The clouds are how I shield. It works best if you pick something that means something to you - for me there's nothing I can focus on easier, better, than the clouds below me when I was flying. The important part is to keep visualizing it. The more you practice, the stronger it'll get, and the better you can keep everything else behind it.

[ As for the second part - Sam pulls the coin out of his pocket, twisting it in his fingers to show Shiro the front and back. ]

It's a challenge coin; I got it after my first year as a pararescueman. It's what works best for me, it gives me something to focus on other than what's going on in my head. It's something I know is real, and if I'm busy forcing myself to notice every detail about it, I can't get stuck in the memory. I don't always use the coin - sometimes it's easier to grab for whatever's close by, rock or metal or whatever, hold it hard and keep yourself grounded in reality. [ He pauses, quirking a little smile. ] And yeah, I know it sounds weird. That's what I thought at first, too.