighters

Crawling

Lana POV (kiki in the photo)

Five months since I heard that laugh or seen his face other than on the tv. Five months since I heard they stripped him of his title. Four months since I heard he went off the deep end. Dominick Cruz, bantamweight alcoholic and party goer. Lana Clark, special agent with a broken heart stuck in Iraq till tonight.

"Earth to Lana." I blinked a few times and looked to Kiki who was looking at me from across the plane as she buckled into her seat. "What's going on in that brain of yours."

" Too much." I mumbled and crossed my arms, sitting back.

"I know you miss him." She mumbled before I scoffed. "You're lying to yourself." She glanced around before unbuckling and switching seats to sit beside me. " Lana I know you and I never seen you like this ever."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've had nightmares every night since we've been here."

"So what the hell does that have to do with Dom?" I glanced to her before looking straight ahead. My cheek was swollen from a punch during training. Rookies always seemed to aim for the face when they're in danger.

" He was like your home base in your mind. Now what is it?"

"Hell if I know." I dug in my pocket for a cigarette, finding the pocket empty as I cursed under my breath.

"You two breaking up is why you asked Colin to put you on a bunch of missions isn't it? To get your mind off him. We both know you can't forget someone like him Lana." I squeezed my eyes shut to contain my anger, granted it was only us on the plane at the moment, but still. "Lana he fucked up, you heard the messages it wasn't -"

"Shut up!" I opened my eyes and yelled in her face. "I fucking get it Kiki! I do! I loved him so much and I still do because he was the best I ever had!" I took a deep breath and looked straight ahead. "But it's over now. He's got a different girl every week on the tv with him."

" He lost everything that mattered to him. He's self destructing just like you. Don't tell me you can't see that in his eyes in the pictures and on tv. He's lost." I closed my eyes and tried to get comfortable, not entertaining the idea anymore. She sighed loudly and I could hear her change seats once everyone else began to board.

Sleep and I hadn't been the best of friends recently. As childish as it sounded all my nightmares consisted of someone dying and that someone tended to be Dom and/or Kiki. Even with Urijah and Dana keeping tabs on his for me I still worried. I worried where his mind was at especially since losing the belt. I knew how much that meant to him. I opened my eyes and huffed quietly before unbuckling once we were up in the air. Even as stubborn as I was I had to admit my sister was right.

"I'm sorry." She looked to me, sitting her book down before patting the seat beside her. "You're right. I love him and you know I would give my life for him if that were to ever arise, but I can't forgive him for being so careless."

" What if he was telling the truth about her coming onto him?"

"If he was then why not try harder to contact me instead of fucking every slut in San Diego." She cackled at my comment as I shrugged with a smirk.

"If he fucked every slut in San Diego his dick would fall off." I couldn't help but laugh at her comment before looking down at my hands.

"I'll think about. Cause I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss him."

"Mama still hangs out with him mother. I swear they're attached to the hip."

"Then I guess running into him again is inevitable at some point." I settled in and buckled back up. The rest of the flight I was just thinking about getting home. Even when we landed it all seemed surreal. I waved to Eric who engulfed me in a hug.

"Why do you look like you got sucker punched in the cheek?" A weak laugh escaped my brims as I pulled away.

"Recruit missed the pad and punched me in the face. You should see the rest of my body" I grumbled and lifted my shirt slightly. "They don't have any aim."

"I'm glad I didn't go." We walked along to the parking lot, my mind was set on one thing and that was going home to a glass of white wine and sleep, though surely it would include a nightmare. "When's the next mission?"

" Not sure actually. Colin says I maxed out my time for the year almost, but hopefully I can talk him into letting me do a few more." I tossed my bag into the trunk of my car before slamming it shut.

"I leave tomorrow for Russia. I gotta meet with Snowden." I nodded slowly before grabbing a cigarette from my car.

"How is he? In good spirits I hope?" He nodded as he looked around for a moment.

" The FBI hasn't been around anymore. They realized they can put any charges on us from us working with him in Hawaii two months ago."

"Well they had a field day talking to me considering I helped create XKeyScore and had -" I held the cigarette between my lips and did quotations with my hands in the air "-relations with the fugitive" Eric smirked slightly.

"Probably caught you two having what was simply a conversation on camera somehow back in what? 2010?" I nodded before taking a drag.

"Yeah, in Japan when Lindsey  was still getting used to the whole idea. When you see him give him my best, tell him to give me a call on the burner number."

"Will do. Ah that reminds me people from the Guardian news were looking for you. They wanted to talk to you. Something about stuff for a movie. They had a pineapple with them for you?" I chuckled and stepped on my cigarette.

"Ed told me that if anyone ever came to talk to me with a pineapple to tell them everything. If they came with a peach, tell them only what was deemed necessary. It means he trusts them." Eric handed me their business card and I shoved it in my pocket. "Stay safe out there."

"You too." He closed my driver door for me. Just like that I was back home.