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Carter shifted uncomfortably in his seat but kept his peace with a simple nod. He didn’t think it was entirely fair for the general to place all the blame on himself. Reynolds had the lion’s share of that. Yet he understood all too well what it was like to allow the burden of blame to fall on your shoulders, sometimes placed there by yourself.

“Another mistake in judgment on my part,” Winter continued, watching Carter, “was my belief that you should be left alone.”

“Why?” Carter asked softly.

“I saw enough of the report from the field that had you sent back. I’ve been doing this for a long time and can read between the lines of an official report better than anyone. Half your team was killed in action over bad intel. Your teamretreats, and suddenly, you’re being accused of breaking rank, insubordination? I can do the math.”

Carter nodded, throat tightening at the man’s words. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

General Winter leaned back. “My point is that after all that and how you were treated, I suspected the last thing you wanted was to have more high-ranking officers insert themselves into your life. So, I had you come here after repeated incidents at other bases, and I chose to stay distant in the hope that without interference, you would flourish.”

Carter snorted, staring at the desk. “Not sure how well that worked out, sir.”

“No,” General Winter agreed. “Which was my mistake. I should have recognized you needed a high-ranking officer’s presence if only to tell you that I did, and do, believe in you. You should have known there was someone on your side willing to go to bat for you.”

Again, Carter only nodded, wishing he could tell the general that this moment alone was enough. General Winter had screwed up in his own way and had made bad calls, but he was not only owning up to them but willing to do what it took to clean up the mess that resulted.

And he believed in Carter.

“My point,” General Winter continued, “is that I’m glad about my feeling. This incident alone tells me I found myself another good man. A man willing to defend others, even if it means he risks everything.Thatis what a good soldier does, Corporal Grant, and never forget that.”

“Yes, sir,” Carter said through a tight throat, staring adamantly at the desktop.

“Right,” the General proclaimed. “First things first. I’ll need you to give your witness report on the matter. Then, I think you’ll be due for a nice break. Two weeks leave will do you well,and I advise you to spend it with someone or somewhere special. Get your head on straight.”

Carter nodded, listening to the man and eager to get started. He was distracted for several minutes, trying to pay attention to the questions, but all he could think about was Marco.

“Staff Sergeant,” General Winter called.

The door swung open, and Marshall walked in. “Sir?”

“We no longer need to keep Corporal Grant here. Please see him out and come back when you’re done. You and I need to discuss a certain Sergeant,” General Winter told him.

Carter stood up, saluting the man once again. “Thank you, sir.”

General Winter smiled. “No, thank you. Dismissed. Enjoy your leave.”

Carter waited until he and Marshall were down the hallway and hopefully out of earshot before turning on the man. “Why did you help me?”

Marshall pulled his phone out, tapping at it with a snort. “Because it was the right thing to do. Marco told me everything, with a fair bit of yelling, I might add. And then made sure Dean and I helped find the private.”

Carter reeled back. “I’m sorry, what?”

Marshall looked up, a small smile pulling at his lips. “It was Marco. He all but beat Dean and me over the head with the most convincing case of your personality and character. And then, with a little bit of info from Dean, he found and sat down with King. It was him, Carter...and you.”

Carter shook his head, finding it difficult to believe. There was definitely more to the story and probably a few steps he couldn’t even imagine. But in the end, it was Marco, that impossibly sweet, gentle, and yet fierce man. The whole time Carter had been with him, he’d only ever thought of how he could defend Marco and fight for him.

He never imagined Marco would fight for him too.

“Where is he?” Carter asked faintly.

“We kept him at home, just in case.”

“In case it wasn’t enough.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going,” Carter said, turning.