LOTR RPF AU - WWII Chapter 10
Feb. 25th, 2007 10:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kitsune_writesAuthor: Fox
Title: Running With the Shadows
Rating: This part hard R for language.
Pairing: various
Disclaimer: This story is not to be taken as factual even though there are factual elements to it - it is a fictionalized account and it did not happen. The characterizations are not the real people who's names and images I've used in my story - they are false and should not be taken to indicate any sort of agreement with what I've written. I am not making any money from this, only using my (admittedly) overactive imagination.
A/N: Artistic license is my friend. I've tried to be as accurate as possible but sometimes I tweak history to help myself out. ;-)
Many thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dicorvo, who always puts up with me saying, please stop whatever you're doing and check this bit out, what do you think?? and who always manages to laugh in all the right places. ♥ Also to pippinmctaggart, who always does such a fabulous job in making what I send her much better. ♥ While this has been betaed, I am a compulsive tinkerer and any and all mistakes are mine.
Fabulous icon courtesy of the lovelysandelwood.
Previous chapters here.
4 May 1942, London
Bill hurt. He blinked open his eyes and saw the white walls, smelled the medicinal stench and knew he most certainly was not dead. “Going to kill them all,” he mumbled.
“Mmm?” floated over from somewhere to his right.
Bill tried to turn his head to see who was with him but he had no strength and only ended up in the same position but more in pain than before. He growled in frustration as his heavy eyes slid shut again.
“Bill?” Sleep-gritted, bastardized Scottish accent. Sean, Billy thought hazily, and would have smiled if he’d had the strength for it. “Bill? You in pain, mate?” Bean’s voice was much clearer now, filled with concern and intense relief. Billy felt hands cup his head gently. “Can you open your eyes for me, Billy-my-lad?”
“Did he wake up?” Billy instantly recognized Orlando’s anxious voice and cursed his inability to answer.
“He mumbled something and then groaned, so he must be close to waking anyway,” Bean replied calmly, his fingers gently massaging Billy’s temples. “Better get the doctor, yeah?”
“On it,” Orlando said, his voice sounding distant as Billy began to lose his fight to stay conscious. The last thing he heard was the door shutting.
His eyes blinked open blearily. This time, he could make out his entire team crowded around his bed, their faces wreathed with grins of relief.
“Kill you all,” he slurred.
“Blame Monaghan,” Karl said. “Orli had the last dose ready to go, and then there he was, barking orders and going on about saving your life by diverting to Switzerland. What were we supposed to do, eh? He outranked everyone else there.”
Billy managed to show his disapproval with the slightest movement of an eyebrow and a soft grunt.
“I would’ve done it, Billy,” Orlando said quietly. “If there had been nothing to be done, I would’ve given it to you.”
Billy nodded and his eyelids fluttered as his strength failed him. “Bastards,” he mumbled as his eyes slid shut and didn’t reopen.
“Love you too, Bill,” Karl said.
Billy’s lips twitched into a tiny smile before evening out again as he fell asleep.
Two floors up
Dom was going stir-crazy. He’d been awake for little more than a day, his leg hurt him no matter what dose of painkiller he was on and he didn’t have the strength yet to move around. He was getting no information on any of the men who had been injured rescuing him and he had been allowed no visitors except for doctors and nurses up to this point. He was tired, in pain and frustrated with his circumstances. He sighed angrily and considered calling for a nurse just to see if he could badger some information out of someone when the door opened and his brother Matthew stepped into the room.
“Ah, you’re awake, then. Excellent.”
“Ah, your powers of observation haven’t deserted you in my absence, then. Excellent.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “Don’t waste time, Dom. No one knows I’m up here yet so if you want some information, ask fast.”
“Why are you sneaking in here?”
Matt smirked. “Ian wanted to give you a day or so to recover your senses before subjecting you to any kind of interrogation--either official or from your relieved relatives. No one is supposed to know you’re here until you’ve been cleared medically and then debriefed.”
“And look how much good it did me to try to keep it quiet,” came a cool voice from the doorway.
“Ian,” Matt said, grinning cheekily over his shoulder.
McKellen strode into the room and, ignoring Matthew, stood at Dominic’s bedside and looked down at the injured young man, his eyes shining brightly. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you, Dominic,” he said quietly.
“Happy enough to explain what the hell happened? How did we get here? What about Boyd and his team? I’m going crazy here and no one will tell me anything!”
McKellen reached down and gently squeezed Dom’s shoulder. “Calm down, Dominic, I have your answers. No one would tell you anything because they don’t know. They don’t even know your real name. They think you were all caught in a bomb blast. I needed to keep your arrival absolutely secret for your own protection because we still don’t know where the leak came from.”
“You can stop worrying about the leak. It didn’t come from this side,” Dom said, his voice a mixture of bitter sadness.
“Who then?” Ian’s frown was formidable.
“It was Werner, Ian. He felt that our circle was too close to being uncovered and he did what he felt needed to be done to protect the greater good.”
“By turning you in?” Matt demanded angrily. “What was he thinking?”
“He was thinking that I would do whatever was necessary to protect the group and he was right. If I had been detained, they would have gotten nothing.”
There was a long moment of tense silence as both Matt and Ian realized how close they had really come to losing Dom.
“Still,” Matt said into the silence, “I can’t believe Werner wouldn’t have given you some sort of warning. I mean, he had to know that you would take measures to protect yourself, right?”
“I spoke with him before we left Germany and he said there was supposed to be a communiqué. I believed him because he had no reason to lie at that point.”
“You spoke with him?” Ian’s eyebrow rose.
“He tried to convince Hans-Peter to stay with him. I…” Dom paused and then swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. “I think he’s dead, Ian. I can’t imagine he’d be allowed to live.”
“We’ll monitor the usual channels and see what we can find out,” Ian said. “You believe the leak to be sealed, though?”
“Yes,” Dom said, nodding. “Between Hansel and I, we can re-establish contact with some of our people. The information will be of a lower quality, but we don’t have to lose everything or start from scratch.”
“Yes, as to the matter of Hans-Peter,” Ian said evenly, “To say I was surprised to see him step off of that plane would be a bit of an understatement.”
“I couldn’t leave him there, Ian,” Dom said defensively, shaking his head. “Not after all he’s done for the cause. Or for me, personally. Anyway, he’ll be the best liaison between British and American intelligence you’ll ever find.”
“An excellent suggestion,” Ian said thoughtfully. “I think I shall mention that to Weaving when I get back to the office.”
“Glad to have been of assistance,” came Dominic’s sarcastic reply.
“As to the question regarding how you came to be in England,” Ian smoothly changed the subject, ignoring Dom’s jibe, “You were flown here as soon as you were all stable enough to make the journey from Switzerland. What do you remember?”
“I remember being in the plane and ordering Wenham to divert to Zurich. Also, I remember hearing Matt on the radio saying he would see me soon. Then I woke up here. How long ago was that?”
“That was three days ago, May first. You spent the rest of May first in surgery as they tried to repair your shattered leg and most of May second in recovery. You were kept heavily medicated until you arrived here early in the morning of May third. Once you were admitted, you were then allowed to wake up on your own and you know the rest.”
“What about the team? Serkis, Bloom? What about Boyd…did he make it?”
“Serkis will be fine,” Ian said with a smirk. “He’ll need some extended recovery time and he won’t be running long distances but he should be back to getting himself into scrapes before any of us are ready. Lieutenant Bloom was treated for a gunshot wound to his upper left arm; Second Lieutenant Urban was treated for several gouge wounds on his legs, arms and torso; Sergeant Bean was treated for aggravating a previous shoulder injury. Major Boyd was a far more serious matter, but he is alive and recovering here in England.”
Dom released the breath he’d been holding. Bill was alive. “I would like to see him.”
“No,” Ian said.
“No?” Dom was completely taken aback.
“Major Boyd is still in critical condition, Dom, he isn’t going to be able to come here to see you and you are not going anywhere with that leg in the shape it is in, so, no, you won’t be seeing him anytime soon.”
“I said them,’ Dom replied, a small frown appearing on his face. “Didn’t I?”
“You said ‘him,’ Dommie,” Matt said, a hint of mischievousness in his tone.
“Well, I meant all of them, but I’ll take the ones who can move around first, I suppose.”
“I’ll look into getting that arranged,” McKellen said.
