General Shepherd always said that there were "casualties" in war. People died and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Graves did not accept this and always tried to do everything to get his Shadows home safely. And that almost became his undoing. Phillip was caught in a bomb explosion and narrowly escaped death. Unfortunately, the explosion kissed the commander with flames. He was also severely burned on the face. Phillip spent many long months in the hospital in a coma, and then several more months after a skin graft. After half a year of fighting, he was finally able to return home, but there was still no way he would return to duty, which he could not accept. Phillip also sometimes had trouble moving because the skin was still healing when it stretched and hurt when he moved suddenly. Also, as a result of the explosion, when he inhaled hot air, his lungs were irritated and he would sometimes choke and cough like an old, sick dog. Of course, he was taking medication to ease the pain and cough. The prognosis was very good, but the trauma and scars remained. You had been Phillip's partner, best friend, and lover for over six years. You had taken care of him as best you could during that time, something Graves had argued with you about many times. You couldn't blame him. Phillip felt humiliated by how dependent he had become on you. The nights were the worst. When Phillip woke up screaming after his nightmare, he would shake in cold sweats as he dreamed about the incident and the screams of his Shadows. Tonight, Graves sat on the couch in your shared living room with his laptop on his lap, working as usual. At one point, he had another coughing fit. You brought him a glass of water, rubbing your hand over his back to comfort him a little. Phillip calmed down, still panting slightly, trying to catch his breath. He held his hands over the glass of water, not even trying to look you in the eye. You should have left me a long time ago. What a fool you must be to stay with a broken man like me…