Michael Monroe: Shit!
The wrench slips and hits his hand, sending a sharp pain through it.
Michael Monroe: Worthless piece of crap.
Michael picks the tool up off the ground and throws it into the tool box.
Manny: You're trying too hard, boss.
Manny steps in to aid his boss and with ease, fixes the issue.
Manny: You turn the wrench too tightly, it won't budge. You gotta do it slow. Make love to it.
Manny laughs as he nudges Michael jokingly on the arm.
Michael Monroe: It's a car, Manny. Not a sex toy.
Manny: Sometimes you have to treat it as such and shit will fall into place.
Michael Monroe: You need a girlfriend, Manny. One of these days I'm going to hook you up.
The two men laugh as Michael wipes his hands on his cloth when he sees Trevor arrive in his police cruiser.
Michael Monroe: You know, everytime you pull up here in that thing, you make mostly everyone here look like they just caught a whiff of raw eggs.
Trevor Monroe: Ha ha, you got jokes. Got some more stuff on that Roman guy. This could be what I need to use against him.
Trevor hands him a file containing enough evidence on Galloway. The illegal drug trades, sex slave trades and working with some of the world's most dangerous and most wanted crime lords. Michael looks through it and closes it, then motions for them to go around back.
Trevor Monroe: What's up?
Michael Monroe: I understand why you are doing this and I support it, but my gut is telling me something bad is going to come out of this. And it won't be the result either one of us is hoping for. Trust me, I want this guy behind bars. Hell, I want to see him begging for mercy, but, I don't know, man.
Trevor Monroe: You've got to trust me, Michael. This is apart of my job and one of the main reasons I took it. I made a vow to protect this city and make it a better place. Now, how can I take that vow and not bring down someone who has corrupted half the force and keeps hurting innocent people? He may have all the money, the nicest cars, the nicest mansion or whatever, but he's still a man and he can still be taken away just like anyone else that breaks the law.
Trevor starts to see the worriness in Michael's eyes and places his hand on his shoulder to calm him.
Trevor Monroe: Let me do my job, Mike.
Michael nods to him reluctantly.
Trevor Monroe: Come by the house tonight. Kylie is going to make a fantastic dinner and she'd love to see you. It's been awhile.
Michael Monroe: All right. Sounds like a good time.
Trevor Monroe: It's settled. I have to get back. I'll see you tonight, little brother."
They both walk around to the front and Trevor gets into his car and drives away as the two wave goodbye to each other.
Manny: Everything good, boss?
Michael Monroe: What? Oh, sorry. Everything's cool. Just a chat with my brother is all. Nothing to worry about.
The two go back to the garage to continue working. Another long day at the shop, Michael enters his apartment and goes to start a shower as he undresses from his mechanic suit. Cleaning himself off, he goes to the closet to get some nice clothes to wear when he notices an old box in the corner. He kneels down and takes the top off to find his old gear from his days in the Seals inside including an old and worn down face mask that has a white skeleton face on it. Memories begin to flashback through his mind that causes him to put the mask back and push the box into the corner. On the way to Trevor and Kylie's house, he stops by a liquor store to get two bottles of wine and arrives at their house. Feeling a little nervous as it's been quite a long time since he last saw Kylie and the last time she saw him, he was a drunken mess as Michael struggles with PTSD from overseas and has occuring nightmares of his time there. He has countless bottles of prescripted medicine to help him sleep, but he refuses to take any of them even if his psychatrist advises him to take them. Michael exhales deeply and exits his car to walk up to the front door and rings the doorbell. The door opens and Trevor is standing there, greeting him and invites him in.
Michael Monroe: I got red and white, I didn't know what was being served, so.
The two enter the dining room as Michael places the bottles on the table.
Michael Monroe: Smells delightful in here.
Kylie enters the room and gives Michael a tight hug.
Kylie Monroe: It's good to see you, Michael.
She gives him a smile, but Michael can see it in her eyes that she is cautious of him being there.
Kylie Monroe: Make yourself at home. Dinner will be ready in five.
She goes back into the kitchen as Michael takes his coat off and hangs it over the back of the chair.
Michael Monroe: She's still cautious, isn't she?"
Trevor Monroe: What?"
Michael Monroe: Come on, you know what I mean.
Trevor Monroe: Are you talking about that night? It was two years ago. She's over it and you should be too.
Michael Monroe: It's not that simple, Trev. I've been trying to let it go, but I can't. It's a difficult process to adjust to.
Trevor Monroe: Well, you need to start trying better for your sake and for your health.
Kylie walks back into the dining room with the main entree. The three take their seats, make their plates and eat the dinner that Kylie prepared mostly in silence and awkwardness.
Trevor Monroe: You've really outdone yourself, hon. Excellent food.
Michael Monroe: I have to agree. Probably the best thing I've eaten in days.