“And while you’re looking into arranging that, Ian, see if you can’t find some way for me to see Hans-Peter as well, won’t you?” Dom said, heavily sarcastic. He hadn’t seen nor heard from Hans-Peter since he’d woken and it was unacceptable, especially since Hans-Peter had been on the mission. “It isn’t as if you have to keep the truth from him, right?”
“Your tone is offensive, Dominic,” McKellen said coolly.
“Well, pardon me for feeling as if I’m owed something at the moment, Brigadier, Sir,” Dom snapped, the pain and frustration getting to him. He loathed losing control in such a petty manner and that only made matters worse.
“You’d be owed a court-martial if you were actually in the military,” McKellen continued. “Really, Dominic, Lieutenant Colonel? Whatever possessed you to say such a thing to Wenham?”
“Unrequited love and hope for the eventual fulfillment of his hidden desires?” Matt supplied helpfully.
“Fuck. You.” Dom glared at his brother who looked completely unrepentant.
“Matthew, you are not helping,” Ian said, his lips twitching minutely.
“Sorry, sir,” Matt replied although it was obvious he wasn’t. “I’ll go check in on Serkis while you finish up in here. See you soon, Dom,” he added as he left the room.
Silence settled over the room as the door shut behind Matt and Dom wanted nothing more than to have his next dose of medicine and close his eyes to everything.
“I’m not the villain here, Dominic. These restrictions are in place to protect you.”
Dom sighed heavily. “I know. I just… Everything has been shot to hell and I want some familiarity. Right now, that’s Hans-Peter and the men I’ve just been through the fire with. And you’re standing there telling me that I can’t see them.”
“I told you that I would look into arranging for you to see them, Dominic. There’s no reason why you can’t if the leak did not involve anyone on this side. Although considering you lied to an officer of higher rank in the field, it might not be a good idea to further incriminate yourself in his presence.”
Dom saw a glint of amusement in McKellen’s eyes so he wasn’t too worried about the words themselves, only what they were intimating. “Wenham knows, then?”
“Oh yes. I think Matthew choking with laughter and spitting out, ‘he told you he was a what?’ spoiled the façade quite spectacularly for the whole team.”
Dom hung his head. “I am going to kill him and make it look like a tragic accident,” he grumbled under his breath.
“Actually, I think you went up in their estimation, Dominic. An odd bunch, Boyd’s team.”
“Oh yes,” Dom agreed readily. “But you won’t find a steadier bunch under fire, Ian. They were incredible. And to function as a part of that, even for such a short time…well, it was an honour.”
Ian smiled. “Each of them said you acquitted yourself well and I’m sure you know that these men are not easily impressed or likely to give false praise.”
Dom nodded. “I do know that. To be honest, I’m a bit…surprised, I suppose, that they would say that to you. Or to whoever debriefed them, anyway. I mean, it wasn’t part of the official questioning, was it?”
“No it wasn’t,” Ian said. “But they apparently decided that they wanted their remarks to be a part of the official transcript and so it has been duly noted.”
“I’m sure it has,” Dom said with a self-deprecating snort. “Dominic Monaghan acquitted himself well under fire from his German pursuers before getting himself crippled which then caused the leader of the mission to be shot repeatedly.”
“Major Boyd will recover, Dominic.”
“Not the point, Ian.”
“What is the point then?”
Dom’s eyes flashed but he held his tongue.
“You obviously have something to say, Dominic. Please, by all means, enlighten me.”
“Those men shouldn’t have been there at all,” Dom snapped. “You broke just about every rule in the book by sending them in there. You didn’t even know where I was, you were only guessing!”
“That’s true.”
“So you’ll sit there and agree with me about how stupid it was. That’s just grand for us, isn’t it, but what about Bloom who’s got a shot up arm, eh? What about Urban who’s cut up all over his body from climbing up and down trees too quickly? What about Bean or even your own man, Serkis, who may never walk right again?”
“Some people would say that you being here alive is worth that and more,” McKellen replied quietly.
Dom shook his head. “It’s not, though. I could have gotten myself out. Even with Hans-Peter I could’ve done it myself. My God, Ian, you sent them on what amounted to a suicide mission.”
“And yet you are all back here and alive, with full recovery expected for most.”
“A stroke of luck for which I am very grateful,” Dom said, rubbing his face tiredly. “I want to be so angry with you for what you did, Ian, because the suffering these men went through on my behalf was completely unnecessary.”
“But you aren’t?”
Dom sighed. “I remember when I first decided I was going to take this route and not come to England, you told me that no matter what had to be done, if I needed you, you would come for me.”
“And you told me that you couldn’t imagine needing that sort of assistance.”
“I was right,” Dom replied. “No one knew what I was doing, Ian. I was good at my job. The point is, though, that I can’t be angry at you for keeping a promise, even one I never asked you to make.” Dom rubbed his face again, a wave of pain twisting his features for a moment.
Ian stood. “I’m going to go now, Dom. Take your medication and try to rest. I will see about getting the men in to see you.”
“Thank you, Ian,” he said, reaching out his hand.
Ian shook Dom’s hand, squeezing it gently before releasing it. “Rest. You’ll need it.”
Dom took the pills as Ian left the room and a few minutes later he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
5 May 1942
Dom was lying in bed stewing in his frustration. He had heard nothing from Ian, Matt or anyone else that day and his mood had not gotten better as the afternoon had worn on. He heard the door knob turning and fought to banish the scowl that had haunted his face all afternoon; it wasn’t the staff’s fault that his family and government were all miserable wankers. The door swung open and Sergeant Bean entered, followed by Bloom, Urban and Wenham.
“How are you feeling, sir?” Wenham asked, smiling.
“Fuck off, Wenham,” Dom said, rolling his eyes.
Bean chuckled. “Were you always so quick with a tale?”
“Matt, Hans-Peter and I were the bane of our families’ existence.”
“Hans-Peter,” Orlando said, nodding his head. “Good bloke.”
The others immediately assented and Dom’s eyebrow rose.
“He did save Billy,” Karl said when he saw Dom’s face.
“And he came to check up on all of us regularly until some bloody stuffed shirt came and took him away. Haven’t seen him since and that’s been at least two days,” Orlando said. “Is he being interrogated?”
“If you know where he is, we could go in and retrieve him,” Karl said, the gleam of Adventure in his eyes.
Dom chuckled. “I begin to see the true Special Forces mentality shining through.”
“No, in Karl’s case that’s just straight insanity,” Bean said, straight-faced.
“Nothing straight about him except his posture,” Orlando muttered.
Karl smirked as the others laughed. “And that says what about you, then, Orlando?”
“That he’s either just as insane as you or that much of an idiot,” Wenham suggested helpfully.
“Oh, Daisy, you simply must join our merry little fellowship,” Karl chortled. “I’m sure Billy would let you in if you asked nicely.”
Dom was enjoying the interaction, but at the same time, he felt like an outsider. These men were a true team, even Wenham to a lesser degree, and he wasn’t a part of that. For all of his training and intelligence, Dom was a lone wolf, made so by circumstances in the field. Watching the by-play drove that home all the more powerfully, because though each of the men in this room with him were probably considered lone wolves in their own right, together they were more. Boyd had, probably through unconventional and borderline court-martial worthy methods, nurtured that and it had blossomed into the team before him. Boyd.
“Not to completely deflate the mood, but how is Major Boyd?”
“He’s…coming along,” Bean replied.
Dom frowned. “Complications?”
“Well, he isn’t recovering as fast as he might’ve a few years ago. Plus he was shot three times.”
“Three?”
“Apparently he was hit in one of the initial volleys as well as the two we were aware of,” Bean said, sighing. “According to the medical staff he actually died twice, but they managed to bring him back.”
“Twice?” Dom cried, his eyes widening. He realized that he was likely making a spectacle of himself and tried to school his features into less of a telling expression. It wouldn’t do to show any of these men that he felt anything more than generic concern for Major Boyd.
Bean’s eyes narrowed, studying him, and Dom could only hold that intense gaze for a few moments before his eyes slid down and away.
“Dom,” Bean began gently.
He was interrupted by Dominic’s doctor coming into the room and shooing the team out. Dom tried to argue, but was overridden by the doctor who said he had some tests to run and some questions to ask. The men all shook hands with Dom and left the room, muttering under their collective breath about pushy cunts who thought too much of themselves.
