Be All You Can Be
“Adam says you’re thinking about joining the army,” Eliot tells Jo.
She looks up at him and her jaw clenches stubbornly. Biologically, she comes from a long line of military and, even if she’d taken up ballet not long after joining the family, it’s still a difficult legacy to leave behind. It doesn’t help that she and Tony are the only ones who have really gone straight.
He takes a seat next to her on the porch steps and watches Alec and Ben wrestle on the lawn for a long moment. He’s glad the twins have stuck around; it makes them all feel a little better about taking off to parts unknown.
“I’m not going to tell you not to do it,” he says and she looks at him in surprise. It’s no secret his own experience wasn’t all that great in the end. “It’s a worthy ambition.”
She looks down at her feet and fiddles with her laces.
“I know we’re not exactly conventional...” she begins. Eliot nods, knowing she’s always felt torn between loyalties to her biological family and her adoptive family. Unlike the rest of them, she’d had a strong bond with her first family.
“Hey, Tony’s a cop and Blair’s a student,” he tries. “And Sasha’s technically training to be an FBI agent.”
Jo rolls her eyes at him.
“Sasha’s a double agent and considering how many of us there are, those aren’t exactly good odds.”
Eliot shrugs. It’s a good point.
“That’s not going to make anyone any less proud of you.”
“I know,” she says softly.
“Come on,” he says, patting her knee and then rising to his feet. “We’re going for a two mile run.”
“You’re kidding,” she says, standing up and following him into the house. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I’ve got a whole week in town to make you army fit.”
He grins when she groans behind him.