Kylie Monroe: Well, thank you both. I'm honored you enjoyed it. I did a fantastic job, if I do say so myself.
The three laugh.
Trevor Monroe: I keep telling her that one day she is going to be a five star michelin chef, but she always thinks I'm being sarcastic. Now, you see.
Michael Monroe: It was truly fantastic. Thank you.
Michael places his napkin onto the table as he drinks down the last bit of his wine.
Kylie Monroe: So, Trevor tells me you now own your own auto shop?
Michael Monroe: Yeah. It's been rated one of the best, but I wouldn't go that far.
Trevor Monroe: Oh, come on, now, Michael. Give yourself some credit. Anytime I ask about good auto shops, I mostly get yours.
Michael Monroe: I mean, I'm not saying we are bad and I'm not saying we are the best, but I wouldn't go as far as saying we are THE best. I still have to work with terrible tools and the budget isn't enough to get us new ones.
Michael pours himself more wine.
Michael Monroe: It's hard enough struggling to pay the employees, let alone keeping bills caught up. Always eating takeout, never really getting to enjoy home cooked meals like this.
The tears begin to welt in his eyes as Trevor and Kylie can see it.
Trevor Monroe: You're doing the best you can, Mike. And we are very proud of you.
Michael lowers his head as if he feels ashamed of himself.
Michael Monroe: My best isn't good enough. What I have done for this country, what I have sacrificed, will never be good enough for anyone. A simple pat on the shoulder, 'attaboy' or 'thank you for everything' is never good enough. And I see it every single day. Guys like Clint and Roy, both who I've served and fought along side with, are struggling and they both are hard working people.
Michael can feel the rage starting to build up, but manages to calm himself and not explode like a ticking time bomb in front of his brother and sister-in-law.
Michael Monroe: But, that's just how things work around here.
Michaels looks up and wipes the tears away and drinks some of his wine.
Michael Monroe: I know you two weren't expecting me to have another breakdown tonight, like what happened two years ago, and I'm trying not to, but sometimes when everything hits you all at once, what are you left with? I'm trying to better myself and had I known the terrible things I saw over there, I wouldn't have joined the Seals to begin with.
Michael drinks down the last bit of his wine as if to drink his the awful memories away.
Michael Monroe: Every night, I pray that nobody sees the horrors that I saw and has to be haunted by it or endure the countless nightmares that I battle every single night, because all I see when I shut my eyes are those awful images that I never thought the human race was capable of doing.
His voice cracks as he closes his eyes a moment to collect himself and when he opens them, he can see the tears streaming down Kylie's face and Trevor, sitting there in silence, taking everything in that his brother is saying, this being the first time either one have ever heard him speak on his time in the military.
Michael Monroe: I pray every single night that you two would never have to worry about me or have a repeat of what I did here. You two are the only family I have left and if I did anything to fuck that up, I could never forgive myself.
Michael starts to break down, but as he starts to cry he begins to laugh as if he told the punch line in a joke.
Michael Monroe: Then, I come home and people expect me to just get on with my life. As if there is a single care in the world.
Michael wipes away the tears again from his face.
Michael Monroe: Thanks for dinner. It was fantastic and I enjoyed it.
Michael stands up from the table and grabs his coat as he heads for the door to leave.
Trevor Monroe: I'll walk you out.
Trevor stands up as Kylie gives Michael a hug goodbye, holding him a bit tighter this time.
Kylie Monroe: Come by more often. We don't get to see that face around here anymore.
Trevor Monroe: I'll clean up, you go relax. You've been on the go all day.
He kisses her on the cheek and walks with Michael out to his car as Kylie goes into the kitchen.
Trevor Monroe: Well, wasn't the reunion I was expecting.
The two brothers step outside into the warm, summer night.
Trevor Monroe: But, I think we can agree it went fairly well tonight.
Opening his car door and tossing his coat into the passenger seat, Michael leans against the roof of his car.
Michael Monroe: Gotta work the shop again tomorrow. Have a busy day ahead of me.
Trevor nods to him silently.
Trevor Monroe: I'll be on patrol tomorrow night, so, likely be sleeping most of the day.
The two stand there for a moment in silence.
Trevor Monroe: Listen, I'm happy and proud of everything you have done. Alot of people may not show their gratitude, but you know how proud of you I am. And I know you are doing the very best you can to re-adjust to being home, but, just know that no matter what, you can always come here and talk, man.
Michael Monroe: Thank you. Truly.
Trevor Monroe: Thank you again for coming. It truly means alot that you did.
The two brothers hug each other and Michael gets into his car before rolling down the window.
Michael Monroe: I'll call you tomorrow. Maybe we can grab a quick bite before you go in.
Trevor chuckles and agrees.
Trevor Monroe: Take care, little brother.
Trevor stands there a moment as Michael drives away then goes back into his house.