Dom sighed in frustration as they left. He tried not to take it out on the doctor because it certainly wasn’t the doctor’s fault that McKellen was treating Dom as if he were on the brink of death, and not just suffering from an injured leg. He submitted to having blood drawn and answered whatever questions the doctor asked, even took his dose of medication without complaint. He would get nowhere by being contrary. Soon enough, the painkillers went into effect, and he slid out of consciousness.
Later that night
When Billy next awoke, Bean was beside his bed.
“Bill, we need to talk about Monaghan.”
Billy was too drugged and tired to hide the pronounced wince at the young man’s name.
“I imagine the lad feels quite the same, Billy. We got to see him earlier this evening and…well, I’d say he’s hiding something, but I can’t think of anything he’s got to hide from us. What do you ken, Bill?”
Billy sighed heavily. “I fucked up, Sean.”
“How so?”
“In Germany, I – I kissed him.”
“What? When?” Bean’s eyes widened as the answer came to him a moment later. “My God! In the tunnels! He came into camp looking distracted, but I chalked it up to the happenings. Bill—“
Billy’s eyes slid shut for a long moment before he opened them again. “I know, Sean. It was…ah, hell. It was time for switching watch, and we were having a quick tease, yeah? Well, he got this look on his face and I asked if I wanted to know what he’d been thinking of and he said – Jesus, Sean – he said he’d been thinking about my mouth around his cock! I have no excuse for what I did, I just lost it and kissed him until I thought I’d die from the grandness of it.”
“Sounds like you’d like to do it again,” Sean ventured, smiling to himself over the mental image of Dom telling Billy he wanted his cock sucked by that mouth. That wasn’t that much of a surprise, really. Billy’s mouth had probably featured in every Glasgow lad’s fantasies at least once. What was a surprise was hearing Billy admit that he’d been affected by it.
“You have no idea,” Billy said, shamefaced.
“If it’s worth anything, I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t mind a bit more of that himself.”
“I can’t,” Billy replied, shaking his head. “That’s not something I’m free to pursue, Sean. Ewan—“
“Is dead,” Bean interjected gently.
“Yes, thanks,” Billy snapped. “Good you were here to remind me of that, it tends to slip my mind.”
“Not fair, Bill.” Bean kept his voice low and even. This was careful treading even when Bill was healthy and fully possessed of his mental faculties.
“Let me tell you what isn’t fair, Sean,” Billy said, his voice harsh with pain and emotion. “What’s not fair is being one fucking needle away from my mate and having it snatched away from me again. What’s not fair is finding that I get to go on trying to live without him and then receiving a fucking lecture about how it’s all right to kiss another man so soon after his death.”
Sean was gobsmacked, there was no other word for it. He was sure that not one of team would have considered that Bill might have wanted to die in the plane. He knew Billy was still actively mourning Ewan—fuck, they all were--and God, but now that he thought on it, how selfish they all seemed, to bring Bill back like they had. He stopped that train of thought immediately. It hadn’t been Billy’s time yet. If it had been, he would be dead no matter how many heroic measures had been taken, of that Bean was sure. He realized that Bill had continued ranting, and that he’d missed all of it, consumed in his own thoughts.
“Just calm the fuck down, Boyd,” he cut in roughly, hoping to end the tirade. “You’re too sick to make sense right now so just shut it and rest.”
“Oh, I like that,” Billy snarled. “You come in here and—“
“Bill!”
“What?”
“Remember when Gerry was in hospital after Tobruk and he was going on and on about how life was over and what was left for him and you slapped him? I am two seconds from doing that to you if you don’t shut it.”
Billy stared at him for a moment, opened his mouth as if to speak and then shut it again.
“I’m sorry, Billy. I am. Last thing I wanted was to hurt you, mate. I just needed to know about Monaghan.”
Billy nodded curtly.
Sean sighed as he stood up and walked toward the door.
“Sean.”
“Yes?”
“I want to go home.”
Sean looked over his shoulder. “Bill…I don’t think—“
“Shouldn’t matter where I’m recovering,” Billy broke in. He met Bean’s intense gaze head on. “I just want to be home, Sean.”
“I’ll see what can be done, Billy. Just-–rest, all right?”
Billy nodded as he lay back in the bed, his earlier outburst clearly having sapped what little strength he’d had.
Sean sighed again as he left the room. Billy would need more medication now. He went looking for a nurse.
*********
The door opened and everyone looked up expectantly as Bean entered Karl and Orlando’s room.
“How’s Bill?” Orlando asked quietly. Sean looked fucking knackered, he thought.
“In pain and cranky as fuck,” Sean replied, running a hand over his face. “Says he wants to go home.”
Orlando noticed that Sean’s hands were shaking a bit. Tired, yes, but likely whatever Bean had wanted to discuss with Billy privately hadn’t gone very well. The fact that not even Karl offered up a snappy rejoinder spoke to the seriousness with which the men were taking the matter.
“We’ll need to speak with the Brigadier, then” Orlando said. Murmured assent could be heard from all around the small room. “We can’t all go bursting into his office, though, he won’t listen to a mob report. This has to be official. I suggest Bean and Wenham.”
“It might be easier if it were just me,” Wenham suggested.
“You have to have back-up,” Orlando replied. “Even if Sean doesn’t say a word, we don’t go into situations alone.”
Wenham nodded, accepting the statement. Orlando wondered if the man realized he’d been inducted into the team or if he was just humouring them all. It was hard to tell with Wenham.
“All right,” Bean said, rubbing his face again. “We’ll go first thing in the morning. You remember how to get there?”
Wenham smiled. “Absolutely. I’ve been there more than the once.”
“Really?” Karl said, drawing the word out, his eyebrow rising.
“How d’you think the Brigadier knew who to call to fly your crazy arses into the sunset?” Wenham said, chuckling. “He didn’t just pull my name out of a hat and hope I would be insane enough to do the job.”
“I suppose I never thought about it much,” Karl laughed. “Just figured he had some bloody list of mentally challenged folk he could call on if needs be.”
“Well,” Wenham snorted as he stood and crossed the room to the door. “That one is so easy I’m not even going to go there. Have a good night, boys. If I’ve got to surprise Brigadier McKellen in the morning, I’m off to rest up first.”
Everyone called out their farewells as the door shut behind him.
“He does understand that he’s one of us now, right?” Karl asked.
“Dunno,” Orli said thoughtfully. “Was thinking of that earlier. It’s hard to tell with him yet. We’ll have to keep him around awhile and get him acclimated.”
Bean chuckled. “Lord help him.”
“He doesn’t need the Lord, he’s got us now,” Karl said, smirking.
6 May 1942, Ministry of Defence
Wenham and Bean marched smartly into the outer waiting room of Brigadier McKellen’s office. There was a woman behind the desk, not Mrs. Woodrich, who eyed them suspiciously as they stopped in front of the desk.
“May I help you?”
“Wing Commander David Wenham and Sergeant Sean Bean here for Brigadier McKellen, please.”
She looked down at her desk for a moment. “You’re not on the list.”
“No, we’re not,” Wenham said agreeably. “We’ll just have a seat here and wait until the Brigadier has a moment for us, thanks.” He then turned and began walking toward the seating on the other side of the spacious room, pulling a thoroughly amused Bean with him.
They settled down to wait.
Two hours later, Brigadier McKellen strode in accompanied by two other men. He slowed momentarily as he caught sight of them, but then continued on into his office and shut the door behind him.
Bean glanced at Wenham. “Guess we’ll be waiting awhile longer then.”
“Don’t bet on it,” Wenham replied, smiling. “He’s a busy man, but he’s also curious. Likely it won’t be too much longer.”
Wenham proved correct. The two men left McKellen’s office fifteen minutes later. Ten minutes after that, the phone on the front desk rang. Two minutes later, Wenham and Bean were shown into McKellen’s office.
“You have five minutes,” McKellen announced. “Why are you here?”
“It’s about Major Boyd, sir,” Wenham said quickly. “He wants to recover at home in Glasgow, and I thought, considering that he almost died on your mission, sir, that you could possibly see your way to authorizing that transfer.”
McKellen simply stared at them, saying nothing.
“Very good, sir,” Wenham said evenly. “Sorry to have wasted your time.” He turned to leave.
“I don’t remember dismissing you, Wenham.”
“Sir?”
“How do you propose to get Major Boyd to Glasgow? He won’t last a road trip, and we have no military planes to spare for such an event.”
“In all honesty, sir, I thought of offering my services in exchange. If there are any officers or other higher ranking officials who needed, say, a last minute flight up North, then we could put Major Boyd in the back. They need never even know he’s on board, sir. I could get him to Glasgow and then return again with either the same passengers or any others that might need a ride from that area.”
“You would fly a ferrying trip, Wenham? I remember a past conversation we had where you distinctly said you detested such things.”
“I do, sir. Not much I hate worse than flying some self-important armchair warriors from one safe place to another, but for Major Boyd? I would make as many exceptions as you deem necessary, sir.”
The phone on McKellen’s desk rang. “I’ve another appointment, gentlemen.”
“Thank you for your time, sir,” Wenham said. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
“Thank you, sir,” Bean added as the two of them exited the office.
6 May 1942, Hospital
Wenham and Bean were filling the rest of the team in when the door opened and Matthew Monaghan walked in.
“Wenham, the Brigadier asked me to tell you that there is a plane which has been out of commission for several weeks. It is getting ready to be re-entered into the active flight roster. He’d like it to be flown to, say, Glasgow and back to make sure it runs all right. He understands this is not your typical run, but wonders if this is something you would consider doing for him?”
Dave stared for a moment before shaking himself into action. “I—yes, absolutely!”
Matthew nodded, still business like, but then dropped the façade. “I’ll take care of the transfer from here to the plane. By the time you land in Glasgow, we’ll have someone waiting to pick Major Boyd up at the other end.” He paused, clearly debating on whether to go forward with what was on his mind. “I must say I’m curious, though. Even this short trip could set him back or worse, so why now?”
“Because,” Bean replied before anyone else could. “He asked to go home and, as far as I’m concerned, we owe it to him to get him there.”
Matthew nodded again, accepting the answer even though each of the men in the room could tell he still had something on his mind. “All right, well, good luck then, gentlemen. The plane will be waiting for you and the flight plan will already be filed.”
He strode out of the room purposefully as Bean looked around at each of the men. “Looks like Billy’s going home.”
*********
Matthew headed towards the office of the Commanding Officer of the hospital. He still had work to do, details to take care of for Ian and Major Boyd. Like everyone else involved in this crazy scheme, Boyd had earned his respect, and his willingness to bend more rules than usual. He was torn, though. He’d wanted Boyd to stay here, he’d wanted to get to know the man better, and he’d wanted the chance to see Boyd and Dom together again after so many years. Matt had badly wished to see Dom’s face once he realized that it was Boyd come to rescue him again, and now he wouldn’t even get to see the remnants of that meeting. He sighed and decided that he would pay his little brother a visit before leaving the hospital.
*********
Dom looked up from his journal as his door opened. His face relaxed into a grin when he saw who it was.
“Matty!”
“Hey there, little man.”
Dom rolled his eyes. “Taller than you, anyway,” he said, smirking as he used his pen to save his place in the journal, and set it beside him on the bed. “So, what brings you to Hell, then?”
“Official business.”
“Official business that you’re going to tell me about?”
“Yeah. It’s about Major Boyd. I thought you’d like to know.”
“I would,” Dom said, leaning forward, his eyes questioning. “He’s not getting worse, is he? He’s going to be all right?”
“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” Matt replied with a small sigh. “He must’ve been in brilliant physical shape to have even made it this far.”
“He was,” Dom said, his eyes going distant as he remembered his own encounter with that body. Even hindered by the layers of clothing, he’d been able to tell Boyd had been in excellent shape, and he’d wanted nothing more than to feel that body against his without barrier.
“Dom, come back from your hormone-soaked daydream. I don’t have all day and I’d like to talk to you, not watch you drool.”
Dom jerked back into focus and glared at his brother, who only rolled his eyes.
“So talk then.”
“Major Boyd’s about to be moved.”
“Moved?” Dom exclaimed, surprised. “But you just said—“
“He asked to go home, Dom, so he’s being sent home. I’ve been here getting it all set up but I wanted to tell you before I left. I’ve still got lots to do to work the other end of his trip and I have to go soon, but like I said, I thought you’d want to know.”
“I asked to go home, too, Matt, and I got told to fuck off. My home is less than an hour from here. Billy’s from Glasgow and he’s getting sent home in the shape he’s in? Will he even make it?”
“Wenham’s flying him. He should make it all right.”
“Wenham’s a good bloke. He’ll take care with him,” Dom said quietly, nodding.
“Dom…”
Dom met his brother’s eyes and saw the concern and it irritated him. “What, Matt?”
“I know you were hoping to get to spend some time with him down the line and—“
“I will,” Dom said, determination evident in his voice and posture. “I’ll get healthy enough eventually and then I’m going to Glasgow, Matt. Because there’s something there worth fighting for and I’m willing to wage that battle.”
“And it’s not just you and your memories of a teenaged crush?”
“No, it’s not. He knows I’m not just a kid anymore, he’s very much aware of that fact, even if he doesn’t want to be.”
“Something happened in Germany?”
“We kissed. There was potential for more. I want to know how much more.”
Matt’s jaw dropped. “You kissed him?”
“Actually, he kissed me, thanks.”
“And you think it was for reasons other than the fact that any of you could die at any given moment and that maybe you were just there when the mood struck him?”
“God, Matt, you really know how to build a man’s confidence, don’t you?”
“I just…this has crash and burn written all over it, Dom. I mean, it’s one thing to have a crush on a man when you’re a boy and then meet him again later in life, still be physically attracted and find yourselves in a situation where a move might be made and enjoyed. It’s quite another to assume that signals the start of something deeper.”
Dom sighed heavily. “You’re making perfect sense, Matt. Okay? I hear what you’re saying to me. Now fuck off, won’t you? I’ve got a future to daydream about and you’ve got to take the man I want in it hundreds of miles away from me.”
“You do realize that when you finally go to Glasgow, I’ll be driving you, right?” Matt said, chuckling.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Dom said, offering a small smile.
Matt shook his head and leaned down to gently hug his brother. “Get some rest, Bernie, Uncle Ian’s telling the family you’re here and alive tonight.”
“What?”
“Yeah. He thinks you’ll be sprung in a day or two. My guess is Mum and Katherine will be down to Summerfield by tomorrow afternoon getting it ready for you.”
“Oh God,” Dom moaned, his hand covering his eyes.
Matt snickered as he crossed the room and opened the door to leave. “Don’t worry, Dom, it’s only been six years since they’ve seen you. I’m sure they’ll give you plenty of space to yourself in no time.”
“You are an evil man to enjoy my pain, Matthew.”
“Speak to you soon, brother-mine,” he said with a smile as he closed the door behind him.
“If I don’t kill you or myself first,” Dom muttered, rubbing his face. But he had a plan now, half-formed though it might be at the moment. He would put up with his mother and sister, and anyone else who chose to coddle him, until he was strong enough to get up to Glasgow. And then, then he would find Major Boyd. They had a future to discuss.
This is a work in progress so any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Feedback will be treasured.
Title: Running With the Shadows
Rating: This part hard R for language.
Pairing: various
Disclaimer: This story is not to be taken as factual even though there are factual elements to it - it is a fictionalized account and it did not happen. The characterizations are not the real people who's names and images I've used in my story - they are false and should not be taken to indicate any sort of agreement with what I've written. I am not making any money from this, only using my (admittedly) overactive imagination.
A/N: Artistic license is my friend. I've tried to be as accurate as possible but sometimes I tweak history to help myself out. ;-)
Many thanks to
dicorvo, who always puts up with me saying, please stop whatever you're doing and check this bit out, what do you think?? and who always manages to laugh in all the right places. ♥ Also to pippinmctaggart, who always does such a fabulous job in making what I send her much better. ♥ While this has been betaed, I am a compulsive tinkerer and any and all mistakes are mine.Fabulous icon courtesy of the lovely
sandelwood.Previous chapters here.
Bill hurt. He blinked open his eyes and saw the white walls, smelled the medicinal stench and knew he most certainly was not dead. “Going to kill them all,” he mumbled.
“Mmm?” floated over from somewhere to his right.
Bill tried to turn his head to see who was with him but he had no strength and only ended up in the same position but more in pain than before. He growled in frustration as his heavy eyes slid shut again.
“Bill?” Sleep-gritted, bastardized Scottish accent. Sean, Billy thought hazily, and would have smiled if he’d had the strength for it. “Bill? You in pain, mate?” Bean’s voice was much clearer now, filled with concern and intense relief. Billy felt hands cup his head gently. “Can you open your eyes for me, Billy-my-lad?”
“Did he wake up?” Billy instantly recognized Orlando’s anxious voice and cursed his inability to answer.
“He mumbled something and then groaned, so he must be close to waking anyway,” Bean replied calmly, his fingers gently massaging Billy’s temples. “Better get the doctor, yeah?”
“On it,” Orlando said, his voice sounding distant as Billy began to lose his fight to stay conscious. The last thing he heard was the door shutting.
His eyes blinked open blearily. This time, he could make out his entire team crowded around his bed, their faces wreathed with grins of relief.
“Kill you all,” he slurred.
“Blame Monaghan,” Karl said. “Orli had the last dose ready to go, and then there he was, barking orders and going on about saving your life by diverting to Switzerland. What were we supposed to do, eh? He outranked everyone else there.”
Billy managed to show his disapproval with the slightest movement of an eyebrow and a soft grunt.
“I would’ve done it, Billy,” Orlando said quietly. “If there had been nothing to be done, I would’ve given it to you.”
Billy nodded and his eyelids fluttered as his strength failed him. “Bastards,” he mumbled as his eyes slid shut and didn’t reopen.
“Love you too, Bill,” Karl said.
Billy’s lips twitched into a tiny smile before evening out again as he fell asleep.
Dom was going stir-crazy. He’d been awake for little more than a day, his leg hurt him no matter what dose of painkiller he was on and he didn’t have the strength yet to move around. He was getting no information on any of the men who had been injured rescuing him and he had been allowed no visitors except for doctors and nurses up to this point. He was tired, in pain and frustrated with his circumstances. He sighed angrily and considered calling for a nurse just to see if he could badger some information out of someone when the door opened and his brother Matthew stepped into the room.
“Ah, you’re awake, then. Excellent.”
“Ah, your powers of observation haven’t deserted you in my absence, then. Excellent.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “Don’t waste time, Dom. No one knows I’m up here yet so if you want some information, ask fast.”
“Why are you sneaking in here?”
Matt smirked. “Ian wanted to give you a day or so to recover your senses before subjecting you to any kind of interrogation--either official or from your relieved relatives. No one is supposed to know you’re here until you’ve been cleared medically and then debriefed.”
“And look how much good it did me to try to keep it quiet,” came a cool voice from the doorway.
“Ian,” Matt said, grinning cheekily over his shoulder.
McKellen strode into the room and, ignoring Matthew, stood at Dominic’s bedside and looked down at the injured young man, his eyes shining brightly. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you, Dominic,” he said quietly.
“Happy enough to explain what the hell happened? How did we get here? What about Boyd and his team? I’m going crazy here and no one will tell me anything!”
McKellen reached down and gently squeezed Dom’s shoulder. “Calm down, Dominic, I have your answers. No one would tell you anything because they don’t know. They don’t even know your real name. They think you were all caught in a bomb blast. I needed to keep your arrival absolutely secret for your own protection because we still don’t know where the leak came from.”
“You can stop worrying about the leak. It didn’t come from this side,” Dom said, his voice a mixture of bitter sadness.
“Who then?” Ian’s frown was formidable.
“It was Werner, Ian. He felt that our circle was too close to being uncovered and he did what he felt needed to be done to protect the greater good.”
“By turning you in?” Matt demanded angrily. “What was he thinking?”
“He was thinking that I would do whatever was necessary to protect the group and he was right. If I had been detained, they would have gotten nothing.”
There was a long moment of tense silence as both Matt and Ian realized how close they had really come to losing Dom.
“Still,” Matt said into the silence, “I can’t believe Werner wouldn’t have given you some sort of warning. I mean, he had to know that you would take measures to protect yourself, right?”
“I spoke with him before we left Germany and he said there was supposed to be a communiqué. I believed him because he had no reason to lie at that point.”
“You spoke with him?” Ian’s eyebrow rose.
“He tried to convince Hans-Peter to stay with him. I…” Dom paused and then swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. “I think he’s dead, Ian. I can’t imagine he’d be allowed to live.”
“We’ll monitor the usual channels and see what we can find out,” Ian said. “You believe the leak to be sealed, though?”
“Yes,” Dom said, nodding. “Between Hansel and I, we can re-establish contact with some of our people. The information will be of a lower quality, but we don’t have to lose everything or start from scratch.”
“Yes, as to the matter of Hans-Peter,” Ian said evenly, “To say I was surprised to see him step off of that plane would be a bit of an understatement.”
“I couldn’t leave him there, Ian,” Dom said defensively, shaking his head. “Not after all he’s done for the cause. Or for me, personally. Anyway, he’ll be the best liaison between British and American intelligence you’ll ever find.”
“An excellent suggestion,” Ian said thoughtfully. “I think I shall mention that to Weaving when I get back to the office.”
“Glad to have been of assistance,” came Dominic’s sarcastic reply.
“As to the question regarding how you came to be in England,” Ian smoothly changed the subject, ignoring Dom’s jibe, “You were flown here as soon as you were all stable enough to make the journey from Switzerland. What do you remember?”
“I remember being in the plane and ordering Wenham to divert to Zurich. Also, I remember hearing Matt on the radio saying he would see me soon. Then I woke up here. How long ago was that?”
“That was three days ago, May first. You spent the rest of May first in surgery as they tried to repair your shattered leg and most of May second in recovery. You were kept heavily medicated until you arrived here early in the morning of May third. Once you were admitted, you were then allowed to wake up on your own and you know the rest.”
“What about the team? Serkis, Bloom? What about Boyd…did he make it?”
“Serkis will be fine,” Ian said with a smirk. “He’ll need some extended recovery time and he won’t be running long distances but he should be back to getting himself into scrapes before any of us are ready. Lieutenant Bloom was treated for a gunshot wound to his upper left arm; Second Lieutenant Urban was treated for several gouge wounds on his legs, arms and torso; Sergeant Bean was treated for aggravating a previous shoulder injury. Major Boyd was a far more serious matter, but he is alive and recovering here in England.”
Dom released the breath he’d been holding. Bill was alive. “I would like to see him.”
“No,” Ian said.
“No?” Dom was completely taken aback.
“Major Boyd is still in critical condition, Dom, he isn’t going to be able to come here to see you and you are not going anywhere with that leg in the shape it is in, so, no, you won’t be seeing him anytime soon.”
“I said them,’ Dom replied, a small frown appearing on his face. “Didn’t I?”
“You said ‘him,’ Dommie,” Matt said, a hint of mischievousness in his tone.
“Well, I meant all of them, but I’ll take the ones who can move around first, I suppose.”
“I’ll look into getting that arranged,” McKellen said.
“And while you’re looking into arranging that, Ian, see if you can’t find some way for me to see Hans-Peter as well, won’t you?” Dom said, heavily sarcastic. He hadn’t seen nor heard from Hans-Peter since he’d woken and it was unacceptable, especially since Hans-Peter had been on the mission. “It isn’t as if you have to keep the truth from him, right?”
“Your tone is offensive, Dominic,” McKellen said coolly.
“Well, pardon me for feeling as if I’m owed something at the moment, Brigadier, Sir,” Dom snapped, the pain and frustration getting to him. He loathed losing control in such a petty manner and that only made matters worse.
“You’d be owed a court-martial if you were actually in the military,” McKellen continued. “Really, Dominic, Lieutenant Colonel? Whatever possessed you to say such a thing to Wenham?”
“Unrequited love and hope for the eventual fulfillment of his hidden desires?” Matt supplied helpfully.
“Fuck. You.” Dom glared at his brother who looked completely unrepentant.
“Matthew, you are not helping,” Ian said, his lips twitching minutely.
“Sorry, sir,” Matt replied although it was obvious he wasn’t. “I’ll go check in on Serkis while you finish up in here. See you soon, Dom,” he added as he left the room.
Silence settled over the room as the door shut behind Matt and Dom wanted nothing more than to have his next dose of medicine and close his eyes to everything.
“I’m not the villain here, Dominic. These restrictions are in place to protect you.”
Dom sighed heavily. “I know. I just… Everything has been shot to hell and I want some familiarity. Right now, that’s Hans-Peter and the men I’ve just been through the fire with. And you’re standing there telling me that I can’t see them.”
“I told you that I would look into arranging for you to see them, Dominic. There’s no reason why you can’t if the leak did not involve anyone on this side. Although considering you lied to an officer of higher rank in the field, it might not be a good idea to further incriminate yourself in his presence.”
Dom saw a glint of amusement in McKellen’s eyes so he wasn’t too worried about the words themselves, only what they were intimating. “Wenham knows, then?”
“Oh yes. I think Matthew choking with laughter and spitting out, ‘he told you he was a what?’ spoiled the façade quite spectacularly for the whole team.”
Dom hung his head. “I am going to kill him and make it look like a tragic accident,” he grumbled under his breath.
“Actually, I think you went up in their estimation, Dominic. An odd bunch, Boyd’s team.”
“Oh yes,” Dom agreed readily. “But you won’t find a steadier bunch under fire, Ian. They were incredible. And to function as a part of that, even for such a short time…well, it was an honour.”
Ian smiled. “Each of them said you acquitted yourself well and I’m sure you know that these men are not easily impressed or likely to give false praise.”
Dom nodded. “I do know that. To be honest, I’m a bit…surprised, I suppose, that they would say that to you. Or to whoever debriefed them, anyway. I mean, it wasn’t part of the official questioning, was it?”
“No it wasn’t,” Ian said. “But they apparently decided that they wanted their remarks to be a part of the official transcript and so it has been duly noted.”
“I’m sure it has,” Dom said with a self-deprecating snort. “Dominic Monaghan acquitted himself well under fire from his German pursuers before getting himself crippled which then caused the leader of the mission to be shot repeatedly.”
“Major Boyd will recover, Dominic.”
“Not the point, Ian.”
“What is the point then?”
Dom’s eyes flashed but he held his tongue.
“You obviously have something to say, Dominic. Please, by all means, enlighten me.”
“Those men shouldn’t have been there at all,” Dom snapped. “You broke just about every rule in the book by sending them in there. You didn’t even know where I was, you were only guessing!”
“That’s true.”
“So you’ll sit there and agree with me about how stupid it was. That’s just grand for us, isn’t it, but what about Bloom who’s got a shot up arm, eh? What about Urban who’s cut up all over his body from climbing up and down trees too quickly? What about Bean or even your own man, Serkis, who may never walk right again?”
“Some people would say that you being here alive is worth that and more,” McKellen replied quietly.
Dom shook his head. “It’s not, though. I could have gotten myself out. Even with Hans-Peter I could’ve done it myself. My God, Ian, you sent them on what amounted to a suicide mission.”
“And yet you are all back here and alive, with full recovery expected for most.”
“A stroke of luck for which I am very grateful,” Dom said, rubbing his face tiredly. “I want to be so angry with you for what you did, Ian, because the suffering these men went through on my behalf was completely unnecessary.”
“But you aren’t?”
Dom sighed. “I remember when I first decided I was going to take this route and not come to England, you told me that no matter what had to be done, if I needed you, you would come for me.”
“And you told me that you couldn’t imagine needing that sort of assistance.”
“I was right,” Dom replied. “No one knew what I was doing, Ian. I was good at my job. The point is, though, that I can’t be angry at you for keeping a promise, even one I never asked you to make.” Dom rubbed his face again, a wave of pain twisting his features for a moment.
Ian stood. “I’m going to go now, Dom. Take your medication and try to rest. I will see about getting the men in to see you.”
“Thank you, Ian,” he said, reaching out his hand.
Ian shook Dom’s hand, squeezing it gently before releasing it. “Rest. You’ll need it.”
Dom took the pills as Ian left the room and a few minutes later he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Dom was lying in bed stewing in his frustration. He had heard nothing from Ian, Matt or anyone else that day and his mood had not gotten better as the afternoon had worn on. He heard the door knob turning and fought to banish the scowl that had haunted his face all afternoon; it wasn’t the staff’s fault that his family and government were all miserable wankers. The door swung open and Sergeant Bean entered, followed by Bloom, Urban and Wenham.
“How are you feeling, sir?” Wenham asked, smiling.
“Fuck off, Wenham,” Dom said, rolling his eyes.
Bean chuckled. “Were you always so quick with a tale?”
“Matt, Hans-Peter and I were the bane of our families’ existence.”
“Hans-Peter,” Orlando said, nodding his head. “Good bloke.”
The others immediately assented and Dom’s eyebrow rose.
“He did save Billy,” Karl said when he saw Dom’s face.
“And he came to check up on all of us regularly until some bloody stuffed shirt came and took him away. Haven’t seen him since and that’s been at least two days,” Orlando said. “Is he being interrogated?”
“If you know where he is, we could go in and retrieve him,” Karl said, the gleam of Adventure in his eyes.
Dom chuckled. “I begin to see the true Special Forces mentality shining through.”
“No, in Karl’s case that’s just straight insanity,” Bean said, straight-faced.
“Nothing straight about him except his posture,” Orlando muttered.
Karl smirked as the others laughed. “And that says what about you, then, Orlando?”
“That he’s either just as insane as you or that much of an idiot,” Wenham suggested helpfully.
“Oh, Daisy, you simply must join our merry little fellowship,” Karl chortled. “I’m sure Billy would let you in if you asked nicely.”
Dom was enjoying the interaction, but at the same time, he felt like an outsider. These men were a true team, even Wenham to a lesser degree, and he wasn’t a part of that. For all of his training and intelligence, Dom was a lone wolf, made so by circumstances in the field. Watching the by-play drove that home all the more powerfully, because though each of the men in this room with him were probably considered lone wolves in their own right, together they were more. Boyd had, probably through unconventional and borderline court-martial worthy methods, nurtured that and it had blossomed into the team before him. Boyd.
“Not to completely deflate the mood, but how is Major Boyd?”
“He’s…coming along,” Bean replied.
Dom frowned. “Complications?”
“Well, he isn’t recovering as fast as he might’ve a few years ago. Plus he was shot three times.”
“Three?”
“Apparently he was hit in one of the initial volleys as well as the two we were aware of,” Bean said, sighing. “According to the medical staff he actually died twice, but they managed to bring him back.”
“Twice?” Dom cried, his eyes widening. He realized that he was likely making a spectacle of himself and tried to school his features into less of a telling expression. It wouldn’t do to show any of these men that he felt anything more than generic concern for Major Boyd.
Bean’s eyes narrowed, studying him, and Dom could only hold that intense gaze for a few moments before his eyes slid down and away.
“Dom,” Bean began gently.
He was interrupted by Dominic’s doctor coming into the room and shooing the team out. Dom tried to argue, but was overridden by the doctor who said he had some tests to run and some questions to ask. The men all shook hands with Dom and left the room, muttering under their collective breath about pushy cunts who thought too much of themselves.
Dom sighed in frustration as they left. He tried not to take it out on the doctor because it certainly wasn’t the doctor’s fault that McKellen was treating Dom as if he were on the brink of death, and not just suffering from an injured leg. He submitted to having blood drawn and answered whatever questions the doctor asked, even took his dose of medication without complaint. He would get nowhere by being contrary. Soon enough, the painkillers went into effect, and he slid out of consciousness.
When Billy next awoke, Bean was beside his bed.
“Bill, we need to talk about Monaghan.”
Billy was too drugged and tired to hide the pronounced wince at the young man’s name.
“I imagine the lad feels quite the same, Billy. We got to see him earlier this evening and…well, I’d say he’s hiding something, but I can’t think of anything he’s got to hide from us. What do you ken, Bill?”
Billy sighed heavily. “I fucked up, Sean.”
“How so?”
“In Germany, I – I kissed him.”
“What? When?” Bean’s eyes widened as the answer came to him a moment later. “My God! In the tunnels! He came into camp looking distracted, but I chalked it up to the happenings. Bill—“
Billy’s eyes slid shut for a long moment before he opened them again. “I know, Sean. It was…ah, hell. It was time for switching watch, and we were having a quick tease, yeah? Well, he got this look on his face and I asked if I wanted to know what he’d been thinking of and he said – Jesus, Sean – he said he’d been thinking about my mouth around his cock! I have no excuse for what I did, I just lost it and kissed him until I thought I’d die from the grandness of it.”
“Sounds like you’d like to do it again,” Sean ventured, smiling to himself over the mental image of Dom telling Billy he wanted his cock sucked by that mouth. That wasn’t that much of a surprise, really. Billy’s mouth had probably featured in every Glasgow lad’s fantasies at least once. What was a surprise was hearing Billy admit that he’d been affected by it.
“You have no idea,” Billy said, shamefaced.
“If it’s worth anything, I’m fairly sure he wouldn’t mind a bit more of that himself.”
“I can’t,” Billy replied, shaking his head. “That’s not something I’m free to pursue, Sean. Ewan—“
“Is dead,” Bean interjected gently.
“Yes, thanks,” Billy snapped. “Good you were here to remind me of that, it tends to slip my mind.”
“Not fair, Bill.” Bean kept his voice low and even. This was careful treading even when Bill was healthy and fully possessed of his mental faculties.
“Let me tell you what isn’t fair, Sean,” Billy said, his voice harsh with pain and emotion. “What’s not fair is being one fucking needle away from my mate and having it snatched away from me again. What’s not fair is finding that I get to go on trying to live without him and then receiving a fucking lecture about how it’s all right to kiss another man so soon after his death.”
Sean was gobsmacked, there was no other word for it. He was sure that not one of team would have considered that Bill might have wanted to die in the plane. He knew Billy was still actively mourning Ewan—fuck, they all were--and God, but now that he thought on it, how selfish they all seemed, to bring Bill back like they had. He stopped that train of thought immediately. It hadn’t been Billy’s time yet. If it had been, he would be dead no matter how many heroic measures had been taken, of that Bean was sure. He realized that Bill had continued ranting, and that he’d missed all of it, consumed in his own thoughts.
“Just calm the fuck down, Boyd,” he cut in roughly, hoping to end the tirade. “You’re too sick to make sense right now so just shut it and rest.”
“Oh, I like that,” Billy snarled. “You come in here and—“
“Bill!”
“What?”
“Remember when Gerry was in hospital after Tobruk and he was going on and on about how life was over and what was left for him and you slapped him? I am two seconds from doing that to you if you don’t shut it.”
Billy stared at him for a moment, opened his mouth as if to speak and then shut it again.
“I’m sorry, Billy. I am. Last thing I wanted was to hurt you, mate. I just needed to know about Monaghan.”
Billy nodded curtly.
Sean sighed as he stood up and walked toward the door.
“Sean.”
“Yes?”
“I want to go home.”
Sean looked over his shoulder. “Bill…I don’t think—“
“Shouldn’t matter where I’m recovering,” Billy broke in. He met Bean’s intense gaze head on. “I just want to be home, Sean.”
“I’ll see what can be done, Billy. Just-–rest, all right?”
Billy nodded as he lay back in the bed, his earlier outburst clearly having sapped what little strength he’d had.
Sean sighed again as he left the room. Billy would need more medication now. He went looking for a nurse.
The door opened and everyone looked up expectantly as Bean entered Karl and Orlando’s room.
“How’s Bill?” Orlando asked quietly. Sean looked fucking knackered, he thought.
“In pain and cranky as fuck,” Sean replied, running a hand over his face. “Says he wants to go home.”
Orlando noticed that Sean’s hands were shaking a bit. Tired, yes, but likely whatever Bean had wanted to discuss with Billy privately hadn’t gone very well. The fact that not even Karl offered up a snappy rejoinder spoke to the seriousness with which the men were taking the matter.
“We’ll need to speak with the Brigadier, then” Orlando said. Murmured assent could be heard from all around the small room. “We can’t all go bursting into his office, though, he won’t listen to a mob report. This has to be official. I suggest Bean and Wenham.”
“It might be easier if it were just me,” Wenham suggested.
“You have to have back-up,” Orlando replied. “Even if Sean doesn’t say a word, we don’t go into situations alone.”
Wenham nodded, accepting the statement. Orlando wondered if the man realized he’d been inducted into the team or if he was just humouring them all. It was hard to tell with Wenham.
“All right,” Bean said, rubbing his face again. “We’ll go first thing in the morning. You remember how to get there?”
Wenham smiled. “Absolutely. I’ve been there more than the once.”
“Really?” Karl said, drawing the word out, his eyebrow rising.
“How d’you think the Brigadier knew who to call to fly your crazy arses into the sunset?” Wenham said, chuckling. “He didn’t just pull my name out of a hat and hope I would be insane enough to do the job.”
“I suppose I never thought about it much,” Karl laughed. “Just figured he had some bloody list of mentally challenged folk he could call on if needs be.”
“Well,” Wenham snorted as he stood and crossed the room to the door. “That one is so easy I’m not even going to go there. Have a good night, boys. If I’ve got to surprise Brigadier McKellen in the morning, I’m off to rest up first.”
Everyone called out their farewells as the door shut behind him.
“He does understand that he’s one of us now, right?” Karl asked.
“Dunno,” Orli said thoughtfully. “Was thinking of that earlier. It’s hard to tell with him yet. We’ll have to keep him around awhile and get him acclimated.”
Bean chuckled. “Lord help him.”
“He doesn’t need the Lord, he’s got us now,” Karl said, smirking.
Wenham and Bean marched smartly into the outer waiting room of Brigadier McKellen’s office. There was a woman behind the desk, not Mrs. Woodrich, who eyed them suspiciously as they stopped in front of the desk.
“May I help you?”
“Wing Commander David Wenham and Sergeant Sean Bean here for Brigadier McKellen, please.”
She looked down at her desk for a moment. “You’re not on the list.”
“No, we’re not,” Wenham said agreeably. “We’ll just have a seat here and wait until the Brigadier has a moment for us, thanks.” He then turned and began walking toward the seating on the other side of the spacious room, pulling a thoroughly amused Bean with him.
They settled down to wait.
Two hours later, Brigadier McKellen strode in accompanied by two other men. He slowed momentarily as he caught sight of them, but then continued on into his office and shut the door behind him.
Bean glanced at Wenham. “Guess we’ll be waiting awhile longer then.”
“Don’t bet on it,” Wenham replied, smiling. “He’s a busy man, but he’s also curious. Likely it won’t be too much longer.”
Wenham proved correct. The two men left McKellen’s office fifteen minutes later. Ten minutes after that, the phone on the front desk rang. Two minutes later, Wenham and Bean were shown into McKellen’s office.
“You have five minutes,” McKellen announced. “Why are you here?”
“It’s about Major Boyd, sir,” Wenham said quickly. “He wants to recover at home in Glasgow, and I thought, considering that he almost died on your mission, sir, that you could possibly see your way to authorizing that transfer.”
McKellen simply stared at them, saying nothing.
“Very good, sir,” Wenham said evenly. “Sorry to have wasted your time.” He turned to leave.
“I don’t remember dismissing you, Wenham.”
“Sir?”
“How do you propose to get Major Boyd to Glasgow? He won’t last a road trip, and we have no military planes to spare for such an event.”
“In all honesty, sir, I thought of offering my services in exchange. If there are any officers or other higher ranking officials who needed, say, a last minute flight up North, then we could put Major Boyd in the back. They need never even know he’s on board, sir. I could get him to Glasgow and then return again with either the same passengers or any others that might need a ride from that area.”
“You would fly a ferrying trip, Wenham? I remember a past conversation we had where you distinctly said you detested such things.”
“I do, sir. Not much I hate worse than flying some self-important armchair warriors from one safe place to another, but for Major Boyd? I would make as many exceptions as you deem necessary, sir.”
The phone on McKellen’s desk rang. “I’ve another appointment, gentlemen.”
“Thank you for your time, sir,” Wenham said. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
“Thank you, sir,” Bean added as the two of them exited the office.
Wenham and Bean were filling the rest of the team in when the door opened and Matthew Monaghan walked in.
“Wenham, the Brigadier asked me to tell you that there is a plane which has been out of commission for several weeks. It is getting ready to be re-entered into the active flight roster. He’d like it to be flown to, say, Glasgow and back to make sure it runs all right. He understands this is not your typical run, but wonders if this is something you would consider doing for him?”
Dave stared for a moment before shaking himself into action. “I—yes, absolutely!”
Matthew nodded, still business like, but then dropped the façade. “I’ll take care of the transfer from here to the plane. By the time you land in Glasgow, we’ll have someone waiting to pick Major Boyd up at the other end.” He paused, clearly debating on whether to go forward with what was on his mind. “I must say I’m curious, though. Even this short trip could set him back or worse, so why now?”
“Because,” Bean replied before anyone else could. “He asked to go home and, as far as I’m concerned, we owe it to him to get him there.”
Matthew nodded again, accepting the answer even though each of the men in the room could tell he still had something on his mind. “All right, well, good luck then, gentlemen. The plane will be waiting for you and the flight plan will already be filed.”
He strode out of the room purposefully as Bean looked around at each of the men. “Looks like Billy’s going home.”
Matthew headed towards the office of the Commanding Officer of the hospital. He still had work to do, details to take care of for Ian and Major Boyd. Like everyone else involved in this crazy scheme, Boyd had earned his respect, and his willingness to bend more rules than usual. He was torn, though. He’d wanted Boyd to stay here, he’d wanted to get to know the man better, and he’d wanted the chance to see Boyd and Dom together again after so many years. Matt had badly wished to see Dom’s face once he realized that it was Boyd come to rescue him again, and now he wouldn’t even get to see the remnants of that meeting. He sighed and decided that he would pay his little brother a visit before leaving the hospital.
Dom looked up from his journal as his door opened. His face relaxed into a grin when he saw who it was.
“Matty!”
“Hey there, little man.”
Dom rolled his eyes. “Taller than you, anyway,” he said, smirking as he used his pen to save his place in the journal, and set it beside him on the bed. “So, what brings you to Hell, then?”
“Official business.”
“Official business that you’re going to tell me about?”
“Yeah. It’s about Major Boyd. I thought you’d like to know.”
“I would,” Dom said, leaning forward, his eyes questioning. “He’s not getting worse, is he? He’s going to be all right?”
“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” Matt replied with a small sigh. “He must’ve been in brilliant physical shape to have even made it this far.”
“He was,” Dom said, his eyes going distant as he remembered his own encounter with that body. Even hindered by the layers of clothing, he’d been able to tell Boyd had been in excellent shape, and he’d wanted nothing more than to feel that body against his without barrier.
“Dom, come back from your hormone-soaked daydream. I don’t have all day and I’d like to talk to you, not watch you drool.”
Dom jerked back into focus and glared at his brother, who only rolled his eyes.
“So talk then.”
“Major Boyd’s about to be moved.”
“Moved?” Dom exclaimed, surprised. “But you just said—“
“He asked to go home, Dom, so he’s being sent home. I’ve been here getting it all set up but I wanted to tell you before I left. I’ve still got lots to do to work the other end of his trip and I have to go soon, but like I said, I thought you’d want to know.”
“I asked to go home, too, Matt, and I got told to fuck off. My home is less than an hour from here. Billy’s from Glasgow and he’s getting sent home in the shape he’s in? Will he even make it?”
“Wenham’s flying him. He should make it all right.”
“Wenham’s a good bloke. He’ll take care with him,” Dom said quietly, nodding.
“Dom…”
Dom met his brother’s eyes and saw the concern and it irritated him. “What, Matt?”
“I know you were hoping to get to spend some time with him down the line and—“
“I will,” Dom said, determination evident in his voice and posture. “I’ll get healthy enough eventually and then I’m going to Glasgow, Matt. Because there’s something there worth fighting for and I’m willing to wage that battle.”
“And it’s not just you and your memories of a teenaged crush?”
“No, it’s not. He knows I’m not just a kid anymore, he’s very much aware of that fact, even if he doesn’t want to be.”
“Something happened in Germany?”
“We kissed. There was potential for more. I want to know how much more.”
Matt’s jaw dropped. “You kissed him?”
“Actually, he kissed me, thanks.”
“And you think it was for reasons other than the fact that any of you could die at any given moment and that maybe you were just there when the mood struck him?”
“God, Matt, you really know how to build a man’s confidence, don’t you?”
“I just…this has crash and burn written all over it, Dom. I mean, it’s one thing to have a crush on a man when you’re a boy and then meet him again later in life, still be physically attracted and find yourselves in a situation where a move might be made and enjoyed. It’s quite another to assume that signals the start of something deeper.”
Dom sighed heavily. “You’re making perfect sense, Matt. Okay? I hear what you’re saying to me. Now fuck off, won’t you? I’ve got a future to daydream about and you’ve got to take the man I want in it hundreds of miles away from me.”
“You do realize that when you finally go to Glasgow, I’ll be driving you, right?” Matt said, chuckling.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” Dom said, offering a small smile.
Matt shook his head and leaned down to gently hug his brother. “Get some rest, Bernie, Uncle Ian’s telling the family you’re here and alive tonight.”
“What?”
“Yeah. He thinks you’ll be sprung in a day or two. My guess is Mum and Katherine will be down to Summerfield by tomorrow afternoon getting it ready for you.”
“Oh God,” Dom moaned, his hand covering his eyes.
Matt snickered as he crossed the room and opened the door to leave. “Don’t worry, Dom, it’s only been six years since they’ve seen you. I’m sure they’ll give you plenty of space to yourself in no time.”
“You are an evil man to enjoy my pain, Matthew.”
“Speak to you soon, brother-mine,” he said with a smile as he closed the door behind him.
“If I don’t kill you or myself first,” Dom muttered, rubbing his face. But he had a plan now, half-formed though it might be at the moment. He would put up with his mother and sister, and anyone else who chose to coddle him, until he was strong enough to get up to Glasgow. And then, then he would find Major Boyd. They had a future to discuss.
This is a work in progress so any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Feedback will be treasured.
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no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 08:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 05:46 am (UTC)Thank you. =)
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Date: 2007-02-26 08:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 05:51 am (UTC)I have to say, I'm absolutely blown away by the comments I've received on this chapter.
i didn't think it was all that good, actually. ::cringe::Thank you.
::hugs::
no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 09:44 am (UTC)i really love it, everything. all the little details and just everything :D
hope there's coming more soon
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Date: 2007-02-27 05:57 am (UTC)There's one more chapter to go, and I'm hopeful to have it up soon. I never know how that's going to work out though, timewise, so, yeah. heh.
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Date: 2007-02-26 10:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 06:06 am (UTC)I was glad for the chance to get a bit more into Matt's head and have the two brothers interact and I'm happy that it worked well for you.
Hee! That is one of my favorite lines in this chapter. =D
no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 12:18 pm (UTC)What a start to my day - just absolutely loved this chapter. Not that I expect anything less from you. Your writing never fails to make me stand up and go "yay!"
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Date: 2007-02-27 06:29 am (UTC)Seriously. I'm just going to fangirl your fb comments, all right? ♥
no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 01:14 pm (UTC)Each of these chapters are worth the wait.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 06:14 am (UTC)In all seriousness, though, thank you so much for saying that they may be worth the wait. It's never my intention to go so long in between posting and I do kind of worry about that, so, yeah.
no subject
Date: 2007-02-26 05:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 06:24 am (UTC)I'm glad you're enjoying it.
I would also like to compliment you on that fantastic icon. Lovely. =)
no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 04:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 12:23 pm (UTC)You make my day every time I find a new chapter of yours, you know. So I thank you
- thanks for writing the guys in a believable fashion, and not some sort of soap-characters, angst notwithstanding;
- thanks for telling us what happened after the kiss - sort of, anyway;
- thanks for depicting the scenery so vividly one can just SEE the images in their own mind;
- thanks for the care and the research you obviously put in everything;
- and mostly, thanks for sharing your gift with us.
Did I say enough? ;-) ...keeps waiting...
no subject
Date: 2007-03-01 07:30 am (UTC)btw, your fb is always constructive - you point out what you like and what affected you and that's the best kind to get as far as I'm concerned.
there will be more in this verse, yes, because these guys have been with me for over two years now and I just can't give them up. One offs most likely although I do also have extensive planning for an American-Australian version in a concurrent(ish) timeline.
Ehm, yeah, anyway, thanks again for your wonderful words. They make me feel like I might be doing something right. =D
::face palm::
Date: 2007-03-01 07:34 am (UTC)Re: ::face palm::
Date: 2007-03-01 06:46 pm (UTC)And I'm very happy to hear you'll be writing more, obviously - but firstly, I'll be eagerly waiting for the last (sigh!) chapter.
btw, after the 6th re-read I'm finally able to pick a sentence:
“I said them,’ Dom replied, a small frown appearing on his face. “Didn't I?”
there are no words for that!
no subject
Date: 2007-02-27 07:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-01 07:41 am (UTC)It was fun to write a bit of Matt and Dom brotherly interaction. I was glad I got the chance to do it and even more happy to know it worked for you. =D
Yes, Dom is definitely not afraid to go after what he wants. Poor Billy. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-01 06:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-02 06:36 am (UTC)Only one more to go!